Canadian teenager Anna Huang has become the youngest player to win three Ladies European Tour events after securing a one-shot victory at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco.
The 17-year-old started the final round on Royal Dar Es Salam’s Blue course sitting six shots off the lead.
However, a stunning closing round of 66 that included six birdies and a crucial eagle allowed her to leapfrog overnight leader Kelsey Bennett.
The Australian ultimately finished on 13 under par, narrowly missing out on the title as her young rival surged to 14 under.
Record-breaking teenager continues stellar season
By capturing her third crown, the North American prodigy shattered the previous age record held by Jeeno Thitikul, who achieved the feat at 18.
This latest triumph follows her back-to-back victories in September at both the La Sella Open and the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.
I’m honestly just so shocked right now.
To get my third win on tour in only my second year is incredible. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment!
Anna Huang
Recent form points to major ambitions
The historic result in Rabat caps off a remarkably successful period for the rapidly emerging golfer.
She recently successfully qualified for the US Women’s Open and arrived in North Africa on the back of a strong tied-third finish at last week’s Amundi German Masters.
Meanwhile, English defending champion Cara Gainer ended her tournament tied for sixth place on eight under par.
Briton Hamzah Sheeraz has claimed his first world title by stopping Germany’s Alem Begic in the second round to win the vacant WBO super-middleweight crown in Egypt.
The 26-year-old Londoner dominated the brief contest from the opening bell against his overmatched opponent.
Sharp straight jabs and punishing uppercuts quickly broke down the veteran fighter’s defences.
Begic ultimately had no answer to the British fighter’s superior accuracy and relentless pressure.
Devastating body shot secures victory
The decisive moment arrived when a brutal left hook to the body sent the 39-year-old crashing to the canvas.
Unable to recover from the crippling blow, the beaten man failed to beat the referee’s count.
The official promptly waved off the contest to confirm a spectacular stoppage victory.
A landmark moment for the new champion
Securing the WBO belt marks a significant career milestone for the highly rated super-middleweight.
This impressive performance in North Africa firmly establishes the newly crowned champion as a major force within the 168lb division.
Bordeaux have defeated Leinster 41-19 at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao to win the Investec Champions Cup, extending the Irish province’s agonising run of final heartbreak.
Leo Cullen’s side suffered their fifth final defeat since their last European triumph in 2018, falling once again to formidable French opposition.
A disastrous first half saw the four-time winners fall 35-7 behind as the Top 14 outfit ran riot in the sweltering Spanish heat.
The bitter result means Leinster’s elusive pursuit of a record-equalling fifth European star continues for another gruelling season.
Bielle-Biarrey and Lucu inspire French rout
France international Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored two thrilling tries to spearhead a relentless attack before the interval.
The electric winger was orchestrated brilliantly by scrum-half Maxime Lucu, who claimed the player of the match award following a masterclass in game management.
Tommy O’Brien had initially given the Irish outfit a promising start by touching down in the right corner following a sweeping forward move.
However, the French heavyweights responded swiftly as Lucu sniped through the middle and Pablo Uberti finished a clinical strike move off a scrum.
Leinster defensive frailties exposed
The Dublin-based province found themselves constantly on the ropes, starved of possession and absorbing relentless waves of attack.
Bielle-Biarrey then took centre stage, showcasing dazzling footwork to exploit numerical mismatches before capitalising on a Matthieu Jalibert kick.
A Yoram Moefana interception try in first-half overtime compounded the misery for the beleaguered Celtic League giants.
The one-sided dominance in Bilbao mirrored events from the previous evening, where Ulster were comprehensively beaten by Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final.
Second-half resurgence falls short
Play resumed with a temporary lifeline for the trailing side as Bordeaux captain Lucu received a 10-minute suspension for pulling Joe McCarthy’s hair.
The towering lock immediately punished the indiscretion by diving over from close range to offer a brief glimmer of hope.
Garry Ringrose also crossed the whitewash to add a third try, but the runaway leaders had already established an unassailable advantage.
