TENNIS
Serena Williams wins prize
Serena Williams has been awarded Spain’s Princess of Asturias Prize for Sports for her stellar tennis career, organizers said yesterday. The 43-year-old American won 73 career singles titles, including 23 Grand Slams. She in 2022 said that she was stepping away from tennis to focus on her family and business interests. The 50,000 euros (US$56,684) award is one of eight annual prizes covering different areas, including arts, literature and science among others.
MOUNTAINEERING
Climber released in Nepal
Ukrainian climber Andrew Ushakov, who completed a journey from sea level to the summit of Mount Everest in a record four days, has been released on bail following his arrest for carrying undeclared foreign currency, a Nepalese official said on Tuesday. “If he chooses to raise hands [not fight the case in court] he forfeits the bail money,” Nepalese Department of Revenue Investigation Director-General Chandi Prasad Ghimire said. He had previously said the bail was set at US$60,000 — three times the amount allegedly carried by Ushakov, 40, when he was taken into custody on Sunday. Ushakov, a structural engineer who lives in the US, flew from New York to Nepal on May 15 before scaling Everest without the usual period of several weeks of acclimatization.
CYCLING
Roglic out of Giro d’Italia
Giro d’Italia favorite Primoz Roglic on Tuesday abandoned the race after suffering a crash on a downhill section alongside Richard Carapaz on stage 16. The 203km ride from Piazzola sul Brenta to San Valentino was plagued by heavy rainfall, leading to several crashes. The 2023 winner’s title bid had already suffered a major blow after a crash on Saturday, his third in a week.
OLYMPICS
Berlin seeks 2036 Games
Berlin has formally presented its bid to host the Olympics in the same stadium where Jesse Owens starred during the 1936 Games under the Nazis. Berlin Senator for Interior, Digitalization and Sport Iris Spranger on Tuesday said the city wants to put on a sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044, by refurbishing existing sports venues. She gave few details during a presentation, saying the bid was still at concept phase. Many Berliners oppose staging the Olympics at all, regardless of them potentially taking place on the 100th anniversary of the Games already hosted by the Nazis. An initiative called “NOlympia Berlin” has announced plans to block it by collecting enough signatures to force a referendum.
GYMNASTICS
Olympian Retton arrested
Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton was arrested for driving under the influence earlier this month, records on the West Virginia Judiciary Web site showed. The 57-year-old was charged with “driving under influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs” on May 17 after police responded to reports of someone driving a Porsche erratically. Retton was slurring her words when police stopped her, and officers saw a container of wine on the passenger seat of her car, the report said. She refused to take a breath test and was released after posting a US$1,500 bond.
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday. Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season. “Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.” “I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down
The Canterbury Crusaders edged the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in an intense Super Rugby Pacific final battle in Christchurch yesterday to claim their 15th title in 30 years of the Southern Hemisphere competition. Hooker Codie Taylor scored a try and Rivez Reihana contributed 11 points from the kicking tee as the most dominant team in Super Rugby history extended their perfect home playoff record to 32 successive matches since 1998. The Chiefs, who were looking for a first title since 2013, scored first-half tries through George Dyer and Shaun Stevenson, but were unable to register a point after the break and fell to
REUNION: Former Barcelona players Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Miami coach Javier Mascherano are to face their former coach Luis Enrique Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi faces a tantalizing reunion with former club Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup last 16 after both sides on Monday progressed to the knockout phase. Miami drew 2-2 with Palmeiras to go through second in Group A, after the Brazilian side fought back from two goals down to seal top spot. They now face an all-Brazil clash against Botafogo, who lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid, but progressed from Group B in second at the expense of the Spaniards. Champions of Europe PSG won the group with a 2-0 victory over Seattle Sounders, paving the
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