Athletics: Twice Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva will stand in the All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) presidential election this year, she said yesterday. The ARAF announced last week that the election would take place on December 9. “I took this decision of responsibility myself to head the All-Russian Athletics Federation and return its membership of the international federation (IAAF),” the 34-year-old said while addressing the Federation Council, which is the upper house of the Russian parliament.
Snooker: The Welsh Open trophy has been named in honour of six-time world champion Ray Reardon. The tournament has been incorporated into the new Home Nations Series alongside the English, Scottish and Northern Irish Opens. The English and Northern Irish trophies have been named after Steve Davis and Alex Higgins respectively. Reardon, who won the world title in 1970, four in succession from 1973 and another in 1978, now joins that list and said: “It’s quite something to have the Welsh Open trophy named after me. I’m ecstatic about it. It’s a real honour.”
Ice Hockey: Canada drew first blood in the best-of-three World Cup of Hockey final with a 3-1 victory that brought Team Europe’s Cinderella run a step closer to striking midnight in Toronto. Team Europe got off to a fast start but Canada quickly took control. “We came here to find a way to win a game, we won a game,” said Canada coach Mike Babcock said. “So now tomorrow, we’re going to get better again.”
Horse Racing: Two of the biggest names in Irish horse racing, champion trainer Willie Mullins and the Gigginstown House stud owned by Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, have parted ways. “Yes, we are parting company just basically over fees, I imagine. I just put up my fees for the first time in 10 years and Gigginstown chose not to pay them,” Mullins said. “Everyone who comes into my yard is treated the same,” added Mullins, Ireland’s champion trainer for the last nine years.
Tennis: Angelique Kerber suffered her first defeat as world number one when Petra Kvitova beat her 6-7 7-5 6-4 in a marathon third-round match at the Wuhan Open in China yesterday. German top seed Kerber saved three set points before a forehand error from Czech Kvitova handed the US Open champion a tense first-set tiebreak. But Kvitova, showing the battling qualities that have brought her two Wimbledon titles, fought back to force a decider. She held her nerve to convert her seventh match point after three hours and 20 minutes on court. Kvitova will face Britain’s Johanna Konta in the quarter-finals.