Posts Tagged ‘New Zealand’
Written by admin on 21 October 2012
Auckland, Oct 21 (IANS) Spanish triathlete Javier Gomez won the World Triathlon Grand men’s final here Sunday after beating Britain’s Jonathan Brownlee in a sprint finish.
Both Brownlee and Gomez showed their class, easily hauling in New Zealand’s Kris Gemmell who had established a one minute lead, reports Xinhua.
The race got down to a straight sprint in the final 100 metres, which Gomez won.
Gomez, who won silver at this year’s London Olympics, finished in a time of 2 hours and 30 seconds in wet conditions.
Despite the second place, Brownlee still takes out the world series title.
Switzerland’s Sven Riederer finished third. Ryan Sissons was the top New Zealander in 11th place.
Following are the results and standings:
1. Javier Gomez, Spain, 2:00.31
2. Jonathan Brownlee, Britain, +2 seconds
3. Sven Rederer, Switzerland, +48
Final world series standings:
1. Jonathan Brownlee, Britain, 4935 points
2. Javier Gomez, Spain, 4845
Tags: Auckland, New Zealand
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Written by admin on 15 October 2012
Auckland, Oct 15 (IANS) Former New Zealand cricket captain Martin Crowe has been diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer that attacks the immune system.
Louise Henderson, a close family friend and manager to Crowe and his wife, former Miss Universe Lorraine Downes, said the family has a number of issues to confront over the next couple of weeks.
“The diagnosis is very new, the family is still in shock and obviously dealing with the understanding that life as they know it for the unforeseeable future is different,” Henderson was quoted as saying by the New Zealand Herald.
The 50-year-old played 77 Tests, including 16 as captain, and 143 one-day internationals for New Zealand between 1982 and 1995.
Crowe was named as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 1985, and his 299 against Sri Lanka in 1991 remains the highest Test score by a New Zealand player.
Tags: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted in Australia, Cricket | No Comments »
Written by admin on 09 October 2012
Auckland, Oct 9 (IANS/CMC) Olympic 100 and 200 metres champion Usain Bolt says his goal of lowering the 100-metre mark below 9.4 seconds still stands and hints at a possibility of it happening next season.
Bolt made his declaration Monday as he ended a whistle-stop promotional tour, which has seen the world’s fastest man on New Zealand soil for less than 24 hours.
The 100m and 200m world record holder has previously predicted lowering the 100m mark below 9.4s – 0.19 of a second below his current benchmark.
“There’s a possibility for 9.4s, there’s a definite possibility. I think this season won’t be so stressful, I can relax a little bit more, focus a little bit more,” said the six-time Olympic gold medallist.
“It will be much easier without the pressure on your shoulders. I’m just going to continue working hard and pushing myself.”
Meantime, the Jamaican athlete has told a news conference in Auckland that cricket is his “first love”.
With the West Indies defeating Sri Lanka to win the T20 World Cup hours before Bolt touched down, the Jamaican acknowledged the career which might have been his.
“I love cricket, it was my first love but I don’t play much now. The only time I play now is with my brother,” Bolt said.
“If I wasn’t in athletics I would probably have a career somewhere else in sport.”
Having dominated the world sprint circuit for the last two Olympic cycles, the Bolt ‘pointing’ pose and flamboyant pre-race behaviour have become internationally-recognised trademarks.
But Bolt insists he’s not cocky.
“People always say I’m cocky. The pose just happened, there was a dance and I put a swing on it. I continue doing it for the fans because they’re the ones who make us who we are,” said Bolt.
“The gimmicks that I do are just to make me relax. When I get to the line it makes me relax and not worry. If you worry you tense up.”
–IANS/CMC
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Tags: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted in Australia, Cricket | No Comments »
Written by admin on 28 September 2012
Brooklyn (New York), Sep 28 (IANS) India’s Dipika Pallikal lost to Jenny Duncalf of England in the first round of the World Squash Associations’ Carol Weymuller Open Gold 50 tournament here Friday.
The world no.4 beat the Indian qualifier 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 in the $50,000 event.
The match got off to an awkward start with plenty of lets from both players. Jenny’s length was a little short in the first game allowing Dipika, world no.15, to take the ball really well at the front.
The first game stayed even 9-9 until the Jenny managed to clinch it 11-9. In the second and third games the English player found her length and moved Dipika around the court, forcing her into making errors.
