Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson suffered her second consecutive Diamond League defeat after finishing behind Kenyan world champion Lilian Odira in Eugene.

The reigning world champion over the distance surged past the British athlete in the home straight to secure a commanding victory.

She crossed the finish line in a season’s best time of one minute and 56.19 seconds.

The Olympic gold medallist followed closely in second place with a time of one minute and 56.73 seconds.

Struggles and injury concerns in Oregon

A realistic challenge for the oldest track world record never materialized during a physically demanding race in the United States.

The 24-year-old emerged for the competition with both knees heavily strapped following a recent bad fall.

This physical setback directly contributed to a laboured start that left the pre-race favourite playing catch-up.

Mixed summer season continues

This latest result follows a previous setback in Stockholm last June when Audrey Werro took the victory.

The British record holder has navigated a frustrating and fragmented summer campaign.

She was forced to withdraw from the 400m final at the UK Athletics Championships last month.

The athlete cited feeling “a little twinge” as the primary reason for abandoning the domestic sprint event.

Chasing a historic track milestone

The ambitious runner has been competing over 400m this season to dramatically improve her crucial first-lap speed.

Her ultimate goal is to mount a serious challenge for the 800m world record later this summer.

That historic mark of one minute 53.28 seconds was established by Czech athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.

UFC star Max Holloway believes he will defeat returning rival Conor McGregor in Las Vegas on 11 July to set up a blockbuster trilogy bout at Allegiant Stadium in December.

The highly anticipated welterweight clash will take place at the T-Mobile Arena to headline the UFC 329 card.

It marks a significant return for the Irish superstar, who has not competed since suffering a broken leg during a knockout defeat by Dustin Poirier in 2021.

With only two fights remaining on his current deal, promotion officials have reportedly discussed scheduling the 35-year-old’s subsequent bout for April 2027.

However, the returning Dubliner has publicly expressed a strong desire to compete much sooner, prompting a bold solution from his upcoming opponent.

Stadium ambitions and contract solutions

The Hawaiian fighter is confident that a spectacular victory next week will force the promotion’s hand into booking an immediate rematch.

“He was talking about some contract stuff, how he doesn’t want to wait a year,” Holloway said.

“I told him, ‘Don’t need to worry, bro. I got you.’ I go out there and get my hand raised in some crazy fashion, poke the bear a little bit more, poke Dana White, and we do Allegiant Stadium in December.”

Overcoming promotional hurdles

The sport’s parent company, TKO, holds an existing agreement to host four annual events at the T-Mobile Arena, which could complicate plans for an alternative Las Vegas venue.

UFC chief executive Dana White has traditionally been reluctant to host stadium shows, though recent promotional moves suggest a softening stance.

The organisation successfully navigated a rare outdoor event at the White House last month, while White was recently involved in promoting a major boxing card at the 65,000-capacity Allegiant Stadium.

Rebuilding momentum after setbacks

Holloway enters the octagon seeking redemption after suffering a comprehensive loss to Charles Oliveira in a BMF title bout this March.

Despite strong recent form that includes victories over top contenders Poirier and Justin Gaethje, the 32-year-old admitted his surprise at securing such a high-profile matchup.

“That’s when things happen, when it’s least expected,” Holloway explained.

“After beating Dustin Poirier I was like, ‘Bro, for sure, something like this should happen with him coming back, right?’ Nope. I got Charles. And after that fight happened, I was like, ‘Well, I’ve got to work my ass back to the title shot,’ and then this happens.”

Meanwhile, his opponent must overcome a prolonged period of octagon inconsistency, having secured just one victory in four UFC appearances since a lucrative 2017 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather.

England are aiming to emulate the historic home successes of the Lionesses and Red Roses when they face Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s on Sunday.

The host nation is just one victory away from securing their own monumental sporting moment in front of a passionate home crowd.

Led by captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, the side hopes to follow in the footsteps of the 2022 football European champions and 2025 rugby World Cup winners.

“Talking about the Lionesses and Red Roses before the tournament, you know we have a chance to be part of that movement of women’s sport in the country,” Sciver-Brunt said.

Formidable opponents stand in the way

Despite the overwhelming optimism, recent history heavily favours the opposition.

The Southern Stars are currently on an eight-match winning streak against the hosts across all formats.

That dominant run includes a devastating 16-0 points-system sweep in the 2025 Ashes series.

