TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2014 SPORTS Farah gunning for record books at Euros ZURICH: The incentive for Mo Farah when he hits whether the man who won back to back 5,000m He has five European outdoor medals (two from and find the extra 5cm he would need to match the comeback trail at the European Championships, and 10,000m crowns at the 2012 Olympic Games in relays) and could finish the 2014 championships Cuban Javier Sotomayor’s 21-year-old global mark. which open at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich on London and the 2013. with an overall record of seven or eight. Lemaitre’s The star turn in the women’s events is likely to be Tuesday, will be a place in the record books. World Championships in Moscow is back in compatriot Jimmy Vicaut will start favourite ahead Dafne Schippers, who broke the Dutch 100m and The 31-year-old British distance runner has shape following the illness that forced him to with- of him in the 100m and he could be pushed close 200m records at the Glasgow Diamond League already won four European outdoor medals in indi- draw from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. by another British sprinter, Adam Gemili, in the meeting last month. The 22-year-old from Utrecht, vidual events (two golds at 5,000m, one gold at Farah said at the time: “I need another few weeks 200m before he teams up with Vicaut in the 4 x who won World Championship bronze as a heptath- 10,000m and a silver at 5,000m) and no male athlete of training,” and he has since been photographed 100m relay. lete in 2013, is aiming to complete a championship has ever won five. Four men have gained six medals training flat out, paced by a bicycle rider, at high Since 1928 the Letzigrund Stadium has wit- sprint double that was achieved by the original - British duo Roger Black, Linford Christie, German altitude at Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees. nessed 25 world records. The prospect of a 26th will Flying Dutchwoman, Fanny Blankers-Koen, in great Harald Schmid and late Italian sprint legend That, and the fact that he announced last week depend on whether the French pole vaulter Renaud Brussels in 1950. The race of the championship on Pietro Mennea - but their tallies were all boosted by that he would be contesting the Great North Run Lavillenie can suddenly rediscover the form that the women’s programme, however, should be two or three relay medals. Half Marathon in the north-east of England on took him over a world record 6.16m in Donetsk, between former Ethiopians Abeba Aregawi (now So Farah could take his haul from individual September 7 suggests that he is ready to return to Ukraine, in February (his best thus far in the outdoor running for Sweden) and Sifan Hassan (a naturalised events to six if he finishes on the podium after the action in Zurich. The French sprinter Christophe season is 5.92m) - and whether the Ukrainian high Flying Dutchwoman) in the 1500m. The women’s 10,000m final on Wednesday (13 August) and the Lemaitre will also be chasing a place in the history jumper Bohdan Bondarenko, who has twice cleared marathon features triplets Leila, Liina and Lily Luik, 5,000m on Sunday (17 August). The big question is books. 2.40m this summer, can overcome a recent illness running for Estonia. — AFP Rodriguez set for Real bow in Super Cup tie LONDON: World Cup sensation James Rodriguez is in line to make his Real Madrid debut when the European champions tackle Europa League winners Sevilla in today’s all- Spanish UEFA Super Cup in Cardiff. Madrid’s 4- 1 extra-time win over city rivals Atletico Madrid in Lisbon in May ended their 12-year wait for a 10th European Cup and they now look even stronger after a characteristically extravagant close-season recruitment drive. Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Keylor Navas arrived at the Bernabeu after impressing at the World Cup and all are in line to feature at the Cardiff City Stadium. FRANCE: Lyon’s French forward Alexandre Lacazette (center) reacts after scoring next The first glimpse of 80-million-euro ($108 to Lyon’s French midfielder Jordan Ferri (left) and Lyon’s French midfielder Corentin million) playmaker Rodriguez in a Madrid shirt Tolisso (right) during the French League match against Stade Rennais. — AFP is keenly anticipated after he dazzled for Colombia in Brazil, scoring six goals to win the Golden Boot. Monaco lose home With the 23-year-old former Monaco play- maker joining Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in the Spanish capital, Madrid now pos- Opener, Lyon win sess three of the four most