Novak Djokovic, Gareth Bale and Carlos Sainz were among the celebrities who turned out in a Ryder Cup ‘All Stars’ match ahead of the main event in Rome on Wednesday.
Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin, opposing captains at Celtic Manor in 2010, reprised their rivalry in a contest between two teams of six over seven holes at Marco Simone.
The competition provided some additional entertainment for the crowd as players from the European and United States teams continued to practice ahead of the 44th Ryder Cup, which begins on Friday.
Djokovic, who won a record-extending 24th grand slam at the US Open earlier this month, and Wales record goalscorer Bale were members of the triumphant ‘Team Monty’, which won 7-4.
Djokovic, who partnered leading disability golfer Kipp Popert in his four-ball match, said: “It’s a great honour to be here. It was something I will marvel and cherish for a very long time.
“Obviously I am much more comfortable hitting a tennis ball with my racket but I don’t think I did too badly today, I hit some good shots and had some good holes.”
The Serb is expected to speak to the European team prior to the start of the Ryder Cup.
“Now I am staying for a few days,” he said. “I have to experience this unique atmosphere. At 7am on Friday, I hear it is this incredible noise.”
Former Real Madrid and Tottenham star Bale, who has become a regular on the pro-am golf circuit since retiring after last year’s World Cup, emphasised the importance of team play in what is normally an individual sport.
He said: “You aren’t playing just for yourself, you are playing for your country, your continent. You have to put your ego to one side and its all about the team, doing your best for the team, whether you win or lose.”
Ferrari Formula One driver Sainz, whose team-mates on the day included 2004 Ballon d’Or winner Andriy Shevchenko and Victor Cruz, a Super Bowl champion with New York Giants, said: “I had a lot of fun.
“It was an incredible feeling to play in front of so many people on such a cool golf course.”
Aidan O’Brien says the Coolmore team were unanimously in favour of paying the supplementary fee required to add Continuous to the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe field.
The Heart’s Cry colt was not originally put forward for the European middle-distance championship, but entered the picture after his wide-margin Great Voltigeur Stakes win at York’s Ebor meeting in August.
His subsequent St Leger triumph, another convincing success at two and a three-quarter lengths, galvanised matters and the three-year-old was added to the line-up at a cost of £120,000 on Wednesday morning.
“It was always a possibility, we were delighted within him in Doncaster and we were delighted with him in York before that, when he won the Voltigeur,” O’Brien explained.
“When he won the Voltigeur, with the way he did it there it was always a strong possibility that if he ran well in Doncaster, or came forward like we thought he might have, that he could end up being supplemented for the Arc.
“We didn’t enter too many and our policy with the Arc is to only enter the really obvious ones because it’s expensive, but with that policy we are always happy to supplement.”
O’Brien has been pleased with the horse’s work since Doncaster and although he is mindful of the short turnaround between races, there were no hesitations in letting him take his chance in Paris.
“We’re very happy, he’s done two half-speeds (canters) and everything has gone well since,” he said.
“Obviously you do have concerns when you’re backing up, especially for a race like the Arc, but I think everyone is very happy to do it.
“Everyone was very happy this morning to supplement and I think the lads always had it in their heads that this was one that was going to be supplemented.”
The Rogues Gallery Racing Club is set to fly the flag for syndicate owners at ParisLongchamp on Sunday when Rogue Millennium and Rogue Lightning both go for Group One glory.
Middleham Park Racing famously enjoyed a memorable success in the Prix de l’Abbaye with The Platinum Queen 12 months ago and there could be more joy for smaller owners this weekend.
Rogue Lightning is entered for the same five-furlong contest this term, while Rogue Millennium heads for the Prix de l’Opera over 10 furlongs.
Trainer Tom Clover told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s very exciting to be going over for Arc day with two runners in Group One races for Rogues Gallery.
“They are a great syndicate and it’s a huge thrill to be going out there. The Rogues Gallery have been with us for four years or so now and they are a great bunch – it’s just a fantastic syndicate.
“They are a great group of people who are really good friends and have just had a fantastic journey with a couple of cracking horses in Rogue Millennium and Rogue Lightning.
“To be going to Arc day with two horses who cost around £80,000 between them is just fantastic.
“They’ve got people from all over, including the Isle of Man and Ireland, and there’s a huge variety, with even Rishi Persad one of the ‘Rogues’. I think there’s around 90 members going over, so it will be a fair old raid on Paris and we’re looking forward to having a good time.”
