Category: 6. Sports

  • Giant world cup mural aims to encourage more girls into rugby

    Giant world cup mural aims to encourage more girls into rugby

    Joe Skirkowski

    BBC News, Bristol

    BBC A painted mural depicting England rugby player Sarah Bern and nine year old Ava-Mai smiling and looking at the artist with red and white stripes in the background and colourful arrows and stars on it. The real Ava -Mai stands with her arms folded in front of it, she is smiling at the camera and wearing a purple t shirt and denim shortsBBC

    Nine-year-old Ava-Mai says being in the mural with Sarah Bern is “really cool”

    A giant mural has been unveiled to mark the 50-day countdown until the Women’s Rugby World Cup begins.

    Bristol is one of the tournament’s host cities and the mural, which depicts England and Bristol Bears prop Sarah Bern and nine-year-old rugby player Ava-Mai, has been given pride of place at the Harbourside Amphitheatre.

    Ava-Mai and her family attended the artwork’s unveiling on Wednesday – which is part of a Rugby Football Union campaign to encourage more girls to try the sport.

    “It feels very cool for me to be next to her [Bern] on that picture – it makes me feel very famous,” said Ava-Mai.

    “If I try very hard maybe I can be a professional player just like Sarah Bern,” she added.

    Mother Corey said Ava-Mai “absolutely loves rugby and her confidence has skyrocketed”.

    “She’s made so many friends through it – I think this is just going to be so good for her,” Corey said.

    Women’s Rugby has seen a jump in popularity over recent years but some teams still struggle to encourage younger girls to play.

    Alex Teasdale, executive director of the Women’s Game at England Rugby, said: “We bid to host the world cup because we wanted to grow women’s and girl’s rugby in local communities.

    “You look at the hundreds of thousands of people that are going to walk through here over the world cup and it just puts women’s and girl’s rugby on the map and hopefully it really inspires people to take part or go and watch the matches in Bristol.

    “It’s just really important that we’re putting rugby where people can see it.”

    Bristol’s Ashton Gate stadium is one of eight host cities across the country and will show three rounds of games – including quarter and semi-final fixtures.

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  • India’s Hitesh Gulia, Sakshi punch their way into semi-finals

    India’s Hitesh Gulia, Sakshi punch their way into semi-finals

    Indian boxers Minakshi (women’s 48kg), Pooja Rani (women’s 80kg) and Sanju (women’s 60kg) had already confirmed medals from Astana after advancing to the semi-finals.

    Anamika (women’s 51kg) also remains in contention after reaching the quarters.

    The tournament in Astana is the second and last of two scheduled World Boxing Cup meets for the year.

    Back in April, India had won six medals at the previous World Boxing Cup leg in Brazil. The Indian women did not compete in Brazil on account of the national championships.

    Boxers accumulate ranking points through their performances at these two meets with the top pugilists qualifying for the World Boxing Cup Finals scheduled in New Delhi, India, in November.

    The Kazakhstan leg will run until July 7, with over 400 boxers from 31 countries, including Olympians, competing across 10 weight categories in both men’s and women’s divisions. India have sent a 20-member team.

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  • UiPath Names Romanian Olympic Swimming Champion David Popovici as Global Ambassador :: UiPath, Inc. (PATH)

    UiPath Names Romanian Olympic Swimming Champion David Popovici as Global Ambassador :: UiPath, Inc. (PATH)





    Four-year partnership deal will support the athlete’s Olympic journey and quest for swimming excellence

    NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
    UiPath (NYSE: PATH), a global leader in agentic automation, today announced that it has named Romanian Olympic swimming champion David Popovici a Global Ambassador. In this capacity, Popovici will be attending and speaking at several UiPath events globally. The partnership, spanning four years, will support the young athlete throughout his preparation for the biggest European and world swimming competitions, culminating with the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

    A freestyle swimming specialist, the 20-year-old Bucharest-born David Popovici broke into the elite swimming scene with a standout performance at the 2022 World Championships. Then aged 17, Popovici became the first male swimmer in 49 years to win the 100m and 200m freestyle at the same World Championships. He also became the second-youngest swimmer ever to win the men’s 200m world title.

