Usain Bolt makes soccer debut for Central Coast Mariners

Usain Bolt’s soccer debut for the Central Coast Mariners on Friday lasted about 20 minutes against an amateur local team and with almost 10,000 people ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2outZmq

Yuika Sugasawa’s late winner secures gold for Japan

A goal in the final seconds gave Japan women’s soccer squad a 1-0 win against China in the final in on Friday, and their second-ever ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N8p7RR

Vegalta Sendai’s Takuma Nishimura transfers to CSKA Moscow

Vegalta Sendai forward Takuma Nishimura will make a full transfer to Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow, the J. League club announced Friday.It will be ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MI1CQ7

Carp soar past Swallows on Yoshihiro Maru’s solo shot in 10th

The Central League-leading Hiroshima Carp fought their way out of a four-run hole for a 6-5 extra-inning win over the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on Friday ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Nct9sF

Japan Gymnastics Association officials deny harassment claims made by Sae Miyakawa

Two senior officials of the Japan Gymnastics Association denied on Friday a harassment allegation made by an Olympic gymnast but admitted some of their words ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NzzomZ

Defenseman Noah Hanifin signs six-year deal with Flames

The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Noah Hanifin to a six-year, $29.7 million contract Thursday.The 21-year-old Hanifin had 10 goals and 22 assists in 79 games ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wxiZce

Bellmare cruise past V-Varen

Shonan Bellmare ran out comfortable 3-1 winners away to V-Varen Nagasaki in the J-League on Friday night.In the only J1 clash of the night, the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LJ6rU7

Judoka Ruika Sato, Kentaro Iida, Akira Sone add to Japan’s gold-medal haul

Japan continued to dominate the Asian Games judo competition on Friday, adding a further three gold medals to the five it had already won in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2C3FSJx

Luka Modric named UEFA player of year

Luka Modric of Real Madrid and Croatia on Thursday received the accolade of UEFA Player of the Year after his Champions League exploits.“My father always ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N538eI

Determined Shohei Ono battles past An Chang-rim to earn 73-kg gold

Shohei Ono put on a show at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, winning four of the five matches by ippon. By doing so, he ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wzYkUj

Tiger, Thomas trying to stay fresh for PGA Tour postseason

In the three days between the opening two FedEx Cup playoff events, Tiger Woods took it easy at home with a little driving and putting.Only ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2orrDow

Arbitrator sends Colin Kaepernick’s grievance against NFL to trial

Colin Kaepernick and his legal team are driving inside NFL territory, forcing the league and its 32 teams to brace for a defensive stand.An arbitrator ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wrM9tc

Astros extend manager AJ Hinch’s contract through 2022

The World Series champion Houston Astros have rewarded manager A.J. Hinch with a new contract that extends his run in the dugout through the 2022 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NCRvZg

Hanyu previews new free skate ‘Origin’

Yuzuru Hanyu said Thursday he wants to return to his skating roots as the two-time Olympic champion previewed “Origin,” his free skate for the upcoming ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2oqfhwE

Warriors’ West retires after 15 seasons

Golden State Warriors forward David West announced his retirement on Thursday, one day after celebrating his 38th birthday.The two-time All-Star posted a message on Twitter: ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NB7XcL

Shohei Ohtani gets green light to pitch again

Rookie right-hander Shohei Ohtani, who has been sidelined as a pitcher for nearly three months with an elbow injury, will start Sunday night against the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N2tZrz

Yuko Takahashi triumphs in women’s triathlon

Yuko Takahashi captured gold in the women’s triathlon at the Asian Games on Friday.Takahashi seized the initiative in the swim and never relinquished the lead, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BZIpV8

Juventus drawn with Man United in Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo is going back to Manchester United and Paul Pogba will return to Juventus after the storied teams were drawn together in the Champions ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2C589j8

Kei Nishikori advances to third round at U.S. Open

Kei Nishikori secured a spot in the third round of the U.S. Open when France’s Gael Monfils retired with an injury in the second set ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wtxZYA

Swallows outplay mistake-prone Tigers, extend winning streak to five

Hirofumi Yamanaka earned his first win of the season on Thursday as the Tokyo Yakult Swallows defeated the Hanshin Tigers 3-1.In his 10th appearance this ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PkQWUr

Shohei Ono conquers 73-kg judo division at Asian Games

Shohei Ono added an Asian Games gold to his collection of honors on Thursday when he beat An Chang-rim of South Korea in a tight ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wtUc8V

Japan men reign supreme in 100-meter relay

Japan’s men’s 4×100-meter sprint foursome showed on Thursday it has not lost a step since its runner-up finish in Rio, winning the Asian Games title ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wrQtsC

Discus thrower Masateru Yugami disappointed with performance in Jakarta

Masateru Yugami became one of the rising stars in Japanese track and field this year.He did so by breaking the national discus record three times ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PktgQ3

Nadeshiko head coach Asako Takakura wary of final opponent China

Japan women’s soccer head coach Asako Takakura praised China’s improvements since their last encounter in April as the two teams prepared for Friday’s gold-medal match.In ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wu3zFE

Legendary goalie Martin Brodeur back with Devils in business role

Martin Brodeur is back with the New Jersey Devils organization many hoped he’d never leave.Brodeur rejoined the Devils on Wednesday as executive vice president of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N7FGgY

Youngsters Ritsu Doan, Tatsuya Ito among call-ups for Japan’s upcoming friendlies

Twenty-year-old Ritsu Doan and 21-year-old Tatsuya Ito were among the 23 players named Thursday by the Japan Football Association to the national squad for the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2C1er3f

Eiji Kawashima finalizes one-year deal with Strasbourg

Veteran goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima signed a one-year deal with Strasbourg, the French first-division club said Wednesday.The 35-year-old had been searching for a new club since ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N7Ef24

Longtime U.S. and Sounders striker Clint Dempsey announces retirement

All Clint Dempsey ever wanted to do was score goals and go fishing.He’ll have plenty of time to do the latter after deciding his goal-scoring ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BZf4KI

Christian Yelich goes 6-for-6 as Brewers top Reds in 10th

Christian Yelich led Milwaukee’s big comeback by hitting for the cycle, and Jesus Aguilar homered in the 10th inning, powering the Brewers to a 13-12 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PNkMSu

Intense season awaits Top League

The 2018-19 Top League season kicks off Friday with plenty of changes to the format both on and off the field as the Japan Rugby ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BZLZP3

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers becomes NFL’s highest-paid player with $134 million deal

Before he became the NFL’s highest-paid player again, Aaron Rodgers wore a denim suit and cowboy hat that made him look as if he were ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PNyrsS

Middleweight champ Ryota Murata to make title defense against Rob Brant

Ryota Murata will make a second defense of his WBA middleweight world title, this time against American challenger Rob Brant in Las Vegas in October, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LFM7Tm

Race walker Hayato Katsuki claims 50-km gold at Asian Games

Hayato Katsuki won Japan’s second straight gold medal in the men’s 50-km race walk at the Asian Games on Thursday.Katsuki had to serve a five-minute ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PNypkK

Japan advances to final against South Korea

Japan made it to the Asian Games men’s soccer final for the first time since winning in 2010 with a 1-0 semifinal victory over United ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BX0x1U

Journey for Japan’s hoop team to end with game for 7th place

The Japan men’s national basketball team’s bizarre, unprecedented journey at the Asian Games is nearly — and finally — coming to an end.The Akatsuki Five, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PO7XYd

Rafael Nadal moves into U.S. Open third round; Andy Murray ousted

World No. 1 and defending champion Rafael Nadal steamed into the third round on another scorching day at the U.S. Open on Wednesday with a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MZr2rL

Tsunoda defeats Park for 52-kg gold

Natsumi Tsunoda shrugged off an injured back to win a gold medal Wednesday, scoring a convincing victory over South Korean Park Da-sol in the women’s ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wxuP5y

Miyakawa speaks out, calls for lifting of her coach’s ban

An Olympic gymnast said Wednesday that the Japanese gymnastics governing body’s decision to indefinitely disqualify her coach was too strict a punishment for his violent ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wsMr3g

Yuki Matsumoto, Kenji Akashi pave way as Hawks bounce back with win

A day after seeing his team’s nine-game win streak end, Kenji Akashi’s tie-breaking pinch-hit double sparked the SoftBank Hawks to a 7-0 Pacific League win ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N4ZBNc

With shock silver in women’s judo, Ami Kondo falls short again

Ami Kondo had already established her status as one of the elite judoka in her weight class in the world. But now she is about ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LB8Tf2

Japanese skateboarders grind to gold in park finals

Japanese teenagers Sakura Yosozumi and Kensuke Sasaoka provided a next-generation entree to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with gold medals in skateboarding at the Asian Games.The ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MX2TlK

Basketball players handed one-year bans

The four men’s national basketball team players who allegedly paid women for sex in Jakarta during the ongoing Asian Games have been handed a one-year ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LvRaG5

Akira Nishino reflects on Japan’s wild World Cup ride

Former national team manager Akira Nishino admits he still has regrets about Japan’s exit from this summer’s World Cup in Russia, but he believes the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MZagt2

Nishioka succumbs to Federer at U.S. Open

Roger Federer made light of energy-sapping conditions to brush past Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 in his opening match at the U.S. Open on Tuesday.Where ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2oj67SE

Unsung yobidashi keep sumo running smoothly

Who spends the most time in a sumo ring?Wrestlers? Nope. Referees? Uh-uh.As any veteran fan can tell you, it is of course the yobidashi.Sumo’s ‘ring ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2C9wHHR

Passionate Indonesian fans embrace home Asian Games

“Nippon! Nippon!”Most of the people chanting were Indonesian. But their support for the Japanese men’s basketball team echoed loudly around the arena and created a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BXB2xt

Nadeshiko provide highlight for Japan on goldless day at Asian Games

Nadeshiko Japan’s players provided a ray of light for their country on an otherwise gloomy, goldless Tuesday at the Asian Games, the women’s soccer team ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MZLHfm

JRFU still confident of big crowd for Bledisloe Cup dead rubber in Yokohama

The Japan Rugby Football Union said Wednesday it was still hopeful of a big crowd for the Oct. 27 Bledisloe Cup game at Yokohama’s Nissan ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LDQe2i

Yoshihito Nishioka faces tough task against Roger Federer at U.S. Open in latest stage of comeback

It’s been a long road back from major knee surgery for Yoshihito Nishioka.It got a little bit longer last week when he drew Roger Federer ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Pcwll0

Steady starter Kris Johnson improves to 10-2 as Carp pound Giants

Hiroshima Carp pitcher Kris Johnson gave himself a passing grade, just barely, for his performance against the Yomiuri Giants on Tuesday night.As for his teammates, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wiM63c

Antlers triumph over Tianjin in Asian Champions League quarterfinal first leg

Kashima Antlers got their Asian Champions League quarterfinal off to a positive start Tuesday with a 2-0 win in the first leg over China’s Tianjin ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PbwlBS

Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. becomes NFL’s top-paid receiver

Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants is now the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver.A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wn8acL

After another Asian Games title, decathlete Keisuke Ushiro eyes success on global stage

