ATHLETICS
SEA Games postponed
The Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), which were to take place in Vietnam this year, have been postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and would most likely be held next year, a member of the organizing council said yesterday. The regional Olympics were scheduled to be held in Hanoi and 11 other locations from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2. Vietnam is struggling to contain a new COVID-19 outbreak, and many SEA Games events were planned in provinces hard hit by the fresh wave of infections. “Definitely, the 31st SEA Games will not [be hosted] this year as scheduled in November,” said Varin Tansuphasiri, Games Council member and deputy secretary of the Thai Olympic Committee. “Vietnam wants to postpone the Games until next year, 2022.”
SWIMMING
Podium protests banned
Athletes would be allowed to express their opinions at news conferences and through media at the Tokyo Olympics, but protests during medal ceremonies are prohibited, FINA said on Wednesday. Podium protests have emerged as a controversial issue ahead of the Games with the International Olympic Committee deciding to retain a regulation forbidding any kind of “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” in venues and other Olympic areas. That has prompted criticism from some athletes, including Britain’s Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty, who said they have a right to express their opinions without being punished. FINA’s latest guidelines were issued just two weeks ahead of the start of the Games following discussions with the commission, the swimming federation said in a news release.
CYCLING
Van Aert towers on Tour
Raucous crowds on Wednesday cheered Wout van Aert to a frantic stage 11 win on the Tour de France after a double ascent of Mont Ventoux. UAE Team Emirates leader Tadej Pogacar retained the overall lead by more than five minutes over his pursuers after a long, daredevil descent to the finish line with Colombian Rigoberto Uran and Ecuadoran Richard Carapaz. Jumbo rider Van Aert crossed the summit of “the Giant of Provence” alone in his Belgian champion’s shirt on a baking day, and was greeted after his expert descent by a partisan pack at the finish line.
BASEBALL
Ohtani breaks homer record
Los Angeles Angels dual-threat Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday hit his major-league leading 32nd home run of the season, breaking Hideki Matsui’s record for long balls in a single season by a Japanese player. Ohtani, who has been electrifying in the batter’s box, on the mound and on the basepaths, crushed a pitch from the Boston Red Sox’s Eduardo Rodriguez over the right-field wall to help his team to a 5-4 victory as the club improved to 44-42. Matsui, who smacked 31 homers as a member of the New York Yankees in 2004 and took home World Series MVP honors in 2009, had nothing but praise for his fellow slugger. “Thirty-two home runs in a season is just a passing point for a hitter like Shohei,” Matsui said in a statement put out by the Angels, where he spent a season in 2010. “I was once considered a long ball hitter in the majors, but I believe that he truly is a long ball hitter.”
‘AWFUL PERFORMANCE’: Golden State were always chasing the game after failing to threaten from long range, making just eight of 33 three-point attempts Aaron Gordon on Monday scored 38 points as the Denver Nuggets shrugged off the absence of Nikola Jokic to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak with a 114-105 victory over their Western Conference rivals. A dazzling display from Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for Denver, who were missing regular starters Jokic and Jamal Murray from their lineup. The absentees were barely felt by Denver, who startled the Warriors early at San Francisco’s Chase Center and led for most of the game. The Warriors threatened to stage a late rally after slashing the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter lead from 15 points
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres scored twice on Sunday to help secure a late 4-2 comeback win at Atletico Madrid in a pulsating La Liga clash that took the Catalan side back to the top of the table. Barca have 60 points and a game in hand after last week’s postponement of their home game with CA Osasuna. They are level on points with Real Madrid, who won 2-1 at Villarreal on Saturday. “I am happy and proud of this team,” Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick told a news conference. “They never give up... It’s a great three points and we are happy to
Chris Wood has fired Nottingham Forest into surprise UEFA Champions League contention and now the striker wants to score the goals to help New Zealand make history at the FIFA World Cup. New Zealand are strong favorites to qualify out of the Oceania region over the next week and reach the World Cup for only the third time. At the country’s two previous appearances at the finals, in 1982 and 2010, they have failed to win a match in six attempts. With Wood captaining the side and leading from the front, he told local media yesterday that the current squad can finally deliver
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