expensive players of all-time. PARIS: Last season’s runners-up Monaco second yellow card. The principality club, The trio could grace a pitch together for the made a disappointing start to the new who under Russian billionaire Dmitry first time in Cardiff, but like Kroos, who arrived Ligue 1 campaign with a 2-1 defeat at Rybolovlev splashed out more than 100 from Bayern Munich after starring in Germany’s home to Lorient on Sunday with the million euros ($134 million) on transfers last World Cup triumph, Rodriguez is short of fit- absence of the sold James Rodriguez all year, finished last season nine points adrift ness and unlikely to start. too obvious. Lorient opened the scoring of Paris St Germain but still qualified auto- Along with Costa Rican goalkeeper Navas, through Vincent Aboubakar’s ninth minute matically for this term’s Champions League. the pair only returned to training last week and penalty and although Radamel Falcao hit Despite their bank balance and relative coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that his back with a spot kick of his own on 78 min- success in their first campaign back in the players are some way short of peak condition. utes, Valentin Lavigne grabbed the winner top flight, Monaco sold World Cup top scor- “We had to give holidays to some players three minutes from time. er Rodriguez to Real Madrid in the close until August 5,” said the Italian. “Therefore, we Monaco also had defender Ricardo season and fellow Colombian Falcao is con- haven’t had much time to prepare for the Carvalho sent off in the 67th minute for a stantly linked in the media with a move. game. We need to try our hardest in August to Portuguese Leonardo Jardim was prepare the players in the best way possible for appointed as Monaco coach in June after the new season.” The Super Cup is one of six MATCH the club replaced Italian Claudio Ranieri in trophies that Madrid could win this season, but ON TV a bid for a “new dynamic”. they are still searching for their first pre-season Olympique Lyonnais won 2-0 at home victory after two defeats and a draw on their to Stade Rennes in their season opener, tour of the United States. UEFA Super Cup midfielder Steed Malbranque putting them One player who seems certain to start is ahead in the 64th minute and Alexandre Welsh forward Bale, who was born and raised Real Madrid v Sevilla 21:45 Lacazette adding a penalty. Big-spending in Cardiff and went to school just four miles beIN SPORTS 1 HD champions PSG drew their first league (6.4 kilometres) from Tuesday’s match venue. beIN SPORTS 11 HD match of the new campaign on Friday beIN SPORTS 13 HD when they were held 2-2 at Stade de Reims ‘DREAM COME TRUE’ beIN SPORTS 1 HD FR with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring twice but Scorer of the decisive second goal in the missing a penalty. — Reuters Champions League final, the 25-year-old found the net twice in the US and is relishing the prospect of playing in front of his home crowd. “I knew the Super Cup would be played in Cardiff a good 18 months ago,” Bale told Spanish newspaper Marca. “When I came to Real Madrid it was always a dream of mine that if we could win the Champions League, we could play in Cardiff. Now that dream has come true.” Today’s opponents will carry special sig- nificance for Bale, for it was against Sevilla last October that he scored a brace in a 7-3 win that truly launched his Madrid career. Ancelotti’s side enjoyed less success in the return fixture, going down 2-1 in March in a game that fatally undermined their league title bid, so the reunion in the Welsh capital will also offer an opportunity for revenge. Sevilla beat Benfica on penalties in the Europa League final in Turin to win the compe- tition for the third time in nine seasons. They have lost influential Croatian playmak- er Ivan Rakitic to Barcelona, while Stephane Mbia-scorer of a decisive injury-time goal against Valencia in the Europa League semi- finals-has returned to parent club Queens Park Rangers. INDIANAPOLIS: Marc Marquez of Spain and Repsol Honda Team celebrates on the But Spanish forward Iago Aspas could make podium after his victory at the end of the MotoGP race during the MotoGp Red Bull his debut against Madrid, having joined from US Indianapolis Grand Prix. — AFP Liverpool on a season-long loan. Coach Unai Emery has dismissed suggestions that the Marquez stays unbeaten comparative lack of World Cup players in his squad will give Sevilla an advantage, but he has backed his team to pull off an upset. “How in 2014 with MotoGP win can we possibly be favourites against Real Madrid?” he said.