Jodi Munn-Barrow on Thursday was elected the first-ever female president of the 96-year-old Jamaica Golf Association and promised to expand the reach of the sport. Munn-Barrow replaces Peter Chin, who did not seek re-election after serving as president for the last decade.
Her executive includes Vice President Dr. Mark Newnham, Honorary Secretary Fred Sutherland, Assistant Secretary Bruce Lopez and Treasurer William Brown. Alison Reid is the junior golf chairperson while Dave Lyn, Michael Bradford, William Knibbs, Rowena Coe and Vikram Dhiman are committee members.
Munn-Barrow said she never dreamed of becoming president of the JGA which was formed in 1925.
"When I started my golfing career some 30-odd years ago, I never envisioned that I would ever take over the helm of this august body,” she said.
“I remember all of those who have done this before me and I have always looked up to them throughout my career. I hope that I can make them proud as well as the members of the association and I look forward to working with all of the members in ensuring that the game of golf grows and continues to be very successful."
She said she wants to raise the profile of the sport so as to be able to attract international partnerships.
"I will endeavour to increase the optics of golf in Jamaica. Some of the areas I would like to focus on include marketing Jamaica as a golfing destination through dialogue with the ministries of Sports and Tourism, reaching out again and having dialogue with the member clubs, trying to bring an AJGA (America Junior Golf Association) event to Jamaica thus lifting the image of our junior golf programme and also increasing the membership of the association by speaking with the presidents of other sporting bodies to try to get their members interested in golf as a second sport," she said.
Last year, Tyler Gilbert was working as an electrician with his father. On Saturday, he lit up Chase Field with a historic no-hitter for the Arizona Diamondbacks in their win over the San Diego Padres.
Gilbert became only the fourth pitcher in MLB history to throw a no-hitter in his first major league start, inspiring the lowly Diamondbacks to a 7-0 victory.
He gave up only three walks and delivered five strikeouts across 102 pitches as he followed in the footsteps of Ted Breitenstein (1891), Bumpus Jones (1892) and Bobo Holloman (1953).
It was a far cry from days spent working with his dad in Northern California, with Gilbert forced to find another job to make ends meet after the 2020 minor league season was cancelled.
He should be employed in MLB for some time after etching his name into the history books with a calm that belied the magnitude of the moment.
"It was just one of those days," Gilbert said. "I know balls were getting hit around, but they were getting hit to guys.
"And then I was making good pitches. It was just kind of a rush the whole time, to be honest.
"It was weird. I wasn't nervous at all, and I felt like I should have been. I don't know why, but I kept just going out there and doing my thing.
"I was really nervous before the game leading up to the game, but after the three-pitch eighth inning, I was like, 'Okay, this is going to happen.' But, no, I just kind of stayed level-headed and then kept making pitches."
"I did think it was going to go down [for a hit], but it kind of carried a little bit," Gilbert added of the final out, Tommy Pham's cut fastball to Ketel Marte.
"I saw it hanging in the air, and I'm like, 'Okay, this is it.' That's happening. So that's cool.
"It's crazy. I'm happy to be here. I'd rather be doing this than pulling wires. No offence, Dad."
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets went to extras for the second straight game with Cody Bellinger coming up with the crucial RBI in a 2-1 win for the world champions on Saturday.
The Dodgers had won 6-5 on Friday against the Mets and backed that up in another tight contest, with Bellinger's line hit allowing Corey Seager to score easily in the 10th inning.
This came after the Dodgers had been held hit-less across six innings by the Mets, with LA also having an 1-12 record in extras coming into the series.
Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker had eight strikeouts but Will Smith hit a game-tying solo home run in the seventh inning for the Dodgers.
Bellinger has had an underwhelming season but came up with the crucial hit in the 10th inning before Corey Knebel locked down the save.
Walker Buehler had an exceptional performance for the Dodgers, keeping the game tight with 10 strikeouts across seven innings. That marks the sixth time Buehler has gone at least seven innings and allowed one earned run or fewer.
The win improves the Dodgers record to 71-46, while the Mets are 59-57.
Moore silences the boos, Gilbert no-hitter
Making his 10th start of the season, Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Matt Moore allowed no hits, tossing down eight strikeouts in their 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Moore's no-hit start was across six innings and comes after copping boos for his relief display against the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this week. "A day like today, coming off the field, it’s something you wish you could put in a bottle and open up someday or relive it," Moore said.
