Soccer player Kevin O’Connor wins $1.2 million in lottery jackpot
Defender of the Preston North End soccer team Kevin O’Connor had an eventful New Year’s Day. According to CNN, O’Connor watched his team suffer another loss in the English football championship from the substitutes’ bench before winning the lottery jackpot, making the 22-year-old player a millionaire. The ticket was gift from his godfather and uncle, Peadar Murphy, wishing him the best of luck. He was in England the day the winning numbers were given announced After realizing he had won, he returned back to Ireland to claim his prize of €1,000,000.
Andy Murray withdraws from Brisbane International and Australian Open
On Jan. 2, former tennis world-champion Andy Murray announced that he was withdrawing from the Brisbane International tennis tournament due to long term injuries in his right hip. According to CNN, Murray, who has not played since July 2017 due to his injuries. On Jan. 4, Murray also stated that he would not be competing in the Australian Open scheduled to begin on Jan. 15. In an emotional Instagram message posted on Jan. 2, the three-time Grand Slam champion announced that he will be deciding in the upcoming weeks whether to undergo surgery despite warnings that doing so might end his career.
Olympic cyclist injured in car crash
27-year-old Australian Olympic cyclist Caroline Buchanan, let her fans know via Instagram on Jan. 2 that she was injured in a car crash in New South Wales and that she had a broken nose, sternum and a collapsed lung. According to BBC Sports, the Olympic athlete posted an image of herself with a bloodied face while wearing a neck brace. She wrote in her caption that she is recovering and that the off-season just got a little tougher after wishing her fans a happy New Year.
Ryan Tannehill to be Dolphins starter in 2018
According to Local 10 news, on Jan.4, Dolphins’ head coach Adam Gase announced in a conference that Tannehill would be playing as the team’s starter this season and was the perfect quarterback for the team. Following his remarks, Mike Tannenbaum, the Dolphins’ vice president of football operations, said “I believe in the people in our building,” and that 2018 will be a fresh start for the Miami team. He added that, “We’ll always take the best player on our board.”
South Korean leader welcomes North Korea in Winter Olympics
South Korean president Moon Jae-in welcomed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s willingness to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics that will be held in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang. According to Local 10 News, on Jan. 2 the North Korean leader added a surprising note, declaring his hope “for [a] peaceful resolution with our southern border.” Kim also noted that talks about the organization of this event will be taking place as soon as possible. Moon, who has long advocated for closer relations with the North, described Kim’s remarks “as a response to our proposal to turn the Pyeongchang Olympic Games into an epoch-making opportunity to improve inter-Korean relations and establish peace.”
