Newly minted national record holder Britany Anderson won the silver medal in a fast 100m hurdles final on Sunday’s closing day of the 2022 World Championships of Athletics at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Aided by a wind of 2.5m/s, Anderson, in her first world championships final, ran a fast 12.23 to finish in second place behind Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, who clocked a ridiculously fast 12.06 to win the gold medal.

Amusan, who is coached by Jamaican Olympian Lacena Golding-Clarke, shattered the USA’s Kendra Harrison’s world record of 12.20 in the semi-final when she clocked a stunning 12.12s.

Harrison was second in the heat with a season-best 12.27 but the American was unable to handle the pace in the final and was subsequently disqualified after hitting a number of hurdles.

Anderson, meanwhile, broke Danielle Williams’ national record of 12.32 set in 2019, when she won her semi-final heat in 12.31 while holding off the Olympic champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who clocked 12.32.

Both women shared the time of 12.23 in the finals but Anderson was 0.005 seconds faster and hence awarded the runner-up spot.

Alia Armstrong of the USA was fourth in 12.38 while Cindy Sember who ran a new British record of 12.50 in the semis, clocked 12.41 for fifth.

Danielle Williams ran 12.44 for sixth with Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas running 12.53 for seventh.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s men picked up their first medal of the championships when they finished second in the 4x400m relay. The USA won the gold medal in a world-leading 2:56.17 but the Jamaican quartet of Ackeem Bloomfield, Nathon Allen, Jevaughn Powell and Christopher Taylor – spared blushes for their male counterparts with a season-best 2:58.58.

Allen ran the fastest split on the second leg, 43.95 while Taylor completed the anchor leg in an impressive 43.98.

Belgium finished third in 2:58.72.

Jamaica’s women closed the championships with the third silver-medalist on the final day when they finished runner-up to gold medal favourites, the USA which ran a world-leading time of 3:17.79.

The Jamaican quartet of Candice McLeod, Janieve Russell, Stephenie-Ann McPherson and Charokee Young, clocked a season-best 3:20.74.

Great Britain was third in 3:22.64.

Jamaica won 10 medals at the championships - two gold, seven silver and a bronze medal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although David Ortiz was one of seven inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon, the day clearly belonged to the former Boston Red Sox slugger.

Ortiz, the designated hitter known as 'Big Papi', played 14 of his 20 major league seasons with the Red Sox and made the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He was part of three World Series titles in Boston, including the championship run in 2004 that ended an 86-year title drought.

Known as much for his outsized personality as his powerful swing, Ortiz delivered a passionate speech and was sure to thank everyone who helped him throughout his baseball career.

"I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be here today and for giving me the joy of being able to travel this path, this path that has allowed me to be here today and hopefully inspire everyone to believe in yourself," Ortiz said.

Ortiz completed his career with 541 home runs and finished in the top five of AL MVP balloting in five consecutive seasons over a period ending in 2007. Known for his clutch performances, Ortiz had 17 postseason homers, and his 61 playoff RBIs are tied for fourth all-time.

He batted .455 (20 for 44) in 14 career World Series games and was named MVP of the 2013 World Series win against St. Louis after going 11 for 16 with two home runs and eight walks.

Ortiz becomes the fourth Dominican-born player to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, along with former teammate Pedro Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero Sr. And Juan Marichal.

''I always tried to live my life in a way... so I can make a positive influence in the world,'' Ortiz said. ''And if my story can remind you of anything, let it remind you that when you believe in someone you can change the world, you can change their future, just like so many people believed in me."

In addition to Ortiz, the 2022 Hall of Fame Class included former Dodgers and Mets star Gil Hodges, former Twins teammates Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva, Minnie Minoso – who appeared in the majors in five decades (1949-1980) – and Black pioneers Buck O’Neil and Bud Fowler.

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo confirmed discussions are ongoing that could lead to the 2024 Tour de France finishing outside the French capital.