Rogue Millennium has already claimed a Group Two prize in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot and was a fine runner-up to Tahiyra in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown last time out.
The Dubawi filly, who has been on the go since April, also has a good third to India in the Prix Allez France over this course and distance to her credit.
“I’m really pleased with her, she just seems to thrive on racing,” commented Clover. “She’s certainly an improving filly and her form over course and distance looks really strong.
“It was an amazing day to go over to Leopardstown and finish second behind Tahiyra, when she travelled so strongly through the race and hit the line really strong.
“She seems in really good form. We’re pretty versatile in terms of the ground, but it will be fantastic to see top-class racing on good ground.”
Rogue Lightning steps up in class for the Abbaye but deservedly so after following up two handicap wins with a Listed-class victory in the Scarbrough Stakes at Doncaster.
“It’s a tough race but he’s up to 110 after winning a Listed race last time and he looks an improving sprinter,” added Clover.
“Danny (Tudhope), who rode him last time out, said he is really fast and he’s just been learning on the job.
“He can seem a little green when getting to the front but then the way he put the race to bed up to the line in that last half a furlong was quite impressive, we felt.
“With the sprinting division being pretty open this year, we thought why not have a go. The sprinters seem to be taking it in turn to win these races this year, so he deserves to take his chance.
“He came out of the race in fantastic form and a strong-run race like the Abbaye should suit him.
“It’s a massive step up to go for a Group One, but on the ratings you can make a case for him and some of his sectionals and fractions this year have been very good. He’s a horse we’ve always held in high regard.”
Tom Marquand has his sights set on what would be a memorable Group One double at Newmarket this weekend.
The prolific Relief Rally takes her chance in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes, followed soon after by Lake Forest in the Middle Park.
Both juveniles are trained by William Haggas and both are fresh from Group-race victories at the Ebor meeting, where Relief Rally landed the Lowther Stakes and Lake Forest was a slightly more surprising winner of the Gimcrack.
Their big-race jockey said: “Relief Rally has been foot-perfect all season. She is a little battler and has the ability to go with it which is great. I’m looking forward to the weekend as it would be her big opportunity to get a well-deserved Group One on the board.
“Realistically, she probably has to take another little step forward as there are other fillies who will be progressing at the end of the year, but it is a step, not a leap.
“She has been super versatile everywhere we have gone with her. The way she has done everything else I can’t imagine the track will be a problem. If she takes a small step forward she should be putting up a big performance and that should be enough to win.”
He added: “If she does train on it would be absolutely fantastic as she has not had a killer year where you have emptied the tank.
“She has had every opportunity to have some big dances, and this would be the biggest of them all.
“With fast two-year-olds you have to enjoy them in the moment and ultimately she has given us a great season.
“If it backs up to nothing else then so be it, but you can always look back with great fondness as there are not many that can go to those big festival meetings and perform as well as she has.”
In contrast to Relief Rally obliging as the 2-1 favourite at York, Lake Forest was sent on his way at 16-1 for the Gimcrack, having been beaten at 1-3 previously at Newmarket.
Marquand said: “He flashed what he could do up at Haydock on his first start and the July Stakes at Newmarket was similar.
“Getting beat in the novice was the curveball that probably made him completely unfancied in the Gimcrack, but if you went back to that July Stakes form, you probably had to think he was not too far away from having a really good shout in it.
“It is going to be an extremely tough race and there are those horses that are proven at the top level already, but he is a Gimcrack winner, and you have to be a pretty good horse to do that and hopefully he can continue on that path.”
Before Saturday, Marquand has a high-profile ride to look forward to on Friday with the return of Maljoom in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Joel Stakes.
The Caravaggio colt has not been seen since finishing an unlucky fourth in last year’s St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“It is great to have Maljoom back on a racecourse. He was an extremely exciting horse but didn’t have things go his way and unfortunately he found a few bumps in the road,” he said.
“I jumped on him the other morning and he felt great. He has been off the track for a long time and you worry he might be a bit rusty, but he feels and looks great and everyone is happy with him.
“Hopefully he can make a good reappearance and show us what he showed before and get back on the right road.
“William had a couple of options for him, but he chose this for a reason, and it looks a good starting place. Hopefully it will be a good gauge as to where he is and what we do in the future with him.
“Fingers crossed this next chapter in his book can be a bit longer than the last one and he can have a clear run at it all.”
