After 49 matches, over six weeks of battles between 14 nations consisting of the world’s best limited-overs cricketers and a few broken records to
ADVERTISEMENTAfter 49 matches, over six weeks of battles between 14 nations consisting of the world’s best limited-overs cricketers and a few broken records to boot, the curtains came down on the 11th edition of the Cricket World Cup last weekend.
Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand shined on home soil to reach the final, but a match that promised so much ended up being a rather one-sided affair.
New Zealand – hunting their maiden world cup title – won the toss and opted to bat first.
But the black caps got off to a terrible start losing their captain early when Mitchell Starc bowled Brendon McCullum for a duck in the first over.
The Aussie fans were sent into a fit of delirium shortly after when the impressive Glenn Maxwell bowled Martin Guptill with just his second ball.
Despite a solid fourth-wicket partnership between Grant Elliott and Ross Taylor the New Zealand wickets continued to fall and after setting a low target of 183 the Kiwis needed early wickets themselves and they got one in Aaron Finch.
After that Australia rarely looked troubled with captain Michael Clarke ending his one-day international career with 74 which was good enough to take his side to the brink of glory.
Clarke could not see the job through though and after being bowled by Matt Henry walked off to a standing ovation from all at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
It came down to Steve Smith to smash the winning runs that saw Australia to a seven-wicket victory and a record-extending fifth World Cup title.
On top of the world… #GoGoldhttp://t.co/Rurg00v0S5#cwc15#AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/WGHQ8ZQDh3
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 29, 2015
Shooting gold
The Shotgun World Cup stopped off in Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates for the second leg of the season.
After the trap and double trap the Skeet discipline brought the event in the ‘Garden City’ to an end.
It turned out to be a great day for Italy with three of their athletes dominating the women’s skeet podium.
World number nine Diana Bacosi shot her way to gold.
She beat 2008 Olympic Champion and compatriot Chiara Cainero 13 targets to 10.
The result meant both women earned their Olympic qualification spot for Rio 2016.
Fellow Italian Katiuscia Spada beat Australia’s Laura Coles to the bronze.
2014 World championship silver medallist Anthony Terras showed no discomfort from a recent wisdom tooth operation as he struck gold in the men’s skeet event.
ADVERTISEMENTThe 29-year-old Frenchman shot all 16 of his targets in the semi-finals.
He missed only one of 16 in the final to hold off the stiff challenge of 2013 World Champion Jasper Hansen of Denmark.
Andreas Chasikos of Cyprus claimed the Bronze and along with Hansen earned a place at the Rio Olympics.
Fiji win again
With four Olympic qualification spots up for grabs, the Rugby Sevens World Series has added importance this season.
ADVERTISEMENTRecently the sport’s finest nations battled it out on the pitches of Hong Kong for the 6th of nine legs this campaign which is charging towards a thrilling climax.
Fiji celebrated their second consecutive final victory over New Zealand in the Rugby sevens World series.
The Pacific Islanders were in impressive form in the showpiece match as they brushed aside the defending champions.
Despite Scott Curry’s best efforts to claw his All Black team back into the game Fiji proved to good on the day.
Savenaca Rawaca crossed over twice to help his side to a comfortable 33-19 victory.
ADVERTISEMENTIt is Fiji’s third win from six outings – they won the season opener on the Gold Coast in Australia and also in Las Vegas USA.
This latest victory for Ben Ryan’s men moves them above New Zealand and into second place in a very tight leaderboard.
They are just two points adrift of pace setters South Africa and one clear of the Kiwis with three rounds left – the next one in Tokyo this weekend.
WATCH: The latest World Rugby TV tonight at 6.30pm on
SkySports</a> 2 in UK. Check listings for local broadcast times. <a href="http://t.co/3g6pb1P1NW">pic.twitter.com/3g6pb1P1NW</a></p>— World Rugby (WorldRugby) April 2, 2015
Back in the USSR
Sambo is a modern martial art, a combat sport and a self defence system developed in the Soviet Union to help the military improve their hand-to-hand combat abilities.
ADVERTISEMENTThe sport has its roots in Judo and traditional folk styles of wrestling from across eastern Europe.
The word Sambo means ‘self defence without weapons’ in Russian.
The two competition styles are Sport Sambo which is similar to Olympic Freestyle Wrestling or Judo and Combat Sambo – a brutal discipline that allows punches, kicks, elbows, knees, headbutts and even groin strikes.
A senior bout of Sport Sambo usually lasts five minutes and points are awarded by judges for various throws and choke holds.
This season’s Sambo World Cup just completed its penultimate stage in Moscow with the final leg in Caracas, Venezuela in July.
ADVERTISEMENTThe world sport and combat Sambo championships take place in December in Morocco.
Sight-setting
Competitive archery comes in a few forms but what they all have in common are the arrows, the target and that all important centre ring.
So aiming, to no great surprise, is key and a sight has become crucial piece of kit in order to get that Robin Hood-like accuracy.
A competitive recurve bow usually consists of an upper and lower limb attached to the centre handle.
ADVERTISEMENTThe sight is also attached to the centre handle and has an extension bar with an aperture at the end.
Apertures come in many shapes and sizes.
In top level competition the lens cannot be magnified.
Some apertures come with a dot in the middle of it, others with pins, fibre optic pins and circles.
Some archers just use an open ring.
ADVERTISEMENTDespite the arrows arching as they make their way through the air, the aperture must always be set to the centre of the target.
The aperture can be adjusted up and down, left and right, depending on the distance and wind factor, but must always remain in the centre of the target.
As much as the sight can help you aim and hopefully get you a ten pointer, one thing not to forget is to focus on the actual execution of shooting the arrow.