by Patrick LEE JASIN, Malaysia (AFP) — Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz grunts with the effort of hoisting a barbell over her head in an outdoor makeshift gym ringed by banana and rambutan trees as trucks thunder past — an unlikely training base for a shot at Olympic gold in Tokyo. Diaz, 30, who took silver at Rio 2016, has been stuck in Malaysia since February last year because of the coronavirus pandemic but has remained […]
Tag: sport
Pacquiao says he’ll fight Errol Spence in August
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Philippine boxing great Manny Pacquiao said Friday he’ll fight unified welterweight world champion Errol Spence in Las Vegas in August. The 42-year-old legend will be fighting for the first time since he beat Keith Thurman in July 2019 for the WBA welterweight title. He revealed his plans with a Twitter post of a promotional poster for the bout captioned “Pacquiao v Spence, August 21, 2021, Las Vegas, Nevada”. The […]
Tiger Woods not facing reckless driving charge: sheriff
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Tiger Woods is not facing charges of reckless driving following the car crash in which he suffered serious leg injuries, authorities said Wednesday. “A reckless driving charge has a lot of elements into it, this is purely an accident,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters. He added that the most Woods could face would be a low-level offense known as an infraction if investigators conclude that he […]
Defying virus, Latvian ocean rower plans next adventure
by Imants LIEPINSH Agence France-Presse RIGA, Latvia (AFP) — After spending 140 days rowing across the ocean without seeing another human being, Latvian adventurer Karlis Bardelis has some valuable tips for those learning to cope with coronavirus lockdowns. Bardelis started his nearly two-year journey in Peru in July 2018, reaching French Polynesia after nearly five months and finishing in Malaysia in June of this year. Along the way, he was rammed by sharks off Papua […]
I’m so sorry’: Dimitrov tests positive for coronavirus after playing in Djokovic event
PARIS, France (AFP) — Grigor Dimitrov said on Sunday he has tested positive for coronavirus after pulling out of an exhibition tournament which also featured world number one Novak Djokovic. “I want to reach out and let my fans and friends know that I tested positive back in Monaco for Covid-19,” world number 19 Dimitrov wrote on Instagram. “I am so sorry for any harm I might have caused. I am back home now and […]
UFC superstar Conor McGregor announces retirement
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor announced his retirement from the sport on Sunday. The two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) World Champion said his fighting days were over in a Twitter message posted on his verified account, alongside a picture with his mother, Margaret. “Hey guys I’ve decided to retire from fighting. Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it’s been!” he wrote. “Here is a picture […]
NBA great Ewing out of hospital
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — NBA great Patrick Ewing has left hospital and is recovering at home after being diagnosed with COVID-19, his son said on Monday. The 57-year-old Hall-of-Famer was hospitalized last week after announcing he had tested positive for the coronavirus. However the former New York Knicks star and current Georgetown University coach is now on the mend at home, his son Patrick Ewing Jr. said on Twitter. “I want to thank […]
Kai Sotto signs with G-League club
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Filipino prospect Kai Sotto has decided to bypass US college basketball and sign with a development G-League team for next season. The 2.18 meter (7-foot-2) center has signed with a new G-League team that is unaffiliated with any NBA franchise. The new club does not have a name yet. Sotto joins other high school recruits Jalen Green, Isaiah Todd and Daishen Nix on the new team. Sotto is trying […]
Two weeks after NBA shutdown, US sports landscape barren
by Jim SLATER WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Imagine a Masters with fall foliage instead of spring flowers, an NBA Finals just weeks before the usual pre-season training camps and a neutral-site World Series in a warm vacation getaway. Those are just some of the options being eyed by American sports event organizers planning for a return after the coronavirus pandemic eases. Barren months are on the horizon just two weeks after the NBA launched […]
NBA center Towns reveals mother in coma in emotional video
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — NBA star center Karl-Anthony Towns revealed in an Instagram video Wednesday that his mother has been hospitalized for a week and is in a coma with what he thinks is coronavirus. The 24-year-old Dominican-American, the top pick of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, said his mother had to be placed in a medically induced coma and has been put on a ventilator. “It’s important that everyone understands the […]
Saints coach Payton tests positive for COVID-19
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton has tested positive for the new coronavirus, becoming the first person from the National Football League known to have contracted the disease. Payton said he is feeling tired but resting at home after going into self-quarantine. “I was fortunate to be in the minority, without the serious side effects that some have. I’m lucky,” Payton told American sports broadcaster ESPN on Thursday. […]
James won’t face struggling Warriors due to groin injury
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — LeBron James will skip Thursday’s game against the last-place Golden State Warriors because of a groin injury, the Los Angeles Lakers announced on Wednesday. A spokesman for the team made the announcement in a news release on their Twitter social media page. There were no details on the extent of the injury. “LeBron James (sore groin) is out for tomorrow’s game at Golden State. Anthony Davis (sore left elbow) […]





