Koju, Bhumiraj win

LALITPUR: Bhumi Raj Rai won the Men’s Open 8km running competition and Kanchi Maya Koju clinched the Women’s Open 3km race, organised by Shanti Yuva Club to mark the Nepal Samvat 1129, here on Wednesday. Rai completed the course in 26 minutes and 01.7 seconds. Laxman Thakuri ended up second and Narendra Prasad Bhatt third. Men’s Open winners received Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively. Koju completed the race in 11 minutes and 22.27 seconds. Krishneswori Sintakala and Hari Devi Lajlawat finished second and third respectively. Top three in women’s race won Rs 3,000, Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 respectively. — HNS

Spalletti gets support

ROME: AS Roma’s under-fire boss Luciano Spalletti was given the backing of the club’s president Rosella Sensi on Tuesday, after a series of poor results has left the capital club 15th in Serie A. The two met earlier to discuss the club’s faltering performances that have seen them lose three consecutive league matches and a Champions League tie against Chelsea last week, their second of the three matches so far having gone down to Romanian side Cluj in their opening clash. Roma face Sampdoria on Wednesday. — AFP

Vieira set to return

ROME: Injured France captain Patrick Vieira is set to return to club duty for Inter Milan on Wednesday as the Italian champions take on Fiorentina. Vieira injured his calf in the warmup to France’s 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw with Romania on October 11, subsequently pulling out of the side’s friendly against Tunisia days later. Inter coach Jose Mourinho has a selection headache ahead of the tie against the fifth-placed Florence team, with midfielders Esteban Cambiasso, Luis Jimenez and Sulley Muntari all struggling to recover from knocks. — AFP