In his first big league start, Tyler Gilbert completed a no-hitter for the Arizona Diamondbacks, with five strikeouts across nine innings in their 7-0 triumph over the San Diego Padres.
Chris Sale fired in his return to the mound after two years, tossing down eight strikeouts in the Boston Red Sox' 16-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles, while Rafael Devers had two hits and four RBI.
Matt Chapman had a game to remember after bashing two home runs and taking an unbelievable catch running backwards in the Oakland Athletics' 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Shohei Ohtani drilled a lead-off home run, taking his season tally to 39 homers, as the Los Angeles Angels lost 8-2 to the Houston Astros.
Joey Gallo crushed a two-run home run in the 10th inning to cap the New York Yankees' 7-5 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Rays dismantled by Twins
The Tampa Bay Rays may be leading the American League East with a 71-46 record but they were dismantled by the resurgent Minnesota Twins 12-0. The Rays trailed 7-0 after three innings and only managed three hits for the game.
Swanson makes Braves history
The Atlanta Braves hit four home runs in their 12-2 win over the Washington Nationals, including Dansby Swanson who made franchise history, with no Braves short-stop hitting more homers than him.
Saturday's results
Pittsburgh Pirates 14-4 Milwaukee Brewers
Philadelphia Phillies 6-1 Cincinnati Reds
Boston Red Sox 16-2 Baltimore Orioles
Atlanta Braves 12-2 Washington Nationals
Miami Marlins 5-4 Chicago Cubs
Detroit Tigers 6-4 Cleveland Indians
Milwaukee Brewers 6-0 Pittsburgh Pirates
Oakland Athletics 8-3 Texas Rangers
New York Yankees 7-5 Chicago White Sox
St Louis Cardinals 9-4 Kansas City Royals
Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 New York Mets
Minnesota Twins 12-0 Tampa Bay Rays
Arizona Diamondbacks 7-0 San Diego Padres
Colorado Rockies 4-1 San Francisco Giants
Houston Astros 8-2 Los Angeles Angels
Seattle Mariners 9-3 Toronto Blue Jays
Padres at Diamondbacks
Fernando Tatis Jr could return for the first time this month following a shoulder injury when the Padres complete their four-game series against the Diamondbacks who are chasing a sweep.
Top seed Daniil Medvedev will face Reilly Opelka in the National Bank Open final after the American stunned Stefanos Tsitsipas in a three-set classic in Saturday's semi-finals.
World number 32 Opelka fought back from a set down in Toronto to knock out favoured third seed Tsitsipas in two hours and 32 minutes.
The 23-year-old American triumphed 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-4, booking a spot in his first ATP Masters 1000 final.
Opelka sent down 17 aces but also hit 27 groundstroke winners in the shock victory over 2021 Australian Open semi-finalist Tsitsipas who had beaten in-form Casper Ruud in the quarters.
"I played great," Opelka said in his on-court interview. “These courts suit my game, it is no coincidence that John Isner is in the other semi-final.
"Stefanos has definitely improved his returning. Come 5-5 in the first set, a lot of balls started to come back. He is a thinker and has a high tennis IQ, so it was expected, but that is what separates him from the rest of the pack."
Opelka was aided by an excellent first serve percentage of 72 per cent, winning 62 of 81 points when he made his first serve.
Both first two sets went to tiebreaks, with Tsitsipas failing to generate a break point until the third set. Opelka made the first break of the match in the seventh game of the third set and held serve twice after to seal victory.
World number two Medvedev cruised into the decider with a commanding win over John Isner in less than an hour.
Medvedev, who was runner-up in Toronto in 2019, won 6-2 6-2 over the big-serving American, with the match totaling 54 minutes.
Isner could only manage four trademark aces for the match, while the Russian had 11 and broke the American four times from seven opportunities.
Karolina Pliskova will face unseeded Italian Camila Giorgi in the National Bank Open final after beating top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the last four.
An intriguing semi-final pitted two of the favourites against one another in Montreal and it was Pliskova, the fourth seed, who came out on top 6-3 6-4.
The Wimbledon finalist broke early in the first and then clinched the set on Sabalenka's serve, too, although she was made to work a little harder in the second.
Pliskova fell behind in the seventh game, but she responded by winning three straight games to wrap up victory.
"It's an amazing feeling to be in another final this year," Pliskova said.
"I think I was super solid today. I just did everything what I was supposed to do to win this match, played smart.
"My serve was pretty good, I have to say."