Since 1975, the final stage of the Tour has traditionally concluded on the famous Champs-Elysees avenue, and it was where Jonas Vingegaard sealed his race triumph on Sunday.

The 2024 Tour is scheduled to be held between June 29 and July 21 – its end date coming just five days before the Olympic Games begin in the French capital.

It has been reported that the 111th edition of the race will begin in Tuscany. Nice has been touted as a potential alternative final destination to Paris, and Hidalgo revealed she is in talks with Tour director Christian Prudhomme.

Asked whether the 2024 Tour would conclude in the French capital, she told Le Parisien: "We'll see. This is a subject we are discussing with Christian [Prudhomme]. It is an important subject.

"The arrival of the Tour will almost coincide with the opening of the Olympic Games. We work together intelligently on alternative solutions. We are pragmatic. We'll find a solution.

"The opening of the Games is July 26, 2024. This means that during the preceding weeks, the Place de la Concorde will have to organise itself."

The large city centre square, at the eastern end of the Champs-Elysees, is due to be given a major overhaul for the Olympics.

"The question of the absence of the Champs-Elysees on the Tour is not taboo," said Hidalgo. "We will communicate in due time."

Dele Alli ended a six-month wait for his first Everton goals and vowed to keep "fighting" to prove himself to boss Frank Lampard.

The former Tottenham and England star moved to Goodison Park in January, but struggled to make an impact at the sharp end of the pitch.

He made 11 appearances for the Toffees last season but only one start, and will be hoping to reset and win over manager Lampard in the new campaign.

A double from Alli in the 4-2 win at Blackpool on Sunday might count for little in the long run, given the game was a friendly, but for the 26-year-old Alli it marked a breakthrough moment.

"I got two goals, so I'm happy," said Alli.

He insisted Everton's progress in pre-season should not be judged on "individual moments" and was more about "how we're building as a team".

A close scrape with relegation last season has been followed by Everton losing Brazil forward Richarlison to Tottenham, and a recent 4-0 defeat to Minnesota United was a worrying result on paper.

There have been no attacking additions of note, and that may shift the goalscoring onus onto the likes of Alli. He was once a proven finisher with Spurs, hitting 22 goals across all competitions in the 2016-17 season, but in recent years that clinical edge has been blunted.

Everton start their Premier League campaign against Chelsea on August 6, so this is a timely return to scoring ways for Alli, who knows he is far from assured of a place in the team to face Thomas Tuchel's side.

He says that applies across the board, though.

"To achieve anything, we need to be fighting for places," Alli said, quoted on Everton's website. "No one's place is guaranteed. We have to work hard in every game and training session. Everything we do, we need to apply ourselves.

"When you're at a club like Everton, it's not for the manager to say that places are up for grabs."

Tony Finau produced a terrific Sunday performance to win the 3M Open with a final score of 17 under par – even if It was not quite a comfortable finish.

The American completed his final round with six birdies and two bogeys to post the equal second-best score of the day with a 67. One bogey came on the 18th after Finau teed off into the water, but he was never in any real danger after starting that hole with a four-stroke lead.

Finau's charge to the front of the field began during his back nine, when he rattled off four birdies over the course of six holes – including three in a row on 14, 15 and 16 – perfectly coinciding with the collapse of 54-hole leader Scott Piercy.

Speaking to CBS after stepping off the 18th green, Finau said it felt like he was a long way off the lead until it all started to shift.

"[It took] really everything I had," he said. "I was playing great, and every time I looked it up it seemed like I was four or five shots back, really all day.

"I really got things going down the back nine, and once I took control of the golf tournament it was a totally different mindset, trying to seal the deal.

"It's so special just to have my family here with me, and to celebrate this win with them… this one was for them."

Piercy began his day at 18 under with a four-stroke lead, and he was cruising early, making a couple of early birdies to jump out to 20 under, with his buffer extending to five. But everything began to fall apart on the eighth hole.

