Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from the BMW Championship after suffering a lower back injury as he aims to ensure his fitness for a tilt at the upcoming Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Zalatoris – who moved to the top of the FedEx Cup standings by claiming his first Tour-level triumph at the FedEx St. Jude Championship last week – was forced to withdraw midway through Saturday's third round at the Wilmington Country Club.
The 26-year-old has finished as a runner-up at two majors this year, following up 2021's second-placed finish at the Masters by coming close to victory at both the US PGA Championship and the U.S. Open.
Zalatoris was four under for the tournament when he tweaked his back on the third hole in North Carolina, and his manager Allen Hobbs said his hopes of participating in the FedEx Cup finale were key to the decision to drop out.
"He felt that it was best to withdraw from the BMW Championship so he can work with his trainer the next few days to get the inflammation to calm down," Hobbs said.
"Will looks forward to playing next week in Atlanta."
Zalatoris, who moved to ninth in the world rankings with his long-awaited victory last Sunday, had trailed leader Adam Scott by five shots at the halfway stage of the BMW Championship.
Enea Bastianini will start on pole for the first time in his MotoGP career at the Austrian Grand Prix after edging out Francesco Bagnaia for top spot.
Gresini Racing rider Bastianini beat Bagnaia's time by 0.024 seconds to claim his first premier class pole position.
Ducati's Jack Miller completed the front row, while Fabio Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro – the top two in the riders' standings – now face second and third-row starts respectively.
Bastianini was surprised to claim pole after leaving it late but is determined to start quickly on Sunday.
"It's been a long time without a pole position for me," he said. "I'm really happy for the team; we have prepared very well for the qualifying.
"I was fast in all the laps and made good paces; I was confident I would do a great job.
"To start in front is a surprise. It is looking good for tomorrow.
"Tomorrow, we have to be fast from the start. Usually I'm fast in the second part, so it's important to start fast. We will see tomorrow in the race."
Quartararo, who is 22 points ahead of Espargaro at the top of the riders' standings, will start from fifth on the grid after posting a time 0.231s slower than Bastianini's.
The Frenchman revealed he did not feel like he had full control of his bike, which again impacted his enjoyment of qualifying.
"In qualifying, in every corner, I don't know if I'm going to turn or if I'm going to go in the gravel, so that's the most difficult thing," he said.
"My front is moving so much, the bike is moving, and at the end I don't have 100 per cent control in the qualifying.
"On the race pace, we are always more or less good, but in qualifying I have no control. I'm just out of control, and this is a problem.
"In 2019 or even last year, I was much more consistent and better. But this year is a nightmare for us. I'm not enjoying qualifying like before."
PROVISIONAL GRID
1. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) 1:28.772
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) + 0.024
3. Jack Miller (Ducati) + 0.109
4. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) + 0.186
5. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) + 0.231
6. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 0.274
7. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) + 0.363
8. Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.483
9. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 0.483
10. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing) + 0.564
Petra Kvitova fended off home favourite Madison Keys to reach the Western and Southern Open final and secure a return to the world's top 20.
The two-time Wimbledon champion battled to a 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-3 victory in two hours and 18 minutes, saying the match had been "mentally so tough".
Both players had taken significant scalps to reach this stage, with Keys knocking out world number one Iga Swiatek and Kvitova ousting Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur.
Kvitova reached semi-finals at Cincinnati in 2012 and 2018 and lost three-set battles on both occasions, but this time she came good in the decider to earn a first final appearance at the event and a 40th overall in her WTA career.
The 32-year-old Czech slipped an early break adrift in the opening set before fighting back to force a tie-break. She came from behind in that, too, to level up at 6-6, only for hard-hitting American Keys to win the next two points, the first with a sizzling backhand winner.
Kvitova sensed she was still firmly in the match, however, and surges to 3-1 in each of the next two sets provided the platform to fully turn around the contest.
A 12th WTA 1000-level final awaits her, and she will go to 20th in the rankings should she lose Sunday's final and up to 15th if she carries off the title.
Kvitova said of her win: "It was incredibly tough. I expected it would be tough, but I didn't expect it that tough. Madison played unbelievable.
"She played an amazing tie-break, but I tried to keep going, be there and be a little calmer than before and wait for the chances. It was an incredible match, and I'm really happy that I made it somehow.
"I don't really care about the ranking. Being in the final, that's more important, and that's why I'm playing tennis: to be in finals and fighting for a trophy."
She awaited the winner of the second semi-final between Aryna Sabalenka and Caroline Garcia.
Sam Bennett claimed his first Grand Tour stage win in two years as he held off a mass sprint to take victory on Saturday at the Vuelta a Espana.
In the second of three stages held in the Netherlands, the Irishman justified his selection for BORA-Hansgrohe by refinding his form in Utrecht.
