Emotional Valieva takes lead in Olympic figure skating

Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee in action during the women’s short program in figure skating at the 2022 Beijing Olympics on Tuesday. (Reuters)
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Updated 15 February 2022
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Emotional Valieva takes lead in Olympic figure skating

  • Valieva is the overwhelming favorite for the gold and Russia are aiming for the first sweep by any nation of the women’s Olympic podium

BEIJING: Russian teen sensation Kamila Valieva put aside the emotional exhaustion of being at the center of a doping scandal and took the lead in the women’s figure skating competition after the short program at the Beijing Olympics.

Skating despite a positive drug test, Valieva started her pursuit of a second gold medal with a score of 82.16 points on Tuesday. She faltered on her opening triple axel and then made it through the rest of her program.

The 15-year-old Valieva tested positive for a banned heart medication from a sample given in December, a result that only emerged last week after she helped Russia win gold in the team event with a historic performance. It included her landing the first quadruple jumps by a woman at the Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Monday that Valieva should be allowed to compete in part because she is a minor, known as a “protected person,” and is subject to different rules from an adult athlete. But the decision has been roundly criticized, including by others that performed before her on Tuesday.

Valieva is the overwhelming favorite for the gold and Russia are aiming for the first sweep by any nation of the women’s Olympic podium.

Reigning world champion Anna Shcherbakova was second with 80.20 points. Kaori Sakamoto of Japan had a score of 79.84 to prevent a 1-2-3 Russian finish in the short program. Alexandra Trusova, the other member of the Russian “Quad Squad,” was fourth with 74.60 points.

Whatever happens on the ice, Valieva will not get a medal ceremony moment in Beijing. Nor will any skater who finishes in the top three with her.

Valieva told Russian state broadcaster Channel One in comments shown Monday night that “these days have been very difficult for me. I’m happy but I’m tired emotionally.”

She broke into tears as she skated off the ice Tuesday night.

The free skate is Thursday.

Shiffrin 0 for 4

Mikaela Shiffrin is 0 for 4 at the Beijing Olympics after finishing 18th in the downhill. It was hardly unexpected considering it was the first time she’s competed in that event in her Olympic career and her struggles in earlier races.

Shiffrin is planning to enter two more races: The Alpine combined on Thursday — she won a silver in that at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics — and the team event on Saturday. She owns two gold medals from past Olympics; no American Alpine skier ever has won three in a career.

Corinne Suter of Switzerland won the downhill gold and defending champion Sofia Goggia of Italy had an inspiring performance to take the silver less than a month after a bad crash and serious leg injury. Nadia Delago of Italy took the bronze.

Teenager Su Yiming went spinning through the air in front of the cooling towers and smokestacks of an old steel mill to win China’s first Olympic snowboarding gold medal and elevate his celebrity status.

Su had such a big lead after two rounds that other competitors played it safe, just trying to earn a podium spot. He took the silver in slopestyle and would have had gold if judges had noticed Max Parrot missing a grab on his first jump. Parrot took bronze Tuesday.

It was China’s second gold medal at Big Air Shougang following Eileen Gu’s win in freestyle skiing.

Su, a 17-year-old aspiring actor who had a part in the 2014 action film “The Taking of Tiger Mountain,” led by 17.5 points entering the final round. He started the competition with consecutive 1800s — five spins — first completing the trick going forward, then backward.

Su went off casually on his last jump and then held his hands to his head during an ovation from the crowd.

Su hadn’t seen his parents in seven months while training in Europe and competing around the world. Shortly after getting on the podium, Su spotted them in the stands and began to cry. He later spoke to them through a fence separating those allowed inside Beijing’s Olympic bubble from the fans.

“I was thinking back to when I was four years old and my first time snowboarding,” he said in English. “I’m so appreciative. This moment is so special for my family.”

Silver for Gu

Eileen Gu won’t win three gold medals at the Beijing Games, but she can still become the first extreme sports athlete to win three medals at an Olympics.

The 18-year-old American-born freestyler who is competing for her mother’s home country of China narrowly missed out on the gold medal in slopestyle. She finished .33 points behind Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland. Gremaud took the bronze in the big air event won by Gu.

