OLYMPICS

Former UMaine hurdler heading to Games

Former University of Maine hurdler Jimmy Reed was selected Monday as a replacement athlete for the for the U.S. bobsled team that will compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Reed, 26, can substitute for members of the team during training runs, and is eligible to compete at the Olympics in event of an injury or illness to team members. He has not competed this season because of injury.

Reed, who was born in Bloomington, Indiana, competed in track and field at UMaine from 2009-14. He still holds school records in three hurdles events.

SKELETON: Katie Uhlaender was nominated to the U.S. skeleton team, making her the first American to be a four-timer in that sport. John Daly is headed to the games for a third time, 2014 bronze medalist Matt Antoine is going for a second time and Kendall Wesenberg will make her Olympic debut.

BASEBALL

MAJOR LEAGUES: San Francisco acquired outfielder Andrew McCutchen from Pittsburgh for right-hander Kyle Crick, minor league outfielder Bryan Reynolds and $500,000 in international signing bonus allocation.

Pittsburgh also will send the Giants cash to cover part of McCutchen’s $14.75 million salary.

n Washington agreed to a $7 million, two-year contract with outfielder Howie Kendrick, a deal subject to a successful physical.

TENNIS

AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Maria Sharapova marked her return to the event with a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Tatjana Maria of Germany in the first round.

Also, former champion Angelique Kerber won her 10th straight match to start the season, beating fellow German Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-0, 6-4 in the first round.

GYMNASTICS

BILES COMES FORWARD: Olympic champion Simone Biles said she was among the athletes sexually abused by a now-imprisoned former USA Gymnastics team doctor.

Biles, who won four gold medals and five overall at the 2016 Olympics, released a statement via Twitter saying she is one of the “many survivors” that were abused by Larry Nassar, who was sentenced in December to 60 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography and is facing another 40 to 125 years after pleading guilty to assaulting seven girls.

SOCCER

PREMIER LEAGUE: Manchester United took a chunk out of Manchester City’s large lead by beating relegation-threatened Stoke 3-0 at home in a one-sided match featuring spectacular goals by Antonio Valencia and Anthony Martial.

United capitalized on City’s first loss in the league – at Liverpool on Sunday – to reduce the gap to 12 points with 15 games remaining.

n American defender Cameron Carter-Vickers was recalled by Tottenham Hotspur from what was to be a season-long loan to second-tier Sheffield United.

RUGBY

APOLOGY MADE: France center Mathieu Bastareaud apologized after using an anti-gay slur during a Champions Cup match.

The tournament organizers opened an investigation into Sunday’s incident and Bastareaud could face a lengthy ban after the Toulon captain appeared to direct the insulting slur at Italy forward Sebastian Negri during the team’s 36-0 win over Benetton.

– From staff and news report

Copy the Story Link