Two distance races take place tomorrow in Hong Kong: the 33rd Gammon-AVOHK China Coast Marathon at Pak Tam Chung and the 13th Skechers 30km at Shek Kong catchwater. Former HK resident Mark Williams has signed up for the 30 kilometre event, as has Gi Ka-man. Kami Semick, the USATF ultra runner of the year in 2010, has entered the full marathon in the women's event at Pak Tam Chung, while Thomas Kiprotich heads the half marathon entry list. John Lane, 76, has entered the full marathon in the China Coast event and is the only runner to have run all 32 previous races. Richard Castka
A Swiss laboratory yesterday denied it helped Lance Armstrong cheat after claims from the US Anti-Doping Agency that it gave the shamed cyclist information about how to beat drug tests. "Did I give the keys to get around EPO [erythropoietin] tests? The answer is clear: no," Martial Saugy, head of the anti-doping laboratory in Lausanne, told a news conference. The head of the Usada, Travis Tygart, claimed this week that Saugy tipped off the Texan rider about a test for the illegal blood booster in 2002. That followed a "suspicious" sample the cyclist had given in 2001. AFP