Indeed, the Czech landed 71 per cent of her first serves in – with 10 aces to two double faults – helping her to win 69 per cent of her service points.
World number 71 Giorgi progressed to the decider with a three-set win over Jessica Pegula in two hours and 11 minutes.
The 6-3 3-6 6-1 win means the Italian qualified for her first career WTA 1000 final.
Giorgi had toppled seventh seed Petra Kvitova, ninth seed Elise Mertens and 15th seed Cori Gauff on her route to the decider.
Primoz Roglic started the defence of his Vuelta a Espana title in style as he took the lead after a short time trial on stage one.
Fresh from claiming Slovenia's first Olympic gold medal in any cycling discipline, Roglic – who has triumphed at the Vuelta in the previous two years – was the last man out in Burgos.
The 31-year-old Jumbo-Visma rider set a blistering pace around the 7.1kilometre route, which he completed in just eight minutes and 32 seconds – six seconds clear of nearest challenger Alex Aranburu (Astana-PremierTech).
Aranburu had held top spot for much of the stage, but has to settle for second heading into stage two. Jan Tratnik, of Bahrain-Victorious, rounds out the top three, trailing Roglic by eight seconds.
Roglic was forced to abandon the Tour de France after a brutal first week but headed to Spain on a high following his success in Japan, and is aiming to become the first rider to win the Vuelta three times in a row since Roberto Heras in 2005. He is also bidding to draw level with Tony Rominger and Alberto Contador on three triumphs should he keep hold of the red jersey.
"It's a beautiful start, I'm enjoying it, and we hopefully can enjoy it as a team in the upcoming days," said Roglic.
Giro d'Italia champion Egan Bernal skipped the Tour and is considered Roglic's prime challenger, but the Colombian suffered on Saturday and lost 27 seconds to his rival.
Tom Piddock, who won a mountain biking gold for Great Britain in Tokyo, made his grand tour debut for INEOS Grenadiers, clocking in 36 seconds slower than Roglic.
"That was horrible. I've basically had three weeks of holidays," said Piddock.
STAGE RESULT
1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 0:08:32
2. Alex Aranburu Deba (Astana-Premier Tech) +0:06
3. Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious) +0:08
4. Tom Scully (EF Education-Nippo) +0:10
5. Josef Cerny (Deceuninck-QuickStep) +0:10
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 0:08:32
2. Alex Aranburu Deba (Astana-Premier Tech) +0:06
3. Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious) +0:08
Points Classification
1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 20
2. Alex Aranburu Deba (Astana-Premier Tech) 17
3. Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious) 15
King of the Mountains
1. Sepp Cuss (Jumbo-Visma) 3
2. Sep Vanmarcke (Israel Start-Up Nation) 2
3. Rui Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates) 1
What's next?
The Vuelta rolls from Caleruega to Burgos, a 166.7km flat route with a sprint finish, giving the sprinters an early opportunity to shine.
Jaden Hendrikse scored a late debut try as a much-changed South Africa side started their Rugby Championship campaign with a 32-12 win over Argentina.
Jacques Nienaber made 10 alterations to his starting line-up following a series-clinching win over the British and Irish Lions last weekend, but the Springboks were too strong for the Pumas.
Cobus Reinach raced away for a sublime breakaway try and Aphelele Fassi finished clinically in the first half for the world champions at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.
Elton Jantjies scored 17 points with the boot to keep South Africa in command and Hendrikse came off the bench to go over in the closing stages.
Argentina could only muster four Nicolas Sanchez penalties as the Springboks made it 10 wins in their past 11 Tests in their first Rugby Championship match since winning the 2019 tournament.
Reinach capitalised on a loose pass to dart away from inside his own half and score a superb try that was brilliantly converted by Jantjies, who had opened the scoring with a penalty.
Sanchez got the Pumas on the board from the tee, but wing Fassi showed great hands to keep a clever kick from Jantjies in and crossed in the left corner following a juggling act.
South Africa were bossing the forward battle and went in at the break with a 21-9 lead after two penalties apiece from the livewire Jantjies and Sanchez.
The trusty boot of Sanchez reduced the deficit to nine points early in the second half, but Jantjies responded by sending another two kicks sailing between the posts.
Backs saw little of the ball in a bruising battle and Fassi had what he thought was his second try of the match ruled out, as Malcolm Marx played the ball on the ground in an earlier passage of play.
Hendrikse put the icing on the cake when he went over in the corner following a powerful run from Marco van Staden.
