PAGE 44
PEOPLES DAILY, MONday, DECEMBER 28, 2015
Sport
Tokyo Olympic stadium gets new, cheaper design A
new, more scaled-down, design has been chosen for the main stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Spiralling costs had forced the scrapping of renowned architect Zaha Hadid’s futuristic original design. The new design, by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, will cost 149bn yen ($1.2bn; £825m) to build. Ms Hadid’s plan would have cost 252bn yen,
making it the world’s most expensive sports venue. The scrapping of the design caused a row that eventually led to the resignation of Japan’s Education and Sports Minister Hakubun Shimomura in October. Mr Kuma’s design echoes Japanese temple styles, with a low-lying steel and wood structure, surrounded by trees. It will sit more than 20 metres lower than the previous design and supporters say it fits better with its immediate environment, which includes the greenery
Pooley eyes cycling gold at 2016 Olympics
Pooley narrowly missed out on gold to Linda Villumsen in the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Olympic silver medallist Emma Pooley is set to return to the British cycling team for the Rio Olympics in 2016, having retired from the sport in 2014. The former world champion will target the time trial and may
also support Lizzie Armitstead in the road race. Pooley, 33, retired from cycling after winning two silver medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games to concentrate on triathlon and other endurance
events. Pooley won silver in the time trial at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before finishing sixth in the event at London 2012, where she also helped Armitstead win a silver medal in the road race.
around the nearby Meiji Shrine. Construction or the new design will also be quicker. Necessarily so when the International Olympic Committee deadline for completion is January 2020, ahead of the Games’ start in July that year. The new winning design has also attracted colourful comparisons, with some saying it looks like a stack of pancakes, or a hamburger.
Mills worry over pollution water for Rio 2016
B
ritish sailor Hannah Mills says the polluted waters of Rio de Janeiro could hinder her chances of winning gold in next year’s Olympic Games. Mills and Saskia Clark finished 2015 with victory in the 470 class at the Copa Brasil de Vela event at the Olympic sailing venue. World Sailing says the water quality in Rio needs major improvement, and Mills admits it remains a significant worry. A statement from the Rio 2016 organising committee earlier this month said the water at the sailing venue “meets the relevant standards”. However, tests at Guanabara Bay have revealed high levels of
bacteria and viruses coming from human sewage. Two sailors contracted infections at a test event in August, which they claim were caused by the waters. World Sailing will conduct the latest site visit in late January to assess work being done to improve the quality. Cardiff-born Mills, 27, and Clark, 36, from Colchester, won a silver medal at London 2012 and have already qualified for next year’s Games. They claimed a gold medal at the 2012 World Championships and silver in 2015 and are ranked number one in the world in the 470-class.
Evans misses Olympic after turning professional
Smith wants Cotto after defeating Kelly
L
iam Smith has called out Puerto Rican legend Miguel Cotto ahead of the first defence of his WBO light-middleweight title against Jimmy Kelly on Saturday. Liam became the first of Liverpool’s four fighting Smith brothers to win a world title when he stopped American John Thompson in October. Kelly will be taking part in only his 17th pro fight at the Manchester Arena but will have home advantage. Cotto is a former fourweight world champion who lost to Mexico’s Saul Alvarez in his last fight in November. Cotto has been campaigning as a middleweight for the last three years.
Smith, who is unbeaten in 21 pro fights, is also targeting unification matches with WBA champion Erislandy Lara and IBF champion Jermall Charlo. Kelly, 23, is trained
by former British lightmiddleweight champion and world title challenger Ensley Bingham, who believes his charge is boxing’s best-kept secret.
Liam Smith
Fred Evans (R)
Olympic silver medallist Fred Evans has turned professional, ruling himself out of competing at the 2016 Rio Games. The 24-year-old, from Cardiff, became the first Welsh boxer to win a silver medal by reaching the welterweight final at London 2012. Evans also won gold at the 2011 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Ankara. Evans’ move into the professional ranks comes three months after Wales’ most decorated amateur boxer, Andrew Selby, also gave up his unpaid status.
Both have signed with Bristolbased manager Chris Sanigar, who also represents IBF featherweight world champion Lee Selby, and will be trained by Tony Borg. Evans is currently serving a twoyear suspended prison sentence for unlawfully wounding friend Michael Wilson after they had been drinking at a Gloucestershire pub for “several hours”. He was refused accreditation to compete for Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games following checks by the Home Office and Games officials.