Browsing: Rain

South Africa vs Pakistan (Photo by Sameera Peiris/Getty Images) South Africa secured a decisive 150-run victory against Pakistan in a rain-affected World Cup match on Tuesday at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, moving to the top of the points table.With 10 points from six matches, South Africa temporarily lead Australia and England, both with 9 points, who face each other on Wednesday in Indore.The match was shortened to 40 overs per side due to initial delays, with South Africa posting 312 for 9. Laura Wolvaardt scored 90, while Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp contributed 61 and 68, respectively.Rain interruptions led to further adjustments, setting Pakistan a revised DLS target of 234 in 20 overs. Pakistan struggled, managing only 83 for seven.Pakistan’s chase got off to a poor start, reaching just 35 for 4 by the tenth over before rain intervened.Marizanne Kapp, who earlier scored 68, dominated Pakistan’s top order by taking three of the four early wickets.After the rain delay, South Africa secured their well-deserved two points.Laura Wolvaardt provided strong batting with 90 runs off 82 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes. She partnered with Sune Luus for a 118-run second-wicket partnership.Kapp’s 68-run contribution included a 60-run partnership with Wolvaardt for the fourth wicket.Pakistan captain Fatima Sana struggled with her bowling, conceding 69 runs in eight overs. Spinner Sadia Iqbal faced heavy hitting, while Diana Baig gave away 49 runs in five overs.Nadine de Klerk continued her impressive tournament performance as a finisher, scoring 41 runs off just 16 balls.De Klerk’s innings included three fours and four sixes, with remarkable shots over long-off against Iqbal and two powerful hits against Fatima.Kapp enhanced South Africa’s dominant performance by hitting Sadia Iqbal’s delivery over midwicket and striking another six off Fatima over square leg.

Source link

You wait four years for a World Cup, but if you’re a player or fan in Colombo then you may have spent most of this tournament staring at the rain rather than enjoying some much-anticipated cricket.

Five of the nine matches staged in the Sri Lanka capital have been affected by rain – with four ending in no result – causing former England spinner Alex Hartley to say the conditions had “ruined” the World Cup.

October is monsoon season on the island, with 300-370mm of rain anticipated in the month.

“I don’t really know what anybody was expecting to be completely honest. You have a tournament in Sri Lanka during monsoon season, it pretty much rains at the same time every single day,” Hartley, who won the tournament in 2017, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“It’s ruined this World Cup – it’s been a real shame.”

All bar two of Sri Lanka’s group games are being staged at the R. Premadasa Stadium, as are all of Pakistan’s matches because of the ongoing political tensions with India, who are hosting the majority of the tournament.

Fatima Sana’s side sit bottom of the tournament standings and are facing elimination having seen their past two games washed out, including one against England where they looked well placed to win.

“You don’t want to come into a 50-over World Cup going ‘oh, well let’s hope we get a T20 tonight if it rains a little bit’. It’s been a little bit too predictable and really disappointing,” added Hartley.

“I toured Sri Lanka 10 years ago in October and every single one of our training sessions got rained out every single afternoon.

“The games in Sri Lanka could have, and should have, started earlier – that’s the only way you could have got the games unaffected.”

All matches are being played as day-nighters, with a 10:30 BST start and 15:00 local.

New Zealand have also seen their past two games in Colombo rained off, and the T20 World champions currently sit out the qualification places for the knockout stages.

“It’s extremely frustrating, let’s be honest. You wait four years for a World Cup and to have suffer through the rain,” said New Zealand captain Sophie Devine, who at 35 is likely to be playing in her last 50-over World Cup.

“I hope in future editions, they think of playing earlier in the day. We have seen the rain comes in the evening so play at 10 or 11. For the game, to be scuppered by rain is a real shame for me.”

BBC Sport has approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) for comment.

England’s sole fixture in Colombo was the game against Pakistan, where they slipped to 133-9 but saw the game called off during their opponents’ chase.

Nonetheless, England coach Charlotte Edwards has also been critical of the situation in Sri Lanka.

“You want to play as much cricket as you possibly can. I don’t know if things could have been changed that the games start earlier because of the monsoon season.

“I just hope that the teams that are playing there get some cricket this week, because you want to be playing games in the tournaments like this and it’s very frustrating that they’re not at the moment.”

If Pakistan were to qualify for the knockout stages then their matches would be held in Colombo, but given they are unlikely to qualify there are likely to be just two further matches staged there – between Pakistan and South Africa on Tuesday and Sri Lanka and Pakistan on Friday.

The weather for both days?

Rain.

