GOLD COAST: Neeraj Chopra became India’s first javelin champion at the Commonwealth Games and joined the country’s small band of athletics gold medallists with a mighty throw of 86.47m on Saturday.
The 20-year-old said staying relaxed was the key after he won by nearly four meters from Australia’s Hamish Peacock, after Kenya’s ex-world champion Julius Yego failed to make the final.
With his surprise win, Chopra becomes only the third Indian man to win athletics gold at the Commonwealths, after Milkha “Flying Sikh” Singh in 1958 and Vikas Gowda in 2014.
“I don’t remember which throw it was. I tried to get my personal best but I got my season best,” he said, after falling just 1cm short of his best throw yet.
“I’ve tried to enjoy myself here and not focus on any negatives, like ‘I don’t like this and I don’t like that’. You definitely get distracted by that,” added Chopra.
Chopra’s gold was among a number of Indian successes on the final day of full competition, following Mary Kom’s boxing win and Sanjeev Rajput’s victory in the 50m rifle three positions.
“I’ve been totally relaxed here, I’ve enjoyed myself. Most of the time people put too much pressure on themselves before the competition, thinking about food and sleeping and what not,” said Chopra.
“I tried to be natural because I was completely confident in how I’ve prepared myself.”
As competition continued on Saturday, India had 21 gold medals to lie third on the overall table, behind hosts Australia and England.
Neeraj Chopra makes history for India by landing Commonwealth Games javelin gold
Neeraj Chopra makes history for India by landing Commonwealth Games javelin gold
- The 20-year-old wins it with a throw of 86.47m
- He becomes only the third Indian man to win athletics gold at the Commonwealths
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah among nominees for PFA Player of the Year award
- The 33-year-old played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph last season
- The Egypt star was voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association
LONDON: Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was among six players nominated for the Professional Footballers’ Association Men’s Player of the Year award on Friday.
The 33-year-old played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph last season with 29 goals and 18 assists.
The Egypt star was voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association – securing almost 90 percent of the votes, marking the biggest winning margin this century – and is the firm favorite to land the PFA prize.
Salah is joined on the shortlist by Liverpool team-mate Alexis Mac Allister, Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Cole Palmer of Chelsea, Newcastle striker Alexander Isak and Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
Palmer, who won the PFA Young Player of the Year award for 2023-24, was a surprise choice for the list given his struggles for Chelsea last season.
Rice starred in midfield for Arsenal, hitting a career-high nine goals while adding 10 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions.
Sweden striker Isak scored 23 goals for Newcastle as they qualified for the Champions League and ended a 56-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup.
Fernandes was one of United’s few bright spots in the club’s worst top-flight campaign since 1973-74, with eight league goals and 10 assists.
This year’s awards ceremony will be held in Manchester on August 19.
UFC Fight Night returns to Abu Dhabi in July with stacked card
- Robert Whittaker is bidding to hand Reinier de Ridder his first UFC loss in a clash that could earn the winner a lucrative title shot
- Undefeated Movsar Evloev takes on UFC debutant Aaron Pico in a 5-round bout with potential huge title implications at featherweight
ABU DHABI: UFC CEO Dana White has revealed a strong card for UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. de Ridder in Abu Dhabi on July 26 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
The main event will be headlined by former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and highly-rated Dutch standout Reinier de Ridder whose seamless transition from the ONE Championship has been hugely impressive.
White took to social media to announce what promises to be one of the most thrilling Fight Night cards of the year, which will see No.12-ranked 185-pounder De Ridder, undefeated in his three UFC bouts to date, likely earn a middleweight title eliminator should he defeat Whittaker.
“De Ridder is a former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion and has finished every one he has fought in the UFC,” White said.
“He’s coming off a win over the top prospect in the sport, Bo Nickal. If De Ridder can beat Whittaker, it’s very likely he’ll be fighting for the No. 1 contender bout next. I am pumped for this fight because these guys are both killers — and they always come out and deliver.”
The main card boasts two five-round bouts and a stacked lineup of electrifying talent, former champions, and elite contenders — all coming together for one of the year’s most anticipated international showcases, marking the 21st UFC event in Abu Dhabi since 2010.
In the co-main event in Abu Dhabi, unbeaten featherweight Movsar Evloev takes on UFC newcomer Aaron Pico. Evloev, who will be looking to extend his eight-fight winning streak since his UFC debut in 2019, most recently outpointed Aljamain Sterling in a hard-fought unanimous decision at UFC 310 in December 2024.
Pico, long considered MMA’s top free agent, recently joined the UFC roster. A decorated collegiate wrestler and former Bellator standout, the 28-year-old currently holds a 13-4 professional record and arrives with major expectations.
White added: “Aaron Pico is a ridiculously violent striker and a very high-level grappler. He’s had hype behind him since he was a teenager because of his skill set and fighting style — people compare him to guys like Justin Gaethje or Dustin Poirier.”
Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan makes his return in a featured bout against rising contender Marcus McGhee. Yan will be looking to build on the momentum from a strong 2024, where he secured consecutive wins over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.
