MANCHESTER : New Zealand bowler Chris Cairns (right) celebrates after having England skipper Mark Butcher caught in the slips by Stephen Fleming for five, on the first day of the third Test Match between England and New Zealand at Old Trafford, Manchester on Thursday. — AP/PTI

Butcher dismissed cheaply MANCHESTER, (England), Aug 5 — Former captain Michael Atherton played a familiar role as anchorman as England reached 56 for two at tea on the rain-affected first day of the third Test against New Zealand at Old Trafford today. Sotomayor tests positive WINNIPEG (Canada), Aug 5 — Cuban high jump great Javier Sotomayor was stripped of his gold medal at the Pan-American Games after testing positive for cocaine, the biggest drug scandal to hit athletics since sprinter Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Christie denies taking drugs LONDON, Aug 5 — Linford Christie, the 1992 Olympic 100-metre champion who now only competes for fun, is furious that he has been forced to stop racing because of a drug test.

Gilchrist, Patel in last 8
CHENNAI, Aug 5 — Six of the quarterfinalists were spotted as matches continued to be one-sided contrary to expectations in the World Professional Billiards Championship now in progress here.

Chetan Baboor crashes out in world TT
EINDHOVEN (Netherlands), Aug 5 — India’s national champion Chetan Baboor crashed out of the men’s singles when he lost a grim four-game battle to Israeli qualifier Izak Abramov at the 45th World Table Tennis Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands last night.

Damien shocks Wang
EINDHOVEN (Netherlands), Aug 5 — Europe’s men launched a counter offensive against China here today with France’s Damien Eloi taking the biggest scalp of the tournament so far in the second day of the men’s singles in the 45th World Table Tennis Championships.

Rafter starts title defence with win
MONTREAL,Aug 5 — Australian star Patrick Rafter opened his Du Maurier Open title defence with a 46-minute, 6-0, 6-2 victory over American Alex O’Brien.

Thipsay wins; Kunte, Saravanan held
SCARBOROUGH, Aug 5 — Indian international masters (IM) Abhijit Kunte and V Saravanan drew their game against higher rated opponents to slip down the leaderboard even as four Englishmen grabbed the lead with an all-win record after the third round of the British Open Chess Championship here.

3-member team for world boxing meet
PATIALA, Aug 5—The Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) has announced a three-member squad for the World Boxing Championships to be held at Houston (USA) from August 20 to 27.

• Jones cruises to 20th 200m win

Mexico stun Brazil

MEXICO CITY, Aug 5 (AP) — Underdogs Mexico were the favourites in a jubilant Azteca Stadium as they upset a young Brazilian team 4-3 to win soccer’s Confederations Cup.

Brazil’s fearsome defence seemed to crumble as the Mexicans fought their way toward the goal throughout last night’s match. Miguel Zepeda scored twice, and Jose Manuel Abundis and Cuauhtemoc Blanco each added a goal.

Brazil’s goals came from Serginho, Roni and Ze Roberto.

“We put in a very offensive team. The boys played well. They played offensively and they played to win,” said Mexican coach Manuel Lapuente. “We’re celebrating big. We beat a great team, and we beat them good.”

Brazil’s defence, which didn’t give up a single goal in first round, made several key errors in the final. Evanilson, a key defender, was injured in the semifinal match against Saudi Arabia and couldn’t play.

“Mexico took advantage of our mistakes and made four goals,” said Brazilian coach Wanderley Luxemburgo. “They were good goals.” He pointed out that Brazil fielded a young team, which included only three players who were on the roster for last year’s World Cup.

The Azteca Stadium itself proved a major advantage to the Mexicans. Mexico haven’t lost to another national team at Azteca in 18 years. Brazil had played all their previous games in the western city of Guadalajara, where they were the hometown favourites.

The capacity crowd of 110,000 throbbed with energy, beating on drums, blowing horns and showering the field in confetti in a deafening celebration.

Butcher dismissed cheaply

MANCHESTER, (England), Aug 5 (Reuters) — Former captain Michael Atherton played a familiar role as anchorman as England reached 56 for two at tea on the rain-affected first day of the third Test against New Zealand at Old Trafford today.

Atherton produced only five scoring strokes in making 11 not out off 82 balls on a wicket of variable bounce.

He was returning to the Test arena for the first time since last December having recovered from a serious back complaint.

