CHELSEA VSSUNDERLANDChelsea’s season in the Barclays Premier League goes from bad to worse. On Monday night they lost again, at league leaders Leicester City, leaving them just one point off the relegation zone following their ninth defeat of the season and fifth in seven games. Sunderland won at Stamford Bridge two seasons ago, but that is one of only three wins there in 14 Barclays Premier League visits. None have been drawn with Chelsea winning all the other 11 meetings.NEWCASTLE VS ASTON VILLAHaving beaten Liverpool 2-0 in their previous game, Newcastle have won back-to-back Barclays Premier League games for the first time in over a year, when they won five in a row, in October and November 2014. Villa lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal at home last Sunday and they are now without a win in 15 league games, the joint-longest current run in English football (along with League 2 side York City).STOKE CITY VSCRYSTAL PALACEStoke are 11th in the Barclays Premier League while Crystal Palace moved into sixth place in the Premier League thanks to their first ever top-flight win over Southampton in 14 attempts last Saturday. The Eagles have lost just one of their past six Premier League matches, winning three and losing just one, with Yohan Cabaye scoring the winner against Southampton.WEST BROM VS BOURNEMOUTHAfter winning at Chelsea and at home to Manchester United, AFC Bournemouth should be confident of boosting further their hopes of avoiding relegation. That extended their unbeaten run to four games (following two draws), after six league games without a win. They go to The Hawthorns where West Bromwich Albion have lost four of their eight games while winning just two. Only Aston Villa (six) have lost more PL games at home.WATFORD VSLIVERPOOLOdion Ighalo got Watford’s winner at Sunderland last weekend and has now the most goals by a Watford player in Premier League history (10). Liverpool, meanwhile, came back from behind to steal a point at home to West Bromwich Albion last Sunday, but they are two places and a point behind Watford.SWANSEA CITY VSWEST HAMSwansea City have lost their last three and five of six Barclays Premier League games and are now just one place off the relegation zone, only on goal difference, after winning just three games all season, two of which have come at the Liberty Stadium. And they have scored just eight league goals in Wales. West Ham have won four away from home but they have gone six league games without a win, drawing four including last weekend’s 0-0 stalemate at home to Stoke City.

Scientists seek rare species survivors amid Australia flames P16.5-M worth of aid provided for Taal Volcano eruption victims — NDRRMC Juan Gomez de Liaño nailed two crucial treys to cut the lead down to two, 75-73 in the last 27.5 seconds, but Biteng was able to wiggle out of the UP defense to once again bring Mapua’s lead to 77-73 advantage and seal the win.Bright Akhuetie carried UP with 30 points and 18 rebounds, while Paul Desiderio got 13 points and 10 assists, but shot a measly 1-of-8 clip from three as the Fighting Maroons dropped to 0-2.The Scores:MAPUA 79 — Biteng 19, Jabel 13, Victoria 12, Serrano 8, Salenga 8, Bonifacio 7, Pelayo 5, Pajarillo 3, Bunag 2, Lugo 2, Aguirre 0, Garcia 0.UP 78 — Akhuetie 30, Desiderio 13, Ju. Gomez de Liaño 12, Murrell 9, Lim 4, Gozum 4, Manzo 3, Vito 2, Ja. Gomez de Liaño 1, Jaboneta 0, Dario 0, Longa 0.ADVERTISEMENT In fight vs corruption, Duterte now points to Ayala, MVP companies as ‘big fish’ Quarters: 19-15, 35-32, 55-56, 79-78. Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard PLAY LIST 02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite03:23Negosyo sa Tagaytay City, bagsak sa pag-aalboroto ng Bulkang Taal01:13Christian Standhardinger wins PBA Best Player award ‘Stop romanticizing Pinoy resilience’ Lights inside SMX hall flicker as Duterte rants vs Ayala, Pangilinan anew Green group flags ‘overkill’ use of plastic banderitas in Manila Sto. Niño feast Eric Jabel. Photo by Randolph B. Leongson/ INQUIRER.netMapua University showed its fangs against preseason favorite University of the Philippines and delivered a shock 79-78 victory Sunday at the 2018 Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.Eric Jabel and Justin Serrano teamed up in helping the Cardinals erect a 75-67 lead in the final minute, while also holding off a belated uprising from the Fighting Maroons to start their preseason preparation on a good note.ADVERTISEMENT Exe Biteng paced Mapua with 19 points and three rebounds, while Jabel got eight of his 13 in the fourth frame.Laurenz Victoria contributed 12 points, five assists, and three boards, and Serrano just missed out on a double-double with his eight points and 10 rebounds.