Today's other stories in brief
Sheehan loss a 'massive blow' for Ireland's Euro bid
BOXING: Ireland head-coach Billy Walsh has admitted that losing in-form Tipperary heavyweight Con Sheehan ahead of June's European Senior Championships in Russia is a massive blow.
EU and Irish champion Sheehan will be out for the next few months after breaking his left thumb hammering China’s Yang Wong at the Prime Ministry tournament in Turkey last week.
A few weeks before that win, Sheehan, from the Clonmel BC, out-gunned Italian 2007 World champ and Olympic silver medallist Clemente Russo at the National Stadium in Dublin.
Walsh, meanwhile, is due to finalise his squad for the Felix Stamm tournament in Warsaw, Poland, tomorrow. The squad leaves for Poland next Tuesday.
World champion Katie Taylor, who had to withdraw from her Prime Ministry final in Turkey last weekend because of a hand injury, is expected to be fit for the Poland trip. Ken Egan will also be included in the Ireland panel.
Watson granted Pebble Beach spot
GOLF:Tom Watson will play the US Open for the first time in seven years after accepting an exemption to take part in the 2010 championship at Pebble Beach.
The 60-year-old, who has competed at the four previous US Opens held at Pebble Beach, California, winning the title in 1982, agreed to return after the United States Golf Association (USGA) granted him an exemption from qualifying.
“I am deeply grateful to the USGA for extending me the invitation to play in the US Open at one of my favourite golf courses in the world,” Watson said in a statement.
Tiger Woods has confirmed he will play in the US Open in June, the USGA said yesterday.
Woods, who tied for fourth place at the US Masters on Sunday in his first event back after a five-month break, has entered the Pebble Beach field for June 17th-20th.
Lel out of London marathon again
ATHLETICS: Three-time winner Martin Lel has been forced out of the London Marathon for the second year in a row because of injury, race organisers said yesterday.
The 31-year-old Kenyan, who triumphed in 2005, 2007 and 2008, will miss the April 25th race with a right-leg problem.
Lel withdrew from the 2009 race at the last moment with a right hip injury and was also forced to miss the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last August and November’s New York Marathon.
“It is very disappointing to lose Martin for the second year in a row,” race director Dave Bedford said. “He is one of the greatest marathon runners in the world and one of our great champions. We look forward to welcoming him back next year.”
Compatriots Sammy Wanjiru, the London and Olympic champion, and world champion Abel Kirui are likely to fight it out for victory with world half-marathon record holder Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea.
Cilic sure-footed in Monte Carlo
TENNIS: Fourth seed Marin Cilic became the first player into the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters with a battling win over Russia's Igor Andreev.
Croatian Cilic, one of eight top seeds to receive a first-round bye, was caught cold in the first set as Andreev won on a tie-break, but rallied for a 6-7 (4/7) 6-1 6-4 triumph.
Fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga took over two hours to beat Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7/5) 7-5.
Sixth seed Fernando Verdasco eased to a 6-2 6-1 triumph over Frenchman Julien Benneteau in 74 minutes.
Number 10 seed Tomas Berdych breezed past French wild card Richard Gasquet 6-2 6-0 with the help of four aces.
Serena set to return in Rome
TENNIS: World number one Serena Williams will return to action for the first time since the Australian Open at next month's Italian Open in Rome.
The American (28), has been struggling with a knee injury and has not played since winning her 12th Grand Slam title in Melbourne in January. She has been given a wild card for Rome, which begins on May 3rd.
Williams is among nine of the world’s top 10 in the field, with only Kim Clijsters absent.
Roche gets sniff in Camembert
CYCLING: Nicolas Roche had another solid performance yesterday, finishing in the chasing group in the French Paris-Camembert one day race, writes Shane Stokes.
The 25-year-old Ag2r La Mondiale rider placed 19th in the 206km event, finishing in the same time as those sprinting for fifth.
They were 34 seconds behind the day’s winner, Sébastien Minard (Cofidis Le Crédit En Ligne), who was quicker than breakaway companion Maxime Mederel (Big Mat-Auber 93) in the dash to the line.
BASKETBALL: Kobe Bryant will play his first NBA game outside the US when he leads his champion Los Angeles Lakers against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a pre-season game in London on October 4th.
London fans may be disappointed that a pledge by NBA chief David Stern to bring a regular season game to the capital ahead of the 2012 London Olympics will not be honoured this year.