The World No.15 got past the 28th-ranked American 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4 in her second and final qualifying match at the Heights Casino squash courts Wednesday to qualify for the main draw which comprises 16 players, including world’s top five.
Tags: Brooklyn, New York, New Zealand
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Written by admin on 27 September 2012
Brooklyn (New York), Sep 27 (IANS) India’s Dipika Pallikal overcame a spirited challenge from Latasha Khan of the US to make the main draw at the Women’s Squash Association’s (WSA) Carol Weymuller Open Gold 50 tournament here.
The World No.15 got past the 28th-ranked American 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4 in her second and final qualifying match at the Heights Casino squash courts here Wednesday.
Dipika will play against World No.4 Jenny Duncalf of England in the first round of the $50,000 event. The main draw comprises 16 players, including world’s top five.
The 21-year-old Indian said she was glad to qualify.
“I am relieved to get through. Latasha is an experienced player and she took full advantage of it when I started going short in the third game. In the fourth, I hit more straight and less cross-courts which made a big difference,” said Dipika, whose last win over the 39-year-old came after a gruelling five-setter.
Tags: Brooklyn, New York, New Zealand
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Written by admin on 27 September 2012
Brooklyn (New York), Sep 27 (IANS) India’s Dipika Pallikal overcame a spirited challenge from Latasha Khan of the US to make the main draw of the World Squash Associations’ Carol Weymuller Open Gold 50 tournament here.
The World No.15 got past the 28th-ranked American 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4 in her second and final qualifying match at the Heights Casino squash courts here Wednesday.
Dipika will play against World No.4 Jenny Duncalf of England in the first round of the $50,000 event. The main draw comprises 16 players, including world’s top five.
The 21-year-old Indian said she was glad to qualify.
“I am relieved to get through. Latasha is an experienced player and she took full advantage of it when I started going short in the third game. In the fourth, I hit more straight and less cross-courts which made a big difference,” said Dipika, whose last win over the 39-year-old came after a gruelling five-setter.
Tags: Brooklyn, New York, New Zealand
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Written by admin on 26 September 2012
Brooklyn (New York), Sep 26 (IANS) India’s top-ranked squash player Dipika Pallikal beat Maria Toor Pakay of Pakistan and cleared the first hurdle in qualifying for the main draw at the WSA Carol Weymuller Open Gold 50 event here.
World No.15 Dipika Tuesday defeated her 52nd-ranked opponent in straight sets 11-8, 11-5, 11-3. She takes on local hope Latasha Khan Wednesday for a place in the main draw of the $50,000 tournament. Latasha edged out Egypt’s Kanzy El Dafrawy 8-11, 11-8, 14-12, 7-11, 11-8 in another qualifying match.
“I played Maria all my junior days and we always had close matches. Today, I tried twisting her and putting in cross courts and keeping her off her feet. It worked and she making errors at crucial points also helped,” Dipika, 21, was quoted as saying by Squashsite.
The competition field includes world’s top five players, including number one Nicol David of Malaysia.
Tags: Brooklyn, New York, New Zealand
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Written by admin on 26 September 2012
Brooklyn (New York), Sep 26 (IANS) India’s top-ranked squash player Dipika Pallikal beat Maria Toor Pakay of Pakistan and cleared the first hurdle in qualifying for the main draw at the WSA Carol Weymuller Open Gold 50 event here.
World No.15 Dipika Tuesday defeated her 52nd-ranked opponent in straight sets 11-8, 11-5, 11-3. She takes on local hope Latasha Khan Wednesday for a place in the main draw of the $50,000 tournament.
“I played Maria all my junior days and we always had close matches. Today, I tried twisting her and putting in cross courts and keeping her off her feet. It worked and she making errors at crucial points also helped,” Dipika, 21, was quoted as saying by Squashsite.
The competition field includes world’s top five players including number one Nicol David of Malaysia.
Tags: Brooklyn, New York, New Zealand
Posted in Australia | No Comments »
Written by admin on 27 June 2012
Auckland, June 27 (IANS/CMC) New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Mills says it is the inconsistency of the West Indies that makes the Caribbean side such a difficult team to play against.
Speaking ahead of the Twenty20 International doubleheader in Florida next weekend, Mills said this inconsistency made West Indies very unpredictable.
