India to take on Egypt in opener

New Delhi: India will start their title defence in the junior World Cup hockey tournament in Rotterdam with a match against Egypt on June 29. India, who won the title in Australia four years back, are in pool D alongwith Egypt, hosts Holland and Poland. In other league matches, India will face Polland on June 30 and the hosts on July 2, the Indian Hockey Federation said on Saturday.

According to the tournament format, the top three sides from each pool would move to the next stage, which will have two groups ? E and F ? with both having six teams each. The top two teams from the pools will play the semi-finals. The final will be on July 10.

Marion?s vow

Lawrence (Kansas): Marion Jones is aiming to reclaim her place atop women?s sprinting despite a dismal start to her season and a disappointing showing at the Athens Olympics.

The 29-year-old American, who won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will run as the anchor of a 4x200-metre relay here at the Kansas Relays, trying to show she still can win races before later planned meets in Europe. ?My training has been going really well,? Jones said. ?My goal is to go out there and perform the way I know I can.?

Jones was last in the 400m in 55.03 seconds last Sunday at the Mt Sac relays in California, in her first race since the Athens Games, well off her personal best of 49.59.

Olivera penalty

Madrid: Albacete?s Uruguayan striker Nicolas Olivera was fined 12,000 euros and banned from training on Friday after he criticised his teammates and coach Martin Monteagudo?s selection policy.

?In the cold light of day I have thought about it, and with the support of my colleagues who have helped me a lot, I accept this punishment, which is very severe,? Olivera told a sports daily on Saturday.

Albacete lie 19th in the 20-team Primera Liga standings, 10 points adrift of safety with six games to play.

Mehta loss ends India challenge

New Delhi: Indian challenge in the Asian under-21 snooker championship being held in Bangkok came to an end with fifth seed Aditya Mehta going down to local hope Kobkit Palajin in the quarter finals.

Mehta, the lone Indian to qualify for the knock-out stage, led the tie for the majority of the period but failed to pack in the final punch as he went down 23-58, 87-13, 67-14, 9-61, 71-60, 55-79, 59-11, 46-75, 21-75 in the match played on Friday, according to information received here on Saturday.

The other two Indian contenders ? Ayush Kumar and Rishabh Thakkar ? failed to move beyond the group stage. While Thakkar finished third with two wins and two losses, Ayush failed to register a win.

Ferrero in final

Barcelona: Juan Carlos Ferrero claimed a place in his first ATP final in more than a year with a 7-6, 6-1 win over Russian Nikolay Davydenko in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open on Saturday.

Armstrong problems

Toronto: Lance Armstrong?s problems followed him into the mountains on Friday, as he laboured to a seventh-place finish in the fourth stage of Tour de Georgia.

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