Sports Digest

Draw reveals challenge for Passmore and Kuper: The Irish men's and women's senior teams learned the nature of the challenges facing them at their World Cup Qualifiers when the pools for the tournaments were announced yesterday by the International Hockey Federation.

The men, whose event takes place in April in China, received a particularly daunting draw; they go in a pool with Pakistan, the fifth-ranked team in the world, England (11), Belgium (12), Egypt (15) and Canada (16).

"It's a tough group, of course, but we are at least familiar with the styles of play of a lot of the opposition, many of whom we have played in the last 12 months," said coach Dave Passmore, whose team is ranked 22nd in the world.

The tournament's second pool is made up of China, France, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and New Zealand.

Women's coach Riet Kuper could be marginally more content with the draw for the Qualifier in Rome (April 26th to May 4th), which put her team in a pool with New Zealand, Korea, Azerbaijan, Italy and the USA.

China, Scotland, England, France, Japan and Ukraine are in the other pool.

New Zealand and Korea, sixth and seventh in the world, will be firm favourites to top the Irish group, but Azerbaijan (19) and hosts Italy (20) are ranked below Ireland (13). And the USA, at 12, are just above.

"No question, it is a very hard pool that we are in," said Kuper, "but the team definitely has a chance to qualify."

Five teams qualify from each of the two 12-team tournaments for the World Cup Finals in September - the men's finals take place in Mönchengladbach, the women's in Madrid.

Waugh has high hopes

Ireland's leading female triathlete, Jane Waugh, has returned to her training base in South Africa with high hopes for the season ahead.

Last month the Dromore, Co Down, woman became Ireland's first winner of an International Triathlon Union (ITU) when posting first woman and fifth overall at the African Continental Cup in Mauritius (December 18th).

The win was all the more remarkable for the fact that last March Waugh was diagnosed with iron-deficiency anaemia and broke a foot in July.

Her victory in Mauritius was achieved in temperatures of up to 40 Celsius and 95 per cent humidity. But, as she says, it was worth the discomfort.

"Crossing the finish line as the first girl and fifth overall . . . was worth every painstaking minute," she said. "I must say it really did take me a few days of relaxing along this paradise island to make a full recovery."

Waugh earned 200 points in Mauritius, bringing her annual ITU total to an unofficial 343.

Seminar to attract stars

The Irish Ladies Golf Union National Training Committee is hosting its inaugural National Training Seminar for elite players next Saturday, January 7th, at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.

Speakers include Dr Paul Hurrion (Sports Biomechanics), who will share his findings on the art of putting.

Sports psychologist Dr Karl Morris will address the mental side of the game - including coping with the stresses of tournament play.

Jude O'Reilly will share his experiences of caddying on the European Tour.

The seminar will also touch on visual skills and diet.

Some of Ireland's leading golfers, including Claire Coughlan, Trisha Mangan and Martina Gillen, will attend.

Internationals Tara Delaney, Maria Dunne, Maura Morrin, Heather Nolan and Deirdre Smith will also be present to pick up a few tips.

The ILGU plan to host similar events regularly over the coming years.