MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2014 SPORTS

Shoaib eyes coaching career Cancellara sprints to victory Bekele wins Paris marathon BELGIUM: Fabian Cancellara won his third Tour of Flanders in a four-up sprint to PARIS: Three-time Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia won the Paris KARACHI: Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has set his sights on a coach- the line following 259km of racing from Bruges to Oudenaarde yesterday. The marathon Sunday on his debut at the distance. Bekele completed the 42-kilometer ing career after agreeing to take charge of a top domestic team. Swiss powerhouse from the Trek team beat Belgians Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), (26-mile) race in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 4 seconds to break the race record set by Shoaib, 38, who retired in 2011 during the 50-over World Cup, was offered the Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin) and Stijn Vandenburgh (Omega Pharma) in a tense sprint Stanley Biwott of Kenya in 2012. Limenih Getachew of Ethiopia finished second, 1:45 position of head coach by State bank for the upcoming domestic season in Pakistan. following some nervous jockeying in the final kilometre. Cancellara, known as behind. Luka Kanda of Kenya placed third. Flomena Cheyech of Kenya dominated “Shoaib has agreed to become head coach of our team and we are very pleased Spartacus in cycling circles, joined five other riders in winning a record three the women’s race in 2:22:44, more than three minutes ahead of Yebrgual Melese of he has shown interest in coaching a domestic team,” Zaheer-ul- Tours of Flanders. Ethiopia. Bekele won the gold medal in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 at the 2008 Hassan, the manager of the bank team, told Reuters. “Contract After six and a half hours of thrilling racing, the 33-year-old proved not only Beijing Olympics, as well as the 10,000 at the 2004 Athens Games. He has struggled papers are being prepared after Shoaib confirmed his interest in the strongest, but the master tactician. Van Avermaet had made an attack 31km with injuries over the past few years and hasn’t won a major title since the 2009 coaching our team.” State bank are one of the leading teams on from home with Vandenburgh, who was working for three-time winner Tom world championships in Berlin. the first-class circuit but have struggled to attain top position Boonen, covering the move. Vandenburgh gave Van Avermaet no help but their “It’s my first marathon, I don’t have experience during the last two seasons. Shoaib, famous during his playing break lasted until the final difficulty of the race, the thigh-busting Paterberg before,” Bekele told France 3 television. “It was very climb 12km from the end. At that point Van Avermaet dropped his compatriot days for his raw pace, has said in the past that he was inter- tough. Anyway, I made the time I but by then, Cancellara and Vanmarcke were closing in. Cancellara had made his expected.” The leading group reached ested in a coaching career. move 5km earlier as he attacked the chase group on the third ascension of the The paceman, who took 178 test wickets and 247 the halfway stage in 1:02:09. tough Oude Kwaremont. That group had been a minute behind the two leaders Bekele accelerated in the 27th kilo- one-day international wickets during his career, had even but Cancellara’s attack, which was followed only by Vanmarcke, proved devastat- meter to break up a small group. Only offered in the past to work with the Pakistan fast bowlers ing and quickly ate into the two leaders’ gap. compatriot Tamirat Tola was able to keep if the country’s cricket board approached him. Zaheer Van Avermaets held on ahead of the trio behind for a few more kilometres pace with him before dropping three said he felt Shoaib was preparing for a full-time coaching but he was reeled in with 7km left. Vandenburgh still refused to help the oth- kilometers later. Bekele had a small career and wanted to start at the domestic level. “Once er escapees but Cancellara bided his time and when it came down to a game scare eight kilometers from the finish the contract is approved by our board of governors, he of cat and mouse inside the final few hundred metres, he was the one who as he felt a strain in his left thigh. will certainly provide a image boost to our domestic took the initiative and used his strength to attack at just the right moment “My hamstring muscle was not cricket,” the former first-class player said. — Reuters and make it stick. —AFP good,” Bekele said. —AP California Chrome wins Santa Anita Derby in style

