Manoj Kumar in Asian boxing championships quarters

 

 New Delhi: Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Manoj Kumar continued his fine form to enter the quarterfinals along with two others as Indian boxers rounded off an all-win day at the Asian Championships in Amman, Jordan.
The light welterweight (64kg) boxer was joined by Mandeep Jangra (69kg) and Sukhdeep Singh (75kg) in the last-eight stage. Manoj, playing his second bout in a bid for the continental crown, hardly broke a sweat against Sri Lankan opponent Mohamed Dilshan.
Manoj was his usual aggressive self right from the word go with his penetrating jabs catching Dilshan off guard on many occasions. He was clearly the superior boxer and made it easy for the judges to declare him winner by a unanimous decision. The 26-year-old will next take on Armi Khir of Malaysia in the quarters.

Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Manoj Kumar continued his fine form to enter the quarterfinals.

In the welterweight division, recently-crowned Limassol Boxing Cup Champion Mandeep was brimming with confidence as he took on Lebanese boxer Antar Khodor. Mandeep, who lost in the quarterfinal of the previous edition of the tournament in 2011, looked keen on making amends to his record.
The 20-year-old was precise in his attacks to dominate the proceedings and maintained a steady lead throughout the three rounds. In the end he won on a unanimous decision. He now has the task of overcoming Nodirbek Kosimov of Uzbekistan in what is expected to be a hard challenge for the Indian. Debutant Sukhdeep also gave a good account of himself as he overhauled South Korean boxer Kim Dachwan in a one-sided contest displaying immense technical soundness. He now faces 2010 World Combat Games bronze-medallist, Jafoyev Navruz of Tajikistan tomorrow.

Injured Van den Broeck pulls out of Tour de France

 
File photo of Jurgen Van Den Broeck of Belgium and the Lotto Belisol Team. (Getty Images)


Aix En Provence, France Belgian rider Jurgen Van den Broeck became the first high-profile casualty of this year's Tour de France when he pulled out injured before the sixth stage.
The rider's team Lotto-Belisol confirmed the news on Thursday.
A spokesman for the team told Reuters by telephone that Van den Broeck, fourth overall in last year's race, sustained a knee injury in a mass pile-up inside the final 200 metres of Wednesday's stage.

Ashwini Akkunji visits Asian Athletics C'ship after serving ban

 

File photo of Indian quarter-miler Ashwini Akkunji. (Getty Images)

 Pune: With her ban period ending on Thursday, dope-tainted double Asian Games gold medallist Ashwini Akkunji made an appearance during the ongoing Asian Athletics Championships here.
Akkunji, one of the six top quarter-milers who flunked dope test in 2011, served a two-year ban and the period ended on Thursday. Even the website of International Athletics Federation (IAAF) has removed her name from the list of sanctioned athlete.
The ban period of five other atheletes - Mandeep Kaur, Sini Jose, Tiana Mary Thomas, Priyanka Panwar and Juana Murmu - has also ended.

The lanky 25-year-old Karnataka athlete said she has no immediate plans to start taking part in competitions. Asked if she was thinking of competing in Europe and try to qualify for the World Championships, Akkunji said, "I have no immediate plans to start competition. It's already late for World Championships, though I think there are a few competitions left for which entry can be made till July 8.
"But I am not going to start taking part in competitions so soon. Maybe I can take part in National Open Athletics Championships in Ranchi in September," said Akkunji, who had won gold in 400m hurdles and 4X400m hurdles in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.
Akkunji and five other top Indian women quarte-rmilers were caught for steroid doping in 2011 and handed one-year bans by the National Anti-Doping Agency. However, on appeal from the International Athetics Federation (IAAF), the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Switzerland increased the ban to two years.

Discus-thrower Vikas Gowda wins first gold for India

 

Vikas Gowda during the 2012 London Olympics. (Getty Images)
 

 
 Pune: Ace discus-thrower Vikas Gowda clinched the first gold for India as the home team won three medals on the second day to make their presence felt in the 20th Asian Athletics Championships here on Thursday.
Gowda, who turns 30 on Friday, threw the iron disc to a creditable 64.90m in his fourth attempt to win his first gold of the Asian Championships in his fifth appearances. He had won a silver each in the 2005 and 2011 editions.
With this win, Gowda has booked a berth for next month's World Championships in Moscow as each of the winner in the ongoing Asian meet automatically qualifies for the global mega event.

MR Poovamma won a silver in women's 400m race while unheralded Ratiram Saini bagged a bronze in men's 10000m race as India swelled their medal tally to five (1 gold, 1 silver, three bronze). After two days, China leads the medal tally with five gold, two silver and one bronze while India are in the fourth position. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are second and third respectively with two gold each.
Unlike Wednesday, there was no rain on Friday and spurred by the cheering sizable crowd at the Shiv Chhatrapati Stadium at Balewadi, the United States-based Gowda brought his win in a remarkable fashion after trailing to silver winner Mohammad Samimi of Iran (61.93m) until the third round.
Gowda then changed shoes as his feet slipped in the second attempt in which he threw the disc into the side net before coming up with his winning throw in the fourth attempt, much to the wild celebration of the crowd which listened to the National Anthem being played for the first time in the Championships.
Gowda holds the national record of 66.28m while his season's best is 65.82m. Later Gowda, who had also won a silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, said that today's win was the best achievement of his career. "Winning a silver in front of a huge crowd in the Commonwealth Games was one of my most memorable moments. But today's gold is right on top of everything," he said at the press conference.
India had hopes of winning gold in the women's 400m but Poovamma, running on a big stage for the first time, finished second in 53.37 seconds. China's Zhao Yanmin won the gold in 52.49 seconds while Taslakian Gretta of Lebanon got the bronze in 53.43 secs. Another Indian Anu Mariam Jose was fourth in 53.49secs.
Poovamma, who ran below her personal best of 52.75 sec, later expressed satisfaction with her performance. "I tried my best and I am satisfied with my performance. I was expecting a medal and I won it. I was expecting competition from the Chinese and she ran a good race," she said. "I am not going to try to qualify for the World Championhsips next month. I am not disappointed," she added.
In the men's 400m, Kunhi Mohammed and Rajiv Arokia came fifth and sixth respectively with timings of 46.61 sec and 46.63 sec in the event won by Yousef Ahmed Masrahi of Saudi Arabia in 46.35 sec.
In the men's 10000m race, the Indians led the field in the initial stages but at the end, Bahrain duo Alemu Bekele (28:47.26) and Bilisuma Shugi (28:58.67) were 1-2 while Ratiram Saini (29:35.42) sprinted out fellow Indian Kheta Ram (29:35.72) for the bronze.
Indian hurdlers Siddhanth Thingalaya (men's 110m hurdles), Gayathry and Hemasree (women's 100m hurdles) advanced to Friday's finals.
China took their second gold of the day with their defending champion Su Bingtian clinching the 100m dash in 10.17 sec to become the fastest athlete of the championships. Bingtian beat Qatari Samuel Adelebari Francis (10.27 sec), the only sprinter from Asia to have run sub-10 seconds, to the second place. Barakat Al Harthi of Oman was third in 10.30 sec.
Wei Yongli made it a memorable day for China by taking the women's sprint title in 11.29 sec. Chisato Fukushima of Japan (11.53) and Tao Yujia of China (11.63) won the silver and bronze respectively. It was the fourth time that China made that 'unique double' of winning the gold medals in 100m in both men's and women's categories in the same championships.
National record-holder Sahana Kumari disappointed the Indian supporters with a fourth-place finish in high jump. She could manage to clear only 1.86m as against her personal best of 1.92m.
Uzbekistan's Nadia Dusanova became the first athlete from her country to win the event in 1.90m. Dusanova's team-mate and pre-event favourite Svetlana Radzivil pocketed the silver after sailing over 1.88m, the same height the bronze medallist Marina Aitova also achieved.
As expected, 2004 Athens Olympics bronze-medallist Dmitry Karpov of Kazakhstan won the decathlon event with 8037 aggregate points - a new championship record.

