Sports Digest/Olympic Games: The world will enjoy the "best Games ever" if the Olympics are staged in London in 2012, Seb Coe pledged yesterday.
He also told the International Olympic Committee inspectors, in London at the start of a crucial four-day tour, there would be a strong sporting legacy beyond 2012.
Coe, the London 2012 chairman and double Olympic champion, said: "London's ambition is not just to be a good Olympic Games - it has to be the best.
"We will deliver on time and on budget because we've already begun building and because our attention is focused on the next generation.
"In my lifetime I've seen many wonderful Games, seen them and taken part in them but I am an athlete and I don't run to come second."
London is hoping they will be impressed with its plans to stage many events at iconic landmarks and world-famous venues ranging from Wimbledon, the new Wembley Stadium, Lord's Cricket Ground, Regent's Park, Hyde Park, Horse Guards Parade, Greenwich Park, The Dome, The Royal Artillery Barracks and Eton Dorney.
ICE HOCKEY: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled the remainder of the season on Wednesday, after team owners and locked out players were unable to negotiate a new collective agreement.
Owners had been seeking to impose a salary cap on players, something their union had steadfastly refused to consider since the lockout began last September until Monday when they said they would be prepared to accept a cap of $52 million per team, which was rejected by the owners.
That figure was lowered to $49 million, while the owners upped their proposal from $40 million to $42.5 million, but neither party was willing to budge any further.
The NHL is the first North American professional league to lose an entire schedule due to a labour dispute.
SNOOKER: Stephen Hendry went close to achieving the second maximum in Masters history during his crushing 6-1 defeat of Stephen Lee in the second round at Wembley yesterday.
Hendry knocked in 13 reds and 12 blacks but was forced to settle on a blue for his 13th colour after running out of position.
Hendry has another chance to go for glory against compatriot John Higgins tonight in what will be his 51st Masters match.
TENNIS: Venus Williams, who will be allowed keep the gold and diamond-encrusted racket on offer to the winner of the event if she completes a third Antwerp success, swept past France's Virginie Razzano 6-3 6-0 in yesterday's Antwerp Diamond Games second round. Earlier, seventh seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland beat Camille Pin 6-3 4-6 6-1.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer began his quest to win one of the few titles to have escaped his grasp with a 6-3 6-4 first-round victory over Czech qualifier Bohdan Ulihrach at the World Indoor Tournament in Rotterdam.
The Swiss world number one, playing his first match since losing in last month's Australian Open semi-finals, overcame early jitters to chalk up his fourth successive triumph against Ulihrach.
BASKETBALL: Basketball Ireland have announced the men's Superleague finals will for the second year running take place in the Mardyke Arena in Cork on March 19th and 20th, reports Gavin Cummiskey.
The quarter-finals will take place on the weekend of March 12th and 13th between second and third place in each conference, with each champion going straight through to the semi-final stage. The women's Superleague final and Division One men's and women's finals take place at the Mardyke Arena on the same weekend.
Saturday, Mar 19th: Women's Division One final; first Men's Superleague semi-final; men's Division One final; second Men's Superleague semi-final. Sunday, Mar 20th: Women's Superleague final. Men's Superleague final.
