Sports round-up

Athletics: “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius has moved closer to a place at the London Olympics when he ran 45.20sec in the 400m at a regional qualifier, well within the required standard of 45.30. The South African, who runs with carbon fibre prosthetic running blades, set the time at the Gauteng North provincial championships in the selection event for the South African National Championships.

Fencing: France’s men’s sabre team, the two-time defending Olympic champions, have failed to qualify for the London Games after finishing eighth in the final qualifying event in Moscow yesterday. The failure to qualify is a bitter blow for the French who had looked well-placed after winning their opening match of the day against Hungary. But the Chinese team produced a dominant display to win the Moscow tournament.

Cricket: India’s World Cup cricket hero Yuvraj Singh announced yesterday that he has been discharged from hospital after undergoing chemotherapy for a cancerous tumour. “3rd chemo cycles over, back from hospital n I am free.... Can’t wait to be back home,” the 30-year-old all-rounder said. Left-handed Yuvraj was diagnosed with a rare condition, mediastinal semi-noma – a malignant tumour between his lungs – soon after the World Cup.

Rome Marathon: Luka Lokobe Kanda and Hellen Kimutai secured a Kenyan double in the Rome Marathon yesterday. Kanda won the men’s event in 2hr 8min 4sec to finish ahead of compatriot Samson Kiprono Barmao. Ethiopia’s Demssew Abebe Tsega was third. Kimutai finished in 2:31:11 to beat Ethiopian Ashete Dido Bekele with Marina Kovalyova of Russia taking third place.