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KARSTEN WARHOLM SHATTERS WORLD RECORD TO WIN 400M HURDLES TITLE IN TOKYO

Norway’s Karsten Warholm shattered his own world record to win the men’s 400 metres hurdles at the Olympics.

The new champion only broke the 29-year-old record last month but clocked 45.94 seconds in Tokyo on Tuesday.

He took almost a second off his previous world best of 46.70secs he set in Oslo at the start of July.

He finished ahead of the USA’s Rai Benjamin (46.17s) and Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos (46.72s) – with both coming inside Kevin Young’s time of 46.78s the American set nearly 30 years ago.

Warholm told the BBC: “You know the cliche that it hasn’t sunk in yet? I don’t think it has but I feel ecstatic.

“I cant believe the time, it’s so fast. A lot of the time I am asked about the perfect race. I said it didn’t exist but this is the closest I’ve ever come.

“I told myself going in to the race, remember all the work you have put in. It was the only thing missing from my (medal) collection. I can’t describe how important this is for me. This is what I do morning until night, it’s huge.”

Warholm led from the start but Benjamin looked like he was about to reel him in with 90 metres to go.

Yet Warholm found an extra gear to pull away in the final 60 metres and add the Olympic title to his two World Championship crowns and European gold.

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OLYMPICS: SIMONE BILES WINS BRONZE MEDAL IN BALANCE BEAM FINAL

Simone Biles retook the gymnastics stage on Tuesday after a week’s absence, electrifying the Tokyo Olympics on a day that saw world records smashed and organisers probe Belarus’s treatment of an athlete now in diplomatic protection.

The return of the American, considered by many the greatest gymnast ever, ensured a blockbuster finale. She scored 14.000 on the balance beam to finish third.

She had abruptly dropped out of the team event earlier in the Games citing mental health issues and increasing the global spotlight on the pressures elite athletes face.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it expected a report later in the day from the Belarusian team on the case of sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who sought protection in the Polish embassy in Tokyo on Monday after refusing her team’s orders to fly home.

She was expected to fly on Wednesday to Poland, which has offered her a humanitarian visa. The IOC spoke twice on Monday to Tsimanouskaya, who was in a safe and secure place, spokesman Mark Adams said.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken accused Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko’s regime of intolerable “transnational repression” in the matter.

On the track, Norway’s Karsten Warholm shattered his own world record in the men’s 400 metres hurdles final with a blistering 45.94-second run, besting American Rai Benjamin, who also beat last month’s record of 46.70 seconds.

“Man, it’s so crazy. It’s by far the biggest moment of my life,” Warholm said after carving his name among the greats of athletics history and crouching in apparent disbelief on the track. “You know the cliche that it hasn’t sunk in yet? I don’t think it has, but I feel ecstatic.”

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ESE BRUME GIVES NIGERIA FIRST TOKYO OLYMPICS MEDAL

In a tightly contested event that came down to the last round, Ese Brume earned Nigeria’s second medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a Bronze in the Women’s Long Jump competition.

Brume had the best season time of all the participants heading into the final and she was a medal favourite alongside the world champion Malaika Mihambo of Germany & Brittney Reese of the U.S.

She raced to an early and dominant lead with her first jump, clocking 6.97m. By the second round, Reese had edged her out with an equal jump of 6.97m but leading on count back. World champion Mihambo was just right behind with 6.95m.

Going into the final round, Reese was in the lead, with Brume second in a back and forth that had been going on round by round but Mihambo delivered her best jump of the competition to take the gold with her final jump, dropping Reese to second and Brume to third, as they both couldn’t capitalise with their final jumps.

Ese Brume becomes the third Nigerian woman to win a medal in the Long Jump competition, joining Nigeria’s first gold medalist Chioma Ajunwa (who won in at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics) and Blessing Okagbare who won the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

This is also Nigeria’s first medal in athletics in 13 years.

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OLYMPICS BASKETBALL: KEVIN DURANT LEADS TEAM USA OVER SPAIN INTO SEMIS, SLOVENIA ADVANCE

Kevin Durant led Team USA to a decisive victory over Spain in Olympic men’s basketball on Tuesday, earning a ticket to the semifinals.

The United States were victorious 95-81 despite a valiant 38-point effort from Spain’s Ricky Rubio. Spain had a 10 point lead late in the second quarter when the United States came roaring back.

“We drove it to the rim at the end of the second and were able to get our rhythm back a little bit,” said Durant, who ended up with 29 points. “I like how we played from the end of the second quarter all the way up to finish the game and that’s how winners play ball.”

