more than 300 people, mostly children, died. in a moment it will be time for sportsday, but first a look at what else is coming up this evening on bbc news. we'll have more response to the interview given by president assad of syria in which he denies being behind last week's chemical attack. we'll have the latest from new zealand's north island where the tail end of cyclone cook makes landfall. meterologists say it is the worst storm to hit the country in nearly 50 years. and two of the oldest known uneaten easter eggs have gone on show at a north yorkshire museum. but what makes the chocolate treats so special? that's all ahead on bbc news now on bbc news it's time for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday, i'm hugh ferris. our headlines tonight: chris latham lands another medalfor great britain at the world track cycling championships.

jose mourinho wants manchester united to go through an "open door" to win the europa league ahead of their quarterfinal first leg at anderlecht. and jenson button will return to formula one for one race only, replacing fernando alonso who's headed to the states for the indy 500. hello again. two days, two medals at the world track cycling championships in hong kong. and chris latham is the latest of the younger generation of british cyclists who's proved he can deliver on the global stage after elinor barker picked up a silver in the scratch race yesterday. latham has won a bronze in the men's event. he's just 23 and timed his finish to perfection to win a bunch sprint to cross the line in third.

many of the senior riders are taking time off. many of the senior riders are taking time off. he's one of a host of athletes getting a chance at the championships with many of the senior riders taking time off following the rio olympics and also due to the odd retirement, including that ofjo rowsell—shand, the two time olympic champion who's part of the bbc team covering the event, and whojoins me now. like elinor barker, chris latham getting on the podium, very pleasing since he did not have a lot of experience. that was my favourite race today. it was a difficult race. the polish rider was at the front and you could not see what was happening in the bunch, but he timed his spring to perfection. that was exciting because he is quite young and it is his first international medal as a senior rider. he has got the omnium coming up on the saturday and this bodes really well for his form for that. it is a young squad

because it is a year after the olympics, and a young team in your old event. it seems strange saying that, the women's team pursuit. four riders are five yesterday with an average age of 19 and they did a new personal best by four seconds, which is huge overfour personal best by four seconds, which is huge over four kilometres. today they brought in elinor barker and she has a bit more experience. but it was still an incredible performance by all of them and my performance by all of them and my performance of the week so far to see them raise their game so far in such a sort space of time. they have had time to step up and race at multiple competitions as well. people have taken breaks or retired, and they have gone from strength to strength. the men just missing out on the bronze medal today. tell me about the popular winner of the men's kieran race today. he is quite the personality from indonesia. he

has been racing in the world championships for ten years and he has had multiple silver and bronze medals, but today he finally won. he has been beaten by chris holley a few times. he has got a fantastic personality, he is incredibly friendly and everybody loves him. quite famously a few years ago in 2011 he had a bad crash in manchester and he had a huge splinter in his car. a lot of people thought that could have been the end of his career because it was such a bad crash. but for him to come here for his tenth world championships and wina for his tenth world championships and win a gold medal is really inspiring for all athletes to show the incredible perseverance he has had. a nice little wheelie across the line! thank you very much. thank you very much. jose mourinho has described the europa league as one of two

of manchester united's quarter final first leg against anderlecht in belgium tonight. if they go on to win the competition, they'll have a place in the champions league next season. united can also still qualify via a top four finish in the premier league but they're currently only fifth. the best thing to do would be to do both and for sure i think we can do both. we have the quality to do bit, but it is all about how we are. we are our own enemy. but it is all about how we are. we are oui’ own enemy. we but it is all about how we are. we are our own enemy. we have to be focused and work hard like we do. we have to be focused and work hard like we do. liverpool managerjurgen klopp has been giving his reaction to the bomb attack on the borussia dortmund team bus on tuesday night. their champions league quarterfinal first leg tie was postponed for 2h hours. they lost against monaco last night. uefa have received some criticism for making the germans play without full consultation with the team. klopp was head coach at dortmund for seven years before leaving in 2015. it was a really difficult moment

for me because i was, i don't know, how often in the team hotel with my team at dortmund. i know exactly the road, i know exactly the place where it is. a lot of my friends were on the bus. of course when they played the game they tried to be at their best and it was after the game and i saw the faces of my former players and i saw the shock in their eyes and it was really, really hard. the six—man shortlist for the pfa player of the year awards has been revealed. and the favourite is a man who just missed out on the trophy last year. but after winning the premier league with leicester in 2016 n'golo kante is likely to do it again with chelsea, proving to be a vital part of their rise to the top of the table. he's only scored twice this season but the last was the winner against manchester united in the fa cup quarterfinals to keep them on for a possible double.

