Sports News 12:30
BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 25 March 12:30 pm
Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:
# We start off with motorsport: South Africa’s Brad Binder is second on the Moto GP log after finishing fourth in yesterday’s Grand Prix in Portugal. This followed his second place for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in the previous race in Qatar. Yesterday, Binder finished behind Prima Pamac Racing driver Jorge Martín of Spain, Italian Enea Bastianini of the Ducati Lenovo Team, and another Spaniard, Pedro Acosta of Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing. Martín is currently on top of the standings, with Bastianini in third place.
Meanwhile, Mercedes’s Formula One boss, Toto Wolff, has admitted the team’s start to the season has been super tough and brutal. Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell retired from the Australian Grand Prix yesterday, leaving the Silver Arrows fifth in the constructors’ standings after three races. Seven-time world champion Hamilton retired with engine failure, while Russell crashed on the penultimate lap. Wolff says it is clear the car’s performance is below par at the moment:
# Cycling: South Africa’s Matt Beers and his American partner Howard Grotts won the 2024 edition of the Cape Epic. The pair of the Toyota-Specialised NinetyOne team finished third in stage seven, dubbed the Grand Finale, in Stellenbosch, and well within the time required for the overall victory. This is the third title for Beers and a second for Grotts, as they beat the World Bicycle Relief team of Nino Schurter and Sebastian Fini in the general classification. Anne Terpstra of the Netherlands and Switzerland’s Nicole Koller won the women’s category.
# Tennis: Two-time finalist Jannik Sinner is through to the last 16 of the Miami Open. The second-seeded Italian came from behind to beat Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1. Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray of Scotland suffered a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 defeat by 23-year-old Tomas Machac from the Czech Republic. In the women’s draw, world number one Iga Swiatek of Poland is through to the round of 16 after beating Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. France’s Caroline (Carolien) Garcia beat Naomi Osaka of Japan in straight sets.
# And finally, rugby: Defending champions England thrashed Italy 48-nil in the opening round of the 23rd edition of the Women’s Six Nations in Parma. The Red Roses were under pressure early after Sarah Beckett’s yellow card for a dangerous first-half ruck clear-out was upgraded to red after a bunker review. England scored eight tries on their way to a bonus-point victory as they seek a third successive Grand Slam and a sixth straight title. England’s Marlie Packer says they played well:
Stay tuned for more news………….