2003 SEAG rescheduled to avoid Muslim fast
2003 SEAG rescheduled to avoid Muslim fast
HANOI: Regional sports chiefs have rescheduled next year's Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi after complaints that the original dates clashed with the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the Vietnamese hosts said Monday.
Instead of being held in early November as planned, the Games will now be held at the end of the month so as not to disadvantage athletes who are observant Muslims, Southeast Asian Games Federation Council general secretary Hoang Vinh Giang told AFP.
The decision was taken at a meeting Sunday of representatives of all 10 Southeast Asian states, including majority Muslim members Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, Giang said.
The meeting also approved a preliminary list of 21 sports for which medals will be contested at the bi-annual Games. --AFP
;AFP; ANPAs..r.. Briefs-Tennis-rankings ATP Champions Race JP/18/Brief
Johansson tops ATP Champions Race
MONACO: Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson of Sweden retained his place at the summit when the new ATP Champions Race rankings were released Monday as Marat Safin of Russia moved into third spot behind Britain's Tim Henman.
Safin, with 196 points, is just one point behind Henman following the Russian's quarter-final appearance in Estoril last week, enough to push Swiss Roger Federer into fourth place.
Younes El Aynaoui, who won at Doha in January, moved up five places to eighth on the back of another win Sunday on home ground at Casablanca.
The Moroccan has 146 points, 14 adrift of Andre Agassi, who is sitting out this week's ATP Masters Series event at Monaco. --AFP
;AFP; ANPAs..r.. Briefs-Badminton-Europe Indonesian-born Audina nearly pulls it off for The Netherlands JP/BADMINTON
Audina nearly pulls it off for Holland
MALMO, Sweden: Mia Audina, the former Uber Cup heroine from Indonesia, came within four points of helping The Netherlands, her adopted home country, to the final of the European Championships for the first time.
Audina, making her debut in this tournament this week, was a startling choice to play doubles as well as the singles, forming a scratch partnership with Lotte Jonathans which nearly pulled off a remarkable win.
They advanced to a 3-1 lead in the final game against England's European women's doubles champion Jo Goode and ner new partner Gail Emms before losing 7-2 4-7 7-1 2-7 7-3. It was a dramatically fluctuating encounter which almost unseated the second seeded English, who were already 2-1 down in the match, and Netherlands manager Martijn van Dooremalen said: "I think we surprised them with our selection and we have to be happy with that, despite the disappointment of losing." --AFP
;AFP; ANPAs..r.. Briefs-Judo-Tamura World judo queen Tamura beaten by teenager JP/18/Brief
Teenager shocks world judo queen
TOKYO: Olympic and world judo champion Ryoko Tamura bowed out in the first round of Japan's national championships to a 16-year-old high-school student in the 48-kilogram bantamweight division.
It was her first loss in 66 bouts.
"Rather than feeling regretful, I honestly realise that I haven't trained myself sufficiently," the 26-year-old said after losing to Tomoko Fukumi in Yokohama on Sunday, according to media reports.
Fukumi won the match by a marginal "koka" point she earned for tripping the world champion with a left leg throw. She was, however, defeated later in the semi-finals by Tomoe Makabe, who went on to claim the 48-kilogram title. --AFP
;AFP; ANPAs..r.. Briefs-Tennis-ATP Johansson wins battle of Sweden at Monte Carlo Masters Series JP/18/Brief
Johansson wins battle of Sweden
MONACO: The Monte Carlo Masters served up a large helping of Swedes on Monday as Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson came off best against former world number one Magnus Norman.
Johansson took two hours 34 minutes to advance 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 but made an atrocious start, losing the opening game on service and falling 0-4 behind almost before he could draw breath.
Dubbed the "unknown Swede" by French sports bible L'Equipe on his way to lifting his first Grand Slam last January, Johansson recovered his poise and moved out to 3-0 in the second set only for his dogged rival to close to 3-4. --AFP