Bolt gets a shot at soccer deal
SYDNEY, Australia — Usain Bolt is quickly closing in on a professional soccer career.
The Jamaican sprinting great has negotiated an “indefinite training period” with Central Coast Mariners in Australia’s A-League. The eight-time Olympic gold medallist and the 100- and 200meter world record holder has been chasing another career ambition since quitting quit track and field. The Mariners said the agreement does not guarantee Bolt a professional contract.
“It has been my dream to play professional football and I know that it will involve a lot of hard work and training to get to the level required to play and make an impact in the A-League,” the 31-year-old Bolt said in a statement released by the Mariners on Tuesday. “I am very excited about coming to Australia and would like to thank the owner and management of the Central Coast Mariners for giving me this opportunity.”
CFL Manziel debut big for ESPN ratings
Johnny Manziel’s CFL
debut gave the league a record television number for ESPN.
Manziel’s first CFL game, as the starting quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes against Hamilton last Friday, attracted an average audience of 406,000 on ESPN2 — making it the most-watched game for ESPN since it started showing CFL contests in 1980. The previous record was a Saskatchewan-Edmonton game in June 2013 that drew an average of 347,000 viewers on ESPN2. The Manziel game drew a combined average audience of 730,000 on TSN and RDS.
Manziel, a former Heisman
Trophy winner, threw four interceptions as the last-place Alouettes lost 50-11 to Hamilton.
NFL Browns rookie cited for marijuana
BEREA, Ohio — Antonio Callaway didn’t take long to run into trouble with the Browns.
The fourth-round draft pick and wide receiver from Florida, who arrived in Cleveland with a history of issues while in college, was cited early Sunday morning for marijuana possession and driving
with a suspended license.
According to a report by police in Strongsville, Ohio, Callaway was pulled over in his car after he failed to yield to on oncoming traffic. Police found a “small amount” of marijuana and cited Callaway, who was stopped on a day off for Cleveland’s players at training camp. The Browns selected Callaway in this year’s draft despite his checkered past.
SOFTBALL Japan blanks Canada at softball worlds
ICHIHARA, Japan — One
error by Canada loomed large as the team lost 2-0 to Japan on Tuesday at the women’s softball world championship.
A throwing error by Canadian second baseman Kelsey Jenkins with two out in the third led to the only two runs of the game for Japan. The Canadians (4-2) sit third in Group B heading into their preliminary pool finale on Wednesday against winless Botswana.
Meanwhile, Kristi Merritt and Sahvanna Jaquish homered as the United States beat South Africa 7-0 in five innings to improve to 6-0. The U.S. will play Puerto
Rico (6-0) on Wednesday with first place in the group at stake.
The winner of the tournament will be awarded a 2020 Olympic berth.
TENNIS Serena reveals postpartum struggle
Serena Williams says she’s been struggling with postpartum emotions and wants other new moms to know they are “totally normal.”
The 23-time Grand Slam champion suffered the most lopsided setback of her career, a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Johanna Konta in San Jose last Tuesday. She then withdrew from this week’s Rogers Cup in Montreal, citing personal reasons.
“I felt like I was not a good mom,” Williams said in an Instagram post.
“It’s totally normal to feel like I’m not doing enough for my baby. Although I have been with her every day of her life, I’m not around as much as I would like to be.”