James Roby will keep his emotions at bay and focus on leading St Helens towards an achievement he believes would eclipse all others when he steps out on home turf for the final time against Warrington in Saturday’s Betfred Super League play-off.
The 37-year-old’s swansong at the Totally Wicked Stadium is guaranteed whatever the result, with a win propelling Saints into a semi-final against Catalans in Perpignan, and one game away from enabling Roby to fulfil his dream of signing off with an unprecedented fifth straight Grand Final win.
Beyond the business-as-usual mantra which has served the home-grown hero so well since he made his Saints debut as a teenager against Widnes 549 games ago, he acknowledged he will be stepping into the unknown when the final hooter brings an end to his last home appearance.
“My whole approach is that it is just another game, but maybe after the final whistle I might think a little differently,” Roby told the PA news agency.
“As of yet, it’s not sunk in that it’s the last time. I’m not the most emotional person.
“But I know after the game it might feel different, depending on the result and the atmosphere, if the fans are singing my name, a little bit of emotion might come out.”
Having announced in February that 2023 would be his final season, Roby, who would duly go on to break his club’s all-time appearance record, started the campaign by lifting the World Club Challenge trophy after a stunning upset win over Penrith in Australia.
The after-effects of that gruelling early trip threatened to curtail his career before the play-offs, with Paul Wellens’ men initially struggling to wrestle their way into the play-off positions before a late flourish sealed their customary post-season place.
Whilst he may be unsure about his emotional response to his final home appearance, Roby is crystal clear on what a fifth successive Grand Final crown would represent in the context of his already-glittering career.
“It’s the ending I would love to pick – to do five in a row, I don’t think that could ever be beaten by any other success I’ve had, or any accolade or praise I’ve had in the past,” continued Roby.
“It would be an amazing accomplishment for us as a team, and to finish on that, I couldn’t think of anything better.
“If you’d told me back when I made my debut that I would be in this position I wouldn’t have believed it.
“My mentality was, I’ve got my foot in the door a little bit here, don’t mess it up, keep your head down, keep your mouth shut and do what’s asked of you.
“It seemed to work well and before you know it you’re 20 years down the line and you’re getting ready to retire.
“I know for a fact I’ve been extremely lucky and privileged to do all this for my home-town club, and I’ll be forever grateful for everything they’ve done for me.”
Roby is honest enough to admit there is little about the matchday experience itself that he will miss: “I just look forward to coming to watch a game without the stress of having to play in it,” he joked.
His investment in the Saints’ cause will not end when he hangs up his famous red vee shirt this weekend.
Roby hopes his legacy of longevity will ensure future generations of Saints players maintain and extend the club’s dominant stature in the domestic game.
“I’ve never led this team on my own,” added Roby. “There’s a bunch of leaders in this team who are individually fantastic, but when it all slots together it becomes bigger than the sum of its parts and we can go on to achieve greatness.
“Hopefully a little bit of me and Louie (McCarthy-Scarsbrook, who is also retiring) will live on in the quality of those we leave behind, and it’s their responsibility and privilege to drive standards until it is their time too to pass on the baton.”
Mister Sketch will likely be saved for his three-year-old season after finishing second in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.
The Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Territories colt was beaten a neck on debut at the same track and then caught the eye with a wide-margin success when running away with a Salisbury novice in August.
After that nine-and-a-half-length rout he was upped sharply in the grade in the Mill Reef, a Group Two for which he was a 5-2 shot under Charlie Bishop, running for the first time in the colours of Wathnan Racing.
On heavy ground he did little wrong and was only outrun by Andrew Balding’s Array, with half a length separating them on the line at the end of the six-furlong contest.
That performance is set to be Mister Sketch’s final run as a two-year-old, and connections are hoping next year will bring about more success as he develops physically.
“He’s great, he’s come out of the race really well and we’re really happy with him,” Johnson Houghton said.
“I think the ground did for him, but only because he’s a big horse and he’s still weak. He’ll be a lovely horse for next year.
“The winner knew more, that’s the be-all and end-all of it at this age.
“I think he’s likely to have done enough for the year, we’re very hopeful for next year.”
The 2023 National Deadlift Championship held at the Fit Farm Fitness Centre on Saturday, September 23, saw the culmination of months of intense training and dedication from athletes across the nation. One standout competitor, in particular, took the stage and left an indelible mark on the powerlifting world.
Latasha Jackson, hailing from Britain, emerged as a dominant force in the GraceKennedy Money Services sponsored event, captivating the audience and her fellow competitors with her awe-inspiring performance.
