Sports

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Women’s Tour of Thailand, Chiang Rai 2014

The newly-formed Energy HR/EHBS team, (from left) Aiyana Currie, Wendy Yap, Sarah-Jeanne Fraser, Julia Kolatas and Serene Lee (both not pictured), are aiming to pull off a surprise or two at the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Women’s Tour of Thailand

CHIANG RAI – They will gather for the first time today in Chiang Rai, Thailand, as the Energy HR/EHBS team, to compete in the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Women’s Tour of Thailand 2014, which begins tomorrow, although the team’s five women members can also count in some ways to be representing Singapore.

As the men wrapped up their six-stage Tour yesterday, with the OCBC Singapore Professional Team returning with two podiums and a brief grasp of the General Classification yellow jersey, the women’s team will begin their three-stage UCI (International Cycling Union)-rated event aiming to pull off a surprise or two.

Australian Sarah-Jeanne Fraser is the prime mover behind assembling this team, which will include compatriot Julia Kolatas, American Aiyana Currie and Singaporeans Wendy Yap and Serene Lee.

Singapore’s top woman cyclist Dinah Chan was originally slated to take part but elected to go for a training stint in Perth ahead of her participation in the Asian Cycling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, next month, and September’s Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

Fraser, 37, is also the team’s sponsor as she is the Director of Energy HR Asia Pacific and has been based here for the past year. The Perth native assembled the team eight weeks ago to take up the rare opportunity of racing in a UCI event for women.

No stranger to racing, Fraser managed a men’s team in the Tour of Thailand previously and won the women’s Elite Criterium at the OCBC Cycle Singapore here 10 days ago, ahead of Currie.

For Fraser, the opportunity to also be in the saddle competing was hard to pass up, especially if she could have Singaporean riders as part of her team.

“The important thing about this Tour of Thailand is that Singapore is getting a representation in an international field of professional bike riders, which I’ve not seen much at all,” she said.

“It’s a good opportunity for the cycling world to see that women in Singapore can do it.

“We’ve been invited before, but I’ve never been able to round up enough girls to make a team, but it has been easier here.”

What has not been easy was for the three Singapore-based riders to train while holding full-time jobs.

Currie, 37, does foreign exchange sales for Swiss bank UBS while Yap is a judicial officer with the Supreme Court. For Fraser, there is also the matter of monitoring her team’s two Australia-based riders, Lee (Melbourne) and Kolatas (Perth), who are both students.

“At this level, these girls have their own coaches and programmes that they are following,” she said.

“Once we knew we were racing, those programmes were adjusted accordingly and there is an element of trust that these girls are following their training to instruction.”

Working to a training programme designed by Fraser, Yap, who is a former national long-distance runner, is making her UCI race debut and looking forward to step up from just being a serious rider.

“Certainly, I’d like to know what it’s like to race at that level and it’s a hard-to-come-by opportunity especially for Singapore riders,” said the 42-year-old.

Tactically, the team will work to support Kolatas, who is a sprinter, and Lee, who represented Singapore at the 2011 South-east Asian Games in Indonesia, whom they fancy as their lead rider on General Classification.

“We should come home with something … we rate our sprinter,” said Fraser, who pledged to donate half her winnings to the Singapore Cancer Foundation.

“The three stages are flat and fall in line with the distances we train, but the biggest challenge is backing it up three days in a row … by the third day we should be all very tired.”

Currie, meanwhile, has little doubt what she is looking forward to.

“The nice thing about bike racing is it’s all about the team. That we have a sprinter to support makes it all the more exciting,” she said.

“And when I’m feeling pain, I know it is something we’re all going through and we’re working towards a common goal.”

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Women’s Tour of Thailand 2014

Apr 8: Stage 1 – 110km Chiangrai loop

Apr 9: Stage 2 – 82km Mae Chan Tam Bol municipality loop

Apr 10: Stage 3 – 83km Mae Chan Tam Bol municipality-Mar Sae-Chiang Saen-Mae Chan Tam Bol municipality

Sports

Bo Bichette’s Injury may Permanently Sideline him, According to the Latest Update.

(CTN News) – Bo Bichette, the shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, left the game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday after six innings due to a strained right calf.

The game was played against the Tigers. In the end, the Blue Jays were defeated by a score of 5-4 by the opposing team.

