The Jamaica Badminton Academy is set to host the much-anticipated Shuttle Showdown Tournament 2024, which is set to take place over two exciting weekends, September 14-15 and September 21-22, at the YMCA. This event promises to be a major highlight for badminton enthusiasts, athletes, and the local community, offering a dynamic blend of competition, entertainment, and community engagement.
A key feature of this year’s tournament is the introduction of the “Beginner Category,” a new addition designed to welcome those who play badminton casually or are just beginning their journey in the sport. This inclusive category ensures that everyone, regardless of experience level, can participate, compete, and enjoy the game among peers of similar skill levels.
Spectators can expect a vibrant atmosphere with a modest entrance fee of just $500. Attendees are encouraged to bring their coolers to enjoy a lively and energetic environment. Traditional games such as cards, dominos, and loodi boards will be welcome, creating a festive setting that fosters community spirit and support for the players.
Sponsors will be on-site, providing an additional layer of excitement with opportunities for participants and spectators to win prizes. The tournament aims to bring together around 100 participants, ranging from ages 4 to 35, across various categories tailored to different skill levels and age groups. These include the Beginner category for new players, age groups from U9 to U15 focusing on junior players, and divisional categories for national and competitive local players.
The event will span two weekends, each packed with thrilling badminton action. The first weekend, September 14-15, will feature matches from the Beginners and B and D divisions, while the second weekend, September 21-22, will showcase the Juniors and A/Open and C divisions. Each day’s matches will kick off at 9:00 AM and wrap up around 7:30 PM. The tournament will conclude with a closing ceremony on Sunday, September 22, 2024, inviting all attendees to celebrate the event’s success and the achievements of the participants.
In recognizing the shortage of badminton tournaments in Jamaica, the Jamaica Badminton Academy aims to fill this gap by providing a platform for players to compete and improve their skills. The Shuttle Showdown also offers young and emerging athletes a chance to observe and learn from more experienced competitors, contributing to their development both on and off the court.
The Academy hopes this tournament will attract media attention and promote the sport to a broader audience, ultimately inspiring more people to take up badminton and strengthening the connections within the badminton community. The Academy envisions making the Shuttle Showdown an annual flagship event and has plans to introduce additional tournaments throughout the year, including a prep/primary school tournament. This initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to establish badminton programs in schools across Jamaica, furthering the sport’s reach and impact.
Hosting the Shuttle Showdown aligns with the Jamaica Badminton Academy’s long-term vision of promoting badminton in Jamaica and nurturing young talent. This event represents a significant opportunity to inspire the next generation of badminton players, offering them exposure, skill development, and potential scholarship opportunities. As Dr. Mathew Lee, Director of the Jamaica Badminton Academy, noted, "The exposure I gained through badminton allowed me to secure a $17.3 million JMD scholarship for my MBBS program at the University of the West Indies Mona."
Current sponsors of the event include Premier Optical, Lifespan Spring Water, Dr. Man-Gue Chin, Chas E. Ramson, N D Communications, and Shop Tech Goods. The support from these sponsors highlights the sport’s growing appeal and potential for attracting further sponsorship and investment, ultimately contributing to the growth and development of badminton in Jamaica.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons is confident CeeDee Lamb will be back for the opening game of the NFL season.
Lamb is currently in the middle of a contract dispute and, as such, a three-week holdout as he waits to negotiate an extension to his current deal.
The wide receiver missed their opening pre-season game against the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday, and after skipping the Cowboys' mandatory minicamp in June along with training camp, he has totalled more than $1million in fines.
And despite negotiations over a new deal still going on, Parsons is confident Lamb will be back on the field for their opener against the Cleveland Browns on September 8.
"We have our talks, but at the end of the day, me and CeeDee and all of us, we kind of know what it is," Parsons said.
"CeeDee is a part of the brotherhood whether he likes it or not. He knows he's not going nowhere.
"The business side, they going to take care of him. But obviously, we miss him. I mean, he's one of the best people you can have in a locker room, and I'm pretty sure he'll be here soon, because no doubt about it, Week 1, he will be suited up for the Dallas Cowboys."
Last week, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said there was no urgency to get Lamb's deal done, though he backtracked slightly on Sunday, saying "CeeDee is missed".
The 25-year-old was unlikely to play in the pre-season games anyway, but he has missed valuable practice time as the team gears up for the start of the new season.
However, coach Mike McCarthy says he will be smart about reintegrating Lamb into the side whenever he returns.
"You just make time to get done what you need to get done, that's how I look at CeeDee when he gets here," McCarthy said.
"We know CeeDee is always going to be in great shape and so forth. Yeah, we'll make the time, and we'll be smart about it, too, because we got to make sure we have a sound plan and once he does get back here."
In a thrilling and fiercely competitive 2024 Suncorp Super Netball League season, Jamaican players stood out as dominant forces, leading their teams to the top of the league standings and excelling in numerous individual statistical categories. As the season concluded, two teams featuring prominent Jamaican talent were locked in a tie for points, a testament to the significant impact of these athletes on the league.
The West Coast Fever, led by the indomitable Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, had a stellar season, thanks in large part to Fowler-Nembhard's all-around brilliance. Over 16 games, she amassed an astonishing 1,782.5 Nissan Net Points, making her the top player of the tournament. Fowler-Nembhard's capability was instrumental in the Fever's success, earning her recognition as one of the league's most valuable players.
On the defensive end, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey of the Adelaide Thunderbirds showcased her prowess, finishing third in Nissan Net Points with 1,481.5 points. Her ability to anchor the Thunderbirds' defense was pivotal to their impressive season, where her consistent performances proved critical in securing key victories and back-to-back titles.
Romelda Aiken-George, also representing the Adelaide Thunderbirds, dominated the league in offensive rebounds, securing 69 crucial second-chance opportunities. Her tenacity on the boards was a significant factor in the Thunderbirds' relentless offensive pressure, making her a cornerstone of their strategy.
Fowler-Nembhard also made her presence felt in the offensive rebounding category, finishing fifth with 42 offensive rebounds, further emphasizing her well-rounded contributions to the Fever’s campaign. Sterling-Humphrey continued her defensive dominance by leading the league with 36 defensive rebounds. Her ability to disrupt opponents' offenses and control the boards was unmatched, reinforcing her status as a defensive stalwart.
In terms of goal-scoring, Fowler-Nembhard once again proved why she is considered one of the best, netting a league-leading 813 goals. Her precision and commanding presence in the goal circle were crucial in the Fever’s ascent to the top ranks. Aiken-George also delivered an outstanding performance, ranking third with 517 goals, further highlighting the strength of Jamaican shooters in the league.
Fowler-Nembhard's influence extended beyond just scoring, as she led the league in goal attempts with 846, showcasing her ability to create and capitalize on scoring opportunities. Aiken-George followed closely behind, ranking third with 593 attempts, cementing her role as a vital offensive weapon for the Thunderbirds.
Defensively, Sterling-Humphrey continued to excel, leading the league with 96 deflections. Latanya Wilson, another Jamaican standout with the Thunderbirds, was second with 82 deflections, while Kadie-Ann Dehaney of the West Coast Fever secured fifth place with 56 deflections.
Sterling-Humphrey's knack for timely interceptions also saw her top the league with 44, consistently turning defense into offense with her sharp instincts. Wilson, with 42 interceptions, was right on her heels, underscoring the depth of Jamaican defensive talent in the league.
As the dust settled on the 2024 season, the Adelaide Thunderbirds, Melbourne Vixens, and West Coast Fever were all tied at the top with 44 points. This remarkable finish was a testament to the extraordinary contributions of Jamaican players, whose skills, leadership, and determination not only shaped the outcomes of individual games but also defined the season as a whole. Whether it was Fowler-Nembhard's goal-scoring prowess, Sterling-Humphrey's defensive mastery, or Aiken-George's consistency, the Jamaican stars left an indelible mark on the Suncorp Super Netball League, ensuring that their teams remained in the hunt for the championship until the very end.
Naomi Osaka said she still does not feel like herself eight months into her comeback season following her latest defeat at the Cincinnati Open.
Osaka was beaten in three sets by Ashlyn Krueger in the second round of qualifying for the event ahead of the final grand slam of the year at the US Open.
The former world number one also lost in her first match of the Paris Olympics to Angelique Kerber and was beaten in the last 32 of the Canadian Open last week.
Osaka was left puzzled by her lack of accuracy and power in her most recent loss, explaining her current form is having an affect on her mentally.
"My biggest issue currently isn't losses though, my biggest issue is that I don't feel like I'm in my body," Osaka wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.
"It's a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn't miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to.
"I try to tell myself, 'It's fine you're doing great. Just get through this one and keep pushing', mentally it's really draining through.
"Internally, I hear myself screaming, 'What the hell is happening?!?!'"
Osaka returned to action in January after a 15-month break during which she gave birth to her daughter.
The Japanese is now ranked 90th in the WTA rankings, with her best finishes coming in Doha and 's-Hertogenbosch where she reached the quarter-finals in both.
"I've played a handful of matches this year that I felt like I was myself and I know this moment is probably just a small phase from all the new transitions (clay, grass, clay, hard), however the only feeling I could liken how I feel right now to is being post-partum," Osaka said.
"That scares me because I've been playing tennis since I was three, the racket should feel like an extension of my hand."
Osaka's next event will be at Flushing Meadows, a stadium where she triumphed in 2018 and 2020, but added she did not understand why everything about her game felt brand new again.