Her remarkable journey to this championship event began with a determination to represent Jamaica in a sport she was passionate about. Inspired by the great Sami DePass, whose feats she witnessed at the World Championships in Malta, Latasha decided to take the plunge and participate in her first-ever powerlifting meet in Jamaica, the Deadlift Championship.
Latasha's journey to becoming a member of the NPAJ was a testament to her unwavering resolve. In an interview with The Powerlifting Voice, she revealed, "Even though I come from Britain, I’ve always wanted to represent Jamaica in something I am passionate about, seeing Sami DePass at the World Championships in Malta inspired me to make the first step which was to compete in a meet in Jamaica. The deadlift event happened to take place while I was visiting Jamaica, therefore I entered."
Preparing for a championship at the highest level requires immense dedication and hard work. Latasha's training regimen was rigorous, consisting of four weekly workouts, including two upper body and two lower body sessions. Bench press, deadlift, and squat were staples in her training, with a special focus on deadlifts in the final two weeks leading up to the competition. Nutrition played a crucial role in her preparation, as she ensured she had three protein-rich meals a day to provide the energy needed for her intense workouts.
Staying motivated throughout the process, Latasha emphasized the importance of daily habits and long-term goals, which ultimately reap substantial benefits.
The pivotal moment of the NPAJ National Deadlift Championship 2023 came when Latasha Jackson approached the barbell for her lifts. In her first attempt, she lifted a remarkable 172.73 kg (380 lbs.), setting a formidable foundation for her performance. She continued to shine with her second lift, successfully raising 179.55 kg. (395 lbs.). However, it was in her third and final lift that she left the crowd in sheer awe, confidently hoisting an astounding 190.91 kg. (420 lbs.). Her extraordinary feat earned her a total of 36.34 GL Points, solidifying her position as the NPAJ Female Deadlift Champion for 2023.
When asked about her emotions upon realizing she was the champion, Latasha said, "Pure and utter shock! I only wanted to come to participate and watch other lifters but finding out that I won also was the icing on the cake. I loved watching Tesi Scott and Ayana Duhaney, who are my fellow 84 class athletes. I had seen them on Instagram prior but seeing them lift in person was even more amazing."
In the world of competitive powerlifting, athletes often encounter unique challenges and obstacles. For Latasha, adapting to the local style of weight plates and limited equipment availability were hurdles she had to overcome. She explained, "Coming to a different country means getting accustomed to the local style. I’m used to working in kilos with 25kg plates, so coming to Jamaica with 45 lbs. plates made calculating the weights more difficult than expected. I had to memorize the sizes of the plates and work out what my warmups, top set, and back downs were prior to going to the gym, normally I’d do it on the fly.
“Additionally, the equipment available sometimes can be limited, not having a hack squat or smith machine, but you can ask personal trainers in the gym for alternative exercises which are just as effective."
Now, as the NPAJ Female Deadlift Champion for 2023, Latasha Jackson has become a role model for aspiring athletes. Her advice to those looking to excel in the sport of deadlifting or powerlifting in general is invaluable. She stressed, "Powerlifting is a long-term sport, so you never have to be ‘good enough’ to compete. Once you start, continue asking questions and increasing your knowledge so that you understand how your body works in order to progress both inside and outside the gym. This enables you to increase your self-confidence.
“I’ve only competed for a little over a year and I have to thank my coach Christian (@christianthecoach) for helping me understand the mindset it takes to be a champion."
Prop Finlay Bealham feels Ireland have “lots to tidy up” ahead of a crunch Rugby World Cup clash with rivals Scotland.
Andy Farrell’s squad will resume training at their base in Tours on Thursday, having enjoyed some time off in the aftermath of Saturday evening’s physical 13-8 success over South Africa.
Despite the result, Ireland endured line-out struggles against the Springboks in Paris, while they were let off the hook by some wayward opposition goal-kicking.
Tighthead Bealham is ready to “get back on the horse” after the well-earned break and believes there is plenty of room for improvement ahead of a decisive pool B encounter with the Scots on October 7.
“There are certainly things to tidy up for sure,” he said. “We’ve a game against Scotland and we’ll fix up what we’ve got to fix up.
“A few things (against South Africa) didn’t go to plan and the resilience and the fight (was pleasing).
“Everyone was working for each other, (it’s a) special group and to be a part of it is an honour.
“We knew they would be a big challenge and we fronted up well, but certainly lots to tidy up.
“We’ll get back on the horse and get after it.”