    Popovici went on to win gold in the 200m and the 100m freestyle at the 2022 European Championships, becoming the second-youngest male swimmer ever to break the 100m freestyle world record, while also setting a new world junior record in the 200m race.

    In 2024, Popovici went on to improve on a fourth-place ranking in the 200m freestyle race at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics by winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the same race. He also won a bronze medal in the men’s 100m freestyle final.

    Currently, Popovici is training towards his third consecutive Olympic Games and will next compete in the Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships.

    “What makes David a champion isn’t just raw talent – it’s his ability to bring together every element that drives excellence: discipline, mindset, training, recovery, and the will to do it all over again. That kind of integration is what unlocks true performance. I see a similar principle in how we think about the future of technology: real breakthroughs happen when you combine the right parts – people, technology, and intelligence – into something greater than the sum of its parts. At UiPath, while we’re shaping what technology can do, we’re just as focused on the humans behind it. Our vision of agentic orchestration is about uniting people, AI agents, models, and robots into a cohesive system – just like David brings together every part of his craft. He’s the perfect embodiment of the harmony between precision, perseverance, and purpose,” said UiPath Co-Founder and CEO Daniel Dines.

    “I am delighted to share my journey with a partner who genuinely understands what it takes to excel in one’s field. As a sportsman, I know firsthand that achieving global success requires hard work, discipline, unwavering motivation and the belief that you can win every time. UiPath is a place where innovative ideas are supported, where everyone is encouraged to express their creativity and contribute to developing the best technology in the world. It feels natural to partner with UiPath, a strong brand with a global impact that has remained true to its roots. We share much of the same journey, and this partnership goes beyond support – it’s built on trust and shared values, representing a big source of inspiration to me,” said Olympic champion David Popovici.

    Between September 29 – October 1, 2025, UiPath will hold the first edition of UiPath FUSION, a high-touch, high-tech, white-glove event for the most passionate and innovative members of the UiPath ecosystem. David Popovici will join UiPath Co-Founder and CEO Daniel Dines on stage during the event.

    Register here to join UiPath FUSION at the Wynn Las Vegas.

    About UiPath

    UiPath (NYSE: PATH) is a global leader in agentic automation, empowering enterprises to harness the full potential of AI agents to autonomously execute and optimize complex business processes. The UiPath Platform™ uniquely combines controlled agency, developer flexibility, and seamless integration to help organizations scale agentic automation safely and confidently. Committed to security, governance, and interoperability, UiPath supports enterprises as they transition into a future where automation delivers on the full potential of AI to transform industries. For more information, visit www.uipath.com.

    Media Contact

    UiPath

    pr@uipath.com

    Investor Relations Contact

    UiPath

    investor.relations@uipath.com

    Source: UiPath

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  • The ITA reports that weightlifter Dilnoza Fayzullaeva has accepted a 2-year period of ineligibility

    The ITA reports that weightlifter Dilnoza Fayzullaeva has accepted a 2-year period of ineligibility

    The ITA confirms that weightlifter Dilnoza Fayzullaeva has agreed¹ to the consequences imposed for her anti-doping rule violation (ADRV).

    Dilnoza Fayzullaeva provided a sample collected under the testing authority of the IWF during an unannounced in-competition doping control performed on 25 May 2024 during the IWF World Youth Championships, Lima, Peru, which yielded an adverse analytical finding² (AAF) for furosemide.

    Furosemide is prohibited under the WADA Prohibited List as S5 Diuretics and Masking Agents. It is prohibited at all times (in- and out-of-competition) and is classified as a specified substance. Furosemide can be used by athletes to excrete water for rapid weight loss.

    The athlete did not challenge the ADRV and agreed with the consequences proposed by the ITA. Accordingly, the case was resolved via an acceptance of consequences.

    The athlete’s period of ineligibility is from 8 August 2024 until 7 August 2026. In addition, all the athlete’s individual competitive results as from 25 May 2024 until the start of the period of ineligibility are disqualified.

    The decision may be challenged before the appeals division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport by the parties with a right of appeal in accordance with article 13.2.3 of the IWF anti-doping rules.

    The ITA will not comment further on these cases.

