IndyCar’s Wickens reveals he’s paralyzed
IndyCar driver Robert Wickens is paralyzed from the chest down from injuries suffered in an August crash at Pocono Raceway.
The 29-year-old Canadian has been updating his rehabilitation progress on social media and posted a video Thursday of his “first slide transfer as a paraplegic” that showed him moving from a table to his wheelchair. It was the first time he publicly confirmed his paralysis.
“I’ve only been posting videos of the small movement in my legs, but the reality is I am far away from walking on my own,” Wickens wrote. “Some people are a bit confused with the severity of my injury, so I wanted let you know the reality of it. I’ve never worked harder for anything in my life, and I am giving it all I’ve got to spark those nerves in my legs.”
Wickens suffered a thoracic spinal fracture, spinal cord injury, neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to both legs, fractures in both hands, fractured right forearm, fractured elbow, four fractured ribs and a pulmonary contusion in the Aug. 19 crash.
Jack Beckman led funny car qualifying in the NHRA Toyota Nationals at the Strip at Las Vegas. Clay Millican led in top fuel, Greg Anderson in pro stock and Eddie Krawiec in pro stock motorcycle.
New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes had the second of two foot operations the team hopes will enable him to return in eight to 10 months.
Top-seeded Roger Federer beat Gilles Simon 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-4 in the Swiss Indoors quarterfinals and advanced to face Daniil Medvedev, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Second-seeded Alexander Zverev won 7-5, 6-3 against Roberto Bautista Agut . ... Sloane Stephens advanced to the semifinals at the WTA Finals in Singapore, improving to 3-0 by beating Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-3. Naomi Osaka finished her debut in the event with a leg injury and an 0-3 record. She was trailing Kiki Bertens, who also advanced to the semifinals, 6-3 when she retired . ... Top-ranked Rafael Nadal plans to make his comeback from a knee injury at the Paris Masters next week . ... Video review for certain judgment calls will be available for the first time in men’s professional tennis at the Next Gen ATP Finals for top 21-and-under players . ... The Women’s Tennis Assn. has dedicated its trophy for the top-ranked player of the year in honor of Chris Evert.
Matt Antoine, the 2014 Olympic bronze medalist in skeleton, announced his retirement . ... Olympic medalists Elana Meyers Taylor, L.A. native Lauren Gibbs and Justin Olsen have been chosen for the U.S. national bobsled team . ... Seven-time World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher was voted skier of the year, becoming the second athlete to receive the award for a fourth time.
A vote on a $25-billion overhaul of world soccer competitions was put on on hold at a meeting of the FIFA Council after mounting disapproval from European leaders and clubs. The council ratified the financial package for next year’s Women’s World Cup, increasing the total prize money from $15 million to $30 million. The total prize money for the 2022 men’s World Cup will be $440 million.
John Ziegler Jr., a former president of the NHL who oversaw the league’s merger with the World Hockey Assn., died at 84. Page B6.
The Glendale Unified School District canceled Thursday’s scheduled cross-city rivalry football game between Glendale and Hoover high schools out of concern for safety due to “rumors of possible disruptions,” according to a district statement. It is the first game to be canceled in the series that began in 1930.