Stockholm challenge for Lewis
Athletics: Denise Lewis, the Olympic heptathlon champion who has appeared only in minor meetings since her comeback from injury and the birth of her first child, is scheduled to return to the full glare of the international grand prix circuit tomorrow night.
Lewis has entered the long jump in the DN Galan meeting in Stockholm where she will take on Carolina Kluft, from Sweden, and Eunice Barber, from France, joint favourites for the heptathlon gold medal at the World Championships in Paris this month. Lewis, who made an encouraging if unspectacular return to the event in Tallinn, Estonia, last month, has still to state definitely that she will compete in Paris.
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Rugby union: Neil Back will lead Leicester after the World Cup, taking over from Martin Johnson, the England captain. The decision was agreed between Dean Richards, the Leicester director of rugby, and Johnson after the end of last season and was taken in the light of the lock’s likely heavy workload for England in the coming season. Taine Randell, the former New Zealand captain, confirmed yesterday that he will join Saracens, although the date of his arrival at Vicarage Road is uncertain.
Locos steam on
Polo: Los Locos, a team put together by the Tomlinson family of the Beaufort Club, beat Rory Sweet’s Vampire Bats 8-7 to win the final of the Goodwood week high-goal tournament for the Cowdray Park Challenge Cup, at Midhurst, West Sussex, yesterday. The Bats, power-based on Andrea Vianini and Henry Brett, led 5-4 at half-time but Los Locos hit back in the second half to claim victory, thanks largely to an outstanding performance from Mark Tomlinson, their No 2
Funding in peril
Badminton: England is at risk of losing funding from UK Sport, Stephen Baddeley, chief executive of the BAE, admitted after all five of yesterday’s World Championships finals in Birmingham were played without home involvement. The disappointment follows failures to meet targets at the All-England and European championships. “The level of performance is not enough to justify the level of funding,” Baddeley said
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England on top
Bowls: England’s chances of reaching the semi-finals of the EBA Centenary series improved at Royal Leamington Spa yesterday. The six-man England team achieved a whitewash in the singles and beat Canada 18-4 overall. With 45 points, England should take enough points from Wednesday’s game against New Zealand to reach the last four.
Best of British
Swimming: Victories for Stephanie Proud in the 200 metres backstroke yesterday, and Grace Callaghan and David Davies in the 100 metres breaststroke and 1,500 metres freestyle respectively on Saturday, helped Great Britain to their best performance at the European Junior Championships in Glasgow.
Women rule
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Lacrosse: The England women’s team retained their European title in grand style by winning all six of their matches, including a 13-2 success against Scotland in the European Championship final in Gottingen, Germany. Scotland took silver and the Czech Republic bronze.
Durbidge at peak
Surfing: Bede Durbidge, of Australia, won the men’s title at the Rip Curl Boardmasters in Newquay yesterday. Durbridge took first place by just 0.2 points from Eric Rebiere, of France. Emmanuelle Joly-Thomas, of France, won the Nokia Pro 5 Star on Saturday.
West Seals win
Hockey: England followed up Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Germany B with a 3-2 win against the world champions in Krefeld yesterday. Germany opened the scoring, but Ben Hawes converted a 21st-minute penalty stroke to equalise, Mark Pearn struck four minutes after the break and Andy West scored to give England a 3-1 cushion.
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Pedersen’s record
Speedway: Nicki Pedersen put a controversial season behind him at the weekend to lead Denmark to a World Cup final. Pedersen, the joint World Championship leader sacked by Oxford last month, rode into the record books as only the fourth rider to score a World Cup maximum.