PYEONGCHANG: Triple world champion Elize Christie crashed hard into the protective padding on the last corner of her 1,500-meter speed skating semifinal on Saturday and had to be stretchered off the ice.
The British athlete was chasing South Korean leader Choi Min-jeong together with Li Jinyu when Christie and the Chinese skater tangled.
Officials quickly called for medical help and she was stretchered off in tears. There was no immediate information how serious the injury was, but she was moving and fully conscious. Team GB confirmed that Christie was taken to hospital as a precaution and her boyfriend, Hungarian skater Shaolin Liu, told BBC Sport she had not broken any bones and hopes to compete in the 1,000-meter sprint, which starts on Tuesday.
The reigning 1,500-meter world champion was considered among the favorites for the gold medal, having missed out on a 500-meter medal in similar circumstances earlier in the Games. Christie was later penalized and would not have advanced anyway.
Elsewhere, it was also heartbreak for US skier Lindsey Vonn.
The American, generally considered the greatest female ski racer in history, had a bad run in the upper half of the super-G course and had to settle for sixth place, 0.38 seconds behind surprise champion Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic and 0.27 away from the bronze medal position.
At Vancouver in 2010, she had taken the bronze in the super-G and the gold in the downhill. She was forced to sit out the Sochi Games four years ago after tearing ligaments in her right knee. But this time around, the four-time overall World Cup champion — and owner of the most race wins on that circuit by a woman, second-most by anyone — focused afterward on a particular miscue. It arrived in what she called “the last critical section,” about 6 seconds from the end of a race that took the winner 1 minute, 21.11 seconds to complete, just 0.01 seconds ahead of silver medalist Anna Veith of Austria, the 2014 champion.
Entering a jump-turn combination, Vonn allowed one of her skis to lift off the snow too much and swept several feet wide of the proper path, barely clearing a gate.
“I misjudged how I came in there,” Vonn acknowledged. That gave away more than a quarter of a second to Ledecka in the final quarter of the piste.
If Vonn hadn’t done that, she said, “I think I would be on the podium, at bare minimum. I mean, that mistake was really big, and I’m only a couple tenths out of first. So I would estimate yes.”
Before that portion, “I mean, I felt really good. I was like, ‘Yes! I got this. I got this.’ And I knew I had to focus all the way to the finish because of that turn.”
Vonn will now have a few days to gather herself and begin preparing for her best event, the downhill, which is scheduled for Wednesday.
Elise Christie crashes out again at Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Vonn finishes 6th
Elise Christie crashes out again at Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Vonn finishes 6th
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Ayub century helps Pakistan crush Zimbabwe, level series
- Ayub struck unbeaten 113 as Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets to level one-day international series with one match to come
- Zimbabwe were all out for 145 at Queens Sports Club as they sought a second victory over the tourists
ZIMBABWE: Saim Ayub struck an unbeaten 113 as Pakistan crushed Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in Bulawayo on Tuesday to level a one-day international series with one match to come.
Zimbabwe were all out for 145 at Queens Sports Club as they sought a second victory over the tourists in three days having won by 80 runs in a rain-shortened tour opener.
Pakistan then atoned for a poor batting show on Sunday with Ayub and fellow opener Abdullah Shafique (32 not out) unstoppable as they reached their target in 18.2 overs.
Ayub struck 17 runs and three sixes off 62 balls in a 75-minute stand while Shafique claimed four fours in the southern city.
Ayub reached his century off 53 balls — the second fastest in an ODI international by a Pakistani after Shahid Afridi.
Zimbabwe, seeking a first ODI series win over Pakistan, utilized five bowlers, but none made an impression with Brandon Mavuta, who conceded 47 runs in four overs, particularly expensive.
After winning the toss, Zimbabwe were quickly in trouble with openers Joylord Gumbie (five) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (four) back in the pavilion with less than four overs bowled.
Only Dion Myers, who struck six fours in his 33, and veteran Sean Williams, who posted 31 before being trapped leg before by Ayub, impressed for the home team.
Pakistan-born all-rounder Sikandar Raza, often the batting savior for Zimbabwe, made just 17 before becoming one of three victims of Salman Ali Agha.
Abrar Ahmed took four wickets and Ali Agha three for Pakistan, who arrived in southern Africa after a 3-0 ODI series loss in Australia.
The Zimbabwe ODI series decider is set for Thursday, followed by three Twenty20 internationals from Sunday, also in Bulawayo. Pakistan then visit South Africa for an all-format tour.
Zimbabwe win toss and elect to bat in 2nd ODI against Pakistan
- Pakistan suffered 80-run humiliating loss to Zimbabwe in first ODI on Sunday
- Tayyab Tahir and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed debut for Pakistan in second ODI
BULAWAYO: Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat in the second one-day international against Pakistan on Tuesday.
Pakistan made two changes after Zimbabwe recorded a stunning 80-run win on DLS method in the rain-affected first match to lead the three-game series 1-0 on Monday.
Middle-order batter Tayyab Tahir and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed were awarded ODI debuts in place of Haseebullah Khan and fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain.
Haseebullah got dropped after making 0 in his debut ODI while Hasnain made way for Abrar with the wicket expecting to slow bowlers.
Zimbabwe didn’t tinker with its winning combination after Pakistan struggled against both pace and spin in the first game.
Pakistan have rested its frontline white-ball players Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Babar Azam as they tested bench strength ahead of next year’s Champions Trophy.
Bulawayo will host the third and final ODI on Thursday and will also host both teams in the three-match T20 series.
‘As easy as the semifinal’ — Alhyasat predicts another win over Al-Qahtani
- Saudi fighter Al-Qahtani gets second chance against his Jordanian opponent after Islam Reda’s withdrawal from the PFL Mena Championship final
RIYADH: The author of arguably the biggest upset in the inaugural season of PFL MENA, Jordanian welterweight Abdelrahman “Cobra” Alhyasat, has predicted history will repeat itself during the first championship final on Nov. 29.
A relative unknown, Alhyasat shocked the world when he beat Saudi Arabian mixed martial arts star and title favorite Abdullah Al-Qahtani in the semifinals, winning by unanimous decision.
While the undefeated Alhyasat was initially scheduled to face Islam Reda in the final, an injury meant the latter had to withdraw — opening the door for a rematch with Al-Qahtani.
However, Alhyasat does not seem too excited about facing the “The Reaper” for a second time.
“I would have preferred to face a different fighter in the final, but Islam Reda’s injury led to Al-Qahtani being in the final,” he said.
However, “Cobra” is confident that he can make it 2-0 against the Kingdom’s biggest MMA star.
“I will repeat my victory over Al-Qahtani,” he said boldly, even stating the hometown disadvantage would not be much of an issue. “I’m comfortable with this matchup; it will be as easy as the semifinal. Fighting on his home turf won’t be a source of stress for me.”
While Alhyasat believes he can shut down Al-Qahtani again, he also knows the Saudi Arabian star will not have the same game plan as he did in their semifinal showdown — so he has made his own strategy adjustments to compensate.
“I expect Al-Qahtani to change his fighting style for the final. That’s why, during my specialized training camp in Thailand, we coordinated with the technical team to study all possibilities and adapt to the flow of the fight,” Alhyasat explained.
“The plan we’ve prepared for the final is flawless and ensures another victory over Al-Qahtani,” he added.
In fact, Alhyasat is so confident in his capabilities that he already has a celebration planned.
“I will celebrate the belt with my friends in Amman, enjoying Jordanian mansaf, even if my opponent changes his fighting style,” he said.
The complete PFL MENA Championships card:
PFL MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdelrahman Alhyasat (5-0) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (9-2)
PFL MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (7-0) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (12-6)
Amateur Women’s Atomweight Bout: Hattan Alsaif vs. Lilia Osmani
PFL MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (11-1) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (15-3)
PFL MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (6-1) vs. Georges Eid (10-4)
Showcase Fights:
Lightweight MENA Showcase: Mansour Barnaoui (21-6) vs. Alfie Davis (17-4-1)
Heavyweight MENA Showcase: Slim Trabelsi (7-0) vs. Abraham Bably (5-0)
Featherweight Global Showcase: Jesus Pinedo (23-6-1) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (19-4)
Featherweight Global Showcase: Asael Adjoudj (8-1) vs. Jose Perez (9-1)
Middleweight Global Showcase: Costello van Steenis (15-3) vs. Joao Dantas (7-1)
FIFAe Finals 2024 to take place in Riyadh
- The tournament returns to the Saudi capital from Dec. 5-12 with a partnership between FIFAe and the Saudi Esports Federation
RIYADH: The FIFAe Finals 2024 come to Riyadh next month, the first time the event will include multiple esports titles.
