Category: 6. Sports

AUSTRALIA – Ripper GC, one of 13 teams shaping the future of golf in the LIV Golf League, has announced a bold new partnership with Golf Australia’s MyGolf program – uniting under the shared mission of taking youth golf participation to new heights across Australia.

MyGolf is Australia’s national introductory golf program for children aged 5–12, providing a dynamic, game-based learning experience built around confidence, friendships, and life skills. Led by PGA Professionals, the program ensures youth participants receive world-class instruction and mentorship, laying the foundation for the next wave of Aussie golfers.

Over the past year, more than 40,000 kids participated in MyGolf programs, a record high and an increase of over 4,000 from the previous year. With 476 active locations nationwide, the program continues to grow rapidly and make golf accessible to more families than ever before.

Now, with Ripper GC signing on as principal partner for at least the next three years, the program enters an exciting new phase: MyGolf powered by Ripper GC. Participants will now be known as “Little Rippers”, reflecting the spirit and energy of the partnership.

Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said it’s an exciting time for Australian kids to get info golf.

“Golf Australia has seen enormous growth in MyGolf participation over the last few years and we have no doubt the program will take another step up with the support of Ripper GC,” Sutherland said.

“Ripper GC’s Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman , Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones are passionate about creating opportunities for boys and girls to play and love golf. We are grateful for their commitment to inspire the next generation of golfers through MyGolf.

“MyGolf powered by Ripper GC is the perfect starting point for kids to get into golf. We can’t wait to see thousands more Little Rippers pick up a golf club.”

“The goal is simple, to get as many Aussie kids playing golf as possible,” said Ripper GC captain Cam Smith. “Everyone at Ripper GC and Golf Australia is committed to making that happen. We’re proud to be part of something that not only grows the game but creates opportunities for kids everywhere.”

The impact is already stretching beyond the fairways. Over 107,000 students engaged in the MyGolf Schools program, a 37% increase from last year. Female participation continues to rise as well, with nearly half of all participants in Tasmania being girls. Whether on the course or in the classroom, MyGolf powered by Ripper GC is shaping the next generation of golfers and making golf more accessible and exciting than ever before.

Find your nearest MyGolf powered by Ripper GC program here and sign up for Term 3 programs now.

Ask Yuna Kim to share her memories of Italy when she was a competitive figure skater, and the answers come rushing in fondly.

Kim, sometimes nicknamed the ‘Queen of Figure Skating‘, competed twice in Turin during her highly successful career. In 2007, she won the ISU Grand Prix Final, before taking home World Championships silver from the same city in 2010.

In that latter competition, Kim – fresh off the back of being crowned Olympic champion a month earlier at Vancouver 2010 – struggled in her short program, finishing seventh, but rebounded with a stunning free skate (she won the segment) to leap to second overall.

“I competed in Torino twice,” Kim recalled in a recent exclusive interview in Seoul, Republic of Korea. “In 2010, I participated in the World Championships just a one month after the Olympics, so I was really exhausted — but it was still a meaningful way to close out the Olympic season.

“Italy has always been a country I’ve loved, even outside of competition. I’d love to visit again.”

Perfect timing, then, that the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games are fewer than 200 days away.

“Many athletes in various sports are aiming for good results at Milano Cortina 2026. I’m supporting them all the way, hoping they can prepare fully without any injuries to deliver their best performance on the Olympic stage,” Kim said.

There’s no doubt figure skating will be top draw for Yuna Kim. But what other events does she hope to catch?

“Aside from figure skating, I’m looking forward to outstanding performances in short track speed skating and snowboard halfpipe,” she said. “Regardless of results, I’m also looking forward to watching spectacular skiing events.”

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NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks will interview two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown for a second time as they seek Tom Thibodeau’s replacement, a person with knowledge of the details said Monday.

Brown’s return this week will make him the first of the known candidates to get a second interview for the position that has been vacant for nearly a month.

Other candidates could also be asked to return, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the coaching search were to remain private. The Knicks have also talked with former Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins and assistants James Borrego of New Orleans and Micah Nori of Minnesota about the position.

Brown’s second interview was first reported by the New York Post.

Brown led the Sacramento Kings to the playoffs in 2023, their first appearance since 2006, and was voted coach of the year. He went 107-88 there in 2 1/2 seasons before he was fired during this past season.

Brown also won the coaching award in 2009 with Cleveland and is 454-304 in his career.

Thibodeau was fired June 3 despite leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Like Brown, he also won NBA Coach of the Year honors with two teams.

England retained Jofra Archer in their squad for the second Test because it is “very important” for him to become acquainted with the squad, captain Ben Stokes says.

