Sun, Feb 03, 2008 page22

• Sports Briefs

  • AGENCIES
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  ■ ATHLETICS

  Legat wins sixth Wanamaker

  Bernard Lagat used his signature finishing kick to win his sixth Wanamaker Mile at the 101st Millrose Games on Friday. The reigning 1,500 and 5,000m world champion pulled into the lead with a lap and a half to go as the Madison Square Garden crowd roared. He easily held off Australian Craig Mottram, who gave him a tough race last year to finish in three minutes, 57.51 seconds. Lagat immediately confirmed he'll return to chase another record. The Kenyan-born American moved a victory away from matching the record seven wins -- the last in 1987 -- by Irishman Eamonn Coghlan, dubbed the "Chairman of the Boards" for his dominance on the old wooden Millrose track.

  ■ FREESTYLE SKIING

  Kravchuk, Li win aerials

  Stanislav Kravchuk of the Ukraine won his first World Cup aerials, and world champion Li Nina of China topped the women's field on Friday in Park City, Utah. Kravchuk led after the qualifying round, so he was the last jumper in the finals at Deer Valley. He tried not to pay attention as most of the other jumpers slipped on their landings. And then he was the first. A tailwind pushed Kravchuk's triple-twisting triple flip out a little far off of the kicker, but he nailed the landing. Once he straightened his knees after the impact, Kravchuk pumped his fist, knowing he had won it.

  ■ MOTOR RACING

  Fisichella boosts morale

  Italian Giancarlo Fisichella boosted the morale of his Force India team on Friday by posting the fourth-best time in testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya. "I think we made a lot of progress," the 35-year-old Roman said in a team statement after completing 100 laps in the team's Ferrari-powered interim car without any major mechanical problems on a cold day at the Spanish track. "I felt more comfortable in the car too -- we are definitely going in the right direction and the times were pretty good. I'm very happy as we are showing the potential we have now," the former Renault driver said.

  ■ BOXING

  Thai wins olympic spot

  Thailand's 2004 Olympic champion Manus Boonjumnong was among 19 boxers to win a spot at the Beijing Games via this week's Asian Olympic qualifying tournament. Uzbekistan was the most successful nation at the tournament, winning four places, while South Korea, Thailand and China all claimed three Olympic places. A further 19 places will be at stake in another regional qualifying tournament in Kazakhstan next month. In all divisions except heavyweight, both finalists in this tournament received an Olympic berth, giving extra emphasis to winning semifinals.

  ■ GOLF

  Blind golfer hits hole-in-one

  A hole-in-one is rare on the golf course, but what are the odds of a blind golfer sinking one? Leo Fiyalko couldn't see it, but his golf buddies did -- a hole-in-one on the fifth hole at the Cove Cay Country Club. Fiyalko is 92 and has macular degeneration. He's been golfing for 60 years, but his 100m shot with a five iron on Jan. 10 was his first hole-in-one. "I was just trying to put the ball on the green," Fiyalko said. Fiyalko tees off every Thursday with a group of golfers ranging in age from 70 to 90-plus. He used to have a seven handicap, but now he needs help lining up his shots and finding his golf balls because he only has peripheral vision in his right eye.

  ■ 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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