Basketball

Bryant hurts wrist, doubtful for opener

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant tore a ligament in his right wrist in Monday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers and is considered day-to-day, the NBA club said on Wednesday.

The two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player was set to skip Wednesday's game against the Clippers but has not been ruled out of the Lakers' regular season opener against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.

The 33-year-old Bryant, the NBA's MVP in the 2007-08 season and a key contributor in five league championships for the Lakers, averaged 25.3 points, 4.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds last season in his 15th NBA campaign.

Rose to be a Bull for another five years

MVP point guard Derrick Rose has agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Chicago Bulls, the team said on Wednesday.

While no financial details were disclosed by the Bulls, local media estimates the deal to be worth $94 million.

"We are thrilled that we have signed Derrick to an extension," Bulls general manager Gar Forman said.

"On top of being a great player, what has set Derrick apart is his makeup, character, drive and his leadership."

Rose became the youngest player to win the league's coveted Most Valuable Player award after averaging 25 points per game last season, and helped Chicago reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1998.

Soccer

Eusebio hospitalized with pneumonia

Former Benfica and Portugal striker Eusebio was admitted to hospital on Wednesday diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, the Portuguese club said in a statement.

Eusebio, who turns 70 in January, still has strong links with Benfica and is a national icon in Portugal.

"Benfica wishes that the 'Black Panther' gets well soon," the club wrote in a statement, referring to Eusebio by his nickname.

The Mozambique-born forward helped Benfica reach four European Cup finals, the last in 1968 when it lost in extra time to Manchester United. Benfica won the trophy in 1961 and 1962.

Eusebio retired in 1975, wrapping up a career that included 64 caps and 41 international goals and an emotional Wembley appearance against England in the semifinals of the 1966 World Cup, where he was top scorer.

Sailing

Cast your vote for top Qingdao event

To continue its Olympic sailing legacy, Beijing Olympic co-host city Qingdao will kick off a selection for the top 10 sailing stories.

The selection process, hosted by the Qingdao Olympic Sailing City Development Promotion Committee, Qingdao Sailing and Windsurfing Sports Association, Qingdao Municipal Information Office, Qingdao Daily Newspaper Group and Qingdao TV and Broadcasting Station, is open to the public, which can cast its votes via standard mail service or online at http://www.qdsailing.org. The deadline is Jan 20.

The candidates include the popularization of sailing among Qingdao citizens, sailing going to campuses, Qingdao continuing to host the Clipper Race until 2015-16, the third Qingdao International Sailing Week, Qingdao-born Guo Chuan becoming the first Chinese to complete the 2011-2012 Mini Transat (across the Atlantic) race, and others.

Skiing

Kostelic moves up a gear to win slalom

Croatia's Ivica Kostelic moved up a gear when he won his second slalom of the World Cup season in Flachau, Austria, on Wednesday.

The reigning overall World Cup champion topped the podium with a combined time of 1 minute, 48.94 seconds, 0.07 seconds better than Sweden's Andre Myrher.

Italy's Cristian Deville was third in the floodlit race.

All-rounder Kostelic was unbeatable last season, but a knee operation in the spring meant a slow start to his defense despite winning in Beaver Creek two weeks ago. He displayed strong nerves to capitalize on his first leg fastest time and win his 20th World Cup race and 12th in slalom.

"I was so miserable after Alta Badia, when I missed the second place by 0.17 seconds. But I knew the wheel of fortune was turning and I'm up there today," he said.

Reuters-China Daily