After back-to-back bogeys on eight and nine, Piercy also bogeyed 11, teased a bounce-back with a birdie on 12, and then capitulated with bogey, triple-bogey, bogey from his next three holes to go tumbling down the leaderboard. Over the course of eight holes, he dropped seven shots, completely eliminating himself from contention.

Piercy finished tied for fourth at 13 under after his 76, along with fellow Americans Tom Hoge and James Hahn, with Hahn's six-under 65 ending up two strokes better than any other final round.

That grouping was one stroke behind Argentina's Emiliano Grillo and South Korea Im Sung-jae, who were tied for second at 14 under.

Rounding out the top 10 were the English pairing of Danny Willett and Callum Tarren, tied for seventh at 10 under along with Greyson Sigg, with Chesson Hadley one shot back.

Recent PGA Tour winner J.T. Poston headlined the group at eight under, and Australia's Cam Davis was at seven under as he prepares to defend his Rocket Mortgage Classic crown this coming week.

Lewis Hamilton has indicated that he intends to extend his Formula One career beyond the end of next season.

The seven-time world champion is under contract with Mercedes until the conclusion of the 2023 campaign.

Hamilton marked the 300th race of his F1 career by finishing second behind Max Verstappen at the French Grand Prix; the Dutchman extending his lead at the top of the Drivers' Championship to 63 points.

While Hamilton's wait for a first race win of 2022 goes on, the 37-year-old made it four successive podium finishes after a slow start to the campaign.

And he revealed his excitement at the ongoing project with Mercedes when asked whether he saw himself racing beyond the expiration of his current deal. 

"That's a lot of races! I firstly just want to be grateful to get to this point," the seven-time world champion said. "But I still feel fresh and still feel like I've got plenty of fuel left in the tank.

"So, I'm really, really proud and enjoying arriving every day, and working with this incredible group of people.

"I'm also enjoying working with the sport more than ever. We've got some great people leading the sport and having great conversations about the direction we're going as a sport, so I'm enjoying it more than ever.

"I would say in that space, of course, I want to get back to winning ways and that's going to take time, but I'm sure we'll sit down at some stage and talk about the future.

"But again, just with our team, I always want to continue to be building. It’s one thing having races, but it's also continuing the work that we do outside and doing more, which I think Mercedes and us can always do more, and we will."

Irina-Camelia Begu ended her five-year wait for another WTA title by beating home favourite Lucia Bronzetti to claim the Palermo Open crown.

The Romanian captured her fifth trophy on the tour – and a first since triumphing in her native Bucharest in 2017 – as she prevailed 6-2 6-2 in one hour and 33 minutes on Sunday.

This was Begu's ninth career final and her experience showed against Bronzetti, who was appearing in her maiden championship match.

The 31-year-old Begu broke her opponent's serve six times on the way to becoming the second Romanian to triumph on the WTA Tour this year, after Simona Halep captured a title in Melbourne in January.

Nerves were evident early on as the opening three games went against serve, before Begu held in the fourth to take command.

The sixth seed had been on court for over three hours as she overcame fourth seed Sara Sorribes Tormo in a thrilling late-night semi-final on Saturday.

She was well on top against Bronzetti, though, breaking again and winning 80 per cent of points when landing her first serve as she took the opening set.

World number 78 Bronzetti had taken out France's Caroline Garcia and Italian compatriot Jasmine Paolini to reach her maiden WTA final.

However, she had little answer to Begu, who broke twice early in the second set to establish a commanding 3-0 advantage.

Bronzetti broke back to reduce the deficit to 3-2, but the world number 45 pulled away again before a thumping ace sealed the deal.

Richie Ramsay secured his first DP World Tour/European Tour success in seven years as a late surge saw him win the English Open at the Hillside Golf Club.

Ramsay's playing partner Julien Guerrier had appeared the likely winner for much of Sunday, finding himself two shots to the good thanks to three birdies as he began the back nine.

But the Frenchman's six pars and three bogeys thereafter left him at even par for the day, and Ramsay – who ended the weekend at 14 under – took full advantage.

