OHURUOGU GETS IN RING WITH GB BOXING
Swansea 1 Forest 0
BOXING
BRITISH boxing believes athletics great Christine Ohuruogu will bring added punch to their organisation.
The Olympic and two-time world 400metres champion has been appointed to help manage the future vision, strategy and direction.
She says she jumped at the opportunity to be part of one of “Great Britain’s most successful and admired world-class programmes”. Ohuruogu (left), who hung up her spikes three years ago, added: “It is a great opportunity for me to bring my years of experience as an athlete to a new sport.
“I am very much looking forward to working with the rest of the board to develop the organisation and help it to maintain and build on the successes it has achieved over last decade.” Anthony Joshua, Luke Campbell and two-time champion Nicola Adams have won boxing gold for Britain at the last two Olympics.
GB Boxing chairman Steven Esom said: “We wanted someone with good experience of elite sporting performance to take on this role and could not have found a more suitable candidate than Christine. I have absolutely no doubt that she will be a huge asset to the board.
“And that GB Boxing will benefit enormously from the qualities she brings as a person, and her knowledge and experience of what it takes to sustain a career as a top-class international athlete.”
Ohuruogu, 36, will serve a fourthe year term as a non-executive director on GB Boxing’s 12-person board.
Born in Newham, east London, Ohuruogu was raised less than a mile from the Olympic Park where boxing’s ‘Road to Tokyo’ Olympic qualifying event will resume – after a 13-month lockdown stoppage – in April at the Copper Box arena.
CONNOR ROBERTS’ late goal got Swansea out of jail.
Steve Cooper’s promotion hopefuls were shocking for the first 87 minutes.
Forest had chance after chance with Anthony Knockaert their main threat.
But they failed to take them and Wales full-back Roberts (above) made them pay.
Filip Krovinovic had two half chances for Forest and Swans got a let-off on the half-time whistle when Knockaert curled a shot off the crossbar.
Knockaert and then Lewis Grabban blew fine chances for Forest and there only looked like there would be one winner – until Roberts headed home from Jake Bidwell’s cross.
coverage of the cricket and rugby internationals at the weekend confirmed a long-held suspicion. The knowledge, insight and lack of partisanship from ex-cricketers shames many of the footballers turned pundits who sound like they have rolled up at the studio without research, believing the medals they won years ago are all the viewer really needs to care about.
And the rugby referees, who are mic’d up so we can hear their decision-making, exude control, authority and consistency thus earning the respect of the players.
Is it really too hard for football to copy both and enhance the viewing experience?
Slavia Prague Kick-off 5:55pm
v Leicester DAVE ARMITAGE
HARVEY BARNES aims to show England boss Gareth Southgate he is ready to grace the European stage.
The winger (left) hopes to use Leicester’s Europa League campaign as a platform to grab a ticket for the Euros this summer. The Foxes are at Slavia Prague tonight with the blistering form of Barnes likely to be high on the home side’s discussion list.
His one England appearance so far was as a late sub in October’s 3-0 friendly win over Wales.
“As an English player, the European Championships have to be a motivation, to make sure you’re in that squad at the end of the season,” said the 23-year-old.
“Everyone can see the strength in depth and quality England have, so it’s not an easy task for anyone.
“As long as I can keep my club form as good as it’s been, and keep improving for the rest of the season, hopefully I’ll give myself the best possible chance of that.”
Improving his goals tally was an ambition before the season started and he has 12 to date, five more than last season in 11 fewer games.
He added: “Even though I was happy with the way I played last season, I identified that I needed to improve my numbers of goals and assists.”
Boss Brendan Rodgers added: “He’s only going to get better and better because he works hard.” SLAVIA PRAGUE: Kolar, Bah, Kudela, Deli, Dorley, Holes, Provod, Sima, Stanciu, Olayinka, Kuchta LEICESTER: Schmeichel, Amartey, Evans, Soyuncu, Thomas, Tielemans, Ndidi, Barnes, Maddison, Under, Vardy