"This should be as simple as breathing to me, but it's not," she added. "I genuinely did not give myself grace for that fact until just now."
Carlos Alcaraz said he will remember this summer "for the rest of his life" despite his defeat to Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympics.
Alcaraz, who has already won two grand slams at the French Open and Wimbledon this year, finished with a silver medal at the Games earlier this month.
The Spaniard will take part in this week's Cincinnati Open where he will face either Gael Monfils or recent Canadian Open winner Alexei Popyrin in the second round.
Alcaraz has the opportunity to claim a second US Open title in two weeks time, but had the chance to reflect on an incredible few months ahead of his first match in Ohio.
“It has been some incredible months in my life and career after winning Roland-Garros, a tournament that I was very excited to win, and of course Wimbledon, which is wonderful to be able to win it,” Alcaraz told the ATP Tour.
“Also, one of my dreams was to win an Olympic medal. I have enjoyed a lot these last few months. They were incredible and I enjoyed it a lot.
“I am also very happy with my tennis and the way I handled different situations. I think I have improved a lot as a player, so I am very happy.
“Of course, in tennis the season is not over, and we have to carry on pushing our best in each tournament but, of course, I will remember these months [for] the rest of my life.”
Alcaraz also partnered up with fellow compatriot Rafael Nadal in the men's doubles at Roland-Garros during the Olympics in the French capital.
The Spanish pair, dubbed 'Nadalcaraz' at the Games, lost in the quarter-finals to America's fourth-seeded duo Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram in straight sets.
And while his journey with the 22-time grand slam champion fell short of a medal, Alcaraz said it was a dream come true to play alongside one of his sporting heroes.
“It was a great experience, talking with Rafa off the court, knowing each other much better off the court. It was a great experience, obviously, playing doubles together," Alcaraz said.
“It was something that I will never forget, for sure. I learned a lot talking to him on court, off the court as well.
“I think we played great tennis in doubles, even if we are not used to playing doubles very often.
“A little bit disappointing at the end, because we thought that we could do it better, but in general, we were happy.
“Obviously talking about myself, I reached my dream, my dream came true, playing doubles alongside Rafa.”
Juan Soto hit three home runs in a game for the first time in his career, Nestor Cortes spun seven shutout innings and the New York Yankees bounced back from an embarrassing loss to beat the Chicago White Sox 4-1 on Tuesday.
A night after the White Sox beat the Yankees 12-2, Soto’s two-run shot in the third gave New York the lead. He followed with solo homers in the fifth and seventh innings to extend the lead to 4-0.
Soto had 22 multi-homer games in his career entering Tuesday but had never before gone deep three times in a game. He finished 3 for 4 with a walk.
Cortes had one of the best outings of his season, allowing just three hits in seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts and no walks. The left-hander is 2-1 in his last three starts after going 0-4 over his previous six outings.
Aaron Judge reached base four times but did not leave the yard as his career home run total stayed at 299.
The Yankees (71-50) pulled into the AL East lead with the win after the Baltimore Orioles (70-50) lost to the Washington Nationals.
Luis Robert Jr. provided Chicago’s only run with an RBI single in the eighth.
Ohtani hits NL-leading 37th HR in win over Brewers
Shohei Ohtani extended his National League home run lead with his 37th blast of the season, and the Los Angeles Dodgers won a matchup of division leaders, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2.
Ohtani’s solo shot with two outs in the third inning expanded his lead for the NL home run crown over the Atlanta Braves’ Marcell Ozuna (35).
Gavin Lux and Andy Pages each hit two-run homers, and Will Smith added a solo shot as the Dodgers tied the Cleveland Guardians for the best record in baseball at 71-49.
Los Angeles rookie Gavin Stone got his 10th win of the season, allowing three hits and one run over five innings. Landon Knack pitched the final four innings for the Dodgers and was credited with a save.
The Brewers dropped their third straight game but still lead the NL Central by 7 ½ games over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Down 2-0, Milwaukee’s William Contreras went deep off Stone in the third inning to cut the Dodgers’ lead in half, but Los Angeles responded with a five-run fourth to blow the game open.
Skubal first to 14 wins as Tigers roll
Tarik Skubal became the first pitcher in the majors to 14 wins this season, Kerry Carpenter hit two of his team’s five home runs and the Detroit Tigers routed the Seattle Mariners 15-1.
Skubal allowed a run and three hits in six innings with nine strikeouts as he added to his breakout season and built on his case for the AL Cy Young.
The left-hander’s ERA dropped to 2.53 and separated himself from four other pitchers who have 13 wins. The Kansas City Royals’ Seth Lugo is among MLB’s 13-game winners but allowed eight runs and took a loss Tuesday.
Carpenter had the fourth multi-homer game of his career after taking George Kirby deep in back-to-back innings.
