SHORT TAKES

b>The 2007 Wira Cup Challenge

THE Royal Brunei Armed Forces Golf Club hosted the 2007 Wira Cup Challenge on Saturday pitting the serving members of the Forces against their retired friends. The objective of this friendly meet, last held in 2005, was to foster closer relationship between those two groups. Among those present at the meet were former Deputy Defence Minister Pg Sanggamara Diraja Major General (Rtd) Pg Hj Ibnu Ba'asith Pg Datu Penghulu Pg Hj Apong, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Commander Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Awang Halbi Hj Mohd Yussof, previous commanders, retired senior officers and other members of the Forces.

Birmingham and Sunderland promoted

BIRMINGHAM CITY and Sunderland won automatic promotion to the English Premier League on Sunday after their only other rivals for one of the two spots Derby County lost 2-0 to Crystal Palace. Both were relegated last term, but after a shaky start to both their campaigns regained form. Sunderland's success has come under the inspirational guidance of former Ireland and Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane, whose appointment by compatriot Niall Quinn raised some eyebrows at the time but has proved a masterstroke. Keane will now have the opportunity to cross swords with his former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson next season.

Schwartzel beats Randhawa in Spain

SOUTH AFRICA'S Charl Schwartzel captured his second European title when he won the Spanish Open on Sunday. Schwartzel finished on a 16-under total of 272 to take the US$450,000 first prize, a 15-foot eagle putt on the long 16th giving the 22-year-old from Johannesburg a huge boost in a late duel with Carlos Rodiles. In the end Schwartzel finished one shot ahead of Indian Jyoti Randhawa, who carded a final round of 67 to finish on a total of 273, with Spaniard Rodiles finishing a further shot back.

PSV claim third successive Dutch crown

PSV EINDHOVEN were crowned Dutch league champions on Sunday on goal difference from Ajax after both teams finished on 75 points from 34 games. PSV thumped Vitesse Arnhem 5-1 in their final match, while Ajax could only manage a 2-0 win over Willem II Tilburg, handing the Eindhoven side a better goal difference of just one. It was PSV's 20th Dutch title, and third consecutive one, ensuring they qualify for next season's Champions League, the lucrative showcase event of European club football.

He finishes marathon one week later

"SLOW MOTION" marathon runner Greg Billingham finished the London Marathon on Sunday one week after the event itself started. Billingham, 39, decided to "run" the 26-mile event at an ultra-slow pace of three miles every 10 hours, to raise money for the charity Children with Leukaemia, because people who become ill often find their lives slow down.

The Brunei Times/Agencies