TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 SPORTS

Injured Busquets Togo fans attack keeper Sampaoli sets new to miss two games Agassa’s home after Cup loss standard at Sevilla

PORT-GENTIL: Angry fans attacked the home of Togo’s Kossi MADRID: Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli has taken less than seven months to BARCELONA: Influential Barcelona midfielder Agassa and the “scarred” goalkeeper is now a major doubt for the make his mark at the Spanish team after steering them to a Sergio Busquets, who was stretchered off in decisive Africa Cup of Nations clash against DR Congo tomorrow. club-record 42 la Liga points at the halfway stage of the Sunday’s 4-0 win at Eibar, looks set to miss at least The 38-year-old was blamed by Togolese fans for his role in the 3- season. Sampaoli’s side came from behind to win 4-3 at the next two games after spraining an ankle. 1 defeat to Morocco last Friday and some took their fury out by Osasuna on Sunday, beating their 39-point haul from “Results on Monday confirm that Busquets has a targeting his home in the capital Lome at the weekend, forcing 19 league games in the 2014-15 campaign under for- sprained external lateral ligament in his right police to intervene. “Agassa is very upset and it has had an mer coach Unai Emery. Emery, now in charge of Paris St ankle,” the Spanish champions said in a state- impact on the morale of the whole team,” said Togo coach Germain, led Sevilla to 76 points that season, the most ment, without indicating how long he would be Claude Le Roy at a press conference ahead of the DR Congo in the 126 year-history of the Andalusian club and out for. Spanish media said he would miss the game in the Gabonese port city of Port-Gentil. “I think it has Sampaoli now has that total in his sights. “It’s going to be next 10-15 days, which would definitely rule him scarred him too much psychologically. His mum has so far found difficult but we will try to do it,” Sampaoli told reporters. out of Thursday’s Copa del Rey clash with Real it difficult to talk about it, it was so stressful and a cause of panic Sevilla’s lone La Liga title came in 1945-46 and they Sociedad and the game with Real Betis on for her. “I really doubt he will be able to play a third match.” Le Roy have been runners-up four times, the last 60 years Sunday. The Spanish international’s ankle added: “The solidarity of the team is such that we will find calmer ago. They have, however, captured nine trophies was trapped under the weight of waters and not let ourselves be affected by a small minority in since 2000, including a record five Europa League Eibar’s Gonzalo Escalante’s studs and what is a country of peace.” Togo, who have one point from two titles and three in a row under Emery. Sampaoli, the Argentine was fortunate to matches, have to win the game against DR Congo-a side former- who guided Chile to Copa America glory in 2015, escape without even being shown ly coached by Le Roy-if they are to stand a chance of going beating a Lionel Messi-led Argentina in the final, is a yellow card. — AFP through to the quarter-finals from Group C. — AFP in his first coaching job in Europe. —Reuters

Chen lands five quads to win US figure skating title with ease

KANSAS CITY: stood on the onships, hoping his fellow Americans do top step of the podium and stifled a smile well enough to secure the US three spots at as US Figure Skating president Samuel the Pyeongchang Olympics. Auxier, preparing to drape a gold medal Former champ Max Aaron, the silver around his neck, bowed down before him. medalist a year ago, took himself out of the Indeed, all hail the new king of running at nationals with a poor short pro- American skating. Chen followed a record- gram. He also struggled in the free skate setting short program with a near-flawless and wound up ninth. free skate featuring five quadruple jumps The crowd favorite, Brown showed how Sunday to become the youngest men’s US far he’s come since a stress fracture in his figure skating champion in more than five right fibula with a performance to “The decades. Scent of Love” that showcased his trade- The 17-year-old Chen, performing to mark elegance. He also proved that his “The Polovtsian Dances,” became the first injury is no longer an issue, landing a series skater in the world to land five clean quads of triples that brought stuffed animals rain- in competition. The result was a free skate ing to the ice. score of 212.08 - more than the composite He skated off with a teddy bear just of several rivals - and finished with a 318.47 smaller than a Volvo. “What’s so different is, total that put him well clear of the competi- every single practice that I’ve done here, tion. “That was an amazing performance. I’ve gained more strength. I’m really happy with what I did,” Chen said. I’ve continued to learn and grow,” Brown “Component-wise, I kind of faltered a lit- said. “We knew I wasn’t going to be 100 tle bit. That stuff happens when you’re percent.” Chen followed a few minutes later pushing these secondary elements to the with a performance that not only stamped max. It’s