MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2011
S P ORT S
Kenyans sweep London Marathon LONDON: Emmanuel Mutai ran the fastest-ever London Marathon as Kenyans swept the first three places yesterday, and compatriot Mary Keitany captured the women’s race at her first attempt with a dominating victory. The 26-year-old Mutai won the 42.2-kilometer (26.2-mile) race for the first time, clocking 2 hours, 4 minutes, 40 seconds for the fourth fastest time for a marathon. “My dreams have come true because I had in my mind that of the five major marathons if I won one my achievement would have been greater,” Mutai said. “I tried my best to push it until the end. It is fantastic because I created two achievements — I won the race and I improved my personal best.” Mutai broke away at the 21-mile (33.8-kilometer) mark, and shattered Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru’s old course record of 2:05:10 from 2009. “At 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) I saw nobody was moving so I decided to push it hard,” said Mutai, who won silver at the world championships in Berlin in 2009. Three-time champion Martin Lel was second in 2:05:45 after beating Patrick Makau in a sprint in front of Buckingham Palace. Having been troubled by hip and leg injuries, it was Lel’s first London Marathon since winning his third title in 2008. He only received an invitation to compete after a knee injury forced Wanjiru to withdraw. “After two years away it was important for me to have a good race here,” Lel said. “When (Mutai) left me, I wanted to go with him and I tried but he was too good for me today. I am happy with the second place because I am building up my race fitness again.” Mutai and Keitany emulated the Kenyan double in London from 2004, with Keitany becoming the fourth women’s winner from the east African
LONDON: Kenya’s Mary Keitany celebrates after winning the London Marathon. — AP
nation. Like Mutai, the 29-year-old Keitany ran the fourth fastest marathon by a woman by finishing her London debut in 2:19:19. “The course was flat and the surface was good,” Keitany said. “I thought I could run that fast.” After breaking away after the 15-mile (24.1-kilometer) mark, she was almost a minute ahead of defending champion Liliya Shobukhova. Keitany’s fellow Kenyan Edna Kiplagat, who was also competing in the English capital for the first time Sunday, finished third with a personal best 2:20:46. Keitany was almost 10 minutes faster than
her third-place performance in New York last November. “I surprised myself because before I knew I was with the winner of London last year and the one from New York (Kiplagat),” Keitany said. “I was a bit scared at first, but then we continued moving I believed in myself that I would make this. I feel very happy.” Shobukhova of Russia couldn’t defend her title despite running a personal best of 2:20:15. “I thought I could catch her but Mary was too fast,” she said. “She has great speed from the half marathon.”—AP
Khan retains WBA title
LONDON: Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the men’s 2011 London Marathon. — AFP
Delhi Daredevils triumph MUMBAI: Delhi Daredevils smashed 41 runs off the last three overs for their first Indian Premier League victory this season, beating Pune Warriors by three wickets yesterday. Kolkata Knight Riders later defeated Rajasthan Royals for the second time this season, winning by eight wickets with more than six overs to spare in Kolkata. Delhi’s James Hopes (13 not out) struck a six and a four off Jessie Ryder in the final over after Aaron Finch (25) and Venugopal Rao (31) helped narrow down the chase. “It’s a happy moment for us, finally we have a win,” Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag said. The Warriors batted first after losing the toss, scoring 187-5 with captain Yuvraj Singh hitting an undefeated 32-ball 66 and then taking 4-29. Daredevils finished with 190-7 in 19.2 overs following a middle -order wobble after David Warner (46) and Sehwag (37) provided a 75-run start. Daredevils needed a daunting 41 off the final 18 deliveries but Finch hit two successive sixes off Shrikant Wagh in the 18th over and Rao struck a six and a four off Yuvraj in the following over to set up the exciting finish. Both batsmen fell to Yuvraj. Ryder hit five sixes and five fours in a 27-ball 60 for the Warriors and began the innings by blasting Rao for two successive sixes. He was caught in the deep after charging spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, but Yuvraj kept the run rate up with five sixes and four boundaries. Lakshmipathy Balaji took 3-
15 and Bangladesh spinner Shakib Al Hasan chipped in with 2-21 to help Knight Riders bowl out former champion Royals for 81 in 15.2 overs. Put in to bat, Royals began badly following early strikes by Balaji and spinner Iqbal Abdulla and two run-outs. Yusuf Pathan had the dangerous Ross Taylor stumped for 6, and Balaji returned to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane and Ashok Menaria in quick succession. Shakib then sent back Amit Singh and Shaun Tait for ducks off successive deliveries. Knight Riders lost Jacques Kallis for a duck but skipper Gautam Gambhir hit 35 and put on 54 runs with Manoj Tiwary (30) as they blasted 21 off a single over from Tait to race to victory. “Getting the opposition out for 81 was a fantastic effort,” Gambhir said. “You cannot take any game in this format lightly. Once you get the momentum, it is important to continue. Once we got Brett and Shakib in our team, and Balaji, it is a fantastic attack.” On Monday, Kochi Tuskers Kerala play reigning champion Chennai Super Kings. Scores: Delhi Daredevils 190-7 in 19.2 overs (David Warner 46, Virender Sehwag 37, Yuvraj Singh 4-29) def. Pune Warriors 187-5 (Yuvraj Singh 66 not out, Jessie Ryder 60, Shahbaz Nadeem 2-39) Kolkata Knight Riders 85-2 in 13.5 overs (Gautam Gambhir 35 not out, Manoj Tiwary 30 not out) def. Rajasthan Royals 81 in 15.2 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 2-21, Lakshmipathy Balaji 3-15) —AP
