Marathon at North Pole

At least forty athletes took part in a marathon event at the North Pole. Forty athletes gathered at the North Pole on Friday to run a full marathon distance of 42.195 kms (26 miles 385 yards) in temperatures of -26 degrees Celsius. The athletes ran around a research station at the pole and had to remain in plain view of observers to make sure they did not fall or freeze. The course was marked out on the ice with flags. Faces had to be protected from the cold with masks.

Yuvraj Singh back

Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh returned home after receiving treatment for a cancerous tumour in US. Sporting a black jacket and red baseball cap, the 30-year-old all-rounder gave thumbs up signs to well-wishers who had gathered at New Delhi airport to welcome him back. "He is absolutely fine and will rest at home for another 10-15 days," his mother Shabnam Singh told reporters at the airport. Left-handed Yuvraj, named man of the tournament after India s World Cup triumph at home last April, was diagnosed with a rare condition, mediastinal seminoma -- a malignant tumour between his lungs -- soon after the event. After completing three sessions of chemotherapy in Boston in March, he had moved to London before returning to India. "Finally the day has come! i am going home tomorrow! cant wait, excited to see my friends and family. Thousands of well-wishers, politicians, his team mates and other sports personalities including US cycling great Lance Armstrong had sent messages to the ailing all-rounder who is known for his aggressive batting and disciplined spin bowling. "Today the entire country is happy, god is happy and I am very happy. My son has come back as a winner," Yuvraj s father Yograj Singh told the NDTV news channel. Yuvraj, who scored 362 runs and bagged 15 wickets in nine World Cup matches, has not played competitive cricket since taking part in two of the three home Tests against the West Indies in November. He has scored 8,051 runs in 274 one-dayers and 1,775 in 37 Tests since making his international debut in 2000.

IPL 2012 team standings

STANDINGS

Pos	Team	Mat	Net RR	Pts	Last 5
1	RR	2	+1.325	4
2	PWI	2	+1.250	4
3	MI	3	-0.018	4
4	CSK	2	+1.272	2
5	RCB	1	+1.000	2
6	DD	2	-0.333	2
7	KKR	2	-1.002	0
8	KXIP	2	-1.325	0
9	DC	2	-1.950	0

All teams play 16 matches. Top 4 advance to Play-offs.

Serena Williams beat Lucie Safarova

Serena Williams beat Lucie Safarova 6-0, 6-1 to win the Family Circle Cup. It was the first title win in seven months and her 40th career title for the younger Williams sister. Williams, seeded fifth, won the first nine games of the match to dominate ninth -seeded Safarova much the same as she had Australia s Sam Stosur, whom she beat 6-1 6-1 in Saturday s semi-final. Williams took 58 minutes to dispose of Safarova, with 27 winners and just eight errors, to claim her fourth ever clay court title.

Messi become the first player

Messi become the first player to score 60 goals in a major European league. Lionel Messi scored his 59th and 60th goals of the season to fuel Barcelona s fightback for a 4-1 win at 10-man Zaragoza as the defending champions stayed in the chase for a fourth straight Spanish league title on Saturday. Barcelona s ninth consecutive league victory provisionally reduced league leader Real Madrid s advantage to three points before Valencia s visit on Sunday. The European champions host Real Madrid in three rounds in a "clasico" match that will likely go a long way to deciding the league crown. Zaragoza played the second half a man down, and Messi scored a penalty in the 86th to become the first player to score 60 goals in a major European league since Gerd Mueller had 67 for Bayern Munich in 1972-73. Messi then set up struggling teammate Pedro Rodriguez in stoppage time to seal the win at La Romareda Stadium. The three-time world player of the year has scored 38 times in league play, giving him one more goal than Cristiano Ronaldo as the two stars duel to break the Madrid forward s league record of 40 from last season.

Pakistan team will be pick

Pakistan to get bowling coach before  Sri Lanka  tour. The bowling coach for the Pakistan team will be picked before national team’s tour to Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to take place in June. Head of the coach-searching committee, former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam told this to reporters after chairing its first meeting at the NCA with Zaheer Abbas and Col. Naushad. “It was the first meeting of the committee in which 11 candidates, including some foreigners, submitted their profiles, but the committee will take a decision on merit after examining potential of each and every candidate,” Intikhab said. “In the first phase, the committee will shortlist the coaches and then pick up the best one, hopefully before the team’s departure to Sri Lanka,” he added.

Davis Cup quarterfinal

Argentina will be strong favorites to clinch victory on the outdoor clay court in reverse singles. David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank defeated Croatians Ivo Karlovic and Marin Cilic in a five-hour doubles to give Argentina a 2-1 lead in their Davis Cup quarterfinal on Saturday. Argentina won 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-7 (6), 8-6 and will be strong favorites to clinch victory on the outdoor clay court in Sunday s reverse singles when Argentina s top player, Juan Martin del Potro, leads off against Cilic. Nalbandian would face Karlovic in the last singles.

Barcelona Beats Real Zaragoza By 4-1

2 goals By Messi and 1 each for Puyol And Cesc Fabregas Putted Barca Infront of Zaragoza .

                 
             -STATS AND FACTS-

                                   

- Barça have scored 161 goals in official matches, beating the 157-goal record set by the team last season. Pep Guardiola’s men established a new Club record as they are now the team that have scored the most goals in a single season in Club history. The Azulgranas are averaging 2.98 goals per match.

- Messi has scored 38 goals in La Liga, equalling the marks set by Zarra (1950-51) and Hugo Sánchez (1989-90). The Barça player is two goals away from Cristiano Ronaldo’s record (2010-11). 

- The last penalty saved by Víctor Valdés was in the Racing-Barça match in the first game of the 2010-11 season.

- Messi has scored in 100 different matches, a feat only equalled by Cesar Rodríguez. Moreover, the Argentine equalled Puskas as the 15th highest goal scorer in La Liga history. 

- Puyol was the leader on defence, he won back 13 balls.

- Thiago Alcántara was the player with the most successful passes. Of his 95 attempts, he only missed 8. 

- Messi has scored seven goals from his last three visits to La Romareda. The striker has 11 goals from 12 matches against Zaragoza.

- Cesc Fàbregas picked up his fifth yellow cars, he will miss Tuesday’s match against Getafe 

- This was the team’s ninth consecutive win in La Liga, with 27 goal scored and conceding only 7. 

- With his goal against Zaragoza, Carles Puyol continues to increase his goal tally in one season. This year he has four: two in La Liga, scored on the Aragón side and two in the Cup against Real Madrid and Valencia. 

- Second goal in La Liga and eighth goal this season for Pedro Rodríguez. The Spanish striker hasn’t scored since January 25th, when Barça played against Real Madrid in the King’s Cup