TENNIS
Mensik collapses in heat
Jakub Mensik on Wednesday said it was “insane” to play a marathon match at the French Open in temperatures above 30°C, after collapsing with a cramp on court immediately after beating Mariano Navone. The 20-year-old needed eight match points to win 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (13/11) after 4 hours, 41 minutes on Court 6, completely exposed to the sun. “It’s insane to play in this weather, especially in front of the sun, to be there for more than four-and-a-half hours, it’s just insane,” Mensik told reporters. “Even with the breaks, you don’t have that much time, the ball boy can’t bring you a towel.” Mensik collapsed onto the clay straight after hitting the winning forehand. When his opponent came to greet him, he tried to get up, but remained stuck on his back. The umpire waited several seconds before coming to his aid and eventually medical staff arrived to help him.
Photo: Reuters
ATHLETICS
US$10m offered for record
The Enhanced Games organizer on Wednesday said it would offer a US$10 million bonus to any man who breaks Usain Bolt’s 100m world record at their event next year, sharply increasing the financial stakes for the controversial, drug-friendly competition. Enhanced said the prize would go to the winner of the men’s 100m final if he runs faster than Bolt’s 9.58 seconds, the time the Jamaican set in Berlin in 2009 and which is viewed as one of the most untouchable marks in the sport. The announcement followed the inaugural Enhanced Games, held on Sunday in Las Vegas, where one swimming “world record” was set.
SOCCER
Least-known player goes viral
New Zealand defender Tim Payne’s social media profile has exploded over the past few days after an Argentine influencer decided he was the least-known player at the FIFA World Cup. Valen Scarsini, known as “elscarso” on Instagram and TikTok, made a video encouraging his audience to give the Wellington Phoenix and All Whites defender’s account likes, comments and follows. In the space of a couple of days, Payne’s Instagram account went from 4,715 followers to 660,000 — outstripping New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, All Blacks rugby star Ardie Savea and Scarsini. “Was wondering why my socials were blowing up and found your post, man,” Payne said in the message to Scarsini. “Appreciate the love! Gracias, hermano.”
ATHLETICS
Games eyes obstacle course
The obstacle-course format popularized by the television show Ninja Warrior is to help shape the new-look modern pentathlon at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics under an agreement between Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) Television and the sport’s global governing body. TBS, creator of the Japanese program Sasuke, known internationally as Ninja Warrior, and the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) on Tuesday said they had agreed to collaborate on obstacle racing, the discipline that would replace equestrian show jumping in the modern pentathlon. The deal includes licensing rights for UIPM to use certain TBS-designed obstacles and program elements in its obstacle racing events. In Ninja Warrior, athletes race through a timed obstacle course that tests swinging, climbing, balancing and grip, with mistakes often sending them into the water below.
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev was the only athlete to “beat” a world record on Sunday at the Enhanced Games, winning the men’s 50m freestyle at the divisive competition where athletes were free to take performance-enhancing substances. His time of 20.81 seconds — which is not considered official — came in the final event of the night in Las Vegas, sparing the blushes of organizers who made claims that multiple world records would be surpassed due to a sophisticated doping regime. Gkolomeev, who was wearing a synthetic “supersuit” long banned at events such as the Olympics, outpaced Australia’s Cameron McEvoy’s 20.88 set in
Fred Kerley is competing unaugmented against drug-fuelled athletes at this weekend’s Enhanced Games and still hopes to race in the 2028 Olympics, the suspended former 100m world champion said on Friday. Arguably the biggest name at the divisive event in Las Vegas, where doping is permitted, the US sprinter said he had chosen not to take any of the banned substances including testosterone and steroids that his competitors have been using. “I don’t need it. God gave me fast feet for a reason. And I’m here to showcase my talent,” Kerley said. Kerley last September became the first US competitor and first track
VICTORY ABROAD: The team took home a fistful of medals and secured spots for the autumn’s Asian Games, scheduled for September in Nagoya Taiwan’s women’s team captured the overall title at the Asian Taekwondo Championships in Mongolia on Sunday, finishing with two golds, one silver and one bronze medal. The strong showing, led by gold medalists Wang Chieh-ling and Chang Jui-en secured the full quota of available spots for Taiwan at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, in September. Wang opened Taiwan’s medal run by winning gold in the women’s under-46kg class on Thursday, the first day of competition. Liu Yu-yun later earned a silver in the under-49kg class. On the final day on Sunday, Chang won Taiwan’s second gold medal in the under-62kg event, and
The manager of the Yomiuri Giants, one of Japan’s most popular baseball teams, resigned yesterday after he was arrested for allegedly physically attacking his teenage daughter. Shinnosuke Abe allegedly grabbed the 18-year-old and forced her to the floor at their home in central Tokyo on Monday evening, reported national broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News, citing unnamed police sources. “Leaving like this really means I’m causing you a lot of trouble, and I feel truly sorry about that,” Abe told a hastily arranged news conference, his eyes red with tears. The former star catcher, who is among baseball-obsessed Japan’s most recognized sports figures,
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