After becoming European indoor champion in Belgrade four years ago, the sprint hurdler is aiming to reclaim the title and believes training in Italy could make the difference

Andrew Pozzi has spent the last few months of his life in the backdrop of the Aurunci Mountains, training at the Olympic Training Centre in Formia, Italy. The warm weather camp has allowed Pozzi to mentally and physically prepare for the indoor season and he’s confident of challenging himself in Toruń and bettering his PB of 7.43 that he set at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix in 2017.

“Now I’m back in really good shape and I’m happy going into the championships. If things go well and we have some good races I see no reason why I can’t target a PB,” he tells AW. “It’s wonderful to be back at a championships. It’s obviously got a little bit of a different feel to it but it’s great to be back here even though it’s come with a lot of stress and organisation headache.

“With regards to my training, staying out in Italy was the right decision to make as it means I could train full-time so it’s the other part of my life that sacrificed in that kind of decision. Last summer was a little more difficult as I was in the UK for about three months and away from my coach but we dealt with that situation very well.”

Pozzi returns to Toruń after victory at the Copernicus Cup last year in a then world lead of 7.52. The 28-year-old went 0.01 seconds better when runner-up to Grant Holloway – who broke Colin Jackson’s 27-year-old world record – in Madrid last month. Now back in Poland, that experience may play to his advantage.

“It’s certainly not a bad thing. One of things that I had going back here this year was that I knew what the travel situation was going to be like, with a touch difference due to Covid-19, but I had to do the similar drive from Warsaw airport last year,” he recalls.

“Knowing what to expect cuts out some kind of anxiety and that always helps. I don’t think it’s imperative but having been here and knowing what Toruń is like a little bit, added to the fact I had a good result last year, is definitely not a negative thing!”

While some athletes had a quieter 2020 than usual, Pozzi took part in 10 races including the Rome Diamond League and ones in Monaco, Finland and Hungary. After hearing that the Olympics were cancelled, the sprint hurdler – ravaged by injury through the early years of his career – was keen to get as much competition as was possible to prepare for 2021.

“It [2020] was very difficult and I think from my point of view, where I’ve lost an awful number of years of my career through injury, we’ve just done everything we can so I can stay in the best shape as possible and keep making progress,” he tells AW. “Knowing at some point, we’re going back into that championship environment means you don’t want to make the wrong decision and I really based my training as a top priority.

“Even when I was back in the UK I was doing as much training as was legally allowed knowing an opportunity would come up where I could race as I didn’t want to be stood on the track feeling that I contributed not being in the shape I wanted to be.”

Pozzi can easily look to the past for inspiration. After becoming European indoor champion in 2017 he became world indoor champion the following year in Birmingham and now believes he is far stronger mentally due to that success at an elite level.

“Belgrade for me was really a wonderful championships. Winning that first one was definitely the hardest. I went into that in really good shape, was racing really strong every week and although the final was a little bit closer than anticipated it really gave me confidence and just validated the faith that I always had through years of injury because I was only doing the work to get back to the highest level,” he recalls.

“Similarly, looking at Birmingham a year later, the experience that I had from Belgrade and winning a medal changed my mind going into those championships and I went into it thinking that come to that moment when it mattered I could get the best out of myself.”

Young Norwegian creates history but only after being disqualified – then reinstated – on a dramatic night in Poland

Day two of the European Indoor Championships ended with Jakob Ingebrigtsen eventually being crowned as the 1500m gold medallist after he was dramatically disqualified and then reinstated as the winner.

The 20-year-old had been in complete control of the final, coming home ahead of defending champion Marcin Lewandowski. However his performance was subsequently ruled out after he stepped off the track when jostling for position and seemingly being pushed by Poland’s Michal Rozmys in the early stages.

The Norwegian federation, which had been ready to celebrate the nation’s first ever European indoor 1500m gold, swiftly lodged a protest which was ultimately upheld.

For a while it had looked like Ingebrigtsen’s time of 3:37.56 would be stricken from the record books and that instead Lewandowski would be able to celebrate a fourth successive title thanks to his 3:38.06.

But the day ended with the European outdoor champion in top spot, the Pole having to settle for silver and Spain’s Jesus Gomez (3:38.47) taking bronze. An impressive late charge gave Britain’s Piers Copeland fifth in 3:39.99 while his compatriot and Doha world finalist Neil Gourley finished back in 12th spot with 3:45.99.

Ingebrigtsen had gone into the championships with much expected of him after setting a European indoor record of 3:31.80 last month in Liévin during a race which had left Lewandowski trailing five seconds behind.

