Digest

SKIING

Heilongjiang trio rule at National Games

Heilongjiang province skiers swept the women's slalom events at the Chinese National Winter Games in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia.

Zhu Tianhui clocked a combined time of 1 minute 45 seconds over two races for victory. Kong Fanying was 2.17 seconds back in second, with Ni Yueming a further 0.78 seconds behind in third.

The Heilongjiang trio also monopolized the podium on Saturday in the women's giant slalom, with Ni claiming gold.

Jilin veteran Zhang Yangming won the men's slalom in 1:36.78, with Heilongjiang's Wang Yu taking second, at 1.25 seconds back. Jilin's Murat Akcholi, the giant slalom winner on Saturday, was third, 2.59 seconds adrift of Zhang, who finished fourth in Saturday's giant slalom.

BASKETBALL

Injury-plagued Ducks swap Lin for Hamilton

The Beijing Ducks have swapped point guard Jeremy Lin for center Justin Hamilton ahead of schedule because of the team's deepening injury crisis.

With CBA teams afforded two overseas players, the Ducks had planned to rest Lin in January, and use Hamilton and Ekpe Udoh.

However, that rotation has been brought forward, with a Ducks statement on Sunday reading: "Due to extensive injuries sustained by post players, the Beijing Ducks have immediately activated Justin Hamilton for the upcoming matches. Jeremy Lin's rotation has taken place ahead of schedule."

NBA champion Lin has averaged 24.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and two steals per game for the Ducks. The former Toronto Raptors player is expected to return to the side around Chinese New Year in late January.

Lin's rotation won't affect his scheduled appearance at the CBA All-Star Weekend (Jan 11-12) when the 31-year-old is set to start for the Northern Conference.

CRICKET

South Africa snuffs out England's mini-revival

Host South Africa defeated England by 107 runs with over a day to spare in the first Test at Centurion on Sunday.

England was 121-1 overnight facing a target of 376, raising faint hopes of a Headingley repeat, when Ben Stokes led the English to one of Test cricket's most memorable come-from-behind wins in the Ashes series against Australia in August.

But South Africa struck twice in the first session of the fourth day at SuperSport Park, bided its time waiting for the new ball after lunch, and then ran through England's lower order, taking the last six wickets for 46 runs in 12 overs.

England was all out for 268 and lost nine wickets for 147 on the day.

"We needed that," said South Africa captain Faf du Plessis. South Africa had lost its last five Tests and had rushed in a new coaching team led by Mark Boucher to stabilize its squad less than two weeks before the start of the England series.

SOCCER

US tycoon Friedkin poised to buy Roma

US billionaire Dan Friedkin is poised to buy a majority stake in Italian club Roma in a deal worth up to 780 million euros ($872 million), according to reports in Italy.

The 54-year-old Texas-based businessman will imminently take over the Serie A club from a US consortium led by fellow American James Pallotta. Gazzetta Dello Sport and Sky Sports Italia reported that a preliminary agreement has been reached between both parties. There was no official confirmation of the deal from Roma, but in November the club said it was in "preliminary talks with potential investors".

Friedkin is the chief executive of Friedkin Group, the owner of Gulf States Toyota, an independent vehicle distributor in the US.

Roma is fourth in Serie A, seven points behind leader Inter Milan.

NFL

49ers fend off Seattle surge to clinch top spot

Raheem Mostert rushed for two second-half touchdowns and the San Francisco 49ers made a late defensive stand to claim the NFC West crown and No 1 seed in the NFC playoffs with a 26-21 victory at Seattle on Sunday night.

The Seahawks got a first down inside the San Francisco 1-yard line with 23 seconds remaining, but after quarterback Russell Wilson spiked the ball, Seattle took a delay of game to make it second-and-goal from the 5. After a pair of incomplete passes, tight end Jacob Hollister was stopped inches short of the goal line on a fourth-down reception with nine seconds remaining.

Officials reviewed the play for several minutes before announcing that Hollister indeed had been downed just before the ball crossed the goal line. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw made the division-saving play. The 49ers (13-3) will get a bye in next weekend's wild-card round while the Seahawks (11-5) get the No 5 seed and will play at No 4 seed Philadelphia (9-7) on Sunday afternoon in the final game of wild-card weekend.