'Winning machine' Mourinho is a threat, says Ibrahimovic

Thu, Jul 29 10 10:58 PM

Zlatan Ibrahimovic fears his former coach Jose Mourinho will create a Real Madrid team capable of ending Barcelona's recent dominance of Spanish soccer.

Ibrahimovic, the Barcelona striker who endured a patchy first season at the Nou Camp, played for Mourinho at Inter Milan between 2008 and 2009.

"Mourinho is one of the best coaches in the world," Ibrahimovic told reporters on Thursday, ahead of Barcelona's pre-season friendly against Norwegian side Valerenga.

"When he comes to a new club he will build it up to be a winning machine. It will be difficult to beat (Real), but we are the best team in the world."

Barcelona won the Spanish league in 2009 and 2010, and the Champions League in 2009.

Ibrahimovic, the Sweden international who scored 16 goals in his first season at Barcelona, said he expects to improve in his second, and that the arrival of David Villa should not put his place under threat.

He admitted he had discussed his situation with coach Pep Guardiola after Barcelona bought Villa, Spain's top scorer at the World Cup, from Valencia.

"Every time I change clubs, I think the first year is always the (most) difficult one, and from all the clubs that I've played in, my best first year has been in Barcelona," Ibrahimovic said.

"He (Guardiola) says I'm important, and then I take it as I will play. If you're not important, you don't play."

Ibrahimovic said Villa was one of the world's best players who would help Barcelona next season. "With Villa on the team we will be even stronger and have even better chance to win the Champions League," he said.

Source: Published>

Tintu, Mayookha shine at Asian All-Star Athletics Meet

Published>Thu, Jul 29 10 10:22 PM

New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) India's Tintu Luka and Mayookha Johney's performance in the women's 800 metres and long jump events respectively stood out on the first day of the Asian All-Star Athletics Meet, a test event for the Commonwealth Games, at the remodelled Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here Thursday.

The meet is in its third edition, but like in the past, has attracted very few top athletes of Asia.

Tintu, the talented prodigy of P.T Usha, ran her personal best clocking 2:01.24 seconds to win the gold. She was ahead of her season compatriot Sinimol Paulose (2:04.58) and Ayako Jinouchi of Japan (2:05.51 secs), who won the silver and bronze respectively. The 21-year-old Tintu surpassed her previous best of 2:01.92.

Tintu could have timed better had there been someone to push her, said Usha.

'She was quite fast in the first 400 metres, but then slowed down. You need someone to push you. It was as if she was was running alone. She could do better,' Usha said with Luka by her side.

Usha said she was confident that Luka would be at her best in the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in November in China.

Tintu clocked 2:01.61 secs at the National Athletics Championship at Bangalore in May.

'She began the season with a performance close to her best and today she got her personal best. She has immense potential and she will only improve. She is very hard working,' Usha said.

'She will be competing in at least two events before the Commonwealth Games. She needs more exposure, more competition,' she added.

Mayookha, who came back this season after being out for

one-and-a-half years with an ankle injury, produced her best with a jump of 6.64 meters to win the gold. Yuliya Tarasova (6.49m) of Uzbekistan and India's M.A. Prajusha (6.30m) came second and third.

Mayookha surpassed her best of 6.49m she achieved at the Bangalore nationals.

'It is not easy to perform when you are coming back from injury. I have done well in the last two tournaments and it is a good sign for me,' Mayookha said.

India's star discus thrower Vikas Gowda, who is based in US, won the gold, but was nowhere near his best.

Gowda, who made a come back with a performance of 63.22m this season, said he was disappointed with his performance.

'I am not at all happy. It was slippery after the rain and I could not give my best,' said Gowda, who was participating here after three years. 'I will go back to US and train there, participate in a few tournaments and try to reach my peak at the Commonwealth Games.'

The discus throw event was an all-Indian affair with Arjun Singh (47.54m) and Arpinder Singh 47.22 winning the silver and bronze medal respectively.

In the women's 100 metres hurdles, Gayathri Govindraj won the silver by clocking 13.82 seconds behind Kazakh Anastassiya Soprunova, who won the gold in 13.66 secs. The bronze went to Uzbekistan's Anastasiya Proshkina (13.84 secs).

Hari Shankar Roy won the bronze for India in the men's high jump with a lead of 2.15m.

In the women's 400 metres, India's Mandeep Kaur won the gold in 52.29secs and her compatriot Juana Murmu took bronze with 53.17 secs. Julia Gavrilova of Kazakhstan took the silver in 52.93 secs.

In the men's 800 metres, Jospeh Sajeesh of India won the gold (1:48.92) while Ghamanda Ram (1:50.25) took the silver.

In the javelin throw, India had a 1-2 finish with Kashinath Naik (74.21m) winning the gold and Samarjeet Singh (72.49m) the silver.