Andre Greipel sprints to stage win, Daryl Impey takes yellow

 

 Montpellier, France: Germany's Andre Greipel timed his final burst to perfection to win the sixth stage of the Tour de France on Thursday when South Africa's Daryl Impey became the first African to wear the yellow jersey. Greipel, of the Lotto-Belisol team, beat Slovakian Peter Sagan and fellow German Marcel Kittel at the end of a 176.5-km ride from Aix-en-Provence.
Briton Mark Cavendish, winner of the fifth stage, came home fourth after a crash with some 30 kilometres left. Cavendish was fuming after the stage, blaming the incident on his bike. Impey said it was a momentous day for the sport in his home country. "It is definitely going to change things and put cycling on the map in South Africa, and hopefully people will recognise me," the 28-year-old Orica rider said.
Pre-race favourites Chris Froome of Britain, seventh overall eight seconds off the pace, and Alberto Contador, 11th six seconds further back, finished safely in the bunch. "I told the guys to wait as long as possible and everybody to stay together," said Greipel who now has five Tour de France stage victories to his name. "We hit the front with two kilometres to go and I think people can see we have some horsepower. I'm really proud of this team."

Germany's Greipel timed his final burst to perfection to win the sixth stage of the Tour de France while South Africa's Daryl Impey became the first African to wear the yellow jersey.

Greipel's win was even more impressive because team mate Jurgen van den Broeck, fourth overall last year, became the first high-profile casualty when he could not start because of a knee injury he sustained in a pile-up on Wednesday. France's Nacer Bouhanni and Swede Fredrik Kessiakoff, who were also involved in Wednesday's crash, pulled out during the stage. Nairo Quintana had his left knee treated by the race doctor following a crash after the Colombian climber misjudged a turn after 55 kilometres.
Luis Angel Mate powered away from the pack and built a five-minute lead, but the Spaniard soon realised he had no chance on his own against the peloton. The Cofidis rider stopped his effort after one hour and was swallowed by the bunch. With strong winds blowing on the way to Montpellier, tension was palpable in the peloton as top contenders looked to stay in front to avoid being caught in a possible split.
Cavendish, of Omega Pharma Quick-Step, fell with 34 kilometres to go. There was no team mate to drag him back into the peloton and the Briton was forced to bunny-hop over roundabouts and make his own way through the team cars. Cavendish had no juice left for the final sprint and he could not match Greipel's power. Sagan (Cannondale) retained the green jersey for the points classification with 159 points ahead of Greipel (130) and Cavendish (119).

Mouma, Shamini, Ankita enter 3rd round in Asian TT

 

 Busan: National champion K Shamini, veteran Mouma Das and Olympian Ankita Das entered the third round from their respective quarters in the women's singles event at the Asian Table Tennis Championships here on Friday. However, it was curtains for Delhi girl Neha Aggarwal and Maharashtra's Madhurika Patkar.
On a day which saw three women paddlers making progress, two were standout performances and the most talked about being the one between Mouma Das and Singapore's Isabelle Siun Li whom the Indian beat 4-3 in 75 minutes, the longest so far in the championships.
Mouma eventually overcame the Singaporean in a contest that went the full distance with the minimal two-point margin sealing the issue in seventh game. Mouma won 11-6, 11-5, 13-11, 7-11, 17-19, 9-11, 11-9. Mouma will take on Japanese Ishikawa Kasumi in the next round.

Representative image of the game of Table Tennis. (Reuters)

For Akita, it was equally a tough ask against Vietnamese Mai Hoang My Trang who stretched the Indian almost the full distance before Ankita clinched the match 4-2 (6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9) in her favour.
As for Shamini, she had the best of outings as she completed her second-round demolition of Iranian Omrani Mahjobeh in less than half an hour with a 4-0 rout. Shamini won 11-8, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6. Shamini will play Chinese Ding Ning in the next round.
But Neha lost her first-round match to Korean Cho Hala 1-4 (8-11, 9-11, 11-9, 4-11, 4-11) while Madhurika Patkar exited in the second round losing to Chinese Liu Shiwen 5-11, 9-11, 3-11, 4-11. Earlier she had beaten Taipei's Huang Hsin 4-2 (11-4, 9-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-6).
In men's doubles, the pair of Soumyajit Ghosh and Harmeet Desai lost to Ma Long and Xu Xin 2-3 in the second round, while the other Indian duo of Sharath Kamal and Sanil Shetty entered the third round after they got a walkover from the Iranian pair of Teharkhani Hamidreza and Mohammad Akhlaghpasand.

Nobbs should perform or be shown the door: Pargat Singh

 

 New Delhi: Pargat Singh played a key role in Michael Nobbs' appointment as India's chief hockey coach but the former captain now says it is high time the under-performing Australian is given the "marching orders".
"If he is performing he should stay back, but if not the authorities shouldn't hesitate to give him the marching orders. He should be relieved of his duties immediately if he is not performing," Pargat, who pushed for Nobbs' selection while being the chairman of Hockey India's technical committee, told PTI in an interview.
During his two-year tenure so far, Nobbs has failed to galvanise the sagging fortunes of Indian hockey. Under the Australian, eight-time champions India returned with a wooden spoon from last year's London Olympics.

Former captain Pargat Singh says it is high time the under-performing Australian is given the "marching orders".

Nobbs is presently under pressure to help India qualify for the World Cup in The Hague, Netherlands scheduled for May-June, 2014 after the Sardar Singh-led side failed to secure a direct entry for the showpiece event at the FIH World League semi-final at Rotterdam last month.
Nobbs now faces the risk of being fired from his job if India fail to qualify for the World Cup by winning the eight-nation Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia from August 24 to September 1.
Pargat, who is no longer part of the technical committee, also criticised Hockey India's style of working.
"He (Nobbs) was appointed for a five-year tenure. He has completed two years of his job but did Hockey India ever assess his performance? Did the federation take any feedback from the players and other coaches on his style of working?
"What Hockey India needed to do was review his performance yearly. If someone is appointed for a long tenure it doesn't mean he can complete his term without showing any results," said the former defender, who captained India at 1992 Barcelona Olympics and 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Simpson aims for third time lucky at the Greenbrier

 

 For two years in a row, the final nine holes at the Greenbrier Classic have cost Webb Simpson dearly and the American is hoping for a case of 'third time lucky' at this week's edition in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
In 2011, Simpson was one ahead of the chasing pack after reaching the turn in the final round but he slid backwards to finish in a tie for ninth, two strokes out of a playoff for the title eventually won by American Scott Stallings.
Twelve months ago, Simpson again squandered a one-shot lead on the back nine as he closed with a 73 to wind up joint seventh.

