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■RUGBY

Brumbies’ Mackay dies

ACT Brumbies forward Shawn Mackay died in a Durban hospital early yesterday just over a week after he was hit by a car, team officials said, plunging the Australian rugby club into mourning. Mackay, 26, died after a cardiac arrest, a spokesman for the Brumbies said. He had been hospitalized, critically ill with multiple injuries, since March 29 when he was struck by an armed response car in a street in Durban while on the Canberra-based Brumbies’ Super 14 tour of South Africa. Team officials said Mackay had shown positive signs after being brought out of a medically induced coma late last week, and underwent surgery. “After his surgery Shawn contracted an infection in his bloodstream,” said Andrew Fagan, the Brumbies’ chief executive. “He deteriorated rapidly and suffered a cardiac arrest from which he didn’t recover.” The accident occurred at around 4:15am when Mackay and several Brumbies’ teammates were leaving a nightclub after their Super 14 loss to the Coastal Sharks the previous evening. Mackay was admitted to hospital in Durban with a cervical spinal fracture and dislocation, a fractured skull, a broken leg and multiple facial fractures after being struck by the vehicle.



■ICE HOCKEY

Sweden rout China 6-1

Elin Holmlov and Erika Holst scored two goals apiece as Sweden routed China 6-1 on Sunday in the preliminary round of the women’s world hockey championships in Hameenlinna, Finland. Sweden, the 2006 Olympic silver medalists but only fifth in last year’s worlds, were to play Canada yesterday for a place in the second round from group B. Canada crushed China 13-1 on Saturday. The Canadians, nine-time champions, are attempting to reclaim a world title they lost to the US last year in Harbin, China. In other games on Sunday, Russia beat Japan 3-1 in group A and Kazakhstan edged Switzerland 2-1 in group C.



■CYCLING

Devolder wins Flanders

Belgium’s Stijn Devolder won the 261.5km Tour of Flanders spring classic cycle race for the second year in a row in Meerbeke, Belgium, on Sunday. Germany’s Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo) finished second, with Belgian Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) third ahead of a big crash in the race’s closing stages that saw a number of riders tumble to the tarmac. On a sun-kissed spring day in northern Belgium, the Quick Step man powered away from teammate Sylvain Chavanel, Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) and underdog Preben Van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) with 15km to go and cruised to victory. Devolder pointed to the sky as he crossed the finish line in front of a delighted home crowd. “I dedicate this victory to Frederiek Nolf [who died in his sleep during the Tour of Qatar earlier this year] who was a friend of mine,” Devolder said. Belgium’s premier cycling race is regarded as one of professional cycling’s most grueling assignments.



■SWIMMING

Munoz sets 50m record

Spanish swimmer Rafael Munoz has set a world record in the men’s 50m butterfly in Malaga, Spain. Munoz finished in 22.43 seconds at the Spanish championships on Sunday to break South African Roland Schoeman’s previous mark of 22.96, set at the 2005 world championships at Montreal. Munoz also set a European record of 50.58 in the men’s 100m fly at the meet. Aschwin Wildeboer set a new European mark in the 100m backstroke on Sunday with a time of 52.93. Arkady Vyatchanin set the previous mark of 53.06 at the Beijing Olympics last summer.
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