Following the jubilation of defeating the defending champions, Ireland’s World Cup fate will be decided by further 9pm kick-offs at Stade de France.
Test rugby’s top-ranked nation still have work to do to secure a spot in the knockout stages and will play each of their remaining tournament matches – potentially four – in the French capital, beginning in late evening.
Australia-born Bealham believes it is important players switch off from rugby in the long hours leading up to kick-off in order to avoid “playing the game 10 times before it actually starts”.
“I’ve gotten better since I’ve got older,” the 31-year-old said of not overthinking matches during free time.
“We have such a tight-knit group, everyone knows what each other is like and you can go hang out with the lads and have a bit of craic, which takes your mind off the games.
“Especially these late kick-offs, you don’t want to be sitting in your room playing the game 10 times before it actually starts.”
For the third successive weekend, Ireland were backed by hordes of travelling fans, with wide-ranging estimates suggesting between 30,000 and 60,000 Irish supporters were in attendance in Saint-Denis.
“When you’re playing you notice it at times, but when we are doing the lap at the end, seeing all the Irish, it felt like a home game,” said Connacht player Bealham.
“The support we get from the fans is second to none. They are the best fans in the world.
“Lots of credit to them, we love our fans so much. To see them all there, the sea of green, it was class.”
Brian Meehan believes Inishfallen is still on an upward curve ahead of Thursday’s Group Three Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket.
The battle-hardened two-year-old will bid to claim this seven-furlong contest after a couple of admirable near-misses on his last two outings.
Inishfallen finished a close third in a valuable York nursery on his first try at this trip and was again just collared close home when a neck second to Aablan in Sandown’s Solario Stakes at this level.
Meehan said: “He came out of the Solario very well and seems to have matured mentally since that run.
“It’s been a case of steady progression with him, he’s gone from stage to stage, stepping up each time, and hasn’t really taken a backward step.
“He’s just a good two-year-old type, a really nice horse and I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets on at Newmarket.”
Eben Shaddad gave John and Thady Gosden a belated first juvenile winner of the season when scoring readily at Newmarket last month.
A €190,000 breeze-up purchase, the son of Calyx overcame signs of greenness to stay on strongly over six furlongs, pulling clear to prevail by just under four lengths.
Thady Gosden commented: “Eben Shaddad won his novice well first time out on the July course, he’s progressive and we’re looking forward to seeing him step up to Group company in the Tattersalls Stakes on just his second start.”
Charlie Appleby’s horses have been firing on all cylinders over the past couple of weeks and he will be looking for Legend Of Time to continue the yard’s good recent record in this race.
His Victory Dance was a beaten favourite 12 months ago but the Godolphin handler struck with La Barrosa in 2020 and Modern Games the following season.
Highlighting how Appleby likes to target repeat victories in races, Legend Of Time gave him a third straight success in a Haydock novice contest first time out earlier this month.
Appleby told the Godolphin website: “Legend Of Time learned plenty on his debut and looks to have come forward for the run.
“He is dropping back to seven furlongs but I feel it is well within his compass. We are dipping our toe at this level to see where we are for the rest of the campaign.”
Aidan O’Brien was successful in this event for the third time with Wichita in 2019 and this year sends over the unbeaten Military.
A 375,000 guineas buy, the Siyouni colt justified short odds in a Naas maiden, hitting the front just over a furlong out and then pulling away in a manner which suggested there is plenty of improvement to come.
Alyanaabi was hailed as “very exciting” by Owen Burrows following a comfortable Salisbury win in June and did not get the run of the race when fourth in an Ascot Listed contest next time out.
Also described as “a bit of a big baby” by his trainer, the son of Too Darn Hot has since been given a break since the end of July.
Boiling Point, Change For Good, Cross The Tracks, Son Of Man, Victory Shout and Zabriskie Point were all winners last time out in what looks a competitive renewal.
Deadline-day signing Sofyan Amrabat says he only ever wanted to join Manchester United and believes Erik ten Hag’s side can “do something big” this season.
The 27-year-old’s qualities came to the fore during the 2022 World Cup, where his outstanding midfield displays helped Morocco on their historic run to the semi-finals.
Amrabat was linked with moves aplenty after Qatar and numerous clubs expressed their interest in a player that only wanted to leave Fiorentina this summer for one destination.
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The midfielder played under Ten Hag at Utrecht at the start of his career and was determined to link back up with him at United as he wrapped up a long-discussed deal at the start of September.