Outstanding rookie Jorge Martin feels under pressure to follow up his first MotoGP victory with another at the Austrian Grand Prix after qualifying on pole.
Martin converted pole into a dramatic victory at last week's Styrian GP at the same Red Bull Ring track.
The Spaniard – the 12th rider from his country to win in MotoGP – had set a circuit record in qualifying with a time of 1:22.994. Remarkably, he went even faster on Saturday.
Poor performance in practice saw Martin enter Q1, but he made it through to the second session and went round in 1:22.643 to lead the way again.
The Pramac Racing sensation has not won back-to-back races since he was in Moto3 in 2018 but has a fine record at the Red Bull Ring, with five podiums and wins in two of his past three outings.
Another triumph for Martin – already with 48 points, three shy of this year's three other rookies combined – would make him the first rider since Marc Marquez in 2013 to celebrate consecutive wins in his first year in MotoGP.
The 23-year-old feels the weight of expectation, saying: "I'm not thinking about winning. I feel maybe some pressure because everybody is talking about it.
"But I'm a rookie, I need to learn. For me, if tomorrow [Sunday] I'm in the top five, it will be fantastic because I need to learn.
"These guys have a lot of experience and they understand better than me how to manage the race.
"For sure, today I did not believe that I was going to make the pole. So, I don't want to be too optimistic for tomorrow but I'm one of the strongest for tomorrow.
"I think there are four or five guys who can fight for the win, so we will enjoy a good battle."
Six-time champion Marquez is one of those in contention, having qualified in fifth, along with runaway 2021 leader Fabio Quartararo, who starts from second.
Quartararo had taken Martin's track record before the rookie pole-sitter responded.
The Frenchman is the only rider to have claimed points in every race this season, including three consecutive podiums – a career best.
Should Quartararo make the podium again in Austria, he would equal Christian Sarron's French record of 18 in this category.
Provisional classification
1. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) 1:22.643
2. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +0.034s
3. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) +0.420s
4. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +0.477s
5. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) +0.584s
6. Jack Miller (Ducati) +0.677s
7. Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) +0.735s
8. Alex Espargaro (Aprilia) +0.780s
9. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) +0.856s
10. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) +0.925s
11. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda) +1.095s
12. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) +1.347s
Dave Rennie took the blame for Australia's record 57-22 Bledisloe Cup defeat to rampant New Zealand at Eden Park on Saturday.
The All Blacks ran riot in Auckland, scoring eight tries to retain the trophy for a 19th successive year and secure a bonus point-victory in their first game of the Rugby Championship.
New Zealand only led 21-15 at half-time, but Codie Taylor claimed a double as Ian Foster's side tore the Wallabies apart after the break.
Australia head coach Rennie took responsibility for a chastening drubbing at the hands of their trans-Tasman rivals.
He said: "Everything falls back on me. We went in with a plan. If we can't execute that plan, we'll seriously look at what we’re doing.
"We want to have an optimistic mindset around how we play, but you've got to play what's in front of you.
"In the end, the players are implementing what we're trying to put on the park. So clearly we'll take responsibility for it."
Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Sevu Reece, Ardie Savea, Brodie Retallick and Will Jordan also crossed in a devastating display from the All Blacks.
New Zealand head coach Foster was delighted to see his side take command in ruthless fashion following the interval.
He said: "We wanted to respond. The reason we had to respond is we knew the Aussies would lift. They played a combative, physical game in that first 40 and you could see they wanted to take us on up front.
"It was a good old ding-dong Test match in that first period. But we stuck to our plan, even when we lost a couple of things early. We didn't panic, or go away from what we wanted to do.
"What was exciting was when we got the opportunity, particularly with the ball, the group [Savea, Ioane and Taylor] were quite lethal at latching into the space in front of them.
"Plum [forward coach John Plumtree] is doing a lot of work in that ball-carrying space and breakdown space and today we reaped some rewards out of that."
New Zealand made it six Test wins in a row and stretched their unbeaten home run against Australia with an enthralling 57-22 Rugby Championship victory at Eden Park on Saturday.
The Wallabies, beaten 33-25 last weekend in Auckland, had won two of the three previous meetings in the Tri-Nations and Rugby Championship and looked like they might swing a frenetic contest their way early in the second half when the All Blacks were reduced to 14 men.
However, New Zealand stormed in front in sodden conditions, scoring three tries in 15 minutes to leave Dave Rennie's men demoralised after they had gone stride for stride with their hosts in the first half.
David Havili's converted try in the final seconds meant this was the highest score Ian Foster's side had ever posted against Australia.
The visitors' start was a demoralising one, Rieko Ioane plucking a pass from the air and surging 80 metres up the field to score with just three minutes played.
The Wallabies hit back in quick fashion, Andrew Kellaway darting over following a pinpoint kick from Noah Lolesio, who could not convert the try.
Australia defended resolutely to disrupt the All Blacks' rhythm, but another turnover in opposition territory saw them fall further behind, Brodie Retallick diving under the posts at the end of a sublime passing move.
Ardie Savea powered over for a third try of the half after Lolesio's penalty reduced the deficit, although Tate McDermott went over following a five-metre scrum to keep Australia in touch at the midway point.
However, six minutes after the restart – and with Savea in the sin bin – a stunning dummy and burst of speed from Aaron Smith allowed Codie Taylor a simple finish beneath the posts.
That try seemed to sap Australia's belief and, in turn, left the All Blacks buoyant. Damian McKenzie scored a penalty from 57 metres out and, scarcely a minute later, Sevu Reece snatched a looping pass down the left wing and raced away for try number five.
Three attempted tackles could not stop Taylor driving over for his second after a New Zealand attacking scrum, and quick work at the breakdown allowed Savea to set up Will Jordan to score once more in the right corner.
Kellaway got a consolation try in the driving rain but the All Blacks had the final say, Havili charging over after the siren sounded as celebrations began in earnest. Australia's winless run in New Zealand now stands at 27 matches.
Comprehensive
Not only was this the highest score New Zealand have managed against their old rivals, but the aggregate score in their 33 matches with Australia at Eden Park now stands at 874-443.
The Bledisloe Cup, which has not left their hands since 2003, has become a one-sided rivalry.
Risky business
In these two Bledisloe Cup Tests, Australia have adopted a more risky approach and each time had New Zealand a little worried early in the second half.
While it has made for great spectacles, their bold displays also proved their undoing: there were two intercept tries for New Zealand here and three in total in these matches.
Russell Henley carded his first bogey of the tournament but still managed to double his lead at the Wyndham Championship on Friday.
Seeking his first PGA Tour win in four years, Henley shot 64 in the second round and sits at 14 under par for the tournament.
That left him four strokes up on Rory Sabbatini (64), Webb Simpson (65) and Scott Piercy (66) heading into the weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Starting on the back nine at the Sedgefield Country Club, Henley bogeyed number 12, his third hole of the day, before reeling off four consecutive birdies from 14 through 17.
Three more birdies coming home after the turn solidified his edge as he eyes his first win since the 2017 Houston Open.
Henley's 126 matches the lowest 36-hole score posted on tour this season along with Stewart Cink at the RBC Heritage.
Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Sabbatini had a bogey-free day to match Henley's round, while Simpson remained near the top of the leaderboard thanks in part to an eagle at the fifth.
Simpson's success is no surprise, as he has finished in the top three at the Wyndham the last four years after winning it in 2011.
Tyler Duncan had the best round of the day with a 62 that left him five shots back at nine under along with Justin Rose (65) and Brian Stuard (66).
Among other notables, Bubba Watson (69) and Adam Scott are 10 strokes back at four under, one shot better than the cut line.
Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (69) missed the cut by a stroke, while former world number one Luke Donald (67) finished at one under and two-time major winner Zach Johnson fell short at even par along with defending tournament champion Jim Herman.
Also finished for the week-end are Padraig Harrington (76) at two over, Rickie Fowler (72) at three over and Charl Schwartzel (73) at seven over.
Fowler's missed cut means his season is over, as he will not make the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time in his career.
Two players who were tied for second after Thursday's opening round, Michael Thompson and Ted Potter Jr., also missed the cut after slumping to 74 and 77, respectively.
Roger Federer "is a little uncertain" when he will be back in action just over a fortnight before the US Open gets under way.
The 20-time grand slam winner withdrew from both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Masters this month as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
Federer has not played since losing to Hubert Hurkacz.in a Wimbledon quarter-final in July and has completed only five events this year.
The legendary Swiss, who underwent two operations on his right knee last year, is unsure if he will feature at Flushing Meadows.
He told Swiss newspaper Blick: "I haven't done anything for a long time because of my knee. After Wimbledon, I had to let everything sink in first.
"This week I'll meet my doctors and my team and then we'll see what happens next. At the moment everything is still a little uncertain."
Federer, who celebrated his 40th birthday last Sunday, remains upbeat despite such uncertainty.
