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Robles serves warning to Liu Dayron Robles’ battle with Olympic champion and former world record holder Liu promises to be one of the highlights of the athletics in Beijing. Robles clocked 12.88 seconds on a cloudy but still evening at the Paris Golden league meeting on Friday. — Reuters
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Boxers sparing no effort
IOC: Clubs must release players
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PICK OF THE DAY
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Just a learning experience, says Poncha
No fines, but don’t smoke
Sachin Tendulkar bats during the second day of a three-day practice match between India and Sri Lanka Board XI in Colombo on Saturday. — AFP
‘Win marks hockey’s revival’
Prince rules as SA take control
Postpone ‘B’ sample test, pleads Asif
India to host 2012 Champions Trophy
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‘No-fun Games’ With just three weeks to go before the Olympics, there are growing concerns that the stifling security measures could kill the element of fun normally associated with the event. According to a Financial Times report, the world's biggest sporting event is being shackled by a visa crackdown, heightened security checks, dire warnings of terrorist attack and curbs on Beijing nightlife. So stringent have been the checks that some observers have already dubbed the 2008 Olympics as the "no-fun Games". Michael Payne, the International Olympic Committee's head of marketing for the two decades to 2004, said that in meetings with top Beijing organisers he has stressed a single word of advice: smile. "The biggest challenge they have to face now is ensuring that the security doesn't suffocate the festival. The Olympics are only special if there is a festival outside the venues," the paper quoted Payne, as saying. The checkpoints are part of a security operation thrown up around the Games by leaders who fear they could be marred by protests, sabotage by "hostile forces" or terrorist attack. — ANI Weird & Strange
One of the most famous athletes in South Africa history is Josia Thugwane. He won the gold medal in the marathon at the Atlanta Olympics. Josia became South Africa’s first black gold medallist. Thugwane finished 3 seconds ahead of his closest rival for the closest Olympic marathon finish ever. Nadia’s Perfect 10s Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci scored perfect 10s seven times at the 1976-Montreal games. At the age of 14, Comaneci became one of the stars of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Her routine on the uneven bars was scored at a 10.0. It was the first time in modern Olympic gymnastics history that the score had ever been awarded. Comaneci would earn six additional 10s, en route to capturing the all-around, beam and bars titles and a bronze medal on the floor exercise.
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Robles serves warning to Liu
Paris, July 19 Robles, whose battle with Olympic champion and former world record holder Liu promises to be one of the highlights of the athletics in Beijing, clocked 12.88 seconds on a cloudy but still evening at the Paris Golden league meeting. The Cuban's time was a hundredth of a second off the world record he set last month in Ostrava and equalled the previous best mark of 12.88 Liu set in Lausanne in 2006. In Liu's absence, Robles was in a class of his own in the French capital. Terrence Trammell took second place in 13.19 and fellow American Antwon Hicks was third in 13.27. "I felt very good, easy," Robles told reporters. "I'm just waiting for the Olympics. Will I break the world record again this year? I don't know." Trammell paid tribute to Robles, saying: "You have to take your hat off to him, he's really in a groove." Wariner breaks 44-sec barrier again
Jeremy Wariner had earlier suggested he could retain his Olympic 400 metres title when he clocked the fastest time of the year. Wariner entered the final straight level with fellow American La Shawn Merritt and stepped up a gear in the last 100 metres to win relatively comfortably in 43.86 seconds, beating the previous year's best of 43.98 he had set last month in Oslo. "Today I ran a lot better, felt better and made a statement going into the Olympics," Wariner said after breaking the 44-second barrier for the second time this year. "This is a pretty good way to get ready for the Olympics." Merritt, who had beaten Wariner twice this season, had to be content with second place in 44.35, with Christopher Brown of the Bahamas finishing third in 44.76. Kenyan teenager Pamela Jelimo stayed on course for the Golden League jackpot with an easy 800 metres win in a personal best one minute 54.97 seconds. Jelimo, 18, set a world junior record to claim the fourth of the six series wins needed for a share of the $1 million prize. Slovakia's Lucia Klocova came a distant second in 1:58.51, narrowly beating Kenyan Janeth Jepkosgei, who took third place in 1:58.52. The only other athlete still in the hunt for the jackpot is Croatia's Blanka Vlasic, who recorded her fourth victory from as many meetings in the showcase series by winning the high jump with a best mark of 2.01 metres. Trinidad's Marc Burns won a low-key men's 100 metres in 10.14 seconds, with Frenchman Martial Mbandjock delighting the home crowd with second place in 10.17 and American Mark Jelks finishing third in 10.26. The showcase event proved a low-key race with Asafa Powell, Tyson Gay and world record holder Usain Bolt all missing.
