Provident thrives amid crisis July 28, 2009 SUB-PRIME lender Provident Financial reported a 3.5 per cent rise in half-year profit and predicted ongoing growth yesterday, despite the effects of the recession. Pre-tax profit in the first six months of the year reached £53.1m, up from £51.3m in the same period last year. Provident, which lends to borrowers who cannot secure credit from [...]
Beaten Armstrong hits back July 28, 2009 CYCLING: Lance Armstrong has hit back at Astana team-mate and Tour de France winner Alberto Contador as the pair’s war of words continued. Contador described his relationship with the seven-time winner as “zero”, but Armstrong said: “If I were him I’d drop this drivel and thank his team. Without them he doesn’t win.”
Spofforth lands first gold July 28, 2009 SWIMMING: Gemma Spofforth last night smashed the world 100m backstroke record to take Britain’s first swimming gold medal in the pool at the World Championships. Spofforth, 21, powered home in the last 50m to pip Russia’s Anastasia Zueva and win in 58.12 seconds. Meanwhile, 14-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps was beaten by Germany’s Paul [...]
Chambers handed dual sprint role for Worlds July 28, 2009 CONTROVERSIAL sprinter Dwain Chambers was yesterday selected to run for Great Britain in the 100m and 200m at next month’s World Championships in Berlin. The European indoor champion, 31, had been expected to be picked for the 100m, despite being beaten by Simeon Williamson at the national trials. But his inclusion in the 200m had [...]
Villa and Hull make last ditch bid for 14m Bent July 28, 2009 DARREN BENT was last night at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war after Aston Villa and Hull City moved to hijack his move to Sunderland. Bent, 25, looked all set to complete a proposed transfer to the Black Cats today after undergoing a medical at the Stadium of Light. But Villa and Hull are now [...]
Goodwood success confirms the return of Tregoning yard July 28, 2009 TRAINER Marcus Tregoning hailed the return to form of his resurgent Lambourn yard after Finjaan collected in the feature race on day one of Glorious Goodwood, the Betfair Cup. Tregoning’s yard have been hit by a low-grade infection for much of the season, culminating in six-week shutdown and a 91-day losing streak, finally ended by [...]
PM hails a golden era after England get World Cup nod July 28, 2009 PRIME Minister Gordon Brown yesterday hailed the prospect of Britain’s “decade of sport” after England was named hosts of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The boost – worth an estimated £2.1bn to the economy, according to Deloitte – came on the same day Britain was awarded the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. London already has [...]
Flintoff looks to science to fulfil dream July 28, 2009 ALL-ROUNDER Andrew Flintoff believes he is ready to resume battle with the Australians at Edgbaston tomorrow – thanks to revolutionary treatment on his injured knee. Flintoff, 31, has been sleeping with a special compression machine on his troublesome joint to help ease the discomfort he experienced after the historic second Test victory at Lord’s. The [...]
Ferrari refuse to rule out Schumacher comeback July 28, 2009 FERRARI last night left the door open for seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher to make a sensational return to F1 as a replacement for Felipe Massa. The Italian team responded to suggestions the 40-year-old could step in for Massa on a short-term basis following a day of mixed messages from Schumacher’s camp. Brazilian Massa, who [...]
Gunners cash in with 16m Toure switch July 28, 2009 ARSENAL defender Kolo Toure was last night on the brink of completing his £16m move to Manchester City after jetting back from the Gunners’ Austrian training camp. Toure is thought to have flown back to England to undergo a medical, after cash-strapped Arsenal accepted a bid from mega-rich City, their rivals for a top-four place. [...]