Asked if it was a difficult process waiting to get the move, Amrabat said: “Yes, of course.
“After the last game with the club, it was the Conference League final with West Ham and from that moment, the window started for me.
“A lot of clubs, a lot of speaking, talking, but for me it was clear I wanted Manchester United.
“It was long, long months for me, difficult months for me, but at the end it’s nice on the last day that I signed here and that I’m here is now the most important (thing).”
United paid 10million euros (£8.6m) to sign Amrabat on loan for the season, with the deal including the option to trigger a permanent move.
The Serie A will receive a 20m euros (£17.1m) fee and up to 5m euros (£4.3m) in potential add-ons if that option is taken by Ten Hag’s men.
“I don’t think about that,” Amrabat said of his future beyond this season. “For me, today, I am a Manchester United player.
“The only thing I can do is every day to give everything that I have, to do my best, to try to help the team.
“I hope we have a fantastic season, I hope we can win something and then later we will see what will happen.
“Of course, I would love to stay here, but that’s not important for me. I don’t look too far into the future.”
Amrabat spoke as he basked in the afterglow of an impressive first appearance at Old Trafford, where he helped United beat Crystal Palace 3-0 in the Carabao Cup third round.
“It was fantastic,” he said with a smile. “It was a dream of mine. Since I was a child I worked for this every day and to be here is a dream, it’s fantastic.”
After a small injury delayed his debut, Amrabat finally made his bow off the bench in Saturday’s much-needed win at Burnley before making his first start against Palace three days later.
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Those back-to-back victories have lifted the mood around Old Trafford after what had been a challenging start to the season on and off the field for absentee-hit United.
Pressure and scrutiny had grown having lost four of their opening six matches of a season for the first time since 1986, but Amrabat is confident they can kick on and enjoy a successful season.
“I have a lot of confidence because I see that we have so much quality,” he said.
“I think it was a bit unlucky with the injuries we had. Of course for every team it’s difficult if you have a lot of injuries.
“But I see a lot of quality, we have a fantastic coach, we have fantastic fans, so I believe that we can do something big.
“But at the end you have to show it on the pitch, not with talking, not with speaking, you have to work for it and hopefully we can reach something very nice.”
United won the Carabao Cup in their first season under Ten Hag, who described Amrabat as a “warrior” on Tuesday as he started as makeshift left-back due to a string of absentees.
“First of all, when I make a step on the pitch, for me it’s normal that you give everything, that you fight for every metre and give your all for the team,” the Morocco international added.
“Of course you can make technical mistakes, everyone can have a bad game, but I think – at the end – most importantly, you fight for the badge, for the club and that’s the minimum you can do.
“I think, for me, that’s normal and that’s what I try always.
“The manager knows me very well, a long time – maybe seven years ago that we worked together, so it’s a long time.
“But he knows me, I know him, I know what he wants and I try to do that at the best (level).”
Rosie Eccles believes the heartbreak of missing out on a place at the Tokyo Olympics will stand her in good stead when she finally realises a long-held boxing ambition in Paris next year.
The 27-year-old from Cardiff was denied a second shot at reaching the delayed 2020 Games when Covid forced the cancellation of the second qualifier in London, and three personal bouts with the illness left her fearing the “curse” could strike again.
But, after fighting back to clinch Commonwealth gold for Wales in Birmingham last year, Eccles belatedly booked her place at the Games in June when she won a bronze medal at the European Games in Krakow.
Eccles told the PA news agency: “I’ve really had to do it the hard way, and just when I thought I was in the clear I got Covid again, so it felt like I was cursed and history was going to repeat itself.
“I was absolutely heartbroken to miss out on Tokyo and it’s been a real monkey on my back for a long time. But I showed at the Commonwealths that I had that grit to come back and get the medal in tough circumstances, and that shows I have plenty of self-belief.”
Eccles has dreamed of going to the Olympics since her first boxercise class in 2011, one year before the likes of Nicola Adams and Katie Taylor helped boost the profile of the women’s sport at London 2012.
“I already had a massive ambition to go to the Olympics and watching the likes of Nicola Adams just confirmed it,” added Eccles.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of the Olympics, I remember sitting down when I was younger and watching the likes of Kelly Holmes. But boxing made me realise that this is my sport and this is where I want to be, and about a decade later it’s finally happened.”
Having overcome her Covid setbacks, Eccles underscored her potential for Paris by coming through a tough draw in Krakow, including a notable win over Ireland’s world champion Amy Broadhurst to effectively seal her place.
