Women sport news

Nigerian female basketball team seemed a bit favoured going by the draws of the 2007 African Nations Cup for Women just made available to the media. The favoured suggestion follows the lumping of at least three highly rated teams in Group A where Senegal will operate from as host team.

CHENGDOU (Jin Quiang Cup) -Young centre Jess McCormack continued to establish her international credentials as the NZ Tall Ferns rallied to a 56-64 loss against world seven-ranked Cuba in China.

CANBERRA (National team) - The 2007 defencejobs Opals squad will commence an intensive four day training camp on the Gold Coast tomorrow.

The AWBT’s 5th stop was held up in the cool pines of Prescott Valley at one of our favorite rooms, On the Snap! This was a WPBA Qualifier, presented by J. Pechauer Custom Cues. The Qualifier Spot was for the WPBA Florida Classic to be held Hollywood, Florida June 27th through July 1st.

The British Masters Championships 50m and Senior Age Group Championships kicked off in Manchester today with a new World record in the pool.

For the second time in a row, the small village Afiartis on the idyllic island of Karpathos is preparing to play host for the fastest men and women in the speed windsurfing scene. From June 20th till 27th all the big names of the sport will compete for the first points for the 2007 world championship title. photo PWA

Britain's Water Polo women aim to put themselves into contention for next year's European Championships when they play in a qualification event that will also showcase the progress made under a new coaching regime.

2006 IAAF World Athlete of the Year Sanya Richards is off to a good start in the IAAF Golden League 2007, winning the women's 400 meters at the ExxonMobil Bislett Games Friday in Oslo, Norway.

China offered a show of hockey dominance this morning in Baku, convincingly beating a young England side by producing expertly executed penalty corners and energy sapping counter-attacking hockey.

Pippa Bennett, doctor to the England’s women squad, is confident Hope Powell’s players will reach the peak of physical fitness at this summer’s World Cup in China. photo FA

After two rounds of the $105,000 Michelob ULTRA Duramed FUTURES Players Championship, two different players emerged to share the lead in this week’s birdiefest.

Synchro Canada’s Pan American Team has been sweating it out at a training camp in Puerto Rico in preparation for next month’s Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Germans Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig gained their first-ever SWATCH-FIVB World Tour “final four” appearance here Thursday to join Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil as the first two semi-final qualifiers for the women’s US$400,000 Open of Portugal. photo FIVB

Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig will seek their country’s first-ever women’s SWATCH-FIVB World Tour gold medal here Saturday afternoon on the Praia da Baia as the young Germans face a team from Brazil in the finals of the US$400,000 Open of Portugal. photo FIVB

Widespread media interest, including national TV exposure for squash for the first time, was one of the key benefits that Nicol David, Rachael Grinham and Sarah Fitz-Gerald brought to Chile when the trio of WISPA world number ones visited capital Santiago on the fourth and final leg of their promotional tour of South America. Rachael Grinham (left) with world-ranked racquetball player Angela Grisar

The Cleveland Fusion won over the Burn. The Illusion beat the Spitfire. The Passion beat the Phoenix. The Mutiny clinches Northern Division. The Slam won over the Sizzle. The Comets win over the Karma. The Locomotion beat the Barracudas and wins the Central Division of the Southern Conference. The OKC Lightning beat the Dream. The Flash won over the Momentum. photo NWFL

Meghann Shaughnessy defeated Agnes Szavay on Thursday to complete the semifinal line-up at the Barcelona KIA. Flavia Pennetta, Virginie Razzano and Edina Gallovits also advanced.

Persistent rain in Birmingham prevented any matches from taking place at the DFS Classic on Thursday. Both the third round and quarterfinals are now scheduled for Friday.

Meghann Shaughnessy defeated Flavia Pennetta in three sets to enter the final in Barcelona where she will meet Edina Gallovits who today defeated Virginie Razzano in two sets.

2nd seed Jelena Jankovic came through a three set thriller against Maria Kirilenko, to prevail in Birmingham. Bartoli, Na, Bondarenko also continue to advance

Female club, regional and county coaches are being given the chance to learn from some of the best coaches in the field of women’s rugby next month.

England played Azerbaijan for the first time in their history earlier today and won 1-0 in their fourth game of the Champions Challenge, putting them third in the table with a chance of reaching the final going into the last game on Friday.

CHICAGO (WNBA) - Lauren Jackson had 19 points and four blocks and Sue Bird added 13 and 11 assists to lift the Seattle Storm to an 81-69 victory over the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night. photo FIBA

NAIROBI (All Africa Games) - Kenya national women's team moves to camp at Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani, on Monday to start strict training for the 9th All Africa Games.

Paralympic champion Natalie Du Toit will take on her able-bodied counterparts at the FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup in London this weekend (Sunday 17 June).

Britain's divers will be action again this weekend as they continue to follow the FINA Grand Prix events with Rome this time playing host to the world's elite divers.