It was that bruising encounter 18 months ago which led to serial winner Charlotte Edwards taking over as head coach.

A flawless home record offers hope

Edwards has undeniably improved her squad since that Ashes thrashing, guiding them to an impressive run in this tournament.

History also provides a significant psychological boost for the home side.

The national team has won every single 50-over and 20-over World Cup they have ever hosted.

Previous triumphs on home soil include the inaugural T20 tournament in 2009 alongside ODI victories in 1973, 1993 and 2017.

Overcoming the ultimate mental hurdle

To maintain that perfect home record, they must overcome a grim head-to-head statistic in major tournament deciders.

The two nations have contested six World Cup finals previously, with the tourists emerging victorious in every single one.

The Australians emphatically demonstrated their current firepower by thrashing West Indies in Tuesday’s semi-final with seven overs to spare.

The stage is now perfectly set at the home of cricket to see whether this transformed team can finally break their historic hoodoo.

Ireland secured a dramatic 33-31 comeback victory over Australia in the Nations Championship in Sydney after Wallabies replacement Ben Donaldson missed a last-gasp penalty.

The touring side were far from their fluid best but still managed to extend their winning streak against the hosts dating back to 2018.

Replacement prop Tom Clarkson proved the ultimate hero by crossing the whitewash in the 77th minute to snatch a decisive late lead.

With time expired, the home crowd held its breath as Donaldson lined up a long-range kick to steal the victory.

Wallabies strike early in first-half blitz

The effort drifted agonizingly wide of the right upright, ensuring Andy Farrell’s men escaped with a bonus-point triumph.

Earlier in the contest, the hosts capitalized on uncharacteristic Irish errors to build a five-point advantage by half-time.

Dylan Pietsch, Jock Campbell, Josh Canham and Ryan Lonergan all crossed during a frenetic opening 40 minutes for the gold-clad outfit.

Heavyweight resilience shines through

However, the Six Nations heavyweights refused to capitulate under mounting pressure in the southern hemisphere.

Cian Prendergast, Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park responded with crucial scores of their own to keep the visitors firmly in touch.

Following the restart, Hugo Keenan secured the vital bonus point before livewire scrum-half Tate McDermott restored the advantage for the Australians.

Late drama seals historic escape

A tense final quarter saw Dan Sheehan stripped of a potential score following intervention from the television match official.

Despite this setback, the resilient Irish pack relentlessly battered the opposition defensive line during the closing stages.

Clarkson eventually powered over for his second international try, setting the stage for the missed final kick that ultimately decided the enthralling encounter.

Match line-ups

Australia:

Ireland:

Tadej Pogacar will begin his quest for a historic record-equalling fifth Tour de France title when the 113th edition gets underway in Barcelona on Saturday.

The world’s leading cyclist arrives at the start line sporting a bleached haircut that has drawn widespread comparisons to American rapper Eminem.

Victory in Paris on 26 July would elevate the 27-year-old alongside legendary five-time champions Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain.

The gruelling 21-stage route will test the peloton with punishing mountain ascents and high-speed Alpine descents before culminating in the traditional sprint finish.

Vingegaard and rivals pose major threat

The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider enters the race as the clear favourite after dominating the Tour de Suisse in June.

However, long-time rival Jonas Vingegaard presents a formidable challenge in the battle for the general classification.

The Danish superstar is targeting his third overall yellow jersey following a commanding triumph in the Giro d’Italia.

Mexican prospect Isaac del Toro provides elite support for the pre-race favourite and could even challenge for a podium place himself.

British hopes rest on Pidcock

Seven British riders will take the start line, with Tom Pidcock leading the debutant Pinarello-Q36.5 team.

The Leeds-born cyclist finished third overall at the 2025 Vuelta a Espana and holds strong ambitions for a top-10 overall finish.

French fans will look towards 19-year-old debutant Paul Seixas to end their nation’s decades-long wait for a home champion.

Belgian contender Remco Evenepoel completes a star-studded list of elite hopefuls aiming to disrupt the pre-race predictions.

Ben Stokes has posted a final farewell to international cricket following his dramatic retirement during England’s third Test defeat against New Zealand.

The talismanic all-rounder released a chaotic official statement moments before claiming his final international wicket at Trent Bridge.

It brought an end to a remarkable journey that will be remembered as one of the most successful and colourful in English sporting history.

A turbulent final summer

The charismatic player experienced a heavily disrupted final chapter before calling time on his international career.

