Sports Shorts

* NOTTINGHAM – Britain’s Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan kept his unbeaten professional record by defeating Belarus Vitali Martynov in just 72 seconds here on Saturday night.

This was the precocious 19-year-old’s first six-round fight but he needed just one as he stung the more experienced 22-year-old with a straight right. The win enabled Khan to emphatically prove a point having been stung by recent criticism over the manner of his four previous professional victories.But Khan shrugged off suggestions Martynov could be the man to test him by landing a cracking left hook to end the contest in style.* OSAKA – Athens Olympic silver medallist Catherine Ndereba overcame a 400-metre deficit to beat Kayoko Obata for her first victory in Japan at the Osaka international women’s marathon yesterday.The 33-year-old Kenyan came back from sixth place before overtaking Japan’s Obata after passing the 33-kilometre to cross the finishing line in two hours 25 minutes five seconds.It was the 2003 world champion’s eighth career victory out of 16 starts.Obata was second in 2:25:52, followed by fellow Japanese Kiyoko Shimahara third in 2:26:47.* BOSTON – Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba came close to repeating last year’s world-record performance by out-duelling her sister, Ejegayehu, to win the 5 000 metres at the Boston Indoor Games.Tirunesh threatened her own women’s world record in Saturday’s meet that kicks off the 2006 Visa Championship Series.She won easily in 14 minutes, 35.46 seconds.Her world record time of 14:32.93 was set last year at the same Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center.In one of the most eagerly awaited events, Meseret Defar, of Ethiopia, came even closer to the women’s 3,000m world record, running 8:30.94 to register the third-fastest time in history, behind only Berhane Adere’s world record of 8:29.15 and Defar’s own 8:30.05.* ROME – AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti refused to blame goalkeeper Nelson Dida for the goal which dealt a potentially fatal blow to his team’s Serie A title hopes.Milan took an early lead when Andriy Shevchenko converted a dubious penalty, but Sampdoria equalised before half-time when Dida completely misjudged Andrea Gasbarroni’s drive.The shot from the edge of the penalty box was heading straight at him, but the giant Brazilian appeared to lose sight of it and the ball brushed his arm before finding the net.-AFPThe win enabled Khan to emphatically prove a point having been stung by recent criticism over the manner of his four previous professional victories.But Khan shrugged off suggestions Martynov could be the man to test him by landing a cracking left hook to end the contest in style.* OSAKA – Athens Olympic silver medallist Catherine Ndereba overcame a 400-metre deficit to beat Kayoko Obata for her first victory in Japan at the Osaka international women’s marathon yesterday.The 33-year-old Kenyan came back from sixth place before overtaking Japan’s Obata after passing the 33-kilometre to cross the finishing line in two hours 25 minutes five seconds.It was the 2003 world champion’s eighth career victory out of 16 starts.Obata was second in 2:25:52, followed by fellow Japanese Kiyoko Shimahara third in 2:26:47.* BOSTON – Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba came close to repeating last year’s world-record performance by out-duelling her sister, Ejegayehu, to win the 5 000 metres at the Boston Indoor Games.Tirunesh threatened her own women’s world record in Saturday’s meet that kicks off the 2006 Visa Championship Series.She won easily in 14 minutes, 35.46 seconds.Her world record time of 14:32.93 was set last year at the same Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center.In one of the most eagerly awaited events, Meseret Defar, of Ethiopia, came even closer to the women’s 3,000m world record, running 8:30.94 to register the third-fastest time in history, behind only Berhane Adere’s world record of 8:29.15 and Defar’s own 8:30.05.* ROME – AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti refused to blame goalkeeper Nelson Dida for the goal which dealt a potentially fatal blow to his team’s Serie A title hopes.Milan took an early lead when Andriy Shevchenko converted a dubious penalty, but Sampdoria equalised before half-time when Dida completely misjudged Andrea Gasbarroni’s drive.The shot from the edge of the penalty box was heading straight at him, but the giant Brazilian appeared to lose sight of it and the ball brushed his arm before finding the net.-AFP