PARALYMPICS

Cape Elizabeth’s Kouros selected to participate in Nordic World Cup

Christina Kouros, a junior at Cape Elizabeth High, is one of 17 athletes named to Team USA for the upcoming International Paralympic Committee Nordic Skiing World Cup scheduled for Jan. 26 to Feb. 2 in Cable, Wis., and Minneapolis, Minn.

Kouros, 16, won three medals in adaptive sit-ski at the recent national championships at Black Mountain in Rumford.

“For the newer, developing athletes on the roster, this is an excellent opportunity to experience World Cup-level competition with minimal travel and on home snow,” said John Farra, USOC director of the Paralympic Nordic program. “It is important for athletes to see the speed, power and technical prowess of the world’s best athletes up close and personal.”

This is the first Paralympic Nordic skiing World Cup hosted in the U.S. since 2005.

TENNIS

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL: Defending champion Li Na reached the final with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 over Petra Kvitova at Sydney, Australia, ending the Czech’s bid to become No. 1 before the Australian Open.

Li will play today against No. 3-ranked Victoria Azarenka, who beat Agnieszka Radwanska 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

In the men’s quarterfinals, Marcos Baghdatis beat top-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, 7-6 (7), 6-4. He next faces Julien Benneteau, who beat Alex Bogomolov Jr., 6-2, 6-4.

Also, Denis Istomin upset third-seeded Richard Gasquet 6-4, 7-6 (4) to set up a semifinal against Jarkko Nieminen, who had a 6-3, 6-3 win over Bobby Reynolds.

GOLF

PGA: One year after back surgery that made him wonder if he could ever play golf again, Graham DeLaet chipped in for eagle and twice holed 35-foot birdie putts for a 7-under 63 that gave the Canadian a two-shot lead after the first round of the Sony Open in Honolulu.

Carl Pettersson, Kyle Reifers and former Sony Open champion K.J. Choi shot 65s.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Ireland’s Damien McGrane and England’s Jamie Elson each shot an 8-under 63 to share the lead in the rainy first round at the Joburg Open in Johannesburg.

Nearly half the field, including defending champion Charl Schwartzel, failed to complete their rounds because of a four-hour rain delay.

SOCCER

U.S. TO FACE BRAZIL: Brazil will play an exhibition game against the United States on May 30 or 31 at Landover, Md., or Foxborough, Mass.

The game will be part of a three-game U.S. trip for Brazil, which also will play Mexico on June 3 at Arlington, Texas, and Argentina on June 9 at East Rutherford, N.J. 

— From staff and news services