BASKETBALL
Pau Gasol retires
Spanish basketball great Pau Gasol on Tuesday announced that he is retiring from the sport after a 23-year career. “I’m here to tell you that I’m going to retire from professional basketball. It’s a difficult decision after so many years, but it’s a decision I’ve taken carefully,” Gasol, 41, told a news conference at the Liceu theater in Barcelona.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Marshall hangs up boots
New Zealand rugby league great Benji Marshall yesterday announced his retirement after being denied a fairytale end to his career in Sunday’s Australian NRL grand final. The 36-year-old was part of the South Sydney Rabbitohs team defeated 14-12 by the Penrith Panthers the decider. Addressing reporters in Queensland, Marshall focused on the highlights of a 19-year career that included an NRL title with the Wests Tigers in 2005 and a 2008 World Cup win with New Zealand. “I started as just a young kid from Whakatane [in New Zealand] who was chasing his dreams and will leave as a better man who reached those dreams,” he said. “I cannot thank rugby league enough for everything it has given me. I’m extremely proud of my career.” Marshall played 346 NRL matches, eighth on the all-time list, and represented New Zealand 31 times, 21 as captain.
SOCCER
Allegations to be probed
Football Australia said it is to investigate any allegations of abuse in women’s soccer after retired international striker Lisa de Vanna said she had been a victim of sexual assault, harassment and bullying during her career.
GYMNASTICS
FBI’s failures renew probe
The US Department of Justice has launched a fresh inquiry into the FBI’s botched handling of its sex abuse investigation into former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, after previously declining to prosecute the agents involved, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said on Tuesday. “The recently confirmed assistant attorney general for the Criminal Division is currently reviewing this matter, including new information that has come to light,” Monaco told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
CYCLING
Pregnant Barker medaled
Britain’s Elinor Barker on Tuesday said she was pregnant when she won a silver medal in the track cycling team pursuit event at the Tokyo Olympics in August. Barker, who was part of the team who finished second to Germany at the Izu Velodrome, wrote on Twitter that she and her partner were expecting their first child. “We can’t believe how lucky we are and are so excited to start the next part of our lives together,” Barker wrote. “And for the eagle eyed among you who have done the maths... yep, I was pregnant at the Tokyo Olympics.”
BOXING
Muhammad Ali art auctioned
A boxing sketch in felt pen by the late Muhammad Ali sold for more than US$425,000 at an auction in New York on Tuesday of his little-known art works, some of which went for many times over estimates. The sketch, called Sting Like a Bee, and drawn on paper in 1978 was the most sought-after work among more than 20 paintings, drawings and sketches by Ali.
The next generation of running talent takes center stage at today’s Berlin Marathon, in the absence of stars including Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian world record holder Tigist Assefa. With most of the major marathon stars skipping the event in the wake of the Paris Olympics just more than a month ago, the field is wide open in the men’s and women’s races. Since 2015, Kipchoge has won five times in Berlin, Kenenisa Bekele has won twice and Guye Adola once — with all three missing today. Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie and Ethiopian Tadese Takele are among the favourites for the men, while
Nick Castellanos, Trea Turner and Kody Clemens homered on Wednesday as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 9-6 and clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs. Castellanos had three hits and scored three times. Bryson Stott also had three hits and Brandon Marsh drove in three runs for the Phillies, who on Monday claimed their first National League East title in 13 years. Coupled with the Milwaukee Brewers’ 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia secured the bye and home-field advantage in the NL Division Series. The Phillies owned the tiebreaker with the Brewers after winning the season series against the
With a quivering finger, England Subbuteo veteran Rudi Peterschinigg conceded the free-kick that sent his country’s World Cup quarter-final into extra-time before smashing his plastic goalkeeper on the floor in frustration. In the genteel southern English town of Tunbridge Wells, 300 elite players have gathered to play the game they love. “I won’t say this is the best weekend I’ve ever had in my life, but it’s certainly in the top two,” said Hughie Best, 58, who flew in from Perth, Australia, to compete and commentate at the event. Tunbridge Wells is the “spiritual home” of Subbuteo, which was invented there in 1946
Olympic bronze medalist Lee Meng-yuan has become the first Taiwanese athlete to top the International Shooting Sport Federation’s (ISSF) men’s skeet world rankings, while top Taiwanese shooters won golds in each of yesterday’s finals in Taoyuan. Lee’s 6,610 points put him ahead of fellow men’s skeet medalists from the Paris Olympics Americans Vincent Hancock and Conner Prince. Lee on Monday said that he was surprised by the result, although he had expected his ranking to rise after the Games, which was also the first time a Taiwanese athlete had competed in men’s skeet. Despite topping the rankings, Lee said he believed Hancock, who