Archer, 30, was called into England’s Test squad for the first time in four years after a series of injuries but left out of the final XI for the match, which starts on Wednesday.

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The fast bowler has played only one red-ball match since May 2021 and could have been released to play for Sussex in the County Championship this week but will instead stay with England’s squad.

“When someone has been out of the environment for so long – and the last time they were in that environment it was so completely different – for me personally and Baz [England coach Brendon McCullum] as well, we felt if he didn’t play it was important to have Jof around the group, around the people,” Stokes told the BBC.

“Having him back in the squad is great but we want him to play a part in the series and going forward with this group.”

Since taking over in 2022, Stokes and McCullum have revolutionised England’s Test cricket with a positive, sometimes relaxed, approach.

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Archer – one of England’s most exciting debutants in a generation in 2019 – last played a Test in February 2021, when Joe Root was captain and Chris Silverwood coach.

That Test was the last time Archer bowled in two innings of a red-ball match.

He played for Sussex against Durham last week and took 1-32 in 18 overs in the first innings but Durham did not bat a second time as the match ended in a draw.

“You can’t really control how a first-class game will go,” Stokes said.

“Here he can come and bowl. He can help out the lads. He can get used to the environment again and when the opportunity does come he is comfortable in it.

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“There are benefits to both situations and at the end of the day me and Baz decided one what we thought was best for Jof.”

Having missed England’s training on Monday because of a “family emergency”, Archer had a lengthy bowl in the nets on Tuesday.

He bowled a long spell at Stokes, challenged the England captain on a number of occasions and with only three days between this Test and the third at Lord’s could make his Test return next week.

“He’s got the ball swinging quite nicely and effortless pace,” Stokes said. “It’s been a while since I faced him so it was a little bit of a wake-up call for me.”

India’s XI remains unclear

While England’s decision to hold back Archer means they have an unchanged XI from their win in the first Test at Headingley, India’s side remains uncertain.

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Captain Shubman Gill said star bowler Jasprit Bumrah is “available” but a decision on whether he will play will be made on Tuesday evening as he manages his return from a back injury.

The questions do not end there.

Gill appeared to suggest the tourists will bring in a second spinner, off-spinner Washington Sundar or wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, but the decision is complicated by their weak lower-order after their final four wickets added only 29 runs across two innings combined in Leeds.

Kuldeep would provide a greater wicket-taking threat but Washington greater batting depth.

“If we are able to go with four or five premier bowlers with a sixth bowling option and have batting to seven or eight, that would be a good combination,” Gill said.

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India, who have not won any of their eight men’s Tests at Edgbaston, could also bring in batting all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who scored a century in Australia during the winter and bowls gentle right-arm seam.

Since the start of their partnership in the 2012/13 season, BVB has celebrated many successes, such as reaching the finals of the 2012/13 and 2023/24 UEFA Champions League and winning the 2016/17 and 2020/21 German DFB Cup. The club is currently participating in the FIFA Club World Cup, where it has already reached the round of 16. 

BVB continues to set the standard in European football when it comes to matchday attendance, with more than 80,000 fans visiting the Signal Iduna Park on average.  

“By extending our long-term partnership with BVB ahead of schedule, we are showing how deeply committed we are to the club and its values,” said Matthias Bäumer, Chief Commercial Officer at PUMA. “Season after season, we are inspired by the club’s incredible fan culture, the passion of the legendary Yellow Wall and the team’s attractive style of play. We look forward to continuing to write German football history together.” 

“Our partnership with PUMA has worked so well, because our views of the sport and our values are so closely aligned,” said Carsten Cramer, Managing Director of Borussia Dortmund. “What we have achieved together so far could not have been done with any other partner and we are very excited to continue on this path for the coming seasons.” 

As part of the contract extension, PUMA will continue to equip all male, female and youth teams and create replica and fanwear products. 

Erasmus named a squad that feature 13 players who defeated the Barbarians 54-7 in Cape Town, and with regular Springbok captain Siya Kolisi out after picking up a niggle last week, Kriel retains the captaincy, making him the 67^th Springbok captain. Eben Etzebeth, who is back from injury, will serve as vice-captain in the clash.

The Test will mark a significant occasion for Damian Willemse, who returns to the Bok fold for the first time since the Rugby World Cup final after a series of injuries curtailed his 2024 season, while a suspension for a dangerous tackle saw him miss the outing against the Barbarians.

To Erasmus’ delight, Faf de Klerk, who last wore the green and gold jersey against Ireland in 2024 before his season was cut short by injury, will also return to the field along with Jasper Wiese.

