Alysa Liu of the United States competes during the women’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 17, 2026. The Olympic athletes are the subject of uncomfortable public comparisons that present online narratives that overlap more than both sides may realize. (Doug Mills/The New York Times) By LI YUAN People on social media in China and the West can’t stop comparing Alysa Liu and Eileen Gu, two of the biggest stars at the W

Attendance for the Group A pool play round of the World Baseball Classic is estimated at some 145,000 spectators during five days of competition, which will include a total of 10 games at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Hato Rey. The stadium has a capacity of 19,125 fans per game. By THE STAR STAFF San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo presented details Wednesday on the projected economic impact of the 2026 World Baseball Classic Group A opening round, an event to be held from Friday to

José Altuve of the Houston Astros strikes out during Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. Under the automated ball-strike system coming to MLB this year, players will be able to challenge ball-strike calls. (Johnny Milano/The New York Times) By ENO SARRIS, DAN HAYES and C. TRENT ROSECRANS / THE ATHLETIC The robot umpires are here — sort of. Under the automated ball-strike system

Carmen Z. Figueroa Arena in Corozal By THE STAR STAFF The eighth week of the Women’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSF by its initials in Spanish) season begins today with a lone match on the schedule: the Cangrejeras of Santurce visit the Pinkin of Corozal at historic Carmen Z. Figueroa Arena, starting at 8 p.m. A story in the March 3 edition of the STAR said in error that the site of the match was Roberto Clemente Coliseum in Hato Rey. Today’s contest pits the first-place te

Some members of the victorious ECEDAO girls’ track & field team By THE STAR STAFF The young athletes from the Eugenio Guerra Cruz Specialized Sports Community School (ECEDAO by its initials in Spanish) at the Olympic Training Center successfully defended their titles in both the girls’ and boys’ divisions of Group I (Superior) at the 70th edition of the PolyRelays track and field meet held this past weekend at Luis F. Sambolín Stadium at the San Germán Campus of Inter-America

A total of 4,251 runners finished the 64th edition of the San Blas Half Marathon in Coamo on Sunday. (Facebook via Medio Maratón San Blas) By THE STAR STAFF Kenyan Peter Njeru successfully defended his title at the 64th San Blas Half Marathon in Coamo on Sunday with a time of one hour, 3 minutes and 13 seconds (1:03:13), crossing the finish line over half a minute ahead of his closest challenger. In the women’s race, Werkuha Getachew of Ethiopia was the winner by a similar ma

The Pinkin of Corozal dropped the first set but swept the next three to win Sunday’s Women’s Superior Volleyball League match in Caguas and supplant the Criollas in second place. (Heriberto Rosario Rosa – FPV) By THE STAR STAFF The seventh week of the Women’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSF by its initials in Spanish) season concluded on Sunday night with the Cangrejeras of Santurce extending their undefeated streak to 14 games, while the Pinkin of Corozal climbed into secon

Tamara Otene led undefeated Santurce with 20 points. (Heriberto Rosario – FPV) By THE STAR STAFF Last Friday’s matches in the Women’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSF by its initials in Spanish) saw the Cangrejeras of Santurce remain undefeated with their fourth victory of the season over the defending champion Criollas of Caguas, while the Atenienses of Manatí split points after defeating the Valencianas of Juncos in five sets. At Roger Mendoza Vidal Coliseum in Caguas, the

The former Olympic distance runner Jeff Galloway, who pioneered the run-walk-run method, at home in Sandy Springs, Ga., Dec. 5, 2025. Galloway, a seminal figure in American distance running as an Olympian, pioneering shoe-store owner, coach and author, died in Pensacola, Fla. on Feb. 25, 2026. He was 80. (Arthur Thompson/The New York Times) By JERÉ LONGMAN Jeff Galloway, a seminal figure in American distance running as an Olympian, bestselling author, coach, pioneering shoe-s

“Would you want to pitch for Team USA?” a Pittsburgh Pirates staff member said. “Heck yeah, I would,” ace Paul Skenes replied. “Come on!” (Facebook via Pittsburgh Pirates) By STEPHEN J. NESBITT / THE ATHLETIC Early last season, Kevin Roach, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ video coordinator, approached the team’s young ace, Paul Skenes, and asked him if he was interested in pitching for the U.S. team in the World Baseball Classic. Skenes is exactly the type of person who would want to