Awards: Steve Redgrave was last night named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, topping the poll after over a million people voted. The 38-year-old Olympic champion, who retired from rowing after claiming a record fifth gold medal in Sydney in September, was presented with the award at a ceremony in London.
Women's heptathlete Denise Lewis, who claimed gold for Britain in Sydney despite injury, was voted runner-up to Redgrave. Paralympics gold medallist Tanni Grey-Thompson was third in the poll. The top six also included soccer star David Beckham and boxers Audley Harrison and Lennox Lewis.
Cycling: After a vital board meeting yesterday, the Irish Cycling Federation (ICF) has co-opted PJ Nolan to take over the role of president. The Meath man succeeds Mick Lawless, who dramatically resigned last month from the position after a series of clashes with board members. Having beaten the challenge of rivals Paddy O'Callaghan and Milk Ras organiser Dermot Duignam, Nolan assumes leadership of the ICF and will chair his first board meeting in a fortnight. According to ICF PRO Ciaran McKenna, Nolan is well suited to the role. "He is independent, he is young, a good businessman and an effective administrator. Most importantly, he is very enthusiastic and has many ideas."
Nolan, who works as a journalist, has a strong background in cycling, having competed internationally and more recently managed several successful Irish teams abroad, most notably in this year's Australian Sun Tour race.
Badminton: British competitors captured all the silverware in the Irish International Championships at Baldoyle, and the wait for a home victory has now lasted 22 years.
The match of the tournament was the women's doubles final which lasted 80 minutes. English pair Emma Chaffin and Sarah Hardaker strolled through the first game 15-3 against top seeds Felicity Gallup and Joanne Muggeridge (England). A quick finish looked likely but the match ended up as a thriller with Chaffin and Hardaker prevailing 17-16 in the third.
Unseeded Yung Gao (Scotland), who earlier in the week knocked out Irish Olympian Sonya McGinn, went on to take the women's singles title with a three-game victory over Elizabeth Cann (England).
Michael Edge dropped the first game, but hit back to defeat his top-seeded English compatriot Mark Constable in the men's final.
Snooker: Ken Doherty put friendship on hold long enough to book his spot in the last 16 of the China Open at Shenzhen's Mission Hills Country Club with a 5-2 success against Michael Judge, his fellow Dubliner and regular practice partner. "It's great to see Michael climb up the rankings but I didn't want him to do that at my expense," said the 1997 world champion, after producing a strong finish.
Judge, who has twice got the better of his more famous fellow countryman, led 21 but took a back seat in the remaining four frames as Doherty clicked up a gear, with breaks of 66, 113, 68 and 42. "It's always very difficult to play someone you know well from back home and Michael's a good mate," added Doherty, who goes forward to face Englishman Paul Hunter.
Cricket: Lawyers for sacked cricket captain Hansie Cronje have lodged a court application to overturn a life ban imposed by the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) for fixing matches, it was reported yesterday. The UCBSA responded that it would defend the ban.
