Digest

VOLLEYBALL

Zhu Ting targeting Olympic Games treble

Zhu Ting

Team China captain Zhu Ting has revealed she hopes to complete a hat-trick of Olympic appearances in her career.

Zhu enjoyed a stunning Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games, helping China to gold and collecting the MVP award.

Next up is the postponed Tokyo Games in 2021, and the superstar spiker hopes Paris 2024 will follow.

"Personally, I would like to be able to do this, but it will take another five or six years and I hope that my competitiveness can be maintained until then," Zhu told China Central Television.

At 25, Zhu remains at the peak of her powers and said that she will "never stop running".

"I must keep my advantage in the field, and as a member of the Chinese women's volleyball team I also have the responsibility to lead our younger members by improving myself," she said.

As for how the postponement of the Tokyo Games might affect China's medal chances, Zhu said: "We can use this time to strengthen our weak spots."

BASKETBALL

Hall of Famer Unseld passes away aged 74

NBA Hall of Famer Wes Unseld died on Tuesday morning, his family and the Washington Wizards announced in a joint statement. He was 74.

The family said that Unseld passed away peacefully following lengthy health issues, most recently with pneumonia.

Unseld played for the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets franchise for 13 seasons (1968-81), including being named the NBA Finals MVP in 1978, when he led the Baltimore Bullets to their only NBA title.

Unseld was named both the NBA Rookie of the Year and the NBA MVP in 1968-69, joining Wilt Chamberlain as one of only two players ever to accomplish the feat. He averaged 13.8 points and a career-best 18.2 rebounds while playing all 82 games that season. A year later, he averaged a career-best 16.2 points to go along with 16.7 rebounds while again playing 82 games.

Unseld was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1988.

Unseld's son, Wes Unseld Jr., is an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets.

SKATEBOARDING

Eleven-year-old Tokyo hopeful fractures skull

Sky Brown

Eleven-year-old skateboarder Sky Brown, who is hoping to become Britain's youngest Olympian next year, fractured her skull and broke bones in her left hand after falling from a ramp during a training session in California.

Brown posted a video of the accident on Instagram but reassured supporters she was fine.

"I don't usually post my falls or talk about them ... but this was my worst fall. I just want everyone to know that it's ok, don't worry, I'm ok," she said.

"I'm going to push boundaries for girls with my skating and surfing. I'm going for gold in 2021 and nothing will stop me."

Skateboard GB said Brown had surgery on her hand and wrist on Monday and should make a full recovery.

"Our thoughts are with Sky and her family, and we wish her a speedy recovery," said Skateboard GB's CEO James Hope-Gill.

MOTOR SPORTS

Formula One revving up for Austrian opener

Formula One will finally get underway with back-to-back races at the Austrian Grand Prix in July as part of an eight-race European swing.

The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg will host races on July 5 and 12, governing body FIA said in a statement on Tuesday.

The next race will be in Hungary on July 19 followed by consecutive races at the British GP at Silverstone on Aug 2 and 9 after the British government exempted elite sports from an upcoming quarantine on foreign visitors.

Further races are scheduled for Spain on Aug 16 and Belgium on Aug 30, with Italy completing the European swing on Sept 6.

"Over the past two months, Formula One has been working closely with all partners, authorities, the FIA and the 10 teams to create a revised calendar that will allow a return to racing in a way that is safe," the FIA said.

"Due to the ongoing fluidity of the COVID-19 situation internationally, the details of the wider calendar will be finalized in the coming weeks."

There will be no spectators allowed to attend, although there may be later in the year if health conditions allow it.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Teams ordered to hold training camps at home

All 32 NFL teams have been told by commissioner Roger Goodell to hold training camps at their home facilities this summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most NFL teams stay at their training complexes year-round, but Dallas, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Buffalo, Indianapolis, Carolina, Washington and the Los Angeles Rams are among those that stage portions of training camps elsewhere.

The Cowboys and Steelers are scheduled for the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, on Aug 6 and will be the first two teams to report in late July. Dallas usually trains in Oxnard, California, and Pittsburgh in nearby Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

The Cowboys have never held their entire preseason at home. The Steelers have trained at St. Vincent College in Latrobe for more than a half-century.

SOCCER

Ighalo elated to extend Old Trafford loan deal

Odion Ighalo

Odion Ighalo said on Tuesday he was living the dream after his loan move to Manchester United was extended despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The Nigeria international, a lifelong United fan, joined the club on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in January just as the COVID-19 outbreak was emerging in China.

The virus then spread to Europe and brought the English Premier League season to a halt in mid-March. It looked then as if the 30-year-old's Old Trafford career might amount to just eight games given his original deal was due to expire on May 31.

But ahead of the Premier League season resuming on June 17, United said on Monday they had agreed with Shenhua to extend Ighalo's loan move until January.

"I'm really happy. It's a dream for me to be here. I'm buzzing and ready to go," Ighalo told MUTV.

Xinhua - Agencies