Sports

Leclerc: Sainz “over the limit” with defence in F1 Chinese GP sprint race

Charles Leclerc felt Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz went “over the limit” in defence during the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix as the pair glanced blows.

FiberXers hold it together for a change

Now that the misery of a string of defeats dating back to the previous conference is finally done and dusted, Converge can now give itself the belief of producing a strong finish to a miserable Philippine Basketball Association season. “We’re going to do our best to compete,” coach Aldin Ayo said after the FiberXers stunned the playoff-chasing Meralco Bolts, 104-99, on Sunday at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City to finally put one on the win column...

Tolentino out for rest of season?

MANILA, Philippines — Is Choco Mucho standout Kat Tolentino returning for the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference semifinals slated next week? Flying Titans coach Dante Alinsunurin said they have set their minds that she may not. “Hindi pa namin alam kung kailan siya makakabalik,” said Alinsunurin referring to his talented opposite spiker, sidelined for weeks now due to “auditory issues” and could still be out when they take on...

Chery Tiggo's stronger team chemistry leads the squad to better semis odds

MANILA, Philippines: Chery Tiggo Crossovers are in frenzy mode. With their stronger team chemistry and their sisterly connection, the Crossovers extended their winning streak to six in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) 2024 All-Filipino Conference. Head coach Emilio "Kung Fu" Reyes Jr. shared how he is glad that his team is healthy in order to perform their best as they continue to assert their dominance against their previous opponents. "I...

Hamilton: Norris would have been better off conceding in Turn 1

Lewis Hamilton thinks Lando Norris would have been better off conceding position in their Turn 1 battle in Formula 1’s China sprint, as he had the pace to overtake later.

Ayo says 'free-wheeling' Converge looks to end conference with a bang

MANILA, Philippines: Converge may no longer be in the running for a playoff spot in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup, but Aldin Ayo has conditioned the mind of his players to end the Season 48 with a bang. The FiberXers booked their first victory for the all-Filipino conference after shocking a Raymund Almazan-less Meralco Bolts on Sunday, 104-99. The win snapped Converge's eight-game losing streak to begin the conference. While the team has been...

San Beda reaches D-League semisy

MANILA, Philippines — Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda crushed Keanzel Basketball, 127-67, and roared into the semifinals of the 2024 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup yesterday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. Fourteen players, including seven with double digits, racked up the scoring board in a scattered onslaught for the twice-to-beat Red Lions as they arranged a rematch with the CEU Scorpions in the best-of-three semifinals starting on...

Stroll explains why F1 China penalty for Ricciardo contact felt like "a joke"

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll has explained why he thought his penalty for tagging Daniel Ricciardo behind the safety car in Formula 1's Chinese Grand Prix was "a joke".

Gallent credits team effort for impressive games

MANILA, Philippines: San Miguel Beer has been dominant in the ongoing PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup. The Beermen rolled to their seven straight victory on Sunday after annihilating the listless NorthPort Batang Pier, 120-100. And while SMB has yet to drop a single contest in. the all-Filipino conference, coach Jorge Gallent admitted that his biggest challenge at this point is how to keep the players engaged and play consistently for 48 minutes,...

NBA: Nets name Spaniard Jordi Fernandez as new head coach

Jordi Fernandez, who guided Canada to a bronze medal in last year’s World Cup, was named as the new head coach of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets on Monday. The 41-year-old Spaniard, who had served as associate head coach of the Sacramento Kings for the past two seasons, will replace interim coach Kevin Ollie, who took over after Jacque Vaughn was fired in February. “We’re thrilled to announce Jordi Fernandez as Brooklyn’s new head coach,” Nets general...

Bolts brace for tough road ahead

MANILA, Philippines: Luigi Trillo admitted that veteran center Raymond Almazan's one-game suspension on Sunday left a gaping hole in the middle for the Bolts. The Bolts felt Almazan's absence after getting beaten off the boards, 48-37 and worse, suffered the ignominy of being the first victim of erstwhile winless Converge FiberXers on Sunday. Playing without any pressure at all, Converge poured everything it had on the way to upstaging Meralco,...

