mercredi 25 février 2026

FIFA boss 'very reassured' about World Cup in Mexico despite violence

"Very reassured, everything's good. It's going to be spectacular," Infantino said in the Colombian city of Barranquilla.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/Pi0ZJSB

Physical banzuke ranking reveals sumo’s storylines

Many sumo stories don’t fully reveal themselves unless you are holding a physical copy of the rankings.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2O651fE

mardi 24 février 2026

Team Japan hails best-ever Winter Olympics performance

Japan's total of 24 medals was six higher than the previous record set at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/Vv0IJeL

lundi 23 février 2026

'Ugly' England aims to spin its way to the T20 World Cup semifinals

A win against Pakistan on will be enough to see the 2010 and 2022 T20 World Cup champion into the last four.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/jQf3eLx

Mayweather to fight Pacquiao in Las Vegas in September

The bout between two of boxing's biggest names comes days after Mayweather announced he is coming out of retirement.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/qrF7GeT

Japan proved its winter sports prowess at the Milano Cortina Games

The 24-medal haul ranked Japan fifth in the world, while the number of gold matched the country's all-time high at a Winter Olympics, set at the 1998 Nagano Games.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/g2q1mKI

dimanche 22 février 2026

Proud Italy signs off with closing ceremony in ancient Verona Arena

The ceremony was held in an open-air ​Roman amphitheater in the heart of the northern Italian city made famous as the setting for William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet."

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/LuWlHqX

The Japanese snowball fight game vying to be an Olympic sport

The game's federation emphasizes the "mental challenge," as players on both teams pelt their opponents while taking cover behind shelters.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/dgKUtWV

samedi 21 février 2026

Even as Sakamoto exits, Japan’s figure skating future looks brighter

The country's Olympic skaters have made one thing clear at this year's Winter Games: Team Japan need not worry about its future.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/v6odU5C

Norway's cross-country king Klaebo wins sixth gold of Milan Cortina Olympics

By taking the 50 kilometer mass start title, the 29-year-old Klaebo also became the first athlete in history to win all six cross-country skiing races at one Games.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/I3f1L8O

vendredi 20 février 2026

Canada to face U.S. in Olympic ice hockey final

Tournament favorites Canada and the U.S. will face off for gold at Milan's Santagiulia Arena on Sunday, while Finland and Slovakia will battle for bronze on Saturday.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/jqe10Vr

jeudi 19 février 2026

Fourth-place finishers at Olympics grapple with emotions of near misses

"It sucks a lot," snowboarder Annika ‌Morgan said after the slopestyle event. "That's all I can say. Someone has to be fourth. And it's me."

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/zDQamhx

U.S. strikes in overtime to edge Canada for gold in thrilling ice hockey final

Megan Keller netted the winner to dethrone the United States' archrival in an instant classic

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/Roa5zDK

mercredi 18 février 2026

Formula E CEO eyes big opportunity for circuit with first night race in Tokyo

As with last year’s E-Prix, the 2026 edition will be a doubleheader held at the Tokyo Street Circuit, around the Big Sight exhibition center by the Tokyo Bay waterfront.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/pk4ZDzM

Ukrainian officials to boycott Paralympics over Russian flag decision

Six Russians and four Belarusians will be allowed to take part under their own flags at the Milano Cortina Paralympics rather than as neutral athletes.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/RTj31ci

Alysa Liu only focused on her story at Milano Cortina Games

The 20-year-old Liu is 2.12 points behind teenager Ami Nakai, who topped Tuesday's short program ahead of her superstar teammate Kaori Sakamoto.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/z2v45M7

Mikaela Shiffrin finds clarity on way to winning first Olympic gold since 2018

Shiffrin beat Camille Rast of Switzerland by 1.50 seconds — a gap almost as big as the total of the margins separating first and second in women’s Olympic slaloms since 1998.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/ypQ10tX

Australia faces rebuild after T20 World Cup flop

Mitchell Marsh's team was embarrassed by Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka before a washed-out match sealed its ​elimination on Tuesday.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/xnWc304

mardi 17 février 2026

Tales of perseverance abound in sumo’s hidden corners

Ahead of the spring tournament, meet three lower-division veterans whose careers reflect sumo’s quieter, grittier side.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/VI5kdFx

