Reuters Sports News Summary

09/17/2016 19:54

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Seattle high school football team kneels for national anthem

A Seattle high school football team knelt during the playing of the national anthem before a game on Friday night, embracing a silent protest for social justice initiated last month by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Players and coaches from Garfield High School knelt in unison before their game against West Seattle High School, and some West Seattle players also knelt, according to local news reports and social media.

Nico Rosberg storms to pole in Singapore

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg took pole position for his 200th Formula One race after a stunning qualifying lap around Singapore's Marina Bay street circuit on Saturday. The German's best lap of one minute 42.584 seconds left him perfectly placed to retake the championship lead from British team mate Lewis Hamilton under the floodlights on Sunday.

Chun in sight of golfing history at Evian

Chun In-gee of South Korea edged closer to a second major title, and a slice of golfing history, when she extended her lead to four shots at the Evian Championship in France on Saturday. Chun shot a third-round 65 to finish 19-under-par, thanks largely to a strong back nine with three birdies and an eagle.

Iranian cyclist dies after crash

Iranian cyclist Sarafraz Bahman Golbarnezhad has died after crashing at the Paralympics on Saturday. "With immense regret we have to say Sarafraz Bahman Golbarnezhad...has died after an accident while racing," Iran's Paralympic Committee said in a statement.

IOC gives information to Brazil authorities in Hickey case

The International Olympic Committee has met Brazilian judicial authorities investigating a case of alleged ticket scalping during the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and provided information, an IOC official said on Saturday. The official told Reuters the IOC had not been asked to provide information but took the initiative, with its lawyers meeting officials investigating the case which has centered around suspended senior IOC member Patrick Hickey.

Ice hockey World Cup opens with upset as Europe shocks U.S.

The World Cup of Hockey opened with an upset as Team Europe, a hybrid of smaller hockey playing nations, stunned the United States 3-0 on Saturday. Team Europe, cobbled together with players from eight countries and coached by Ralph Krueger, the chairman of English Premier League side Southampton FC, had goals from Slovakia, Germany and France and shutout netminding from Jaroslav Halak as the World Cup emerged from a 12-year hibernation with a shocker.

Masters champion Willett in title hunt in Italy

U.S. Masters champion Danny Willett moved within one stroke of the lead during a weather-interrupted third round of the Italian Open on Saturday. The Briton, one of seven European Ryder Cup players competing in Milan this week, was 13-under-par through eight holes when play was suspended for the day because of darkness.

Rosberg has plenty to celebrate ahead of 200th race

Nico Rosberg will start his 200th Formula One race in Singapore on Sunday with every chance of moving to the top of the championship standings after securing pole position. Rosberg trails Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton by two points with seven rounds remaining but, after winning in Belgium and Italy since Formula One returned from its annual summer break, the 31-year-old is in the form of his life.

Croatia take 2-1 lead over France in Davis Cup

Croatia took a big step toward securing a Davis Cup final spot when Ivan Dodig and Marin Cilic beat Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-6 (6) 5-7 7-6 (6) 6-3 in the doubles to take a 2-1 lead on Saturday. The 2015 U.S. Open champions Mahut and Herbert are the world's top-ranked pair.

Wiggins denies link with banned doctor

Bradley Wiggins has denied that Team Sky's former doctor Geert Leinders, a convicted drug cheat, was involved in the decision to seek approval for his legitimate use of a banned steroid. Britain's multiple Olympic gold medalist and former Tour de France winner also tried to clear up confusion over comments in his 2012 autobiography that he adhered to cycling's "no needles" policy even though stolen medical records showed he received injections of triamcinolone, a prohibited substance.

09/17/2016 19:54