Birdies on 14, 15 and 17 gave Ramsay a one-shot lead on the final hole, and he held his nerve with an immense par putt to seal his first Tour success since March 2015, when he won the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco.

It was a moment of redemption for the Scot, who saw his chance for British Masters success at The Belfry in May vanish when he closed out with a double bogey.

Given that disappointment and the fact he had not won a tournament in seven years, Ramsay was understandably emotional at the conclusion.

"The biggest thing for me was I made a promise to my daughter, and I don't break promises to her. I said I would get her a trophy and this one's for her," Ramsay said.

"It just feels unbelievable. The belief. I've had some bad times over the last couple of years, but I kept believing, I knew my game was good.

"I know about what happened at The Belfry, but it's links golf and I feel like I've always got an advantage when I play links golf.

"Obviously I got a bit emotional there at the end, but I haven't won since my daughter was born and that's six years.

"That one's for Olivia [his daughter]. Hopefully she's watching. Angela's [Ramsay's wife] been brilliant. She's never given up on me, sent me a message this morning telling me that she was really proud of me in whatever I accomplish.

"It's just hours and hours of practice and it comes down to one shot and I managed to do it under the gun. It doesn't matter what happens now, I'll remember that for the rest of my life."

Guerrier's sloppy finish ultimately saw him finish in a five-way tie for third on 12 under for the tournament – that group included Marcus Kinhult, whose five-under 67 was the best round of the day.

Paul Waring was the other player to capitalise on Guerrier's difficult back nine, as the local favourite's 70 ensured he ended the competition outright second on 13 under.

Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin declared the French Grand Prix as the team's "best race of the year" after a first double podium of 2022.

Lewis Hamilton immediately overtook Red Bull's Sergio Perez at the start of the race and rose to second following the retirement of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc – securing his fourth consecutive podium and marking his 300th career race in style.

Meanwhile, George Russell enjoyed a thrilling battle with Perez in the closing stages and leapt ahead after a late virtual safety car, though he felt he should have been handed the position earlier in the race after a collision with the Mexican.

Mercedes' performances on race day has consistently been better than free practice and qualifying, with Hamilton and Russell the only drivers on the grid to have improved on their start position in every race they have completed in 2022.

At the Circuit Paul Ricard, that trend continued as the team bounced back after a disappointing qualifying session where they were well off the pace of their rivals, but Shovlin believes the performance in Sunday's race was testament to how far they have come.

"That was our best race of the year and really pleasing to see both drivers racing at the front," he said.

"We know that we've got a long road ahead of us but compared to where we were a couple of months ago in Monaco and Baku, it's really satisfying to see the team and drivers having a bit of fun again. 

"The weekend hasn't been easy, our qualifying positions weren't far off expectation, but the gaps to Charles and Max were eye-opening. 

"We'd hoped that the car would be kind on the tyres today, the conditions were very tough given the circuit and the temperature but degradation was good and whilst we are lacking a bit of pace, we at least seemed a bit stronger towards the end of the stints."

The teams are straight back into it as the Hungarian Grand Prix takes place next week, with Shovlin suggesting Mercedes will push for further improvement ahead of the summer break.

"We've only got a couple of days to try and regroup and prepare for Budapest," he added. "Hard work has got us to a level where we can fight for a place on the podium but we want to be fighting for the top step.

"We've got one race to go before the summer break so we will be pushing hard to try and finish the first half of the season on a high note."

Jonas Vingegaard says life could not be any better after securing his first Tour de France title in Paris on Sunday.

The Jumbo-Visma rider crossed the line on stage 21 in unison with his team-mates at the end of a largely processional finale in the French capital.

Vingegaard had a lead of more than three-and-a-half minutes on back-to-back champion Tadej Pogacar heading into the 116-kilometre stretch, and his triumph was never in doubt.

He is the second Dane to win Le Tour, after Bjarne Riis in 1996, while it is the first time in 30 years the winner of the race has been a native of the country where the race started.