Veteran decathlon athlete Keisuke Ushiro acknowledged his exhaustion after capturing the gold medal for the second straight time at the Asian Games on Sunday.Yet he ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PK5i1y

Ken Shiro to mount fourth defense of WBC light flyweight title

Kenshiro Teraji said Tuesday he will attempt the fourth defense of his WBC light flyweight title on Oct. 7 against Milan Melindo of the Philippines.The ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wohWKM

Usain Bolt to play first game for Central Coast Mariners in quest to go pro

Usain Bolt will make his debut for the Central Coast Mariners on Friday in a preseason exhibition game against an amateur team.The eight-time Olympic sprinting ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BUH4ip

Shinji Kagawa: ‘Only God knows’ destination

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa’s future remains clouded after the Japan international missed the squad for a second straight match.The 29-year-old did not participate in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PHAWwG

Japan duo relish mixed archery gold

Even the hands of an experienced veteran like Takaharu Furukawa sometimes tremble with tension while shooting an arrow at a target 70 meters away.Yet he ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MxRlpA

Angels end six-game slide

Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani homered, Eric Young Jr. drove in the go-ahead run during a five-run eighth inning and the Los Angeles Angels blew ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LBcOIS

Vegalta’s Takuma Nishimura on verge of move to CSKA Moscow

Vegalta Sendai forward Takuma Nishimura is poised for a move to Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow, a source said Monday.The 21-year-old’s 11 goals are ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MYU8aI

Mitsuki Sumoto looks strong with silver medal at Slovakia JGP

World junior bronze medalist Mitsuki Sumoto started the Junior Grand Prix season in fine fashion by taking home the silver medal at the season opener ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MRGUg9

Manu Ginobili, a four-time champion with Spurs, retires at 41

Manu Ginobili has played his final game, and with that a new era awaits the San Antonio Spurs.Ginobili announced his decision to retire Monday, the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PdWfoS

Yankees honor Hideki Matsui in pregame ceremony

Former New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui attended a ceremony at Yankee Stadium on Monday, celebrating becoming the youngest player inducted to the Japanese Baseball ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wlcjOy

Jose Mourinho demands ‘respect, respect, respect’ after 3-0 loss to Spurs

Even his heaviest home loss wasn’t enough to defeat Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho’s fighting spirit on Monday.Following a 3-0 defeat to Tottenham in the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ogGmT9

Halep makes history in wrong way with loss

Some players, like top-ranked Simona Halep, freely acknowledge they don’t deal well with the hustle-and-bustle of the U.S. Open and all it entails.Others, like 44th-ranked ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BRYFrq

Giants reliever Scott Mathieson to have season-ending surgery

Veteran right-hander Scott Mathieson left Japan on Monday to have surgery on his left knee that will end his season, the Yomiuri Giants announced.“I feel ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PEJiVT

Akane Yamaguchi and Kenta Nishimoto claim bronze medals after losing badminton semis

Akane Yamaguchi earned bronze in the women’s badminton singles at the Asian Games on Monday, and Kenta Nishimoto did the same in the men’s, becoming ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MWdAow

Japan beats North Korea for mixed team recurve archery gold at Asian Games

Japan’s mixed recurve archery team won gold at the Asian Games on Monday with a 6-0 shutout of North Korea.Tomomi Sugimoto and Takaharu Furukawa won ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Lw7ztZ

Arizona Diamondbacks retake NL West with win over Seattle Mariners

Paul Goldschmidt and Zack Greinke are two of the players Arizona counts on most, and they came through when sorely needed on Sunday.Goldschmidt hit his ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PErNVL

Nasa Hataoka falls to 8th, Henderson wins CP Women’s Open

Nasa Hataoka slumped into a five-way tie for eighth place Sunday after ending the CP Women’s Open at a 13-under-par 275, eight strokes behind winner ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NpltjA

Carp have to avoid complacency as they head toward title

Koichi Ogata didn’t sound like a manager with a pennant on the horizon after watching his Hiroshima Carp drop two of three against the Chunichi ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2whaVwe

Yamagata settles for bronze in 100

Su Bingtian cemented his status as Asia’s fastest sprinter with a convincing victory in the men’s 100-meter final at the Asian Games on Sunday night.Third-place ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Nplkg2

Tochinoshin will fight to keep ozeki status during Autumn Basho

Georgian Tochinoshin will face his first threat to survival as an ozeki starting on Sept. 9, when the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament kicks off.The 30-year-old ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MQigMF

Japan has six-gold day at Asian Games

Individual and team sweeps in equestrian eventing and men’s golf gave Japan six gold medals at the Asian Games on Sunday, helped along by a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NnVtVw

Softball team eyeing 2020 title

Winning the gold medal for the fifth consecutive time like the Japan softball team did is an unprecedented and remarkable feat for any athlete or ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P7XLZv

Marinos take star-studded Vissel down a notch

Cellar-dwellers Yokohama F. Marinos showed on Sunday that star power is not always the answer as they beat Vissel Kobe 2-0 on the road.Second-half goals ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NmnPiW

Yurisbel Gracial grand slam moves Hawks closer to PL-leading Lions

Yurisbel Gracial hit the second grand slam of the game in the 12th inning Sunday to help the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks earn a 12-8 walk-off ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2o8sEl8

Isaac Dogboe stops Hidenori Otake’s WBO super bantamweight title challenge in first round

Challenger Hidenori Otake suffered a first-round TKO loss in a WBO super bantamweight title bout Saturday when he fell to Ghana’s Isaac Dogboe in Arizona.Otake ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MyAOSx

Hideki Matsuyama makes progress at Northern Trust

Hideki Matsuyama climbed 18 places on the leaderboard Saturday to put himself 10 shots adrift of the lead going into the final round of the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PbOGiv

Nadeshiko coach Asako Takakura advises Japan’s younger players to avoid resting on laurels

A day after Japan won the Women’s Under-20 World Cup for the first time, senior head coach Asako Takakura offered some words of wisdom to ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ob8Ey9

Shohei Ohtani’s two-run homer not enough for Angels against Astros

Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer Saturday in the Los Angeles Angels’ 8-3 defeat against the Houston Astros.With Los Angeles trailing 4-0 at ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Ng1fZh

Kiyuna, Shimizu continue to help raise karate’s profile

There were a lot of fans angling to get a closer look at Ryo Kiyuna, after the Japanese men’s kata karateka captured gold at the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Pzkoaa

Japan needs to act now to capitalize on 2015 RWC success

I think there have been some amazing developments and some not-so-amazing developments in Japanese rugby since the 2015 Rugby World Cup.When I look at the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NhmERX

Nasa Hataoka one shot back after third round of CP Women’s Open

Nasa Hataoka will start the final round of the CP Women’s Open in a tie for second at 13-under 203, after keeping alive her hopes ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NjqUAn

Keiko Nogami claims silver in women’s marathon at Asian Games

Keiko Nogami won Japan’s second straight silver in women’s marathon at the Asian Games on Sunday.Kenyan-born Bahraini Rose Chelimo built up a sizeable lead halfway ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MT2Ven

Ariel Miranda loses no-hit bid in ninth, improves to 2-0 with Hawks

Former Seattle Mariners lefty Ariel Miranda did not allow a hit until the ninth inning, and Nobuhiro Matsuda homered twice to lead the Fukuoka SoftBank ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2o9yEtL

Kengo Nakamura’s second-half strike sends Frontale past Vegalta

Kawasaki Frontale maintained the pressure on J. League leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima with a 1-0 win over Vegalta Sendai in steamy conditions on Saturday.Kengo Nakamura scored ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BM9H1d

Mana Iwabuchi, Yui Hasegawa lead Japan women past North Korea in Asian Games quarterfinals

Japan advanced to the semifinals in the Asian Games women’s soccer tournament on Saturday with a 2-1 victory over defending champion North Korea.Both sides fought ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NhJxES

Japan sport climbers in hunt for men’s, women’s titles

Tomoa Narasaki topped the qualifications of sport climbing combined at the Asian Games for the second straight day on Saturday, as all Japanese climbers qualified ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PANCWj

Singapore’s Joseph Schooling pleased with Indonesian experience

Joseph Schooling and his Singapore team came up short of the podium, finishing fourth in the men’s 4×100-meter medley relay, which wrapped up the six-day ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wbH6gH

Kiyo Shimizu, Ryo Kiyuna nab individual kata titles at Asian Games

Kiyo Shimizu and Ryo Kiyuna won their respective women’s and men’s Asian Games’ karate kata event golds on Saturday.The double victory in Indonesia offered a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P6pry2

Nanako Fujita breaks Yukiko Masuzawa’s record for most wins by Japanese female jockey

Nanako Fujita rode to her 35th career victory on Saturday, rewriting the record for wins by a Japanese female jockey.Fujita rode second favorite Seiun Ririshii ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MA4aQo

Breaststroke specialist Satomi Suzuki gains confidence, renewed focus in pool

This summer, veteran swimmer Satomi Suzuki sent a strong message to Japanese fans, reminding them that she can still compete at the highest level.At the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P61B59

Vince Carter signs one-year deal with Hawks for 21st NBA season

Vince Carter can’t say his 21st NBA season will be his last.At least not yet. Carter signed a one-year veteran minimum contract Friday with the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MRs4pI

Tom Brady’s private trainer flies on team plane

Tom Brady’s personal trainer, Alex Guerrero, flew on the New England Patriots’ team plane to Charlotte on Thursday before Friday’s preseason game against the Carolina ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Lpi96f

Iconic stadium changing name

A plaque at the main entrance of the Argentinos Juniors club stadium reads: “The best player of all times made his career debut in this ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MMOIQ1

Shumpei Yoshikawa signs with D-Backs

Right-handed pitcher Shumpei Yoshikawa has signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and broken amateur baseball rules in the process, informed sources said Friday.The 23-year-old Yoshikawa was ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MvSZIy

Nasa Hataoka three shots back at midway point of CP Women’s Open

First-round co-leader Nasa Hataoka shot a 2-under-par 70 and fell back into a four-way tie for fourth place after two rounds at the CP Women’s ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P7FUSz

French Open bans Serena’s catsuit

Serena Williams will be banned from wearing her “Black Panther” catsuit again at the French Open after Roland Garros chiefs described the outfit as “going ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wqUVXJ

Former Hosei University guard Michael Malhotra aims to boost blood donations throughout Japan

Modern life is bombarded by a 24/7 news cycle, an endless loop often filled with cynicism, scandals, and superficiality. So it’s refreshing to stumble upon ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NhoUsn

Japan captures Women’s Under-20 World Cup

Japan upset Spain 3-1 in the final to win the Women’s Under-20 World Cup for the first time on Friday.Hinata Miyazawa, Saori Takarada and Fuka ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BJJyQu

Hiroto Inoue wins Asian Games marathon gold in controversial finish

Hiroto Inoue won the Asian Games marathon gold medal after a late tangle with Bahrain’s Elhassan Elabbassi as the pair sprinted together in the closing ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P1UjiU

Hawks’ Kodai Senga fans 12, outduels Lions’ Yusei Kikuchi

Kodai Senga outdueled Yusei Kikuchi, pitching the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks to a 3-2 series-opening win over the Seibu Lions on Friday.The win at Yafuoku Dome ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P5htFj