Gio Urshela, Javier Baez and Jake Rogers also went deep for Detroit. Rogers hit a grand slam in the fourth inning and had a career-high seven RBIs.
The Mariners’ loss ended their four-game winning streak and dropped them to two games back of an AL wild card spot.
Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will have surgery on his right knee and is sidelined indefinitely.
The 10th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft is dealing with a torn meniscus, and a timetable for a return will be determined following the surgery.
McCarthy reported soreness in his knee and was held out of practice Monday, two days after he made his preseason debut and completed 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against the Las Vegas Raiders.
After veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins left Minnesota to sign with the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason, the Vikings signed Sam Darnold and drafted McCarthy after he led the University of Michigan to a national championship.
Darnold, the third overall pick by the New York Jets in 2018, is now the clear-cut No. 1 quarterback for Minnesota after appearing in 10 games last season – including one start – for the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.
The Vikings, who went 7-10 and missed the play-offs last season, open their 2024 campaign on September 8 at the New York Giants.
Iga Swiatek has measured her expectations ahead of the Cincinnati Open this week, with the top-ranked seed placing full focus on the US Open later this month.
Swiatek, who won bronze at the Paris Olympics, returns to the hardcourt surface for the first time since the Miami Open back in March.
The Pole has since won three titles on clay in Madrid, Rome and the French Open, before losing to Yulia Putintseva in the third round on the grass courts of Wimbledon.
She returned to Roland-Garros with her eyes set on Olympic gold, but settled for a third place finish after beating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in her bronze medal match.
However, Swiatek, who plays Ajla Tomljanovic or Varvara Gracheva in the second round this week, acknowledged how difficult the transition will be.
"I know that the first tournament on hardcourts isn't going to be easy," said Swiatek.
"So I'm going to try to treat it as a practice tournament, but not in a way that I don't care - more in a way that I want to implement all the stuff that I practiced on.
"I think it's the best approach for me now."
The US Open offers an opportunity for Swiatek to claim a second title Stateside, with the possibility of taking her grand slam total to six.
But with Cincinnati first up, the Pole said that the Lindner Family Tennis Center is the perfect platform to build to the tournament in New York later this month.
"I felt after the Olympics I need to reset and also focus on getting my technique back together and just grinding on court," Swiatek said.
"Here's the perfect place to do it. It feels a little bit less crazy, but on the other hand, even before the tournament, there are many people and a lot of fans.
"So you still feel it's an important tournament."
Iga Swiatek has measured her expectations ahead of the Cincinnati Open this week, with the top-ranked seed placing full focus on the US Open later this month.
Swiatek, who won bronze at the Paris Olympics earlier this month, returns to the hardcourt surface for the first time since the Miami Open back in March.
The Pole has since won three titles on clay in Madrid, Rome and the French Open, before losing to Yulia Putintseva in the third round on the grass courts of Wimbledon.
She returned to Roland-Garros with her eyes set on gold, but settled for a third place finish after beating Anna Karolína Schmiedlova in her bronze medal match.
However, Swiatek, who plays Ajla Tomljanovic or Varvara Gracheva in the second round this week, acknowledged how difficult the transition will be.
"I know that the first tournament on hardcourts isn't going to be easy," said Swiatek.
"So I'm going to try to treat it as a practice tournament, but not in a way that I don't care - more in a way that I want to implement all the stuff that I practiced on.
"I think it's the best approach for me now."
The US Open offers an opportunity for Swiatek to claim a second title Stateside, with the possibility of taking her grand slam total to six.
But with Cincinnati first up, the Pole said that the Lindner Family Tennis Center is the perfect platform to build to the tournament in New York later this month.
"I felt after the Olympics I need to reset and also focus on getting my technique back together and just grinding on court," Swiatek said.
"Here's the perfect place to do it. It feels a little bit less crazy, but on the other hand, even before the tournament, there are many people and a lot of fans.
"So you still feel it's an important tournament."
While looking ahead to possibly making another Olympic Games appearance in 2028 in Los Angeles, Trinidad and Tobago’s cycling stalwart, Nicholas Paul, is also hopeful that he will be able to share that occasion with a few more riders from the twin island republic.
Well aware of the depth of the talent that Trinidad and Tobago possesses, Paul, who relished a second-consecutive Olympic Games appearance at the just-concluded Paris showpiece, believes it is very much possible for those cyclists to also achieve their dreams of competing at the global multi-sport event.
The decorated Paul, who has numerous championship medals under his belt, and Kwesi Browne represented Trinidad and Tobago with much gusto and pride in Paris, as they gave their all on the track in both the sprint and keirin events, though both failed to make the finals.
“Team sprint, sprint, Keirin, team pursuit, I just want as many cyclists as possible to be able to make it on the Olympic stage,” Paul told the Express.