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  • LIV Golf players start hot at International Series Morocco

    LIV Golf players start hot at International Series Morocco

    RangeGoats GC star Peter Uihlein started fast in Round 1 of The International Series Morocco, shooting a 5-under 68 to pace the field early on Thursday at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.

    LIV Golf reserve player John Catlin matched Uihlein’s 68.

    Uihlein has become a force on The International Series, having won twice last season in England and Qatar.

    LIV Golf players also in the field include RangeGoats GC’s Ben Campbell, Stinger GC’s Charl Schwartzel, HyFlyers GC’s Andy Ogletree, Torque GC’s Mito Pereira and Legion XIII’s Caleb Surratt.

    Check back for further updates as Round 1 continues.

    BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN

    On the DP World Tour, five LIV Golf players are competing at the BMW International Open in Munich, Germany. They are Fireballs GC Captain Sergio Garcia, 4Aces GC’s Patrick Reed,Cleeks Golf Club Captain Martin Kaymer and Fireballs GC’s David Puig and Josele Ballester

    Check back for further updates as Round 1 continues.

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  • Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya named to Zambian Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Roster 

    Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya named to Zambian Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Roster 

    ORLANDO, Fla. (July 3, 2025)Orlando Pride (8-4-1, 25 points) forwards Barbra Banda and Prisca Chilufya, and midfielder Grace Chanda have been named to the Zambia Women’s National Team roster for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

    Banda has scored eight goals so far this season, which is tied for second-most in the NWSL. Her season has been highlighted by a historic performance against the Utah Royals on May 23, where she became the first player in Club history to score a hat trick and the first player in NWSL history to score a hat trick on the road. It was also just the third time in NWSL history that a player scored all three goals of their hat trick in the first half of a match. Additionally, Banda’s hat trick marked the first time an African international has scored three goals in an NWSL match. The 25-year-old has earned three consecutive Best XI of the Month honors so far this season, coming in March, April and May.

    Chilufya has appeared in 11 matches in her debut season with the Pride and scored her first NWSL goal on May 10 at the North Carolina Courage. Her headed goal came in second-half stoppage time off a corner kick and helped Orlando rescue a point on the road. The forward also earned her first NWSL start against Angel City on April 25.

    Chanda made her Club and NWSL debut on March 19 against the Washington Spirit, coming into the match as a second-half substitute. She has gone on to appear in three matches this season after missing all of last year due to injury.

    Zambia was drawn into WAFCON’s Group A and will start its group stage matches on Saturday, July 5 at 4 p.m. ET against Morocco. They will follow that up with matches on Wednesday, July 9, at 12 p.m. ET against Senegal and on Saturday, July 12, at 12 p.m. ET against DR Congo.


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  • De Minaur, #NextGenATP Mensik power on at Wimbledon – ATP Tour

    1. De Minaur, #NextGenATP Mensik power on at Wimbledon  ATP Tour
    2. ATP Wimbledon De Minaur A. – Cazaux A. 🧠 Form & Context Alex de Minaur ✅ Solid return: Breezed past Carballés Baena in straights to open his Wimbledon campaign. 📈 Strong season: One of the most consistent performers in 2025—trails only Alcaraz and  x.com
    3. Demon sidesteps seeds carnage with Wimbledon win  The Canberra Times
    4. Video: 2nd Round Highlights | Alex De Minaur v Arthur Cazaux  The Sydney Morning Herald
    5. Alex de Minaur vs Arthur Cazaux Preview & Prediction | 2025 Wimbledon Championships | Second Round  The Stats Zone

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  • World Rugby releases Impact Beyond 2025 progress report ahead of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

    World Rugby releases Impact Beyond 2025 progress report ahead of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

    • Over 2,500 members of the women’s rugby community have already benefited from Impact Beyond 2025
    • 42 Unions have received Rugby Rising Play grants
    • Fundraising toolkit launched for unions 

    Impact Beyond 2025 is World Rugby’s ambitious global programme designed to supercharge the growth of women’s rugby long after the tournament concludes, with the pinnacle event set to take place across England from 22 August to 27 September. 

    Working alongside the RFU’s domestic Impact ‘25 programme and a number of inspiring social impact projects spearheaded by the RWC 2025 Local Organising Company (LOC), Impact Beyond 2025 is designed to ensure that this generational moment for rugby creates lasting change – from grassroots participation to the elite level – by empowering more women and girls, strengthening communities, and advancing gender equity across the sporting landscape.