Fellow opener Mark Butcher, who was leading England for the first time in place of the injured Nasser Hussain, was caught at slip by Stephem Fleming off Chris Cairns for only five.

Surrey team mate Alec Stewart, another former England captain, was the other batsman to fall, adjudged caught behind off Dion Nash for 23.

Only 28 overs were possible in the first two sessions as rain, which had delayed the start by an hour, returned to force an early tea.

The four-match series is tied at 1-1.

Two former England captains Michael Atherton and Alec Stewart survived until lunch, although Stewart was lucky to survive a dropped catch of the last ball of the session when England were 33 for one.

Play was held up for an hour because of a wet outfield, which helped keep the crowd down to just a few thousand people.

When a start was made, opening bowler Cairns took a while to find his line before capturing Butcher’s wicket in his third over.

The new captain played an indecisive shot and gave his opposite number a low catch.

Atherton, returning to Test cricket for the first time since making a pair against Australia last December, had received a warm reception from his home crowd.

He then did well to keep out a ball from Dion Nash that kept low, as New Zealand continued to dominate until the interval.

More runs came in extras than off the bat until Stewart took successive fours off Cairns in the last over before lunch.

Mongia doubtful starter

BARODA, Aug 5 (PTI) — Indian wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia appeared to be a doubtful starter for the upcoming tours of Sri Lanka and Singapore for which the selectors are to meet here tomorrow to finalise the squad led by Sachin Tendulkar.

The Baroda-based stumper, who was hurt during India’s match against Kenya in the league phase of the World Cup, has not yet recovered fully from a hairline fracture passing through the wrist joint of his left hand which was detected late last month, according to the player.

Mongia, who did not play in the next match against Sri Lanka at Taunton because of the injury, continued later in the tournament by taking pain-killers.

According to the player, the x-ray only revealed a hairline crack below the little finger of his left hand.

But 10 days ago, he still felt some pain in the hand and went for a bone scan which revealed two cracks, a completely healed one under the little finger and the other (passing through his wrist) in the process of healing, he said.

Mongia was scheduled to go for a practice session this evening to see how his injured hand felt before telling the Baroda-based board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary, Mr Jayawant Lele, whether he was fit to be considered for the selection.

Already deposed skipper Mohammad Azharuddin has been ruled out opening up a middle-order batting berth in the team.

Maharashtra all-rounder Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Mumbai’s flamboyant left-hander Vinod Kambli, Baroda’s Jacob Martin, V.V.S. Laxman of Hyderabad and Karnataka’s Vijay Bharadwaj seem to be the front runners in contention for Azharuddin’s vacant spot in the batting order.

Among them, Kanitkar and Kambli were in the shortlisted squad of 19 for the World Cup before being omitted from the final 15. Martin, who was the second highest scorer in last season’s Ranji Trophy with an aggregate of 1,037 runs from eight matches, and Laxman — who has Test experience too — were in the preliminary list of 30 players for the mega event.

Bharadwaj was not in the 30-strong list but has come into contention on the strength of being the highest runner-getter for Ranji champions Karnataka last season. He notched up 1280 runs in 10 matches at an average of 106.67 with four centuries to boot.

While Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Robin Singh and Ajay Jadeja are certain to return their place, it remains to be seen whether two other Cup squad members — S. Ramesh (who played a few matches in England) and Amay Khursia — who did not figure in any — will be retained.

In the bowling department, which came in for much criticism for India’s dismal show in the World Cup, Karnataka medium-pacer Dodda Ganesh has emerged a strong contender with his haul of 62 wickets from 11 Ranji matches last season.

Sotomayor tests positive

WINNIPEG (Canada), Aug 5 (AP) — Cuban high jump great Javier Sotomayor was stripped of his gold medal at the Pan-American Games after testing positive for cocaine, the biggest drug scandal to hit athletics since sprinter Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Sotomayor, considered Cuba’s most popular athlete, will be suspended for two years — knocking him out of this month’s world championships and the Sydney Olympics, Primo Nebiolo, president of the International Federation for Athletics, said last night.

“I am shocked. I cannot believe it. I am very surprised and upset because I have great esteem for Sotomayor,” Nebiolo said from a meet in Monaco.

Cuban officials said Sotomayor never took cocaine adding the substance had been planted in something he ate or drank.

“He is such a gentleman. To us, it is almost impossible he would take this substance,” said Rodrigo Alvarez Cambra, a leader of the Cuban Delegation. “He has told us he has not taken this substance and we believe his word.”

