A round-up of today's other stories in brief
McMahon strikes gold and new record
SWIMMING: Ireland's Sycerika McMahon struck gold at the European Junior Swimming Championships in Belgrade yesterday where she set a new Irish record in the 50m breaststroke. McMahon touched the wall ahead of a strong field in a time of 32 seconds to better the record previously set by Emma Robinson in 2002.
McMahon also qualified for today’s final of the women’s 200m butterfly, having set a new personal best time of 2:15.22 in yesterday’s semi-final. She will also compete in the 400m Freestyle where she is ranked first.
Nicholas Quinn (Castlebar SC) qualified from the men’s 200m breaststroke heats. And though he set a new personal best (2:19.31) in the semi-final he failed to make it into the final, finishing 13th. The Mayo native will take to the blocks in the heats of the 200m individual medley this morning.
The Irish Men’s team of Conor Turner, Luke Campbell, Nicholas Quinn and Philip Duffy set a new Irish junior record time in the 4x100m Freestyle event. Their 3:35.69 time left them 15th.
SA officials sceptical of F1 claims
FORMULA ONE:Officials in South Africa are treating remarks from Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone that the country could host a race in two years with scepticism. South Africa last held an F1 grand prix at the Kyalami circuit, 25 miles north of Johannesburg, in 1993. Although there have since been many rumours of a race returning to that part of the world, nothing has ever come to fruition.
Ecclestone, however, has revealed he is now close to concluding a deal for a grand prix to be staged in Cape Town. “We’re open and happy to try to do something. I think we’re maybe a little bit closer than we have been for a long time,” he told Eyewitness News.
Leona's amazing 64 earns Ireland quarter-final spot
GOLF: Leona Maguire produced the most amazing display of her fledgling career yesterday to haul Ireland up the leaderboard and safely into the quarter-finals of the European Women' Team Championship at the Murhof course in Austria. The 16-year-old Irish open strokeplay champion from Slieve Russell fired an eight-under-par 64.
Not only did that take Ireland into the last eight as they moved from 12th overnight to fifth but it also propelled Great Britain and Ireland international Maguire to the top of the individual rankings. Maguire shot nine birdies and her only black spot was a bogey five on the sixth.
Carlow’s Karen Delaney was the only other Irish player to break par, posting a 71, while Royal County Down’s 2009 British strokeplay champion Danielle McVeigh matched the par of 72. Lisa Maguire took 73 and Stephanie Meadow 74 leaving the 75 of Charlene Reid the non-counting score.
Germany led the qualifiers into the top eight beating Denmark by two strokes.
Ireland continue to shine on Algarve
GOLF: Ireland, chasing their third title in five years, moved into the quarter-finals of the European Men's Amateur team championship on Portugal's Algarve after a day of fluctuating fortunes for several nations. Alan Dunbar, runner-up in the recent Brabazon Trophy tournament, was again in fine form carding a two-under-par 70 on the Victoria Vilamoura course after a brilliant homeward half score of 32 which included five threes, one of which was a rare eagle.
Kevin Phelan carded a 71 and both Eoin Arthurs and the impressive Paul Cutler matched the par of 72. Pat Murray posted a 75 while Paul Dunne had a non-counting 79.
Ireland ended the strokeplay phase in sixth place which means they face France today for a spot in the semi-finals.
In the other quarters top qualifiers Spain meet Sweden, Scotland play Germany and Finland meet Switzerland.
England,the defending champions, failed to make the top flight missing out by three strokes.
Horner dismisses move for Hamilton
FORMULA ONE: Red Bull team principal Christian Horner does not believe a move for Lewis Hamilton would suit his team. McLarens Hamilton (26) has been linked with a switch to Red Bull in the build-up to Sundays British Grand Prix.
But Horner finds it “difficult to envisage” Hamilton and Red Bulls world champion Sebastian Vettel would work as a partnership. “History dictates that two world-class drivers in the same team has not always been the best pairing,” said Horner. “You only have to think of Senna-Prost, Piquet-Mansell, or even Alonso and Hamilton.
“We are hugely happy to have Sebastian committed to the team long term, and with Mark (Webber), we’re very pleased with the job he is doing. Our focus at present is on those two drivers rather than looking to change anything.”
Speculation over Hamilton’s future intensified after he was seen meeting Horner in Canada.
Wozniacki retires with injury
TENNIS: World number one Caroline Wozniacki was forced to retire injured from her second round match in Bastad with a shoulder injury.
The Dane won the first set against local player Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 6-2 but suffered problems early in the second.
After trying a couple of almost underarm serves she then called for the trainer before conceding the match while 1-0 down in the second.
Murphy places eighth in Greenwich
EQUESTRIAN: Ireland's Joseph Murphy, riding Chuckelberry, finished eighth in the Greenwich Park Eventing Invitational following a double clear in yesterday's show jumping phase, reports Margie McLoone.
Co Down-based Murphy and James Acheson’s 12-year-old gelding remained on their flat work score from the opening day of 58.60 penalties as the winner, Britain’s Piggy French, also completed the event on her first phase score of 34.70.
Nicola Fitzgibbon (23) is the new face on the squad for tomorrow’s fourth leg of the FEI superleague Nations’ cup series in Falsterbo, Sweden. The Kildare rider has been nominated with Puissance and joins Shane Breen (Camblin), Denis Lynch (Abbervail van het Dingeshof or Lord Luis), Cian O’Connor (Splendor) and Niall Talbot (Nicos de la Cense).
