Kelowna’s Ruck strikes gold in Toyko
TOKYO — Taylor Ruck almost psyched herself out before the race even started.
Knowing she was swimming against five-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky in the 200-metre freestyle Thursday at the Pan Pacific Championships, the Canadian had to calm herself down as she readied to dive into the pool.
“It’s the name, I guess, because she is the fastest woman on the planet in a lot of races,” Ruck said of the U.S. great. “My coach kind of saw that, so he told me to focus on my lane and my race.”
Ruck, from Kelowna, B.C., won the 200 in one minute 54.44 seconds, just ahead of Japanese rival Rikako Ikee. Ledecky was third in 1:55.15.
Rivard starts quickly at para-championship
CAIRNS, Australia — Canadian swimming star Aurelie Rivard broke her own world record in the women’s S10 400-metre freestyle Thursday at the Pan Pacific Para-Swimming Championship. The 22-year-old from St-Jean-surRichelieu, Que., won the first final of the competition in four minutes 29.27 seconds, lowering her previous world standard of 4:29.96 set at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Angela Marina of Cambridge, Ont., won gold in the S14 200 freestyle in Canadian-record time of 2:16.70 to add to Canada’s opening-day medal haul of five gold and two silver medals. Justine Morrier of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu (SB14), Katarina Roxon of Kippens, N.L. (SB8) and Tess Routliffe of Caledon, Ont. (SB7) won gold in their categories in the women’s 100 breaststroke. Canada’s other medals came in the men’s 400 freestyle, with Philippe Vachon of Blainville, Que., (S8) and Alec Elliot of Kitchener, Ont., (S10) capturing silver in their categories.
HOCKEY Coyotes put lock on centre Dvorak
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes have signed centre Christian Dvorak to a six-year contract extension averaging $4.45 million per year. The deal, announced Thursday, will keep Dvorak in Arizona through 2024-25. The 22-year-old Dvorak was Arizona’s third-leading goal scorer with 15 last season and fifth in points with 37. He has 30 goals and 40 assists in 156 career games with the Coyotes.
Dvorak’s deal comes after the Coyotes locked up defencemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Niklas Hjalmarsson and forward Michael Grabner.
BASKETBALL Canadian Nurse inks deal in Australia
Canadian women’s basketball star Kia Nurse has signed a one-year deal with the University of Canberra Capitals of Australia’s WNBL.
The 22-year-old guard from Hamilton, Ont., is currently playing her first season with the New York Liberty of the WNBA. She scored 20 points Monday in her first career start. Earlier this season, the six-foot guard scored 34 points off the bench in a game against Indiana, setting franchise records for most points in a game by a rookie and most points by a reserve.
SOCCER Beckie joins Man City women’s team
Canadian international striker Janine Beckie has joined the Manchester City women’s team in a transfer from New Jersey-based Sky Blue FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Beckie, who turns 24 on Aug. 20, signed with the English team after a whirlwind week of negotiation. “I’m still a bit on Cloud 9,” Beckie said.
Beckie has 22 goals in 43 appearances for Canada and become the team’s most potent offensive threat.
AUTO RACING Retired Stewart eyes next year’s Indy 500
DEARBORN, Mich. — Tony Stewart would like to race in next year’s Indianapolis 500.
The 47-year-old retired NASCAR driver is an Indiana native who grew up hoping to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He did so twice in NASCAR’s Brickyard 400, but was never able to win the Indy 500. He last entered the event in 2001. Stewart revealed his interest to race at Indy again Thursday during Ford’s unveiling of the Mustang it will run in NASCAR’s Cup Series next season.