MANILA, Philippines – From one more look at just how far wisdom, despite shaky knees, can still take us, to a glimpse of what the future holds – 2015 was a defining year for Philippine national men’s basketball team Gilas Pilipinas.

(LOOK BACK: Most unforgettable Gilas Pilipinas moments of 2014)

Rappler takes you back to those significant moments worth remembering from the past year as we march into 2016. 

1. “Manong Brigade” – One more dance for Asi Taulava and Dondon Hontiveros

In 2015, veterans Asi Taulava and Dondon Hontiveros showed all of us heart and will can overcome physical limitations brought on by age. The two provided experience and wisdom to a group of young guys starting from Estonia, in Taiwan for the Jones Cup, back in the Philippines, and to China for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship. 

(READ: The secret to Hontiveros and Taulava’s playing longevity) 

Hontiveros, 38, served as team captain of Gilas 3.0. His clutch performance in an overtime win over the New Zealand Wellington Saints at the Jones Cup last September certainly will never be forgotten. While the ageless Taulava, 42, has been an inspiration for consistency and hard work, especially for rookies Moala Tautuaa and Troy Rosario. 

2. The rise of Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva

As the vets schooled foes and teammates alike, we also saw the future of Gilas. Guard Terrence Romeo and forward Calvin Abueva joined the nationals for the first time and quickly made an impression both for Filipinos and the continental basketball community. 

Romeo, 23, brought his ankle-breaking, sweet-shooting prowess to the international stage and wowed audiences beyond Philippine shores. While Abueva, 27, displayed his boundless energy and character for Asia to marvel.

(WATCH: Terrence Romeo’s killer crossover, Calvin Aueva’s throwdown vs Kuwait)

The pair, along with star playmaker Jayson Castro, are pegged to be the future of the national team. They, too, are included in the pool of players from which head coach Tab Baldwin will select the final line-up to play at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July. 

In the same vein, the unexpected possibility of Fil-Am Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson being available for the Philippine team also heightened positivity over what Gilas can become, more so if they make it to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

(READ: Jordan Clarkson commits to Gilas program through 2024) 

3. Down goes Iran

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A significant victory for Gilas in 2015 is the team’s convincing 87-73 upset of the previous FIBA Asia defending champion Iran. (READ: Gilas triumph over Iran more than just another win) 

The Philippines took down the giants for the first time since the 2012 Jones Cup but without 7-foot-2 behemoth Hamed Haddadi. The last time they beat Iran with Haddadi was in the 2011 Jones Cup. 

Gilas finally got over the hump and exacted a measure of payback on Iran, who pummeled the Philippines in the gold medal match at the 2013 FIBA Asia tilt. Jayson Castro led the charge with 26 points.

(READ: Alapag, Belga elated with Gilas win vs old foe Iran) 

Gilas’ victory was a sweet testament to the program’s improvement and an indication of where it can go, especially with naturalized big man Andray Blatche, whose presence helped stymie Iran. 

4. The sting of a silver medal

Two years ago, Gilas Pilipinas won silver medals that shined like gold. In 2015, the nationals received silver medals that truly hurt. 

Though not a particularly fond memory, Gilas’ sorry loss to powerhouse China– on their home court no less and with controversy – in the gold medal game of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship must never be forgotten.

(READ: Bully moves? MVP furious as Gilas bus delayed, coaches denied tickets) 

The Philippines needed that one final, most crucial win of all to say they had achieved the ultimate goal: to qualify outright for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. A win would have ended over 4 decades of absence in the men’s Olympic basketball basketball tournament, where the Philippines last played in 1972.

Baldwin articulated it best, speaking during the opening ceremonies of the PBA’s 41st season last October where Gilas was honored. 

“We can no longer get to where we want to go by being competitive. We got to win,” he explained.

“All of the congratulations and the support that we’ve received for the performance of Gilas this past campaign, still you have to cast it in the light that we didn’t achieve the last hurdle. The goal is to make a mark on the world stage and you do that by winning, not competing.”

The painful loss must be remembered, so we understand the lessons learned and we know not to repeat them again. (WATCH: Heartbreak as Gilas falls to China in FIBA Asia final)

But that gold medal match was not the only stinging defeat to China in 2015. Worth mentioning is the Philippines’ failed bid to host the 2019 FIBA World Cup. The country’s heart-warming pitch was not enough to top China’s very modern proposal.

5. Welcome support from the PBA

Finally, an important moment for Gilas Pilipinas occured not on the basketball court, but inside the Board room. 

On October 14, the PBA Board concluded a special meeting and announced it will lend 17 pro players to the Gilas pool to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Qualifier. The league also allotted once-a-week practices for the pool. Granted it’s not much and even lesser than the preparation time for FIBA Asia, but it’s better than nothing – as Baldwin pointed out.

The Board also agreed to adjust the schedule for the PBA’s 41st season with the Governors' Cup conference to begin after the Qualifier, which will take place in 3 different cities around the world, with the Philippines vying to host as well.

The PBA’s resolutions came after criticism from fans and after basketball patron Manny V. Pangilinan expressed the possibility of not sending a team to the qualifier. Ahead of FIBA Asia, Gilas Pilipinas suffered roster blows with key players pulling out whether due to injury, fatigue, or personal reasons.

More concrete and stable plans have yet to be set in place for the future of the national team program, especially with the new FIBA schedule coming up, but the league’s vow of support is one step in the right direction. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Universally regarded as the greatest mixed martial arts (MMA) heavyweight fighter of all time, Fedor Emelianenko made a triumphant return from retirement by defeating Jaideep Singh on Rizin Fighting Federation’s New Year’s Eve card on Thursday, December 31 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Emelianenko, who competed in his first bout since June 2012 when he savagely knocked out fellow MMA legend Pedro Rizzo, had a serious leverage in terms of experience as he easily picked up a first-round stoppage victory over his Indian foe.

After figuring out how to negate the height and length advantage of his opponent, the 39-year-old Russian advanced with a body lock to score a takedown and immediately placed his counterpart into a perilous position to pour down his signature ground-and-pound. 

With Singh struggling to find the escape door, Emelianenko moved into side control and then pummeled punches to the head that compelled the Indian fighter to tap at the 3:02 mark of the opening salvo.

Although it had been more than 3 years since he fought with 4-ounce gloves, Emelianenko showed no signs of deterioration in his performance and did not miss a single step as he improves his professional record to 35-4 with 1 no contest. 

In addition, Emelianenko extends his winning streak to 4 matches since suffering 3-straight losses in Strikeforce. 

Emelianenko excited MMA followers around the world when rumors spread about him coming out of retirement and finally signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but he chose to partner with Rizin Fighting Federation, which is under the tutelage of former PRIDE boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara. 