    The report highlights the progress made across three key pillars: 

    • Inspiring more people to play, support, and fall in love with the game
    • Providing targeted career and personal development initiatives working across rugby and supporting them to thrive in their careers
    • Empowering Unions with the tools and networks to build a stronger, more inclusive future for the sport 

    Highlights include: 

    • Over 2,500 members of the women’s rugby community have already benefited from Impact Beyond 2025
    • Over 300 people have attended the first two women’s health webinars  
    • Over 50 Unions have attended Impact Beyond Regional Summits in Africa, Asia and Europe
    • 42 Unions have received Rugby Rising Play grants
    • Fundraising toolkit launched for unions 

    The second instalment of the Impact Report covers the period up to June 2025. The full Impact Beyond 2025 Plan and first report are available on the World Rugby website here with the final report scheduled post-tournament. 

    Welcoming this mid-year report, Sally Horrox World Rugby’s Chief of Women’s Rugby said: “It’s 50 days before Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 kicks off in England, yet Impact Beyond 2025 is already making a huge difference to women’s rugby across the world.  

    “The report evidences great progress, but there is even greater opportunity ahead of us.  I’m looking forward to an incredible Women’s Rugby World Cup, but am equally excited to see the lasting impact that our flagship programmes will have on the sport globally and the evolution of women’s rugby”.

    Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 will be one of the hottest tickets of the sporting summer with over 300,000 people already set to take their place in the stands.  You can join them by visiting www.tickets.rugbyworldcup.com  

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  • NBA Fantasy: Who to watch in Summer League

    NBA Fantasy: Who to watch in Summer League

    At 7-foot-2, Suns rookie Khaman Maluach has the size and length to be an elite defender in the NBA.

    • Download the NBA App
    • 2025 Summer League

    The 2024-25 NBA season ended with the Oklahoma City Thunder winning their first-ever title. The 2025 NBA Draft is also complete as teams around the league spent two days selecting rookies from all over the world. NBA Summer League is the first official instance where fans can watch the rookies and young players continue their transition into regular roles in the NBA.

    This year, Summer League will be divided into three tournaments: the California Classic (July 5-8), the Salt Lake City Summer League (July 5-8), and the NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas, from July 10 to July 20. The Las Vegas Summer League will feature all 30 teams in action.

    Here are some of the players worth watching across the three Summer League tournaments.


    Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

    Who wouldn’t want to watch Flagg’s first game in the NBA? Even if it’s Summer League, the former Duke standout seems destined for greatness and should be a dominant presence in a Summer League environment. Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and 38.5% from 3-point range during his lone season at Duke. 

    Those numbers might not translate directly to the NBA right away. Still, he’s one of the most hyped prospects in recent years, similar to the level of hype Zion Williamson and Victor Wembanyama were carrying before making their debuts in the NBA. It’s unclear what kind of role Flagg will have with Dallas, and since he’s pro-ready, he’s not likely to see heavy minutes across all of Dallas’ Summer League games. However, he’ll be a must-watch every time he steps on the hardwood.


    Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs

    Harper was the No. 2 pick in the draft after averaging 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals over 29 games in the 2024-25 college season for Rutgers. The positional fit remains a bit uncertain, as he spent most of his college career as a guard, but expect coach Mitch Johnson to find a way to play Harper alongside De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle. The Spurs believe the three players can coexist.

    However, fans will have to wait to see Harper in action. The first-year guard has been sidelined for the California Classic, where the Spurs are scheduled to play three games, due to a groin injury. This means Harper’s best chance to make his Summer League debut will come in Las Vegas, though the recovery of the groin injury will ultimately determine whether the star rookie will be able to step on the court or not. Expect San Antonio to be cautious with him, as Harper is expected to play a significant role for the Spurs right out of the gate in his rookie year.


    Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz

    Bailey was Harper’s teammate at Rutgers and was considered to be the second- or third-best player in this class, on the same level as Harper and slightly below Flagg. However, he slipped down to the No. 5 pick, beginning his career with the rebuilding Jazz. It remains to be seen what Bailey’s role will be out of the gate, but he’s a natural scorer and should find a way to get his points on a regular basis. 

