Tunisia and Morocco win shot put silver and gold at 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games

Tunisia’s Yassine Genichi during the men’s F36 shot put final at the Tokyo Paralympics, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (AP Photo)
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Updated 31 August 2021
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Tunisia and Morocco win shot put silver and gold at 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games

  • Tunisian Yassine Guenichi came second in the Men’s F36 category, while Moroccan Saida Amoudi took third in the Women’s F34
  • Amoudi finished sixth in Women’s Javelin Throw — F34 on Sunday

Yassine Guenichi of Tunisia has won silver in the Men’s Shot Put — F36 at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games on Tuesday morning, while Morocco’s Saida Amoudi took bronze in the Women’s Shot Put — F34 at the Olympic Stadium in the Japanese capital.

The 26-year-old Guenichi managed a throw of 15.12m to secure second place behind Vladimir Sviridov of the Russian Paralympic Committee, who took gold with a new world record mark of 16.67m.

Sebastian Dietz of Germany took bronze with a throw of 14.81m.

Meanwhile, the 41-year-old Moroccan’s throw of 8.21m secured third place behind winner Lijuan Zou of China, whose new world record of 9.19m won her the gold medal.

Lucyna Kornobys of Poland won the silver with 8.60m.

Amoudi finished sixth in Women’s Javelin Throw — F34 on Sunday. She had previously finished fourth in the shot put at Rio 2016.  In 2019, she won silver in the shot put at the World Championships in Dubai.


Spain-Portugal final more than just Cristiano vs Yamal says Ronaldo

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Spain-Portugal final more than just Cristiano vs Yamal says Ronaldo

Ronaldo however said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world“
“There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK”

MUNICH: Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged he was “another generation” to Spain starlet Lamine Yamal but said Sunday’s Nations League final was more than just a battle between the duo.

The final in Munich has been framed as a showdown between veteran Ronaldo, 40, one of the game’s biggest names, and 17-year-old Yamal, the most exciting young talent in world football.

Ronaldo scored the winner to send Portugal past Germany into the final and Yamal was named man-of-the-match after bagging a brace in Spain’s wild 5-4 semifinal win over France.

Ronaldo however said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world.”

“There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK.

“When you talk about a clash between Cristiano and someone else, that’s not how it works. The media always try to hype things up, which is a normal thing, but it’s one team versus another team.”

“You’ve been talking about Lamine a lot and you’re right to do so because he’s very good,” Ronaldo told journalists, adding “but I’d like to talk about the team.

“They’ve got Nico Williams, great midfielders like Pedri and their coach (Luis) de la Fuente is very good, very strong, very disciplined.”

Portugal last beat their Iberian neighbors in a competitive fixture in 21 years ago at Euro 2024, a match which Ronaldo started.

Like Yamal, Ronaldo burst onto the scene at a young age.

Aged just 18, Ronaldo impressed so much for boyhood side Sporting in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a friendly in Lisbon that the English club decided to buy him, bringing him to Old Trafford less than a week later.

Like a young Ronaldo, Yamal has consistently impressed since bursting onto the scene, winning a league and cup double with Barcelona this season after lifting the Euro 2024 title in Germany last summer.

The Portuguese veteran asked media to allow the teenager to grow and improve without pressure, reminding them the Spanish star “with funny hair” was just “three years older than my son.”

“The kid has been doing very well, but what I ask is for you to let him grow, not put him under pressure. For the good of football, we need to let him grow in his own way and enjoy the talent he has.”

Both Spain and Portugal have already won the Nations League. Spain are the current champions from their win in 2023, while Portugal won the inaugural tournament back in 2019.

Luis Henrique joins Inter Milan ahead of Club World Cup

Updated 54 min 7 sec ago
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Luis Henrique joins Inter Milan ahead of Club World Cup

  • According to the Italian press, Inter will pay $26M for the 23-year-old
  • Inter also signed Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic last week

ROME: Brazilian winger Luis Henrique has signed for Inter Milan from Marseille becoming the Italian club’s second signing ahead of the Club World Cup in the United States.

“A new Inter player joins the family, welcome Luis,” this season’s Italian Serie A and Champions League runners-up said on Saturday.

The Brazilian, who arrived in Marseille in 2020, made 108 appearances and scored 11 goals for the French club in all competitions.


He went on loan to Botafogo in 2022, returning to Ligue 1 in January 2024, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists in the league last term.

According to the Italian press, Inter will pay 23 million euros ($26 million) for the 23-year-old.

Inter also signed Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic last week for 14 million euros from Dinamo Zagreb, with the Club World Cup kicking off on June 14 in the United States.

“I am very happy to have signed for such a big club. I think it will be a huge jump in quality in
my career,” said the Brazilian.

“I have known this league very well since a young age.

“There have many important Brazilians that have played here at Inter. I also want to make history here, just like they did.”

He added: “I hope we will make it as far as possible and that we will manage to win this competition that is starting soon.”

The northern Italian giants are also expected to formalize the arrival of Cristian Chivu early next week as the replacement for coach Simone Inzaghi, who left to join Saudi club Al Hilal.


Mbappe ‘not bitter’ about PSG’s Champions League triumph

Updated 07 June 2025
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Mbappe ‘not bitter’ about PSG’s Champions League triumph

  • PSG crushed Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League in Munich last Saturday, the first time the club has won the competition
  • Mbappe moved to Madrid in the summer of 2024 hoping to lift the Champions League, but the Spanish giants crashed out in the quarter-finals

STUTTGART, Germany: France captain Kylian Mbappe said Saturday he is not bitter Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League the year after his departure for Real Madrid.

