Laura to make history on Senior tour
LONDON - Laura Davies is set to make history as the first woman to play on the European Senior Tour in next year's Shipco Masters in Denmark. Four-time major winner Davies will play from the same tees as male opponents including former Masters champion Ian Woosnam. The tournament will be held in June 2018 and Davies, 53, said: "My golfing career has been played in parallel with a number of players who are currently on the Senior Tour, so I'm really looking forward to testing my wits against them. It is a privilege to have been invited back to Simon's Golf Club by Arne and his team, and I'm looking forward to making history on the Senior Tour." David MacLaren, head of the European Senior Tour, added: "Dame Laura's participation in this event is an honour for the European Senior Tour.–AFP
Rabat title-winning bike stolen in Belgium
BRUSSELS - The Kalex bike with which Spain's Tito Rabat won the 2014 world Moto2 title has been stolen in Belgium, his Marc VDS team revealed on Wednesday. The bike was taken from the team's headquarters in Gosselies, near Charleroi in southern Belgium, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to CCTV footage. "The bike, which was the pride of the boss, was on display in the entrance hall of the workshop, where we let people come in and have their photo taken with it," Sarah Colson of the Marc VDS team told AFP. The CCTV footage shows four "hooded and gloved" men entering the workshop and taking the Kalex, putting it in the back of a white van and breaking a window pane of the vehicle in the process, Colson added. She said that the van had also been stolen.–AFP
Double failure for triple-jump champ Taylor
TIGNES - World and Olympic champion Christian Taylor suffered a double failure on Wednesday as he attempted to break the triple-jump world record at altitude in France. The 27-year-old double Olympic and triple world champion not only failed to trouble Jonathan Edwards's 22-year-old record of 18.29m but he also finished second to American compatriot Will Claye. Although the 3,000-metre altitude was expected to help in a world record attempt, strong winds made conditions difficult. Clay won with a modest effort of 17.42m while Taylor's made 16.99m jump. A few days earlier at the world championships in London, Taylor won with a leap of 17.68m, with Claye second after jumping 17.63m. South African Luvo Manyonga leapt 8.46m in the long jump, well off Mike Powell's 26-year-old record of 8.95m.– AFP
KRA promoted as SSM department head
LAHORE – The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has promoted S&C specialist Khawaja Ruhail Ali (KRA) as head of newly-established Sports Sciences and Medicine (SSM) department. Ruhail will lead an international team of professional and expert doctors, physiotherapist, fitness coaches and massage therapists along with taking care of 120 international ACB-contracted athletes. He will be the main lead coordinator and implementer of all matters related to sports science and medicine in the ACB by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Ruhail’s main task is to build international-standard sports sciences and sports medicine center with state-of-the-art fitness and rehabilitation facilities. He has taken the charge of his new responsibilities and initially developing guidelines and policies for ACB SSM Department.–Staff Reporter
IFA team get walkover in Gothia Cup
ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad Football Association (IFA) soccer team got walkover against Youth Bangla FC Bangladesh in the Gothia Cup China Under-18 Football Tournament 2017, as they failed to turn up for the encounter, which was set to be played at Shanyang, China. Talking to The Nation from China, Tanveer Ahmed said: “The IFA junior team is doing wonders which we never expected from them. But the hopes are high now as the boys, who have never ever played at the country level before, are playing and performing exceptionally in China, which clearly indicates that the IFA is working very hard on juniors as well.” He said: “We will now play our fourth match against Indian Rising Sun Soccer Academy today (Thursday). We have so far played three matches and win all the three.”–Staff Reporter