The Japan Times - Sports (English)

Tsunoda hopes new Alpha Tauri car sparks improvement in results

Yuki Tsunoda said the Alpha Tauri car for the 2022 Formula One season "looks great" and the Japanese driver hopes it propels him to improving on his points haul of 32 last year.

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Newcastle's Trippier faces spell on sidelines after breaking foot

Kieran Trippier has been ruled out of Newcastle's "upcoming fixtures" after fracturing a bone in his foot during a 1-0 win over Aston Villa at the weekend, the club said on Monday.

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Araujo injury blow for Barca before Napoli clash

Barcelona's Uruguayan international defender Ronald Araujo suffered a calf injury during the La Liga side's 2-2 draw against Espanyol, the Catalan club confirmed on Monday.

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Hanyu refuses to rule out Olympic return after Beijing heartbreak

Yuzuru Hanyu refused Monday to rule out another tilt at Olympic gold after the two-time figure skating champion was dethroned at the Beijing Games by Nathan Chen of the United States.

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Hirt conquers 'Green Mountain' to take Tour of Oman lead

Czech rider Jan Hirt conquered 'The Green Mountain' on Monday to grab the overall race lead in the Tour of Oman after the fifth and penultimate stage.

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No lean patch for Kohli, insists India batting coach

India's batting coach played down concerns Monday about the recent poor batting form of Virat Kohli, saying he was on the brink of scoring some "big runs".

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Goggia leads assault on Olympic downhill

Italy's Sofia Goggia will be gunning to successfully defend her Olympic downhill title on Tuesday, one of the highlights of the alpine skiing programme of the Beijing Games.

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Cancer-surviving Puerto Rican teen savours last Olympic hurrah

William Flaherty is only 17 but the Puerto Rican ski racer already knows Wednesday's slalom race will likely be his last Olympic appearance, as a "saddening" forced retirement from the sport approaches.

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Djokovic stays top of ATP rankings with Medvedev lurking

Novak Djokovic holds on to the world number one spot ahead of Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev in the latest ATP rankings released on Monday.

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St. Petersburg winner Kontaveit climbs to sixth in WTA rankings

Estonia's Anett Kontaveit climbed to a career-high sixth in the WTA rankings released on Monday a day after her victory in St. Petersburg.

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French ice dancers Papadakis and Cizeron win 'unreal' first Olympic gold

French figure skaters Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron said it felt "completely unreal" as they won their first Olympic gold in ice dancing Monday, breaking their own world record again in the process.

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How Valieva's Olympic doping controversy erupted

Russian teenage figure skating sensation Kamila Valieva was on Monday cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to continue competing in the Beijing Olympics despite failing a doping test.

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Olympic mascot cakes land Chinese bakers in trouble

Chinese bakers looking to cash in on the popularity of the Beijing Winter Olympics mascot have ended up on thin ice after market authorities cracked down on sweet treats shaped like the cartoon panda.

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Russian teen Valieva allowed to skate again at Beijing Olympics

Russian teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva can compete again at the Beijing Olympics after sport's top court said on Monday that she should not be suspended for failing a drugs test.

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Knee woes out of mind as Goggia eyes Olympic downhill defence

Italy's Sofia Goggia says she will defend her Olympic downhill title on Tuesday safe in the knowledge that she is no longer thinking about her knee injury.

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Australian ex-49er Hayne wins appeal over sex assault conviction

Former Australia rugby league star and San Francisco 49er Jarryd Hayne on Monday had his conviction for sexual assault overturned and is set to face another trial.

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Russian skater Valieva cleared to continue at Olympics despite doping

Russian teenage figure skating sensation Kamila Valieva was on Monday cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to continue competing in the Beijing Olympics despite failing a doping test.

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Russian skater Valieva cleared to continue at Olympics: CAS

Russian teenage figure skating sensation Kamila Valieva was on Monday cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to continue competing in the Beijing Olympics despite failing a doping test.

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Battling Burrow vows to return after Super Bowl agony

The Cincinnati Bengals' run to the Super Bowl had been this season's best Cinderella story.

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Bungee baby Hackett flies high, then crashes, at Beijing Olympics

New Zealand's Margaux Hackett is right at home hurtling through the air at the Beijing Olympics -- but then she is the daughter of the man who pioneered bungee jumping and took her first plunge aged just four.

