World-class Russell Knox couldn’t be doing any more to earn a Ryder Cup wildcard pick August 8, 2016 But for a technicality, Russell Knox would already be assured of a place at the Ryder Cup, and the up-and-coming Scot could hardly be doing any more to remedy that situation. Knox, 31, earned a fantastic win at the Travelers Championship on Sunday to put him right in contention for a European debut against his [...]
Yerma at the Young Vic review: Billie Piper shows her acting chops but the production lacks poetry August 8, 2016 Inspired by Federico García Lorca’s play of the same name, the Young Vic’s new production of Yerma (Barren) is well acted and inventively staged, but undermined by a misguided impulse to modernise. The original was set in rural Spain, following a young woman penned in by society and her beliefs, whose increasingly desperate desire for [...]
Rio 2016: As non-sponsoring brands get more scope to cash in on Olympic fever, official partners may be getting a bum deal August 8, 2016 Rio 2016 may have be tainted by doping scandals, the threat of the Zika virus, and worries of violence, but if you’ve got the money, sponsoring the Olympics seems like a no-brainer. Around 3.6bn people saw at least one minute of London 2012, and Rio’s audience is expected to be even bigger still, providing the 11 [...]
Lizzie Armitstead fails to silence critics with Olympic medal after finishing fifth in women’s road race in Rio August 8, 2016 World champion Lizzie Armitstead refused to wallow in self pity after failing to end the furore over her missed drugs tests with an Olympic medal during the women’s road race at the Rio Games. Armitsead was unable to find her best form and finished fifth, following a week of turmoil during which she was given an [...]
Andy Murray begins Olympic title defence in style and heaps pressure on himself to win second gold medal August 7, 2016 Defending Olympic champion Andy Murray began his quest to retain his title with a crushing straight sets victory over Serbia’s Viktor Troicki in the opening round of the men’s singles at the Rio Games. Murray, Great Britain’s flag bearer at Friday’s opening ceremony, dispatched Troicki 6-3, 6-2 to progress to round two where he will [...]
Friendly round-up: Arsenal and Chelsea both suffer defensive injuries a week before start of Premier League season August 7, 2016 Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s defensive crisis deepened a week before his side’s opening Premier League fixture as centre-half Gabriel was stretchered off during today's 3-2 friendly victory over Manchester City in Gothenburg. Wenger is short of defensive reserves after a knee injury ruled World Cup winner Per Mertesacker out for up to five months and Laurent [...]
Leicester City 1, Manchester United 2: Jose Mourinho backs Paul Pogba to complete his Old Trafford jigsaw after green light given for world record transfer August 7, 2016 Conundrum-solving Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has backed midfielder Paul Pogba to prove the final piece of his Old Trafford jigsaw after the Old Trafford club beat Leicester to lift the FA Community Shield yesterday. Summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic emerged as the match-winner inside the final 10 minutes, handing Mourinho his first piece of United [...]
Alastair Cook’s delight as England take unassailable lead against Pakistan August 7, 2016 Captain Alastair Cook savoured one of the best wins of his tenure after England bowled Pakistan out for 201 to claim the third Investec Test at Edgbaston and take an unassailable lead in the series. Five bowlers took two wickets apiece as Pakistan’s middle order collapsed from 124-3 to 125-7 in just 23 balls and England, [...]
Paralympics does what Olympics wouldn’t and bans all Russian athletes from Rio Games August 7, 2016 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Sir Philip Craven has issued Russia with a stinging rebuke and confirmed that none of their athletes will be allowed to compete at this month’s Paralympic Games in Rio. Craven said the IPC had sanctioned the blanket ban on all of the country’s competitors that their Olympic counterparts shied away [...]
Rio Olympics 2016: What to watch on Monday including Tom Daley, Louis Smith, James Guy and Missy Franklin August 7, 2016 There are 14 gold medals on offer on Monday and a good proportion of those have a high chance of ending up in British hands by the end of the day. A good time to take a lunch break from work would be at 12.30, just in time to catch the first heats for the [...]