Category: 6. Sports

LAUSANNE (Switzerland) – AJ Dybantsa came to Lausanne on a mission – winning the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 to become a back-to-back FIBA youth world champion.

The projected number 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has United States just two wins from that goal thanks to an amazing all-around game and great off-court personality.

USA thus far has been challenged only twice, and both times Dybantsa has been there to shine for the team.
In the opening game against Australia, the Americans were never really able to fully put them away and Dybantsa collected 18 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. But most importantly, he was a menace driving to the basket, converting 12 of 15 free throws.

Dybantsa played his usual versatile game in the next three games with limited minutes on the floor, picking his spots and scoring 16 points against France and Cameroon and then totaling 7 points in 12 minutes in a blowout of Jordan in the Round of 16.

But USA were faced with a major challenge against Canada and Dybantsa was there for his best game of the tournament: 22 points on 5 of 8 shots and 12 of 13 free throws, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in a 108-102 win.

The 18-year-old himself is strictly business off the court with the media. He answers journalists’ questions but is short and to the point.

“It’s a blessing to be here and represent my country,” he said about being back on the global stage after taking the title at the FIBA U17 World Cup 2024. “It’s not any different, it’s the same mission. Gold, I’m only here for gold.”

Instead of pressing for more information from Dybantsa, why not let the people around him in Lausanne speak about him?

“He’s a world class talent but he’s also a world class teammate. He does a really good job playing through the team concept. He’s really not trying to play for himself. So that’s been really refreshing,” USA head coach Tommy Lloyd said about Dybantsa.

And when asked about what impresses him most about the guard, Lloyd added: “Amazing physical ability, good IQ, willingness to play within the team concept. I dont know if he is necessarily trying to come here and trying to be the leading scorer. I just think he’s trying to make sure USA comes out on top in the end.”

Daniel Jacobsen is playing with Dybantsa for the first time as the big man is part of the 2006-born generation, which played the FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2024 last summer.

“I think he’s a great player. Obviously he can do it all on the court. But more importantly he’s a really good teammate. He’s able to share the ball, especially with a star-studded team. He can play more of a role. He’s been awesome so far.”

Morez Johnson also played with the U18 team last summer and is teaming up with him for the first time on a USA squad.

“I don’t think AJ is worried about any pressure. That is important. The game is still a game at the end of the day. You can’t worry about that. And he’s handling that very well,” Johnson said.

And what about Dybantsa off the court?

“He’s a very vocal guy. He’s a leader by example and he talks. That is very important that you talk to the guys. A lot of guys are shy when they are around other good players – not AJ,” Johnson added.

Dybantsa is one of seven players in Lausanne who were on the USA team at last summer’s FIBA U17 World Cup.

“Obviously he’s gotten better. He’s shooting the ball better and he gets to his spots. People can’t guard him so you have to foul him. He’s getting to the free throw line at a higher rate,” said Caleb Holt about the difference between last summer and this one.

“AJ is great. Everybody knows he’s a team player and he can get a bucket. AJ’s the number one player in the country for a reason.”

Tyran Stokes got to know Dybantsa well after playing with him the entire 2023-24 season in high school and the AAU circuit and then last summer in Istanbul with USA Basketball. Dybantsa transferred high schools for this past season and Stokes sees a difference.

“I got to watch him day and night in the gym. I could see he has a great work ethic and great motor. Him being at Utah Prep and being out of the way really helped him a lot. He was able to lock in on what he was able to do, which is get better and stay in the gym. And I can really see that translate, especially from the high school level to the FIBA level,” Stokes said.

Another teammate from the U17 national team with Dybantsa against is JJ Mandaquit, who played with him this past season at Utah Prep.

“He’s grown a lot from a leadership standpoint, from his game. Obviously his shooting has gotten a lot better, but also the leadership part – making sure everybody stays together and plays the right way,” Mandaquit said.

And when asked how he shows that leadership, Mandaquit answered: “He jokes around a lot and dances. He’s always posting videos on TikTok. He gets our team going in the locker room with the music and dancing.”

Going back to Dybantsa himself, the dynamic guard said his experience in Türkiye helped him know what to expect in Lausanne.

