Dettori was certain that he was about to be killed

Racing: Frankie Dettori yesterday admitted that he had considered quitting racing after his harrowing experience in a plane crash.

Dettori, who sustained a broken ankle in the accident, and fellow jockey Ray Cochrane, who suffered burns and bruising to his chest and face, have both received treatment at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. Cochrane returned to his home near Newmarket on Saturday.

Pilot Patrick Mackey died in the incident, which happened when the twin engine Piper Seneca crashed on take-off while leaving Newmarket racecourse for a meeting at Goodwood last Thursday.

An emotional Dettori, who now intends to spend some time recuperating with his parents in Italy, said at a Press conference before leaving hospital: "I'm very scarred by the whole ordeal and racing is not a priority in my life at the moment. Packing it in went through my mind but I'm 29, what am I going to do? I love racing.

"I will spend time with my wife and young son and come back to racing when I'm ready.

"I've been working hard, trying to become the best. I've stared death in the face for three seconds and it wasn't my time.

Dettori said he did not plan use light aircrafts again.

The Italian described the moments leading up to the crash. "It was a very peculiar take-off, a couple of bumps and it seems, although I'm not quite sure, the propeller hit the ground. The plane was out of control going drastically right heading towards the dyke. The right engine was smoking, it wasn't on fire, it was smoking and was obviously out of function and at this stage I was very frightened just thinking that this is the end.

"We had a minute of shock in the plane and Ray shouted `get out, get out' and we saw a little hole in the back through the luggage door. I scrambled out and Ray followed me. I went 10 steps and I recollect the engine on fire and I collapsed on the floor. It must have been the broken ankle.

"Ray was determined to get me away from the plane because he knew it was going to explode. He helped me away and when I'd cleared my vision I saw him go back to the plane which had exploded and was on fire. He was going absolutely insane taking his jacket off and trying to fight the blaze.

"I was very worried about him because he was trying to do something that was impossible."

Equestrian Sport: Polly Alvin, the British rider who suffered serious head injuries in a cross-country fall at the Blarney Castle international horse trials on Saturday, is "significantly improved", according to the event's chief medical officer David Murphy. The 30-year-old from Gloucestershire was rushed to Cork regional hospital after the fall, but has now recovered consciousness and been taken off the ventilator. She is expected to be out of the intensive care unit today.

Motor Sport: David Coulthard's accomplished win in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix proved Michael Schumacher's charge towards Ferrari's first drivers' world title in 21 years can be halted, McLaren team chief Ron Dennis said.

Coulthard, who survived a plane crash which killed the two pilots in France last month, won for McLaren after both Schumacher and the Jordan team's Italian driver Jarno Trulli had been forced to retire with mechanical failures.

It was the first car failure for Schumacher - an overheating exhaust pipe cracked and then caused a suspension pushrod to break - since he broke his leg at the British Grand Prix last year when his Ferrari's brakes failed.

"You've got to say it was the result of over-pushing," said Dennis. "I have a tremendous respect for Michael but he doesn't walk on water"

Tennis: The Sorenson name was back to the fore at the Mount Pleasant club in Dublin yesterday when Kevin, a son of former Davis Cup player Sean, reached the final round of qualifying in the ITF Futures series, writes Pat Roche.

Although playing under the banner of his native Germany, Tennis Ireland would have wished to claim him as one of its own in view of the wholesale failure by the home-bred players to advance.

Sorenson's 6-2 6-2 win was at the expense of local player Brian Kennedy but David Mullins proved to be the only Irish player to remain in with a chance of reaching the main draw.

Mullins, a wild card entry into last weeks main draw, is being obliged to do it by the competitive route this time and he was very impressive in his dismissal of Neil Watts of Britain 3-6 7-6 6-4. Irish main draw wild card entries are Scott Barron, Owen Casey, Sean Cooper and Stephen Nugent.

Special Olympics: Jubilant Team Ireland athletes returned from the Special Olympics European Summer Games on Sunday with their haul of 22 gold, 26 silver and 33 bronze medals. The 54 Irish athletes, who competed at the Games in Groningen, touched down in Dublin Airport to a rousing reception from family, friends and well-wishers.

The team participated in seven sports: athletics, swimming, equestrian sport, tenpin bowling, basketball, table tennis and gymnastics. The Irish team included 54 athletes, 22 coaches and chaperones and over 150 family members and supporters.