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSGinebra beats Meralco again to capture PBA Governors’ Cup titleSPORTSAfter winning title, time for LA Tenorio to give back to Batangas folkSPORTSTim Cone, Ginebra set their sights on elusive All-Filipino crown“It’s the effort,” said coach Atoy Co. “We have less big men and more small players and that’s what we’re trying to do, to play fast and run. But what’s important for me is we play defense.”The Cardinals did a good job of stifling the Fighting Maroons from long range, forcing them to shoot 26-percent from beyond the arc. For the complete collegiate sports coverage including scores, schedules and stories, visit Inquirer Varsity. Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Pascua: Pons deserves to win UAAP MVP Jo Koy draws ire for cutting through Cebu City traffic with ‘wang-wang’ Truck driver killed in Davao del Sur road accident MOST READ Volcano watch: Island fissures steaming, lake water receding View comments LATEST STORIES Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next

Lacson: Calamity fund cut; where did P4 billion go? Trump assembles a made-for-TV impeachment defense team His, though, is a painful tale.He was in elite shape heading into the world championships last season in Kailua-Kona for a race that combines a 2.4-mile (3.86 kilometers) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bicycle ride and a marathon. That May, he set a world record at an Ironman event in Brazil, finishing the course in a blistering time of 7 hours, 40 minutes, 23 seconds.Don was on a nice leisurely bike ride — for him anyway — in Hawaii to wake up the legs. He was in the cycling lane when a white pickup truck turned in front of him. Don’s first reaction wasn’t so much about personal safety before slamming into side of the vehicle. No, it was about the new racing wheels on his Specialized bike.“I was like, ‘I’m going to need a new tires now,’” said Don, who trains in Boulder.ADVERTISEMENT Lights inside SMX hall flicker as Duterte rants vs Ayala, Pangilinan anew Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. MOST READ Molinari not flashy except the players he beats View comments LATEST STORIES Report: Disney dropping the ‘Fox’ from movie studio names DepEd’s Taal challenge: 30K students displaced This November 2017 image provided by On shows Tim Don outside his home in Boulder Colo. A few days before the 2017 Ironman world championships in Hawaii, British-born triathlete Tim Don was out on a training ride when he got hit by a truck. For three months, the 40-year-old world-record holder wore a halo to stabilize his broken neck. Nicknamed “The Don,” his mission is straightforward: Get back to Hawaii and finish what he started. (Frank Vetterott/On via AP)BOULDER, Colo. — Ironman triathlete Tim Don carries a constant reminder of the accident with him — besides, of course, a neck that can only turn to the left and the fading marks from where screws painfully dug into his forehead.It’s tucked away in his wallet: A driver’s license that features a photo of Don wearing a halo device to stabilize his broken neck.ADVERTISEMENT Palace OKs total deployment ban on Kuwait OFWs In fight vs corruption, Duterte now points to Ayala, MVP companies as ‘big fish’ When he ventured out, he was asked all about the halo. That was sometimes followed by if he had seen the film, “Bleed for This .” It’s based on the story of world champion boxer Vinny Paz, who broke his neck in a car crash, wore a halo and rose to prominence again. His comeback story was dramatized in the 2016 film starring Miles Teller.“I’m basically trying to do the same thing — without Hollywood and all the glamour of boxing,” said Don, who had a fifth screw added to his halo midway through because it was getting too loose.On Jan. 3, Don had the halo removed . For another two months, he wore a hard collar to protect his neck. His fitness was back at square one even though he was squeezing in some training against doctor’s orders.“I was like, ’How am I going to get there?” said Don, who’s raced twice in Hawaii and is still searching for his first podium finish. “Everyone was racing and training for two hours or more a day. I’m doing 30 minutes on the bike at (a low level). That was pretty hard.”Hawaii and competing in that October race has kept him motivated. He trained in the pool with a snorkel since his neck could barely turn. He rode as much as possible with his fellow training partners on his left because he still struggles to turn the other way.