(READ: ONE FC boss admits to not offering deal to Fedor Emelianenko)

On the other hand, Singh tastes the first setback in his young prizefighting career and downgrades to a 2-1 slate. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao lit up the sky over his native General Santos City, ringing in the New Year with a fireworks display on Thursday, December 31.

The 37-year-old living legend Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 knockouts) shouted out "Happy New Year!" (presumably to his friends in Oceania who were celebrating around that time) as fireworks went off in the background.

The big question that boxing fans have is, will he be able to deliver fireworks in his April 9 clash against WBO welterweight titleholder Timothy Bradley in what will be their third (and he says his own final) fight?

Despite losing a unanimous decision, Pacquiao seems to have much to be grateful for, and much to celebrate. – Rappler.com

BROOKLYN, USA —As we bid farewell to the wacky 2015 we’ve just had in terms of wrestling and ring in a brand new year full of hope, promise, talent… or possibly 12 new months of the WWE (mostly) disappointing us all over again, allow me to present you 5 likely possibilities that could unfold next year.

Sami Zayn and Bayley get called up to the main roster.

This isn’t a freak home run prediction should it happen. We’ve already gotten glimpses of the French-Canadian superstar on the main show for the past couple of years, and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if the original plans for Zayn figured for him to have debuted this year if his injuries didn’t get in the way. Even though there seems to be more upside in a Finn Balor debut (which is also likely to happen in 2016, but the expanding NXT brand needs him to help carry the show when it tours even more) Zayn has been lighting up the developmental brand for a few years now. Although RAW has a ton of stars that they haven’t maximized, they already know to conscript Zayn when they need a shot in the arm.

(READ: RAW Deal: The 2015 year-end awards)

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Bayley going up, however, is more obvious. Thanks to the relatively shallower pools of both women’s divisions, this is truly more a matter of when and not if. The one thing the Divas division always needs is a top face fans can get behind since the departure of AJ Lee; Charlotte failed in that role, the Bellas never had a shot, while Paige and Sasha Banks aren’t really used correctly. There is no way anyone, not even the reckless Creative team on RAW, can mess up the Bayley character.

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We’re going to see a real Shield reunion run.

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It’s going to be brief, but it will happen. People have been wanting a reason to cheer for Seth Rollins during his run at the top, but it was the Architect’s top-notch smarmy, slimy heel work that kept most fans disinterested. Now that the Man is down with a severe real-life injury, he’s de facto turned face, both in reaction and in rhetoric, and this might be the catalyst the WWE needs—but never really asked for—to engineer a Shield reunion. This should be a lot more fun now that the Authority’s got themselves a new set of hounds; if this happens, we can expect classics between Rollins, Reigns, Ambrose, Sheamus, Rusev, del Rio, and Barrett. It really does write itself, but the reason why I say it’s going to be brief is because…

Dean Ambrose is going to be a WWE World Heavyweight Champion by the end of 2016.

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They’ve already teased it back at Money in the Bank, and they know at their heart of hearts that he would have enough support to sustain a run at the top. (This is the reason why he gets to hold the Intercontinental Championship right now, and why he was first Shield member to win a singles championship to begin with.) Reunions aren’t supposed to last forever—Evolution wisely kept the nostalgia tour brief last year, and this is how you keep the crowd wanting more. The best way I can see this happening is by making him Mr. Money in the Bank and turning on Roman Reigns, who will beat all comers for his title in order to legitimize himself on the pantheon. Whether Ambrose will have a lengthy title run is a different story altogether, however.

The Wyatt Family will see a resurgence.

This is more wishful thinking than an actual prediction, but it’s something I’m expecting to see not with Bray Wyatt—who I assume will still rack up meaningless losses and even more meaningless wins—but with his posse. Luke Harper and Braun Strowman (because Erick Rowan is, literally, the red-headed stepchild) will succeed where the Ascension failed and begin to truly dominate the tag team division, because eventually the feud against the ECW Originals will end and they will have nothing left to do. At this point, there are few top guys for Wyatt to go after, unless he gets his wins back from Undertaker and John Cena. Knowing how WWE thinks, we don’t really have high hopes for him.

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John Cena will stay firmly in the midcard, while Kevin Owens ascends into the main event without winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Cena still had a couple of shots at the biggest title, which is still normal for a superstar of his stature, but his return this Monday on RAW pretty much solidifies his place in this stage of his career. His role as the gatekeeper of the upper echelon suits him perfectly. He will have one more shot at the world title this year, as WrestleMania plans figure him going up against Roman Reigns for the title (which was also teased at the end of RAW) but this will be a passing-the-torch match for the new Divisive Face That Runs The Place. After that, and especially after the monster way Reigns was anointed earlier this month, the main event is now going to be Reigns’s problem.

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As for Owens, despite so much word about people around the business not liking him, he and his work is just straight up undeniable. It’s the reason why he earned two major championship reigns this year, and while it won’t happen until probably around the middle of the year at the earliest, I can foresee him getting world title shots that he doesn’t win. Despite his exclusion from the League of Nations, he is one of the better heels at the company’s disposal. His position will be that of Randy Orton’s (until, of course, Orton comes back), a few steps below on the pecking order for the title. His time isn’t coming until 2017, at least.

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BONUS: NJPW star Shinsuke Nakamura goes to the WWE.

If you don’t know who Shinsuke Nakamura is (and I don’t really blame you if you border on the casual) he’s only the best Japanese wrestler in the world right now, if not the best wrestler, period. The only reason why I didn’t name his bout against Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship back on New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 9 event last January as Match of the Year is because he isn’t in the WWE. 

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That may be about to change soon, as Nakamura’s current contract with NJPW is due next year. It’s possible for him to leave the Japanese promotion—a place in which he has done so much already—and live out his dream of competing primarily in the US. It also might not happen, which is why this is a dark horse prediction. But the chances of it pushing through are bigger in 2016 than they were before.

*****

What about you? What do you think is going to happen in the WWE in 2016? What do you want to happen? Let’s talk about it—leave me your predictions in the comments. Have a happy (and safe) New Year! – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES – Klay Thompson scored 38 points and the Golden State Warriors showed they can win without star Stephen Curry Thursday with a 114-110 victory over the Rockets in Houston.

Curry missed his second straight game with a lower left leg bruise.

But unlike on Wednesday, when the Dallas Mavericks handed the reigning NBA champion Warriors just their second defeat of the season, Thompson was able to get going offensively despite the absence of his fellow "Splash Brother."

Warriors forward Draymond Green also shone, posting his fifth triple-double of the season with 10 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 16 assists, while forward Andre Iguodala connected on 6 of 7 attempts from the floor to contribute 20 points off the bench.

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Golden State finished with 35 assists on 43 field goals.

James Harden led the rockets with 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and Dwight Howard added 21 points and 13 rebounds.