Hosted at the SEF Arena at BLVD Riyadh City, it will unfold in two stages. Proceedings begin with the FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League from Dec. 5-8, followed by two FIFAe World Cups featuring eFootball (on console and mobile) that will run from Dec. 9-12.
Ahead of the tournaments, Turki Al-Fawzan, CEO of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “As we continue to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in esports, hosting the FIFAe Finals 2024 is a proud moment for us. This event not only highlights the Kingdom’s commitment to the esports ecosystem but also provides an unparalleled opportunity for players from across the world to showcase their talent and passion on a global stage. We’re excited to witness the next chapter of esports history unfold right here in Riyadh.”
Players have the opportunity to represent their nations and lift the official FIFAe World Cup Trophy on a global stage. Sixteen nations are competing in Rocket League and up to 18 will go head-to-head in eFootball.
In line with Rocket League’s third-party regulations, the prize pool stands at $250,000. The prize pool for both eFootball competitions (console and mobile) is $100,000 each, bringing the total prize distribution for the FIFAe Finals 2024 to $450,000.
“This year’s addition of multiple new titles marks a major expansion for football esports tournaments, offering players from diverse ecosystems the chance to compete on the biggest stage under the FIFAe banner. We’re excited to continue this momentum together with the SEF and look forward to bringing this event to life in December together with our partners and publishers,” said FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom.
The FIFAe Finals 2024 follow the inaugural FIFAe Next Gen event in Liverpool, England, which included the first-ever FIFAe World Cup featuring Football Manager, alongside the FIFAe Fame Your Game Cup.
West Ham stun Newcastle to ease pressure on Lopetegui
- The result, only West Ham’s second win on the road this season, lifts them to 15 points, just three behind 10th-placed Newcastle
NEWCASTLE, United Kingdom: West Ham produced a clinical away performance to beat resurgent Newcastle 2-0 on Monday, easing the pressure on beleaguered manager Julen Lopetegui.
Tomas Soucek headed the visitors in front against the run of play at St. James’ Park and Aaron Wan-Bissaka grabbed a rare goal in the second half to double the Hammers’ lead.
Newcastle were unable to capitalize on the chances they created, failing to build on the momentum created by recent wins against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
The result, only West Ham’s second win on the road this season, lifts them to 15 points, just three behind 10th-placed Newcastle.
The home side made the early running and in-form forward Alexander Isak had the ball in the net in the fifth minute after a delicate dink over Lukasz Fabianski, only for it to be ruled out for offside.
West Ham, expected to face a tough test on Newcastle’s home turf, showed little adventure in the opening stages.
But their first real foray up the pitch resulted in a corner and the unmarked Soucek powered home a header from close range in the 10th minute.
Newcastle enjoyed the bulk of the possession as a lively first half unfolded but West Ham were robust in defense and threatened when they went forward.
Anthony Gordon had a glorious chance to level after a poor clearance from Jean-Clair Todibo but fired straight at Fabianski.
Minutes later Isak chested down a superb cross from Bruno Guimaraes but steered narrowly wide on the stretch.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle were again on the front foot at the start of the second half but it was West Ham who doubled their lead through Wan-Bissaka.
The former Manchester United man scored his first goal for West Ham and just his third career goal after picking up Jarrod Bowen’s pass and firing home.
Howe brought on Jacob Murphy and Callum Wilson in a bid to turn the tide but Newcastle failed to build up a head of steam against their determined opponents, who saw out the game with relative ease.
The result will be a huge relief for Lopetegui, whose future has been a matter of mounting speculation just months after he replaced David Moyes.
