Tough draw for Toulouse
Rugby league: Toulouse’s collection of builders, policemen, traffic wardens and students, who upset Widnes Vikings 40-24 on Sunday to become the first French team to reach the Powergen Challenge Cup last four, were paired with Leeds Rhinos, the competition favourites and engage Super League leaders, in last night’s semi-final draw. St Helens, 75-0 conquerors of Wigan Warriors, face Hull, whom they eliminated in the quarter-finals en route to winning last year’s final against Wigan.
SEMI-FINAL DRAW: Toulouse v Leeds, St Helens v Hull (ties to be played July 30 and 31, venues to be confirmed).
Clement cruises
Athletics: Kerron Clement, 19, produced the outstanding performance on the last day of the United States trials for the World Championships, winning the men’s 400 metres hurdles in 47.24sec in Carson, California. Clement’s time is the world’s quickest for seven years and faster than Felix Sanchez, the Olympic and world champion from the Dominican Republic, has ever run.
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Britain flying high
Gymnastics: Great Britain’s women defeated China, the bronze medal-winners at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, for the first time with Beth Tweddle, the national champion, securing four golds at the two-day competition in Liverpool. Imogen Cairnes, of Portishead, finished third overall as Britain triumphed by 0.075 marks.
Wasps lose Leota
Rugby union: Trevor Leota, the 20st Samoa hooker, has left London Wasps by mutual consent to pursue a career in the Super 14. Leota, 30, joined Wasps eight years ago and has won three Premiership titles, the Heineken Cup, the Parker Pen Challenge Cup and the national knockout cup twice.