The Saitama Super Arena north of Tokyo was the fullest it has been so far in these spectatorless Games, as athletes, officials and volunteers gathered for what would have been a hot-ticket match.

The United States will move on to the semifinals on Thursday to face the winner of the quarterfinal between Australia and Argentina.

Team USA have looked strong at these Games after the French handed them their first Olympic defeat since 2004. The Americans have historically been the team to beat, with 15 gold medals since 1936, and the players and coaches have made clear they will only be satisfied with one result this time.

“We got to finish it,” said Durant, who plays for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. “You know, we’re supposed to be here. For us, it’s about getting the gold.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic led Slovenia in a 94-70 victory over Germany to move forward to the semifinals. Doncic has led all players in scoring and is second in rebounds only to his team mate Mike Tobey.

For a nation of just two million people, Slovenia has fielded a powerhouse team in their Olympics debut. While Doncic is the nucleus of their offence, he’s surrounded by team mates who reliably score in the double digits, such as Zoran Dragic who had 36 against Germany.

“Obviously they have one of the best players in the world, but he’s not alone,” Germany head coach Henrik Roedl said about Doncic and the Slovenian team.

It was Germany’s first Olympic quarterfinal since 1992. Italy takes on France and Australia meets Argentina in the remaining playoff matches on Tuesday.

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SPURS TO FINE HARRY KANE AFTER STRIKER FAILS TO REPORT FOR PRE-SEASON COVID TESTS

Tottenham are likely to fine striker Harry Kane after he failed to report for pre-season tests on Monday morning.

The England captain was due back at the club’s Hotspur Way training centre for a Covid test following his three-week break after the European Championship.

However, Kane did not arrive as planned, throwing his future further up into the air.

Spurs are now considering disciplining their vice-captain, the PA news agency understands.

The 28-year-old is keen to leave the club this summer in order to win trophies, but, with three years left on his contract, Spurs have no intention of selling their prized asset.

Kane hinted at the end of last term that he would like to join Manchester City, but the Premier League champions have previously indicated they would not pay the sort of £150 million fee required to even tempt Spurs to the negotiating table.

Their pursuit of Jack Grealish for £100 million is also reported to impact their ability to sign Kane.

Kane has been in the Bahamas following England’s run to the Euro 2020 final and looks to have set his stall out to force a move from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

New boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who was assured Kane would not be sold during discussions for the job, said last month that Kane could be “counted on” for the upcoming season.

Chairman Daniel Levy, who is likely to be irked by Kane’s attempts to force his way out, is determined to keep his star man and previously said that he would do whatever is best for the club.

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TYRONE MINGS OPENS UP OVER MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES AHEAD OF EURO 2020

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 06: Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa reacts during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park on February 6, 2021 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Tyrone Mings has revealed he struggled with mental health problems at Euro 2020 which left him feeling like 95 per cent of the country were doubting him.

The Aston Villa defender deputised for Harry Maguire in England’s first two games against Croatia and Scotland, with the latter still recovering from an ankle injury.

Mings, quoted in the Sun, said: “I did have a tough time in the lead-up to the opening game against Croatia.

“I think I’m a lot more hardened to outside influences now, but my mental health did plummet. And I have no shame in admitting that because there was so many unknowns about me going to that game.

“I was probably the only name on the teamsheet that people thought, ‘Not sure about him’. And that was something I had to overcome. When 90-95 per cent of your country are having doubts over you, it’s very difficult to stop this intruding on your own thoughts.

“So I did a lot of work on that with my psychologist. It was hard. I didn’t really sleep very well before that first game.”

American gymnastics star Simone Biles has made headlines at the Olympics by pulling out of several events due to a mental health issue, while England all-rounder Ben Stokes is taking an indefinite break from cricket to safeguard his wellbeing.

Mings, 28, said: “It’s just great that we are playing in a time now when you can speak about mental health, and how you are feeling.

“We have seen with Simone Biles you can speak on how you are feeling and hopefully feel supported by many people.”

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand was a notable voice questioning Mings, in his role as a BBC pundit, but later contacted the Villa star to praise both his performances and his response to home secretary Priti Patel’s dismissal of England taking the knee as “gesture politics”.

When Patel tweeted her “disgust” at online abuse of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after their penalty shoot-out misses in the final, Mings wrote: “You don’t get to stoke the fire at the beginning of the tournament by labelling our anti-racism message as ‘Gesture Politics’ & then pretend to be disgusted when the very thing we’re campaigning against, happens.”