There wasn’t quite the same gap this time but the Norwegian cranked up the pace and was clearly the better athlete on the night, avenging his defeat at the Pole’s hands in Glasgow two years ago.

Despite insisting he had done nothing wrong, Ingebrigtsen said he knew a disqualification was coming his way and suggested that 12 athletes was simply too big a field for the final.

“The rules are on my side, there is a paragraph saying if you’re pushed to the inside of the curb and it’s not your fault, it’s okay,” said Ingebrigtsen, who will now attempt to become the first male runner in European indoor history to complete a 1500m and 3000m double.

“There were just too many runners in the race. We talked with Michal Rozmys after the race – none of us was trying to shove the other one, it just happened when too many other guys were coming from the outside. I simply wanted to win the race.

“At the end I kept a safe distance to Marcin so that I could react if he tried to come back. But I knew a disqualification was coming.”

READ MORE: Amy-Eloise Markovc lands Britain’s first gold

Earlier in the session, there had been a surprise in the men’s 400m as three-time world and European indoor champion Pavel Maslak only finished fourth in the opening semi-final with 46.70 and failed to progress.

The Netherlands’ Tony Van Diepen qualified fastest with a PB of 46.06. He will be joined in the final by fellow compatriots and heat winners Jochem Dobber (46.56) and Liemarvin Bonevacia (46.75).

Neither of the British athletes involved made it through, James Williams coming fifth in the opening semi-final with 46.94, while Lee Thompson was fourth in the second race with 47.42.

In the women’s 400m semis, Netherlands’ Femke Bol looked in imperious form as she qualified fastest for the final after winning the third heat in 51.17 ahead British captain Jodie Williams’ PB 52.09. Defending champion Lea Sprunger failed to qualify after finishing third in 52.64.

A Polish record of 51.34 saw Justyna Swiety-Ersetic also progress as she won the second heat ahead of the Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver (52.09).

Ireland’s Phil Healy won the opening heat in 52.41, the same time awarded to second-placed Romanian Andrea Miklos.

Williams will be Britain’s only finalist as Jessie Knight missed out on qualification, clocking 52.22 for fourth in the second semi-final, while compatriot Ama Pipi was third in the opening heat in 52.54.

The men’s 800m competition got under way, with European silver medallist Andreas Kramer qualifying fastest for the semi-finals with his run of 1:47.55 in the fifth heat.

The quickest athlete going into these championships was Jamie Webb and the Briton who has his eyes on succeeding Tom McKean as the last British male winner of the European Indoor title progressed safely from the final heat in 1:47.82.

Compatriot Guy Learmonth also went through after winning heat four in 1:49.66 ahead of three-time champion and home favourite Adam Kszczot (1:50.53). There was progress, too, for Ireland’s Mark English who was third in the second heat with a time of 1:49.79 despite a mid-race stumble, while English’s team-mate Cian McPhillips, 18, also qualified with 1:49.98 for second in the third heat.

Leicester took advantage of an ill-disciplined London Irish display to win a Premiership thriller by one point.

Trailing 23-18, the Exiles had Terrence Hepetema sent off for leading with the shoulder in a head-high tackle.

Kini Murimurivalu dived over to seal victory for Tigers but a penalty try and last-gasp Matt Cornish score saw the visitors snatch two bonus points.

The win lifts Steve Borthwick's Leicester up to eighth before Saturday's matches, closing the gap to sixth-placed Irish to three points.

The Exiles gave away 20 penalties at Mattioli Woods Welford Road - the most by any side in the Premiership this season - with captain Matt Rogerson yellow-carded for a high tackle, which was mitigated down from a red card, in the first half.

Jackson was sent over after just 37 seconds after Hepetema got between two Tigers tacklers to offload to the fly-half, with Kobus van Wyk ghosting in under the posts from a fine Zack Henry pass for the hosts.

Leicester led for the first time after the interval, half-time replacement Ollie Chessum crashing over out wide from the base of a ruck, before Irish had tries of their own ruled out for an unnecessary obstruction from Hepetema and a Nick Phipps knock-on.

Declan Kidney's side did finally get their reward, Ollie Hassell-Collins scoring in the corner after a steady maul, but Hepetema was then red-carded for avoidable contact to the head of Van Wyk, which could lead to a hefty suspension.

Murimurivalu put the Tigers 33-18 up thanks to a magnificent bit of play from Jack van Poortvliet, who was then sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on which resulted in a penalty try for Irish.