He said: "You have to adapt. It has always been like this in my career. Factors change: degree of awareness, successes, experiences, identity and now just that.
"I'm a quiet guy who takes things with a sense of humour. I always see the good in every situation. If it's not good right now, I know it will get better and it could be a lot worse.
"I am doing very well. My family is healthy. I just turned 40 and I'm still active. Who would have thought it? Certainly not me. I am totally at peace with myself and I am sure that there will be a lot more beautiful things to come."
Novak Djokovic drew level with Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 major singles titles by winning Wimbledon and the world number one will be bidding to complete a calendar Grand Slam in New York.
Primoz Roglic will start his quest for a hat-trick of Vuelta a Espana titles when the final Grand Tour race of the year starts in Burgos on Saturday.
Team Jumbo-Visma rider Roglic has won the Vuelta in each of the peast two years and is favourite to continue his dominance of the race.
Giro d'Italia champion Egan Bernal will be expected to mount a strong challenge after skipping the Tour de France, while the Colombian's INEOS Grenadiers team-mates Richard Carapaz and Adam Yates could have a big say.
This 76th edition of the race will have eight mountain top finishes, with 11 stages featuring mountains, including the Picon Blanco with a gradient in some sections of the climb at 17 per cent.
Stats Perform picks out the big stories and standout Opta facts ahead of a race that will finish in Santiago de Compostela on September 5.
OLYMPIC CHAMPION ROGLIC TARGETING RARE TREBLE
Roglic put his Tour de France woes behind him to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics last month, claiming Slovenia's first gold medal in any cycling discipline.
The 31-year-old abandoned the Tour after a brutal first week but should start the Vuelta on a high from his heroics in Japan.
Roglic will be bidding to move level with Tony Rominger and Alberto Contador on three Vuelta triumphs if he wins the red jersey – one shy of Roberto Heras' record.
He would also become the first rider to win the race three times in a row since Spaniard Heras in 2005.
BERNAL LEADS INEOS CHALLENGE
Bernal claimed his maiden Giro title this year after winning his first Grand Tour crown in the 2019 Tour.
The 24-year-old sat out the 2021 Tour and has been training at altitude in his homeland ahead of a bid to complete a clean sweep of Grand Tour titles.
Bernal could become only the third Colombian to win the race, with Nairo Quintana being the last in 2016.
INEOS have a strong hand as Carapaz and Yates plot a title challenge.
LANDA HOPEFUL OF ENDING SPANISH DROUGHT
No Spanish rider has triumphed in the previous six editions of the race on home soil. If that extends to seven, it will be an unwanted record drought.
But Mikel Landa is hopeful of topping the podium after winning the Vuelta de Burgos following his recovery from a broken collarbone and several broken ribs suffered in a Giro crash.
He told the Deia: "Winning the Vuelta de Burgos was unexpected, but it was a great morale boost after so long out injured.
"Now I am going to the Vuelta with optimism. At the end of the day, I haven't competed much this year and I have the bit between my teeth after the Giro. I know I have to be careful, because I am still lacking a bit of form, but I am very motivated."
Local hope and reigning champion Bianca Andreescu blew an early lead as she was toppled by Ons Jabeur in the Round of 16 at the National Bank Open in Montreal.
Tunisian 13th seed Jabeur defeated the Canadian second seed 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-1 in two hours and 39 minutes on Thursday.
The come-from-behind triumph was the second time in two matches that the Tunisian has rallied from a set down to win after beating Daria Kasatkina in three.
Jabeur had twice been a break up in the opening set before Andreescu claimed it in an tiebreak.
The 26-year-old Tunisian, who made the Wimbledon quarter-finals this year, responded by breaking at 5-4 to win the second set.
After Andreescu had an injury scare after landing awkwardly on her left foot late in the second set, Jabeur dominated the third, finishing by winning eight of the final nine games.
Jabeur finished with 9-3 aces and was more effective on serve, going at an 81.6 win percentage on her first serve (40 from 49 points).
The lower side of the draw has opened up for the Tunisian who will face Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals after the unseeded American defeated countrywoman Danielle Collins 6-4 3-6 7-5.
Two-time Wimbledon champion and seventh seed Petra Kvitova was knocked out in a shock by Italian Camila Giorgi in straight sets.
Giorgi, ranked 71st in the world, won 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 36 minutes and will face Cori Gauff in the quarter-finals after she had another walkover against Johanna Konta.
