IN BRIEF (Page 24)
Swimming
Britain target Aussie sprint coaches for Olympics
SYDNEY: Australia's best two sprint swimming coaches have been targeted by British representatives as part of an international poaching raid for the London 2012 Olympics, reports said yesterday.
Stephan Widmer, who coaches world 50m and 100m freestyle champion Libby Lenton, and Shannon Rollason, who guided Jodie Henry to three Olympic gold medals in 2004, are on a hit list drawn up by the British to bolster their performance at the home Games, the reports said.
Rollason spoke to British representatives in Canet last weekend, while Widmer was approached in Barcelona, where a large Australian team is contesting the international trophy competition this week.
Swiss-born Widmer, whose contract with the Queensland Academy of Sport expires next year, said he had had a "very informal and brief" meeting with the British and an offer for his services had yet to be made.
BASEBALL
Rodriguez inspires Yankees to 8th in a row
NEW YORK: Mike Mussina pitched into the eighth inning, Alex Rodriguez hit his major league-leading 25th homer and the New York Yankees beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2 to extend their season-high winning streak to eight games on Wednesday.
Hideki Matsui hit a three-run homer and Jorge Posada also connected for New York (32-31), which has a winning record for the first time since April 20.
Mussina (3-3) allowed two runs and six hits in 7 2-3 innings to earn his first win since May 9.
Livan Hernandez (5-4) gave up seven runs and nine hits in four innings.
Conor Jackson homered and Chris Young hit a sacrifice fly for Arizona, which has lost five of six.
Soccer
Pavon shines in Honduras win, Mexico edge Panama
HOUSTON: Carlos Pavon struck four goals to lift Honduras to a 5-0 win over Cuba on Wednesday and secure their place in the Gold Cup quarterfinals.
In the late game, Group C rivals Mexico joined the Hondurans in the last eight after Carlos Salcido's 58th-minute strike was enough to see off Panama, who also advance as one of the best third-placed teams.
Honduras utterly outclassed Cuba with Pavon completing a hat-trick inside the opening 40 minutes.
Panama next face hosts United States on Saturday, but they will be without Rolando Escobar and Roman Torres, who were both sent off in the latter stages of the game.
In the other quarterfinals, Canada take on Guatemala on Saturday, while Honduras play Guadeloupe and Mexico face Costa Rica on Sunday.
(China Daily 06/15/2007 page24)