Bennett has endured a difficult season, having been left out of the Tour de France for a second straight year, but capitalised on the lead-out qualities of team-mates Ryan Mullen and Danny van Poppel.
"Danny brought me up with speed, then he was kind of ready for me to jump, but I waited a second, and I didn't know if I'd let my speed drop too much, and I was nervous I wouldn't get on top of the speed again," Bennett said.
"Danny didn't deliver me; he launched me. It was down to the boys today.
"It's nice. I knew I'd do it again, it was just a matter of getting the right legs. What I'm really happy about is continuing my pattern of winning at least one stage in every Grand Tour I've done since 2018."
Mads Pederson came in second, having been unable to sustain an early attack, with Tim Merlier finishing third.
Jumbo-Visma dominate the general classification standings, with Mike Teunissen, who crossed in fourth place, taking the leader's jersey from team-mate Robert Gesink.
Three-time reigning champion Primoz Roglic shares that lead.
More Vuelta joy for Bennett
Bennett has now won nine stages in GTs, with four of those coming at La Vuelta. That makes the race his favourite of the big three, with the 31-year-old having won three at the Giro d'Italia and two at the Tour de France.
STAGE RESULT
1. Sam Bennett (BORA-Hansgrohe) 3:49:34
2. Mads Pederson (Trek-Segafredo) same time
3. Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Deceuninck) same time
4. Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma) same time
5. Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) same time
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma) 4:14:14
2. Edoardo Affini (Jumbo-Visma) same time
3. Sam Oomen (Jumbo-Visma) same time
Points Classification
1. Sam Bennett (BORA-Hansgrohe) 50
2. Mads Pederson (Trek-Segafredo) 50
3. Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) 26
King of the Mountains
1. Julius van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost) 2
2. Thibault Guernalec (Arkea-Samsic) 1
Pat Perez has withdrawn his name from the lawsuit filed by LIV Golf players against the PGA Tour, stating the situation is "too ugly now".
The PGA Tour suspended all players who jumped ship to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf, which resulted in 11 players filing a lawsuit after claiming the action would harm their careers.
Carlos Ortiz removed his name from the suit shortly after it was filed and Perez's withdrawal leaves the total remaining at nine, as he acknowledged the messy situation that is developing in the golfing world.
"I'm a LIV guy 100 percent. I'm going to play for them. But I don't feel any need to go after the PGA Tour," Perez told Sports Illustrated.
"They gave me a wonderful opportunity for 21 years. I've got nothing against them, no hard feelings toward anybody. I earned everything I got out there, don't get me wrong."
Asked whether the LIV Golf and the PGA Tour could co-exist, Perez added that he felt any resolution is extremely unlikely.
The American added: "It's too deep; it's too ugly now. I don't see it happening anymore.
"There's just too much on both sides and it's gotten ugly. I just don't see a resolution, unfortunately. There was a time I did."
Elsewhere, LIV Golf chief Greg Norman has backtracked on his claims that Tiger Woods was offered a contract of $800million to defect after previously claiming that an offer in "that neighbourhood" was made.
Speaking to Fox Sports, Norman clarified the situation and said: "I just want to make sure for clarification here, the numbers that were thrown out were inclusive of future franchise value.
"And so if you take a look at this number that’s being thrown out there, the generational wealth that this franchise opportunity has for the individual players is incredible.
"That's how it is. It's not the cash value. We never offered that cash value to Tiger Woods. That's the reality of it."
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has hit out at his team following another lacklustre performance on Friday.
A 4-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays marked the Yankees' fifth shutout loss in August, more than anyone else in the majors, having come into the month with six shutout defeats all season.
The Yankees now hold a 5-12 record this month, being held to two or fewer runs in eight of those games, which has seen their season derail.
A record of 44-16 (.733) in the first 60 games of the season saw the Yankees ranked as baseball's best but the franchise has subsequently gone 29-31 in their past 60, becoming the first team in MLB history with a .700 win percentage across their first 60 to then go sub .500 in their next 60.
Naturally, that has left Boone furious and he criticised his team following the most recent loss.
"We should be ticked off right now and we need to start playing better. Plain and simple," he said.
"You pour a lot into trying to shake hands at the end of the day, and we've been able to do that on balance on a really high clip this year. We've hit a rough patch and we've got to dig ourselves out.
"We can sit here, and I can keep answering questions and talk about it but we've got to go do it. And the good news is we've got all the pieces in that room to do that. I know that's coming. I know it's going to happen, but it really sucks going through it."
With the record earlier in the season, Boone remains encouraged that the team can turn their fortunes around.
"We've done it most of the year. I have total faith in that room and those players. We've got more than our share of struggling right now. But we've got to find a way," he said.
