Category: 6. Sports

This feature is the second in a five-part series sharing the stories of refugee athletes Farida Abaroge, Seyd Taha Ghafari, Omar Hassan, Emmanuel Kiruhura Ntagunga and Seyfu Jamaal Tahir as they seek selection to the Athlete Refugee Team (ART) at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. 

 

After taking on work that put his life in danger, Seyd Taha Ghafari was forced to flee Iran, leaving everything he knew behind. 

Ghafari was unable to see his family for five long years. When he arrived in the UK with no certainties, he found strength and connection through running. 

Running became his lifeline, helping him to navigate a new world, build a community and regain hope.

“I continued to run, because it gives you good feeling – mentally and physically,” explains the 30-year-old, who ran for the Athlete Refugee Team at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst in 2023.

“I saw my family briefly. That was a very sad moment. You don’t only leave your family, you leave your friends and everything you’ve built, just like that.

“A big motivation for me when I arrived was that I saw so many people running in the parks and on the roads in the UK. I felt really good. I felt like I knew all of them. I started running again and it felt like home.

“As marathon runners, we have lots of long runs. Many things in your mind come and go. I’m always thinking about my past, and what a great opportunity I have.”

View the full video feature on World Athletics Watch.

 

Video features on Farida Abaroge, Emmanuel Kiruhura Ntagunga and Seyfu Jamaal Tahir will be published on World Athletics Watch during the next few weeks. The feature on Omar Hassan is already available.

Interview and video production by Christel Saneh for World Athletics

 

Emma Meesseman produces magic

At the heart of it all was Meesseman. The 32-year-old forward delivered another complete performance in the final: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. She was everywhere, orchestrating the offence, anchoring the defence and leading with the calm authority of a veteran who has seen – and done – it all. Her efforts earned her a second consecutive EuroBasket MVP award, adding to a glittering resume that includes a WNBA championship, WNBA FInals MVP award, six EuroLeague titles and three EuroLeague MVP awards, further cementing her legacy as one of the all-time greats in women’s basketball.

“It’s still hard to believe,” Meeseman told FIBA after the game. “I have had a lot of games in my career but not one like that before and especially not in a final. It’s a good reminder to never give up – in sport or in life.”

When asked about becoming the first woman to receive back-to-back EuroBasket MVP awards, the 6ft 4in (1.93m) superstar was typically humble in her response.

“If individual awards come along then I am fine with that, but I will always be most proud of this trophy and the team that I did it with,” she said.

“Especially where we came from. It’s not like we ever had a history like France or Spain. We just did it with this group. This [MVP award] might be catching some dust, but this [the gold medal] will always be on show. It’s the thing I will remember always.”

“I do like writing history, though.”

Kate Middleton knows just how to make her son Prince Louis part of the fun.

While Prince George, 11, and Princess Charlotte, 10, have attended Wimbledon matches with their parents, seven-year-old Louis has yet to make his debut. But that hasn’t stopped the youngest Wales child from getting involved.

According to the Daily Mail, Princess Kate revealed during a 2023 Wimbledon appearance that Louis had been practicing his ball boy skills at home. “Louis was very upset he was coming today,” she revealed. “It’s Charlotte’s first time, George came last year. They’ve been eagerly watching.”

Kate reportedly shared with a young ball boy, Joel, that Louis had taken a special interest in copying the professionals on court.

“He tries to practise the standing and staying serious, like us,” Joel told PA News.

While they’ve taken on their father Prince Wiliam’s love for football, the Wales children share their mother’s passion for tennis. In 2019, Princess Catherine even arranged for private tennis lessons for Prince George with none other than Wimbledon champion Roger Federer.

As the prestigious tennis championship kicks off on Monday, June 30, it is yet to be confirmed whether the Prince and Princess of Wales will attend, or which of their children will join.

However, one member of the royal family made her return to the courtside after more than 20 years: Sarah Ferguson.