“It’s a big, big, big pool of talented young cyclists coming up. I have been trying to be a good role model for them, to let them know that they can come out here because the dream is possible. You just have to work hard. We can make a good driving force from juniors straight up to the elite,” he added.
Having contested both the Sprint and Keirin quarterfinals in Paris, Paul expressed an even deeper desire to improve his standards going forward, especially after watching Australian Matthew Richardson and Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen erase his previous world record of 9.100 in the flying 200 metres.
Lavreysen stopped the clock at 9.088 seconds, mere minutes after Richardson clocked 9.091 seconds.
“It (the quarterfinals) was not the outcome I wanted, but you live, you learn, and you come again. But I’m happy for Harrie. That was a great ride, and at the same time, it’s giving me more hunger to get back on that length to be able to break the world record and get that fast again,” Paul noted.
However, for now, the 25-year-old pointed out that the focus is on rest and recovery ahead of his next major assignment, the UCI Track World Championships scheduled for October 16-20 in Denmark.
“I think I’ll back off a bit, have a bit of a rest, and then go into Worlds. I’m really hungry, but at the same time, the build was until Paris. It was a bit stressful, so I have to ease off and then go into Worlds with as much form as possible,” Paul said.
On that note, Paul also expressed gratitude for the support from Trinidad and Tobago’s sporting enthusiasts, though some comments were not welcoming of the athletes’ overall efforts in Paris.
“I never think about the negatives because we could only work with the positives, and we have a lot of positives to work with. Moving forward, us athletes should come together and try to make Trinidad and Tobago better as a whole. Athletics, cycling, and every sport; to raise the level not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but in the Caribbean,” he ended.
Alex Albon remains confident that the foundations are in place for Williams to improve despite their recent spell of disappointing results.
After 14 races last season, Albon had achieved five top 10 finishes yet has only finished in the top-half of the field twice at the same point this season.
Williams revealed that their car was overweight at the start of the season, estimated to have cost them 0.45 seconds per lap.
Despite the disappointment, however, Albon still feels the team are heading in the right direction.
“It's a real shame that at the start of the year, we were not on-weight where we should have been,” he told Motorsport.com.
“Our car should have been in the points consistently for the first few races and then we would have shuffled down to where we are now.
“A lot of what-ifs but I'm happy we're getting the foundations in place. I don't think without the changes we've made, I would ever see us as a team that can get out of this backfield battle.
“I feel like now at least we've got foundations that can bring us up."
While Albon remains realistic that Williams needs to improve, he also feels their struggles are in part due to the improvement of the rest of the field.
"We are obviously not where we want to be. Truthfully, I feel like that's testament to the other teams too. That midfield group has made such a huge step,” he said.
"We've made a good step but relative to the others, maybe we are holding back a little bit.
"We've done a lot of changes within the team, last year into this year, there's been big changes around the DNA of the car, but also the structure of the team.
"When you put the team under that much work and do that many changes, it shows the cracks.”
Due to those cracks, scrutiny has been focused on team principal James Vowles, who joined the Williams in 2023 after 12 years at Mercedes.
His arrival saw an immediate improvement as Williams finished seventh in the Constructor’s Championship in 2023, three places better than the previous season.
They currently sit ninth but Albon still believes Vowles remains “the right man for the job”.
He said: "I have been very much a part of the project. James has brought me into it. He's very straight. He doesn't tell you things are better than they actually are, and I like that.
"I feel like whenever something's not come to plan he tells me the areas that the team needs to work on. He tells me if there's anything I can do to help.”
That pragmatism has rubbed off on the 28-year-old driver, who cannot see titles coming Williams’ way soon.
“If I am being totally honest, I don't see us being in position to fight for wins and titles for a while, but to do steps where we start nipping in and getting podiums,” said Albon.
"I believe that 2026 would be difficult, but winning in '27 would be much more realistic. We've got great investment, and we're recruiting very aggressively.”
Jannik Sinner played down any injury concerns and said he was looking forward to starting his Cincinnati Open campaign this week.
Sinner fell to a quarter-final defeat to Andrey Rublev at the Canadian Open in Montreal and was seen holding his hip at various stages of the encounter.
Nevertheless, the world number one said his only real concern was returning to the intensity of matches after skipping the Paris Olympics due to tonsillitis.
"I feel quite good. Obviously, I made nearly one week without practising before, and then after playing for two-three days in a row, a bit more than usual, (that) could (have had) a potential impact to the hip," Sinner told reporters.
"But I'm not afraid. I feel good with the hip, and I'm just looking forward to going back on court here."
Sinner holds a poor record in Cincinatti, having never advanced to the quarter-finals, and was the victim of a shock loss to Dusan Lajovic in the round of 32 last year.
However, the Italian is confident of a better run this time around, starting with an opening against either Tallon Griekspoor or Alex Michelsen.
