20 | Tuesday, April 27, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY SPORTS

Soaked in success NFL Mahomes: Injury can help me improve

By MURRAY GREIG [email protected]

It’s difficult to imagine a “new and improved” version of Patrick Mahomes, but the superstar quar­ terback of the Kansas City Chiefs insists that could be the case when the 2021 NFL season kicks off on Sept 9. Mahomes’ 2020 season ended on a sour note when he sustained a painful turf­toe injury in the second round of the playoffs, ahead of a 31­9 loss to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LX. Turf toe is the result of severely bending the big toe upwards toward the top of the foot. It’s also called hyperextension, and often causes tearing of the ligaments. Mahomes underwent surgery in late February to repair the damage, and in a media conference call on the weekend said his rehab routine just might make him even better Manchester City’s Fernandinho lifts the League Cup trophy after defeating Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday’s final at Wembley, where 8,000 fans were in attendance following than before. the easing of coronavirus restrictions. Aymeric Laporte’s late header earned a 1­0 win for City, which has won the competition for the last four straight seasons. REUTERS When asked if the process was a setback in his efforts to improve, the owner of the richest contract in NFL history replied: “You just have to SKATEBOARDING find different ways to get better ... and there are so many things I can improve in my game. “Being able to kind of restart and start from an injury with the feet, I can really improve my footwork and try to make myself better. I’ve dealt Riders ramp up China’s scene with ankle injuries in my career and being able to teach myself how to hit the right spots in my feet. Teaching Kids of all ages getting involved as skateboarding soars to new heights ahead of Olympic debut myself how to get back from this injury will help me out in the long run and is something I can really By SHI FUTIAN physical coordination through them courage and challenges. It focus on.” [email protected] skateboarding.” can be extremely frustrating when As for her own plans, “Little you fail to pull off a move. So no As skateboarding prepares to Apple” didn’t want to give too matter what they do in the future, I make its Olympic debut this sum­ much away, saying: “I hope to turn hope they can learn perseverance mer, the sport is enjoying a surge in pro, but I haven’t even told my through this sport. popularity in China, with even kin­ classmates that I’m skateboarding “We know skateboarding has dergartners hitting the ramps to now.” been included in the Olympics. bust their moves. Eight­year­old Xu Ziyi and his Right now they are still too young Saturday’s first leg of the 2021 7­year­old sister Xu Zimo also and it’s too early to tell if they can China Skateboarding Classic attracted plenty of attention over become professional skateboard­ League at Beijing’s Shougang Infi­ the weekend — remarkably com­ ers. But I would support them if nite Park was typical of the wide peting in the pro event. Their dad, they make such a decision and are range of age groups enjoying the Xu Guanglei, tried his luck with the willing to go through all the chal­ Patrick Mahomes sport, with over a hundred riders amateurs. lenges of turning pro.” from across the country taking “I first just took my children to Encouraging more young people The thought of the supremely tal­ part. skateboarding class. Because it to experience the sport was one of ented Mahomes being an even bet­ Gao Feng from Hubei province usually lasts for hours, and it’s the primary aims of last weekend’s ter version of himself is a scored 30.85 points to win the pretty boring for me to just stand event, which had coaches at the frightening prospect for the rest of men’s professional title and scoop there by myself, I’ve also started ready to give first­timers some tips. the league. Last season the 25­year­ the 10,000 yuan ($1,542) first prize; riding now,” Xu Guanglei told Chi­ “Skateboarding­related topics old completed a career­high 66.3 Luo Caiqing from Hangzhou, Zheji­ Six­year­old Deng Yiwen, aka ‘Little Apple’, shows off her moves at na Daily. have been viewed over five billion percent of his passes for 4,740 yards ang province won the women’s Beijing’s Shougang Infinite Park last weekend. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY “The brother is a second­grader times on Weibo until now. Skate­ and 38 touchdowns, with just six crown, notching 13.86 points to and the sister is now in the first boarding has been included in the interceptions, in leading the Chiefs pocket 5,000 yuan. named “Little Apple”, among the Daily. “She has class each week and grade. They started to play when Tokyo Games, despite it still being a to their second straight AFC cham­ Three more legs of the league youngest participants. carries her skateboard to school there were about 3 years old. They relatively young sport compared pionship. will be staged in Guangzhou, Although she couldn’t quite chal­ with her. We know that skateboard­ have actually played for quite a with the likes of basketball and soc­ Mahomes will earn $22.8 million Guangdong province, Chongqing lenge her older rivals, daredevil ing is now an Olympic event, but while now and spent a lot of time in cer,” said Cao Zenghui, a senior this season, with the 10­year, $455 and Jinan, Shandong province Deng’s bravery on the course right now we’re not thinking about clubs learning from coaches. vice­president of Weibo, which million contract extension he signed from May to July. The top 16 men earned her the admiration of all whether she will consider the sport “They both wanted to compete in co­organized the event. last summer set to start in 2022. and top 10 female riders will qualify who witnessed her in action. as a career. She just does it because