For most of the night, Harden and Thompson exchanged shot after shot, providing fans with a classic duel between two of the best shooting guards in the game today.

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Up by two points at halftime, the Warriors gave themselves some room with a 10-0 spurt late in the third quarter that included 3-pointers from Thompson and Iguodala.

The Rockets trimmed the deficit to 3 points on a Harden jump shot with less than 5 to play, but the Warriors scored 8 straight points to rebuild the lead.

Having rounded out 2015 with their 30th win of the season, the Warriors could open 2016 by welcoming head coach Steve Kerr back to the bench after complications from back surgery saw him sidelined.

Kerr could be back at the helm this weekend, taking the reins from interim coach Luke Walton who has presided over the Warriors' sensational start to the season.

A lighthearted Walton said he hadn't thought about whether Thursday's game was his last in charge.

"If it is, it was a lot of fun," he said. "I'll be thrilled to have Stevie back coaching us again."

Pistons snap skid

Andre Drummond poured in 23 points and pulled down 18 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons snap a 3-game losing streak with a 115-90 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Point guard Reggie Jackson added 19 points and 9 assists for Detroit, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 19 of his 22 in the second half as the Pistons welcomed Brandon Jennings back to their Palace Auburn Hills floor in style.

Jennings was playing his second game, and his first at home since rupturing his left Achilles tendon in January.

He contributed 6 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said Jennings was still adapting to his role backing up Jackson.

"Beyond the injury, the thing you have to realize with Brandon is he's never been a guy coming off the bench," Van Gundy said. "That's a different role for him and it's not easy."

The Pistons got off to a sloppy start, but Jennings was part of the effort from the Detroit bench that turned things around, the reserves' energy boosting the team's starters.

"That unit brought a lot of energy," Van Gundy said.

Detroit took control with a 14-0 scoring burst in the fourth quarter that included nine straight points from Caldwell-Pope and opened a 25-point lead.

Thunder hang on

Russell Westbrook scored 36 points and handed out 12 assists and the Oklahoma City Thunder escaped with a 110-106 victory over the tenacious Phoenix Suns.

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Westbrook connected on 12 of 19 shots from the field, nabbed 5 steals and had only two turnovers.

He put the Thunder up by two points with 1:57 to play. Suns center Tyson Chandler tied it up with a layup before Kevin Durant's jump shot gave Oklahoma City the lead again.

Durant, who finished with 23 points, drove for a dunk to stretch the lead to four points with 31 seconds left and the Thunder held on from there. – with reports from Naveen Ganglani/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Following a lackluster performance in his comeback bout nearly 3 months ago, Filipino fighter Eric Kelly receives an opportunity to bring back the shimmer in his prizefighting career as he makes another trip inside the ONE Championship cage against Ev Ting.

Although ONE has yet to publicly announce the 3-round featherweight encounter between Kelly and Ting, a reliable source within Asia’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization confirmed the fight booking to Rappler.

The marquee match-up will take place at the 10,000-seater Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on January 29 as part of the undercard of ONE’s 38th fight card and eighth venture on Malaysian soil.

Kelly (12-1) is coming off a controversial decision victory over Japan stalwart Hiroshige Tanaka this past October.

Even though Tanaka managed to pacify his opponent’s stand-up leverage in the last two rounds, Kelly managed to walk away with a debatable unanimous decision as the featherweight bout was scored in its entirety and not on round-by-round basis.

(READ: Top 10 Philippine MMA moments of 2015)

The 33-year-old Baguio City native was in control of the entire first frame, where he utilized his striking arsenal from heavy high kicks to lunging right straights before converting a takedown courtesy of Judo hip toss after losing the grip on his Japanese foe’s head for a guillotine choke.

However, Tanaka shifted the momentum on his side in the second canto, where he countered with a solid right hook that completely rocked the Filipino before attaining a belly-to-belly takedown.

Tanaka punctuated the third and final round by scoring another takedown and quickly sinking in hooks for a rear-naked choke, but Kelly was saved by the bell.

Prior to his meeting with Tanaka, Kelly was sidelined for 15 months due to a contract dispute with ONE, which may have caused the poor performance of one of the highly-decorated products of the local MMA scene in the Philippines.

On the other hand, Ting (10-3) is fresh from his 56-second submission triumph over former ONE featherweight champion Honorio Banario last October.

Facing a Pinoy combatant is not new to the 26-year-old Malaysian-Kiwi as he came out victorious in 4 of his last 5 bouts against Filipino contenders, defeating the likes of Rolando Gabriel Dy and Cary Bullos.

Ting also owns a brutal first-round knockout win over Edward Kelly in October 2014 as he shut the lights off on Eric Kelly’s younger brother with a head kick.

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Aside from Kelly, 4 other Filipino fighters are being rumored to take part of ONE’s second event in 2016, including the names of Eduard Folayang and Geje Eustaquio. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Washington Wizards are going to celebrate Filipino Heritage Night when they take on the Miami Heat at the Verizon Center on January 3, Sunday (January 4, Sunday, PH time).

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Join the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wizards?src=hash">#Wizards</a> &amp; Etihad Airways to celebrate Filipino Heritage Night on 1/3 at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WizHeat?src=hash">#WizHeat</a>! <a href="https://t.co/I134KmVRCZ">https://t.co/I134KmVRCZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/RUNyRQjC9y">pic.twitter.com/RUNyRQjC9y</a></p>&mdash; Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/682256643111784448">December 30, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> {/source}

The game between the Wizards and Heat, two Southeast Division rivals, will be their second meeting this season. 

In their first game back in Miami on December 7, Washington came away with a 114-103 win.

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The Wizards currently own a 14-16 record while Miami stands at 18-13. Both teams are currently on two-game losing skids.

The Wizards are the second NBA team this season to celebrate Filipino Heritage Night.

Back on November 14, the defending champion Golden State Warriors celebrated their eighth annual Filipino Heritage Night in a close overtime win against the Brooklyn Nets, 107-99.

That event featured a halftime performance by the American Center of Philippine Arts and had pre-game tailgate that included popular Filipino food trucks and live entertainment by DJ Romeo.

Moreover, fans who purchased tickets for the game against the Nets received commemorative Warriors “Kampeon” t-shirts.

{source} <div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/warriors/photos/a.70119632525.97457.47657117525/10153812612187526/?type=3" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/warriors/photos/a.70119632525.97457.47657117525/10153812612187526/?type=3"><p>The #Warriors will become the first team in the NBA to wear special edition Filipino Heritage shooting shirts to celebrate Filipino Heritage Night on Saturday.FULL DETAILS &#xbb; http://on.nba.com/1PCBrDo</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/warriors/">Golden State Warriors</a> on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/warriors/photos/a.70119632525.97457.47657117525/10153812612187526/?type=3">Wednesday, November 11, 2015</a></blockquote></div></div> {/source}

The Wizards haven’t revealed much information about what will take place during their Filipino Heritage Night. 

