Fire destroys terrace before game

BUCHAREST: Fire destroyed a bank of terracing at Romanian champions Steaua Bucharest's ground just before their derby with Dinamo Bucharest, but there were no casualties, police said on Monday.

The fire broke out in the stand occupied by several Dinamo Supporters, who were evacuated onto the pitch under police surveillance while the blaze was extinguished prior to Saturday evening's game.

Swim attempt

HAVANA: Amid cloudy skies and calm seas Sunday, Australian long-distance champion Susie Maroney began her second attempt at swimming the choppy, shark-infested Florida Straits.

Maroney, 22, hopes to become the first person ever to complete the 180-km swim from Cuba to Florida. Swimmers have officially attempted the swim 50 times, but none have made it.

Pusan's bid

PUSAN: Pusan, hometown of South Korea president Kim Young-Sam, declared its bid to host the the 2008 Summer Olympics. ``I will launch a formal campaign to host the 2008 Olympics after winning the government's approval before the end of this year,'' Pusan Mayor Moon Jung-Soo said after a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) head Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Piraeus win

ATHENS: Olympiakos Piraeus clinched the Greek soccer title for the first time in 10 years on Monday with a 2-0 win over AEK Athens. With two rounds to go Olympiakos, unbeaten for 17 matches, head the standings with 78 points, 12 ahead of AEK.

Japan dominate

PUSAN: Takashi Yamamoto and Masami Tanaka took Japan's swimming gold medal tally to five at the East Asian Games, threatening China's domination of the event. Yamamoto, national record holder in the men's 100 metres butterfly, clocked 53.98 seconds to lead a Japanese one-two finish with Katsuhiko Morita.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.