A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Egan and Sheehan lined up by Leipzig for World Series
BOXING: Heavyweight Ken Egan looks set to sign with the Leipzig Leopards ahead of the opening bell for the the new season of World Series of Boxing (WSB) on November 11th.
The German side are also understood to be interested in capturing Tipperary super-heavyweight Con Sheehan.
Egan, of the Neilstown BC in Dublin, was signed to a three-year deal with Miami Gallos in the WSB, but is now a free agent after the American side went bust.
The Leopards, Astana Arlans of Kazakhstan, and the Mumbai Fighters of India are the three sides expressing an interest in the Irish duo.
However, Egan appears to be leaning toward Germany and could ink a deal this weekend. If he signs he’ll drop back down from heavyweight to the WSB light-heavy limit of 85kg for the new season.
China dashes Japan's hopes
GYMNASTICS:China captured a fifth successive title in the men's team event at the World Championships yesterday, dashing host Japan's dreams of a first gold medal in 33 years.
The Beijing Olympic champions scored a winning total of 275.161 points to leave Japan (273.093) in second place again and the United States (273.083) with bronze.
Mistakes by Yusuke Tanaka and twice world champion Kohei Uchimura cost Japan dear after they topped qualifying.
“I’m very disappointed,” said Uchimura, who stunned the crowd by misjudging a somersault above the high bar and came down with a thud. “It goes to show if you make mistakes like that it will hurt you.”
After looking ordinary by their standards in qualifying, China again did the business when it counted. They have now won every world title since 2003.
Tigers claw their way back in Detroit
BASEBALL: Jhonny Peralta, Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera all hit home runs as the Detroit Tigers clawed their way back into the American League Championship series with a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.
After losing two games in Texas, the Tigers returned home to deliver some Motown Magic and trim the Rangers lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series with Game Four taking place late last night at Comerica Park.
Already missing outfielders Brennan Boesch (broken thumb) and Magglio Ordonez (broken ankle), Detroits dreams of a trip to the World Series suffered another setback when manager Jim Leyland announced that slugger Delmon Young would be scratched from Game Three with a strained stomach muscle.
Tsonga's surprise loss in Shanghai
TENNIS:Fourth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga suffered an unexpected defeat in his opening match at the Shanghai Masters yesterday when he was beaten 6-7 6-4 6-4 by Japanese Kei Nishikori.
Top seed Rafael Nadal produced a whirlwind opener to beat Spanish compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3 6-2, while defending champion Andy Murray got a walkover into the third round after his Russian opponent, Dmitry Tursunov, retired with a thigh injury.
Frenchman Tsonga had hoped to pick up points to help him secure one of the eight places in the ATP world tour finals in London next month. Nishikori, however, came back from a break down in the third set to beat Tsonga, who started the week ranked eighth.
Gebrselassie for Birmingham run
ATHLETICS:Haile Gebrselassie will compete in the inaugural BUPA Great Birmingham Run on Sunday, October 23rd.
Gebrselassie recently saw his world marathon record broken by Kenya’s Patrick Makau in Berlin, a race the Ethiopian failed to finish, but the 38-year-old is still determined to compete in next year’s Olympics in London.
Shine's hat-trick puts Ireland top
SOCCER: The Republic of Ireland Women's Under-17 team beat Macedonia 6-0 yesterday and can now top their Uefa qualifying group on Saturday by avoiding defeat against Italy in the concluding tie.
Harry Kenny’s side moved three points clear of the Italians after they crushed host nation Macedonia while the Azzurri slipped to a shock 3-2 defeat against Romania.
Ireland finished runners-up at the Uefa finals two seasons when 15-year-old Claire Shine stood out. The Douglas Hall attacker is still eligible at this level and, after Amber Barrett put Ireland into a seventh minute lead, Shine killed the game off by a scoring a brace either side of a Gemma McGuinness strike. Shine grabbed her hat-trick a minute from time before substitute Ann Monaghan completed the rout.
REP OF IRELAND: Brosnan; Newman (Monaghan 48), Dwyer, Fitzpatrick, Rossiter; McCabe (Rowe 59), Mustaki, Shine, Barrett; McGuinness (Boles 65), O’Connor.