The Duchess of York was joined by her daughter Princess Beatrice as they watched the action from the Royal Box at SW19 on opening day. 

India’s campaign at the World Boxing Cup Kazakhstan 2025 began on a promising note, with Hitesh Gulia, Sachin Siwach, Minakshi and Muskan picking up opening-day wins in Astana on Monday.

Competing at the Beeline Arena, Indian boxers Hitesh Gulia and Sachin Siwach started off with unanimous wins in the men’s light middleweight (70kg) and lightweight boxing (60kg) categories, respectively.

Hitesh Gulia, a gold medallist from the opening leg of the World Boxing Cup in Brazil, outclassed Olympian Kan Chia-Wei of Chinese Taipei 5:0. Sachin, a bronze winner in Brazil, was convincing in his 5:0 win over Canada’s Keoma-Ali Al-Ahmadieh.

In women’s events, Minakshi began her campaign with a clean 5:0 win over Australia’s Madeleine Bowen in the light flyweight (48kg) division.

Meanwhile, Muskan edged England’s Kerry Davis in a closely contested 3:2 decision in the middleweight category (75kg).

Back in April, India had claimed six medals at the previous World Boxing Cup leg in Brazil.

The Indian women did not compete in Brazil. The tournament in Astana is the second of three scheduled events that help boxers accumulate ranking points throughout the year.

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.

The series will conclude with a final event in India this November, where stage winners and top-ranked boxers will compete for the World Boxing Cup title.

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (AP) — South Africa set Zimbabwe 537 runs to win the first test after Wiaan Mulder’s career-best 147 on Monday.

Zimbabwe was 32-1 at stumps on day three, trailing by 505 runs with two days to go and without concussed opener Brian Bennett. His replacement, Prince Masvaure, was 5 not out.

A solid start by Zimbabwe was spoiled by opener Takudzwanashe Kaitano edging Corbin Bosch to second slip on what turned out to be the last ball of the day.

Zimbabwe has six 500-plus scores in test cricket, most recently last December against Afghanistan at the same Queens Sports Club. But its highest fourth-innings total was 331 in a 2001 loss to New Zealand, also in Bulawayo.

Considering Zimbabwe was out for 251 in the first innings, South Africa already began the day in charge from leading by 216 at 49-1 in the second innings with Mulder 25 not out.

South Africa was reduced to 155-5 in the morning session but Mulder stood firm and his partnership with Kyle Verreynne, worth 104 in 131 balls into the afternoon, diminished Zimbabwe hopes.

Mulder reached his second test century before lunch, the 100 coming from 149 balls.

After 17 boundaries and two sixes, Mulder was out in the afternoon, caught right on the boundary by Kaitano after taking on Wessly Madhevere.

A late 51 from 70 balls by stand-in Proteas captain Keshav Maharaj, the only other 50-plus score in the second innings, pumped up the total to 369 after the first innings was declared on 418-9.

Maharaj was bowled by Wellington Masakadza, who took 4-98. Tanaka Chivanga and Vincent Masekesa got two wickets each.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Family affair as the Marias next head to Wimbledon

Maria, née Malek, turned pro in 2001, making her WTA main draw debut five years later.

A first Grand Slam appearance at the Australian Open in 2009, was followed by a second three years later, reaching the second round in both.

After marrying Charles-Edourad Maria in April 2013, Maria took a sabbatical to have Charlotte, inadvertently but happily becoming a trailblazer and mentor to those such as Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka who followed.

But player and coach, husband and wife, both felt there was more to give.

Sure enough, with a little patience and hard work and with an additional mini supporter along for the ride, Maria’s first tour title win came in 2018, at the Mallorca Open. The meat in the tour-title sandwich was two wins in Bogota in 2022 and 2023, which both came after having baby Cecilia‍ in April 2021.

A couple of months after winning her second career title, Maria became the first mother of two this century to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, thanks to a Wimbledon run where the German was only thwarted by second seed and world No.2, Ons Jabeur. But it still took three sets.