Jubilo Iwata earn draw with Kashima Antlers on late Yoshito Okubo goal

An injury-time Yoshito Okubo penalty allowed Jubilo Iwata to salvage a late 1-1 draw away to Kashima Antlers in the J. League on Friday.The 94th-minute ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P37kZx

France captain Hugo Lloris charged with drunken driving

France’s World Cup-winning captain Hugo Lloris has been charged with drunken driving in London.The Metropolitan Police said the Tottenham goalkeeper was charged on Friday following ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P75UgX

Tomoa Narasaki tops field on second day of sport climbing

Tomoa Narasaki pulled off a nearly flawless showing Friday in bouldering qualification for sport climbing’s men’s combined event at the Asian Games.The 2016 overall world ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LpW3AB

Rikako Ikee captures record sixth Asian Games swim gold

Golden girl Rikako Ikee stormed to a record sixth Asian Games swimming title on Friday, marking a few other firsts for good measure.Ikee won the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PA6zs3

Hayley Wickenheiser joins Maple Leafs as assistant director of player development

Hayley Wickenheiser, one of the top players in women’s hockey history, joined the Toronto Maple Leafs’ front office on Thursday.The longtime star of Canada’s national ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2wnGsMi

Japan softball squad claims fifth straight Asian Games gold medal

Ace Yukiko Ueno and Japan won their fifth straight Asian Games gold medal on Friday with a 7-0 mercy-rule win over Taiwan.Ueno got some much-needed ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BDU0Jr

Ex-WBO minimumweight champ Ryuya Yamanaka to retire on medical grounds

Former WBO minimumweight champion Ryuya Yamanaka is set to call time on his boxing career due to subdural bleeding, sources familiar with the matter said ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2o86Hmc

Men’s wheelchair national team coach grateful for expanded training opportunities

Until recently, Japan’s elite para-sport athletes have struggled to earn support from their workplace as they aim to represent their country in international competition.Shinpei Oikawa, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BFHw47

Para Arena a barrier-free home base for athletes

With the start of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics just two years away, para athletes have begun to ramp up preparations and intensify their training. But ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BJH9FL

Former Cowboys DE George Andrie, who played in Ice Bowl, dies at 78

George Andrie, the former Dallas Cowboys defensive end who scored a touchdown in the Ice Bowl game against Green Bay in 1967, has died. He ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2o9z2bz

NBA proposes shortening shot clock after offensive rebound, other rule changes

The NBA is expected to pass several rules changes for the 2018-19 season, including the shortening of the shot clock after an offensive rebound and ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BJH44V

Nasa Hataoka ties course record with 64 at CP Women’s Open

Nasa Hataoka shot a course-record 8-under-par 64 in the first round of the CP Women’s Open on Thursday, opening the 72-hole event in Canada in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P1xYlw

Cubs’ Yu Darvish says he’s relieved cause of elbow pain discovered

Even though it meant a premature end to his first season in Chicago, Yu Darvish said Thursday that he was relieved when an MRI revealed ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MKbJ6e

Rikako Ikee leads Japan to 4×100 medley relay triumph

Rikako Ikee created a slice of history while Singapore’s Olympic swim champion Joseph Schooling edged a nail-biter in the 50-meter butterfly at the Asian Games ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Lnm4Ax

BayStars rookie pitcher Katsuki Azuma delivers banner performance against Giants

Rookie Katsuki Azuma allowed four hits over seven innings and two relievers completed the five-hitter as the Yokohama BayStars downed the Yomiuri Giants 6-0 on ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2w72LGJ

Japan whips China to reach Asian Games softball final

Japan blew out China 5-0 in its semifinal of the women’s softball at the Asian Games on Thursday, moving a victory from clinching its fifth ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BE92yF

Ryosuke Irie claims silver in men’s 200 back; Satomi Suzuki, Shinri Shioura win events

Ryosuke Irie lost his bid for a fourth straight gold medal in the Asian Games men’s 200-meter backstroke on Thursday, but teammates Satomi Suzuki and ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2o0DZ6u

Ex-Brazil soccer boss Jose Maria Marin gets four years in prison in FIFA probe

A former South American soccer official convicted on corruption charges in the sprawling FIFA bribery scandal was sentenced in federal court to four years in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MJpOB4

Japan women’s badminton, men’s fencing teams nab gold medals at Asian Games

The Japan women’s badminton team won gold at the Asian Games for the first time since 1970 on Wednesday, despite the slump of its top ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N9mpIB

Quick start fuels victory for playoff-chasing D-Backs

The Arizona Diamondbacks have been baseball’s best first-inning team and they added to those numbers with Paul Goldschmidt’s two-run homer Wednesday night.The way Clay Buchholz ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MI5DDu

Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman put on 10-day DL with knee tendinitis

The New York Yankees’ injury wave has reached the ninth inning.All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman was placed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday with tendinitis in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N75YMS

Li Na could make history with International Tennis Hall of Fame nod

Li Na could become the first player from Asia elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.The two-time major champion from China is one of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MI5Ari

Tiger, Mickelson to stage pay-per-view duel on Thanksgiving weekend

The winner-take-all match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson is on.WarnerMedia said it has secured the rights for a pay-per-view event it is promoting as ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NbpBU6

One Championship makes big plans for Japan

No one will ever accuse Chatri Sityodtong, the chairman of martial arts organization ONE Championship, of shying away from a fight.The half-Japanese Sityodtong has a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MI6aoY

Ohio State hands football coach Urban Meyer three-game ban for mishandling abuse case

Urban Meyer was suspended by Ohio State on Wednesday for the first three games of the season for mishandling domestic violence accusations, punishing one of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LoFfJY

MLB returning to Monterrey for six games in 2019

Major League Baseball will return to Monterrey, Mexico, for six games in 2019, starting with spring training games between Colorado and Arizona on March 9-10.In ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2w6HKvT

Ronaldo says move to Juventus was ‘destiny’

For Cristiano Ronaldo, it was “destiny” to join Juventus as he tries to become only the second player to win the Champions League with three ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P0nYJo

Koseki, Daiya, Sakai capture second golds

Reigning world silver medalist Yasuhiro Koseki and Olympic bronze medalist Daiya Seto each collected their second gold medals on Wednesday as Japan won four events ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2whzGYp

Japan runs past Hong Kong

Japan’s men’s basketball team was back in action at the Asian Games on Wednesday, earning an 88-82 victory over Hong Kong, in their first game ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PxjaMP

Fernando Torres scores to help Sagan Tosu beat Andres Iniesta’s Vissel Kobe in Emperor’s Cup

Sagan Tosu proved to be too good for Vissel Kobe in the fourth round of the Emperor’s Cup on Wednesday, with a Fernando Torres goal, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N8Klf7

Carp rally to beat Swallows

Ryoma Nishikawa’s tie-breaking, three-run home run led the Central League-leading Hiroshima Carp to a 7-4 come-from-behind win over the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on Wednesday.One night ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LhbvPa

Yasuiro Koseki wins 100 to complete breastroke double at Asian Games

Yasuhiro Koseki shook off a slow morning heat to win the men’s 100-meter breaststroke gold from Lane 1 at the Asian Games on Wednesday.The 26-year-old, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Lh6KFa

Rakuten slugger Japhet Amador files appeal over doping suspension

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles’ first baseman Japhet Amador has filed an appeal with Nippon Professional Baseball over his six-month doping suspension, a team executive said ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BzHTNx

Japan wins first Asian Games gold in women’s team badminton since 1970

The Japan women’s badminton team won gold at the Asian Games for the first time since 1970, beating China 3-1 in the final on Wednesday.Singles ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OWWxQz

Philippines basketball coach slams choice of Hong Kong referee after loss to China

The Philippines’ basketball coach said a referee from “Chinese territory” should not have officiated his side’s narrow loss to China at the Asian Games, questioning ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NaI0k2

Ichiritsu Funabashi becomes Japan’s first public school to sign uniform deal for soccer team

Ichiritsu Funabashi High School announced a partnership with job listing site MyNavi on Tuesday, becoming the first public school in the country to sign a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BHPA4q

New stadium gives recovering Kamaishi hope for future

Takeshi Nagata looks out over the pitch from the back stand of Kamaishi Unosumai Memorial Stadium and tugs at the collar of his shirt. He ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MoeHhr

English sumo broadcasts bring together diverse cast

In last week’s column, I talked about overseas tours by the Japan Sumo Association and also mentioned the live sumo broadcasts with English commentary on ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OSQ3Cq

No win for Masahiro Tanaka as Yankees beat Marlins

Masahiro Tanaka, who is one win short of another 10-win season, was not involved in the decision Tuesday in the New York Yankees’ 2-1, 12-inning ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MKfNDm

Shohei Ohtani confident he will return to mound this season

Two-way rookie Shohei Ohtani, who has been sidelined as a pitcher for over two months with an elbow injury, said Tuesday he is confident that ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NaQest

Sumo stablemaster Takanohana discharged from Akita hospital after convulsions

Sumo stablemaster Takanohana was discharged from hospital on Wednesday, one day after he was admitted following a fit of convulsions.The 46-year-old former grand champion told ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MGudoc

Cubs shut down Yu Darvish for rest of season

The Chicago Cubs ruled right-hander Yu Darvish out for the remainder of the season on Tuesday after an MRI exam revealed a stress reaction in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N7RWe1

Nadeshiko Japan cruises past Vietnam, moves on to Asian Games quarterfinals

Japan remained undefeated in women’s soccer at the Asian Games following a 7-0 win over Vietnam on Tuesday.Five days after opening its group stage games ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vYwOQM

Hawks’ Yurisbel Gracial belts first homer in Japan in victory over Fighters

Cuban Yurisbel Gracial scored twice and drove in three runs to pace the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks to a 10-5 Pacific League win over the Hokkaido ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MEG9H3

Rikako Ikee’s quest for Asian Games perfection ends with silver finish in 4×200 relay

Rikako Ikee’s quest for a perfect Asian Games slipped away Tuesday, when the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle team swam to silver, a disappointing result after she ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2w2QIKl

Liu Xiang eclipses women’s 50-meter backstroke world record at Asian Games

Liu Xiang of China swam a world-record time of 26.98 seconds to win the women’s 50-meter backstroke gold medal on Tuesday night at the Asian ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OTnFzU

Japan women book spot in team badminton final at Asian Games

Badminton world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi is struggling at the Asian Games, losing her second match in as many days on Tuesday, but Japan still ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2w7VPcz

Young Nadeshiko down England to reach U20 Women’s World Cup final

Goals by Riko Ueki and Jun Endo on Monday propelled Japan to its first-ever FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final with a 2-0 win over ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2w10Cfx

Don Mattingly to manage MLB stars against Samurai Japan

Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly will lead a team of major league All-Stars against Japan’s national team, Samurai Japan, in November.It will be the first ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Bxy6ri

Shohei Ohtani tosses 29 pitches in simulated game

Shohei Ohtani, who is recovering from a right elbow injury, threw a simulated game at the Los Angeles Angels’ training facility in Tempe, Arizona on ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ML9Iqi

Osaka Toin romps to victory in 100th Koshien final

yogo Pref.All but one player in the Osaka Toin starting lineup had at least one hit as it pounced on Kanaashi Nogyo 13-2 in the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nVesvH

