Athletics: Bashir bridges the gap

Undaunted by heavy rain and strong winds, Britain's Bashir Hussain yesterday won the Hong Kong Tsing Ma Bridge Marathon, run over the world's largest rail and suspension bridge. Hussain, a 32-year-old mathematics teacher, finished the race in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 34 seconds.

Belgium's Peter De Vocht was second, only 15 seconds behind, with New Zealand's Chris Dagg third in 2:26:30. There was some British success in the women's race, too, with Jackie Newton finishing second, a minute and five seconds behind the 50-year-old Australian, Bev Lucas, who won in 2:52:07.

About 900 runners competed in the race. Tsing Ma Bridge, which is nearly half a mile long, was officially opened last week by Baroness Thatcher and links the main Hong Kong island with the islet of Chek Lap Kok, where a new airport is to open next year.

Linford Christie gained a double in the opening British League Division One match at Enfield on Saturday. He took the 100m in 10.30sec to better the divisional record he set last summer. Later on he took the 200m in 20.61sec, the fastest time by a British athlete this summer.