Noted for her second return to tennis, and subsequent successes, after maternity leave, Maria was voted the WTA’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2022.

The Bad Saulgau native also became an Olympian for the first time at Paris 2024 where she competed in both singles and doubles.

So there’s clearly still more in the tank, highlighted by the win at Queen’s – an even more notable moment with women playing at the iconic venue for the first time since 1973 – leaving Maria fizzing with positivity ahead of Wimbledon 2025.

“In [2022] when I played Wimbledon, I mean, I was fighting for every point, but there were sometimes like a few doubts,” Maria said. “This week, I really found my confidence. I was believing in myself from the first till the last point that I could win this. Every single match.”

With the continuing upward trajectory of recent performances and with her family by her side, Maria can only be excited about taking to the hallowed turf in southwest London’s Wimbledon once again, and has inspirational advice for those who might think their dreams are too late.

“Everything is possible if you believe in it and you go your way,” she said. “Doesn’t matter which it is, everybody has a different one, but you have to keep going and that’s the most important thing I want to show to my kids.”

Perhaps something she doesn’t want to show her kids, or at least young Cecillia – just to keep the pressure off – is the famous Venus Rosewater Dish given to the winner of the women’s tournament at Wimbledon – that’s nice and big and shiny too – but it really is a whole other ball game to win that one.

But like many of her opponents are finding out; you wouldn’t put it past her.

England have named an unchanged XI for the second Test against India at Edgbaston, which gets underway on Wednesday, meaning that Jofra Archer’s much-vaunted return to Test cricket has been deferred at least until next week’s third Test at Lord’s.

The team was confirmed two days out from the start of the contest, as has become the norm for England under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, and comes in the wake of their impressive five-wicket victory in the first Test at Headingley.

England successfully chased down 371 to win that match, after India had made much of the running across the five days, including through five individual hundreds – two of which came from their wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

However, England’s bowlers struck back in both India innings, claiming 7 for 41 in the first innings and 6 for 31 in the second, to set up what proved to be an obtainable target.

Josh Tongue was instrumental in this with seven lower-order wickets across the two innings, while Brydon Carse impressed with his pace and stamina in a rare outing with the new ball. England’s attack leader, Chris Woakes, claimed just one wicket in the Test but made important first-innings runs, and has been backed to rediscover his rhythm after missing much of the early season with an ankle injury.

Archer had been in line for his first Test since February 2021 when he was last week named in England’s 15-man squad for the second Test. However, despite coming through unscathed from his first red-ball outing for Sussex since May 2021, he will now wait for a potential comeback at Lord’s. Given there are only three days between the culmination of this Test and the third, Archer could well make his 14th cap at Lord’s, where he debuted back in 2019.

He bowled 18 overs and took 1 for 32 in a draw with Durham at Chester-le-Street. Following a long battle with stress fractures of the elbow and back, the 30-year-old’s call-up was a welcome sign of progress having last been involved with the Test side during the 2021 tour of India.

Archer was not present for Monday’s training session at Edgbaston due to a family emergency, and will rejoin the squad on Tuesday. None of England’s non-playing squad members – Archer, Sam Cook, Jamie Overton and Jacob Bethell – are expected to be released to play for their counties in the latest round of Championship matches that got underway on Sunday.

Chris Woakes, who is preparing to play his fourth Test at his home ground, anticipates a step-up in performance from England following the confidence boost of successfully chasing down 371 on the final day at Headingley.

“It’s always good to get over the line and get a win,” Woakes said. “That does breed some confidence within the group to show that we’re doing some things right. We’re also a group that we know we need to improve. There’s areas that we did last week that we know we can do better. So yes, we’ll look at putting those things right.

“But certainly as a team, we’re pretty happy with how we go about things and the style of cricket and the brand of cricket we want to play. We know that that’s been successful over the last few years and we’ll stick to that. But there’s definitely still tweaks that we know we can do a bit better as a team. So we’ll be looking to do that.”

England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 Shoaib Bashir