Ducati's Marc Marquez wins Americas GP sprint to stay undefeated
March 29 (Reuters) - Ducati's Marc Marquez maintained his perfect start to the 2025 MotoGP season when the polesitter won the sprint at the Americas Grand Prix on Saturday to remain undefeated and extend his lead in the championship.
Marquez had become the first rider to claim eight poles at a single circuit when he set the fastest time in qualifying earlier on Saturday and a fifth win in five sprints and races this season moved Marquez to 86 points.
Marquez's brother and closest competitor Alex of Gresini Racing finished second once again to move up to 67 points while factory Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia completed the podium.
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Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Imane Khelif breaks silence after leaked medical report ‘proves Olympic gender-row boxer is a biological male'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IMANE KHELIF has issued a response after a leaked medical report claimed the gold medal-winning Olympian was a "biological male". Khelif, 26, won Algeria's first-ever female gold medal in boxing during the Paris Games in 2024. 2 Imane Khelif won Algeria's first-ever gold medal in women's boxing at the Paris Olympics Credit: Reuters 2 But the gender row which plagued Khelif then has now resurfaced from a leaked medical report Credit: AP However, during Khelif's run to the final, she was embroiled in a bitter gender row after being banned from International Boxing Association competition in 2023. The IBA banned Khelif after tests taken in New Delhi allegedly produced the DNA of a 'male'. The IOC - who replaced the IBA as the Olympic's boxing governing body - were warned about the tests and urged to remove Khelif from the competition. But Khelif was allowed to box in Paris because of her female passport status. Now, the alleged sex-test results from the 2023 World Championships have been published for the first time by 3 Wire Sports, and suggest the boxer is biologically male. American journalist Alan Abrahamson produced the result of a test said to have been carried out on the boxer in New Delhi in March 2023 - which triggered the boxer's disqualification. The document published summarises the findings on Khelif as 'abnormal', stating: 'Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype." A karyotype refers to an individual's complete set of chromosomes, which in Khelif's case has been reported by (IBA) as being XY, the male pattern. Khelif refused to respond directly to the claims in a social media post on Monday, instead focusing on her work as a Unicef ambassador - a role she has held since January 2024. The post featured a photo of Khelif wearing a blue polo bearing the organisation's logo as she made a heart symbol with her hands to celebrate the "Global Day of Parents". Imane Khelif wins Olympic gold in women's welterweight final after huge gender row that has grabbed worldwide attention She paid tribute to her own parents in the caption, saying: "Today, I became a champion, but it all started long ago. When my parents believed in me, even when the dream felt too big. "When they supported me, listened to me, and stood by me. Being a parent isn't easy. There's no manual. But the love, patience, and trust you give your child can change everything. "On this #GlobalDayOfParents, I just want to say thank you. Thank you to every parent who chooses, every single day, to be there for their children. "Together with @unicefalgerie, I'm celebrating these everyday heroes. Because when parents are supported, children can dream and succeed." The alleged test results disputing Khelif's gender carry the letterhead of Dr Lal PathLabs in New Delhi, accredited by the American College of Pathologists and certified by the Swiss-based International Organisation for Standardisation. This directly challenges what IOC spokesman Mark Adams said in a tense news conference at the Paris Olympics. He described the results that saw Khelif banned as 'ad hoc' and 'not legitimate'. IOC president Thomas Bach even claimed that the results are the product of a Russian-led misinformation campaign. It followed after the IBA - headed by Russia's Umar Kremlev - had been stripped of IOC recognition in a row over ethics and financial management. Khelif has always denied being a biological male and even named JK Rowling and Elon Musk in a cyberbullying lawsuit. And the 26-year-old has vowed to fight on, even eyeing another gold at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. But World Boxing has ruled that Khelif is ineligible to enter future events as a woman without first submitting to the same chromosome testing that has already triggered the boxer's disqualification at global level. The governing body - provisionally approved to run Olympic boxing in LA - announced that all athletes in its competitions over 18 years old must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic test to determine their sex. The test detects chromosomal material through a mouth swab, saliva or blood. Khelif has failed to provide any evidence of having female chromosomes in the nine months since the gender scandal erupted. In February, Khelif spoke out in her defence and wrote: 'For two years, I have taken the high road while my name and image have been used, unauthorised, to further personal and political agendas through the spreading and dissemination of baseless lies and misinformation. But silence is no longer an option. 'The IBA, an organisation that I am no longer associated with and which is no longer recognised by the IOC, have again made baseless accusations that are false and offensive, using them to further their agenda... 'My team is carefully reviewing the situation and will take all necessary legal steps to ensure that my rights and the principles of fair competition are upheld." An IOC spokesperson told Sun Sport: "The IOC has always made it clear that eligibility criteria are the responsibility of the respective International Federation. "The factors that matter to sports performance are unique to each sport, discipline, and/or event. "We await the full details how sex testing will be implemented in a safe, fair and legally enforceable way."
