CYCLING
Doull talks toilet breaks
Welshman Owain Doull on Monday said he is “loving” his maiden Tour de France experience, despite the lack of opportunities to “have a nature break” during the crowded opening stages in Denmark. This year’s Tour started in Copenhagen and continued in Denmark for two more days with spectators packing the roadsides in the cycling-mad country. “It was quite hard, because when you’re racing you end up with three or four chances to have a nature break, but when there’s not a meter of spare road you can’t pull up in front of a load of fans and have a number one,” Doull said during the Tour’s third and final rest day. “As soon as there was an odd section where there were no people, or a gap of no people then all the riders would be shooting off to alleviate themselves.”
TENNIS
Kasatkina says she is gay
Russian world No. 12 Daria Kasatkina criticized her country’s attitude toward homosexuality in a video published on Monday as she announced she is a lesbian. The 25-year-old’s comments came after Russian deputies the same day proposed a new law that would ban information on all non-traditional sexual relationships in the public sphere. Broadcasting homosexual “propaganda” to youngsters has been banned in the country since 2013. “There are many subjects that are even more important than it that are banned, so it’s no surprise,” she told Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko after telling him that she has a girlfriend. “Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters; fuck everyone else,” Kasatkina said. “I believe it is important that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really speak about it. It is important for young people who have a hard time with society and need support.”
GOLF
Claret Jug fits two beers
British Open winner Cameron Smith has confirmed that the venerable Claret Jug trophy he won on Sunday can hold two beers. The Australian staged one of the greatest back-nine charges ever witnessed at a major championship to receive the trophy that has been handed to British Open winners since 1873. “I’m definitely gonna find out how many beers fit in this thing, that’s for sure,” Smith said when asked how he would be celebrating, later estimating he would have about 20 jugs’ worth. In an Instagram video filmed before he took the trophy back to his Florida home, Smith confirmed the results of his celebratory experiment. “I guess everyone’s been asking how many beers fit in the Claret Jug, it’s pretty much exactly two,” the 28-year-old said. “Yeah, had a good night last night with it. Cheers.”
E-SPORTS
Sam Kerr on ‘FIFA 23’ cover
Australian forward Sam Kerr is to be the first female player to feature on the global cover of Electronic Arts’ FIFA video game when the nearly three-decades-old franchise launches FIFA 23 this year, the game developer announced on Monday. Kerr, who plays for Women’s Super League (WSL) champions Chelsea, is to be featured alongside Paris Saint-Germain forward and France’s FIFA World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe. Kerr, 28, was the WSL’s top scorer last season with 20 goals in as many appearances. She has also scored 56 goals in 108 appearances for Australia since her debut in 2009 at the age of 15.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
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