Erasmus opted for largely the same backline that played against the Barbarians, with the only new players being Rugby World Cup winners Willemse at fullback and Handre Pollard at flyhalf, where the latter will pair up with exciting scrumhalf Morne van den Berg.

Willemse, meanwhile, will form an exciting back three with wingers Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while Damian de Allende and Kriel retain their places in the midfield.

Vincent Tshituka will make his Test debut against Italy.

There are three personnel changes in the forward pack, with Wiese replacing Jean-Luc du Preez, whose wife is expecting a child, while Etzebeth takes over from the injured Jean Kleyn in the engine room, and Wilco Louw will start at tighthead prop in a front row with Ox Nche and Malcolm Marx.

Erasmus opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the replacements bench, where experienced hooker Bongi Mbonambi will provide front row cover with props Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Vincent Koch, along with lock RG Snyman and utility forwards Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith.

The two backline players on the bench are De Klerk and Willie le Roux, who will earn his 99^th Test cap if he takes the field, taking him one Test closer to joining the exclusive club of Springbok centurions.

“We have a big squad, and we would like to balance the game time within the group, while at the same time maintaining continuity in selection, and we believe this is the team that will be best suited for what we want to achieve against Italy,” said Erasmus.

“We are also fortunate to have a few experienced players back from injury, who will be keen to make their mark in the game.”

Jesse Kriel will become the Boks’ 67th Test captain on Saturday.

Commenting on Kolisi’s injury, Erasmus said: “Siya unfortunately picked up a niggle, but Marco did a good job at flanker last week and he is one of the core players in our team, so we are blessed to have such depth in the squad.”

Erasmus added: “If one goes through this team, there are so many leaders, and we were impressed with how Jesse accepted the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband last week. He is a player who leads by example on and off the field, and he thoroughly deserves this honour.”

The Bok coach was also delighted for Tshituka, who delivered a strong performance against the Barbarians last week in which he scored two tries in his first game in the Bok jersey.

“Vincent has fitted into our structures really well and he showed last week that he has the potential to play Test rugby, so we are excited to see what he can do against Italy and to see him make his debut,” said the Bok coach.

Commenting on what he expected against Italy, Erasmus said: “They are a quality team with a strong pack and quality backs, and their passion for the team and their country is incredible, so we expect them to throw everything at us.

Damian Willemse’s last Test was the RWC Final in Paris in 2023.

“They also play an exciting brand of rugby, so it will be important for us to stick to our structures and deliver a quality performance all around to get the desired result.”

The match kicks off at 17h10 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Springbok team to face Italy in Pretoria:

15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 39 caps, 56 points (4t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)
14 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 40 caps, 111 points (18t, 3c, 5p)
13 Jesse Kriel (captain, Canon Eagles) – 79 caps, 90 points (18t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 87 caps, 55 points (11t)
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 24 caps, 90 points (18t)
10 Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) – 80 caps, 772 points (7t, 109c, 168p, 5dg)
9 Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions) – 2 caps, 0 points

8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 34 caps, 10 points (2t)
7 Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – uncapped
6 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 25 caps, 10 points (2t)
5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 66 caps, 25 points (5t)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 131 caps, 35 points (7t)
3 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 16 caps, 0 points
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 76 caps, 105 points (21t)
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 39 caps, 0 points

Replacements:

16 Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 77 caps, 70 points (14t)
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 5 points (1t)
18 Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 61 caps, 0 points
19 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 40 caps, 10 points (2t)
20 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 78 caps, 20 points (4t)
21 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 51 caps, 45 points (9t)
22 Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 58 caps, 50 points (5t, 5c, 5p)
23 Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 98 caps, 75 points (15t)

Stats and facts:

Springbok record against Italy:

Played 16; Won 15; Lost 1; Points for: 764, Points against: 195; Tries scored 102, Tries conceded 16; Highest score 101-0; Biggest win 101 points. Win % 94%.

Miscellaneous:

• The Boks have played Italy seven times in South Africa, but this will be the first Test between the sides at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, where the hosts have a 78% win record (32 wins from 41 Tests).
• Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok to 132 caps when he takes the field.
• Damian Willemse will play his first match for the Springboks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand, which the Boks won 12-11.
• Should Willie le Roux take the field, it will mark his 99^th Test match for the Springboks, putting him in line to become only the eighth Springbok centurion in history. He made his Test debut against Italy in Durban in 2013.
• The Springboks have faced Italy 16 times and won 15 of those matches. Their only defeat was in Florence in 2016 where Italy pipped the Boks by 20-18.
• In the 15 matches the Springboks have won against Italy, they only scored fewer than 30 points on three occasions.
• The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 738.
• There are 351 caps in the backline, with 377 caps among the forwards. On the bench there are a further 466 caps.
• The average caps per player in the backline is 50, the forwards 47, while the players on the bench average 58.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – June 26, 2025 – The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and Lenovo, today announced a partnership to make Lenovo’s Legion brand of gaming devices the Official PC & Gaming Hardware partner of the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC). Lenovo Legion is the one of the world’s leading gaming ecosystem brands, and will be bring its relentless commitment to innovation and performance to the global stage, empowering EWC athletes to compete at their highest level.