NBA: No Giannis? No Kawhi? No problem just yet for Bucks, Clippers

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers remain unsure just when they’ll have their top players back on the floor. So far, they’ve still managed to do just fine in their respective NBA first-round playoff series. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since straining his left calf April 9 and Los Angeles’ Kawhi Leonard has been unavailable all month with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. Neither team...

Arvin Tolentino reveals what went wrong for NorthPort after hot start

Tolentino not giving up on Batang Pier

Yulo open for new coach but says current setup working well for him

MANILA, Philippines: Filipino Olympic gymnast Carlos Yulo has been training and competing without an 'official' head coach for about nine months now after he parted ways with long-time Japanese trainer Munehiro Kugiyama. And while he's open for a new one, he said that the current setup he has with coaches Aldrin Castañeda and Hazel Calawod are working just fine, feeling that they're working well as a team. "I'm okay with my team now but I'm open...

Jokic leads Nuggets past Lakers

LOS ANGELES: The defending champion Denver Nuggets, powered by 32 points from Nikola Jokic, shook off a slow start to beat LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 114-103 in Game 1 of their NBA playoffs first-round series on Saturday (Sunday in Manila). The Nuggets, who swept the Lakers in four games in the Western Conference finals on the way to their first title last season, continued their dominance of star-studded Los Angeles, who had...

Can SMB sweep elims? Jericho Cruz says goal is to win every game

No PBA team has swept an elims phase in 10 years. San Miguel is four games away from such a feat

Boatwright learning Pinoy culture

MANILA, Philippines: As Bennie Boatwright continues to process his papers to become a naturalized Filipino citizen, the former USC Trojan gets to learn what is the culture of the country. A story on the Instagram page of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) showed him trying out halo-halo at a local Manila restaurant. "@benniebuckets enjoying halo-halo," the SBP wrote in their story. Boatwright, who played for the San Miguel Beermen for the...

Al Panlilio on Bennie Boatwright: 'We've found the right guy'

SBP chief left impressed after his first meeting with Gilas naturalization target

Tight homestretch race

MANILA, Philippines — From undefeated leader San Miguel Beer to their spirited pursuers to even exits-bound Converge, all teams have everything to play for in the last two weeks of the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations. At 7-0, the defending champion Beermen may be safely into the quarterfinal round with still four games to go. But the pacesetters still have to get their hands on the coveted Top 2 seeding and twice-to-beat advantage in the Last-8....

Korda makes it five in a row

WASHINGTON: World number one Nelly Korda matched an LPGA record with her fifth consecutive victory on Sunday (Monday in Manila), winning the Chevron Championship for her second major crown and 13th career tour triumph. The two-stroke triumph over Sweden's Maja Stark stretched Korda's season win streak to five titles in five starts to equal the LPGA record set by American Nancy Lopez in 1978 and matched by Sweden's Annika Sorenstam from 2004-05....

Panlilio sees Boatwright as 'bigger version of Justin Brownlee'

MANILA, Philippines: Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio sees Philippine naturalized player prospect Bennie Boatwright as a "bigger version of Justin Brownlee." Coming off a lunch meeting with the 6-foot-10 sharp-shooting American on Saturday, the SBP top honcho took the time to get to know Boatwright better while being accompanied by Gilas coach Tim Cone, team manager Richard del Rosario and SBP executive director Erika Dy. "I...

China F1 upgrades in full, from tweaked headrests to new floors

The intensity of Formula 1 sprint weekends means teams are reluctant to bring major upgrades because there is a lack of time to properly test them.

What happened to Dutch footballing legend Frank Rijkaard?

NBA: Jokic, Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander finalists for MVP award

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the three finalists for the NBA Most Valuable Player award, the league said Sunday. The league unveiled three finalists for each of its individual awards for the 2023-24 regular season. Serbia’s Jokic is an MVP finalist for the fourth straight season while France’s Victor Wembanyama is in the running for both Rookie of the Year and...

