U.S. bobsledder delayed by COVID
U.S. Olympic bobsledder Josh Williamson has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not fly with his teammates to China on Thursday, though he remains hopeful of getting there in time for the Beijing Games.
Williamson — expected to be part of the USA-1 four-man team in Beijing — tested positive Sunday and revealed his status Wednesday. He has spent the last few days at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic training site in Southern California, along with many other members of the Beijing-bound bobsled and skeleton teams.
“This has not been an easy pill to swallow,” Williamson said. “I have felt pretty helpless throughout this process, but I’ve also found myself laughing a bit at the situation I’m in. Isn’t it ironic that after four years of hard work, all there is to do is sit, rest, recover and have faith? Things I struggle to do the most.”
He will need to return several negative tests before he’s allowed to fly to China, and everyone arriving in Beijing for the Olympics will need to test negative again upon arrival. He has some time, considering that official training for four-man bobsledding at the Yanqing Sliding Center north of Beijing does not begin until Feb. 16.
Golf
RAHM IS BEST ON SOUTH COURSE >> Topranked Jon Rahm closed with an eagle on the tougher South Course at Torrey Pines for a 6-under 66, trailing leader Billy Horschel by three strokes after the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open.
Horschel shot a bogey-free 9-under 63 on the North Course and led Michael Thompson by one stroke. Of the 30 players who shot 67 or better, 26 played the North. Rahm’s was the best score on the South by one over Luke List, Peter Malnati and Cameron Tringale. The players switch courses Thursday and play the final two rounds on the South.
Taking advantage of the North’s shorter distances, Horschel made five birdies on the front nine, highlighted by a 25-foot putt on the par-4 second hole.
College men’s basketball
BYNUM’S 3-POINTER LIFTS NO. 17 PROVIDENCE OVER NO. 21 XAVIER >> Jared Bynum’s 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining lifted No. 17 Providence to a 65-62 victory over No. 21 Xavier.
Al Durham led the Friars with 22 points, helping them improve to 17-2 for the first time since the 1976-77 season.
Paul Scruggs, who led Xavier with 16 points, hit a 3-pointer to give the Musketeers a 62-60 lead with 56 seconds left. But he missed a go-ahead floater to help set up Bynum’s game-winner. MACK OUT AS LOUISVILLE COACH >> Chris Mack is out as Louisville men’s basketball coach.
Mack and the school agreed to part ways and assistant Mike Pegues has been named interim coach for the remainder of the Cardinals’ season.
Mack leaves after going 6-8 since returning Dec. 1 from a six-game suspension by the school for failing to follow university guidelines in his handling of an extortion attempt by fired Cardinals assistant coach Dino Gaudio last spring.
College women’s basketball
PELLINGTON HELPS NO. 8 ARIZONA BEAT UCLA >> Shaina Pellington scored 12 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter and Sam Thomas added 19 points to lead No. 8 Arizona to a 74-63 victory over UCLA.
Arizona (15-2, 5-2 Pac-12) has won four of its last five games and ended the Bruins’ four-game win streak.
The Bruins (9-5, 4-2) were led by IImar’I Thomas who had 14 points. Natalie Chou added 13 and Charisma Osborne 12.
Women’s soccer
RAPINOE, LAVELLE RE-SIGN WITH OL REIGN >> Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle are back with OL Reign.
The National Women’s Soccer League club re-signed Rapinoe to a one-year deal while Lavelle’s new deal is for two. Rapinoe and Lavelle were on the U.S. team that won the World Cup in 2019. Both spent time away from the Reign last season because of the Tokyo Olympics.