SPORTS DIGEST:BOXING: Irish boxing chief Tommy Murphy has admitted that he's disappointed at India's decision not to travel to Ireland to take part in three internationals.
Ireland were due to meet India at the National Stadium in Dublin on Friday and at two unconfirmed venues throughout the country next week. However, the Indian Boxing Federation informed the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) yesterday that due to unforeseen circumstances that they would not be travelling.
Meanwhile, the IABA have named nine Elite champions in two squads for international tournaments in Poland and Finland next week.
European light-flyweight Paddy Barnes and AIBA World Youth champion Joe Ward will compete in the Feliks Stamm Multi-Nations in Poland.
Michael Conlon and Adam Nolan have been named on the Irish squad for the Gee Bee Multi-Nations in Helsinki, Finland. Ken Egan will also compete in Helsinki.
Murray calls time on part-time coach Corretja
TENNIS:Andy Murray has split from his part-time coach of three years, Alex Corretja, after the most dramatic dip in form of his career. He is expected to announce a replacement, possibly Ivan Lendl, within two weeks.
Murray, who has lost three first-round matches on the spin to low-ranked players since Novak Djokovic beat him in the Australian Open final, will return for the Barcelona Open which starts on April 18th. “He knows he needs a coach, after nine months without one,” an insider said. “And he knows he has to get it right this time.”
Lendl was the world number one and won eight grand slams, the sort of credentials Murray is seeking. But the Czech-born American who lives in Florida has never coached, and this might prove a problem. It is understood he is not the only candidate.
Guardian Service
Olympic Stadium completed
OLYMPICS:Building work at the €550 million Olympic Stadium has been completed.
London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe watched as Frankie Fredericks, a four-time Olympic silver medallist and former world 200 metres champion, laid the last piece of turf on the infield.
It marked the start of the handover of the venue to the London 2012 committee, leaving Coe, himself a two-time Olympic champion, to note: “I do not want anybody to run away with the idea that this stadium is ready to stage a track-and-field championship tomorrow. But, as a chairman of an organising committee to be able to tick off this venue is terrific.
“It is fantastic. I think it will be an intimate theatre for sport and it has fantastic legacy potential too.”
Fredericks said: Just walking in, the sheer magnitude of the stadium hits you.” Building work at the showpiece Olympic Stadium began in May 2008.
Ireland pick strong quartet
GOLF:Ireland have chosen a strong quartet to go for glory in the European Nations Cup which begins in Sotogrande today as they try to banish memories of a disappointing performance in the Spanish Championship earlier in the month.
Portstewart’s Walker Cup hopeful Paul Cutler, who was particularly off-colour in the Spanish event, will be keen to make a strong impression ahead of the major contests of the summer. Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar,Rory Leonard from Banbridge and Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy join Stewart in the hunt for silverware in a competition formerly known as the Sherry Cup.
England will be seeking their third successive title at Sotogrande while world champions France start as one of the favourites.
Lee digs deep to beat Williams
SNOOKER:Stephen Lee dug deep as Mark Williams lost an astonishing first-round clash at the China Open 5-4 despite making four centuries.
The Welshman, ranked number two in the world, has been in superb form for much of this season and was straight into his stride yesterday with breaks of 100 and 133 giving him a two-frame lead.
Lee refused to wilt in the face of the onslaught and battled back to go 3-2 ahead but Williams stepped up a gear again in frame six and a 104 and a 137 took him to within one frame of victory.
World number 19 Lee forced a decider and, though he trailed 70-11 after a 53 from Williams, produced a clearance of 61 when it mattered most to come through a remarkable encounter.
Ponting quits as captain
CRICKET:Ricky Ponting yesterday relinquished the Australian captaincy and immediately trained his sights on reclaiming the Ashes on English soil in two years' time.
In announcing his decision at a press conference in Sydney, the 36-year-old confirmed he intends to play on for Australia and predicted his form could improve without the pressure of the captaincy. Ponting stressed he had not been pressurised to resign.
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