UFC Abu Dhabi Fight Card:
Robert Whittaker vs. Renier de Ridder - Middleweight
Movsar Evloev vs. Aaron Pico - Featherweight
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee - Bantamweight
Bryce Mitchell vs. Said Nurmagomedov - Bantamweight
Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault - Middleweight
Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov - Light Heavyweight
Emirates extends global partnership with ATP through 2030
- Since 2013, the Dubai-based airline and ATP Tour have built one of the longest standing and most recognizable partnerships in professional tennis
DUBAI: Emirates and the ATP Tour have renewed their global partnership, with the airline continuing as the premier partner of the competition through 2030.
First joining forces in 2013, Emirates and the ATP have built one of the longest-standing and most recognizable partnerships in professional tennis.
Emirates will continue to showcase its premium hospitality at close to 60 ATP tournaments spanning six continents each season.
The airline’s signature net branding will remain a distinctive part of the viewing experience for millions of fans worldwide.
Emirates will also continue to receive prominent marketing rights and high-value brand visibility across the season, maintaining one of the broadest footprints in tennis.
From 2026, Emirates will further expand its brand presence by becoming the ATP’s first umpire sleeve-patch partner.
The initiative builds on Emirates’ association with sport officiating across its major sponsorships, including the NBA, International Cricket Council, World Rugby, European Rugby Champions Cup and SailGP.
Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ executive vice president, corporate communications, marketing and brand, said this was an opportunity for Emirates to connect with tennis fans worldwide and build a consistent, authentic brand association with the sport.
“Through exceptional hospitality and strategic on-ground activations at the world’s most prestigious tournaments, we’re strengthening engagement with our loyal customer base to remain top-of-mind.
“We’re committed to working closely with the ATP and leveraging this partnership further as we continue expanding Emirates’ global tennis footprint.”
Daniele Sano, ATP’s chief business officer, said: “Emirates has been a constant presence on the ATP Tour for over a decade, and this renewal is a big moment for both of us.
“It speaks to the strength of our relationship and everything we’ve built together. Right now, the Tour is in a really exciting place. We’re seeing record attendance, growing commercial interest, and real momentum across the board.
“We’re proud to keep building with a partner, and a truly premium brand, that shares our belief in the future of the sport.”
In addition to leveraging the ATP’s digital and social channels, Emirates will begin collaborating with players on digital promotions through a dedicated activation program.
The ATP Tour connects Emirates with more than 5 million fans on-site each season, underscoring the global reach of both tennis and the world’s largest international airline.
Beyond the ATP Tour, Emirates is a sponsor of all four Grand Slam tennis tournaments: the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
Scheffler hits a perfect shot and plenty of great ones for a 62 to share lead at Travelers
- The week after a rough-and-tumble US Open was a welcome break for so many at the TPC River Highlands, even with the rough just as long (but not quite as thick) as soaked Oakmont
- Scheffler saying he hit a great shot is worth paying attention to because it doesn’t happen very often. He rarely hits it offline
CROMWELL, Connecticut: Scottie Scheffler had one of those rare rounds where he hit a shot so pure it makes his confidence soar. So many other shots were pretty good, too, and they added to an 8-under 62 to share the lead Thursday with Austin Eckroat in the Travelers Championship.
The week after a rough-and-tumble US Open was a welcome break for so many at the TPC River Highlands, even with the rough just as long (but not quite as thick) as soaked Oakmont.
Rory McIlroy played bogey-free for a 66 and didn’t look to break too much of a sweat.
“This is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it’s a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn’t quite as severe,” McIlroy said.
Scheffler faced the hot afternoon when a refreshing breeze turned into a strong wind, and he wasted no time getting in the mix with four birdies in six holes and a 30 on the front nine.
And then came the par-5 13th, 236 yards away into the wind, over a pond to a pin on the right. It was perfect — that’s coming from golf’s No. 1 player — and settled 10 feet away for birdie.
“That 3-iron I hit in there was really nice,” Scheffler said. “It was pretty much exactly what I was trying to do. It was kind of one where I had to hit it really solid in order to get it there with the water short, and I just did pretty much exactly what I wanted to and it felt nice.”
McIlroy was at 64 along with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark. Another shot back was Cameron Young. He was in the mix late on Sunday at Oakmont, and started the Travelers Championship by going from the rough to the bunker, and then a three-putt from 25 feet for a double bogey.
“I managed to get around Oakmont for four days with no doubles and I made it zero holes here,” Young said. “Typically that’s not kind of what you expect around here.”
Not to worry. He followed with eight birdies in a day with a new routine. His caddie went down with a stomach virus and the best option was to turn the bag over to his father, Dave Young, recently retired as the longtime pro at Sleepy Hollow.
The surprise was Eckroat, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour but struggling so much this year that he has only two finishes in the top 20 and eight missed cuts. The last two weeks served him well, however, as Eckroat said he figured out how to eliminate the miss to the left.
He played the last six holes in 5-under par, starting with a 35-foot eagle putt on No. 13.
“I wasn’t fearing the left ball today, which is huge, and then whenever you’re feeling comfortable with other things, other things start to fall in line,” Eckroat said. “Felt great over the putter, and just a really solid day, and I felt confident, which it was nice to feel that this season. It’s been a while.”
