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James ticketed for driving 101 mph on highway

MEDINA, Ohio: NBA star LeBron James was ticketed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol for driving 101 mph (163 kph) on an interstate highway.

James was cited in a 65-mph (105 kph) zone on Interstate 71 near Medina at 2:43 am on December 30 - his 23rd birthday.

Cleveland attorney Colin Jennings filed a not-guilty plea for James on Tuesday in Medina Municipal Court. A hearing is scheduled for February 11, the same day James' Cleveland Cavaliers are scheduled to play in Orlando against the Magic.

Other details about the traffic stop were not available.

Medina is about 30 miles (50 km) south of Cleveland.

Miller joins downhill elite with World Cup repeat

WENGEN, Switzerland: Bode Miller joined the elite of World Cup downhill racing when the American repeated his 2007 victory on the classic Lauberhorn course in Wengen on Sunday.

Only the very best downhill specialists have won twice in the luxury Swiss resort and Miller, who sped down in two minutes and 30.40 seconds, emulated the likes of Franz Klammer, Kristian Ghedina, Marc Girardelli and Stephan Eberharter.

Switzerland's Didier Cuche was second, 0.65 seconds behind, while Canadian Manuel Osborne-Paradis came in third for his third career podium, a full 1.33 seconds off the pace.

Lazio's Rossi rules out resignation after loss

LONDON: Lazio boss Delio Rossi said he would not resign after being locked in talks with club president Claudio Lotito following the 2-1 home loss to Genoa, which leaves the Rome club close to the Serie A relegation zone.

"Now, with humility, we must only think of safety," Rossi told reporters. "My position is not in discussion. I want to stay at Lazio as it is in difficult moments that real men come to the fore."

Zaragoza part ways with coach Fernandez after poor run

MADRID: Real Zaragoza parted company with coach Victor Fernandez after the side drew 2-2 at home with Real Mallorca in the Primera Liga on Sunday.

"It has been decided by mutual agreement between the club and the coach to rescind his contract," a statement said on the club's website (www.realzaragoza.com)

"The club would like to thank him for his efforts and professionalism."

The draw was the side's ninth game without a win and saw them slip down to 12th in the standings, two points above the relegation places.

They were expecting to be pushing for a top four finish this season. A successor has yet to be named.

Germany's Borowski to join Bayern Munich from Werder

BERLIN: Germany international Tim Borowski will join Bayern Munich when his contract with Werder Bremen expires at the end of the season.

Werder said in a statement on Sunday that midfielder Borowski had rejected the offer of a new contract and would instead move to rivals Bayern, where he will be reunited with his former national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

"It's a shame," coach Thomas Schaaf said. "We would have happily carried on working with Tim."

Borowski, 27, was part of the Germany squad that Klinsmann led to third place at the World Cup on home soil in 2006.

Bayern announced on Friday that Klinsmann would return to the Bundesliga to take over as their coach as of July 1.

Injured McCoy hoping to be back for Cheltenham

LONDON: Champion jump jockey Tony McCoy, in hospital after a heavy fall at Warwick on Saturday, hopes to be back in time for the Cheltenham Festival from March 11-14.

Irishman McCoy, 33, is being treated for a fractured vertebrae. His personal assistant Gee Bradburne told media on Sunday doctors had estimated he might be out of action for about six weeks.

McCoy, 12-time champion in Britain, has ridden 132 winners this season, 50 more than his nearest rival.

He would have been riding on Sunday at Leopardstown in Ireland where David Casey, substituting on Perce Rock in one of the big races, took a crashing fall at the last fence.

Casey, who has endured a succession of injuries, was briefly knocked out and suffered a shoulder injury, At The Races TV channel reported.

(China Daily 01/15/2008 page22)