SPORTS DIGEST: ATHLETICS: Usain Bolt's startling 9.69-second run at the Olympics has inspired Jamaican compatriot and former world record holder Asafa Powell to target 9.59 for the 100 metres.
"Two years ago I said to myself I could go 9.65 or faster but based on how Usain is running it's my aim now to go below 9.6," Powell told a news conference ahead of today's Grand Prix in Lausanne.
"Usain can obviously run very fast but I'm not going to put him out of my reach." The 21-year-old Bolt, four years younger than Powell, stunned the sporting world two weeks ago when he knocked 5/100ths of a second off his countryman's previous benchmark despite easing up to celebrate before he crossed the line in Beijing.
Powell, whose season has been blighted by injuries, had to settle for fifth place but later teamed up with Bolt to win gold for Jamaica in the 4x100 relay.
Bolt will also be in action in Lausanne tonight. He runs the 200 while Powell competes over 100.
SARU offer award over racist attack
RUGBY:The South African Rugby Union (SARU) is offering a reward of 10,000 rand (€883) to find the three men responsible for a racist attack during Saturday's 53-8 win over Australia at Ellis Park.
"There were 54,000 people in the stadium enjoying a thrilling Springbok victory but it takes the racist actions of a tiny handful to sour the occasion," said SARU president Oregan Hoskins in a statement yesterday.
The unnamed victim told a Johannesburg radio station she was verbally abused by three white men who also prodded her in the head and held her arm behind her back.
"This was a despicable action by three men who I'm sure every Springbok on the field that day would have roundly condemned," said Hoskins. "But what's as alarming is that other supporters passed by without intervening.
"Rugby is committed to rooting out this kind of behaviour and every time even an isolated incident rears its ugly head we shall come down hard on the perpetrators. I don't want them in rugby, they should stay away from our game."
McCaw rested for Samoa Test
RUGBY: New Zealand captain Richie McCaw will miss tomorow's one-off Test against Samoa in New Plymouth because of a rib injury.
McCaw was hurt in the All Blacks' 19-0 win over South Africa in Cape Town last month and is being saved for next weekend's Tri-Nations decider against Australia in Brisbane. Adam Thomson will replace McCaw at openside flanker and number eight Rodney So'oialo takes over the captaincy in his 50th test. Wing Sitiveni Sivivatu (ankle) and lock Brad Thorn (hamstring) also pulled out because of injury and were replaced by Anthony Boric and Anthony Tuitavake.
NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina; R Kahui, C Smith, M Nonu, A Tuitavake; D Carter, J Cowan; T Woodcock, A Hore, G Somerville, A Boric, A Williams, J Kaino, A Thomson, R Sooialo (capt). Replacements: K Mealamu, N Tialata, S Lauaki, P Weepu, S Donald, I Toeava, R Wulf.
Symonds gone fishing
CRICKET: The long-term playing future of Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds is in doubt after he was thrown off the national squad for missing an important team meeting to go fishing.
Senior players and team management voted to send Symonds home before Australia's opening one-day international against Bangladesh in Darwin on the weekend because of concerns about his commitment.
Roche upbeat after placing fifth
CYCLING: Nicolas Roche took the best Irish stage placing for many years in one of cycling's Grand Tours yesterday when he sprinted home fifth on the third stage of the Vuelta a España in Córdoba.
The 24-year-old Crédit Agricole rider finished in the same time as stage winner Tom Boonen (Quick Step).
Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) placed second and the time bonuses gained for this plus his second place on two intermediate sprints saw him jump into the race lead.
The previous leader Alejandro Valverde did not contest the sprint finish. Bennati is now seven seconds clear of him overall with Roche 69th, 43 seconds back.
"My condition is great, I had great momentum and a super job from Gabriel Rasch in the final two kilometres. He worked really well for me, keeping me out of the wind and putting me on Boonen's wheel with one kilometre to go," Roche said.
Today's stage is a 170.3 kilometre run from Córdoba to Puertollano.
Pessoa sixth Games rider to have horse test positive
EQUESTRIAN SPORT: Rodrigo Pessoa, the individual gold medal winner from Athens following the disqualification of Ireland's Cian O'Connor, was yesterday confirmed by the Federation Equestre Internationale to be the sixth rider from this year's Olympic Games to have his horse test positive for a banned substance, reports Margie McLoone.
The Brazilian, who finished fifth in the individual finals in Hong Kong, has been notified that Rufus has tested positive for nonivamide, classified as a doping prohibited substance, given its hypersensitising properties, and as a medication class A prohibited substance for its pain-relieving properties.
Should the B sample prove positive, Pessoa will be asked to submit evidence to the FEI and will be invited to attend a hearing.
Ireland's Denis Lynch, whose mount Lantinus was one of four show jumpers to test positive to capsaicin before the individual finals will appear at an FEI hearing in Lausanne next Saturday.
