A round-up of today's other sports news in brief
Teenager to be youngest F1 driver
MOTOR SPORT:Toro Rosso have confirmed Spanish teenager Jaime Alguersuari will drive for the team for the remainder of the Formula One season.
Alguersuari will become the youngest driver to contest a grand prix in the 59-year history of the sport when he lines up on the grid next weekend in Hungary.
At 19 years and 126 days, Alguersuari will beat the record held by Mike Thackwell since 1980 by 57 days.
Alguersuari is a product of the Red Bull Junior Programme and replaces Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais.
“I would like to thank Red Bull for giving me this great opportunity to race in Formula One,” said Alguersuari, who will be team-mate to Swiss youngster Sebastien Buemi.
Nadal happy with return to light training
TENNIS:World number two Rafael Nadal is cautiously optimistic after coming through his first light training session since being sidelined with tendinitis in his knees.
“It was just a small dose of contact without too much force, just enough to see how I am feeling,” the 23-year-old Spaniard said of the 75-minute session at the tennis club in his home town of Manacor on the island of Majorca.
“We still have to be cautious and in a week and a half we will know more. But I am pleased,” he added in a statement on his website (rafaelnadal.com).
Nadal, whose knee problems were aggravated by a gruelling schedule of claycourt matches in April and May, has not played a competitive match since being knocked out in the fourth round of the French Open by Robin Soderling on May 31st.
Since then he has lost his French Open and Wimbledon titles and his number one ranking to Swiss rival Roger Federer. He is targeting a return to action at next month’s Montreal Masters.
Todt seen as ‘son of the king’
FORMULA ONE:FIA presidential candidate Ari Vatanen has criticised Max Mosley for nominating Jean Todt as his choice to succeed him at the head of motor sport's world governing body.
The Finnish former World Rally champion has thrown his hat into the ring to replace Mosley when he stands down from his role in October, but will face a stern challenge from former Ferrari team principal Todt, who will receive strong support from within the FIA hierarchy ahead of the election on October 23rd.
Vatanen, who worked under Todt when the Frenchman was head of Peugeot motorsport, believes his election rival is being presented as the “son of the king”.
Vatanen said: “Even though Jean Todt is a good friend of mine, the FIA is not a kingdom, where a king hands over his power. It’s very wrong that Jean is presented as the son of the king.
“Every single person who sees this says ‘This is not right’. The FIA is a republic.”
Springboks call in Olivier
RUGBY:South Africa have added centre Wynand Olivier to their squad for the Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Outside centre Adrian Jacobs is doubtful for the match because of a groin strain.
Inside centre Jean de Villiers suffered an arm injury in the recent second Test against the Lions, though he is named in the squad, and winger Jaque Fourie has a niggling quadriceps problem.
Kearney and Co out to impress
GOLF:Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney will aim to secure his Walker Cup place when he lines up in the strongest field for the South of England Amateur Championship at Walton Heath this morning.
Kearney won the English Amateur Open for the Brabazon Trophy back in May to put himself in a good position for a cup spot, then qualified for the knock-out stages of the Amateur Championship at Formby.
Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar is another not out of contention for a place on the plane to Pennsylvania in September after he won the prestigious St Andrews Links Trophy tournament earlier in the season.
He needs an impressive display at Walton Heath to convince the selectors that he can take on the Americans.
Ireland has never had a stronger contingent in this event as County Louth’s Simon Ward, Portstewart’s Paul Cutler and James Fox of Portmarnock are also in the line-up.
Hatton not thinking about Khan
BOXING:Ricky Hatton insists the idea of fighting Amir Khan "hasn't entered my head".
The 30-year-old has yet to make a decision on his future and admits he is not missing boxing since taking a break following his crushing, second-round knockout by Manny Pacquiao in May.
Khan, meanwhile, won the WBA light-welterweight title with victory over Andreas Kotelnik on Saturday to further fuel talk of a showdown between the two Lancashire fighters.
However, Hatton – who has been released from hospital after a bad stomach bug – said: “I’m not thinking about boxing at the moment. Maybe I’ll wake up one day and think let’s give it another go, but I might not.
“I’m not missing it. Fighting is the furthest thing from my mind.
“I don’t think I have to beat Amir Khan to prove anything.”
