CYCLING
Cavendish’s lung collapsed
British cyclist Mark Cavendish is recovering from broken ribs and a collapsed lung after a crash in the Six Days of Ghent track meeting on Sunday. Cavendish was riding in the Madison when he went down in a crash involving Olympic and world champion Lasse Norman Hansen. “Examinations showed that Mark has suffered two broken ribs on this left side, and has a small pneumothorax [collapsed lung], both of which have been treated with medication. He has been kept in the hospital for observation,” Cavendish’s road team Deceuninck-Quick-Step said in a statement. “It is expected that Mark will be discharged either later today or tomorrow morning, and will then undergo a period of recuperation.” Cavendish reassured his fans on Twitter on Monday. “So Ghent didn’t end the way we’d have preferred, I think it’s fair to say. Some water on the track, a high speed crash and a few barrel rolls later, I’m being treated for some broken ribs and a pneumothorax,” he wrote. “In a bit of pain, but a couple of nights with the incredible staff here at Ghent by University Hospital should sort me out.”
OLYMPICS
Jacobs challenges Bolt
Italy’s Olympic 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs has challenged Usain Bolt to a charity team sprinting contest after the retired Jamaican said he could have won the blue riband race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Bolt said in an interview last week that it was frustrating to watch the delayed Games from his home in Jamaica, as his male countrymen flopped, and Jacobs, a relative unknown before the Olympics, claimed a shock victory. The 35-year-old Jamaican, the world record holder over 100m with a best of 9.58 seconds set in 2009, said Jacobs’ winning time of 9.8 seconds in Tokyo was still within his reach, despite having hung up his spikes in 2017. Jacobs, who has not raced since winning the coveted sprint gold, turned to social media on Monday to challenge Bolt, the winner of eight Olympic gold medals and an 11-time world champion. “You are my hero, so thanks for the hat’s off! But you also said you’re sure you’d win, so I’m up for the challenge!” wrote Jacobs, born in the US to an American father, but raised in Italy by his Italian mother. “How about starting with a charity capture the flag? You bring your team and I’ll bring mine!” he wrote.
FOOTBALL
Rams to pay Odell in bitcoin
The Los Angeles Rams’ newly acquired wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr is to receive his total salary from the Rams in bitcoin, he said on Monday, making him the latest NFL star to ask to be paid in the cryptocurrency. “It’s a NEW ERA & to kick that off I’m hyped to announce that I’m taking my new salary in bitcoin thanks to CashApp,” he wrote on Twitter. The Rams were not immediately available to comment. The three-time Pro Bowl selection joined the 7-3 Rams from the 6-5 Cleveland Browns earlier this month, signing a one-year deal reportedly worth US$4.25 million. Green Bay Packer’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers and New York Giant’s running back Saquon Barkley are among the NFL players who receive at least part of their salaries in the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin Magazine has reported.
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
Armand Duplantis will be among the reigning Olympic champions adding star power to the world indoor championships this weekend when the Chinese city of Nanjing hosts the first major global athletics meet since the Paris Games last year. The three-day event was originally slated for 2020 and faced multiple postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Nanjing’s Sports Training Center would finally welcome more than 570 athletes for the start of the showpiece today. One of the main attractions would be pole vaulter “Mondo” Duplantis, who soared 6.27m to break the world record for a staggering 11th time in Clermont-Ferrand last
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