definitely something that I’m look- him as one of the favorites heading into the ing forward to working on improve for world championships in March, but per- worlds.” Hard to imagine things getting a haps next year’s Winter Olympics. whole lot better. Sidelined five months by a hip injury, Chen’s aerial showcase began with a Chen landed four quads during a clean lutz-triple toe combination and never short program to score a US record 106.39 slowed down, his only bobble coming on a points. But that merely served as an appe- triple flip-triple toe as his sprightly program tizer to his free skate, where he was coming to an end. added another quad to the four he was By that point, his coach Rafael Arutunian planning to attempt. And he landed them : Nicola Adams, left, shakes hands with promoter, Frank Warren, during a press announcement in central , yester- was already shaking his fists in celebration. with such ease that he was hardly breath- day. Two-time Olympic women’s boxing champion Nicola Adams has turned professional. The 34-year-old from Britain has joined pro- Sixteen-year-old Vincent Zhou missed ing heavily by the time he skated to the moter Frank Warren and will make her professional debut in Manchester on April 8. — AP on his first quad but was clean the rest of center of the ice to soak in a standing ova- the way, even if the youngster lacked some tion. While the performance was stunning, of the polish of his peers. His total of 263.03 his spot on the podium was hardly surpris- earned him the silver medal. ing. Chen has been considered the future Britain’s history-maker Jason Brown skated a smooth, stylish of American skating for years, and his per- routine to move into the bronze medal formance at the Grand Prix Final in France position. One of the threats to Chen’s new last month appeared to validate it. He throne was unable to compete in Kansas topped Olympic and world champion Nicola Adams turns pro City. Reigning champion was Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan in the free skate warming up for practice two weeks ago and finished the competition second over- when he landed on his left foot and heard a all. He topped his own performance by lit- LONDON: Britain’s double Olympic champion crunch. X-rays and an MRI exam revealed a eral leaps and bounds on Sunday. Nicola Adams will make her professional boxing sprain and a broken bone, which will keep “The US is back on the map, on the debut on April 8, becoming just the latest high- him off the ice for up to three months and world stage,” Chen said, looking at Zhou profile women’s fighter to quit the amateur Swafford claims first effectively end his season. and Brown alongside him on a dais. “With ranks. The 34-year-old was one of the faces of That also means Rippon will be forced to us three, we’ll push the US back to where the London 2012 Games-when she made history PGA win in 93rd start play cheerleader during the world champi- they should be.”— AP as the first woman to win Games boxing gold- but her decision to go pro all but means she will LOS ANGELES: Hudson Swafford finally the Travelers Championship. not pursue a third Games gold at Tokyo 2020, joined the winner’s circle Sunday, firing a He birdied two of his final three holes having retained her title in Rio last year. five-under-par 67 for a one-stroke victory at Sunday to finish at 19-under 269. Of the nine “I want to take women’s boxing to the next the PGA Tour’s CareerBuilder Challenge. players to card a 59 (or better) on tour, level, become a world champion and do great The 29-year-old American birdied three of Hadwin is the fourth who failed to win the things,” the bubbly flyweight said yesterday, his last four holes to claim his maiden USPGA event. “I can’t help but be slightly disappoint- announcing she was turning professional. Tour win in his 93rd Tour start. ed,” Hadwin said. “I really wanted to come out “It’s going to be quite different: no headgear “This is a dream come true,” Swafford said. here and kind of prove that yesterday was for one. I have to create my own team now, but “I really didn’t get ahead of myself, didn’t real- just kind of a continuation of some good play I’m really excited about doing that.” Adams, a ly look at leaderboards, didn’t really know and kind of get it done today, but I got beat.” hugely popular figure in Britain who has won where I was.” He compiled a 20-under 268 Dominic Bozzelli, who grabbed the first- pretty much every major title open to her as an total to finish one stroke ahead of Canada’s round lead with a 64, finished in fifth place at amateur, signed a long-term promotional deal Adam Hadwin, who closed with a 70, one day 271, closing with a 71. Brendan Steele (70) with Frank Warren and will make her profession- after storming to a 13-under 59 in the third and Chad Campbell (71) tied for sixth place at al debut at against an as-yet- round at the La Quinta Country Club near 272. Scott Stalling (66) took eighth at 273, unnamed opponent. Palm Springs, California. and Sean O’Hair (69), Richy Werenski (70) and She is also scheduled for a “homecoming” Bud Cauley and Brian