Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - Aaron Gate has had a special summer on the New Zealand cycling scene and he produced something remarkable on the penultimate night of the Vantage Elite and Under 19 track nationals at Invercargill.

Defying the high-pressure atmospheric system that worked against the riders going fast, Gate produced the fastest time in history by a New Zealander for the quintessential 4000m individual pursuit with a time of 4:08.761.

Only two other men, Italian Filippo Ganna and American Ashton Lambie, have ever gone faster. Ganna's world record, set at the 2020 world championships, is a remarkable 4:01.934.

To put it into further context, the last time Gate raced on the SIT Zero Fees Velodrome was the 2015 Oceania Games, where the New Zealand team pursuit rode a 4min 08sec qualifying ride.

"That was with a team of four, so to be able to come out and do that in the individual pursuit is a pretty cool feeling," said the Aucklander, who backed up with a 4:08.873 in the final.

"We get pretty nit-picky with conditions and the air pressure was pretty high today, and that makes a massive difference for how the track runs. To still beat that PB and national record shows that things are tracking in the right direction for Tokyo."

Gate, who broke the New Zealand record going 4:09.253 in Cambridge in November, has been in outstanding form this season. That includes claiming his second SBS Bank Tour of Southland in November, followed by the Vantage National Criterium title.

Ko hangs onto Gainbridge lead

Lydia Ko has fired a 3-under 69 to hold onto a narrow one-shot lead after two rounds at the Gainbridge LPGA in Orlando, Florida.

Ko, who calls the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club her home course, stands at 10-under 134 and one shot ahead of Nelly Korda (68).

Rounding out the top five are Ryann O'Toole (68) at 8-under, South Korea's In Gee Chun (68) at 9-under, and South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai (67), Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit (69) and South Korea's Chella Choi (69) - all tied at 5-under.

"No matter what happens over the weekend, I think it's good to just keep putting myself in these positions," Ko said.

"I think you get more comfortable with it and the more times you're there I think the higher chance that at the end it will all happen for you. So, I'm trying to not think about what may happen on Sunday."

It has been nearly three years since the 23-year-old Ko won her 15th and most recent LPGA Tour title in April 2018.

Canterbury lock-in Ford Trophy finals spot

Canterbury produced the biggest winning margin in its Ford Trophy history to open up a strong five-point advantage at the top of the table, becoming the first side to qualify for this year's Finals in the process.

Canterbury is now also in the box seat to host the Grand Final, but who might join them in the top three is still up in the air with all four chasing teams capable of qualifying on Sunday.

Canterbury's crushing 216-run over defending champions the Auckland Aces at Rangiora's Mainpower Oval came as Northern Districts threw away a chance to stay level with them at the top of the ladder after a heavy six-wicket loss to the only side out of the running, the Central Stags.

Stags Ross Taylor and Josh Clarkson scored unbeaten half centuries in their comfortable run chase at Seddon Park, allrounder Clarkson earlier having picked up a career-best 3-30 with the ball.

Meanwhile in Wellington, a Hamish Rutherford century (102 off 91 balls - his seventh ton for the Otago Volts) laid the platform for the Volts to get up and win a high-scoring thriller with just five balls to spare.

The Volts had been in danger of dropping out of contention, but now remain well in finals contention as they vault up to third place after successfully chasing down the Wellington Firebirds' strong totalof 340 for eight for a nailbiting six-wicket win.

A maximum of five points is available per team on Sunday.

New Zealander on podium in Formula E

Dutch driver Nyck De Vries started Formula E's seventh season with victory for Mercedes in the all-electric world championship's first night race in Saudi Arabia.

Swiss racer Edoardo Mortara finished four seconds behind for the Monaco-based Venturi team, with New Zealander Mitch Evans third for Jaguar.

The win after leading every lap from pole position in the first of two back-to-back races under floodlights in Diriyah was a first for De Vries, who won the Formula Two title in 2019.

Briton Sam Bird, who won last year's season opener and has since switched to Jaguar from Envision Virgin Racing, retired from the race after a collision with compatriot Alex Lynn's Mahindra.

Reigning champion Antonio Felix da Costa of Portugal finished 11th for DS Techeetah.

- Reuters

Athletes allowed into Tokyo after emergency declaration lifted

Athletes participating in this year's Olympic Games in Tokyo can begin entering Japan after it lifts its emergency declaration order next month, the Nikkei newspaper reported.

Nikkei reported that the emergency declaration is set to be lifted 7 March with the travel ban on foreign athletes removed shortly after.

The report added that Olympic athletes will not be required to self-isolate for two weeks on arrival to help them prepare for the Games set to begin on 23 July, but they must restrict themselves to their accommodation and sports venues.

Japan has temporarily suspended exemptions allowing foreign athletes to train in the country ahead of the Tokyo Games as it closes its borders to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases.

More than 70,000 people - including athletes, coaches and media representatives - are expected to enter the country for the Games, the Nikkei report said citing estimates in Japan.

It added that the Japanese government could raise the cap on spectator capacity at sports venues to around 10,000 fans one month after the emergency orders are lifted, with prefectures allowed to raise the maximum capacity to 20,000.

- Reuters

Formula One revenues dropped by $US877 million in 2020

Formula One's revenues took an $US877 million hit last year, falling 43 per cent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, owners Liberty Media reported.

Revenues amounted to $US1.145 billion compared to a previous $US2.022 billion in a year that featured 17 races, mostly without spectators, and had highlight events such as Monaco and Singapore cancelled.

The previous year had 21 races and 22 had been planned for 2020 with 23 scheduled for 2021.

The sport reported an annual operating loss of $US386 million, compared to a previous profit of $US17 million, and the 10 teams shared $US711 million -- $US301 million less than the previous year and a drop of 30 per cent.

Formula One's primary revenues are derived mostly from race promotion fees, broadcasting deals and advertising and sponsorship.

The revenues also provide a significant part of the budget for smaller teams.

The new season starts in Bahrain on March 28.

- Reuters