SPORTS- Page 9

The Greek “Lord of the Rings” artistic gymnast Lefteris Petrounias is in Melbourne to take part in the Gymnastics World Cup (20-23 February) at the Melbourne Arena. Petrounias was Rio Olympics champion in 2016 and world champion om 2015, 2017 and 2018.…

Argentine footballer Lionel Messi and British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton shared the award for the best athlete of 2019 according to the Laureus World Sports Academy. The award ceremony was held on Monday in Berlin. Messi became the player who was…

A double from Lucas Derrick has seen Heidelberg United start their NPL Victoria Premiership defence in style after a resounding 3-0 derby day win over old foes South Melbourne FC. Derrick delivered a goal in each half for the Bergers at Lakeside…

Ahmed Hassan returned to Olympiakos on loan from Braga a few days ago to boost its firing line, and the Egyptian paid the Reds back immediately, scoring in injury time at Peristeri to keep them alone on top of the Super League…

Greek Olympic shooting champion Anna Korakaki will be the first-ever woman to be the first to carry the Olympic Flame, the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC). The committee decided unanimously that Korakaki will be the first torchbearer during the Olympic Flame Lighting ceremony…

Matildas stalwart Emily van Egmond has scored a maiden international hat-trick to assure Australia a berth in the final stage of Olympic qualification. Last Friday’s assist queen turned goalscorer at Campbelltown Sports Stadium as the Matildas mauled Thailand 6-0 in their group…

Panathinaikos beat PAOK 2-0 in Athens last Sunday and brought the champion down from the top spot where Olympiakos has returned as the Super League unfolds in a particularly exciting fashion despite the behind-the-scenes war between the two title rivals. The Greens…

The Matildas’ scheduled Olympic qualifiers in Sydney will still go ahead next week, the FFA has confirmed, despite the Chinese team remaining quarantined in a Brisbane hotel due to coronavirus concerns. The games were originally slated to be played in Wuhan, but…

Australia’s elite male tennis players have fallen short again. Not since Mark Edmondson in 1976 has a local held aloft the Australian Open tennis trophy. Ash Barty — despite her semi-final exit in Melbourne Park — remains at the pinnacle of the…

Few athletes in history, no matter the sport, can boast a career like Kobe Bryant. Even fewer can say they transcended their chosen sport the way the LA Lakers superstar did during his 20 years in the NBA. Bryant, who died in…

PAOK has not enjoyed its return to the top of the Super League last Monday as it is threatened with the ultimate punishment for allegedly bending ownership rules. The response by the Thessaloniki club and its fans was explosive. PAOK and Xanthi…

Defending semifinalist Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed out of the Australian Open 2020 with a straight-sets defeat 7-5, 6-4, 7-6(7-2) to Milos Raonic in the third round. However, where did the Greek fell short of Raonic despite committing 14 unforced errors to Raonic’s 32?…