The men's long jump was an all-Indian affair with Ankit Sharma winning the gold (7.61m), Maha Singh (7.50) the silver and Harikrishanan (7.50m) the bronze.

In the women's shot put, Seema Antil, who has been stuggling of late, finished fourth (13.81m).

Source: Web Search

Tired Lemaitre steps up sprint double bid

Published>Thu, Jul 29 10 10:18 PM

France's new European 100 metres champion Christophe Lemaitre showed no ill effects from a lack of sleep, starting his bid for a second gold with a comfortable victory in his 200 metres heat on Thursday.

Lemaitre took the 100 title late on Wednesday but appeared no worse for his exertions as he pulled away in the straight to qualify for the semi-finals in 20.64 seconds.

"I didn't sleep much so it was hard to wake up this morning," the quietly spoken 20-year-old told reporters.

"I told myself that it would be difficult this morning. I was a bit scared.

"The legs are working. I'm in good spirits and that bodes well for what's still to come," added Lemaitre, the first Frenchman to win the European 100 title for 48 years.

The 200 title, to be decided on Friday, will have a new home after 2006 champion Francis Obikwelu of Portugal did not start his heat because of a muscle strain.

A Portuguese team spokesman said they were hopeful the sprinter would be fit for the relay.

Norway's Jaysuma Saidy Ndure, sixth in the 100 final, was the fastest qualifier over the longer sprint in 20.60. The semi-finals are later on Thursday (1755 GMT).

Overnight leader Oleksiy Kasyanov withdrew from the decathlon after an undisclosed injury meant he was unable to run the 110 metres hurdles, the first of Thursday's disciplines.

Lithuanian Darius Draudvila had a 49-point lead over Olympic silver medallist Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus after seven of the 10 events.

The decathlon continues with the pole vault, javelin and final event 1,500 metres (1910).

OLIJAR DISQUALIFIED

Stanislav Olijar's 110 metres hurdles title defence came to an abrupt end when the Latvian was disqualified from his heat for a false start.

Hungary's Daniel Kiss was the quickest of the qualifiers for Friday's semis with a time of 13.44. Europe's leading hurdler this year, Petr Svoboda of the Czech Republic also won his heat in 13.50.

World bronze medallist Renaud Lavillenie needed two attempts at the automatic qualifying height of 5.65 metres before safely going through to Saturday's pole vault final.

Lavillenie, unbeaten in nine competitions outdoors this season, led a trio of French qualifiers as Romain Mesnil and Damiel Dossevi also went through.

Russia's Nadezhda Alekhina sailed out to 14.93 metres on her final attempt of the triple jump qualifying to record the longest distance of the competition and reach Saturday's final.

The men's triple jump medals will be decided later on Thursday. Favourite for the title is France's world indoor record holder Teddy Tamgho, who jumped 17.98 metres at a Diamond League meeting in June.

The women's javelin (1840) and 100 metres (1945) and men's high jump (1630) finals also take place on Thursday.

Source: Web Search

Modi seeks attendance sheet of disciplinary comittee meetings

Thu, Jul 29 10 09:52 PM

Mumbai, Jul 29 (PTI) Suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi today asked the Cricket Board to provide him attendance sheet of the recent disciplinary committee meetings held in Mumbai and Delhi to ascertain whether the presence of BCCI secretary N Srinivasan had been recorded in it. "We may clearly inform you that (apart from being entitled to a copy of the same) we are particularly interested in ascertaining whether the ''attendance sheet'' records the presence of Mr N Srinivasan, secretary BCCI, who was present at the hearing before the Disciplinary Committee," Modi said in a letter addressed to BCCI Chief Administration Officer Ratnakar Shetty. "Mr Srinivasan was present at the venue; sat in a corner of the room; heard the arguments advanced on behalf of our client; and on several occasions came to the main table to instruct Ratnakar Shetty, the representative of BCCI," the letter said. "We refer to 1) the e mail dated 28th July, 2010 (5.26 pm) addressed by Mr Mehmood Abdi (the Constituted Attorney of our client Mr Lalit K Modi) requesting for the ''attendance sheet'' of hearing dated 27th July, 2010 before the Disciplinary Committee; 2) your reply e-mail dated 28th July, 2010 (5.47 pm) stating ''I will forward your request for attendance at DC meeting to Mr Arun Jaitley and get back to you at the earliest," it added. Modi wondered as to why BCCI had referred his earlier request for the attendance sheet to Arun Jaitley, who is a part of the three-member panel constituted by the Board to conduct the proceedings against him. "We are at a loss to understand why a request for a copy of the ''attendance sheet'' (which is a document which all persons who attended or were present at the hearing before the Disciplinary Committee are required to sign) is required to be referred to Mr Jaitley. We are also baffled at why the BCCI should be hesitant in acceding to such a simple request. "The request made was straightforward and did not require the involvement of the Disciplinary Committee or any of its members," the letter said. "It would appear that the BCCI has reasons for not supplying the same. If that be so, the BCCI should say so clearly and not attempt to involve the Disciplinary Committee or its members in its ''stalling operation''. The Disciplinary Committee is a body discharging an adjudicatory role and function and involving the Disciplinary Committee and/or its member was both improper and unnecessary," it added.

