Teenage sprinter Gout Gout has retained his under-20 100m title at the Australian Junior Championships in Brisbane, clocking 10.21 seconds to secure victory while missing out on a sub-10 time.

The 18-year-old recovered from a sluggish start to surge clear of the field with a legal +0.5m/s tailwind.

He comfortably finished ahead of rivals Zavier Peacock and Uwezo Lubenda to claim his second consecutive national age-group crown.

Showboating for the home crowd

The local favourite even found time to wave to the supporters as he approached the finish line.

“My family is here somewhere so I was waving to them, my friends and a couple of the fans.”

He admitted his opening phase of the race was far from ideal and hindered his pursuit of a faster time.

“I didn’t have the best start. I couldn’t tell you why.”
“The coach could probably tell you. I came out for the ‘W’ pretty much and put on a show for the people watching.”

Landmark 200m performance

This weekend’s victory comes less than a week after the highly-rated sprinter made history at the senior Australian Athletics Championships.

He delivered an outstanding 19.67s run in the 200m to become the first Australian man to break the 20-second barrier.

That achievement set a benchmark faster than eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt managed at the same age.

Chasing the elusive 10-second barrier

The talented youngster previously ran a personal best of 10.00s flat in February and clocked a wind-assisted 9.99s in Perth.

“I have done 10.00 flat in my season opener and that race was a bit rocky. Time will tell obviously but I am pretty sure that is coming soon.”

He remains confident that an official sub-10 second run is imminent despite mounting external expectations.

“Obviously I didn’t do it here, but soon for sure. I don’t feel pressure too much but pressure comes with the territory.”
“The more people, the more pressure there is. The more pressure, the faster you run.”

The current Australian national 100m record stands at 9.93s, established by Patrick Johnson in Japan in 2003.

Former Grand National champion Noble Yeats has died at the age of 11 after suffering a fatal bout of colic at his owner’s Oxfordshire stud.

The celebrated horse passed away on Thursday after veterinarians spent the previous night battling to save him.

Owner Robert Waley-Cohen confirmed the difficult decision was made to put the gelding down when it became clear a recovery was impossible.

Aintree glory and peaceful retirement

The 11-year-old achieved racing immortality by securing a historic victory in the world’s most famous steeplechase.

That memorable triumph provided the perfect farewell for amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, who announced his immediate retirement from the saddle following the race.

Since stepping away from the track, the Aintree champion had been enjoying a quiet life in the paddocks.

He shared his final days in the field alongside former Gold Cup winner Long Run and 2011 Grand National runner-up Oscar Time.

Overnight battle to save a champion

The sudden onset of illness on Wednesday prompted an immediate and intensive veterinary response at the stud.

He looked very uncomfortable on Wednesday so the vet came out and everybody was up all night treating him and hoping he would pull through, but unfortunately he went the other way.

Robert Waley-Cohen described the loss as a deeply saddening experience for everyone involved with the famous racing family.

It was a grim moment. He was enormous fun at the National and afterwards.

The owner reflected fondly on the extraordinary achievement of winning the prestigious Merseyside race with his own son on board.

The memories of the National are unbelievable – you could not have a better day. It’s the dream of a lifetime to win the National, and to win it with your son made it even more special.

New UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg has undergone surgery on a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered during his title victory over Jiri Prochazka in Miami last Saturday.

The New Zealander sustained the severe knee injury during the opening round of the 205-pound championship bout at UFC 327.

Despite fighting effectively on one leg, the newly crowned titleholder remarkably managed to knock out his Czech opponent with a devastating left hook.

His manager, Ash Belcastro, confirmed the extent of the ligament damage after the fighter posted a post-operative update from Las Vegas this week.

Championship future remains uncertain

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has not yet confirmed what will happen to the light heavyweight belt during the striker’s prolonged recovery period.

This latest medical setback adds to a remarkable sequence of unfortunate events within the promotion’s 205-pound weight class.

The heavily disrupted division has now seen three separate title vacancies over the past four years alone.

Prochazka and Jamahal Hill both previously relinquished the undisputed championship due to severe injuries in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Furthermore, the belt was recently vacated once again in February when Alex Pereira elected to move up to the heavyweight ranks.

Contenders circle as Prochazka demands rematch

Following the dramatic knockout defeat, Prochazka controversially suggested that his own compassion ultimately led to his downfall.

The former champion claimed he felt “mercy” for his compromised opponent after observing the knee injury in the opening round.

