A round-up of other sports news in brief
Five Irish through to final stage
GOLF: A blistering six under par 66 by Niall Kearney of Royal Dublin on the last day of stage two secured a place in the final round of European Tour Qualifying to be held next week. A total score of 276 at Costa Ballena club gave the 2009 Walker Cup player joint third place only two shots behind the winner, Fredrik Ohlsson of Sweden. Irish celebrations at Costa Ballena also included St Margaret’s John Kelly as his joint 11th place after a 69 gave him playing rights next weekend.
The good news for the Irish spread to Sherry Golf where a 72 from Simon Thornton gave him an aggregate score of 284 and secured joint sixth place. He will be joined by Colm Moriarty who signed for a 72 which was enough for a joint 14th place after an aggregate of 285.
The Hacienda del Alamo course brought further good news when Jonathan Caldwell’s seven under total secured joint 12th place and the chance to battle it out next week at the PGA Catalunya.
Rosberg will race for the new Mercedes F1 team
MOTOR SPORT: Mercedes Grand Prix have announced Nico Rosberg as their new driver in their first signing since taking over the Brawn GP team.
The 24-year-old German ended his four-year association with Williams to team up with the newly-branded team which last week saw world champion Jenson Button move to McLaren.
Rosberg said: “I am really happy to be a part of the Silver Arrows relaunch in 2010 as a driver for Mercedes.”
Rosberg has been singled out as the perfect signing for the team by principal Ross Brawn, who guided the team named after him to the drivers’ and constructors’ titles in their debut season before selling a controlling interest to Mercedes.
Brawn said: “We are delighted to welcome Nico to our Mercedes team and are very much looking forward to working with him.”
Mermoz misses All Blacks test
RUGBY: Maxime Mermoz has pulled out of Saturday’s final autumn international against New Zealand with a right thigh strain. The Perpignan centre has been replaced in the 23-man squad by Toulouse winger Cedric Heymans.
Les Bleus will be looking for their third straight win in Marseille against the All Blacks following victories over world champions South Africa and Samoa.
DLV finally recognise Bergmann
ATHLETICS: The German Athletics Federation (DLV) recognised yesterday a women’s high jump record dating back to 1936 after the Nazi party had refused to accept it because the athlete, Gretel Bergmann, was a Jew. Bergmann had broken the German record with a jump over 1.60 metres but the Nazi sports authorities refused to recognise it and banned her from competing in that year’s Berlin Olympics.
“We know that this is no restitution but it is an act of justice and a symbolic gesture of respect for Gretel Bergmann,” said DLV honorary president Theo Rous.
Bergmann, 95, moved to the United States in 1937 where she still lives with her 99-year-old husband, the DLV said.