Olympics: USADA wants investigation into China swimming, welcomes WADA lawsuit

The head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency demanded on Monday an investigation into the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) handling of 23 positive tests by Chinese swimmers and welcomed the global body’s threat of legal action. During a nearly two hour Zoom call with the media WADA fired back at critics and provided detailed explanation […]

PVL: No plans of slowing down for Eya Laure, surging Chery Tiggo

MANILA, Philippines — Eya Laure stepped up to the plate when Chery Tiggo needed to get it through the crucial stage of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference elimination round. With their semifinals hopes at stake, Laure cleared the path for the Crossovers to move to the cusp of advancing to the next round. The sweet-hitting open spiker served as the driving force in Chery Tiggo’s winning run that saw it plow over PLDT, 25-22,...

Who is American heptathlon star Annie Kunz?

UAAP: UST heads into clash vs La Salle with Poyos healthy again

University of Santo Tomas (UST) was on the losing end of two revenge games in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament. National University (NU) and Far Eastern University got the Golden Tigresses’ number in the second round, making them determined not to allow a third side do that to them with the stakes now truly high.And instead of feeling pressure ahead of their final preliminary round clash against La Salle, the Tigresses are...

Lillard leads Bucks vs Pacers

WASHINGTON: Damian Lillard scored all 35 of his points in the first half as the Milwaukee Bucks struck early in a 109-94 victory over Indiana in their NBA playoffs opener despite the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks followed the blueprint laid out earlier Sunday (Monday in Manila) by the Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics, who both got off to strong starts in convincing game-one victories. Eastern Conference top seeds Boston...

Laureus Sports Awards: Usain Bolt on learning from mistakes

Usain Bolt held a press conference at the Laureus World Sports Awards where he talked about 'determination and learning from your mistakes'.

Filipino fencers all set for Olympic qualifiers

WITH more than 10 years of experience playing in international competitions, probably a hundred of accumulated bouts, and thousands of hours spent training here and abroad, the biggest test comes again for Filipino fencers Nathaniel Perez, Noelito Jose, Hanniel Abella and Samantha Catantan. It's the "brave four" going for that elusive Olympic berth. The four fencers will leave for flood-ravaged Dubai today, April 23, then navigate the desert for...

Booted! North American cities that lost sports franchises

Fans of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes are still hurting after the team they've followed with dedication for nearly three decades is being relocated to Salt Lake City ahead of the 2024-2025 season. Of course, it's not the first time sports fans have had to deal with the news that their favorite team is no longer to be based in their home city. In fact, since the 1940s, dozens of sports franchises across North America have made the decision to relocate, usually to be rebranded as a result. But what are some of the more high-profile and controversial moves that have taken place over the last several decades or so? Click through and discover the cities that lost sports franchises.

Aside from scoring, Romeo’s value off the bench for San Miguel includes providing stability

San Miguel has been on a tear in the 2024 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup, untouched over the course of six games in defending the tournament it has ruled with impunity over the last decade. Much of that early success has been made possible by the Beermen’s outrageous depth, within it a now-healthy Terrence Romeo, whose contributions are not only coming through scoring, according to head coach Jorge Gallent. “Whenever we...

COLUMN: Can the Lakers ever solve the Nuggets' riddle?

Don't count on it

Will Manny fight again?

There’s a lot of buzz in boxing circles about eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao making a comeback in a serious fight, not an exhibition, and from what’s in the air, it appears that he’s not ruling out anything at the moment. The word is Pacquiao will run for Senator in next year’s elections so if he intends to return to the ring, it has to happen soon before the campaign trail rolls out. Pacquiao, 45, was set to face Muay Thai legend...

The best Premier League managers of all time

NBA: Jamal Murray buzzer beater give Nuggets 2-0 lead over Lakers

DENVER — Jamal Murray sank a 15-foot step-back jumper at the buzzer and the Denver Nuggets wiped out a 20-point second-half deficit to stun the Los Angeles Lakers 101-99 Monday night and take a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference playoff series. Murray’s fadeaway, falling-down game-winner provided the Nuggets with their first lead since 5-3 in the opening minutes and gave the reigning NBA champions their 10th consecutive win over the...

