The round-up of other sports news stories in brief...
McCann wins in Philippines
CYCLING:David McCann yesterday underlined his dominance of the Tour of the Philippines, winning the final stage of the race and ending the event with the leader's jerseys for the overall classification, the points ranking and the best climber. The 37-year-old Belfast man outsprinted breakaway companion Sascha Damrow to the line at the end of a tough 119kM stage around Subic.
Plans for Chile event up in the air
HOCKEY:With Ireland, Scotland and Malaysia still unable to travel to Chile for their World Cup qualifying tournament, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed yesterday that the schedule for the five-nation event would be revised, but insisted that it would be neither cancelled nor postponed, writes Mary Hannigan.
Ireland were due to play in the Qualifier’s opening game against Scotland next Saturday but, according to the Irish Hockey Association, it is now likely to be Sunday, at the earliest, before new flights can be secured for the squad.
Scotland are similarly stranded, their association now considering sending the squad by coach from Edinburgh to Paris from where, they hope, they could then fly to Santiago. Malaysia, meanwhile, also have to come up with a plan B, having intended flying to Chile from Frankfurt, with the head of their federation insisting that the team be given “at least five days to get acclimatised” once they arrive.
If such a request was to be granted it would make the FIH’s hope that the tournament final goes ahead, as planned, on Sunday week a somewhat forlorn one.
World number one Ochoa announces her retirement
GOLF:Women's world number one Lorena Ochoa announced yesterday she will be hanging up her golf clubs.
“Lorena Ochoa has confirmed her retirement from LPGA . . . more details will be released on Friday at a press conference,” the Mexican’s management group said.
The 28-year-old has dominated the women’s tour for the last three years with a string of titles, including two majors, that have made her famous in soccer-mad Mexico, where golf is seen as a pastime for a tiny wealthy elite.
She married the chief executive of Mexican airline AeroMexico last year in her home city of Guadalajara.
She recently said she would likely take a break to have children.
“I always wanted to play for 10 or 12 years and I am headed for the eighth,” she said in February. “I want to start a family, but it will be once I retire.”
Dublin to host IRB conference
RUGBY:The International Rugby Board will host a conference in Dublin next month to address global concerns over the way the game is being played and refereed.
Leading coaches, referees and administrators from the world’s top 20-ranked nations will debate five key issues which have emerged following a survey of all 117 IRB member nations.
The central theme is “global playing trends” with the delegates to discuss the tackle/ruck area, excess kicking and scrum collapses/resets.
The physicality of the modern game and player welfare is also on the agenda along with the IRB’s current law-making process.
The conference is not a decision-making forum but any recommendations which emerge from the session, which will be held on May 14th-15th, will be put to the IRB’s committee at their October meeting. The IRB held its first such conference at Woking in 2007.
Sullivan stumbles over finish line
SNOOKER:Ronnie O'Sullivan set up a second-round clash with Mark Williams by stumbling over the finish line in his World Championship opener against Liang Wenbo in Sheffield.
Title favourite O’Sullivan looked in trouble after letting a 9-3 lead dwindle to 9-7. But a break of 73 in the 17th frame saw him clinch his place in the last 16.
“I just didn’t get going today and he played all right towards the end, he looked quite dangerous in the last two or three frames,” O’Sullivan said.
“The pressure was getting on me a bit so I had to find something from somewhere.
“The nerves play a big part here and unless you settle and find your rhythm then it can be tough out there.”
Samaranch in "very serious" condition
OLYMPICS:Juan Antonio Samaranch, the 89-year-old former president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has been admitted to a Barcelona hospital in a "very serious" condition with acute heart problems.
“He is currently under close observation and his prognosis is very serious,” Rafael Esteban, director of internal medicine at the Quiron hospital in the Catalan capital, said.
Samaranch, who stepped down in 2001, has suffered a number of health problems since his retirement.
