LOCAL

November 28, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

LOCAL

Tom Miller judges championship fight

Rama, Ontario, Canada — Tom Miller of Mineral Ridge was a judge Friday at Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada as IBF Junior Featherweight World Champion, Steve Molitor (of Canada) took on WBA Jr. Featherweight World Champion Celestino Cabellero (of Panama) in the first unification bout ever held North of the Border.

The two titles were won by Cabellero. It was Miller’s 57th title bout.

His next assignment is on December 6th in London, England where Enzo Maccarinelli of England will take on Johnathon Banks of the United States for the vacant WBO Cruiserweight Championship of the World.

WORLD

Top European swimmers named

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Alain Bernard of France and Rebecca Adlington of Britain were chosen the 2008 European swimmers of the year.

Bernard won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle at the Beijing Olympics, and took silver in the 4x100 freestyle relay and bronze in the 50 free.

Adlington won gold in the 400 and 800 freestyle in Beijing and was also the 2008 world champion in the 800 short-course race.

The European Swimming Federation also named two Russians, Dmitry Sautin and Yulia Pakhalina, as the best European divers of 2008, while Peter Biros of Hungary and Danielle de Bruijn of the Netherlands were considered the best water polo players.

Trophy named for climber

LONDON — A trophy honoring Mount Everest’s first climber, Edmund Hillary, will be at stake when England and New Zealand meet at Twickenham on Saturday.

The Hillary Shield was unveiled Thursday by Hillary’s widow, June, and will be contested whenever England and New Zealand play tests outside the World Cup.

Hillary along with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, made the first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 as part of the British Everest Exhibition.

Clark has lead in Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia — South Africa’s Tim Clark waited out a three-hour suspension because of a severe thunderstorm to shoot a 5-under 67 for a share of the first-round lead in the Australian Masters.

Australian Scott Hend was in the clubhouse at 67 when a hail-laced storm hit Huntingdale, forcing nearly 80 players off the course Thursday. When they returned, Clark, 3 under when play was suspended, birdied 15 and 16 on what he said was a “totally different course.”

Chris Downes of Australia, who played the final five holes of his first round Friday morning, was third at 68, followed by Australians Anthony Brown and Michael Wright and England’s Daniel Wardrop at 69.

American John Daly shot 76.

NATION

Fagan captures road race

MANCHESTER, Conn. — Olympic runner Martin Fagan won the 2008 Manchester Road Race, a year after missing the top spot by seconds.

The 25-year-old Fagan, of Providence, R.I. and Ireland, took the lead in the second mile and held it to finish the race at 21:41. It was his first win at the 4.75-mile annual race.

Fagan’s time was 21 seconds faster than Andrew Letherby’s winning time in 2007, a race that Fagan finished one second behind Letherby.

Letherby, a two-time winner, finished sixth this year.

Iverson misses practice, fined

DETROIT (AP) — Allen Iverson apparently chose family and food over practice — and he’ll be fined for it.

Iverson was the only player who didn’t show up when the Detroit Pistons worked out on Thanksgiving.

Coach Michael Curry confirmed Iverson will be fined, will not start Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks and might not play in the game for missing the practice.

After Detroit traded for the superstar, Iverson insisted he would do whatever Curry wanted him to and even mocked his famous rant about practice while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Burke named GM of Maple Leafs

TORONTO (AP) — Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs have agreed to terms on a deal for the former Anaheim general manager to take over as president and GM, the Globe and Mail and The Canadian Press reported Thursday.

The Globe and Mail, citing a source familiar with the negotiations, said Burke only needs to sign the deal to make it official, and that an announcement could come Friday. CP said a source, which it didn’t identify, confirmed the two sides had come to terms and that an announcement was expected Saturday.

Vindicator wire report