14 Monday, November 4, 2019 Sports Dynamic duo Du Toit player of year as Springboks sweep World Rugby awards

AFP Tokyo

South Africa flanker Piet- er-Steph du Toit was named World Rugby Player of the Year on Sunday as the World Cup- Kenyans Kamworor winning Springboks swept the and Jepkosgei win main awards. Rassie Erasmus won coach New York Marathons of the year and South Africa New YORK: Geoffrey Kamworor also took the team award at a won the New York Marathon for glittering ceremory in Tokyo, a the second time on Sunday while day after they lifted the Webb fellow Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei Ellis Cup for the third time. topped the women’s race in her The 27-year-old du Toit was debut over the 42.195-kilometres instrumental in South Africa’s distance. World Cup campaign, especial- Kamworor pulled away from com- ly effective at the breakdown World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year award winner Pieter-Steph patriot Albert Korir in the closing and winning the battle against du Toit of South Africa (left) and Women’s 15s Player of the Year International Rugby Players (IRP) World Rugby Coach of the Year award winner Rassie Erasmus of stages and crossed the finish ’s famed “kamikaze award winner Emily Scarratt of England (R) pose with the trophy Try of the Year award winner TJ South Africa (right) and Team of the Year award winner Siya Kolisi line at Central Park in 2 hours 8 kids” back row in the final. following the World Rugby Awards 2019 in Tokyo on Sunday. (AFP) Perenara of New Zealand. (AFP) of South Africa. (AFP) minutes 13 seconds. “It’s a massive honour for Korir trailed by 23 seconds and me to accept this award,” said Du Toit beat off competi- boks won the World Cup over England in the final when New Zealand, to be consist- behind-the-back pass and Ethiopia’s Girma Bekele Gebre Du Toit, who plays his club rug- tion including his team-mate and also secured the Rugby Siya Kolisi, their first black ent,” he added. touched down spectacularly was third, another two seconds by for Western Province. wing Cheslin Kolbe, as well as Championship for the first captain, lifted the trophy in “We really needed some in the corner, was awarded try behind. Kamworor won for the “I think when we come All Black Ardie Savea and Eng- time since 2009. Yokohama. good news,” he said, referring of the year. New York race a first time in back (to South Africa), it’s go- land’s young star Tom Curry. Erasmus took over as di- “I’m very, very proud to be to the “many challenges” faced Fiji’s Jerry Tuwai was men’s 2017 and placed third last year. ing to be an unbelievable ex- The women’s player of rector of rugby at the end of South Africa,” said the affable by his country. sevens player of the year, while Jepkosgei clinched the women’s perience... We can’t wait to get the year award went to Emily 2017 and shortly afterwards Erasmus, a strong believer in Earlier fly-half Romain Nta- Ruby Tui of New Zealand won title just seven seconds off the home. We miss our country Scarratt, the 29-year-old cen- doubled his responsibilities building a game plan around mack, one of the bright spots in the women’s award for the course record in 2:22:38 hours so much,” added the 55-cap tre who helped England to a by becoming head coach fol- kicking half-backs and a solid France’s run to the quarter-fi- Olympic format. after also breaking away late. loose forward. in the women’s lowing the sacking of Allister set-piece. nals, was named breakthrough And referee of the year went Title holder and four-time winner “I’ve got three younger Six Nations. Coetzee after a miserable run “We’re all trying to be like player of the year. to Wayne Barnes, the highly re- Mary Keitany completed a Kenyan brothers as well and they tell The World Rugby panel of 12 losses from 25 games. the All Blacks. We’ve enjoyed All Blacks back TJ Pere- garded Englishman who took one-two just as in the men’s race, me ‘You’re living our dream’, so picked South Africa as men’s He has rapidly turned the the last 24 hours. We’ll enjoy nara’s stunning World Cup charge of Friday’s third-place 56 seconds back. Ethiopian Ruti I have to live up to that,” he told team of the year and Erasmus Boks’ fortunes around, culmi- the next two weeks and then score against Namibia, where play-off between New Zealand Aga came third. (DPA) reporters. as top coach after the Spring- nating in Saturday’s 32-12 win after that, we want to be like he collected Brad Weber’s and . Gomes suffers horror injury as Everton deny Tottenham afp four finish. Liverpool Vardy had the best oppor- tunity of an uninspired first Cenk Tosun’s header eight half when a