Source link

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill enjoying popcorn during the rain break Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar lost his cool in the commentary box after seeing Rohit Sharma munching on popcorn with captain Shubman Gill during the rain break in the first ODI at Perth.”Arey bhai usse popcorn mat de (Don’t let him eat popcorn),” Nayar said in commentary.Before the start of the match, Nayar had opened up on Rohit Sharmaâ€s remarkable fitness transformation, revealing the thought process behind the India skipperâ€s 11-kilo weight loss and his vision for the 2027 World Cup.“I think thereâ€s been a lot of talk about the weight loss,†Nayar told JioHotstar before the match.“The initial parts were obviously about getting fitter, getting leaner. I spoke about this before. There was this spitting image of him walking out of the airport after his holiday in the UK. So that was something he wanted to change. He wanted to come back.“The outlook was obviously the 2027 World Cup — to be fitter, stronger, lighter, and more agile. And the skill has always been there. The fitness has only amplified the skill. Itâ€s helped him move faster. His agility is the best itâ€s ever been.“Heâ€s excited. Heâ€s keen. He knows thereâ€s a bit of pressure and talk around whether heâ€ll reach the 2027 World Cup. The first statement was his weight. Hopefully, the second statement will be the runs he scores with the bat.â€

Poll

Do you think Rohit Sharmaâ€s weight loss will positively impact his performance in the upcoming matches?

However, Rohitâ€s return didnâ€t go as planned. He scored only eight runs off 14 balls before Josh Hazlewood dismissed him.India were struggling at 52 for four in 16.4 overs when rain once again halted play.

Source link

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill (X) The much-anticipated return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli did not go as planned in the first ODI against Australia in Perth. Australia won the toss and elected to field, continuing Indiaâ€s 16th consecutive ODI toss loss, with the last win coming in the CWC 2023 semifinals against New Zealand at Wankhede. Once play began, the Australian bowlers made the most of the bouncy Perth deck. Josh Hazlewood trapped Rohit with a hard-length delivery, while Mitchell Starc bowled a wide that Virat chased, resulting in a duck for the first time in 30 ODI innings in Australia.

New ODI Captain Shubman Gill speaks out on Virat, Rohit and taking Indian cricket forward

Shubman Gill managed a couple of boundaries but was eventually dismissed leg before. Together, the trio scored just 18 runs, the lowest combined total in an ODI where all three batted, breaking the previous mark of 25 against Pakistan in 2023.Amid the difficult start, the rain brought a pause to the proceedings, offering a rare lighter moment. During the second rain delay, all eyes were on the dressing room where Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were spotted enjoying some popcorn together. The pair were first seen in a serious discussion, likely analysing the pitch conditions and batting strategy. The mood soon shifted as they shared jokes and laughed, munching on popcorn while watching the rain outside.Click here towatch the video.The moment was a heartwarming reminder that despite changes in leadership and the pressures of international cricket, camaraderie remains strong between the experienced Rohit and the young captain Gill.

Source link

England avoided a shock defeat by Pakistan at the Women’s World Cup, being saved by heavy rain in Colombo.

An inspired bowling performance from Pakistan saw England slump to 79-7 after 25 overs before the first heavy downpour began.

After a lengthy delay, the rain eased and play resumed at 31 overs per side, with England posting 133-9 after a useful stand of 47 between Charlie Dean, who top-scored with 33, and Em Arlott.

Pakistan were set a revised target of 113 and made a promising start by reaching 34-0 before the rain resumed and denied them a historic victory, which would have been their first one-day international win over England.

It was a fortunate escape for England who suffered their second batting scare of the tournament, after they recovered from 78-5 to beat Bangladesh, and a big wake-up call before their toughest challenges against India and Australia which come next.

Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side were outplayed by Pakistan, who are winless in the tournament so far, as five wickets fell in the powerplay, including another failure for the opening partnership. Tammy Beaumont was the first to fall, bowled after leaving a superb delivery from Diana Baig which nipped back sharply.

Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana then starred with three wickets, bowling Amy Jones for eight, before claiming the two vital scalps of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight, bowled and lbw for four and 18 respectively.

Without their two most experienced players, England were exposed and caught between attack and defence.

Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey were lbw sweeping and Emma Lamb’s struggles at number six continued as she was bowled by spinner Sadia Iqbal for four.

Capsey and Charlie Dean withstood Pakistan’s array of spinners for 70 balls but only added 21 runs before the pressure told on the former, but Dean was proactive once play resumed by adding valuable runs with Arlott.

