Sports Digest/SWIMMING: Melanie Nocher has broken the Irish senior record for the 100 metres backstroke at the European Shortcourse Championships in Trieste, Italy.
Nocher, in a time of one minute 02.21 seconds, shaved two seconds off her personal best and beat the record held by Michelle Smyth de Bruin.
The time qualified the Belfast student for the semi-final, but unfortunately the 17-year-old just missed out on a spot in the final.
Swim Ireland have sent 18 competitors to Trieste and are focused on developing their young talent ahead of the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
France too strong
SQUASH: Third seeds France proved much too strong for Ireland in their opening match of the World Team Squash Championships in Pakistan yesterday, writes Mary Hannigan.
Neal Murphy, Arthur Gaskin and Liam Kenny all went down in straight games to their opponents.
Ireland, seeded 12th in the tournament, were weakened by the unavailability of Niall Rooney, Derek Ryan and Stevie Richardson. They must beat India (seeded 10th) tomorrow if they are to have a chance of finishing in the top 12.
Evans flies the flag in home championships
BADMINTON: Scott Evans will be Ireland's sole representative in the men's singles event at the Yonex Irish International Championships in Lisburn, a tournament that has attracted 218 players from 27 countries, writes Mary Hannigan.
After yesterday's qualifying rounds, the championships proper get under way today, with the finals due to take place on Sunday.
Eric Pang of Holland and India's Chetan Anand, ranked at 26th and 27th in the world, are the favourites in the men's singles, where Evans, the 18-year-old Dubliner, will simply hope to add to the experience he has gained in his first year as a professional.
The recipient of a three-year scholarship from the World Badminton Federation, which he hopes will help in his attempts to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games, Evans has broken into the world top 100 this year, rising to 90 in the latest list.
Evans will partner Brian Smyth in the doubles, in which Ulster brothers Bruce and Mark Topping will also feature.
Clare Flood and Ruth Kilkenny are the home representatives in the women's singles, with Kilkenny partnering Keelin Fox in the women's doubles.
D-day for sprinter
ATHLETICS: Former world 100 metres record holder Tim Montgomery will learn next Wednesday whether he is to be banned for life for serious doping offences.
The American appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) charged him with doping violations.
Meanwhile, CAS said yesterday it will resume its hearing into the doping cases of Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou on February 22nd next year.
The pair failed to turn up for a doping test on the eve of the Athens Olympics last year.