Simpson has not tasted victory on the PGA Tour since claiming his first major title at last year's US Open.

"That's the difference," the former U.S. Open champion told reporters on Wednesday while preparing for Thursday's opening round at The Greenbrier's Old White Course. "Any time a player wins, they're playing quality golf for 72 holes.
"You can't really afford a bad nine when you win. I think it's just me continuing to keep playing well, and hopefully I'm in that position on Sunday where I do have a chance to win."
Simpson has not tasted victory on the PGA Tour since claiming his first major title at last year's US Open but he has come close this season, posting four top-10s in 16 starts on the U.S. circuit.
His best finish was a playoff loss at the RBC Heritage in April while he has displayed good form in his last two events, placing joint 32nd in difficult scoring conditions at the US Open and tying for fifth at the Travelers Championship.
"I played well there (at the Travelers), and I really played well at the US Open," said Simpson, a three-times champion on the PGA Tour. "I just didn't score the ball well so I'm looking forward to playing. I love this spot."
Simpson was delighted to have been grouped with good friend and fellow American Bill Haas for the first two rounds at The Greenbrier, both players having competed for Wake Forest University during their college days.
"I can't say enough nice things about Bill Haas," said the 27-year-old Simpson. "When I got out on tour in 2008, there was nobody nicer in terms of giving me advice, helping me out, whatever I needed.
"You want to see your buddies play well but, at the end of the day, you want to beat them. He's one of the few that actually roots for me."
Haas will be seeking his sixth victory on the PGA Tour, and his second in as many weeks after winning the AT&T National at Congressional by three shots on Sunday. Fellow American Ted Potter Jr. will be defending his title this week, having triumphed last year in his rookie season after beating compatriot Troy Kelly in a playoff.
Though he has not won on the circuit since then, Potter has been encouraged by the much more consistent form he has shown on the 2013 PGA Tour.
"It's definitely gotten better," said Potter, who had missed five consecutive cuts before his win at last year's Greenbrier Classic. "The biggest goal I had at the beginning of the year was playing more consistent and ... I've played a lot better.
"I'm not finishing 60th at the events where I made the cut. At least I got some top-30s and one top-10 and some top-25s this year. I'm definitely pleased how the year's gone."
American world number six Phil Mickelson, seeking a 42nd career victory on the PGA Tour, heads a strong field this week which also includes 10th-ranked South African Louis Oosthuizen and 17th-ranked American Bubba Watson.

Anirban Lahiri ahead by five strokes at Eagleburg Open

 

Bangalore: Golfer Anirban Lahiri stamped his authority on the PGTI Eagleburg Open by taking a five-stroke lead following an impressive eight-under 64 in the third round at the Eagleton Golf Resort course here Thursday.
Lahiri followed up his blistering 62 in Round 2 with an equally impressive 64 in Round 3 to take his score to 17-under-199, well clear of Lucknow's Sanjay Kumar, who held on to second place with a 68 in Round 3 which moved his overall score to 12-under-204. The 26-year old Lahiri (73-62-64) had a terrific start to the day as he landed his approach shots from a distance of about 100 yards to within a couple of feet on both the first and second holes to collect two birdies.
Lahiri, overnight leader by one shot, made pars on the next seven holes even as Sanjay drew level with him at the turn. Lahiri started to pull away from Sanjay thanks to a well-timed 15-feet eagle conversion from the back fringe of the green on the 10th.

Lahiri followed up his blistering 62 in Round 2 with an equally impressive 64 in Round 3 to take his score to 17-un

Lahiri then had an outstanding run of six birdies against two bogeys on the last eight holes that helped him consolidate his lead. He landed his approach within five feet for birdie on the 11th and found the par-5 15th green in two shots to set up another birdie. He sank birdie putts from a range of 15-20 ft on the 13th, 14th and 17th holes.
"I enjoyed a good start today but Sanjay grabbed more chances on the front-nine and drew level with me on the ninth. I needed some momentum at that stage and the 15 ft eagle putt on the 10th did the trick for me. There was no looking back from thereon as I putted much better on the back-nine. Interestingly, I didn't have a single par on the back-nine. I wasn't that accurate off the tee but hit some great approach shots with the wedges," said Lahiri, looking to win his second title in two weeks.
"I am glad I finished with birdies on the last two holes as it was important to stay well ahead of Sanjay and Chikkarangappa heading into the last round. I am delighted to be playing the final round along with my good friend Chikka in the same group. We have both spent many years playing together here so it'll be great fun playing in the same group at our home course once again. However, it will be a tough contest as Chikka knows the course well."
Sanjay (69-67-68), who will celebrate his 42nd birthday during the final round Friday, made five birdies against a lone bogey in Round 3. Sanjay, a winner of four professional titles, had an amazing run of five consecutive birdies from the seventh to the 11th hole before he dropped his only bogey of the day on the 12th.
He converted birdie putts from a range of six to eight ft from the seventh to the 10th. Sanjay landed his second shot within a foot of the flag for birdie on the 11th. Bangalore's Chikkarangappa S. (72-67-66) fired a 66 on his home course to climb from overnight tied-fourth to third place. He made an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys in the third round to take his total score to 11-under-205. Rahil Gangjee of Kolkata was in fourth place at 10-under-206 while Gurgaon's Arshpreet Thind occupied fifth at nine-under-207.

Andy North named US Ryder Cup vice captain

File photo of American golfer Andy North. (Getty Images)

White Sulphur Springs: Andy North needed as much time as it takes for a tap-in putt to accept an invitation to be a vice captain for US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson at next year's matches.
The television analyst and two-time US Open champion jumped at Watson's invite over dinner earlier this year. "I was absolutely giddy over the opportunity not only hopefully to have a role to get the Cup back but also to be able to help a dear friend," North said during a conference call on Wednesday at The Greenbrier Classic. "If I can take a little bit of the responsibility off his shoulders and make it an easier week for him, that will be awesome for me."
The Ryder Cup will be held in September 2014 in Gleneagles, Scotland. The Europeans have won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups, including the last two. North won the 1978 and 1985 US Opens and played on the US Ryder Cup team that lost to Europe in 1985.

"When you win a couple of US Opens, he knows what it takes to close the deal, and that's what we need on the Ryder Cup team," Watson said. "We need players who can close the deal."

Now a golf analyst for ESPN, North believes being at PGA Tour events makes him qualified to help Watson make solid choices for the team. A points system will determine the top nine spots on the US team and Watson will make three captain's picks.
"The one thing I do bring is a lot of experience of being around these players and hopefully I can help Tom get a good grasp on some of them," North said. "It's nice to have four eyes looking at players versus just two.
"The most important thing for me is that if he asks me a question, I give him an honest answer immediately. You don't have time to sit down and go through 45 different scenarios of something if he needs an answer right away. We're going to have to come up with some answers. That excites me. I can't tell you how much fun this is going to be over the next 16 months."

