IN BRIEF (Page 22)

Cycling

China's Ma Haijun back as the best Asian rider

Kudentsov Sergey of Marco Polo Team won his second stage-victory after finishing in first in the fourth stage of the Haima Tour on Hainan Island on Wednesday.

The 188-km fourth stage from Haikou to Danzhou was the longest stage of the tour.

Russian National Team rider Jenis Galimzyanov kept his yellow jersey for the fifth straight day. Ma Haijun of China Skoda Team overtook a Japanese rider to become the best Asian rider in the overall standings and donned the green jersey. Ma was fifth in the overall standings.

In the overall team standings, Australia went to the top with a three-second advantage over China. China remained the best Asian team thanks to Ma and Zou Rongxi, who was seventh overall.

After five days of competition on flat surface, the last three stages will be on uphill mountain roads. The 168-km sixth stage is from Danzhou to Dongfang.

Miscellaneous

National City Games star athletes selected

Olympic shooting champion Zhu Qinan and teen swimmer Li Xuanxu were chosen as the Skyworth best athletes of the Sixth National City Games.

The Games ended in Wuhan, Hubei Province last Saturday with Zhu the only athlete to better the world record in the men's 10-meter air rifle. Thirteen-year-old Li showed her potential by capturing three gold medals in the women's 200m and 400m individual medley and 800m freestyle.

Organized by the China National Daily Newspaper Sports News Society and the Skyworth Group, the event chose one male and one female athlete who not only put up sparkling performance at the Games, but also showed great potential, as judged by a panel of sports mavens, writers and editors.

Since the Ninth National Games in Guangzhou in 2001, the society and Skyworth, partner of the China National Shooting Team, have collaborated in a series of selection activities. Past winners include 110m hurdles world-record holder Liu Xiang, NBA star center Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets, and women's table tennis world and Olympic champion Zhang Yining.

Golf

Fasth and Stadler share Shanghai course record

SHANGHAI: Sweden's Niclas Fasth shot a stunning first round 64 to equal the course record at the Champions yesterday and American Kevin Stadler later matched him to share a three-shot lead at the $5 million tournament.

A strong finish for a round of 67 put Vijay Singh alone in third while world No 2 Phil Mickelson, Argentina's US Open champion Angel Cabrera, British Open champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland and five others shared fourth after carding 68s.

An opening birdie and an eagle three secured with a 25-foot putt from the back fringe set the 35-year-old Fasth on his way to matching the eight-under-par rounds carded by Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson and Michael Campbell last year.

(China Daily 11/09/2007 page22)