Other sports news in brief
Haye's title challenge to go ahead
BOXING:David Haye's WBA heavyweight title challenge against Nikolay Valuev will go ahead on November 7th after former champion John Ruiz agreed to end his campaign to scupper the fight.
The contest was agreed earlier this summer but some doubt surrounded it after mandatory challenger Ruiz threatened to force Valuev to fulfil his obligations and fight him, rather than the Englishman. However, Chris Meyer, general manager of Valuev’s promoter Sauerland Events, said: “There is absolutely no problem with the Valuev-Haye bout. Everything has been sorted out.”
McVeigh's fine form continues
GOLF:Danielle McVeigh, in the greatest form of her life, is right up with the pace in the Ladies European Amateur Team Championship which began yesterday over the Falsterbo course in Sweden.
The 21-year-old hugely-talented star from Royal County Down made a splendid start to her bid to add the Euro crown to the British Ladies Open Amateur title she won in such dramatic circumstances at Aberdeen last Friday.
She posted an opening round score of 70 – one under par – and is just one stroke behind pacemaker Karlyn Zaanen from Holland. Alongside McVeigh on the 71 mark are the Swedish pair of Caroline Hedwall and Louise Larsson and Scotland’s Kylie Walker.
McVeigh, a member of the Great Britain and Ireland Vagliano Trophy team this year and already being talked about as a virtual certainty for next season’s Curtis Cup side, was in immaculate form going out and reached the turn in 32, having carded two birdies in the first three holes. She made a couple of mistakes on the homeward stretch and unfortunately finished with a bogey six.
Netherlands defend their team dressage title
EQUESTRIAN:The Netherlands successfully defended their team title at the European dressage championships in Windsor yesterday, aided by another record-breaking performance from Edward Gal and the black stallion Moorlands Totilas, writes Margie McLoone.
Adelinde Cornelissen (Parzival) and Imke Schellekens-Bartles (Hunter Douglas Sunrise) had put the Dutch team on the road to victory on Tuesday and yesterday morning Anky van Grunsven secured gold when achieving a score of 73.872 per cent with Salinero. Gal put the icing on the cake with a stunning mark of 84.085 per cent as Moorlands Totilas received nine’s and 10’s for movements.
Gal now heads the individual leaderboard ahead of Cornelissen with Britain’s Laura Bechtolsheimer in third. Her excellent score of 76.638 per cent with the chestnut gelding Mistral Hojris secured the silver medal for the host nation with the once dominant Germans taking bronze.
Ireland’s Anna Merveldt finished in 24th position with Coryolano.
Ireland's play-off hopes run cold as Iceland prevail
BASKETBALL:Ireland's hopes of reaching the play-offs were dashed last night after a 77-68 defeat to Iceland in the European Senior Women's Qualifier at the National Basketball Arena in Dublin.
Ireland were four behind at the end of the first quarter, 12-16, and 10 in arrears at the next break, 25-35.
Gudrún Ámundadóttir struck a three-pointer in the closing seconds of the third quarter to leave Iceland leading by 18 points (61-43) and leave Ireland facing an uphill struggle.
However, Ireland refused to lie down and managed to create some hope when they enjoyed a period of seven unanswered points. However, free throws from Maria Erlingsdóttir put a halt to Ireland’s run.
Division B(Group A) Iceland 77(35) (B Valgardsdottir 21, H Sverrisdottir 14) Ireland 68(25) (M Aspell 14, L Peat 13).
