Szabo runs into form with world

Athletics: Gabriela Szabo (right) yesterday threw out a severe warning to anyone who wants to challenge for her world indoor 3,000 metre title by breaking the 12-year-old world record at the British Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham, writes Ian O'Riordan. The Romanian clocked eight minutes 32.88 seconds, almost a second inside the 8:33.82 set by the Dutch runner Elly Van Hulst when winning the world title in Budapest in 1989.

On the same day that Sonia O'Sullivan continued her outdoor winning streak in Australia by clocking 8:49.87 over the same distance at the Canberra Grand Prix, it makes for another fervent confrontation between the two rivals at the World Indoor Championships in Lisbon in less than three weeks time.

O'Sullivan was back on the track just 48 hours after clocking 4:06.20 for 1,500 metres when winning at the Sydney Grand Prix on Friday. Benita Willis of Australia managed to stay with her in the closing stages but the Irishwoman finished strongly despite the 33 degree heat. She will now have another test over 3,000 metres at Thursday's Melbourne Track Classic, before returning to Europe.

Szabo earned herself a $50,000 world record bonus and in truth she deserved it. She ran the second half completely alone, closing with a 4:15 for 1,500 metres, and making up for the narrow miss in the same meeting last year. It also adds to her 5,000 metre world indoor record from two years ago.

Meanwhile, Gillian O'Sullivan continued her impact on the world of elite race walking on Saturday with a 20km victory at the Isle of Man Grand Prix. The Kerry athlete finished in one hour, 29 minutes and 57 seconds - the first sub-90 minute walk by an Irishwoman.

It thus improved her previous Irish record of 1:31.31 set at last summer's European Cup in Eisenhuttenstadt and maintains her remarkable form in the event since finishing 10th over the 10km walk at the Sydney Olympics.

The top three places in the men's race fell to the Irish, with Cork's Robert Heffernan setting a personal best of 1:21.54 to take the victory. Colin Griffin set an Irish junior record in second (1:28.22) while Jamie Costin was third in 1:28.39.

Also making notable progression towards Lisbon yesterday was James Nolan, who finished fifth over 1,500 metes in Birmingham in a season's best of 3:38.25 - with the victory going to Olympic champion Noah Ngeny of Kenya in 3:36.17. Former UCD student Andrew Walker also finished fourth in Canberra in a lifetime best of 3:40.36, just a few strides behind the winner Abdi Youcek of Algeria (3:39.51)

Boxing: Damaen Kelly played his part on Saturday, now it is up to the promoters to bring together a spring flyweight showdown against Liverpool's WBU champion Peter Culshaw.

But which world title will be at stake and under whose rules the bout would be fought are technicalities Kelly's manager Frank Maloney needs to know apart from being offered the right money, of course.

Kelly produced an assured performance to eclipse Mexico's Paulino Villalobos at London's York Hall on Saturday and protect his IBO crown.

And the talk was immediately of an April match against Culshaw in Belfast.

But the IBO and WBU do not see eye-to-eye, and the IBO regulations suit Kelly better, being a technical boxer but prone to cuts.

If injuries are bad, an IBO fight would go to the judges' cards for a verdict after four rounds, but the same rule does not apply with the WBU.

In short, Maloney is ready to agree a fight with Culshaw, but under IBO conditions.

Kelly won by margins of 120-110 on two judges' cards, both giving Villalobos a share of two rounds.

But Derby's Paul Thomas carded a maximum 120-108 verdict at the end of the Belfast stylist's fourth successive 12-round fight.

Rugby: CBC remain firmly on course for their fifth successive Munster Schools' Senior Cup with an emphatic 24-6 win over Ard Scoil Ris from Limerick in Musgrave Park yesterday.

CBC lead 14-6 at the break thanks to tries from Joe Cullen and Colin Murphy, both of which were converted by Sean Meaney. Ard Scoil Ris's points came from the boots of Ciaran O'Boyle and Brian Clancy from penalties.

The defending champions dominated the second half but had to wait until the 56th minute to add to their lead when out-half Meaney kicked his first penalty of the game. Ard Scoil Ris tired in the final moments and that allowed Tomas O'Leary to find the space to force his way over for the Cork sides third try of the game, which Meaney again converted.

CBC: C Murphy; B O'Mahony, J Cullen, P Murphy, M Canning; S Meaney, T O'Leary; V Soden, I McDermott, D Cronin, S O'Connor, C O'Keeffe, S Murphy, L Quaid, F Cogan. Replacements: P Quinaln for V Soden, R McDonald for I McDermott, S Gallagher for D Cronin, G Williams for S O'Connor, E Quinlan for T O'Leary.

ARD SCOIL RIS: K O'Boyle; B Clancy, S Doyle, M Dwyer, P Finuicane; C O'Boyle, B O'Brien; Z Webb, D Keogh, D Boylan, F Murphy, D Leahy, S Ryan, S O'Keeffe, E Molloy.

Referee: D Maloney (MAR).

Boxing: Michael Roche, the Sunnyside Cork light-middleweight, is set for a tough test in his first contest since returning from Sydney when he defends his national senior championship title next Friday.

Intent on taking the title from Roche is a positive thinking and precise puncher in Derry fighter John Duddy, who aims to turn his third meeting with the Corkman to account.

Duddy belongs to the famous Ring club which produced the Nash's and after clinching his final place in Saturdays second session of semi-finals by stopping Dublin garda Darren Conlon of Drimnagh he said "I'm ready for Michael now, moreso than on the two previous meetings."

SEMI-FINALS: Bantam - H Cunningham (Saints Belfast) bt S McAnee (Ring, Derry) 16-13. Feather - K O'Hara (Immaculata Belfast) bt J Simpson (Saviours-Crystal) stp rd 2. Lightwelter - M Kelly (Dealgan) bt M Wickham (St Patricks Wexford) 18-9; P McCloskey (St Canice's Derry) bt A Carlyle (Sacret Heart) 10-6. Lightmiddle - J Duddy (Ring, Derry) bt D Conlon (Drimnagh) stp rd 3 (15 points rule). Lightheavy - A Reynolds (St Josephs) bt S Lawlor (Grangecon) stp rd 3 (15 points rule); J Kelly (Manorhamilton) bt T Donnelly (Mark Heagney, Tyrone) 23-9. Superheavy - J Kinsella (Crumlin) bt E Falvey (St Colmans Cork) stp rd 4; J Kiely (Limerick) bt T Black (Mark Heagney,Tyrone) 6-1.