The Columbian

National Sports

FILE - In this Jan. 3, 2019, file photo, Seattle Mariners pitcher Yusei Kikuchi smiles at a news conference following his signing with the baseball team in Seattle. Kikuchi was determined from the time he was 15 years old to be the next great Japanese import to dazzle American fans and befuddle major league hitters. That dream is now the reality for the newest starting pitcher for the Mariners.

Kikuchi’s dream now reality with M’s

March 13, 2019, 10:14pm National Sports

Yusei Kikuchi’s journey started in northern Japan, in the prefecture of Iwate, about 300 miles from the Tokyo Dome. Read story

Peter Kaiser (9) poses with his lead dogs, Morrow, left, and Lucy., Wednesday, March 13, 2019, in Nome, Alaska, after winning the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It's the first Iditarod victory for Kaiser in his 10th attempt.

Musher’s journey from feeding sled dogs to winning Iditarod

March 13, 2019, 10:30am National Sports

Pete Kaiser crossed the Iditarod finish line in the Gold Rush town of Nome, Alaska, on Wednesday morning after beating back a challenge from the defending champion, Joar Ulsom of Norway. Read story

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) waves to the crowd as he leaves the court following an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, on Monday, March 11, 2019, in Salt Lake City.

Mitchell, Jazz back Westbrook, say Utah won’t condone racism

March 12, 2019, 5:10pm National Sports

NBA star Russell Westbrook will play in Utah again one day. When he does, a fan who allegedly made racial taunts against him will not be there to watch. Read story

Rio Olympics athletics silver medallist Shota Iizuka, top center left, karate athlete Kiyo Shimizu, top center right, and elementary school students pose with pictograms of Tokyo 2020 Olympic sports events during a celebration to mark 500 days to go, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 12, 2019. Organizers marked the milestone on Tuesday, unveiling the stylized pictogram figures for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Tokyo Olympics clock hits 500-day mark

March 11, 2019, 11:59pm National Sports

Tick tock, tick tock. The Tokyo Olympic clock has hit 500 days to go. Read story

Nicolas Petit hugs one of his dogs before they leave Unalakleet, Alaska, during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Sunday, March 10, 2019.

French musher was leading Iditarod, but then his dogs quit

March 11, 2019, 9:34am Life

Musher Nicolas Petit lost a huge lead in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Monday when his dog team refused to keep going after he yelled at one of the animals. Read story

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez says he’s upset to have been passed over for opening day, but the longtime Seattle Mariners ace isn’t surprised.

King Felix upset by opening day decision, but not surprised

March 10, 2019, 8:39pm National Sports

Felix Hernandez doesn’t think he could have changed the mind of Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais about opening day, even by pitching well this spring. Read story

Kyle Busch does a burnout in celebration of winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at ISM Raceway, Sunday, March 10, 2019, in Avondale, Ariz.

Kyle Busch completes weekend NASCAR sweep in Arizona desert

March 10, 2019, 5:21pm National Sports

Kyle Busch made it a weekend sweep at ISM Raceway in the Arizona desert. Read story

Marco Gonzales was named the starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners in their regular-season opening game against the Oakland Athletics in Japan.

Gonzales to start Mariners opener in Japan

March 9, 2019, 11:23am National Sports

Left-hander Marco Gonzales will get the opening day start for the Seattle Mariners when they begin the 2019 season in Japan against the Oakland Athletics on March 20. Read story

A judge has ruled against the NCAA in a federal antitrust lawsuit, saying football and basketball players should be permitted to receive more compensation from schools but only if the benefits are tied to education.

NCAA can claim victory after losing federal antitrust case

March 8, 2019, 9:35pm National Sports

The NCAA was able to claim victory Friday night after a judge ruled against the governing body for college sports in a federal antitrust lawsuit. Read story

United States’ Tobin Heath, second from right, is congratulated on her goal by Mallory Pugh (11), Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan (13) during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup soccer match against Brazil Tuesday, March 5, 2019, in Tampa, Fla.

Women’s national soccer team players sue for equal pay

March 8, 2019, 9:41am Nation & World

Players for the U.S. women’s national soccer team have filed a federal gender discrimination lawsuit seeking pay equal to that of their male counterparts. Read story