Sport Shorts: Webber takes pole

Red Bull maintained its perfect qualifying record yesterday as Mark Webber edged Lewis Hamilton of McLaren to start the Turkish Grand Prix from pole position.

It was Webber's third straight pole as the overall Formula One leader aimed for a third consecutive race victory. Red Bull have taken pole in all seven races this season. Webber set a qualifying record with a lap of 1min 26.295sec around the Istanbul Park Circuit to lead Hamilton by less than two-tenths of a second. Sebastian Vettel will start third after locking up his Red Bull during his final flying lap. Defending champion Jenson Button of McLaren completes the second row.

Tragedy remembered

Belgium marked the 25th anniversary of the Heysel stadium tragedy with a short ceremony yesterday to commemorate the 39 football fans who died trying to flee a rush by hooligans at the 1985 European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus. A memorial service was followed by the laying of wreaths at a monument to the victims - most of them Italian Juventus fans - who died when a stadium wall collapsed under the pressure of the surging crowd.

Couples in front

Fred Couples defied windy afternoon conditions to shoot a four-under 68 on Friday and take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Senior PGA Championships at Parker, Colorado. On a leaderboard packed with big names, Couples was at seven-under 137 to lead by a stroke from Tom Kite (69), with Tom Lehman a further stroke back.

Malik ban lifted

The Pakistan Cricket Board yesterday lifted Shaoib Malik's 12-month ban for ill-discipline, making the former captain available for national selection. Malik's 2-million rupee (about R329000) fine was halved.

Athletics expenses cuts

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) will cut more than $20-million in expenses over the next three years, including $4-million in 2010, to weather the global financial crisis, says a senior athletics source. Cuts will come from all areas of the IAAF, which is also hoping to benefit from an improved exchange rate between the dollar and the euro.