Dressel, Ledecky line up title defenses at Paris Olympics with US swimming trials victories

Katie Ledecky after winning the women’s 800m freestyle final Saturday at the US swimming Olympic trials in Indianapolis. (AP)
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Updated 23 June 2024
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Dressel, Ledecky line up title defenses at Paris Olympics with US swimming trials victories

  • Dressel wrapped up his emotional return to the US trials, following up his 50m freestyle victory with another win after his lengthy break from the sport
  • In Paris Ledecky will be the favorite to become the first woman in any sport to win Olympic gold in the same event four times

LOS ANGELES: Caeleb Dressel powered to victory in the 100m butterfly at the US Olympic swimming trials to line up another title defense in Paris, where Katie Ledecky will go for a historic fourth straight 800m freestyle gold.

Dressel wrapped up his emotional return to the US trials on Saturday, following up his 50m free victory on Friday with another win after his lengthy break from the sport.

Dressel seized control with his trademark explosive start, led at the wall and won in 50.19sec, with 17-year-old Thomas Heilman second in 50.80.

Heilman had already won the 200m butterfly to become the youngest US male swimmer to book an Olympic berth since 15-year-old Michael Phelps and 17-year-old Aaron Piersol competed at the 2000 Sydney Games.

He flew home in the outside lane one to edge 21-year-old Dare Rose by four-hundredths of a second.

“This is truly the hardest part,” Dressel said of the pressure-cooker US trials, where only the top two finishers in each event can secure an individual Olympic berth.

“It’s tough to make the team here, and that’s how it should be,” said Dressel, who won five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics to confirm his superstar status but abruptly stepped away from the sport in 2022.

“I think I’ve felt every emotion that I’m capable of,” Dressel said of the rollercoaster nine-day trials, held this year in the stunning, potentially intimidating atmosphere of Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

“It’s tough. So really the motto is one stroke at a time. You’ve got to turn the dial on, then turn it off and just when you can go to bed. So I’m happy to be done,” said Dressel, who has been cheered on this week by his wife, Meghan, with their four-month-old son, August, along for the ride.

Ledecky’s fourth victory of the week, in the 800m freestyle, takes her back to where her Olympic journey began, with an upset triumph at the age of 15 in the 2012 London Games.

Ledecky, the world record-holder who owns the top 16 times ever in the event, clocked 8min 14.12sec. As in the 400m free, Paige Madden was second to Ledecky, shattering her personal best with a time of 8:20.71.

In Paris Ledecky will be the favorite to become the first woman in any sport to win Olympic gold in the same event four times.

Michael Phelps the only swimmer to win the same event at four straight Games, the 200m individual medley in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016.

Kate Douglass added an impressive victory in the 200m individual medley in 2min 06.79sec to her 100m free and 200m breaststroke wins this week.

Alex Walsh was second in 2:07.86 and the pair head to Paris aiming to improve on their performances at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games, where Walsh took silver and Douglass earned bronze behind Japanese gold medallist Yui Ohashi.

“I feel like the goal coming into this meet was to try and win all three events, but you know, I didn’t really think I was going to be able to achieve that,” Douglass said. “So I’m really happy I did.”

Walsh finally secured her Paris berth on the penultimate night of the trials, joining her sister Gretchen who clocked a world record in the semifinals on the way to winning the 100m fly.

“I didn’t know if I was going to make it to Paris after she made it,” said Alex Walsh, who competed in Tokyo as Gretchen missed out. “This is a dream we’ve been dreaming for so long.”


City Football Schools and Al-Jazira Club Academy announce talent development program

Updated 6 sec ago
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City Football Schools and Al-Jazira Club Academy announce talent development program

  • The groundbreaking partnership will help provide a path to professional football for young players in the UAE

ABU DHABI: City Football Schools and Al-Jazira Club Academy have announced a landmark collaboration that will see talented players in the UAE helped on a professional pathway from the age of 6 years old.

From the start of next season, City Football Schools will deliver coaching for the Al-Jazira Club Academy’s foundation phase for 6- to 9-year-olds.

With more than a decade of coaching in the UAE, built on the philosophy and training program of the Manchester City Academy, City Football Schools will supply the coaches, all of whom hold a minimum UEFA B qualification and have undergone Manchester City’s in-house coach education.