Gremaud was the first to go in the second round and posted the score to beat. Gu vaulted from the back of the pack but couldn’t quite overtake Gremaud.

“I trust the judges. Sometimes they give it to you, sometimes they don’t,” Gu said. “And today, they didn’t ... I did everything that I could that was in my control, and some things you just can’t control and you just have to accept it.”

Gu will compete in freeski halfpipe later this week.

Germany posted the first podium sweep by any nation in any Olympic bobsled race, led by Francesco Friedrich piloting the winning sled in the two-man event. Johannes Lochner drove the silver-medal sled and Christoph Hafer steered his bobsled to the bronze.

The US won their second speedskating medal of the Beijing Olympics when they  took the bronze in team pursuit. With 36-year-old Joey Mantia leading three American skaters through all eight laps, the US denied Sven Kramer of the Netherlands his 10th career medal.


Swiatek and Anisimova battle to be new queen of Wimbledon

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Swiatek and Anisimova battle to be new queen of Wimbledon

  • Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek had previously never gone beyond the quarter-finals at the All England Club
  • No player has retained the crown since the now-retired Serena Williams won her seventh and final Wimbledon title in 2016
LONDON: Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova clash in the Wimbledon final on Saturday with a new women’s champion guaranteed for the eighth consecutive year.
Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek had previously never gone beyond the quarter-finals at the All England Club while US 13th seed Anisimova is preparing for her first major final.
No player has retained the crown since the now-retired Serena Williams won her seventh and final Wimbledon title in 2016.
Aryna Sabalenka started as the hot favorite after reaching the past three Grand Slam finals but faltered in a gripping semifinal against Anisimova.
Poland’s Swiatek is seeded eighth at Wimbledon following a disappointing first half of the season, though she is back up to fourth in the rankings after reaching the final of the grass-court Bad Homburg tournament.
That run, together with her surge through the draw at All England Club, suggests the 24-year-old is cured of her grass-court allergy.
Initially she went under the radar at Wimbledon, with the focus on Sabalenka and French Open champion Coco Gauff, but she kept winning while the top seeds tumbled, dropping just one set on route to the final.
Swiatek brushed aside former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 in Thursday’s semifinal.
Four of her five Grand Slam titles have come on the clay of Roland Garros and she won the 2022 US Open on hard courts.
But she is finally showing an affinity with the lawns of Wimbledon, a development that has shocked even her.
“Honestly, I never even dreamed that it’s going to be possible for me to play in the final,” Swiatek said.
“So I’m just super-excited and proud of myself and, I don’t know, tennis keeps surprising me.
“I’ve been enjoying just this new feeling of being a bit more comfortable on grass.”
Swiatek has won all five of her Grand Slam finals, but standing in the way of a sixth major title and a cheque for $4 million (£3 million) is Anisimova.
The 23-year-old American shattered Sabalenka’s title bid with a shock 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win on Thursday.
Anisimova has overcome many obstacles to make her maiden Grand Slam final.
She reached the French Open semifinals in 2019 at the age of just 17.
But in 2023 she took an eight-month break from the court for mental health reasons, tumbling out the top 400.
This time last year, she was on the comeback trail but was ranked too low to get into the Wimbledon main draw and fell in qualifying.
“If you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon, I would not believe you. It’s indescribable to be honest,” she said.
Anisimova, whose parents emigrated from Russia in the 1990s, added: “I think it goes to show that it is possible.
“I think that’s a really special message that I think I’ve been able to show because when I took my break, a lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again if you take so much time away from the game.”
Anisimova won the Qatar Open in February and showed she was comfortable on grass by reaching the Queen’s Club final in June.
She is guaranteed to reach the top 10 for the first time when the rankings are updated on Monday.
The two players have never met professionally, though they did face each other as juniors, with Swiatek coming out on top.
“I did lose that match against her, unfortunately,” said Anisimova. “I remember a lot of coaches were saying that she’s going to be a big deal one day. Obviously they were right.
“I’m sure it will be an amazing match. Getting to compete against an unbelievable player again is going to be super special.”

