A roundup of today's other sports news in brief
Elliott forced to make late changes
EQUESTRIAN: The senior European eventing championships get under way at Fontainebleau today with this afternoon’s first horse inspection, writes Margie Mcloone.
Horse Sport Ireland’s high performance manager Ginny Elliot, the only rider to have won the individual title three times (1985, 1987 and 1989), was forced to make a couple of late changes to her original selection.
The Irish squad now consists of Cork couple Michael and Patricia Ryan (Old Road and Fernhill Clover Mist), Sacha Pemble (I’ve Been Dun), Elizabeth Power (Kilpatrick River) and Sam Watson (Horseware Bushman).
Eleven nations will be competing in the team competition with seven other countries being represented by individual riders. Since the championships first began in 1953, Britain has been the most successful country winning 20 team golds – including the last seven – and 17 individual titles.
In France, they will face strong opposition from the reigning world and Olympic champions, Germany, while the French squad will be doing its utmost to land a first team gold on home soil having won the silver medal seven times since 1993.
The ground jury at Fontainbleau is headed by Ireland’s David Lee.
Henin to emulate Clijsters and make a comeback
TENNIS: Former world number one Justine Henin is to make a comeback, less than two years after retiring from tennis.
“I think it is a good choice, a big decision in my life,” the 27-year-old Belgian told VTM television yesterday. “The past 15 months I have been able to recharge my physical batteries, mental batteries (and) emotional batteries.
“The aim is to return (to the tour) in January in Australia. In any case it will be during the 2010 season.”
The seven-times grand slam winner said she was inspired by the spectacular comeback of compatriot Kim Clijsters, who won the US Open this month after only a few weeks back on the professional circuit.
“Returning at that level so fast is something I respect enormously,” said Henin.
Henin, who retired in May 2008 at the age of 25 saying she no longer had any passion for tennis, had been scheduled to play exhibition tournaments in Dubai and Belgium in November and December.
Speculation then grew she was considering a competitive comeback, with Belgian media reporting she had increased her training and recently ordered 14 tennis rackets.
Henin, who won 41 titles after turning professional in 1999, was recognised as having one of the best backhands in the game.
She also bucked a trend towards a power game by taller and stronger women, with her slight 1.67-metre frame. She won the French Open four times, the US Open twice and the Australian Open once.
ECB support ‘world test’ proposal
CRICKET: The England and Wales Cricket Board are supportive of a world Test championship – and even claim to have been approached to host the final.
International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat had suggested England and India were the only countries blocking the proposed venture.
However, ECB chiefs have been receptive to such a model for Test cricket for some time – their only concerns being over the mechanism employed. Subsequent correspondence between the ECB and ICC was followed yesterday by a statement from ECB chief executive David Collier.
“England has consistently stated it supports a play-off for a Test championship,” Collier said. “Indeed, Haroon Lorgat’s own staff have approached ECB in the past month to stage the final in England, which was warmly received and supported by ECB.” The proposed format would see countries play each other over a four-year cycle, with the top teams competing for the title in a one-off match.
