By Mike RowbottomDecember 19 - Australia finished as top nation at the Perth 2011 World Championships thanks to three gold medals, but Britain won twice as many medals as any other nation as two silvers on the final day brought their total to six.

and Berta Betanzos, the British pairing were delighted with their silver.The bronze medal went to the New

Zealand team of Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie.

New Zealander Andrew Murdoch was chasing hard, overtaking Thompson at one stage to relegate the British

By David GoldDecember 14 - Ian Ritchie (pictured) has been appointed as the new chief executive of the

England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) to rebuild the organisation following a disappointing World Cup in New

Zealand this year.

Directors today.Ritchie, who has been Wimbledon chief executive since 2005, oversaw the process that put a new

overhauling the organisation and ensuring that the 2003 world champions can improve on their display in New

Zealand.RFU Board member Ian Metcalfe, who was appointed to lead the search for a new chief executive

2016June 2011: Sir Clive Woodward pledges immediate future to British Olympic Association after new

By Duncan MackayDecember 11 -  France's Bernard Lapasset (pictured) is set to retain his position as chairman of the International Rugby Board (IRB), defeating his only challenger, former England captain Bill Beaumount, at a vote in Los Angeles tomorrow. 

That stance has earned him the support of the Home Unions plus Australia and New Zealand, who believe

stand again as vice-chairman but there are already two candidates for that role, in Graham Mourie from New

Zealand and Oregon Hoskins from South Africa.Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

By Tom DegunDecember 11 - The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have honoured their top athletes, officials, media and contributors at their General Assembly in Beijing with alpine skier Gerd Schoenfelder and nordic skier Verena Bentele claiming the two top prizes at the 2011 Paralympic Awards Gala, which were partnered by Allianz.

his stories on both Canadian athletes and international heroes at Vancouver 2010.Meanwhile Sky Sport New

Zealand won the broadcast category after capturing the true spirit of the Paralympic Games, in particular

By Tom DegunDecember 10 - New Zealand defeated hosts South Africa in dramatic fashion with the final

final 31-26 in front of 30,000 fans to claim the first South Africa Sevens title to be played at a new

It was a great final," said the New Zealand coach, Gordon Tietjens."

Twice New Zealand led in the first-half through the captain DJ Forbes and half-back Tomasi Cama but twice

Zealand kicked a loose ball up the field to create a match-winning score for Tomasi Cama.Samoa finished

Zealand to win Gold Coast Sevens 

By Declan WarringtonDecember 11 - Venezuela and Turkey will host the 2012 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, the FIBA Central Board has announced.

tournament, Angola, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, FYR of Macedonia, Greece, Jordan, Korea, Lithuania, New

Zealand, Nigeria, Puerto Rico and Russia will compete.The women's tournament is between Argentina, Turkey

, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Japan, Korea, Mali, Mozambique, New Zealand and Puerto Rico

By David GoldDecember 11 - New Zealand are to finally honour their disabled athletes by introducing a

crippled.Steve Hall, the Halberg Trust chief executive, said that there was significant support for the new

By David GoldDecember 10 - Great Britain defeated South Korea 4-3 in Auckland in the Champions Trophy, to send them through a fifth place play-off with Germany tomorrow.

the Netherlands 3-1 to set up a final showdown with defending champions Australia, who downed hosts New

Zealand 2-1.

By Tom DegunDecember 9 - The French city of Lyon has today been announced as the host of the 2013 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Athletics Championships.

With the London 2012 Games just around the corner, Lyon 2013 will feature many new heroes, Paralympic

The most recent IPC Athletics World Championships were held in January 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand

Performer of the Year for the second time at the Attitude Awards which celebrate the achievements of New

who lost one of her legs below the knee in a lawn-mower accident aged just two, became the youngest New

said.Contct the writer of this story at [email protected] storiesJune 2011: New

Zealand swimmer signs meaty new sponsorship dealMarch 2011: "Christchurch is crushed but my London

By Tom DegunDecember 8 - The New Zealand All Blacks are favourites for the prestigious 2012 Laureus World

In the largest sporting event ever held in New Zealand, the home side sent the country into celebration

As a former New Zealand captain and World Cup winner, I am obviously delighted that the All Blacks won

By David Gold at UK Sport in LondonDecember 8 - Great Britain's aim of finishing second in the medal table at the London 2012 Paralympic Games is on track according to the latest Mission 2012 update from UK Sport.

Peter Eriksson was also particularly encouraged by the performance at the IPC World Championships in New

Zealand in January, at which 38 medals were picked up by British Paralympians, such as the women's 400

By Tom DegunDecember 8 - Fifteen Para-equestrians athletes from five different countries have secured a share of a £21,805 ($34,066/€25,500) London 2012 training grant from Eurovestech, the Pan-European development capital fund.

Three riders each from Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, Poland and Russia will each use the grants to

who have not won medals at the Paralympics, World Championships or World Equestrian Games since 2004.New

a time when funding is critical in the countdown to 2012," she said.Dick will this week join fellow New

Oleg Burmistrov, Anton Arkhireev and Maria Zagorskaya from Russia and Jackson, Stock and Dick from New

By David GoldDecember 6 - There was disappointment for Britain's men's hockey squad today as they were crushed 8-1 by a lethal Spanish side in the crucial final pool A fixture of the Champions Trophy in Auckland, meaning their opponents progress to the next round at their expense.

eighth place alongside Pakistan, South Korea and Germany.Spain join reigning champions Australia, hosts New

Zealand and Pool B winners the Netherlands for the chance to lift the trophy.Contact the writer of this

By Duncan MackayDecember 5 - Paralympics New Zealand have appointed Australian company 2XU as its Official

engineer all official team wear and supply its market leading performance compression apparel to the New

Zealand team.They already have signed a deal to outfit the Australian team for London 2012."

As an organisation Paralympics New Zealand looks to partner with the best of the best," said Fiona Pickering

, the chief executive of Paralympics New Zealand.

powerful partnership between two leading performance brands, and we look forward to seeing both the New