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Chronicle
The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) plans to change the regulations of the largest commercial competitions for national teams - the men's World League and the women's Grand Prix.
The preliminary composition of the participants in the 2011 World League was determined yesterday after the second round of qualifying was completed. Korea retained its registration in the tournament, having twice defeated Japan away from home (3:1, 3:1), and the Puerto Ricans will make their debut in prestigious competitions. They turned out to be stronger than China (3:1, 3:1). Here is who should compete in the 2011 ML, subject to the fulfillment of numerous organizational and financial requirements of the FIVB: Russia, Argentina, Bulgaria, Brazil, Germany, Holland, Egypt, Italy, Korea, Cuba, Poland, Puerto Rico, Serbia, USA, Finland and France. According to the reform project, which is yet to be discussed at a meeting of the FIVB administrative council and at the organization's September congress, the first stage will create the same four quartets as before, but one of them will receive the status of a supergroup. The first four teams in the world ranking will perform in it (Russia is currently in second place).
According to the official website of the All-Russian Volleyball Federation, the composition of participants in the final tournament of the World League is planned to be increased from six teams to eight. This number will include the owner of the decisive stage, the three best teams of the supergroup and the winners of the other three fours. The last, eighth vacancy will be played in an additional tournament with the participation of the fourth team of the supergroup and the teams that finished in second place in other quartets.
The Women's Grand Prix will almost certainly be expanded from 12 teams to 16, with continental quotas increasing accordingly. The decision is due to be made on September 7 in Rome. In the meantime, the players of our women's team, which from September 17 to 22 will compete on the Italian island of Sardinia in the European selection for the Grand Prix (six teams participating), are in the dark about the number of tickets up for grabs - either two, as previously assumed, or three taking into account the upcoming changes.
Rudisha breaks the world record again
Kenyan runner David Lekuta Rudisha set a new world record in the 800 meters - 1 minute. 41.01 sec. This happened at the competition of the second most important commercial series of starts, the IAAF World Challenge, in Rieti (Italy). From his previous achievement a week ago in Berlin (Germany), the African dropped 0.08 seconds. Let us remember that before Rudisha’s exploits, the world record in the 800 m race had been held for 13 years by a native of Kenya with a Danish passport, Wilson Kipketer (1:41.11).
Apart from these masters of middle-distance running, in the history of athletics only two athletes managed to run in less than 1 minute. 42 seconds, and this happened back in the last century. The famous Briton Sebastian Coe overcame the milestone in 1981, and the Brazilian Joaquim Cruz - in the 1984 season. Note that the career best result of the 2004 Athens Olympic champion, Russian Yuri Borzakovsky, is 1:42.47 nine years ago. Rudisha is now approaching the once fantastic 1 minute mark. 41 sec.
Jamaican sprinter Nesta Carter showed an excellent result in the 100-meter race in Rieti - 9.78 seconds. Only the current world record holder Usain Bolt from Jamaica (9.58), his compatriot Asafa Powell (9.72) and the American Tyson Gay (9.69) covered his distance faster. The Russians won three victories in Rieti: hammer thrower Tatyana Lysenko (74 m 80 cm), Tatyana Firova in the 400 m race (50.25) and high jumper Yaroslav Rybakov (2 m 30 cm) distinguished themselves.
Arshavin's goal brought Arsenal victory
Football. English Championship. 3rd round. Blackburn - Arsenal - 1:2, Wolverhampton - Newcastle - 1:1, Tottenham - Wigan - 0:1, Chelsea - Stoke City " -- 2:0, "Blackpool" -- "Fulham" -- 2:2, "Manchester United" -- "West Ham" -- 3:0, "Bolton" -- "Birmingham" -- 2:2, Liverpool - West Bromwich Albion - 1:0, Sunderland - Manchester City - 1:0, Aston Villa - Everton - 1:0. Leading: Chelsea - 9 points, Arsenal, Manchester United - 7.
Russian national team player Andrei Arshavin brought victory to Arsenal, scoring against Blackburn early in the second half. The Russian's teammate Walcott opened the scoring in the 20th minute, but Mame Diouf from the home team soon restored the initial equality. Arshavin has already scored two goals in the current Premier League championship. Andrey also distinguished himself in the previous round, when the Gunners defeated Blackpool at home (6:0).
Spanish Championship. 1st round. Hercules - Athletic - 0:1, Malaga - Valencia - 1:3, Levante - Sevilla - 1:4, Osasuna - Almeria -- 0:0, Real Sociedad -- Villarreal -- 1:0, Espanyol -- Getafe -- 3:1, Deportivo -- Zaragoza -- 0:0, " Racing" - "Barcelona" - 0:3, "Mallorca" - "Real" - 0:0.
German Championship. 2nd round. "Kaiserslautern" - "Bayern" - 2:0, "Schalke 04" - "Hannover" - 1:2, "Werder" - "Cologne" - 4:2, "Wolfsburg" - " Mainz - 3:4, Eintracht - Hamburg - 1:3, Nuremberg - Freiburg - 1:2, St. Pauli - Hoffenheim - 0: 1, Bayer - Borussia M - 3:6, Stuttgart - Borussia D - 1:3.
French Championship. 4th round. “Valenciennes” – “Montpellier” – 0:1, “Saint-Etienne” – “Lance” – 3:1, “Nancy” – “Toulouse” – 0:2, “Lorient” – “ Lyon - 2:0, Arles-Avignon - Rennes - 0:1, Caen - Brest - 0:2, Lille - Nice - 1: 1, Sochaux - PSG - 3:1, Monaco - Auxerre - 2:0, Bordeaux - Marseille - 1:1. Leading: Toulouse - 12, Rennes, Montpellier - 8.
"Katyusha" dropped in the world rankings
In the new ranking of the International Cycling Union, which takes into account the results of the Benelux Tour that ended last week, the Russian Katusha team dropped from third to fifth position (750 points), behind the Dutch Rabobank (758) and the American cycling group HTC-Columbia (765). The leader is Kazakhstan's Astana (980), followed by Denmark's Saxo Bank (851). The individual ranking continues to be headed by three-time winner of the Tour de France, Spaniard Alberto Contador. In the classification of nations, Spain occupies first place with a large margin of safety.