Five players, three teams tied for lead at LIV Golf Andalucía

Updated 12 July 2025
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Five players, three teams tied for lead at LIV Golf Andalucía

  • Severe winds led to suspension of play at Real Club Valderrama

SAN ROQUE: With his Australian heritage and Open Championship pedigree, Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith knows a thing or two about playing golf in blustery conditions.

Rarely has he experienced an afternoon like Friday’s first round of LIV Golf Andalucía at Real Club Valderrama.

Severe winds reduced scoring opportunities and eventually forced a suspension of play due to unplayable conditions — the first time in league history that a round could not be completed in a single day.

“You can play this golf course with no wind and it’s brutal,” Smith said. “When you get 30 mile-an-hour gusts, it’s definitely not an easy place to get around.”

Play was set to resume on Saturday, with players having between three and five holes remaining in their opening rounds.

Smith was one of just five players under par when the horn blew to suspend play. He shares the overnight lead at 1 under with Smash GC’s Talor Gooch, the individual winner at Valderrama in 2023; Majesticks GC Co-Captain Lee Westwood; Stinger GC’s Branden Grace and Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann, the current Individual points leader seeking his fifth win of the season.

Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau and Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm are one stroke back — the only other players who did not leave the course Friday over par.

The Crushers, seeking their fourth consecutive team title, are tied for first with Legion XIII and Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC on the team leaderboard at 5 over.

Friday’s round started under breezy but manageable conditions, but the wind speed increased throughout the afternoon as the direction changed.

At 5:07 p.m. local time, just over four hours after the shotgun start, the horn blew. Tournament officials were hopeful for a resumption, but the forecast was not favorable and included the potential of dangerous conditions.

“Terribly unfortunate situation to be in for anybody out here,” said Brad Ullman, vice president, rules, at LIV Golf. “These Poniente winds of southern Spain are no joke.”

From a competition standpoint, the biggest issues came on the greens. A combination of dry putting surfaces and high-impact wind gusts prevented putts from stopping and golf balls from remaining still at address. At the most exposed parts of the course, particularly the greens on the 11th and 14th holes, putting was near-impossible.

“Ultimately the balls were moving a little bit too much for our liking,” Ullman said. “It was the right thing to bring them off the golf course.”

No surprise that Niemann, who has won every event this season on even-numbered weeks, is among the leaders on the 10th event of the 2025 schedule. He birdied his third hole of the day, the par-5 fourth, and made par on his other 14 holes — the only player without a bogey on Friday.

Westwood, who last week won a final qualifying tournament to earn exemption into next week’s Open, was the early leader after birdies in four of his first seven holes. A double bogey derailed his momentum, but he finished the day with four consecutive pars.

Gooch has good vibes at Valderrama, having won LIV Golf Andalucía in 2023 en route to the Individual Championship. He endured a rollercoaster seven-hole stretch that included three birdies and three bogeys, then ended his round by knocking his approach shot to 2 feet at the par-4 10th to end with a birdie.

Grace, battling the potential of relegation for the second consecutive season, is on pace for his best first-round position this season. He was a bogey-free 1 under through his first 10 holes and then responded to his two bogeys with two birdies.

Smith was bogey-free through his first 13 holes and leading by three shots at 4 under. It was one of his best stretches of golf this year, but it ended with a double bogey and bogey before play ended.

“It’s easy to feel frustrated, particularly when I doubled 15 and then bogeyed 16 as well,” Smith said. “I was trotting along pretty good before that.

“But it’s golf. Golf isn’t fair, at the end of the day. Were the conditions fair? Probably not for a little bit, but it is what it is. We’ll get on with it. I’m sure we’ll make a good tournament out of it.”

