Digest

TRACK AND FIELD

Race walker Liu raring to step back into action

Olympic 20-kilometer race walk champion Liu Hong says she is raring to return to competition as her sport's coronavirus-enforced shutdown continues.

"I'm really looking forward to racing, and I feel even more appreciative now of the things I have been used to. I miss the feeling of competing with other race walkers all over the world," Liu told World Athletics.

Under normal circumstances, Liu would be busy preparing to defend her title at the Tokyo Olympics, but the Games' postponement until 2021 has forced her to adjust her plans.

"Usually, June is the time when training is the most difficult and stressful, and it is the key preparation stage for major competitions in August and September," said the 33-year-old.

"But all the training this year is back to basics, leaving my body in good shape. I've also had more time to try things in training that may help me perform better in future."

The Tokyo postponement has also disrupted Liu's family life. Originally planning to buy a house in Shenzhen, she instead relocated to Kunming, Yunnan province, in order to take advantage of the city's 2,000m altitude for training purposes.

SOCCER

Juve, Barca complete Pjanic-Arthur swap

The Miralem Pjanic-Arthur Melo swap deal between Juventus and Barcelona has been completed, both clubs confirmed on Monday.

Juve said it is paying Barca up to 82 million euros ($92 million) for Brazilian 23-year-old Arthur, while Pjanic moves in the opposite direction for 60 million euros, plus five million euros in bonuses.

"FC Barcelona and Juventus FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of player Arthur Melo. The Italian club will pay 72 million euros, plus 10 million euros in variables," read a Barcelona statement, which followed Juve's announcement.

The 30-year-old Pjanic will sign a four-year contract until the end of the 2023-24 season, with a buyout clause of 400 million euros.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international joined Juventus from Roma in 2016, helping the Bianconeri win the Italian Serie A title three times.

Pochettino's son signs new deal at Tottenham

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino's son Maurizio has signed a new contract at the Premier League club, the 19-year-old said in a social media post on Monday.

Winger Maurizio, whose current deal was due to expire on Tuesday, announced the contract extension on Instagram, sharing a photo with his father, accompanied by the caption: "Looking forwards to the new season."

Neither the club nor Maurizio said how long the new deal would last for. Maurizio joined Spurs' academy in 2017 but is yet to make a senior appearance, with Erik Lamela, Lucas Moura, Son Heung-min and Steven Bergwijn ahead of him in the pecking order.

Pochettino's other son, Sebastiano, worked as a first-team conditioning coach at Spurs but left the club when his father was sacked in November and replaced by Jose Mourinho.

BASKETBALL

Washington rules out Wall for Disney restart

John Wall will not join the Washington Wizards for the resumption of the NBA season this summer, ending the chances of the five-time All-Star guard playing his first game since 2018.

General manager Tommy Sheppard effectively ruled out Wall returning this season when he said on Monday the 29-year-old wouldn't be part of the Wizards' traveling party to central Florida. Among the factors in the decision was a cap of 35 people per team in the quarantined bubble at Walt Disney World. The COVID-19 pandemic also hindered Wall's progress in his rehab from multiple surgeries.

"He definitely lost all the basketball gains that he had made," Sheppard said on a video call with reporters. "He's got to focus on what he's got to do, but having somebody go into that bubble that's not going to play, that's just more people going into the bubble."

Wall hasn't played an NBA game since December 2018. Surgery for bone spurs in his left heel ended that season; while he was working his way back from that, he tore his left Achilles tendon and needed another operation in 2019.

BASEBALL

Nats' Zimmerman, Ross to skip season

The Washington Nationals will try to defend their World Series title without at least two holdovers from last year's team, including one of the faces of the franchise.

Longtime infielder Ryan Zimmerman and pitcher Joe Ross elected not to play this season, the team announced on Monday. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Baseball is attempting to start a 60-game season in late July.

General manager Mike Rizzo said Zimmerman and Ross are opting out for the safety of themselves and their families.

"We are 100 percent supportive of their decision to not play this year," Rizzo said. "We will miss their presence in the clubhouse and their contributions on the field."

Zimmerman was due $740,741 and Ross $555,556 as prorated portions of their salaries, originally $2 million for the first baseman and $1.5 million for the pitcher. Only players deemed high risk are paid if they opt out.

ICE HOCKEY

Positive coronavirus tests for 26 NHLers

The National Hockey League says a total of 26 players have reported testing positive for the new coronavirus since voluntary workouts began on June 8.

Monday's update includes four additional cases among those tested at team facilities, to go along with the 11 announced on June 19. The league says it's aware of 11 other players testing positive outside the voluntary workout protocol.

The NHL said more than 250 players who worked out at team facilities were administered more than 1,450 COVID-19 tests.

The league and players are in the final stages of agreeing to resume the season. Training camps can open as early as July 10 if an agreement on testing, health and safety protocols and "hub" cities to host the games can be reached.

Xinhua - Agencies