Pakistan openers Omaima Sohail and Muneeba Ali were confident at the beginning of their reply and England were sloppy with the ball, but it is another heartbreak for them having reduced defending champions Australia to 76-7 before that game also slipped from their grasp.

England now travel to Indore to face India and Australia before they conclude the group stage against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam, where flatter pitches are expected at both venues.

They will be hopeful Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell, who were left out of the XI in Colombo for Sarah Glenn and Em Arlott, will recover from illness in time.

Source link

PHILADELPHIA — For a brief moment, the city of Philadelphia was too stunned to boo.

As Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman rolled onto his back, holding his mitt skyward like a trophy, Citizens Bank Park held its breath. But safe in Freemanâ€s glove, somehow, was the final out of NLDS Game 2.

Advertisement

Second baseman Tommy Edman, after vacuuming up a routine grounder, had babied the ball to first base, nearly throwing it — and the game — away. Had his toss eluded Freeman, Bryson Stott would’ve scrambled home to score the game-tying, season-saving run and send the Philly faithful into a well-deserved pandemonium.

Instead, Freemanâ€s acrobatic scoop gave Los Angeles a nail-biting, 4-3 win in a soul-crushing, gut-churning loss for the 45,653 home fans. The Dodgers, by surviving Philadelphiaâ€s two-run, ninth-inning charge, secured themselves a commanding 2-0 series lead as this best-of-five NLDS heads to California.

As the Dodgers strolled onto the field for their celebratory handshake line, the crowdâ€s shock morphed into a chorus of boos. The adrenaline of a hopeful ninth inning dissipated in an instant, like water poured on a scalding-hot pan. In the place of excitement, that all-too-familiar, sinking feeling: A fan base realizing it almost surely faces another long winter of regret.

Mathematically, the Phillies†season is not over, but thatâ€s not how it felt around the ballpark as folks filed toward the exits. After the final out, one stadium worker on the second-level shouted, “They really made us believe!†to nobody in particular. Nearby, a frustrated fan emphatically dunked his red rally towel into a trash can. Down in the tunnel, security guards and stadium staff traded thank-yous, starting their sentences with, “Well, if I donâ€t see ya.â€

Advertisement

And there were, of course, many boos.

For the better part of an hour, in the late stages of this game, thatâ€s really all there was. From Kiké Hernándezâ€s broken-bat, RBI infield dribbler in the seventh that snapped a scoreless tie to Alec Bohmâ€s leadoff single in the ninth, an orchestra of groans, sighs, jeers and various other expressions of dissatisfaction came raining down. From the front row to the nosebleeds, Phillies fans let ‘em, nearly all of ‘em, hear it.

“The stadium is alive on both sides, right?†outfielder Nick Castellanos said afterward. “When the game is going good, itâ€s wind at our back. But when the game is not going good, itâ€s wind in our face. The environment can be with us, and the environment can be against us.â€

Advertisement

Hereâ€s an incomplete list of the booed: Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, J.T. Realmuto, Castellanos and Stott. The umpires. Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy. PitchCom and Javier Herrera, the Dodgers clubhouse attendant who came out to deliver a working PitchCom. Former president Joe Biden, who was in attendance.

A few even booed Kyle Schwarber, the clubâ€s beloved, homer-clubbing, de facto captain, after he struck out in a crucial spot in the eighth inning. The next batter, franchise talisman Bryce Harper — hitless on the night and punchless in the series — popped out meekly to center field, earning a critical downpour of his own.

Next, they booed a light show, as closer Jhoan Duran jogged in to his elaborate entrance choreography with the team trailing by three. Duranâ€s flame- and spider-themed opener electrified Citizens Bank Park all summer but did not fit the moment on this night. And so they booed the bursts of fire erupting from beyond the center-field batterâ€s eye and the flashing strobes and the pulsating sounds of reggaeton.

They would have booed the father, son and holy ghost had the trio been called upon to warm up in the bullpen.

Each shout of frustration, given the circumstances, was entirely justified. Because for the first six innings, the Phillies were given a collective swirlie by Dodgers starter Blake Snell. The puffy-eyed southpaw didnâ€t surrender a hit until Edmundo Sosa doinked a broken-bat single into center field in the fifth. Along the way, Snell elicited 23 swing-and-misses from Philadelphia hitters, who at no point looked comfortable against his dastardly changeup.

Advertisement

Even so, the game remained deadlocked at zero because Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo, making his first October start for the club that acquired him via trade last winter, matched Snell frame by frame. The former Marlin was brilliant, retiring 17 consecutive Dodgers after Mookie Betts laced a single as the second batter of the game. But Luzardo ran out of steam in the top of the seventh, allowing back-to-back hits to Teoscar Hernández and Freddie Freeman. Thus began the bullpen carousel, which commenced with the flamethrower Kerkering.

With runners on second and third and nobody down, the 24-year-old secured a clutch strikeout of Tommy Edman before coaxing a weakly-hit nubber from Kiké Hernández. Shortstop Trea Turner gathered the squibber and threw home, but Teoscar Hernández slid in just ahead of Realmutoâ€s tag to put the Dodgers in front. Los Angeles tacked on three more in the frame, opening up what seemed to be a comfortable 4-0 lead.

But the Phillies scraped one across off starter-turned-reliever Emmet Sheehan in the eighth before pouncing all over veteran Blake Treinen to start the ninth. A Castellanos double to left drove in two, cutting the deficit to one. The crowd, which had been begging to release its tension all night long, exploded to life.

[Get more Philadelphia news: Phillies team feed]

Then came the play of the night.

Advertisement

With Castellanos on second, Stott squared to bunt. And the Dodgers unleashed the “wheel play†to perfection, charging both corner infielders as Betts, at shortstop, raced to beat Castellanos to third. Third baseman Max Muncy gathered the ball and fired to Betts, who slapped a tag onto the slow-footed Castellanos for out No. 1. That moment didnâ€t singlehandedly end the threat — Philadelphia had runners on the corners with two out when Freemanâ€s scoop saved the day — but it changed the complexion of the inning, the game and the series.

Having Stott bunt in that situation was a questionable decision by Phillies manager Rob Thomson, given Castellanos†well-below-average foot speed and poor baserunning instincts. Castellanos also warrants criticism for not shadowing Betts as he broke toward second base. That extra half-second or two turned out to be the difference. But above all, the Dodgers deserve credit for executing a very difficult play in a key spot.

It’s the kind of thing champions do.

There is a mural, in the tunnel that runs from the Phillies’ clubhouse to their dugout, that features all of the clubâ€s most prominent players: Harper, Schwarber, Turner, the main characters of this four-year run of competitiveness. On the wall, many of these core pieces are pictured yelling, mouths open mid-roar. The scene conveys a certain illusion of noise, the undeniable promise and addicting allure of deafening sound. It serves as a reminder of what really matters in this place: Red October, loud and proud.

Advertisement

And for about 15 minutes in the ninth inning Monday, Citizens Bank Park was allowed to be that version of itself. Ultimately, though, it was no more than a final cruel gasp, a gesture toward what this era of Phillies baseball used to be. What it could have been and should have been. The Phillies are now 1-5 in their past six home playoff games, a sharp turn from the 10-2 record they posted over the first 12 home playoff games of this era. This environment is not impenetrable anymore, not even close. And barring a comeback for the ages, itâ€s all just memories now: the innocent joy of 2022, the dominance-turned-despondence of 2023, the utter embarrassment of 2024 and whatever the hell this has been.

This is a group of players, unfortunately, who might be remembered most for what they never accomplished.

That dynamic did not appear to overwhelm the Phillies as they nursed their devastating loss in the clubhouse afterward. The setting was less woeful and more hopeful than might be expected. Castellanos sat in front of his locker, playing Elton Johnâ€s “Tiny Dancer†on his phone speaker. Schwarber unspooled his wrist tape and chucked it in the trash. A gaggle of pitchers huddled together in one corner of the room, sharing whiskey and nursing beers. But the gravity of it all was palpable.

“I walked into the locker room today, I had a smile from ear to ear, you know? Like we were up 1-0, just because I’m like, damn, this is a dangerous freaking group,†outfielder Brandon Marsh said. “I look at these guys, and I’m like, there’s some dogs, we got some dangerous, dangerous weapons on the team. Don’t put a dog in the corner — heâ€ll bite and fight his way out.â€

Advertisement

Maybe heâ€s right. Maybe the Phillies fight their way out, author a stunning comeback in Los Angeles and reignite this South Philadelphia powder keg in Game 5 and beyond. The unflappable Ranger Suárez and his 1.43 career postseason ERA will start Game 3 on Wednesday. The Dodgers†bullpen is clearly a problem. Maybe escaping the pressure-cooker of Citizens Bank Park will loosen up the Phillies†bats.

And perhaps it is premature to bury this core, one that just delivered 96 wins and an NL East title. Harper, Turner, Cristopher Sánchez, Luzardo and most of the supporting cast are under contract for next year. Reunions with one or both of Schwarber and Realmuto are strong possibilities. President of baseball operations Dan Dombrowski will be aggressive in free agency, as always. Zack Wheeler, sidelined since late August due to thoracic outlet syndrome, should return in some form.

Advertisement

There are reasons to believe this isnâ€t over.

But Monday night showcased that there are also reasons to believe it is.

Source link

With the race run in a downpour Botswana, anchored by 400 gold medalist Collen Kebinatshipi, metaphorically drowned Team USAâ€s  hopes. (KEVIN MORRIS)

MEET THE NEW BOSS — definitely not the same as the old boss.

For 9 of the previous 10 Worlds, the United States had owned the menâ€s 4 x 4, sometimes running four laps almost solo. This edition looked more like that exception, â€17, when tiny Trinidad ran down the U.S. with 50m left.

This time, it was tiny Botswana taking down Goliath.

When Botswana (with a population under 3 million) qualified three for the 400 final and medaled two, they seemed a lock for the podium, maybe the top. Other ingredients for an upset: the U.S. struggled even to reach the final and Botswanaâ€s fourth runner was none other than Letsile Tebogo.

Botswana did just that, in 2:57.76. In a driving rainstorm, 400 champ Collen Kebinatshipi narrowly edged out Rai Benjamin just before the line. South Africa nearly pushed the U.S. all the way down to bronze, with both clocking 2:57.83.

The Americans†road to the final was hard. In heat 1, they collided with Zambia and ended up a non-qualifying 6th. Meet officials ruled Zambia impeded the U.S. on the second exchange and that the Americans should advance. Zambiaâ€s relayists actually handed off between the U.S.â€s Demarius Smith and Bryce Deadmon.

The problem was, officials said the same about Kenya, who also got crosswise with Zambia in an almost identical between-the-bodies move on the third exchange. Zambia was disqualified and the U.S. and Kenya were required to have a run-off the morning of the final to decide who got the lone available protest lane. The U.S. (Chris Bailey, Smith, Deadmon and Jenoah Mckiver) easily won in 2:58.48 to Kenyaâ€s 3:00.39.

That evening, a completely different quartet of Americans lined up for the final: Vernon Norwood, Jacory Patterson, Khaleb McRae and Benjamin.

Leg 1: Over the in-lanes opening circuit, Norwood seemed to have the U.S. in early control, running 44.60 ahead of South Africaâ€s Lythe Pillay (45.02), Qatarâ€s Ammar Ismail Yahya Ibrahim (45.04) and Botswanaâ€s Lee Eppie (45.16).

Leg 2: Patterson pushed to a big lead off the break, but Tebogo — seeking redemption after winning no individual medals — also pushed hard, putting Botswana in 2nd. He made up ground on Patterson, running 44.05 versus 44.22.

Leg 3: 400 bronze medalist Byapo Ndori ate a little further into the U.S. lead, clocking 44.41 to McRaeâ€s 44.61. WR holder Wayde van Niekerk, in his swan song, kept South Africa in contention with the raceâ€s fastest leg, 43.26.

Leg 4: Overtaking Benjamin is a big ask, but Kebinatshipi had the credentials to do it. In the 400, he stunned the world with a semifinal 43.61 that made him No. 10 all-time. He strengthened his hold on that ATL position with a 43.53 final. Here, he patiently let Benjamin pull away from him in the first 200.

In the stretch, it seemed Kebinatshipi was about to fade to 3rd, but as South Africaâ€s Zakithi Nene pulled even about 50m from the finish, it seemed to light a spark in the 400 champion. He found another gear and passed Benjamin with 15 to go. Nene came within 0.002 of catching Benjamin as well. Anchor times: Kebinatshipi 44.14, Benjamin 44.40, Nene 43.93.

“I had to run the most strategic leg because of the weather,†Kebinatshipi said. “I knew I had to go strong but still I wanted to save my energy for the last 100m. At the last 80m I pushed and started running faster. I am happy to be crossing the finishline first.â€

Said Tebogo, “This gold medal makes up for my individual non-medal performances. It took a lot of courage for me. The coach told me I will probably have the fastest split and I knew what I had to do.â€

“I wanted to bring gold for these guys,†a somber Benjamin said. “I am bit disappointed I couldnâ€t do that today. The guys put me in a great position. We were not supposed to be here, so taking a silver is pretty good. We have a great relationship on this team right now.â€

“For me it is a privilege to say I finished my 400-meter career with these guys,†said Van Niekerk. “It is my last one, but they are trying to convince me otherwise.â€

MENâ€S 4 x 400 RESULTS

FINAL (September 21)

1. Botswana 2:57.76

(Lee Eppie 45.16, Letsile Tebogo 44.05, Bayapo Ndori 44.41, Collen Kebinatshipi 44.14);

2. United States 2:57.83 (AL)

(Vernon Norwood 44.60, Jacory Patterson 44.22, Khaleb McRae 44.61, Rai Benjamin 44.40);

3. South Africa 2:57.83

(Lythe Pillay 45.02, Udeme Okon 45.62, Wayde van Niekerk 43.26, Zakithi Nene 43.93);

4. Belgium 2:59.48

(Jonathan Sacoor 45.19, Robin Vanderbemden 45.39, Alexander Doom 44.49, Daniel Segers 44.41);

5. Qatar 3:01.64

(Ammar Ismail Yahya Ibrahim 45.04, Bassem Hemeida 45.81, Ismail Doudai Abakar 45.21, Abderrahmane Samba 45.58);

6. Great Britain 3:03.05

(Lee Thompson 45.94, Toby Harries 44.81, Lewis Davey 46.94, Charlie Dobson 45.36);

7. Jamaica 3:03.46

(Delano Kenedy 45.63, Jevaughn Powell 45.35, Jasauna Dennis 46.36, Rusheen McDonald 46.12);

8. Netherlands 3:04.84

(Jonas Phijffers 46.31, Terrence Agard 45.30, Liemarvin Bonevacia 47.20, Ramsey Angela 46.03);

9. Portugal 3:09.06

(Pedro Afonso 45.81, Omar Elkhatib 45.32, João Ricardo Coelho 50.45, Ricardo Dos Santos 47.48).

(lanes: 1. United States; 2. Portugal; 3. Jamaica; 4. Netherlands; 5. Botswana; 6. Qatar; 7. Belgium; 8. South Africa; 9. Great Britain)

(reaction times: 0.133 Belgium, 0.147 South Africa, 0.156 Portugal, 0.168 Botswana, 0.171 United States, 0.183 Qatar & Netherlands, 0.208 Jamaica, 0.225 Great Britain)

HEATS (September 20)

I–1. South Africa 2:58.81 (Gardeo Isaacs 44.30, Okon 45.17, Leendert Koekemoer 45.26, Pillay 44.08); 2. Qatar 3:00.15 NR (Abakar 44.64, Abderrahmane Samba 44.58); 3. Netherlands 3:00.23 (Phijffers 45.07, Eugene Omalla 45.22, Angela 44.92, Bonevacia 45.02); 4. Kenya 3:00.76 (obstructed) (George Mutuku 44.82, David Kapirante 45.42, Dennis Masika 45.56, Kevin Kipkorir 44.96); 5. China 3:00.77 NR (Liang Baotang 44.87, Zhang Qining 45.72, Liu Kai 44.51, Guo Longyu 45.47); 6. United States 3:01.06 (obstructed) (Chris Bailey 43.11, Demarius Smith 48.17, Bryce Deadmon 44.76, Jenoah Mckiver 45.02); 7. France 3:01.64 (Muhammad Abdalla Kounta 45.74, Loïc Prévôt 44.67, David Sombe 45.33, Yann Spillmann 44.70);… dq[obstruction]—[8]Zambia [3:01.71] (Muzala Samukonga 44.59, Kennedy Luchembe 45.64, Sitale Kakene 45.74, David Mulenga 45.74).

II–1. Botswana 2:57.68 (Eppie 44.32, Leungo Scotch 44.48, Tebogo 44.18, Ndori 44.30); 2. Belgium 2:57.98 (Sacoor 44.37, Dylan Borlée 44.92, Segers 43.71, Doom 44.98); 3. Great Britain 2:58.11 (Thompson 45.27, Harries 43.93, Seamus Derbyshire 45.13, Dobson 43.78); 4. Jamaica 2:59.13 (Bovel McPherson 45.27, Powell 44.30, Dennis 45.17, Kenedy 44.39); 5. Portugal 2:59.70 NR (Pedro Afonso 44.46, Ericsson Tavares 45.71, João Ricardo Coelho 44.48, Omar Elkhatib 45.05); 6. Japan 2:59.74 (fastest non-qualifier ever) (Yuki Joseph Nakajima 44.65, Fuga Sato 45.12, Takuho Yoshizu 44.51, Kenki Imaizumi 45.56);… dq[zone]—[3]Australia [2:58.0] (Cooper Sherman 44.98, Reece Holder 43.86, Aidan Murphy 44.86, Thomas Reynolds 44.40); [8]Brazil[2:59.89] (Tiago da Silva 45.71, Matheus Lima 44.65, Lucas Vilar 44.97, Alison dos Santos 44.56).

Special runoff, winner advances to final (9/21)–1. United States 2:58.48 (Bailey 44.67, Smith 45.00, Deadmon 44.35, Mckiver 44.46); 2. Kenya 3:00.39 (Mutuku 45.12, Kapirante 45.89, Masika 44.88, Kipkorir 44.50).

Leg 1. USA 44.60; 2. South Africa 45.02; 3. Qatar 45.04; 4. Botswana 45.16; 5. Belgium 45.19; 6. Jamaica 45.63; 7. Portugal 45.81; 8. Great Britain 45.94; 9. Netherlands 46.31.

Leg 2: 1. United States 1:28.82; 2. Botswana 1:29.21; 3. Belgium 1:30.58; 4. South Africa 1:30.64; 5. Great Britain 1:30.75; 6. Qatar 1:30.85; 7. Jamaica 1:30.98; 8. Portugal 1:31.13; 9. Netherlands 1:31.61.

Leg 3: 1. United States 2:13.43; 2. Botswana 2:13.62; 3. South Africa 2:13.90; 4. Belgium 2:15.07; 5. Qatar 2:16.06; 6. Jamaica 2:17.34; 7. Great Britain 2:17.69; 8. Netherlands 2:18.81; 9. Portugal 2:21.58.

Since 1986, Lee Nichols has been the Rockdale (Texas) High School record holder in the mile and 2-miles. He followed those feats with a brief and highly undistinguished tenure with the Texas Longhorns. He has been writing for Track & Field News since 2004. When he’s not writing about track, he’s either writing about or drinking craft beer and watching Tottenham Hotspur play soccer.

Post navigation

Source link

Nicola Olyslagers overcame two rain delays to deliver Australiaâ€s first gold medal of the world championships on the final evening, being first to clear 2m to win on a countback over Polandâ€s Maria Zodzik and cement her place at the summit of high jump.

But on an extraordinary and at times farcical evening in Tokyo, the menâ€s discus was stopped due to the incessant rain that left the circle slippery, and then restarted after the final track event. The saga stretched proceedings late into the night and prompted a desperate attempt by officials to use dozens of towels to keep the circle, the discus and the athletes†shoes as dry as possible.

Only at the very end of the session, past 11pm on a Sunday night in Tokyo with the stadium near empty, did the rain cease. Two late throws flipped the placings and shunted Australiaâ€s Matt Denny off the podium, as Swedenâ€s Daniel StÃ¥hl – who had been dancing under an umbrella at the start of the evening – claimed the gold medal with a throw of 70.47m.

Denny described the conditions as the worst heâ€s competed in, and he shed tears in a moment with his wife in the stands afterwards, dismayed and frustrated at how the competition played out. “It was just really hard, really emotional and disappointing,†said the Paris bronze medallist, who slipped and fell during the competition. “I didnâ€t get a concussion, I didnâ€t break any bones and I didnâ€t tear anything, so Iâ€m good for next season so thatâ€s the main thing, and that was the first thing that my wife said to me.â€

The high jump also fell victim to the stormy weather, and forced Olyslagers into a long wait after her 2m clearance. “Even if [I was] waiting and out there in the rain, I have such a joy because I know these moments are forever,†she said. “The gold medal was the added bonus, but being out there and enjoying it, Iâ€ll never forget what I just experienced.â€

Having won the world indoor and Diamond League titles already in 2025, Olyslagers entered the competition as favourite and quickly moved to 2m without a miss, as the rain and wet mat made jumping difficult. Only Żodzik was able to challenge her after the second rain delay with her own clearance of 2m, but neither was successful at 2.02m.

Olyslagers†countrywoman Eleanor Patterson finished fifth, having cleared 197cm, the same as joint bronze medallists Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Angelina Topic, but the Australian found herself off the podium on a countback.

Matt Denny finished fourth in a discus throw final hit by bad weather. Photograph: Ashley Landis/AP

Olyslagers said her medal was the result of her preparation, and throughout the evening she leaned on her strong Christian faith. “Of course the raindrops started sideways underneath our towels and then we had to go [under cover], but again, I was just spending time with Jesus out there and I was like, I could be here for hours, the stadium can shut down, Iâ€m in my happy place right now.â€

Earlier, Jess Hull was within two tenths of another national record in the 800m final but finished in eighth position behind Kenyan winner Lilian Odira, unable to make up ground on a pack that started swiftly. She was happy to repeat a similar time from Fridayâ€s semi-final and was in awe of her rivals in her first taste of a major global final in the two-lapper. “We [Hull and her coach] thought I would get a big piece of some carnage if they had gone out that hard, but every woman [brought] it,†she said. “I think Iâ€ve got to get faster in that first 400 because once they were gone tonight, they were gone.â€

skip past newsletter promotion

Sign up to Australia Sport

Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk

Privacy Notice:Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

after newsletter promotion

Ky Robinson recorded an outstanding fourth in the 5000m final behind American winner Cole Hocker. It was Australiaâ€s second best result in the event at a world championship, after Craig Mottramâ€s bronze in 2005. “Instantly, over the line, itâ€s just sheer joy, sheer happiness,†Robinson said. “A minute later, the ‘what ifs†start kicking in, and itâ€s like, ‘man, Iâ€m one spot off a medalâ€, what if I found a little bit more? But thatâ€s hindsight. I feel like in the race, I was giving my all a kilometre in, and I was just hoping that I could hang on for as long as possible.â€

Australiaâ€s menâ€s 4x100m group failed to finish after a botched change between Calab Law and Rohan Browning, heaping more misery on the relay program. Saturdayâ€s heats saw the menâ€s 4x400m team disqualified for a changeover area breach and the womenâ€s 4x100m dropped the baton.

The World Championships end with Australia 15th on the medal tally with one gold and three bronze. The USA finished on top with 16 golds among 26 medals, ahead of Kenya and Canada.

Source link

This week’s 2025 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship has been overwhelmed with rainstorms. After inches of rain fell overnight Saturday into Sunday, the LPGA Tour made the “difficult” decision to cancel the remainder of the tournament.

What was intended to be 54-hole event started running into trouble with the weather on Saturday. The start of the second round was delayed, then halted multiple times due to dangerous weather.

At 4:39 p.m. ET on Saturday, the second round was officially suspended for the remainder of the day after the golf course became “unplayable.”

‘I’ve come a long way’: Alison Lee eyes first LPGA win months after birth of son

By:

Kevin Cunningham

But the weather did not take a turn for the better. According to the LPGA, host course Pinnacle Country Club was hit with another 3.25-inches of rain overnight Saturday.

With more rain on the way Sunday and Monday, the LPGA officially announced that the tournament had been cancelled just before 10 a.m. ET on Sunday morning.

“After having assessed the golf course and consulted with our meteorologist and superintendent, the golf course is unplayable,” read the LPGA’s statement on X. “Based on the weather forecast for the remainder of today and all-day Monday, it is highly unlikely that 36 holes could be completed to make it an official event. As a result, the decision has been made to cancel the remainder of the tournament, with only player’s 18-hole score counting.”

The statement continued: “Our partners at Walmart and P&G have generously committed to paying out more than what’s required in the event of a tournament cancellation. In addition, they’ve also committed to ensuring every player receives compensation regardless of where they stand on the leaderboard after 18 holes of play.”

LPGA cancellation thwarts Alison Lee’s comeback win hopes

The news was especially unwelcome to one competitor in particular, American veteran Alison Lee.

This week, Lee was playing in only her third pro event — and second LPGA event — since giving birth to her first son, Levi Todd Kidd, in late April, just over four months ago.

Lee detailed the struggles she experienced preparing for her return to pro golf while balancing being a new mom in her pre-tournament press conference on Thursday, which you can read about here.

Incredibly, Lee fired a seven-under 64 in the first round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship to tie for the early lead. She was able to get in three holes of her second round before the tournament was cancelled, making a birdie to maintain a share of the lead at eight under.

But with the tournament now cancelled, Lee will have to await another week to attempt her comeback win. Making matters worse, in her long career Lee has yet to capture an LPGA Tour victory.

The LPGA has canceled the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship after only 18 holes.

No player completed more than three holes of Saturday’s second round at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas, because of heavy rain, and after an additional 3.25 inches fell overnight, tournament officials made the decision to scrap the remainder of the originally scheduled 54-hole tournament.

“Based on the weather forecast for the remainder of today and all-day Monday and Tuesday, it is highly unlikely that 36 holes could be completed to make it an official event,†the LPGA said in a statement.

With scores reverting to 18 holes, the event will be unofficial with no CME points awarded. The LPGA will later announce how the purse will be distributed.

“For now, please know that our partners at Walmart and P&G have generously committed to pay out more than what’s required in the event of a tournament cancellation,†the LPGA added. “In addition, they’ve also committed to ensuring every player receives compensation regardless of where they stand on the leaderboard after 18 holes of play.

Sarah Schmelzel and Minami Katsu each shot 8-udner 63 in the first round, while Alison Lee had reached 8 under after playing her first three holes Saturday in 1 under. Lee will now slide back to 7 under, along with five others.