Japan's Olympic body working on athletes' mental care

The Japanese Olympic Committee is trying to improve mental support for athletes, an issue raised in recent years by some of the world's top athletes such as gymnast Simone Biles and tennis player Naomi Osaka.

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Sumo association officials punished over harassment claims

The Japan Sumo Association decided at a board meeting Thursday to discipline two officials for failing to properly pay overtime and repeatedly harassing some employees.

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Darcy Graham magic keeps Scotland's last-eight hopes intact

Darcy Graham scored four tries among his country's 12 as Scotland maintained its hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the Rugby World Cup by thrashing Romania 84-0 on Saturday.

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Mao Hosoya brace propels Reysol to win over Consadole

Mao Hosoya struck twice before halftime to spur Kashiwa Reysol to a 2-1 win over Consadole Sapporo in the J. League first division Saturday.

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Pegula books clash with Kudermetova in Tokyo final

Second seed Jessica Pegula produced a near-flawless display to power past the resurgent Maria Sakkari 6-2 6-3 on Saturday to reach the Pan Pacific Open final in Tokyo.

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Foul-mouthed Yuki Tsunoda becoming cult star in Formula One

The pressure was on Yuki Tsunoda. Within days, he would compete in a Formula One race in his home country, Japan. Bad luck had forced early exits in two previous races, and speculation was rife that he might be demoted after some disappointing performances.

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Ohtani becomes first Japanese player to lead MLB season jersey sales

Los Angeles Angels star slugger and pitcher Shohei Ohtani had the best-selling jersey of any Major League Baseball player this season, the first time a Japanese player topped the list.

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Vissel opens up four-point lead with win over F. Marinos

Vissel Kobe took a significant step toward the club’s maiden J. League title on Friday, defeating reigning champions Yokohama F. Marinos 2-0 to open a four-point gap at the top of the table.

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Zheng Qinwen captures title at Asian Games

U.S. Open quarterfinalist Zheng Qinwen called it an "incredible feeling" after winning Asian Games gold on Friday to burnish her fast-growing reputation.

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Qin Haiyang helps China continue gold rush in pool at Asian Games

World record holder Qin Haiyang won the men's 200-meter breaststroke in dominant fashion Thursday as China's swimming gold rush continued, while Japan ended the day without a gold medal in the pool at the Asian Games.

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Surprise call-up Lomano Lemeki inspires teammates at Rugby World Cup

Four years ago in Japan, Lomano Lava Lemeki rose to the occasion as the 2019 Rugby World Cup hosts defeated Samoa on their unbeaten run through the pool stages.

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Eagles top Buffaloes to move into third place in Pacific League

The Tohoku Rakuten Eagles twice came from behind against the Orix Buffaloes to move into third place in the Pacific League on the strength of a 9-5 victory on Thursday.

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Japan keeps quarterfinal hopes alive with win over Samoa at World Cup

Japan kept alive its hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Rugby World Cup on Thursday, beating Samoa 28-22 in front of 31,794 fans at a hot and muggy Stadium de Toulouse.

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Games-Displaced Afghan women athletes defy Taliban at Asian Games

On a pristine volleyball court on the seventh floor of a massive training center in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, a team of Afghan women prepare for their first Asian Games in defiance of the Taliban government's antipathy toward women's sports.

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Uruguay accomplishes mission with win over Namibia at Rugby World Cup

Uruguay made sure to savor its victory over Namibia on Wednesday, as it was well aware the opportunity to add another Rugby World Cup success might not come any time soon.

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Mets' Kodai Senga reaches 200 strikeouts in final start of rookie season

Kodai Senga capped a stellar rookie campaign for the New York Mets by recording his 200th strikeout in his final start of the season on Wednesday.

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Sachiya Yamasaki pitches Buffaloes to victory over Hawks

Sachiya Yamasaki threw eight innings to outpitch Carter Stewart Jr. in a 1-0 Orix Buffaloes victory over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the Pacific League on Wednesday.

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Japan grabs two more golds in pool at Asian Games

Japan picked up its second and third swimming gold medals of the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Wednesday, with Katsuhiro Matsumoto winning the men's 100-meter butterfly and Reona Aoki winning the women's 100 breaststroke.

