At 103, ‘Hurricane’ Hawkins takes titles at US Senior Games
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — At 103, Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins has cemented her title as the oldest woman to compete on an American track after finishing the 50- and 100-meter dashes at the National Senior Games in New Mexico.
Event organizers say the Louisiana resident holds the world record for her age group of 100 and over in the 100-meter dash.
She didn’t beat her previous time Tuesday but crossed the line in just over 46 seconds in Albuquerque.
On Monday, she was clocked at 21.06 in the 50-meter event, which appears to be a new Senior Games record for the women’s 100-plus age division. There’s no record of a past female competitor in that contest.
The retired teacher says staying active keeps her sharp and she hopes she can serve as an inspiration to others.
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Lefties Mickelson, Watson look to add to wins at Travelers
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Phil Mickelson jokes that TPC River Highlands is clearly a left-handed golf course.
Mickelson and fellow lefty Bubba Watson have combined to win five times in Connecticut since 2001. That’s 28 percent of the tournaments played in Cromwell this century.
The two will be playing in the same Travelers Championship for the first time on Thursday, part of a field that includes 16 of the top 30 golfers in the world.
Mickelson won back-to-back Connecticut tournaments in 2001 and 2002, but has not played the event since 2003. Watson, the defending champion, will be looking for his fourth win in Cromwell since 2010.
There have been eight other top-10 finishes by left-handers since the tournament moved to TPC River Highlands in 1984.
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Man arrested in connection with death of soccer player Sala
LONDON (AP) — English police investigating the death of Argentine soccer player Emiliano Sala say a man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
A single-engine aircraft carrying Sala and pilot David Ibbotson crashed in the English Channel on Jan. 21. The body of Sala, who had just signed for Cardiff City from French club Nantes and was traveling to join his new club, was recovered from the wreckage two weeks later.
Police in the southwest English county of Dorset, where Sala’s body was brought in February, have been investigating the circumstances of the player’s death.
Detective Inspector Simon Huxter, of Dorset Police, said a 64-year-old man from North Yorkshire in England was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of “manslaughter by an unlawful act.” Huxter said the man assisted with police inquiries and was released from custody under investigation.”
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NASCAR denies Chastain appeal of disqualification at Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — NASCAR denied Ross Chastain’s appeal Wednesday after his race-winning truck was disqualified following a postrace inspection at Iowa Speedway over the weekend.
National Motorsports Appeals Panelist Bryan Moss heard Chastain’s appeal and chose to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR for the No. 44 being too low. Niece Motorsports owner Al Niece had said the truck passed opening and pre-race inspections and may have suffered minor damage during the race that left it too low.
Chastain’s disqualification was the first under strict new rules put in place this season to deter cheating and it was the first time this year a winning car had been DQ’d on race day.
NASCAR said the last time it disqualified an apparent race winner was April 17, 1960, when Emanuel Zervakis’ victory at Wilson Speedway in North Carolina was thrown out because of an oversized fuel tank. The last driver stripped of a victory was Mike Skinner the day after a 1999 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway for an unapproved cylinder head.
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Rays’ Cy Young winner Snell chased by Yankees after 1 out
NEW YORK (AP) — Rays left-hander Blake Snell was pulled Wednesday after one out against the New York Yankees in one of the worst outings ever by a Cy Young Award winner.
Snell walked four, gave up two hits and was charged with six runs in the shortest start of his career. Gary Sánchez drove in three with his 21st homer, and reliever Colin Poche allowed three inherited runners to score after Snell exited.
The left-hander is the first reigning Cy Young winner to allow at least six runs and get no more than one out in a start, according to STATS. His previous short outing was one-plus inning against the Yankees on Sept. 26, 2017.
New York is attempting to sweep a three-game home series against the Rays and stretch its AL East lead to 3 1/2 games over Tampa Bay.
Yankees starter CC Sabathia — a 2007 Cy Young winner — was trying for his 250th career victory.