It is up to the Cuban federation to suspend Sotomayor, the world record holder and the only man to clear 2.44 metres. But Nebiolo said if the Cubans do not suspend Sotomayor, the athletics federation will.

A spokesman for the federation, Giorgio Reineri, said he expected the Cuban federation to appeal.

Mario Vazquez Rana, president of Pan American Sports Organisation, said in doping cases, his group does not differentiate a recreational drug such as cocaine from a performance-enhancing substance such as a steroid.

On Friday, Sotomayor became the first person to win four Pan Am track and field titles in the same event when he cleared 2.30m in the high jump. The gold medal will now go to Canada’s Kwaku Boateng and Mark Boswell, who had tied for the silver.

Sotomayor was seen in Cuba on Tuesday night, standing beside President Fidel Castro at a rally for the gold medal-winning baseball team.

Sotomayor’s wife answered the door at their one-story blue stucco home in Havana’s upscale Miramar neighbourhood last night and refused to comment. She called government officials, asking them to make the reporters leave.

Officials said the government would issue a formal statement about Sotomayor later.

Drug abuse is almost unheard of in Cuba, and earlier this year Cuba revised the penal code to extend death penalty for government officials who engage in drug trafficking.

Sotomayor is the third athlete, all gold medallists, to test positive at these games.

A positive test by Steve Vezina, goalie for Canada’s in-line roller hockey team, cost the team its gold medal. Juana Rosari Arrendel, winner of the women’s high jump and the only gold medalist from the Dominican Republic at the games so far, was stripped of her medal as well.

In addition, Ray Martinez, a member of Mexico’s baseball team refused to take a drug test, which was tantamount to a positive result.

Eduardo de Rose, medical chief for the Pan Am Games, said it makes no difference how the cocaine got in Sotomayor’s system.

“Once the substance is found in urine, we do not question where it came from and the reason for taking it,” de Rose said.

Sotomayor’s sample showed cocaine in quantities consistent with a person who uses the drug, de Rose said.

Sotomayor, won the 1992 Olympic gold medal, the 1993 and world outdoor championships, and the 1989, 1993, 1995 and 1999 world indoor championships.

The positive test was a further embarrassment to Cuba’s team at the Pan Am Games. Eight Cubans have left the delegation, including one journalist, with authorities saying at least seven plan to defect.

The finding against Sotomayor marked the biggest scandal in athletics since Johnson was stripped of his 100-metre gold medal and world record in Seoul for using the performance-enhancing drug stanozolol.

Christie denies taking drugs

LONDON, Aug 5 (AP) — Linford Christie, the 1992 Olympic 100-metre champion who now only competes for fun, is furious that he has been forced to stop racing because of a drug test.

“I vigorously deny ever taking any form of banned substance. What would be the point of me doing it?” the British star said

Christie (39) was suspended yesterday for suspicion of steroid use, with International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) saying his drug test suggested the presence of the nandrolone. The test was taken during a February meet in Dortmund, Germany.

Christie only ran in the meet because of challenges thrown down by the sprinters he was coaching. He won a heat and then finished fourth in the final.

But a urine test gave an adverse reading for metabolites of nandrolone and, if the test eventually proves positive, Christie could be banned for two years even though he has retired.

Christie, who now coaches leading sprinters in Europe, also gave his support to a campaign for a more reliable testing procedure for nandrolone, which can be produced naturally.

“I agree that there should be a full investigation into the numerous cases where metabolites of nandrolone have been found in urine samples to establish how this could happen without the knowledge of the athletes,” Christie said.

India to play if security ‘assured’
Asia Cup hockey tournament

NEW DELHI, Aug 5 (PTI) — India’s participation in the Asia Cup hockey tournament in Pakistan will be subject to assurance on security from the Pakistan Federation (PHF) as well as the international body, FIH, Indian Federation (IHF) president K.P.S. Gill today said.

Gill said India’s participation would be on full security assurance and the government would not be brought into the picture, when asked whether it would seek government permission to play in Pakistan in the wake of the Kargil conflict.

“The IHF will talk to the PHF and the FIH and decide. But security will be paramount,” he told PTI here.

India was originally scheduled to host the Asia Cup, but Pakistan was granted the championship after it bid for it. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Lahore in November.

