Marc’s scorcher
THAT’S TOUGH LUT
MARC MARQUEZ is on pole for this afternoon’s Czech Republic MotoGP thanks to the fastest ever two-wheeled lap of the Brno circuit.
The Repsol Honda rider powered in a sensational time of 1min 54.596secs, a quarter of a second ahead of reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo. “I didn’t expect pole but wanted a front row start and then did an almost perfect lap,” said Marquez, who takes a 43-point lead over Lorenzo into the race as he battles to take the crown for a third time.
Andrea Iannone completes the front row.
DAVE FERN LUTALO MUHAMMAD described the “horrible moment” when his Olympic gold medal dream was dashed in the final second of a dramatic men’s -80kg taekwondo final.
Muhammad looked set to emulate his GB team-mate Jade Jones when Ivory Coast opponent Cheick Sallah Cisse swung a lastgasp head-kick – which snatched an 8-6 win just as NEW ZEALAND produced a stunning performance to thrash defending champions Australia 42-8 in Sydney in the opening match of the 2016 Rugby Championship. Tries came from Ryan Crotty, Beauden Barrett, Jerome Kaino, Waisake Naholo, Dane Coles and Julian Savea. the final buzzer sounded.
Muhammad, 25, said: “It’s a horrible moment when at the last second his points have gone on the board and the time has run out and there is nothing you can do about it.
“It was the last kick. My check skimmed off – and his reverse hit.”
The Leeds fighter became the first back-to-back female champion in Olympic history when she battered France’s Sarah Ourahmoune in the gold medal bout at the Riocentro.
Adams has established herself as a serial record-breaker. She is the first British boxer to retain an Olympic crown since the London policeman and middleweight boxer Harry Mallin was triumphant at the 1924 Paris Games.
Unusually for someone who is consistently straight-faced in public situations, Adams became increasingly emotional on the podium when the national anthem was played.
She said: “I had to fight back the tears up there. Anybody who knows me, knows I don’t normally cry but it just got a little bit overwhelming.
“In the past four years I have had shoulder operations, ankle injuries and become European, world and Olympic champion in the same year. I guess I was reflecting on it.
“The gold rush continues. I’m now officially the most accomplished amateur boxer we have ever had.
“It is such an amazing feeling. This win is up there with London. It takes a lot to win an Olympic medal, especially to do it twice.”
As ever, Adams approached the ring for the final in her usual smiling, joyous manner, a real bundle of energy, betraying the nerves she was feeling.
Her confidence and almost an aura of invincibility in this class has been boosted by the fact she has not lost a major final since before the last Olympics.
Those hoping this would be a classic encounter, though, would have been disappointed with a scrappy contest.
Ourahmoune, the older fighter at 34 but three inches shorter at 5ft 2in, looked tired and at times resorted to holding Adams to catch a breather.
Adams had not lost in her previous four fights against the 15th-ranked Ourahmoune and she started well here, winning the first of four two-minute rounds on all three of the judges’ scorecards. copyBut Ourahmoune,to go in here ta bronze medallist at this year’s world championship, is a spirited competitor and impressed the judges enough to win the third round.
This meant a nervous finale for the British fans ringside but Adams ensured there would be no upset, finishing strongly to secure the unanimous points decisions. Adams now joins an exclusive club of two-time Olympic champions and the win maintains the set of flyweight honours currently in her possession – the Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth titles.
Like many British Olympians returning from Rio, Adams could be honoured by the Queen in the New Year list.
Dame Nicola Adams – that would go down really nicely. RAIN saw the second and final one-day international between Ireland and Pakistan abandoned without a ball being bowled. The washout denied Ireland the chance for revenge after losing the first game by a thumping 255-runs, slumping to 82 all out after Sharjeel Khan’s 152 had led Pakistan to 337 for six.