The three-times World Championship silver medallist, McKiernan had taken one look at the course with its short sharp hill and tricky turns and said: "we have fields like that at home but I would never run on them." No matter that, nor the fact that at the crucial stage in the 4.5km race the two leaders ahead of her, Portugal's Ferananda Ribeiro and Alla Zjiliayesa, of Russia, followed the television buggy instead of jumping over a log.McKiernan lost time doing the right thing and going over the obstacle, but said afterwards that she was not troubled by the incident, not that the direct route greatly helped Portugal, the favourites,who packed solidly in the race. Yesterday's inaugural E uropean Championship at Alnwick brought an overwhelming win for Portugal's Paulo Guerra in the men's race and a battling victory for Ireland's Catherina McKiernan in the thrilling women's event. A CYNIC would say that the only way that a European was ever going to win a major cross country event in these days of African domination had to be by inventing a Europeans only championship, which is exactly what happened. An International Amateur Athletic Federation spokesman confirmed that Modahl had two negative tests in the months before the meeting in Lisbon, but Professor Arne Ljungvist, head of the IAAF's medical commission, said: "It is my belief that there can only be two verdicts in this case: either she is guilty or she was ill when tested." He refused to countenance that the samplealtered or was deliberately altered, and said that even a small amount of testosterone justifies an accusation of cheating.The case for Modahl is expected to be heard with sympathy by a British Committee of Inquiry led by Dr Martyn Lucking, but if they give her the benefit of any doubt, the battle to have her declared innocent by the IAAF will be long and hard.Profile, page 10. So in keeping with giving readers what they want, I have found a few tasteful selections so those who know nothing about the sport can choose a tasteful, practical but original gift.
Surprise the angler who thought he had everything with a Broadbill 130 rod. ``But I have had death threats from people claiming to be animal rights activists.'' Or basketball activists?. All the fishing magazines are full of what to buy for keen anglers this Christmas. Last week we reported short persons demanding their own leagues Now animals are ready to muscle in. A basketball game was scheduled recently at the Bishop's Finger, a Canterbury hostelry, between two teams of white rats.The animal trainer George Jacobs was responsible for instructing the rodents, but he was forced to cancel ``Rats are intelligent creatures,'' he said. As if the two delinquents' luck wasn't lousy enough, who should happen by but an off-duty detective, who helped the rugby players subdue their captives until forces arrived to arrest them.
A police spokesman said: ``'The suspects obviously didn't bank on exerienced rugby players being around.'' Well you don't, do you?MORE bizarre basketball news. The two were on their way back from a drink after Kent had beaten Oxford 62-0, so they were in feisty mood.The 6ft 4in Griffiths tackled one of the muggers, knocking him to the ground Harris pounced on the other one. A few weeks back we mentioned the giant Canadian rugby player Norm Hadley's intervention in an incident on the tube. Now rugby players everywhere are joining the fight against crime. This time it was the Blackheath and Kent players Matt Griffiths and Mick Harris, who spotted a couple of yobs attacking an elderly gent. ``At the end of the day'', she told the interviewer, ``it's 11 on 11, and hopefully we can come out on top.'' Beat that, David Platt.THIS is becoming a trend. On the way back from our meeting, we heard her on Radio Five Live.