Digest

ATHLETICS

Runners avoid wayward cameraman in final

A new obstacle appeared out of nowhere on the steeplechase course at the world championships－a cameraman.

Trying to get a great shot of the triple jump competition taking place in the infield Monday night, a World Athletics cameraman stepped onto the track, unaware that there was a live race going on behind him.

As a phalanx of runners was approaching the cameraman, the runners spread out to pass him and nobody was hurt.

"I was a little worried that he was going to dart one way or another, right at the last second," said Evan Jager of the US, who finished sixth." Thankfully he didn't realize we were there until we all passed him."

Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali won the race in a time of 8 minutes, 25.13 seconds.

World Athletics president Seb Coe said the federation is looking into what happened.

BASKETBALL

Wiggins wishes he didn't get vaccinated

Golden State forward Andrew Wiggins may cherish the NBA title and All-Star nod that came with the best season of his career, but he still wishes a COVID-19 vaccine hadn't been included in the mix.

"I still wish I didn't get (the vaccine) to be honest with you," the Canadian star told FanSided in an interview. "But you've got to do what you've got to do."

Wiggins had revealed his preference to remain unvaccinated last September, but finally agreed to get the jab because a San Francisco health order would have seen him sitting out home games if he didn't.

He earned the first All-Star selection of his eight-year career, but said in March that had not taken the sting out of the decision, even though he told the Bay Area News Group at the time that "it all worked out for the best".

It certainly did on the floor, where his exploits included a highlight-reel dunk over Mavericks star Luka Doncic in the Western Conference finals and a key contribution to the Warriors' triumph over the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Westbrook splits with agent after 14 years

Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook has parted ways with agent Thad Foucher after 14 years due to "irreconcilable differences".

Foucher released a statement in which he strongly suggested that Westbrook prefers not to play for the Lakers this season. The enigmatic guard has one year and $47 million remaining on his contract.

Foucher spoke candidly about the 33-year-old's status in the latter part of his statement to ESPN, saying: "Now, with a possibility of a fourth trade in four years, the marketplace is telling the Lakers they must add additional value with Russell in any trade scenario. And even then, such a trade may require Russell to immediately move on from the new team via buyout.

"My belief is that this type of transaction only serves to diminish Russell's value and his best option is to stay with the Lakers, embrace the starting role and support that (new Lakers coach) Darvin Ham publicly offered."

TABLE TENNIS

Wang Chuqin crashes out of WTT Champions

China's Wang Chuqin was surprisingly ousted in the first round of the men's singles draw at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Champions in Budapest on Tuesday.

Wang Chuqin won the WTT Star Contender on Sunday to move into the world's top 10 for the first time in his career. However, he couldn't maintain that momentum in a 3-2 loss to Sweden's Kristian Karlsson.

There were no surprises for the other Chinese players. Liang Jingkun swept South Korea's Lee Sangsu 3-0 while Lin Gaoyuan defeated Chinese Taipei's Lin Yun-ju 3-2.

In the women's singles, Sun Yingsha, Wang Yidi and Chen Xingtong all defeated their respective opponents 3-0 to advance to the last 16.Wang Manyu also progressed with relative ease, beating Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico 3-1.

Agencies