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Stakes high for Brave Blossoms as crucial Samoa clash looms

One win, one loss. It’s not a ratio any team relishes with two Rugby World Cup pool games to play. But that’s where Japan and Samoa find themselves coming into their head-to-head clash in Toulouse, France, on Thursday.

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Keito Nakamura nets first Reims goal; Taichi Fukui makes Bayern debut

Japan attacker Keito Nakamura scored his first goal for Reims in the first-division French Ligue 1 on Tuesday, while 19-year-old Taichi Fukui made his top-team debut for Bayern Munich in the German Cup.

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Shohei Ohtani nears first home run title after Luis Robert Jr. injury

Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, ending his season and all but handing Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani his first American League home run title.

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Spain celebrates World Cup win with record crowd for Switzerland romp

Spain's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup winners were given a rapturous reception as they played for the first time at home after their triumph, thrashing Switzerland 5-0 in the Nations League on Tuesday in front of a record crowd.

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Orioles' star third baseman Brooks Robinson dies at 86

Brooks Robinson, a virtuoso third baseman who was known as "The Human Vacuum Cleaner" because of his defensive prowess during a Hall of Fame career spent entirely with Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles, died on Tuesday. He was 86.

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China defeats Japan for Asian Games women's table tennis team gold

Japan fell short in its bid to upset table tennis superpower China on Tuesday, losing 3-0 in the women's team final at the Asian Games.

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Samoa hoping local knowledge will offer edge against Japan

When Japan takes on Samoa in Toulouse, France, in Pool D of the Rugby World Cup on Thursday, it will be up against a team that knows more than a thing or two about Japanese rugby.

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Mike Trout says he will play for Angels in 2024

In the wake of recent chatter suggesting he could request a trade in the offseason, Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout shot down the speculation on Monday.

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Veteran Tsuyoshi Wada pitches Hawks to big win over Marines

Tsuyoshi Wada threw five solid innings, backed by home runs from Kensuke Kondo and rookie Tomoya Inoue, as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks soared to a 10-1 win Monday over the Chiba Lotte Marines with potentially big implications for the Pacific League playoff race.

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Sorato Anraku and Ai Mori win as Japan dominates lead World Cup meet

Sorato Anraku led a Japanese men's podium sweep at the sport climbing lead World Cup in China's Wujiang on Sunday, while reigning world champion Ai Mori took out the women's competition.

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40-yr-old Ayumi Fukushima takes silver at world breakdancing championships

Veteran Ayumi Fukushima won women's silver at the world breakdancing championships on Sunday after being outclassed by Lithuania's Dominika Banevic on Sunday.

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Amateur race photographers thrive at Suzuka Circuit

Dozens of professional photographers from around the world converged on Suzuka Circuit to capture Sunday’s Formula One Japanese Grand Prix for photo agencies, news outlets and other publications.

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Rikako Ikee's relay team takes second place at Asian Games

Swimming star Rikako Ikee's Asian Games campaign got off to a bitter start as her 4x100-meter freestyle relay team finished a distant second behind China on Sunday.

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Wales blows out Australia to punch ticket to World Cup quarterfinals

Wales became the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup after producing a record-breaking performance to hammer Australia 40-6 in Lyon, France, on Sunday.

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Shosei Togo and Hayato Sakamoto lead Giants past BayStars

Young right-hander Shosei Togo threw a six-hit shutout while veteran Hayato Sakamoto homered twice and drove in five runs as the Yomiuri Giants crushed the DeNA BayStars 6-0 Sunday to keep their Central League postseason hopes alive.

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Upstart Atamifuji regains outright lead on penultimate day

Surprise packet Atamifuji closed to within one win of a sensational first top-division championship with a gritty victory over fellow rank-and-file wrestler Abi at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday.

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Ireland beat South Africa in statement World Cup win as England romp

Ireland moved to the brink of the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals by beating reigning champions South Africa 13-8 in a low-scoring but thoroughly absorbing match at the Stade de France on Saturday.

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China opens Hangzhou Asian Games with dazzling ceremony

China's President Xi Jinping opened the COVID-delayed 19th Asian Games in the Eastern city of Hangzhou during a spectacular and at times raucous ceremony on Saturday, which organizers hope will lift the mood in a nation struggling with an economic slump.