— Reuters |
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Boxers sparing no effort
New Delhi, July 19 Jitender Kumar (51kg, fly weight), Akhil Kumar (54kg, bantam weight), A.L Lakhra (57kg, feather weight), Vijender Kumar (75kg, middle weight) and Dinesh Kumar (81kg light heavy weight) are the lucky ones who have made the Olympic cut. The IABF is pinning great hopes on Akhil Kumar and Vijender Singh after their string of victories in the run up to the Olympics. Lakhra, who was the first Indian boxer to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, is also considered a medal hope, though eventually, luck and draw will play a major part. But the earnestness of the IABF in helping the Olympic probables put their best foot forward is evident from the fact that it's tie-up with the Mithal Trust for the training of the boxers has derived rich rewards with the appointment of sports physiotherapist Heath Matthews to guide the boxers on the right track, and keep them injury-free. Matthews, who charges $3000 per week, which works out to $12,000 per month, has been sweating it out with the boxers at the Mithal Trust facility in Patiala for the past few days to put the boxers in ship-shape. Matthews has the added "qualification" of having been the trainer of tennis star Sania Mirza, but what has impressed the IABF is his dynamic method with the boxers. His introduction to the ATP Tour came in 2003 when approached by former Wimbledon champions Wesley Moodie and Mahesh Bhupathi, but the South African has also been associated with many famous Olympian athletes. IABF secretary-general Muralidharan Raja and former national coach and now a spotter of talent Om Prakash Bharadwaj were highly impressed with the training methods of Matthews, and they felt that India stood a good chance of winning a medal or two, if the pugilists maintained the same momentum when they competed in Beijing. Bharadwaj said each weight category would have 22 boxers and out of which, 10 would get first-round byes. If any of the Indian boxers got a bye, and then scored two wins, he would be in the medal round. And the rest would depend on the confidence, skill and staying power of the boxer to deliver a medal. Bharadwaj said besides Matthews, there were 25 boxers in the national camp as "sparring partners" for the five Olympians with seven coaches to train, which meant five boxers as training partners for every boxer. "Five sparring partners for each Olympic probable will give variety and style to the training methods of the boxers", Bharadwaj observed. |
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IOC: Clubs must release players
Hamburg, July 19 The rule applies to all under-23 players - unless they don’t want to play at the Games. The Olympic tournament is an under-23 event with three older players allowed per team. “The law says that if a club doesn’t release a player then the player will be suspended for the whole period of the Games,” IOC president Jacques Rogge told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) during an interview in Lausanne, Switzerland. “FIFA has reminded the clubs of this law. They sent a letter a couple of days ago to remind them of that.” FIFA spokesman Alain Leiblang confirmed the letter to DPA Friday, saying, “We have informed the clubs that they must release the under-23 players.” While Brazil’s Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi of Argentina are among the stars to play in Beijing, others like Brazil’s Diego and Rafinha, or Belgium’s Vincent Kompany are not to be released by their German clubs, Werder Bremen, Schalke and SV Hamburg, respectively. AC Milan vice-president Alberto Galliano said his club would have not let newly-hired Ronaldinho go to Beijing had he been at Milan before this week’s hiring. “We respect the obligation that he took on before he came to Milan. If he had already been a Rossonero, we would not have let him go, but as he is joining us later we will let him go to the Olympics,” said Galliano. Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti even saw the bright side of it saying: “It is a chance for him to find his fitness. When he comes back he will be ready. He will only need to learn his place in our system.” Diego, by contrast, is not to be a fellow-midfielder for Brazil as many clubs disagree with the views of FIFA and the IOC. “There is no such rule according to the statutes. We have no written statement from FIFA or the IOC that we have to release someone,” said Bremen sports director Klaus Allofs. The clubs argue that the Olympic tournament is not on the official FIFA calendar (unlike the women’s event) and that it is therefore up to them to decide whether their men can play for gold or not. Rogge said he can understand the clubs but at the same time wants the football tournament to be as attractive as possible. “Their clubs have other motives, the regular calendar, Champions League qualifying and then they don’t want to send them. They are afraid they could be injured,” Rogge told DPA. “I am very happy that the big players want to participate in the Games, Ronaldinho wants to go to the Games. So there is a lot of great players who want to go. The Games are something special for them.” Rogge said he would prefer no age restrictions to have all top stars compete but that he respects the under-23 agreement signed between IFA and the IOC in 1993.