Per Washington’s official website, all that’s said about the event is that “Filipino culture and heritage will be celebrated at the Wizards vs. Heat game…”

This season, the Wizards are also expected to celebrated French, Canadian, German, Asian, Greek, Italian, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Jewish, Spanish, and Indian heritage nights.  – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – As a child soldier with Nepal's Maoists, Mira Rai learned to fire guns, disarm opponents and race down trails, little imagining her guerrilla drills would help make her one of the world's top ultra runners.

"It is like a dream, beyond anything I ever imagined. I was just a girl from a village," Rai told AFP.

The daughter of a poor Nepali farmer, Rai was only 14 when she ran away from home to fight alongside Maoist rebels seeking to overthrow the government.

"In our society, girls are supposed to behave in a certain way. I didn't want to be confined by that," said Rai, now aged 26.

She chafed at the rules she was expected to obey as a teenage girl living in a patriarchal country and the Maoist call for revolution resonated with her.

"The Maoists gave opportunities to women, they treated us equally. I saw that women could fight like men, be brave. I built up my confidence there," Rai said.

She practiced firearm drills and competed with other cadres in running contests designed to build endurance. 

"I did very well, I even used to outrun the boys," she recalled.

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Today, Rai ranks among the world's leading ultra runners after a record-breaking win in the 80-kilometer (50-mile) Mont Blanc race in Chamonix, France, last June, when she beat her nearest rival by 22 minutes.

But when the decade-long insurgency ended in 2006, Rai, like many Maoist foot soldiers, was left with little in the way of cash or career prospects.

Desperate for work, she prepared to leave Nepal for a job in a Malaysian electronics factory before being scouted by a Kathmandu-based karate instructor, Dhurba Bikram Malla, who urged her to stay.

Rai gave up her plans and started training - initially doing practice runs on the capital's congested roads because she could not afford the 15-cent bus fare to the nearest stadium.

"She was very single-minded. If you told her to do something, she would just do it," Malla told AFP.

"She is very consistent in her speed (and) never seems to get tired."

Running in $4 shoes 

Rai made her racing debut in March 2014, running a steep 50-kilometer course along the hills overlooking the Kathmandu valley. 

Dressed in a cheap t-shirt and shoes that cost $4, she ran for hours before she felt dizzy and stopped.

"I borrowed money to buy juice and noodles and started running again," she said.

Soon, Rai crossed the finish line, winning her first race and prizes that included a new pair of running shoes.

Since then, she has notched up an impressive set of victories, bagging gold in 13 of the 20 national and international races she has taken part in, including Italy's 83-kilometre Trail Degli Eroi.

Her victory at Chamonix vaulted her to second place among female ultra runners in the Skyrunners World Series which involves races in 5 continents.

Although Nepal is considered an ideal spot for trail running, racing remains a niche activity with the Himalayan nation hosting just a handful of events each year, including the world's highest marathon held in the foothills of Mount Everest.

Other Nepali athletes are making their mark in ultra running, with soldier Samir Tamang crowned Asian men's skyrunning champion after winning this year's 50-kilometer MSIG Sai Kung 50 in Hong Kong.

Both Rai and Tamang are supported by Trail Running Nepal, an organisation that promotes ultra running, but finding sponsors is a challenge for local athletes.

"Sponsorship is near impossible," Richard Bull, founder of Trail Running Nepal, told AFP.

"For trail running to grow in Nepal, we need people to organize (more) races. If it grows, then finding sponsors will be easier."

Rai, now sponsored by the multinational sports equipment company Salomon, is a rare success story, with a recent race yielding $1,500 in prize money, double Nepal's annual per capita income.

Yet she shrugs off her accomplishments, insisting she has been lucky.

"I have been fortunate to get opportunities... I want to inspire other women, tell them that nothing is impossible if we work hard," she said.

"There must be so many other Mira Rais in Nepal." – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA - Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes welcomed the New Year with an Instagram swipe at New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher - just one thorn in the player's side in a 2015 he has dubbed the worst year of his life.

Days earlier, the NBA had suspended Barnes for two games for a physical altercation with his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Fisher at the California home of Barnes' estranged wife Gloria Govan.

"Stuck in the 'triangle offense' w my ex & snitch, I mean former teammate & friend. Who went behind my back, messed w my ex, got caught, got dealt w for being a snake, then ran & told the Police & NBA," Barnes wrote.

"Guess cause I didn't SNITCH, I get a 2 game suspension by the league 'They call that LIFE.'"

{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/_-1MFHrzTp/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Thank God For 2016! 2015 hands down was the worst year of my life! * *Lost the women I loved,the mother of my kids, my Dogg.. I had to walk away from the only thing I&#39;ve wanted, MY OWN FAMILY! &#34;They call that karma&#34; *To being traded away from a team &amp; city I love! &#34;They call that the business&#34; *Lied on by a pop star Who&#39;s lucky I stuck to the script &amp; didn&#39;t expose her lien ass Funny thing about texts &amp; pics is they DONT LIE! &#34;I Guess&#34; &#34;They call that getting played&#34; *Last BUT NOT LEAST... Being stuck in the &#34;triangle offense&#34; w my ex &amp; snitch, I mean former teammate &amp; friend.. Who went behind my back, messed w my ex, got caught, got dealt w for being a snake, then ran &amp; told the Police &amp; NBA.. Instead of taken that ass whoopin like a man &amp; kept it moving....! WHERE THEY DO THAT AT? Guess cause I didn&#39;t SNITCH, I get a 2 game suspension by the league &#34;They call that LIFE&#34; WHEN IT RAINED, IT POURED in 15 All this played out like a bad reality show, a nightmare, for your amusement &amp; entertainment! For you to critique, make fun of, crack jokes &amp; laugh about.. &#34;What I shoulda did&#34; or what &#34;y&#39;all would have done&#34; Hmmmm... I say all this not for sympathy, because I had a hand in all the bad $h!t that happened.. I was never perfect in my relationship, I didn&#39;t see eye to eye w my head coach.. I was warned SEVERAL times about ole girl &amp; I introduced love ones to people who I &#34;thought were FRIENDS&#34;... Lesson Learned!! This is for all of you who had a F@#%ed up year... To let you know I&#39;m right there w you, We In this together! Everyone has ups &amp; downs in this game called LIFE... It gets better.... &#34;I think&#34; Hahaa nah it does, trust me! --- -Remember God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers!!! -Stay positive, hold ya head, tighten your circle &amp; stick to your instincts.. -It&#39;s not about how many times you fall down, it&#39;s about how many times you get up! Heres to freeing your hands of all the bullshit of 2015 &amp; preparing for the blessing God has in store for us all in 2016!  HAPPY NEW YEAR, LOVE #THEBADGUY</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by matt_barnes9 (@matt_barnes9) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-01-01T03:42:32+00:00">Dec 31, 2015 at 7:42pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote>
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In addition to regretting his estrangement from his family, Barnes bemoans the trade that took him "away from a team & city I love."