Mr Gill said the IHF will enlist the services of a foreign physical trainer on the lines of the women’s federation. The trainer will arrive in time to help the players peak for the Sydney Olympics slated for next September.

The IHF will shortlist about 30 to 35 players by September for the Sydney Games and the various exposure trips for both senior and junior teams were aimed at ensuring that at least four or five players were available for each spot.

Once the Olympic probables are picked, there would be no more foreign tours. “But it will be the reverse as we will invite foreign teams to play in India during the winter”.

Asked whether coordination could be achieved through various teams, he said chief coach Vasudevan Baskaran was coordinating and all coaches have also worked together in the past.

“There is no such thing like tactics that are frozen in time,” Gill said when asked whether picking various teams for exposure tours would help work out tactics.

“Indians have skill. It is physical fitness where we have to work at,” he added.

The IHF’s policy has paid dividends as seen from the injury to forward Baljit Singh Dhillon, who has been replaced by Harbhajan Singh for the coming tour of South Africa.

“His brother Daljit Dhillon is also injured and Mukesh Kumar could not attend the Amritsar camp due to personal reasons and we could find the third player for the position,” he said.

Asked about top defender Dilip Tirkey’s exclusion for the African trip, he said the player has been advised rest due to fatigue. “He is one of the certainties for Olympics. We have even asked his employers not to play him in the domestic tournaments and give him complete rest,” he added.

He said both the SAI centre of excellence scheme and the various academies have been providing a steady stream of talent.

Mr Gill said quality of goalkeeping has remained poor for the last seven to eight years. “Our goalkeepers in the top sides are rarely tested at home. For example, the IHF seniors won 5-0 in the MCC Murugappa Gold Cup tournament final at Chennai last month which showed the standard of goalkeeping”.

Star-studded IHF seniors beat Mumbai XI for the title with goalkeeper Brian D’Souza bearing the brunt of the attack.

Gilchrist, Patel in last 8

CHENNAI, Aug 5 (PTI) — Six of the quarterfinalists were spotted as matches continued to be one-sided contrary to expectations in the World Professional Billiards Championship now in progress here.

World No. 7 and veteran Nalin Patel of India stole the limelight recording the highest break of 241 so far as he defeated compatriot Balachandra Bhaskar 1001-840 in an afternoon match.

The other highlight of the day’s proceedings was England’s Peter Sheehan’s five century breaks in his upset 1003-682 win over fourth ranked Australian Robby Foldvari in the morning.

Christ Shutt also of England scored an easy victory over India’s Devendra Joshi 1001-420 in another pre-quarterfinal.

Peter Gilchrist put paid to the aspirations of Asiad double gold medallist Ashok Shandilya defeating him 1001-709 to join the quarter-final line-up.

Defending champion and world No 2 Geet Sethi (India) and Davis Caussier (England) have already moved into the quarterfinals yesterday.

Sethi awaits the winner of the match between Arun Agarwal (India) and Roxton Chapman, while Patel would play the winner between world No 1 Mike Russel (Eng) and Rupesh Shah (Ind).

Sheehan plays former world champion and the players’ representative in the sport’s world body Gilchrist, while Shutt meets Causier in the quarterfinals.

Ranatunga, De Silva dropped

COLOMBO, Aug 5 (UNI) — Sacked Sri Lankan cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga and his former deputy Aravinda De Silva were today dropped from the squad for this month’s triangular series involving Australia and India, but found a place in the Test series against Australia.

One-day squad: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Mahela Jayawardena (vice-captain), Marvan Atapattu, Avishka Gunawardena, Russel Arnold, Indika De Saram, Chamara Silva, Upul Chandana, Nimesh Perera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Suresh Perera, Chaminda Vaas, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Nuwan Zoysa, Pramodaya Wickremasinghe.

Test squad: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Mahela Jayawardena (vice-captain), Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda De Silva, Russel Arnold, Arjuna Ranatunga, Tuwan Dilshan, Ranga Herath, Nimesh Perera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Suresh Perera, Chaminda Vaas, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Nuwan Soysa, Indika Gallage, Prasanna Jayawardene.

Chetan Baboor crashes out in world TT

EINDHOVEN (Netherlands), Aug 5 (PTI) — India’s national champion Chetan Baboor crashed out of the men’s singles when he lost a grim four-game battle to Israeli qualifier Izak Abramov at the 45th World Table Tennis Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands last night.

