The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- McIlroy leads, Oosthuizen and Woods chasing
- Geale tames Sturm to become unified world champ
- Paralympics: Pistorius takes centre-stage as Smyth shines
| McIlroy leads, Oosthuizen and Woods chasing Posted: 01 Sep 2012 04:33 PM PDT NORTON, Massachusetts: World No. 1 Rory McIlroy fired a second straight 65 on Saturday for a slim halfway lead in the Deutsche Bank Championship with Louis Oosthuizen and Tiger Woods heading the chasing pack. Northern Ireland's McIlroy, who earned his second career major title at the PGA Championship in August, had a 12-under total of 130 after two rounds on the par-71 TPC Boston layout. South Africa's Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, was one shot back after a 65 for 131 and 14-time major champion Woods carded a 68 for 132, where he was joined by compatriot Ryan Moore, who also carded a 68. McIlroy's round included an eagle on the revamped par-five 18th - his ninth hole of the day - where he stuck his approach shot eight feet from the pin. He had two bogeys on his inward nine, finding the water at the par-five second for a six and also bogeying the par-three third. But he bounced back with birdies at four and five and was in the clubhouse on 12-under 130. Overnight leader Seung-Yul Noh of South Korea had an even par 71 that included an eagle and a double-bogey and was in a group of five players on 133 that also included South Africa's 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (65). Nine players were separated by three shots heading into Sunday's third round of the $8 million tournament, which is scheduled to end Monday on the US Labor Day holiday. Prior to the event, the second in the US PGA Tour's four-tournament playoff series that ends with the Tour Championship in Atlanta, McIlroy predicted the winning total after four rounds on Monday would be from 15- to 18-under par. "Now that I'm in the tournament, I just want to play as well as I can and maybe reassess things going into the last day," McIlroy said. "But I was very happy with the two scores that I've got already and know that I need to go out and play just as good tomorrow to give myself a chance going into Monday." - AFP |
| Geale tames Sturm to become unified world champ Posted: 01 Sep 2012 06:37 PM PDT BERLIN: Australia's Daniel Geale was crowned the new unified IBF and WBA middleweight world champion on Saturday night following his split decision win over Germany's Felix Sturm. The 31-year-old Tasmanian took the unification bout when the three judges scored the fight 116-112 to Sturm, then 116-112, 116-112 to Geale, who claimed the German's WBA middleweight title in Oberhausen, west Germany. "Of course, I expected him to be strong, Felix is a good champion, it was a tough, very hard fight," said Geale who beat Germany's Sebastian Sylvester in May 2011 to win the IBF title. "I have been improving with every fight and I am just so happy to have come here and done this. "Everyone has given me lots of great support, without these guys I wouldn't be here. I hope we can have a rematch, that was a great fight." This was the 28th win of Geale's 29 fight career with a 2009 split-decision defeat to compatriot Anthony Mundine his only loss. It was Sturm's first defeat since he suffered a 10th-round technical knock-out in July 2006 against Spain's Javier Castillejo and was his first defeat after 13 defences of his belt. "I have to accept the decision, that is boxing," said the 33-year-old German who suffered the third defeat of his 42 fight career. "He did well on his side, he boxed awesomely and gave his best and I simply have to accept it. "It's a bitter defeat, but I had my chances. "I had a few people backing me, (Manchester City striker) Edin Dzeko flew here to support me. I hope to have a rematch, we'll see." Sturm started strongly, landing some telling punches in the opening two rounds, one telling head shot in the second round opened up a cut on the side of Geale's head, but the Australian finished the third round strongly. The Australian used Sturm's high guard to land several body shots and a heavy right at the end of the round. Sturm used his jab well, but the fourth round ended with a flurry of punches from both fighters. After Sturm was strong in the fifth, with a series of jabs and upper-cuts, Geale upped his work rate in the sixth to land several shots. However, there was little to separate the pair by the halfway stage. Geale boxed more aggressively in the seventh, landing a good head shot late in the round, while Sturm landed a heavy head shot at the end of the eighth. Sturm impressed in the ninth with a series of head, body shots, but the German was rocked by a good combination by Geale midway through the tenth, which fired up Sturm to come out firing for the 11th. Geale had more in reserve for the final two rounds and he landed some solid shots, leaving Sturm's face marked by the last bell as the final count went his way. - AFP |
