The Fiji Times

GI Rise: Helping youth chase their basketball dreams

A basketball organisation based in east Auckland is opening doors for youth and creating opportunities both on and off the court. Glen Innes Rise (GI Rise) was established by brothers Josiah and Sione Maama in 2017. Born and raised in Glen Innes (GI), Josiah said the predominantly Maori and Pasifika community is filled with talent....

Leading 800m runner banned for faking car crash to miss drugs test

Nelly Jepkosgei, a leading runner in the 800 metres, has been banned for three years for faking a car accident to give her an excuse for missing a drug test. The Athletics Integrity Unit, which oversees doping and misconduct cases, said in its ruling that Jepkosgei claimed her sister had been hospitalised after a “serious...

Shaq ready to rumble in latest wrestling stint

Shaquille O’Neal may again absorb some intentional hits in his tag team match this week. The 7ft 1in basketball Hall of Famer gets his chance to dish out retribution – maybe a slam, a side headlock or a clothesline – when he steps into the ring for his first match with AEW (All Elite Wrestling)....

Akbar salutes golfers

THE Minister for Education, Rosy Akbar, personally thanked members of the Lautoka Golf Club which has some students who are members and players, for giving their time to raise funds for victims of tropical cyclones Yasa and Ana. The cyclones left behind millions of dollars of damage to Fijian infrastructure, especially schools. When most sporting...

‘Bau Bullet’ ready

AFTER failing to qualify for the Rio Olympics in 2016, Banuve ‘Bau Bullet’ Tabakaucoro has been given a second chance to make it to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in Japan this year. The Bau lad will be battling for a spot alongside Athletics Fiji teammate Eugene Vollmer. “Personally, taking part in the local competition has...

Kumar masters challenge

CANDIDATE master (CM) Manoj Kumar survived a stunning loss to Philip Sukhu of Marist Brothers High School and a draw with CM Goru Arvind to win the 2021 Brijlal Fiji-sponsored National Blitz Chess Championship on the weekend. Kumar amassed an unparalleled 10.5/12 to top a field of 46 players. Nadi chess champion Avinesh Nadan and...

Tennis Fiji mourns the death of Bibi

FIJI has lost one of its best lawn tennis players, Hamidan Bibi. The former Fiji and South Pacific No.1 died at her family residence in Ba on the weekend after a long illness. Tennis Fiji secretary Sachin Reddy said Bibi, formerly of Suva Lawn Tennis Club, had left behind a challenge for young tennis players...

BMS sets focus on long distance events

Ballantine Memorial School is focusing on its long distance runners to bring them medals at the Suva zone one competition. The competition will be held on March 17. Today the school held its inter-house with Lami High School at the ANZ Stadium in Suva. Sports co-ordinator Bereta Laqere said she was happy to see the...

Lami students get athletics treat

Lami High School used today’s combined inter-house with Ballentine Memorial School as a way of treating its students. Principal James Faiyaz says the inter-house today gave him the opportunity to see the hidden talent the school has. He said they were looking forward to compete in the Suva Zone one competition and senior racer Taitusi...

Parents set to see Watson’s 50th test for Silver Ferns

As the Silver Ferns finally return to the court against archrivals Australia, world champion goal keep Jane Watson is ready to face a few more challenges on the eve of her 50th test. Fingers crossed, Mary and Ross Watson will be sitting in the virtually empty stands of the Christchurch Arena to witness their daughter...

Novak Djokovic equals Roger Federer’s record of 310 weeks at world No 1

Novak Djokovic is gaining on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the grand slam standings, and he’s already caught Federer in another significant statistic: As of Monday (Tuesday NZT), Djokovic has been No 1 in the ATP rankings for a total of 310 weeks. That equals Federer’s career record for most time spent atop the...

Classic Bua reigns in Lautoka

FORMER Fiji champion Epeli Bua showed his class to take out the Supercool Snooker Shootout Championship at the South Seas Club in Lautoka on Saturday. Bua defeated rising star Vikrant Sharma 3-1 in the final. In the semi-finals, Bua downed Raymond Reddy 3-1 while Sharma defeated Philip Gock by the same score. Ironically the four...

Naitasiri athletes struggle for form

NAITASIRI Secondary School is wasting no time as it gears up for the Fiji Secondary Schools’ Nasinu, Naitasiri, Nausori (Triple N) athletics competition. NSS coach Samuela Railoa said they were using all necessary resources to help his squad in good shape before the competition. “It is tough coming all the way from Naitasiri to take...

Cricket-Mathews to captain Sri Lanka in T20s as visa issue grounds Shanaka

(Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s former skipper Angelo Mathews will be the cricket team’s stand-in captain for the three-match Twenty20 series in West Indies after Dasun Shanaka was left stranded by a visa issue, the country’s cricket board said. Shanaka was named Sri Lanka’s new Twenty20 captain last week but the 29-year-old could not board the...