"Here usually I struggle a little bit to play because of the conditions but I'm looking forward to see my reaction this year, because it's a great test," said Sinner.
The Australian Open champion believes a good tournament can act as a perfect platform for the final slam of the year in New York, which begins at the end of this month.
"I believe this tournament can give you a lot of confidence for the US Open, which is the last grand slam we have," Sinner said.
"So in my mind, this is a very important tournament. "We go day by day. I have a couple of days to prepare and hopefully show some good tennis."
Sixteen seasons, seven Grand Finals, and four Premierships.
Romelda Aiken-George’s CV borders on unrivalled in Australian netball circles, making it even more incredible that she has been one of the final players signed over the past two Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League seasons.
The Jamaican superstar played every game of the 2023 season for the NSW Swifts as a replacement player, including a losing Grand Final against the Thunderbirds, but was informed she would not be offered a Swifts contract ahead of the 2024 campaign.
“At the end of last season, I knew my role in the Swifts environment,” Aiken-George said.
Fortunately for Aiken-George, the Adelaide Thunderbirds, which also boast her Jamaican compatriots Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Latanya Wilson, were in the market for an experienced goal shooter.
“Tania made it clear, 'you’re coming to play your role. You’re not filling in for anyone; you’re just coming in to do your thing'. I knew I still had so much more to give,” Aiken-George explained.
Since joining the Thunderbirds, Aiken-George has flourished under the tutelage of Obst.
The Sunshine Girl veteran played every game of the Thunderbirds premiership campaign, as she tallied more than 500 goals and led the league in offensive rebounds.
Aiken-George cut a cool and composed figure in the goal circle for the Thunderbirds all season, offering a consistent out ball for those up court.
She saved her best until last, though, with the champion shooter named the 2024 Grand Final Player of the Match with 42 goals and 10 offensive rebounds.
Reflecting on the campaign, the 35-year-old said the Thunderbirds environment has allowed the best version of herself to flourish.
“This environment I’m in, everyone is always having a hand in what I do, making sure when I rock up to training, I’m in the best mental headspace. When I look back at when I first came here, I was very closed off, but just being here, I feel like everyone helps me to bring out my weapon and to be comfortable,” Aiken-George shared.
“In that final game, Tania said something to me, and I went back out on court, and my shoulders felt as big as a backboard, and I felt like a superwoman,” she added.
With 227 games of national league experience, Aiken-George is well placed to comment on club environments and coaching structures.
She said the Thunderbirds approach is unique and believes the open lines of communication between Obst and her players were key to their success.
“This group is just so amazing. Every week we held each other so accountable, and there was a lot of space for learning each week. The way we analyse the game is so different from any other team I’ve been a part of, and by doing that, we pick up on little things I don’t think other teams pick up on,” Aiken-George reasoned.
“The way we look at the game through our own eyes and then chat with Tania, it’s just so great. By having those tough conversations each week, we grew and grew every week. We expect so much from each other, but in a loving way. We’ve got something special over here,” she noted.
Despite missing the 2022 season due to pregnancy, Aiken-George has maintained her lofty standards since her return, but she was quick to point out that the drive to improve still burns deep inside her.
“I’m still trying to find ways I can make myself better. I’m just one of many women who have had a child and gone back into sports yearning for success, because that’s how we rate how we’ve done. So, I just want to play, and I just love the game,” Aiken-George ended.
Alexei Popyrin declared his victory at the Canadian Open “means the world” after he defeated Andrey Rublev in straight sets to claim his maiden ATP 1000 title.
Popyrin won 6-2 6-4 to become the first player to win the Canadian Open title in their first main draw appearance in 17 years. The last player to do so was 24-time Grand Slam singles winner Novak Djokovic in 2003.
The 25-year-old defied the odds to beat favourite and world number six Rublev in his third defeat of a top-10 opponent in Montreal.
For the current world number 62, it was a sign that all the effort had been worth it.
"It means the world, for all the hard work I've put in over the years, all the sacrifices I have made," said Popyrin.
"Not just me, but my family, my girlfriend, my team, everybody around me. They have sacrificed their whole lives for me and for me to win this for them is just amazing."
The victory also makes Popyrin the first Australian to win a Masters 1000 since Lleyton Hewitt won Indian Wells in 2003.
He became the fourth-lowest ranked ATP Masters 1000 champion, just two weeks after being defeated by Alexander Zverev on clay courts in the round of 16 in the Olympics men’s singles.
Popyrin fared better against Rublev, who remained optimistic about his performance despite the upset.
“It's a very positive and really good week. [It’s a] really big step forward, and I feel proud of myself that I was able to be really good all the week mentally,” reflected Rublev.
“If we compare my match against him at Monte-Carlo when I was losing, I was behaving 10 times more, and it was first round.
