LOS ANGELES: Multiple stars from last summer’s Rio Olympics highlight this year’s nominees for best male and female athletes for The ESPYS.
Swimmer Michael Phelps, who won five gold medals in Rio, joins National League MVP Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook as the four nominees for best male athlete.
Gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Katie Ledecky, who each won four gold medals in Rio, are two of the four female finalists. The other two are tennis great Serena Williams and Candace Parker of the WNBA champion LA Sparks.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant are two of the nominees for best championship performance. Brady helped the Patriots overcome a 25-point deficit for the largest comeback in Super Bowl history and earn his fifth ring.
Durant was the NBA Finals MVP after averaging 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the Warriors’ five-game series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Westbrook and Phelps are also finalists for best record-breaking performance. Phelps extended his records to 23 gold medals and 28 total medals after his dominance in Rio.
Westbrook had 42 triple-doubles last season, breaking Oscar Robertson’s 55-year-old record, and became just the second player to average a triple-double for a full season.
Mississippi State’s stunning win over UConn in women’s basketball in the NCAA Tournament Final Four is among the finalists for best upset. Morgan William’s jumper at the buzzer ended UConn’s 111-game winning streak that included four national championships.
Finalists for best international athlete include sprinter Usain Bolt, MMA fighter Conor McGregor and soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Cubs, who won the World Series for the first time since 1908, are a nominee for best team. US soccer midfielder Christian Pulisic, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge are finalists for best breakthrough athlete.
The 25th ESPYS will be hosted by five-time NFL MVP quarterback Peyton Manning on July 12 on ABC.
Olympic stars Phelps, Biles among finalists for The ESPYS
Olympic stars Phelps, Biles among finalists for The ESPYS
Liverpool rocked by last-gasp defeat at Wolves
- Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future
LONDON: Liverpool suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolves as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the Premier League’s bottom club on Tuesday.
Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux.
Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November.
But Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool.
It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017.
Liverpool have conceded 14 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, with only Newcastle shipping more in the same period in the Premier League.
The Reds remain fifth but their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League have been hurt by a defeat that means sixth-placed Chelsea will go above them if they beat Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future.
This was the first of Liverpool’s two trips to Molineux in the space of four days, with an immediate chance for revenge in the FA Cup fifth round on Friday.
Slot this week said he no longer finds Premier League matches a “joy to watch” due to the rise in set-piece goals, and Liverpool supporters took no pleasure from this dismal performance.
Wolves and Liverpool fans joined in a sustained round of applause on 18 minutes in memory of Diogo Jota, who wore that shirt number during his time at Molineux before joining the Reds.
Portugal forward Jota died in a car crash in Spain last year.
Crest-fallen Slot
That emotional tribute seemed to suck the energy from both teams in a scrappy first half.
Liverpool were punished for their lethargy in the 78th minute.
Tolu Arokodare got away with a nudge on Virgil van Dijk to win the ball before playing a superb pass to Rodrigo Gomes, who held off Ibrahima Konate and guided a clinical finish past Alisson Becker.
Liverpool finally awoke from their slumber after that shock, grabbing an equalizer in the 83rd minute with a helping hand from Wolves.
Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was guilty of a woeful pass that Salah intercepted, racing into the area for a shot that eluded Jose Sa’s weak attempted save.
Salah has scored just eight goals — five in the league — during a turbulent season.
Liverpool were still creaky at the back and Andre pounced on Alisson’s poor clearance four minutes to steal the points in stoppage-time.
Andre’s powerful strike deflected off Liverpool defender Joe Gomez and looped over the wrong-footed Alisson as Wolves boss Rob Edwards sprinted down the touchline in a wild celebration while Slot looked on crestfallen.
Wolves are 11 points from safety with eight games left and relegation remains almost certain despite this memorable victory.
Everton ended their dismal home form and pushed Burnley closer to relegation with a 2-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Buoyed by their 3-2 win at Newcastle last weekend, Everton dispatched second-bottom Burnley with their first win in eight home league matches.
Former Burnley defender James Tarkowski put Everton in front with a powerful header from James Garner’s 32nd minute free-kick.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doubled Everton’s advantage on the hour taking Iliman Ndiaye’s pass and clipping a composed finish past Martin Dubravka from six yards.
Everton remain in contention for a European berth, while Burnley are eight points from safety with just nine games left.
Habib Diarra’s penalty fired Sunderland to a 1-0 victory against Leeds on their first Premier League visit to Elland Road since 2002.
Bournemouth and Brentford shared a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium that did little to improve either side’s hopes of qualifying for Europe.
