Yip a shade off world mark in S2 100 back
RAMENSKOYE (Russia) • Singapore para-swimmer Yip Pin Xiu came within a whisker of a world record yesterday at the Russian National Swimming Championships, clocking 2min 16.71sec in the S2 100m backstroke event for a second gold in the meet.
The current record is 2:16.31 held by Ganna Ielisavetska of Ukraine.
Yip holds the world mark in the S2 50m event, when she clocked 1min 1.61sec at the Asean Para Games last December.
HK and Thai women maintain good starts
Both the Hong Kong and Thai women's hockey teams remained unbeaten after the second day of round-robin play in the World League Round 1 at Sengkang Stadium.
Hong Kong, who beat Brunei 3-0 on Saturday, thumped Sri Lanka 4-1 last night. Thailand followed their 14-0 hammering of Cambodia with a 7-0 thrashing of Brunei.
In the men's event, China whacked Vietnam 11-0 to kick off their Group A play.
Shanti wins 2 golds, Muncherji in form
PASIG CITY (Philippines) • Sprinter Shanti Pereira clinched two golds at the Philippine National Open-Invitational Athletics Championships held over the weekend.
The SEA Games champion clocked 11.89sec in the 100m and 24.19sec in the 200m. Zubin Percy Muncherji also clocked a season's best in the men's 400m, finishing in 47.85.
Fiji overwhelm NZ in HK 7s to extend lead
HONG KONG • Reigning world series champions Fiji underlined their Olympic credentials with a 21-7 victory over New Zealand to win rugby's Hong Kong Sevens in convincing style yesterday.
Fiji, the form team at the Rio Olympics' unofficial dress rehearsal, outscored New Zealand three tries to one to stretch their lead in the series standings.
In a draw made for this weekend's Singapore Sevens, the giants were kept apart as Fiji will face England, Samoa and Portugal in Pool A, while the beaten Kiwis will play the United States, France and Canada in Pool B.
World Rugby boosts involvement in China
HONG KONG • World Rugby yesterday penned a 10-year deal with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding to spark playing numbers and bring major events to the world's most populous country.
REUTERS
Mouse rules Aintree after late surge
LONDON • Rule The World edged out joint favourite The Last Samurai to win an emotional Grand National for Mouse Morris in a thrilling finish at Aintree on Saturday, less than a year after the trainer's son Christopher died.
Nine-year-old Rule The World, at 33/1, made up three lengths on The Last Samuri after the final jump to take the lead for good at the Elbow. The winning jockey David Mullins is just 19.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
