By Agence France-Presse

Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry, returning to the NBA after four months with a broken left hand, said Thursday he still wants to play at the Tokyo Olympics.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Curry, cleared to play Wednesday by doctors, has missed 58 games since falling on his hand and breaking it on October 30 against Phoenix.

Curry, who helped the US squad to unbeaten world championship runs in 2010 and 2014, was among 44 finalists for the United States Olympic squad announced last month by USA Basketball.

Three-time NBA champion Curry, who withdrew his name from 2016 Rio Olympic consideration due to lingering ankle and knee injuries, would be done in mid-April for the NBA-worst Warriors, giving him ample time before the US squad gathers after the NBA Finals in mid-June ahead of the Japan Games, which begin July 24.

“There’s a lot of time before now and then, but I’ve always had that on my radar,” Curry said of the Olympics.

“It wasn’t really a thought until recently when I’m getting back to where I’m ready to play.”

Two-time Olympic champions LeBron James, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook are among the other finalists for a spot on the 12-man squad that San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will guide in Tokyo.

“Right now the focus, obviously, is just trying to stay healthy these last 20 games, get my rhythm back, get to the level of basketball I know I’m capable of playing,” Curry said.

“You kind of understand what the schedule looks like leading up to July when training camp in Vegas starts, but that’s still the goal.”

Curry has watched the Warriors struggle after losing former teammate Kevin Durant, who left for Brooklyn, and backcourt partner Klay Thompson, sidelined all season by a left knee injury suffered in last year’s NBA Finals.

“I feel like the first day of school all over again, which is exciting,” Curry said. “I feel pretty comfortable, pretty confident, with where I am physically.”

Curry said he had set a goal of returning around March 1 and even though he missed it by a few days, he’s confident his hand is ready for him to show the 3-point sharpshooting form that made him a superstar.

“With all the different circumstances of trying to get my conditioning, my rhythm and make sure my hand’s been through enough competitive, tough situations where I know how it’ll respond, it took this long to heal,” Curry said. “We didn’t rush, and we weren’t overly conservative.”

Curry, who turns 32 next week, wasn’t wanting a limited return or worries about using him in games on consecutive nights.

“We had talks about back to backs, whether that’s in play or not,” Curry said. “When I come back I want it to be all the way back and not have that kind of ‘now you see me now you don’t’ type of vibe.

“That’s why I had all these check points to get through to be cleared to play. I want to be out there every night and finish out the year strong.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Thursday for confronting and verbally abusing referees after a game.

The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Celtics’ 129-120 over-time home loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, the amount of the fine reflecting multiple prior violations of what the league called “acceptable on-court decorum.”

Smart was restrained by two coaches from approaching the officials as they walked off the court, yelling at the referees before being led off the floor in the opposite direction.

The sixth-year guard had been whistled for a foul on Brooklyn’s Caris LeVert with less than a second remaining in the fourth quarter. The Nets guard, who scored a career-high 51 points against Boston, sank three free throws to send the game into overtime.

Smart is averaging 13.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals a game for the Celtics, who at 42-19 are third in the Eastern Conference, one game behind second-place defending NBA champion Toronto.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

FIFA and Asia’s football governing body are considering postponing upcoming World Cup qualifiers over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), a statement said on Thursday.

A “formal proposal” has been circulated among Asian countries, FIFA said after talks with the Asian Football Confederation, with a decision expected in the coming days.

“For both FIFA and the AFC, the well-being and health of all individuals involved in football matches remains the highest priority, and as such, a formal proposal to postpone upcoming matches in the Asian FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers will now be shared with the relevant member associations,” the FIFA statement said.

“FIFA and the AFC will provide an update on these fixtures in the coming days following consultation with the AFC member associations.”

The women’s Olympic playoff between China and South Korea, both hard-hit by the virus, is also up for discussion, as well as the AFC Futsal Championship in Turkmenistan.

Asia’s next qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup are scheduled for March 26 and 31. The women’s Olympic playoff, already postponed once, is set for April 9 and 14 and the futsal championship is due to start on February 26.