From training rooms to tournament zones, EWC athletes will be equipped with Lenovo Legion Towers, Lenovo Legion laptops, and peripherals – built for elite esports play with advanced thermal systems, high-performance silicon, high refresh-rate displays and low latency keyboards and mice that meet the demands of top-level competition.

Key models such as the Legion Tower 7i and Legion Tower 5i will feature across the event’s player infrastructure, delivering the reliability and power needed to perform under the intense pressure of elite competition. Designed for esports, both towers offer expansive I/O for a complete gaming setup and Legion Coldfront: Liquid cooling thermal solutions. The Legion Tower 7i boasts advanced cooling and an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5080 Desktop GPU for the extreme performance that top-tier esports athletes rely on, while the Legion Tower 5i pairs intelligent cooling with the RTX 5070 Ti Desktop GPU to deliver focused, winning gameplay.

EWC will also feature Legion Pro 7i laptops to give attendees the full Lenovo Legion experience. Legion laptops untether elite-level gaming experiences from the desk, allowing gamers to win anywhere they find themselves in competition for the top spot with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPUs and Legion Coldfront: Vapor thermal systems, allowing the laptop to deliver up to 250W TDP that brings the most demanding games to life on the 16” PureSight OLED display.

“We’re building the Esports World Cup to set a new global standard — in both competition and the technology behind it,” said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer at Esports World Cup Foundation. “Lenovo’s Legion brand understands what elite players need: speed, efficiency, and reliability under pressure. These machines deliver the competitive edge required on the world’s biggest stage, and together we’re pushing the limits of performance — while delivering an experience that meets the expectations of athletes, fans, and the future of global esports.”

“Lenovo Legion equips gamers around the world with outstanding devices to help them achieve their goals and reach their impossible,” said Volker Düring, VP, PC Gaming Business, Lenovo. “The Esports World Cup is the ultimate forum for the world’s best gamers to showcase their mettle and emerge at the top of the world leaderboards, and when the best gamers compete on Lenovo Legion devices, anything is possible.”

As part of the partnership, Lenovo’s Legion branding will appear across EWC’s global broadcast, digital content, and onsite experiences, including fully equipped festival zones with PCs, gear, and laptops available for attendees to play on-site, helping drive deeper engagement with fans while highlighting the ecosystem that supports world-class gaming.

Fans can expect exclusive content, player-focused storytelling, and digital activations across Lenovo Legion’s social channels, offering an inside look at the road to victory – and the technology that powers it.

Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, 2025, the Esports World Cup will unite global gaming communities for a celebration of esports culture. With 25 tournaments across 24 games, 2,000 elite players, and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, the EWC will feature the largest prize pool in esports history, over $70 million. Fans can expect exclusive experiences, from high-stakes competition to live music, anime cafes, retro arcades, cosplay, and more, drawing millions of fans online and in person.

To learn more about EWC, visit esportsworldcup.com and follow Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.

Explore Lenovo Legion’s full lineup at www.lenovo.com/legion.

Mrzyglód, 27, is a former European U20 and U23 champion and boasts a personal best of 85.92m, recorded en route to winning the Motonet GP Kuortane athletics meet held in Finland in June this year.

The Pole is also a silver medal winner from the 2021 World University Games and competed at both the Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Grenada’s Peters is ranked only behind Neeraj Chopra in the world rankings for men’s javelin throw, and the duo’s showdown was set to be one of the highlights of the upcoming Bengaluru meet.

The NC Classic, rescheduled from May 24 to July 5, is classified as a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet – the highest category of international athletics competition ever hosted in India. It will take place at Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

Despite Peters’ absence, the competition will still feature a stacked field headlined by Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist and reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra.

Other top names include Rio 2016 gold medallist Thomas Röhler (Germany), 2015 world champion and Rio 2016 silver medal winner Julius Yego (Kenya).

The line-up also includes Pan American Games champion Curtis Thompson of the USA, Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage.

India’s challenge will include Neeraj Chopra alongside Rohit Yadav, Sachin Yadav, Sahil Silwal and Yash Vir Singh.

The meet is being jointly organised by Neeraj Chopra, JSW Sports, the Athletics Federation of India and World Athletics.