“Just playing together. We’re kind of unbeatable with all the talent we have. So we just have to play together,” Dybantsa said.

And having that U17 core back is a benefit for the whole team, he says, adding: “It’s better for us because we have good chemistry.”

Mikel Brown also talked about Dybantsa and said he’s a big part of the team’s success.

“I am blessed to have the opportunity to play alongside him in this tournament. He does a little bit of everything. He’s kind of a Swiss army knife,” said Brown, who was a member of the U18 team last summer.

“AJ keeps it simple. He’s very unselfish and he wants the best for his teammates. That’s something that people don’t always see. He’s always being a good teammate.”

A good teammate who makes a great team even greater.

FIBA

Meanwhile, India’s Aryaveer Dewan claimed the boys’ U17 Asian junior squash title after defeating Malaysian top seed Nickhileswar Moganasundharam 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-3) in the age-group final.

Two more Indian players – Ayaan Dhanuka in boys’ U13 and Saanvi Kalanki in girls’ U15 – had to settle for silver medals after losing in their respective finals.

Saanvi lost 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 12-10) to Malaysia’s Jinoreeka Ning in her age group final, while Ayaan lost 3-1 (11-5, 11-2, 11-13, 11-6) to top-seeded Pakistani player Muhammad Sohail Adnan in the title clash.

Amarya Bajaj (boys’ U13), Aryaman Singh (boys’ U15) and Anika Dubey (girls’ U17) also clinched bronze medals from the continental meet by making the semi-finals of their respective events.

Squash is all set to make its Olympic debut at LA 2028.

Japan stormed back in the second half to beat Wales 24-19 on Kyushu Island on Saturday, extending the visitors’ record losing streak to 18 Test matches.

Japan were 19-7 down at the break before two second half tries saw them come back to overhaul the deficit.

Both sides scored three tries in an error-strewn clash at the Mikuni World Stadium, where Wales were hoping to end 18 months of misery, having last won a match at the 2023 Rugby World Cup against Georgia.

They looked to be well on course to break their drought at the break but fell apart in the second half as Japan rallied for the narrow victory.

Japan fullback Takuro Matsunaga scored in the first half, while his replacement Ichigo Nakakusu and fellow substitute Halatoa Vailea went over for two more tries.

All were converted by Lee Seungsin, who also kicked a penalty.

The tourists’ points came in the first half, with Ben Thomas and Tom Rogers going over, and Wales also awarded a penalty try. Sam Costelow kicked just one conversion.

Welsh rugby is seeking to rebuild after plunging to a new low in a 68-14 defeat to England in their final Six Nations game in March, but the loss in Japan is a further blow. They will now drop to 14th in the world rankings.

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Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth entered the semi-finals of the men’s singles event at the Canada Open 2025 badminton tournament with a convincing win in Ontario on Friday.

Up against top seed and Olympian Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei in the quarter-finals, world No. 49 Kidambi Srikanth won the match 21-18, 21-9 in 43 minutes to enter the semi-finals.

This was Kidambi Srikanth’s fourth win in 10 meetings against Chou Tien-chen, who is the current world No. 9. Srikanth, who finished as runners-up at the Malaysia Masters in May, will face Olympian and third seed Kenta Nishimoto of Japan in the semis.

However, Kidambi Srikanth’s compatriot Sankar Subramanian’s run at the BWF Super 300 tournament came to an end as he went down fighting against Kenta Nishimoto.

After losing the first game, Sankar Subramanian rallied to win the second before falling short in the third to face a 21-15, 5-21, 21-17 defeat.

This was Sankar Subramanian’s second loss in as many matches against world No. 12 Kenta Nishimoto.

Meanwhile, India’s challenge in the women’s singles at the Canada Open wrapped up after Shriyanshi Valishetty’s spirited run in the tournament was halted in the quarter-finals.

Shriyanshi Valishetty, 75th in the women’s singles badminton rankings, squared off against world No. 69 Amalie Schulz of Denmark in the quarter-finals.

The Indian badminton player started the match well but failed to sustain the momentum, going down 12-21, 21-19, 21-19.

This was Shriyanshi Valishetty’s first defeat against Amalie Schulz, having prevailed over the Dane in their only previous meeting at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Masters.

BATHINDA: When Shubhman Gill became the first Indian captain to hit an iconic double ton in a Test match in England, his 90-year-old grandfather Didar Singh, who had been watching his stroke play on television, smiled serenely and showed the thumbs-up sign. He also said this had infused new strength in him, and he felt younger than his 90 years.Shubhman scored his 200th run on the first ball of the 122nd over of the first innings of the match bowled by J Tongue. Literally on cloud nine, Didar Singh reminisced about the time when a bat-wielding Shubhman, barely 5 years old then, had climbed onto his lap.

With this feat, Shubhman has become the youngest to score a double ton in ODIs and Tests at 25 years, making Punjab proud of his feat.

He is only the second from Punjab after Navjot Singh Sidhu to score a double century in Test matches. Sidhu had scored 201 runs against the West Indies in the second Test of the 1997 series at Port of Spain. Shubhman has also joined the elite league comprising only Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, having scored double hundreds as a captain of the national squad.Shubhman had scored 208 runs in a one day international (ODI) on Jan 18, 2023, in the first match of the series against New Zealand, becoming the fifth Indian batsman to hit a double century in ODIs and the youngest batsman to achieve the feat.Didar Singh, while speaking to TOI, said, “Shubhman was less than five years old when he first held the cricket bat and played in the courtyard of our home at Chak Jaimal Singh Wala village in Fazilka. Seeing his keen interest in cricket, my son Lakhwinder shifted to Jalalabad when Shubhman was only seven years old, as there were better sports facilities in Jalalabad. After some time, he shifted to Chandigarh for Shubhman’s career in cricket.” The cricketer was born on Sep 8, 1999, at Punjab’s Chak Jaimal Singh Wala village.Didar Singh last met Shubhman nearly three months ago at his Mohali residence and witnessed him play in a stadium duing the the 2024 IPL matches at Jaipur and Ahmedabad.Didar Singh, along with his wife Gurmail Kaur, said, “Shubhman loved me a lot and used to spend most of his time with me until he shifted to Jalalabad. When he began playing international cricket, he used to ring me up when he achieved any milestone… infusing me with a booster dose of joy and strength. It is the same today.”The string of congratulatory messages for Gill’s grandparents had them basking in his glory.

The IFSC Climbing World Cup in Kraków, Poland hosted competitors from around the world at this year’s fourth Speed World Cup competition. Here’s what some of the top-performing athletes had to say following each round.

PRE-EVENT

Sam Watson of the USA:

“I feel really lucky to be in Poland, it’s a really cool place and it’s my first time in the country.”

“The venue looks amazing. The city of Krakow, walking around, it’s such a cool, old town, and this venue – the square, the backdrop, it all looks amazing.”

Natalia Kalucka of Poland

“To be honest I’m a little bit nervous because I want to showcase my level to my home crowd. But I think I am ready because I’ve got a lot of experience in climbing now.”

“I think it will be crazy. I think the crowd is quite specific in Poland, but quite friendly. I think they will give a bit more support to the Polish athletes so it will be a good motivation for us Polish climbers.”

“My main goal is to focus on my personal performance. The first part of the season was a little hard for me as I feel I did quite a few little mistakes, so I want to only show the best of me during the competition.”

A brief look at Diogo Jota’s football careerpublished at 08:13 British Summer Time

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Image source, Getty Images

Diogo Jota reached the pinnacle of his football career for both club and country this season, winning the Premier League title with Liverpool and helping Portugal to victory in the final of the Uefa Nations League.

He began his career with Portuguese side Pacos de Ferreira and joined Atletico Madrid in 2016.

Jota had successful loan spells with both Porto and Wolves, helping the latter earn promotion to the Premier League in 2018 before making his move to Molineux a permanent one that summer.

After two years in the West Midlands, the forward transferred to Liverpool in a move worth an initial £41m and went on to score 65 goals in 182 appearances during five seasons at Anfield.

His honours with the Reds also included one FA Cup (2022) and two EFL Cup (2022 & 2024) winners medals.

Internationally, Jota scored 14 goals in 49 appearances for Portugal.