Lucu returned to the field to slot two decisive second-half penalties, ruthlessly extinguishing any prospect of a miraculous late comeback.
Olympic champion Masai Russell fell just 0.02 seconds short of the women’s 100m hurdles world record at the Xiamen Diamond League, clocking a staggering 12.14 seconds.
The American star dominated the race to finish ahead of current global record-holder Tobi Amusan.
Nigeria’s Amusan crossed the line 0.14 seconds behind the newly crowned Paris gold medallist.
Russell had already established herself as the second-fastest woman in history over this distance last year with a time of 12.17 seconds.
“I don’t know when the world record is going to come but I keep getting closer and closer,” Russell said.
“I’m blessed, I’m ecstatic and all the hard work is truly showing.”
Yan Ziyi produces historic javelin throw
Earlier in the Chinese city, 18-year-old Yan Ziyi stunned the home crowd by producing the second-longest women’s javelin effort in history.
The teenager launched her very first attempt to an incredible 71.74m to comfortably win the competition.
Her phenomenal distance also set a brand new under-20 world record.
Only Czech legend Barbora Spotakova has ever thrown further, having set the current world record of 72.28m back in 2008.
“I came to this event with the goal for 65m, so it really blew my mind to see that result,” the young prodigy admitted.
“A flash in the pan is not what I want, I don’t want this 71.74 to be just a one-time thing.”
Dos Santos outpaces Warholm in hurdles duel
The men’s 400m hurdles provided a thrilling track battle between two Paris Olympic medallists.
Brazilian bronze medallist Alison dos Santos surged past Norwegian silver medallist Karsten Warholm in the closing stages.
The South American crossed the finish line in a rapid 46.72 seconds to claim a prestigious victory.
In the men’s 100m sprint, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala accelerated aggressively at the halfway mark to win in 9.94 seconds.
He successfully held off a late surge from South African rival Gift Leotlela.
Jackson cruises as Yihune battles to 5000m win
Jamaican sprint queen Shericka Jackson secured her second consecutive weekly victory in the women’s 200m.
Great Britain’s Amy Hunt endured a difficult race, finishing seventh in the nine-woman field.
American Jamal Britt was victorious in the men’s 110m hurdles as compatriot Cordell Tinch faded to fifth.
The men’s 5000m concluded with dramatic scenes as Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune secured a gritty victory in 12 minutes 57.32 seconds.
The distance runner launched a decisive attack on the final bend before collapsing to the track clutching his knee.
Two-time world champion Shericka Jackson produced a dominant display to win the 200m at the Xiamen Diamond League on Saturday, smashing the meeting record with a time of 21.87 seconds.
The Jamaican sprinter narrowly missed out on the world-leading time by a mere 0.01 seconds after taking early control of the race.
Bursting from the blocks, the reigning world title holder showed immense strength on the bend to pull away from a highly competitive field.
Miller-Uibo and Richardson trail the pace
Bahamian Olympic gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo finished a distant second, posting a season’s best time of 22.04 seconds.
American runner Anavia Battle secured third place with her own season’s best of 22.29 seconds, though neither athlete looked capable of catching the race leader.
The 2023 world 100m champion, Sha’Carri Richardson, also recorded her fastest time of the campaign to cross the line fourth in 22.38 seconds.
Great Britain’s Amy Hunt, who holds a sprint relay world silver medal, finished seventh out of the nine elite competitors.
Teenage sensation Yan makes javelin history
Elsewhere at the Chinese athletics meeting, 18-year-old local prospect Yan Ziyi delivered a historic performance in the women’s javelin.
The teenage thrower launched the implement to the second-furthest distance ever recorded in the history of the discipline.
Building upon her previous world junior record set at age 17, the Chinese athlete simultaneously shattered the Diamond League, Asian, and world under-20 benchmarks with a single phenomenal throw.
British heavyweight rivals Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are finally set to face each other in the ring later this year following a decade of verbal sparring.
The monumental all-British bout is expected to take place in either October or November.
Wembley Stadium in north London has emerged as the frontrunner to host the showcase, although international venues remain a possibility.