"I don't really care about the number [of games in the divisional lead]. If we play like this and keep walking away at the end of the night, it ain't going to matter.
"If we get it together and play our game, then we'll run away. So eight, nine, 10, seven, five, we've got to play better. We've got to start racking up some wins. And hopefully that starts tomorrow afternoon."
The Yankees currently hold a lead of eight in their division, having seen their margin dwindle from 15.5 on August 8.
When Kamaru Usman steps into the cage on Saturday against Leon Edwards, he will be defending not just his UFC welterweight title, but also his status as mixed martial arts' top pound-for-pound talent.
Usman, 35, has never lost in the UFC, compiling a 15-0 run in the welterweight division since winning his season of the popular reality show The Ultimate Fighter.
After nine wins with the promotion, Usman was rewarded with a title shot against Tyron Woodley and manhandled the champion in dominating fashion, and since his first defence against Colby Covington in a competitive win, he is yet to be truly challenged.
Against an elite striker, he defeated Jorge Masvidal twice, including a stunning knockout in their second meeting.
When faced with an elite wrestler in Covington – who has arguably not lost a single round to anybody other than Usman since 2015 – the champion showed incredible toughness to outlast his outspoken opponent for a technical knockout in the first fight, before completely dominating the rematch to close that chapter.
Completing his championship resume is his knockout victory against Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Gilbert Burns, who figured to be too good of a grappler to be manhandled by Usman, so he instead unveiled his new and improved jab to pummel the challenger to a third-round stoppage.
To this point of his championship reign, Usman has fought specialists, and has passed every test with flying colours – so what happens against a supreme jack of all trades like Edwards?
His British opponent is undefeated in the past seven years, with Edwards' last loss coming against the very champion he is looking to dethrone, going down to Usman via unanimous decision in December 2015.
Why should anything be different this time around? Well, while Usman was a 28-year-old imposing physical specimen in 2015, Edwards was a raw 24-year-old less than a year removed from a split-decision loss to journeyman Claudio Silva.
Usman had grown up as a wrestler, competing his entire life in the sport, culminating in a 44-1 record and a division two national championship as a senior in college before deciding to pivot to mixed martial arts.
Edwards grew up in Birmingham, after moving from Jamaica at nine years old, with no real grappling background, and at such an early stage in his career, he was unequipped to handle the smothering physical presence which Usman presented.
Seven years later, Edwards is a completely different fighter, with some of the sharpest kickboxing in the division, as well as a terrific pressure-grappling game.
Among active UFC welterweights, Edwards absorbs the second-fewest strikes per minute at 2.15, trailing only Michael Chiesa (0.79) who has since moved down to lightweight. He also finds himself in the top-10 for total grappling control time and takedowns landed.
It creates an interesting dynamic, as not only has Edwards become someone nearly impossible to control in the grappling side of things, but he is also an expert in point-fighting on the feet, while being extremely durable.
Despite this being his first title fight, Edwards has an average fight time of 15 minutes and 15 seconds – which is notable considering all non-main events only last 15 minutes. It shows he thrives in long, grinding fights, which he is sure to be faced with against Usman.
It poses the question: What is Usman's game plan?
Against another terrific controlling grappler – Covington – Usman was able to rely on his below-average striking and turn it into a kickboxing match since Covington's striking was also so weak.
Usman's striking has improved significantly, but he will not have an advantage in that area against Edwards, and while Usman is seemingly impossible to finish with strikes, Edwards has shown repeatedly that he is more than happy to point-fight his way to a decision.
So what happens if Usman's first few takedown attempts are unsuccessful, and this turns into a rangy kickboxing battle?
Does he continue to try and grapple and clinch, pushing Edwards against the cage, using his physicality, or does he try to test out his developing striking skills? If he opts for the latter, he could find himself down a round or two against a fighter who will not slow down, and who has been planning for this rematch for seven years.
Knockouts can be addicting, and after three consecutive eye-opening striking performances from Usman, who has been working with world-famous striking coach Trevor Wittman for two years now, his hubris in his standup abilities could prove to be his fatal flaw against an opponent so skilled in avoiding damage on the feet.
Usman is the deserved favourite, the current pound-for-pound king and the most dominant champion in the male divisions.
But to beat such an established minute-winner in what is almost assured to be a 25-minute decision, Usman must avoid his own ego and steer clear of the striking exchanges that have defined his evolution as a champion.
Rookie wide receivers Chris Olave and Romeo Doubs caught a touchdown pass each for their respective teams in the Green Bay Packers’ 20-10 preseason win over the New Orleans Saints on Friday night at Lambeau Field.
Olave, the 11th overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft, hauled in a 20-yard pass from Ian Book near the end of the first half for the Saints' lone touchdown. The former Ohio State standout finished with two catches for 28 yards.
