The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Farah goes the distance in search of gold Posted: 23 Aug 2011 07:32 AM PDT LONDON, Aug 23 — British distance runner Mo Farah will have travelled further than most as he attempts to end the stranglehold of Ethiopia and Kenya on the men's 10,000 metres title at the athletics World Championships. Farah arrived in Britain from Somalia as an eight-year-old and settled in West London.  Farah winning the 3,000m at the London Grand Prix, Diamond League, at Crystal Palace in London on August 5, 2011. — Reuters pic The journey has paid dividends and Farah is in the form of his life going into the August 27-September 4 championships in Daegu, South Korea. Unbeaten in his past 10 races, Farah is the fastest man this year over both the 10,000 — thanks to a European record of 26 minutes 46.57 seconds set in June — and the 5,000. "Things have been going really well," Farah said in a news conference in the build-up to the London Grand Prix earlier this month. "I've been enjoying being based in Portland, Oregon, with Alberto Salazar as my coach. "He's a really great coach and for the last six months everything's gone really well. The worlds are not far away so I've got to just keep my feet on the ground and continue doing what I'm doing." The last athlete outside of Kenya and Ethiopia to win the world 10,000 title was Italy's Alberto Cova in 1983 — the year Farah was born. Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele has taken gold at the past four championships, and also won the 5,000 title in Berlin two years ago, but the world record holder has injury problems after rupturing a muscle in his right calf in January 2010. Farah began his season by retaining his European indoors 3,000 title in March and it was over the same distance that he rounded off his World Championships preparation this month with victory in front of an adoring home crowd at Crystal Palace. The 28-year-old brought spectators to their feet with his blistering finish, running the last 200 in just over 25 seconds for a comfortable victory. "It's just pure hard work and graft, nothing is easy, you know, I just keep training. You have to make sacrifices," he told reporters after the race. Farah has also been selected for the 5,000, over which he set a British record of 12:53.11 in July, and has not written off the possibility of attempting a distance double. "In Daegu, I'm definitely going to give 110 per cent in the 10k and then see what happens. I'll see how the legs are then go for it in the five after," he added. The men's 10,000 final takes place on August 28. The heats for the 5,000 are on September 1, with the final on the last day of competition on September 4. — Reuters |
| Arsenal appeal to Uefa to delay Wenger ban Posted: 23 Aug 2011 06:37 AM PDT  Wenger (top) watches his charges at the first-round qualifier match against Udinese from the tribune at the Emirates Stadium in London on August 16, 2011. — Reuters pic Uefa ruled yesterday that Wenger broke the rules of his original touchline ban — imposed after last season's defeat to Barcelona when he criticised the referee — during the first leg of their Champions League playoff against Udinese in London last week. As it stands, Wenger must not sit in the dugout tomorrow, but a club spokesman said that Arsenal wanted any ban delayed because their appeal could not be heard until Thursday. Wenger, sitting in the stands for the first leg at the Emirates stadium, communicated to his assistant Pat Rice in the dugout through first-team coach Boro Primorac, who spoke to the bench by phone. Uefa's match delegate warned Wenger to stop at halftime, and although he did so, Uefa handed Wenger a two-match ban and fined Arsenal €10,000 (RM42,760) for the infringement. Arsenal spokesman Mark Gonella said: "There is a disagreement between Arsenal and Uefa. We were told that the manager would be permitted to relay instructions to Pat Rice through Boro Primorac, who spoke to Pat by phone. Subsequently we were told he could not, so that's why we are appealing Monday's decision." Arsenal won the first leg 1-0 and they face another tough task against the Italians, who played some polished football last week and went close to scoring on a number of occasions. One piece of good news for Wenger is that captain Robin van Persie is eligible after being banned for the first leg after his dismissal in the defeat against Barcelona at the Nou Camp last season. Wenger, though, will not have the services of France midfielder Samir Nasri, whom Arsenal has agreed to sell to Manchester City. — Reuters |
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