National Sports

By Andrew McNicol, Mai Nishiyama and Himari Semans, CNN Tokyo (CNN) — Pioneering US-born former sumo wrestling champion Akebono has died, his family announced in a statement Thursday. Widely considered to have blazed a trail for other foreign sumo wrestlers, the 54-year-old died of heart failure at a hospital in Japan. Born Chad George Ha’aheo

By Joe Sutton and Jason Hanna, CNN (CNN) — A former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is in negotiations to plead guilty to federal crimes related to accusations he stole millions from Ohtani and used it for gambling, The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing three people familiar with the matter. Ippei

By Jack Bantock, CNN (CNN) — Tuck away your Masters-branded solar glasses, the eclipse has come and gone over Augusta National Golf Club. Only one fashion item matters now: the green jacket. The 88th edition of one of sport’s most prestigious tournaments tees off in Georgia on Thursday, raising the curtain on the men’s major

By Sammy Mncwabe and Ben Morse, CNN (CNN) — World Athletics (WA) will become the first international sports governing body to award prize money to Olympic gold medalists starting at the Paris 2024 Games, the federation said in a statement on Monday. A prize pot of $2.4 million has been set aside by WA from

By Matias Grez, CNN (CNN) — Some Arsenal fans might have been forgiven for waking up in a cold sweat in the nights leading up to Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Bayern Munich. Lining up for the Bavarians was the all too familiar face of England striker Harry Kane, who consistently haunted the

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Stunning goals, frantic action and moments of pure quality; Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal between Real Madrid and Manchester City simply had it all. After more than 90 minutes of breathless action, the first leg finished 3-3 in Madrid’s Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, perfectly setting up the return leg on April

By Jack Bantock, CNN (CNN) — These days, Tiger Woods merely being among the field at The Masters is a story in itself, but the five-time champion insists he’s not returning to Augusta National to make up the numbers – he’s playing to win. The 48-year-old will tee up for the 26th time at the

By George Ramsay and Jaide Timm-Garcia, CNN (CNN) — Interim head coach Twila Kilgore said that the US Women’s National Team will only keep improving after winning a fifth straight SheBelieves Cup in a dramatic penalty shootout against Canada. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made three saves and scored a penalty in the shootout after Tuesday’s game

By Matias Grez, CNN (CNN) — There are certain statistics that you just never expect to see in sports, and the Boston Celtics recorded perhaps one of the most unlikely milestones of all time. During the team’s 104-91 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to

By Kevin Dotson, CNN (CNN) — Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer announced her retirement Tuesday, ending the winningest coaching career in college basketball history after 45 years. VanDerveer surpassed former Duke men’s basketball head coach, and fellow Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, Mike Krzyzewski earlier this season to become the coach with the

By Ben Church, CNN Emirates Stadium, London (CNN) — Arsenal rescued a draw in the first leg of its Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, on a night which saw a heightened security presence at matches across Europe. Second-half substitute Leandro Trossard scored a late equalizer to tie the

By Wayne Sterling and Steve Almasy, CNN (CNN) — Hall of Famer and three-time national coach of the year John Calipari has been named the Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball head coach, after his 15 seasons at the University of Kentucky came to an end. Arkansas announced Calipari has signed a five-year contract with a starting

By Joseph Ataman, Rebecca Hall and Pau Mosquera, CNN (CNN) — Paris police will “considerably boost security measures” for the Champions League quarterfinal between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona this week, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told journalists Tuesday. The heightened security presence follows a threat from the Islamic State terror group against the Parc des

By Jack Bantock, CNN (CNN) — History never forgets a champion. When you win one of sport’s biggest titles, you become immortal. Win multiple times and your legacy is even greater. To think of The Masters is to think of Jack Nicklaus, the most successful champion in the major’s history with six wins, and Arnold

By Jack Bantock, CNN (CNN) — Slumped on his club, head buried in his arm, Rory McIlroy looked on the verge of tears. The then-21-year-old had just watched his ball sink into the waters of Rae’s Creek at Augusta National and with it, his dream of winning The Masters, a dream that had looked so

By Jack Bantock, CNN (CNN) — Golfers fall asleep dreaming of securing theirs, Bubba Watson was moved to tears simply reminiscing over his, and one fan was willing to shell out over $680,000 just to own one. Augusta National’s green jacket – an exclusive prize for Masters champions – is golf’s most coveted fashion statement,

By Jack Bantock, CNN (CNN) — Play was suspended due to a very special brand of conditions at The Masters on Monday. The total solar eclipse plunged Augusta National Golf Club into darkness shortly after 3 p.m. local time in Georgia, bringing the major’s first practice round to a standstill as players, caddies and patrons