Doubs, a fourth-round selection who has been rising up the pecking order during his first training camp, caught a touchdown pass for the second straight week when he and quarterback Jordan Love connected on a four-yard score that put Green Bay up 10-3 midway through the second quarter. The Nevada product caught three-of-five targets for 24 yards.
Love, the Packers' controversial 2020 first-round choice, started a second straight week with reigning league MVP Aaron Rodgers likely to be held out for the entire preseason. The 23-year-old managed just 113 yards on 12-of-24 passing while playing into the fourth quarter, but did not commit a turnover one week after throwing three interceptions in Green Bay’s 28-21 loss to San Francisco.
Book, New Orleans’ third-string quarterback, played the entire game with the Saints resting veteran Andy Dalton, and starter Jameis Winston sidelined with a foot injury. The former Notre Dame signal-caller completed 16 of 28 passes for 113 yards, while adding 49 rushing yards, but lost a fumble and was intercepted on consecutive drives in the second quarter.
The Yankees have cleared Giancarlo Stanton for a rehab assignment that could have the All-Star slugger back in the team’s slumping lineup sometime next week.
Manager Aaron Boone told reporters Friday that Stanton, who has been out since July 24 with left Achilles tendinits, will serve as the designated hitter for the Double-A Somerset Patriots on Saturday and Sunday before returning to New York. The 2017 National League MVP is then scheduled to take live batting practice Tuesday at Yankee Stadium against Luis Severino, who’s rehabbing a strained lat muscle.
The Yankees will determine whether to activate Stanton from the injured list following Tuesday’s workout. Boone said it’s possible Stanton could return to the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the rival New York Mets, though it’s more likely he’ll be reinstated Thursday for the opener of a four-game series with the Athletics in Oakland.
Stanton, who appeared in only 42 regular-season games between 2019 and 2020 due to a number of injuries, will be used exclusively as a designated hitter upon his return. The Yankees used a similar approach when he came back from a quadriceps strain last season, as he made 45 consecutive starts at DH before receiving more time in the outfield during the second half.
"We’ll kind of, like we did last year where we built on the run, (add) the outfield reps and hopefully make that a part at some point, but not immediately," Boone said prior to Friday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Stanton, who was tied for third in the American League with 24 home runs at the time of his current injury, will be counted on to provide a boost to an offense that’s been dormant for much of August. The Yankees rank 26th in the majors in runs per game (3.50) for the month and have been held to three runs or less 11 times during a current 3-12 stretch.
Stanton has had his struggles at the plate as well. After hitting .309 with a .925 OPS through his first 36 games of 2022, the five-time All-Star has produced a .153 average and a .699 OPS in 44 games since May 22.
The red-hot Atlanta Braves have now won 10 of their past 11 games after defeating the Houston Astros 6-2 on Friday, with their top-three batters combining for seven hits.
After two scoreless innings to begin the game, the Braves' big-three delivered, with singles to Ronald Acuna Jr and Dansby Swanson followed by a three-run home run to National League MVP candidate Austin Riley.
It was Riley's 31st dinger of the season, which ties him for third in the majors, and his 267 total bases trails only New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge (285).
The Astros fought back in the fifth inning as Kyle Tucker launched a 445-foot solo moon shot, and Jose Altuve delivered an RBI single later in the same frame to cut the margin to 3-2.
But an inning later the Braves re-established their dominance, as Swanson came through with a two-run double, and Matt Olson's sacrifice fly made it 6-2.
The Atlanta bullpen was flawless after coming in to relieve Kyle Wright, who was credited with his 15th win of the season for giving up two runs in six complete innings, striking out seven.
In relief, Collin McHugh and Kenley Jansen combined to allow just one hit and no walks from the final three innings, striking out five of the 10 batters they faced.
The Braves own the third-best record in the National League at 74-47, five-and-a-half games back from the New York Mets (77-43) and nine games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (81-36).
Yankees cold streak continues
The New York Yankees have not won a series since July, and they will not win their current slate against the Toronto Blue Jays after dropping the first two of the four-game series, getting shut out 4-0 on Friday.
Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman was at the top of his game, making it through seven complete innings while only allowing four hits and one walk, striking out seven.
The most significant swing of the bat came from Teoscar Hernandez, who sent Jameson Taillon's pitch 421 feet over the center-field wall in the fourth inning, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr became the youngest in Blue Jays history to reach 500 hits.
McKenzie strikes out 14 in Guardians win
The Cleveland Guardians may be unearthing their ace of the future as 25-year-old starter Triston McKenzie struck out 14 batters in his side's 5-2 win against the Chicago White Sox.
McKenzie, standing at six-foot-five, has the seventh-best WHIP (walks and hits per inning) in the majors, and has now struck out at least six batters in four of his past six starts, including an eight-inning, 12-strikeout, shut-out performance against the Detroit Tigers last month.
