BULGARIAN WEIGHTLIFTER DIES YOUNG

SOFIA: Bulgaria’s former world championship silver medallist Damyan Damyanov died on Sunday at the age of 39, becoming the latest member of a once-mighty Bulgarian weightlifting team to pass away at a young age.

Former European weightlifting champion Velichko Cholakov, who served a four-year ban for doping, died at the age of 35 last year and the 2004 Olympic champion Milen Dobrev died at the same age three years ago.

Three-times weightlifting world champion Mihail Petrov passed away at the age of 28 in 1992. A hospital official in the northeastern town of Shumen confirmed Damyanov’s death and said the cause would only be known after an autopsy.

JOHNSON CLAIMS FIRST CANADIAN OPEN CROWN

TORONTO: World number one Dustin Johnson rebounded from a shock early exit at the British Open to capture the Canadian Open title on Sunday for his third victory of 2018.

Johnson fired a six-under 66 for a three-stroke win after starting the final round of the USPGA Tour event at the Glen Abbey course in a four-way tie for the lead.

WIGGINS TIPS THOMAS FOR MORE TOUR GLORY

LONDON: Bradley Wiggins has tipped Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas to retain his title after the Welshman ended teammate Chris Froome’s reign as champion.

“A lot of people win things like this and they get caught up in the moment and don’t realise what they’ve achieved,” he said on Eurosport.

“But with Geraint, he’s watched the Tour since he was a kid and to him he knows what it is. I don’t think he ever imagined this would happen.”

Wiggins, also a former Team Sky rider, feels Thomas is entering his prime and is in a strong position to retain the yellow jersey in 2019.

“He’s at that ripe age now, 32. He’s matured as a person and an athlete and his laid-back approach will continue to carry him through,” said Wiggins.