Jamaica’s Commonwealth Games gold medallist Rasheed Broadbell can now add Olympic medallist to his resume after securing bronze in the final of the Men’s 110m hurdles at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.
Broadbell recovered from a shaky start to power through the field on the way to be shoulder-to-shoulder with American Daniel Roberts heading into the final hurdle.
Roberts, who miraculously stayed on his feet after clipping a series of hurdles in the middle of his race, held his nerve to produce a dive across the line to just hold off Broadbell and take the silver medal.
Both Roberts and Broadbell were credited with the same time (13.09) with Roberts finishing three thousandths of a second ahead (13.085 to 13.088).
American reigning two-time World champion Grant Holloway ran 12.99 to claim his first Olympic title and continue his dominance on the event.
Spain’s Enrique Llopis ran 13.20 in fourth while Japan’s Rachid Muratake ran 13.21 in fifth. American Freddie Crittenden ran 13.32 in sixth while Jamaica Orlando Bennett and defending Olympic champion Hansle Parchment were seventh and eighth with 13.34 and 13.39, respectively.
Daniil Medvedev suffered a rare hard-court loss to an opponent outside the world's top 20 as Alejandro Davidovich Fokina sent him crashing out of the Canadian Open in the last 32.
Third seed Medvedev was beaten 6-4 1-6 6-2 by world number 43 Davidovich Fokina, the Spaniard coming through a one-hour, 56-minute contest in Montreal.
Davidovich Fokina, who reached the semi-finals of the tournament in 2023, will now face either Karen Khachanov or Matteo Arnaldi for a place in the quarter-finals.
It was only Medvedev's third hard-court defeat to an opponent ranked outside the ATP's top 20 since the start of 2023, with the others both coming against Sebastian Korda.
Medvedev was not the only player to be on the receiving end of an upset on Thursday, as Japan's Kei Nishikori beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 6-4 for his first top-20 win since 2021.
However, things were far more comfortable for world number four Alexander Zverev, who crushed Jordan Thompson by a 6-1 6-1 scoreline to reach the third round.
Zverev won a huge 95% (18/19) of points behind his first serve, also slamming 20 winners past Thompson, who had previously led the duo's head-to-head series 2-1.
Jamaica’s Ackelia Smith, on her Olympic Games debut, finished eighth in the women’s long jump final as American Tara Davis-Woodhall struck gold at the Stade de France on Thursday.
Smith, who also contested the women’s triple jump final earlier at the multi-sport showpiece, started well with an opening leap of 6.66m but was unable to improve for the remainder of the competition.
Meanwhile, Davis-Woodhall, who has been in good form all season, was on song on the big stage, as she cut the stand at 7.10m to top the event ahead of Germany’s Malaika Mihambo, who mustered a best of 6.98m. Another American, Jasmine Moore (6.96m) was third.
Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton and Shiann Salmon finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the final of the Women’s 400m hurdles at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.
Clayton, who won bronze at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, ran a brilliant 52.68 for fifth while Salmon ran 53.29 in fifth.
American superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set the Stade de France track ablaze with a phenomenal world record 50.37 to successfully defend her Olympic title, breaking the previous mark of 50.65 she set in winning at the US Olympic Trials in June.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s countrywoman, Anna Cockrell, produced a massive personal best 51.87 in second while 2023 World Champion Femke Bol took bronze in 52.15.
The USA's Jasmine Jones ran a personal best 52.29 in fourth. Canada's Savannah Sutherland and France's Louise Maraval were seventh and eighth with 53.88 and 54.53, respectively.
Letsile Tebogo won Botswana's first-ever Olympic gold medal in the men's 200m final on Thursday, as Noah Lyles missed out on a sprint double.
US Track and Field subsequently confirmed 100m victor Lyles raced despite testing positive for COVID-19, yet he still took bronze while compatriot Kenny Bednarek claimed silver.
Tebogo recorded a winning time of 19.46 seconds at the Stade de France, appearing in control from the off as he won just Botswana's third Olympic medal of any kind.
