MOTOR SPORT: Ralf Schumacher will leave the Williams Formula One team at the end of this season and is almost certain to join the Cologne-based Toyota squad, writes Alan Henry.
The German may be joined at Toyota by Britain's David Coulthard, who is also seeking a place in the team after his McLaren contract expires at the end of this season. Toyota are considering ditching their drivers Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta and building a team around Schumacher, who is 28.
Willi Weber, the Stuttgart-based businessman who has managed Ralf and his elder brother Michael since before either entered Formula One, has been in negotiations with Toyota since the start of the season, although a contract has yet to be signed as Toyota believe the asking price of about $18m a year for Ralf needs to be trimmed significantly.
Frank Williams would not comment on whether he had offered to renew Schumacher's contract for 2005 but a Williams team insider said: "Ralf is obviously frustrated by the setbacks he has suffered this year and might be able to revitalise his form with a switch of team." - Guardian Service
ATHLETICS: Mark Christie has rewritten one of the longest standing records in Irish athletics, lowering the 3,000 metres junior mark that had stood for 23 years. The talented Mullingar athlete clocked eight minutes 4.48 seconds at a Graded meeting in Santry, dipping under the 8:06.3 set by Brian O'Keeffe back in 1981, incidentally on the same track, writes Ian O'Riordan.
Taking the win in 8:03.34 was Irish senior international Rob Connolly, with another senior, Dermot Donnelly, third in 8:07.04.
Athletics Ireland have laid down three meetings where the Irish men's 400 metre relay team will attempt to secure Olympic qualification - June 5th in Poland, June 8th in Spain, and June 19-20th at the European Cup in Iceland. The Irish quartet require a time that will rank them in the top 16 in the world ahead of the Athens Games.
SWIMMING: Cork's Lee Kelleher was well outside the Olympic qualifying mark when posting a disappointing one minute 3.55 seconds for the 100 metres butterfly at the European Championships in Madrid yesterday. In the overall standings she finished 30th of 33 entries.
Belfast's Julie Douglas, on freestyle, and Kelleher, on butterfly, have further chances to gain qualifying times before the week is out. Meanwhile, Andrew Bree, the current European short course silver medallist over 200 metres breaststroke and Stephen Manley remain in the US where they will continue their search for Olympic marks at American long course events.
