| Phillips Idowu, Christine Ohuruogu and Lisa Dobriskey out of Commonwealths • Reason for Idowu's withdrawal currently unclear • Ohuruogu and Dobriskey both struggling with injuriesEngland's Phillips Idowu, Christine Ohuruogu and Lisa Dobriskey have all pulled out of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.The reason why Idowu, the world triple jump champion, has withdrawn is currently unclear, but both Ohuruogu and Dobriskey are struggling with injuries.Ohuruogu, the Olympic 400m champion, felt a cramp during a training session last weekend and has decided to pull out of the Games rather than risk irritating the quad problem which saw her miss part of this season.Dobriskey, who won the 1,500m title in Melbourne four years ago, has been advised to rest and focus on winter training after an injury-hit season."I am disappointed to miss the Commonwealth Games after working so hard to get fit since my quad injury in June," Ohuruogu said. "However, with the 2012 Olympic Games on the horizon the last thing an athlete wants to do is risk re-injury to the same muscle."It was very important for me to be cautious in dealing with my previous injury, and although training was progressing well, intense competition over three days may prove to be more harmful than good and may compromise the long-term functioning of the muscle."With three rounds in the 400m in Delhi I would need to be close to my best to win the gold. I had already picked up my team kit and was getting ready to go to the preparation camp in Doha. Instead I will have a short break now and resume winter training in October to get ready for the 2011 season."I would like to wish all my fellow athletes the best for Delhi and I hope they bring home a lot of medals."Dobriskey worked hard to get into shape following a back injury in time for the European Championships in Barcelona, where she finished fourth, but has taken medical advice from UK Athletics doctors to concentrate on working towards the 2011 indoor season."I was really looking forward to competing and I'd worked so hard to get back into shape," Dobriskey said. "I'm really disappointed but I just ran out of time. I want to wish all the best to the athletes out in Delhi."Commonwealth Games 2010Phillips IdowuChristine OhuruoguAthleticsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
U.S., European captains predict competitive Ryder Cup The U.S. and Europe Ryder Cup captains predicted Monday the outcome could hinge on a single putt on the final The U.S team arrived in Wales ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Ohio State is No. 1 in AP Top 25 By RALPH D. RUSSO 2010-10-10T16:08:46ZNEW YORK (AP) -- Ohio State is the new No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll.... hosted.ap.org |
Ospreys 27-16 London Irish Ospreys 27-16 London IrishThe Ospreys, the star-spangled Welsh region who have a reputation for dropping the ball on big European occasions, eased their way through this one, beating the leaders of the English league with a piece of magic from the Wales wing Shane Williams.The Ospreys had victory snatched from them by Jonny Wilkinson, Paul Sackey and Toulon last week but in the second half here Williams eased any jitters that might have been creeping in as Irish got back into the game by chipping and chasing to go half the length of the pitch."That was Shane Williams at his best and we are disappointed," said Toby Booth, the London Irish coach, whose team did not come close enough to earn a bonus point. "The first half was quite difficult. We didn't get any ball and as a result they controlled the game. Tonight we came second best and deserved to. We got beaten by a better side."For most of the game an unbalanced Irish side were playing catch-up rugby and it showed as they lost their composure and shape.Pool Three is completed by the two-time winners and top seeds, Munster, so this was a match the Ospreys had to win. Next, in December, they go to Munster's Limerick stronghold for the first match in a double header.After their defeat in Toulon the Ospreys made just one change to their side, but it was a fascinating one ahead of the autumn internationals. The Wales captain, Ryan Jones, was starting his first game of the season and thanks to Jonathan Thomas's form at No8 he was in the second row. According to the Ospreys' forwards coach, Jonathan Humphreys, Jones's display was marvellous. Even so, the man of the match award seemed slightly out of kilter. Jones was handy in the lineout but he seemed a little lightweight when it came to tangling with the likes of Bob Casey, the enormous London Irish lock.The more influential selection was in the Irish line-up. With Declan Danaher, Steffon Armitage and all other recognised No7s out injured, the Exiles brought in the muscular Tongan back-rower Chris Hala'Ufia for his first start of the season. The absence of a true, ball-winning No7 was obvious from the start, particularly opposite Marty Holah, the Ospreys' All Black in that position.The Ospreys duly won the first ruck and James Hook prodded Irish back into their own territory, where they were to remain until Tommy Bowe opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Hook's cut-out pass found the Irish wing in a manner similar to that in which Wilkinson and Sackey had created the winning try in Toulon. Bowe went over untouched.The lead swung to and fro, with Ryan Lamb answering Dan Biggar penalties, before the first Williams moment of the night. Hook had threatened but Williams somehow drifted through the tightest defence in the Aviva Premiership. He even vaulted the full-back, Topsy Ojo, only to lose the ball on landing. The pendulum had swung firmly the Ospreys' way, though there was a blemish in yet another interception try by the Irish.Last week Ojo scooted up the right to make Munster pay. Here it was the left wing, Sailosi Tagicakibau, who got on to the end of a pass from Lee Byrne, the Ospreys full-back, to go 70 yards. For the last five he was dragging Hook, who was using the No11's shirt as a tow rope.Lamb kicked the conversion from wide out to cut the Ospreys' lead to four points but then Williams dipped into his bag of tricks for a second time, chipping the defensive line 65 yards out, beating Lamb to the bounce and then outpacing the Exiles' scrum-half, Paul Hodgson. He went over in the corner, despite Ojo coming close to taking his head off.Ospreys Byrne; Bowe, Bishop, Hook, Williams; Biggar (Walker, 44), Phillips; James (Bevington, 66), Hibbard (Bennett, 58), A Jones (Mitchell, 78), R Jones (Gough, 76), AW Jones (capt), Collins, Holah (Tipuric, 58), Thomas.Tries Bowe, Williams Con Hook Pens Biggar 4, Hook.Sin-bin Collins 72.London Irish Ojo; Joseph (Seveali'i, 70), Mapusua, Bowden, Tagicakibau; Lamb (Malone, 68), Hodgson (Allinson, 76); Dermody (capt), Buckland (Paice, 60), Rautenbach (Corbisiero, 54), Kennedy, Casey (Garvey, 60), Roche, Hala'Ufia (Johnson, 68), Stowers.Try Tagicakibau Con Lamb Pens Lamb 3.Referee P Fitzgibbon (Ireland) Attendance 12,437.Heineken CupOspreysLondon IrishRugby unionMike Averisguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Nets to donate $75,000 to fund for paralyzed Rutgers football player The teams says it is giving the money to the "Eric LeGrand Believe Fund" to raise awareness of the player's plight. Nets general manager Billy ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |