TUESDAY, 12.00NOON:
GAUTENG’S Malcolm Lange was in 10th position at the end of the second day of the Tour of Japan cycle race in Suzuka yesterday. Lange, 24, is riding for the Nippon Hado Italian Invitation team, made up of three Italian and two Japanese cyclists.
After the 147km circuit race, Lange said yesterday, “It was very fast, flat-out racing. The average speed was 46km/h. It’s pretty frantic out there.”
SPORT BRIEFS
FERREIRA OUTWAYNE FERREIRA made a first round exit at the Italian Open yesterday, bowing out under pressure from Sweden’s Magnus Larsson, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, (7-5). Ferreira had five match points, but lost them all. “It was a little unfortunate, but I played well, he played well too and it was a good match,” Ferreira said.
SOCCER FRIENDLY SA Football Association CE Danny Jordaan confirmed yesterday that SA will face France in an international friendly in Paris this October. Bafana Bafana will also play England in Manchester on May 24 and Holland on June 4 in SA.
HOLIDAY DEFENSE SOUTH AFRICA’S International Boxing Federation lightweight champion Phillip Holiday will defend his title against American Pete Taliaferro in the Nashua tournament at the Carousel on Friday night. Holiday weighed in at 64,40kg yesterday – about three kilograms over the minimum weight for the division. Promoter Rodney Berman said that’s not a problem. “Yes, Holiday is over. But he’s within the required 5 percent. If anything, I guess you can say Taliaferro won the proverbial first round,” he said.