Former F1 driver and two-time Paralympic handbike Gold Medalist ALEX ZANARDI revealed that he "wants to compete in cross-country skiing at the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Winter Games." Zanardi, who lost both his legs in a CART accident in '01, said, "At cross-country skiing, I use 70% of the muscles that I also use for handbiking" (SPIEGEL, 1/5). ... South African mountain biker BURRY STANDER died after he was "struck by a minibus taxi" while cycling on a coastal road in his home country. Police said Stander was killed Thursday while cycling alone. He died at the scene (REUTERS, 1/4). ... Japan's former figure skating world champion DAISUKE TAKAHASHI "plans to hang up his skates" after the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Takahashi said, "I think my career will finish with Sochi. I want to enjoy the little time I have left and leave without any regrets" (REUTERS, 1/6). ... One month after being named World Swimmers of the Year by Swimming World Magazine, Americans MISSY FRANKLIN and MICHAEL PHELPS "were given the same honor" by world governing body FINA in its list of top aquatic athletes. Additionally, FINA named Tunisia's OUS MELLOULI and Hungary's EVA RISZTOV open water swimmers of the year; Russia's ILYA ZAKHAROV and China's WU MINXIA divers of the year; Russia's NATALIA ISHCHENKO synchronized swimmer of the year; and Croatia's JOSIP PAVIC and the U.S.'s MAGGIE STEFFENS water polo players of the year (SWIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE, 1/4).
FOOTBALL TRANSFERS: German national team player LEWIS HOLTBY "will transfer after the end of the season from Bundesliga club Schalke 04 to EPL club Tottenham Hotspur." Holtby, who still has to pass a medical, revealed on Dec. 28 that he "will not extend his expiring contract with the Royal Blues" (SPORT1, 1/4). ... Croatian national team player IVAN PERISIC "has transferred from Bundesliga champion Borussia Dortmund to league opponent VfL Wolfsburg." The 23-year-old midfielder "signed a contract until the end of June '17" with Wolfburg. The transfer fee for Perisic "was an estimated €7M ($9.23M)" (NDR, 1/6).
