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Sport shorts: Eliud Kipchoge attempts 1:59 marathon record and F1 moves Japanese GP qualifying to Sunday
Ten things from the world of sport on Friday 11 October
The 34-year-old currently holds the world record for the 26.2-mile distance - 2:01:39 set in Berlin last year - but tomorrow he will aim to break the two-hour mark when competing in the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria.
Kipchoge, the reigning Olympic and London Marathon champion, said: “I’m feeling well, I’m happy with the course and I am waiting for Saturday.
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“Vienna is a sporting city. The crowd loves sport in Vienna and the course is flat and fast and in a park - a natural environment.
“Berlin was about running a world record, Vienna is about running and breaking history, like the first man on the moon.”
The start time for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge is 8.15am CEST (7.15am BST) tomorrow morning.
2. Nike’s Oregon Project is shut down
The Nike Oregon Project has been shut down following Alberto Salazar’s four-year suspension for doping violations.
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Nike said in a statement: “Nike has always tried to put the athlete and their needs at the front of all of our decisions. This situation including uninformed innuendo and unsubstantiated assertions has become an unfair burden for current OP athletes. That is exactly counter to the purpose of the team.
“We have therefore made the decision to wind down the Oregon Project to allow the athletes to focus on their training and competition needs. We will help all of our athletes in this transition as they choose the coaching set up that is right for them.”
3. Another gold for Biles
Simone Biles has created more history at the World Gymnastics Championships. The 22-year-old American won a record fifth all-around world title and 22nd championship medal.
Tomorrow in Stuttgart Biles could win her 23rd and 24th world medals when she competes in the vault and uneven bars apparatus finals.
4. Kohli hits double century for India
Cricketer Virat Kohli is another sporting superstar who continues to break records. The India captain scored 254 not out in the second Test against South Africa and passed 7,000 career runs in the process.
5. Storm rages at the Rugby World Cup
As Typhoon Hagibis nears Japan there is a storm already raging as officials from the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) allegedly threaten to take legal action against the Rugby World Cup tournament organisers.
In what is turning into a nightmare of unprecedented proportions for World Rugby, the sport’s governing body, The Daily Telegraph says that a “furious row has broken out in Japan” between the SRU and World Rugby after a “series of lengthy and bad-tempered meetings”.
The SRU’s chief executive, Mark Dodson, is said to be “in a state of apoplexy” at the prospect of Sunday’s crucial encounter with Japan being called off at short notice, which would mean the hosts progressing to the quarter-finals at the expense of the Scots.
F1 chiefs have made the decision to cancel all activities at Suzuka tomorrow, so qualifying will now be held at 2am (UK time) on Sunday, four hours before the race. Practice three is also cancelled.
It has also been confirmed that should Sunday’s qualifying be postponed then the starting grid will be determined by the results from FP2. That would put Valtteri Bottas on pole position ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
7. Brady stars as Pats win sixth match
Reigning NFL Super Bowl champions the New England Patriots have extended their 100% winning record in AFC East. The Patriots won their sixth match of the season, beating the New York Giants 35-14 last night.
Quarterback Tom Brady scored two touchdowns and moved ahead of Peyton Manning as the NFL’s second all-time leading passer.
On Sunday NFL action returns to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing the Carolina Panthers.
The Sun says that United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is planning for the future, despite reports earlier in the week suggesting he will be sacked if the Red Devils lose to Norwich on 27 October.
9. ‘Dreadful’ Scots hammered in Russia
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke says his side must make sure that last night’s “dreadful” 4-0 thrashing by Russia was the lowest of the low.
The Euro 2020 qualifying defeat means the Scots can now only reach next summer’s tournament via the play-offs.
Clarke said: “We can’t keep conceding goals. You have to give a nod to the quality of opposition we’ve played recently, but for us, it’s to try to make sure this is the very, very bottom of the lowest and we build from here and make sure that come March, we are able to be very, very competitive and get through the play-offs.”
The Daily Mail reports that England have been caught up in an “explosive race row” with Bulgaria amid fears of racial abuse during Monday’s Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia.
Bulgarian football chiefs have made an official complaint to Uefa warning that the English FA’s fixation with racism could increase tensions.
The Daily Mirror says the Bulgarian “backlash” comes after comments made by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate and players such as Tammy Abraham were described as “offensive” and “derogatory”.
England can qualify for next summer’s European Championships with victory tonight in the Czech Republic. The Three Lions then play in Bulgaria on Monday night. Both games kick-off at 7.45pm (UK time) and are live on ITV.