Tears, a pep talk and a nap: How Kihara and Miura rebounded to win gold

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara overcame despair to stage a stunning free skate comeback, fueled by belief and a timely nap.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/H9Zy2Fx

Japan skaters shine as Sakamoto prepares to 'say goodbye' to Olympic stage

Kaori Sakamoto, Ami Nakai and Mone Chiba all put themselves in contention for medals on Tuesday in the women's short program.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/Ix1B2kv

lundi 16 février 2026

Ilia Malinin breaks silence after eight-place finish at Milano Cortina Games

Malinin came into these Olympics as the hottest of favorites, but he suffered a nightmare on the ice.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/CFMJutG

dimanche 15 février 2026

Why we love the Olympics — even if we’re not sports fans

Even in Japan — where baseball, soccer and sumo command loyal followings — the Games pull in everyone: the casually interested, the indifferent, even the self-declared non-fan.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/giYzjXF

Kaori Sakamoto and United States' 'Blade Angels' ready to chase gold

One sure thing is that ​a new champion will be crowned as Russia's Anna Shcherbakova, who won gold in Beijing, will not be in the field.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/6X0kuC3

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara in fifth place after error in short program

Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin seized the lead after the pairs short program.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/Ef6oLmz

'No blinking': Drones push Olympic broadcasting to new level

Before the Olympics began, drone pilots trained alongside the athletes, running the courses up to 60 times a day.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/eXMhGT1

NBA weighing 'every possible remedy' as 'tanking' worsens

Teams are increasingly losing games on purpose to improve their draft prospects.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/Igp0eiN

samedi 14 février 2026

How Team Japan became world-beaters in Olympic snowboarding

Japan's snowboarders have grabbed three gold medals and six medals overall so far at the Milano Cortina Olympics. How did the nation grow to be so dominant?

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/2udIY9f

Medal bonanza: Team Japan on a tear, one week into Winter Games

At the 2022 Beijing Games, Japan set a national record with 18 medals. Now sitting at 15, that record is almost certain to fall — and likely with time to spare.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/25lbtEC

Ski jumper Nikaido earns third medal of Olympics in men's large hill

Slovenia’s Domen Prevc lived up to his billing as favorite to claim gold.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/JLkC5a0

Brazil's Braathen wins South America's first ever Winter Olympic gold

The Norwegian-born Braathen, fastest down in the first leg, was composure personified in the second to win in an aggregate time of 2 minutes, 25 seconds. 

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/zpNviTw

vendredi 13 février 2026

Healthy Ohtani has Cy Young Award in sights

The four-time MLB Most Valuable Player, winner of two World Series titles, has yet to capture the Cy Young Award for outstanding pitching.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/iMBWXxL

jeudi 12 février 2026

Phillies release Nick Castellanos; player admits bringing beer into dugout

The Phillies still owe the 33-year-old $20 million.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/RPKvZMs

Volodymyr Zelenskyy blasts IOC after Ukrainian banned for helmet honoring war victims

The International Olympic Committee said Heraskevych had failed "to adhere to the IOC athlete expression guidelines."

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/fn2Bk4v

mercredi 11 février 2026

Lindsey Vonn says third surgery on broken leg was 'successful'

Vonn wrote on Instagram that the surgery was a success, following two other operations to stabilize what on Monday she called a "complex tibia fracture" in her left leg.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/r5c1CxL

France's ⁠Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume  Cizeron win ice dance gold

Three-time world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who had been undefeated all season, had to settle for silver

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/vhA9j0Z

mardi 10 février 2026

LeBron James sits out game to end 21-year All-NBA streak

The ​game is James' 18th missed contest of the season and prevents ⁠him from playing in 65 games, the ⁠minimum number of games to be eligible for ​All-NBA and other honors.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/Ek9fjvs