 
TEAM SCORES
LIV Golf’s new scoring format this season involves all four scores now counting in every round in the team competition. (Click here for more on the new format). Here are the partial scores with play suspended late in Friday’s Rd. 1 of LIV Golf Andalucía:

T1. SMASH GC +5 (Gooch -1, Kokrak +1, McDowell +2, Koepka +3)

T1. CRUSHERS GC +5 (DeChambeau E, Casey +1, Howell III +2, Lahiri +2)

T1. LEGION XIII +5 (Rahm E, Hatton +1, Surratt +1, McKibbin +3)

4. 4ACES GC +8 (Reed +1, Johnson +2, Pieters +2, Varner III +3)

T5. HYFLYERS GC +9 (Mickelson +1, Tringale +2, Ogletree +3, Steele +3)

T5. MAJESTICKS GC +9 (Westwood -1, Poulter +1, Horsfield +4, Stenson +5)

 7. CLEEKS GC +10 (Bland +1, Meronk +1, Kaymer +4, Kjettrup +4)

T8. RIPPER GC +11 (Smith -1, Jones +2, Leishman +4, Herbert +6)

T8. RANGEGOATS GC +11 (Watson +1, Campbell +2, Uihlein +3, Masaveu +5)

T8. FIREBALLS GC +11 (Ancer +2, Garcia +2, Ballester +3, Puig +4)

11. TORQUE GC +14 (Niemann +1, Muñoz +3, Pereira +4, Ortiz +8)

12. STINGER GC +15 (Grace -1, Oosthuizen +5, Schwartzel +5, Burmester +6)

13. IRON HEADS GC +16 (Kozuma +2, Na +2, Jang +5, Lee +7)

Wild Cards: C. Lee +2, Kim +6


Chelsea’s Fernandez warns about ‘dangerous’ heat at Club World Cup

Updated 12 July 2025
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Chelsea’s Fernandez warns about ‘dangerous’ heat at Club World Cup

  • Chelsea faces Paris Saint-Germain in the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday
  • Soaring temperatures in several cities hosting the Club World Cup have been a focal point in the tournament

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez said the scorching heat at the Club World Cup in the United States left him feeling dizzy and described the high temperatures as “dangerous” to play in.
The inaugural 32-team Club World Cup, which concludes on Sunday with Chelsea facing Paris Saint-Germain in the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, has delivered a spectacle on the pitch but concerns over player welfare and lukewarm attendances in the US have sparked a debate.
Tuesday’s semifinal between Chelsea and Fluminense which took place at 3 p.m. local time in New Jersey saw temperatures soar past 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) with over 54 percent humidity, prompting a National Weather Service warning.
Soaring temperatures in several cities hosting the Club World Cup have been a focal point in the tournament, which is seen as a dry run for next year’s men’s World Cup.
“Honestly, the heat is incredible. The other day I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy,” Fernandez told reporters on Friday.
“Playing in this temperature is very dangerous, it’s very dangerous. Moreover, for the spectacle, for the people who come to enjoy the stadium, for the people who watch it at home.
“The game, the speed of the game is not the same, everything becomes very slow.
“Well, let’s hope that next year they change the schedule, at least so that it remains a beautiful and attractive football spectacle, right?” the 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina added.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has also previously complained about the heat, saying it was “impossible” to organize regular training sessions in the afternoons in Philadelphia.
“Some places have been really hot, the last round was hot and I was stuck watching it and I was thinking: ‘wow, this is so tough.’ I felt bad for them but they managed it really well,” Chelsea center back Levi Colwill said.


Sinner unfazed by French Open collapse as he prepares for Alcaraz rematch

Updated 12 July 2025
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Sinner unfazed by French Open collapse as he prepares for Alcaraz rematch

  • Carlos Alcaraz had earlier dispatched US fifth seed Taylor Swift in four sets on Center Court
  • At Roland Garros, Alcaraz came back from two sets down against Jannik Sinner to win a fifth Grand Slam

LONDON: Jannik Sinner played down the impact of his painful defeat against Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final as he prepares for a rematch at Wimbledon on Sunday.

The world number one crushed seven-time champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in under two hours on Friday to set up a title showdown against the Spanish two-time defending champion.

Alcaraz had earlier dispatched US fifth seed Taylor Swift in four sets on Center Court.

Just weeks ago at Roland Garros, Alcaraz came back from two sets down against Sinner, saving three match points to win a fifth Grand Slam.

But Italy’s Sinner, 23, played down the lingering impact of that loss in the aftermath of Friday’s semifinal win against Djokovic.

“I think if it would be a lot in my head, I would not be in the situation to play a final again, I guess,” he said.

