Digest

SOCCER

Hulk heaps praise on China's virus effort

Hulk

Brazilian forward Hulk has praised the efforts of the Chinese authorities to overcome the coronavirus pandemic.

In an interview with Brazilian news service Globo Esporte, Hulk also said he was raring for a return to action as he steps up training with Shanghai SIPG.

"The situation is calm and things have practically gone back to normal," said Hulk, who returned to China with teammate and compatriot Oscar in late March after both players spent time in Brazil.

"We've seen how important the work of the Chinese government has been. They managed to take control of everything and the results came very quickly, thankfully. I hope that the whole world can overcome this difficult and sad situation as soon as possible."

The Chinese Super League season was suspended before its scheduled start on Feb 22 amid measures to stop the spread of the virus.

Hulk, who has been capped 47 times for Brazil's national team, has scored 86 goals and provided 47 assists in 138 matches with SIPG, whom he joined from Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2016.

The 33-year-old helped SIPG win the 2018 CSL title, with the club finishing third last term as Guangzhou Evergrande reclaimed the crown.

Brazilian wonderkid Henrique on Juve radar

Luis Henrique

Highly rated Botafogo teenager Luis Henrique could join Juventus in the European summer transfer window, according to media reports in Brazil.

Botafogo officials see a possible deal involving the forward as a way to ease the club's financial plight, which has worsened in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Uol news portal reported on Saturday.

The 18-year-old from the northeastern Brazilian city of Joao Pessoa is contracted to Botafogo until July 2022 and has a $32 million release clause.

Henrique has made just nine first-team appearances for Botafogo since joining the Rio de Janeiro club in 2019.

Reigning Italian champion Juventus currently has three Brazilians in their squad: Forward Douglas Costa, rightback Danilo and leftback Alex Sandro.

HORSE RACING

Virtual event fills in for Kentucky Derby

Secretariat won a virtual Kentucky Derby against 12 fellow Triple Crown winners, 47 years after the chestnut colt won the real race at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/4-mile race featuring computer-generated imagery was staged on Saturday, the same day the 146th Derby had been scheduled until it was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic. The Derby has been reset for Sept 5.

Secretariat was the 7-2 favorite, although there was no wagering. Instead, fans selecting the winning horse online were entered into a draw to win a VIP experience at the Derby this fall. Churchill Downs pledged to match $1 million in fan donations to COVID-19 relief.

The virtual Derby was part of NBC's three-hour telecast that re-showed portions of the 2015 coverage in which American Pharoah won on his way to becoming racing's first Triple Crown champion in 37 years.

The show opened with Churchill Downs bugler Steve Buttleman playing Call to the Post from the front steps of his Louisville home. It moved to the track, with shots of empty stands, betting windows and the jockeys' room.

The track's stable area is set to reopen May 11, with live racing expected to resume May 16.

TRIATHLON

World champ racks up miles for good cause

Pascal Pich

Confined to his tiny living room, ultra-triathlete Pascal Pich is still going a long way in a good cause.

The 56-year-old Frenchman is a five-time world champion of ultra-triathlon in which athletes swim 3.8 kilometers, cycle 180 kilometers and finish by running a marathon.

While in confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic he has covered 8,000 kilometers (4,970 miles) on a stationary bike.

Pich is aiming to raise money in order to make the lives of health workers easier.

His program has included a return to the Tour de France－whose course he once rode in eight days and eight nights. This time he started out by covering the equivalent of the 21 stages in 14 days without moving from his home in Savignargues, in southern France.

"The mileage is quite monstrous but it's nothing exceptional," Pich told AFP. "What's exceptional is doing it all alone and locked up."

Pich goes live on social media every day and one of his sponsors has agreed to contribute money in return for "likes".

TABLE TENNIS

Competition shutdown extended until August

All table tennis competitions and events have been scrapped until at least the end of July due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) said on Saturday.

Following an update from its virus task force, the ITTF said it was looking into potentially returning to action in August but would also need to cut costs.

"The current period of suspension of all ITTF events and activities has been extended up until the end of July 2020," the global governing body said in a statement.

"The situation is being monitored closely for an eventual restart of ITTF events in August 2020."

It said it was also cancelling all veteran and Table Tennis X events for the entire year while looking into cost-cutting measures.

"ITTF management has been asked to find ways to reduce operation costs overall, including the need for there to be some HR restructure in order to manage 2020 financial realities," it said.

The virus has wreaked havoc on the international sports calendar, also forcing the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the Euro 2020 soccer championships, both to 2021.

Xinhua - Agencies