She will have the added bonus in the French capital of a change to the Olympic weights, which means she will be able to fight in her favoured 66kg category, rather than the 70kg division in which she won her gold medal in Birmingham.
“It’s my natural weight and it’s really going to benefit me,” added Eccles. “I’m ready to go out and achieve what I know I can achieve. I’ve waited my whole life for this bit. I’ve had plenty of ups and downs, but all that heartache is only going to help.”
Trainer Tomohito Ozeki expects Through Seven Seas to do Japan proud in Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.
Japan currently boasts the top-rated horse in the world in Equinox, a four-time winner at the highest level who easily accounted for Arc contender Westover in the Sheema Classic at Meydan back in March.
He beat Through Seven Seas by a neck when the pair clashed in the Takarazuka Kinen, but connections had already ruled out an Arc trip for their superstar by that point.
Japan has come close to Arc victory in the past, with El Condor Pasa memorably caught by Montjeu with the post in sight back in 1999 while Nakayama Festa was beaten just a head by Workforce in 2010. Deep Impact and dual runner-up Orfevre were two other giants of the Japanese racing scene to line up in Paris.
Titleholder was well fancied last year but failed to shine as the rain poured down, with similar comments applying to Chrono Genesis the year before and Ozeki thinks ground conditions have now become a factor in the decision-making process, with the race usually staged on testing ground.
Ozeki said: “There’s a lot of thought going on in Japan at the moment in the sense of which horse could adapt to the ground in the Arc – that is the major thing people think about. It was the same for Through Seven Seas, the owners and breeders sat together for long discussions before they decided to come here.
“Personally I believe at the moment the mare is the best horse the Japanese could have sent over to run in the Arc.
“Obviously for the last three or four years Japanese horses have found it very difficult to run in the Arc because the ground has been very soft, even heavy last year. This mare could adapt to soft ground but as conditions are expected to be better, I’m not worried about it.”
The five-year-old Through Seven Seas has yet to strike in Group One company and has not run since that June defeat at the hands of Equinox, but Ozeki retains plenty of faith and thinks she is on an upward curve.
He said: “She was quite tiny, quite skinny, she didn’t eat a lot and she was a bit of a difficult character, but has matured and started to put on weight. Last summer she had a long stretch without running and that did her a lot of good. She has just grown stronger as the year has progressed.
“She is a mare that needs a little bit of time between her races, probably longer than other horses, so if you look at the time between her Grade Three win and her Grade One run, it is the same time period to the Arc and I think that is ideal for her.
“For every trainer the Arc is a big target in your career. It’s usually a target that is very far away, but now it’s here and I’m finding myself with this race in front of me and I have to be me on the day. But it would mean a lot to me as a trainer.”
Christophe Lemaire takes the ride on the daughter of Dream Journey and he too would relish chalking up an inaugural win for Japan.
He said: “As a jockey you dream about winning the Arc, for me especially with a Japanese horse as you can imagine considering my history with Japan, it would mean a lot to win the Arc with a Japanese horse.
“It would be such an event if I were to win the Arc with a Japanese horse, so I’m going to give everything I have.”
The mare enjoyed a spin on Wednesday morning and while Lemaire was not in the plate, he was delighted with what he saw and feels Through Seven Seas certainly merits her place.
He added: “I saw the Through Seven Seas that I recognised – she had her usual good, big stride. I thought she was very fit and this morning she worked on soft ground and I thought she was very fluid in her action and she worked with a lot of power, so I was very satisfied with what I saw.
“When I won the Grade Three I was quite impressed because she actually won very easily and I could feel that she had improved a lot since last year. She then confirmed that form when she finished second to Equinox, so she has developed into a Group One contender and certainly has the right to run in the Arc and produce a good performance.”
Alex King has hailed the hard work of Wales’ Rugby World Cup squad and says their quarter-final achievement has been “four months in the making”.
It was towards the end of May that head coach Warren Gatland and his assistants began work with an extended training group.
That came on the back of a dismal Six Nations campaign, where Wales only avoided the wooden spoon by beating Italy in Rome.
Off-field issues in the Welsh professional game such as finances and contractual uncertainty for players, meanwhile, almost led to a full-blown national squad strike ahead of Wales’ Six Nations clash against England.
But the transformation quietly began at Wales’ training base in the Vale of Glamorgan, before punishing camps in Switzerland and Turkey moved preparations to another level.
