WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Ireland were no match for European champions The Netherlands in the opening game of the four nations tournament in Bremen yesterday, losing 5-1, writes Mary Hannigan.
The Dutch were 2-0 up before Cathy McKean pulled a goal back in the 16th minute, but by half-time Ireland trailed 4-1 after conceding two more goals in three minutes before the break. They did, though, manage to avoid a drubbing of more serious proportions by limiting to Holland to a single second half goal.
Vice captain Jenny Burke won her 150th cap while goalkeeper Angela Platt earned her 50th.
IRELAND: A Platt, C Parkhill, B McKeever, C O'Brien, K Maybin, C Carey, L Caulfield, J Burke, J McDonough, E Cregan, L McVicker. Subs used: F Connery, C McKean, N Symmons, D Casey.
OLYMPIC GAMES: The organisers of the Beijing Olympics have moved the equestrian competitions to Hong Kong for the 2008 Games, writes Grania Willis.
News of the move was confirmed yesterday by the IOC. The Beijing organising committee cited problems concerning quarantine for the temporary import and re-export of Olympic horses and difficulties in enforcing a disease-free zone in the stables as the main reasons behind the relocation. The 2008 Olympic equestrian sports will now be staged at the Sha Tin racecourse complex in Hong Kong. This is the first time that the equestrian events have been held in a totally different location to the rest of the Olympics since the 1956 Games in Melbourne.
ATHLETICS: World steeplechase record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen was pushed to the line by Paul Koech at the Rome Golden League meeting last night. The former Kenyan, now running for Qatar, trailed by 10 metres before overhauling Koech at the final barrier to win in a year's best of seven minutes 56.34 seconds.
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