Wembley favoured but overseas options remain
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn believes the UK is the most likely destination for the historic event.
“I think it [the UK] is probably the frontrunner but again at the end of the day both fighters are receiving a huge, huge amount of money and Turki Alalshikh is paying the bill,” Hearn told Sky Sports.
“He’s got to look at where that fight’s going to make sense. I think him as a fight fan would like the fight to take place in the UK but I wouldn’t rule out America, I wouldn’t rule out Saudi.”
A November date at the national stadium would need to be carefully scheduled around the England football team, who host Croatia in the Nations League on 12 November.
Dramatic returns to the ring
The ‘Gypsy King’ recently reversed his decision to retire, a choice he initially made following consecutive defeats against Oleksandr Usyk.
The 37-year-old marked his comeback last month with a comfortable points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Meanwhile, the former two-time world champion has been absent from the ring since securing a knockout victory over Jake Paul last December.
A planned February return was unfortunately delayed after the 36-year-old was involved in a car accident just days following that win.
Before focusing on his domestic rival, the Olympic gold medallist must first navigate a bout against Kristian Prenga on 25 July in Riyadh.
Global streaming and fighters’ mindset
In a significant broadcasting move, the highly anticipated contest will be streamed live globally on Netflix at no additional cost to existing subscribers.
Speaking ahead of his impending return, the Watford-born fighter expressed his determination to re-establish his dominance in the heavyweight division.
“It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring and this is the next step on that journey,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. As I said, the landlord will collect his rent, that is certain.”
South Korea’s Si Woo Kim narrowly missed recording only the 16th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history, settling for a spectacular 60 after bogeying his final hole at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas on Friday.
The 30-year-old needed just a par on the newly renovated 18th hole at TPC Craig Ranch to enter golf’s most exclusive statistical club.
Having reached 12 under par following a magnificent 17-foot birdie putt on the penultimate green, destiny appeared to be firmly in his own hands.
However, the four-time PGA Tour victor fired his approach shot over the back of the closing green.
Cruel finish on the toughest hole
A subsequent chip left him nearly 20 feet short, and the resulting par attempt drifted weakly to the right to record his solitary dropped shot of the day.
Despite the agonizing conclusion, the Seoul native still signed for an exceptional 11-under-par round.
That remarkable effort secured a commanding five-shot advantage at the tournament’s halfway stage.
Redesigned closer proves decisive
The final hole in McKinney represents a much stiffer test this year following a $25m (£19.9m) course overhaul masterminded by major champion Lanny Wadkins.
Previously played as an accessible par five during the event’s first six editions at the venue, it has now been converted into a demanding par four.
Early scoring statistics vindicate the redesign, with the 18th ranking as the most difficult hole on the entire layout over the opening two rounds.
Conor Benn will challenge Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight world title in a highly anticipated Las Vegas showdown on 12 September.
The bout offers the British fighter his first opportunity to secure a world championship and forge a legacy independent of his famous father, Nigel Benn.
Garcia recently claimed the WBC welterweight crown following a convincing victory over Mario Barrios.
The American star is looking to solidify his status after a turbulent period that included a career-first defeat to Gervonta Davis and a recent anti-doping suspension.
Overcoming past controversies
Both men will enter the ring looking to definitively move past significant out-of-the-ring challenges.
The 27-year-old challenger previously tested positive for a banned substance and faced a lengthy battle to clear his name.
His suspension was subsequently lifted after an independent National Anti-Doping Panel ruled the offence was unproven by UK Anti-Doping.
In his recent return to the 147lb welterweight limit against Regis Prograis, observers noted a distinct lack of his trademark destructive power.
A tactical clash of styles
The Las Vegas main event promises an intriguing tactical battle between two distinctly different competitors.
The defending champion will likely look to utilise his rangy frame and signature sharp left hook.
Conversely, the British contender is expected to adopt his usual aggressive hunting style as he searches for a decisive knockout blow.
This marquee contest shares a date with another major boxing spectacle, as Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez headlines a separate card in Saudi Arabia on the exact same evening.