Asian football has been badly disrupted by the COVID-19 epidemic, with the region’s Champions League club competition thrown into chaos and leagues suspended in China, South Korea and Japan.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Travel restrictions around the world on arrivals from virus-hit South Korea are plunging its Olympic preparations into turmoil, with some athletes considering self-imposed exile and some at risk of missing the Games altogether.

South Korea is a country that takes the Olympics seriously, coming eighth in the medal table at Rio 2016 with nine golds, and fifth at London 2012 with 13.

But it also has the largest number of reported novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the world outside China, with the national total passing 6,000 on Thursday, less than five months before the Tokyo Olympics.

Scores of countries and regions have imposed travel restrictions and more than 20 — including Olympic host Japan — have ordered two weeks’ quarantine on arrivals from South Korea. Around 40 others have barred foreigners who have recently been in the country.

Unless exemptions are granted, the measures make it impossible for South Koreans to take part in international competitions in those countries — costing them ranking points and sometimes putting Olympic qualification in doubt.

The national judo team were planning to arrive in Russia next week for the Ekaterinburg Grand Slam from March 13 to 15. But on Wednesday, Moscow announced its two-week quarantine.

Most of the remaining judo competitions are in countries that already have entry bans, including Turkey, Mongolia and Qatar.

“What’s really hard is that the list is getting longer and the situation is changing nearly every hour,” said an official from the Korea Judo Association, which is trying to secure exemptions from Russian authorities.

He still expected the South to compete in most of the 14 weight classes in Tokyo.

“But you never know with sports,” he added, “because an underdog could suddenly emerge at the Grand Slam or Grand Prix and one of our athletes could lose their spot by just a point or so.”

‘Really difficult’

Archery and taekwondo were South Korea’s most successful disciplines in Rio, with five medals each.

But the country’s Olympic archery trials were postponed indefinitely this week due to the virus, and once selected the team were to take part in the Archery World Cup in May in Antalya, Turkey — which has an entry ban.

Similarly the taekwondo team would normally compete at the Asian Championships in Beirut in May, and officials are seeking an exemption from Lebanon’s entry ban.

South Korean boxers taking part in the current Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in Jordan — which has also imposed an entry ban — were only allowed into the country after testing negative for the virus.

“It was a really difficult journey,” trainer Lee Sang-wook wrote on his Instagram account.

Some stars rushed out of South Korea as the infection numbers climbed, to avoid the risk of restrictions.

South Korea dominates women’s golf, with six of the top 13 in the current LPGA rankings. Three of its players including Olympic champion Park In-bee left for the US a week earlier than scheduled amid concerns Washington could impose an entry ban, while world number one Ko Jin-young cancelled a trip home.

Ping pong diplomacy

The table tennis team is considering heading abroad later this month and staying away to escape potential disruptions, an official at the Korea Table Tennis Association said.

They have already been forced to drop out of the 2020 World Tour Platinum in Doha this week, and while they have secured a spot at the Games, missing international competitions would deprive them of chances to improve their world rankings and Olympic seedings.

“We don’t know which country will be next in banning South Korean arrivals so going abroad as soon as possible is the safest bet,” the KTTA official said.

KTTA chief Ryu Seung-min was due to meet International Table Tennis Federation officials this week in Singapore — which has imposed an entry ban.

“If even this can’t be done, we are in near-isolation,” Ryu wrote on his Facebook page.

For the weightlifters, the situation is even more precarious – Olympic spots are allocated at the end of April based on ranking points at six competitions since 2018, and the South Korean team has only taken part in five so far.

The sixth was going to be the East Asian Championships in Seoul in February, but the event was postponed over the coronavirus. Next month’s Asian Championships in Uzbekistan are in doubt, on top of which the country has a quarantine requirement.

“At this point, no one knows who is going to the Olympics,” a Korea Weightlifting Federation official told AFP.

The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee said it had implemented safety measures including banning athletes from leaving the national training camp in Jincheon, which was being disinfected on a daily basis, and was in talks with the International Olympic Committee to try to ensure continued participation.

Source: Manila Bulletin

AMMAN, Jordan – Middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial once again validated his reputation as a formidable boxer Thursday noon here as he completely dominated his Australian oppponent Kirra Ruston 5-0 in their preliminaries bout on the third day of competitions in the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the Prince Hameh Hall here.

