■ FIELD HOCKEY
Argentina thrash the US
Lucas Vila scored three goals as world No. 7 Argentina beat the US 9-1 in their opening match at a men's field hockey Olympic qualifying tournament yesterday. Ireland beat France 4-0 and New Zealand defeated Trinidad and Tobago 12-0 on the opening day of the six-nation tournament which continues until next Sunday. The winner qualifies for the field hockey tournament at the Beijing Olympics. Vila opened Argentina's scoring after two minutes and completed his hat-trick four minutes into the second half.
■ SKELETON
Uhlaender wins again
Katie Uhlaender of the US won her third straight skeleton World Cup race on Friday in Koenigsee, Germany, after holding off three German sliders. Uhlaender led by 0.05 seconds over Marion Trott of Germany after a first heat time of 49.59 seconds. The American clocked 49.76 seconds in the second run for a total time of 1 minute, 39.35 seconds, edging Kerstin Juergins. Juergins was the fastest in the second run in 49.68 seconds moving up from fourth to finish in 1 minute, 39.42 seconds. Trott earned her first podium finish by clocking 1 minute, 39.459 seconds.
■ BOBSLED
Martini scores first victory
Cathleen Martini scored her first victory of the season on Friday and led a German sweep at a women's bobsled World Cup event in Koenigsee, Germany. Martini and brakewoman Janine Tischer put together the fastest runs in both heats -- 50.58 seconds and 50.51 seconds -- for a combined time of 1 minute, 41.09 seconds. Olympic champion and World Cup leader Sandra Kiriasis and brakewoman Berit Wiacker were second, 0.22 seconds behind, after runs of 50.80 seconds and 50.53 seconds. Claudia Schramm and Nicole Hirschmann had runs of 50.90 seconds and 51.11 seconds to come third in 1 minute, 42.01 seconds.
■ BIATHLON
Rottman receives ban
Austrian biathlete Wolfgang Rottmann has been banned for two years for his involvement in a blood-doping scandal at the 2006 Turin Olympics. The International Biathlon Union (IBU) banned Rottmann for the possession, use and attempted use of albumin, considered a prohibited substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The retroactive penalty expires on July 15, next year. "It includes all biathlon competitions that are organized by the IBU or one of its member federations during this time," the IBU said in a statement on its Web site on Friday. The IBU said Rottmann used an intravenous blood injection on or just before Feb. 18, 2006.
■ CYCLING
Boonen wins Tour of Qatar
Tom Boonen of Belgium won the Tour of Qatar on Friday after capturing his third stage victory in the six-day cycling race. The Quick Step rider won in an overall time of 15 hours, 27 minutes, 44 seconds to beat Alberto Loddo of Italy by 1 minute, 22 seconds. Luciano Pagliarini of Brazil was third, 2 minutes, 2 seconds back from Boonen. Boonen covered the 120km sixth stage in 2 hours, 49 minutes, 47 seconds for his 16th overall stage victory in five years after winning the second and third earlier this week. "Winning in Qatar is something that has become a habit now," Boonen said. "My team has done well here in Qatar. The last few years have been good for us.
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