Sports Digest

Landis family hit by tragedy: The father-in-law of the disgraced Tour de France winner Floyd Landis has committed suicide.

David Witt (57), the stepfather of Landis's wife, Amber, died on Tuesday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, San Diego Police confirmed yesterday.

"The Landis family is devastated by the news of David's death," said Michael Henson, a spokesman for Floyd Landis. "They loved him dearly and they miss him. They hope that their privacy is respected in this time of mourning."

Police said Witt, of La Mesa, California, was discovered in his car in a parking lot in the North Park section of San Diego. He was rushed to the hospital but died of the single gunshot wound about seven hours after he was found.

Landis captured the Tour de France last month but ultimately tested positive for abnormally high levels of the male sex hormone testosterone.

Doherty holds off Maguire

Ken Doherty, the 1997 world champion, booked his place in the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Trophy in Belfast at the expense of the former UK and European Open champion Stephen Maguire.

Scot Maguire slipped 4-0 behind despite Doherty managing a high break of just 61, but hit back in cool fashion with a top break of 74 to level the match at 4-4.

But Maguire suffered heartache in the deciding frame after a brave comeback. Doherty dug deep and snatched the last frame of their best-of-nine tussle to progress.

Ronnie O'Sullivan wasted little time in reaching the quarter-finals. O'Sullivan cruised to a 5-2 victory over Welshman Matthew Stevens.

In the late match last night, John Higgins was level after six frames with the teenage Chinese prodigy Ding Junhui, the defending UK champion.

Hughes is left off Irish team

Marion Hughes, who produced Ireland's best result in last month's British leg of the Samsung Super League with just one time fault in the two rounds, has been left off the team for the world equestrian games in Germany at the end of the month, reports Grania Willis.

The Kilkenny rider was forced to withdraw from the Dublin Horse Show squad when her horse, Heritage Transmission, went lame. The 12-year-old gelding, viewed as Ireland's strongest medal hope in Aachen following the withdrawal of world number two Jessica Kürten, had been named for the team subject to a veterinary examination yesterday, but his recovery from a knocked splint bone has not left sufficient time for him to be fully fit for the world games.

The team will be Shane Breen (World Cruise), Cian O'Connor (Waterford Crystal), Cameron Hanley (SIEC Hippica Kerman) and Billy Twomey (Luidam).

Brickyard to host US Grand Prix

Indianapolis will host the 2007 US Grand Prix after organisers agreed a deal with Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone yesterday.

The most recent contract for the Grand Prix to run at the Brickyard expired after this year's race on July 2nd.

Its future was jeopardised in 2005 when tyre-safety fears reduced it a farce, with 14 out of 20 drivers withdrawn.

"This shouldn't be a message of any type that this event doesn't have a long-term future," said track spokesman Ron Green of the new one-year deal.

"We are committed to keeping the US Grand Prix in Indianapolis for a long, long time."

The US Grand Prix first arrived in Indianapolis, best known as home to the Indy 500 race, in 2000.

Next year's Grand Prix is tentatively scheduled for June 17th.