Sports — International

Russian Olympic champion accuses IOC chief of creating ‘new war’

PARIS, France (AFP) — Russian Olympic high jump champion Mariya Lasitskene on Thursday accused IOC president Thomas Bach of having created a “new war” by recommending Russian athletes be banned from international competition. Following the invasion of Ukraine in February, the International Olympic Committee had recommended a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, a request followed by most federations. “You say you made this decision for our safety but it’s not true. Russian tennis players who […]

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Warriors’ Curry says he’ll play game 4 despite foot injury

BOSTON, United States (AFP) — Golden State star Stephen Curry was emphatic Thursday in confirming he’ll play game four of the NBA Finals, despite suffering a foot injury in the Warriors’ game three loss to the Boston Celtics. “I’m going to play,” Curry said at practice Thursday. “That’s all I know right now.” The Warriors trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven championship series heading into game four at Boston’s TD Garden. Curry was among the Warriors […]

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Boxing champ Inoue’s home burglarized during fight: reports

  TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japanese boxing champion Naoya Inoue reacted with horror on Wednesday after reports said his home had been burglarized while he was busy taking down Nonito Donaire at a much-anticipated match. More than a dozen expensive bags and pieces of jewellery were stolen from the 29-year-old bantamweight champion’s home near Tokyo on Tuesday evening, broadcasters TBS and Fuji TV said, citing unnamed police sources. Local police declined to confirm details of […]

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Inoue unleashed ‘hardest punch I’ve ever been hit with’ – Donaire

  SAITAMA, Japan (AFP) — Nonito Donaire said he was felled by “the hardest punch I’ve ever been hit with” as bantamweight king Naoya Inoue inflicted a sensational second-round stoppage on the Filipino veteran in Saitama. The unbeaten Japan boxing great known as “Monster” scored his 20th KO victory in 23 fights to add the WBC title to his WBA and IBF belts in a breathless display of power punching. In the pair’s first, classic […]

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Inoue stops Donaire in second round to unify bantamweight titles

  Japan’s unbeaten Naoya Inoue stopped Nonito Donaire of the Philippines in the second round Tuesday to add the WBC bantamweight world title to his WBA and IBF belts. Inoue, who also beat Donaire in a 2019 classic, floored the 39-year-old veteran at the end of the first round and stopped him 1 min, 24 sec into the second to take his record to 23 wins, 20 of them by knockout. Inoue and Donaire’s previous […]

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Australia happy to reach World Cup finals ‘the hard way’

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Coach Graham Arnold is counting on “Aussie mental strength” to see his side to victory over the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and through to another playoff battle for a place in the World Cup finals. Arnold said that Australia seem to like qualifying the “hard way” but insisted that they are ready for the showdown in the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Doha. The winner will take on Peru in the […]

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Celtics rally to beat Warriors in game one of NBA Finals

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Al Horford led an electrifying fourth quarter comeback as the Boston Celtics stunned the Golden State Warriors 120-108 to draw first blood in their best-of-seven NBA Finals series on Thursday. Celtics veteran Horford scored 26 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, as Boston inflicted Golden State’s first home defeat of the post-season at their Chase Center fortress. Horford’s tally included what turned out to be a decisive burst […]

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No NBA Finals experience, no problem for Celtics says Udoka

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Having no players with experience in the NBA Finals won’t be such a problem for the Boston Celtics, coach Ime Udoka said, even against a finals-familiar Golden State squad. The Warriors, who host Thursday’s opener in the best-of-seven series, are in the championship final for the sixth time in eight years and chasing their fourth crown in that span, sparked by core veterans Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond […]

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Warriors eliminate Dallas and advance to NBA Finals

Klay Thompson scored a game-high 32 points and the Golden State Warriors advanced to the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight seasons by defeating Dallas 120-110 on Thursday. The Warriors, chasing a fourth title in eight campaigns, won the best-of-seven Western Conference finals 4-1 and secured a place in June’s title showdown against either the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat. The Celtics carry a 3-2 series lead into Friday’s sixth game of the […]

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Yuka Saso’s golf odyssey: Philippines to Japan via US Open win

by Daniel HICKS When a little-known teenager from the Philippines burst into the global golf spotlight by winning last year’s US Women’s Open it changed her life — but left tricky decisions ahead. Yuka Saso will next week enjoy the new experience of defending a major. But at Pine Needles she will play under a different flag, the crimson red circle of Japan. Saso, who was born in the Philippines and has a Filipino mother […]

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Tatum stars as Celtics rout Heat to square series

Boston, UNITED STATES (AFP) — Jayson Tatum rediscovered his scoring touch with 31 points as the Boston Celtics thrashed the Miami Heat 102-82 to level their NBA Eastern Conference finals series on Monday. Two days after dropping their opening home game of the best-of-seven finals, Boston came roaring back at the TD Garden with a one-sided game four blowout that squares the series at 2-2. Tatum finished with eight rebounds and five assists in addition […]

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PHL bags 52 gold medals, ranking 4th in SEA Games

Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo gets five golds, becoming the PHL athlete with the most number of golds in 31st SEA Games   Best SEA Games showing for PHL in events hosted outside the country (Eagle News) – The Philippines bagged 52 gold medals in the just-concluded 31st Southeast Asian Games, ranking 4th in the over-all medal tally with host country Vietnam leading the region with 205 gold medals. This is the best SEA Games gold […]

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