They previously took bronze in the men's 4 x 400 relay at the Tokyo Games three years ago, while Nijel Amos took silver in the men's 800m at London 2012.
Tebogo had already beaten Lyles in the semi-finals, running a time of 19.96 to the American's 20.08.
In Thursday's final, Bednarek followed Tebogo home with a time of 19.62, while Lyles was third with a 19.70 despite rumours circulating about his fitness in the build-up to the race.
After the final, Lyles was wheeled away from the track in a chair and US Track and Field revealed he had been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Another American, Erriyon Knighton, just missed out on the podium with a time of 19.99, while Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic was fifth.
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo turned back the challenge of his American counterparts to cop the men’s 200m crown in a much-anticipated Paris Olympic Games final at Stade de France on Thursday.
The 21-year-old, who was the bronze medallist at last year’s World Championships, upgraded in a massive way, as he proved strongest in the closing stages to win the half-lap event in National Record 19.45s.
Americans Kenneth Bednarek (19.62s), Noah Lyles (19.70s), and Eriyon Knighton (19.99s) were second, third, and fourth, respectively, while the Caribbean’s lone representative, Alexander Ogando (20.02s) of the Dominican Republic, was third.
Not only did Tebogo deny Olympic 100m champion Lyles the sprint double, but he also prolonged the American’s wait to crown a male 200m champion since 2004.
Guerschon Yabusele starred for France as they confirmed their place in back-to-back Olympic gold medal matches in men's basketball, beating Germany 73-69 in an enthralling semi-final on Thursday.
Yabusele, who plays his domestic basketball with Real Madrid in Spain, top scored with 17 points to lead the hosts, who were silver medallists in Tokyo three years ago, to another final.
Isaia Cordinier added 16 points to France's total, while San Antonio Spurs star and NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama had 11 points and seven rebounds.
Dennis Schroder led for Germany with 18 points, with Fritz Wagner the only other player to reach double figures against the Olympic hosts.
Germany's loss brought an end to their incredible recent run stretching back to last year's World Cup, having won 12 consecutive games in major international competitions.
France will now face either the United States or Serbia in Saturday's final, with LeBron James and company hoping to win Team USA's 17th gold in men's basketball.
Coco Gauff continued her preparations for the defence of her US Open title by reaching the next round of the Canadian Open, beating China's Yafan Wang in straight sets.
Gauff needed just under an hour and a half to get the job done in Toronto, emerging a 6-4 6-4 victor to bounce back from her disappointment at the Paris Olympics.
The world number two started shakily, saving three break points in the third game before converting a break of her own to lead 3-1 in the opening exchanges.
Wang would fight back, however, winning the next three games on the bounce, but the American would rally to take the first set.
It looked as though Gauff would cruise to victory after taking a three-game lead, but her Chinese opponent would show her powers of recovery once more, levelling the encounter soon after.
The pair would trade blows for the remainder, with Gauff proving too strong for Yang late on, claiming the triumph with a love game on serve.
Gauff will face Diana Shnaider for a place in the quarter-finals following the Russian's triumph over Magdalena Frech earlier in the day.
Data Debrief: Gauff fights off spirited Wang
While Gauff was far from her best in Toronto, she adjusted well to the hard surface having competed on the clay courts of Roland-Garros at the Olympics.
The American impressed on serve, registering six aces throughout the contest while also winning 65% of her first-serve points.
Morocco claimed a first Olympic medal at the eighth time of asking as they swept aside Egypt 6-0 at the Stade de la Beaujoire on Thursday.
Abde Ezzalzouli and Soufiane Rahimi impressed for the Atlas Lions, with their first half goals sending Tarik Sektioui's on their way to a podium finish at the Games.
Bilal El Khannouss, Rahimi, Akram Nakach and a stunning free-kick from captain Achraf Hakimi would add further gloss to an impressive display after the break.
Morocco got off to an excellent start through Ezzalzouli's curling effort from outside the box, as Rahimi added a second three minutes later with a powerful header.
