Ehsan Haddadi

Asian discus record holder Ehsan Haddadi broke his own Asia record in the discus throw with a 68.52m effort in Hengelo--IAAF World Athletics Tour.
The 2006 World Cup silver medalist broke his own Asia record in the discus throw with a 68.52m effort in the second round in Hengelo, The Netherlands, Presstv reported.
Gerd Kanter (68.28), Virgilijus Alekna (66.82) and Dutchman Rutger Smith (64.90) stood second to fourth respectively at the event.
Iran’s 23-year-old Haddadi expressed satisfaction with his performance and hopes to win a medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Lyon players posing for a group photo.

Roma retained the Italian Cup after a 2-1 victory over Champions Inter Milan at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on Saturday to gain revenge for their defeat in the Serie A title race.
Goals from French centerback Philippe Mexes and Italy midfielder Simone Perrotta sealed a ninth cup success, making them the most successful team in Italian cup history, alongside Juventus.
According to AFP, Inter substitute Vitor Pele scored a goal that even his more illustrious namesake--the Brazilian legend who won three World Cups--would have been proud of with a stunning 30-yard volley into the top corner that left Roma’s Brazilian goalkeeper Doni rooted to the spot.
The two sides have contested the last four cup finals and Roma squared the recent mini-series following Inter’s victories in 2005 and 2006.
The defeat, which could be Inter coach Roberto Mancini’s last in charge of the nerazzurri if Italian press reports are to be believed, denied him an incredible 11th cup success as a player and coach.
Roma were clearly the more hyped of the teams from the off as they looked to make up for last weekend’s Scudetto disappointment.
Inter had the first shot on target through Serbian midfielder Dejan Stankovic but most of the action happened at the other end of the field.
French winger Ludovic Giuly was wildly off target when well placed and Perrotta had a shot blocked by Romanian center-back Cristian Chivu.
Inter almost equalized moments later but Argentine center-back Nicolas Burdisso’s header came back off the post.
Inter threw everything but the kitchen sink at Roma after that but created nothing to suggest they might score. Tellingly, though, their players hardly looked upset at the finish.
Elsewhere in Europe and in France, Lyon completed a memorable first league-cup double on Saturday when they beat Paris Saint Germain 1-0 in the French Cup final to add to their seventh successive championship.
Lyon’s fourth French Cup, coming after wins in 1964, 1967 and 1973, was fittingly secured by Sidney Govou who scored the extra-time winner, AFP reported.
Govou, goalkeeper Gregory Coupet and Brazilian playmaker Juninho are the only three players who have featured in all of Lyon’s seven league title campaigns.
PSG, who won the League Cup this season but only narrowly avoided relegation, were unlucky not to have settled the tie in normal time, hitting the woodwork on two occasions.

Quique Sanchez Flores

Spaniard Quique Sanchez Flores was appointed Benfica coach for next season and has signed a contract until 2010, the Portuguese Premier League club said on Saturday.
The 43-year-old was sacked by Valencia in October following the team’s 3-0 defeat at Sevilla in the Primera Liga. Flores takes over from compatriot Jose Antonio Camacho, who resigned in March after a run of poor results.
“We will be aware, we want to achieve the important objectives. Having a competitive team is more than enough reason to sign with Benfica,“ Flores told a news conference at Luz stadium.
A former Real Madrid and Valencia defender who was also capped for Spain, Flores took charge of Valencia at the start of the 2005-06 season following a successful spell in charge of modest Primera Liga side Getafe.
He steered Valencia to a third-place finish in the league in his first season in charge and fourth place the following term, despite a string of injuries to leading players. The son of former Real Madrid player Isidro Sanchez who married into the Flores flamenco dynasty, Flores is renowned for his self confidence and occasional outspoken comments.
Benfica finished fourth in the Portuguese championship this season.

Asafa Powell

World 100m record holder Asafa Powell will take on world champion Tyson Gay at the London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace three weeks before the Olympics.
The clash, on the weekend of July 25-26, will be their first clash of the summer and is likely to be their only meeting before the Beijing Olympics, BBC reported.
The Olympic 100m final is on August 16, and Gay believes the race in London will be a key part of his preparations. “London will be crucial. I am looking to run fast times,“ said the American.
“He has the title of being the world record holder and I have the title of being the world champion and I think that is really good for the sport.
“If I run back-to-back rounds in London that will catapult me to the Olympics, so I am really looking to run fast times in London.“
Powell was beaten into third by Gay and Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas at last year’s World Championships, and the Jamaican admitted after the race that he had given up when he realised the gold medal was beyond him.

Ricky Hatton

Ricky Hatton prevailed in a lopsided decision over Juan Lazcano on Saturday to retain his IBO light welterweight title and restart his career before a raucous home crowd.
Hatton won easily on all three judges scorecards at the Manchester City soccer ground: 120-110, 118-110, 120-108. It was his first fight since he lost a WBC welterweight bid against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in December. That was his first loss in 44 career fights, AP reported.
“It was a difficult fight,“ Hatton said. “I’ve never been more nervous in boxing match in my life, all those demons were in my mind about not coming back so strong.“
After the fight it was announced that a deal had been sealed for Hatton to face Paulie Malignaggi, who won Saturday on the undercard, in November, with New York a likely location.
To the roars of the crowd of 55,000, Hatton emerged into the stadium in a fat suitÑcomplete with ’Fatton’ adorning his shortsÑas a self-mocking swipe at critics of his fluctuating weight between fights.
For Lazcano, it was the 33-year-old Mexican’s first fight since losing a 12-round decision to Vivian Harris in February 2007 in a WBC light welterweight title elimination bout.