He has already publicly demanded an immediate rematch once the injured titleholder returns to full fitness.

However, the top of the light heavyweight division remains fiercely contested with elite contenders awaiting their opportunity.

Magomed Ankalaev, Jan Blachowicz and Khalil Rountree Jr are all actively campaigning for the next guaranteed championship shot.

Scotland Women will play in front of a record-breaking crowd of around 28,000 fans at Murrayfield on Saturday for their Six Nations clash against formidable favourites England.

The anticipated attendance shatters the team’s previous home high of 7,774, set against the same opposition at the Hive earlier this year.

Ticket sales have already surpassed the combined total of the nation’s five highest attendances at their usual smaller venue.

A monumental milestone for Scottish rugby

Moving the fixture to the main national stadium marks a monumental milestone for the hosts.

For the seasoned campaigners in the squad, the contrast between past struggles and Saturday’s spectacle is incredibly stark.

Veterans such as Lana Skeldon, Emma Wassell and captain Rachel Malcolm vividly recall playing in front of virtually empty stands during their early careers.

“It’s a bit of a pinch me moment.”

Malcolm admitted ahead of the historic encounter.

“We’ve come from having empty stands or not many fans to be in front of a historic crowd and it’s something that we are just so proud of.”

Surpassing the national football record

To contextualise the achievement, the anticipated turnout easily eclipses the biggest crowd ever drawn by the national women’s football team.

A previous landmark of 18,555 spectators watched the footballers face Jamaica in a 2019 international.

Despite women’s football traditionally receiving broader mainstream coverage, the rugby squad will confidently bypass that benchmark this weekend.

The decision by organisers to utilise the expansive Murrayfield pitch has clearly been vindicated by the soaring ticket demand.

The Red Roses juggernaut awaits

While the occasion is a triumph off the pitch, the reality on the field remains deeply daunting for the home side.

The visitors arrive boasting astonishing recent attendances themselves, including 77,120 for last weekend’s tournament opener against Ireland.

Evie Wills has been named as the sole change to the starting lineup tasked with containing the world’s top-ranked team.

Meanwhile, the Red Roses have reshuffled their formidable pack and backline, shifting Ellie Kildunne to the wing and bringing Sarah Burton into the second row.

The reigning champions are heavily fancied to secure a comfortable victory, but the hosts will focus on incremental gains and delivering a resolute performance.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has confirmed the start time and complete schedule for its unprecedented fight card set to take place at the White House on Sunday, 14 June.

The event, officially named UFC Freedom 250, is planned as a celebration marking 250 years of the United States.

It will be staged on the South Lawn in Washington D.C. and coincides with US president Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.

Action inside the Octagon will commence at 01:00 BST on Monday, 15 June (20:00 ET on Sunday, 14 June).

Title fights headline historic card

A lightweight title unification bout between undisputed champion Ilia Topuria and interim holder Justin Gaethje serves as the main event.

The co-main attraction features former middleweight king Alex Pereira stepping up to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight belt.

A heavyweight clash between fan-favourite Derrick Lewis and Josh Hokit was also recently added to the landmark showcase.

UFC president Dana White revealed that the US leader personally requested the matchup while sitting cageside at an event in Miami last week.

I said, ‘Derrick, the president just asked me why you’re not on the card. Do you wanna fight on the White House card?’ And he goes: ‘Of course I do. Tell the president thank you, I wanna do it.’

Dana White

Fight week festivities and schedule

Build-up to the momentous occasion will feature a series of public events across the American capital.

A press conference is scheduled at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday, 12 June, beginning at 01:30 BST the following morning.

Fans will then gather at the Ellipse park adjacent to the presidential residence for a festival on Saturday afternoon.

The ceremonial weigh-ins will follow that evening, culminating in a live concert performance by the Zac Brown Band.

Full UFC Freedom 250 fight card

Seven high-profile matchups have been officially confirmed for the unprecedented sporting spectacle.

Wales Women will attempt to secure their first victory over France in a decade when they host the formidable tournament contenders at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday.

The home side are desperate to break a punishing six-match losing run in the championship.

They have managed just one win in their last 11 Test matches under head coach Sean Lynn.

In stark contrast, their upcoming opponents arrive in the Welsh capital full of momentum after delivering a commanding six-try demolition of Italy.

New systems and youthful injection

Despite an opening-round defeat by Scotland, there are clear signs of progress within the national camp.

New attacking and defensive structures are beginning to take shape alongside a renewed sense of belief among the squad.