Want to break into top 10 this year: PV Sindhu

 

 New Delhi: On the eve of her 18th birthday, India's rising shuttler P V Sindhu wishes for three things this year -- at least a semifinal finish at next month's World Championship, a place in the top 10 ranking and qualifying for World Super Series Final in December. In a two-year-old international career, Sindhu has broken into top 20 in September 2012, clinched the Malaysian Grand Prix Gold in May this year and now is just two places away from cracking the elite top-10 bracket.
Currently recovering from a knee injury, Sindhu has already chalked out her plan for the year."I had injured my right knee last year, which affected my game. But this year I was fine till the Sudirman Cup where I hurt my other knee. I missed Thailand and Indonesia Open due to the injury but I hope to be fit for the prestigious World Championships," Sindhu told PTI.
"This is the first time I would be playing the World Championships and I would like to at least make it to the semifinals. This is my immediate target," she added. Speaking about her other goals for the year, Sindhu said: "I am world number 12 now and want to break into the top 10 by this year end. Besides, I also want to qualify for the World Super Series. It is not going to be easy as only the top eight qualifies."

Sindhu has broken into top 20 in September 2012, clinched the Malaysian Grand Prix Gold in May this year.

The World Championships is slated to be held in Guangzhou, China from August 5 to 11, while the Super series Finals is scheduled for December 11-15. Though she has achieved a lot in the last couple of years, Sindhu could have done better had it not been for her injuries, which she suffered at an early stage of her international career.
After shocking London Olympics gold medallist Li Xuerui of China at China Masters last year, she was plagued by a right knee injury that also spoilt her Senior Nationals campaign in Srinagar, where she finished runners-up. She also made it to the finals of the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold. Having recovering from the injury completely, Sindhu played in Korea, Malaysia, England, Switzerland and Chinese Taipei this year. She reached the semifinals of the India Open and then went on to win the Malaysian Grand Prix Gold.
But once again injuries came to haunt her when she hurt her left knee at Sudirman Cup in Kuala Lumpur. "Last year, because of injury I could not play in the World Junior and also in the senior nationals I had to play with a knee cap. This year too I had to skip two important events (Thailand and Indonesia)," she said.
Sindhu is one of the six icon players who would start with a base price of USD 50,000 in the July 19 auction of the inaugural Indian Badminton League, which is scheduled to be held from August 14 to 31. "I am really looking forward to IBL. It is a good initiative. I'm waiting for the auctions to find out which team I will represent. It will be exciting," she said.
Born to former volleyball players P V Ramana and P Vijaya, Sindhu could have become a spiker herself but she choose badminton. Inspired by national coach Pullela Gopichand's 2001 All England Championship title, Sindhu dreamt of donning India colours someday and she was well supported by her parents.
"I always had very supportive parents. They have made a lot of sacrifices for me. I remember for the first couple of years, I had to travel a lot to reach the Gachibowli stadium as we were staying in Secunderabad. So they shifted base near Gachibowli," said Sindhu, who is expecting a big bash on her birthday on Friday.

Sprinter Campbell-Brown may get away lightly

 
 London: Jamaican sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown, who tested positive for a banned substance in May, is unlikely to receive the standard two-year ban.
A report in The Times, London meshes with previous remarks from the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) that Campbell-Brown's case appears to involve a "lesser" offence to cheat, despite its ability to act as a masking agent for performance-enhancing drugs.
Campbell-Brown tested positive for a diuretic but the IAAF said that she did not use the substance, reported to be Lasix (furosemide), to cheat, despite its ability to act as a masking agent for performance-enhancing drugs.

Campbell-Brown tested positive for a diuretic but the IAAF said that she did not use the substance to cheat.

A reduced ban from two years can vary from six months to as little as a public warning.
If Campbell-Brown receives a six-month suspension, it will draw comparisons to a ban given to fellow Jamaican Olympic champion sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2009. Fraser-Pryce tested positive for Oxycodone, but her ban was reduced to six months after her explanation that she took the banned painkiller for a toothache.
Campbell-Brown, a seven-time Olympic medallist and two-time 200 metres champion, is under a provisional suspension by Jamaica's Athletics Federation, whose disciplinary panel is handling the case.
While Brown herself has not commented since her positive test was first reported last month, her management company On Track Management (OTM) has quoted her as denying knowingly taking a banned substance.

Renjith Maheswary wants to shake off 'passenger' tag

 

 Pune: Triple jumper Renjith Maheswary feels uneasy at being referred to as 'passenger' at big events and says he is determined to shake off the dubious tag in the ongoing Asian Championships and next month's World Championships in Moscow.
Maheswary, who holds the national record of 17.07m when he won a bronze in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, told PTI that he would prove his critics wrong in the next few months as he feels he is in top form.
He could not have a single legitimate jump in all his three attempts in the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, Japan and 2012 London Olympics, leading to officials making oblique references to him as 'passenger' in the Indian contingent.

Maheswary holds the national record of 17.07m when he won a bronze in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

Maheswary has qualified for the Moscow World Championships after clearing 16.98m - his season's best - in the National Inter-State Championships in Chennai last month.
"I want to make amends of my mistakes though they were not intentional. Which athlete wants to have all foul jumps in such big events? Rather every athlete wants to give their best at the biggest stages," Maheswary said.
"I have not thought much about what people say about me but sometimes it's a bit uneasy. I don't have any grudge against anybody but I think I can prove my critics wrong. I am particularly looking ahead to the World Championships next month to make amends for the London Olympics and Daegu World Championships disappointment," he said from Patiala where he is currently training.
Maheswary, who will be reaching here on Friday, said he is in his top form after struggling last year with injuries and looking forward to winning gold in men's triple jump.
"I know it's not going to be easy. There is the veteran Roman Valiyev of Kazakhstan, but I feel I am in top form without any injury. I was struggling last year due to injury issues but now I am raring to go," said Maheswary who won a gold in the 2007 Asian Championships in Amman, Jordan.
"I am looking to clear 17m, so that I go to the World Championships with my confidence high. I felt very good during the National Inter-State in Chennai last month and I think can continue the momentum," said Maheswary.
Valiyev, who won a gold in the 2009 edition in Guangzhou and bagged a bronze in the last edition in 2011 in Kobe, has a personal best of 17.20m, while his season's best is 17.10m.
Maheswary has a personal best national record of 17.07m and a season's best of 16.98m.
Maheswary also spoke highly of his training partner young Arpinder Singh who has a season's best of 16.84m.
"Arpinder is a talented jumper. He is doing consistently above 16.5 in practice and I feel he will also win a medal in Asian Championships," said Maheswary.
Maheswary's event is slated for Saturday (qualifying) and Sunday (finals).
Athletics Federation of India, which had asked Maheswary to furnish proof of fitness just before the London Olympics and expressed unhappiness at his dismal show in the Games, indicated that Maheswary will take part in the Moscow World Championships despite his season's best of 16.98m just crosses 'B' qualifying standard of 16.85m.
"While picking Indian athletes for London Olympics we wanted to check if everybody was fit. In cases of some athletes there was a long gap between the date of qualification and the actual competition, so we wanted to check whether they were fit or not.
"Here in this case, the Asian Championships is being held just a month before the World Championships, so there is no issue," AFI Secretary C K Valson said.
"Our athletes who have already qualified and those who will qualify by winning their respective events in the Asian Championships or otherwise will take part in the World Championships," he added.

Sally Pearson confident Worlds build-up is on track

 

 Sydney: Australia's Sally Pearson is finding her rhythm again after returning from a hamstring injury and is confident she is on track to defend her sprint hurdles title at the World Championships next month, the Olympic champion said.
The 26-year-old Queenslander suffered a hamstring tear in a 4x100m relay at the Asian Grand Prix Athletic Championship in Sri Lanka in May after missing the domestic season with the same injury.
She made a winning return in the Czech Republic last month but lacked her usual speed between the barriers and was fourth in a strong 100 hurdles field at the IAAF Diamond League event in Birmingham on Sunday.