Bo Bichette hit a line drive to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning, and it appeared that he injured his calf when he was sprinting to first base. The damage appeared to be caused by the line drive.

The calf that is causing the problem is the same one that Bo Bichette has been experiencing issues with throughout the entire season. After suffering a strain to his right calf fascia on July 10 while playing against the San Francisco Giants, he was forced to sit out the last four games before the All-Star break from the National Football League.

Because of the discomfort in his right calf, he has been out for nine games since then, and he did not return to action until the 24th of June.

Before the trade deadline on July 30, it is very clear that the Blue Jays will be deconstructed for pieces. It is fairly obvious that the Blue Jays have lost any possibility of winning in the American League East, which is a highly competitive division. Additionally, it is pretty certain that they will be disfigured for pieces.

Bo Bichette’s injuries could prevent him from being traded in the future.

However, it is probable that this injury will preclude him from participating in any further trade conversations. Recent trade rumors have stated that Bo Bichette could be a contender for a trade;

However, it is possible that this scenario will not occur. After an MRI was finished on Friday, Bo Bichette was placed on the injured list for a period of ten days. This list will remain in effect until that time.

Bichette will almost definitely be placed on the disabled list for a period of time that is longer than the minimum of ten days, even if the findings of the MRI come back negative. This is because of the recent spate of calf problems that have been occurring.

There is a lack of clarity on whether or not the Blue Jays would have been willing to trade Bo Bichette regardless of the ailment that he was suffering from.

It has been reported that Toronto has informed other clubs that they are not prepared to trade any players who are under their control beyond the year 2024.

Bo Bichette’s contract with the organization ends in 2025.

Additionally, Toronto has informed other teams for this reason. At the beginning of June, it seemed as though the general manager of the Blue Jays, Ross Atkins, was opposed to the concept of trading Bo Bichette while he was still on the team.

Bichette claimed in a recent comment that he would not be “surprised at all” if he were to be traded to a different team. He said this in reference to the possibility of being traded.

His batting average is even worse than it has ever been in his whole career.He has participated in 79 games so far this season, and he has a batting average of 223 and an on-base percentage of.597 to his name.

The two-time winner Despite the fact that the All-Star is having a challenging season, he would have a far higher chance of having a good season if he were to play for a team that was involved in a more intense level of competition.

On the other hand, it would appear that Bichette will not be participating in a game for a substantial amount of time, regardless of whether he is playing for the Blue Jays or for another team.

SOURCE: FS

Sports

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau started disastrously at the British Open.

(CTN News) – Forget about Rory McIlroy’s final opportunity to compete in a major tournament this year; the British Open may have been his final opportunity.

At present, his most promising prospect is to endure for an additional day. Bryson DeChambeau, the US Open champion, is also present.

On Thursday, Pinehurst No. 2 protagonists encountered Rory McIlroy’s additional complications as a result of an opposing wind that arrived at Royal Troon. McIlroy required two strokes to emerge from a deep hazard located just to the right of the 123-yard eighth hole, which is referred to as the “Postage Stamp.”

Rory McIlroy’s mallet sailed over the rails after three holes.

It culminated in a 7-over 78, which was his lowest major opening round in five years. “I just didn’t do a good enough job on that back nine, and the conditions were tough,” according to him.

DeChambeau was not significantly superior. He encountered difficulties in making par shots at the outset; on the fourth hole, a par-5, he even missed one from three feet.

The par-5 seventh hole resulted in a double bogey for him as he attempted to strike a 7-iron through dense grass, but the ball was only moved a short distance.

Following his 76, he proceeded to the range to evaluate his equipment and determine the reason for his ball’s failure to connect with the driver as anticipated.

He observed, “That day was unusual.” It is highly unlikely that either of them will forget their involvement in the morning wave or their role as the primary attraction following the U.S. Open.

Rory McIlroy was in complete control of his destiny and was leading by two strokes on the back nine before missing a 30-inch par putt on the 16th hole and another par putt from just within 4 feet on the 18th hole, which prolonged his 10-year major drought.

Making a putt from a bunker 55 yards away, DeChambeau secured his second U.S. Open victory. Rory McIlroy’s finale was so challenging that he departed Pinehurst No. 2 without expressing his gratitude to DeChambeau or expressing any sentiments.