Adrian Peterson signs with Redskins

The Washington Redskins have signed four-time All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson.The team announced the deal Monday after meeting with Peterson. Jamaal Charles and Orleans Darkwa ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BthRvq

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah plays pivotal role in victory over Crystal Palace

Mohamed Salah won a first-half penalty converted by James Milner and also played in Sadio Mane for a late goal as Liverpool beat 10-man Crystal ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nWzV7s

Choreography legend David Wilson a man in demand

Sometimes in life we encounter a person who is a veritable force of nature.Dynamic, honest, emotional. The kind of individual that stops you in your ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OOTEkO

Sumo stablemaster Takanohana falls ill during training session

Sumo stablemaster and former yokozuna Takanohana, currently on a regional sumo tour, was rushed to hospital Tuesday morning after falling ill while coaching wrestlers.An emergency ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Lc10N3

Rikako Ikee adds two more golds to Asian Games haul

Japan’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics medal hopeful Rikako Ikee picked up her second and third gold medals of the 2018 Asian Games on Monday, winning the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OSIj3n

Disgraced basketball players face the music after sex scandal

The four men’s national basketball team players who were penalized by the Japan Olympic Committee for buying sex last weekend in Jakarta, where they were ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MDtW5v

Samurai Japan names roster for fall Nichibei Yakyu series

Yomiuri Giants Sawamura Award-winner Tomoyuki Sugano, popular sluggers Yuki Yanagita and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo and other star Nippon Professional Baseball stars will suit up in the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MJyGGV

Abbreviated Top League hoping to build hype ahead of 2019 Rugby World Cup

With the Rugby World Cup only a year away, the Top League is hoping to help develop players and draw attention to the domestic game ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Bsp3rp

Mori touts transformative power of sports ahead of Rugby World Cup, Tokyo Olympics

Yoshiro Mori, a former prime minister and the current president of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, believes sports has the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N1zRhF

Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres set to square off in Emperor’s Cup clash

Spanish stars Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres appear set to clash on Wednesday after both players were registered for the Emperor’s Cup by their respective ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Pogq4g

Yuya Kubo moves to Nuremberg on season-long loan

Japan striker Yuya Kubo has been loaned to Bundesliga side Nuremberg for the 2018-19 season by Gent, the Belgian first-division club announced Sunday.The loan includes ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N7alY8

Mistake-prone United loses against Brighton; City cruises

Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick in Manchester City’s 6-1 rout of Huddersfield Town on Sunday before the champions’ neighbors Manchester United suffered a limp 3-2 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PpbKLy

Kanaashi Nogyo, Osaka Toin to square off in Koshien final

Kosei Yoshida gave up nine hits and struck out seven over the distance, guiding Akita Prefecture’s Kanaashi Nogyo High School to a 2-1 victory over ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N7ajQ0

Yu Kato helps shine light on women’s baseball in Japan

Yu Kato wants to bring women’s baseball into the spotlight. She wants people to see what she can do on the diamond and also how ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MYrFi3

Angels lose to Rangers despite Shohei Ohtani’s efforts

Shohei Ohtani doubled and scored a go-ahead run on Sunday but the Los Angeles Angels surrendered the lead and suffered a 4-2 loss against the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OLlXkb

Japanese basketball players sent home from Asian Games for soliciting sex in Jakarta

The Japanese Olympic Committee has penalized four players on the men’s basketball team at the Asian Games for buying sex in Jakarta, a senior official ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2L8oDpM

Novak Djokovic beats Roger Federer to finally win Cincinnati title

Novak Djokovic gave his racket to a fan and tossed his sweatbands into the stands. No need for mementos from this victory. The long-awaited Rookwood ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N2dAQM

Consadole rallies past FC Tokyo

Thai international Chanathip Songkrasin continued his good run of form on Sunday, scoring the winner for Consadole Sapporo in a 3-2 come from behind victory ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MXD3Li

Daiya Seto defends 200-meter butterfly title at Asian Games

Daiya Seto defended his 200-meter butterfly title at the Asian Games on Sunday.Seto, the reigning world bronze medalist in the event who claimed gold at ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N2hskG

Hawks score six in ninth to soar past Buffaloes

Kenta Imamiya equalized early and later drove in the go-ahead runs that sparked a ninth-inning charge as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks rallied for an 8-4 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OOXkmM

Summer Koshien: From the inside

While living in Japan, I spent languid summers watching Koshien on television. I’d rise before the first game and pour cold mugicha (barley tea) as ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MChkvj

Ohtani comes off bench to hit three-run homer in victory

Albert Pujols keeps climbing up the career hits list and hurting the Texas Rangers in their home park.This time, he had some help from rookie ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BpCZSZ

Novak Djokovic to face Roger Federer in Cincinnati final

Novak Djokovic is again so close to the one title that eludes him.The same nemesis is standing in his way, all over again. It’s a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2L7Cywc

Yuya Osako scores in debut for Werder Bremen

Japan striker Yuya Osako scored in his debut for Werder Bremen on Saturday in the Bundesliga side’s 6-1 victory against Wormatia in the first round ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vXnsVp

Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Wladimir Balentien stays ahead of curve at plate

Every time Wladimir Balentien hits a home run, and he’s hit quite a few since joining the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in 2011, he has to ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MVfHWu

Nonaka claims first overall title

Miho Nonaka beat fellow Japanese climber Akiyo Noguchi to earn her first season title in women’s bouldering after finishing runner-up in the final event of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nVNx2Z

Hataoka six back after three rounds at Indy

Nasa Hataoka bogeyed three of her last four holes Saturday as she reached a 15-under total of 201, six shots off the lead, after three ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OJGkhJ

Cristiano Ronaldo makes Serie A debut with Juventus

Juventus fans witnessed an unusual sight on Saturday as Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score for their team.The Portugal forward made his Serie A debut as ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MDa4iW

Indonesia raises curtain on Asian Games

Asia’s biggest multisport event, attracting more than 10,000 athletes from across the continent and offshore islands, got underway Saturday for two weeks of competition in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vQTT8a

Late Waisake Naholo double helps All Blacks trounce Australia in first Bledisloe Cup test

A length of the field try by center Jack Goodhue and a late double from Waisake Naholo spurred New Zealand to a 38-13 win against ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MlFeM9

Giants’ Tomoyuki Sugano tosses two-hitter for fourth shutout of season

Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano went the distance and threw a two-hit shutout on Saturday, earning his 10th win of the season as the Yomiuri Giants handed ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MXaJIZ

Statue honoring 1964 Olympic icon Billy Mills needs home

Some of track and field’s biggest names have lent their prominent voices toward an effort to honor Olympic icon Billy Mills in 2020, The Japan ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MkPX9Z

Diamondbacks continue winning ways at Petco

The Arizona Diamondbacks are making themselves right at home at Petco Park.Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run home run, Steven Souza Jr. drove in three and ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Bl5Ojv

Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer out with leg fracture

Trevor Bauer isn’t going to let a stress fracture in his right leg get in the way of throwing a baseball.The Cleveland right-hander, one of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2N1WpyA

Winx breaks Black Caviar win streak

Winx smashed legendary sprinter Black Caviar’s Australian win record Saturday when she made it 26 in a row at a race named in her honor.The ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nOJZQ0

ESPN won’t air national anthem during MNF telecasts

ESPN will not broadcast the U.S. national anthem — during which some players have knelt in protest — before its showcase Monday Night Football NFL ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MXz55p

Luca Gelhardt receives eight-month ban for betting on matches

Luca Gelhardt was Friday banned for eight months and fined $7,000 after being found guilty of placing 280 bets on matches, the Tennis Integrity Unit ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PePS5g

Simone Biles remains a cut above

Simone Biles didn’t come back after a two-year break from gymnastics to just win. That’s not really what it’s about for the Olympic champion. She’s ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OKVqmW

Novak Djokovic battles into semifinals

Novak Djokovic destroyed a racket to get on track and took another step toward the title that has eluded him.Enraged by his poor play in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PhqbBb

Nasa Hataoka two shots off lead

Nasa Hataoka shot a 3-under 69 Friday to stay in contention heading into the weekend at the rain-affected Indy Women in Tech Championship.Hataoka, who started ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PjULdf

Usain Bolt set for tryout in Australia

Usain Bolt says he’s deadly serious about becoming a professional soccer player and plans to show the world what he’s capable of after arriving in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2L30a5b

Fighters’ Sho Nakata, Brandon Laird ignite winning rally against Lions

A pair of big at-bats by Sho Nakata and Brandon Laird against tiring lefty Yusei Kikuchi lifted the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters to a 5-3 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OKn43G

Angelique Kerber set to compete in Toray Pan Pacific Open

Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber of Germany will play in September’s Toray Pan Pacific Open, organizers announced Friday.Kerber, currently ranked fourth in the world, will be ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PhxI2M

Amateur hurler Shumpei Yoshikawa aims for the majors

Shumpei Yoshikawa, a 23-year-old pitcher and top amateur prospect, intends to skip Japanese pro ball and sign with a major league team, multiple sources said ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MiHeEZ

Davis Cup overhauled with new team event

The Davis Cup is getting a radical makeover in hopes of reviving an event that has lost some luster.Beginning next year, the top team event ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vP5tAA

Wallabies out to bring back fans in series with All Blacks

Few matches in world rugby are more hyped than Bledisloe Cup contests between Australia and New Zealand, yet Australian fans have responded to Saturday’s first ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2w8QLUl

Cristiano Ronaldo set for Serie A debut with Juventus

Cristiano Ronaldo will make his much-anticipated Serie A debut for Juventus, which opens its campaign for an eighth straight Italian League title on Saturday against ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OINrH5

Browns hosting former Cowboys star wideout Dez Bryant

Dez Bryant’s getting to know the Browns better and vice versa.The three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is visiting the team’s headquarters in Berea, Ohio, on ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MtChbS

Yu Darvish scheduled to begin rehab assignment in minors

Chicago Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with a minor league team to be determined.Signed to a $126-million, six-year contract as ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nI6INr

Paulo Bento appointed as South Korea head coach

South Korea appointed ex-Portugal manager Paulo Bento as head coach of the national team on Friday.The 49 year-old Bento is charged with leading the team ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2w9s4qY

Japan men rout Pakistan in Asian Games match

After only managing one goal in its opener, Japan defeated Pakistan 4-0 in the Asian Games men’s soccer tournament on Thursday and booked a spot ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BkCkT4

Brandt Snedeker fires 11-under 59 in Wyndham Championship first round

Brandt Snedeker shot 11-under-par 59 in the first round at the Wyndham Championship on Thursday, before vowing to keep attacking at an event with a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MiQ0Tq

Warriors star Stephen Curry supports women’s game by hosting hoop camp for girls

Just like Steph, seventh-grader Amanda Kerner stood before a big crowd and knocked down shot after shot from five different spots on the court — ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2L0ECpV

Police question ex-Nihon U. coaches

Police have questioned two former coaches of Nihon University’s American football team on a voluntary basis after one of its players who injured an opponent ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PdSHn4

Masahiro Tanaka tagged with fourth loss as Rays beat Yankees

Masahiro Tanaka overcame a rough start Thursday to throw six innings of two-run ball but picked up the loss as the Tampa Bay Rays beat ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2L1VrAH

