U.S./World Sports category
Teenage girls face higher ACL injury risks; parents want better preventive measures
HARRISBURG — Sofia Tepichin was about 30 minutes into her club soccer team practice in October when she spotted a fast-approaching defender. She tapped the ball away and hopped over the defender’s outstretched foot, came down awkwardly, and heard a “pop.” She immediately fell to the ground, pain shooting through...
Hornets’ Kon Knueppel breaks NBA rookie record for 3-pointers in a season in just 59 games
INDIANAPOLIS — Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel reached yet another milestone in a remarkable rookie season for the No. 4 overall pick from Duke. The Hornets swingman broke Keegan Murray’s NBA rookie record for 3-pointers, making his 207th Thursday night against the Indiana Pacers. Knueppel connected on five 3s in the first...
IndyCar roars into season opener as Ganassi driver Alex Palou chases 4th straight title
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — IndyCar opens its season with a roaring four races in March, a return to Phoenix Raceway, three new venues and the son of a motorsports icon making his debut in a North American-based series. Oh, and Alex Palou will be racing for his fifth championship in...
A Boston Celtics game-inspired friction test finally pinned down the sneaker squeak
NEW YORK — As he watched the Boston Celtics play from the stands of TD Garden, one noise kept catching Adel Djellouli’s ear. “This squeaking sound when players are sliding on the floor is omnipresent,” he said. “It’s always there, right?” Squeaky shoes are part of the symphony of a...
2-time WNBA champion Kara Braxton dies at 43 after being in a car crash
Two-time WNBA champion Kara Braxton died after being in a car crash in Atlanta on Saturday. She was 43. The athletic department at Georgia, where Braxton played in college, texted The Associated Press confirmation of her death on Monday and posted on social media. Her son, Jelani Thurman, posted a...
Ukrainian teen flees country during war, grows into NYC high school tennis champion
NEW YORK — Mariia Vainshtein never heard the noise and slept straight through that horrible night four years ago. She didn’t have her phone near bed when she woke the next morning — it probably had been taken by her parents for some teenager’s misbehavior, she suspects now with a...
Plum native Mike Miller part of local flair as he takes over as head coach of CFL’s Argonauts
After four seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Argonauts and helping them win two Canadian Football League Grey Cup titles (2022 and 2024), Mike Miller is getting the chance to lead the longstanding franchise. “It’s been great to be a part of this first-class organization, and I am...
Lindsey Vonn says surgery saved her from having her left leg amputated following Olympic crash
VAIL, Colo. — American skier Lindsey Vonn says she nearly lost her left leg following a frightening crash in the women’s downhill at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Vonn revealed in an Instagram post on Monday that her injuries went far beyond the complex tibia fracture in the leg she initially...
Tyler Reddick wins at Atlanta to give Michael Jordan 2nd straight NASCAR Cup victory
HAMPTON, Ga. — Whether on or off the racetrack, all Michael Jordan does is win in NASCAR. For the second consecutive Sunday to open the season, the basketball great and co-owner of 23XI Racing celebrated in Victory Lane with driver Tyler Reddick. This time, after a thriller at Echo Park...
Former 76ers head coach, UNC legend dies at 87
Former NBA coach Doug Moe, who was the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets during his career, has died. He was 87. Moe spent most of his time as an NBA head coach leading the Nuggets. Denver announced his death this past week. “The...
NASCAR star Chase Elliott returns to Atlanta comfort at home track after Daytona 500 disappointment
After an emotionally draining and physically punishing Daytona 500 finish, Chase Elliott is back in his happy place — for the most part — this weekend at Echo Park Speedway. NASCAR’s eight-time most popular driver lives about 80 miles from the track south of Atlanta, so the Dawsonville native can...
MLS opens season with eyes on World Cup, schedule shift in 2027
MLS opens its 31st season this weekend, kicking off one of the most consequential two-year stretches in the league’s history. There’s the impact of the World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer, then, in 2027, MLS will switch to a summer-to-spring schedule to align more closely...