Reuters
9 hours ago
- Reuters
Record-chasing Swiatek dispatches Svitolina to make French Open last four
PARIS, June 3 (Reuters) - Four-times champion Iga Swiatek of Poland swept aside Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-1 7-5 on a windy day at the French Open on Tuesday to earn a semi-final spot and stay in the hunt for a record-breaking victory in Paris The 24-year-old, who accepted a one-month doping ban late last year, is looking to become the first woman in the professional era since 1968 to win four consecutive titles in Paris. Although she failed to win a title going into the French Open this season, she looks to have rediscovered her remarkable claycourt form in Paris. She will next play world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a mouth-watering semi-final after the Belarusian beat China's Zheng Qinwen in straight sets. "I should have had better intensity in the beginning of the second set," Swiatek said in a post-match interview. "When I saw my intensity go low I got it high again. I am happy I did it at the end of the set. "Against Aryna it is always a challenge. She has a game for every surface. I have to do the work, be brave with my shots and go for it. She is having a great season." "I will not lie. It will be a tough match but am happy for the challenge," she said. The Pole is now on a 26-match winning streak at the French Open, following her title three-peat between 2022-24 to add to her 2020 crown. Swiatek, playing in an initially sparsely filled Philipp Chatrier stadium, broke the Ukrainian, in her fifth quarter-final appearance in Paris, early and kept her on the back foot with her heavy top-spin forehand and rapid changes in pace and direction. Svitolina desperately tried to hang on but she could not match her opponent's power in rallies, sending a forehand into the net to hand her another break as Swiatek bagged the set on her serve in the next game. With her husband, French tennis player Gael Monfils, watching from the stands, Svitolina ignited hope among the crowd when she moved 5-4 up in the second set. Three unforced forehand errors in the next game, however, proved too many and Swiatek raced through the next three games to seal victory, firing three aces in the final game including one on match point.
Reuters
9 hours ago
- Reuters
Djokovic meets Zverev in French Open quarters with unfinished business
PARIS, June 3 (Reuters) - The French Open quarter-finals continue on Wednesday with top seed Jannik Sinner in action, Novak Djokovic facing his first true test when he takes on Alexander Zverev and an all-American clash between Coco Gauff and Madison Keys. TOP MEN'S MATCH: ALEXANDER ZVEREV V NOVAK DJOKOVIC As Djokovic chases a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title, 28-year-old third seed Zverev is still seeking his first major crown. Zverev has had more success at the claycourt major than any of the others, with three semi-final appearances between 2021-2023, and he reached the final last year where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz after being one set away from the title. The two have not met on clay since 2019 and Djokovic has unfinished business having retired injured last time they met in the Australian Open semi-final in January. "He's 10 years younger, he calls himself a veteran of the game. What should I call myself, then?," Djokovic joked after booking his quarter-final place with his 100th victory at Roland Garros. Djokovic holds an 8-5 win-loss record against Zverev, who said the Serbian -- the sixth seed this year -- would never be a dark horse. "The guy won 24 Grand Slams. He's never going to be a black horse. He definitely knows how to play tennis," Zverev said. "He definitely knows what it means to be on the big stage and to play big matches. There is no doubt about that." TOP WOMEN'S MATCH: MADISON KEYS V COCO GAUFF As Keys looks to stay unbeaten in Grand Slam matches this year, the Australian Open champion plays an American for the third consecutive round when she takes on Coco Gauff, a fellow major winner. Both players have won one hardcourt Grand Slam each but Gauff has started adapting to clay and shown she can be a worthy contender for the title having reached the finals in Madrid and Rome last month. "Coco is obviously pretty dominant on clay. I would say it's probably her best surface to play on. It's obviously a big challenge," Keys said. "For me, it's going to be a lot about trying to balance going after things. But knowing with her ability to cover the court, you're going to have to win the point multiple times before it's actually over." Gauff is looking to replicate her 2022 run to the final and the 21-year-old said she is now more mature. "I'm less nervous going into matches, for sure, and knowing just the ups and downs of tennis and of a tennis match," she said. "I still feel the years here, I feel like I get better with each match. I felt like that was something that I did in '22 and last year as well, and something I'm doing here right now." Two unseeded players remain at Roland Garros where both have delighted crowds and punched above their weight -- Alexander Bublik and local hope Lois Boisson, who is ranked world number 361. Bublik has won more claycourt matches than in his previous three years combined and the 27-year-old has earned a quarter-final match-up with top seed Jannik Sinner. In the women's draw, Boisson will hope for more than just the sparse post-lunch crowd that watched her stun world number three Jessica Pegula on Monday, when the wildcard plays sixth seed Mirra Andreeva. FRENCH OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON WEDNESDAY (prefix number denotes seeding) COURT PHILIPPE-CHATRIER (play begins at 0900 GMT) 7-Madison Keys (U.S.) v 2-Coco Gauff (U.S.) 6-Mirra Andreeva (Russia) v Lois Boisson (France) 1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan) 3-Alexander Zverev (Germany) v 6-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