KENTUCKY: California Chrome stamped himself the top of the points leaderboard that will as the likely favorite for next month’s Kentucky decide the final 20 runners for the May 3 Derby with a runaway win in Saturday’s $1 mil- Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. lion Santa Anita Derby. Hoppertunity finished second and also has The three-year-old colt lived up to his big enough points to qualify while Candy Boy bat- reputation when he blew away his rivals to win tled on for third and is likely to make the top 20. one of the last major lead-up races before the An hour earlier, Wicked Strong clinched his 140th Kentucky Derby. Jockey Victor Espinoza, place in the Kentucky Derby with an upset win who won the 2002 Kentucky Derby with War in the $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in Emblem, allowed odds-on favorite California New York. Chrome to settle just outside the early leader Patiently ridden by Rajiv Maragh, the 9-1 before taking over entering the final straight. chance unleashed a devastating late sprint to Once he got his nose in front, California Chrome win by three and a half lengths from the previ- instantly shot clear of the field and cruised to ously unbeaten Samraat and the race favorite victory by five and a quarter lengths despite Social Inclusion. being eased down by Espinoza over the final “I let the horse dictate where he wanted to half furlong. be early and when I called on him, he respond- “It’s kind of spooky, I’m not used to that,” ed,” said Maragh. “He did everything so perfect California Chrome’s trainer Art Sherman told today.” The build-up to the first leg of US racing’s NBC. “I’ve seen horses win by a length or two but Triple Crown continues next weekend with the nothing like what he’s been doing.” running of the Arkansas Derby and the Blue California Chrome’s eyepopping win was his Grass at Keeneland - the last big lead-up races fourth in a row this season and propelled him to before the Run for the Roses. — Reuters Masters memories inspire Scott at Augusta National

AUGUSTA: Reigning Masters champion Adam Scott had also played Augusta National Scott spent the weekend going down last month after the Arnold Palmer Memory Lane and all it took was a trip down Invitational, almost a get-reacquainted tour of NEWARK: Gregory Campbell of the Boston Bruins clears the puck against Damien Brunner of the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. — AFP Magnolia Lane, the driveway at famed the famed layout. “It was nice to come here Augusta National Golf Club. and have a hit and not do too much,” Scott The first Australian to capture the coveted said. Masters tradition dictates the reigning green jacket symbolic of Masters supremacy champion takes his jacket wherever he likes made the scene Sunday outside the club- for the 12 months after his triumph, but it Bruins down Flyers house at Augusta National, where he defeat- then is kept on the grounds at Augusta ed Angel Cabrera in a playoff last year with a National. 12-foot birdie putt at the 10th hole. Scott says he has not spent nearly enough BOSTON: Johnny Boychuk scored the tiebreaking with 23 saves. Benn produced all of his points in the Pavel Datsyuk, Luke Glendening and Niklas “I’ve walked down the 10th hole four or time wearing it around in public and he really goal with 6:06 left in the third period, Milan Lucic first period, and assisted on Seguin’s score late in Kronwall scored for Detroit, which snapped a four- five times. It’s wonderful every time,” Scott does not want to leave it in the champions had two goals and the Boston Bruins clinched the the period that made it 3-0. After the Lightning game win streak. Jonas Gustavsson stopped 19 said yesterday. Bubba Watson, the 2012 win- locker room when he leaves after this week’s Eastern Conference’s best record with a 5-2 win over pulled within 3-2 in the second, Fiddler and Roussel shots. With the score tied 3-all, Gionta was credited ner who slipped the green jacket onto Scott’s 78th Masters. the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon. sealed the win in the third period. with his second goal of the game when his shot, shoulders, was also at the course practising “I’m quite determined not to leave it here,” David Krejci also scored for the Bruins and which was initially saved by Gustavsson, bounced on a cool and overcast yesterday along with Scott said. “I probably haven’t taken advan- Patrice Bergeron extended his consecutive point SENATORS 3, RANGERS 2 off defenseman Brian Lashoff’s skate and into the such fellow past champions as Vijay Singh of tage enough of wearing it out. I’m very deter- streak to 11 games, setting up Boychuk’s go-ahead Robin Lehner made 41 saves and held off a furi- net. Galchenyuk added a fifth for the Canadiens two Fiji and Fred Couples of the United States. mined to take it with me.” score. Wayne Simmonds and Jay Rosehill scored for ous late push by New York to lift the Ottawa to a minutes later. Scott had arrived on Friday with his father The only way he can do that, traditionally the Flyers, who are in a tight race with a group of win that prevented the Rangers from clinching an WILD 4, PENGUINS 0 Phil and they played an emotional round that speaking, would be to win it again. Such a teams for a playoff spot. Tuukka Rask stopped 24 Eastern Conference playoff berth. Cody McCormick had a goal and an assist and day. “It was the highlight of his golfing life,” repeat is rare. Only Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus shots for the Bruins, who had lost their past two The Rangers needed only one point to secure a Ilya Bryzgalov stopped all 20 shots he faced