SPORTS DIGEST

Other stories from the world of sport

Radcliffe wins third  New York marathon

ATHLETICS:Paula Radcliffe once again found New York the ideal place to bounce back from Olympic disappointment as she won the New York City marathon for the third time.

The world record holder led from start to finish, wearing down the strongest field in the race's 40-year history to cruise home unopposed over the final four miles to clock two hours 23 minutes and 56 seconds.

Radcliffe was 1min 47secs ahead of 40-year-old Ludmila Petrova of Russia, who held off a strong finish from Kara Goucher of the United States, the American taking third on her marathon debut in 2hrs 25mins 53secs.

With her victory, Radcliffe becomes only the second woman to win the race three or more times, trailing only nine-time winner Grete Waitz of Norway.

Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil won the men's race, reclaiming the title he first won in 2006.

Moylett wins gold medal in Mexico

BOXING:THE IABA were celebrating an historic first on Saturday night after Mayo teenager Ray Moylett claimed lightweight gold at the AIBA World Youth Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The 18-year-old, from the St Anne's club in Westport, finished on top of the 60kg podium following a 3-1 four-round win over 2006 World Cadet champion Daniyar Yelleussinov of Kazakhstan.

In reaching the 60kg final, Moylett beat Welsh champion Fred Evans and Cuban Youth champion Juan Garcia 10-2. But while Moylett was celebrating, Crumlin light-welterweight Jamie Kavanagh had to settle for silver after loosing out to Cuban, Frank Izla 7-2 in the 64kg final.

Thanks to the performances of Moylett, Kavanagh, Thomas McCarthy, of the Oliver Plunkett club in Belfast, and St Michael's Athy ace David Joe Joyce, Ireland won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals in Mexico.

Fifth consecutive world title for Loeb

RALLYING:France's Sebastien Loeb has won a record fifth consecutive World Championship crown after finishing third in the Japan Rally.

It was not plain sailing as the Citroen driver spun near the end in heavy rain, but his podium finish was enough to win the title with one race to spare.

He said: "That was a terrible rally, it couldn't have been more tricky, but now it's a great moment. It's perfect."

Finland's Mikko Hirvonen led Jari-Matti Latvala in a Ford one-two. Hirvonen won two of the final four special stages to finish 31.1 seconds ahead of compatriot Latvala, but there was little they could do to stop Loebs march to the title.

He underlined his dominance of the season with a 12th podium finish in 14 races - 10 of which he has won.

Tsonga's serve proves the key

TENNIS:Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga secured qualification to the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai by defeating reigning champion David Nalbandian in three sets in the final of the Masters Series event in Paris.

Tsonga, the 13th seed, displayed nerves of steel in his first Masters Series final by claiming a 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory in front of his jubilant home crowd. The 23-year-old's serve was the key as he banged 25 aces past the eighth seed, whose game was nowhere near the dizzy heights it reached in his quarter-final win over Andy Murray and in patches of his semi-final triumph over Nikolay Davydenko. The Argentinian would have qualified automatically for Shanghai had he won but as it is, Tsonga is the man to finish seventh in the ATP Points Race and earn a direct passage to China.

He becomes the first French winner of the Bercy event since 2001, when Sebastien Grosjean picked up the title.

 Derry deny Galway once again

SOCCER:Derry City continued to hold the Indian sign over Galway United following their 2-0 victory at the Brandywell last night. The home side broke the deadlock after just 10 minutes following a sustained bout of early pressure. Kevin Deery's angled shot was well parried by goalkeeper Gary Rogers, but when the ball broke to Gareth McGlynn he found the net with an overhead kick.

Naill McGinn, who was a constant thorn in the side of the Galway defence, doubled his side's lead in the 62nd minute, heading home from 16 yards.

Galway's Jay O'Shea failed to reduce the deficit when awarded a penalty in the 69th minute.

DERRY CITY:Doherty; Callaghan, Delaney, Hutton, Gray; McGlynn, Higgins, Deery, McGinn (Martyn, 84 mins); Morrow (Stewart, 76 mins), Farren (McHugh, 76 mins).

GALWAY UNITED:Rogers; Conneely, A. Keane, Fitzgerald, McCulloch; J. Keane (Davoren, 63 mins), Lester, Foley (Glynn, 56 mins); Russell (Murphy, 78 mins), O'Shea, Faherty.

Referee:R Winter (Wicklow).

 Kumble calls  it a day

CRICKET:India captain Anil Kumble has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect.

The 38-year-old decided to stand down during the final day of the drawn third Test against Australia after sustaining a finger injury on day three in Delhi. That left a possible 23 overs remaining in the day and Kumble came out to bowl four wicketless overs before the captains shook hands. Kumble took 619 Test wickets in his career.