They will coach and develop Al-Jazira’s young players, introducing them to a structured methodology designed to create elite players, one that is used globally across all City Football Group clubs. This will be combined with the principles of a safe, creative and positive space, with player happiness and welfare at the forefront of the learning environment.

The move will allow players who have demonstrated talent and aptitude for the game to flourish in a professional club and work through different age groups, with the ultimate aim of signing a professional first-team contract in the future.

For those behind this partnership, this not only offers the opportunity to help produce the stars of tomorrow for Al-Jazira Club, but it will also contribute to the wider development of football in the UAE.

Simon Hewitt, City Football Group’s head of football operations in the Middle East and North Africa, said: “This is a revolutionary partnership that will provide young players an incredible footballing opportunity for years to come. Early sports and football fundamentals are so important for a player’s development. We will look for the best 6- to 9-year-olds in Abu Dhabi and give them an incredible start to their football journey. Everything from coaching to facilities and wider pastoral care will be best in class with the goal of harnessing their skills and supporting them to reach the next level.”

The new partnership will complement the market-leading City Football Schools program that coaches over 2,500 players, both male and female, who train with City coaches on a weekly basis across eight venues in the UAE. 

“The pathway being created between City Football Schools and Al-Jazira Club hasn’t been seen before in the UAE and will benefit players, the club, and the wider football ecosystem in the country,” added Hewitt.

Scott Sellars, sporting director of Al-Jazira Club, said: “We are delighted to partner with City Football Schools on such an exciting and visionary initiative. As the Pride of Abu Dhabi, we want to be able to offer young players the opportunity to excel and go as far as possible in the world of football. We are excited that some of the players who join us next season might be those running out with not only our first team, but also the UAE national team in the future.”

Open trials for young players born in 2017, 2018, or 2019 will take place on Saturday, June 21, at Active Al-Maryah Dome, Al-Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi.


Robert Lewandowski says he’ll no longer play for Poland while Michal Probierz is coach

Updated 2 min 27 sec ago
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Robert Lewandowski says he’ll no longer play for Poland while Michal Probierz is coach

  • The 36-year-old Poland captain has played a record 158 games for his country and is the leading scorer with 85 goals

WARSAW: Robert Lewandowski will no longer play for Poland while Michał Probierz remains head coach, the Barcelona striker said.
The 36-year-old Lewandowski, who has played a record 158 games for his country and is the leading scorer with 85 goals, cited tiredness from a La Liga title-winning season with Barcelona for pulling out of last Friday’s 2-0 friendly win over Moldova and Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Finland.
Probierz subsequently named Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zieliński as the new captain.
The Polish football association said: “Piotr Zieliński has been named the new captain of the national team by head coach Michał Probierz. The coach personally informed Robert Lewandowski, the entire team and the coaching staff of his decision.”
Lewandowski replied with a post on X: “Taking into account the circumstances and the loss of trust in the head coach of the Polish national team, I have decided to step down from playing for the national team for as long as he remains in charge. I hope I will still have the chance to play again for the best fans in the world.”
Lewandowski suffered an injury to his left thigh on April 19 in a La Liga match against Celta Vigo and was sidelined for two weeks. He missed four games, including a thrilling 3-3 Champions League semifinal first leg against Inter in Barcelona.
He recovered in time for the second leg and was used as substitute in a 4-3 defeat that sent Inter to the final.
Poland leads World Cup Group G qualifying with two wins from two games.


Thunder beat Pacers 123-107 in Game 2 to tie the NBA Finals

Updated 09 June 2025
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Thunder beat Pacers 123-107 in Game 2 to tie the NBA Finals

