Figure skating: Double Olympic champion Yevgeny Plushenko, who announced his retirement after withdrawing from the individual event at the 2014 Sochi Games because of a back injury, is to return to figure skating. “I am slowly getting back into training and will shortly be getting back to competition,” the 32-year-old Russian said in an interview with the TASS news agency. “I am planning to take part in grands prix this autumn and win the right to take part in the final grand prix in Barcelona.” Plushenko won the individual title at the 2006 Olympics and team gold in Sochi last year.

Swimming: Olympic champion Michael Phelps made a victorious return to the pool yesterday, winning the 100m butterfly in Mesa, Arizona, in his first race back after a six-month ban following a drunk driving conviction. Phelps, eyeing a possible return to the Olympics at the 2016 Rio Games, set the fastest time in the heats with 52.92 seconds and comfortably won the final in 52.38 ahead of long-time rival Ryan Lochte (53.11).

Golf: Jordan Spieth’s decision to compete in this week’s RBC Heritage at Hilton Head in South Carolina just days after winning his first major at the Masters was described as “awesome” by his playing partner Matt Kuchar. Kuchar outscored Spieth by six shots in the opening round and heaped lavish praise upon his fellow American for playing his fourth successive week on the PGA Tour. “I’ve just got to commend Jordan for being here in the first place,” Kuchar said. “For him to show up to honour his commitments is awesome.”

Basketball: Six-time Euroleague winners CSKA Moscow and dark horses Fenerbahce Istanbul took 2-0 leads against their rivals in the best-of-five quarter-finals after sparkling home wins. CSKA blew away Panathinaikos 100-80 and Fenerbahce brushed aside holders Maccabi Tel Aviv 82-67 as both sides moved within one win of reaching the May 15-17 Final Four in Madrid. The series continue in Athens and Tel Aviv on Monday and, if necessary, on Wednesday.

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