Today's other sports news in brief
Murray defeats Del Potro in London
TENNIS:Andy Murray marked the beginning of London's five-year period of staging the ATP Tour Finals with a 6-3 3-6 6-2 win over US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro at the O2 Arena yesterday.
The Scot withstood a ferocious comeback by Argentine Del Potro, who lost the opening five games, to open his account in Group A. Murray won a nervy opening game by saving a break point with an ace before striding into a 5-0 lead.
Del Potro broke serve twice in the second set and, after levelling the match, looked the more likely winner.
However, Del Potro’s challenge withered in the decider.
A double fault gifted Murray two match points and he swiped away a crosscourt backhand to complete a victory.
Collingwood in control
CRICKET: Paul Collingwood marked his record 171st one-day appearance with an unbeaten century to lead England to a commanding, seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the second match of the series in Centurion yesterday.
The all-rounder scored 105 not out as England reached their target of 251 with four overs to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match contest after the first game in Johannesburg was washed out by rain on Friday.
England slipped to 45 for two, but Collingwood led the recovery with his fifth ODI century, off 108 deliveries with seven fours and two sixes.
Opener Jonathan Trott, continuing his excellent start to the tour, also played with calm assurance as he hit 87 off 119 balls with eight fours.
Collingwood, who surpassed Alec Stewart (170) as England’s most-capped ODI player, and Trott put on 162 for the third wicket off 189 deliveries.
Bolt, Richards take award
ATHLETICS:Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who became one of the world's most recognised athletes, and American women's 400 metres world champion Sanya Richards were named IAAF world athletes of the year in Monte Carlo yesterday.
Bolt, who won the award for the second year in a row, wiped out his 100 and 200 metres world records with stunning runs in the Berlin World Championships in August.
Lomu returns to rugby with Marseille-Vitrolles
RUGBY:Former All Black Jonah Lomu returned to rugby yesterday with the French semi-professional side Marseille-Vitrolles.
Once the most feared man in world rugby, the 34-year-old, who played 63 Tests for New Zealand between 1994 and 2002 before his career was cut short by kidney disease, returned in a 63-18 win over Montmelian in the equivalent of the third division.
Lomu, who burst into the limelight at the 1995 World Cup, signed a two-year contract for the Marseille side earlier this year.
Playing at centre, the former winger did not really shine and failed to score a try, but said he was happy to have played again.
“I’m rather satisfied,” Lomu said. “I need to feel more confident and be able to communicate with my team-mates better, but this was a first match and I wasn’t expecting miracles.
“I did my best.”
Ruling on medications criticised
EQUESTRIAN: Last week's decision by the general assembly of the Federation Equestre Internationale to narrowly approve a "progressive list" of medications which could be used in competition continues to draw criticism, writes Margie Mcloone.
In a follow-up statement to the controversial vote in Copenhagen, Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) chairman Joe Walsh said that it was his personal view that “the use of these substances would not be good for the sport.
“How the sport is perceived among the general public is vital from the point of view of attracting sponsors and owners and increasing public interest in the sport,” he added.
“Allowing controlled medication will tarnish the sport and will be seen as a slippery slope.”
Walsh also said he was “uncomfortable with the whole process which led to the new list being adopted”.
The so-called progressive list, which allows the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nsaid) such as phenylbutazone (bute), was only circulated to the HSI delegation and other countries the Friday before the general assembly began.
“There was no opportunity to seek views from our vets, affiliate bodies and the equestrian community as a whole,” he said.
“In addition, the way the question was put to the general assembly was at best ambiguous and I do not believe that this decision has the general support of the world wide equestrian community.”
The original proposed banned list which was circulated to national federations on October 20th, four weeks before the general assembly, was the product of a consultation process with all countries.
“In Ireland, our vets had met to discuss the draft list and it had been circulated to our affiliate bodies and discussed at our sport sub-board and main board,” Walsh pointed out.
“The reality is that if this list is implemented and we were to try to prevent our riders from using any of the substances on it, it could be very difficult for them to remain competitive in international competitions,” he said.
