ATHLETICS: Tributes poured in last night for Chris Brasher, the man behind the London Marathon, who died yesterday at the age of 74.

Brasher's place in sporting history was sealed when he helped Roger Bannister smash the four-minute mile on May 4th, 1954. Two years later, in 1956, he was recognised as a top-class athlete himself, taking Olympic gold in the 3,000 metres steeplechase in Melbourne. The authorities had stripped him of his gold medal for allegedly fouling Norway's Ernst Larsen. But they reversed their decision after an appeal backed by Larsen himself.

Last night, Brasher's close friend, Bannister said: "Chris was gallant and brave right to the end, he had won so many battles in his life.

OLYMPICS: The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) have appointed two-time world rowing champion Sam Lynch as chairman of a steering committee with the purpose of establishing a new Athletes Commission, writes Ian O'Riordan.

The six-man committee will be primarily concerned with improving the election process and increasing the range of sports represented on the commission.

Lynch has already met OCI president Pat Hickey to begin the athlete input into the build-up to next year's Athens Olympics. It is envisaged that the new Athletes Commission be in place by the summer, following the input of the steering committee and also Athletes Commissions from other National Olympic Committees.

Also included on the committee is former Olympic 5,000 metre runner Cormac Finnerty. The previous effort at establishing an Athletes Commission after the Sydney Olympics saw problems with the election process and lack of proper representation, and ended with the OCI disbanding the Commission last September.

WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Irish hockey has received a considerable promotional boost with the news RTÉ will show the women's Irish Senior Cup final live on Sunday, March 23rd, the first time since the 1995 European Championships that the sport will be aired live on Irish television, writes Mary Hannigan.

Traditionally the final is held on a Saturday but the Irish Hockey Association was only too pleased to accommodate RTÉ's request that it be switched to the Sunday, with a 4.20 starting time, when cup holders Loreto of Dublin will play Cork Harlequins.

"It's brilliant news," said Harlequins' Irish captain Rachael Kohler, "it's just the injection that hockey has been looking for. Television coverage will just add to the whole occasion, one that has so much prestige already for Irish players - everybody is thrilled about it."

Due to a clash with the Aintree Grand National on April 5th, and other outside broadcast commitments the following day, the men's Irish Senior Cup final will not be shown live by RTÉ but the station hopes to have highlights of the game on its Sunday sports programme and, possibly, live coverage next year.

MOTOR SPORT: Harri Rovanpera of Finland survived relatively unscathed to lead after the first day of the Rally of Turkey as leading contenders fell by the wayside.

Team chiefs said before the event they expected a tough ride on the gravel tracks but they appeared to have underestimated the rocky test.

Rovanpera, in his Peugeot 206 WRC, holds a 20.7 second lead over Spain's Carlos Sainz in his Citroen Xsara and 29.5 seconds on Belgian Francois Duval of Ford Focus going into day two.

GOLF: Australian Adam Scott said yesterday he will not defend his title at the European Tour's Qatar Masters in a fortnight.

Scott instead will play the US Tour's Honda Classic in Florida.

"I won there (in Qatar) last year and would love to go back," Scott, who has also withdrawn from next week's Dubai Desert Classic, said. "With everything going on there, I don't feel like risking anything for a couple of weeks of golf."

England's Laura Davies holds a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the women's Australian Open in Sydney as she pursued her 65th career golf title. Davies, after an opening round 65, led on 11-under par after a mixed bag round of 68 at Terrey Hills, when six birdies were offset by two bogeys. She was one shot clear of former Irish Close champion Rebecca Coakley, who carded contrasting 67s to be 10-under par, while defending champion Karrie Webb (67) was eight-under alongside American LPGA rookie of the year Beth Bauer (66) and Mexican Lorena Ochoa (69).

The Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team had a disastrous opening morning at PGA Village, Florida, losing all four foursomes to a formidable USA team.

Brendan McGovern from Headfort in partnership with Scot Gordon Law lost 4 and 3 to Mike Gilmore and Tim Weinhart.

John Dwyer, from Ashbourne, Co Meath, in partnership with Northampton's Andrew Hare made a brave fight before losing 3 and 1 to Alan Morin and Don Berry.