Jackson makes history with speedskating victory
Erin Jackson became the first Black American woman to win a World Cup speedskating race.
She won the 500 meters Friday at the season opener in Poland, finishing in 37.613 seconds. Defending Olympic champion Nao Kodaira of Japan was 0.13 seconds behind. The field included all three medalists from the world championships in February, when Jackson didn’t compete.
Jackson’s previous best World Cup finish was ninth.
She became the first Black woman to qualify for a U.S. Olympic longtrack speedskating team in 2018, just four months after taking up the sport. Jackson finished 24th in the 500 at the Pyeongchang Games.
She switched to the ice from inline skating and roller derby.
The 29-year-old skater from Ocala, Florida, didn’t compete internationally last season after an eye injury and multiple people around her got the coronavirus.
Jackson recorded her best times in a pair of 500 races in Salt Lake City last month at a World Cup qualifying meet. She defeated two-time Olympian Brittany Bowe in both races.
American Shani Davis is the most successful Black male speedskater in history, winning four Olympic medals, including two golds.
College football
RIDDER BREAKS CINCINNATI TD RECORD
>> Desmond Ridder threw two touchdown passes to break the Cincinnati career record and ran for a score to help the No. 2 Bearcats beat South Florida 45-28.
Cincinnati (10-0, 6-0 American Athletic, No. 5 CFP), one of four unbeaten FBS teams, has started the season with 10 consecutive wins for just the second time in school history. The Bearcats also did it in 2009, when they got off to a 12-0 start.
Ridder broke the school record with this 79th touchdown pass, a 21yard strike to Josh Whyle early in the third that made it 31-7.
Ridder completed 31 of 39 passes for 304 yards, and ran for 65 yards on 13 carries.
The Bearcats played without running back Jerome Ford due to a leg injury that happened during last week against Tulsa. Ford has 888 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. Jaren Mangham had two rushing TDs for South Florida (2-8, 1-5), which has lost 19 consecutive games against teams ranked in the top 20 since upsetting Notre Dame on the road in October 2011.
Golf
TRAINER LEADS HOUSTON OPEN WITH PLAY SUSPENDED >> Martin Trainer, ranked No. 1,310 in the world, stood at 10 under par and held a one-stroke lead at the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open when play was suspended due to darkness.
After Thursday’s opening round started late due to rain, the field had to complete the round Friday morning before beginning round two. Sixty-five players will finish their rounds this morning before the cut line is determined.
Trainer finished off a 5-under 65 for his first round, then posted the same score for round two. He leads Kevin Tway (67-64) by one shot. THOMPSON, KUPCHO SHARE SECONDROUND LEAD IN FLORIDA >> Lexi Thompson and Jennifer Kupcho scored matching rounds of 6-under 64 to tie for the 36-hole lead at the Pelican Women’s Championship at Belleair, Fla.
At 11 under, Thompson and Kupcho lead Ireland’s Leona Maguire (68) and Chinese Taipei’s Wei-Ling Hsu (64) by one shot. Five more players are tied for fifth at 9 under at Pelican Golf Club.
TRIPLETT MOVES INTO LEAD AT SCHWAB CUP >> The largest, most boisterous crowds at Phoenix Country Club followed Phil Mickelson, roaring with approval whenever Lefty knocked one close, groaning when he made a mistake.
Kirk Triplett drowned out the noise and kept his focus, calmly pouring in one birdie after another at the Schwab Cup. Enjoying the large crowds, Triplett shot a 7-under 64 to move into the lead and Jim Furyk kept himself in contention for the season title with a 67 in the second round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Furyk is tied for third place with Mickelson at 10 under after reeling off six birdies.
Tennis
KONTAVEIT BEATS PLISKOVA TO ADVANCE
FROM GROUP AT WTA FINALS >> Anett Kontaveit stretched her winning streak to 12 matches by beating Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-0 to secure a spot in the semifinals at the WTA Finals.
The 25-year-old Estonian now has won 28 of her last 30 matches, including her title run at Ostrava. Prior to that stretch she had a 19-13 record for the year.