in brief - 03 july

Tweddle was named as one of the gynmasts selected for Beijing
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ARCHERY… Britain's Nichola Simpson won the women's compound silver medal at the FITA World Championship tournament in Boe France, securing a place in the World Cup Grand Final in the process. Simpson was beaten by just one point (111-110) in the final by Venezuela's Luzmary Guedez, securing third place in the overall rankings after four rounds, and confirming her place in the final, in Lausanne in September. "This has been a fantastic week for Nichola, and everyone associated with Team GB is so proud of her," said Team Manager Hilda Gibson. "It's her second silver medal in four World Cup events this year, and her excellence and consistency has been rewarded with her place in the Grand Final." Meanwhile Alison Williamson, Charlotte Burgess and Naomi Folkard claimed bronze in the recurve. More@ www.gnas.org

BASKETBALL… Tickets are now on sale for Britain’s Eurobasket Division A matches later this year. The senior women kick off their campaign against Lithuania in Cardiff next month, whilst the men’s first match takes place at the O2 Arena in London against the Czech Republic in September. For more information on the matches taking place and indeed ticket information, visit www.basketballgb.com

BEIJING PARALYMPICS 2008… ParalympicsGB has today confirmed the British athletes to compete in the five-a-side and seven-a-side football tournaments in Beijing in September. Britain will be represented in the five-a-side blind football for the first time by a 10-man squad including captain, Ajmal Ahmed, whilst the 12-man squad for the seven-a-side competition for athletes with cerebral palsy was also named. “Britain has not fielded a seven-a-side football team at the Paralympics since Barcelona in 1992 and has never previously entered the five-a-side competition so it’s brilliant to be able to take both these squads to the Games to compete in what is one of one Britain’s best loved sports,” said ParalympicsGB Chief Executive Phil Lane. “I would like to take this opportunity to welcome these athletes to the ParalympicsGB team and congratulate them on their achievements to date,” he added. More@ www.paralympics.org.uk

CANOEING… Britain’s Tim Brabants and Lucy Wainwright both made the podium at the third World Cup event of the year in Poznan, Poland. Current K1 (kayak single) 1000m World Champion Tim Brabants claimed silver in both the 500m and 1,000m, behind Canada's Adam Van Koeverden, whilst Wainwright won bronze in the K1 200m. More@ www.worldclass-canoeing.org.uk 

CYCLING… Britain’s Nicole Cooke and Rob Hayles both won their respective National Road Race titles at the weekend in Duncombe Park, North Yorkshire. Cooke out-sprinted Emma Pooley to claim her ninth title whilst Hayles edged out Peter Kennaugh. "I know I've been capable of this," said Hayles. "This can only be good for my chances of Olympic selection." More@ www.britishcycling.org.uk 

EQUESTRIAN… Haabrak, the horse ridden by Britain’s Lucy Wiegersma, incurred a minor setback during training which has prevented him from being fully prepared for the Olympic Games. As a result the British Olympic Association (BOA) has announced that the two vacancies within the Eventing Team (to replace Wiegersma and Zara Phillips) will be filled by Tina Cook and Daisy Dick. Will Connell, British Equestrian Team Leader said: "I am of course extremely disappointed for Lucy, who has worked so hard over many years to win her place in the Team; however, in Tina and Daisy we have two experienced campaigners who both have horses that should be able to turn in some excellent performances at the Games.  The Team remains strong, capable and focused on winning medals in Hong Kong." More@ www.equestrianteamgbr.co.uk

EQUALITY STANDARD FOR SPORT… UK Sport announced this week that the Amateur Rowing Association, British Canoe Union and British Gymnastics have all achieved the Preliminary Level of the Equality Standard for Sport. By achieving the preliminarily level of the Standard, the three National Governing Bodies have demonstrated a continual commitment to equality and demonstrated the significant equality work that is ongoing within their organisations. The Standard is run by UK Sport in partnership with the four Home Country Sports Councils, and guides sports organisations towards achieving equality, assisting them in developing structures and processes, as well as assessing performance and ensuring continuous improvement. More@ www.equalitystandard.org