With the bat, Cleveland's most valuable player Jose Ramirez hit his 23rd home run of the season, and rookie Steven Kwan collected an RBI triple to raise his batting average to over .300 for the season.
After two rounds of the BMW Championship at Wilmington Country Club it is Adam Scott alone atop the leaderboard at eight under, but some of the sport's biggest stars are breathing down his neck.
Scott shot the second-best score of the opening round with a six-under 65, and he was in position to put a gap on the field as he was sitting at 10 under with two holes to play before a costly double bogey on the 17th saw him post a 69 on his second trip around the course.
An incredibly strong four-man group is one stroke back at seven under, consisting of American trio Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Young along with Canada's Corey Conners.
Only two players – Kurt Kitayama and Keith Mitchell (both 66s) – shot better than Scheffler, Conners and Spieth's 67 on Friday as they marched up the leaderboard.
Also shooting a 67 was Australia's Cam Davis, helping him to six under in a tie for sixth, where is joined by Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Scott Stallings in a loaded top-10.
More serious contenders are at five under, including major champions Shane Lowry and Hideki Matsuyama, with Lowry projected to sneak into the top-30 of the FedEx Cup rankings and earn a berth into the Tour Championship if he can hold on.
Also at five under is Kitayama, who was Friday's best putter according to Data Golf's strokes gained stats, with his 3.75 strokes gained leading second-placed Matsuyama (3.31 strokes gained).
First-round leader Keegan Bradley shot a 74 to fall down to four under, where he is joined by Tyrrell Hatton and Lee Kyoung-hoon, while Will Zalatoris, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas are a further stroke back in the logjam at three under.
Rising talent Sahith Theegala is at two under, Max Homa is at one under and the pairing of Matt Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland are the top names at even par.
Jon Rahm enters the weekend at one over, given there is no cut for this tournament, and despite being Friday's best driver (1.84 strokes gained, McIlroy second at 1.49), he was the third-worst in approach shots (2.45 strokes lost) and second-worst in the around-the-green category (1.96 strokes lost).
Robert Gesink took the red jersey on home soil after Jumbo-Visma dominated the opening stage of the Vuelta a Espana in Utrecht on Friday.
It was a day to remember for the Dutch team as they hit the ground running in the team time-trial.
Jumbo-Visma covered the 23.3-kilometre route in 24 minutes and 40 seconds, with Gesink first across the line to ensure he will don La Roja for stage two from 's-Hertogenbosch back to Utrecht on Saturday.
Ineos Grenadiers were 13 seconds back in second place, with Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl third at the start of the last Grand Tour of the year.
Jumbo-Visma's fit-again defending champion Primoz Roglic could not have asked for a much better start to his bid to become the first rider to win the Vuelta in four successive years.
Team BikeExchange-Jayco were fourth, with Chris Froome's Israel Premier Tech down in 16th.
Roglic confident after 'perfect' start
Slovenian Roglic abandoned the Tour de France last month, having soldiered on despite suffering a dislocated shoulder and a back injury when he crashed on stage five.
Having been passed fit for a shot at history in a race he has dominated, the 32-year-old was delighted with the start his team made.
He said: "It's a great feeling. I think it's well deserved. It was really nice to be out today with huge crowds and with my guys. Everyone did a perfect job, so we were enjoying.
"My condition is good enough to win today. I'm super happy about it. It was a pleasure today, the guys did a really great job. Twenty days more to come."
On Gesink being in red, Roglic said: "He's the one that deserves it the most, it's a pleasure racing for so many years with him. I started with him in the team, he taught me a lot and it's nice to win as the home team with a home rider."
STAGE RESULT (TEAM)
1. Jumbo-Visma 24:40
2. Ineos Grenadiers 24:53
3. Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl 24:54
4. Team BikeExchange-Jayco 25:11
5. UAE Team Emirates 25:13
CLASSIFICATION FINAL STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Robert Gesink (Jumbo-Visma) 24:40
2. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) same time
3. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) same time
Through an injection of funds from the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) will be able to send a national team of twenty-five swimmers to the upcoming XXVI Goodwill Swim Meet in Trinidad & Tobago.
The members, aged 9-17, will compete at the regional meet from August 19-21 against other Caribbean countries such as Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, St. Lucia, Guyana, Suriname, Bahamas, Grenada and Curacao.
JOA’s sponsorship of JMD$1.2 million will go to reducing the overall costs to parents for accommodation and participation. JOA CEO and General-Secretary Ryan Foster believes in our young national athletes and their potential to represent Jamaica at all levels.
“Swimming is an essential sport, investing in the national team for the Goodwill Swim Meet will solidify our commitment to develop and promote our local athletes,” CEO Foster said.
