Sports


Oman to host GCC sports media meeting

MUSCAT — The GCC Sports Media Association will hold its first meeting at Grand Hyatt here today. The meeting follows the restructuring of the association's board under the chairmanship of Salim bin Sulaim al Habsi. The meeting will discuss the selection of a deputy chairman, training and financial programmes, articles of association and membership fees..............

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Federer sets up 4th round date with Soderling

LONDON — Wimbledon's usually reliable weather forecasters got it completely wrong yesterday but Roger Federer made all the right moves as he breezed into the second week of the grass-court championships. When the All England Club threw its gates open yesterday, a booming voice through the PA system welcomed the spectators flocking into the grounds............

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Serena, Federer pay tribute to pop king Jackson
LONDON — Former Wimbledon champion Serena Williams has paid tribute to pop legend Michael Jackson, who died on Thursday, describing the entertainer as an 'icon' and the 'ultimate celebrity.' Williams had already posted her condolences to the Jackson family on the Twitter website hours after the 50-year-old's death in Los Angeles.

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Rossi secures pole in Dutch Grand Prix
ASSEN, Netherlands — Italy's Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) on Friday secured pole position for the MotoGP Dutch Grand Prix here, ahead of Spaniards Dani Pedrosa (Honda) and Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha). It was the second pole of the year for the eight-time world champion, following his first-place start in Japan, and the 53rd of his career.

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Hirvonen leads in Poland
MIKOLAJKI, Poland — Finland's Mikko Hirvonen led the Rally of Poland for Ford on Friday after Citroen's world champion Sebastien Loeb hit trouble for the third race in a row. Frenchman Loeb, who had seemed to be cruising towards a sixth successive title when he won the first five rallies of the season, crashed into a hidden tree stump early in the third stage...........

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Brazilians pay tribute to beaten Bafana Bafana
JOHANNESBURG — Brazilian players paid a tribute to Bafana Bafana after the Selecao had beaten the Confederations Cup hosts 1-0 in Thursday's semifinal played in Johannesburg's Ellis Park Stadium. Substitute Daniel Alves sent the five-time world champions into the final with an 88th-minute free-kick winner.

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