Harman both shot Scotland’s Martin Laird (69) all came in at 274, fight at on May 13. Warren, who sat along- 69s and finished in a tie for third at 18-under tied for ninth. —AFP side Adams as the announcement was made at 270. Swafford is in his fourth year on the Tour BT Tower in London, said: “I’ve not been the and had never finished higher than a tie for greatest advocate of women’s boxing. My head’s eighth. In five previous starts this season his been turned. “I’ve had to eat humble pie, and best finish was a tie for 13th at last week’s thought, ‘Are you a dinosaur?’” Sony Open. Beginning the day two shots off Rob McCracken, performance director of GB the lead, Swafford got off to a rocky start with Boxing, said Adams left Britain’s successful a bogey at the par-four No. 1 before stringing Olympic boxing programme with his blessing. together five straight pars. Swafford then “Nicola has made a huge contribution to both caught fire with a burst of three straight the Olympic programme and the sport of box- birdies to close out his front nine. ing,” he said. On the par-four seventh, he hit his “She has won everything there is to win and approach to five feet from the hole then easi- her place in history is secured as the first woman ly made the short birdie putt. After making to ever win a gold medal for boxing and then birdie on the par-five eighth, he drained a 14- KANSAS CITY: Nathan Chen waits for his scores alongside his coaches foot putt for birdie on the par-four ninth. “I and Rafael Arutyunyan after competing in the Men’s Free Skate program during the top it by winning a second one in Rio.” felt like my posture was good all day, and it 2017 US Figure Skating Championships at the Sprint Center on Sunday in Kansas Adams follows fellow London gold medallists just allowed the club to be in a perfect slot,” City, Missouri. — AFP Ireland’s Katie Taylor and Claressa Shields of the United States in spending the rest of her career Swafford said. as a purely professional boxer. “That’s all we focused on this week. I had Although professionals are now allowed to really good rhythm, was standing tall and Belarusian canoeists have compete at the Olympics, Adams has likely end- was hitting it beautifully. “I didn’t make every ed her hopes of winning a third gold medal putt I looked at, but I felt like I was hitting drugs ban overturned by CAS because GB Boxing have made it clear they will some pretty good putts, and to make three of favour fighters who are members of their pro- the last four, and I felt like I actually made the one on the last hole, it was pretty special.” gramme. LONDON: The Belarusian men’s canoe and sion taken by the ICF Executive Committee,” Adams was the first female fighter to repre- kayak team was wrongly banned from last CAS said in a statement. NICE PERKS sent in 2007 and, after overcoming a year’s Olympics for drug offences and has The Belarus Canoe Association (BCA) The win comes with some nice perks, as career-threatening back injury, became boxing’s had its suspension from all competition lift- and team members appealed against the Swafford is now qualified for the Masters, the first Olympic women’s gold medallist when she ed, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ban, imposed by the International Canoe Players Championship, the Dean and Deluca defeated China’s in the flyweight said yesterday. Federation in July 2016 after a raid by Invitational, the Memorial, the PGA A CAS Panel ruled that there was “insuf- French police and customs on their training final at London 2012. Championship and the 2018 SBS Tournament ficient evidence” to uphold several alleged camp in Temple-sur-Lot in France when Adams became the first female boxer to of Champions. anti-doping offences at a training camp in various substances were confiscated. retain an Olympic title when she did so at last Third round leader Hadwin was also in April, 2016. The banned drug meldonium was found summer’s Rio Games. search of his first PGA Tour win but his two- “Accordingly, in the absence of multiple in samples of five of 17 athletes who took a Having previously won European and under 70 left him just shy of victory. On LA QUINTA: Hudson Swafford poses with anti-doping rule violations, the Panel found drugs test. Although CAS has ruled in the Commonwealth gold medals, 2016 also saw Saturday, the 29-year-old from suburban the trophy after winning the CareerBuilder that there was no justification to uphold athletes’ favour, it has not released the rea- Adams complete a clean sweep of major titles Vancouver became the first Canadian shoot a Challenge golf tournament at 20-under the imposition of a one-year ban on the sons behind the decision which it said when she won her first world championship by 59, leaving him one stroke off the Tour record parr on the Stadium Course at PGA West, Belarus senior men’s Canoe and Kayak would be published on its website in due defeating Thailand’s Peamwilai Laopeam in 58 fired last year by American Jim Furyk at Sunday, 2017, in La Quinta, Calif. — AP teams and decided to set aside the deci- course. — Reuters Kazakhstan. — AFP