The result was put beyond doubt when El Khannouss notched Morocco's third, with Rahimi netting his sixth goal of the tournament just after the hour mark.
Rahimi then turned provider to set up Nakach inside the area, with Hakimi rounding off a fine display in style with an exquisite dead ball effort from distance.
Data Debrief: Rahimi stars in Atlas Lions' landmark triumph
12 years after their last appearance at the Olympic Games in London, Morocco returned with a bang, ending an impressive campaign with a deserved bronze medal.
Rahimi, who plays his football in the UAE with Al Ain, has been arguably the standout player of the tournament and leads the race for the Golden Boot ahead of France's Jean-Philippe Mateta and Spain's Fermin Lopez.
Morocco outperformed their expected goals (xG) by 4.76, with Rahimi contributing 0.82 to their xG total (1.24), while also registering the most shots on target (two) and touches in the opposition box (seven).
Portugal defender Pepe has confirmed he will retire from professional football after a glittering 23-year career.
The 41-year-old played 878 times for club and country, winning 34 trophies along the way, with much of his success coming during his time with Real Madrid.
Having made his name with Porto, Pepe completed a move to the Bernabeu in 2007 and would go on to form one of the best defensive partnerships with Sergio Ramos.
He would win 12 honours during his decade at the Bernabeu, including three Champions League titles, before moving to Besiktas.
Pepe would spend a season in Turkey before returning to Porto, where he would make a further 132 appearances and add another nine honours to his trophy cabinet.
The defender would also enjoy success on the international stage, featuring in all but one of Portugal's seven games in their Euro 2016 triumph.
Pepe was capped 141 times for his country, third on the all-time list behind Joao Moutinho (146) and Cristiano Ronaldo (212).
He played his final ever game in Portugal's penalty shootout defeat to France at Euro 2024, having become the oldest player to ever appear in a European Championship.
In a video shared to Instagram, Pepe said: "I want to thank God for giving me the wisdom to be able to continue my journey.
"I can't help but thank all the presidents who bet on me and believed in me. All the employees of all the clubs I've been to, they are the soul and essence.
"And of the national team. All my teammates and coaches, who helped me grow and compete every day. All the fans, who are the soul of football.
"To Jorge Mendes, to GestiFute, to my mother, who was essential in my journey by letting me fly towards my dream, which was to be a professional footballer.
"To all my friends and family, especially my wife, who was my home in my absence.
"My children for believing in me, for being a fundamental support in my life, for supporting me when I left home to play. They were the support I needed to be able to go with a clear conscience.
"I would like to thank everyone, give them a big thank you and a big hug of gratitude. Thank you all very much."
The Championship is always enthralling, and there is no reason why the 2024-25 season should be any different.
Since its rebranding in 2004, there have been 14 different winners in the second tier. Half of those former champions will be competing in the latest edition.
Thirty-eight different teams have finished in the top six of the Championship. In that same period, the Premier League has only had 15, showing just how competitive this division is.
But of equal interest, the fight to remain in the second tier is always intriguing.
Here, we use Opta data to pick out the key storylines.
Leeds out to rectify play-off woes
Leeds, who lost to Southampton in the play-off final, became the only team to accumulate 90 points in a season yet fail to secure promotion, with Leicester City and Ipswich Town finishing on 97 and 96 respectively.
While the significant losses of Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray will prove to be a bitter blow, Daniel Farke still has an abundance of talent at his disposal.
Georginio Rutter remains a Leeds player, and was a crucial part in their (ultimately doomed) promotion push, ranking eighth for the most goals and assists in the division last year (22).
But, relegated trio Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town will pose a significant threat to Leeds' title ambitions, as they hope to return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
All three clubs have managed to keep the majority of their squads from last season intact, with the only significant change coming in the dugout at Turf Moor.
Scott Parker returns to management following Vincent Kompany's departure to Bayern Munich, and boasts an impressive pedigree from his time in the second tier.
Parker has won two promotions from the Championship with Fulham and Bournemouth, triumphing in 48 of the 92 games he has managed in the division (D25 L19).