for Scott said. “He played well but the greens got and Nick Faldo have won back-to-back games. Ray Emery made 37 saves for the Flyers. postseason spot for the fourth straight year, but Minnesota. Erik Haula, Mikko Koivu, and Stephane the best of him. That’s the case for 99 percent Masters titles. of the people who play it for the first time. Scott was sorry to see the absence of the Philadelphia has lost three straight. were shut down by the Senators, who hold only Veilleux also scored for the Wild, who maintained a “Just playing with him, for me, was fantas- Eisenhower Tree, a famed landmark in the faint playoff chances. five-point cushion over Dallas for the seventh play- tic.” As Scott reached the 10th hole, he turned 17th fairway that was removed in February AVALANCHE 4, BLUES 0 Mark Stone and Mika Zibanejad scored in the off spot in the Western Conference. Bryzgalov post- his thoughts back to the tension and pressure due to damage from an ice storm, but he has Semyon Varlamov tied the franchise single-sea- first, and Jason Spezza made it 3-1 in the second for ed his second shutout since being acquired by the that helped produce his first major title. little doubt that next Sunday will have the son record for goalie wins held by Colorado coach Ottawa, which squandered a 3-0 lead in a 7-4 loss to Wild on March 4. He was steady throughout and “I was reminded to stop and think about same back-nine drama that has become a Patrick Roy and Paul Stastny had another big game Montreal on Friday. Mats Zuccarello deflected in made a pair of outstanding saves in the second what it was like in that playoff, what I was feel- Masters trademark. “You can only do so much in his hometown in a penalty-filled victory over St. two goals in the middle period to bring the Rangers period to keep the shutout intact. ing and what the moment was like,” Scott said. when Mother Nature is involved,” Scott said. Louis. Stastny had a goal and two assists and within a goal each time. Henrik Lundqvist made 31 “Huge emotional (moment). It has had an “They are going to have the course in perfect Nathan Mackinnon had a goal and an assist for saves in the loss. PREDATORS 3, SHARKS 0 incredible impact on me, this event, in the condition. This course has a way of producing Colorado, which has won six in a row and has 106 Patric Hornqvist had two goals and one assist to past year-coming back, reliving it, redoing it.” something exciting every year.” — AFP points, third-most in franchise history. Roy became JETS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 2 help Nashville put a dent into San Jose’s hopes for a the fifth coach in NHL history to win 50 games in his Tobias Enstrom scored the tiebreaking goal late division title. first season. in the second period and Winnipeg held on for the Backup Carter Hutton made 35 saves in his first Varlamov made 31 saves for his second shutout win. Brian Little and Jacob Trouba scored in the first career shutout and Roman Josi also scored as the of the season and NHL-leading 40th win, matching period, and Olli Jokinen had a goal in the third to Predators kept their slim playoff hopes alive by win- Roy’s total in 2000-01. The Avalanche reached 50 give the Jets some cushion. Ondrej Pavelec stopped ning road games on back-to-back nights against wins for the second time in franchise history and 23 shots for Winnipeg, which was eliminated from Anaheim and San Jose - the top two teams in the tied the franchise mark with 24 road victories. The playoff contention on Thursday. Phil Kessel tied a Pacific Division. Nashville is six points behind Dallas Blues fell two points behind Boston, which beat the career high with his 37th goal and Nazem Kadri also for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference Flyers 5-2, for first place overall. scored for Toronto, which remained at 84 points. with four games remaining. The Leafs have just three games remaining and trail CAPITALS 4, ISLANDERS 3 Columbus by one point for the Eastern Conference’s CANUCKS 2, KINGS 1 Evgeny Kuznetsov scored in regulation and had last playoff spot. The Blue Jackets have five games Brad Richardson scored with 1:23 left in regula- the only goal in the shootout to lift preserve left. tion as Vancouver preserved its playoff hopes. Washington’s playoff hopes. Richardson took a pass from linemate Zack Kassian Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby stopped all CANADIENS 5, RED WINGS 3 at the side of the goal and beat Jonathan Quick for three Islanders attempts in the shootout and Brian Gionta scored his second goal of the game his 11th of the season to keep the Canucks in the Washington snapped a five-game losing streak and late in the third period to give the surging Montreal playoff chase, at least mathematically. Alexander moved within two points of Columbus for the final Canadiens a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings Edler had the other goal for Vancouver and Eddie Eastern Conference playoff spot. on Saturday night. Lack stopped 25 shots in his 18th straight start Kuznetsov tied it 1-1 at 2:36 of the second peri- Michael Bournival, Max Pacioretty and Alex since the Olympic