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Humphries storms to Olympic gold to end German domination

Canadian-born Kaillie Humphries said her Olympic gold for her adopted USA has a special place in her heart after storming to victory Monday in the inaugural women's monobob event to end Germany's domination of the Winter Games ice track.

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French ice dancers Papadakis and Cizeron win first Olympic gold

French figure skaters Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron won their first Olympic gold in ice dancing Monday in Beijing, breaking their own world record again in the process.

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Mbappe future focuses all attention as PSG face Real Madrid

As Paris Saint-Germain prepare to face Real Madrid in the Champions League, the French club hope a victory in the tie could yet help convince Kylian Mbappe to stay rather than move to the Spanish capital.

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Kupp salutes Stafford after Super Bowl thriller

Cooper Kupp said hours of hard work alongside Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford finally paid off on Sunday after the duo combined to sink the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Teenage Russian skater Valieva to learn Beijing Olympics doping fate

Russian figure skating sensation Kamila Valieva will learn Monday if she can compete again at the Beijing Olympics when sport's top court gives its decision on a doping test she failed in December.

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French ice dancers Papadakis and Cizeron win Olympic gold

French figure skaters Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron won their first Olympic gold in ice dancing Monday in Beijing, breaking their own world record again in the process.

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Teams made to wait for Olympic medals over Valieva doping affair

The IOC said Monday the medals for the Beijing Olympics figure skating team competition would "probably not" be awarded during the Games, regardless of the decision about the doping test of Kamila Valieva.

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Hungry Eileen Gu survives 'scary' qualifier to reach Olympic final

Californian-born Eileen Gu, the face of the Beijing Games after winning freestyle skiing gold for China last week, held her nerve to qualify for the slopestyle final Monday -- then dashed off to practise.

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Humphries storms to Olympic monobob win to end German domination

Canadian-born Kaillie Humphries ended Germany's domination of the sliding sports at the Beijing Games on Monday with a storming victory for her adopted USA in the inaugural women's monobob event.

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Kupp, Donald star as Rams down Bengals in Super Bowl thriller

Cooper Kupp scored two touchdowns and Aaron Donald spearheaded a fearsome defensive display as the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to win the Super Bowl on Sunday.

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California Love: Dre, Snoop lead Super Bowl set that sees Eminem take knee

For the first time hip-hop headlined the Super Bowl halftime show, starring Dr. Dre and proteges Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and Eminem, who invoked a racial justice protest by taking a knee on music's biggest stage.

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Figure skating reaches for new love stories at Beijing Olympics

Longing glances, graceful lifts, bodies that effortlessly interlock with or shadow each other -- for many, the chemistry between figure skating partners and their implied love stories is what makes them so compelling to watch.

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Cricket 'fairy tale': Philippines amateurs chase World Cup berth

The Philippines is better known for boxers than batsmen and its cricket team has not played for three years, but the side of amateurs hope to make their mark in T20 World Cup qualifiers.

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Irish fighting spirit can keep them in Six Nations title race: Farrell

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says that if his side shows the same 'fight and character' they displayed in the 30-24 loss to France they will be 'in the mix' for the Six Nations title come the final day of the tournament on March 19.

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Scheffler out-duels Cantlay to win Phoenix Open in playoff

Scottie Scheffler drained a 26-foot birdie putt at the third playoff hole to win his first US PGA Tour title at the Phoenix Open on Sunday ahead of world No. 4 Patrick Cantlay.

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NFL rusher Peterson arrested on domestic violence charge

National Football League running back Adrian Peterson was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday in connection with an alleged domestic incident that led to a departing flight having to return to the boarding gate.

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Australia's Smith out of Sri Lanka series with concussion

Australia's star batsman Steve Smith was Monday ruled of the rest of their Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka with concussion after landing heavily as he made a spectacular attempt to take a catch.

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Luuk de Jong salvages late draw for Barcelona at Espanyol

Barcelona started and finished strongly on Sunday night but sagged in between and drew 2-2 at less fashionable neighbours Espanyol to cling on to fourth place in La Liga.

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Marseille grab late win as French race for second heats up

Arkadiusz Milik came off the bench to score the winner as Marseille edged Metz 2-1 to consolidate their second place in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

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