Swimming: They kept the good wine until last on the opening day of the Irish Open championships at the Lisburn Leisureplex yesterday.

The Trojan relay team of Muiris ╙ Riada, David O'Malley, Donal O'Neill and Mark Doyle failed by .10 of a second in their attack on New Ross's Irish senior record of three minutes, 48.31 seconds for the 400 Medley relay.

The best battle of the day was between Katie Martin and SinΘad Tyrell of Cormorants in the 200 metre breaststroke events. The English girl won in 2:40.34 with the Irish champion second.

Motor Sport: Some of the biggest names in world rallying will be at Punchestown Racecourse on Saturday for the first World Rally Masters.

Heading the 40-car entry will be world rally championship stars Richard Burns and Freddy Loix, who will be joined by two-time world champion Miki Biasion and former European champion Patrick Snijers.

One of the biggest names in world rallying, Burns' participation represents a major coup for the organisers. The winner of nine world championship rallies and the championship runner-up for the past two seasons, the English driver will be in action in the Subaru Impreza WRC2001 which he has campaigned in this year's world series.

Burns will be backed by the Subaru world rally team, the biggest operation on the world championship scene.

Five-time Irish rally champion Austin McHale heads the home challenge.

Athletics: Germany's top high jumper at the 2000 Olympics, Amewu Mensah, will be dropped from anti-drug posters after revealing she had tested positive for an anabolic steroid.

The charity "No one takes drugs" said the poster would no longer be used.