Takaoka wins marathon:

TOKYO: Japan’s Toshinari Takaoka won the Tokyo International Marathon on Sunday, finishing more than three minutes ahead of Zebedayo Bayo of Tanzania. Takaoka crossed the finish line with a meet record time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, 41 seconds for his first career victory. Bayo, who won this race in 2003, was second in 2:10.51. Takaoka is the Japan record holder in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres and set the national marathon mark of 2:06:16 in placing third at the 2002 Chicago Marathon. — AP

Neethling takes three gold:

NEW YORK: South Africa’s Ryk Neethling followed his opening day world record with two more gold medals at the FINA World Cup short course swimming competition. Neethling notched a world record in the men’s 100 metre individual medley and a US Open record in the 200m freestyle, finishing in one minute, 43.12 seconds. Canada’s Brent Hayden followed in 1:46.09 and Nick Brunelli, of the US, was third in 1:46.41. — AFP

Rafael Vidal dead:

CARACAS: Venezuelan swimmer Rafael Vidal, who won a bronze medal in the 1984 Olympics, died in a road accident. He was 40. At 19, Vidal became the first Venezuelan to win an Olympic medal in the 200m butterfly competition. A year later, he left sports to pursue a career in administration and earned his master’s degree in Computer Sciences. Over the past two decades, he also worked in radio and television as a sports commentator. — AP

Yelena sets world record:

KIEV: Russian Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva set an indoor pole vault world record in her first competition of the year. Isinbayeva. who already holds the outdoor world record, cleared 4.87 metres at the “Pole Vault Stars” event. Anna Rogowska and Monika Pyrek of Poland came second and third at 4.75 and 4.70 respectively. — AP