Speaking at a recent press conference to announce the team’s plans for the meet, Vice President of the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica, Georgina Sinclair, explained that the Goodwill Swim Meet is the premier swim meet in the Caribbean and is a launching pad toward higher levels of competition.
Sinclair said, “The competition at the Goodwill Meet is fierce and provides swimmers with a taste of regional rivalry. In 2019 team Jamaica doubled its previous medal haul of 32 medals when the team won 65 medals: 21 gold, 22 silver and 22 bronzed, placing 2nd overall out of 9 participating countries behind the winners, Trinidad and Tobago.”
Goodwill Jamaica National Swim Team Head Coach Kafia Rapley shared, “The team has been training very hard for these championships, and I know they are ready,” she added, “I am excited to see how they will perform, and I believe they will each do very well in both their individual and relay events.”
The Los Angeles Lakers' decision to give LeBron James a two-year contract extension worth $97.1million is as much about the player's brand as his ability, says sport finance expert Dan Plumley.
James had been entering the final year of a contract worth $44.5m. His new deal includes a player option for the 2024-25 season.
The extension takes the 37-year-old to $532m in guaranteed career earnings, which would mean he is the highest-paid player in the history of the league.
Despite his increasing years, James is still one of the top performers in the NBA, averaging 30.3 points per game in the 2021-22 season.
Speaking to Stats Perform, Plumley admitted he is surprised by the short-term nature of the deal not usually seen in US sports, but understands the brand of the athlete is often as important as the ability.
"I think that's now more the case than ever in every professional sport," said Plumley, who is principal lecturer in sport finance at Sheffield Hallam University. "Every team's looking at how they can use their superstars across respective sports.
"Of course, it's about first and foremost what they can do on the court, on the pitch, it's absolutely still about that.
"But the other side of it is what do they bring from a commercial side of things and what's the brand association, and what's the fit like, and how can the club or team leverage some of that against the superstars that they've got?
"It's absolutely the case with LeBron James. Of course it is. But I think it's the case across the board now for a lot of professional teams."
With James approaching 40 by the end of the two-year deal and with a history of injuries, there appears to be significant risk in the investment for the Lakers, but Plumley thinks it will be worth taking if it produces a championship or two.
"I think that there's the risk... but there was also the risk of losing him and losing the asset and losing the brand association and the value that somebody like LeBron James brings with the Lakers and everything else he's got going on in his personal life as well," he said.
"We know he's connected to Liverpool [Football Club, minority ownership] and the wider network that he operates in. So there's that at play where you're balancing the risk.
"From the playing side of things, yes, the injury risk is there but I think the Lakers felt that it was enough to get the next two years where they could potentially win something again with LeBron, and that risk was far lower than losing him. I think that's where they've ended up at.
"With the NBA, we know that careers can go a little bit later versus other sports. I think when you balance that off, the Lakers have obviously arrived at the decision that it's better to keep him now for a couple of years than potentially lose him."
In terms of the wider future of the NBA, Plumley understands there is danger in seeing deals increase in size, but believes basketball and other US sports will be safe from significant damage due to their closed nature and draft system.
"I think there's always the danger that you see figures like this, and we know that the salary cap is there, and there will always be a limit on this," Plumley added.
"But we've seen increases in the salary cap over time, which is not unusual when you think about the amount of money coming in. So if there's more money coming in, then there's an argument to raise the salary cap.
"I think what teams will always be suggesting and the way that side of things has gone is that there's an expectation that they need to keep raising the salary cap. And that's always okay if you've got the money coming in to support it, so I think that will be the trade-off.
"It's always a risk in any professional team sport. They are reliant on broadcasters and they're reliant on commercial partners to generate that revenue at the league level. And while that's okay and growing, these little increases in salary caps have been okay.
"The question always is 'where's the benchmark?' And if the benchmark has gone higher, because this is the biggest contract we've ever seen, then others will start to look towards that as the new benchmark. And I think that's just the risk in the background that you run.
"American sports are a little bit more protected in that sense, because of the nature of their league systems."
Oleksandr Usyk has claimed "expectations are not met every time" after the Ukrainian surprisingly came in light at his pre-fight weigh in ahead of the rematch with Anthony Joshua.
The heavyweight champion was widely reported to have been bulking ahead of going toe-to-toe with Joshua in Saudi Arabia but, clocking in at 15 stone and 11 pounds, was only marginally heavier than his weight in north London last year.
Usyk, always keeping his cards close to his chest, refused to confirm whether it was a ploy for people to think he would be showing a heavier weight for Sunday's bout and was not drawn into pre-fight verbal jabs when interviewed after the scales.
Joshua also downplayed the significance of the weigh-on and face-off, having clocked in four and a half pounds heavier than last September, and remains focused on getting it done in the ring.