US Open champion J.J. Spaun felt the fatigue, and the steamy heat didn’t help the cause. Playing along Scheffler, he was hanging in there until it took him two chips and two putts to cover 40 feet for a double bogey on No. 12, and a bogey-bogey finish for a 73.
Jordan Spieth didn’t even make it to the finish line. This was the first time Spieth didn’t need a sponsor exemption for a $20 million signature event, and he only lasted 13 holes when his shoulder blade got tight on the range, spread across the back of his neck to the other side and left him no choice but to withdraw.
Scheffler saying he hit a great shot is worth paying attention to because it doesn’t happen very often. He rarely hits it offline. But this was something special.
“Hit it really solid and really straight, just barely right of the pin, and kept it nice flat flight, get it to go through the wind, and it was good,” he said.
In fact, he could only recall two other shots in recent years — a 6-iron on the fifth hole in the final round at the 2022 Masters, a 9-iron he hit on the par-3 third hole in the final round of the 2023 Players Championship.
“Those are shots that kind of get lost in terms of the tournament,” he said. “I’m not even sure if I birdied No. 3 at The Players, and I know I didn’t birdie No. 5 during the Masters. But those are the shots when you’re playing and you’re in the moment, those are the ones that give me a lot of confidence.”
It’s hard to imagine him needing much more of that. He hasn’t finished out of the top 10 since The Players in March, a stretch of eight tournaments. He didn’t hit the ball very well for two days at the US Open and still had an outside chance on the back nine
And in his 19th round at the TPC River Highlands, he posted his lowest score at 62.
Jenno Thitikul stays patient and goes on a birdie streak to take first-round lead at Women’s PGA
- Thitikul made five birdies in a six-hole stretch, with a 60-footer on the par-3 eighth hole in the middle of three in a row
- Thitikul played with top-ranked Nelly Korda (72) and No. 3 Lydia Ko (75)
FRISCO, Texas: Jenno Thitikul walked off the fifth green after a double bogey in the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship reminding herself to stay patient and that some missed shots are going to happen.
“Majors, you’re going to miss anyway,” said Thitikul, who’s No. 2 in the women’s world ranking. “A way to bounce back, it’s more important.”
Thitikul certainly found a way to do that on a hot and windy Thursday, finishing with a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke lead over Minjee Lee (69). Haeran Ryu, Rio Takeda and Somi Lee all shot 70.
That only hole over par for Thitikul was followed by a par before she made five birdies in a six-hole stretch, with a 60-footer on the par-3 eighth hole in the middle of three in a row.
“My putter went really well,” said the 22-year-old from Thailand, who is seeking her first major title. “In the front nine we had a lot of breeze going, and more than the back nine, but like (made) putts 7, 8, 9, which boosts the confidence up making the turn to the back nine.”
Thitikul, who lives in the Dallas area, needed only 25 putts on the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco. Her makes measured 199 1/2 feet.
Thitikul played with top-ranked Nelly Korda (72) and No. 3 Lydia Ko (75).
Korda, who reaggravated a neck injury with a shot out of the rough during a practice round Monday, opened with seven consecutive pars in a round that had two birdies and two bogeys. Ko was the only in the group to make a birdie at the 513-yard, par-5 first hole, but didn’t make another the rest of the day.
While Korda said she doesn’t feel pain hitting shots, the two-time major champion said she has pain “just with rotation” of her neck and that it is hard to get comfortable to sleep at night.
“It’s better, yeah. Getting better every day, which is nice,” she said. “Just because I injured it last year, whenever I do injure my neck it takes a little bit longer than normal. ... Just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now.”
Korda opened with seven pars, including at the 317-yard, par-4 seventh hole, where she hit a 294-yard drive into a valley just short of the green. Her initial pitch from there ricocheted off the edge of the green and rolled back down the slope to where she was. Korda hit her next shot to 2 feet.
That fifth hole for Thitikul started with a drive out of bounds and a penalty. Her birdie streak began with a nearly 18-footer at No. 7 before the long one at the eighth. She rolled in a 35-foot birdie at No. 17, and just missed making another one more than twice that long on the 434-yard, par-4 18th.
Two-time major winner Lee, a 29-year-old Australian, hasn’t won since 2023. She opened Thursday with a bogey and finished with two bogeys over the last three holes. In between, she made seven birdies.
“I feel like they were pretty soft bogeys. ... Well, on 16, that was a bit soft and obviously the first hole is a par 5. I should be making birdie or par at the least,” Lee said. “Obviously there will be bogeys, but I think for me, I just try to stay patient. If I make a bogey I just try it back it up with something better than that. Can’t get ahead of yourself, especially in this kind of weather. I think it’s more just the heat that’s draining your focus.”
Lee bogeyed the 425-yard 12th hole, where she drove into thick rough to the right and from there went into the left rough. She saved par at the par-3 13th by blasting from a bunker to 5 1/2 feet and had consecutive birdies to get to 5 under — the lowest by anyone in the first round. Then came her late bogeys, missing a 7-foot par on the 16th and hitting her approach on the 18th into a bunker.
