Sat, Jul 25, 2009 page18

• Sports Briefs

  • AGENCIES
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  ■GOLF

  Three share Evian lead

  Becky Brewerton, who only got into the Evian Masters by winning last week’s Spanish Open, shot a first round five under par 67 to share the lead after the first round on Thursday. The 26-year-old Welshwoman had seven birdies to finish top of the leaderboard alongside two South Koreans, Choi Na-yeon and Kim In-kyung. World No.1 Lorena Ochoa had a disappointing day. The Mexican, seeking a first Evian title, shot 75. Off the course, there was drama on the eve of the tournament when there was a serious fire at one of the local hotels. Several players were staying at the Hotel Pavillons du Golf, and South Korean Amy Yang threw out her mattress and jumped to the ground from the balcony. Her father suffered burns to his arm.

  ■TENNIS

  Federer enjoys twin joy

  Roger Federer is the father of twin girls after his wife Mirka gave birth on Thursday. In a statement released on his personal Web site and Facebook page. “I have some exciting news to share with you,” Federer’s Facebook page said. “Late last night, in Switzerland, Mirka and I became proud parents of twin girls. We named them Myla Rose and Charlene Riva and they are both healthy and along with their mother they are doing great. This is the best day of our lives.” The 27-year-old Federer met his wife-to-be — born Miroslava Vavrinec in Slovakia — in 2000 when they were competing for Switzerland in the Sydney Olympic Games. Mirka, 31, emigrated with her family to Switzerland as a small child, and after playing on the WTA Tour and retiring prematurely due to injury, became one of Federer’s managers.

  ■CURLING

  Thieves steal rocks

  Thieves have stolen 58 curling rocks from a refrigerated truck, representing more than a third of the total of the rocks in Australia. The 22km granite rocks, valued at US$400 each, or about US$23,200 combined, were stolen between June 16 and July 7 in a parking lot next to an ice rink at Docklands in downtown Melbourne. Police believe the thieves would have been excited about the prospect of a refrigerated trailer containing alcohol, but would have quickly discovered the rocks were useless to them. Curling competitor Paul Meissner said the theft had stopped all training for both serious curlers and people learning the sport in Melbourne. There are only about 150 curling rocks in Australia. Meissner urged the thieves to return the rocks or leave them in a safe place to be found. “They’re useless to anyone else except for us, apart from as a doorstop or propping up a coffee table,” he said. “They might be valuable ... but that won’t do you any good. They could sell them to the Canadians, but they’ve got their own rocks.”

  ■ATHLETICS

  UK sprinters lazy: Powell

  Former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell branded British sprinters lazy and said they were unlikely to beat the world’s best, reports said yesterday. The Jamaican said British runners were perhaps lacking in motivation to succeed because their lifestyles were already comfortable, the BBC reported. “I’ve said over the years that British sprinters are very lazy and don’t really want to practise,” Powell said. “Maybe it’s comfort. In Jamaica, you have to work harder for what you want. We have a different mindset. You have to make a living out of it because you don’t get a living from anywhere else. “You have to go out there and make something of yourself.” Powell takes on triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt at this weekend’s London Grand Prix ahead of the World Championships in Berlin next month.
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