Norwich City also look strong contenders, having finished as the Championship's fifth-highest scorers last year with 79 goals, but the loss of Gabriel Sara is significant.
Sara's creative flair saw him produce 121 chances, only bettered by Sorba Thomas (123) and Leif Davies (125), as he finished the campaign with 13 goals and 12 assists.
Mark Robins and Coventry City will also be right in the mix after finishing in the top 10 in the last two seasons, including a memorable FA Cup run last term.
Rooney to keep the Pilgrims afloat?
At the opposite end of the table, all eyes will be on Wayne Rooney as he embarks on his latest managerial venture, this time with Plymouth Argyle.
Rooney endured a disastrous tenure with Birmingham City last season, winning two of his 15 games in charge (D4 L9), surviving just 83 days in the St. Andrew's dugout.
The 38-year-old has performed well in the Championship previously, though, almost keeping Derby County up during the 2021-22 season despite a 21-point deduction.
But arriving at a side that won the second-fewest number of away games (three) and also shipped 70 goals last term, Rooney's task at Home Park is a tough one.
Rooney's former club Derby, along with Portsmouth and Oxford United, are the new boys, and they have been welcomed into the Championship with a difficult opening round of fixtures.
While the Rams' start is slightly kinder, with an away trip to Blackburn Rovers followed by a home game against Middlesbrough, Portsmouth and Oxford were not so lucky.
Pompey travel to Leeds for their opening encounter, and they face the three relegated Premier League sides in their opening seven fixtures.
Oxford's 25-year wait for second-tier football sees them start at beaten play-off semi-finalists Norwich, with games against Burnley and Luton following soon after.
Blackburn's upcoming season largely hinges on whether top scorer Sammie Szmodics remains at Ewood Park following his stellar performances in the division last year.
Szmodics scooped the Golden Boot last season with 27 goals in 44 appearances, outperforming his expected goals (xG) by 4.6 while also creating 49 chances.
The 28-year-old has been linked with a move away from the club and should Rovers lose his goals, it could prove to be a difficult nine months.
Tyrhys Dolan and Arnor Sigurdsson offer a different kind of attacking threat, but the pair managed just 10 goals between them in the division last campaign.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Alfie Doughty - Luton
One of the standout performers for Luton last season was full-back Alfie Doughty, and he will be key again for the Hatters this season.
Doughty registered two goals and eight assists and was one of many players expected to depart Kenilworth Road this transfer window, though for now he has stayed put.
The 24-year-old attempted the most crosses (340) in the Premier League, 89 of which were completed, which was the joint-highest alongside Pascal Gross.
Joe Rodon - Leeds
While Leeds have sold Summerville, Gray and Glen Kamara, they have strengthened with the arrival of one of last year's standout performers.
Joe Rodon made a loan switch from Tottenham permanent after helping Leeds keep 19 clean sheets in his 46 appearances.
The Welsh international won more aerial duels (132) than anyone in the Leeds squad last year, while 3,050 completed passes was a total only bettered by fellow defensive partner, Ethan Ampadu (3,138).
Matt Grimes - Swansea
Matt Grimes has become a mainstay in the Swansea side after three consecutive loan spells and, under the guidance of Luke Williams, the midfielder perfectly fits the former Notts County manager's possession-based style of play.
Grimes attempted the fifth most passes in the Championship last year (3,714), completing 3,291 of those for a pass accuracy of 88.61%.
He also made 535 passes into the final third, a total only bettered by new Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson (641) during his time with Rotherham.
Macaulay Langstaff - Millwall
One player that will be looking to make his mark in the Championship this season is new Millwall striker, Macaulay Langstaff.
Signed from Notts County, Langstaff scored 28 times last season, claiming his third Golden Boot in as many years while averaging a goal every 143 minutes.
Despite underperforming his xG by 4.33 and missing the most big chances in League Two last year (29), should he be given the service, he should tally up the goals.
Jack Clarke - Sunderland
After being tipped for a move to the Premier League for much of last year, Jack Clarke could be the difference between a good season, or a great season for Sunderland.
