Sun, Mar 30, 2008 page23

• Sports Briefs

  • AGENCIES
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  ■ BOXING

  Sakata defends title

  Japan's Takefumi Sakata overwhelmed challenger and countryman Shingo Yamaguchi to retain his World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight title on Saturday with a unanimous points decision. It was Sakata's third defense of the title, with the three judges scoring the 12-round bout at Makuhari International Convention Complex 116-112, 115-113 and 116-112, all in favour of the 28-year-old champion. Yamaguchi, also 28, who made his second challenge for a world title, got off to an aggressive start with precise counterpunches against the champion. The taller Yamaguchi knocked Sakata down with a powerful right straight at the outset of the third round to suggest an upset was on the cards. But that awoke the champion, who then unleashed an array of punches to find his rhythm.

  ■ CRICKET

  Gibbs spends night in jail

  South Africa test batsman Herschelle Gibbs was charged with drunk driving on Friday in Durban, South Africa, after spending the night in jail. Gibbs' lawyer Peter Whelan said that the player had been stopped by police while driving in Cape Town on Thursday night. "He was pulled over and breathalyzed," Whelan said. "He has been charged with drunken driving and will appear in the Cape Town magistrate's court on June 27." Whelan disputed media reports that Gibbs had been alone at the time he was stopped. "His wife, Tenielle, was in the car with him," Whelan said.

  ■ FORMULA ONE

  Qualifying changed for safety

  Formula One qualifying will be modified to prevent the danger of drivers suddenly slowing to save fuel after their final quick laps while others are still at full speed, the governing FIA said on Friday. A spokesman for the International Automobile Federation (FIA) confirmed the change was likely to be enforced before next week's third round of the season in Bahrain. "Our clarification to the teams and drivers will be that cars returning to the pits having completed their flying lap or laps will be required to do so within a time that we will set," he said.

  ■ SOFTBALL

  US prepares to win in Beijing

  Triple gold-medalist Laura Berg headlined a veteran-laden US Olympic softball team roster announced on Friday as the US prepares to continue their domination at the Beijing Games. The US has won every gold medal since softball became part of the Olympic program at the 1996 Atlanta Games and will be keen to continue their run before it is dropped from the programme starting from the 2012 London Games. The US lineup includes 10 members of the 2004 Olympic squad, 13 members of the 2006 world championship team and the players on last year's Pan American Games championship team.

  ■ WEIGHTLIFTING

  Takahashi gets two-year ban

  Japanese weightlifter Ryuta Takahashi has been given a two-year ban after testing positive for anabolic steroids. The Japan Anti-Doping Agency banned Takahashi after an out-of-competition test showed traces of the anabolic steroid metenolone, a JADA official said on Friday. Takahashi was tested during training last month. He has not been selected for next month's Asian championship in Japan, which doubles as a qualifier for this summer's Beijing Olympics. Takahashi becomes the fourth athlete to receive a two-year ban from JADA since the agency took on the role of a national disciplinary body last July.
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