athletics

Scottish prospect Chris O'Hare grabbed the biggest victory of his burgeoning career in Idaho and then dedicated it to his mother, writes Mark Woods.

The 21-year-old from Edinburgh claimed the American collegiate mile title in Nampa for Tulsa University, 12 months after finishing second.

O'Hare, who won in 4min 01:66sec, revealed that the prize had a sentimental twist. "It is my mum, Gillian's, birthday and I can't be home to give her a hug or a present, so giving her this win means a lot to me," he said. "Winning the championship means even more to me knowing it has happened on her birthday."

Elsewhere, Commonwealth Games medallist Steph Twell picked up a silver at the Inter-Counties championships in Birmingham, finishing second behind Great Britain rival Gemma Steel.

Kilbarchan's Euan Gillham claimed gold in the Under-15 race while Stonehaven's Rhona Auckland was runner-up in the junior event to British international Emelia Gorecka.

cycling

Bradley Wiggins became only the second British winner of the Paris-Nice race yesterday after holding off his nearest challengers to take victory in the final-day time-trial, writes Rob Moir.

The Team Sky rider had led by six seconds following Saturday's penultimate stage and he secured the overall title in the 70th staging of the event by winning the 9.6km time-trial to Col d'Eze in 19min 12sec.

The victory saw Wiggins, a three-time Olympic gold medallist for Great Britain, follow in the footsteps of Tom Simpson, who claimed the title in 1967.

golf

Grantown-on-Spey professional golfer Duncan Stewart is set for the new season with a fund of £150,000 raised by his enterprising "buy-shares-in-me" scheme, writes Colin Farquharson.

"I have now sold all 150 shares [at £100 each] for the season. The support I have received over the past two months has been incredible and I would just like to thank everyone who has bought shares," said Stewart. "I would like to give Paul Lawrie a huge thank you. Not only did he buy the first 10 shares to get it all started, he also kindly gave me 15 Glenmuir shirts and five Glenmuir sweaters.

"With the support of everyone, I now can go out this season and concentrate on playing golf, and not have to worry about where my next entry fee is going to come from. I am really looking forward to the season starting and I'm ready to give 110% to get to the next level."

The more prize money Stewart wins on the EuroPro Tour – on which he was a winner last year – the bigger the dividends, his investors will receive.

ice hockey

Dundee CCS Stars claimed their third victory in four days to move on to 30 points and into the final end-of-season play-off place, writes Nigel Duncan.

The Tayside team edged Scottish rivals Braehead Clan 3-0 last night despite being outshot but Stars' 12th game in 50 starts moves them on to 30 points, two clear of play-off rivals Edinburgh Capitals.

Player/coach Brent Hughes broke the deadlock in the 15th minute with Jarrett Konkle and Mark Kolanos providing the ammunition.

Kolanos turned from provider to scorer for the second in the 30th minute with Great Britain internationalist Jeff Hutchins and John Dolan involved in the build-up.

It was Dolan who popped in the third six minutes later when Brennan Turner and Kolanos set-up the chance.

While Dundee fans celebrated, supporters of misfiring Edinburgh Capitals were sent spinning.

The Capital combine were no match for title-chasing Belfast Giants as they were shutout 8-0 and outshot 31-14 as the Irish side, coached by former Edinburgh playcaller, Doug Christiansen, collected their 14th straight win.

rowing

There was good news for two of Scottish rowing's Olympic hopefuls at the Team GB final trials event held yesterday, writes Mike Haggerty.

Six-times world champion and three-times Olympic silver medallist Katherine Grainger won the single sculls trial, in a time just under two seconds faster than her double-sculls crew-mate Anna Watkins in second place.

Lossiemouth's Heather Stanning was also a winner, crossing the line first with her world silver medal partner Helen Glover, more than seven seconds up on her opposition.

But for Inverness-based Glaswegian Imogen Walsh the bad news was that she finished third in the lightweight singles trial, and with only two lightweight women's spaces available at the Olympic regatta, still has work to do to force her way into the top boat.

Another Inverness-based triallist Alan Sinclair finished sixth in the "B" final of men's sculls.

Walsh finished less than half a second down on second-placed Sophie Hoskins and under two seconds behind the surprise winner, Kat Copeland. She later admitted she did not realise how close she was to her opponents.

Grainger's win – her 10th in these trials over the years – restores her to her position as top British female rower. She lost out last year to Watkins at this stage before the two of them went on to continue their unbeaten international record together in the double sculls category.

It now seems highly probable that this partnership will be allowed to continue all the way to the London Olympic Games, as is the case for the pair of Stanning and Glover.