The Australian returning from a hamstring injury is confident of defending her sprint hurdles title at the World Championships.

"I can definitely run faster than what I did in Birmingham. I feel like my rhythm is starting to come back so that's a good thing, and anything around 12.6 would be nice," Pearson said in an Athletics Australia statement.
"I haven't come into this season with too many expectations, but we have made some changes to my programming with a few extra races added to prepare for the World Championships and I'm confident the time will start to come down."
The Diamond League event in Lausanne on Thursday will be her third stop before the World Championships in Moscow in August and Pearson said she had tried to stay patient.
"I'm surprised by how I am dealing with this situation, I thought I would be a lot more anxious than I am," she said. "I'm really happy and relaxed and that's probably because I have already done what I am trying to do this year.
"I've won the world title, I've won the Olympic title and all I want now is the world record but I know that I would be asking too much of myself after the year so far.
"I'm being as patient as I can be, and that's not something that I am usually very good at. It would obviously be nice to go out into these races and win, but after two injuries and only two races I am doing quite well for where my season is at."
Pearson narrowly missed the podium in Birmingham but predicted it would not be too long before he is back to her best.
"I was less that one tenth of a second from the win in Birmingham and those girls have been running for two months," she said.
"After Sotteville (in France) on Monday I have a week to get some training in, then I will run again in Monaco before more training and a race in London.
"There is still a few weeks to the World Championships after that and I think with good training and racing a suitable rhythm to get me onto the podium will come and it will be a matter of who is the best athlete on the day."

PT Usha unhappy with AFI for blocking Luka's participation

 

 Pune: Legendary athlete PT Usha on Thursday criticised the Athletics Federation of India for blocking her protege Tintu Luka's participation in Asian Grand Prix series in May, saying it has robbed the youngster of international exposure.
Usha said Luka - who competes in 800m - was invited by the Asian Athletics Association but the AFI refused to clear her ward on the ground that she had not participated in an earlier national meet.
"The AAA had invited Luka for the Asian Grand Prix but the AFI said she cannot participate as she had not taken part in the Federation Cup (in Patiala in April). That is not good on the part of AFI," Usha, who is here for the Asian Athletics Championships, said.

Usha blamed AFI for refusing Luka to participate in the Asian Championships on the ground that Luka lacked experience.

"Luka was invited on the basis of her London Olympics results (where she finished 12th) and nothing to do with the Federation Cup," said Usha who is fondly called 'Payyoli Express'.
Usha is determined that Luka should take part in next month's World Championships in Moscow and do well there. Each of the winner in the ongoing Asian Championships will book an automatic berth in the World Championships.
"I am sure Luka will win gold here. But whether she wins gold here or not, I want at least a good competition in Europe before going to Moscow.
"But for that I need help and that I don't know if I will get it or not," she added.
Usha, who had held the Asian records in both 400m and 400m hurdles, also had a word of praise for promising quartermiler M R Poovamma, who is expected to win a medal here.
"She is doing well and showing consistency. I hope the best for her. Last when I saw her I though she had more fat than required. Now she has trimmed down," she said.

Tyre talk dominating the lead up to German Grand Prix

 

 Safety concerns over tyres threaten to overshadow what is becoming an intriguing battle for the Formula One championship between three-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and several other drivers.
The sport was plunged into a crisis when four drivers, including race leader Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Felipe Massa, nearly crashed in Sunday's British Grand Prix after their tyres burst. The sight of large chunks of debris showering down on cars and, in one case, a huge strip of rubber flying across the track prompted several current and former drivers to suggest the sport was sacrificing safety in a bid for more excitement.
"Without that tyre problem, I could have made it to the podium because today I had a good feeling with the car," said Massa, who had similar problems in Bahrain and also nearly was killed in 2010 when he was hit by debris at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The sport was plunged into a crisis when four drivers nearly crashed in Sunday's British Grand Prix after their tyres burst.

The Brazilian also talked of a driver boycott - something dismissed by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone - if the problem wasn't solved by this weekend's German Grand Prix.
"Now, our greatest concern revolves around safety. Even if I can't really tell what happened, it's unacceptable having to drive knowing you are not safe," Massa said. "Even if, luckily, nothing serious happened, what we saw is very dangerous."
On Monday, International Automobile Federation President Jean Todt said the young drivers' test scheduled for July 17-19 at Silverstone would be opened to all F1 drivers, although Mercedes would be excluded after holding unsanctioned tyre tests in May. In-season testing was banned in 2009 amid cost concerns.
"Our priority is to ensure safety for all in Formula One and we believe the incidents at Silverstone represent a genuine safety concern for the drivers," Todt said. "We have thus taken the decision to alter the young driver test to allow teams to use drivers they deem fit to carry out tyre development work in a bid to solve the problems we saw at the British Grand Prix. I believe it is fitting to carry out this work at the circuit upon which the issues were manifested."
Todt also said he would seek approval to amend FIA regulations to allow changes in tyre specifications without the approval of all teams. Pirelli on Tuesday said the tyres were safe if used in the correct way, blaming the blowouts on rear tires being mounted the wrong way by teams, low tyre pressures and "aggressive" curbs on high corners at Silverstone. Still, it agreed to make tire changes for the German GP, including using a Kevlar belt - a fiber that is more resistant to punctures - instead of steel on its rear tyres. The series will revert to 2012 tyres from the Hungarian Grand Prix onward.
Alonso and Hamilton cautiously endorsed the changes Wednesday.
"I am satisfied, but only when we get there (Germany) will we have a better idea how it is for us," Hamilton said. "It's still a concern. We'll see how the weekend goes but I'm sure they've taken the right steps to make it safe."
The tyre trouble at Silverstone is the latest controversy to hit Pirelli, which has come under fire over concerns its tyres are wearing down too quickly and leading to races being decided by pit stops rather than action on the track.
It also took some of the limelight away from a thrilling race that saw pole sitter Hamilton give up the lead after his tyre problems and then Vettel drop out with 10 laps remaining due to mechanical problems. Hamilton's team-mate, Nico Rosberg, held off Mark Webber of Red Bull for his second win of the season.
Vettel remains the leader in the drivers' championship with 132 points. His lead, though, is down to 21 points over Alonso with 11 races remaining. Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen is third with 98 and Hamilton is fourth with 89.
Red Bull's Vettel remains the favourite to win another title but his retirement at Silverstone opened the door for his rivals - most likely two-time champion Alonso who understands time is running out if Ferrari wants to overtake Vettel and win its first drivers' title in four years.
"Mixed feelings to be honest," Alonso said after finishing third at Silverstone. "Happy for the points, we've reduced the gap a little bit in this race but the pace we saw this weekend is not good enough."
The Mercedes drivers, Hamilton and Rosberg, also seem to be emerging as a threat, after the team finally showed it had the pace on race day that it has demonstrated in qualifying. Hamilton, despite his early tyre troubles, worked his way up from dead last to finish fourth. The team now is second in the constructors' championship behind Red Bull.
Raikkonen, who won the season-opening Australian GP, appears to be fading. He finished 10th in Monaco and 9th in Canada and missed out on a podium finish at Silverstone, overtaken in the final laps by Alonso and Hamilton after deciding not to switch tires late in the race. The 2007 champion finished fifth and said he was now hoping for a better showing in Germany, a race he has never won in 16 attempts.
"It was a disappointing end to the weekend for sure. Things were going pretty well in the race, but it was a mistake not to switch to new tyres when the safety car came out," Raikkonen said. "A podium would be a positive result (in Germany) and a step in the right direction."