“ Ito ang matagal nang pangarap namin ng tatay ko, ang makapunta sa Olympics. Hindi ko na pakakawalan ito,“ said the muscular Air Force man from Zamboanga.

As the No. 1 1 seed in the middleweight division, he had a bye on the first round and with this win, enters the quarterfinals on Sunday.

He next faces Byamba Erdene-Otgonbaatar of Mongolia, a more experienced boxer who turned professional last year.

“ Eumir will be ready for him”, said Philippine team foreign consultant Don Abnett. “This is the best condition I’ve seen Marcial in. The five-week training camp in Thailand prior to this tournament boosted not only his physical state but his mental state as well”.

James Palicte, however, broke the string of four victories by the Philippine boxing team, bowing to a superior Uzbek boxer, Elnur Abduraimov, a World Championships bronze medalist 5-0.

Friday the team takes a break with Irish Magno, Carlo Paalam and Ian Clark Bautista taking on their respective opponents Saturday.

There are 221 boxers from 35 countries hoping to get a slot in the Tokyo Olympics scheduled to start July 24 in Tokyo, Japan.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

He wasn’t world No. 6 for nothing.

Stefanos Tsitsipas dazzled the crowd with flashes of world-class brilliance as he dominated local bet AJ Lim 6-2, 6-1 on Friday to give Greece a 1-0 lead in the World Group II playoff tie against the Philippines at the Philippine Columbian Association claycourt in Paco, Manila.

The 21-year-old Greek sensation dictated the tempo throughout the 53-minute match, displaying powerful one-handed backhands and a strong baseline game that had the crowd gushing on every point.

In the end, it was all too much for 20-year-old Lim, who dropped his serve five times.

Tsitsipas said it was not easy for him, either.

“It was quite difficult to adjust to the court. The bounce was kinda all over the place, but I still found ways to give the ball back,” said Tsitsipas, who is coming off a runner-up finish to Novak Djokovic at the Dubai Tennis Championships last weekend.

“I think I played okay. Enough to win (today).”

Tsitsipas said the hot and humid conditions inside the court was the most difficult, adding that he was not used to such hot and humid conditions.

“That last game was really difficult. I tell you, it feels like a sauna in there,” he said.

“But I think it’s good for my cardio.”

Tsitsipas had good words for Lim despite his lopsided victory.

“He came in quite nervous, I think, but he slightly improve from time to time. It’s also not easy for me because I know deep inside I really have to work for the points. I just stayed consistent and he didn’t, so that’s the difference,” he said.

Lim, for his part, said he did the best he could, but Tsitsipas was another level.

“He was just unreal,” he said. “I gave everything I had, but he just countered everything.”

Jeson Patrombon currently plays Petros Tsitsipas with hopes of leveling the tie heading to Saturday’s crucial doubles match between veterans Francis Casey Alcantara and Ruben Gonzales against Petros and Markos Kalovelonis, followed by the reverse singles between Stefanos and Patrombon, and Petros against Lim.

Changes, however, can be made a few hours before the match.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Team Philippines basks in the glory of its stirring triumph in the 30th Southeast Asian Games as it will be feted with the highest honor by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) in a special rite on Friday night.

Bannered by world champion and double gold winner Carlos Yulo, women’s world boxing champion Nesthy Petecio, and Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, the Philippine contingent is the recipient of the coveted Athlete of the Year award in leading a huge cast of sports stars and personalities who are going to be recognized in the SMC-PSA Annual Awards Night at the Centennial Hall of the historic Manila Hotel.

Top sports officials led by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino, International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative to the country Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski, and Deputy House Speaker and NorthPort team owner Mikee Romero join the country’s oldest media organization headed by president Tito S. Talao, sports editor of the Manila Bulletin, in paying tribute to the men and women who did the country proud in their respective fields in the year just passed.

The revered Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes, a part of the Filipino delegation to the SEA Games even at 65 years of age, serves as special guest speaker in the gala night presented by the PSC, MILO, and Cignal TV. The legendary pool icon will likewise be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Philippine sportswriting fraternity.