the pro event as they don’t separate “But being a new sport brings its “I think I’m progressing well,” for the final in late July, with Shou­ “My daughter only started to she loves it. the participants into different age own advantages. Through the Chi­ Mahomes said. “I think I’m ahead of gang Infinite Park again the host. learn skateboarding about a month “I can sense her potential and groups. So they could compete with na Skateboarding Classic League, schedule on my rehab. Obviously, Ahead of the pro events, an ama­ ago, and she’s already participating she has made really quick progress. other older and more experienced we hope more people can discover they’re trying to be cautious and not teur competition offered a 2,000 in the amateur competition of the She’s a fearless kid and skateboard­ skateboarders and experience a dif­ and embrace skateboarding, as push me out there too soon, but I’m yuan prize pool, with 6­year­old China Skateboarding Classic,” ing has made her even more confi­ ferent atmosphere. well as build a bigger platform for doing what I can. kindergartner Deng Yiwen, nick­ proud mom Deng Fei told China dent. She has also developed better “Skateboarding has brought the sport.” “I’ve gotten out of the boot finally, and now I’m trying to get back on the field and get that stuff working. BOXING I’m sure they’ll keep me along that same pathway to where I hopefully can do some on­field stuff by the end of the offseason.” Holyfield­Tyson deal on the ropes after talks collapse Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns have exercised their option By MURRAY GREIG McBride, 47, retired in 2011. He they could get paid. So, of course, of both fighters, Arum said it will on quarterback Baker Mayfield’s [email protected] stopped Tyson in six rounds in it’s not going to be that way. also be on pay­per­view — but with rookie contract after his breakout 2005, sending Iron Mike into “I’m being cautious. I’m not a twist. 2020 season. Evander Holyfield said on the retirement. going up against somebody who is “Obviously, the big market is the The team had until May 3 to exer­ weekend that plans for an exhibi­ “Promoters started talking about 22, 30 or 35. I’m going up against UK, where everyone is saying it will cise the option, which means May­ tion rubber match against fellow an exhibition and how much mon­ Kevin McBride who is in his late do three million homes,” Arum field, who was the No 1 overall draft former undisputed world heavy­ ey I could possibly get. So they 40s. It’s a good matchup. I will beat said. “Sky and BT both will have it pick in 2018, is under contract for weight champion Mike Tyson have made it kind of interesting that him. As for Mike, like I said, if he on pay­per­view.” 2021 and 2022 — and those deals are been mothballed — at least for the possibly a fight between Mike and I wants to do it later I still want to Sky Sports is where Joshua has guaranteed. time being. could be a big one,” Holyfield told fight him.” an exclusive deal for his fights in The 25­year­old is coming off a The 58­year­old Holyfield, who boxingscene.com. Meanwhile, the upcoming undis­ the UK and Fury’s fights are on BT career­best 2020 campaign that saw retired in 2011 with a record of “And with the pandemic situa­ puted heavyweight title clash Sport. him put up 3,563 yards with 26 touch­ 44­10­2 (29 KOs), will instead tion going on, people are looking between Tyson Fury (30­0­1, 21 The promoter said the site for the downs against eight interceptions en return on June 5 against Ireland’s for things to watch at home and all KOs) and Anthony Joshua (24­1, 22 fight likely will be a new indoor sta­ route to leading the Browns to their Kevin McBride (35­10­1) in an exhi­ that. With the amount of money KOs), which is close to the finish dium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, best single­season performance since bition clash on the undercard of they were talking about paying me Evander Holyfield line on a site deal, will be delivered although the precise location has 1994. Cleveland beat the Pittsburgh IBF lightweight champion Teofimo to do an exhibition, I thought, ‘Oh via ESPN+ pay­per­view in the not yet been decided. Steelers in the wild­card round before Lopez’s mandatory title defense wow, OK.’ he wants to do it, then I would. United States, Top Rank chairman “We have (site deal) contracts losing to Mahomes and the Chiefs. against George Kambosos. “So I told them I was interested, “His people talked (with mine) Bob Arum, who is also Fury’s now that we are marking up and so NFL rules mandate that players Triller will broadcast the card on but I didn’t want to ask Mike myself two different times. I don’t necessa­ co­promoter, told boxing­ forth,” Arum said. “It’s a big step. must accrue three years of service worldwide pay­per­view. because I have beaten Mike twice, rily think it was him that pulled scene.com. We’re just doing the paperwork before being eligible for an exten­ Holyfield stopped Tyson in 11 and I think if I asked him myself it out. I think in general it was a lot Joshua’s last four fights have now with the Saudis.” sion, but by picking up the option rounds in 1996 and beat him by dis­ would make me kind of a bully try­ about the money. And so when been shown on streaming service Arum also confirmed a report the Browns will pay Mayfield $18.86 qualification in three rounds in ing to fight somebody that I have you’ve got a lot of money, you’ve got DAZN in the US, but that will not be that the fight will take place on one million this season — the 16th­high­ 1997, when Tyson infamously bit off beaten twice already. But if some­ all these different people with you the case for the fight with Fury. As of three dates: July 24, July 31 or est salary among the NFL’s 30 start­ a piece of his ear. body got him to call me and he said and they start thinking about how for the United Kingdom, the home Aug 7. ing quarterbacks.