wonderful Maddi- minutes into stoppage time son pass freed the former Eng- salvaged a 1-1 draw for Ever- land international in behind, ton against Tottenham in a but he could not force the ball match overshadowed by a se- beyond Vicente Guaita from a rious injury to Everton mid- narrow angle. fielder Andre Gomes. Set-pieces seemed the Spurs’ Son Heung-min most likely source of a goal for Novak Djokovic kisses his trophy after defeating Denis Shapovalov to was shown a straight red card either side early on and Jonny claim the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 - Rolex Paris Masters at The for his foul on the Portuguese Evans headed the first warn- AccorHotels Arena in Paris on Sunday. (AFP) international, but the injury ing shot from the visitors loop- was suffered as Gomes’s mo- ing just over moments later. mentum saw him crash into At the other end Evans Djokovic ‘couldn’t be happier’ Serge Aurier. threatened again when he The visitors led 1-0 at that met a Maddison corner with after fifth Paris Masters title stage thanks to Dele Alli’s a towering header that Guaita strike just after the hour mark. turned over the bar. AFP a fitness doubt for the ATP Everton were then left However, from the result- Paris Tour Finals, which start in frustrated as Alli was not pe- ing corner, leicester made the on November 10, nalised for a handball inside breakthrough when Soyuncu Novak Djokovic said he due to an abdominal mus- his own area despite a lengthy stooped to head home. “couldn’t be happier” after cle strain, while Djokovic delay for a VAR review. Palace have scored just easing to a record-extend- has won the season-ending The injury to Gomes was four goals in their first six ing fifth Paris Masters title championships five times. the turning point with Son vis- Teammates comfort Everton’s midfielder André Gomes as he gets attention for an injury during their home games of the season and by brushing aside Canadian “I’m sad to see that he’s ibly upset even before he was English Premier League match at Goodison Park in Liverpool on Sunday. (afp) their lack of a goal threat was youngster Denis Shapovalov injured,” said the Serbian. “I shown a red card. clear as they probed for an in Sunday’s final, boosting know how that feels. Obvi- And Tottenham failed to son for either side with Ever- with a hard-fought 2-0 win at ner just before the hour mark equaliser without ever forcing his hopes of taking the year- ously I went through major hold out for a first away win in ton still hovering just one Crystal Palace thanks to sec- made the breakthrough and Kasper Schmeichel into a seri- end world number one spot. injuries in my life as well.” the Premier League since Jan- place above the relegation ond half goals from Caglar So- Vardy’s hot streak continued ous save. The top seed claimed a Djokovic, who lost to uary when substitute Tosun zone, while Spurs remain in yuncu and Jamie Vardy. when he finished off an excel- Leicester then produced dominant 6-3, 6-4 victory Russian Karen Khachanov bulleted home a header from the bottom half with 13 points Brendan Rodgers’s men lent team move two minutes one of the few real moments over his 20-year-old oppo- in last year’s Bercy final, Luca Digne’s cross during 12 from their first 11 games. smashed Southampton 9-0 from time. of quality in the game to seal nent, who looked nervous saved the only break point he minutes of time added due to last Friday, but were made to Leicester edge ahead of all three points when Vardy after being the beneficiary faced as he sealed his fourth VAR reviews and Gomes’s in- Leicester move up to third work much harder for all three Chelsea on goal difference and played a one-two with sub- of Rafael Nadal’s withdraw- win from as many matches jury. Leicester moved up to points by a resilient Palace. six points clear of fifth-placed stitute Demarai Gray before al before their scheduled against the world number 28 A point does little to im- third in the Premier League as Soyuncu’s stooping header Arsenal, who they host next drilling into the bottom corner semi-final. Shapovalov. prove a poor start to the sea- the Foxes fine form continued from James Maddison’s cor- weekend, in the battle for a top with his left foot. “I thought I had the best The 16-time Grand Slam serving match of the tour- champion has now won 34 nament and that’s why the Masters singles titles, mov- match was pretty short,” said ing to within one of Nadal Djokovic, who won the tour- at the top of the all-time list, Balotelli threatens to quit nament without dropping a and 77 on the ATP Tour in Barty wins WTA Finals set. total. “Just one of the best That takes him