Skier-snowboarder Ester Ledecka will not be able to follow up her unprecedented dual sport gold medal performances at the Pyeongchang Olympics with a similar haul of world titles this season. The schedule won't allow it, and she's not happy about it.
The parallel giant slalom at the freestyle ski and snowboard world championships in Utah is scheduled for Feb. 4, the same day that events begin at the skiing worlds in Are, Sweden. Ledecka, a 23-year-old Czech, asked for a schedule change. "But they didn't want to so I have to choose," Ledecka said. She has yet to make that choice.
"On one side I see their point. For one athlete why should they do that, right? But from the other side I think I made snowboarding a little more popular and I think a lot of fans would be happy to see me compete in both," Ledecka said. "It's their decision, and I have to respect it."
Around the horn
Baseball: Infielder Daniel Descalso and the Chicago Cubs agreed on a two-year contract that includes a club option for 2021. Descalso, 32, hit .237 with 22 doubles and 13 home runs for Arizona last season. … Righthanded pitcher Matt Harvey reportedly agreed to an $11 million, one-year contract with the Angels. He went 7-9 with a 4.94 ERA last season for the Mets and Reds.
College football: Tyler Johnston III threw for 373 yards and four touchdowns to lead Alabama Birmingham over Northern Illinois 37-13 in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Soccer: Manchester United fired manager Jose Mourinho and said it would seek a replacement in the offseason. … Goalkeeper Zack Steffen was voted the U.S. Soccer Federation's Male Player of the Year for 2018, the first year since 1987 the Americans did not play a competitive match.
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