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka had no such problems, cruising past Canadian Rebecca Marino 6-1 6-3 inside an hour.
Sabalenka sets up a quarter-final clash with fellow Belarussian and two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka.
Azarenka got past Greek 11th seed Maria Sakkari in three sets, 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-2).
Fourth seed Karolina Pliskova got past Amanda Anisimova 6-1 7-6 (10-8) and will play Sara Sorribes Tormo in the last eight after she won in three sets over Katerina Siniakova.
Brooklyn Nets forward Blake Griffin says there is a sense of "unfinished business" within the roster ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season.
The star-studded Nets bowed out of the NBA playoffs to eventual champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, in the Eastern Conference semi-finals 4-3.
Brooklyn were not helped by injuries to two, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, of their 'Big Three' down the stretch.
The Nets had been earmarked as title favourites following the acquisition of Harden from the Houston Rockets in January, with six-time NBA All-Star Griffin joining for the Detroit Pistons in March, and the latter said there was unfinished business after falling short.
"We obviously didn’t accomplish what we wanted," Griffin said during a video news conference. "You can say injuries, but every team had injuries.
"We feel like there’s definitely unfinished business. There’s something bigger that we want to achieve, and I still want to be a part of that."
Griffin, who became the first player in free agency to re-sign earlier this week, was confident the Nets can claim the NBA championship.
“Yeah, I think so. I think so," he said. "Obviously there’s a lot of work to do, a lot of work to be done.
"Can’t take anything for granted. But I like our team. I like the guys we have, I like our coaching staff, I like everything we’ve put together. I believe in us."
Star forward Kevin Durant re-committed to the Nets earlier this week on a bumper four-year extension believed to be worth $198million.
Former NBA Rookie of the Year Griffin, who is now 32, added that Durant's extension helped him decide to ink a minimum one-year deal.
"I mean, obviously, it’s comforting to know that the guy of that caliber is locked in," Griffin said. "KD’s kind of like that piece that brought everything together."
Brooklyn have also added guard Patty Mills from the San Antonio Spurs, fresh from leading Australia to a breakthrough bronze medal at Tokyo 2020.
"Patty adds just dynamic shooting," Griffin said. "That’s always a need for us, but also just a veteran point guard who playing against him, it seems like he’s always like that guy that comes up with a big play, - defense, offense, whatever - hits a big shot.
"He’s also a guy that can facilitate and you know, get in the teeth of defense makes the right decisions. Just a really good basketball player."
Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says the Olympics is the last thing on the two-time NBA MVP's list to achieve after the player hinted he has an "itch" to play again for Team USA.
Kerr helped Team USA to the gold medal at Tokyo 2020 as the side's assistant coach under Gregg Popovich earlier this month, while Curry sat out the tournament.
The 33-year-old Warriors point guard cited the short break between NBA seasons for opting out of Tokyo 2020.
Curry was part of gold medal-winning US sides at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2014 FIBA World Cup but has never participated at an Olympics.
"I don't think I even need to advise Steph on any of that because he's been through the World Cup experience at least once, I think twice, if I'm not mistaken," Kerr told The Athletic.
"He's competed at the highest level internationally. The Olympics is probably the only thing left on his list of basketball accomplishments.
"He's achieved everything else. I think that would be great if he was interested in '24. I think that'd be a great thing for him to pursue if he wanted to do it."
Curry will be 36 years-old by the time the 2024 Olympics in Paris are held.
The seven-time All Star returned to top form in the 2020-21 NBA season as the Warriors stormed into the play-in tournament.
Curry averaged 32.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game in the 2020-21 season.
The three-time NBA champion told reporters last month: "No regrets at all [in not competing at Tokyo 2020], but there's always that itch to play and play on the biggest stage, like the Olympics. But it just wasn't the right thing for me and the right time."
Casper Ruud continued his excellent winning streak while Stefanos Tsitsipas made it a birthday to remember at the National Bank Open in Toronto.
Tsitsipas turned 23 on Thursday and marked the occasion with a 6-3 6-2 win over Karen Khachanov.
The Greek star was presented with a cake by tournament officials after his win, as the crowd serenaded him with a chant of 'happy birthday'.
It marks a significant improvement on when Tsitsipas turned 20. On that occasion, he lost the 2018 final of this event to Rafael Nadal.
Next up for Tsitsipas is Casper Ruud, who poked fun at his critics after he eased into the quarter-finals.
Ruud, the world number 12, won three titles on clay courts in July and has now continued that form in the ATP Masters 1000 event.
