COLOMBO: Asia's fastest woman Susanthika Jayasinghe, who was cleared of doping charges by International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) just before the start of September Commonwealth Games, has bounced back to centrestage establishing a national record in 100 metres.

Taking part in the National athletic meet today for the first time after the ban was lifted, the controversial sprinter finished in 11.28 seconds, bettering her own previous mark of 11.40, set in 1995.

With today's record, Jayasinghe put to rest doubts about her fitness and would be one of the frontline competitors for both the sprints - 100 and 200 - in the forthcoming Bangkok Asian Games in December. Jayasinghe skipped the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games as she had very little time to train herself for the event.

The ace sprinter, who bagged the silver medal in the Athens World Athletic Championship, while announcing her decision to skip the Games in September hadsaid, ``the Asian Games gold medal is mine.''

Hakkinen cruises to Formula One title

SUZUKA: Finland's Mika Hakkinen won the Japanese Grand Prix and claimed his first Formula One title today after his rival Michael Schumacher went out of a dramatic race with an exploded rear tyre. It was a triumphant day for the hugely-popular flaxen-haired Finn who led the race after 32 of a revised total of 51 laps in his McLaren.

Schumacher, having claimed pole position for Ferrari and needing to win to keep his hopes alive, lost that advantage before the start when he stalled on the grid. The German was forced to start from the back of the field and staged an amazing comeback through the field to third place before his tyre blew on lap 32.

The picture of him leaning on a guardrail in bemused and bitter misery told its own story. But he recovered quickly and was the first to shake Hakkinen's hand at the finish.

Butcher bleeds, adds to English woes

PERTH: England's injury worries deepened today whentest opener Mark Butcher was forced to retired hurt after being struck in the face by a bouncer on the second day of their match against Western Australia. Butcher was assisted from the WACA with blood streaming down his face after he was hit by a delivery from Western Australia paceman Matthew Nicholson.

The incident took the gloss off an otherwise impressive fightback by England's batsman who reached 191 for two at the close with Nasser Hussain unbeaten on 93. Butcher, who had yet to score, tried to evade the rising delivery but the ball found its way through a narrow gap between the protective grill and peak of his helmet.

England manager Graham Gooch said the left-handed opener needed 10 stitches to close a gash above his right eye and was suffering from blurred vision but had been cleared of any serious damage.

Butcher's injury could not have come at a worse time for England with the first Ashes Test less than three weeks away. England's two leading batsman, captain Alec Stewart and former skipperMichael Atherton both missed the four-day game because of injury.

Lennox Lewis picks up Royal Award

LONDON: WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis went to Buckingham Palace to pick up a new title member of the order of the British empire. Lewis, dressed in top hat and tails, received his MBE from Prince Charles and said his next goal is to unify the world heavyweight crown. ``He asked me about my next fight and I told him I would be bringing the two other world heavyweight titles back to Britain,'' Lewis said. Lewis is scheduled to face Evander Holyfield, who holds the IBF and WBA titles, at New York's Madison Square Garden on March 13. ``I've got an MBE now and I am the WBC champion, so now I just need the IBF and WBA,'' Lewis said. ``And it's just as well I know my ABCS.''