Ryosuke Hirata hits for the cycle as Dragons clobber BayStars

Ryosuke Hirata hit for the cycle, boosting Daisuke Matsuzaka to his fourth straight win as the Chunichi Dragons routed the Yokohama BayStars 11-5 on Thursday.Hirata, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MgGiRw

Challenger TJ Doheny outpoints Ryosuke Iwasa to claim IBF super bantamweight title

Ryosuke Iwasa lost his IBF super bantamweight crown on Thursday to Ireland’s TJ “The Power” Doheny by decision.The 31-year-old Doheny, who has now won all ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MOO8Ot

Lions GM Haruhiko Suzuki denies pitcher Yusei Kikuchi poised for posting

The Seibu Lions general manager denied Thursday that the club is poised to part with hard-throwing lefty Yusei Kikuchi this autumn.Haruhiko Suzuki responded brusquely to ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nF9bIy

Shining Arcs ban Amanaki Lelei Mafi until assault verdict is reached

Amanaki Lelei Mafi has been banned from team activities by the NTT Communications Shining Arcs until a verdict is made in his assault case, the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MqQZ3g

British tennis leaders vow to reject plan for radical Davis Cup overhaul

British tennis chiefs said Wednesday they will vote against the controversial reforms planned for the Davis Cup, claiming the radical changes could see fewer players ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BejU6d

Japan sending strong squad to Asian Games

The 18th edition of the Asian Games, the region’s biggest sporting extravaganza, will officially begin on Saturday in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia.Many of the national ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MjgdRV

Keisuke Honda’s globetrotting career leads to Australia

Six weeks ago, Samurai Blue star Keisuke Honda announced that he had participated in his last World Cup and hinted that retirement was on the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Bg8lvp

Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne hurts knee in training

Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne could face a lengthy layoff with a knee injury that forced him to attend an event using crutches on ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KW73p5

England’s Danny Cipriani charged with assault over nightclub incident

England rugby union player Danny Cipriani was charged with assault Wednesday over an incident at a nightclub in the English Channel island of Jersey.Police in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Pe5UMU

D.C. United’s Wayne Rooney nets two goals in victory over Portland

Wayne Rooney scored two goals and D.C. United beat the Portland Timbers 4-1 on Wednesday night to move out of last place in the Eastern ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OGpalb

Udonis Haslem says he’s discussed return to Heat for 16th season

Udonis Haslem says he’s had talks with the Miami Heat in recent days about potentially returning for a 16th season with the only professional team ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MvUYf1

Chargers’ Melvin Gordon poised to stand out in crowd

Melvin Gordon got into an argument recently with a fan who insisted he was Todd Gurley.The Los Angeles Chargers’ durable running back doesn’t look a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MUPQOE

FC Tokyo’s Takefusa Kubo joins Yokohama F. Marinos in loan deal

The teenage midfielder once dubbed the “Japanese Messi” will move from FC Tokyo to Yokohama F. Marinos in a loan deal announced Thursday.In a post ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Mr4tvP

Babe Ruth’s fans flock to grave 70 years later

Amid the serene graves at Gate of Heaven Cemetery sits the one where visitors leave baseballs and bats instead of bouquets, tributes to a baseball ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MMmvFQ

Dee Gordon lifts Mariners over Athletics with homer in 12th

Light-hitting Dee Gordon homered off Yusmeiro Petit in the 12th inning to break a scoreless tie and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 2-0 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2whfeXN

Stan Wawrinka ousts Kei Nishikori in second round

Kei Nishikori made a second-round exit from the Western & Southern Open on Wednesday, losing in straight sets to former world No. 3 Stan Wawrinka.The ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nFdvaH

Andres Iniesta’s strike helps Vissel earn draw against league-leading Sanfrecce

Andres Iniesta scored for the second game running Wednesday as Vissel Kobe battled their way to an entertaining 1-1 draw with J. League leaders Sanfrecce ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ODwmyl

Taisuke Yamaoka leads Buffaloes past Lions

Taisuke Yamaoka wasn’t able to keep the Seibu Lions in the park, but he did limit them to two runs over six innings as he ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Mp6vMZ

Tyrod Taylor driven by being traded from Bills to Browns

Tyrod Taylor remembers winning the starting job, throwing touchdown passes and seeing die-hard fans standing in snow at Buffalo’s airport on New Year’s Eve to ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ParykU

North, South Koreans compete together at Asian Games

North and South Korean athletes played on the same team for the first time at the Asian Games, the world’s biggest multisport event after the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MOlCNd

Giants get by Maeda in ninth for win in LA

Kenta Maeda was tagged with his eighth loss on Tuesday and first since being reassigned to relief duty as the Los Angeles Dodgers fell 2-1 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KTyLmk

Overseas tours an unfortunate victim of sumo’s recent popularity

The world of sumo has seen many changes over the past decade.Changes that have irrevocably altered the way fans — foreign-based ones in particular — ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nFL1xz

Osaka falls to Sakkari in Cincinnati first round

Naomi Osaka was knocked out of the women’s singles tournament at the Western & Southern Open after suffering a first-round defeat against Greece’s Maria Sakkari ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KWlAkF

Takumi Minamino goal helps Salzburg into Champions League playoff

Takumi Minamino scored the winner for Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday and helped the Austrian Bundesliga side complete a 4-0 aggregate victory against Shkendija in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vRLVvx

Honda: Victory saved my career

Former Japan international Keisuke Honda said Wednesday the offer to play for Australian soccer team Melbourne Victory kept him from retiring from the sport.Speaking for ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2PaLowz

Yu Darvish on track for rehab start after throwing second simulated game

The Chicago Cubs’ Yu Darvish appears to be on track for a minor-league rehab start after throwing strongly in a simulated game Tuesday as the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vHbNde

Japan makes winning start at Asian Games under manager Hajime Moriyasu

Japan’s Under-21 men’s soccer team defeated Nepal 1-0 on Tuesday in Hajime Moriyasu’s first match since being handed the extra responsibility of managing the senior ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2BbNGbJ

Lions display moxie in 10th-inning triumph over Buffaloes

Hotaka Yamakawa and Tomoya Mori each knocked in two runs, with Mori driving home Yamakawa with the game winner as the Seibu Lions rallied from ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KSZEGK

Facebook to broadcast all La Liga games for free on Indian subcontinent

Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale and other La Liga stars will soon be beamed for free to viewers on the Indian subcontinent as part of a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OzxB1g

Ryota Murata’s camp calls off mandatory title defense due to money dispute

Ryota Murata will not make a mandatory defense of his WBA middleweight title, his gym chairman revealed Tuesday.Earlier, the WBA had announced that Murata’s Teiken ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nDW6iM

NBA nixes Jordan Clarkson’s bid to play for Philippines at Asian Games

A Philippines bid to have Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Jordan Clarkson play for its Asian Games team has been dashed after the NBA refused to ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MLDyrJ

Yankees place CC Sabathia on 10-day DL with knee inflammation

The New York Yankees have put pitcher CC Sabathia on the 10-day disabled list because of right knee inflammation.The Yankees made a series of roster ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MqWyif

Indians outfielder Leonys Martin recovering from bacterial infection

Cleveland Indians outfielder Leonys Martin is recovering from a bacterial infection that team president Chris Antonetti described as “life-threatening.”Martin is in stable condition at the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KTtkE1

Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook delivers inspiration in Tokyo visit

Russell Westbrook brought smiles to enthusiastic fans’ faces on a festive Tuesday morning in Tokyo.Visiting Japan for the first time, he made a promotional stop ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2B6SSO0

Woods’ charge, Koepka’s win drive strong PGA ratings

The charge by Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship and the two-shot victory by Brooks Koepka drew the highest final-round coverage for the major in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KWnOk0

NFL to stage games at Wembley for three straight weeks due to construction at new Tottenham venue

NFL games will be played at Wembley Stadium on three consecutive weekends for the first time because the new home being built for English Premier ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P5V7UV

Bills’ LeSean McCoy sued by ex-girlfriend following home invasion

LeSean McCoy’s ex-girlfriend is suing the Buffalo Bills running back for failing to protect her after she was bloodied, beaten and had $133,000 worth of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MHOHcR

Olympic swim star Katie Ledecky instructs star-struck students

The Japanese students let out squeals Tuesday as Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky moved across the swimming pool, ducking under the lane lines.The 21-year-old American, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Mr72hs

Shohei Ohtani’s return to mound progressing

Shohei Ohtani moved another step closer to pitching again this season for the Los Angeles Angels when he threw a 33-pitch pregame bullpen session Monday.It ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OA0JWx

Acuna produces super rare power feat

Perfect games? Unassisted triple plays? They’re not even as rare as what Ronald Acuna Jr. pulled off Monday night.His legend growing with each game, the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Mf9gRR

Tiger in contention for spot on Ryder Cup team

The upside to Jim Furyk finishing so early at the PGA Championship was being able to watch the final round on television, partly as a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nyJF7M

Osaka must improve mental focus to become elite player

With 2018 wins over Grand Slam champions Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova as well as reigning world No. 1 Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nB8eAU

Nishikori moves into second round

Kei Nishikori advanced to the second round of the Western & Southern Open men’s singles after beating Russia’s Andrey Rublev in straight sets on Monday.Nishikori, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KQdXvZ

Team Japan targets short- and long-term success at Asian Games

Team leader Yasuhiro Yamashita promised that Japan would do its best at the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia, but added that it would also serve ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nFU5md

Melbourne Victory fine with Keisuke Honda coaching Cambodia

Melbourne Victory are comfortable with an arrangement which will see midfielder Keisuke Honda take over as coach of Cambodia’s national team.The former AC Milan player ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KPIjOW

Nakamura’s vintage run just what Lions need

For Takeya Nakamura and the Seibu Lions, the past week and half was just like old times, with the Lions’ lineup doing damage and the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P4HVj1

Jazz assistant Antonio Lang keen to share knowledge with Japan’s coaches

Utah Jazz assistant coach Antonio Lang returned to Japan this year for the third straight summer, to share the knowledge and experience he’s learned in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MH3CnV

Dodgers send Kenta Maeda to bullpen

Kenta Maeda was reassigned as a reliever Sunday as the Los Angeles Dodgers attempt to bolster their bullpen and make room for Ryu Hyun-jin, who ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nAAnZ0

No. 1 Rafael Nadal spoils Stefanos Tsitsipas’ 20th birthday in Rogers Cup final

Rafael Nadal won his 80th ATP World Tour title Sunday — and spoiled Stefanos Tsitsipas’ 20th birthday.The top-ranked Nadal beat the unseeded Greek upstart 6-2, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MGv4lD

Unai Emery gets rude welcome to Premier League as Manchester City outclasses Arsenal

All that’s changed for Arsenal fans is that they can no longer blame Arsene Wenger.His replacement Unai Emery will be relieved he doesn’t have to ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P3UQle

Brooks Koepka holds off Tiger Woods to win PGA Championship

Brooks Koepka is impossible to overlook now, winning the PGA Championship on Sunday with machine-like precision to go with his back-to-back U.S. Open titles.And it ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OzK0Th