also on the list is kante's chelsea team—mate eden hazard who won in 2015 and has 1a goals to his name. zlatan ibrahimovic has scored 28 with manchester united. he's scored over 20 goals a season in five differnet european leagues now. tottenham's harry kane is also on the young player of the year list. he looks like being the leading english goal—scorer in the premier league for a third straight season. everton's romelu lukaku is also on both lists. he's up to 23 goals for the season. and arsenal's alexis sanchez makes up the six. he's scored 18 this season. you can see all the short lists on the bbc sports website. you can see all the short lists on the bbc sports website. jenson button looks set to replace fernando alonso for next month's monaco grand prix. alonso is skipping the race to take part in the indy 500. button retired from formula one at the end of last season

but is contracted to mclaren as a reserve driver. speaking ahead of this weekend's bahrain grand prix, alonso explained the reasons for his decision. i think it is good for formula one because there is a big market in north america that we have been pursuing for many years and it is good to go there now and show our respect for them and show that we are serious. it is good for indeed to have some good formula one drivers in the competition and it is the same for honda. it is a team that will be racing on the same day in monte carlo and in the indy 500 and it is an amazing thing for motorsport fans. it is a win — win situation for everyone. it is a win — win situation for everyone. ricky burns can consolidate his place as one of scotland's best ever boxers if he wins this weekend's world title unification fight in glasgow. that's the view of former world and commonwealth champion alex arthur.

burns turned 3a today, but is postponing any celebrations until after his bout with the undefeated namibianjulius indongo on saturday night. it is ricky burns' 34th birthday today, a round of applause. but it is business for the birthday boy this weekend. ijust is business for the birthday boy this weekend. i just can't wait to get in there. we have got a tough fight, he will be a tricky opponent, but our preparation has gone well andi but our preparation has gone well and i am confident of getting the job done. there is always plenty of hyperbole around these fights, so i went to the edinburgh university gym to get the expert opinion on ricky burns' plays in scottish boxing history. he has to be considered one of the greatest of scottish boxers of the greatest of scottish boxers of all time. if you look at his record, there are over 100 amateur fights and a0 more professional

fights and a0 more professional fights and a0 more professional fights and you have to rank him with the best. it means a difficult night for this man, although julius indongo has never been beaten in his 21 fights. i believe on saturday night i will have something and show them my talent. they do not know me, but my talent will prove who i am. ricky burns win will add the super lightweight title to the wb he owns. it could create a new contest to come. to win a world title that is all you ever want to do. i have done that, but to get the chance to fight for three versions of the world belt, i just can't wait and i for three versions of the world belt, ijust can't wait and i have my fingers crossed for myself. time 110w my fingers crossed for myself. time now for all the talking to stop. the

work is done, victory this weekend in glasgow is in his own hands. the draw has been made for the first round of the world snooker championship which starts this saturday. the defending champion mark selby will face fergal o'brien and the five—time champion ronnie o'sullivan will play gary wilson. coverage from the crucible is across the bbc. it's the a0th year the crucible in sheffield has hosted the event, as mark ansell reports. he is breathing heavily as he comes down to this final pink. that is it, the world snooker champion, 1981. over the last a0 years there have been many magic moments at the crucible. 26. fast forward 32 years and today cliff thorburn made the draw for the tournament. he won it in 1980 draw for the tournament. he won it in1980 and draw for the tournament. he won it in 1980 and feels sheffield is the spiritual home of snooker.|j in 1980 and feels sheffield is the spiritual home of snooker. ijust cannot believe how wonderful place

this is. it is perfect for snooker. there are two tables. i cannot say anything else, but this is america. if we look at the commercial value of the reputation and image of sheffield that goes around the world, it is the bargain basement plays of the season. the commercial value of the event, they are making a huge profit on their expenditure. biden or not, the crucible started hosting the world championships in 1977 and it will continue to do so for at least the next ten years. sheffield is set to stay the home of snooker. —— bargain. now, if you are one of the thousands of people making your last minute preparations to run the london marathon next sunday, and you are not sure if you can do it, how's this for inspiration? at 81 eleanor draper from welwyn garden city will be the oldest woman taking part. and her ever so slightly younger husband dennis will be running too. emma jones went to meet them.

this is 1992 and we were andy pandy and loopy loo. they have each already run over 200 marathons, so eleanor and her husband dennis have plenty of fond memories. even if she was not so keen at first. my comment to dennis when he started running was, you will never get me running around the streets and here i am. this is so many years later. the pair only took up marathon running in their 50s. something to keep them fit and which they could enjoy as a couple. it bonds as together, really. all right, we have been married for 58 years, it seems like only yesterday! 80-year-old dennis has had a hip operation and both have had cancer, but there seems to

be no stopping them, so when will eleanor hang up her trainers? time will tell and until that time tells mel will tell and until that time tells me i willjust keep going, simple. dennis says his knees might mean this is his last london marathon. but do not be surprised if we see him and an 82—year—old eleanor on the start line next year. i am in my 30s, and! the start line next year. i am in my 30s, and i cannot even run a mile, never mind 36. that's all from sportsday. there'll be more sport here on bbc news throughout the evening. the headlines on bbc news. syria's president assad says reports of a chemical attack in the country are "100% fabrication". the pentagon has confirmed that, for the first time, it has used one of the world's largest non—nuclear bombs in an air strike in afghanistan to target so—called

islamic state targets. the education secretary says she will create a new wave of grammar schools in england — which are open to ordinary working families — and not the privileged few. an update on the market numbers for you — here's how london's and frankfurt ended the day. there was a small fall in london today. and in the the united states this is how the dow and the nasdaq are getting on. more now on the news that the russian government says it will appeal against a ruling that it failed to do enough to prevent the deaths of more than 300 people, mostly children, during the beslan school siege in 200a. the european court of human rights said more could have been done to stop the attack by chechen separatists. we can talk now to tamerlan agaev via webcam from beslan. tamerlan lost his son in the beslan school siege and his whole family were held hostage there.