Chinese prodigy Wu Yize has reached the semi-finals of the 2026 World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, setting up a highly anticipated clash with Mark Allen.
The 22-year-old 10th seed continues his rapid rise to the summit of the sport following a relocation to Yorkshire three years ago.
He follows in the footsteps of compatriot Zhao Xintong, who made history last year as the first world champion from China.
Overcoming early technical flaws
The Lanzhou native began playing the game as soon as he could hold a cue, with his father dedicating extensive time to nurturing his talent.
At the age of 11, he enrolled at the Yushan International Billiards Academy under the guidance of Australian coach Roger Leighton.
“When he came to me, his highest break was 49. After a couple of weeks, he hit an 86,” Leighton explained.
The experienced coach noted that early technical flaws, including a dropping arm and a moving wrist, initially caused severe consistency issues.
“He would miss too many easy balls, but he was a fun-loving kid who laughed a lot to release pressure.”
Emulating a snooker legend
Despite those early inconsistencies, the Chinese sensation claimed the Under-21 World Championship at just 14 years old.
His transition to the professional tour at 17 was seamless, leading to a debut at the Crucible only two years later.
A maiden ranking title arrived at last season’s International Championship in Nanjing, where he spectacularly defeated world number one Judd Trump from 4-0 down.
That dominant run concluded with a final victory over John Higgins, who offered the ultimate praise in the aftermath.
“He reminds me so much of the late, great Paul Hunter, the way he plays the game,” the Scottish veteran remarked.
Now firmly established among the global elite, the Sheffield-based star stands just two matches away from capturing snooker’s biggest prize.
Sabastian Sawe has received a jubilant homecoming in Nairobi after becoming the first person to run a competitive marathon in under two hours at the London Marathon.
The 31-year-old shattered the elusive two-hour barrier on Sunday with an official time of one hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds.
Officials, dancers, and family members greeted the history-maker amid a crush of cameras at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
His Kenyan Airways flight was even honoured with a spectacular water cannon salute upon touching down in the capital.
Presidential praise for athletic milestone
The marathon world record holder met Kenya’s President William Ruto on Thursday morning to celebrate the monumental achievement.
He was awarded 8m Kenyan shillings (£46,000) and presented with a commemorative vehicle number plate reading 01:59:30 to mark his official time.
In a ceremonial exchange, the victorious runner handed the president the very shoes he wore to conquer the 26.2-mile course.
“Sabastian, you have not only broken a record, you have expanded the horizon of human potential.”
The unprecedented performance was more than a minute faster than the late Kelvin Kiptum’s previous world best of 2:00:35 set in 2023.
Family celebrates a lifelong dream
Sawe’s parents drove six hours from their rural home to witness his triumphant return alongside thousands of elated supporters.
“He used to tell me that one day, he was going to break the record. He was so determined and hopeful that he would.”
Simeon Sawe, the athlete’s father, expressed immense pride while revealing his throat still hurt from all the passionate cheering.
The newly crowned champion addressed the adoring crowds directly to express his sheer surprise and gratitude for the massive turnout.
“I am happy about this good day, that you came to celebrate with me, I did not expect it.”
Unbeaten streak hints at a faster future
The dominant long-distance specialist was already on world-record pace at the halfway mark in London, splitting 1:00:29 before accelerating through the second half in a blistering 59:01.
Remarkably, the elite runner maintains a perfect career record, having won all four competitive marathons he has entered to date.
The unbeaten Kenyan is already setting his sights on an autumn return, confidently predicting he can lower the historic benchmark even further.
Saudi Arabia will withdraw its multi-billion dollar backing of LIV Golf at the end of the current season, plunging the future of the breakaway circuit into severe doubt.
The controversial tour is scheduled to announce a new strategic plan on Thursday in an urgent bid to secure alternative financial investors.
Well-placed sources indicate that the organisation will also confirm the appointment of new board members to guide it through this transitional phase.
This major restructuring follows reports that Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the tour’s most powerful figure, could step down from his board position.
Search for new investment
Executives remain hopeful of maintaining an international schedule featuring their signature team model, despite the imminent withdrawal of their primary benefactor.
Discussions with potential new investors are reportedly under way and have been described as constructive by those close to the negotiations.
However, officials acknowledge that the series will likely face significant scaling back, resulting in a drastically reduced calendar of events.
