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ATHLETICS: HOBART: Olympic 400 metres champion Cathy Freeman returned to competition over her favoured distance on Thursday (March 7) in a 4 X 400-metre relay in Tasmania, Australia's island state. Freeman took almost 18 months off competition after winning the Olympic gold medal in Sydney and returned to competition in the shorter 200-metres in Melbourne last Thursday. She's bidding to make the Australian team for the Commonwealth Games at Manchester in July and her longer-term ambition is to defend her Olympic title at Athens in 2004. Freeman's time in the second leg of the relay wasn't officially timed but was estimated about 52 seconds. She started her lap five metres behind but surged to the front and gave her team a three-metre lead. Earlier, sh had raced over the 200 and placed fourth for the second time in three days, finishing behind fellow Olympian Lauren Hewitt (23.18 seconds), Jodi Lambert and Sharon Cripps. Freeman's time was 23.71 seconds.

GOLF: CORAL SPRINGS, USA: Mike weir and Brett Wetterich for at least one night can savour sharing the lead at the $ 3.5 million Honda Classic at the TPC at Heron Bay. Though neither finished their third round, each shares a piece of the lead at 14-under-par after darkness forced the suspension of play on Saturday (March 9). More than two inches of rain fell on Thursday and caused a delay that has continued through all rounds of the tournament. Leading in the clubhouse, however, are Stephen Gangluff and 1997 U.S. amateur champion Matt Kuchar who both finished their third rounds one shot back at 13- under-par. Second-round leader John Riegger and 1988 Honda Classic champion Joey Sindelar are also at 13-under-par, but have yet to finish their rounds.

CRICKET: Melbourne: Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist moved to the second spot in batting averages in Test cricket after his century against South Africa at Cape Town on Saturday (March 9). Leading batting averages in Test cricket for players with a minimum of 20 innings: (Read average, player, matches, inns, not outs, runs, highest, 100s, and 50s). 99.94, Don Bradman (Australia), 52, 80, 10, 6996, 334, 29, 13; 61.48, Adam Gilchrist (Australia), 30, 41, 8, 2029, 204*, 6, 10; 60.97, Graeme Pollock (South Africa), 23, 41, 4, 2256, 274, 7, 11; 60.83, George Headley (West Indies), 22, 40, 4, 2190, 270*, 10, 5; 60.73, Herbert Sutcliffe (England), 54, 84, 9, 4555, 194, 16, 23; 59.23, Eddie Paynter (England), 20, 31, 5, 1540, 243, 4, 7; 58.67, Ken Barrington (England), 82, 131, 15, 6806, 256, 20, 35; 58.62, Everton Weekes (West Indies), 48, 81, 5, 4455, 207, 15, 19; 58.57, Sachin Tendulkar (India), 91, 146, 15, 7673, 217, 28, 30; 58.46, Wally Hammond (England), 85, 140, 16, 7249, 336*, 22, 24; (* = not out).

CAPE TOWN: Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has said he would like to become the first modern fast bowler to break through the 160kmh barrier but he was not going to make it a goal. Lee was timed at 157.4 kmh on the first day of the Test at Newlands on Friday (March 8), the fastest speed recorded since reasonably reliable measuring devices became a regular feature at big matches. ``If it happens, it happens,'' said Lee. ``You tend to bowl your fastest when you are not trying to bowl fast.''

TENNIS: LONDON: Gustavo Kuerten has begun his race against time to be fit to defend his French Open title at Roland Garros in late May. The surgeon who performed Kuerten's hip surgery in Nashville, Tennessee, in February, said the former world No. 1 should return to the ATP circuit within three months. That time frame puts Kuerten's return around the beginning of Roland Garros, which starts May 27. ``I am very happy and motivated,'' said Kuerten, who is recovering in the United States. ``I have already started the physical therapy and am feeling very well. I hope to go back to the courts as soon as possible, but without rushing anything.''

FOOTBAL: MILAN: The top of the Italian Serie A remained unchanged after hard-fought 2-2 draw between Inter Milan and visiting Juventus that bore the mark of a brace notched by Inter's ace Clarence Seedorf. The Milanese giants retained the lead on 53 points, with Juve one point behind and defending champion Roma trailing on 50 ahead of a city derby against Lazio. Inter stunned the guests with a sparkling start that yielded a sixth-minute lead from a first feat by Seedorf. Juve was on the ropes for a few minutes, but managed to equalise in the 14th minute from a close-range header of French ace David Trezeguet, well fed by Gianluca Zambrotta. Thuram hurt himself in the action and was substituted by recovering Croat Igor Tudor, who celebrated his return after a lengthy absence with a winning header on an 82nd-minute free kick by Czech Pavel Nedved. Inter levelled in injury time thanks to a second searing drive by Seedorf, who switched foot to surprise again 'keeper Gianluigi Buffon from more than 25 metres away.

TEL AVIV: UEFA has lifted its blanket ban on any European club matches being played in Israel, an Israeli government minister said. In a letter sent to Israel's Fa, UEFA said it had reviewed its decision to suspend all European soccer matches because of the country's volatile security situation. The decision not to allow Hapoel Tel Aviv to host their UEFA Cup quarterfinal first leg tie against AC Milan in Tel Aviv still stands, but European soccer's governing body said it would now review each fixture on a match-by-match basis, according to Israel's security situation at the time. ``UEFA sent a letter to the IFA in which they said they reviewed the original decision and had decided to lift the blanket ban. This is a very important decision,'' sports and culture minister Matan Vilnai said.

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