Likening his life in 2015 to a bad reality show, Barnes admits he "had a hand" in his misfortunes.

"I was never perfect in my relationship, I didn't see eye to eye w my head coach," he said.

Barnes also took an apparent shot at R&B superstar Rihanna, who used social media to douse his suggestion to TMZ that the two were close.

"Lied on by a pop star Who's lucky I stuck to the script," Barnes fumed, before signing off:

"HAPPY NEW YEAR, LOVE #THEBADGUY."

The New York Post reported that Fisher had no comment when asked about Barnes at the Knicks' shootaround on Friday.

But the player's lingering animosity promises to add spice to the Grizzlies-Knicks matchup in Memphis on January 16. – Rappler.com

DOHA, Qatar - Six weeks after completing one of the greatest seasons in tennis history, Novak Djokovic begins his 2016 campaign and warm-up for his Australian Open defense in Qatar. 

The Serbian, also current holder of Wimbledon and the US Open, heads a strong field at the Qatar Open starting in Doha on Monday, which also includes Rafael Nadal, Tomas Berdych and defending champion David Ferrer. 

All eyes though, at least at the start, will be on Djokovic to see if he can maintain the exceptional heights he achieved last year and to gauge his form ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year, which begins in Melbourne on January 18. 

The 28-year-old dominated men's tennis last year, all but sweeping away the competition to take 3 majors, make 15 consecutive tour finals and win more than $21 million in prize money. 

He also became the third man to reach all 4 Grand Slam finals in a year, losing out only in the French Open to Stan Wawrinka. 

Given his achievements last season, Djokovic must be looking to become the first player since Rod Laver, in 1969, to win all four Grand Slams in a single season.

There is also the extra prize of a "fifth major" this season, with an Olympics gold medal up for grabs in Rio in August. 

"Here we come again to a new season," Djokovic said in an upbeat statement before arriving in Qatar on December 30. 

"I'm so excited to come back and perform at my best in this season opening tournament, stay tuned!"

Last year though, Doha represented one of his rare failures. 

The big serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic beat him in 3 seats in the quarter-finals. 

The other big story in Doha is Rafael Nadal. 

Now the world number five, Qatar should give some indication if the Spaniard is returning to form as he suggested he might be at the end of last season. 

Nadal said he's had a great pre-season training at home in Mallorca and told journalists in the UAE at the end of last month that he aims to be "very competitive" during 2016. 

He is the number two seed in Doha and could barely do worse than he did 12 months ago when he crashed out in the first round, losing to Germany's Michael Berrer in three sets. 

The previous year, Nadal, 29, had won in Qatar. 

Big prize money

This year's defending champion is Nadal's dogged compatriot David Ferrer, so he may feel himself a little unlucky to be seeded fourth.

Ferrer beat the Czech Berdych, this year's number 3 seed, in straight sets in January 2015, one of five tournaments he won last year as the 33-year-old showed no signs of slowing down. 

"I will be there to defend my title and I hope I will be able to do so," he said in a statement released ahead of the tournament. 

Also playing this year are the world number 29 Andreas Seppi and Argentina's Leonardo Meyer, ranked 35. 

The Qatar Open is played outdoors on a hard court and lasts from January 4-9. 

Temperatures for the week are predicted to be around the low 20s Celsius, (high 60s, low 70s Fahrenheit). 

Given the riches of Qatar, it is unsurprising that total prize money for the event is $1,189,605, the largest purse for an ATP World Tour 250 event. 

The draw for the first round takes place on January 2. 

The tournament has been held since 1993 when a 25-year-old Boris Becker triumphed beating Goran Ivanisevic in the final in 3 sets. – Rappler.com

MIAMI, USA - Hassan Whiteside tallied 25 points and 19 rebounds and the Miami Heat got the job done without Dwyane Wade in the starting lineup with a 106-82 win over Dallas on Friday, January 1 (Saturday Manila time).

An ailing Wade came in off the bench for just the 10th time in his career after falling ill enough with the flu that he needed a pre-game IV.

Wade finished with 10 points and 7 assists in 19 minutes of playing time in front of a crowd of 19,700 at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Whiteside matched a career high in points and set a season high in rebounds for the Heat, who improved to 19-13 and snapped a two-game losing skid.

"That's the type of identity we are trying to build," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. "This offence is going to happen in layers. What we are trying to develop is a team that shares."

Spoelstra said Wade felt nauseous before the game, which is when he received the IV.

The last time Wade was used in reserve in an NBA game was January 2014 against the San Antonio Spurs.

Guard Tyler Johnson replaced Wade as the starter. It was the first start of the season and just the third of Johnson's career.

Dirk Nowitzki was held to just 11 points for the Mavericks, who never led and had their four-game winning streak halted. The German star shot just four-of-14 from the floor.

The Mavericks failed to score a fast-break point and shot just 36 percent from the floor. 

Mavericks point guard JJ Barea, who averaged 22.3 points in his previous four games, finished with just six points in his return to his hometown.

The Mavericks got off to a poor start, shooting 21.7 percent from the field in the first quarter and missing all 7 3-point attempts. That allowed the Heat to compile a 22-10 lead at the end of the quarter.

Wade entered the game with 7:45 left in the second quarter and Miami ahead 36-22.

Miami extended its lead to 58-45 at the half. Wade had 5 assists in 8 minutes as the Heat shot 66.7 percent in the second quarter. Whiteside had 18 points and 13 rebounds at the half.

After three quarters, the Heat stretched their lead to 80-61. Miami shot 57.9 percent from the field in the third quarter.

Raptors rally to beat Hornets

At Air Canada Center arena, Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points and the Raptors defeated the Charlotte Hornets 104-94.

The Raptors overcame an 8-point deficit after three quarters to seize control of the contest in the fourth.

Point guard Kyle Lowry tallied 18 points and 11 assists for the Raptors, who have won two straight.

Center Jonas Valanciunas grabbed 13 rebounds and scored 10 points while forwards DeMarre Carroll and Patrick Patterson added 14 points each.

Center Bismack Biyombo came in off the bench to post 11 rebounds and score 6 points in the win.

Guard Kemba Walker scored 18 points and forward Marvin Williams scored 17 for the Hornets, who have lost two in a row.

Cody Zeller added 15 points and nine rebounds for Charlotte, while guard Nicolas Batum had 14 points and center Frank Kaminsky added 13 points. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-American second-year NBA player Jordan Clarkson scored 19 points to go with 3 assists and two rebounds during the Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, 93-84, on Saturday, January 2 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Clarkson shot 6-of-17 from the field and converted 7-of-9 from the foul stripe in 33 minutes as the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers improved to 7-27 and 3-9 at home. 