| Paralympics: Pistorius takes centre-stage as Smyth shines Posted: 01 Sep 2012 04:37 PM PDT LONDON: Oscar Pistorius on Saturday began the defence of his three sprint titles with a bang, breaking the world record in the T44 200m, as Irish runner Jason Smyth became the fastest Paralympian in history over 100m. Pistorius, who earlier this month became the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympics, stormed to victory in his heat at the Olympic Stadium in east London, clocking a new best of 21.30sec. The 25-year-old said he was happy with the time - and the reception from the 80,000-strong crowd - but again played down expectations that he would complete the sprint clean-sweep. "I've done a world record tonight, so we'll see what happens, but the 100m isn't really my event," he told reporters. Pistorius, nicknamed the "Blade Runner" because of his carbon fibre prostheses, will face Beijing silver medallist Jim Bob Bizzell, as well as his long-standing rival Jerome Singleton, both of the United States. The race had been billed as the highlight of the evening's programme, with Pistorius' participation in the 400m heats and 4x400m relay final at the Olympics making him the most high-profile athlete at the Games. But Irish sprinter Jason Smyth gave a stunning performance in the T13 100m, streaking to victory in 10.46sec, breaking the previous world best of 10.54sec that he set in qualifying on Friday night. The 25-year-old, who is visually impaired and like Pistorius also competes in non-disabled races, trains with US sprint star Tyson Gay in Florida and has said it is possible to have a Paralympian run under 10sec in the straight sprint. He has run 10.22sec - 0.27sec quicker than the non-disabled women's 100m record set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988 - although his time has not been recognised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). There was more cheer for Ireland in the T37 category for athletes with cerebral palsy, as Michael McKillop retained his 800m title from Beijing in a new world record of 1min 57.22sec. Another record tumbled in the men's T38 100m as Australia's Evan O'Hanlon - once voted one of his country's most eligible bachelors by a fashion magazine - lowered the previous best by 0.09sec to defend his Beijing gold in 10.79sec. Cuba's Yunidis Castillo also retained her T46 200m title in a new world best. In the pool, Britain's Ellie Simmonds laid to rest question marks about Victoria Arlen's eligibility to race in the women's S6 400m, smashing the US swim queen's previous world best by just over five seconds to win gold. Arlen was given the all-clear to race after being ruled "non-eligible" then re-instated earlier this week on appeal. The IPC will rule on her case next August. Brazil's Andre Brasil, meanwhile, picked up his third gold medal of the Games in the men's S10 100m butterfly, while New Zealand's Sophie Pascoe, triumphed in the women's equivalent, after picking up S10 200m individual medley gold. US swimmer Jessica Long picked up her third medal in as many days and her 10th in three Games in the SB7 100m breaststroke. In cycling, Britain's Sarah Storey clinched the C4/5 500m time-trial for her second gold of the Paralympics and the ninth of her Games career, as her husband Barney helped Neil Fachie win the blind and visually impaired 1km time-trial. In the mens' C4 individual pursuit over 4km, Carol-Eduard Novak of Romania, a silver medallist in Beijing, took gold from the Czech Republic's defending champion Jiri Jezek. Michael Gallagher gave Australia another gold in the C5 race, while China was at the top of the podium once again after He Yin, who took the women's C1-2-3 500m time-trial. Defending champions Ukraine and the team they defeated in the final four years ago, Russia, showed they were still the teams to beat in seven-a-side football, as they thumped the United States 9-0 and Argentina 8-0 respectively. Nigeria continued their dominance of the paralifting, as Esther Oyema and Joy Onaolapo both broke world records in the -48kg and -52kg categories, leaving the the west African nation with a medal in seven of the eight classes at the Games. There was surprise, though, in the equestrian after Britain's Lee Pearson took silver to Australia's Joann Formosa in the Grade Ib individual championship - the first time he has beaten in a Paralympic dressage competition in four Games. - AFP |
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