England need FA Cup final spirit at World Cup

2006-5-18

England must be ready to repeat Liverpool's FA Cup final heroics if they want to make progress at the World Cup, says defender Jamie Carragher.

In one of the Cup's greatest finals, Liverpool twice came from beind to snatch a 3-3 draw with West Ham United before their exhausted players won a penalty shoot-out last weekend.

Carragher drew a parallel between the stakes in a Cup final and a World Cup game, when players could be making their last appearance in either competition.

"The FA Cup is every year and the World Cup is every four years - but who knows when you're going to be in an F A Cup final again," he told reporters at the team's training camp in Portugal.

"In a World Cup game, if there's 20 minutes to go and the score's not going right, you know it could be another four years (to wait) -- and some players may never get the chance again.

"So it does become a life and death thing, where you've just got to give it everything."

Liverpool certainly gave it everything in Cardiff and the pressure paid off when Carragher's club and England team mate Steven Gerrard scored his second goal -- a vital stoppage-time equaliser. ---From [ Football Guardian ]

Trophies galore at snooker and billiards presentation

2006-5-18

BRIDLINGTON and district Billiards and Snooker League held their presentation evening last Tuesday night at Quay Leisure with hundreds of trophies up for grabs.

The league would like to thank Quay Leisure for the excellent buffet and all the staff for the excellent service.

Trophies were presented by president Trevor Pearson.

The league hold their AGM next week and then look forward to next season following what has been another superb season.---From [ Bridlington Today ]

Track and field teams claim NCC titles

For the first time in school history, the South Dakota Track and Field squad has captured both the men's and women's North Central Conference titles in the same outdoor season.

The Coyotes accomplished the feat on Saturday with the men's team rolling up a school record 274 points and the women's team recording 206 points at the NCC Track and Field Championships at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

The USD women's team also made school history with its second straight triple crown as USD put together its seventh straight cross country, or women's indoor or outdoor title. It is the women's third straight outdoor title.

The women's team won its sixth overall outdoor title. In addition, the Coyote women's squad, which won six individual or relay titles, scored over 200 points for the third straight outdoor meet (202, 2005; 230.5, 2004).

The men's team set a new school mark and had the second highest point total (274) in league history (North Dakota State, 306.5, 2003). The men's team picked up its 11th overall outdoor title. The USD men's team won 10 of the individual or relay titles contested during the championships.

"I am so proud of this team that fought through a lot and then stepped up big time today," said men's head coach Dave Gottsleben, who is in his 22nd year as head track coach. ---From [ Plaintalk ]

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Olympic Volleyball venue under renovation

2006--5-18

Capital Indoor Stadium, an Olympic volleyball competition venue, started its renovation and expansion project on Thursday.

Covering an area of 11.82 hectares, the 38-year old stadium is a comprehensive and multi-functional facility. As a major sport and cultural building in the country's capital, it has undertaken many national and international sport events and large-scale art performances. However, an urgent facelift is necessary to meet competition and training needs of 2008 Olympic Games.

The goal of the project is to add 1,600 square meters to the current floor space of 53,000 square meters. To meet International Olympic Committee (IOC) and international sports federations (IFs) functional requirements, renovation will touch on competition and training fields and Games-time auxiliary rooms in addition to building a new ticket hall and goods deposit desks as well as beautifying the surroundings.

Expected to be completed in late 2007, the stadium will be used for Olympic volleyball competitions and large-scale functions after the Games.

A total of 31 competition venues will be used for 26 sports in Beijing during the 16-day Olympiad (8-24 August 2008). Of these 11 are new venues, 11 are existing sites to be renovated or expanded and nine are temporary ones. ---From [ China Daily ]

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