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Gao named Player of the Year 2002
LONDON: The International Badminton Federation (IBF) announced on Friday China's dual World Champion Gao Ling as the recipient of its "Eddy Choong Player of the Year" award for 2001.
The 22-year-old doubles star joins Denmark's Peter Gade and Camilla Martin, and Indonesia's Candra Wijaya on the roll of honor by becoming the fourth recipient of this award, named after Malaysian legend Eddy Choong who put Malaysian badminton into the European limelight. He dominated the European circuit in the early 1950's and was part of Malaysia's 1955 Thomas Cup winning squad.
A former World Junior Champion, Gao enjoyed enviable success on the world stage in 2001, taking the women's and mixed doubles titles at both the All England Open and the Seville World Championships, as well as playing a key role in China's retention of the Sudirman Cup. -- www.worldbadminton.net
;REUTERS; ANPAs..r.. Putbriefs-Alpine skiing-Eberharter Alpine skiing-Eberharter wins again in Kitzbuehel JP/9/BRIEF
Eberharter wins again in Kitzbuehel
KITZBUEHEL, Austria: Stephan Eberharter's new love affair with Kitzbuehel continued on Saturday when the Austrian won his second race in two days at the classic World Cup venue.
Eberharter stormed down the Streif course to win the downhill in one minute 54.21 seconds, 0.37 seconds ahead of second-placed veteran Norwegian Kjetil Andre Aamodt. Another Austrian, Hannes Trinkl, was third just 0.03 seconds further back.
The 32-year-old Eberharter, who has now won four out of seven downhills so far this season, extended his lead in both the overall and the downhill World Cup standings. Before Friday's super-G victory, he had never won in Kitzbuehel in more than a decade on the circuit. -- Reuters
;REUTERS; ANPAs..r.. Putbrief-swimming-WCup Moses cracks own world record JP/
Moses cracks own world record
PARIS: American Ed Moses broke his own 200 metres breaststroke world short-course record with a time of 2:04.37 minutes at a World Cup meeting in Paris on Friday.
Moses beat his previous record of 2:06.40, set at Minneapolis in March 2000.
Slovakian Martina Moravcova also cracked her own women's 100 metres butterfly European short-course record with a time of 57.09 seconds, compared to a previous record of 57.16.
Dutchman Pieter Van den Hoogenband, Olympic 100 and 200 metres freestyle champion, managed only sixth place in the 100 metres race, which was nabbed by American Jason Lezak in 47.44 seconds.
China's Yu Yang clinched the women's 200 metre freestyle in 1:55.81. -- Reuters
;AFP; ANPAs..r.. Putbriefs-PF1-McLaren McLaren unveil new car to challenge Ferrari domination JP/9/BRIEF
McLaren unveil new car to challenge Ferrari domination
BARCELONA, Spain: McLaren on Saturday unveiled a new Mercedes- powered car they hope will regain the Formula One edge from current kings Ferrari.
The new MP4-17, unveiled at the Circuit de Catalunya, is based on last year's car but the main visible changes are to the front suspension and rear bodywork.
The car was launched earlier than normal to allow number one driver David Coulthard, the Briton who was second to Michael Schumacher in last season's Formula One championships, new driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland and third driver Alexander Wurz to start intensive testing for the new season, which begins in Melbourne on March 3. -- AFP