Blades of fury: Japan protests over 'rough' Olympic podium

A team official said the podium in Milan was "a rough, asphalt-like substance made of cut stone" that chipped skaters' blades when they stepped onto it for the medal ceremony.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/rRwxKPq

lundi 9 février 2026

Pakistan to play India at T20 World Cup after boycott called off

Matches between arch-rivals India and Pakistan are among the most lucrative in cricket, worth millions of dollars in broadcast, sponsor and advertising revenue.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/CVkWGza

dimanche 8 février 2026

Seahawks use dominating defense to defeat Patriots in Super Bowl

Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold threw one touchdown and kicker Jason Myers recorded a Super Bowl-record five field goals

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/KwRy5vo

Amber Glenn insists social media abuse did not impact performance

The three-time U.S. champion was third in the free program in her Olympic debut.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/DQxe0Jt

Raducanu hammered by Cirstea in first final since U.S. Open victory

The tournament's top seed got off to a disastrous start in the Romanian city of Cluj, conceding the first eight games to her opponent.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/eAkd98n

samedi 7 février 2026

Malinin upstaged as Japan keeps pressure on USA in skating team event

"I'm pretty happy with what I did because that's only 50 percent of my full potential," said the figure skating star.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/d1p5QH6

Snowboarder Kira Kimura gets Japan off to golden start at Milano Cortina Olympics

Japan struck gold early as Kira Kimura rallied from fourth with a massive last jump to beat teammate Ryoma Kimata in men’s big air.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/DRPoVW6

Germany surges past Japan in Olympic women's ice hockey

Smile Japan will hope to tune out the ​home ‌fans as they next play Italy on Monday.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/gAYFN0R

vendredi 6 février 2026

'We rise by lifting others’: Milano Cortina Olympics’ opening ceremony touts unity

Japan, boasting one of the largest delegations of athletes, saw speedskater Wataru Morishige in Milan and snowboarder Sena Tomita in Livigno carry the nation's flag.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/v3hRQr2

jeudi 5 février 2026

Sam Darnold credits dedication, not vindication, for success ahead of Super Bowl

The 28-year-old has been able to reflect on a journey defined by perseverance and mental ​growth.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/PiKgOR1

Officials to look into penis injection claims in ski jumping at 2026 Olympics

The claims were first reported in German media.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/TWIQpkd

The star athletes from Japan and abroad competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The Milano Cortina Olympics, perhaps more than any other Winter Games, will pack plenty of punch when it comes to household names.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/wCzRDya

mercredi 4 février 2026

Alpine skiing star Marco Odermatt bemoans lack of 'Olympic spirit' in Bormio

The events at these Olympics are spread out between Milan, Cortina, Livigno and Bormio.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/LqjgIK1

Curling quietly kicks off sports program at Milano Cortina Olympics

The Games had barely begun when a brief power outage blacked out the scoreboards

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/zAc42jT

Japan has high hopes as Winter Olympics return to Alps

The Milano Cortina Games are the most widespread in the history of the Olympics, taking place in venues from Milan to the resort town of Cortina d’Ampezzo.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/QkCDhqU

mardi 3 février 2026

Japan coach Jones says 'fair' Rugby World Cup schedule helps small teams

The Brave Blossoms have been drawn in a pool with France, Samoa and the United States for next year's World Cup.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/gPx1v3O

lundi 2 février 2026

From across Europe, Japanese fans rally for the Winter Games

The Olympics feel closer and more personal than ever for some Japanese expats.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/wReP4h7

Spanish figure skater says 'Minions' music barred due to copyright issue

Tomas-Llorenc Guarino ​Sabate, 26, dressed ‌in a yellow t-shirt and blue overalls during ‌his performance to resemble the popular animated characters.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/S207on6

Speedskater Takagi sticks to winning formula ahead of Milano Cortina

Now a seven-time Olympic medalist, Takagi found an unexpected sense of ease at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/nwOdrxc

dimanche 1 février 2026

IOC expresses confidence amid last-minute push to prepare venues for Olympics

The 2026 Olympics are more spread out than past winter editions.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/YiugNqQ

Carlos Alcaraz wins first Australian Open to complete career Grand Slam

The Spaniard was imperious after a slow start in dismissing the 38-year-old, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 at Rod Laver Arena.

from Sports - The Japan Times https://ift.tt/ynPQrm9