Area sports digest

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Youth Hot-Shot competition set

YOUNGSTOWN — A youth Hot-Shot competition has been added to the 21-over Basketball League’s all-star game at the Youngstown Sports Complex on May 3.

The under-12 youth event, sponsored by the Sly’s slow-pitch softball team, will be contested from noon until 2 p.m. at the former South Field House.

The all-star game will follow.

For information, call Eric D. Jones at (330) 881-4919.

Curbstoners

BOARDMAN — Rob Schmidt, YSU’s assistant athletic director for marketing and promotion, will be the Curbstone Coaches’ guest speaker for Monday’s noon luncheon at the Blue Wolf Banquet Center.

The event is open to the public.

nation

Diving Spring Nationals

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Sixteen-year-old high school sophomores Michelle Cabassol and Kristian Ipsen were the big winners on a breezy day at the Speedo USA Diving Spring National Championships on Saturday.

Ipsen, who dives out of De La Salle High School in Clayton, Calif., won the senior men’s 3-meter springboard event with an overall score of 435.20. He then teamed with Olympian Troy Dumais to win the synchronized 3-meter springboard with a score of 439.32.

Ipsen took over the lead in the 3-meter springboard on his third of six dives, a forward 21‚Ñ2 somersault with two twists in a pike position that received 88.40 points from the judges.

Marathon runner dies

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — An official with the Country Music Marathon in Nashville says a runner collapsed and died after completing the half marathon.

Bruce Herring, president of Elite Racing, says the man died Saturday of a “sudden cardiac event.”

Herring says medical personnel on the scene tried to revive the man, whose identity was not immediately available.

Herring called it an “unfortunate and tragic loss.”

Temperatures were unseasonably warm Saturday with highs in the mid-80s.

World Cup soccer

RALEIGH, N.C. — The USA Bid Committee announced Thursday that officials representing stadiums around the country and metropolitan areas such as the Raleigh-Durham region showed interest in hosting FIFA World Cup soccer matches in 2018 or 2022.

N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium was not included on the official list of 58 venues, but USA Bid Committee officials reached out to the university to see if there was any interest in hosting.

Two horses look sharp

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Godolphin Racing stablemates Desert Party and Regal Ransom looked sharp during their final workouts before next week’s Kentucky Derby.

Regal Ransom, winner of the UAE Derby, zipped five furlongs in 59.20 seconds under exercise rider Bob Chapman, the fastest time among the 30 horses at that distance.

Desert Party, also with Chapman in the irons, covered five furlongs in 59.60, the second-fastest time at the distance.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor was pleased with the works of both horses and said they should be ready to go for the Derby.

Alan Garcia will have the Derby riding assignment on Regal Ransom and Ramon Dominguez is on Desert Party.

Donors respond big after Little League theft

LAWRENCE, Mass. — A Massachusetts youth baseball league targeted in an equipment theft is getting help from donors across the country, including former Boston Red Sox slugger Mo Vaughn.

Thieves made off with $1,500 in baseball gear from the South Lawrence East Little League this week, and the league said it couldn’t afford to replace it.

But people from Louisiana to Los Angeles had made $11,000 in donations as of Friday night.

League president George Herman said a man from Louisiana donated $300. A New Hampshire man who played in the league 40 years ago pledged $1,500.

Crespo grief-stricken after horse deaths

WELLINGTON, Fla. — When Argentine veterinarian Felix Crespo injected 21 elite polo horses with a vitamin supplement shortly before a championship match in Florida, he never imagined they would all be dead the next day.

A week later, with the horses felled by a mysterious poison, the grief in Crespo’s eyes speaks volumes. Deep pain lurks beneath the brim of his ball cap.

“I am not living,” Crespo told The Associated Press on Saturday in his first interview since the horses died last Sunday. “I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.”

world

Runner withdraws from marathon

LONDON — Three-time champion Martin Lel has withdrawn from today’s London Marathon after failing to recover from a hip injury.

The 30-year-old Kenyan says Saturday that he doesn’t want to take any risks with the right hip, which he injured during his final training session last weekend.

He says while the injury is not serious, the pain means he won’t be at his best.

Lel won the event in 2005 and again in the past two years. He was trying to become the first runner to win the London Marathon four times.

Finland routs Norway at ice hockey worlds

ZURICH — Finland had three goals in the first period and went on to rout Norway 5-0 in its opening match of the ice hockey world championship.

Antti Miettinen, Jarkko Immonen and Niko Kapanen scored on first-period power plays to put Norway away early.

Mika Pyorala and Mikko Lehtonen added insurance goals, and goaltender Pekka Rinne made 30 saves.

Finland outshot Norway 45-30 and controlled most of the action.

Vindicator staff/wire reports