BADMINTON
Hsu Wen-chi ousted in India
Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi made it as far as the women’s singles semi-finals of the BWF Syed Modi India International in Lucknow yesterday, before losing 21-14, 17-21, 16-21 to world No. 21 Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark. The world No. 25 beat Malaysia’s Wong Ling-ching 19-21, 21-17, 21-15 in the quarter-finals on Friday. Taiwanese shuttler Chi Yu-jen, ranked 48th in the world, was later to compete against world No. 31 Priyanshu Rajawat of India in the men’s singles semi-finals, after beating compatriot Lee Chia-hao 21-12, 13-21, 21-13 on Friday.
SOCCER
Famous fan thanks Sinclair
International soccer’s all-time leading goalscorer, Christine Sinclair, who helped Canada to three Olympic medals, is calling time on a glittering career after a second friendly against Australia in Vancouver on Tuesday. The 40-year-old made her penultimate appearance for Canada in a 5-0 win over Australia at Langford on Friday. Sinclair has scored 190 goals for Canada over 23 years. As the 40-year-old prepares to take her final bow, tributes have been pouring in, including one from Canadian Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds, who joked that her next soccer job could be with Wrexham, the club he owns with fellow actor Rob McElhenney. “Moving on in your career to Wrexham, it’s huge for the town, the club,” said Reynolds, smiling in a video to Sinclair played during an interview with CBC. “I think that you are going to be probably the key difference maker going forward up there in North Wales.” Caught off guard, a wide-eyed Sinclair played along, saying: “For the right amount of money I could go.” Reynolds, who like Sinclair is from Vancouver, also had a serious message. “What I really wanted to do is thank you,” Reynolds said. “I wanted to thank you for inspiring me, my kids, kids all over Canada and the world, young, old, middle-aged... You’re incredible and you deserve all the applause that hands could possibly give.”
FORMULA ONE
Bottas’ backside sells out
Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas has raised US$150,000 for men’s health charity Movember after a “Bottass 2024” calendar featuring photographs of him baring his backside sped off the shelves. An initial run of 10,000, with 5 euros (US$5.45) from each going to prostate cancer research, swiftly sold out with more printed. “Thank you so much for all the support in November. With the donations and with the calendars we have together raised a substantial amount for @Movember,” Bottas said on social media on Thursday. “Final figures to be calculated in the next days, but we are talking around $150k of funds raised!” Bottas had the calendar idea with photographer Paul Ripke after his partner and Australian cyclist Tiffany Cromwell took a picture of Bottas lying naked in a stream in Aspen, Colorado. That shot proved a hit on Instagram and was sold for charity. Bottas told speedcafe.com at the Las Vegas Grand Prix this month that his mother had some initial reservations. “She doesn’t really understand English that well, and she had seen some videos I had posted. She was quite confused and protective, asking me: ‘Are you sure that’s the path you want to go?’ So I explained the charity thing, and it’s fine.”
Manchester City have reached do-or-die territory in the UEFA Champions League earlier than expected ahead of what Pep Guardiola has described as a “final” against Club Brugge today. City have disproved the suggestion a new format to Europe’s top club competition would remove any jeopardy for the top clubs as Guardiola stares down the barrel of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in his career. The English champions have endured a torrid season both in their English Premier League title defense and on the continent. A run of one win in 13 games, which included Champions League
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported ￡400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported ￡400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported ￡900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday poured in 35 points as the Thunder grabbed a bounce-back 118-108 victory in Portland to push their NBA-best record to 37-8. The Thunder, surprised by the short-handed Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, fended off a late surge from the Trail Blazers to snap their four-game winning streak. Jalen Williams scored 24 points and Isaiah Joe added 16 off the bench. Center Isaiah Hartenstein, back after a five-game absence with a calf injury, added 14 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a big block. The Western Conference leaders were under pressure late as Portland, trailing by 15 heading
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