Digest

Soccer

Sao Paulo signs Chinese teenager

Sao Paulo has signed highly rated Chinese teenager Zhang Yuanshu on loan, the Brazilian club said on Monday.

Zhang impressed scouts while playing for Desportivo Brasil in the second division of the Sao Paulo state league and the Sao Paulo Cup.

The 19-year-old has scored 11 goals in 40 appearances for Desportivo, whom he joined as part of an exchange program with Chinese Super League club Shandong Luneng.

Two other Shandong players - Yu Ming Zeng and Duan Liuyu - are also on Desportivo's squad.

Athletics

Record-breaking marathoner dies

Ed Whitlock, the first septuagenarian to run a marathon in under three hours, died on Monday. He was 86.

The England-born Canadian died of prostate cancer in a Toronto hospital.

At 72, Whitlock became the first septuagenarian to crack the three-hour mark in two hours, 59 minutes and 10 seconds at the 2003 Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

He then set world marathon records for ages 75-plus, 80-plus and, last October, 85-plus with a time of 3:56.38 in Toronto.

Bolt giving World Relays a pass

Usain Bolt will skip next month's IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas as he prepares to retire from sprinting later this year.

The reigning Olympic 100m and 200m champion told reporters at a track meet in Kingston on Saturday that he was unlikely to join the Jamaica squad for the April 22-23 competition.

"My coach hasn't said anything about it (World Relays), so I doubt that I will be competing there this year. I am just trying to stay injury-free," said 30-year-old Bolt.

Tennis

Billie Jean selling league she founded

Billie Jean King said on Monday she is stepping away as majority owner of World Team Tennis (WTT), the innovative professional circuit she co-founded 42 years ago.

At a news conference during the Indian Wells Masters, the 73-year-old Hall of Famer said she was selling her share in the league to Mark Ein, founder and owner of the Washington Kastles, and Fred Luddy, owner of the San Diego Aviators.

King, who won 12 Grand Slam singles titles over three decades, will continue to serve as the owner of one of the league's teams, the Philadelphia Freedoms, as well as retain a minority role in WTT.

NFL

Ware calls it quits after 12 seasons

Denver Broncos linebacker DeMarcus Ware on Monday announced his retirement after 12 seasons in the National Football League, saying he was quitting the sport despite opportunities to prolong his career.

The 34-year-old issued a letter on Twitter confirming his decision titled "It's time".

"After a lot of thought and prayer, I've decided to accept the unknown and retire from my NFL career," Ware wrote.

After spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, Ware signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Broncos, who won the Super Bowl in 2015.

Xinhua - Agencies