Watch highlights of his performance below:

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Lou Williams led LA with 24 points, 5 assists, and 4 boards while rookie Julius Randle had 15 points and 9 rebounds off the bench.

(READ: NBA: Heat cool off Mavs as flu-struck Wade contributes off the bench)

The 76ers, now 3-32, were led by the 15 points and 12 boards of Nerlens Noel. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippiens – Jayson Castro is expected to guide and mentor Kiefer Ravena, the young star out of Ateneo, for a proverbial changing of the guard in the future at national team Gilas Pilipinas. But that doesn’t mean Ravena can’t teach the veteran guard as well. 

Castro, 29, is looking forward to learning from the back-to-back UAAP MVP, who is set to join the PBA draft this year.

“Marami rin kami matututunan sa kanya, yung mga moves niya. Marami siyang moves na gustong gusto ko,” said Castro, the Gilas star guard named to FIBA Asia’s Mythical 5 in 2013 and 2015, one Monday night at national team practice. 

“Nagpra-practice siya sa Talk ’N Text, kina-copy ko yung moves niya.” (We can learn a lot from him as well, like his moves. He has plenty of moves that I like. He practices with Talk 'N Text and I copy his moves.)

Ravena, 22, was invited by head coach Tab Baldwin to Gilas Pilipinas’ weekly practices in late November, just 9 days after he wrapped up his collegiate career with the Blue Eagles. 

Ravena will serve as an extra body for the national team pool comprised of pro players training for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July. 

“I’m very happy for him because he’s with Gilas even if he’s still very young, but his game is really fit for international play. At least he can help Gilas too,” Castro said of Ravena in Filipino.

Castro shared he watched Ravena’s UAAP games this past Season 78, where Ateneo bowed out in the Final Four against eventual champion FEU. 

Ravena, who dreams of someday becoming a Gilas Pilipinas member, has long been a part of the cadet pool and won 3 gold medals at the SEA Games, including one with Baldwin in 2015 on top of another gold in the 2015 SEABA Championship. 

To prepare not only for his future with Gilas but for his pro debut as well, Ravena is eager to take pointers from other guards on the team – from LA Tenorio, Terrence Romeo, Paul Lee, and, of course, Castro.

“Maybe with his maturity because I can see his game in terms of decision-making, he still gets lost sometimes, ” Castro shared how he could guide Ravena. “On defense he’s good at it. That’s it probably because he’s got everything.” – Rappler.com

BRISBANE, Australia – Roger Federer said Saturday, January 2 he was looking at defending his Brisbane International title as a launch-pad to the new season.

The 17-time Swiss grand slam champion arrived in Australia Saturday with Sunday's Brisbane International tournament as his lead-up to this month's Australian Open in Melbourne.

Federer, 34, who won 6 titles including Brisbane last year and reached the final of both Wimbledon and the US Open, is up against world No.8 Kei Nishikori, No.14 Milos Raonic and No.28 Grigor Dimitrov in this year's Brisbane tournament.

"The likes of Nishikori, Raonic and Dimitrov want to move now finally into the top 4 or 5 and for us, the top guys, it's about hanging on where we are right now," Federer told reporters.

"I've been playing really well for over one and a half years – ever since I came back from my back problems in 2013.

"That's been very encouraging and now I'm just more confident than I was maybe a year ago as well."

Federer won the last of his 17 grand slam crowns at Wimbledon in 2012 and he still believes he has another major title within him.

Novak Djokovic dominated last year with 3 grand slam titles, and while the wait for an 18th slam title is stretching out, Federer said he was not voverly concerned.

"I've come so close, I've played very well, but I don't feel any frustration because of it," he said.

"I'm still happy with how I'm playing. It was Novak's year, he played so well there's only so much (you can do) if somebody's so dominant and he's got sky-high confidence.

"It's unfortunate, a pity for me, but at the same time I don't feel sorry for myself. I've won so much throughout my career, I feel like if I keep pushing forward it might happen.

"If not, it's okay."

It is Federer's third trip to the Brisbane International and not only did he win last year's title but he joined rare company by picking up the 1000th match win of his ATP career in the process.

Federer has a bye into the second round this year where he is due to face either Australian wildcard Ben Mitchell or a qualifier. – Rappler.com

MANCHESTER, England - Wayne Rooney eased the pressure on Louis van Gaal as the Manchester United captain's superb backheeled strike secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Swansea City on Saturday, January 2.

Rooney's 77th-minute moment of magic took him ahead of Denis Law to become the second-highest goalscorer in United's history and he is now also the second-highest scorer in the Premier League era with 188 goals.

But even more significantly the England forward's first league goal since October gave United their first win in 9 matches and moved them up to fifth place.

It was a badly needed 3 points for United manager van Gaal, who had been forced to deny he was considering quitting over Christmas.

Four defeats and two draws in December had contributed to a barren run which had seen United go out of the Champions League and slip out of the Premier League's top 4 during the club's worst run since 1990.

They could ill-afford another setback and Anthony Martial headed United in front as they scored only their 11th goal in 15 games.

United's goal and points tally had been their lowest ever in the first half of a Premier League season and when Gylfi Sigurdsson headed Swansea level with 20 minutes to go another winless afternoon threatened.

But van Gaal's men managed to find the route to goal once more thanks to Rooney's third league goal of the season as relief flooded around Old Trafford.

As they had done against Chelsea in their previous home stalemate, United tried to show more attacking intent from the start with van Gaal employing a 3-man defense and Ashley Young and Anthony Martial as wing-backs in a bid to set up a first home win since November.

Young helped provided an attacking threat but with only one out-and-out striker in Rooney, United still found genuine chances hard to come by before half-time.

Morgan Schneiderlin made a rare foray forward inside the first minute to get in a shot which was blocked by Federico Fernandez, but it was another 20 minutes before United had another sight of goal as Rooney fired into the side-netting.

Frustration

Having kept the home side at bay, Swansea winger Wayne Routledge tested David de Gea with a volley and frustration began to grow around Old Trafford.

But two minutes into the second half United finally went in front to change the context of the afternoon.

Again Young was involved in a telling capacity as his cross was perfectly delivered for Martial, who had drifted into a more central position, to score with a powerful downward header from eight yards which bounced up and past Lukasz Fabianski to give the young Frenchman his eighth goal of the season.

With nothing to lose, Swansea began to impose themselves. 

Andre Ayew's header against a post from Sigurdsson's cross raised the anxiety levels and with 20 minutes to go United were pegged back.

Substitute Modou Barrow gave Swansea an extra cutting edge and, from his cross, Sigurdsson glanced home the equalizer with a header which looped beyond David de Gea.