A record medal haul of 149 golds, 117 silvers, and 121 bronzes helped the host country win the overall title of the biennial meet just for the second time in its 42 years of participation in the SEA Games, a collective effort that gained the entire Team Philippines the nod as recipient of the prestigious Athlete of the Year trophy in the two-hour program also supported by the Philippine Basketball Association, AirAsia, and Rain or Shine.

Citations will be given to all gold medal winners in the meet as it made up the bulk of the close to 200 awardees comprising the 2019 honor roll list.

Also invited in the annual event to be hosted by veteran broadcaster Sev Sarmenta and Rizza Diaz, is House Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc).

Yulo, who earned a berth to the Tokyo Olympics after becoming the first Filipino and male gymnast from Southeast Asia to win a gold in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, is likewise going to be accorded with the President’s Award, while Chairman Ramirez will be honored with the Executive of the Year for serving as Chef De Mission of Team Philippines in the SEA Games.

The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) headed by president Ricky Vargas, is set to receive the National Sports Association (NSA) of the Year title, while special awards are to be given to Thirdy Ravena and Jack Danielle Animam (Mr. and Ms. Basketball), Bryan Bagunas and Sisi Rondina (Mr. and Ms. Volleyball), Bianca Pagdanganan (Ms. Golf), Stephan Schrock (Mr. Football), and a first ever Coach of the Year to multi-titled women’s mentor Patrick Aquino.

A separate MILO Junior Athlete of the Year will be handed out to the quartet of Alex Eala, Daniela Dela Pisa, Miguel Barreto, and Daniel Quizon, while the Philippine men’s 3×3 basketball team will be recognized with the Chooks-To-Go Fan Favorite award.

Diaz and Petecio meanwhile, banner the list of major awardees that also include Tokyo Olympic qualifier and Asian Athletics Championships gold winner Ernest John Obiena, world boxing champions Jerwin Ancajas and Johnriel Casimero, five-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo, five-time Philippine Cup champ San Miguel Beer, undefeated six-time UAAP women’s basketball title holder NU Bulldogs, golfers Juvic Pagunsan, Princess Superal, and Aidric Chan, and Horse of the Year Union Bell.

Swimmers Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh and Marc Bryant Dula join Eala and six others as recipient of the Tony Siddayao awards, named after the late Manila Standard sports editor Tony Siddayao, acknowledged as the Dean of Philippine sportswriting, and given out to young and promising athletes 17-years-old-and-below.

Likewise to be remembered with a prayer and a minute of silence are dearly departed athletes, officials, and friends of the PSA.

Those who failed to personally receive their Awards Night invitations can get it at the reception area of the Centennial Hall.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jan Carlo Anolin

Filipino-American mixed martial artist Brandon Vera and Miesha Tate, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion and current ONE Championship vice president, recently paid a visit to American navy and air force troops in the United State territory of Guam.

Vera, the reigning ONE heavyweight champion, and Tate toured the air force and naval bases at Andersen and had meet-and-greet and meals with the servicemen and women with the help of the United Service Organizations (USO).

“This trip has been spectacular. We love to do this stuff for the military,” Tate said. “It’s so cool to see their faces light up for a second after so much sacrifice that they do.”

Tate lauded the soldiers, who have been far from their friends and families, after sharing a “mind-blowing” submarine experience.

“To go in that tiny submarine and spend all that time they have to spend there, and the dedication they have to stay on point and defend our country,it’s just crazy.”

Vera, for his part, was shocked after witnessing firsthand the efforts of US in protecting its allies despite going back and forth to Guam and Philippines for four years now.

Vera served the US Air Force from 1997 to 1999 where he first learned the sport of wrestling.

During that span, the 42-year-old Vera trained at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs before transitioning to MMA.

“You hear these stories and you’re almost crying because it’s about passion, and family and about connecting with each other and staying connected and helping each other,” Vera said, who is set to defend his title against former Olympic wrestler Arjan Bhullar in ONE: Infinity 2 on May 29 in Manila.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

RJ Abarrientos and L-Jay Gonzales sparked a third quarter uprising to lead SEAOIL-Far Eastern University to a 99-82 victory over FamilyMart-Enderun in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The backcourt duo combined for 18 points in the second half as the Extreme Racers took control after trailing 54-48 at halftime to win their opening assignment in the league’s first conference.

