GOLF
Henderson leads by one
Brooke Henderson on Thursday shot an eight-under 63 to top the star-packed leaderboard in the Meijer LPGA Classic. The 19-year-old Canadian eagled the par-five eighth hole and had six birdies at Blythefield in her lowest round of the season. “It’s beautiful here,” Henderson said. “I feel like this course suits my game really well.” Fellow major champions Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis and Feng Shanshan were a stroke back, along with Jennifer Ha, Giulia Molinaro and Holly Clyburn. Among Taiwanese, three shot two-under 69 to be among 28 in 38th — Chien Pei-yun, Hsu Wei-ling and Min Lee — while Yani Tseng and Cheng Ssu-chia shot 71 and 75 respectively.
SOCCER
Jeonbuk scout found dead
The former Jeonbuk Motors scout at the center of a bribery scandal last year has been found dead at the team’s home stadium in Jeonju, South Korea,, the club said yesterday. Jeonbuk were docked nine points and fined 100 million won (US$88,067) by the K League’s disciplinary committee for payments the scout made to referees in 2013. They were later barred from defending their Asian Champions League crown because of the scandal. An official at the club told reporters by telephone that the scout had been found dead at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in North Jeolla Province early yesterday. Yonhap news agency quoted police as saying he had been found hanged. In September last year, the scout was sentenced to a six-month suspended jail term by Busan District Court after bribing two referees with a total of 5 million won.
SOCCER
Turin stampede claims life
A woman left in a coma after a crowd stampeded in Turin, Italy, at a screening of the Champions League final on June 3 died overnight, the hospital where she was being treated said yesterday. The patient, identified as Erika, a 38-year-old local woman who had gone to watch the match with her boyfriend, was among more than 1,500 people injured in the incident. There were about 30,000 people in San Carlo square at the time, who had gathered to watch home favorites Juventus play Real Madrid in Cardiff. The stampede was apparently triggered by fireworks that were detonated as the match drew to a close. Erika was crushed against a wall, and the compression of her rib cage caused a heart attack that led to brain damage, reports said.
BOXING
Russian goads opponent
Russian Sergey Kovalev on Thursday made his point then stormed off the podium as he butted heads with champion Andre Ward of the US in the final news conference before their world title rematch today. There appears to be genuine dislike between the undefeated Ward and challenger Kovalev, who is seeking to regain his three world titles when he faces Ward in Las Vegas. The 34-year-old Kovalev amped up US-Russian boxing tensions by taunting Ward and then walking off the stage. “I already said enough and I will prove it June 17. And you get prepared,” Kovalev said, turning and pointing his finger directly at Ward before leaving by the back door. Ward, who was sitting in his assigned seat on the podium, immediately shot back: “Turn my microphone on. Don’t you point your finger at me.” The Russian sent Ward to the canvas in their first fight in November, but lost on points.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
Taiwan’s Tony Wu yesterday beat Mackenzie McDonald of the US to win the Nonthaburi Challenger IV in Thailand, his first challenger victory since 2022. The 26-year-old world No. 315, who won both his qualifiers to advance to the main draw, has been on a hot streak this month, winning his past nine matches, including two that ensured Taiwan’s victory in their Davis Cup World Group I tie. Wu took just more than two hours to top world No. 172 McDonald 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win his second challenger tournament since the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in 2022. Wu’s Tallahassee win followed two years of
UP IN SMOKE: More than half a dozen riders crashed out of the race, with Marquez’s title chances in doubt after driving off the track with flames flickering from his bike Jorge Martin yesterday won a crash-filled Indonesia MotoGP to extend his championship lead, while closest rival Francesco Bagnaia limited the damage by claiming the final podium place. The win leaves the Pramac Racing rider 21 points ahead of his Italian Ducati rival, who finished third behind Spaniard Pedro Acosta in sweltering conditions at the Mandalika International Street Circuit on Lombok island. In front of a crowd of 60,000 in motorbike-mad Indonesia, the 26-year-old put his tumble in Saturday’s sprint behind him, canceling out the gains his title rival Bagnaia made after securing victory in that race. “Thank you Indonesia. I am very happy.
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