A record 40-6 victory over Australia confirmed Wales’ place in the last-eight for the fourth World Cup in a row, setting up a probable appointment with Argentina in Marseille on October 14.
“I am just delighted for the lads,” Wales assistant coach and attack specialist King said.
“They have worked so hard – four months in the making. We are now in the quarter-finals, but we want to really focus on Georgia next week to finish top of the group.
“We know how hard that Georgia game is going to be, and then we can see what happens, going forward, after that.
“It was awesome (against Australia), wasn’t it? We knew how important the game was for both countries.
“We scored a really good try early on, and it probably settled a few nerves.
“We then just managed to get control of the game, our set-piece got on top and we managed to keep the scoreboard keep ticking over.
“When you are playing a team that is low on confidence, the game just goes away from them. We were able to establish a good lead and stay in control to the end.”
Two of Wales’ three tries came from impressive creativity, with Gareth Davies scoring the first following captain Jac Morgan’s break, then Gareth Anscombe’s superbly-placed kick into space being finished off by Nick Tompkins.
On Davies’ score, King added: “The guys work hard, and it is nice when one comes off like that.
“It’s hard to break down defences at this level because they’re so well organised, but Gareth Davies did the support line and Jac was superb. It set the tone, really, and gave us a foothold in the game.
“All the teams that are going to go far (in the World Cup) will bring a balance of structured and unstructured (play).
“We realise that it wasn’t perfect, and no game ever is, and realise we have things to build on. But it is a good foundation to build from.
“If there is anything, there is some work in the 22 we need to tidy up on.
“It is one of the hardest places to attack because you have got a front line of 15 defenders.
“I thought Gareth finding space in the back-field for Nick Tompkins was an example of where we can go to with our kick-space.
“There are always things to work on, and we want to get Louis (Rees-Zammit), Josh (Adams), Rio (Dyer) and Liam (Williams) on the ball as much as possible.
“Sometimes a game works out that way, sometimes it doesn’t. But that is the plan.”
Marcus Smith has developed into England’s fastest player over short distances, according to sprint student Jonny May.
Making his first start at full-back, Smith excelled in Sunday’s 71-0 rout of Chile that has placed unbeaten England on the brink of qualifying for the World Cup quarter-finals.
The 24-year-old Harlequins magician, a converted fly-half, conjured a dazzling solo touch down as part of an individual two-try haul and also offered an extra dimension in attack.
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While Smith’s creativity as a ball player is well established, the lightening-quick May has been caught by surprise by just how rapid he has become.
“Marcus’ acceleration is as good as anyone’s,” said May, who sharpened his own running technique with a spell at Michael Johnson Performance in Texas.
“Off the mark he’s frightening. Top speed he’s getting faster as well.
“His top speed is probably not like a winger yet, but he doesn’t need that.
“He is deadly in the outside channels. He’s as good as anyone out there.
“He has his famous goose-step and change of direction, and then acceleration which really is as fast as anybody’s here.
“He’s probably the fastest off the mark.”
Racing 92 wing Henry Arundell underlined his pace when plundering five tries against Chile, but even the squad’s most rapid player can not match Smith for sheer speed from a standing start.
When asked if Smith is faster than Arundell, May replied: “Yes, I think he is – off that 10-metre burst.
“For acceleration you want low heel-recovery – and that’s how Marcus runs. For top speed you want your legs to come up high, but for acceleration you want it to be low.
“He really does drive his knees and keeps his feet close to the ground.
“He just whizzes off the mark. He’s an acceleration guy and he’s quick at it.”
May first encountered Smith when the Brighton resident, who was making waves as an age-grade player, was invited by former head coach Eddie Jones to join an England camp on the south coast in 2017.
“I’ve actually been saying to Marcus, ‘mate you are physically blossoming’. It’s sort of sprung up on me,” the veteran Gloucester wing said.
“You forget he has been coming in with us since he was 16. We’d put a GPS on him and he’d be running around Brighton College with us.
“I don’t want to sound patronising but because he’s always been that little guy running round with us, it’s only now I’m realising he’s looking quick and that all of a sudden his legs are big.
“You start to come into yourself at 24. Rugby is bit of a late-development sport. He’s definitely coming into himself physically.
“He has put on a bit and his legs are looking good. People are whacking him and he’s spinning off them.
“He’s looking quick, he’s obviously fit and it’s crept up on me a bit. Suddenly I’m thinking ‘bloody hell, mate, good stuff’.”
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