Sporting Digest: Athletics

CHINA are to send their top quintet of women's distance runners, coached by Ma Junren, to the London Marathon on 17 April. The world 1500m record-holder and world 3,000m gold medallist, Qu Yunxia, will be joined by the world 3,000m and 10,000m record-holder, Wang Junxia, the world 3,000m silver medallist, Zhang Linli, and the world 3,000m bronze medallist, Zhang Lirong, and Ma Liyan. The Chinese team won the World Marathon Cup last October, when they filled the first four places.

INTERNATIONAL HIGH JUMP WITH MUSIC COMPETITION (Wavertree Tennis Centre, Liverpool, Thursday): 1 J Sotomayor (Cuba) 2.36m; 2 S Smith (Liverpool Harriers) 2.36; 3 D Grant (Harringay) 2.34; 4 B Reilly (Corby) 2.32; 5 S Hoen (Nor) 2.26; 6 R Sonn (Ger) 2.23. Junior competition: 1 A Burke (Irl) 2.16; 2 J Brierley (Telford) 2.13; 3 S Ohrland (Chelmsford) 2.10.