Category: 6. Sports

Czechia and Ukraine are the new World Champions in O and P class respectively in the Relay, with the Open class resolved in a tense and exciting climax at the final spectator TempO station. Both Italy and Slovakia finished within 2 minutes of the Czech score.

The Relay competition for teams of three consists of a PreO course, followed by two TempO stations where all 5 tasks are timed, and finally there is a spectator TempO station where the final leg athletes for each team compete in reverse order of the results up to that point and have to solve five tasks.

In the O (Open) class, six nations completed the PreO section without any of the three team members making a mistake, so all then depended on performance in the TempO section. Here it was the young Czech team that emerged victorious, with 22-year-old Ondřej Macek, world champion in TempO 2 years ago, on the last leg taking the nerve-wracking final spectator station. The Czech success was down to the TempO performance of all three members of the team: they had only two wrong TempO answers in total, whilst the next-best team had five.

Italy overtook Slovakia in the final stage, their final leg athlete Aaron Gaio being the only person in the competition to complete the 5 tasks at the spectator TempO station without fault. Home nation Slovakia were very well set to challenge for gold at one point, but had ten wrong answers in the TempO section, including 2 at the final station, and had to settle for the bronze medals. Spain, whose athletes have performed well throughout the championships so far, finished fourth, Finland were fifth and Croatia sixth.

Ukraine produced a very strong performance in the P (Physically Challenged) class, and in the end won over Spain by more than 5 minutes. The 3 members of the Ukrainian team had two PreO mistakes in total compared to Spain’s seven, but were almost matched in the TempO tasks, where Ukraine had 11 task errors in total and Spain 13. Sweden, always a favourite for medals in this class, took bronze with only 10 TempO errors, but were slower than the other medal-winning teams.

Tomorrow is the final day of the championships. TempO Qualification is in two heats, and the best 18 from each heat qualify for the TempO Final in the afternoon. Here, athletes start in reverse order of their morning success, and the last TempO station is with spectators and where the whole competition can be decided. O and P class athletes compete on equal terms in TempO, so there is only one class in this competition; there are almost 60 competitors in each qualification heat.

Leading results, Relay

O class

1. Czechia (Šimon Maraček, Pavel Ptáček, Ondřej Macek)
2. Italy (Alessio Tenani, Marcello Lambertini, Aaron Gaio) + 1.11
3. Slovakia (Jonatán Furucz, Šimon Mižǘr, Pavol Bukovac) + 1.47
4. Spain + 2.33
5. Finland + 2.39.5
6. Croatia + 3.36

P class

1. Ukraine (Serhii Bialenko, Valerii Lytvynov, Vladyslav Vovk)
2. Spain (Sergio Martin Carrasco, Juan Emilio Montero Sánchez, Alejandro Aguilar Lara + 5.21
3. Sweden (Ola Jansson, Rolf Karlsson, Michael Johansson) + 6.39
4. Czechia + 7.25
5. Poland + 7.26.5
6. Italy + 12.28

Argentine biotech firm Kheiron has produced the world’s first gene-edited horses using Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technology on cloned embryos from champion polo horse Polo Pureza.

CRISPR created five foals featuring reduced myostatin gene expression designed to enhance muscle growth and explosive speed.

Despite Argentina’s status as polo’s global capital and its acceptance of cloning, the sport’s governing bodies have banned gene-edited horses from competition.

Breeders remain divided between traditional breeding advocates and those embracing biotechnology.

Benjamin Araya, president of the Argentine Polo Association expressed: “This takes away the charm, this takes away the magic of breeding, I like to choose a mare, choose a stallion, cross them, and hope that it will turn out very well.”

The Argentine Polo Horse Breeders Association will monitor the horses for 4-5 years before registration approval.

Kheiron has paused commercialization pending industry acceptance, though geneticists note the edit uses natural DNA sequences that accelerate conventional breeding outcomes.

The development represents the latest innovation in polo’s elite breeding industry, which exported 2,400 horses last year and dominates international competitions.

TAMPERE (Finland) – Finland will move on to the Round of 16 after a hard fought 85-65 victory over Montenegro in front of a second consecutive 12,900 sell-out at the Tampere Deck Arena.

Joy for the hosts, but for the winless Montenegro side, desperation mode is creeping in as they must find a way to end their losing run if they are to advance.