McIlroy was optimistic about his form as he approached the final major of the year, following his tie for fourth at the Rory McIlroy Scottish Open last week. Conversely, the wind came from the opposite direction, disrupting the plans of both him and his colleagues.

On the shortened front nine, where high scores are possible, it was directly in their faces. Assistance was provided from the left on the longer back nine, which is challenging in any conditions. McIlroy was taken aback by the difficulty of the back nine, as Rory McIlroy had anticipated that it would be less difficult.

“The course was exceedingly challenging.” The circumstances are exceedingly difficult due to the wind that has yet to be observed this week. McIlroy stated that the wind dictated his strategy during the practice sessions.

However, according to him, “it starts to present different options and you start to think about maybe hitting a few clubs that you haven’t hit in practice when you get a wind you haven’t played in.”

“Just one of those days where I didn’t adjust to the circumstances well enough.” It was not a satisfactory conclusion to the round. Following his decision to play a driver off the 18th.

On the left, Rory McIlroy fired sideways due to a pot bunker.

He drove the wedge to a distance of Rory McIlroy approximately eight feet, made one final bogie, and missed one additional putt, indicating that there was still a significant amount of work to be done.

In order to survive the weekend, he declared, “I must improve my performance under those circumstances.” If not, I should endeavor to advance further on the leaderboard and feel as though I have a reasonable chance. McIlroy was ten strokes behind the lead when he finished, but he had hoped for a smaller margin.

Until he reached the par-5 16th, DeChambeau did not complete a hole below par. It is more accurate to describe him as a sluggish bleeding individual. That was the only positive aspect of the day. An eagle putt of 55 feet was executed on the 565-yard hole by him.

“I am satisfied with the way in which I maintained my composure today,” stated DeChambeau. It would have been so easy for me to give up at nine o’clock and declare, ‘I’m going home’.” No, sir. There will be an additional opportunity for me tomorrow. As I anticipate the assignment, I am eager to begin.

“I will be fine if I am able to make a few putts, hit a few shots, and figure out how to use the equipment.”

SOURCE: CT

Sports

France Reaches Euro 2024 Quarter-Finals with Late Own Goal Against Belgium

(CTN News) – Jan Vertonghen’s late own goal advanced France to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 at Belgium’s expense. A game that lacked quality and excitement for long stretches appeared destined for extra time, but a shot by replacement Randal Kolo Muani rebounded off Vertonghen with five minutes left to win the victory at Dusseldorf Arena.

France had previously missed multiple chances due to a lack of a cutting edge, and even captain Kylian Mbappe made efforts that would typically go wide.

Belgium could have seized the lead before France’s late goal when Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne sprinted into space through the middle, but Mike Maignan blocked his effort.

That was the only real opportunity for the underperforming Belgians, as France closed out the final few minutes to advance to the last eight, where they will meet Portugal or Slovenia.

Didier Deschamps’ team deserved to win, but the 2018 world champions will be relieved more than anything else after struggling to convert chances into goals once more.

They dominated play for long stretches but only had one effort on goal in the first half, Antoine Griezmann’s low strike from distance, which was well saved.

Mbappe is one of the world’s top forwards, but even he struggled when given a shooting opportunity, curling over in the second half after doing well to create space for himself.

France is through but still needs to improve.

In the end, they had 19 shots on goal, but only two were on target, and they are still waiting for their first goal from open play in Germany.

In a theme common to all of the bigger teams remaining in Euro 2024, France is struggling to play at the level they are capable of, but for the time being, they will relish being one step closer to the final.

Belgium was booed off the pitch by some fans after only drawing with Ukraine in their last group game, but their supporters were hopeful that they would improve their performance against the French.

However, they were once again overly cautious for extended periods, and their threatening moments were fleeting.

However, they should have punished France for their carelessness with De Bruyne’s effort in the dying moments, while Romelu Lukaku, who is leaving Euro 2024 without a goal, also saw a low shot saved in the second half.

Like Croatia, this has seemed like one last chance for Belgium’s ‘golden generation’, with players like De Bruyne and Lukaku in their 30s.

And, like Croatia, they will leave the tournament wondering whether this was a squandered chance to achieve what could have been with this set of players.

Source: BBC Sports