American Evan Lysacek wins men's figure skating title

Reigning world champion Evan Lysacek of the United States has won the men's figure skating gold.

Russia's defending champion Yevgeny Plushenko took silver while Daisuke Takahashi gave Japan their first ever men's podium finish with the bronze.

Plushenko was favourite but several wobbles in his free programme opened the door for Lysacek whose artistic performance won over the judges.

His overall score of 257.67 eclipsed Plushenko by 1.31 points.

It was America's first gold in the event since the Olympics were last held in Canada when Brian Boitano won in Calgary in 1988. Source : BBC Online

Jessica Ennis sits out Grand Prix with foot injury

World heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis is out of this weekend's Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham after failing to recover from a foot ligament strain.

Ennis also missed last week's World Trials and UK Championships in her home town Sheffield with the injury.

"New scans of my foot show it has healed a lot," said the 24-year-old.

"But with the World Indoors only a few weeks away, the advice from the UK Athletics medical team is to give it a little more time to completely heal."

Ennis had already qualified for the World Indoor Championships in Doha from 12-14 March. Source: BBC Online

Laxman and Dhoni extend India lead with unbeaten tons

VVS Laxman and Mahendra Dhoni both added unbeaten centuries to give India a huge 347-run first-innings lead in the second Test against South Africa.

Building on a 249-run stand from Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar on day two, Laxman hit 143 runs while Dhoni finished on 132 not out.

The pair helped extend the lead by 301 runs, with Amit Mishra the only wicket, before India declared on 643-6.

South Africa added six runs without loss before bad light ended play.

The visitors now face a tough task with two days left to play as they look to maintain their 1-0 series lead.

They will look to replicate the efforts of Laxman and Dhoni, who oozed class as their seventh-wicket partnership garnered their 15th and fourth centuries respectively.

But South Africa did have several opportunities to limit their impact and they will not be looking forward to the prospect of a marathon stand in the last two days in Kolkota.

Mishra made a nuisance of himself at the beginning of the day by wracking up 28 runs alongside Laxman. The nightwatchman hit five boundaries and was dropped by Jacques Kallis and Graham Smith before Kallis made amends by taking a catch at slip from a Morne Morkel delivery.
In overcast morning conditions Dhoni was slow to get his innings going, but it was while bowling to Laxman that South Africa had two chances to make another breakthrough.

First, the batsman mistimed a drive and the inside-edge was almost caught by a diving stand-in wicketkeeper AB de Villiers, while another offering was put down by JP Duminy when Laxman was on 48.

That allowed India to go into lunch on 431-6 and Dhoni and Laxman added a further 117 as they piled on the runs.

The pair both reached their respective centuries in the final session, making it only the second time that four Indian batsman have scored 100s in the same innings.

India then extended their lead past the 300 mark when Dhoni hammered Duminy for consecutive sixes before the declaration was made. Sourch : BBC Online

Man Utd as good as 1999 Treble-winning team: Says Beckham

AC Milan midfielder David Beckham says the current Manchester United team is as good as the Treble-winning side he was part of in 1999.

Beckham, 34, hopes to come up against his former club for the first time since he left in 2003 in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg.

"I think they are as talented as the team back then," said Beckham.

"The Champions League is important to so many clubs. United are always going to be a strong team."

Beckham spent 12 years with United before joining Real Madrid and helped the Red Devils win the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in the historic Treble of 1999.

However, he insisted he will put emotion to one side in the first leg against his old team in Italy.

"It's going to be emotional but, as a United fan, it's the first time I am going to want them to lose," he stated.

"As an AC Milan player I want to beat United - it is important we win the game and progress to the next stage." Sourch : BBC Online