break. Slava Voynov scored for od, but John Persson put the Islanders back ahead Galchenyuk also scored for Montreal, while Carey Los Angeles and Quick finished with 38 saves for at 4:16, and Frans Nielsen made it 3-1 on a power- Price made 34 saves. The Canadiens are now 10-2-0 Kings, who are locked into the third seed in the play goal at 9:55. The Capitals fought back to tie it, in its last 12 games. Pacific Division. — AP TOKYO: World Boxing Council light flyweight challenger Naoya Inoue of Japan (right) getting goals from Nicklas Backstrom at 12:45 and and champion Adrian Hernandez of Mexico (left) exchange punches during their title Joel Ward at 15:01. Cal Clutterbuck gave the bout. — AFP Islanders a 1-0 lead 12:55 into the first period. NHL results/standings Holtby stopped 35 shots for Washington and Evgeni Nabokov made 26 saves for New York. Inoue dethrones Hernandez Boston 5, Philadelphia 2; Colorado 4, St. Louis 0; Washington 4, NY Islanders 3 (SO); Winnipeg 4, DEVILS 3, HURRICANES 1 Toronto 2; Montreal 5, Detroit 3; Dallas 5, Tampa Bay 2; Ottawa 3, NY Rangers 2; New Jersey 3, TOKYO: Japan’s Naoya Inoue dethroned them by knockout, and one draw. “I fought Carolina 1; Minnesota 4, Pittsburgh 0; Vancouver 2, Los Angeles 1; Nashville 3, San Jose 0. World Boxing Council light-flyweight champi- while I thought to myself that I was realising Dainus Zubrus scored twice and New Jersey on Adrian Hernandez of Mexico with a techni- my childhood dream,” Inoue said. earned a point in its seventh straight game. Travis Western Conference Eastern Conference Atlantic Division cal knockout in Tokyo yesterday in just his “I had to struggle midway through. It was Zajac scored the go-ahead goal on a deflection in Pacific Division Boston 53 18 7 251 167 113 sixth professional bout. the first time that I struggled since I turned the second period to help the Devils improve to 4- W L OTL GF GA PTS 0-3 during a stretch that has given their playoff Montreal 45 27 7 212 199 97 Inoue, who turns 21 on Thursday, pro and it was kind of fun as well. I want to Anaheim 50 19 8 249 198 108 Tampa Bay 42 27 9 229 211 93 remained the aggressor from the opening fight on and aim for a bigger dream.” chances a significant boost. Jeff Skinner scored for Carolina, which had its San Jose 49 21 9 239 192 107 Detroit 37 27 14 211 222 88 bell and floored the Mexican with a right He kept putting pressure on Hernandez Los Angeles 45 28 6 197 166 96 Toronto 38 33 8 229 248 84 straight to the face in the sixth round. from the first round, throwing body blows to two-game winning streak snapped. The Hurricanes had kept their faint playoff hopes alive by earning Phoenix 36 28 14 209 221 86 Ottawa 33 31 14 226 261 80 Canadian referee Mike Griffin gave the the Mexican after forcing him against the Florida 27 43 8 185 256 62 points in their previous five games. Cory Schneider fight to the Japanese fighter by technical ropes. But in the fifth round, Inoue was stag- Vancouver 35 32 11 187 210 81 Buffalo 21 47 9 148 229 51 knockout at 2:54 into the round. It was the gered by a close-range combination from the stopped 26 shots for the Devils, including all eight Calgary 33 38 7 200 228 73 Metropolitan Division he faced in the third period of his second straight sixth straight win for Inoue, the No. 4 WBC Mexican. The knockdown came in an Edmonton 27 42 9 193 259 63 Pittsburgh 49 24 5 237 195 103 victory. Anton Khudobin made 20 saves in his first contender nicknamed “monster” by his home exchange of blows in the sixth round. All Central Division NY Rangers 43 31 5 212 190 91 loss since March 25. Philadelphia 39 29 9 215 218 87 fans, since his professional debut in October three judges-Americans Steve Morrow and St. Louis 52 18 7 243 173 111 2012. No Japanese boxer before him has won Don Griffin and Guido Cavalleri of Italy-scored Columbus 39 31 7 215 207 85 Colorado 50 21 6 237 206 106 a world title through such a limited number 10 for Inoue and nine for Hernandez in each STARS 5, LIGHTNING 2 New Jersey 34 28 16 191 200 84 of professional bouts. Hernandez, 28, was of the first five rounds. “Inoue is a great cham- Jamie Benn had two goals and an assist to lead Chicago 44 19 15 255 205 103 Washington 35 30 13 222 236 83 defending his 48.9kg division title for the fifth pion,” Hernandez said of his conqueror. “His Dallas past Tampa Bay. Tyler Seguin had his team- Minnesota 40 26 12 195 194 92 Carolina 34 33 11 196 215 79 NY Islanders 31 35 11 215 254 73 time since he regained it by beating left hook hurt me most. “Inoue has great leading 35th goal, and Vernon Fiddler and Antoine Dallas 38 28 11 225 218 87 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one Thailand’s Kompayak Porpramook in Toluca, speed and he is good at dodging punches. If Roussel also scored for Dallas. Kari Lehtonen stopped 27 shots. Steven Stamkos and Andrej Sustr Nashville 35 32 11 198 231 81 point in the standings and are not included in Mexico, in October 2012. possible, I want to have a rematch with him,” Winnipeg 35 34 10 220 232 80 the loss column (L). It was his third loss against 29 wins, 18 of he added. — AFP scored for Tampa Bay, aand Ben Bishop finished