Saluting his victory on the Champs-Elysees, an emotional Vingegaard said: "It's just incredible. I have finally won the Tour. Nothing can go wrong anymore. 

"I'm sat with my daughter. It is just incredible. It is the biggest cycling race of the year, the biggest one you can win, and now I have done it. Nobody can take this away from me."

Vingegaard finished in the chasing bunch on the final stage, which was won by Jasper Philipsen, to retain the yellow jersey that he had been in possession of since stage 11.

Pogacar's hopes of a third title in a row were effectively ended on Thursday when Vingegaard increased his GC lead after the final mountain stage in the Pyrenees.

 

"I always had the feeling that at least I could fight for the win," Vingegaard added. "But I think in the end, when I really started believing was after the stage. 

"I always believed in the victory, but I was thinking something really has to go wrong after Hautacam."

Asked how he plans to celebrate, Vingegaard said: "Tuesday, I go to Holland, Wednesday in Copenhagen, Thursday in the town I live in, and Friday, I'll be on the couch for a week!

"Of course, I'm super happy about my victory now. Of course, now I want to celebrate, relax, but then I also want more, yes."

Vingegaard was also crowned King of the Mountains, while team-mate Wout van Aert came out on top in the Points Classification.

Jumbo-Visma are the first team to win the yellow, polka dot and green jerseys at the same edition of the race since Faema managed the feat in 1969, thanks to Eddy Merckx.

Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl believes the investment and improvement in the English game in recent years means her nation's good record against their Women's European Championship semi-final opponents will mean very little.

The Swedes needed a late Linda Sembrant goal against Belgium in their quarter-final to advance to play tournament hosts England, who edged past Spain 2-1 in the last eight thanks to an extra-time thunderbolt from Georgia Stanway.

The two teams will face off on Tuesday at Bramall Lane, Sheffield for a place in the final.

England have won just three of their 26 meetings with Sweden in all competitions (D8 L15), while they have only lost more often against Germany (21) than they have against the Swedes.

However, when asked if this impressive record gives them an advantage during the team's media day on Sunday, former Chelsea stopper Lindahl said: "No, because we all know the development that's been in the English league, and the investment that's gone into English football in the last seven years.

"I know it first hand because I came to Chelsea in 2015 and I've seen the game take off in England. Obviously that will have an effect on the national team, because the league has grown and people have to grow with it. So you can't really rely on history.

"But what I do take with me is that we know these are players we've beaten. We've managed to beat them before and we can do it again."

The 39-year-old has made eight saves across her team's four games so far, conceding just two goals, and is looking forward to returning to Sheffield, where Sweden played their first two games against the Netherlands and Switzerland.

"I had imagined coming into this tournament that we would face England at some point. I wasn't aware of when we were able to see each other," she said. "I thought it was going to be at Wembley, but now it's in Sheffield, and I think that's a good thing for us because we played a few games there. It's kind of like our home pitch, and so I look forward to it."

Lindahl is well aware of the dangers England pose, with tournament top scorer Beth Mead in the form of her life, scoring five goals in the Euros and having had a hand in 31 goals in all competitions under Sarina Wiegman so far (19 goals, 12 assists) in 18 games.

"I think we've all seen how much success they've had with their wingers, especially Beth Mead," Lindahl added.

"They have quality players in every position and two of them in every position. So I think we're gonna face a collective, well-organised team under the leadership of their new coach. So it's going to be a tough one."

Houston Texans' rookie wide receiver John Metchie III announced on Sunday that he was recently diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia and is currently receiving medical care.

In a statement on the Texans’ Twitter account, Metchie said acute promyelocytic leukemia is "the most curable form of leukaemia" and that he's "in good spirits."

"Recently I was diagnosed with APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia), the most curable form of Luekemia," he said in a statement.

"I am currently receiving great medical care, am in good spirits and I expect to make a recovery at a later point in time.

