SPORTS DIGEST:It was a big time return to form for Usain Bolt last night, his 100m victory at the Rome Diamond League meeting bringing him back into a much more familiar time-zone.
After running 10.05 in Ostrava last week – the slowest victory of his life – Bolt produced a stunning 9.76, the fastest in the world this year, a Rome meeting record, and actually into a slight headwind.
He was pushed a little too early by fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell, who finished second in 9.91, because once Bolt hit full stride there was no catching him.
“I would say yes, a little relieved,” he said. “But I felt I needed to sleep a little bit more, and once I got more sleep this week I felt much better.”
David Gillick has once again postponed his first 400m race of the season due to the recurrence of an old calf injury which is now presenting an increasing threat to his chances of qualifying for the London Olympics.
Gillick was set to race at the Geneva International meeting tomorrow evening, but instead will focus on more rehab in the hope of starting racing in the coming weeks.
Flood anxious to get back in position for South Africa
Toby Flood is “desperate” to reclaim the outhalf jersey for England’s three-Test series against South Africa – after initially fearing he would miss the tour.
Flood damaged his ankle against Bath on May 5th and then suffered a groin problem which forced him to pull out of Leicester’s Premiership final squad. Flood is England’s most experienced player with 47 Test caps but he has not featured since the World Cup quarter-final, when he was inexplicably picked at inside centre with no preparation.
Flood had been the starting outhalf in England’s 2011 Six Nations title triumph but injury cost him a place in this year’s tournament, with Charlie Hodgson and then Owen Farrell filling the void.
Italy will play their Six Nations home matches at the Stadio Olimpico in the capital until 2015, the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) said yesterday.
Shock as Pietersen retires from limited-overs formats
Kevin Pietersen’s turbulent relationship with the England and Wales Cricket Board has taken one of its most dramatic steps yet, with the batsman’s shock retirement from one-day and Twenty20 internationals.
Pietersen (31) has found himself at the centre of several awkward situations since making his England debut in 2004 but this is arguably the most serious, ending the limited-overs career of the country’s most natural ball-striker and bankable star.
Pietersen himself made the decision to withdraw from 50-over cricket but the real intrigue lies in the ECB’s decision to effectively retire him from the shorter format against his will.
Pietersen, man of the tournament when England won the World Twenty20 two years ago, wanted to spearhead the defence of that crown in Sri Lanka later this year but that offer was declined by the board.
They have decided that centrally contracted players must make themselves available for both limited-overs formats or neither and, with no compromise possible, it was announced that Pietersen would continue as a Test specialist only.
