Malta Independent

Czech sets record distance in men's under-ice swim

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A Czech freediver has set a world record in men's swimming under ice.

David Vencl swam the longest distance of 80.9 meters (265 feet) holding his breath on Tuesday. In this category, freedivers cannot use any fin, diving suit, cap and weights.

The previous record was 76.2 meters (250 feet) by Stig Severinsen of Denmark in April 2013, according to the Guinness World Records.

Vencl took 1 minute, 35 seconds for the record at a lake in Lahost in northern Czech Republic.

"It was faster than I expected, I felt great," Vencl said. "I knew for sure that I will swim the 80 meters but, of course, that weight of the moment was the only thing that was tiring me down a little bit."

Organizers said the ice was at least 30 centimeter­s (11.8 inches) thick, a condition for the record to be recognized.

Jamal Musiala became Bayern Munich's youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League as he helped his team rout Lazio 4-1 in the first leg of the round of 16 on Tuesday.

The 17-year-old Musiala also became the second-youngest player to score in the knockout stage of the competitio­n when he netted Bayern's second goal. Robert Lewandowsk­i had earlier given Bayern the lead and Leroy Sané put the defending champion firmly in control at the end of the first half.

Francesco Acerbi netted an own goal at the start of the second half as Lazio's first appearance in the Champions League knockout stage for 20 years went from bad to worse. Joaquín Correa scored a consolatio­n for the Italian side, which was woeful defensivel­y.

It was the first time Lazio had been in the knockout round since 2000-01 and its return got off to a nightmare start as a dreadful Mateo Musacchio back pass in the ninth minute was intercepte­d by Lewandowsk­i, who slotted it into the empty net.

Musiala had been handed a surprise start and he doubled Bayern's lead in the 24th as the England youth internatio­nal was left unmarked to fire into the bottom left corner after Leon Goretzka had flicked on Alphonso Davies' pass from the left.

The game was all but over three minutes from halftime. Lazio goalkeeper Pepe Reina did well to parry Kingsley Coman's attempt after a surging run from the France forward but Sané turned in the rebound.

And Lazio gifted Bayern another goal two minutes after the break when Acerbi turned Sané's cross into his own net.

The only consolatio­n for Lazio was Correa's goal in the 49th. The Argentina midfielder scored a brilliant solo effort as he beat four Bayern players before firing past Manuel Neuer.

Chelsea tops Atlético in CL with Giroud's bicycle-kick goal

Olivier Giroud's bicycle-kick goal awarded after video review gave Chelsea a 1-0 win against Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday.

It took nearly three minutes for Giroud and his teammates to be able to celebrate the important 68th-minute away goal that was initially disallowed for offside.

Giroud was clearly in front of the defenders when he pulled off his acrobatic shot, but VAR determined that the ball came from Atlético defender Mario Hermoso, thus annulling the offside.

Atlético was the home team but the match was played in Bucharest, Romania, because of travel restrictio­ns preventing visitors from Britain entering Spain.

The second leg will be on March 17 in London.

In the other round-of-16 match on Tuesday, Bayern Munich defeated Lazio 4-1 in Italy.

It was the second consecutiv­e loss for Atlético after a sevenmatch unbeaten streak in all competitio­ns. It was also the eighth straight game in which the Spanish club has conceded a goal, extending its worst run without a clean sheet since coach Diego Simeone arrived in late 2011.

Chelsea is yet to lose in its eight matches since coach Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard at the helm.

It had been a lackluster match until Giroud's goal, with neither team managing to create many significan­t scoring opportunit­ies and with the goalkeeper­s not having to work too hard. Chelsea controlled possession and looked a bit more dangerous, but both sides appeared to be satisfied with the scoreless draw and didn't take too many risks.

Hermoso was trying to clear the ball from the area and ended kicking it backward in a ball dispute with Mason Mount. Giroud reached up high with his left foot send the ball toward the corner of Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

Mount and Jorginho were shown yellow cards and will miss the second leg because of accumulati­on of cards.

Simeone had to improvise with midfielder Marcos Llorente as a right back against Chelsea because of several absences on defense, including Kieran Trippier following an English betting investigat­ion.

 ??  ?? Freediver David Vencl reacts after setting a new world record in men's swimming under ice near Teplice, Czech Republic
Freediver David Vencl reacts after setting a new world record in men's swimming under ice near Teplice, Czech Republic
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