SPORTS DIGEST:BOXING: Amir Khan is prepared to fight anyone as he continues his quest to be recognised as the next pound-for-pound king.
Khan took another step towards claiming boxing's most prestigious accolade when he became unified light-welterweight champion with a fifth-round stoppage of Zab Judah at the Mandalay Bay Events Centre in Las Vegas.
Accusations made by veteran American southpaw Judah that the knockout blow was low – replays suggested it was legitimate – failed to take the shine off a masterful display from the 24-year-old.
Judah was viewed as dangerous opponent capable of causing an upset, but he was outboxed and bullied by his younger rival and seemed to be looking for a way out from an early stage.
It was a highly impressive display from Khan, whose stock continues to rise on this side of the Atlantic.
"I'll fight anyone and there are some big names out there for me. I'll take a look at the short list," said Khan.
McGee records a notable first
TENNIS: James McGee is certainly not resting on his laurels after capturing his first singles title in an adult world ranking event.
The 24-year-old Dubliner made his big breakthrough when coming up trumps in Saturday’s Green Property Irish Men’s Open final, beating the top seed, France’s Charles-Antoine Brezac 6-3 6-3, after an hour and 20 minutes.
And just over 24 hours after his notable success in the ITF Futures event at the Fitzwilliam Club, McGee flew out yesterday to Italy, where he will compete in this week’s Futures clay-court tournament at La Spezia.
“A big weight has been lifted off my shoulders by winning my first singles world-ranking event,” said McGee, who had previously finished runner-up in three Futures tournaments, the most recent just three weeks ago in Morocco.
“This is a big enough goal for the time being, but I want to move on to bigger things as soon as I can.”
Number seven seed McGee, was conceding 255 places in the world rankings – 516 to 261 – to Brezac.
Ireland struggle to make an impact at World Under-23s
ROWING:Four finishing places which were each a little worse than last year's equivalent crews left Ireland with some questions to answer as the World Under-23 Championships ended in Amsterdam yesterday, writes LIAM GORMAN.
Martin McElroy, the Ireland Performance Director, had said in advance of the regatta that he hoped for a step up from last year, but it did not work out that way.
The men’s lightweight quadruple scull took silver last year; this time out it was an eighth placing for a crew which had two changes. For the crews which were unchanged from 2010 the picture was similar: Lisa Dilleen was 10th overall yesterday – one place down on last year’s finish, and lightweight women’s double scull of Sarah Dolan and Claire Lambe finished eighth last year and 11th yesterday.
Debutant Jonathan Mitchell finished 15th in the single scull while the 2010 lightweight men’s pair were 10th.
England dominated the Home International in Strathclyde on Scotland, winning senior men’s, senior women’s and junior men’s grades. Ireland defended their junior women’s crown. Laura Connolly won in the junior single as did the junior pair of Ailish Sheehan and Hannah O’Sullivan; and the junior coxed four. Denise Walsh won the lightweight single scull.
Mageean pipped for gold by fast-finishing Serbian
ATHLETICS:It's never easy to win a championship 1,500 metres from the front as talented young Irish runner, Ciara Mageean, discovered to her disappointment in the final of the event at the European Juniors in Tallinn yesterday.
The brave Mageean had led every step of the way until the final 40 metres when she became vulnerable and the lanky Serbian, Amela Terzic, came through with a smooth finishing kick to take the gold medal in 4:15.40 and so completed a notable double, having won the 3,000 metres the previous day.
Mageean crossed the line in the silver medal position with a seasonal best of 4:16.82 but she had the consolation of knowing in her heart that she gave it everything and simply had nothing left in her legs to fight off Terzic.
Mageean’s medal was the fourth for Irish athletes in major events during the current season going back to the European cross-country, Brian Gregan in the European U-23 and Kate Veale in the World Youths.
“I can’t say that I’m truly satisfied with my performance since I went out to win the gold medal,” said a disappointed Mageean afterwards.
Ireland’s Thomas Barr, ran a fine race in the final of the 400 metres hurdles, finishing sixth behind German winner Varg Konigsmark in a time of 51.02 which was the third time in three days that he smashed the existing Irish junior record of 51.53.
McMahon and Murphy fail to qualify in Shanghai
SWIMMING:European junior 400m freestyle champion Sycerika McMahon finished third in her heat at the World Championships in Shanghai yesterday to finish in 24th position overall in her debut in the competition.
The 16-year-old from Portaferry in Co Down finished her heat in 4.16.44, the best morning swim of her 400m freestyle career.
Barry Murphy had a disappointing outing in the 100m breaststroke, where he finished his heat in a time of 1.02.50, nearly two seconds outside his personal best .
McMahon is back in action today as she swims in the heats of the 100m breaststroke, while Melanie Nocher goes in the 100m backstroke.
Grainne Murphy will also be in action for the first time, with the Wexford swimmer going in the 1500m freestyle.
Australia’s men’s 4x100 metres freestyle relay team, anchored by former world record holder Eamon Sullivan and including two relative novices in James Magnussen and Matthew Abood, stunned the packed Oriental Sports Centre to clinch the title in the three minutes, 11.0 seconds.
Australia had not won the title at the world championships since 2001 and had not been expected to challenge for gold, but they refused to get overawed by the pre-race predictions.
They nudged out a swaggering French outfit and an American team that included Michael Phelps and Jason Lezak.