Paul di Resta keen on switch to Ferrari

 

 Paul di Resta is keen on moving to Ferrari next season and his performance so far this year has been encouraging for the Italian team to take a note.
Di Resta has secured points in seven of the eight grand prix and more importantly from tough positions. Surely he must be disappointed when overlooked by Red Bull after Mark Webber made the decision of quitting Formula One at the end of season.
But Felipe Massa's poor run this season could encourage Di Resta of signing up with Ferrari at least to be in the contention.

Paul di Resta has secured points in seven of the eight grand prix and more importantly from tough positions.

"You would jump at it, definitely," said Di Resta. "Obviously it's every boy's dream as they grow up to get in a Ferrari at some point in their life, and being Italian is a nice thing, having the Italian blood.
"But I will concentrate on my job and let other people do their job. Where I am next year I don't know, but there are many points up for grabs. That is the important bit - keeping your reputation high."
Di Resta had to compromise his positions in the last few races but bounced back well to finish good in the grid. In Monaco and Canada, during qualifying due to his team's mistakes he had to start at 17th but managed to finish strong at ninth and seventh respectively.
In the last race, which was the British Grand Prix - Di Resta was relegated to start from the back because his car weighed 1.5kgs less during qualifying. But still then he managed to finish ninth.

Fernando Alonso trusts German Grand Prix will be safe

 

 Nuerburgring, Germany: Ferrari's Fernando Alonso put his faith in Formula One's governing body and Pirelli ensuring safety at the German Grand Prix on Thursday after multiple tyre blowouts at last weekend's British race. The Spaniard, second in the standings behind Red Bull's triple champion Sebastian Vettel, was almost hit on the head by a strip of tread flying off a car in front of him at Silverstone.
After the intervention of the governing FIA amid talk of a driver boycott, Pirelli have brought different rear tyres to the Nuerburgring - Vettel's home race - with an inner belt made of the synthetic fibre Kevlar a rather than steel. "After what we saw in Silverstone, we now go to the Nuerburgring, confident we can see an improvement," the Ferrari website (www.ferrari.com) quoted Alonso as saying.
"I know that various modifications have been applied and let's hope that means all of us drivers can race in safe conditions. "At the moment, we can't make any predictions, because no one has tried them and we don't know what and how many benefits they can bring, apart from trusting in the fact that it won't be dangerous to race," added the double champion.

The Spaniard was almost hit on the head by a strip of tread flying off a car in front of him at Silverstone.

Alonso won last year's German Grand Prix, which was held at Hockenheim under an alternation agreement, from pole position. That was the last time the double world champion, a winner in China and Spain this season, has appeared on the front row of the grid.

Force India have no tyre issues: Adrian Sutil

 

 New Delhi: Pirelli faced serious criticism after the tyre blowouts at British Grand Prix last Sunday but one Formula 1 team which is not complaining is Sahara Force India. Tyres have been a regular subject of debate this season and their scrutiny has intensified with four drivers -- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) and Sergio Perez (McLaren) -- bearing the brunt of rear tyre explosions at the Silverstone Circuit.
The incidents fuelled talks of a potential boycott by the drivers going into the German Grand Prix this weekend. Force India, however, is not losing sleep over how the tyres would perform at Nurburgring, according to their driver Adrian Sutil.
"A lot of teams expressed their concerns post the race at Silverstone and I am sure Pirelli will do something to fix the issue. Having said that, we did not experience any problem and hope for the same in the coming race," Sutil told IANS from Nurburgring Thursday. The German finished seventh in the race after starting from sixth on the grid while teammate Paul di Resta staged a remarkable recovery to come home ninth from the back of the grid.

Pirelli faced serious criticism after the tyre blowouts at British Grand Prix last Sunday but one Formula 1 team which is not complaining is Sahara Force India.

"It was a decent result for us. The last safety car came when I was running third and that did not help. But overall we did well on a two-stop strategy," said the 30-year-old. Sutil said it was not right to blame tyre manufacturer Pirelli without knowing the cause of the blowouts. Pirelli had earlier said that wrong usage of tyres and insufficient pressure contributed to the incidents.
The Italian company is introducing a new range of tyres this weekend, having a kevlar belt in place of the steel belt used earlier. Asked about his chances in Germany, Sutil said: "It is a home race for me and I want to finish in top six which is my goal anyway. The last time I was here (in 2011), I came sixth. So hope I can do better this time." Force India are fifth in the constructors' standings with 59 points, ahead of McLaren, who are on 37.

Sauber are in difficult situation, say Nico Hulkenberg

 

 Nuerburgring: The Sauber Formula One team - one of the smallest in the paddock and without a main title sponsor - are working on a solution to their financial problems, driver Nico Hulkenberg said on Thursday. Problems at Sauber were highlighted last week when McLaren announced that the Swiss outfit's chief designer Matt Morris would be leaving to join the more high-profile British team as engineering director.
"I think it's a difficult situation," the German driver told a news conference ahead of his home grand prix. "She (team principal Monisha Kaltenborn) and the team management are trying to work on a solution. She's assured me she's working on that and there's not much more I can say," he added, refusing to deny allegations he has not been fully paid.
Sauber have had to soldier on as an independent team after BMW pulled out as partners and from F1 completely at the end of 2009. Owner Peter Sauber has gradually stepped back from the day-to-day running of the team, leaving Kaltenborn in charge as the only female principal in the sport.

Sauber have had to soldier on as an independent team after BMW pulled out as partners and from F1 completely at the end of 2009.

They have never won a grand prix as an independent team having joined F1 in 1993, with BMW-Sauber only taking the chequered flag once in 2008 in Canada with Robert Kubica. Financial problems during the global economic crisis have dominated F1 in recent years with the HRT team disappearing before this season.

Fernando Alonso wary of Pirelli Silverstone test

 

 Nuerburgring: Ferrari's Fernando Alonso is reluctant to take part in a test at Silverstone this month because he fears a repeat of the scenes at the British Grand Prix on Sunday when exploding tyres put drivers' lives at risk. The Spaniard, second in the standings behind Red Bull's triple world champion Sebastian Vettel, was almost hit on the head by a strip of tread flying off Sergio Perez's McLaren in front of him.
Formula One's governing body responded to the five blowouts by deciding on Monday to change the rules and allow race drivers to test revised Pirelli tyres with their current cars at the same track later this month, instead of just young drivers. "I don't intend to go," Alonso told reporters in the Ferrari motorhome ahead of Sunday's German Grand Prix.
"It's not a very safe thing racing on the same track with the same tyres. I don't have the feeling I want to go. But if the team wants me to go..." After the intervention of the governing FIA amid talk of a driver boycott, Pirelli have brought different rear tyres to the Nuerburgring - Vettel's home race - with an inner belt made of the synthetic fibre Kevlar rather than steel.

The Spaniard was almost hit on the head by a strip of tread flying off Sergio Perez's McLaren in front of him.

