Athletics: A bonus of $50,000 is the latest incentive for the in-form Mark Carroll as he continues his build-up for the European Indoor Championships in Ghent at the end of the month, writes Ian O'Riordan.
The organisers of the Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham on Sunday week have added a two-mile event to their schedule, and Carroll is confident that he has a shot at picking up the financial bonus for the rarely run event.
The long-standing mark of eight minutes, 13.2 seconds, set by Emiel Puttemans of Belgium back in 1978, is the time to beat if Carroll is to earn the bonus money.
Tomorrow night in Athens, Carroll runs over 3,000 metres - the distance he has targeted for Ghent.
Meanwhile, Peter Coghlan will continue to get treatment for a groin injury this week after the problem forced him to withdraw from the Millrose Games in New York last Friday. Coghlan will remain in Atlanta for the rest of the week before deciding whether he is fit enough to return to racing in time for the European Indoors.
Formula One: Michael Schumacher believes he will finally repay Ferrari's £150 million investment in his services by ending their 21-year title agony this season. The German, who missed seven races last season after an horrific accident at the British Grand Prix, is confident he can capture the elusive drivers' crown.
"I have a good feeling about this season," said Schumacher, as he launched Ferrari's latest car, the F1-2000, at their Maranello headquarters with new team-mate Rubens Barrichello. Schumacher believes the title battle will come down to another duel with Mika Hakkinen, champion for the past two years, with Jordan and Jaguar ahead of the rest.
Drugs In Sport: Two more British international athletes have tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone. British athletics chief David Moorcroft is expected to announce the athletes' names later this week.
Meanwhile, British cyclist Gary Edwards has been handed a life ban by the British Cycling Federation (BCF) after failing three drugs tests since June 1998.
Boxing: Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, daughter of former heavyweight world champion Joe Frazier, made her professional boxing debut on Sunday, stopping Teela Reese in the first round. The decisive debut moved Frazier-Lyde closer to an anticipated bout with Muhammad Ali's daughter Laila, who made her pro ring debut on October 6th.
Meanwhile, Italian promoter Salvatore Cherchi is in talks with Frank Warren and Mike Tyson's adviser Shelly Finkel about staging a Tyson fight against Lou Savarese in Milan in April.
