Hong Kong police have "joined forces with their counterparts" in Poland, Slovakia and Nigeria to retrieve €1M ($1.06M) that trainer RICHARD GIBSON lost to an int'l commercial email "scam" while purchasing a horse. The sum was recovered in Poland and Slovakia, and €600,000 ($635,000) had "already been transferred back to Hong Kong." The money "was given to Gibson in September by a horse owner in Hong Kong to buy a horse through an agent in Ireland" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 1/5). ... Two-time Olympic decathlon champion ASHTON EATON and his wife, BRIANNE THEISEN-EATON, said Wednesday "they were both retiring at the age of 28." The "childhood sweethearts are one of the most high-profile husband-and-wife teams in professional sports" and could often be seen "roaring" each other on at trackside during competition (AFP, 1/5). ... Two-time European Tour winner and former World Cup of Golf champion WAYNE WESTNER "has died in a suspected suicide in South Africa, local police said." Westner, 55, was "found dead with a gunshot wound to the head and a pistol next to his body at the home of his estranged wife in Pennington, south of Durban" (REUTERS, 1/4). ... Three-time Olympic champion PETE REED "announced his rowing comeback" as he aims for a fourth Olympic Gold Medal. Reed, 35, "returned to his job in the Navy following last summer's Rio Olympics," where he won Gold in the men's eight. He now plans to compete at Tokyo 2020, when he will be 39 (BBC, 1/4).
THUNDER STRUCK: Slovakian rider IVAN JAKES was "struck by lightning during the third stage of the Dakar Rally, but he still managed to finish 15th on the day." Jakes, who competes in the event with his own team and rides a KTM, "was hit by lightning during a storm in the Salar Centenario area, 300km from the finish line." The Slovakian felt the hit, "but managed to continue riding" (MOTORSPORT, 1/5).
