Sports News: 2/8/13


CAMPUS

TRACK AND FIELD HOSTS INVITATIONAL

 

The Wooster track and field teams hosted the Fighting Scots Invitational on Saturday at the Scot Center. Veronique Jones ’13 broke her own school record in the weight throw and led the women’s team to a second-place finish out of five schools. Jones’ 40 foot, 8.25 inch throw blew away her competition. Abena Boamah-Acheampong ’13 won the high jump with a 5 foot, 5.75 inch leap. Amy French ’14 and Hilary Coady ’16 got first and second place, respectively, in the 60 meter hurdles. The men’s team finished in fourth place, led by Jay Marshall ’14 and David Brew ’14 in the pole vault. They tied for first in the competition with vaults of 12 feet, 5.5 inches. Brew also won the 800-meter run in 2:00.61.

 

SOCCER

EUROPOL FINDS HUNDREDS OF FIXED MATCHES

 

The European Union’s police agency, Europol, revealed on Monday that a Singapore-based crime syndicate had fixed, or attempted to fix, hundreds of soccer matches around the world in the past few years. This included World Cup qualifiers, Euro Cup qualifiers and Champions League games. An 18-month investigation discovered 380 suspicious matches in Europe alone, as well as 300 more outside of the continent. A probe found that 8 million euros ($10.9 million) had been made in betting profits and referees and players accepted 2 million euros ($2.7 million) in bribes. It is unclear how those involved in the match fixing will be prosecuted.

 

SLED DOG RACING

IDITAROD FACING WEATHER PROBLEMS

An unusually warm winter in Alaska has caused problems in preparation for the Iditarod sled dog race, according to the New York Times. Through last Wednesday, Anchorage’s snowfall had tallied to just 39.2 inches — almost 100 less than the 2011-12 snow season had. Mushers have been riding through dirt patches in 40-plus degree weather. As a result, the Iditarod could be postponed. It would not be the first dog sledding race casualty of the warmer weather. Minnesota’s John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon was postponed from March 10 to Jan. 27 of next year. The Iditarod has taken place every year since 1973 and often occurs in blizzards. Dirt trails and sunshine are far from the norm.