Norway wins its 17th gold medal, breaking record for most golds won in a single Winter Olympics
ANTERSELVA, Italy — Johannes Dale-Skjevdal of Norway was the only biathlete to hit all 20 of his targets in the 15-kilometer mass start race Friday and skied his way to gold — Norway’s 17th gold medal of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics — breaking the record for the most gold...
Kyle Busch won all the time until the checkered flags dried up. Can he find NASCAR success again?
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kyle Busch’s feisty spirit surfaced late at the end of another empty Daytona 500 for the perennial race loser. The Daytona pole sitter, Busch was running outside the top 20 in the final laps when he let off the gas and faded to the back of...
Dog on the course! Canine makes cameo during Milan Cortina Olympics cross-country skiing event
TESERO, Italy — A surprise participant in Wednesday’s action at the Milan Cortina Olympics had four legs and zero concern for race times. As elite cross-country skiers pushed to the finish in the women’s team sprint heats, a dog wandered onto the course and ran with athletes down the straightaway....
Quinn Hughes’ OT goal lifts U.S. past Sweden in Olympic quarterfinals
MILAN — When the U.S. gave up a tying goal to Sweden with 91 seconds left in the quarterfinals at the Olympics, even the most seasoned players were on edge. “That’s as nervous as I’ve been ever in a hockey game,” American forward Dylan Larkin said. After plenty of nerves,...
American Alysa Liu sits within 2 points of lead heading into Olympic free skate
MILAN — Alysa Liu will try to end a 24-year drought for American women in Olympic figure skating Thursday night when the “Blade Angel” attempts to chase down Japanese rivals Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto in the free skate at the Milan Cortina Games. The 20-year-old Liu scored 76.59 points...
U.S. star Mikaela Shiffrin wins slalom to break 8-year Olympic drought
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Mikaela Shiffrin’s eight-year Olympic medal drought is over. The American skiing standout put in two dominant runs to win the women’s slalom at the Winter Games on Wednesday by 1.50 seconds. The race isn’t officially over yet, with dozens of lower-tier racers still to take the...
Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano will end their MMA retirements and fight each other in May
LOS ANGELES — Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano will end their lengthy retirements from mixed martial arts to fight each other May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The two pioneering fighters announced their returns Tuesday for a bout that will be staged by Most Valuable Promotions, the combat...
Anthony Edwards claims MVP award, leads Stars to tourney win in an entertaining NBA All-Star Game
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Anthony Edwards won the Most Valuable Player award while leading his “Stars” team past their fellow Americans on the “Stripes” team 47-21 to win the final of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday. The Minnesota Timberwolves star claimed his first All-Star MVP award with a tying 3-pointer...
Tyler Reddick wins Daytona 500 for Michael Jordan-owned 23XI RacingVideo
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 in a car owned by Michael Jordan when Chase Elliott crashed as he and Reddick were battling for the win in NASCAR’s season opener. Reddick, in a Toyota for 23XI Racing, led only one lap on Sunday: the one to...
NBA’s Adam Silver to consider changing draft lottery, revoking picks to stop teams from tanking
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — NBA commissioner Adam Silver believes teams are tanking more aggressively this season than the league has seen in recent years, and he is considering many possible remedies to ensure real competition, from taking away draft picks to making wholesale changes to the draft and the lottery. Silver...
Clash winner Ryan Preece leads Ford top-5 sweep in final Daytona 500 practice
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Clash winner Ryan Preece kept his Ford on the ground Saturday, and the manufacturer took the top five spots in the final Daytona 500 practice. Preece helped RFK Racing sweep the top three spots a day ahead of NASCAR’s season-opening race. Preece outlasted sleet, a wet...
Heat’s Keshad Johnson soars to a slam dunk title, edging Carter Bryant who had a perfect score
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat won the Slam Dunk contest at NBA All-Star Saturday, overcoming perfect scores by San Antonio rookie Carter Bryant on his first dunk in the final round. For his final dunk, Johnson started behind the judges’ table, took off from the free...
NASCAR moves up the Daytona 500 start time by an hour as bad weather looms
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR is moving the start time of Sunday’s Daytona 500 up one hour because of the threat of inclement weather. The green flag is now scheduled for 2:13 p.m. Eastern at Daytona International Speedway. William Byron will try to become the first driver in history to...
