Basket, NBA: For much of the season, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs seemingly were on a collision course. The teams with the two best records in the NBA were pre-destined to meet in the Western Conference finals, while the up-and-down Oklahoma City Thunder were an afterthought. However, after a gruelling series against the Spurs, it is the Thunder who will face off with defending champions Warriors for a chance to reach the NBA Finals. Kevin Durant scored 37 points, and Oklahoma City earned the coveted spot with a 113-99 victory in Game 6 of the Western Conference semi-finals at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Doping: Kenya’s president held talks with his top sports officials yesterday after the World Anti-Doping Agency said the East African country did not comply with its anti-drugs code, throwing doubt on Kenyan athletes’ participation in the Rio Olympics. Kenya passed legislation in April to criminalise doping, but WADA said on Thursday it needed to make changes to ensure compliance with the code, which sets a framework for consistent rules and policies around the world. Kenya now faces the risk of missing the Aug. 5-21 Games in Rio de Janeiro if the International Olympic Committee so decides.
Olympics: Britain’s world and Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill might skip a pre-Olympic training camp in Brazil before the Rio Games because of fears over the Zika virus, her coach Toni Minichiello said. “There is a duty of care from me to Jessica, as a coach to an athlete. And Jessica very much wants to have more children so we’re taking it very seriously,” Minichiello said. “We are looking at a number of options. Finding a preparation camp is about acclimatising so we’d have to find somewhere in the right area with a track that’s available.”
Giro d’Italia: Andre Greipel took his second stage win of this year’s Giro d’Italia as Tom Dumoulin retained the leader’s pink jersey yesterday. Lotto-Soudal’s Greipel comfortably won the bunch sprint into Foligno after his main rival and fellow German Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep) suffered an ill-timed mechanical failure just five kilometres from home. Greipel did not look well placed as the 211-kilometre stage from Sulmona came down to the final few metres but he burst through the pack to take victory ahead of Italians Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) and Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida).