In a remarkable display of resilience, Olympic and World Championship finalist Candice McLeod finished eighth in the 400m at the Racer’s Grand Prix on Saturday night. This marked her season debut, clocking in at 55.59, a significant distance from her personal best of 49.51 set at the same venue in 2021. The race was won by Stacey-Ann Williams in 50.86, with the USA’s Lynna Irby-Jackson finishing second in 51.05, and Charokee Young third in 51.86.

McLeod, a 27-year-old two-time World Championship 4x400m relay silver medalist, saw this performance as a personal triumph. Just a few months ago, she was unable to walk and had to undergo knee surgery on March 22, which significantly disrupted her training regimen.

“There wasn’t much to expect, to be honest. Sadly, I did knee surgery on March 22, so I really wasn’t expecting too much because it’s been just two months including rehab and everything, I really just started track work,” McLeod told Sportsmax.TV after the race. “It’s not something I want as an athlete but it is what it is and we have to work with it.”

The knee issue had been a persistent problem for McLeod, and the surgery became inevitable when she found herself unable to walk. Despite the setback, McLeod remains positive about her progress. “I am taking it step by step. I have a great support team. The challenge is more tolerable because I accept that I had to do surgery and I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t say I was sad about it but, to be honest, life goes on,” she shared.

When asked about her readiness for the upcoming national championships in four weeks, McLeod responded with cautious optimism. “The objective this season is to see where it takes me. I will just come out and do what I have to do each and every time and then we see where it goes.”

Reflecting on the difficulties she faced, McLeod emphasized the frustration of being unable to train and compete. “The difficulty was not being able to compete; the difficulty was not training because if you’re not training you won’t be able to compete. I was not training to the best of my ability but I am training every day, I just started running two weeks ago so to be out here running on the track is something good, to me.”

McLeod's journey back to the track is a testament to her determination and resilience. Her performance at the Racer’s Grand Prix may not have been her best, but considering the circumstances, it was nothing short of a triumph. As she continues her recovery and training, McLeod's focus remains on taking each day as it comes, with hopes of returning to peak form in the near future.

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout will undergo surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his left knee, the team announced Tuesday.

Trout will be out indefinitely, but the injury is not thought to be season-ending, ESPN reported.

The news is a devastating blow to the Angels, who will be without the three-time AL MVP for at least a couple of months.

Trout underwent an MRI after playing in the Angels’ win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday but was initially unaware that he had suffered a significant injury.

“It's crazy, because I look back and I don't even know when I did it,” Trout told reporters on Monday. “I was kind of telling myself, ‘Maybe I just banged it on something and I didn’t realise it.’ And then after the game, getting treatment on it, it was really sore.

“The plan was just to see how I felt in the morning. If I woke up and it was sore, just get it looked at. That was the plan. Last night was tough for me to sleep. It was just aching all night.”

Trout is batting .220 this season and leads the majors with 10 home runs.

This will be the third season in the last four that Trout has missed significant time due to injury. The 11-time All-Star missed the last half of last season with a broken bone in his hand, and a calf injury limited him to 36 games in 2021.

The Angels are reeling as a franchise after losing Shohei Ohtani in free agency to the cross-town rival Dodgers, a major blow to a team that has missed the playoffs in each of the last nine seasons.

Los Angeles entered play Tuesday at 11-18.

England’s Ben Stokes is set to have surgery at the end of the World Cup as he attempts to conquer his long-standing left knee injury.

The Test captain has been struggling with the problem for at least 18 months and has had to play as a specialist batter recently, with his body unable to cope with the rigours of bowling.

Stokes suggested he was considering an operation after this summer’s Ashes series, which he laboured through in visible discomfort, but instead chose to come out of ODI retirement and take part in England’s title defence in India.

With England on the way out at the end of the group stage, he is likely to go under the knife before the end of the month and will hope to be ready to lead his side’s Test tour of India in the new year.

The first Test in Hyderabad starts on January 25, with the team expected to fly out to the United Arab Emirates for a warm-up camp two weeks earlier.

Stokes, speaking on the eve of his side’s clash with Ashes rivals Australia in Ahmedabad, said: “I am having surgery after the World Cup. I will hopefully be fine for the Test series (against India).”

Pressed for further details, he added: “When we go to those meetings we generally take a physio and doctor and they start talking. I just turn up, go to sleep, wake up and hope it is better.”