“Here it was a final. Much more pressure. Yes, I still showed a bit emotions today, but compare the matches when I was losing the same way, I think I did much better job.
“That's why I had a little chance in the second set, but it was just not my time I guess.”
Jessica Pegula reflected on a “really special” win at the Canadian Open in Toronto, after defeating fellow American Amanda Anisimova in the final.
The victory marked Pegula’s second straight Canadian Open title, as she fended off an Anisimova comeback to win 6-3 2-6 6-1.
The 30-year-old, who was seeded third, has become just the seventh player in the Open Era to defend her Canadian Open title, the most recent having been Martina Hingis in 2000.
Pegula, who hails from Buffalo, New York, enjoyed her achievement all the more for the presence of family and friends.
"Toronto, it's nice, it's so close to Buffalo, I had a lot of friends, family, and my grandparents, my husband was able to come today. That's cool, I don't really get that at a lot of tournaments,” said Pegula.
"Then to be able to win the tournament as well, and to be able to share that moment with them is really special.
“I don't know what it is about Canada, but I just seem to do well. Yeah, I'll take it.”
The victory means Pegula has become the first woman to win 10 consecutive singles matches at the Canadian Open since Serena Williams. The 23-time grand slam winner triumphed in 14 straight matches between 2011 and 2014.
"I know everyone's talking about my record, but it's nice to be able to get through the week and to back it up," said Pegula. "So, just super excited, I mean, an honour, really.”
It took Pegula one hour and 27 minutes to defeat Anisimova and win her sixth WTA singles title. It also marked her third career WTA 1000 title (Guadalajara 2022, Montreal 2023 and Toronto 2024).
It was Anisimova's first Tour-level final in over two years, with the 22-year-old having defeated four top-20 players on her way there.
"I put the work in, I kept my head down, and I tried to come back to the sport with more of a relaxed feeling," Anisimova reflected.
"Trying to enjoy each day as it comes and not being so serious about everything, because that takes away the joy from a lot of things. That approach to my everyday life has helped me a lot."
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown will not need to go under the knife after he suffered a dislocated shoulder.
Brown joined the Chiefs as a free agent, having impressed with the Arizona Cardinals last season, finishing the campaign with 51 catches for 574 yards and four touchdowns.
However, his Chiefs debut ended early as he sustained a dislocation of his shoulder joint in Kansas City's preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Having caught a pass from Patrick Mahomes on the first play of the game, Brown was tackled and landed awkwardly on his left shoulder.
Thankfully for the Chiefs, Brown has avoided the need for surgery.
"They were able to get the joint back into place without surgery, which is a positive,'' Reid said.
"Then we'll just see on the recovery. He is back in Kansas City now. He stayed over in Jacksonville until they got that thing situated.''
Brown's status will be monitored ahead of the Chiefs' season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on September 5.
Alexei Popyrin overcame Andrey Rublev in straight sets to win his maiden ATP 1000 title at the Canadian Open.
Popyrin won 6-2 6-4 to complete a remarkable run in Montreal, becoming the fourth-lowest-ranked player to win an ATP 1000 title in the process.
The Australian saved the three break points he faced in set one and, despite dropping a game in the second set, immediately hit back to take the impetus away from Rublev, who had stunned world number one Jannik Sinner en route to the final.
It marked Popyrin's third victory over a top-10 opponent at the tournament, while he also snapped Sebastian Korda's eight-match winning streak in the semi-finals.
Data Debrief: Popyrin ends Aussie wait
Popyrin became the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt to win a Masters 1000 trophy.
That victory for Hewitt came at Indian Wells in 2003, when Popyrin was only three years old.
Jessica Pegula successfully defended her Canadian Open crown by beating Amanda Anisimova in Monday's final.
Pegula, who was seeded third, prevailed 6-3 2-6 6-1 against her fellow American in Toronto.
The 30-year-old ended Anisimova's hopes of a shock title, and a fifth top-20 win of the tournament.
Pegula was on fire in the opening set, dominating on her serve, but Anisimova responded with a swift break in the second as she rallied to draw the match.
Yet two breaks in quick succession put Pegula firmly on top in the decider, and though Anisimova clawed back two match points, her opponent got the job done at the third time of asking.
Pegula has now won six Tour-level titles, with three of these being WTA 1000 events (Guadalajara 2022, Montreal 2023 and Toronto 2024).
Data Debrief: Pegula's Canadian comforts
Hailing from Buffalo, just south of the border, Pegula has certainly enjoyed a fine run in Canada over the past two years.
She is only the second player this century to secure the title at the Canadian Open in both Toronto and Montreal, along with Simona Halep, while she became the seventh player in the Open Era to defend her title at the Canadian Open after Chris Evert, Evonne Goolagong, Martina Navratilova, Regina Marsikova, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis.
