BAYERN Munich breathed a collective sigh of relief after booking a Champions League group stage spot with a 3-0 aggregate win over FC Zurich, taking the first step to what they hope will end with an appearance in the competition’s final in Munich next year. Bayern made sure of their place in Europe’s premier club competition with a 1-0 win in Zurich on Tuesday following their 2-0 first leg win at home last week. Read more about Bayern settle nerves in the Champs League
THE Netherlands leads the FIFA rankings for the first time after ending World Cup winner Spain’s 13-month reign at the top yesterday. The Dutch, World Cup runners-up last year, rose to the top spot despite not playing last month. Spain lost 2-1 in a friendly to new No 7 Italy. Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk welcomed his nation’s status as the seventh country to lead the table in its 18-year history. “We know it is tough to reach first place, but tougher still to stay there. That is a great challenge,” Van Marwijk said. Read more about Netherlands topples Spain
USAIN Bolt, the world’s fastest man, leads a powerful group of Jamaican sprinters into the World Athletics Championships. Bolt has lost only twice in his professional career and will be favourite to defend his 100 and 200m crowns in South Korea, and seal the same status for the 2012 London Olympics.“I’m Olympic and world champion. My goal is to defend my titles,” Bolt said. “I want to be a legend of the sport and if I do that, it will make me one.” Read more about Bolt leads way at Worlds
FORMER Stormers flanker Francois Louw, who has not played a Test in more than a year, was included on Tuesday in South Africa’s 30-man squad for next month’s Rugby World Cup. Read more about De Villiers surprisingly calls Louw
SENEGAL’S Lamine Diack has been reelected unopposed as president of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) yesterday. Diack pulled in 169 votes in favour and 29 against as opposed to 173 and 27 in the first round after officials ordered a second round of voting by hand because of technical problems with the new electronic voting system. Diack, 77, a former long jumper, has been in the post since November 1999 - when he took over as caretaker president on the death of Primo Nebbiolo - before being formally elected in 2001 and winning two more terms in 2003 and 2007. Read more about Diack reelected IAAF president
NOT even a bizarre case of frostbite will prevent former Olympic and world champion Justin Gatlin from lining up at the world championships, the US sprinter said yesterday. Gatlin, who is in his second year back following a four-year doping suspension, developed the condition recently in steamy Florida of all places, he told a news conference ahead of Saturday’s opening of the world championships. ‘There is a (cryotherapy) chamber (where he trains) and I went in there on a hot day and had socks on and the socks were wet from sweat,’ Gatlin said. Read more about Gatlin comes in from the cold
Submitted by Sun Reporter2 on Wed, 2011-08-24 10:02
NAMPA/AFP
ENGLAND captain Lewis Moody has revealed he thought his dreams of appearing in a third World Cup were over when he was carried off against Wales a fortnight ago with a knee injury.
The flanker - one of several players remaining from the 2003 World Cup winning squad - had played 61 minutes of England’s first warm-up game at Twickenham before injuring himself and being helped off the pitch. Read more about Moody feared World Cup was over
Submitted by Sun Reporter2 on Wed, 2011-08-24 10:01
NAMPA/AFP
INDIA’S 4-0 whitewash by England in the Test series pitched newspapers into a mood of dark despair focused on the lack of fighting spirit shown by Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men.
“A Crying Shame” screamed the Times of India, while the Mail Today went with “Abject India whitewashed” and the Hindu admitted “The humiliation is complete.” The Hindustan Times headlined its match report “Finally, it’s Oval and out” in reference to the London ground where England completed their comprehensive series win on Monday. Read more about ‘A crying sham e’ say Indian mediaLewis
Submitted by Sun Reporter2 on Wed, 2011-08-24 09:59
NAMPA/REUTERS
MITCHELL Watt could be preparing for the Rugby World Cup this week instead of the athletics World Championships but the Australian long jump title hopeful has never regretted passing up the team game for individual glory. Read more about Watt passes on rugby
Submitted by Sun Reporter2 on Wed, 2011-08-24 09:57
NAMPA/AFP
SEBASTIEN Chabal said Tuesday he was trying not to dwell on his non-selection for the France team for the World Cup but would instead be focusing on what could be his final season with Top 14 side Racing Metro.
