Pankaj Advani, Bhaskar in World Billiards semis
Leeds: On a day of mixed fortunes for Indian cueists, Pankaj Advani and Balachandra Bhaskar were the ones left smiling as they entered the World Billiards Championship (time format) semi-finals, here on Tuesday. If it was another clinical performance by India’s poster boy of cue sports Advani, who outplayed compatriot Rupesh Shah in the quarter-final, then Bhaskar stunned the much-fancied Peter Gilchrist in the last-eight clash. Advani, who has already won the 150-up points format title, looked unstoppable in the longer format as well after the Bangalore cueist had a barrage of big breaks against Shah before pocketing the match 916-665. But it was another Bangalore cueist, Bhaskar, who hogged the limelight after dispatching top Singapore cueist Gilchrist 797-561. Bhaskar, with a highest break of 204, is sure eyeing his first world title as he takes on Robert Hall, who got past India’s Devendra Joshi 862-611, in the semi-final. But the most awaited last-four clash will surely be between title contenders Advani and England’s David Causier, who had it easy against Dhruv Sitwala (1146-616) in the last-eight match. (PTI)
S Africa police release identikits of football captain killers
Johannesburg: South African police on Tuesday released the facial composites of two men wanted for shooting dead national football captain Senzo Meyiwa, during a robbery at his pop-star girlfriend’s home. The twenty-seven-year-old goalkeeper was killed late Sunday after burglars broke into Kelly Khumalo’s house near Johannesburg, making off with a cell phone. No arrests have yet been made, but police have launched a manhunt and released sketches recreated from eyewitness descriptions of one dreadlocked man and another with a hoodie. Police have offered a reward of 250,000 rand ($23,000) for any information leading to his killer’s arrest. Police have appointed high-ranking officers to their own investigation team. A star ballistic witness for the state in the Oscar Pistorius case — captain Chris Mangena — is among the officers investigating the killing of the Bafana Bafana captain. Local media reported that Meyiwa’s family have hired private investigators to conduct a parallel probe of the death. Meyiwa was gunned down after an altercation with the burglars at a house in Vosloorus, a township about 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Johannesburg. He will be buried on Saturday in his home town in Durban. (AFP)
Female boxer dies following bout
Pretoria: A female boxer in South Africa has died after being in a coma for two weeks following a bout, another sports death in a country already mourning the loss of a former world-champion runner and the captain of the national football team. The sports ministry’s announcement Tuesday that Phindile Mwelase had died Saturday in the hospital means three South African athletes died in three days. Former 800-meter world champion and Olympic silver medalist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was killed in a car crash on Friday. Popular national soccer team captain and goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was fatally shot in an apparent house robbery on Sunday, unleashing widespread dismay and anger in South Africa, which struggles with high levels of violent crime. Mwelase died at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in the capital, Pretoria, South Africa’s sports ministry said, after she was knocked out in a bout on Oct. 10. It didn’t give her age but reports said she was 31. The ministry said it was “a very difficult week” for South African sport. Boxing South Africa, the national federation, announced Mwelase’s funeral would be held on Saturday in her home town of Ladysmith, in the eastern Kwazulu-Natal province. Boxing South Africa said it “grieves at the passing of a wonderful and tremendous individual.” (AP)
U-12 football tourney concludes
JOWAI: The under-12 (Boys and girls) open football tournament organized by the District Sports Officer, West Jaintia Hills District as part of the 100 Days Festival at the Thadlaskein Block concluded at Ummulong on Tuesday. Little Flower Secondary School, Ummulong emerged winners in both the boys and girls categories. In the boys category Little Flower Secondary School beat Mookyndur Sports Club 4-1 in tie breaker while in the girls’ category they beat Lumjingshai U.P/L.P School, Moodymmai 1-0. 11 teams participated in the boys category while there were 4 teams in the girls category.