The home side finished the game with 13 men as Joe Heyes was shown a yellow for a high tackle and well after the 80-minute mark Cornish drove over to earn the gutsy Exiles losing bonus and try bonus points.

Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick told BBC Radio Leicester:

"We're pleased with the result and the players showed a lot of resilience and composure, but we're disappointed with the first 20 and the last 20 minutes.

"We have high expectations. We left points out on the pitch and let them score too easily. Last season we won 29 points, this season we have 28 already - that's progress.

"The aspect of the performance I was most pleased with was that we started poorly, they were 10-3 up. We hadn't been in the game but the players stuck at it. We built pressure, came in at 13-all. That was as bad as we'd played first 20 and we were still in the game."

Leicester Tigers: Steward; Van Wyk, Moroni, Scott, Porter; Henry, Wigglesworth; De Bruin, T Youngs (capt), Cole, Green, Lavanini, Wells, Reffell, Brink.

Replacements: Clare, Leatigaga, Heyes, Chessum, Wallace, Van Poortvliet, McPhillips, Murimurivalu.

London Irish: Parton; Loader, Rona, Hepetema, Hassell-Collins; Jackson, Phipps; Goodrick-Clarke, Creevy, Chawatama, Mafi, Simmons, Rogerson (capt), Cowan, Tuisue.

Replacements: Cornish, Dell, Hoskins, Munga, Nott, Donnell, Meehan, Joseph.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).

Munster reached the Pro14 final for the first time since 2017 thanks to a 20-17 win over Connacht in a wonderfully entertaining derby.

Needing any sort of win to seal top spot, Munster went ahead through a sensational Mike Haley try.

Paul Boyle responded for Connacht but Joey Carbery's penalty gave the hosts the decisive victory.

It means Munster now hold an unassailable 12-point lead at the top of the conference with just two games remaining.

Their opponents for the final on 27 March will be either Leinster or Ulster, who meet in Belfast on Saturday night.

Leinster hold a six-point lead at the top of Conference B so could book their final berth if they secure five points and deny Ulster any losing bonus-points.

Connacht scrap to keep faint hopes alive

Entering the game nine points behind Munster, Connacht knew in reality that even with a win in Limerick they would need a number of results to go their way if they were to overtake their rivals at this late stage of the season.

They began with furious intent and hit the front after five minutes when Healy collected the excellent Jack Carty's looping pass.

With numerous internationals playing for both sides, there were intriguing subplots right across the pitch. Bundee Aki, who was left out of Ireland's matchday squad for their win over Italy, was on his game defensively and produced a brilliant turnover in front of his own line as Connacht absorbed waves of Munster pressure.

Having twice been held up over the line Munster's perseverance finally paid off as Cronin got over from close range.

Where Munster enjoyed the longer spells with good territory, Connacht's work at the breakdown was superb while their defensive line-out totally dominated Munster's set-piece throughout.

Even when they went down to 14 men early in the second half, when Aki was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, Connacht continued to produce a relentless physical effort.

Their resolve was finally broken in the 58th minute through a moment of individual brilliance from Haley, who took the ball out of the air, created space with a strong fend then executed the perfect chip-and-chase to get beyond Tiernan O'Halloran and put his side ahead for the first time.

Shortly after Connacht responded with a beautiful move of their own, which was illegally disrupted by Chris Cloete under the posts, leaving referee Chris Busby with no choice but to show the flanker a yellow card.

Boyle made use of his side's numerical advantage to dive through a gap as Connacht stretched the Munster defence to level.

However it was Carbery, in only his second appearance since returning from over a year on the sidelines, who slotted a regulation penalty to tilt the game in Munster's favour.

Munster: M Haley; A Conway, C Farrell, R Scannell, S Daly; B Healy, C Casey; J Cronin, N Scannell, S Archer; F Wycherley, B Holland (C); J O'Donoghue, C Cloete, G Coombes.

Replacements: K O'Byrne, J Loughman, John Ryan, J Kleyn, J O'Sullivan, N McCarthy, J Carbery, D de Allende.

Connacht: T O'Halloran; J Porch, T Daly, B Aki, M Healy, J Carty, C Blade; D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, U Dillane, G Thornbury, J Butler, C Oliver, P Boyle

Replacements: S Delahunt, M Burke, J Aungier, N Murray, E Masterson, K Marmion, S O'Brien, A Wootton

Sale Sharks made it two Premiership wins in a row as they comfortably overcame Newcastle Falcons at AJ Bell Stadium.

