Sport Shorts

Gary Speed dies

Wales football manager Gary Speed was found hanged at his home in Huntington, Chester on the morning of Sunday 27 November, having apparently committed suicide. Speed had a long, distinguished playing career, winning the league title with Leeds in 1992 and enjoying Champions League football with Newcastle between 2002 and 2004. The former midfielder, who also played for Everton and Bolton in his time, earned 85 caps for Wales, 44 as captain, and won an MBE in 2010. Despite enjoying a less-than-spectacular four months in his first magagerial posting at Sheffield United, Speed was given the Wales job in December 2010. Despite not seriously challenging for a qualification spot at next year’s European Championships, Wales had been on good form recently; Speed’s side secured a third straight win earlier this month in the 4-1 friendly triumph over Norway.

Webber win wraps up F1 season

Red Bull driver Mark Webber won last Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix, the nineteenth and final round of the championship. The Australian took advantage of gearbox difficulties for his team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who cruised to second place, and put in a dominant performance. Gearbox problems were unusually common through the field, most notably in the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton, forcing the Briton’s retirement on lap 48 of 71. Fellow McLaren driver Jenson Button eventually edged into third place, after trading exceptional overtaking manoevres with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. The result confirms Button as runner-up to this year’s champion Vettel, with Alonso and Webber behind him in third and fourth.

Federer beats Tsonga in World Tour final

Some classy tennis from Swiss master Roger Federer saw him edge out Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London on Sunday evening. The three-sets win (6-3 6-7 [6-8] 6-3) gave Federer his 70th title in his 100th tournament final, and ensures he will end the season ranked third in the world, moving ahead of Britain’s Andy Murray.