Ippei Watanabe makes statement with gold at Pan Pacs

Despite having set a world record, Ippei Watanabe has sort of been overlooked because of the struggles he’s had after the achievement.But Watanabe put together ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vCPmFW

U.S. rallies past Japan in extra innings to win softball world championship

The defending champion United States twice came from behind in extra innings to beat Japan 7-6 and win the softball world championship on Sunday night.Japan ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2B4oIen

Chelsea, Tottenham off to winning starts in Premier League

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri got off to a winning start in the Premier League as new signing Jorginho slotted home coolly from the penalty spot ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vZ26q3

Hawks hit six homers during rout of Fighters

Yuki Matsumoto earned his first win of the season behind a six-home run barrage as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks beat the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2P2PI0S

Giants retire Barry Bonds’ No. 25 before losing to Pirates

Likely for the last time and almost 11 years after playing his final game, Barry Bonds ran out to his old spot in his No. ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MG2Ebw

Keisuke Honda joins Cambodia national team as general manager

Former Japan international Keisuke Honda was unveiled as the new general manager of Cambodia’s national soccer team on Sunday.Speaking at a press conference in the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2B5sT9Y

Australia captain Michael Hooper cleared for first Bledisloe Cup test

Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has been cleared to play in Saturday’s first Bledisloe Cup test against New Zealand.Hooper, who signed a new five-year contract with ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M81p8J

Japan beats Canada to reach softball world championship final

Japan booked a rematch in the women’s softball world championship final against the world No. 1 United States after beating Canada 3-0 in the bronze ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MjncJD

Hideki Matsuyama stumbles at PGA Championship as Brooks Koepka takes lead

Hideki Matsuyama shot a 3-over 73 to fall 12 strokes off the pace during the third round at the PGA Championship as American Brooks Koepka ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MkwCVh

Shohei Ohtani throws light bullpen on road to recovery

Shohei Ohtani resumed pitching practice on Saturday after more than two months of rest, mixing curveballs and sliders into a total of 23 pitches during ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MbFhu3

Vegalta Sendai capitalize on second-half chances to beat Kashiwa Reysol

Hiroaki Okuno and Takuma Nishimura both scored in the second half as Vegalta Sendai beat Kashiwa Reysol 2-0 on Saturday to claim their first J. ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M8r6pN

U.S. triumphs over Japan in extra innings to reach final at softball worlds

Japan missed a chance to go straight to the gold-medal game of the Women’s Softball World Championship on Saturday in a 4-3 extra-innings loss to ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OnCQkA

Rikako Ikee sprints to 100-meter butterfly gold at Pan Pacs

Rikako Ikee won gold in the women’s 100-meter butterfly final and set a national in the process on Saturday, bagging her third medal at the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vyfWA8

Ryoichi Adachi strokes three-run triple in eighth to lift Buffaloes past Marines

Ryoichi Adachi’s three-run, eighth-inning triple powered the Orix Buffaloes to a 6-3 come-from-behind victory over the Chiba Lotte Marines in Pacific League play on Saturday.With ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AZX1TX

Lionel Messi named Barcelona’s new captain

Lionel Messi was named as Barcelona’s captain on Friday following the departure of long-serving midfielder Andres Iniesta, while defenders Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto were ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AYNpZR

Kei Hirata earns second shot with Thunder Girls

Passion is something that younger and older generations can both detect immediately.After all, it’s either there or it isn’t. When elementary school students encouraged Kei ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OsIVwb

Former All-Star pitcher Esteban Loaiza pleads guilty to drug charges

Former All-Star pitcher Esteban Loaiza, who earned more than $43 million over 14 seasons, pleaded guilty Friday to federal drug charges in California.Loiza acknowledged that ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nwtkAd

Cubs placed Yu Darvish on 60-day disabled list

The Chicago Cubs have placed veteran right-hander Yu Darvish on the 60-day disabled list retroactive to May 23, the team announced on Friday.Darvish, who has ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OnaaIs

Jets QB Sam Darnold looks sharp in debut

Sam Darnold sparkled in his NFL debut, Teddy Bridgewater looked sharp and healthy, and the New York Jets earned the franchise’s first preseason home shutout ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vY0DQE

Former Tour de France champ Jan Ullrich faces probe for alleged attack on escort

Former Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich was arrested early Friday and is being investigated for attempted manslaughter after allegedly attacking an escort at a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2B0WEbJ

Yankees hurler Masahiro Tanaka roughed up, loses for first time since April

Masahiro Tanaka was tagged with his first loss since April 17 after allowing six runs over five-plus innings on Friday in the New York Yankees’ ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AXxElI

Gary Woodland retains lead at PGA Championship

Sirens blared across Bellerive, putting the second round of the PGA Championship on hold and ending a day of scoring rarely seen in a major.Gary ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vxRuyQ

Man United wins opener against Leicester City

Jose Mourinho received an instant reward for handing Paul Pogba the captain’s armband when the World Cup-winning midfielder paved the way for Manchester United’s 2-1 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2B1orce

Gamba’s demilson scores injury-time winner gainst FC Tokyo

Ademilson’s goal in the final seconds of injury time earned Gamba Osaka a 2-1 win over FC Tokyo in Friday’s lone J. League first-division game.The ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MACYgr

Monica Abbott fans 18 as U.S. tops Australia at softball worlds; Japan routs Puerto Rico

Monica Abbott had 18 strikeouts and the United States defeated Australia 3-1 on Friday in the playoffs of the Women’s World Softball Championship.Abbott gave up ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2McfNvX

Dragons’ Kazuki Yoshimi tosses three-hitter for first shutout in six years

Kazuki Yoshimi once again looked like the ace of the Chunichi Dragons pitching staff, throwing a three-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over the Tokyo ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MyiqVv

Seto outsprints de Deus down the stretch to nab 200-meter butterfly title at Pan Pacs

Daiya Seto was looking for nothing but the gold medal when he entered the water.Mission accomplished. Seto successfully did so with a gutsy performance before ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2McfIIF

Japan captures frst-ever title at Wheelchair Rugby World Championship

The Japan wheelchair rugby team won its first world championship on Frida in an upset win against Rio de Janeiro Paralympic champion Australia.World No. 4 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MDozQF

NPB warns umpires who lost track of count

Five NPB umpires received severe warnings Friday for losing track of the count in an at-bat the day before.With one out and none on in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KEGNPD

Buffaloes give pitcher Andrew Albers two-year contract extension

Canadian lefty Andrew Albers has signed a two-year contract extension with the Orix Buffaloes, the Pacific League club announced Friday.The 32-year-old Albers (9-2), in his ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Maf2nC

Wallabies captain Michael Hooper signs new five-year deal

Captain Michael Hooper may lead the Wallabies to the next two World Cups after signing a new five-year contract Friday with Rugby Australia.The 26-year-old backrower ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Oqjtrb

Japanese sailors make history, win gold at world championships

The Japanese crew of Ai Yoshida and Miho Yoshioka are aiming for a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics following their historic triumph on ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Mf3ajM

2020 cycling courses set

Local organizers announced the road cycling courses for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Thursday and declared them “extremely difficult.”The 244-km route for the men’s race ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OtPRJN

Novak Djokovic shocked by Greek teen Stefanos Tsitsipas in third round at Rogers Cup

Greek teen Stefanos Tsitsipas upset Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 on Thursday in the Rogers Cup.The 19-year-old Tsitsipas broke the ninth-seeded Serb’s ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vyaLjB

Kansas State locks up longtime coach Bill Snyder through 2022

Kansas State has signed Bill Snyder to a new, more lucrative five-year contract that could keep the 78-year-old coach with the Wildcats through the 2022 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MwDkog

JWF apolgizes to Olympic legend Kaori Icho, other athletes for power harassment

The Japan Wrestling Federation said Friday it has apologized to four-time Olympic champion Kaori Icho and other athletes for the power harassment they suffered at ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Mf2LxM

Betts becomes first player to hit for cycle in 2018

Mookie Betts has circled a few potential cycles in his young career, not surprising considering his rare combination of power and speed.Boston’s AL MVP contender ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Mxw5fv

Kawhi Leonard pens farewell to San Antonio, Spurs fans

Understated superstar Kawhi Leonard penned a farewell letter to San Antonio, thanking Spurs fans for their support as he starts anew as a member of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Mg453n

IOC chief Thomas Bach disappointed U.N. won’t approve shipment of sports equipment to North Korea

IOC president Thomas Bach said he is disappointed the United Nations will not allow sports equipment to be sent to North Korea.The International Olympic Committee’s ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MxvScd

Mariners remove struggling Felix Hernandez from starting rotation

Seattle’s Felix Hernandez has lost his spot in the rotation in the wake of his latest terrible start in a season filled with struggles.The right-hander, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vv8l5m

Gary Woodland takes PGA lead with six-under 64

Kansas-bred Gary Woodland felt right at home in enemy territory and delivered his best performance in a major Thursday at the PGA Championship.Woodland used his ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MA7BT4

Super Bowl champion Eagles lose to Steelers in preseason opener

Landry Jones and Josh Dobbs each tossed touchdown passes and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 31-14 Thursday night in the preseason opener.The defending ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vzLXrz

Yoshio Itoi smacks go-ahead blast in eighth as Tigers down Giants

Yoshio Itoi capped a solid evening with an eighth-inning, tiebreaking home run that lifted the Hanshin Tigers to a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over the Yomiuri ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OkW0aX

Kalisz outlasts Hagino, Seto in 400 IM on Pan Pacs opening day

Chase Kalisz proved he’s currently the best individual medley relay swimmer in the world with a crushing victory over the Japanese star duo.The American geared ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Oq4oWS

Gianni Moscon handed five-week ban after Tour De France fracas

Italy’s Gianni Moscon, who was thrown out of this year’s Tour de France after an altercation with another rider, was banned for five weeks by ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vRiB7m

Eagles’ Japhet Amador banned six months for doping

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles infielder Japhet Amador has been suspended for six months after testing positive for banned substances, Nippon Professional Baseball announced Thursday afternoon.Amador’s ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M2z6Z8

49ers to honor legend Dwight Clark with season-long celebration

The San Francisco 49ers will honor former wide receiver Dwight Clark with a season-long celebration of his life that will include unveiling a statue of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vSmt8l

Yu Darvish effective in simulated game

Chicago Cubs hurler Yu Darvish pitched two innings in a simulated game Wednesday as he continued to rehabilitate injuries to his throwing arm that have ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2npXNA8

Hall of Famer Brett Favre visits Clemson, speaks to players

Clemson got another five-star quarterback on campus — Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre.Favre spent Wednesday visiting the Tigers, speaking with players and watching ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vQProR

Harlem Globetrotter makes trick shot from airplane

Talk about hang time.Harlem Globetrotters star Bull Bullard has made a trick basketball shot from an airplane. Sitting behind the pilot in a two-person Super ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2npXJ3m

Peng Shuai banned six months for attempt to change doubles partner through coercion

Peng Shuai has been banned for six months for breaching the sport’s anti-corruption program by attempting to change her Wimbledon doubles partner through coercion last ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vPtOp3