Sale had WillGriff John sent to the sin-bin after the break before Joel Matavesi got the Falcons' only try.

The Sharks' win was affirmed late on when Simon Hammersley crossed over.

The result means Sale move up to second in the Premiership table, five points behind leaders Bristol Bears, while Newcastle remain in seventh despite their defeat.

Sale made two changes to the XV that started their win over Exeter Chiefs last Friday, as Cobus Wiese and Akker van der Merwe came into the side.

Without Jono Ross, Faf de Klerk captained the Sharks and the scrum-half made an immediate impact, setting up Yarde for the opening try within two minutes.

Matavesi, brother of Bath utility-back Josh, came on deep into the second half and scored a late consolation try for the visitors while on his Premiership debut.

Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson told BT Sport:

"Newcastle make every team work for it. They're really gutsy a hard-working well-coached side so we didn't expect anything less.

"Exeter was pretty good last week and we scored early on then as well but there were many pleasing aspects tonight and our attacking play looks slick.

"The best sides in the Premiership have the best defences. Defences win championships and that old cliche still stands true."

Newcastle Falcons boss Dean Richards:

"We had enough chances to score enough tries but we just didn't take them, and we have to look to ourselves as to the reasons why.

""We were on a six-day turnaround this week, which basically meant one full training day, and it's just not enough when you've missed three weeks.

"Credit to Sale, they're a good side, but our players were frustrated by some of the scrum penalties. That's life, though, and it's not the reason we lost."

Sale Sharks: James; McGuigan, James, Hill, Yarde; MacGinty, De Klerk; Rodd, Langdon, John, Beaumont, De Jager, Wiese, Dugdale, Daniel du Preez.

Replacements: Van der Merwe, Harrison, Oosthuizen, Du Preez, Neild, Quirke, Robert du Preez, Hammersley.

Newcastle Falcons: Penny; Carreras, Orlando, Burrell, Stevenson; Connon, Schreuder; Davison, McGuigan, Mulipola, Peterson, Fuser, Farrar, Hardie, Chick.

Replacements: Blamire, Brocklebank, Tampin, Barry, Collett, Young, Matavesi, Tait.

Referee: Andrew Jackson (RFU).

PORT ROYAL, Penn. – As a result of the feedback Port Royal Speedway officials have received, the decision has been made to cancel Sunday’s scheduled opening day program due to anticipated cold weather and high winds.

Speedway officials and the track promotion team have been monitoring the weather throughout the week and after much deliberation, decided it was in the best intertest of all parties involved to delay racing for another week.

As a result, a test and tune session will be held March 12, open to all divisions, from 6-9 p.m. ET. Pit passes will be $25, with free general admission for fans.

Opening day will shift to Saturday, March 13, featuring the Weikert’s Livestock 410 sprint cars racing for $5,000 to win and the River Valley Builders super late models racing for $3,000 to win.

General admission will be $20, students will be $10 and pit admission will be $30.

SANDUSKY, Ohio – ThorSport Racing revealed Friday that Sakar Int’l, along with its Vivitar brand, has renewed its sponsorship Johnny Sauter’s No. 13 Toyota Tundra for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.

Sakar Int’l Inc. is a leading manufacturer of consumer electronics and accessories. Since 1977, Sakar has developed a global presence by consistently evolving alongside technology to develop on-trend, cutting-edge products. Sakar licenses over 40 major entertainment and corporate brands and has maintained a diverse portfolio of product offerings, including digital and action cameras, audio and mobile accessories, karaoke machines, fitness, health and beauty, smart home, wheeled goods and additional youth electronics.

“We are excited to continue our great partnership with Duke Thorson’s top of the line organization, ThorSport Racing, and to have our No. 13 Johnny Sauter Vivitar Tundra back on track this year. With Johnny being one of the top NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers, ThorSport’s almost three decade’s of proven success, and the ability to be a large part of the great sport of NASCAR, we will achieve many victories on and off the race track” said Milton Peters, SVP of Merchandising at Sakar International.

Vivitar designs and manufactures affordable consumer electronics ranging from on-trend digital lifestyle products for millennial consumers to cameras and accessories for amateur and professional photographers. With a rich heritage dating back to 1938, the company’s portfolio today spans from mobile and audio accessories, to health and beauty, fitness and many more constantly evolving specialty products in multiple emerging electronics categories.