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In pictures: Race day at the Japanese Grand Prix

It's race day in Japan as tens of thousands of fans descend upon Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture to cheer on their favorite teams and drivers.

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The Japanese GP: Often the scene of title deciders — and controversy

From the culmination of James Hunt’s tense title fight with Nikki Lauda in 1976 to the bitter battles between Formula One legends Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost from 1988 to 1990, the Japanese Grand Prix has seen a lion’s share of dramatic championship-deciding races over the years.

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Upstart Atamifuji regains outright lead on penultimate day

Surprise packet Atamifuji closed to within one win of a sensational first top-division championship with a gritty victory over fellow rank-and-file wrestler Abi at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday.

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China hosts esports’ biggest moment with Tencent at the wheel

China scythed nearly $600 billion off Tencent Holdings' market value in its crackdown on tech and gaming. Now the country is betting on its biggest company — and professionalized video games — to help restore some national pride.

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Tsunoda thrills home fans in qualifying ninth for Japanese GP

Yuki Tsunoda had one of his best qualifying sessions of the season on Saturday in his home grand prix, placing his AlphaTauri ninth on the grid for Sunday’s race at Suzuka Circuit.

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In pictures: Day 2 of the Japanese Grand Prix

The stakes were rising on Saturday at the Japanese Grand Prix, as the 10 teams and 20 drivers vie for the top qualifying positions on Sunday's starting grid.

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AlphaTauri makes it official: Yuki Tsunoda keeps seat for 2024

Yuki Tsunoda will have one less thing on his mind when he lines up the grid Sunday at his home race.

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Gallery: Suzuka Circuit comes alive as Japanese GP practice begins

Thousands of fans converged on Suzuka Circuit on Friday for the first practice day of the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix.

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Tsunoda races into Suzuka as his F1 career reaches critical stage

Yuki Tsunoda stepped through the gates to the paddock on Thursday at Suzuka Circuit, signed autographs for some adoring fans and marched toward the AlphaTauri hospitality tent with a boom microphone hanging overhead and several cameras and reporters following his every move.

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Sebastian Vettel creates a buzz in Japan amid biodiversity crisis

There was a buzz going around Suzuka Circuit on Thursday, and it wasn’t just the excitement of fans ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

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Japan players give insight into Rugby World Cup preparation

Former Black Rams Tokyo and England player James Haskell is known for his love of the phrase "bin juice" in reference to players who get little to no playing time and whose duties are generally confined to the training paddock.

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Red Bull's march to the title in focus as F1 arrives in Japan

All eyes are on Red Bull as the Formula One circus sets up shop in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, for the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend.

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Women's soccer players in Spain to end boycott

Spain's World Cup-winning women's squad agreed to end its boycott of the national team on Wednesday after the country's football federation, RFEF, said it would make "immediate and profound changes," including reshuffling its top management.

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Yamanaka back and ready to rock with Brave Blossoms at World Cup

Ryohei Yamanaka trained with the Japan Rugby World Cup squad for the first time Wednesday in Monaco following his call-up to replace Semisi Masirewa.

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Buffaloes' title win lets fans feel team's continuing resurgence

The Orix Buffaloes’ long-suffering fans were not in the building when the team completed its worst-to-first climb by winning the Pacific League pennant in 2021. When the Buffaloes won again in 2022, the team clinched the title on the road.

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Leader Atamifuji opens two-win gap as Takayasu beaten

Sole leader and No. 15 maegashira Atamifuji recorded a superb win over komusubi Tobizaru to open a two-win lead after 11 days of action at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday when his closest rival, No. 7 Takayasu, fell to his third defeat.

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Leader Atamifuji opens two-win gap as Takayasu beaten

Sole leader and No. 15 maegashira Atamifuji recorded a superb win over komusubi Tobizaru to open a two-win lead after 11 days of action at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday when his closest rival, No. 7 Takayasu, fell to his third defeat.

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Formula One fans fill up Tokyo festival ahead of Japanese Grand Prix

Formula One roared into the Tokyo nightlife district of Kabukicho on Wednesday afternoon, inviting thousands of fans to get close to some of their favorite cars and drivers ahead of the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit.