Signs of operational disruption have already emerged this week, with the sudden postponement of a planned June tournament in New Orleans.
The cancellation means the circuit will not host any stateside events between 10 May and an early August gathering at Trump Bedminster in New Jersey.
Mounting financial losses
The withdrawal of Saudi backing aligns with a broader shift in PIF strategy towards more sustainable domestic and international investments.
The golf project has absorbed an eye-watering amount of capital since its inception in 2021, with total investment surpassing $5bn following a fresh $267m injection earlier this year.
Net losses in markets outside the United States surged to $462m in 2024, pushing international deficits past the $1.1bn mark.
With vast sums previously pumped into the American arm of the operation, total global losses are expected to run into several billion dollars.
Uncertain future for players
Team captains have already been briefed that ownership will reveal comprehensive plans to locate new financial backers later this week.
Chief executive Scott O’Neil recently assured competitors that the 2026 campaign would proceed without interruption, though he avoided addressing the broader structural rumours.
The series had attempted to broaden its appeal this year by pivoting to a traditional 72-hole format, moving away from the 54-hole structure that originally inspired its Roman numeral name.
Both LIV representatives and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund declined to provide official comment on the impending withdrawal.
Mark Allen has advanced to the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship after securing a tense 13-11 victory over Barry Hawkins at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.
The 40-year-old Northern Irishman remains on course to become the oldest first-time world champion in the modern era.
He is also just two match wins away from completing snooker’s prestigious Triple Crown, having previously lifted both the UK Championship and Masters trophies.
The sport’s ultimate prize has frustratingly eluded the world number three across 19 previous attempts, making this only his third appearance in the final four.
Crucible tension and high-quality breaks
Resuming the Wednesday morning session tied at 8-8, the former Masters champion quickly seized the opening two frames.
However, he was swiftly pegged back by the 2013 finalist, who produced impressive breaks of 70 and 83 to level the contest once again.
The two veterans then fiercely traded frames before the Antrim-born cueist constructed his third century of the match to edge 12-11 ahead.
During a dramatic 24th frame, he took decisive control with a break of 59 to seal his passage to the revered single-table setup.
Victory was confirmed when his English opponent crucially underhit an attempted snooker on the pink, just moments after fluking a red that had threatened to force a final-frame decider.
Chasing snooker history in Sheffield
The semi-finalist will now prepare to face either Wu Yize or Hossein Vafaei in a gruelling best-of-33 frame encounter starting on Thursday at 19:00 BST.
Should he ultimately claim the trophy, he will eclipse Stuart Bingham’s age record set in 2015 when the Englishman triumphed aged 38 years and 343 days.
Undefeated super-bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue will defend his undisputed crown against compatriot Junto Nakatani at a sold-out Tokyo Dome this Saturday in a historic all-Japanese clash.
A capacity crowd of 55,000 spectators is expected to witness what is widely considered the greatest bout in Japanese boxing history.
The monumental showdown pits two fighters at the absolute peak of their powers against one another, with both entering the ring boasting perfect 32-0 records.
A battle of unbeaten champions
The 33-year-old defending champion puts his four 122lb world titles on the line against an opponent moving up a weight class.
The challenger is vacating two bantamweight belts to step up four pounds for this generational domestic rivalry.
Both men possess devastating knockout power, with the older fighter stopping 27 of his opponents and the younger claiming 24 quick finishes.
The Japanese boxing renaissance
This eagerly anticipated contest underlines a golden era for the sport in the region, drawing comparisons to the legendary first meeting between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
The four-division world champion initiated this regional resurgence after claiming his first title at light-flyweight as a 21-year-old prospect.
His latest challenger has already secured world championships across three different weight divisions during a flawless professional career.
Without the looming shadow of the undisputed king, the three-weight titleholder would undoubtedly be recognised as an unparalleled global star.
A stacked championship undercard
The remarkable depth of local talent will be further showcased before the main event begins in the Japanese capital.
Takuma Inoue, the younger brother of the headline attraction, will defend his World Boxing Council bantamweight title.
He faces experienced veteran Kazuto Ioka in another high-stakes domestic world championship contest.
Sportswear giant Adidas has reported a significant surge in first-quarter sales and operating profits, bolstered by Kenyan athlete Sabastian Sawe’s historic sub-two-hour run at Sunday’s London Marathon.