"For me, personally, the face-off doesn't mean anything. It's about throwing leather, the face off doesn't win fights. All of this stuff, weight, none of it matters to me, I'm just looking forward to the fight," he said.
The Brit has been preparing for the fight to go the full distance, just as it did at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when he lost his belts, adding: "I'm 100 per cent ready for 12 rounds and anything less than that is a bonus."
At 32 years old, Anthony Joshua should be enjoying the prime of his career, but in his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk on August 20 he faces the prospect of his status as a truly top-echelon attraction coming to an end.
Joshua, an Olympic gold medallist and maybe the most physically imposing heavyweight in boxing, will contest his 12th consecutive world title fight when he steps into the ring in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with nine wins and two losses over that span.
The Watford-born star has lost before – in a shocking upset via seventh-round knockout against Mexico's Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden – which he proceeded to avenge in style, with a dominant unanimous decision victory in the rematch, also in Saudi Arabia.
He will be hoping the story repeats itself after his convincing defeat at the hands of Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September, as he again prepares for his rematch on the other side of the world, away from all the distractions of friends, family and the celebrity that comes with being the heavyweight champion of the world.
But Usyk is a very different proposition than Ruiz ever was.
Ruiz was a late replacement opponent when he faced Joshua, and it was clear the towering, muscle-bound Brit underestimated the stout, stocky Mexican, as he was shocked early by the challenger's power and never truly recovered.
With a full camp and a renewed sense of focus, Joshua picked apart Ruiz in the rematch, with the fight leaving even the most passionate Ruiz fans questioning how he ever pulled off the upset in the first place.
Usyk, on the other hand, is no late replacement for anyone, and he has been on the same path towards the heavyweight throne as Joshua since their amateur days. At the London 2012 Olympics, where Joshua collected the super-heavyweight gold medal, Usyk ran through the heavyweight division, and has since put together a perfect record in the cruiserweight weight class.
After building a record of 16-0, including going 7-0 in cruiserweight world title fights, Usyk made the decision to make the jump up to heavyweight, and after wins against Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora, he earned his shot against Joshua, and took it with both hands.
For Joshua, this time there was no lack of planning, and there was no reason to underestimate Usyk's world-class ability – in other words, there were no excuses. So how can he make sure the rematch is nothing like the original, and become a three-time world champion in the process?
Exploit Usyk's weaknesses
Usyk is a near-perfect heavyweight fighter, with power in his hands to sting anyone, while retaining the foot speed and agility of a much smaller cruiserweight – but like every boxer, he has flaws, and tendencies that can be exploited.
Without a doubt, Usyk fights best as the aggressor, taking the centre of the ring and marching forward to force his opponents to fight with their back near the ropes and nowhere to run.
But Joshua is the bigger (six-foot-six against six-foot-three), longer (82 inch reach against 78 inch reach) and younger (32 against 35) fighter, meaning he has the physical tools necessary to deny Usyk his desired position as the ring general dictating the pressure.
Also, in Usyk's two most competitive world title fights – a majority decision win against Mairis Briedis and a unanimous decision against Murat Gassiev – he showed his defence is far from impenetrable, particularly against left hooks and body shots. The left hook in particular, including feints, seem to draw out the biggest reaction from Usyk, who usually opts to retreat and reset as opposed to firing back a counter.
He is also far from a quick-starter, instead opting to remain relatively cautious through the opening few rounds as he measures his distance and timing, before increasing his pace and volume in the second half of the fight to overwhelm his tiring opponents.
If Joshua is able to hold the centre of the ring early, rely on his length advantage to keep Usyk on the outside, and make a concerted effort to focus on body shots whenever the Ukrainian closes the distance, he could find himself with a healthy early advantage and the momentum heading into the middle stages of the fight.
Identify what went wrong in the first fight
Both Gassiev and Briedis fought in an orthodox stance, just as Joshua does, while Usyk fights out of the southpaw stance – meaning Joshua will have his left foot forward, and Usyk will have his right foot forward.
In orthodox versus southpaw matchups, the fight is often decided by the footwork battle, and Usyk dominated in that department for all 12 rounds in his first look at Joshua.
Whoever controls the 'outside' foot position is able to fire straight shots to the body and head with their rear hand, while also being able to easily circle away from their opponent's straight shots as they try to punch across their body diagonally.
While Usyk has the advantage as far as foot speed goes, the problem in the first fight was more about Joshua's willingness to concede the positioning battle and try to punch his way out of it, which led to plenty of flailing swings and a lack of clean connection.
One way to dissuade the southpaw from taking the preferred position is to aggressively use the left hook early – to the head, as Joshua loves to do, but more so the body – as it will come from the direction Usyk is constantly trying to move, lean and escape to, while his southpaw stance naturally exposes the vulnerable liver area.
