A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Taylor will know Olympic opponents by June 3rd
BOXING:Katie Taylor should know the full list of opponents she will be up against at the 2012 Olympics on or before June 3rd.
And Joe Ward, like Taylor a current European champion, should know his Olympic fate by that date.
The Tripartite Commission are due to meet on June 3rd – although this date could be brought forward – to announce their invitation places for London 2012.
Eight lightweights, including Taylor, qualified for the 30th Olympics at the AIBA World Women’s Championships in China last week.
Taylor went all the way at the tournament to claim her fourth successive world title in Qinhuangdao.
She now awaits the identity of the other four lightweights to make up the 12-strong 60kg division at London 2012.
One invitation place each will go to Africa, Asia, America and Europe.
Nocher breaks Irish 200m backstroke record on her way to qualifying for final
SWIMMING:Ireland's Melanie Nocher broke her Irish senior 200m backstroke record as she booked a place in the final of her main event at the European Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, yesterday. Nocher's time of 2:11.68 was good enough to see her through as the sixth fastest qualifier for today's final.
Nocher swam yesterday morning’s heat in 2:13.09,, but qualified eighth fastest into the semi-final. She will try and hit the Olympic A standard of 2:10.84 today.
Also in action was Bethany Carson in the 50m butterfly, finishing 37th in 28.43 just outside her personal best. Karl Burdis was 28th overall in the 100m backcrawl (56.43) and Nuala Murphy was 16th in the 400m individual medley.
First up today are Fiona Doyle, Sycerika McMahon and Shani Stallard in the 100m breaststroke heats.
French boost for Nadal as he beats Djokovic
TENNIS:Rafa Nadal enjoyed the perfect fillip ahead of his French Open defence by beating world number one Novak Djokovic 7-5 6-3 in the delayed Rome Masters final yesterday.
Beaten surprisingly early on Madrid’s blue clay earlier this month, the 25-year-old Mallorcan has been back to his destructive best on the red dirt at the Foro Italica but saved his most impressive display to last.
Both players refused to budge an inch in a brutal 76-minute opener but Djokovic, who memorably beat Nadal in straight sets in last year’s final, faded and the match ended in anti-climax when he double-faulted to gift Nadal a record sixth Rome title.
Six-times French Open champion Nadal’s victory means he will rise back to second in the world rankings after being overtaken by Roger Federer last week – a significant move ahead of Roland Garros, where he will now definitely be in the opposite half of the draw to Djokovic.