Playing on a hard court has proved no challenge for the in-form Norwegian, who wrote 'Hard Courts' with a smile underneath on the camera after his 6-4 6-3 victory over Dusan Lajovic on Thursday.
"I have seen a lot of people questioning my ability to play on hard court, so I just thought it was funny to write a little note," Ruud said in a news conference.
"I think it's fun to play on hard courts. Even though I (have achieved) most of my best results on clay, my best slam result is from this year’s Australian Open (where he reached the Round of 16), so I think it's a surface that also can suit my game well even though this year has been mainly clay.
“I think I'm motivated to come back to the hard courts. I have had two very good matches here. It's a great start for me to the hard-court swing."
Ruud, in the hunt for his fifth title of 2021, has won the only previous meeting between the duo.
"[I am] looking forward to that battle," Tsitsipas said. "We have played each other in the past. Not an easy guy to play against. Looking for a change, looking for a switch-up this time."
However, there was no place in the last eight for world number seven - and Olympic gold medallist - Andrey Rublev, who went down 7-5 7-6 (7-5) to American John Isner.
Fresh from a triumph in Atlanta, 36-year-old Isner has looked sharp all week and has now won eight successive matches.
It brings up a third quarter-final appearance for the world number 30 in Canada, and he will play French 11th seed Gael Monfils after he got past lucky loser Francis Tiafoe 6-1 7-6 (7-2). Monfils will be competing in his first ATP Tour quarter-final in 18 months.
Top seed Daniil Medvedev proved too good for Australian qualifier James Duckworth, winning 6-2 6-4 in one hour and eight minutes.
Medvedev was in ominous form on the hard court, sending down 10-1 aces and winning 27 of 32 points on his first serve.
The Russian world number two will play seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz who fought back to win 6-7 (7-9) 6-4 6-4 over Nicolas Basilashvili.
Eighth seed Diego Schwartzman lost in three sets to 10th seed Roberto Bautista Agut after the Spaniard saved three match points.
Bautista Agut will next play Reilly Opelka who came from behind, and also saved a match point, to win over Lloyd Harris in three.
Two-time MLB home run leader Chris Davis has parted ways with the Baltimore Orioles and announced his retirement .
The 35-year-old, who won the Silver Slugger Award in 2013 and topped the MLB home run charts in 2013 and 2015, has battled injuries in recent years.
Davis had more than a year remaining on his franchise-record $161million contract with the Orioles.
"After an extended time dealing with my injury and recent hip surgery, I informed the Orioles about my decision to retire effective today," Davis wrote in an official statement.
"I want to thank the Orioles partnership group, led by the Angelos family, the Orioles organization, my teammates and coaches, The University of Maryland Children’s Hospital with whom I will continue to be involved following my retirement and, of course, Birdland. Thank you all for the many memories I will cherish forever."
Davis hit a franchise-record 53 home runs in 2013, earning All-Star selection and topped the majors charts again in 2015 with 47 homers.
The left-handed batter signed a seven-year deal with the Orioles prior to the 2016 season but struggled to re-produce his slugging form in his latter years in Baltimore.
Kawhi Leonard has committed his future to the Los Angeles Clippers by agreeing a four-year contract that includes a player option, according to reports.
Leonard had declined a $36million option to enter free agency after the NBA postseason, though it was expected he would opt to return to the Clippers.
The five-time NBA All-Star suffered a serious knee injury during the playoffs, going down during the Western Conference finals. Without him, Los Angeles went on to lose the series 4-2 to the Phoenix Suns.
Having undergone surgery to repair a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, it is unclear exactly when Leonard will be ready to get back on the court. It has been reported he will miss an extended amount of the 2021-22 season as he works his way back to full fitness.
However, the Clippers at least know they have him locked up for the long term. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Twitter that the deal is worth $176.3m with an option for the fourth and final year.
Leonard has averaged 26.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists since joining the Clippers in 2019, arriving at the franchise after an impressive title-winning campaign with the Toronto Raptors.
The 30-year-old opted to join forces with Paul George at the Clippers, with their two seasons together seeing the team finish second and then fourth in the West.
They went 36-16 when Leonard was active in the 2020-21 regular season, outscoring their opponents by 9.0 points per outing. In the 20 games he missed, however, their record was 11-9 and they were outscored by 1.1 points on average.
In the playoffs, L.A. have lost in the Conference semi-finals and Conference finals respectively in the past two seasons.
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