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Urawa pays price for hooliganism after years of looking the other way

For the second time in less than a decade, Urawa Reds have been handed a historic punishment by Japanese soccer authorities.

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Buffaloes beat Marines, cutting magic number to 2

Orix Buffaloes starter Kohei Azuma threw seven innings of one-run ball as the reigning Japan Series champions inched closer to a third straight Pacific League pennant with a 3-2 victory over the Chiba Lotte Marines on Tuesday.

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Shohei Ohtani has surgery on elbow, not expected to pitch in 2024

Shohei Ohtani underwent surgery on his elbow on Tuesday morning and will not return to the two-way role that catapulted him to superstardom in Japan and North America until the 2025 MLB season.

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Low-ranked Atamifuji beats Takayasu to take outright lead

Unheralded Atamifuji took the outright lead at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday after winning a head-to-head battle with joint overnight leader Takayasu.

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Rei Higuchi gets silver at worlds in men's 57-kg freestyle

Japan's Rei Higuchi settled for silver at the wrestling world championships on Monday in the men's 57-kilogram freestyle, losing the final 7-4 to Serbia's Stevan Andria Micic.

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Victor Wembanyama targeting Spurs playoff berth in first season

French basketball prodigy Victor Wembanyama says he hopes to lead the San Antonio Spurs back to the NBA playoffs as he prepares for his first season in the league.

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Error-strewn loss to England leaves Japan facing uphill battle

A palpable sense of possibility pervaded the streetside cafes of Nice on a warm, if slightly blustery, Sunday afternoon. Japan’s traveling fans, bearing their trademark red and white stripes, were all smiles, hopeful that an unlikely win would put to bed a four-year cycle that’s given them little else to cheer about.

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Former ozeki Takayasu secures winning record on Day 9 at Autumn Basho

No. 7 maegashira Takayasu and No. 15 Atamifuji won to secure winning records after nine days of action at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday, with No. 16 Tsurugisho in pursuit with two defeats as they seek their maiden Emperor's Cup.

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Shintaro Fujinami extends scoreless streak as Orioles reach playoffs

Shintaro Fujinami threw a scoreless two-thirds of an inning as the Baltimore Orioles walked off the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 in 11 innings on Sunday.

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Takefusa Kubo's star performance not enough against Real Madrid

Japan attacker Takefusa Kubo put in a stellar performance against his former club Real Madrid, but Real Sociedad suffered a 2-1 defeat, and its first loss of the new Spanish La Liga season, on Sunday.

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Fiji beats Australia for first time in 69 years in World Cup upset

Fiji kept its Rugby World Cup quarterfinal hopes alive with a thrilling and deserved 22-15 win over Australia, its first win over the Wallabies in 69 years, in Saint Etienne on Sunday.

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Max Verstappen looks ahead to Japan after end of record win streak

Max Verstappen's record run of 10 straight wins ended in Singapore on Sunday, but the Formula One leader had no doubt his Red Bull would be back up to speed in Japan next weekend — and his rivals agreed.

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Sebastian Coe looks forward to full stadiums in Tokyo for worlds

Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, is looking forward to seeing Tokyo's National Stadium packed with fans for the 2025 World Championships, but says the sport will feel the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic through 2028.

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Japan fail to go distance with England at Rugby World Cup

Japan fell to their first loss of the 2023 Rugby World Cup on Sunday, going down 34-12 to England in Pool D in front of 30,500 at Stade de Nice.

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Momiji Nishiya gets maiden Paris Olympics qualifying win

Momiji Nishiya won the fourth Paris Olympics qualifying event in the women's street event on Saturday, with the Tokyo Games gold medalist also securing her first win on the World Skateboarding Tour.

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Women's tennis returns to China after Peng Shuai boycott

Professional women's tennis tournaments return to China on Monday, less than two years after the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) vowed to boycott the country out of concern for player Peng Shuai and risks to its players and staff.

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Johnny Sexton breaks records as Ireland eyes Springkoks at World Cup

Johnny Sexton became Ireland's all-time test point-scorer as Ireland swept aside Tonga at the 2023 Rugby World Cup on Saturday, after Wales made it two pool wins in two.

