Sports round-up

Rugby Sevens: Fiji upset reigning Sevens World Series champions New Zealand 26-12 in the final of the Gold Coast Sevens yesterday to claim the opening round of this season’s series. Fiji advanced to the final after defeating South Africa 24-7 in the semis as New Zealand spoiled hosts Australia’s hopes of a series win at home for the first time in 10 years with a 26-7 victory. The Fijians travel to Dubai next weekend for round two of the World Sevens Series with 22 points, three clear of New Zealand and five ahead of third-placed South Africa.

American Football: Green Bay Packers linebacker Erik Walden was arrested on Friday on suspicion of domestic violence and will be in jail until at least tomorrow, authorities said. Walden allegedly assaulted his live-in girlfriend at the couple’s apartment in Lawrence, Wisconsin, just outside of Green Bay.

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Golf: Rory McIlroy (picture) and Graeme McDowell engineered a two-shot lead to put daylight between Ireland’s World Cup claim and a chasing trio in Hainan yesterday. McIlroy and McDowell fired eight birdies in the fourballs to card a sterling 8 under 64. They remain top on 21 under overall, nudging ahead of German pair Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka. Germany are tied second with South Africa and the US.

Alpine Skiing: World Cup racer Marc Gisin said it took him a few seconds to realise what had happened after a close encounter with a deer while training for the new ski season in the Canadian Rockies. The 23-year-old Swiss was racing down Nakiska Mountain at speeds of 65 km/h when he almost collided with a wayward deer. “I was doing this giant slalom training run and suddenly this deer came from the right side,” he said. “I stopped because it was so weird. It is the first time it has happened to me.”

Weightlifting: Vasily Alekseyev, two-time Olympic champion, has died from heart problems. The 69-year-old, who passed away in Munich, also won eight world championships and eight European events in addition to seven Soviet titles during his career. He set 80 world records, including the total 645-kg mark across three lifts. That will stand as the event is no longer contested.