Martinez says his future is at Inter, ends Barcelona speculation

ROME (Reuters) – Lautaro Martinez is ready to commit his long-term future to Inter Milan after coming close to joining Barcelona last summer, the Argentine striker told Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport. Martinez was linked with a move to the Spanish club at the end of last season, but stayed on to play a...

India’s double World Cup winner Yusuf Pathan retires

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Former all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, who was part of two World Cup winning India teams, announced his retirement from all forms of the game on Friday. The big-hitting 38-year-old played 57 one-dayers and 22 Twenty20 Internationals for India after beginning his career in the shadow of younger brother and test bowler Irfan...

Tiger Woods recovering, in ‘good spirits’ after follow-up procedures-tweet

(Reuters) – Fifteen-time major winner Tiger Woods is recovering and in “good spirits” after he received successful follow-up procedures on injuries sustained this week in a car accident, according to a statement posted to his Twitter account on Friday. Woods, considered one of the greatest golfers of his generation, was being treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical...

Tokyo 2020 committee to pick at least 11 women to join board – media

TOKYO (Reuters) – The Tokyo Olympic Organising Committee is expected to add at least 11 women to its board as it expands the panel to 45 from 35, Fuji Network News (FNN) said on Saturday, citing unidentified sources. The news comes after comments on Wednesday by Seiko Hashimoto, head of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee,...

India’s Bumrah to miss final test against England for ‘personal reasons’

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India will be without pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the final test against England after the 27-year-old was released from the squad for personal reasons, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said on Saturday. The right-arm seamer took four wickets in the opening test in Chennai but was rested for the second...

Swiatek claims second career title with Adelaide crown

(Reuters) – French Open champion Iga Swiatek breezed past second seed Belinda Bencic 6-2 6-2 in the Adelaide International final on Saturday to claim the second title of her career. The 19-year-old Pole shot out of relative obscurity last year when she became the youngest woman to win the Roland Garros title since Monica Seles...

Parker eyes next fight after defeating Fa

The rescheduling of a fight with British veteran Dereck Chisora still looks on the cards for Joseph Parker after his win over fellow New Zealand heavyweight Junior Fa. Parker claimed a unanimous points victory after being forced to go the full 12 rounds by his former amateur rival in Auckland on Saturday night. While it...

Adams fires up for Tokyo with 19.65m throw in Auckland

(Reuters) – New Zealand’s former shot put world champion Valerie Adams, hoping for a third Olympic gold medal in Tokyo this year, threw 19.65 metres in Auckland on Saturday, her longest in competition since 2016. The 36-year-old fired four of her throws past the 19m mark at the Sir Graeme Douglas International meet, with her...

It’s the pink ball not the pitch, says India’s Ashwin after two-day test

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Batting collapses are a routine affair in pink-ball tests and the trend will continue until batsmen get used to the novelty, India’s spin spearhead Ravichandran Ashwin said on Saturday. India won the third test inside two days after 30 wickets tumbled in five sessions on a turning track in Ahmedabad. England...

Karan aims to improve his time

Long distance runner Yeshnil Karan hopes to improve on his time. Karan said taking part in the Athletics Fiji weekly competition has helped put in the extra work to better his time. “Everyone has set their dreams to one day represent the country in any international competition,” he said. He hopes that the border will...

Nadal pulls out of Rotterdam Open with back issue

(Reuters) – World number two Rafa Nadal has withdrawn from next week’s Rotterdam Open due to a back injury, the Spaniard said on Thursday. The 20-time Grand Slam winner has been struggling with a back issue since the build-up to the Australian Open and was forced to skip Spain’s ATP Cup ties earlier this month....

Edwards named as first female president of the PCA

LONDON (Reuters) – The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) elected former England captain Charlotte Edwards as their first female president on Thursday. Edwards, 41, led England to World Cup success in 2009 and scored 10,000 runs across all formats in a playing career spanning two decades. “I think the introduction of 41 new female members to...

Former U.S. Olympics coach dies by suicide after being charged

(Reuters) – Former U.S. Olympic gymnastics coach John Geddert, who had ties to disgraced team doctor Larry Nassar and was charged earlier on Thursday with human trafficking and sexual assault, has since died by suicide, authorities said. According to court documents filed in Eaton County, Geddert was charged with 20 counts of human trafficking, one...

Tovata leads after day one of competition

Tovata house currently lead the medal tally at the Queen Victoria School inter-house after day one of competition. The red brigade is in the lead with five gold medals, three silver and three bronze. Rewa house is in second place with four gold medals, four silver and three bronze. In third place is Bau with...

Vakasisikakala’s aim

SUVA Sangam High School athlete Mosese Vakasisikakala is confident of winning a medal for his school despite the stiffness of competition. Representing his school for the first time on the track, the islander from Naroi Village on Moala took first place in the 400 metres intermediate boys final during the school’s inter-house meet at the...

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