“I’m proud to continue to represent the Sakar International brands on and off the track. Getting the pole at the season-opening race at Daytona was a great way to kick off the seaon. I look forward to the season ahead,” said Sauter.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Two of the biggest racing venues in the world have become COVID-19 vaccination sites as the world races its way through the pandemic.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened its gates Friday to deliver vaccines to natives of the Hoosier State. Meantime, Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas reached 100,000 vaccinations on March 4 around 11 a.m. TMS is running 16 vaccination lanes on Friday.

TMS started as a vaccination site on Feb. 2, operating three days a week.

IMS started on Friday with thousands of Hoosiers entering gate two. Among them were Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and IMS President J. Douglas Boles. Both received their vaccines early Friday morning.

“This is a momentous and exciting day for the Hoosier State that IMS is proud to be a part of,” Boles said. “We know getting a vaccination at racing’s greatest cathedral was extra special to so many people who have family history and life-long memories here. I encourage all Hoosiers to receive their vaccine as they become eligible so that Indiana can continue getting back on track.”

Among the many individuals receiving their shots at IMS Friday were IndyCar President Jay Frye and NTT IndyCar Series team owner and retired driver Michael Andretti.

Governor Holcomb described his vaccination as an easy “2.4-second pit stop.”

“Do it. Just do it,” Holcomb said. “This is going to help us beat COVID-19.”

The clinic opened Friday morning and has been extended through Monday evening, with almost 17,000 Hoosiers pre-registered to receive the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. All participants are receiving drive-through vaccinations in IMS garages and will exit the facility traveling alongside the same world-famous race track that plays host to the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

Hoosiers 50 and older are eligible for vaccination in the state of Indiana. To learn more, visit www.ourshot.in.gov.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Robert Gamez won the 1990 Nestle Invitational at Bay Hill with a walk-off eagle.

On Friday, he just walked off.

Gamez followed an opening 79 with a 20-over 92 in the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and he then was disqualified for failing to sign his scorecard, which wasn’t pretty: no birdies, just five pars, seven bogeys, five doubles and a triple at the par-4 11^th hole.

Because Gamez didn’t sign his card, the round was officially wiped out on the leaderboard.

Gamez, 52, hit arguably the most memorable shot in Bay Hill history 31 years ago when he holed a 7-iron from 176 yards for eagle to sink Greg Norman by a shot. Since winning in his Bay Hill debut, Gamez has now missed 24 of 31 cuts at Arnie’s Place, including 13 straight. He’s failed to break 79 in 10 of his last 11 API rounds.

MLS and Inter Milan are in settlement talks related to the trademark battle over the use of the word "Inter."

On March 2, MLS submitted a filing to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in which it indicated: "The parties are actively engaged in negotiations for the settlement of this matter. Major League Soccer, L.L.C. requests that this proceeding be suspended for 60 days to allow the parties to continue their settlement efforts."

- Miami confident in Inter Milan trademark dispute over name
- MLS, Inter Miami dispute Inter Milan's U.S. trademark application

In 2014, Inter Milan filed a trademark application with the USPTO stating that the term "Inter" is synonymous with Inter Milan. In 2018, MLS applied for its own trademark for the name Inter Miami CF with the USPTO, and subsequently filed an opposition to Inter Milan's trademark efforts in 2019. Because MLS is structured as a "single entity" and not a league with franchises, it was the league that filed the objection on behalf of Inter Miami.

In the MLS filing, it stated that Inter Milan's application should be refused because the term "Inter" is merely descriptive. It also argued that allowing Milan's use of the term would result in a "likelihood of confusion" in the marketplace.

Miami's "likelihood of confusion" argument was twice rejected by the USPTO on the grounds that MLS has no existing rights to the word "Inter," with the most recent ruling taking place on Dec. 9, 2020. That decision had led to concern that Inter Miami may have to change its name, though at the time, the team had insisted that "the Club is not in jeopardy of changing its trademark-approved name or marks."

Writing in Law.com's Daily Business Review, South Florida business attorney David Winker said the news of settlement talks isn't a surprise. (Winker has previously sued Inter Miami to overturn a stadium referendum in Miami, as well as stop demolition on a stadium project in Ft. Lauderdale. The former lawsuit was dismissed while the latter was defeated in court.)

"Trademark disputes often settle because trademark litigation is expensive, and because the stakes are so high," Winker wrote on Law.com's Daily Business Review. "It is not surprising that a settlement is being reached in this case. Inter Miami having to rebrand after its flashy roll-out would be expensive and embarrassing. A settlement would also allow the parties to proceed with their respective trademark applications, and set parameters for the parties respective use of their trademarks."