Lynn has largely kept faith with the starting line-up that pushed the Scots close last weekend.

Nineteen-year-old Seren Lockwood has been handed her first international start at scrum-half after impressing as a second-half substitute.

Formidable French challenge

The dynamic Jasmine Joyce returns to the wing, replacing Lisa Neumann who has been ruled out of the entire championship with an injury.

Containing the free-flowing attacking style of the world-class opposition will require a monumental defensive effort from the hosts.

Newly appointed French boss Francois Ratier has opted for consistency by making only a single alteration to his dominant starting fifteen.

Aubane Rousset is brought into the backline following an impressive debut, taking the place of Joanna Grisez.

Building for the future

“We took a real step forward as a group of players, coaches and staff against Scotland and there was real evidence of what we have started to build.”

Sean Lynn, Head Coach

The coaching setup views this daunting fixture as another crucial opportunity to hone their preferred style of rugby against elite opposition.

“France are one of the best teams in the world and we know they will pose a real challenge, but this is about us delivering a performance and taking another step forward.”

Organisers are hoping the passionate home support will make the short journey across the city to back the team.

Over 10,000 spectators turned out at the Principality Stadium last week, and the players will be relying on that vocal backing once again at the Arms Park.

Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from the RBC Heritage to prioritise a mental reset following his 2025 Masters victory at Augusta National.

The Northern Irishman declined the chance to compete for a £2.6m top prize in South Carolina this weekend.

He collected £3.36m for his triumph last Sunday, successfully defending the Green Jacket to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods in an exclusive club of back-to-back winners.

Prioritising a mental reset

The 36-year-old has decided to take time away to recuperate and celebrate rather than making an immediate return to PGA Tour action.

This marks the third occasion in four years that the former world number one has bypassed the Harbour Town Golf Links event straight after playing the opening major of the year.

Competitors are no longer fined for missing multiple signature events during a season, following a recent rule change that abolished a previous £2.2m penalty.

Augusta earnings face heavy taxation

Despite his commanding victory, the European Ryder Cup star will reportedly lose more than a third of his Augusta prize money to United States taxation.

Jon Elphick, a managing tax partner at accounting firm Band, explained the financial complexities surrounding overseas earnings.

The tax position of an international sports person largely depends on where they are resident as well as where they perform the activities generating the earnings.

Typically, a level of local tax will be paid where the event takes place, but additional tax may then be due in the country the sports person lives.

In his absence, a strong field including Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood will remain in contention for the lucrative RBC Heritage purse.

LIV Golf broadcasters and chief executive Scott O’Neil have strongly dismissed rumours that the Saudi Public Investment Fund is preparing to end its financial backing of the breakaway circuit.

Speculation emerged earlier this week suggesting the sovereign wealth fund was ready to withdraw its estimated £3.7bn investment.

Such a move would severely jeopardise the future of the 54-hole competition, which launched in 2021 as a direct rival to the PGA Tour.

However, key figures within the organisation used the start of their Mexico City event broadcast to mount a staunch defence of their long-term viability.

‘Imminent demise greatly exaggerated’

Lead commentator Arlo White directly addressed the situation before play commenced at Club de Golf Chapultepec.

“We’re delighted to report that the reports of the imminent demise of the LIV Golf league were, in fact, greatly exaggerated.”

The English broadcaster added that he had spoken with the chief executive, describing the leadership as extremely confident about the future.

Co-commentator David Feherty also hit back at the media, criticising journalists who propagated the shutdown narrative.

“This generation has spawned fast typists that consider themselves to be experts, and evidently, they’re not.”

Internal reassurances to staff

Beyond the public broadcast, internal communications have also sought to steady the ship and reassure employees.

O’Neil reportedly sent an email to all staff confirming that the season would proceed uninterrupted and at full throttle.

The memo stressed that the organisation is heading into the heart of its schedule with more energy and influence than ever before.

Ironically, shortly after the defiant on-air exchange, the live stream suffered a temporary blackout on both YouTube and the Fox Sports app.

Players remain focused on the course

This controversy arrives against the backdrop of ongoing framework agreement negotiations between the Saudi backers and the traditional golfing establishment.

Despite the off-course noise, prominent players insist their focus remains entirely on the fairways.

Spanish former Masters champion Sergio Garcia stated that the roster has received no indication of any impending closure.

“Honestly, we haven’t heard anything other than what Yasir told us at the beginning of the year, that he’s behind us.”