The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Ferrari boss upbeat despite positions
- Swimming: China's Ye clinches victory in Beijing
- WADA decide not to appeal Armstrong case
| Ferrari boss upbeat despite positions Posted: 02 Nov 2012 06:24 PM PDT ABU DHABI: Ferrari technical boss Pat Fry was upbeat about the team's ambitions and performance on Friday after title-chasing Spaniard Fernando Alonso wound up only seventh after the second free practice session for this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The two-time champion, who is 13 points behind leader and German defending champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull with three races remaining, was eight-tenths of a second slower. But Fry said: "There are a few new developments on the car and we worked through our programme this morning and this afternoon. "It's looking promising, but we need to analyse all the data before we decide what to run tomorrow." He added that it was imperative that the team improve their qualifying performances. Alonso has not started a race from better than fourth on the grid in seven outings since he took pole in the rain at the German Grand Prix. Fry said: "We are trying as hard as we can to improve the qualifying performance. "Obviously our race pace is quite reasonable, as last weekend at the Indian Grand Prix showed. We need to work on our qualifying, so we will keep on trying, keep on pushing." Alonso's Ferrari team-mate Brazilian Felipe Massa was eighth fastest. - AFP |
| Swimming: China's Ye clinches victory in Beijing Posted: 02 Nov 2012 06:18 PM PDT BEIJING: China's teenage swimming sensation Ye Shiwen stormed to victory in the 200m medley despite claiming to be 85 percent fit at Beijing's short-course World Cup meet on Friday. The 16-year-old who stunned the sporting world with two gold medals in the women's 200m and 400m individual medley at the London Olympics appears to be in top form despite only returning to the pool for less than a month after her spectacular summer. She finished the race on 2mins 06.10 seconds, within reach of the world record of 2mins 04.6 seconds but short of her personal best, set at last year's world championships. "I feel good," Ye told state media after the race, which followed a third-place finish in her heat earlier in the day. "Although it was not my best result, which was within 2:05, it was still good." "I am about 85 percent of my peak form. I didn't feel good in the morning, but the final was OK." "I hope I can be on my top level at the world championships in Turkey this December," she added. Ye was the firm favourite for the passionate home crowd at Beijing's National Aquatics Centre, otherwise known as the Water Cube, the main aquatics venue for the 2008 Olympic Games. Hungary's Zsuzsanna Jakabos finished second on 2mins 08.22 seconds, while compatriot, third placed Katinka Hosszu, remains on course to be in line for a huge pay day with the FINA World Cup. Hosszu moved up to $48,250 on the first day of the eight-stage competition. The Beijing World Cup is the sixth stop of the FINA Swimming World Cup 2012 tour. Ye will also take part in the 400m medley Saturday, the final day of the tournament. - AFP |
| WADA decide not to appeal Armstrong case Posted: 02 Nov 2012 06:10 PM PDT PARIS: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Friday said that it would not appeal against a decision to strip US cyclist Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France victories and ban him from the sport for life for doping. The organisation said it would "not exercise its independent right of appeal" after considering the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) dossier that placed the Texan rider at the heart of what it said was the biggest doping programme ever in sport. WADA said it had made a "full and careful review" of the case, including whether the US body had ignored a statutory time limit on bringing cases alleging doping code violations. It said that based on an independent assessment "that opinion is clear and confirms that the interpretation given by USADA is proper and supported by case law", the organisation said on its website wada-ama.org. The International Cycling Union (UCI) last month announced that it would not contest the USADA findings at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as the revelations sent shockwaves through the sport. WADA President John Fahey said in the statement: "WADA has no such concerns as to the complete process and the overwhelming weight of evidence. "Rather it is of the opinion that the actions of USADA have highlighted the need in all cases for athletes to be able to come forward with evidence that will help rid sport of doping cheats." Fahey said that WADA were awaiting for an independent inquiry to be established into how a "systemic culture of doping... was allowed to develop in cycling during that time" and said it was willing to contribute to the hearing. He applauded the work of USADA and said the punishment meted out to Armstrong was "right and proper". "This is not a situation in which just because the athlete did not return a positive test there was nothing more the governing body of cycling could do," he said. "It has taken a major effort and undertaking from a national anti-doping organisation to gather the compelling evidence following allegations raised by (Armstrong's former team-mate) Floyd Landis in 2010." - AFP |
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