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Sailing: Armel Le Cleac’h (picture) saw off a late challenge by Britain’s Alex Thomson to maintain France’s domination of the solo round-the-world Vendee Globe sailing race yesterday. After finishing second in 2009 and 2013, Le Cleac’h, aboard his 60-foot yacht Banque Populaire, won in a record time of 74 days, three hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds to become the eighth Frenchman to win the gruelling race. “I never gave up, I wanted it so bad. It was really hard going up the Atlantic (to the finish) as I had terrible weather conditions,” said Le Cleac’h. “I started to contemplate victory only last night.”
Rugby Union: England’s rugby authorities are considering more measures to protect tacklers from the risk of concussion in the wake of an annual report into injuries in the English game. Earlier this month, World Rugby announced a zero-tolerance policy on contact with the head, lowering the acceptable height of a tackle and introducing tougher sanctions for players who failed to adapt. “Initiatives around the height of the tackle will principally affect the ball carrier,” Simon Kemp, the Rugby Football Union’s chief medical officer said. “Developing interventions to reduce the risk to the tackler must be the priority.”
Basketball, NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook offered a warning that he will seek retribution for a hard foul on him on Wednesday by Golden State’s Zaza Pachulia. Pachulia delivered a flagrant foul on Westbrook late in the second quarter of the Warriors’ 121-100 rout of the Thunder, striking the guard in the face as he attempted a shot then appearing to stand over him as he lay on the court. “I’m going to get his ass back,” Westbrook told reporters. “I didn’t see that (he stood over me) until just now. I’m going to get his ass back ... whenever that is, I don’t know when it’s going to be, but I don’t play that game.”
Snooker: Ronnie O’Sullivan shook off illness to defeat Neil Robertson and book his place in the semi-finals of the Dafabet Masters. Defending champion O’Sullivan, seeking to win the tournament for a record seventh time, won the last four frames to seal a 6-3 success and delight his supporters at Alexandra Palace. He said afterwards: “Physically I feel better. The last three or four days I’ve been really ill and this is the first day I actually feel better. Today I’ve felt I needed a bit of luck to go through.”
Other result: Fu bt Allen 6-2.