The company saw its shares climb by 7% at market open following a robust performance that defied a volatile global retail environment.
Operating profit for the first quarter increased by 16% to 705m euros, significantly exceeding analyst expectations of 647m euros.
‘Supershoe’ success drives running boom
A major catalyst for this financial growth has been the immense popularity of the brand’s ultra-light racing footwear.
The innovative shoe was worn by Sawe as he became the first person to complete an official marathon in under two hours in the British capital.
Driven by the historic achievement of the elite distance runner, the German manufacturer’s running division saw sales surge by more than 10%.
Football demand and strategic discipline
Increased consumer demand for international football kits ahead of the 2026 World Cup also contributed heavily to the positive financial outlook.
Adidas chief executive Bjorn Gulden acknowledged “many supply and transportation issues” remain for World Cup products.
Despite these logistical hurdles, the group’s currency-neutral sales rose by 14% to reach 6.6bn euros overall.
The European brand has emphasised strict discipline in its retail strategy to avoid heavy discounting.
This deliberately contrasts with the aggressive promotional approach recently adopted by US rival Nike to clear unsold stock.
Direct-to-consumer sales accelerate
While third-party retailers still account for nearly two-thirds of total revenue, direct customer sales have seen a dramatic acceleration.
Revenue generated through the company’s own website jumped by 25%, while physical store operations experienced a 19% growth rate.
Although overall footwear expansion was a modest 4% in currency-adjusted terms, wider apparel sales soared by 31% over the same period.
Former Wales and British and Irish Lions star George North has announced he will retire from professional rugby at the end of the current season in France.
The 34-year-old called time on his illustrious international career earlier in 2024, leaving as one of his country’s most decorated players.
During a remarkable stint on the world stage, the powerful wing and centre amassed 121 caps and crossed the whitewash 47 times for the Welsh national side.
His physical dominance also earned him spots on the 2013 and 2017 British and Irish Lions tours, where he featured in three Tests and scored two tries.
A storied club career ends in France
The veteran back is currently in his second season with French second-tier outfit Provence, having moved across the Channel after a highly successful domestic spell in the United Kingdom.
Before his French adventure, the prolific try-scorer represented the Scarlets, Northampton Saints, and the Ospreys with distinction.
Taking to social media to confirm his impending departure from the sport, the rugby icon expressed immense gratitude for his journey.
“I want to let you know that at the end of the season, I will be retiring. For me, it’s the right time,” North stated in his video message.
“I have been able to live out my childhood dream for many seasons, playing with some of the best players, coaches and staff behind the scenes.”
“I can’t thank my family, my friends and you guys enough for the support you have shown me over the years. Honestly, it’s meant the world to me.”
American star Nelly Korda has reclaimed the world number one ranking after securing her third major title with a dominant five-shot victory at the Chevron Championship.
The 27-year-old produced a flawless wire-to-wire performance, equalling the tournament’s record-low 54-hole score on her way to the title.
Former Women’s British Open champion Catriona Matthew believes the emphatic display echoes the supremacy once shown by Tiger Woods in the men’s game.
A generational talent
Matthew suggests that having a singular, dominant figurehead is highly beneficial for generating widespread public interest in the sport.
“For me, in any sport, to have one dominant player grabs the interest of the general public.”
Catriona Matthew
The Scottish golfing great pointed to the recent dominance of Scottie Scheffler as a prime example of how a leading player can captivate television audiences.
Chasing the legends
This latest triumph adds to a growing major collection, joining Korda’s previous Chevron Championship victory in 2024 and her US Women’s Open success in 2021.
With a textbook swing and formidable distance off the tee, the Florida native is drawing comparisons to historic icons such as Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, and Se-ri Pak.
“If she can just keep the putter going, then she has the ability to be dominant. She’s got the poise and seems to have the mental toughness to do it.”
Four-time major winner Dame Laura Davies echoed these sentiments, describing the champion’s relentless final round as being on “cruise control”.
Unbeatable at her best
Davies noted that while direct comparisons to Woods are difficult, the sheer authority of Korda’s front-running makes her nearly impossible to catch.
“Nelly, for me, has the complete game when she’s on. I’ve always said this: if she plays her best, none of them can beat her.”
Dame Laura Davies
The legendary English golfer suggested the dominant American could remain at the pinnacle of the sport for another decade, cementing her legacy alongside the all-time greats.