Turning Point

After a cagey first quarter, which saw 11 lead changes and both sides knotted at 23-23, Finland took the initiative first with a 12-1 run in the second, highlighted by a thunderous slam by Lauri Markkanen, which he followed with a stunning spin move to the basket and score.

Montenegro would claw their way back, but the hosts maintained their double-digit stranglehold at the half thanks to a basket from Edon Maxhuni as the final seconds ticked away. From there, Finland’s lead would peak at 18 points en route to victory.

TCL Player of the Game

Following his 43-point outburst in the previous game against Great Britain, Markkanen was made to work hard for his 26-point haul against a courageous Montenegrin defense. However, the Finnisher sealed his place as the TCL Player of the Game with an additional 13 rebounds and a near-perfect 9-of-10 from the foul line.

Mikael Jantunen added 11 points in the victory for the hosts. Montenegro had a tournament-best performance from Andrija Slavkovic, as he poured in 15 in vain.

Stats Don’t Lie

Shooting a high percentage from inside the arc is a must if you are to win. Finland certainly achieved that by connecting on 67 percent of their attempts from two-point land. While Montenegro went a subpar 14-for-33

Bottom Line

Both sides enjoy a rest day on Sunday, Finland will look to their penultimate clash with Baltic giants Lithuania to maintain their momentum as they have one eye on Riga. Conversely, Montenegro take on Sweden and Great Britain in their final two games and must find at least one win to stand any hopes of progressing.

They said

For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!

FIBA

Ruben Amorim couldn’t watch.

Bruno Fernandes was about to take a penalty in the seventh minute of stoppage time that could well determine Amorim’s future as Manchester United manager, and it was too much for the Portuguese coach who has had the weight of the world on him this week.

So, he slid into his seat in the dugout, put his crossed feet up on the wall in front of him, and looked into the sky. Amorim just listened as Fernandes converted the spot kick to seal a 3-2 win over Burnley at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Who knows, it might just be enough to keep Amorim in a job.

“We should have won in a different way,” Amorim said, “we should not suffer.”

Amorim experienced another roller-coaster of emotions, days after falling under massive pressure following United’s embarrassing English League Cup exit at the hands of fourth-tier Grimsby Town in midweek.

After that game, he criticized his players and suggested discussions would be held next week about his position. If those negotiations take place, Amorim goes into them in a slightly stronger position, despite major doubts remaining over his ability to get United — one of the world’s biggest clubs — back to its previous heights.

“I am always talking with the board and I understand the context, the feeling and everything,” Amorim said, before adding about his emotional state: “I understand I say some things and I will say them again when we have these kind of moments.”

Luis Díaz set aside a glaring miss to help Bayern Munich celebrate Harry Kane’s 100th match for the club with a nervy 3-2 Bundesliga win at Bavarian rivals Augsburg.

Former Liverpool forward Díaz bizarrely backheeled the ball away from goal as he attempted to finish into the unguarded net from inside the six-yard box in the opening minute.

The Colombia international made amends by doubling Bayern’s lead in first-half added time after England captain Kane marked his milestone outing with a delightful assist for Serge Gnabry’s opener.

Kane also teed up Michael Olise for the visitors’ third before goals from Augsburg pair Kristijan Jakic and Mert Kömür ensured a tense ending.

Victory for Vincent Kompany’s defending champions was a second in succession in the league following last week’s 6-0 demolition of RB Leipzig.

Kane was one of five players retained by manager Kompany after sparing Bayern’s blushes with an added-time winner in Wednesday’s 3-2 victory at third-tier Wehen Wiesbaden in the German Cup.

Christina Pahnke – sampics/Corbis via Getty Images

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Díaz should have given the away team a perfect start but, with the goal gaping, he somehow made a complete mess of Olise’s inviting centre.

Gnabry duly headed Bayern ahead in the 28th minute, driving into the box to nod Kane’s pinpoint delivery into the bottom left corner.

Olise had penalty appeals waved away and was then denied by Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen before releasing Konrad Laimer on the right, who cut the ball back for Diaz to atone for his early blunder with a clinical first-time finish.

Bayern were rarely tested defensively and looked to be in complete control three minutes into the second period when Olise collected the ball from Kane and cut inside Keven Schlotterbeck to fire home.

Yet Augsburg, who began the campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory at Freiburg, were back in the contest just five minutes later.

Croatia midfielder Jakic claimed the goal, volleying into the bottom right corner following Robin Fellhauer’s cross from the right.