The 26-year-old Baboor, who reached the round of 64 earlier in the day fighting a five-game thriller against British qualifier Terry Young, lost to Abramov 22-20 20-22 21-16 21-13 ending India’s challenge in the singles events.

Baboor, who was seeded direct into the main draw, started his second round battle on a sluggish note allowing Abramov to dominate most part of the duel.

Though Baboor won the first game 22-20, his energy reserves depleted as the Israeli took over control of the tie.

After being taken to the distance in the opening round, Baboor failed to come to terms with hectic schedule and lost three games in the row 20-22 16-21 13-21 as Abramov continued his dream run.

Damien shocks Wang

EINDHOVEN (Netherlands), Aug 5 (AFP) — Europe’s men launched a counter offensive against China here today with France’s Damien Eloi taking the biggest scalp of the tournament so far in the second day of the men’s singles in the 45th World Table Tennis Championships.

China had dominated the opening day of the men’s competition yesterday but Eloi consigned China’s Wang Liqin to a third round exit.

Sixth seeded Wang is the highest ranked casualty so far in the men’s event and Eloi, seeded 20, was full value for his straight games scoreline, winning 21-13, 21-18, 21-18.

Reigning men’s singles champion Jan Ove Waldner, of Sweden, also served notice today that he will not relinquish the men’s singles title without a struggle but his predecessor as world champion, China’s Kong Linghui, continued his imperious progress.

Fifth seed Waldner again lost a game to Spain’s He Zhi Wen.

Rafter starts title defence with win

MONTREAL,Aug 5 (AP) — Australian star Patrick Rafter opened his Du Maurier Open title defence with a 46-minute, 6-0, 6-2 victory over American Alex O’Brien.

“I’ve got a lot to do this summer,” said Rafter, who won four hard-court tournaments in a seven-week stretch a year ago, capped by his second straight US Open title.

With the victory yesterday, the top-seeded Australian advanced to a third-round match with Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic, who beat Australia’s Jason Stoltenberg 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).

Third-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia bounced Canada’s top singles player, Daniel Nestor, 6-4, 6-4.

Second-seeded Andre Agassi’s match with fellow American Richey Reneberg was postponed when the entire evening program was wiped out by persistent rain.

Agassi was to play Reneberg, with the winner facing American Michael Chang late tonight. Chang, the 1990 Du Maurier champion now ranked 64th, beat 15th-seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean 6-4, 6-3.

Also, ninth-seeded Nicolas Kiefer of Germany advanced with a 6-4 6-0 win over France’s Guillaume Raoux.

The $ 2.4 million tournament alternates annually between Toronto and Montreal and Rafter admitted it felt “a little strange” to defend a title in a different city.

“It feels like you’re not defending, in a way,” said Rafter, who rose to the world No. 1 ranking on July 26, only to drop to second again when Pete Sampras won in Los Angeles last Sunday.

Rafter, who had an ice pack on his right shoulder after the match, needs another winning streak to keep his ranking up in a year in which the top ranking has changed hands seven times since March 15.

CARLSBAD (USA) (AP): Lindsay Davenport continued her home-state roll on Wednesday, defeating Irina Spirlea 6-0, 6-2 in the second round of the TIG Classic.

Davenport, the world’s No. 1 player, has won 17 of 18 matches in California, including four singles titles. The Newport Beach resident won last week’s Bank of the West Classic at Stanford for the second straight year.

She raced through the first set in 17 minutes against the Romanian, a former top 10 player.

Davenport’s only loss in California in the past year was a second-round defeat to Serena Williams at Indian Wells in March.

In other matches, No. 7 Amanda Coetzer of South Africa defeated Anna Kournikova of Russia 6-0, 1-6, 6-1 and Dominique Van Roost of Belgium beat Ai Sugiyama of Japan 6-2, 6-4.

Number 4 Venus Williams defeated Natasha Zvereva 7-5, 6-1 in the night match. The first set took an hour with the 11th game going to deuce seven times.

Kournikova, a crowd favourite at the La Costa Resort, played more aggressively in the second set with frequent trips to the net against Coetzer, but lost her momentum in the third set.

The 18-year-old Russian was sent off the court with a shout of “We still love you, Anna,”by several shirtless male fans standing at the top of the stadium.

Kournikova has yet to win a title in four years on the WTA tour.

Williams, who lost to Davenport in straight sets last week at Stanford, committed a raft of unforced errors throughout the match. But after tying the second set 1-1, Zvereva won just four points the rest of the way.

