ATHLETICS: Sonia O'Sullivan is set for the biggest track race of the year so far when she runs the 3,000 metres at tonight's Paris Grand Prix - the first of seven Golden League meetings, writes Ian O'Riordan.
Some eight Olympic gold medallists and 16 current world champions will make their first major appearance of the summer at the Stade de France and that includes the main challengers in O'Sullivan's race. Ethiopia's Gete Wami and Portugal's Fernanda Ribeiro are part of the 16-strong field. For O'Sullivan, however, the emphasis is still on the building process towards Sydney. Yesterday her coach, Alan Storey, admitted that it was a very good field, requiring something around eight minutes 25 seconds to win, but that the time to be running well was in September and not now.
"We decided to take on this race anyway," he said, "and then bring the lessons back into her next phase of training." With last week's victory in Helsinki behind her, it will be later in July before O'Sullivan has another major race, making tonight's run all the more purposeful.
CRICKET: A change of captaincy and the re-emergence of wicket-keeper Alan Rutherford after the briefest of brief retirements from representative cricket are the man features of Ireland's 13-man squad for next month's Triple Crown campaign which will be played in Wales from July 4th to 6th, writes Karl Johnston.
Kyle McCallan, who captained the team in last month's matches against the MCC at Eglinton in the absence of Angus Dunlop, this time has been awarded the captaincy in his own right. Dunlop returned as captain for last month's two one-day internationals against Zimbabwe at Castle Avenue.
Rutherford, who did not play against the MCC, announced his retirement during the second one-day match at Eglinton. Now he has not only returned to the international fold but has also been named vice-captain.
Among the new faces are Gus Joyce and Andy White. "Both have been making a lot of runs in recent times and they deserve the chance", commented Ireland's national coach Ken Rutherford.
Five players were not available for selection. They are Ed Joyce, Andy Petterson, Jason Molins, Paul Mooney and Peter Davy.
IRELAND SQUAD: K McCallan (Cliftonville) capt., B Archer (The Hills), O Butler (Old Belvedere), G Cooke (Brigade), M Dwyer (The Hills), A Dunlop (YMCA), P Gillespie (Strabane), R Haire (North Down), A Joyce (Merrion), A McCoubrey (Ballymena), R McDaid (Limavady), A Rutherford (Bready) vice-capt., A White (North Down).
CYCLING: Multiple Tour de France stage winner Mario Cipollini has confirmed that he will not be participating in the Tour de France, which beings on July 1st.
The flamboyant Italian won a record-equalling four successive stages in last year's Tour, but his aim of adding to a haul of victories in the race was dashed when the self-proclaimed "Lion King" sustained broken ribs. Also missing will be three-time prologue winner and current hour record holder Chris Boardman, who has been struggling with sinus problems in his last season as a professional cyclist.
ROWING: Sinead Jennings carries Irish hopes in the second World Cup regatta in Vienna today. The 23-year-old lightweight single sculler from Donegal has made extraordinary progress in a sport she took up only last year; she won a silver medal in the first World Cup regatta in Munich three weeks ago.
Back home, the Monkstown regatta in Cork on Sunday has 26 races scheduled and starts at 1.0 p.m.
