Athletics Paula Radcliffe is adamant that her recent injury problems will not dent her ambition of winning marathon gold at the Olympic Games in London in 2012. The world record-holder, 35, is set to run in the New York City Marathon on Sunday after a frustrating spell on the sidelines.

“My intention is totally to be there in 2012, to be on that team competing in an amazing opportunity at the Olympics,” Radcliffe said yesterday. She said she would have to be “smart” if she was going to be fit enough to compete in London, but stressed she enjoyed running as much now as when she was a teenager.

Jonzon's final flourish

Golf Michael Jonzon secured his European Tour card in style yesterday with an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the Castelló Masters in Spain. The Swede needed to finish first or second to earn enough money to keep his playing rights and the birdie gave him a 67 and a 20-under total of 264. That was one stroke better than Martin Kaymer, of Germany, and Christian Nilsson, of Sweden.

Joy for Baghdatis

Tennis Marcos Baghdatis, of Cyprus, beat Olivier Rochus, of Belgium, 6-1, 7-5 to win the Stockholm Open yesterday. Baghdatis’s victory over his friend and training partner gave the world No 66 his third career singles title. Baghdatis, the 2006 Australian Open runner-up, advanced to the final with a walkover after Robin Söderling, of Sweden, the No 1 seed, withdrew with an elbow injury.

Honour in defeat

Badminton Anthony Clark, from Nottinghamshire, and Donna Kellogg, from Derbyshire, produced a gutsy display in losing the Denmark Open mixed doubles final to Joachim Fischer and Christinna Pedersen, the No 2 seeds, in three games in Odense. The Danish pair won 21-16, 25-27, 21-17, but only after being given a scare by the English duo, who had led 14-12 in the deciding set.

Soaring Newcastle

Basketball Newcastle Eagles, the BBL champions and leaders, had Charles Smith, the experienced forward, to thank for a 99-72 victory over Essex Pirates, the expansion franchise, yesterday. The American was the game’s highest scorer with 24 points. Sheffield Sharks bounced back from their defeat by the Eagles on Friday to record a comfortable 67-56 win away to struggling Plymouth Raiders.

Commanding Cuche

Skiing Didier Cuche, of Switzerland, began his defence of the World Cup giant-slalom title with a commanding victory in Sölden in Austria yesterday. Going first in the opening run, the 35-year-old’s 69.89sec was not beaten and he never looked likely to throw away his advantage on his return to the course. Ted Ligety, of the United States, was second and Carlo Janka, of Switzerland, third.

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