Abarrientos, nephew of PBA great Johnny Abarrientos, finished with 14 points and five assists in his D-League debut while Gonzales had 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists for SEAOIL-FEU.

Kenneth Tuffin hit eight of his 14 points in the second half, Nigerian center Emmanuel Ojula posted 14 points and six rebounds and Xyrus Torres hit four three-pointers for 12 points.

Michael dela Cruz made 14 points and four rebounds Pierre Konakoa, Joaquin Mariano and Ralph Tansingco scored 13 points apiece but FamilyMart-Enderun couldn’t sustain its lead in the second half.

Torres and Branley Bienes made back-to-back threes to tie the game before Abarrientos and Gonzales took control for SEAOIL-FEU.

The Extreme Racers entered the fourth up 78-73 but Royce Alforque and Tuffin hit consecutive triples to extend the gap to 84-73.

FEU is using the tournament as part of its early build-up for the UAAP season under the SEAOIL banner. The Tamaraws reached the quarterfinals during their stint in last year’s First Conference.

The scores:

SEAOIL-FEU 99 — Ojuola 14, Abarrientos 14, Tuffin 14, Gonzales 12, Torres 12, Bienes 11, Alforque 6, Celzo 6, Stockton 3, Coquia 3, Nunag 2, Dulatre 2, Flores 0.

FAMILYMART-ENDERUN 82 — Dela Cruz 14, Kouakou 13, Mariano 13, Tansingco 13, Baclay 12, Nunez 5, Veloso 5, Abate 3, Sacundo 2, Marcelino 2, Tancioco 0.

Quarters: 19-25; 48-54; 78-73; 99-82.

Source: Manila Bulletin

VIGAN — The triumphant George Oconer and Standard Insurance-Navy are looking to extend their reign when the LBC Ronda Pilipinas goes to Mindanao next year.

Oconer, 28, emerged the new Ronda champion while the Navymen ran away with their sixth team crown in row in the 10-stage 10th anniversary race that started in Sorsogon on February 23 and concluded in Vigan City Wednesday.

It was the first title for Oconer after starting out his career in the LBC Ronda Pilipinas where he finished an impressive third as a wide-eyed 19-year-old son of two-time Olympian Norberto.

“I hope to defend my title next year,” said Oconer.

Oconer bested a field that included former Ronda winners Santy Barnachea (2011, 2015) of Scratch It, Mark Galedo (2012) of 7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines, Reimon Lapaza (2014) of Celeste Cycles and Standard teammates Jan Paul Morales (2016, 2017) and Ronald Oranza (2018).

The Navymen were even more impressive as they took their sixth crown by almost half an hour over two continental teams—7Eleven and youth-laden Go for Gold—and a seasoned Bicycology-Army.

And with an almost intact line up composed of Ronald Lomotos, John Mark Camingao, Junrey Navarra and El Joshua Carino, Standard is already a heavy favorite to reign supreme anew in the 11th edition of this annual event considered as the biggest cycling race in the country.

“We owe it to our sponsors and the whole of the Philippine Navy to give it our best,” said Morales, who added another feather in his cap by emerging as CNN Sprint King. “So expect us to try and win it again next year,” he added.

LBC Ronda Pilipinas chairman Moe Chulani and project director Bernadette Guerrero announced during the awarding ceremony at the Vigan Convention Center Wednesday night that the race, presented by LBC and supported by the Manny V. Pangilinan Foundation, will return to Mindanao starting in Tagum, Davao del Norte.

“Yes, the 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas edition will start in Tagum and will pass by the Davao region, Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon,” said Chulani.

“Yes, it’s confirmed. See you all in Mindanao next year,” said Guerrero.

Ronda was sponsored by Palayan, Nueva Ecija, Versa, 8A Performance, Print2Go, Petron, Green Planet, Bike Xtreme, Standard Insurance, Spyder, CCN, Lightwater, Prolite, Guerciotti, Black Mamba, Boy Kanin, Vitamin Boost, NLEX-SCTEX, Maynilad, 3Q Sports Event Management Inc., LBC Foundation and PhilCycling.

Source: Manila Bulletin