BADMINTON
Hsu Wen-chi ousted in India
Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi made it as far as the women’s singles semi-finals of the BWF Syed Modi India International in Lucknow yesterday, before losing 21-14, 17-21, 16-21 to world No. 21 Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark. The world No. 25 beat Malaysia’s Wong Ling-ching 19-21, 21-17, 21-15 in the quarter-finals on Friday. Taiwanese shuttler Chi Yu-jen, ranked 48th in the world, was later to compete against world No. 31 Priyanshu Rajawat of India in the men’s singles semi-finals, after beating compatriot Lee Chia-hao 21-12, 13-21, 21-13 on Friday.
SOCCER
Famous fan thanks Sinclair
International soccer’s all-time leading goalscorer, Christine Sinclair, who helped Canada to three Olympic medals, is calling time on a glittering career after a second friendly against Australia in Vancouver on Tuesday. The 40-year-old made her penultimate appearance for Canada in a 5-0 win over Australia at Langford on Friday. Sinclair has scored 190 goals for Canada over 23 years. As the 40-year-old prepares to take her final bow, tributes have been pouring in, including one from Canadian Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds, who joked that her next soccer job could be with Wrexham, the club he owns with fellow actor Rob McElhenney. “Moving on in your career to Wrexham, it’s huge for the town, the club,” said Reynolds, smiling in a video to Sinclair played during an interview with CBC. “I think that you are going to be probably the key difference maker going forward up there in North Wales.” Caught off guard, a wide-eyed Sinclair played along, saying: “For the right amount of money I could go.” Reynolds, who like Sinclair is from Vancouver, also had a serious message. “What I really wanted to do is thank you,” Reynolds said. “I wanted to thank you for inspiring me, my kids, kids all over Canada and the world, young, old, middle-aged... You’re incredible and you deserve all the applause that hands could possibly give.”
FORMULA ONE
Bottas’ backside sells out
Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas has raised US$150,000 for men’s health charity Movember after a “Bottass 2024” calendar featuring photographs of him baring his backside sped off the shelves. An initial run of 10,000, with 5 euros (US$5.45) from each going to prostate cancer research, swiftly sold out with more printed. “Thank you so much for all the support in November. With the donations and with the calendars we have together raised a substantial amount for @Movember,” Bottas said on social media on Thursday. “Final figures to be calculated in the next days, but we are talking around $150k of funds raised!” Bottas had the calendar idea with photographer Paul Ripke after his partner and Australian cyclist Tiffany Cromwell took a picture of Bottas lying naked in a stream in Aspen, Colorado. That shot proved a hit on Instagram and was sold for charity. Bottas told speedcafe.com at the Las Vegas Grand Prix this month that his mother had some initial reservations. “She doesn’t really understand English that well, and she had seen some videos I had posted. She was quite confused and protective, asking me: ‘Are you sure that’s the path you want to go?’ So I explained the charity thing, and it’s fine.”
American rugby sevens star Ilona Maher is to join 15-a-side club Bristol next month in a bid to play in next year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup, the English club announced on Monday. Maher, 28, helped the US to a bronze medal at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris and is the seven-a-side sport’s most popular player on social media. “This is a huge coup to be able to bring Ilona Maher to Bristol Bears on a short-term deal,” Bristol head coach Dave Ward said. “She is one of the biggest names in women’s sport, let alone rugby, and we believe she will
US skier Mikaela Shiffrin said she sustained an abrasion on her left hip and that something “stabbed” her when she crashed during her second run of an Audi FIS Ski World Cup giant slalom race on Saturday, doing a flip and sliding into the protective fencing. Shiffrin stayed down on the edge of the course for quite some time as the ski patrol attended to her. She was taken off the hill on a sled and waved to the cheering crowd before going to a clinic for evaluation. “Not really too much cause for concern at this point, I just
CLASH OF MANAGERS: Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler and Russell Martin of Southampton accused each other of disrespect, while both were booked Southampton on Friday were denied a priceless victory by a controversial decision as they drew with hosts Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 in the Premier League. Kaoru Mitoma spectacularly headed Brighton into a first-half lead and Flynn Downes hammered home an equalizer an hour in. Minutes later teammate Cameron Archer converted a cross from Saints substitute Ryan Fraser. A video assistant referee check of more than four minutes eventually decided that Archer was onside, but then penalized Adam Armstrong, who was offside, but did not touch the ball, for interfering with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. “I find it hard to accept,” Southampton manager Russell Martin
HISTORIC VICTORY: Botafogo are the last of the four big Rio clubs to win the Copa Libertadores and they earned a spot in next year’s FIFA Club World Cup Botafogo on Saturday overcame playing with 10 men to win their first Copa Libertadores title after beating fellow Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro 3-1 in the final at Estadio Monumental. After just 30 seconds, midfielder Gregore, one of Botafogo’s best players, hit the head of Fausto Vera with his foot and was given a straight red card. “It was so hard to have one less so early in a final. It was an unfortunate move,” Botafogo defender Alexander Barboza said. “But Gregore deserves this title as much as we do. We made history and that won’t ever be erased.” Winger Luiz
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