Source: Published>

Somdev crashes out of ATP Farmers Classic

Published>Thu, Jul 29 10 09:48 PM

New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) India's ace tennis player Somdev Devvarman crashed out in the second round of the ATP Farmers Classic tournament being held in Los Angeles.

According to information received here, Somdev, world No.103, suffered a 6-7(9), 2-6 defeat at the hands of Serbian Janko Tipsarevic Wednesday.

Tipsarevic had earlier defeated the top ranked Indian at the Chennai Open in January 2010.

The second round loss will fetch 32 ATP points for the Indian, including the 12 points he earned in the qualifiers.

The points collected here are likely to push Somdev into the pool of top 100 players in the world, when the latest ATP rankings come out Monday.

Somdev will become the first Indian in eleven years to break into the top 100 of the world rankings. Leander Paes achieved the same feat in 1999.

Source: Web Search

Century on debut proves Raina is a Test material: Coach

Thu, Jul 29 10 09:22 PM

Lucknow, Jul 29 (PTI) Delighted after his ward scored a century in his Test debut today, Suresh Raina''s coach Dipak Sharma today said by scoring the ton his protege has proved that he has what it takes to be a permanent member of the Indian five-day squad. Raina scored 120 in the first innings of the second Test against Sri Lanka and thus became only the 12 Indian cricketer to score a Test century on debut. "Suresh (Raina) had given evidence of his talent and immaculate skills in the shorter versions of the game. But his century against Sri Lanka in trying circumstances has shown that he has the technique and temperament to gain a permanent slot in the Test side," said Sharma, who was his coach in the Sports College here. In Ghaziabad, Raina''s family of four siblings and parents have visited a temple to thank the almighty for his success. "The entire family is elated with Suresh''s showing and visited the temple this afternoon," said his elder brother Dinesh Raina, adding it was a matter of immense pleasure for him to see his younger sibling bat with Sachin Tendulkar. "It was my dream to see Suresh bat alongwith Sachin Tendulkar in Tests which has come true today," Dinesh said. Both Sharma and Dinesh feel that Raina should have got a call in the Test side long ago. "It goes on to show the strength of Indian team. A person of the calibre of Suresh had to wait for 98 ODIs before he got a chance in Tests, that too because of the illness of Yuvraj Singh," the duo said. "If anything this delay has only added on to his determination and instilled in him the killer instinct," Sharma said. "During the college days here between 1999-2000 to 2003-2004 , he had shown great promise and he has honed his skills well over the years in his march towards perfection," Sharma said. Happy that Raina has maintained his contact with the Sports College here, his coach said the left-hander''s performance has always been a motivation for the youngsters of the college. "It is not easy to reach his stature but the boys are euphoric and had been discussing the innings the whole day," Sharma said fielding.

Source: Published>

Tendulkar gets his fifth double ton after six years

Published>Thu, Jul 29 10 09:08 PM

Colombo, July 29 (IANS) Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar scored his fifth double century, after six years, to lead India's fightback in the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground here Thursday.

Tendulkar, who is the all-time leading scorer in Test cricket with over 13,742 runs, scored 203 in 347 balls, and his innings was studded with 23 fours and a six.

Tendulkar is third in the list to have most double centuries and it will be tough for him to surpass either the nine made by West Indies batsman Brian Lara or the twelve made by Australian legend Donald Bradman.

With 19 innings of more than 150-plus knock, Tendulkar now shares a world record with West Indian, Brian Lara.

Tendulkar also holds the record of most Test centuries (48) and also the record for most centuries on foreign soil (27).

With his 203, Tendulkar has now 1,900 runs against Sri Lanka and out of those 1,060 were on Sri Lankan soil.

The other records of the batting maestro are as follow:

Holds a record for most international centuries (94) - 48 in Tests and 46 in One Day Internationals - 26 more than Ricky Ponting (68).

Only batsman to aggregate 1,000 runs against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.

With eleven innings of 150-plus overseas, he holds a world record with Steve Waugh and Brian Lara.

Holds a record for most runs overseas - 7,724 (average 56.37) in 94 Tests.

Shares 18 century stands with Rahul Dravid - a world record for most century partnerships with one player.

Shares 16 double century stands (200 or more) - a world record.

With 13 Man of the Match awards, he possesses an Indian record.

With four Man of the series awards, he shares an Indian record with Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble.

Holds a record for reaching 8000 runs in least number of innings (154).

Shares a record for reaching 12,000 runs in least number of innings (247) with Ricky Ponting.

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