level with game after racial slurs AFP matches I have played, defi- John McEnroe with the fifth- Shenzhen, China nitely, this week. And I feel most ever, behind Jimmy DPA A game suspension also like the second part of the Connors, Roger Federer, Rome took place on Saturday in World number one Ashleigh week was terrific. Ivan Lendl and Nadal. Rome, with offensive anti- Barty spectacularly ended her “I couldn’t be happier It was Djokovic’s fifth Mario Balotelli kicked the Naples chants from some jinx against defending cham- with this win.” trophy of the season after ball into the stands and threat- Roma fans. pion Elina Svitolina to win the Djokovic will lose top previous triumphs at Wim- ened to quit Brescia’s game at Verona moved into ninth WTA Finals on Sunday and spot in the rankings to Na- bledon and the Australian Verona after home fans tar- on 15 point while boasting the scoop the richest prize in ten- dal next week, but could still Open, as well as at the Ma- geted him with racist chants best defence alongside cham- nis history. equal Pete Sampras’ record drid Open and in Tokyo. during Sunday’s Serie A clash. pions Juventus on nine goals Barty, who had never beat- by finishing a sixth year as His success adds to his The striker was calmed conceded – although their en Svitolina in five previous the world’s best player. previous Paris Masters titles down by teammates and Ve- attack is among the weakest attempts, won 6-4, 6-3 in one The 33-year-old Nadal is from 2009 and 2013-2015. rona players as the game was with as many scored. Brescia hour and 26 minutes at the suspended for four minutes are in the three-team drop Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre. early in the second half. zone on seven points with a The Australian claimed a Speakers at the Bentegodi game in hand. record-setting $4.42 million Golf stadium warned fans that the Elsewhere, Cagliari won paycheque – the largest sum game would be abandoned 2-0 at 10-man Atalanta and ever awarded in men’s and Winner Ashleigh Barty (right) with her trophy along with runner-up Elina Nelly Korda wins back-to-back title in Taiwan under the league’s anti-racism drew level on points with the women’s tennis. Svitolina after their WTA Finals match in Shenzhen on Sunday. (AFP) rules if abuse continued. Bergamo hosts. Barty’s only loss was to Taipei: America’s Nelly Korda claimed back-to-back victory in the Balotelli, who was born in Atalanta are unbeaten in late replacement Kiki Bertens Svitolina has not won a court, which has been criti- LPGA Taiwan Championship in a playoff against two players on Italy to Ghana parents, fired a away action, but lost their sec- and she became the fifth trophy since claiming the cised by other players, with Sunday to clinch her second win this year. first-half free-kick against the ond home game to a first-half debutant to win the lucrative WTA Finals in Singapore her methodical counterpunch- Korda, 21, successfully defended her title in the playoff against post in the scoreless first half own goal from Mario Pasalic round-robin tournament. last year, which remains the ing overwhelming opponents Australia’s Minjee Lee and Germany’s Caroline Masson after they and scored a late consolation followed by Christian Oliva’s “It’s been the most in- biggest title of her career. -- but she was thwarted by an all finished with an aggregate score of 18-under-par 270. Korda had goal in his side’s 2-1 loss. drive in the 58th. credible year for me,” Barty She had lost just one set be- irresistible Barty. a three-shot lead over Lee, who was also runner-up to her last year, Verona coach Ivan Ju- Both side have 21 points said after the match. “I took fore the final to be on track The 25-year-old said she after the third round but struggled in the final day hitting five birdies ric said that nothing special from 11 games, with Atalanta my opportunities when I got to claim a maximum prize of would use the off-season to and five bogeys to go into the playoff. happened against Balotelli, in fourth leading the Sardinia them tonight. $4.725 million before falling recover from a nagging right It was “very dramatic, a little bit harder than I wanted it to be but I save some hissing and teas- side on goal difference. The “Pretty happy to play short in the decider. knee injury, which forced her to am happy I got it done... I was very nervous actually because it was ing chants with no racial Bergamaschi are the league that kind of level in such a The Ukrainian had taken a withdraw from the Guangzhou my first playoff,” she said.(AFP) connotation. top scorers on 30 goals. big match.” liking to the slow indoor hard Open in September.