“His story is amazing — how he went from Olympian to reinventing himself in the Ironman to having this tragic accident,” his manager Franko Vatterott said. “Now it’s ‘Tim 3.0.’ He amazes me every single month, because he always has some sort of breakthrough.”His first test: The Boston Marathon. He wanted to see if this entire endeavor was realistic and set his goal at finishing in less than 3 hours. He went 2:49:42.Next test: A “70.3” triathlon in Costa Rica last month. He won by nearly a minute .Now a crucial test: Hamburg. He’s so far back in the point standings that he figures he must do well in order qualify for Hawaii. His wife and two kids, who are in England as he trains, will meet him there. He’s optimistic even if he estimates he’s only 85 percent and sometimes bothered by an aching hip.“That’s all I’m trying to do — get back to Kona,” Don said. “For me, it would be closing a chapter. It would be an emotional day. A hard day, but very emotional.” Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next ‘High crimes and misdemeanors’: Trump impeachment trial begins That’s the last thought he had before waking up on a stretcher about 20 minutes later.“I was in a neck brace and my shoulder hurt, but I was still thinking, ’I can get through the swim, I’ve just got whiplash, and once I’m on the bike I’ll be OK,’” recounted Don , whose recovery was chronicled in a documentary titled “The Man with the Halo ” that was directed by Emmy award-winner Andrew Hinton and commissioned by Don’s sponsor, the Swiss-based sportswear company “On.”Then, the MRI returned. A fractured vertebra high up in his neck.There went the race. Possibly, his career.He was flown back to Colorado and presented with two options: Fuse his vertebrae, which might restrict his swimming and biking, or wear a halo device that consisted of a vest, stabilization bars and a carbon ring encircling his head with multiple screws tightened into his skull.The halo won out.“I wasn’t fearful, because I knew I could race again,” said Don, who competed for Britain in the triathlon at three Summer Olympics, with his best finish 10th at the 2000 Games. “But at what level? I was trying to be optimistic about it. But there was that thought I might not get the full range of motion back in my neck.”Early on, he was in discomfort and the pain medication was making him sick. On one occasion, he even went out to the garage to get an Allen wrench and take the screws out himself.His wife stopped him.Don couldn’t recline to sleep. He couldn’t shower on his own. He couldn’t even pick anything up. Putin’s, Xi’s ruler-for-life moves pose challenges to West World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games PLAY LIST 02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games00:50Trending Articles03:22SEA Games 2019: Charly Suarez stops Burmese foe, advances to boxing semi02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite03:23Negosyo sa Tagaytay City, bagsak sa pag-aalboroto ng Bulkang Taal01:13Christian Standhardinger wins PBA Best Player award “Insane, right?” the British-born Don said, laughing, as he flashed his license. “I didn’t think they’d take the picture with me like that. Now I’m always asked about it whenever I show my license.”A few days before the 2017 Ironman world championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, last October, the world-class endurance athlete nicknamed “The Don” was on a training ride when he smashed into a truck that pulled in front of him.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSGinebra beats Meralco again to capture PBA Governors’ Cup titleSPORTSAfter winning title, time for LA Tenorio to give back to Batangas folkSPORTSTim Cone still willing to coach Gilas but admits decision won’t be ‘simple yes or no’Three months in a halo, two months in a hard collar and lots of physical therapy later, the 40-year-old’s mission remains straight-forward: Get back to Hawaii and finish what he started.“I’m still living the story of my broken neck,” said Don, who figures he needs a top-four finish at Ironman Hamburg in Germany on Sunday to secure a spot for Hawaii, a race that’s regarded as the Super Bowl of his sport. “But no one is going to feel sorry for you, because when the gun goes, we all have our stories.”