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Takakeisho gives up share of lead with loss to Shodai on Day 7

Ozeki Takakeisho dropped from the top of the leaderboard Saturday at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament with an upset loss to No. 3 maegashira Shodai.

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Giant-slaying Japan turns attention to England at Rugby World Cup

Japan has made a thing of slaying giants at World Cups.

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Frontale beats Tokyo to give Bafetimbi Gomis win in Japan debut

Former France international Bafetimbi Gomis made his J. League debut with a start for Kawasaki Frontale on Friday night, playing just over an hour in his team’s 1-0 win over FC Tokyo in the Tamagawa Clasico.

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Hoshoryu defeats Asanoyama in showdown at Autumn Basho

Hoshoryu outgunned Asanoyama in a battle of current and former ozeki to improve to 3-3 at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday.

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Akinobu Okada pushed right buttons to guide Tigers to CL pennant

When Hanshin Tigers manager Akihiro Yano stunned everyone just before the 2022 season by announcing he would step down at the end of the year, it was not immediately clear which direction the Tigers would go after his departure.

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Novak Djokovic planning to try for gold medal at Paris Olympics

Chasing an elusive Olympic gold medal will be one of Novak Djokovic's main goals for next season, even though the 24-time Grand Slam champion knows he will have to be physically and mentally ready to cope with a crammed schedule.

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Ozeki Takakeisho part of eight-way tie for lead at Autumn Basho

Ozeki Takakeisho joined seven other wrestlers with one loss to lead the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament after three rank-and-filers lost their perfect records after five days on Thursday.

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Tigers clinch first Central League pennant since 2005

Teruaki Sato homered for the second straight game as the Hanshin Tigers beat the Yomiuri Giants 4-3 to clinch their first Central League title in 18 years and sixth overall on Thursday.

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England assistant coach defends tackling amid flurry of red cards

When England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield said, "Everyone wants the best players to go head to head," most people probably knew what he meant, but it was still an unfortunate slip amid his defense of his team's questionable tackling technique.

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Max Verstappen heads to Singapore looking to extend record run

Formula One leader Max Verstappen will have to win where he has never won before to continue his record run this weekend.

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Jets' Aaron Rodgers vows to 'rise again' after season-ending injury

Jets coach Robert Saleh envisions Aaron Rodgers breaking the huddle as his quarterback again next season, and a "heartbroken" Rodgers is thinking in a similar vein.

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Brave Blossoms eager to take fight to England at World Cup

The game of rugby was invented 200 years ago and has undergone many changes since then, but according to scrum coach Shin Hasegawa, the Brave Blossoms' next opponent at the Rugby World Cup has been playing the same way for much of that time.

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Hokutofuji shines early as sumo's English streaming era begins

Headlines over the first three days of the ongoing Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament have been dominated by veteran Hokutofuji.

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Zach Johnson ready for blame if U.S. should fall at Ryder Cup

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson said Tuesday he is ready to handle criticism if the Americans lose to Europe in two weeks in Italy after a dominating 2021 triumph.

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Nadeshiko Japan forward Riko Ueki joins WSL's West Ham United

Nadeshiko Japan forward Riko Ueki has transferred from Japanese side Tokyo Verdy Beleza to West Ham in the English Women's Super League, the clubs announced Tuesday.

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Vladimir Putin says IOC is 'distorting' Olympic ideal

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the International Olympic Committee on Tuesday of politicising sport, as it weighs a decision on Russian athletes' participation in next year's Games in Paris.

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Premier12 tournament scheduled for November 2024

The Premier12 baseball tournament, featuring the top 12 teams in the year-end world rankings, will be held from Nov. 10 to 24, 2024, the World Baseball Softball Confederation said Monday.

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Keegan Bradley, Hideki Matsuyama to play Zozo Championship in Japan

Defending champion Keegan Bradley and previous winner Hideki Matsuyama are set to play the Zozo Championship, Japan's only U.S. PGA Tour event, next month, organizers said Tuesday.

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Japan can't rest on laurels after Chile win as England awaits

While Japan's defense in its Rugby World Cup opener against Chile on Sunday was not nearly as tight as the security in and around Stadium de Toulouse, the six tries the Brave Blossoms scored, not to mention their familiarity of playing in stifling heat, ensured it did not have to be.