“I’m very happy to share once again the court with Carlos. It’s going to be difficult, I know that.

“But I’m looking forward to it. I try always to put myself in these kinds of situations that I really love. Sundays at every tournament are very special.”

The top seed said he would not be able to fully assess the lasting impact of his loss at Roland Garros until he stepped onto the court for his first Wimbledon final.

“I think it’s something what you feel before the match and also during the match,” he said. “I can give you answers after.

“But no, it’s different. Different match. I’m looking forward to it.”

Sinner, who has won three majors, said Alcaraz was the favorite to win a third straight title at the All England Club.

The Spaniard has the edge, winning eight of their 12 matches, including the past five.

“He won here two times in a row,” said Sinner. “He’s again in the final. It’s very tough to beat him on grass, but I like these challenges.

“I like to go head-to-head and trying to see what I can do and what I can reach.”

Sinner, who has shared the past six Grand Slam titles with Alcaraz, said it was too soon to compare their dominance with the era of the “Big Three” — Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“You cannot compare what the big three did for 15-plus years. Six Grand Slams are one-and-a-half years. It’s not that big yet.

“Of course, we find ourselves, again, in this position. This is the second consecutive Grand Slam that we are in the final and playing each other, which is great from my side.

“I believe it’s good for the sport. The more rivalries we have from now on, the better it is, because people want to see young players going against each other.

“I’m happy to be in that position, but let’s see in the future. If we can make that happen for the next three, four years, then people can think about. Let’s see.”


Sudanese clubs seek league title amid civil war

Updated 12 July 2025
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Sudanese clubs seek league title amid civil war

  • A civil war in Sudan has not prevented clubs competing to be national champions and qualify for the 2025/26 Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions

JOHANNESBURG: A civil war in Sudan has not prevented clubs competing to be national champions and qualify for the 2025/26 Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions.
Here, AFP Sport also reports on why the Libyan championship play-offs will be staged in Europe, and a huge boost for Burkina Faso as they seek a maiden World Cup appearance.
An eight-club mini-league is being held in Sudan amid a civil war, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and trigged a massive hunger and displacement crisis, according to the United Nations.
Matches are being staged at two stadiums in a northeastern area controlled by the Sudanese army, who have been battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023.
The top two finishers, currently Al Hilal and Al Merrikh after three rounds, qualify for the Champions League while those coming third and fourth go into the second-tier Confederation Cup.
Al Hilal, winners of the Sudanese championship a record 30 times, have lost Democratic Republic of Congo-born coach Florent Ibenge to Tanzanian club Azam.
Ibenge joined the Omdurman outfit in 2022 and guided them to the Champions League quarter-finals last season despite being unable to play at home due to the civil war.
The 63-year-old Congolese inherits a club that finished third in the last Tanzanian title race behind Young Africans and Simba and will compete in the Confederation Cup.
Libya will stage the six-club national championship play-offs in Italian city Milan from July 15-31 instead of in the north African country owing to the political situation there.
The west of the nation, including the capital Tripoli, is run by a United Nations-recognized government, but a rival administration controls the east.
Leagues based in the west and east preceded the play-offs, which will feature the top three clubs in each — Al Ahly Tripoli, Asswehly, Al Ittihad, Al Ahly Benghazi, Al Hilal and Al Akhdar.
Yannick Ferrera has been named coach of five-time African champions Zamalek of Egypt in succession to Portuguese Jose Peseiro, who took Nigeria to the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations final.
The 44-year-old Belgian has coached in his homeland, Saudi Arabia and Cyprus and takes over a club that finished behind Al Ahly and reigning African champions Pyramids in the Egyptian league.
Coming third means the White Knights will miss out on the lucrative and prestigious Champions League, and must attempt to win the Confederation Cup a third time instead.
Burkina Faso will end years of homelessness by hosting Egypt during September in a 2026 World Cup Group A qualifier.
Renovations to the national August 4 Stadium in the capital Ouagadougou have been completed and approved for international fixtures by CAF inspectors.
The clash is critical for the Burkinabe Stallions as they trail the Pharaohs by five points with four rounds remaining and only the group winners are guaranteed a place at the global tournament.