Djokovic, Nadal cruise to wins at Rogers Cup

Four-time champion Novak Djokovic and top-seeded Rafael Nadal advanced to the third round of the rainy Rogers Cup on Wednesday.Djokovic, coming off his fourth Wimbledon ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vyLG8c

Corbin, big bats propel D-Backs

Patrick Corbin got into a rhythm with catcher Alex Avila, leaving Philadelphia’s hitters flailing.The Arizona Diamondbacks have hit their stride at just the right time, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vTtg1v

Diamond Dolphins star Justin Burrell helps Overseas Elite capture summer hoop crown

Who says lounging on the beach, camping in the mountains or holding a block party should be the only plans for summer fun?Playing basketball can ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M4yIt3

Chelsea lands goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in record move

Chelsea shattered the world record fee for a goalkeeper with an €80 million ($92 million) swoop for Athletic Bilbao’s Kepa Arrizabalaga on Wednesday as the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vOQgP7

Lakers to meet Warriors on Christmas Day

NBA fans will get a smorgasbord of LeBron James in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform, the All-Star laden lineup of the defending champion Golden State ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OWLl7g

Jarrod Lyle succumbs after long fight with cancer

With a contagious smile, a sense of humor and a deep determination to keep playing golf, Jarrod Lyle endeared himself to people around the world ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AUJjBU

Shohei Ohtani hits home run as Angels beat Tigers

Shohei Ohtani blasted a three-run home run in the first inning on Tuesday in the Los Angeles Angels’ 11-5 win over the Detroit Tigers.Ohtani, batting ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ASgt4U

Seibu offense backs Kona Takahashi in win over Orix

Kona Takahashi looked rusty in his first start of the season, but the Seibu Lions’ hitters kept him in the game in a 7-6 win ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OSb5BX

Cerezo falls to Independiente in Suruga Bank Championship

Independiente became the third Argentine side to capture the Suruga Bank Championship on Wednesday with a 1-0 win over J. League first-division side Cerezo Osaka.Playing ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AYw4jo

Boxing group not satisfied by JABF chief Akira Yamane’s resignation

The group opposing Japan Amateur Boxing Federation chairman Akira Yamane is looking for a complete systematic transformation of the JABF. Otherwise, they feel, the very ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MpWQT9

Entering sumo world not something to be taken lightly

In lifting the Emperor’s Cup last month, Mitakeumi became the fourth Japanese wrestler to win a championship in the past two years.That’s significant in a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M0EDPT

Swallows’ Tetsuto Yamada wins sixth monthly MVP award

Tokyo Yakult Swallows second baseman Tetsuto Yamada has won his sixth monthly MVP award after leading Japan in batting average, runs scored, stolen bases and ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ATqlf0

Blackhawks icon Stan Mikita dies age 78

When Stan Mikita got back together with the Chicago Blackhawks, it was clear how much the reconciliation meant to the Hall of Fame forward.He became ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vustEL

Kei Nishikori and Naomi Osaka make early exits from Rogers Cup

Kei Nishikori and Naomi Osaka were both knocked out in straight sets in the first round of the Rogers Cup on Tuesday.In the men’s singles ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vMU8Qt

All eyes on Katie Ledecky as Tokyo prepares to host Pan Pacific Championships

Swimming superstars Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel lead a powerful United States team against a world-class field at this week’s Pan Pacific Championships, hoping to ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M23zGP

Boxing chief Akira Yamane quits amid misconduct scandal

Japan Amateur Boxing Federation President Akira Yamane announced Wednesday he will step down in the wake of controversy spurred by multiple allegations of misconduct.The announcement ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OnTAIP

Carp jump on Dragons hurler Onelki Garcia in early innings en route to victory

The Hiroshima Carp battered Chunichi Dragons starter Onelki Garcia on their way to a 6-2 win in the Central League on Tuesday night.Hiroshima’s red-hot batting ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AOoms3

U.S. pounds South Africa at softball worlds

Kristi Merritt and Sahvanna Jaquish homered as the United States beat South Africa 7-0 in five innings to remain undefeated at the Women’s Softball World ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vpIU52

Usain Bolt agrees to practice deal with Australian club Central Coast Mariners

Usain Bolt is quickly closing in on a professional soccer career.The Jamaican great has negotiated an “indefinite training period” with Central Coast Mariners in Australia’s ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OOlbnp

Marquette forward Tori McCoy seeks kidney transplant

This was supposed to be the year Tori McCoy finally got to play basketball at Marquette.The plan in May 2017 when she transferred from Ohio ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vrIHyp

Kaori Icho plans to launch comeback at All Japan Women’s Open Championships

Four-time Olympic wrestling champion Kaori Icho will return to competition with the aim of earning selection for the 2020 Tokyo Games, sources said Tuesday.Icho, 34, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KyPbjy

Cameroon hands coaching reins to Clarence Seedorf

Cameroon has appointed Clarence Seedorf head coach of the national soccer team with Patrick Kluivert his assistant.The hirings were announced on Monday. The Cameroon soccer ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OQg2uR

Stan Kroenke makes offer to take full ownership of Arsenal

Majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has made an offer to take full ownership of Arsenal in a deal that would value the Premier League club at ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Majthq

Iconic coach Hiroshi Toyoda to enter International Volleyball Hall of Fame

Former Japan Volleyball Association managing director Hiroshi Toyoda will be inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame, the association said Tuesday.Originally from Yamaguchi Prefecture, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nhzog0

Shae-Lynn Bourne noted Yuzuru Hanyu’s genius making ‘Seimei’

One of the positive aspects of the internet is that every once in a while you stumble across some undiscovered gem that is enjoyable and ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vLuA6m

Angels’ Mike Trout gets cortisone injection in wrist, misses fifth consecutive game

Mike Trout received a cortisone injection in his sore right wrist Monday, and the Los Angeles Angels are hopeful their superstar center fielder can return ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vvUHPF

Curry ready to see LeBron more often

Stephen Curry can only imagine the intensity level of the Lakers-Warriors rivalry now that LeBron James has landed in Los Angeles.After four straight NBA Finals ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MqVgk2

Shaq’s son Shareef O’Neal to play basketball at UCLA

UCLA has landed forward Shareef O’Neal.The son of retired NBA great Shaquille O’Neal signed a grant-in-aid to attend UCLA this fall. He will enroll in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vJkCCI

Former NFL executive Tom Heckert dies of rare disease at 51

Tom Heckert, a former personnel executive for the Denver Broncos who also served stints as general manager for the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M8dmKN

Seattle to host first NBA game since Sonics left a decade ago

Seattle will host its first NBA game since the Seattle SuperSonics left town after the 2007-08 season and moved to Oklahoma City, the Golden State ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LYeTDH

Serena speaks out about postpartum struggles

Serena Williams says she’s been struggling with postpartum emotions and wants other new moms to know they are “totally normal.”The 23-time Grand Slam champion suffered ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2OhBNTq

Rookie QB Sam Darnold impressing Jets, could be named starter

Rookie Sam Darnold was late to training camp but still “has a very fair shot” of opening the regular season as the New York Jets’ ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vHRKL5

Indians pounce on rival Twins

Trevor Bauer reached a milestone Monday night.Cleveland’s right-hander struck out 11 in six innings — giving him 206 for the season — and the Indians ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vqYT2V

Big names grouped together for 100th PGA

Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and a host of major champions began preparing Monday in opening practice rounds for the spotlight of supergroup pairings at the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ALQg89

Boxing federation to launch independent probe of president Akira Yamane

The Japanese Amateur Boxing Federation announced Monday it will set up an independent committee to investigate allegations of improper conduct by its president Akira Yamane.The ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MnPJdS

Boxer Katsunari Takayama files for arbitration in bid to compete at Tokyo 2020

Five-time minimumweight world champion Katsunari Takayama filed an application Monday with a sports arbitration body to overturn a decision by Japanese amateur boxing authorities preventing ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2voJobN

Father of injured player speaks out

Yasutoshi Okuno, the father of the Kwansei Gakuin University quarterback who was illegally hit from behind by a Nihon University defensive end during their exhibition ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vmiFwn

Koshien officials need to be mindful of heat

The temperature in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, got as high as 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, the opening day of this year’s edition of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KuEkHH

Tanaka’s run ends as BoSox edge Yankees

Masahiro Tanaka missed out on his 10th win and saw his career-high 21⅓-inning scoreless streak end Sunday when he allowed a home run as the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M0bqnD

Young talent Zverev defends Citi Open title

Alexander Zverev winning his second Citi Open title in a row on Sunday is merely the latest sign he is separating himself from the other ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Ofne2x

Wataru Endo scores in debut for Belgian side Sint-Truiden

Japan defender Wataru Endo scored on his debut for Belgian first-division side Sint-Truiden in its 1-1 draw away to Genk on Sunday.The former Urawa Reds ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vFzRMW

Surfer Kanoa Igarashi wins Vans U.S. Open for second straight year

2020 Tokyo Olympics hopeful Kanoa Igarashi won the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing on Sunday, claiming the World Surf League Qualifying Series event for the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M3EHxK

Georgia Hall wins Women’s British Open as Mamiko Higa finishes fourth

Mamiko Higa’s hopes of becoming only the second Japanese golfer to win a major were dashed when she finished in a tie for fourth, eight ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AVvCTp

Manchester City tops Chelsea to claim Community Shield

Despite the tight turnaround after the World Cup, Manchester City’s attacking ruthlessness has not been blunted by fatigue or the English heatwave. Winning the Community ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MnJg2C

Keisuke Honda joins Melbourne Victory in Australian League

Former Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda has signed with Melbourne Victory for the 2018-19 season, the A-League champions announced Monday.The former AC Milan player retired from ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MasRly

Reysol snap losing run with win over Consadole

Kashiwa Reysol snapped a four-game J. League losing streak Sunday with a 2-1 win away to Consadole Sapporo.In an end-to-end to contest at Sapporo Dome, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AOubWq

Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara win doubles crown at badminton world championships

Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara came from behind on Sunday to win the badminton world championships doubles final, defeating Japanese compatriots Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vD3wX4

Football Hall of Fame welcomes Class of 2018

One of the great leaders football has seen, Ray Lewis used his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech to call for more enlightened leadership ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nbDTsv

Kenya Wakatsuki leads Buffaloes past Hawks

Kenya Wakatsuki unloaded the bases with one swing, powering the Orix Buffaloes to a 6-4 win over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on Sunday afternoon.With two ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vI99Ds

Astros cruise past Maeda, Dodgers

Kenta Maeda was tagged with his second-straight loss Saturday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers fell 14-0 to the visiting Houston Astros.Maeda dropped to 7-7, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KvuRQi

Crusaders already eyeing next triumph

The Canterbury Crusaders had hardly begun to celebrate their back-to-back Super Rugby titles when they put the spotlight on completing a three-peat next year.The Crusaders ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ONP1se

Justin Thomas in lead at Bridgestone Invitational; Hideki Matsuyama sitting in 36th place

Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama fell from 10 to 13 shots behind sole leader Justin Thomas and is tied for 36th place after the third round ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KrobTm

Mamiko Higa falls into fourth place at Women’s British Open

Mamiko Higa shot a 1-under 71 Saturday and dropped two notches to fourth place, but kept alive her hopes of becoming the second Japanese player ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Kyf2sg