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Andy Murray: Novak Djokovic will dominate tennis for years

Novak Djokovic, who won his 24th Grand Slam title on Sunday, will dominate men's tennis for years because younger players have yet to reach his level, according to Andy Murray.

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Luis Rubiales quits, but women’s soccer in Spain is still troubled

After three weeks of protests and calls for his resignation, Spain’s soccer chief, Luis Rubiales, has quit, but the problems that surfaced in the wake of his forcible kiss of a player after the Women’s World Cup remain.

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Hokutofuji upsets rising star Hoshoryu on Day 2 of Autumn meet

Rank-and-file wrestler Hokutofuji claimed his second ozeki victim of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament with a stunning win against Mongolian star Hoshoryu on Monday.

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Germany dismisses soccer coach Hansi Flick after loss against Japan

Germany's soccer federation sacked Hansi Flick as national team head coach on Sunday in the wake of a 4-1 friendly loss to Japan.

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Luis Rubiales steps down amid scandal over unsolicited kiss

Spanish soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales quit his post on Sunday after three weeks of scandal over allegations he gave an unsolicited kiss to a player on the women's national team as they celebrated their World Cup victory last month.

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'Team-first' mentality carries Germany to first Basketball World Cup title

Head coach Gordon Herbert hailed Germany's "team-first" attitude after it beat Serbia to win the Basketball World Cup for the first time on Sunday, going unbeaten throughout the tournament.

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Novak Djokovic wins U.S. Open to capture 24th Grand Slam title

Novak Djokovic would not let Daniil Medvedev spoil his date with history a second time, battling past the Russian 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 to win the U.S. Open on Sunday and equal Margaret Court's record haul of 24 Grand Slams.

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Canada outlasts Team USA in OT for first-ever FIBA World Cup medal

Canada bagged its first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup podium finish at the expense of undermanned United States 127-118 in overtime in a riveting, record-setting bronze medal game on Sunday in Manila.

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Hoshoryu makes winning start as ozeki at Autumn meet

Newly promoted Hoshoryu won his first bout as an ozeki Sunday at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, where the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament got underway in the absence of sole yokozuna Terunofuji.

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Yama-no-no: Orix ace puts world on notice with second no-hitter

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, pitching in the denouement of what most expect to be his final season in NPB, added another highlight to his jaw-dropping five-year run of excellence on Saturday night.

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U.S. teen Coco Gauff fights back to win U.S. Open

American teenager Coco Gauff mounted a fierce comeback to beat Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka 2-6 6-3 6-2 in the U.S. Open women's final on Saturday and claim her first Grand Slam title in front of adoring home fans.

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Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws second career no-hitter

Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw the second no-hitter of his career Saturday as he spearheaded the Pacific League leaders to a 4-0 win over the second-place Chiba Lotte Marines.

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Fantastic George Ford kicks 14-man England to win over Argentina

Flyhalf George Ford kicked England to a remarkable 27-10 World Cup victory over Argentina on Saturday in a performance full of intensity and tactical guile and all the more astonishing as the 2019 runner-up played with 14 men from the third minute.

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Japan makes final preparations for Rugby World Cup opener against Chile

Japan opened the doors of Stade Ernest Wallon to the rugby-mad Toulouse public on Thursday as it held its final training session before Jamie Joseph announces the team that will take on Chile in the Brave Blossoms' Rugby World Cup opener on the weekend.

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Lions upset defending champion Chiefs in NFL season opener

The Detroit Lions, touted as NFL contenders after decades of playoff futility, stunned the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 21-20 on the road on Thursday to kick off the 2023 season.

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Katsuki Azuma tosses complete game to help BayStars end slide

Katsuki Azuma threw a complete game to pick up his Central League-leading 13th win, as the DeNA BayStars beat the Hiroshima Carp 3-1 on Thursday.

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All Blacks prepared to unleash haka at Rugby World Cup

Before France takes on New Zealand in the opening game of the Rugby World Cup, it will have to face the ferocious challenge laid down by the All Blacks in the haka.

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Seiya Suzuki drives in three runs as Cubs earn fourth straight win

Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki drove in three runs for the third straight game to help the team to an 8-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wedesday.

