John Terry, the England captain, says he has had painkilling injections in his broken toe before every training session and match this season. Terry will lead England against Israel on Saturday in a key Euro 2008 qualifier in Group E, the build-up to which has been dominated by England's walking wounded.

Shawn Johnson, the all-around champion in world gymnastics, says she had training by Chinese coaches to thank for her rise to the top. Johnson has been learning from Chinese coaches Chow Liang and Zhuang Liwen since she was five. "They do things differently but what they do seems to be working."