Pearson becomes 4th-fastest 100 hurdler in history

DAEGU, South Korea (AP) — When Sally Pearson bolted out of the starting blocks in the 100-meter hurdles, she was a woman on a mission.

The Australian became the fourth-fastest hurdler in history Saturday, winning the gold medal in a championship-record time of 12.28 seconds.

"I said I was going to do a PB in the final and I was making sure I would do that," said the 24-year-old Pearson, who is still .07 seconds off the world record set by Yordanka Donkova of Bulgaria in 1988. "I couldn't have asked for anything more."

Pearson had to run twice Saturday at Daegu Stadium, and she didn't disappoint either time. In the second semifinal heat, Pearson won in a world-leading time of 12.36, already beating her personal best by .12 seconds.

But that was nothing compared to the final and what comes with the victory.

"A gold medal was what I was more excited about," said Pearson, who won the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Games and was wearing a gold ring with the Olympic rings on her right hand. "I wanted this so badly and I'm so glad it's come together on the right night."

It really did.

Pearson was first over the first of 10 hurdles in the final and was never threatened from then on.

"Since finishing the Commonwealth Games last year, I wanted to do this so badly and I've made sure I focused on every single training session I've done," she said. "I haven't left anything on the track."

As she ran through the finish line and toward an Australian flag to carry around her shoulders, someone threw a copy of the daily program at her.

A picture of Pearson jumping over a hurdle adorned the cover, and the Australian became only the second person in eight days to win a gold medal at this year's worlds after being honored with that distinction.

The likes of Usain Bolt in the 100, Yelena Isinbayeva and Steve Hooker in the pole vault, and Allyson Felix and Carmelita Jeter in the 200 all failed to win gold. Russian race walker Olga Kaniskina, who won the 20-kilometer event, is the only other athlete to come through.

Until Saturday.

A pair of Americans trailed Pearson across the finish line, with Danielle Carruthers taking silver in 12.47 and Olympic champion Dawn Harper earning bronze in the same time.

All three set personal bests.

"I've given it all," Pearson said, "and finally come out tonight and proven that when I want something bad enough and I stay focused enough I can achieve it."

Morgan guides England to six-wicket win over India

Eoin Morgan struck a quickfire 49 off 27 balls as England overpowered India by six wickets in the one-off Twenty20 international here today.

Left-hander Morgan was the hero of England's chase of 166, striking seven fours and a six.

Morgan put on 73 runs for the fourth wicket with Ravi Bopara (31) off only 49 balls to lead England to a comprehensive victory despite Ajinkya Rahane's 61 off 39 balls.

Boat Race

The grand festival of Onam, is celebrated with great zest, in the picturesque state of Kerala, in the Malayalam month of Chingam. The most exciting part of this festival is the snake boat race, held at various places in the state, on the palm - fringed waters. The boats used in this thrilling contest of Vallamkali (boat race), are kite - tailed, and rather swan - shaped. The most spectacular of the boat races, are those held at Aranmula, Champakulam and Kottayam. About a hundred oarsmen row the huge, yet graceful boats. Oars dig, and flash to the rousing rhythm of drums, and the crash of cymbals in each boat, while the songs sung by the participants are generally typical in character. Each boat hoists green and scarlet silk-umbrellas, and their number denotes the affluence of the family, to which the boat belongs. Gold coins and tassels are hung on the umbrellas to as adornments.
These races are keenly contested, and reflect a high degree of sporting prowess and excellence

'If Sachin is to get Bharat Ratna, he should shun IPL'

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has said that master batsman Sachin Tendulkar should not play in the Indian Premier League if his name was under consideration for the country's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna.
"In my view, Sachin Tendulkar should not play in IPL if his name is being considered for Bharat Ratna," he said.
"When players like Sachin Tendulkar are sold and bought, it really hurts. A player plays for the country and not for companies," the Chief Minister said Tuesday evening at a function to mark the completion of 75 years of Indian Hockey team's victory in the Berlin Olympics, 1936.
Chouhan blamed the IPL for 'ruining' the sport. He also said that Hockey legend Major Dhyanchand deserved to be the first sportsman to get this highest honour, though Tendulkar too was a highly talented player.
Dhyanchand was the first sportsman in whose name a postal stamp was issued, he reminded.
Appealing to the senior players to promote hockey, Chauhan promised all help from Madhya Pradesh government.
More in Sports
He felicitated veteran Hockey players and Olympians Gurbakhsh Singh, Mukhben Singh, Inamur Rehman, Charles Corneous, Ajit Singh, Ashok Dhyanchand, Virendra Singh, Ashok Diwan, Syed Ali, Harcharan Singh, Mirranjan Negi, Jalaluddin Rizvi, Sujit Kumar and Samir Dad.
The senior hockey players presented a memorandum to the Chief Minister, urging him to recommend Major Dhyanchand's name for a posthumous Bharat Ratna.  