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World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev win to set up semifinal clash

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz finished off an exhausted Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday to move into the U.S. Open semifinals where he will take on Daniil Medvedev in an intriguing clash featuring the last two champions at Flushing Meadows.

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Chiefs hope to continue streak of fast starts against Lions in NFL opener

Conventional wisdom suggests maybe it's best to get the first shot at the defending champs, to run into them early before the complete calibration of systems around MVP Patrick Mahomes.

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Power of ozeki trio on display in muted return of open practice session

The first Yokozuna Deliberation Council sōken training session to be open to the public in four years took place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Saturday.

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World Cup puts bounce in Japan basketball's step ahead of Olympics

Japan's success at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Okinawa could trigger a leap in the sport's domestic popularity, as it edges upward behind baseball and soccer in recognition from the wider public as a game to view via live broadcasts.

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Japan will not take 'gritty' Chile for granted in Rugby World Cup

Japan will not be taking its Rugby World Cup Pool D opener against Chile for granted, defense coach John Mitchell warned Tuesday, saying the South Americans are a well-coached, cohesive unit.

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Djokovic and Gauff steam into U.S. Open semifinals

Novak Djokovic charged into his 13th U.S. Open semifinal on Tuesday with a straight-sets win over Taylor Fritz, while home favorite Coco Gauff stayed on track for her first Grand Slam title.

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Suzuki and Yoshida each hit their 15th home run of MLB season

Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki set a career high with his 15th home run of the major league season and Masataka Yoshida matched it with the 15th homer of his rookie season for the Boston Red Sox, as the Japanese players helped their respective teams to wins on Monday.

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First-timers Chile not at Rugby World Cup 'to take photos'

Chile embarks on its first Rugby World Cup on Saturday with a sense of excitement and a determination not to play the tourist.

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Coco Gauff ends Caroline Wozniacki's comeback tour at U.S. Open

Teenager Coco Gauff ended Caroline Wozniacki's U.S. Open comeback with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory to reach the quarterfinals on Sunday.

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Japan's veterans prepare to scale Everest again at Rugby World Cup

Japan coach Jamie Joseph said that despite "a mass of problems," his team was preparing to scale Mount Everest at the Rugby World Cup.

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Masataka Yoshida ends home run drought as Red Sox top Royals

Masataka Yoshida ended a 12-game home run drought and sparked the Boston Red Sox to a 7-3 win over the Kansas City Royals with a three-run blast on Sunday.

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Canada knocks defending champion Spain out of Basketball World Cup

Canada dumped defending champion Spain out of the Basketball World Cup in the second round on Sunday, while Italy, Serbia and tournament sensation Latvia also advanced to the quarterfinals.

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Coco Gauff ends Caroline Wozniacki's comeback tour at U.S. Open

Teenager Coco Gauff ended Caroline Wozniacki's U.S. Open comeback with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory to reach the quarterfinals on Sunday.

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'Ferrari' Kotaro Matsushima looking to drive Japan to World Cup glory

Kotaro Matsushima is the "Ferrari" who helped drive Japan to the 2019 Rugby World Cup quarterfinals — now he's looking to find an extra gear as the Brave Blossoms launch an outside bid for the title.

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Ons Jabeur beats Marie Bouzkova to reach fourth round at U.S. Open

An ailing Ons Jabeur scraped by Czech Marie Bouzkova 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 to keep her latest U.S. Open campaign on track despite an error-riddled performance in the third round on Saturday.

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches Buffaloes past Fighters

Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto went head to head with World Baseball Classic teammate Hiromi Ito and just barely scraped out a 1-0 victory over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters on Saturday.

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Japan secures Olympic berth with World Cup win over Cape Verde

FIBA Basketball World Cup co-host Japan punched its ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics after holding on for an 80-71 victory over Cape Verde on Saturday.

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Springbok icon Siya Kolisi defies odds to return in time for World Cup

South Africa's Siya Kolisi had difficulty speaking immediately after his Springboks completed an emphatic 35-7 demolition of New Zealand's All Blacks in their final warmup before the Rugby World Cup.

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Lewis Hamilton looks to Tom Brady as role model for longevity

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton pointed to seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady as a role model for longevity in sports after signing a deal to continue racing into his 40s.

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