Reporting prep results

Reporting prep results

The Vindicator encourages coaches and statisticians to report winter prep results by email (sports@vindy.com) or fax (330-747-6712).

Phone calls (330-747-1478) are also acceptable but emails and faxes are strongly preferred.

Old Trafford has statue unveiling

MANCHESTER, England

A collection of former and current Manchester United stars gathered at Old Trafford on Friday to attend the unveiling of a statue of manager Alex Ferguson.

Eric Cantona and Ruud van Nistelrooy were present as the 9-foot bronze statue was unveiled. Also in attendance were Peter Schmeichel — the Danish goalkeeper described by Ferguson as the “buy of the century” — and Norwegian forward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who scored United’s injury-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final.

Manchester United players, including Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, also got a look at the statue, which depicts the Scottish manager with his arms crossed.

Ferguson has been United’s manager for 26 years, and is the Premier League’s most successful manager with 12 titles.

Vonn to race giant slalom in Aspen

APSEN, Colo.

Lindsey Vonn says she’s healthy enough to race in one of the two World Cup races this weekend in Aspen.

The four-time overall champion will compete in the giant slalom today, but skip the slalom Sunday.

Vonn recently returned to training after missing time with an intestinal issue that landed her in the hospital. She squeezed in two training runs Friday before calling it a day. Vonn then consulted with her coaches before electing to step into the starting gate just for the giant slalom.

The main concern with Vonn was whether she was in good enough race condition. The Olympic downhill gold medalist recently spent two nights in the hospital with what she described on Facebook as “some infection in my tummy.”

US midfielder Torres switches Mexican clubs

MEXICO CITY

U.S. national team player Jose Francisco Torres has switched clubs in Mexico’s first division. The midfielder has left Pachuca and joined Tigres.

Pachuca announced the transfer Friday but did not provide details. Torres has spent his entire career with Pachuca, making his debut in 2006.

Torres made his international debut for the U.S. in 2008 and played in a group game at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He has since been called up for qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Shackleford wins at Churchill Downs

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

Shackleford, the 2011 Preakness winner, ended his career with a victory Friday in the 138th running of the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Jesus Castanon, Shackleford broke sharply and led throughout to beat Take Charge Indy by a length, running 11/8 miles in 1:49.12.

Sent off as the second choice in the field of nine, Shackleford paid $7.80, $4.80 and $3.40. Take Charge Indy, with Calvin Borel aboard, returned $6.80 and $4.40. The $266,054 winner’s share pushed Shackleford’s career earnings to $3,090,101.

Brazil soccer coach Mano Menezes fired

SAO PAULO

Brazil’s soccer federation has fired national team coach Mano Menezes.

Federation director Andres Sanchez said the decision to fire the coach came after a meeting in Sao Paulo on Friday.

He said federation president Jose Maria Marin made the change because he “wants new methods and new planning” ahead of the 2014 World Cup that Brazil will host.

World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is one of the names touted to replace Menezes, but Sanchez said he doesn’t think negotiations for a new coach are under way.

Vindicator staff/wire reports