Below is a summary of the latest sports news.
Top woman in Alaska’s Iditarod sled dog race ousted by injuries
Aliy Zirkle, the top woman competing in Alaska’s Iditarod dog sled race, was banned from the competition two days after the event started after suffering a concussion and other injuries on the trail, organizers said Tuesday. No details of the accident were immediately available. But Zirkle, a fan favorite, was evacuated from the track in Rohn, a checkpoint 183 miles before the race, and taken to an Anchorage hospital for medical treatment, organizers said.
Spring Workout Summary: The Rockies’ power is too great for Diamondbacks
The Colorado Rockies showed their performance potential with four early home runs, three ahead of Arizona Diamondbacks starter Luke Weaver, and scored an 11-4 win in eight innings on Tuesday in Scottsdale, Arizona. The 2015 Colorado draft met in second made a long homer and doubled in fourth as he tried to win a place on the grid.
US women meet Sweden in April to learn about the Olympics
The senior US women’s team will travel to Europe in April to face Sweden as they prepare for the Tokyo Olympics. There they will try to win back the gold medal that they missed at the Rio games in 2016, US football announced on Tuesday. US Soccer said fans will not be admitted to the April 10 game in Stockholm and that they are currently completing a second game in Europe scheduled for April 13.
Sailing: Team New Zealand wins the opening race of the 36th America’s Cup
The New Zealand team defeated Luna Rossa in the opening race of the 36th America’s Cup off the coast of Auckland on Wednesday. The defenders crossed the line 31 seconds ahead of the Italian challengers. The first race in the Best of 13 competition began when Luna Rossa’s co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill drove near TNZ’s Te Rehutai but was forced to resign and a criminal complaint was denied.
Japan should keep foreign viewers away from the Tokyo Olympics, sources say
Japan decided to host the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer with no overseas spectators as the public is concerned about COVID-19, two government sources, aware of the matter, told Reuters on Wednesday. The Olympic Games, which have been postponed for a year due to the pandemic, are scheduled for July 23rd to August 8th and the Paralympics from August 24th to September 5th. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said a decision on viewers would be made by the end of March.
Condo buyers in Olympic villages got stuck in the cold after playing late games
When Tokyo gained the right to host the Olympics, enthusiastic buyers flocked to purchase luxury condominiums planned for the sprawling development that will house the athletes during the event. With the Olympics delayed by a year due to the global pandemic and with the Games still rife with uncertainty, the excitement of shoppers has turned into frustration. Even if the move-in dates have been postponed by a year, they haven’t heard much from real estate companies.
Meyers Leonard is said to stay away from Heat while examining the bow
Center Meyers Leonard is set to stay away from the Miami Heat indefinitely as the team and the NBA investigate his use of an anti-Semitic bow during a video game livestream on Tuesday. Leonard publicly apologized when both the Heat and the NBA condemned his earlier comments.
Gronk is bringing sports memorabilia into the digital age with NFT trading cards
Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski will be the first professional athlete to launch his own digital trading cards this week. Reuters expects the rarest to make “millions”. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight-end cards are part of an extremely popular new digital asset called non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Federer looks to the Olympics as long as the knee holds
Roger Federer is aiming for a third Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games this year after being sidelined in 2016. He wants to gain momentum when he returns to the pitch after 13 months with a knee problem this week. The 39-year-old Federer is making his long-awaited comeback at the Qatar Open, where he will play in the second round against Britain’s Dan Evans after two knee surgeries ended his season last year.
Paul Pierce, Chris Bosh headline 2021 HOF finalists
NBA stars Chris Bosh and Paul Pierce, great WNBA trainer Lauren Jackson and Villanova trainer Jay Wright are among the 14 finalists announced Tuesday for the 2021 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class. These four are among the nine finalists available for election for the first time. along with five previous finalists.
(With contributions from agencies.)