    Plus, the fact that Bailey will play in an organization that’s in the early stages of a rebuild means he’ll have time to learn on the fly, similar to what happened with Alex Sarr last season in Washington. It’s all about the fit with Bailey, but there’s no doubt it’ll be exciting to watch him play in Summer League. Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game with Rutgers during the 2024-25 campaign. 


    Khaman Maluach, Phoenix Suns

    Even though Flagg, Harper and Bailey were always considered the three best players in this year’s class, Maluach has always been seen as one of the prospects with the most significant upside in the class. The South Sudan native struggled to adjust to life in the college ranks at first, but he improved massively as the campaign progressed. Maluach earned ACC All-Freshman Team honors after averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.3 minutes per game.

    Maluach is a developmental project with a high floor given his defensive projections, but he’s also expected to have some upside on the offensive side of the ball. At 7-foot-2, Maluach has the size and length to be an elite defender in the NBA, and his early steps in Summer League will be a good indicator to see how well — and how quickly — he can grow. Maluach can be an absolute stud in category-based leagues if he gets enough time in the NBA.

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  • Breaking news: Brentford sign Antoni Milambo from Feyenoord

    Breaking news: Brentford sign Antoni Milambo from Feyenoord

    Brentford have completed the signing of Antoni Milambo from Eredivisie club Feyenoord, subject to international clearance.

    The 20-year-old midfielder has put pen to paper on a five-year contract with a club option of an additional year.

    Milambo arrives in west London following a highly impressive 2024/25 campaign.

    The Dutchman made 42 appearances for Feyenoord in all competitions, scoring seven goals and assisting eight. This included nine matches and four goal involvements (3G, 1A) in the UEFA Champions League.

    A Netherlands Under-21 international, Milambo represented his nation on three occasions at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Slovakia this summer.

    Milambo was in from the start as Michael Reiziger’s side lost 2-1 to eventual winners England in the semi-final.

    “We are all very excited by the arrival of Antoni Milambo,” said technical director Lee Dykes.

    “The recruitment department have followed Antoni for a few years now and have closely monitored his development at Feyenoord into the first team.

    “We believe that Antoni has all the attributes needed to be a very good Premier League player and feel he has the potential to develop his game to a high level here in England.

    “Antoni is a skilful, forward-thinking midfield player capable of scoring all types of goals as proven through his youth development phase, in the Eredivisie and in the Champions League.

    “I would like to place on record our appreciation to the senior management team at Feyenoord for their assistance with our interest in Antoni and their professionalism throughout the transfer process.”

    Head coach Keith Andrews added: “Antoni has played a lot of football in the last 12 months and really shot to prominence.

    “He’s had experience in the Eredivisie, Champions League and most recently the Under-21 Euros with the Netherlands.

    “I love the way that Antoni takes the ball and drives; he has the ability to go past players and he’s a goal threat. He will complement the midfielders we have in the building.

    “Now it’s just a case of getting him used to the intensity and rhythm of the Premier League and our own intensity levels. I am looking forward to working with him.”

    Milambo made his professional debut for Feyenoord in a 3-0 UEFA Europa Conference League victory over Luzern in August 2021. At 16 years and 131 days, he became the club’s youngest-ever player, taking the record from Georginio Wijnaldum.

    He made his Eredivisie debut in April 2023, coming on as a substitute in a 3-1 win over Sparta Rotterdam. Milambo went on to play two more league games that season as Feyenoord earned their 16th title.

    Milambo’s involvement increased during the 2023/24 campaign. He made 13 senior appearances and was on the bench as Feyenoord won the KNVB Cup by beating NEC 1-0 in the final in April 2024.

    The following August, Milambo scored in a 4-4 draw with PSV in the Johan Cruyff Shield, before Feyenoord won the trophy on penalties.

    In October, the midfielder was named Player of the Match after scoring twice in Feyenoord’s 3-1 away win over Benfica in the Champions League.

    Milambo departs Feyenoord having registered 17 goals involvements (8G, 9A) in 60 senior appearances. He is Brentford’s third first-team signing of the summer following the arrival of goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool and the permanent transfer of full-back Michael Kayode from Fiorentina.

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