Egan makes it eight in a row

BOXING:Light-heavyweight Ken Egan claimed his eight title on the trot with a convincing 81kg victory over Ciarán Curtis at the National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last night.

A packed stadium watched the Irish captain take all four rounds against his Co Louth opponent before having his hand raised in victory on a 19-4 computer score.

The championships had a double significance this year as those winning or retaining senior titles will be part of the Irish squad for the second-last Olympic qualifier for European boxers, in Pescara, Italy, in February and March.

Defending super-heavyweight champion Cathal McMonagle was guaranteed his place on the squad after receiving a walkover when his opponent, Alex Vedernikov, withdrew because of a family illness.

Ruairi Dalton and Shane Cox got last night's finals underway with a keenly contested flyweight final. Despite a brave display by Dalton in the final two minutes, it was Cox who triumphed.

John Joe Nevin and TJ Doheny contested the bantamweight final, and it was Nevin, having eliminated the reigning champion Ryan Lindberg in the semi-finals, who took the title. Nevin did most of his good work in the second round, counterpunching on the back foot against an opponent who kept coming forward. A furious exchange in the fourth saw Nevin stretch his lead to 8-1.

Doheny registered two late scores, but a five-point margin of victory was a fair reflection in a very technical four-rounder.

ATHLETICS: South African double amputee Oscar Pistorius has vowed to fight on if he is denied the chance to compete against able-bodied runners at the Beijing Olympics with carbon-fibre blades attached to his legs. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said yesterday it would issue a decision on Monday on whether Pistorius could use his prosthetic devices, known as Cheetah Flex-Feet, to compete in the Games.

It is expected the IAAF, which has commissioned a study of the curved J-shaped blades, will rule they give the 21-year-old South African, who has been dubbed the "Blade Runner", an unfair competitive advantage.

Pistorius, who was born without the fibulae in his lower legs, all but confirmed the ruling would go against him, promising to appeal a decision at "the highest levels" while pursuing his bid to race in the Paralympics and Olympics.

"I feel it is my responsibility, on behalf of myself and all other disabled athletes, to stand firmly and not allow an organisation to inhibit our ability to compete using the very tools without which we simply cannot walk, let alone run," he said. "I will not stand down."

His agent, Peet van Zyl, suggested Pistorius could file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

Peter Bruggeman, a scientist from the German Sports University who has conducted a study of Pistorius's blades, told Die Welt the athlete had advantages over those without prosthetic limbs.n EQUESTRIAN SPORT: Rathfarnham barrister John Wright was unanimously elected chairman of Eventing Ireland following the resignation, with immediate effect, of acting chairman Neil Morris at a board of directors' meeting on Thursday night, writes Margie McLoone.

Morris, who tendered his resignation from his position at the troubled organisation last autumn, had agreed to stay in the post until the agm next month.

In a statement issued yesterday, he clarified his decision to stand down immediately by commenting: "The board was being put under increasing pressure by the Event Organisers Group to put a new chairman in place before the annual general meeting in order to facilitate the production of the spring schedule."

Wright, co-opted in his absence to the board at Thursday's meeting, had declared his interest in the chairmanship last summer and is excited with this latest challenge.

"I see myself coming in as a peacemaker and I firstly look forward to receiving the spring schedule from the Event Organisers Group," he said.

"My wishes for Eventing Ireland are to lead the membership back into a period of renewed concentration of energies on developing the standard and enjoyment of the sport from the grassroots through to international level."

Wright, who owns three event horses, rode to one-star level.

He worked with the equitation division of Bord na gCapall in the 1970s.