GYMNASTICS… Following the British Championships, the third and final Olympic Trial, the BOA announced the team for Beijing. Beth Tweddle, Becky Downie, Marissa King, Hannah Whelan, Laura Jones and Rebecca Wing will all travel as part of Team GB. Matthew Greenwood, Technical Director of British Gymnastics said: “We are very proud of the Women’s Artistic Team that has been selected for Beijing. The girls will be extremely well prepared and in a position to once again prove the great strength in depth that we have now established.” More@ www.british-gymnastics.org

MODERN PENTAHLON… The BOA this week announced the selection of two additional members of the team to compete in Beijing. Sam Weale and Nick Woodbridge will become the first British male modern pentathletes to compete at an Olympic Games since Richard Phelps in Atlanta, in 1996, when they compete at the Games. The pair join Heather Fell and Katy Livingston in Beijing, which means Great Britain will have the maximum complement of four pentathletes at the Games. “It’s every young athlete’s dream to compete at an Olympic Games. I’ve already won a World Cup medal this year and I’m not going to Beijing just to make the numbers up,” said Weale. More@ www.pentathlongb.org 

SAILING… Britain’s Ed Wright claimed gold in the Finn class at the Kiel Week Olympic Classes regatta. Wright posted seven of nine series scores inside the top three, including two race wins, to top the podium for the first time in 2008. Meanwhile Skandia Team GBR Development Squad sailor, Andrew Mills, came eighth in the Finn, his first top 10 finish of the season. Fellow Development Squad duo John Pink and Rick Peacock also celebrated a 49er class fifth, with Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes finishing sixth overall. Megan Pascoe and Helena Lucas claimed fifth and seventh respectively in the 2.4 mR, whilst Ali Young (Radial) and Richard Hamilton (Men’s RS:X) both finished eighth. More@ www.skandiateamgbr.com

SHOOTING… Britain’s Richard Faulds is amongst those named by the BOA this week to represent Team GB in Beijing. Faulds will compete in the men’s Double Trap along with Steve Scott, whilst Charlotte Kerwood (women’s Trap), Elena Little (women’s Skeet) and Jon Hammond (men’s 50m Rifle Prone, 50m Rifle Three Positions, and Air Rifle) complete the line-up. Team leader, John Leighton-Dyson said: “I am delighted to be able to announce these athletes including four new Olympians all of whom have qualified against the best in the world. We have high hopes of good results in Beijing. Richard Faulds has been shooting exceptionally well and he is an excellent medal prospect going in to his fourth Olympics.” More@ www.gbtsf.org.uk

WATER SKIING… Three British water skiers made the podium at the MasterCraft Water Ski USA Tour in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  Nicole Arthur broke the British record and equalled the European slalom record of 3 buoys on the 10.75m on her way to winning silver, whilst in men’s jump, Jason Seels and Damian Sharman were separated by just 10cm to take second and third with 65.2 metre and 65.1 metre efforts respectively.  More@ www.britishwaterski.org.uk

WHEELCHAIR TENNIS… Peter Norfolk and Jamie Burdekin secured a British double on Saturday at the French Open Championships in Antony near Paris, with Norfolk winning his second Quad Singles title at the ITF 1 Series event, before pairing up with Burdekin to also win the Quad Doubles final. Norfolk recorded a 6-4 6-1 win over Swedish world No 6 and fourth seed Johan Andersson in the singles before he and Burdekin won their first title of the 2008 season, beating Italian duo Giuseppe Polidori and Antonio Raffaele 6-3,  6-1. Meanwhile David Phillipson beat Dutchman Tom Egberink in the Men's Main Draw Consolation Singles final. More@ www.tennisfoundation.org.uk