The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Belgian runner Bekele escapes doping ban
- Wild Oats XI wins Sydney to Hobart in record time
- Nicol poised to start new year by bagging World Series title
| Belgian runner Bekele escapes doping ban Posted: 27 Dec 2012 04:51 PM PST BRUSSELS - Belgian runner Atelaw Bekele, the 2011 European cross-country champion, has escaped a doping suspension despite missing three drugs tests, the country's anti-doping body (VDT) said. Bekele risked a two-year ban after missing the third test on February 8 in Ethiopia, but the VDT decided against punishment "because it was not wilful neglicence". The VDT also took into consideration that when Bekele returned to Belgium, two days after the missed test, there was no trace of banned substances in his urine. Bekele, 25, arrived in Belgium in 2004 as a political refugee, obtaining Belgian nationality four years later. - AFP |
| Wild Oats XI wins Sydney to Hobart in record time Posted: 27 Dec 2012 04:50 PM PST HOBART, Australia - Supermaxi Wild Oats XI smashed its own record time by nearly 17 minutes in Australia's classic Sydney to Hobart ocean yacht race, taking line honours Friday ahead of Ragamuffin-Loyal. Thousands of onlookers cheered at Hobart's Constitution Dock as the favourite came home in one day, 18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds for its sixth victory over the prestigious 628 nautical mile bluewater course. Wild Oats XI also won every year from 2005 to 2008 and in 2010. "It was close, we only just made it but it's a great result for the whole team," skipper Mark Richards told Channel Seven minutes after crossing the finish line. "This boat is a great machine and we're very proud of it. Getting the record is a big thing and it's very satisfying." Ragamuffin-Loyal, which beat Wild Oats by just three minutes last year and is skippered by 85-year-old Syd Fischer, was still 50 nautical miles adrift in second when its arch-rival finished. And its time could be affected by an international jury hearing due to meet later Friday after jumping the start in Sydney. Lahana was running third, Black Jack fourth and Loki fifth. Jazz leads the handicap standings, which takes into account the dimensions of each boat in the fleet, ahead of Calm and Secret Men's Business. The previous record was one day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds, set in 2005, and Richards had his 100-foot yacht well ahead of that pace late Thursday as they powered down Tasmania's east coast. But a northeasterly tailwind gave way to a weaker westerly that dramatically slowed it down. Wild Oats' crew had all but given up on breaking the record after rounding Tasman Island in the middle of the night and it was touch and go as they sailed up Hobart's Derwent River. But the unfurling of a bigger headsail ultimately made the difference to tack home surrounded by a flotilla of smaller vessels. "It was a very tricky night, the breeze died on us. It was very testing and we had to make a lot of sail changes, but it's all part of the Sydney-Hobart," said Richards. "The crew have been together a long time and when the going gets tough they just get tougher." Wild Oats XI led the 76-vessel fleet from the starting gun in Sydney Harbour on Wednesday in a famously unforgiving race which takes crews across the notorious Bass Strait. As well as dealing with the tough conditions, the boat hit an unknown object that damaged a daggerboard beneath the hull. Catastrophic conditions claimed six lives and sank five yachts in 1998, and vessels are routinely unable to complete the race. However, there have so far only been two retirements this year - Living Doll and Primitive Cool. The 2013 event was marred by the controversial expulsion of supermaxi Wild Thing, the 2003 line honours winner, which was among the top three race favourites. Officials banned it just three hours before the start, citing incomplete documentation of major modifications which extended the vessel to 100 feet, with skipper Grant Wharington continuing to protest Friday. He claimed the man who banned his yacht, race director Tim Cox, did not know enough about boat-building and had "egg on his face". Cox rejected the criticism and told Wharington to "lay off the personal insults," according to Sydney's Daily Telegraph. - AFP |
| Nicol poised to start new year by bagging World Series title Posted: 27 Dec 2012 03:30 PM PST PETALING JAYA: Seven-time world champion Nicol David is poised to start the new year in style – by winning the World Series Finals at The Queen's Club, London, from Jan 2-6. However, reigning men's world champion Ramy Ashour of Egypt has pulled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury suffered in the Men's World Open in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month. While the men's competition will be an open affair following Ashour's withdrawal, the spotlight will be on the other top women players as they attempt to get the better of world No. 1 Nicol. The Penangite began this year on a high as well, winning the World Series and going on to clinch eight out of the 10 tournaments she has participated in, including a sizzling performance en route to capturing a record seventh world title in Cayman Islands last week. The only blip Nicol suffered this year was an uncharacteristic back-to-back defeat in the Malaysian Open and Carol Weymuller Open in September – losing to Egypt's Raneem El Weleily and England's Laura Massaro respectively. But she has since rebounded in fine style that it's hard to see anyone getting the better of her now. Nicol, who is back in Amsterdam for the festive break, is in Group A alongside Hong Kong's Annie Au, Holland's Natalie Grinham and Massaro – the opponent she beat in the World Open final. Group B has the talented Egyptians – world No. 2 Weleily and reigning world junior champion Nour El Sherbini – as well as England's Jenny Duncalf and Frenchwoman Camille Serme. Nicol should breeze through the group stages without much resistance and should face her real test in the final against Weleily. National No. 2 and world No. 7 Low Wee Wern just missed the cut by one spot but it could be a blessing in disguise as it'll give her more time to recover from her hamstring injury. Only the top eight players in the World Series standings qualify for the event. Meanwhile, Germany's No. 1 Simon Rosner will take the place of Ashour in the men's event. "I'm so happy to be in the World Series Finals – something no one from Germany has achieved before," said the world No. 15 on "But I hope Ramy is not injured too badly and will be back for the next tournament." Rosner is in Group A with Englishmen Nick Matthew and Peter Barker as well as World Open runner-up Mohamed El Shorbagy of Egypt. Group B comprises dethroned world No. 1 James Wilstrop, France's Gregory Gaultier and Egyptians Amr Shabana and Karim Darwish. |
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