He began the summer by guiding his country to a morale-boosting victory at Lord’s.

However, the highly decorated star missed the second Test following an incident at a London nightclub, returning for a final stand in Nottingham after receiving an official conduct warning.

Saying goodbye to supporters

His actual on-field departure proved equally frantic, culminating in a surprise promotion to open the batting as the hosts succumbed to a thumping 160-run defeat.

Writing on social media after spending time with his family, the celebrated cricketer offered a personal message of gratitude.

“It’s been a mad 15 years. It’s had everything thrown in there, from the highest highs to the lowest lows (on and off the field).”
“My time was up, and no one was going to be able to make that decision other than me.”

The legendary match-winner emphasised his deep appreciation for everyone who shared his fifteen-year tenure.

“I love every single person I’ve walked out onto the field with representing England.”
“I’m looking forward to being a fan and supporting the team, and the odd day in hospitality won’t go amiss. Family, friends, teammates, fans…I love yas all.”

Zak Crawley has been omitted from England’s 16-man squad for the upcoming ODI series against India, creating an opening for highly rated all-rounder James Coles.

The Kent batter loses his place in the setup following an uninspiring domestic campaign, having averaged just 10.17 across his last six T20 Blast appearances.

His absence paves the way for a potential 50-over international debut for Coles.

Coles earns maiden call-up amid Overton injury

The 22-year-old prospect was previously named in the T20 squad for the ongoing five-match series against the same opposition.

His inclusion comes as Jamie Overton misses out after sustaining a right thigh injury while playing for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.

Coles has enjoyed a rapid rise in prominence, recently fetching a top price of £390,000 from London Spirit in The Hundred auction.

Dawson returns as Livingstone exile continues

Veteran spinner Liam Dawson is also named in the squad following his retirement from red-ball cricket last month.

The Hampshire all-rounder aims to cement his place in the white-ball squad with the 2027 World Cup on the horizon.

However, there is still no place for Liam Livingstone, whose international exile extends following a public fallout with managing director Rob Key.

“The worst experiences I’ve had in cricket.”

The 100-cap international recently offered that blunt assessment to Cricinfo regarding his interactions with management during the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Brook to captain pace-heavy attack

Harry Brook will lead the side at Edgbaston as speculation mounts over his potential appointment as the permanent Test skipper following Ben Stokes’ retirement.

The Yorkshire batter will have a potent pace attack at his disposal, with Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue both returning to the fold.

The fast-bowling duo were rested for Wednesday’s opening T20 match after featuring in a heavy Test defeat against New Zealand just days earlier.

England’s 16-player ODI squad:

Undefeated heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk is in negotiations with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing for a final career bout against former world champion Deontay Wilder in the United States.

The 39-year-old vacated his WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles last week but immediately clarified his intention to secure one final lucrative fight before walking away.

Usyk’s team director, Sergey Lapin, has confirmed that the Ukrainian specifically wants to face the American veteran in a farewell spectacle.

“Usyk has already stated that he sees Deontay Wilder as the opponent for his last dance,” Lapin told BBC Sport.

“It is a match-up with significant potential from a sporting, media and international perspective.”

New promotional frontier

The proposed matchup could serve as a flagship event for Zuffa Boxing, a newly formed promotional entity fronted by UFC president White.

Backed by Saudi Arabian investment, the venture aims to disrupt traditional boxing structures by sidestepping established sanctioning bodies and recognising its own champions.

“We are in direct discussions with Zuffa Boxing at the highest level, though no agreements have been signed at this stage,” Lapin added.

Shelly Finkel, who manages the 40-year-old American heavyweight, confirmed his client’s willingness to accept the challenge if a formal offer materialises.

“If Deontay is offered a fight with Usyk, he would take it,” Finkel told BBC Sport.

American soil preferred

Lapin indicated that staging the major international event in the United States remains the most logical option for all involved parties.

The two-time undisputed champion is seeking a conclusive finale after controversially stopping kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in May.

Rather than defend his WBC belt against interim titleholder Agit Kabayel, the undefeated southpaw opted to relinquish his remaining division crowns.

His prospective opponent secured a split-decision victory over Derek Chisora in April, marking the 45th win of a storied 50-fight professional career.

However, the once-feared knockout artist from Alabama has visibly declined in recent years, failing to recapture his peak form following a punishing trilogy against Tyson Fury.