Palo Alto’s Zhou third after short program
Palo Alto’s Vincent Zhou made a huge leap Thursday to end up in third place after the men’s short program at the figure skating World Championships in Assago, Italy.
American teammate Nathan Chen leads the competition that lacks Olympic gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan and bronze winner Javier Fernandez of Spain. But Japanese silver medalist Shoma Uno struggled and ended fifth in the first performance of the two- day competition.
Zhou, 17, scored 98.78 points for a 12.25-point improvement over his personal best short-program score. The strong performance came a month after the teen landed the first quadruple lutz in Olympic history. Zhou finished sixth in Pyeongchang in his Olympic debut after posting a strong free skate.
Chen was fifth in South Korea by landing five quadruple jumps in his free skate. But the Grand Prix final champion left Pyeongchang disappointed because he was considered a strong medal contender. The Los Angelesbased skater scored 101.94 points Thursday while performing to Benjamin Clementine’s ”Nemesis.”
“It wasn’t a perfect short program but I’ll take it,” Chen told reporters. “It was definitely pretty great to be able to come back here and skate like I did. I’m using what I learned in the Olympics here.”
Chen, 18, said he planned five quadruple jumps for the free skate Saturday. Russian Mikhail Kolyada was second with 100.08 points followed by Zhou, the 2017 junior world champion. China’s Jin Boyang (95.85) is fourth.
Also, Olympic figure skating champions Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany set a world record as they claimed their first world championship as a pair with a flawless program, whichwas 18.6 points ahead of the second-place Russian team of Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov.
NFL
GORE AGREES TO TERMS
WITH DOLPHINS » Frank Gore is joining his hometown team. The NFL’s active rushing leader agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins, a person familiar with the negotiations told the AP. The deal won’t be final until Gore passes a physical. Gore, who turns 35 next month, grew up in South Florida and played for the Miami Hurricanes. He rushed for 961 yards for Indianapolis last year, and when the Colts decided against trying to re- sign him, there was speculation the 2017 season might have been his last. GIANTS TRADE PIERRE-PAUL
TOBUCS » Sending two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to Tampa Bay for two draft picks gives the New York Giants muchneeded salary cap space for 2019 and allows the Buccaneers to continue rebuilding a line that had the fewest sacks in the NFL last season. The Giants take another step in their rebuilding under new GM Dave Gettleman, and the Bucs upgraded their defense in a bid to end a decade-long playoff drought. The Giants will get Tampa Bay’s third-round pick (69th overall) in the draft in late April. The teams also will swap fourth-round picks, with the Bucs moving up to the 102nd pick and the Giants selecting 108th. HURST CAN PARTICIPATE » All-America defensive tackle Maurice Hurst has been given the OK by doctors to participate fully at Michigan’s pro day, according to an AP report. Hurst, a potential first-round pick, was held out of drills at the combine three weeks ago after doctors redflagged a heart condition. NFL teams will have an opportunity to watch Hurst and other former Wolverines go through drills, run and lift weights today.
Soccer
IBRAHIMOVIC TO JOIN GALAXY » Zlatan Ibrahimovic has signed a two-year contract with Major League Soccer to leave Manchester United and join the L. A. Galaxy, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
Ibrahimovic thanked Manchester United on Twitter.
“Great things also come to an end and it is time to move on after two fantastic seasons with Manchester United. Thank you to the club, the fans, the team, the coach, the staff and ev- erybody who shared with me this part of my history. # foreverred,” he wrote.
The 36-year-old forward is Sweden’s career scoring leader with 62 goals in 116 international appearances and is the first player to make Champions League appearances for seven teams.
He left Paris SaintGermain for Manchester United ahead of the 201617 season but since injuring his right knee on April 20 hasmade just two starts and five substitute appearances, scoring his only goal Dec. 20 against Bristol City in the League Cup. Manager Jose Mourinho has not used him since a Premier League match against Burnley on Dec. 26. ARGENTINA’S HOUSEMAN DIES » Rene Houseman, a striker who won the 1978 World Cup with Argentina, died after fighting tongue cancer for the past year. He was 64. The Argentine Football Association confirmed his death in a statement and praised Houseman for his skills and agility.
“Skillful, fast, unpredictable, he amazed fans and stood out for representing themost genuine part of Ar--
gentine soccer, the kind of soccer that is played in pastures and that is best-known for the dribble,” AFA said.
Known as “Loco,” or the “Crazy One,” Houseman represented Argentina in 55 games from1973-79, scoring 13 times. He played in the 1974 and 1978 World Cups. JUVENTUS TO PLAY IN MLS
ALL-STAR GAME » Juventus will play in Major League Soccer’s All- Star Game in Atlanta on Aug. 1.
Leading the Italian League as it pursues a seventh straight Serie A title, the Bianconeri will be the latest high- profile European club to face the top MLS players in the annual showcase. Real Madridw on last year’s game in Chicago on penalty kicks.
Led by forwards Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain, Juventus is Italy’s most successful club with 33 league championships.
Juventus is the second Serie A team to play in the AllStar Game, following Roma in 2013. The European opponent has won the past two All- Star Games since MLS beat Tottenham in 2015. PSG MUST CLOSE PART OF ITS STADIUM » Paris Saint-Germain must close part of its stadium at the next Champions League game it hosts as punishment for fans lighting f lares and fireworks. UEFA said its disciplinary panel ordered the north end of Parc des Princes closed because of incidents at PSG’s 2-1 loss to Real Madrid this month, a result that eliminated the French club fromthe last 16.
Baseball
AR RI ETA MAKES 1ST APPEARANCE FOR PHILLIES» Eight days before opening day, Jake Arrieta made his first appearance for the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I had a ton of nervous energy,” Arrieta said after allowing two runs that included Miguel Cabrera’s solo homer during a 6-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers in Clearwater, Fla.
Arrieta struck out two and walked none, throwing 31 pitches over two innings. He gave up three hits.
Three pitchers were ejected along with Philadelphia manager Gabe Kapler and bench coach Rob Thomson as three batters were hit by pitches during the game. Detroit starter Matthew Boyd and Philadelphia relievers Parker Frazier and Pedro Beato were tossed by plate umpire Tom Hallion.
Colleges
TENNESSEE, CURRIE AGREE TO SETTLEMENT » Tennessee has agreed to pay former athletic director John Currie $2.5 million as part of a settlement reached less than four months after he was suspended in the midst of a football coaching search.
Currie already had received nearly $280,000 since being placed on paid leave in December. School officials announced Currie will get an additional $2.2 million no later than April 1.
Tennis
TOP- RANKED HALEP WINS » Top-ranked Simona Halep of Romania struggled to post a 3- 6, 6- 3, 7- 5 second-round win over French lucky loser Oceane Dodin at the Miami Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. In the first career meeting between the players, Halep allowed the 98th-ranked Dodin to break her serve on six of seven opportunities she presented in the match, which lasted more than two hours.