Thipsay wins; Kunte, Saravanan held

SCARBOROUGH, Aug 5 (PTI) — Indian international masters (IM) Abhijit Kunte and V Saravanan drew their game against higher rated opponents to slip down the leaderboard even as four Englishmen grabbed the lead with an all-win record after the third round of the British Open Chess Championship here.

Former national champion Kunte, who along with Saravanan was clubbed together with 12 players at the top, split point with fourth seed GM S. Conquest of England. Saravanan accepted the peace offer from another Englishman IM Mathew Turner.

Both were joined by GM Pravin Thipsay at 2.5 points on a mixed day for the Indians here yesterday. Thipsay defeated FIDE master C. Duncan (1.5).

GMs John Emms, Bogdan Lalic, Peter Wells and IM D. Gormally won their games to take lead with three points after three games.

National champion K. Sasikiran (1) lost his second game in the tournament when he blundered a rook against untitled D Fandon (2) of England but youngster S. Kidambi (2) maintained his superb run by holding GM Aaron Summerscale of England.

IWM Anupama Gokhale went down fighting to IM Garry Lane of England in a game of fluctuating fortunes.

Saravanan faced the white side of Sicilian accelerated dragon variation against IM Turner (ELO 2478) and had a small advantage due to his bihsop pair in the endgame.

However, the players signed the peace treaty on the 23rd move when no progress could be made.

The most interesting game of the day was played by IWM Anupama Gokhale, who employed the rare classical variation of Ruy Lopez with black pieces against IM Garry Lane (ELO 2409).

Anupama sacrificed a full piece to make forays into the white’s king side, and Lane was forced to concede material and had two pieces against the Indian IWM’s rook.

However, Anupama could not continue the attack properly in time pressure and lost in 38 moves.

Sasikiran, India’s best bet to become a grandmaster after Viswanathan Anand, Dibyendu Barua and Pravin Thipsay, was clearly in a better position against his little known opponent when he made the error to lose the game.

Results of third round:

GM Emms (3) b GM Arkell (2); IM Kunte (2.5) drew with GM Conquest (2.5); IM Rahman (2) lost to GM Lalic (3); IM Saravanan (2.5) drew with IM Turner (2.5); GM wells (3) b IM Williams (2); Shaw (2) lost to IM Gormally (3); FM Duncan (1.5) lost to GM Thipsay (2.5); Rainer (1.5) drew with IWM Bhagyashree Thipsay (2); Kidambi (2) drew with GM Summerscale (2); IM Lane (2.5) b IWM Anupama Gokhale (1.5); IM Sasikiran (1) lost to Farndon (2).

3-member team for world boxing meet
From Our Sports Reporter

PATIALA, Aug 5—The Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) has announced a three-member squad for the World Boxing Championships to be held at Houston (USA) from August 20 to 27.

The squad comprises Mohammad Ali Qamar (light fly weight), B. Ramanand (feather weight), and Gurcharan Singh (heavyweight).

Ace boxer Dingko Singh was not considered for selection since he is yet to be medically cleared by the SAI doctors. Dingko Singh had suffered an injury on his right hand during the Imphal National Games due to which he had to skip the YMCA boxing championships held at New Delhi in March and the Senior National Boxing Championships held at Vijayawada in April.

The boxers for the Houston World Boxing championship have been selected on basis of their performances in the Giraldo-Cardin International Boxing Championships held in Cuba.

Jones cruises to 20th 200m win

MONACO, Aug 5 (Reuters) —American sprint queen Marion Jones led the chase towards $ 1 million jackpot as she cruised to her 20th consecutive 200 metre victory at the golden league meeting.

The last night began with only four athletes Jones, Wilson Kipketer, Gabriela Szabo and Bernard Barmasai still in the running for athletics big prize and ended the same way with all four collecting wins.

Faridkot win junior waterpolo crown

SANGRUR, Aug 5 (FOSR) — Faridkot won the Punjab State Junior Waterpolo Championships which concluded at Faridkot. In final Faridkot defeated Hoshiarpur 10-6 in a well-fought match. Jalandhar got third place while fourth place went to Sangrur.

Sajan and Sony were declared best players of the meet and Col Raminder Singh, president, Punjab Swimming Association, announced a cash prize of Rs 25,000 for these players. Earlier, Sarabjit Singh, DGP, gave away the prizes to the winners.