Sports World: Tokyo 200m race not on Semenya's mind

PRETORIA • Caster Semenya yesterday retained her 5,000m title at the South African Athletics Championships before confirming she would not be attempting to qualify for the 200m at the Tokyo Games.

The two-time Olympic 800m champion cannot compete over her favoured distance, having refused to abide by a World Athletics ruling that athletes with differences in sexual development competing in races ranging from 400m to a mile (1.6km) must reduce their naturally high levels of testosterone.

She has taken that fight to the European Court of Human Rights but it is unlikely that there will be an outcome before the July 23-Aug 8 Tokyo Games.

REUTERS

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Charges against McGregor dropped

PARIS • Charges of attempted sexual assault and indecent exposure against Irish mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor have been dropped because of a lack of evidence, a court in the Corsican city of Bastia announced yesterday.

The accusations against the Irishman were made when the 32-year-old was on the French island preparing for a charity 180km water-bike relay race from Calvi, France to Monaco.

Separately, McGregor's trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier will take place before a capacity crowd in Las Vegas in July, Ultimate Fighting Championship chief Dana White said on Wednesday, dispelling any doubts that the bout would be called off over a social media feud.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Shields to make MMA debut in June

LAS VEGAS • Two-time Olympic boxing champion Claressa Shields will make her mixed martial arts debut with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in June when she faces Brittney Elkin, organisers said on Wednesday.

The American, who is the first undisputed boxing world champion in two different divisions in the four-belt era, signed with the PFL in December with the goal of becoming the "greatest two-sport athlete of all time".

REUTERS

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Saso, Altomare share lead at Lotte C'ship

LOS ANGELES • Yuka Saso and Brittany Altomare shared the lead in the opening round of the LPGA Lotte Championship on Wednesday, finishing one shot ahead of South Korea's Ryu So-yeon and Americans Nelly Korda and Ally Ewing.

Saso, a 19-year-old from the Philippines who made history for her country with a golf double at the 2018 Asian Games, was first in the clubhouse on eight-under 64, racing home with four of her eight birdies at her last four holes.

Canadian Brooke Henderson, in search of her third straight title, carded a 68.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE