HOCKEY
Capitals receive title parade
The US capital was a sea of red on Tuesday as tens of thousands of ice hockey fans lined the streets to celebrate the city’s first major championship team in 26 years — the Stanley Cup-winning Washington Capitals. Under sunny skies, the NHL champions paraded down Constitution Avenue — accompanied by marching bands and even a few Zamboni ice resurfacing machines — to rousing cheers of “Let’s Go Caps!” The title is the first in the 44-year history of the franchise. “It’s incredible,” said Capitals fan Mark Kulkoskoi, who works in sales and marketing. “We love our hometown teams and we haven’t had a championship here in some time. This is a big deal for us.”
UNITED STATES
Global doping made a crime
Lawmakers in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday introduced a bill that would make it a crime to use or distribute performance-enhancing drugs while competing in international sports events. The bill is named after Grigory Rodchenkov, the Russian lab director who blew the whistle on Russian cheating at the Sochi Olympics. Penalties would include fines of up to US$250,000 for individuals and prison sentences of up to 10 years for those who make, distribute or use banned substances at international events, such as the Olympics. The bill cites the US contribution to the World Anti-Doping Agency as justification for jurisdiction over events outside US borders. Other countries, including Germany, Italy and Kenya, have similar laws. US authorities have long been hamstrung by limited legal options to prosecute doping cheats.
GOLF
Woods still the one to watch
Tiger Woods is not necessarily the man to beat at the US Open this week, but he is still the man everyone wants to see at Shinnecock Hills. The 14-times major champion on Tuesday played only nine holes, teeing off at the crack of dawn accompanied by last-start Memorial winner Bryson DeChambeau and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson. He completed his work, did a little practice, spoke to the media and left the course to return to his luxury yacht at nearby Sag Harbor before the sun was even over the yardarm. However, not before thousands of fans had taken the chance to catch a glimpse of one of sport’s most famous celebrities. “I think everyone realizes it’s different when he [Woods] turns up,” former world No. 1 Jason Day said. “I know I was like that when I first saw Tiger. I wanted to go on the putting green and putt around next to him, and stare at him.”
WORLD CUP
Hero Ronaldo backs Brazil
Former Brazil striker Ronaldo believes that it is time for his country to live up to the expectations and end their 16-year wait for a World Cup in Russia. Tite’s Brazilian squad head into the tournament as one of the favorites, and will meet Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia in Group E. “I think for me the favorite is, of course, Brazil, not just because I am Brazilian, but because Brazil are playing very well,” Ronaldo, who was the top scorer when Brazil last won the World Cup in 2002, told reporters in Moscow. “I hope Brazil can win. It’s a long time since 2002, and I think it’s time,” he said. Five-time champions Brazil are to open their campaign against Switzerland on Sunday.
The next generation of running talent takes center stage at today’s Berlin Marathon, in the absence of stars including Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian world record holder Tigist Assefa. With most of the major marathon stars skipping the event in the wake of the Paris Olympics just more than a month ago, the field is wide open in the men’s and women’s races. Since 2015, Kipchoge has won five times in Berlin, Kenenisa Bekele has won twice and Guye Adola once — with all three missing today. Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie and Ethiopian Tadese Takele are among the favourites for the men, while
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
RSS