Suddenly United were back to square one but just when they needed him Rooney delivered.

When Martial beat Angel Rangel and drove the ball low across the six-yard box, Rooney flicked the ball home with the inside of his foot to claim one of the more important goals of his long United career.

United still had 12 minutes and four of stoppage time to hold out, but with de Gea making a fine save from Ashley Williams and goalkeeper Fabianski coming up from a corner to head just wide with the final touch of the match, van Gaal was at last able to celebrate a win. – Rappler.com

MADRID, Spain - Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez has backed star playmaker James Rodriguez after the Colombian was followed to the club's training ground by police accused of speeding at up to 200 kilometers an hour.

Madrid sports daily AS published photos and a video of an unmarked police car following the top scorer at the 2014 World Cup to the entrance of the club's Valdebebas training ground on Friday.

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However, Benitez hinted Rodriguez will be involved when Madrid travel to Valencia in a crucial La Liga clash on Sunday, January 3.

"Evidently, we are talking about a private matter. James is a good kid, he is serious, he has given us his explanations about what happened and there is no more to say," Benitez said on Saturday.

"I repeat he is a serious kid and what we have to do is wait and see."

The incident is just the latest off-field embarrassment for Madrid with striker Karim Benzema facing an official investigation in his native France for charges relating to a blackmail attempt on international teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

Benitez and Rodriguez haven't had the best relationship since the Spaniard took charge of Madrid 6 months ago with Rodriguez often showing his frustration at being substituted or even left out of the starting line-up.

Rumors in recent weeks have even suggested that Benitez could be just one defeat away from the sack after a run of 3 defeats in 7 league games which has left them third in the table.

However, Benitez is confident he will remain in the Madrid hot seat with victory on his first return to Mestalla since winning two league titles as Valencia coach over a decade ago.

"I arrived at Real Madrid on a career path where I have won many titles and hired by the president, as I have said before, with an idea and a project and we need to give time to that project. The evaluations will be made at the end (of the season)," he added.

"I have full confidence that the team will win and you can continue to ask me these questions (about my future) in two or three years."

Benitez will face a familiar foe in Valencia coach Gary Neville, who captained Manchester United during Benitez's time at Liverpool.

Neville is looking for his first league win as Valencia boss at the fourth attempt after a 1-0 defeat to Villarreal on Thursday left his side 11 points adrift of their target of a top-four finish.

Benitez is expected to get a warmer reception from the Valencia fans than he has in recent weeks from the Madrid faithful, but Neville wants to pile the pressure on his counterpart with another defeat.

"I think it is right that the Valencia fans show their gratitude," he said.

"But once the match starts we forget about gratitude. We have to win the game." – Rappler.com

WATFORD, England - Manchester City maintained their Premier League title challenge after ending their away-day blues with a stirring late comeback that saw them win 2-1 at Watford on Saturday, January 2.

Two goals in as many minutes from talismans Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero kept City within reach of the top of the table when it appeared that they were destined for defeat.

Aleksandar Kolarov had headed Ben Watson's corner into his own net and the visitors were struggling for ideas before Toure and Aguero struck in quick succession to steal victory.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-video" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yaya Toure&#39;s equalizer vs. Watford. 2 goals in 2 mins &amp; 35 seconds ensure City are 3rd and Watford stay 9th. -360 <a href="https://t.co/25FiSHUp3r">pic.twitter.com/25FiSHUp3r</a></p>&mdash; Sportive23 (@Sportive23_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportive23_/status/683367945242710016">January 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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It was City's first win on the road since September 12 and kept them 3 points behind leaders Arsenal.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-video" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Think there was some beef between the Watford ball boy and Aguero here... <a href="https://t.co/Pxi2Bb9F4n">pic.twitter.com/Pxi2Bb9F4n</a></p>&mdash; MCFC Info (@MCFClnfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/MCFClnfo/status/683383406948970496">January 2, 2016</a></blockquote>

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Despite the shadow of Pep Guardiola looming large over Manuel Pellegrini, the Manchester City manager has been tipped by his Watford counterpart Quique Sanchez Flores to win the league title.

Whether the Chilean will still in be in charge at the Etihad Stadium come next season, with or without winning the championship, remains to be seen.

But his team find themselves playing catch-up after a woeful away run that had seen them collect just 3 points from their previous 6 games on the road.

(WATCH: Rooney's amazing back-heel goal lifts Manchester United)

They knew they could ill-afford a repeat failure against a Watford side who have surprised many this season.

But Almen Abdi, one of the few Watford goal-scorers this season other than the prolific pairing of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo, sounded an early warning when he drove just over within two minutes.

Ighalo almost began the new year how he had ended 2015 when he came close to scoring for the seventh game in succession in the 13th minute.

The Nigerian striker's clever turn saw him wriggle clear of Nicolas Otamendi, but his low shot was kept out by Joe Hart's outstretched foot.

City boast a plethora of attacking options, but were struggling to find any fluency or provide Aguero with any service.

However, the Argentine striker was inches away from handing the visitors a 19th-minute lead when he narrowly failed to connect with a header after Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes repelled a shot by Kevin De Bruyne.

Watson resumes City torment

The visitors were slowly finding their feet, Fernando seeing his close-range shot blocked by Gomes following David Silva's slaloming run.

But it was Watford who ended the half on top and almost began the second half by drawing first blood inside 90 seconds.

Watson, who scored a sensational FA Cup final winner against City for old club Wigan Athletic in 2013, almost caught Hart out with a shot that the England goalkeeper had to parry at his near post.

Fernando threatened again when he headed over Silva's 51st-minute corner, but it was Watford who went ahead moments later via a corner of their own.

Watson whipped a wicked delivery towards the near post and Kolarov contrived to glance the ball past a helpless Hart and into the net.

A sixth defeat of the league campaign beckoned for City, but belatedly the big-spending visitors began to move through the gears.

Toure blazed over from De Bruyne's cut-back and then the Belgian winger forced a low save out of Gomes in the 70th minute as Pellegrini's men looked to crank up the pressure.

Watford withstood the initial flurry of attacks and could have wrapped up the win if Etienne Capoue had not blazed wildly over following a surging run with 10 minutes remaining.

And it proved costly as Toure's superb first-time volley from Kolarov's 82nd-minute corner hauled the visitors level.

Two minutes later the turnaround was complete. Bacary Sagna's inviting cross from the right found the unmarked Aguero, who headed home his 10th goal of the season. – Rappler.com

MADRID, Spain - Barcelona dropped points for the third time in 4 league games as they were held 0-0 by local rivals Espanyol in a heated Catalan derby on Saturday, December 2.

