R Kubica returns to F1 after 8-year recovery from injury
ABU DHABI: Polish racing driver Robert Kubica is making a comeback to Formula One (F1), the sport he loved and left after a 2011 accident, the Williams Martini racing team said on Thursday. After eight years of rehabilitation Kubica’s career is finally back on track as he will be joining English driver George Russell with Williams Martini in the team’s line-up for 2019, reports Efe news. In February 6, 2011 at the Ronde di Andora rally in northern Italy, Kubica injured his right side and especially his right arm which precipitated the Polish driver’s eight-year-long rehabilitation. “Being back on the F1 grid next season will be one of the greatest achievements of my life, and I am sure with hard work and commitment we will be able to help motivate the team to achieve good things together,” Kubica said. (IANS)
African great Drogba retires from football
LONDON: Ivory Coast and Chelsea great Didier Drogba announced his retirement on Wednesday after a 20-year career.The 40-year-old scored 164 goals in 381 appearances for Chelsea, winning four Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the 2012 Champions League, while he is also Ivory Coast’s all-time record goalscorer with 65. Drogba most recently played for Phoenix Rising in the United Soccer League. Drogba played club football in six different countries in total, with the majority of his success coming in France and England. He won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2006-07 and 2009-10, netting 104 times in the English top flight in total, and also scored a dramatic late equaliser when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties in the Champions League final six years ago. Drogba’s last game was Phoenix’s 1-0 loss to Louisville City in the USL Cup final on November 8. (AFP)
12th Manipur Polo International 2018 kicks off
IMPHAL: The 12th Manipur Polo International 2018 kicked off on Thursday with Uruguay defeating USA 3-1 in the inaugural match. Uruguay was taking part in this tournament for the first time while USA is an old hand having been a regular since 2012. The USA team also had in its rank, Kegan Walsh who played in the last edition of the tournament and Pedro Lara who was a member of the 2015 winning USA team. The match started rather sedately with both the teams not making much headway. The players seem tentative and there was a lack of purpose in their play. The first chukker ended without a goal being scored by both the teams. The second chukker was much more entertaining with Uruguay dominating and coming close to scoring on a couple of occasions. The USA team also looked more purposeful in this chukker and also had shots at the goal. But it was the Uruguay team which opened their account when Alenhondro Elhor Doy scored in the 2.10 minute. USA failed to score in this chukker also. The third chukker proved very productive for Uruguay. (UNI)