Double champion Alonso has put his faith in Pirelli to at least make this race safer, even if cooler rear tyres could benefit Mercedes and Red Bull based on this season's analysis. "Pirelli made some changes so we trust them," he said. "This is the third or fourth change they make in the season already, some were hurting us, some were helping us. I think performance today is the second priority.
"The most important thing is to make it for dinner at home on Sunday. "I was lucky...It could have hit my helmet (last Sunday when finishing third). It would have been like a bullet." "MIX THINGS UP" Other drivers hoped the Italian firm had cracked the problem. Photographers milled around the Pirelli lorries in the Nuerburgring paddock on Thursday with technicians hard at work on the tyres, with practice taking place on Friday.
"Like we said last weekend, it has to be safe," Vettel said. "It was not what we want, not satisfactory. It's good we have a new tyre here." Red Bull team mate Mark Webber, who is swapping the perils of F1 for the equally dangerous pursuit of Le Mans endurance driving at the end of the season, rejected suggestions that kerbs at Silverstone had ruptured the tyres.
"It caught us all by surprise on Sunday for sure," he said. "All of a sudden in the race there were landmines everywhere which no one really predicted. "In the end everyone left there in one piece...apart from the tyres. Pirelli will learn from it, they have to. There's no issues with the kerbs because the track was fine the last five years. I'm a bit more confident they've got more data."
Pirelli, which has put some of the blame for the Silverstone blowouts on the teams for the way they have managed tyres, conducted a "secret" test with Mercedes in Barcelona in May for which the German team were punished by the FIA. Mercedes have been ruled out of the Silverstone tyre trial this month and Nico Rosberg, the British Grand Prix winner, shrugged off talk that the Spanish test had given them inside knowledge going forward.
He also gave little hope to fans who feel tyres have been too decisive when it comes to results this season. "There's no advantage. We don't know if we ran this tyre in Barcelona, you'll have to ask Pirelli," Rosberg said. "For sure (the tyres changes) will very likely have an impact. It's going to mix things up a little bit."

Nico Rosberg hopes to keep Mercedes momentum

 

 Nuerburgring: Nico Rosberg finally has a car capable of winning Formula One races and the German driver is taking full advantage of it - if only to annoy the championship leader. Rosberg played second fiddle to Michael Schumacher for three frustrating seasons as Mercedes struggled. When the seven-time champion retired for the second time, Mercedes signed on Lewis Hamilton, another former champ.
While Hamilton has been collecting points consistently, Rosberg has been the faster driver almost halfway into the season. Rosberg has won two of the last three races and had three poles, while Hamilton is still winless and had two poles. But Hamilton is ahead on points, 89 to 82, which leaves Rosberg 50 points behind the series' leader, three-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull.
"In the short term I just want to annoy Sebastian and Red Bull, race by race, by being ahead of them," Rosberg said on Thursday at the German Grand Prix. "That is the most important thing, to be ahead not just of them but other teams. "It is a really nice time in my career, it is new - I have never had a car as quick as it is now - and we can go out there and qualify and fight for the position right at the front.

Nico Rosberg finally has a car capable of winning Formula One races and the German driver is taking full advantage of it.

"The car is getting better and better (in races), so on Sundays I can keep my qualifying position. That is a nice feeling, (and) very motivating." Mercedes has held five of the last six poles, but has struggled to sustain the challenge in a race. "Trying to win more races is what I am focused on at the moment, and what the team is focused on."
Rosberg believes new tires supplied by Pirelli could have an impact on qualifying and Sunday's race. "It will be interesting," Rosberg said. "Possibly it will mix things up, but it is also an opportunity for us to understand it better than other teams and make the most of it. We have to try and run them as much as possible in relevant circumstance to try and learn as much as we can.
"It is likely to shuffle things around a bit." Pirelli, under heavy fire after five drivers punctured at last Sunday's British GP, including race leader Hamilton, decided to use Kevlar belt tires this weekend, rather than ones with steel belts used in England. Hamilton said Mercedes was improving, noting it was second in the constructors' championship.
"I'm 43 points off Sebastian, we've a good car," Hamilton said. "The improvements we have made with regard to tire degradation have helped, and moving forward I really hope we can be more competitive. As for the title, I'm just trying to stay within shooting distance, to stay in the fight. That's all I'm focusing on at the moment. "Nico has proven we can win with the car, so I'm sure a win will come."

German rivalry simmers between Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg

 

 Nuerburgring: Nico Rosberg's strong recent form and some fighting talk towards his fellow German Sebastian Vettel has increased their rivalry ahead of their home grand prix this weekend.While Red Bull's triple champion Vettel has dominated Formula One in the last three years, Mercedes have laboured in their comeback as a works team, hurting their image of German perfection and sending Michael Schumacher back into retirement.
Rosberg has won two of the last three races for the improving Silver Arrows, however, winning in Monaco and then taking advantage of Vettel's gearbox problem at Silverstone on Sunday to seize victory in the British Grand Prix. The 28-year-old, son of Finnish 1982 F1 champion Keke Rosberg but born in Germany, is not daring to look at the championship standings yet and has his eyes fixed on Vettel.
"Short term, I just want to annoy Sebastian and Red Bull a little bit race by race, by being ahead of them and that's the most important thing really," Rosberg told a news conference with Vettel sat just by him. Sixth-placed Rosberg is 50 points behind leader Vettel in the standings after eight of 19 races while Mercedes have moved up to second in the constructors', 48 points adrift of Red Bull.

While Red Bull's triple champion Vettel has dominated Formula One in the last three years, Mercedes have laboured i

"It's too early to say (we are title contenders)," he said. "We're really focusing on getting our momentum, keeping it going as we have at the moment and just concentrating one race to the next. "It's a really nice time in my career at the moment. It's new. I've never had a car as quick as it is now." Vettel refused to take Rosberg's bait and wanted to talk about his own situation after disappointment at Silverstone, despite avoiding the tyre curse which affected other drivers.
"It was quite frustrating to lose the lead due to a technical problem, but as I said after the race these things happen," he said having turned 26 on Wednesday. "So I think we've understood the problem, fixed the problem, so we move on." Vettel and Rosberg have never won their home grand prix and the champion tried to play down its importance despite looking forward to a plethora of fluttering German flags in the stands.
"In terms of the championship points you can score here, it's the same as every other place but obviously it's something special to race in front of your home crowd and I feel quite happy to have the possibility to be honest," Vettel said. The German race alternates each year between Hockenheim and the Nuerburgring, which has been in financial trouble, prompting F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone to step in and make sure the grand prix took place this year in the famous forested venue.

Murray and Del Potro hang tough, Djokovic imperious

 

 London: Andy Murray's predicted stroll to the Wimbledon final became a hazardous obstacle course on Wednesday as he was forced to claw back a two-set deficit against Fernando Verdasco to join top seed Novak Djokovic in the last four.
The imperious Djokovic, the man Murray is expected to face in Sunday's final, swept past Czech Tomas Berdych 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3 to reach his 13th successive grand slam semi-final without dropping set.
Murray prevailed 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 to reach his fifth successive Wimbledon semi-final but will require soothing balm on his nerves, and some more for his army of fans, before taking on the 140mph serve of Jerzy Janowicz, Poland's first male Grand Slam semi-finalist, on Friday.

Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro, Novak Djokovic and Jerzy Janowicz progressed into the semi-finals.