— DPA |
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Just a learning experience, says Poncha
New Delhi, July 19 “I have been very competitive always and I have a super-sized ego. I just hate to loose. My target in Beijing is to go faster than Sydney (at the Australian Grand Prix where he made the cut for Beijing). I would be really happy if I could go a 2 minute 200 fly swim,”
Poncha, aiming to breach the two-minute mark in 200m butterfly, told PTI. His current best stands at 2:01.40s after the 25-year-old smashed a 22-year-old national record during the qualifying event in Sydney. But even if he does an encore in Beijing, Poncha says the field would be just too strong for him and therefore he has set his eyes on London. Before London, however, he is targeting medals at the 2010 Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games the same year here.
— PTI |
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No fines, but don’t smoke
Beijing, July 19 In May the government imposed a ban on smoking in public areas, including sports venues, indoor areas in government offices, transport stations, schools and hospitals. Restaurants, bars and internet cafes have, however, been kept out of the ban purview but they are required to set up separate smoking zones as part of the new regulation.
— PTI |
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Colombo, July 19 Sachin Tendulkar marked his return to competitive cricket with a gutsy 69 and Dinesh Kaarthik struck an unbeaten 58, but none of the other batsmen could hang around for long on a pitch which gave some assistance to the bowlers. The Indians, aiming to get as much batting practice ahead of the Test series which gets underway from July 23, were done in first by the weather and then by some tight and incisive bowling by the hosts. The entire morning session was washed out due to rain and the visitors found the going tough when play actually resumed in gloomy conditions. The Indians, replying to Board XI’s first innings total of 224, were tottering at 80 for five at one stage before Tendulkar and Kaarthik pulled the team out of the pits with a determined 92-run partnership. Tendulkar seemed to be in a beligerent mood despite wickets falling at regular intervals and slammed eight boundaries and a six during his 76-ball knock.
— PTI
Scoreboard Board XI first Innings : 224 India first Innings Gambhir c Mubarak b Fernando 4 Sehwag lbw b Herath 27 Dravid run out 5 Tendulkar c Silva b Prasanna 69 Ganguly c Udawatte b Prasad 14 Laxman hit wicket b Prasad 0 Karthik batting 58 Harbhajan c Udawatte b Fernando 12 Zaheer c de Silva b Prasad 1 Extras (b-4, nb-2) 6 Total (for 8 wkts in 49 overs) 196 Fall of Wickets: 1-4, 2-27, 3-58, 4-80, 5-80, 6-142, 7-172, 8-196. Bowling: Fernando 10-1-27-2, de Silva 10-0-51-0, Prasad 8-2-30-3, Herath 13-3-59-1, Prasanna 8-2-25-1.
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‘Win marks hockey’s revival’
New Delhi, July 19 Kalmadi said the win had laid the roadmap for the future of the Indian hockey. “The win has already chalked out a roadmap for the talented bunch and now it is up to it, the coach and all others connected with the game to take it forward. We are very much heading in the right direction.” “I would like to reiterate that the FIH has allotted the Hockey World Cup to India and it will be hosted in 2010 in New Delhi. In fact, this will serve as a test event before the 2010 Commonwealth Games,” he said. “It will be our endeavour to take Indian hockey to its glorious past and we are also determined to improve our game to global standards. Towards that end, we have made plans, including hosting several international tournaments which will lead us to 2012 Olympics in London with the ultimate aim of winning a medal,” he said. He singled out Diwakar Ram, the find of the tournament, for special praise as he was also intrumental in bringing the trophy home. “I congratulate all the team members, especially captain Gurbaj Singh and coach A.K. Bansal for guiding the squad to a superb win. I also would like to convey my special appreciation to young Diwakar Ram from Uttar Pradesh for showing a fine presence of mind during the game and for striking the ‘golden’ goal.” Sports minister M.S. Gill today praised the Indian team for successfully defending the Junior Asia Cup Hockey championship title. “Shabaas India, Chakde Raheyo Phatey (Bravo, Keep on the good work!),” Gill said in his congratulatory message. President Pratibha Patil today congratulated the Indian hockey team for retaining the Junior Asia Cup title after defeating South Korea in the final in Hyderabad.
