MANILA – Cris Nievarez made the quarterfinal cut in the Tokyo Olympics men’s rowing single sculls event after finishing third in his heat on Friday at the Sea Forest Waterway in the Japanese capital. Nievarez clocked in at seven minutes and 22.97 seconds, making the quarterfinal cut as the top three rowers per heat will qualify to the next round. He will join Croatian Damir Martin, who topped Heat 5 at 7:09.17, and Russian Alexander […]
Sports — International
Ceremonies chief sacked on eve of troubled Tokyo Olympics
by Talek HARRIS Agence France Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The director of the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony was fired for jokes about the Holocaust on Thursday, causing fresh embarrassment a day before the pandemic-delayed Games finally get under way. The latest row involving a senior Games figure comes at a time of widespread opposition to the 2020 Olympics as Tokyo battles its highest number of coronavirus cases since January. Japan’s Covid-19 crisis has […]
Giannis completes NBA dream journey from poverty to champion
MILWAUKEE, United States (AFP) — As the last seconds ticked away before Milwaukee won the NBA Finals, Giannis Antetokounmpo thought not about his amazing performance but instead pondered his incredible journey from poverty to champion. “When I came to the league, I didn’t know where my next meal will come from. My mom was selling stuff in the street,” Antetokounmpo recalled. “Now I’m here sitting at the top of the top. I’m extremely blessed. I […]
Milwaukee Bucks win NBA Finals to snap 50-year title drought
MILWAUKEE, United States (AFP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in an astounding all-around performance and the Milwaukee Bucks captured their first NBA title since 1971 by defeating the Phoenix Suns 105-98 on Tuesday. The Bucks won the best-of-seven NBA Finals by four games to two, becoming only the fifth team to claim the crown after dropping the first two games. Antetokounmpo, only the seventh player in finals history with a 50-point game, added 14 […]
Surfing gives hope to Brazilians with disabilities
by Rodrigo ALMONACID SANTOS, Brazil (AFP) — Doctors told Malu Mendes that she would never walk normally again, but now she is a world champion at riding waves. Miguel Almeida can barely see but has been able to sense the formation of waves since he was a child. Like many Brazilians, both have managed to overcome their physical disabilities thanks to surfing. They head to the beaches of Santos in mid-morning to enjoy the waves. […]
US gymnast tests positive for Covid-19 at Olympics
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A female US gymnast has tested positive for coronavirus at an Olympic training camp and another athlete is self-isolating, team chiefs and Japanese officials said on Monday. The gymnast was named by her father as 18-year-old Kara Eaker who is in Japan as a reserve on the squad led by superstar Simone Biles. Eaker is in isolation, along with another “close contact” on the team, her father Mark told CNN. He […]
Bucks focused as fans eye end to 50-year NBA title drought
MILWAUKEE, United States (AFP) — Milwaukee Bucks supporters are buzzing about the possible end of a 50-year NBA title drought while star Giannis Antetokounmpo fights to keep his focus with a crown tantalizingly near. The Bucks lead the best-of-seven NBA Finals 3-2 over Phoenix with game six Tuesday at Milwaukee, where 20,000 fans will fill the arena and 25,000 more will jam the “Deer District” outside to watch on huge videoscreens. “You can feel the […]
Coronavirus hits Olympic Village for first time
by Talek HARRIS Agence France Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The chief of the Tokyo Olympics tried to reassure “worried” athletes on Saturday as the Games Village was hit by its first coronavirus case, six days before the pandemic-delayed event opens. As thousands of competitors pour into Japan for the Games, which will largely take place without spectators, the positive test for an unnamed person in the Village heightened worries over biosecurity. About 11,000 […]
Virus cluster at Japan hotel hosting Brazilian Olympians
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — At least eight staff at a Japanese hotel hosting Brazil’s Olympic judo team have tested positive for coronavirus, local officials said Thursday. Health and sports officials at Hamamatsu city, west of Tokyo, said virus screenings were done before the judo delegation of around 30 members arrived there on Saturday. None of the infected individuals came in contact with the athletes, they said. The news comes as Tokyo prepares to host […]
Leonard undergoes knee surgery: Clippers
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard faces a lengthy injury layoff after undergoing surgery to repair torn knee ligaments, the team said Tuesday. Leonard missed the final eight games of the Clippers’ playoff campaign after injuring his right knee against the Utah Jazz last month. The team initially said Leonard had sprained the knee but said in a brief statement on Tuesday he had suffered a partial tear of […]
Durant gets US back on track in Argentina blowout
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant scored 17 points as the United States bounced back from consecutive defeats to score a convincing 108-80 victory over Argentina in a pre-Olympic exhibition on Tuesday. Gregg Popovich’s US squad, the reigning Olympic champions, had been jolted by defeats to Nigeria and Australia in the opening two games of their Las Vegas training camp before heading to Tokyo for the Olympics next week. But a more polished […]
McGregor undergoes surgery, vows to return to octagon
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Conor McGregor underwent three hours of surgery on Sunday, less than 24 hours after suffering a “clean” break of his left shinbone during a devastating UFC defeat to American brawler Dustin Poirier. Doctors revealed that McGregor broke his left tibia and fibula bones in the opening round of the non-title lightweight bout in Las Vegas. McGregor said in a video message posted on social media that he expects to […]
