TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017 SPORTS

Japan bank on Hagino, Ikee for world swimming charge

TOKYO: Olympic champion Kosuke feeling his way back to full fitness after the 200m IM at the weekend. “Every standard in all five events. “It hasn’t 100-200m double at the Japan nation- Hagino and schoolgirl sensation Rikako elbow surgery last September. race will be difficult but I’m going there sunk in yet,” Ikee told local media. “I als. Koseki’s time of two minutes, 7.18 Ikee will head Japan’s charge at this He faces a challenge from compatri- to win them all,” added the 22-year-old, was almost in tears before the butter- seconds would have been fast enough summer’s world swimming champi- ot Daiya Seto, who will be looking to who missed the 2015 competition in fly final I was so nervous. But to come to win gold in Rio ahead of onships when both are likely to face complete a world treble in the 400m Kazan, Russia, after injuring his elbow in through so many tough races has been Kazakhstan’s Dmitriy Balandin, very different types of pressure. Hagino individual medley in Hungary, having a fall from his bicycle. a good experience.” A double world although Japanese breaststrokers have and Ikee were named among a team of upset Hagino last week at the Japanese Ikee, meanwhile, became the first junior champion, Ikee finished sixth in consistently failed to deliver since 18 athletes yesterday by the Japan championships in Nagoya. Hagino beat woman to win five titles in the the 100m fly in Rio but moved up to Japan great Kosuke Kitajima dominated Swimming Federation for the July 23-30 American Chase Kalisz into second with Japanese championships, which ended fifth after China’s Chen Xinyi subse- the event between 2003-08. “It shows competition in Budapest. Hagino, who Seto taking bronze at the Rio Olympics on Sunday. The 16-year-old added quently failed a drugs test. we are in a good position looking for- ended 20 years of American supremacy and also took silver in the 200m behind gold medals in the 50m freestyle and Japan’s men will once again be a ward to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” said in the men’s 400 metres individual Michael Phelps. “I’ve never won a world 100m butterfly to the 100-200m force in the breaststroke with 200m Koseki. “Hopefully we can prove our medley to win Olympic gold in Rio last title so I’ll give everything I have,” said freestyle double and 50m fly, meeting world record holder Ippei Watanabe strength at the world champi- year, will be a marked man despite still Hagino, who hit back to beat Seto in the world championship qualifying and Yasuhiro Koseki, who completed a onships.”— AFP

TENNIS Dodin dishes out 2nd snub to French Fed Cup team

PARIS: French world number 60 Oceane to the tennis headquarters to prove her Dodin risks a five-year ban after refusing to injury to a federation approved doctor. play in this weekend’s Fed Cup tie against With Garcia and Dodin, missing Noah has Spain. The 20-year-old was called up by last called on world number 204 Amandine year’s finalists, captained by former French Hesse to join Alize Cornet, Kristina great Yannick Noah, to replace injured Mladenovic and Pauline Parmentier in Caroline Garcia for the world group playoff Saturday and Sunday’s play-off. in Roanne in central France. But the French Dodin is coached by her father Frederic. Tennis Federation announced Monday that She turned professional in 2012 and has Dodin was refusing to play, leaving her fac- one WTA title to her name, defeating ing punishment from a simple warning to a American Lauren Davis in the final of the five year ban from competition. At the Quebec tournament last year. The federa- Australian Open in Melbourne in January, tion revealed her decision in a Twitter post: Dodin said she was not enthusiastic about “Oceane Dodin has refused to play, playing for her country. replaced by Amandine Hesse. Team in Dodin’s snub comes after France’s num- place in Roanne.” France, champions in ber two player Garcia rejected her place in 1997 and 2003, are one of only four nations the national team 24 hours after being to have taken part in every Fed Cup since picked, blaming sciatic nerve pain. After its inception in 1963. Spain will be without losing last September’s final to the Czech French Open champion Garbine Muguruza Republic Garcia had told the federation she who is recovering from an ankle injury. did not want to take part in France’s 2017 They will be led by world 59 Lara campaign. She was summoned last week Arruabarrena.— AFP Tomic slump continues

MONTE CARLO: Bernard Tomic’s slump in ping Monte Carlo and starting his Roland form continued yesterday at the Monte Garros run-up campaign in a fortnight at Carlo Open as the Australian lost a sixth Estoril. This defeat followed his loss to loss straight match to exit the first major event to Schwartzman in the second round at of the clay season. Tomic, ranked 43 as his Istanbul last year. COLUMBUS: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins reaches for the puck after being knocked down by Brandon Dubinsky #17 of the freefall continues, went down to Argentine Columbus Blue Jackets during overtime in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on Diego Schwartzman, who fought back from Nishikori replaces Nadal Sunday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. — AFP a 4-2 deficit in the second set to produce a Meanwhile, Japan’s Kei Nishikori climbed 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) victory. The Queenslander was two places to fifth in the latest ATP rankings NHL bustled out of the first round in just over released yesterday at the expense of Rafael one and a quarter hours. Nadal, who slips to seventh. Britain’s Andy Tomic won his last match at the Murray continues to lead the top 10 which Australian Open three months ago, reach- is unchanged aside from Nishikori’s upward Penguins beat Blue Jackets in ing the third round where he lost to Brit move, which could have a bearing on his Dan Evans. He retired in Acapulco in late and Nadal’s seeding for the upcoming February against Donal Young. Tomic struck Barcelona ATP tournament. The pair met in OT, Canadiens defeat Rangers six double-faults and was broken four the final last year, with Nadal prevailing. times; the 41st-ranked Schwartzman lost Nishikori has opted to skip this week’s serve once. Tomic is now falling well Monte Carlo Masters where Nadal goes for COLUMBUS: Jake Guentzel scored a hat trick, Canadiens a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff weathered a spirited start by the Sharks fueled behind rising rival Nick Kyrgios, who is skip- an unprecedented 10th title. — Agencies including a goal at 13:10 of overtime, to lift the series. Artturi Lehkonen and Shea Weber scored in part by the return of Joe Thornton from a Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-4 victory over the power-play goals for Montreal and Carey Price knee injury, then the Oilers took control and Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night and stopped 20 shots. Radulov, who got the over- capitalized on a costly turnover to take the lead. give them a 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff time winner in Game 2 on Friday night after David Schlemko’s clearing attempt was inter- series. Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin scored for Tomas Plekanec tied it with 18 seconds left in cepted by Kassian in the slot, and Kassian beat Pittsburgh and Marc-Andre Fleury overcame a regulation, has two goals and three assists in the Martin Jones with a backhand to make it 1-0 shaky first period to make 33 saves. Guentzel is past two games. Brady Skjei spoiled Price’s with 9:15 to play. Kassian also scored the first the first Pittsburgh to rookie to get a playoff hat shutout bid with 2:56 remaining for his first goal in Edmonton’s 2-0 win in Game 2. trick. The defending champion Penguins will go career playoff goal. Rangers goalie Henrik for the sweep in Columbus on Tuesday night. Lundqvist, coming off a playoff career-high 54 3, WILD 1 Cam Atkinson had two goals for Columbus, and saves in Game 2, stopped 26 shots in this one. Jaden Schwartz scored the go-ahead goal in Zach Werenski and Brandon Dubinsky also Game 4 is today’s night. the second period and Jake Allen made 40 saves scored. Sergei Bobrovsky had 42 saves. After to lead St Louis over Minnesota for a 3-0 lead in only scoring two goals combined in the first two OILERS 1, SHARKS 0 the first-round playoff series. Colton Parayko games of the series, Columbus scored three Zack Kassian scored midway through the also scored for the Blues and Alexander Steen goals in just over six minutes of the first period. third period and Cam Talbot made 23 saves in added an empty-netter for St Louis, which will But the Penguins regained their composure and his second straight shutout as Edmonton beat try to sweep the series Wednesday night in St pushed back hard during the second period to San Jose in Game 3 of their first-round series. Louis. Charlie Coyle scored for Minnesota, which tie the score at 3-3. The Oilers bounced back from an overtime loss got 28 saves from Devan Dubnyk. Schwartz had in their first playoff game in 11 years to post con- a power-play goal at 15:19 of the second period CANADIENS 3, RANGERS 1 secutive shutouts and take a 2-1 series lead over to put the Blues one win away from the second Alexander Radulov had a goal and an assist to the defending Western Conference champions. round. He scored with 2:27 left in the third peri- lead Montreal over New York, giving the Game 4 is Tuesday night in San Jose. Edmonton od of Game 2 to give St. Louis the 2-1 win.— AP

MONACO: Russia’s tennis player Andrey Kuznetsov hits a return to Czech’s Tomas Berdych during the Monte-Carlo ATP Masters Series tournament yesterday in Monaco. — AFP

RUGBY Waratahs target Kings

SYDNEY: Shoring up a leaky defense while switching on ensured the Sydney-based not abandoning their attacking mindset is side fought back in the second half before what the will losing 38-28. At times during that game endeavour to do to get their they ran the Hurricanes off Wellington season back on track against the Kings on Regional Stadium. Their attacking prowess Friday, according to coach Daryl Gibson. The from deep was most evident with fullback 2014 champions are languishing in fourth in Bryce Hegarty threatening every time his the five-team Australian conference on team were able to hold onto the ball and eight competition points, having won just spread it wide. “At different periods... we’ve two of their seven games this season. showed we can be a very good football Their only victories have come against team,” Gibson said. “We’re going to look to... fellow Australian sides the Western Force focus on our strengths, which has been and , who are also strug- that ball-in-hand-type game and making gling, while they conceded almost 34 that more consistent and more effective.” points per match. “Those inconsistencies Gibson, however, said the closeness of and vulnerabilities in our game is some- the Australian conference meant that a vic- thing we want to work out and learn from,” tory over the Port Elizabeth-based Kings Gibson said in comments published by would put them back in contention for the Fairfax Media yesterday. “We need to firmly playoffs. The ACT Brumbies, who play the fix up our defensive qualities, which at the Hurricanes in Napier earlier on Friday, lead moment are not where they should be.” the Australian conference on 17 points. That lack of defensive starch was most evi- Each of the four conference winners qualify dent in their last game against the for the playoffs no matter how many points Wellington Hurricanes on April 7 with the they have. “The Australian conference is still 2016 champions running in five tries and very open and the focus for us is firmly on establishing a 33-7 lead in the first half. ourselves,” Gibson added. “We always knew A combination of the Hurricanes tem- it was going to be tough. We’ve been NEW YORK: Brady Skjei #76 of the New York Rangers and Max Pacioretty #67 of the Montreal Canadiens battle during the third period in Game porarily losing track of what they were sup- shown where the level is at in terms of Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden yesterday in New orkY City. posed to be doing and the Waratahs finally where we need to get to.”— Reuters The Canadiens defeated the Rangers 3-1. — AFP