A round-up of other sports news in brief
Boonen banned from Tour
CYCLING: Former world champion Tom Boonen (above) has been banned from the 2009 Tour de France following a positive test for cocaine earlier this year, organisers said yesterday.
“The image of Tom Boonen is not compatible with that of the Tour de France,” Amaury Sport Organisation said in a statement. Belgian Boonen (28) won the world championships in 2005. He failed a test for cocaine in April, his second offence for the drub in 12 months
Hanley to the fore in Rotterdam
EQUESTRIAN: Ireland have been drawn eighth of the 10 teams competing in this afternoon’s fourth round of the Meydan FEI nations’ cup series in Rotterdam.
The team, currently lying last in the series on 3.5 points, need a good result today to get out of the danger zone and had a good start to the Dutch five-star show when Cameron Hanley landed yesterday’s speed class on SIEC Royal Star, with Jessica Kürten finishing third on Quibell.
Captain David O’Brien on Kiltoom was later fifth In the 1.50m jump-off class won by the USA’s Todd Minikus and Alaska.
Nevin into final but Egan beaten
BOXING: Irish Olympic silver medallist Ken Egan bowed out of the European Union Championships at the semi-final stage in Odense, Denmark yesterday on a day when bantamweight John Joe Nevin marched into the 54Kg final following an emphatic win over English European champion Luke Campbell.
Egan, a nine-times Irish senior champion, who was targeting his third EU gold medal in a row in Denmark, was edged out 7-6 by Hungarian light heavyweight Imre Szello.
But Irish 2008 Olympian Nevin, the reigning European Union champion, beat Campbell, a gold medal winner at the 2008 European Championships in Liverpool, 13-2 to advance to tomorrow’s finals.
Donegal welterweight Willie McLoughlin was also in top form, recording a 7-1 win over England’s Scott Cardle, but Eric Donovan lost out 13-7 to England’s Tom Stalker in the lightweight decider.
However, the big talking point was Egan’s exit. The Dubliner was hot favourite to beat the Hungarian – who he has beaten three times up to yesterday – and take another step toward his third EU gold medal in a row.
Meanwhile, flyweight Declan Geraghty produced another fine performance to outclass Welsh puncher Joe Gage, winning 19-1 to march into his first major international final. There were wins also for Con Sheehan, Darren O’Neill, and David Oliver Joyce.
Doran and Barron progress
TENNIS: John Doran and Scott Barron last night battled their way to the semi-finals in the Irish Close Championships at the Donnybrook Club.
The prospect of watching the two former Ireland Davis Cup players in action attracted a good crowd and Doran and Barron proved they still have class by surviving stiff challenges.
Number four seed Doran, who last played for Ireland in the loss to Ukraine in Donetsk in July 2004, came through against fellow Dublin northsider Dara McLoughlin 6-2, 6-4.
Number six seed Barron, whose last outing for Ireland was in the away win over Luxembourg in April 2000, was pushed to a tie-break by gutsy competitor Conor Taylor, from Portmarnock, before prevailing on a 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) scoreline.
Doran got off to a great start breaking McLoughlin twice to take the first set 6-2. The second set went similarly with Doran breaking McLoughlin early on, and he subsequently held his own serve comfortably to close out the match.
Ireland prepare to face Russia
WOMEN’S HOCKEY: The inaugural Champions Challenge II gets under way in Kazan, Russia on Sunday, with Ireland opening their campaign against the hosts, reports Mary Hannigan. Gene Muller’s squad is seeded second, behind India, for the eight-nation tournament, the winners of which will be promoted to the second tier of the Champions’ series.
The European Championships in Amsterdam in August are Muller’s priority this summer, with the South African viewing the Russian event as a chance for the younger members of his squad to gain experience.
“It comes at an ideal time in our preparations for the Europeans, it is an open tournament with many teams of similar ranking all wanting to progress up the world rankings. I expect us to play well because the players have worked hard this year,” he said.
Ireland face Ukraine on Monday, followed by Malaysia on Wednesday, before the crossover games on Friday and Saturday. India, Canada, Belgium and Belarus make up the second pool in the tournament.
IRELAND:C McKean, N Small, N Symmons, L Colvin (all Loreto), L Barr, M Frazer, B Cleland (all Ballymoney), S McCay, E Clarke (both Ulster Elks), R Flinn, L Jacob (both UCD), M Harvey, A Speers (both Pegasus), E Cregan capt (Cork Harlequins), M Goode (Bray), E Gray (Hermes), E Smyth (Railway Union), E Stewart (Armagh).
Nadal's participation at Wimbledon in the balance
TENNIS: Champion Rafael Nadal’s Wimbledon participation still hung in the balance yesterday after his first outing on grass this season did not go according to plan.
The world number one, troubled by a knee problem since being knocked out of the French Open in the fourth round last month, struggled with his movement during an exhibition match against Australian Lleyton Hewitt, which he lost 6-4, 6-3.
“Rafa is having difficulties bending his knees and it (seems) that his various treatments are not enough,” said his coach and uncle Toni Nadal. Asked if the Spaniard would turn up to defend his title on Monday at the All England Club, he added: “I don’t know, we have to wait for tomorrow.”
The 23-year-old will decide whether to play at Wimbledon after taking part in a second exhibition match against Stanislas Wawrinka at the Hurlingham Club today.
Meanwhile 14th seed, Gael Monfils, has pulled out of Wimbledon because of a wrist injury.