MUMBAI: Pune Warriors’ Yuvraj Singh bats during the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match against Delhi Daredevils. —AP
MANCHESTER: Briton Amir Khan retained his WBA world light welterweight title amid controversy on Saturday after the fight was stopped in the sixth round when challenger Paul McCloskey sustained a cut in a clash of heads. Khan took the bout against the Northern Irishman on points but the unsatisfactory end was in keeping with a fight which had been dogged by problems throughout the build-up. A row over TV coverage led Khan’s stable to fall out with Sky after they wanted to switch the fight from pay-per-view and considerably cut the champion’s purse. The former Olympic silver medallist struggled to come to terms with the awkward style of unbeaten southpaw McCloskey, the 31-year-old European champion, in the early stages. Khan, though, was still the more attacking fighter and his quick hands were putting him gradually in control when, after an accidental clash of heads, the referee summoned the doctor who ruled a cut above the challenger’s left eye was too bad to continue. That meant the decision went to the judges, who unanimously had Khan ahead. There was widespread booing from many in the 16,000 MEN Arena crowd, while McCloskey’s manager Barry Hearn condemned the decision as “unprofessional” and said he would lodge a complaint with the British Boxing Board of Control. Khan, however, was unconcerned. “He was very tricky, his head was low but I caught him with a clean shot in the fifth round and his legs went so any minute he was going to go,” he told the BBC. Khan said he did not want a re-match because he was interested in “bigger things” and hoped his next fight would be against American WBC and WBO champion Tim Bradley. —Reuters
Ortiz upsets Berto for title LEDYARD: Victor Ortiz rode three knockdowns to a stunning upset victory over previously unbeaten Andre Berto in a World Boxing Council welterweight title fight in the MGM Grand at the Foxwoods Resort Casino on Saturday. Ortiz (29-2-2) won a unanimous decision despite having a point taken away for hitting behind the head. The three judges scored it 114-112, 114-111 and 115-110. Berto had made five successful title defenses since he took the WBC welterweight crown in June 2008, when he knocked out Miguel Rodriguez in the seventh round. On Saturday night, Berto (27-1) was nearly knocked out in Round 1. Ortiz came out firing combinations from the bell, stunning Berto with a right hand followed by a left hook that put the champion on the canvas. With Berto clearly dazed, Ortiz tried to finish his rival off. He produced another knockdown, but Berto made it out of the round. Ortiz appeared to be in command in Round 2, when out of nowhere, Berto connected with a short right hand that sent Ortiz backpedaling. He didn’t go down, but took a brief count from referee Michael Ortega. The brisk pace continued in Round 3 with Ortiz continuing to apply the pressure. Ortiz continued to stalk Berto in Round 4. Berto kept waving at his opponent to keep coming forward, and Ortiz was happy to oblige. Berto, 27, came alive in Round 6 and was pummeling Ortiz. He knocked Ortiz down with a right hand. But just seconds before the round ended, Ortiz flattened Berto with a left hook. Berto got up with no trouble just before the bell sounded to end the round. After three uneventful rounds, Berto landed a good right to begin Round 10. Ortiz, who had been warned earlier about hitting in the back of the head, had a point taken away by Ortega. That seemed to motivate him, and he finished the round with a solid combination. Ortiz clearly had the better of it in Round 11. Ortiz, 24, now has a six-fight winning streak. He hasn’t lost since June of 2009, when he was knocked out in the sixth round by Marcus Maidana. — AP
MANCHESTER: Amir Khan (left) in action with Paul McCloskey in their WBA World Light Welterweight Title fight at the MEN Arena. — AP
Salido defeats Lopez in eighth round TKO SAN JUAN: Challenger Orlando Salido upset Juan Manuel Lopez on Saturday, stopping the WBO featherweight champion with a technical knockout in the eighth round. Referee Roberto Ramirez ended the fight with 1:39 left in the round. Salido also knocked down Lopez at the end of the fifth. Judges Lisa Giampa, Thomas Miller and Jose Torres all had the fight even at 66-66 when
Ramirez stopped the bout. The 27-year-old Lopez was defending his title before a home crowd at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon. Salido improved to 35-11-2 (23 KOs). Lopez fell to 30-1 (27 KOs). Next up for the 30-year-old Salido will most likely be a unification bout against Yuriorkis Gamboa, the WBA and IBF champion. Salido lost a unanimous decision to Gamboa in September. — AP
UNCASVILLE: Andre Berto (right) and Victor Ortiz trade punches during the tenth round of their WBC World Welterweight Championship fight. — AP