Higgins toughs it out to see off Allen

SNOOKER:

John Higgins will face Kyren Wilson in the third round of the World Championship after the Scot defeated Mark Allen 13-9 last night. Higgins (pictured), through to his 13th Crucible quarter-final, lost the first frame of the final session before breaks of 63 and 120 gave him a three-frame lead. Allen then pulled another frame back before the 41-year-old won back-to-back frames to seal victory. Ding Junhui is also through after a 13-12 victory over countryman Liang Wenbo to set up a quarter-final meeting with Ronnie O’Sullivan. Stephen Maguire closed out the first session of his secondround match against Rory McLeod 6-2.

GYMNASTICS:

Ellie Downie added silver in the vault and bronze in the uneven bars to her all-around title at the European Championships in Cluj, Romania. She is in today’s beam and floor finals. Courtney Tulloch earned Britain’s first rings medal at a major championship, taking silver.

SWIMMING:

Ben Proud set a new British record of 21.32 seconds, securing gold in the Men’s 50metre freestyle final at the British Championships.

CYCLING:

Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi has died aged 37 after being involved in a collision with a van during a training ride. A statement from his Astana team said the crash happened close to Scarponi’s home in Filottrano. Scarponi won the 2011 Giro d’Italia after Alberto Contador was stripped of the title and claimed victory in stage one of the Tour of the Alps on Monday. ‘This is a tragedy too big to be written,’ read the statement. ‘The Astana Pro Team clings to the Michele family in this moment of sorrow and mourning.’