"As a result of this diagnosis, I will likely not be playing football this season. My main focus will be on my health and recovery."

The Texans selected Metchie in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft (44th overall pick) out of Alabama after he had 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdown receptions as a junior last season before tearing his left ACL during the SEC championship game.

Metchie, who had 55 receptions for 916 yards and six TDs for the Crimson Tide in 2020, added he "cannot wait to come back stronger than ever."

The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) will, next month, launch its Olympic Coaches' Scholarships as the local governing body for Olympic sports continues its drive in making more professional the delivery of sports, especially the international games which fall under its remit.

Those games include the Summer and Winter Senior and Youth Olympic Games, the Pan American Games, the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, the Commonwealth Games and beach games staged by regional and world governing bodies.

Enabling and empowering stakeholders remains the primary focus of the JOA which in 2019 created history when it inaugurated its own athletes' scholarships valued at over $JMD 6,000,000.00 to match scholarships, under the aegis of the Olympic Solidarity Programme of the International Olympic Committee (IOC),  are granted to athletes selected by the JOA.

"We've always been a co-partner with our coaches who are the custodians of talent and in acknowledging that fact, the JOA is making another solid and scholarly investment in our human and technical capital in sport," JOA President Christopher Samuda said.

Applicants responding to the call will formally submit their credentials in a pre-determined format and those who are shortlisted will then go through a very practical interview process governed by an expert panel assembled by the apex body, which will determine the successful beneficiaries.

JOA Secretary General and CEO, Ryan Foster, who will manage the process, outlined the value of the scholarships and more importantly the values which the JOA will be promoting, as the benefactor, through this grant.

"It's more than the $2,000,000.00 dollars that each recipient will receive to assist them in educational and career pursuits and to defray expenses incurred in relation to the preparation of their athletes and certain personal expenses, for it will be an experience in the lessons of Olympism in which they will learn  the value of self-management and mastery, goal setting and achievement and ethics and business of sport," Foster explained.

A welcomed opportunity for Jamaica's coaches, the continued grant of the scholarships by the JOA will fill a void locally and "give our coaches a new lease on their sporting lives and signal to them that the JOA is on the frontline with them and their athletes in creating success" Foster further stated.

This initiative comes on the heels of the Olympic Coaches Reward which the JOA initiated at the Tokyo Olympic Games which saw the governing body rewarding coaches of successful medalists to the tune of JMD$5,000,000.00.

Sport development calls for structured strategic management of human resources and a viable infrastructure of which coaches are essential.

"Our coaches are foundational, the cornerstone of the sports architecture and therefore the JOA is building capacity and deepening the pool of competencies while giving them assistance in dealing with certain domestic obligations of life," Samuda remarked.

The JOA Olympic Coaches Scholarships will also provide opportunities for coaches selected to collaborate with global colleagues in the transfer of knowledge in master classes.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has outlined his plans for new signing Antonio Rudiger, and hinted that he could be utilised in an unfamiliar position.

The Germany international joined the reigning Champions League winners on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with Chelsea, where he was a regular fixture in the Blues' side at the heart of the defence.

Different opportunities may present themselves in Ancelotti's plans, however, as the head coach admitted he does not want to disrupt the centre-back partnership of Eder Militao and David Alaba.

Rudiger started at left-back during Madrid's 1-0 pre-season defeat to Barcelona, and Ancelotti hinted it is an area he could find himself slotting into more regularly.

"I liked him a lot. I am not crazy and he is very intelligent," the Italian said after the loss.

"He can play in that position, just as he can also change in the match with Alaba. They didn't do so today, because it went well.

"[Alaba] as a left-back, only when necessary. I don't want to change the pair from last year."

Real have a void on the left side of their defence following the departure of club legend Marcelo last season.

Though another signing is unlikely to be made before the end of the window, with Ancelotti making it clear he is not targeting further additions to his squad.

Los Blancos complete their pre-season preparations against Club America and Juventus, before tackling reigning Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt in the Super Cup.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.