OKLAHOMA CITY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, Alex Caruso added 20 off the bench and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 123-107 on Sunday night to tie the NBA Finals at one game apiece.
Jalen Williams scored 19, Aaron Wiggins had 18 and Chet Holmgren finished with 15 for the Thunder. It was the franchise’s first finals game win since the opener of the 2012 series against Miami.
Tyrese Haliburton scored 17 for Indiana, which erased a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit in Game 1 but never made a push on Sunday. Myles Turner scored 16 and Pascal Siakam added 15 for the Pacers, the first team since Miami in 2013 to not have a 20-point scorer in the first two games of the finals.
Game 3 is Wednesday at Indianapolis, in what will be the first finals game in that city in 25 years.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s first basket of the night was a history-maker: It gave him 3,000 points on the season, including the regular season and playoffs. And later in Game 2, he passed New York’s Jalen Brunson (514) as the leading overall scorer in these playoffs.
But the real milestone for the MVP came a couple hours later, when he and most everybody else on the Thunder got a finals win for the first time.
A 19-2 run in the second quarter turned what was a six-point game into a 23-point Thunder lead. It might have seemed wobbly a couple of times — an immediate 10-0 rebuttal by the Pacers made it 52-39, and Indiana was within 13 again after Andrew Nembhard’s layup with 7:09 left in the third — but the Thunder lead was never in serious doubt.
With the noise level in the building often topping 100 decibels — a chainsaw is 110 dB, for comparison purposes — the Thunder did what they’ve done pretty much all season. They came off a loss, this time a 111-110 defeat in Game 1, and blew somebody out as their response.
Including the NBA Cup title game, which doesn’t count in any standings, the Thunder are now 18-2 this season when coming off a loss. Of those 18 wins, 12 have been by double digits.
 


Soccer fan dies after fall during Nations League final between Spain and Portugal

Updated 09 June 2025
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Soccer fan dies after fall during Nations League final between Spain and Portugal

  • Fall happened during the first period of extra time at the Munich stadium when fans were becoming more animated, says UEFA official

MUNICH: A soccer fan died during the Nations League final between Spain and Portugal on Sunday after falling from an overhead level onto a media area below.
A UEFA official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give details, confirmed a person sustained fatal injuries from a fall.
The incident occurred during the first period of extra time at the Munich stadium, when tension was high between rival players, and fans were becoming more animated. Medical personnel, stewards and police cordoned off the area.
Portugal went on to win the game on penalties.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente addressed the incident at the start of his postgame news conference.
“Before we begin with the questions, I would like to express my condolences because a fan died in the stands today,” de la Fuente said. “My condolences to the family.”
 


Cristiano Ronaldo sheds tears of joy after Portugal’s Nations League triumph

Updated 09 June 2025
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Cristiano Ronaldo sheds tears of joy after Portugal’s Nations League triumph

  • The Portugal star shed tears after helping his team win the Nations League on Sunday

MUNICH: Another trophy for Cristiano Ronaldo. More records, more adulation.
The Portugal star shed tears after helping his team win the Nations League on Sunday.
Ronaldo scored to help Portugal draw level with Spain 2-2 in the final, then watched as his teammates won the penalty shootout 5-3.
“I have many titles with my clubs, but nothing is better than winning for Portugal,” Ronaldo said. “These are tears. It’s mission accomplished and so much joy.”
The 40-year-old Ronaldo had been the first to run out onto the field for the pre-game warmup, sparking a huge roar from the Portugal supporters, including many wearing jerseys emblazoned with his name.
His appearance prompted many supporters to pull out their cell phones to record the superstar while they could still see him in action. Ronaldo conceded Saturday that he won’t be able to play forever.
That was three days after he helped Portugal to its first win over Germany for 25 years, scoring the winner for a 2-1 victory in the Nations League semifinals.
On Sunday he was driving the team again, though it was initially a frustrating game as his chances were limited by Spain’s hard-working defenders.
Nuno Mendes fired Portugal level after Martin Zubimendi opened the scoring for Spain. Then Mikel Oyarzabal put Spain ahead 2-1 at the break.
But Ronaldo was in the right place at the right time to fire home the equalizer from Mendes’ deflected cross in the 61st, setting off joyous scenes among his faithful fans. It was Ronaldo’s 138th goal for Portugal. Nobody has ever scored more for their country.
Ronaldo kept trying in what was his record-extending 221st appearance for the country, but eventually had to go off exhausted in the 88th to standing ovations from fans and a hug from coach Roberto Martínez.
Ronaldo said he was carrying an injury into the game.
“I had already felt it during the warmup, I had been feeling it for some time, but for the national team, if I had to break my leg, I would have broken it,” Ronaldo said. “It’s for a trophy, I had to play and I gave it my all.”
Ronaldo’s future is uncertain as his contract with Saudi club Al-Nassr only runs to the end of June. He posted “this chapter is over” on social media after the club’s last Saudi Pro League game of the season.
On Saturday he said he had all but decided not to go to the Club World Cup despite “quite a few” offers from participating clubs to play there.
Whatever club Ronaldo plays for, he will keep striving for Portugal.
“I have lived in many countries, I have played for many clubs, but when it’s about Portugal, it is always a special feeling,” he said.