Today's other sports in brief
Third place for Twomey
EQUESTRIAN SPORT:Cork's Billy Twomey rounded off the Sunshine Tour at Vejer de la Frontera with a third place finish in yesterday's Grand Prix on Sue Davies's chestnut mare Tinka's Serenade, writes Margie McLoone.
Cian O'Connor (Complete) and Francis Connors (Merlins Magic) also made it through to the jump-off but had one fence down and picked up seven time penalties respectively to finish out of the top six.
The winner was Switzerland's Beat Mandli on Ideo du Thot.
In Italy, Niall Talbot and Tequi d'I CH also took third spot in the Grand Prix at Busto Arsizio where the only clear round was recorded by Switzerland's Carlo Pfyffer with Patty.
The national horse trials season got under way at Dromiskin on Saturday. The experienced pair of Susan Shortt (Cherokee Trail) and Steven Smith (Robo Paddy) took the two senior graded classes.
Pacquiao takes title in split decision
BOXING: Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines knocked down Juan Manuel Marquez in the third round before going on to capture the WBC super featherweight championship by split decision in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Judges Duane Ford and Tom Miller scored the fight 115-112 and 114-113 respectively in favour of Pacquiao while Jerry Roth scored the bout 115-112 for Mexico's Marquez.
The two men had previously fought in 2004, Marquez recovering from three first-round knockdowns to earn a draw.
There were no such early fireworks in the rematch, as Marquez, with 35 knock-outs scored with sharp punches and a tight defence.
Baseball eyes London Games
BASEBALL:The 2012 Olympics might yet feature Baseball despite being voted off the schedule for the London Games, according to International Baseball Federation (IBAF) president Dr Harvey Schiller.
Schiller said the IBAF was campaigning hard for the sport to be restored to the Olympics when the schedule for the 2016 Games was considered next year and, if successful, would lobby hard for a place in London too.
"We are working hard to get baseball back in the Olympics and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will consider this in Copenhagen next August," he said.
"We are working hard to get back for 2016 and we are talking to London about 2012," he added.
Schiller said baseball would not necessarily be a medal sport in London and the IBAF would consider making a financial contribution to the organisers of the 2012 Games.
"I think if we can prevail in Copenhagen, we would like to keep a continuum, as opposed to stopping and going again," he said.
Rebellin wins Paris-Niceas as Sanchez takes last stage
CYCLING:Davide Rebellin put an end to his Paris-Nice jinx when he won the race by the slimmest margin ever yesterday. The 36-year-old Italian rider had made it on to the podium three times, in 2003, 2005 and 2007, coming closer than ever last year when he lost to Spain's Alberto Contador on the very last day.
This time, the veteran Gerolsteiner team leader perfectly controlled the numerous attacks over the 115-km seventh and last stage on the hills overlooking Nice to retain his three-second lead over compatriot Rinaldo Nocentini.
The previous smallest gap between winner and runner-up was four seconds in 1972 when France's Raymond Poulidor beat Dutchman Joop Zoetemelk.
Ukraine's Yaroslav Popovych was third overall, 48 seconds behind Rebellin. Stage honours went to Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez, who broke away on his own on the Promenade des Anglais to win in similar fashion to his victory last year on La Croisette in Cannes.
Doping charge dropped
DRUGS IN SPORT: A doping charge against Russian biathlete Tatyana Moiseyeva, who failed a drugs test at last month's world championships in Sweden, has been dropped, the sport's world governing body said yesterday.
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) said that although Moiseyeva's A sample had tested positive for dexamethasone, a steroid hormone, it closed the case after the athlete and her doctor had submitted their explanations. The IBU said on www.biathlonworld.com that the explanations were analysed by its vice-president for medical issues, Dr James Carrabre, who came to the conclusion that the substance was used as topical preparation for ophthalmic disorders.
Former world junior champion Moiseyeva (26) tested positive following the women's relay, in which the Russians finished fourth, on February 17th in Ostersund.
Kiptoo Yego wins in Rome
MARATHON:Kenya's Jonathan Kiptoo Yego outstripped his compatriot Philip Sanga Kimutai in the closing stages to win the Rome marathon yesterday.
Kiptoo Yego ran a personal best time of two hours, nine minutes and 57 seconds in windy conditions with Sanga Kimutai crossing the line just five seconds behind him. Russia's Galina Bogomolova won the women's race in 2:22.53.