No player had successfully defended a WTA 1000 title since Iga Swiatek did so at Rome in 2022, and no player had done so on hard court since Ashleigh Barty, who defended her Miami crown in 2021.
Mookie Betts went 2 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs in a dazzling return from the injured list that sparked the Los Angeles Dodgers to a key 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.
In his first game since fracturing his left hand on June 16, Betts hit a two-run homer that broke a scoreless tie in the third inning and later added a run-scoring single to lead Los Angeles in the opener of this four-game series between National League division leaders.
Shohei Ohtani also had a two-run homer, his NL-leading 36th of the season, to help Clayton Kershaw earn his first win since September in the three-time Cy Young Award winner's best start of the season.
Kershaw (1-2) held the Brewers to one run and three hits through 5 2/3 innings in his fourth start since returning from offseason shoulder surgery.
The Dodgers have now won four straight and moved a half-game ahead of the East-leading Philadelphia Phillies in the race for the NL's best record. Milwaukee dropped to 2 1/2 games behind Los Angeles and has lost two in a row following a five-game winning streak.
Betts stepped to the plate with Teoscar Hernandez aboard in the third inning and drove a 2-1 pitch from Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta over the left field wall to stake Kershaw to a 2-0 lead.
Ohtani made it 4-0 two innings later by following a Kevin Kiermaier single with an opposite-field homer off Peralta (7-7), who was tagged for four runs on five hits in six innings.
Kershaw departed with two out and a runner on in the sixth in favour of Joe Kelly, who was greeted by a home run by William Contreras that brought the Brewers within 4-2.
Betts struck again in the seventh, however, with a two-out single that plated Ohtani, who drew a walk and advanced to second with his 33rd stolen base of the season.
Three Dodger relievers then combined to keep the Brewers scoreless over the final three innings, with Daniel Hudson working a perfect ninth to notch his ninth save.
Valdez stars again as Astros win sixth straight
Framber Valdez and the Houston Astros both extended their unbeaten runs as the American League West leaders opened a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays with a 6-1 victory.
Valdez (12-5), who lost a no-hit bid with two outs in the ninth inning in his previous outing, struck out nine while yielding just one run and three hits over 5 2/3 innings to improve to 7-0 with a 2.68 ERA over his last nine starts. The Astros have won all of those appearances.
Yainer Diaz supplied the big blow in Houston's sixth consecutive win with a three-run homer in the third inning. Alex Bregman added a solo shot to help the Astros move a half-game ahead of the Seattle Mariners for sole possession of the AL West lead.
Bregman's blast off Taj Bradley in the first inning put Houston ahead quickly, and the Astros broke the game open with four runs in the third.
After Bradley walked Chas McCormick and gave up a single to Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez drove in McCormick with a two-out hit to increase the margin. Diaz then belted the first pitch he saw into the left field seats for a 5-0 advantage.
The Rays got on the board in the bottom of the third when Taylor Walls tripled and scored on Jose Caballero's sacrifice fly, but managed just two hits off Valdez and two Houston relievers the rest of the way en route to their fifth loss in seven games.
Houston tacked on one more run in the fifth as Alvarez doubled, advanced to third on Jeremy Pena's infield single and scored on a fielder's choice groundout off the bat of Jake Meyers.
Bradley (6-7) lost his third straight start after allowing six runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Braves score in 10th to win duel of aces with Giants
Travis d'Arnaud drove in the game's lone run with a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the Atlanta Braves earned a needed 1-0 win over the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a four-game series.
The game featured a matchup of standout pitchers that lived up to its advanced billing, as both Atlanta's Chris Sale and the Giants' Blake Snell turned in dominant performances despite neither factoring in the final outcome.
Sale racked up a season-high 12 strikeouts while permitting just three hits over seven scoreless innings, while the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Snell fanned 11 Braves and surrendered two hits in 6 1/3 shutout innings.
The Braves finally broke the deadlock with Orlando Arcia placed as the designated runner to start the 10th. Sean Murphy then singled off Taylor Rogers to move the go-ahead run to third before d'Arnaud's fly ball to right was deep enough to enable Arcia to score.
Raisel Iglesias was able to strand the Giants' designated runner in the bottom of the inning by recording two strikeouts before getting Patrick Bailey to fly out and end the game. The Atlanta closer also pitched a scoreless ninth to keep the contest at 0-0.
The lack of run support prevented Sale from becoming the majors' first 14-game winner this season, though his outstanding effort helped the Braves increase their lead over the rival New York Mets to one game for the NL's final wild card spot.
Atlanta entered the series having gone 7-14 over its previous 21 games to fall out of the top spot in the wild-card race.
The Giants have now dropped two straight following a 12-3 stretch that got them back into the play-off picture. San Francisco is now 2 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the standings.
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