Sports Shorts: Mary Kom among 19 women probables for C'wealth, Asian Games

Multiple World champion and Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom is among the 19 boxers selected for the senior women core group of probables for this year's Commonwealth and Asian Games.

The list was prepared after a selection trial at the IG Stadium in Delhi from May 6 to 8, under the supervision of the ad-hoc committee.

The three-day trials were attended by former boxers Mehtab Singh, Devarajan, Ali Qamar, Jitender Kumar and Rajender Prasad, who were members of the selection committee.

Also read: Mary Kom's comeback -- a journey into the unknown!

While Mary Kom and six other boxers were selected in the 51kg category, seven women pugilists were handpicked in the 60kg division and four in the 75kg weight category.

Meanwhile, the ad-hoc Committee also requested the Sports Authority of India to continue the camp in all 10 weight categories till the Asian Games to enable the core group of probables train with the best.

Ad-hoc committee chairman Tarlochan Singh congratulated the two boxers who secured their places in the boys' light flyweight (52kg) and boys' flyweight (46-49kg) at the upcoming Youth Olympics, to be held in Nanjing, China.

He also informed that the men's boxing team will participate in the Chemistry Cup.

The selection trials for the men's core group probables in all ten categories will start on Friday at the NIS Patiala.

List of core group probables for Commonwealth and Asian Games:

51kg: MC Mary Kom (AIP), Pinking Rani (RSPB), Rebeeca (MIZ), Sonia Lather (HAR), Mamta (RSPB), Sarjubala (RSPB), Vanlalduati (MIZ).

60kg: L Sarita Devi (AIP), Preeti Beniwal (AIP), Pavitra (RSPB), Pwilao Basumatary (ASM), Minu Basumatary (ASM), K Mandakini (AIP), H Chaoba Devi (MAN).

75kg: Pooja Rani (HAR), Neetu Chahal (RSPB), Alari Boro (ASM), Seema Poonia (RSPB), Monica Saun (RSPB).

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Sania Mirza and Cara Black turned in a scintillating display before losing to top seeds Su-Wei Hsieh and Shuai Peng in the women's doubles quarter-finals at the WTA Madrid Open, on Wednesday.

The fifth seeded Indo-Zimbabwean pair went down 7-5, 1-6, 8-10 after 90 minutes.

There was not much to separate the two pairs as Saina-Cara, the Portugal Open winners, won 62 points against 67 by the Taipei-Chinese team.

Sania-Cara converted four break chances while Hsieh-Peng broke them five times as the match was decided by the Super tie-breaker.

Sania and Cara split 27,270 euros in prize-money and earned 215 ranking points each.

The Indian challenge is still alive in the tournament, as Rohan Bopanna and his Pakistani partner Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi, seeded eighth, have been given a bye in the first round of the men's doubles.

They face Italy’s Andreas Seppi and big-serving Canadian Milas Raonic in the pre-quarter-finals.

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Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan says in a new book that he considered himself a racist growing up.

In a new book entitled ‘Michael Jordan: The Life’ by author Roland Lazenby, the five-time National Basketball Association most valuable player and current owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, says that as a teenager he was ‘against all white people.’

Excerpts of the book published on Wednesday by the New York Post include Jordan describing how growing up in North Carolina during the 1970s, where he said the Klu Klux Klan thrived, helped shaped his views on racism.

In one instance, Jordan recalls a school girl calling him the n-word.

"So I threw a soda at her," Jordan says in the book. "I was really rebelling. I considered myself a racist at the time. Basically, I was against all white people."

It was after that incident that Jordan's mother convinced him that he could not go through life consumed by racial hatred.

Jordan, who went on to win six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls, recently spoke out against racist remarks by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who has since been banned for life by the NBA and could be forced to sell the team.

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Retired English soccer captain David Beckham lobbied Miami lawmakers on Wednesday to approve his proposed 25,000-seat soccer stadium on the city's prized bayfront real estate.

Beckham, wearing a tailored dark suit, went door-to-door in Miami-Dade lawmakers’ offices in downtown Miami throughout the morning and afternoon, meeting with commissioners and posing for pictures.

Beckham's plan for a futuristic, waterfront stadium near the port of Miami to house a new Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise has run into resistance from a group led by Royal Caribbean Cruises, which argues that it would interfere with cruise and cargo operations.