Spanish player quits 'rotten' world of football

Defender Javi Poves has quit La Liga club Sporting Gijon, saying he has taken a stance against a sport he describes as "rotten".
The 24-year-old Spaniard is walking away from the game after rescinding his contract with the north-coast club, for whom he played in the Spanish third tier with Sporting's B team.
"The more you know about football the more you realise it is all about money, that it is rotten and this takes away your enthusiasm," Poves told Spanish daily ABC's website (www.abc.es) on Wednesday.
"What point is there is earning 800 or 1000 euros if you know that you are obtaining it through the suffering of many people."
Daily El Pais reported that Poves refused to allow the club to pay him via a bank transfer, he said so the banks could not speculate with his money, and that he returned the keys to a car that had been provided to players by sponsors.
Poves's stance against what he sees as a corrupt sport has struck a chord in a country where many young people, known as 'los indignados', have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against the government's policies.
They have expressed anger about joblessness, unpayable mortgage debt, political corruption and social inequality in cities across Spain.
"I don't want Javi Poves to become an icon, I am just one more and I fight against inequality," he added.
"I want everyone to be equal and that we all unite and stop arguing over trivial matters and try to move forward. As it stands the world is preparing to destroy itself."
Poves, who has said he wants to study and to offer his help socially, also called for football's top players to do more to help others.
"There are certain personalities at a world level, Pele, Ronaldinho, (Lionel) Messi who are ambassadors for UNICEF and who on the face of it are very good, but they could do much more" he added.
"These people have such influence they should involve themselves in a much more direct way."

Ferguson's shopping spree is over thanks to youngsters

Premier League champions Manchester United are not planning any more transfer shopping with manager Alex Ferguson saying he is happy with his youthful squad.
United have splashed some cash in the close season, bringing in defender Phil Jones, winger Ashley Young and goalkeeper David De Gea for what local media have estimated to be a total of around 50 million pounds ($81 million).
They have been heavily linked in the newspapers with a move to buy Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan but Ferguson dismissed the rumours.
"Forget anyone you like," the Scot replied when reporters asked if it was time they forgot about Sneijder. "I'm happy with the young players we've got.
"I'm certainly not looking to add (to the squad) and I've been saying that for weeks. You have all been writing differently -- you have been writing I'm going to buy this one, I'm going to buy that one but we've said nothing."
Ferguson was delighted by the performance of some of the club's youth team products, such as midfielder Tom Cleverley, in last Sunday's 3-2 comeback win over Manchester City in the Community Shield and could soon entrust them with bigger tasks.
"There is an emphasis on young players in the squad and there always has been," he told a news conference.
"It's the case with any young player who comes through a club ... that they can threaten anyone (senior players) because if they've got the ability and the temperament there is only one thing you can do and that's play them."
Even if some of the youngsters who inspired the second-half fightback against their neighbours are overlooked for Sunday's league opener at West Bromwich Albion, 20-year-old De Gea looks set to start.
Questions have been asked over the Spaniard's display against City last week but Ferguson defended him and said he would be fine in the Premier League with a bit of help from senior players like defenders Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
"He had no chance with the first goal...(for the second) he was stepping forward and took a step back and got himself a bit unbalanced," he said.
"It wasn't a goalkeeping mistake, more of a technical mistake in terms of his feet. He wouldn't be doing that again, it's just one of those things. The ball did move a bit, maybe about two feet. He will be fine.
"Any young goalkeeper who comes in and replaces Edwin van der Sar is going to need the support of Vidic and Ferdinand."

Emerging Meet: Menaria puts India on top

Townsville: Former India U-19 captain Ashok Menaria smashed an unbeaten 94 and added 174 runs for the undefeated second wicket stand with in-from Ajinkya Rahane as India reached 191 for one at stumps against the Australian Institute of Sports, after dismissing them for 205 in the final three-day match of the Emerging Players Tournament.
Having already logged nine points from two matches, the Indians will be aiming to finish with another outright win.
Menaria who had the distinction of scoring three back-to-back tons in Ranji Trophy for Rajasthan (quarters, semis and final) blasted 94 with the help of 12 boundaries and four huge sixes. In fact, he was severe on left-arm spinner Michael Beer (0/49 in 6 overs) who had played in an Ashes Test last summer.
He was ably supported by Rahane (71 batting) who hit 11 boundaries and looks good for another three-figure mark. The Indians are now 15 shy of taking the first-innings lead.
Earlier, AIS lost their last eight wickets for 50 runs after Nic Maddinson (82) and Sam Whiteman (53) added 107 runs for the second wicket.
Electing to field, India's fastest new ball bowler Varun Aaron grabbed four for 40 to cause maximum damage in company of left-arm seamer Jaidev Unadkat (3/47) as the duo snared seven wickets between them to dismiss AIS for 205 in 64.4 overs.