From a position of power, Bayern had serious cause for concern with 14 minutes remaining after Germany Under-19 midfielder Komur finished with the aid of a slight deflection off Joshua Kimmich.

Olise went close to swiftly restoring his side’s two-goal advantage before Komur powered a header wide at the other end.

Bayern ultimately survived a major scare after anxiously hanging on during an uncomfortable period of added time, which was extended due to Fellhauer being stretchered off following a sickening clash of heads with Bayern substitute Sacha Boey.

Pakistan were made to sweat in Sharjah, but the brilliance of Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz with the bat, followed by Hasan Ali’s timely strikes, ensured they fended off a late onslaught from Asif Khan to secure a 31-run win over a spirited United Arab Emirates in the second game of the tri-series. The young duo of Ayub and Nawaz gave Pakistan’s innings its firepower, while Asif Khan’s counterattack made sure the contest stayed alive till the end.

Pakistan, coming off a convincing 39-run victory against Afghanistan in the series opener, looked intent on flexing their batting depth again. Saim Ayub lit up the night with a stroke-filled 69 off 38 balls, launching seven boundaries and four sixes to set the tone.

UAE tri-series, Match 2, UAE vs Pakistan Highlights

He brought up his fifty in just 25 deliveries, a mark of his authority in the powerplay. His dismissal, however, didn’t slow Pakistan as Hasan Nawaz muscled his way to 56 off just 26 deliveries, reaching his half-century in 24 balls. The youngster mixed clean straight hits with audacious pulls to lift Pakistan to a daunting 207.

Asif Khan plays a blinder

UAE’s response began brightly through skipper Muhammad Waseem, whose 33 off 18 balls gave the hosts early momentum. But Pakistan chipped away, and at 76 for five, the chase seemed dead. That was when Asif Khan entered the stage.

The middle-order batter turned the game on its head with a breathtaking 77 from 35 balls, racing to his fifty in only 25 deliveries. His six sixes and fearless stroke-making rattled Pakistan’s attack and had the Sharjah crowd buzzing with the possibility of an upset.

It was Hasan Ali who finally broke through, dismissing Asif in the 19th over to finish with three wickets, while Mohammad Nawaz’s tidy spell (2 for 21) had earlier applied the brakes. UAE closed on 176 for eight, short of the target but not without pride.

Brief Scores

Pakistan: 136/8 in 20 overs. Saim Ayub 69, Hasan Nawaz 56; Saghir Khan 3/44, Junaid Siddiqui 3/49

UAE: 138/2 in 13.3 overs. Asif Khan 77, Muhammad Waseem 33; Hasan Ali 3/47, Mohammad Nawaz 2/21,

Result: Pakistan beat UAE by 31 runs.

- Ends

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Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan on Saturday announced the birth of his first child, a daughter, sharing photos with the news.

Sharing the news on Instagram and X, the 26-year-old expressed gratitude, saying he was “grateful beyond words for this blessing” and asked fans to remember his family in their prayers.

Shadab tied the knot with the daughter of Pakistan’s former legendary spinner Saqlain Mushtaq in 2023.

His posts garnered thousands of likes on his social media accounts and congratulatory messages.

Shadab, who has been an integral part of Pakistan’s white-ball cricket setup since his debut in 2017, is widely regarded as one of the leading leg-spinners in modern cricket.

Over the years, he has also contributed as a dependable lower-order batsman, making him a valuable all-rounder for the national side.

The cricketer has represented Pakistan in all three formats, though he has been most successful in limited-overs cricket.

In addition to international cricket, Shadab also captains Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he is among the league’s top performers.

KATOWICE (Poland) – Luka Doncic needed 28 points against France on Saturday to add another page to his already extensive record of accomplishments.

The Los Angeles Lakers star finished the game with 39 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds and surpassed the 1,000-point mark in senior official competitions with Slovenia. How has he done scoring-wise in each of the tournaments he played with the national team?

FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024, Piraeus

Despite not being able to lead Slovenia to back-to-back Olympic Games appearances, Luka still showed greatness in Piraeus at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024.

He collected 83 points over three games, flirting with an average triple-double of 27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game.

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

Doncic participated in his first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023, as Slovenia didn’t make it in 2019.

He was in tremendous scoring form both in Okinawa and in Manila, scoring a total of 216 points over 8 matchups. Luka started the tournament hot with a 37-point showcase to beat Venezuela, and concluded by averaging 27.0 per encounter.

FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers 2023

After his country missed the cut for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019, the Slovenian icon wanted to make sure he could step on the global stage in 2023.

Doncic took part in four games at the FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers 2023 and tallied 100 points. His best scoring outcome came on the road in Sweden, with a 31-point winning effort.

FIBA EuroBasket 2022

It is perhaps fitting that the Slovenian phenomenon hit the 1,000-point mark against France, as he had registered his personal EuroBasket high precisely against Le Bleus, with a 47-point scoring performance back at FIBA EuroBasket 2022.

Slovenia’s campaign in that tournament ended in the Quarter-Finals against Poland, but Doncic still delivered with 26.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. He scored a total of 182 points in the tournament.

Olympic Basketball Tournament 2021

Luka played his first Olympics in Tokyo, where he was as fast as Usain Bolt in delivering a scoring masterpiece.

He started the Olympic Tournament with a 48-point game against Argentina, displaying greatness at the five-circle stage. Overall, he finished with a total of 143 points, averaging 23.8 per game for Slovenia.

FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2021

Without The Dragon by his side, Doncic’s first time as the de facto leader of the national-team was the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2021, where he propelled Slovenia to an unbeaten 4-0 run.

In Kaunas, he scored a total of 85 points, including 31 in a triple-double with 13 assists and 11 rebounds to break Lithuania’s hearts and hopes of getting to Tokyo.

FIBA EuroBasket 2017

Prodigies are difficult to forget, and even at 18 years old, it was clear that Luka Doncic would become a scoring machine for the Slovenian national team.

Next to Goran Dragic on Slovenia’s backcourt, he finished with 14.3 points on average over nine appearances. Out of his total 129 points, 27 were decisive to take down Latvia in the Quarter-Finals in an epic clash.

Luka Doncic’s scoring record in official NT competitions

FIBA

The Loughborough Lightning star scored 27 points (one try and 11 conversions) in a Player of the Match performance that lit up her home ground Franklin’s Gardens, in front of 13,615 fans.

“I’m very pleased,” she said post-match. “Obviously the conditions weren’t really in our favour, but I think we adapted to that, played some nice rugby at times, put them in the right corners at times and that’s what we needed to do.

“I think with a squad that had so many changes, you couldn’t really tell out there. It felt really cohesive and really connected and that’s what we wanted to try and achieve.

“I love playing at Franklin’s Gardens, whether that’s in club colours or whether that’s in England colours. It’s always incredibly special. I love the crowd here. It’s always a great atmosphere. And yeah, to come in and play 10, and hopefully do a decent job. That was my aim. So I’m really pleased to come out with this.”

Wing Claudia Moloney-MacDonald scored the last try of the Test, after playing a full 80, and spoke of her joy of being back in a white shirt after a considerable amount of time away from the game due to injury.

“From a personal point of view, it was just great to be back out on the pitch and obviously to get that try is nice as well,” she said. “It’s been a journey. I’m kind of very much in the present, very much where my feet are. I had kind of forgotten that part of it and so I’m just focusing on being here and enjoying the moment.”

RIGA (Latvia) – Since Serbia began playing the FIBA EuroBasket as an independent nation in 2007, there have been only four 30+ point games by their players.

Nikola Jokic is now responsible for 50 percent of those.

With 39 points against Latvia, Jokic set his new national team career-high across all competitions, but also lifted the bar for all other Serbian players when it comes to FIBA EuroBasket records.

In the history of this continental event, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Milos Teodosic are the only other players with 30 points or more in a single game for Serbia. Teodosic did it in 2009, while Bogdanovic went off for 30 against Latvia in 2017.

Jokic is responsible for the remaining three of Serbia’s Top 5 individual scoring performances at the EuroBasket:

Serbia’s single-game EuroBasket records

“He’s our leader. When we see him lead the way and do all the things he’s doing over two, three defenders, it just gives everybody else great motivation to step up and do even more,” Filip Petrusev praised his frontcourt partner.

“We all know what he can do. He does everything for the team, that’s the first thing on his mind, that’s the most important thing. With him on the court, we are a lot better team. What else to say? You know him, you know what he can do on the court,” Ognjen Dobric added.

Jokic first joined the Serbian national team at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2016, then went on to play the Olympics that same year, the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2019, the FIBA EuroBasket 2022, and the Paris 2024 Olympics.

He also took part in two games of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers.

Here are his career-highs in official FIBA games with Serbia:

FIBA