— PTI |
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Prince rules as SA take control
Leeds, July 19 Prince, on nine overnight, was 100 not out from 200 balls after striking the second ball of the day for four through the covers. He reached his hundred with a single five minutes before tea. AB de Villiers was on 44 as South Africa lost only one wicket in the first two sessions, with Hashim Amla departing in the morning session. The left-handed Prince, whose innings of 101 was a significant reason why South Africa saved the first Test after following on, rarely looked in danger as he took advantage of the sunny conditions that made batting comfortable. England were bowled out when the weather was cloudy. Prince registered his eighth Test fifty with a sweetly timed lofted drive straight over bowler Monty Panesar’s head for six to prove his growing confidence. He repeated the stroke soon after to a wider long-on position as the ball sailed even further back into the stands. Before lunch, England’s Darren Pattinson, the swing bowler plucked from relative obscurity by the selectors, claimed his first Test wicket with an lbw from a full toss that cannoned into Amla’s pads. Replays showed the ball may have missed leg stump, though umpire Daryl Harper gave him out after taking his time over the decision. De Villiers, who was beaten outside off stump first ball by Pattinson, was booed by the capacity crowd as he walked to the crease after claiming a catch that was shown by replays to have been grounded.
— Reuters Scoreboard England first innings 203 all out South Africa first innings Smith c Strauss b Flintoff 44 McKenzie c Flintoff b Anderson 15 Amla lbw b Pattinson 38 Kallis b Anderson 4 Prince not out 100 AB de Villiers not out 44 Extras: (lb-10, w-1, nb-6.) 17 Total: (for 4 wkts, 85 overs) 262 Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-69, 3-76, 4-143. Bowling: Anderson 23-5-69-2, Pattinson 13-0-49-1, Flintoff 21-6-36-1, Broad 14-1-57-0, Panesar 12-2-33-0, Pietersen 2-0-8-0.
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Postpone ‘B’ sample test, pleads Asif
Karachi, July 19 Asif’s lawyer Shahid Kazmi said the pacer was yet to receive the required documents from the IPL authorities relating to 'A' sample test, without which he could not make preparations for the case. He said as his client will have to be present at the time of testing, he has requested the authorities to postpone the ‘B’ sample test to mid next month. “From the IPL we certainly want the documents that relate to the procedures they adopted for the ‘A’ sample test and we are entitled to have them. We also want certain documents from the Pakistan Cricket Board that might be relevant to the case,” Kazmi said. “We will also not be able to make all arrangements by July 28. The visas have to be processed and documents have to be obtained,” he said. Kazmi, however, refused to confirm that Asif had tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone. “I can’t confirm because we don't have all the documents. I really don’t consider this very relevant because if they say they have adverse analytical finding in the sample ‘A’ test that means they found some prohibited substance and it really does not matter whether it is nandrolone or some other substance,” he said.
— PTI |
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India to host 2012 Champions Trophy
New Delhi, July 19 The Federation International Hockey (FIH) had announced yesterday that India would host the 2010 World Cup Hockey Championship, also in Delhi.
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Beijing
Preview
Cuban Dayron Robles demonstrated once again the struggle Olympic champion Liu Xiang will face at next month's Beijing Games by clocking the joint second fastest time ever for the men's 110 metres hurdles on Friday.
Jeremy Wariner underlined his intention to retain his 400 m title when he clocked the fastest time of the year at Paris Golden League meeting on Friday. "I ran a lot better and felt better going into the Olympics," Wariner said after breaking the 44-second barrier.
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