Today's other stories in brief
Dilleen earns place in semi-final
ROWING: Lisa Dilleen gave the Ireland team at the World Under-23 Championships in Belarus another major lift yesterday, reports Liam Gorman.
The Galway 19-year-old won a battle for third place in her repechage and so became the fourth Ireland semi-finalist at the event, ensuring that all the Irish crews have reached this stage.
Dilleen had pushed into the top three before halfway, but over the last 500 metres Mayya Reznikova of Russia fought hard to wrest this from her.
Only on the line was Dilleen’s place secure. She finished behind Denisa Cvancarova of the Czech Republic and Rosamund Bradbury of Britain and .15 of a second ahead of Reznikova.
Stormy weather at the venue forced the organisers to alter yesterday’s schedule. The semi-finals are scheduled for early today.
South Korea answer Fina's call
SWIMMING: South Korea are to bid to host the 2013 swimming world championships in place of Dubai following a request from world governing body Fina, the Korea Swimming Federation (KSF) said.
Dubai was awarded the championships last year after beating off competition from Hamburg and Moscow but was forced to pull out in May after the emirate was badly hit by the global economic downturn.
“We decided to bid for the 2013 World Championships at the request of the international swimming body Fina,” said KSF’s Lee Ki-heung.
The event, which also includes the other aquatic sports of diving, synchronised swimming, open water swimming and water polo, takes place every two years. If South Korea’s bid is successful, it would mean back-to-back versions of the championships in East Asia after Shanghai hosts the event next year.
Controversial defeat for Joyce
BOXING:Ireland's John Joyce received a standing ovation from neutral fans as he was leaving the ring despite controversially losing his European Schoolboy Championships semi-final to Ivan Dubovik of Russia in Bulgaria yesterday, reports Bernard O'Neill.
Joyce, from the Moate BC in Westmeath, had to settle for bronze after Dubovik was handed an eyebrow raising 1-0 decision in their 41.5Kg last four clash in Yambol City.
Wayne Kelly and Michael Gallagher also lost their semi-finals duels yesterday. Kelly lost out 4-2 to a Russian, Timur Aminov at 50Kg while And Bulgarian light-middleweight Blagov Naydenov got the better of Gallagher, winning 6-2.
Team manager Paddy Gallagher said Joyce was “blatantly robbed by officials in a disgraceful show, bordering on corruption” while chief Dominic O’Rourke said that Joyce landed three clean punches without reward.
Ottey (50) ready to set a record in Barcelona
ATHLETICS: Merlene Ottey could become the oldest ever athlete to compete at the European championships, at the age of 50.
The three-time world champion is one of five to be picked for the Slovenia women’s 4x100m relay squad who begin their Barcelona campaign on July 31st.
The sprinter, who became a naturalised Slovenian in 2002, won nine Olympic medals in seven Games for Jamaica.
France’s Nicole Brakebusch-Leveque is the oldest athlete to compete in the European games, aged 47.
Ottey, who was second in the Slovenian championship, has won 29 medals at major competitions, including 14 at world championships – more than any other athlete.
At the 1995 championships, Ottey became the oldest-ever female gold medallist when at the age of 35 she won the 200m. And at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she became the oldest-ever athletics medallist when she anchored Jamaican’s women’s 4x100m relay team to silver.