“I find the West Indies always have a really hard team to read. I find them a little bit like Pakistan – they’re either amazing or they’re really inconsistent,” the experienced 33-year-old said prior to the team’s departure.
“It’s how you strike them on that day or in that series. You don’t know what you’re going to get. We’ve got a lot to look out for and a lot to plan for the series.”
New Zealand take on the West Indies Saturday and Sunday in T20I fixtures at the Central Broward Stadium, in a precursor to a series that includes two Tests and five One-Day Internationals in the Caribbean.
West Indies are coming off a wretched tour of England where they were plagued with inconsistency and failed to win a single match against the hosts.
They went down by 0-2 margins in the three-match Test and ODI series before losing the one-off T20 last Sunday.
Mills said hopefully the Black Caps would start with an advantage as the West Indies could be tired especially after a gruelling series against the English.
“We need to be ready from ball one. Our preparation leading into the first game is really important. We haven’t been playing, they have been so we need to get up to speed heading into that,” said Mills, who has played 19 Tests, 135 ODIs and 27 T20Is.
“In saying all that, we’re going to be pretty fresh and hopefully they’ll be pretty stale from playing not just two series but two hard series. Hopefully we can catch them a bit battered mentally.”
–IANS/CMC
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Tags: Auckland, New Zealand
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Written by admin on 24 June 2012
Auckland, June 24 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Eight-time champion Sebastien Loeb extended his lead in the World Rally Championship (WRC) by winning the New Zealand round Sunday.
Loeb took his first win in New Zealand since 2008 by 29.6 seconds from his teammate Mikko Hirvonen to stretch his lead over Hirvonen in the championship to 38 points with six rallies remaining.
“It was really a good fight, over two long days, on some beautiful roads so I really enjoyed myself. It was the perfect rally,” Loeb said on the WRC website.
Russian driver Evgeny Novikov finished fourth after losing third place to Petter Solberg, and is now fifth in the championship after overtaking Jari-Matti Latvala, who was seventh in New Zealand despite four stage wins.
“Fourth place is a very good result for us and I have really enjoyed the stages all weekend,” Novikov said on the website of his M-Sport team.
The Russian decided to settle for fourth place rather than pushing to retake third on the final day, he said.
“Even the smallest mistake can cause the car to roll in these sorts of conditions so we decided not to push today.”
Loeb, 38, and his co-driver Daniel Elena have won every world championship since 2004.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Tags: Auckland, New Zealand
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Written by admin on 20 June 2012
Wellington, June 20 (IANS) All-rounder Daniel Vettori has declared himself available for the Twenty20 World Cup in September, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced Wednesday.
Last year, Vettori had opted out of playing in T20 Internationals to focus on his Test career.
NZC chief executive David White was delighted that Vettori will be available for the mega-event in Sri Lanka and said the former captain will provide valuable experience to the side.
“Dan was the number one-ranked T20 bowler in 2009 and is widely regarded as one of the best T20 exponents in the world,” said White in a statement.
“His availability is a real boost for the Blackcaps with his style of bowling well suited to conditions in Sri Lanka.”
A driving force behind Vettori’s decision to re-ignite his T20 career was his desire to compete in another world event, said National Selection Manager Kim Littlejohn.
“Twenty20 is a format Dan enjoys and the opportunity to be part of a team which competes at a world event is enticing for him,” said Littlejohn.
“He has been encouraged by his team mates, coaching staff and others at NZC and we are thrilled to have him in the mix.”
The preliminary squad for the tournament will be announced July 18.
Tags: New Zealand, Wellington
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Written by admin on 11 June 2012
Auckland, June 11 (IANS) Pop star Lady Gaga, who is in the middle of a world tour, was accidentally hit on the head with a giant pole by one of her backing dancers during her show in New Zealand.
During her show here Sunday, the 26-year-old was dancing and singing while attached to a rope hung over a vertically placed metal pole.
When one of her backing dancers picked the pole up and was turning it from its vertical position to carry it off horizontally, Gaga raised her head and the pole came crashing down on her, reports dailymail.co.uk.
She admitted to the audience that she had hit herself.
According to TMZ, she told fans: “I want to apologise. I did hit my head and I think I may have concussion. But don’t you worry, I will finish this show.”
The flamboyant singer arrived here last week and got a lively welcome from crowds of fans outside her hotel.
Tags: Auckland, New Zealand
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