Clarke netted 15 goals in 33 league appearances before an ankle injury halted his scoring streak, missing six games and failing to find the back of the net upon his return.
The 23-year-old created the seventh-highest number of chances (91) in the division last season, while also completing the most dribbles (148 from 267 attempted), 47 more than Player of the Season Summerville (101).
Richarlison has revealed he rejected a move to the Saudi Pro League and wishes to stay at Tottenham for the coming season.
The Brazil international joined Spurs from Everton in a deal worth a club-record £60million in 2022, only to struggle throughout his debut season in North London.
He scored just once in 27 Premier League games in 2022-23 but enjoyed a resurgent 2023-24 under Ange Postecoglou, netting 11 times in 28 matches, only 18 of which were starts.
However, with Tottenham reportedly interested in a move for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, who has a £65m release clause in his contract, Richarlison's future has been called into question.
In an interview with ESPN Brazil, the 27-year-old revealed he received a substantial offer from an unnamed club in Saudi Arabia, but he wishes to remain in England to bolster his international aspirations.
"The money was high, but my dream is bigger," the forward said of the Saudi offer.
"There has been an offer but my dream of playing for the Brazilian Selecao and in the Premier League speaks louder."
Richarlison's 11 league goals last term came from a total of 62 shots worth 9.59 expected goals (xG), while he hit the target with 53.2% of his efforts and netted with 17.7%.
Nine of his strikes, however, came within an eight-match span between mid-December and early February.
He only scored once in 12 league outings before that run began on December 10, and once in eight appearances after it ended on February 3, with a calf injury curtailing his season and preventing him from representing Brazil at the Copa America.
Caribbean sailors Luc Chevrier of St. Lucia, Just van Aanholt of Aruba, and Thad Lettsome of the British Virgin Islands gave it their all but, unfortunately, fell short of the medals as the men's dinghy sailing event finished with the medal race on Thursday at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Chevrier finished 29th in the competition, scoring 199 points and 163 net points while van Aanholt finished 33rd with 217 total points and 178 net points.
Lettsome finished 38th, with 255 total points and 215 net points.
Throughout the competition, these sailors displayed exceptional skill, determination, and sportsmanship, representing their countries with pride on the global stage.
In the women’s dinghy competition, Bermuda’s Adriana Penruddocke and the Cayman Islands’ Charlotte Webster gave strong efforts.
In race 9, Webster finished 37th, while Penruddocke finished 42nd. After the medal race, Penruddocke finished 36th overall with 270 total points and 226 net points while Webster finished 41st with 349 total points and 306 net points.
These women put out a valiant effort, and while they did not get the opportunity at medalling, their performances were admirable, showcasing their athletic ability and passion for the sport.
Santi Denia views Friday's Olympic gold medal match versus France as an opportunity for Spain to underline their status as European football's finest.
La Roja have enjoyed a terrific 2024 to date, with the country's senior and under-19 sides both claiming European Championship titles last month.
Those successes came on the heels of Luis de la Fuente leading the senior team to UEFA Nations League success in 2023, and his men overcame heavyweights Croatia, Italy, Germany, France and England on their impressive run to Euro 2024 glory.
Olympic hosts France lie in wait in Friday's gold medal match at the Parc des Princes, where Denia is backing his team to bring more pride to their country.
"We are delighted that we are a benchmark in Europe and the world, it is a job that has been done for years," Denia said at Thursday's pre-match press conference.
"We have improved and continued to work, believing in a model of play and a profile of players that represent us.
"If we have been waiting for the gold medal for so many years, it is a challenge and an additional excitement."
Spain's only previous gold medal at the Olympics came on home soil at Barcelona 1992, when a team featuring the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique beat Poland 3-2 in a thrilling final.
Captain Abel Ruiz, who joined Girona in June, is keen to follow in the footsteps of that legendary side.
"We are motivated, we know that the gold is something very important for the country and for us," he said.
"It is something that could be historic and for which we have fought hard, we have been in the training camp for 40 days and it is a lot of effort. We are really looking forward to the final."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