An alternative proposal offered by Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez this week would locate the stadium on another nearby downtown waterfront site, currently a boatslip, sandwiched between an art museum and the Miami Heat basketball arena.

Beckham said he never expected a "smooth ride" getting stadium approval. "Investors and I will be putting up a quarter of a billion dollars ... we don't want to bring worries," he said.

Beckham along with his partners Simon Fuller, creator of American Idol, and Bolivian-born billionaire Marcelo Claure, founder of Miami-based Brightstar Corp, say they will pay the county tax and rent. The group plans to privately finance the $250 million stadium construction.

Beckham has yet to reveal who his investors are.

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Louis van Gaal wants to become the next manager of Manchester United, the Dutchman said on Wednesday.

The Netherlands coach described United as the "biggest club in the world" and said he would "love the job".

"I hope that I shall be the one. It's the biggest club in the world and it's a fantastic challenge," he told the BBC from the Dutch squad's pre-World Cup training camp.

But he said nothing had been agreed about him taking over at Old Trafford.

"You (the media) are thinking I'm the man but the most important thing is whether Manchester United are thinking that," he said.

The 62-year-old has been the favourite to take over at United since David Moyes was sacked last month after 10 months in charge.

British media have reported that Van Gaal's appointment could be confirmed next week but he could not begin work at United until after the World Cup and he said the speculation would not affect the Dutch team's campaign in Brazil.

"I have to focus on my job," he said.

"I am coach of the Dutch national team. I have waited a long time to be in a World Cup, so that's very important.

"This doesn't affect me. I have always had offers. I know what the football world is and what it means."

Van Gaal has won domestic titles in the Netherlands with Ajax Amsterdam and AZ Alkmaar, in Spain with Barcelona and in Germany with Bayern Munich. He also led Ajax to the European Cup in 1995.

United, seventh in the Premier League table, have endured a disappointing season, their first of the post-Alex Ferguson era.

Moyes lasted 34 league games before being replaced on an interim basis by Ryan Giggs who has led them to two wins and one defeat in his three games in charge.

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Roy Hibbert emerged from a deep playoff slump to helprescue the Indiana Pacers as they edged Washington 86-82 on Wednesday to avoid falling behind by two games in the Eastern Conference semi-final.

Hibbert, coming off a Game One performance in which he failed to record a point or rebound, broke through with 28 points and nine rebounds that allowed Indiana to tie the best-of-seven series 1-1.

Indiana's seven-footer had been under fire for his poor play throughout the post-season and he credited his team for helping him regain form. "Paul (George) took me out on his boat yesterday and we sat there and fished – we didn't even talk about basketball," Hibbert told reporters. "My team mates really believed in me. I'm thankful for such great team mates."

Things were not as harmonious for the whole game for the top-seeded Pacers, who trailed 77-74 with five minutes to go before answering with a 10-2 run that clinched the contest.

Lance Stephenson hit a 3-pointer with 21.4 seconds left, giving the Pacers a five-point lead. Stephenson finished with 12 points, and guard George Hill scored 14.

Marcin Gortat tallied 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Wizards. Bradley Beal added 17 points and seven assists while point guard John Wall had a second difficult shooting night, making just 2-for-13 from the field.

The Wizards now head home to Washington for Game Three on Friday.

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Four teams are fighting for the chance to play in the Champions League next season as the Bundesliga finale on Saturday promises a nail-biting climax and a battle for Hamburg SV to avoid their first ever relegation.

Third-placed Schalke 04, three points ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, have the best chances to keep their place with a win over 17th-placed Nuremberg and grab the last automatic Champions League group stage spot.

Schalke, who competed in Europe's premier club competition this season as well, could successfully complete a roller-coaster season with a strong finish.

They could be boosted by the presence of captain Benedikt Hoewedes, back from injury as the defender races to be fit this week.

Schalke will also have winger Jefferson Farfan back but will be without suspended top striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Their opponents are desperate for a win that could possibly see them snatch the relegation-playoff spot from Hamburg SV, who are a point ahead in 16th.

Combined with a Leverkusen win against visiting Werder Bremen that is also the only scenario for Schalke to miss out on the third spot.

With the fourth place leading to the Champions League qualifying rounds, Leverkusen will have to keep an eye on the rear view mirror with VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in with a chance to finish fourth.