Why Five-Time NBA Champ and Lakers Legend Derek Fisher Returned to Manila

Fisher was back in town for a short visit that included a reunion with his Filipino fans.

COLUMN: Jorge Gallent isn't getting the credit he absolutely deserves

Take a bow, coach

Rizal bettor wins P2 million lotto pot

MANILA, Philippines — A lone bettor in Antipolo, Rizal won the jackpot in the 6D Lotto draw on Saturday night. The bettor correctly guessed the six-digit winning combination 8-7-7-6-0-2, which had a total jackpot prize of P2.16 million, according to Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Melquiades Robles. The winning ticket was bought from a lotto outlet at the Robinsons Place Antipolo. Two other players won P40,000 each for...

Thunder edge Pelicans in thriller

MANILA, Philippines — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drained a go-ahead basket with 32.5 seconds left on Sunday as Western Conference top seeds Oklahoma City clawed out a 94-92 victory over New Orleans in their NBA playoff opener. The Pelicans were missing star Zion Williamson because of a hamstring strain but they refused to buckle at Oklahoma’s Paycom Center. A pulsating contest featured 20 lead changes and was a marked contrast to the wins posted...

ICTSI Luisita Ladies International unwraps

TARLAC, Philippines — The ICTSI Luisita Ladies International 2024 blasts off today in an electrifying showdown of precision and putting skills among stalwarts from the LPGA of Taiwan (TLPGA), formidable contenders from the Thai LPGA, and homegrown talents at the Luisita Golf and Country Club here. Strategic decision-making will play a pivotal role in the $100,000 championship at the demanding 6,362-yard Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed course...

Erik ten Hag calls FA Cup final reach 'huge achievement'

Erik ten Hag claimed that stumbling into the FA Cup Final was a 'huge achievement' for Manchester United, even though they nearly faced humiliation by Coventry after a 3-3 draw in the FA Cup semi-final.

Team Philippines for Paris Olympics growing – POC

THE number of Filipino athletes qualifying for Paris is rising and so is the buildup of excitement as the country braces for its 100th year of participation in the Olympics. "Eleven, formally, and counting," said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino on Sunday, a day after gymnast Levi Jung-Ruivivar and rower Joanie Delgaco officially became the 10th and 11th Filipino Paris Olympian in a little over a 24-hour...

Farewell Kelly Slater: the 11-time World Champion retires from surfing

Ubas bags gold in Singapore track meet

(UPDATE) FILIPINO long jumper Janry Ubas clinched the gold medal at the 84th Singapore Open Track and Field Championships held at the Singapore Sports Hub. Ubas, a Southeast Asian Games champion last year, registered 7.58 meters to secure the top honors in the men's long jump event of the annual trackfest. He defeated silver medalist Wen Hua-Yu of Taiwan, who jumped at 7.43m and bronze winners Ivan Mun of Singapore, who submitted 7.26 m....

Many are called but few are chosen

As of now, it's a dozen out of more than a thousand athletes to feed and train in Rizal Memorial. I'm not sure if I should be happy with this? Government, through the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), is financing the athletes of more than seventy national sports associations accredited with the Philippine Olympic Committee, and we only have a dozen up to now qualified for the Paris Olympics this coming August. PSC finances the request of POC...

British football mourns the death of Leighton James

Herta admits he “misjudged” Newgarden IndyCar clash at Long Beach

Andretti Global’s Colton Herta has shouldered the majority of the blame for his late-race clash with Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden in the Long Beach Grand Prix.

Ryan Garcia knocks down Devin Haney thrice, wins by majority decision

NEW YORK — Ryan Garcia’s behavior leading up to his bout against Devin Haney seemed so erratic that some people thought he shouldn’t be allowed to fight at all. Think of the performance they would have missed. Garcia knocked Haney down three times and handed the WBC super lightweight champion his first loss, winning the fight by majority decision Saturday night but not the title because he was over the weight limit. READ: Devin Haney, Ryan...