Why the £10bn surfing industry deserves its introduction as an Olympic sport in 2020 August 10, 2016 Once the epitome of sporting counter culture and the natural home to the mavericks and outsiders of the sports world, surfing has finally been accepted as an Olympic sport. With Brazilian pro surfers like Gabriel Medina and Filipe Toledo now superstars in a sport which is rivalling football in its appeal to younger generations, the [...]
Leicester’s Claudio Ranieri challenges Premier League title contenders to turn big wallets into trophies August 10, 2016 Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has thrown down the gauntlet to fellow Premier League contenders and challenged them to turn their big-spending summers into a title charge. Defending champions Leicester have not been shy in bolstering their squad with the signing of six players, including a club-record outlay of £16m for forward Ahmed Musa from CSKA [...]
What to watch at the Olympics: Bradley Wiggins and Laura Trott set to star for Team GB with rowing and canoe medals also up for grabs August 10, 2016 Sir Bradley Wiggins is the big name making his bow at the Games on Thursday when the velodrome opens its doors for the men’s team pursuit qualifying round at 9:23pm. The cycling icon won gold in the event eight years ago and is back on the track this year after racing on the road in [...]
Brazil national football team: Why playing at home could be crushing Neymar and co August 10, 2016 If there is one event at this year's Olympics that host nation Brazil could safely boast of both packed out stadiums of supporters and the most accomplished athlete in the field, it's football. While the majority of football loving nations shrug at the Olympic event, Brazil arguably have put together the tournament's strongest squad with elite level superstar Neymar leading [...]
How Manchester United stepped up for sponsors Adidas and Chevrolet when unveiling Paul Pogba August 10, 2016 Football players have always had huge marketing value off the pitch. In fact, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez built the club’s whole strategy around it. He invented the concept of Galacticos in his first stint at the club in the early 2000s, bringing in Figo, Ronaldo, Zidane, Beckham and Robinho before repeating the trick with Cristiano [...]
Johanna Konta keeps alive her Olympic dream and progresses to quarter-finals, while Andy Murray surges into last 16 August 10, 2016 British No1 Johanna Konta followed the lead of team-mate Andy Murray and kept her Olympic dream alive with victory over Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Rio tennis singles. Konta progressed to the quarter-finals after navigating a dramatic three-hour contest against eighth seed Kuznetsova 3-6, 7-5, 7-5. The 25-year-old will now face her Australian Open semi-final [...]
Day of what might have been for medal-shy Team GB as podium opportunities slip away August 9, 2016 Great Britain slumped into collective despair as a series of opportunities to add to their medal haul frustratingly slipped by on day four of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Chances came and went in gymnastics, canoeing, diving and eventing as Team GB failed to swell their tally of four medals, while Adam Peaty’s heroics [...]
Silverstone boss Patrick Allen ousted for being “too close” to tycoon plotting takeover August 9, 2016 The home of Formula One’s British Grand Prix has been thrown into turmoil by the unexpected departure of its boss Patrick Allen who has been suspended. Allen is managing director of the Silverstone track in Northamptonshire and was seen there last month at the British Grand Prix when 139,000 spectators watched local hero Lewis Hamilton [...]
Move over Joe Root: What England’s greatest ever batsman tells us about how to use statistics August 9, 2016 Cricket fans will be delighted that Joe Root is establishing himself this summer as a truly great batsman. His Test match batting average of 55.49 is bettered by only 16 players from across the world since Test cricket began in 1877. Root currently sits seventh in the England career batting averages, and he clearly has [...]
Jose Mourinho takes aim at Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp over criticism of Paul Pogba transfer fee August 9, 2016 Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho took aim at long-time adversary Arsene Wenger and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after the Old Trafford club completed their world-record £89m capture of midfielder Paul Pogba. Pogba re-joined United from Serie A side Juventus, having left Manchester for Italy in 2012, in the early hours on Tuesday morning in a deal [...]