SWIMMING: Swim Ireland is to place a bid with LEN, Europe's ruling swim body, for the staging of next year's European short course championships, or those of 2004, writes Pat Roche. The championships, if allocated to Ireland, will be held at Abbotstown, the venue for next year's Special World Games.
Swim Ireland secretary Pat Donovan says her association recently agreed to look for the championships now that a suitable venue will be available.
It is estimated that the high-profile tests, rated second only on the LEN calendar to the long-course championships, would cost in the region of €500,000 to stage.
"Costing the championships will be our immediate priority and we will then be approaching Bord Fáilte who would stand to benefit greatly, given that an estimated 1000 overseas visitors will be looking for seven night's accommodation."
CRICKET: Darren Gough bowled a six-run last over to help England pull off a thrilling two-run victory over India in the fifth one-day international in Delhi yesterday.
India, chasing 272, needed nine to win off the last over, but could only manage six as Gough bowled a series of yorkers to restrict Ajit Agarkar and Sarandeep Singh to four singles and a two.
Agarkar required a four off the last delivery to tie the match, but made only two to remain unbeaten with a 24-ball 36 as India finished at 269 for 8.
The last-over victory kept alive England's hopes of squaring the six-match series as they go into the final day-night game at Bombay on Sunday trailing 3-2.
Gough, playing his 100th one-day international, saw to it that the brilliant efforts from opener Nick Knight and spinner Ashley Giles did not go to waste.
Knight scored 105 for his fourth century in one-day internationals to help his team post a challenging total on a slow wicket, while left-arm spinner Giles grabbed 5 for 57 for his maiden five-wicket haul.
TENNIS: Elsa O'Riaain continued her current run of good form by upsetting second seed Anne Keothavong at the LTA Women's Tournament in Tipton.
O'Riain progressed to the quarter-finals with an impressive 6-3, 6-1 win over the former British junior number one.
The Cork teenager is making significant strides on the British tennis circuit in only her first year as a full-timer.
Yeterday's victory against Keothavong, ranked 289 in the world, was probably her best career win to date.
Success against a higher-ranked player earned her "quality points" which boost her ITF ranking to inside the 700 mark.
Last week, O'Riain was a runner-up in the doubles at Hull. With partner Claire Curran injured, she will contest the Tipton doubles competition with England's Chantal Coombs.
ATHLETICS: Daniel Caulfield
is the sole Irish entrant in the 95th edition of the Millrose Games, which take place tonight in New York's Madison Square Garden. He takes on a mostly American field over 800 metres looking to improve his Irish record of one minute 47.21 seconds.
It also means that the prized Wanamaker Mile will feature no Irish names for the first time in over a decade. Mark Carroll, the winner two years back, is missing the indoor season through injury and James Nolan is concentrating on European indoor events.
