IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Figure skating

Chan's coach swap surprise

WINNIPEG, Canada: World silver medalist Patrick Chan and his new coach, Lori Nichol, declined to speak Saturday about Friday's surprise announcement Chan has split from long-time coach Don Laws.

The parting of ways between Canada's Chan and Florida-based Laws comes just weeks ahead of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.

Laws, who coached Scott Hamilton to 1984 Olympic gold, advised Skate Canada he would not be at rinkside when Chan vies for his third Canadian title next weekend in London, Ontario, and will not go to Vancouver where the 19-year-old will be under intense pressure to win an Olympic medal next month on home soil.

Athletics

Bolt yet to decide

RALEIGH, North Carolina: Olympic and world sprint champion Usain Bolt will not decide until July whether he will compete in October's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, his manager said on Saturday.

"Nobody has even talked about it, it is so far away," Ricky Simms said by telephone from London. "We will see how things are going."

"I have no idea," Simms said when asked whether Bolt was to likely compete at the Oct 3-14 Games. "The decision will be made in July by coach (Glen) Mills."

Bekele slumps to defeat

EDINBURGH: Ethiopia distance star Kenenisa Bekele could only manage fourth place in the 9 kilometer Edinburgh cross-country race as he suffered a rare defeat on Saturday.

Joseph Ebuya led a Kenyan clean sweep of the podium places as Bekele, returning to the snow-covered Holyrood Park venue for the first time since winning his sixth World Championship on the course in 2008, finished well behind the leading trio.

"I got killed by three Kenyans," said Bekele, the reigning Olympic champion at both 5,000 and 10,000 meters, after Ebuya, Titus Mbishei and Eliud Kipchoge came in ahead of him.

Tennis

Hewitt untroubled by injury

SYDNEY: Two-time major champion Lleyton Hewitt said yesterday he had no concerns that a back spasm he suffered at last week's Hopman Cup will affect his preparations for the Australian Open.

The Australian, whose career was threatened by a serious hip injury two years ago, received on-court treatment during his 6-2, 6-4 loss to Spaniard Tommy Robredo in Perth on Friday.

But Hewitt said the problem was not serious enough for him to withdraw from this week's Sydney International tournament.

"It feels pretty good. It has been getting treatment and I am doing all the right things since arriving back from Perth," Hewitt said yesterday.

"Having a bye into the second round here gives me a couple of days up my sleeves, which is good.

"There was never a doubt in my mind that I wouldn't play here," he said, adding the injury would not "put my Australian Open chances in jeopardy".

Hewitt, who missed a large part of the 2008 season through injury, said he felt well primed going into his home Grand Slam.

(China Daily 01/11/2010 page24)