He said: “Rio DM’d me after the tournament. He’d said I was the weak link, and that Croatia should be targeting me.

“He messaged me saying something like, ‘Top-class response — matched your performances on the pitch.’ What a lovely guy.”

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HARRY KANE BOYCOTTS SPURS ROUTINE TEST, PUSHING FOR CITY MOVE

Tottenham striker Harry Kane did not report for pre-season tests on Monday morning.

The England captain was due back at the club’s Hotspur Way training centre for a Covid-19 test following his three-week break after the European Championship.

However, the PA news agency understands Kane did not arrive as planned, throwing his future further up into the air.

Spurs — who face Manchester City at home on the opening day of the season — have declined to comment.

The 28-year-old is keen to leave the club this summer in order to win trophies, but with three years left on his contract, Tottenham have no intention of selling their prized asset.

Kane hinted at the end of last term that he would like to join Manchester City, but the Premier League champions have previously indicated they would not pay the sort of £150 million fee required to even tempt Spurs to the negotiating table.

Their pursuit of Jack Grealish for £100 million is also reported to impact their ability to sign Kane.

Kane has been in the Bahamas following England’s run to the Euro 2020 final and looks to have set his stall out to force a move from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

New boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who was assured Kane would not be sold during discussions for the job, said last month that Kane could be “counted on” next season.

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Sports News

STEWART DOWNING RETIRES AT 37

Stewart Downing has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37.

The winger has brought to an end a 20-year professional career that saw him make more than 700 club appearances and play 35 times for England, where he was a part of the squads for the 2006 World Cup and 2012 European Championship.

Downing most recently spent a two-year spell with Championship club Blackburn, before leaving Ewood Park at the end of June when his contract expired.

Reflecting on his career, Downing said in a post on Twitter: “After some time to relax and reflect with my family over the summer, I have decided the time has come to retire.

“I would like to thank all the football clubs I played for and all of the fantastic fans and staff. I would like to thank all of the great managers I played for.

“As a kid, I could only have dreamed of playing for the clubs I played for and getting to share a pitch with some of the players I shared a pitch with. I played with and against some unbelievable players over the years.

“I look back at the 35 times I played for England with immense pride and I made some incredible memories that will last a lifetime.

“I feel very lucky and unfortunate to have had the career I had.”

Downing began his career at Middlesbrough in 2001 and went on to feature more than 200 times during his first spell at the Riverside Stadium.

He left for Aston Villa following Middlesbrough’s relegation from the Premier League in 2009, before joining Liverpool in 2011.

A further two-year spell with West Ham followed from 2013, before he completed a return to Middlesbrough where he helped the club win promotion back to the top flight in 2016.

He would go on to feature a further 170 times for the Teesside club, before his final move to Blackburn in 2019.

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ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO STEPS DOWN AS UKRAINE MANAGER

Andriy Shevchenko has stepped down as Ukraine manager after his contract came to an end.

The former Chelsea and AC Milan striker took over as national boss in 2016 and guided Ukraine to the quarter-finals at Euro 2020, where they were eliminated 4-0 by England.

Shevchenko wrote on Instagram: “Today, my contract with the Ukrainian Football Association came to the end.

“I spent five years with the National team. It was hard work that proved that we are capable of playing modern football. I am grateful to the president and the executive committee of the UAF for the opportunity to work with the Ukrainian National team.

“I am thankful to every player, every person who helped and was involved in the team.

“Many thanks to all the fans for their support and criticism. Together, we managed to show that our football can be competitive, productive and exciting.”

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CANADA STUN USWNT TO REACH WOMEN OLYMPIC FINAL FOOTBALL EVENT.

The United States women’s national team were knocked out of the Olympic Games after losing 1-0 to Canada in the semifinals on Monday.

Jessie Fleming’s second half penalty was enough to see Canada dump the reigning world champions out of the gold medal match.

The USWNT have now failed to reach the final in back-to-back Olympics after suffering defeat at the hands of Sweden in the quarterfinals in Rio 2016.

Vlatko Andonovski’s side will now play in the bronze medal match on Thursday.

The USWNT suffered a major setback in a cagey first-half when goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was forced off with a knee injury after 30 minutes.

They performed better in the second half and forced Canada goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe into good saves from Carli Lloyd and Julie Ertz.

But with 15 minutes remaining, Canada were awarded a penalty through VAR after Tierna Davidson fouled Deanne Rose in the box.

Fleming converted her spot kick and although Lloyd hit the crossbar late on, Canada held on to win the game.

Canada will play either Australia or Sweden in the gold medal match at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on Friday.