“I didn’t leave too soon; my story with PSG was over. I am not bitter; I had reached the end of the road,” Mbappe said in a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Nations League third place match against Germany in Stuttgart.

PSG crushed Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League in Munich last Saturday, the first time the club has won the competition.

“I tried everything, and it was destiny that meant it had to happen without me,” said Mbappe.

“PSG winning the Champions League without me doesn’t affect me. I was happy, I think they deserved it.

“They’ve had so many years where they struggled. I’ve been there too; I’ve played in every Champions League stage in Paris except for the victory.

“They’re the best team in Europe.

“I don’t remember seeing a team win 5-0 in a major final.”

Mbappe has repeated his desire to win Europe’s biggest club competition, but the closest the Paris-born forward got with his boyhood club was losing the final in 2020 to Bayern Munich.

The 26-year-old moved to Madrid in the summer of 2024 hoping to lift the Champions League, but the Spanish giants crashed out in the quarter-finals of the competition to Arsenal in April.

Real failed to win a trophy in the 2024-25 season, their first campaign without silverware in four years.


Cristiano Ronaldo rules himself out of Club World Cup

Updated 07 June 2025
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Cristiano Ronaldo rules himself out of Club World Cup

  • Ronaldo came into Nations League in Germany amid swirling doubts about his future at club level
  • Says not interested in making a short-term decision which would allow him to play in the competition

MUNICH, Germany: Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed he would not play in the upcoming Club World Cup on Saturday, dismissing rumors he was set to transfer to one of the participating clubs.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Nations League final against Spain in Munich, The Portugal captain said suggestions he was set to take part in the newly expanded competition were wide of the mark.

“I will not be at the Club World Cup,” the Portugal veteran said, but added he had “been contacted” by several participating teams.

Ronaldo came into Nations League in Germany amid swirling doubts about his future at club level, with the veteran’s contract at Saudi side Al-Nassr set to expire at the end of June.

In May, the Portuguese posted on social media “the chapter is over” as reports emerged he could switch to another club, potentially Saudi side Al-Hilal, one of the teams who will be at the tournament in the United States in June.

Ronaldo said he was not interested in making a short-term decision which would allow him to play in the competition.

“Some teams reached out to me. Some made sense and others did not, but you can’t try and do everything, you can’t catch every ball.”

The forward said the decision on his future was “almost final.”


Djokovic hints at possible Roland Garros farewell after semifinal loss to Sinner

Updated 07 June 2025
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Djokovic hints at possible Roland Garros farewell after semifinal loss to Sinner

  • ‘This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don’t know’
  • Djokovic has appeared in the last 21 editions of the French Open, winning in 2016, 2021 and 2023

PARIS: Novak Djokovic suggested he may well have bidden adieu to Roland Garros after the 38-year-old was defeated in the semifinals by Jannik Sinner on Friday.

Following his 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) loss to world number one Sinner, Djokovic stopped briefly on his way off Court Philippe Chatrier and took a moment to “show his gratitude” to the Paris crowd.

“This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don’t know. That’s why I was a bit more emotional even in the end,” said three-time champion Djokovic.

“But if this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.

“Not the happiest because of the loss, but, you know, I tried to show my gratitude to the crowd, because they were terrific.”

Djokovic has on occasion had a fraught relationship with the Parisian public, but hailed the backing he received against Sinner.

“I don’t think I have ever received this much support in this stadium in my career in big matches against the best players in the world. So very, very honored to experience that,” he added.

However, the Serb allayed fears he would be calling time on his career just yet.

He stills stands on the brink of history after his latest tilt at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title was foiled.

One more major victory would take him beyond Margaret Court and into outright-first on the list of players with the most Grand Slams.

“At the moment I will try to stick with the plan what I had, which is play the Grand Slams,” he said.

“Those tournaments are the priorities of my schedule, my calendar. Wimbledon and US Open, yes, they are in plans. That’s all I can say right now.

“I’m going to, unless something, I don’t know, happens, whatever. But I feel like I want to play Wimbledon, I want to play US Open. Those two, for sure. For the rest, I’m not so sure.”

Despite the latest setback, Djokovic insisted he still has the record in his sights and hoped it will be seventh time lucky when Wimbledon starts on June 30.

“Obviously Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favorite tournament. I’m going to do everything possible to get myself ready,” he said.

“I guess my best chances (of winning) maybe are Wimbledon, you know, to win another Slam, or faster hard court, maybe Australia or something like that.”

Djokovic has won the title at Wimbledon seven times and is the most dominant men’s player in the history of the Australian Open with 10 victories in Melbourne.

When asked how long he had been considering his future at Roland Garros, Djokovic cryptically replied: “Not long. You know, I don’t know.

“I don’t know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I going to keep on keeping on.”

Djokovic has appeared in the last 21 editions of the French Open – lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires in 2016, 2021 and 2023.

Last summer, he secured the only big title to have eluded him through the majority of his career when he won Olympic gold on center court at Roland Garros.

“We hope that it’s not the case, because I feel like tennis needs him in a way,” said Sinner when told of Djokovic’s comments.

“He said ‘maybe’, so you never know.”