Christie was unwittingly put on his course to Olympic glory by his grandmother.

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The newspapers predicted he would lift the economic gloom by guiding the national team to glory in the World Cup - not as winners, of course, but certainly as qualifiers for the second round.

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"Michael Vaughan is a class act and will be remembered by Yorkshire members and supporters around the world for his beautiful stroke play and, of course, his success in leading England to Ashes glory in 2005, " said the county's chief executive Stewart Regan .

BBC: Ashes hero Vaughan calls it quits

To recapture its lost glory, he plans a clutch of new hotels, with perhaps a golf course on the site of a big Russian military base, which the Russians are quitting.

ECONOMIST: Ajaria, a Georgian success story

"Richard and I stated when we bought the course five years ago that our intentions were to restore Ayr to its former glory and to ensure a long-term sustainable future as Scotland's only grade one track, " said Macdonald.

BBC: Ayr Racecourse put up for sale