Towering Argentine Juan Martin del Potro may need extra bandages for his battered left knee after a horrible tumble during fifth point of his quarter-final against David Ferrer looked like dealing him a cruel knockout blow.
The 24-year-old climbed off the deck, however, to pummel the Spanish fourth seed 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(5) with a performance reminiscent of those that took him to the 2009 US Open title.
Janowicz, a qualifier last year who has rocketed up the rankings, beat fellow Pole Lukasz Kubot 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 in an unlikely quarter-final that, had the tournament gone to plan, would have been between Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.
The youngest of the eight quarter-finalist will now set his sights on Murray, hoping to wreck the second seed's hopes of becoming Britain's first men's Wimbledon champion since Fred Perry in 1936.
"Right now I'm the most happy person in the world," said the 22-year-old Janowicz, who launched 30 aces past Kubot to surpass the feat of compatriot Wojtek Fibak who lost four grand slam quarter-finals.
"I hope Andy will feel some kind of pressure. I'm sure he will feel some kind of pressure because Britain is waiting for the English champion in Wimbledon."
Murray, who is actually Scottish, is used to handling the pressure of being his country's only realistic Grand Slam hope and delivered a US Open title last year after losing his first Wimbledon final to Federer.
When the draw opened up after a first week of shocks and injuries, Murray's path to the final looked an enticing one.
But things are rarely that simple.
There were a few wobbles against Mikhail Youzhny in the fourth round and he endured a full-blown crisis against unseeded Spanish left-hander Verdasco who blazed away with his serve and forehand to move two sets ahead.
Murray won the third with ease but twice had to fend off break points in the fourth before levelling the match in an electrifying atmosphere on Centre Court.
Verdasco refused to cave in, however, and a nail-shredding deciding set went with serve until Murray broke through at 5-5 and kept a cool head to serve out to love and spark wild celebrations around the grounds.
It was the seventh time in his career Murray has recovered from two sets down to win a match.
"I think I've learnt how to come back from tough situations more as I got older," said the 26-year-old who was watched by former Manchester United manager and fellow Scot Alex Ferguson.
"It's a great atmosphere to be playing in. I love it when it's like that. It was extremely noisy."
Six-times Grand Slam champion Djokovic had the tougher task on paper against the hard-hitting Berdych who had won their only previous match at Wimbledon.
He edged a high-quality first set but fell 3-0 behind in the second before finding the extra gear that so often comes to his rescue when faced with danger.
"It was toe-to-toe in the first set and one shot decided the first set," the 2011 champion said. "Even though I started poorly in the second, I still felt quite good on the court. Just really glad to go through in three."
Del Potro's medical team will be working overtime in the next 24 hours, especially as the eighth seed said he needs to be at 110 percent to have a chance against Djokovic.
"I'm not going to put my body at risk," he told reporters. "The doctors tell me with this tape and taking some anti-inflammatories you can play.
"If they say something different, I will think."
Del Potro looked down and out when his already-bandaged left knee crumpled as he tumbled chasing a wide ball.
Grimacing in pain the six foot six Argentine climbed up from the turf and after treatment and a pain-killing tablet unfurled his right arm to its full condor-like wingspan and began to pound French Open runner-up Ferrer into submission.
Such was the venom in his murderous forehand that any injury concerns were put aside as he struck 22 winners on that flank alone, including a screamer on match point.
"I was very close (to pulling out) because I felt a lot of pain in the beginning of the match. I twisted my knee once again and the doctor gave me some magic pills and I could finish the match," said Del Potro.
"I tried to be positive and played unbelievable tennis."

Lisicki favourite ahead of Wimbledon semi-finals

 

London: An improbable scenario that would have prompted a polite chuckle among tennis fans two weeks ago is set to play out on Thursday when Marion Bartoli, Kirsten Flipkens, Sabine Lisicki and Agnieska Radwanska do battle in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The odds on those players making the last four were 33,379-1 at the start of the tournament but the early departures of Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka opened up the draw and Lisicki knocked out defending champion Serena Williams in the fourth round to blow it wide open.
Lisicki, the new favourite and bidding to become Germany's first grand slam singles champion since Steffi Graf in 1996, will take on last year's runner-up Radwanska. Awaiting the winner in the final will be French 15th seed Bartoli or Belgian Flipkens, a woman who has defied medical advice to continue a tennis career that came close to being destroyed by injury and illness.

Sabine Lisicki takes on Agnieska Radwanska in the women's singles semi-final at Wimbledon. (Getty Images)

Nicknamed "Flipper", she was languishing at 262nd in the world a year ago, after suffering blood clots in her legs that put her at risk of a pulmonary embolism or thrombosis.
She said she felt tired after a flight from Thailand and went to have it checked out before heading on to Tokyo.
"The doctor told me that if I had taken the flight I would have come out blue," she said.
Her fightback has been nothing short of extraordinary. Her freefall down the rankings left her in the tennis wilderness where she was not even deemed good enough to play in the qualifiers for last year's competition.
FIRST BELGIAN
She became the first Belgian to reach the last four at Wimbledon since Justine Henin in 2007 with a three-set victory over former champion Petra Kvitova.
Now all that stands between her and a place in the final is Bartoli, the 2007 runner-up to Venus Williams, whose punchy groundstrokes are tailor-made for grass. The Frenchwoman came through a bizarre rain-interrupted quarter-final that featured eight successive breaks of serve.
Lisicki is now tipped as the player most likely to lift the famous Venus Rosewater dish. Having ended Williams's hopes of a sixth title in arguably the biggest shock of a tournament filled to bursting with surprise results, she beat unseeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi in just 65 minutes to reach the last four.
Lisicki's career has also been dogged by injury - she dropped outside the world's top 200 in 2011 - but she is a potent force on grass. She possesses one of the fastest serves on tour and her Wimbledon record contrasts markedly with her performances in the three other grand slams.
She has a 18-4 record in singles at the All England Club compared to 16-15 at the Australian, French and US Opens. Lisicki reached the semi-finals in 2011 before losing to Maria Sharapova, but is feeling more positive this time around.
"I think this time I'm more ready," she said. "I just feel like I'm hitting the ball well. I think I'm moving well. I feel good.
"And having had the experience in the past, all that together helps me a lot."
Her semi-final opponent is no novice. Radwanska reached the final last year against the odds and surprised many still further by taking Serena Williams to three sets when everyone was predicting a mauling.
She is the highest remaining seed and shuns the hard-hitting muscular tennis that currently dominates the women's game for a more cerebral and wily approach

In Pics: Murray, Djokovic enter Wimbledon semi-finals on Day 9

Andy Murray celebrates after battling past Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 in the quarter-finals. (Getty)



Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson reacts while watching the quarter-final between fellow Scot Murray and Spaniard Verdasco. (Getty) 



Murray and Verdasco share a chat at the end of the match. (Getty)



Novak Djokovic plays a shot on the way to his 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Tomas Berdych in the quarter-final. (Getty) 



Juan Martin del Potro reacts after beating David Ferrer 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(5) in the quarter-final. (Getty)



Del Potro is treated for a knee injury during his quarter-final match against Ferrer. (Getty) 



Ferrer plays a shot during his quarter-final tie against Del Potro. (Getty)



Jerzy Janowicz celebrates after cruising past fellow Pole Lukasz Kubot 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 to enter the semi-finals. (Getty)