Trump takes aim at LeBron; Michael Jordan, other athletes respond

Ahead of campaigning in Ohio on Saturday, President Donald Trump unleashed a withering attack on the state’s favorite son, savaging NBA star LeBron James in ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LRkagD

Giants reliever Shun Ikeda earns first NPB victory

Second-year pro Shun Ikeda pitched two innings in relief and picked up his first win Saturday as the Yomiuri Giants beat the Chunichi Dragons 6-4.Ikeda ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LZunqo

U.S., Japan in hunt for title at Women’s Softball World Championship

Alison Aguilar and Delaney Spaulding drove in three runs each as the United States beat Taiwan 7-0 Saturday to improve to 2-0 in Group A ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2viv9Fw

Kento Momota books spot in men’s final at World Badminton Championships

Kento Momota advanced to the men’s singles final at the World Badminton Championships on Saturday, after beating Malaysia’s Daren Liew in straight games.The world No. ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M37D8X

Crusaders pounce on Lions to claim ninth Super Rugby title

The Christchurch-based Crusaders outclassed the Johannesburg-based Lions 37-18 in the Super Rugby final on Saturday to win the Southern Hemisphere tournament for the ninth time ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vgG16M

Japan shuttlers excelling at world championships

Wakana Nagahara and Mayu Matsumoto beat an Indonesian pair in straight games on Saturday to set up an all-Japanese women’s doubles final at the World ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AH9qvS

Johnny Manziel tosses four interceptions in first CFL game

Johnny Manziel threw an interception — and made a tackle — on his second play in the Canadian Football League. It didn’t get much better ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ODqFBc

Shohei Ohtani hits two homers, goes 4-for-5 as Angels top Indians

Shohei Ohtani, who sometimes wows opponents with his pitching, put on a display with his bat.Ohtani hit two home runs in a game for the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vCWDVx

Giants’ Pablo Sandoval done for season with hamstring injury

San Francisco Giants infielder Pablo Sandoval will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his right hamstring while sliding, the team announced on Thursday.Giants ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2nbgMyn

Beach volleyball legend Keri Walsh Jennings to retire after 2020 Olympics

Kerri Walsh Jennings will call it a career in beach volleyball after the Tokyo Olympics in two years.She has big plans before her days on ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2O6FlrB

Kei Nishikori loses in Citi Open quarterfinals

Kei Nishikori suffered a quarterfinal loss against Germany’s Alexander Zverev on Friday and crashed out of the Citi Open.Nishikori, the seventh seed and 2015 champion, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LPX1ec

Hideki Matsuyama falls to 37th at midway point of Bridgestone Invitational

Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama fell down the leaderboard into 37th place after carding a 2-over-par 72 in the second round of the Bridgestone Invitational on ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LOg4Wi

Mamiko Higa one shot back after Women’s British Open second round

Mamiko Higa ran into trouble down the stretch Friday but remained one shot off the pace after carding a 3-under-par 69 in the second round ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vzyyPC

Justin Verlander gets best of Dodgers in 14-strikeout outing

In a game dripping with World Series nostalgia, not everybody was willing to embrace the symbolism Friday after the Houston Astros earned a 2-1 victory ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LQDDxY

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer defends himself as fired assistant Zach Smith denies abusing wife

Urban Meyer defended himself Friday, admitting he was not forthright with reporters when questioned about 2015 allegations of domestic violence against one of his assistant ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vDW0uO

Remembering classic Koshien contests

Koshien, Japan’s midsummer sporting tradition, has staged so many great, unforgettable battles in its one-century history. Quite impressively, they have stayed in the collective memory ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vgmBii

Players become pop idols for female fans

In its long history, Koshien has seen some handsome, flamboyant idol players who were popular among female fans, and not just baseball fanatics, such as ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Od0osH

Stadium soil serves as special memento

Although it is unknown exactly when and how it started, there is a famous tradition at the Koshien tourneys that almost all the participating teams ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M0kokJ

‘Handkerchief Prince’ is a quintessential Koshien tale

Yuki Saito, as a high school senior pitching for Waseda Jitsugyo, may have become the most famous athlete in Japan during Summer Koshien in 2006.Saito ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2MgKzjM

Annual event has provided a century of thrills

Ah, Koshien.The 100th National High School Baseball Tournament gets underway on Sunday at historic Koshien Stadium near Kobe. Organized by the Japan High School Baseball ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KrtiD7

First-place Lions rally past PL rival Fighters to earn series-opening victory

Yusei Kikuchi battled for 6-2/3 innings, and two relievers finished strong as the Seibu Lions rallied for a 4-3, come-from-behind victory over the Hokkaido Nippon ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2O7YEAy

KCFA admits to lying about ex-Nihon University football coaches’ grievance paperwork

The Kantoh Collegiate Football Association in May ruled that former Nihon University head coach Masato Uchida and ex-assistant coach Tsutomu Inoue did not tell the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AB7TaF

Two Japanese doubles teams reach semifinals at World Badminton Championships

Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda booked a spot in the men’s doubles semifinals at the World Badminton Championships on Friday, while compatriots Mayu Matsumoto and ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LSaq5y

Makoto Hiejima energized by opportunity to compete for Brisbane Bullets

The Tochigi Brex’s signing of top guard Makoto Hiejima was one of the biggest moves to date in the B. League this offseason.In fact, he ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2n7mZLy

Course for Tokyo 2020 triathlon set

The organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games announced Thursday the triathlon courses for the 2020 Games, saying the events will take ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LPnLvC

Former F1 champion Niki Lauda undergoes lung transplant

Three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda has undergone a lung transplant.The Vienna General Hospital said the operation was performed Thursday because of a “serious ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vxaJb8

Yoshinori Muto finalizes move to Newcastle

Newcastle United announced it had completed the signing of forward Yoshinori Muto from Bundesliga club Mainz after he was granted a work permit on Thursday.Muto, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LPnzfS

JABF chief Akira Yamane digs in, won’t resign over multiple allegations

Japan Amateur Boxing Federation president Akira Yamane said Friday he is not considering stepping down over a number of allegations he is facing, including forcing ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vxaAo6

Kei Nishikori rolls into quarters; Naomi Osaka ousted

Kei Nishikori beat Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in straight sets on Thursday to advance to the Citi Open quarterfinals, while compatriot Naomi Osaka suffered a second-round ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2O7bG1c

Steve Pearce slugs three homers as Red Sox hammer Yankees

When Steve Pearce’s third homer of the game clanged off the light tower above the Green Monster, a few fans behind home plate tossed their ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LZbjZj

Giants’ Cristopher Mercedes earns complete-game victory over rival BayStars

Cristopher Mercedes allowed his first runs but remained unbeaten in four starts for the Yomiuri Giants on Thursday, when he threw a three-hitter in a ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2v8PFIs

Mayu Matsumoto, Wakana Nagahara eliminate Misaki Matsutomo, Ayaka Takahashi in third round at world championships

Olympic women’s doubles champions Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi lost in straight games to Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara in the third round at the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LY7QKo

Tiger gets one more shot for Bridgestone title

This is one farewell party Tiger Woods didn’t want to miss.Firestone will host the world’s best players for the last time at the Bridgestone Invitational, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2Mbd1Ug

Pistons assistant Rex Walters launches new basketball-themed podcast

Rex Walters, whose head coaching stops include Florida Atlantic University, the University of San Francisco and the NBA G League’s Grand Rapids Drive, has launched ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2O6H5kK

Coyotes to retire Shane Doan’s number in February

Shane Doan joined the Arizona Coyotes before they moved to the desert, and over the years experienced the high of reaching the Western Conference finals, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2ODHADV

JABF scandal causes meet to go to video

Nationwide criticism over allegations of the Japan Amateur Boxing Federation’s questionable decisions by referees has forced a national high school meet starting Thursday in Gifu ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vsUwnm

Veteran pitcher Jason Standridge confirms retirement after 10 seasons in NPB

Former major league right-hander Jason Standridge, who had a 10-year playing career in Japan, on Wednesday announced his retirement from professional baseball.“Yes, I’m officially retired. ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LY0Jlg

Meyer placed on leave, probe started by OSU

Urban Meyer’s job appears to be in jeopardy.Ohio State placed Meyer, one of the most successful coaches in college football history, on paid administrative leave ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2KkWhbs

Star guard Makoto Hiejima set to join NBL’s Brisbane Bullets

The Tochigi Brex on Thursday announced Japan national team shooting guard Makoto Hiejima will join the Brisbane Bullets in the eight-team National Basketball League of ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LU5mwH

Argentina hires MarioLedesma as new national team coach

Argentina has hired former national-team hooker Mario Ledesma as its new rugby coach on a four-year deal.The Pumas made the announcement on Wednesday, when Ledesma ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2O43yP7

New table tennis league set to begin

Tomokazu Harimoto, Miu Hirano and other top Japanese table tennis players will look to develop themselves to genuinely become the world’s dominant powerhouse by competing ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M9A1Tz

Nara the latest destination for high-scoring forward Jeff Parmer

After two seasons in a Yokohama B-Corsairs uniform, power forward Jeff Parmer is ready for a change of scenery.The former bj-league MVP has joined the ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vuCAsn

Kei Nishikori moves to third round at Citi Open

Former world No. 4 Kei Nishikori advanced to the third round of the Citi Open on Wednesday following a straight-sets win over American qualifier Donald ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LV32pn

Cole Hamels sharp in first start for Cubs

Cole Hamels’ stuff was just as filthy as Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon remembered. The changeup. The breaking ball. All of it.If the newly acquired ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2AA6m4E

Urawa holds off Kawasaki

Striker Shinzo Koroki scored his 10th J. League goal of the season and Fabricio netted an injury-time penalty as Urawa Reds beat Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NZIIQY

Defending champion Nozomi Okuhara reaches third round at badminton world championships

Nozomi Okuhara and Viktor Axelsen stormed into the third round to remain on course for back-to-back women’s and men’s titles at the badminton world championships ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M9rznp

Hideki Matsuyama looks to change fortunes at World Golf Championship

Hideki Matsuyama shot 61 on the final day at Firestone last year to win the Bridgestone Invitational, his sixth victory worldwide in 20 starts. He ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M8Z7C5

Keisuke Honda to join Melbourne in Australian League

Keisuke Honda will join Australian club Melbourne Victory next season on a deal rumored to be worth 2.9 million Australian dollars (U.S. $2.15 million), multiple ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LL1wXC

Fighters use late six-run rally to edge Marines

Yuki Ariyoshi pitched seven solid innings Wednesday but the Chiba Lotte Marines’ bullpen gave up seven runs and allowed the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters to ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2M8YZm5

United beats Madrid to close tour

Jose Mourinho was finally given something to smile about as a tempestuous trip to the United States ended with Manchester United’s 2-1 win over former ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2NYhMkG

Grueling summer tours offer mixed blessing for sumo

Sumo’s summer regional tour is already under way, snaking around Lake Biwa and across central Japan towards the Kanto region.After a brief stop in Tokyo, ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2LSzx7u

Quarterback Robert Griffin III excited to get opportunity with Ravens

Robert Griffin III rolled to his right and threw a tight spiral down the middle of the field to a receiver that was being closely ...

from Sports – The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2vscXID