If Usyk begins to feel like that left hook is coming every time he moves towards it – or absorbs an uncomfortable blow to the liver – he could be more willing to hold a neutral stance and level the playing field, completely changing the dynamic from their first meeting and opening the door for Joshua's power and size advantage to come to the fore.
"In comparison with war, boxing is child's play."
Those were the words uttered by Oleksandr Usyk in April after he left Ukraine's front line to prepare for the rematch against Anthony Joshua, which takes place in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
Eleven months ago, Usyk placed himself on top of the boxing world with a stunning victory over Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium – where he dominated what was only his third fight at heavyweight level.
The aftermath saw talk of a unification bout against Tyson Fury, while questions were also raised as to whether Joshua would walk away, but both of those discussions were irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
In February, Russia stunned the world with the invasion of Ukraine and citizens took to the frontline to defend their nation, with Usyk travelling back to Kiev to fight.
Boxing, understandably, was far from the mind of Usyk, who told CNN: "I really don't know when I'm going to be stepping back in the ring. My country and my honour are more important to me than a championship belt."
Usyk will this weekend put his WBO, WBA Super, and IBF titles on the line against Joshua and shoulder the hopes of a nation who have had to cope with unthinkable trauma.
Sport, in situations like this, is largely irrelevant and few would criticise Usyk if he were to struggle in his rematch given the experiences he has endured – but he may find extra encouragement from Joshua's comments ahead of the bout.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Joshua described the months since he lost his belts to Usyk in north London as a "nightmare", words that may sting Usyk's camp given what has transpired away from the ring.
Many would suggest Usyk, having been the underdog in the initial bout and still with limited heavyweight experience, has nothing to lose – but he would be the first to argue that is not the case.
In terms of preparation, Usyk, like Joshua, has made significant adjustments and, having been at the lower-end of the heavyweight scale for the first clash has bulked up for the rematch, while the Brit has done the opposite.
Joshua had the weight, height and reach advantage for the first bout but did not put it into effect, with it clear after the opening five rounds that he was on the back foot and his best chance of winning was a knockout – but he never pushed for a stoppage.
Usyk, now displaying added bulk, may look to be more aggressive and to take the sort of chances that Joshua passed up back in September, though that is an approach he has not shown yet in the heavyweight division.
The champion's past two bouts have gone the distance and he earned unanimous decisions but, in the heavyweight game, it is a brave approach to look to stand firm, as just a single punch can change the picture entirely.
With additional weight behind him, Usyk should be able to hit Joshua harder this time around, but the full force of his strikes may well come from a different source – the support of his nation.
Promoter Alex Krassyuk told Sky Sports that Usyk travelled across Ukraine to visit high-ranking army officials, fans and injured combatants while supporting the resistance of the Russian invasion, where he received significant support and backing to return to the ring for the rematch.
"People want him to fight. People want him to win. They all want the Ukrainian flag to be risen and the Ukrainian anthem to be heard throughout the planet," he said.
That level of support can inspire Usyk when he faces a rejuvenated Joshua.
Albert Pujols produced a career-first as he blasted his 690th home run with a pinch-hit grand slam in the St Louis Cardinals' 13-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.
The 42-year-old slugger, who will retire at the end of this season, came off the bench to deliver the slam at the bottom of the third inning to extend the Cards lead to 10-0.
The 374-foot blast was Pujols' 11th home run of the season and his 16th career grand slam, tying him with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Dave Kingman at 10th overall, but it was his first ever as a pinch-hitter.
Pujols drove in five for the game, with two hits from three at-bats, as the Cards flexed their muscle with their fourth win in a row and 12th from their past 13 games.
The victory improved the Cards' record to 66-51, to lead the Milwaukee Brewers (63-54) by three games in the National League Central division.
Right-hander Adam Wainwright helped shut out the Rockies on the mound with seven strikeouts across seven innings, allowing only three hits.
Bregman career-high in Astros barrage
Alex Bregman led the way as the Houston Astros made an emphatic statement with a 21-5 barrage over the Chicago White Sox.
Bregman had a 12-total base day, going four-for-six at-bats with two home runs and two doubles, with a career-high six RBIs.
Houston scored in seven of the nine innings and tied a franchise record with 25 hits, while the 21 runs was joint second-most in Astros history.
Springer and Vlad lead Jays past Yankees
George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr starred to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 9-2 win over the slumping New York Yankees in a key victory for their American League Wild Card hopes.
Springer went five-for-five with two runs and one RBI, while Guerrero blasted a three-run homer in a five-run second inning as the Jays improved to 63-54.
Jose Berrios impressed on the mound with nine strikeouts across six-and-two-third innings, allowing two runs as the Yankees lost for the 13th time in their past 17 games.
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