Atletico Madrid moved two points clear of Barca at the top of the table, having played a game more, thanks to substitute Thomas Partey's late winner to edge past Levante 1-0.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-video" lang="en"><p lang="pt" dir="ltr">Com esse gol do ganês Thomas Partey, o Atlético de Madrid venceu o Levante e assumiu a liderança da <a href="https://twitter.com/LaLiga">@LaLiga</a>. <a href="https://t.co/fDpTXDDrLi">pic.twitter.com/fDpTXDDrLi</a></p>&mdash; Linha de Fundo (@linhadefuundo) <a href="https://twitter.com/linhadefuundo/status/683406292795408384">January 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Real Madrid now trail Atletico by 5 points ahead of their trip to Valencia on Sunday.

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez hit the woodwork for Barcelona either side of half-time, but Espanyol's physical approach was rewarded with a first point against Barca in eight matches.

"The result in general was fair based on what both teams created, although I thought we had a lot of chances," said Barca boss Luis Enrique.

Espanyol committed 22 fouls despite a lenient approach from referee Jose Luis Gonzalez, but Luis Enrique refused to blame the officials for a stuttering start to the new year.

"Football is a contact sport," he added.

"That is why we have a referee there to control the game."

The first of 3 meetings between the sides in 10 days got off to a frenetic start with Espanyol forcing Barca onto the back foot.

Their best chance came from a set-piece, though, when Alvaro Gonzalez's header was brilliantly stopped by Claudio Bravo and Gerard Pique hooked the ball to safety off the line.

Barca's star front three of Messi, Suarez and Neymar combined for 137 of a record 180 goals in 2015, but they didn't come to life until midway through the first half when Neymar's dangerous cross fell just behind Suarez.

Messi then struck the angle of post and bar with an almost perfect free-kick as Barca began to take control just before the break.

However, Espanyol had another chance to take a shock lead seven minutes into the second period when Hernan Perez poked a shot just wide after a lung-bursting run into the Barca box.

The hosts had another slice of luck when Suarez could only strike the outside of the post after rounding Pau Lopez and turning away from Gonzalez moments later.

Messi should have done better when he fired straight at Lopez when well placed on the edge of the area and the Espanyol 'keeper made another comfortable save from Neymar's acrobatic effort as they restricted Barca to surprisingly few clear openings in the final stages.

And the closest they came to a dramatic winner was another vicious Messi free-kick from long range that dipped inches wide of the target a minute from time as Barca failed to score for the first time in La Liga this season.

At the Vicente Calderon, Atletico's struggle for goals continued, but they were bailed out by an error from Levante 'keeper Diego Marino 10 minutes from time.

"Once again the changes gave us the quality we needed in the game, especially in the movement for the goal," said Atletico boss Diego Simeone.

Marino undid his good work earlier in the game as he got down brilliantly to turn Jackson Martinez's low drive to safety.

Atletico had a big claim for a penalty turned down when Angel Correa was clipped inside the area and Stefan Savic then headed against the bar as they pushed for the opener.

Simeone's men's luck appeared to be out when Koke unleashed a piledriver from Martinez's knockdown against the bar.

However, their persistence was rewarded when just as against Rayo Vallecano in midweek, Partey came off the bench to make the telling contribution as he skipped through the heart of the Levante defense but his shot ought to have been stopped by Marino as it trickled into the net. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Robbie Lawler managed to walk out of the 16,800-seater MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with the welterweight championship belt around his waist with a razor-thin decision victory over Carlos Condit in the headliner of the UFC 195 pay-per-view event on Sunday, January 3 (Manila time). 

Cageside judges Tony Weeks and Derek Cleary saw the high-octane affair in favor of Lawler with the identical scores of 48-47, while the third judge Chris Lee gave a 48-47 mark to Condit. 

With the debatable decision triumph over Condit, Lawler successfully defended the UFC welterweight title for the second time since capturing the gold-plated strap from Johny Hendricks in December 2014 and improves his prizefighting record to 27-10 with one no contest. 

On the other hand, Condit downgrades his professional standing to 30-9 and loses for the first time since May 2015 when he brutally defeated Thiago Alves in his comeback fight after being sidelined due to a year-long knee injury.

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In an exhilarating 5-round clash, Condit utilized his volume striking and diversity to keep the 33-year-old veteran at bay, landing 78 of his 198 significant strikes.

Condit, who ceded his interim welterweight title to then-champion Georges St-Pierre in November 2012, put Lawler in trouble early on as his height and length leverage allowed him to groove his way with leg kicks and keep the power-puncher at distance.

Off an excellently timed combination, Condit’s uppercut was able to drop Lawler to the canvas before tagging more punches that were augmented by a straight right. 

However, Lawler was able to cope up with Condit’s pace as he knocked down the challenger with a stiff right hand in the second round. 

In the third frame, Condit looked to take advantage of his range as he peppered Lawler with side and front kicks.

Meanwhile, Lawler preferred to pick his shots, attempting to use footwork to negate the distance before delivering a solid right elbow midway through the same round. 

Although Condit appeared to widen his lead at of the fourth as his foe’s output fell drastically, Lawler made his final pitch for a decision in the fifth stanza, where he unleashed a violent burst of elbows, punches, knees and kicks.

Condit was able to reply to Lawler’s flurry with his own strikes and stood toe-to-toe with the champion.

Lawler and Condit clung to the Octagon’s fence bloodied and exhausted at the final bell. 

"Carlos is a hell of a fighter. He comes from one of the best camps in the world and had a great game plan. We battled it out. There were two winners tonight. Let's do it again," Lawler said in the post-fight interview. 

Condit was gracious in defeat, but the 31-year-old native of Albuquerque, New Mexico felt that he did enough to take home the belt. 

“I felt I had 3 rounds in the bag, but that's why you don't leave it to the judges," Condit stated.

UFC president Dana White had previously announced that Tyrone Woodley will be the next welterweight title contender, but many observers believe that a rematch between Lawler and Condit is sensible to book in the future. – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA - Stephen Curry's return to action for the Golden State Warriors was cut short on Sunday, January 3 (Manila time) when he re-injured his bruised left shin.

Curry played 14 minutes in the Warriors' home game against the Denver Nuggets before getting hit on his still sore leg and departing the contest. The Warriors blew a 26-point lead but held on to defeat the Nuggets in overtime, 111-108.

The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player finished with 5 points on two-of-6 shooting from the field, including making one of 5 3-point attempts. He had 4 assists and two steals.

Curry sat out games on Wednesday and Thursday in Dallas and Houston with what the team called a lower leg bruise.

In his absence the Warriors suffered just their second loss of the season to the Mavericks before bouncing back to beat the Rockets.

Warriors interim coach Luke Walton indicated Saturday that he and his coaching staff would keep a close eye on Curry.

Curry himself said before the game that he was still experiencing pain and swelling in his lower leg. – Rappler.com