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British Open champion Smith set to play first Australian events since 2019

British Open champion Smith set to play first Australian events since 2019

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WATCH: Roman Reigns makes his return to WWE live events at Sacramento, defeats former WWE Champion

WATCH: Roman Reigns makes his return to WWE live events at Sacramento, defeats former WWE Champion
Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns defeated a former WWE Champion at a live event. Photo: WWE.com

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Roman Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre in the main event of a live event
  • Reigns had been away from live events before the Sacramento event
  • He is scheduled to defend his titles against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2022
Roman Reigns made a shocking return at live events and defeated a former WWE Champion in the main event in Sacramento. Reigns had been away from the live events for over a month now. In fact, he isn’t a regular on television either of late. His latest appearance on the Friday Night Smackdown was his first since June 17.
In the main event of the live event in Sacramento, Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre to retain his WWE Undisputed Universal Championship. The match ended with Reigns hitting the former WWE Champion with a spear before completing the pin.

Reigns and McIntyre have squared off in live events in the past few months and it was yet another occasion of the Head of the Table defeating his opponent. McIntyre is likely to challenge Reigns for the two titles at Clash at the Castle, which takes place in the UK in September.

McIntyre could have punched his ticket to the main event on this week’s Smackdown but his match against Sheamus didn’t take place. Despite this, he looks favourite to get the title opportunity.

Before Clash at the Castle, Reigns is scheduled to defend his titles against Brock Lesnar. And McIntyre might face Lesnar if the titles change hands at the biggest party of the summer. Reigns will be defending his titles in a Last Man Standing Match.
As far as the qualification match goes, the one-on-one match between McIntyre and Sheamus might be delayed till SummerSlam. Both the superstars are former champions and a qualification match at a premium live event would be a treat for the WWE Universe.

SummerSlam 2022 is scheduled to take place on July 30 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Both the superstars are likely to be part of Clash at the Castle as McIntyre hails from Scotland while Sheamus is Irish.

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Champion of the Crescent paddleboard event to return this summer – Surrey Now-Leader

Champion of the Crescent paddleboard event to return this summer - Surrey Now-Leader

A popular paddleboarding event is set to return to South Surrey’s Blackie Spit Park this summer.

The Champion of the Crescent event – which serves as a fundraiser for the Surrey Hospitals Foundation – is planned for Saturday, July 23. Funds raised through the one-day program will support youth mental health initiatives, a news release states.

We are excited to bring back our premiere annual summer fundraiser and we look forward to having teams sign up and help us raise more awareness for youth mental health,” said Jane Adams, president and CEO of the foundation.

“It’s a great way for the community to come together to support our youth, showing them that with the power of family and friends, they are not alone.”

The event, which was first held in 2016, features teams of four paddlers – friends, family or co-workers – who compete in fast-paced relay races for a chance to win the coveted Champion of the Crescent trophy. Adding to the festivities will be an award for best team costume and for the team that falls the most.

Registration is $2,500 per team; paddles and boards will be provided, as will a paddleboard orientation prior to the event.

For more information, or to sign up, visit www.surreyhospitalsfoundation.com/paddle22



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Mickelson signs up for three events without saying he’ll play

Mickelson signs up for three events without saying he’ll play

Phil Mickelson has signed up for the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, and his manager asked the PGA Tour for permission to play in a Saudi-funded golf tournament outside London without saying whether Mickelson will play any of them.

“Phil currently has no concrete plans on when and where he will play,” Mickelson’s longtime manager, Steve Loy of Sportfive, said in a statement. “Any actions taken are in no way a reflection of a final decision made, but rather to keep all options open.”

Monday was the deadline for players to ask for a conflicting event release from the PGA Tour to play in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational on June 9-11 in England.

It also was the deadline to register for the PGA Championship, to be played May 19-22 at Southern Hills. Mickelson is exempt as the defending champion, winning at Kiawah Island last year at age 50 to become the oldest major champion.

That also gave him a five-year exemption to the U.S. Open, which this year will be played outside Boston on June 16-19.

It was the first word from the Mickelson camp since Feb. 22, when Mickelson apologized for explosive remarks in a book excerpt by Alan Shipnuck in which he disparaged the Saudis behind Greg Norman’s attempt at a rival league and said he wanted leverage against the “obnoxious greed” of the PGA Tour.

He has not played since the Saudi International on Feb. 6, even skipping the Masters.

Meanwhile, Norman announced the season-ending team championship for his LIV Golf Invitational series would be at Trump National Doral Miami, the first tournament at the “Blue Monster” since the PGA Tour moved a World Golf Championship to Mexico in 2017.

It would be the second course owned by former president Donald Trump to play host to one of the LIV Golf events run by Norman. Trump Bedminster in New Jersey is scheduled to hold a tournament the last weekend in July.

Norman’s plan for a rival league suffered a big setback in February when Mickelson, viewed as a chief recruiter for Norman, was quoted by Shipnuck as saying the Saudis were “scary mother[expletives] to get involved with,” and that he was working with Norman to get leverage for changes he wanted on the PGA Tour.

“We know they killed [Washington Post reporter Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates,” Mickelson told Shipnuck, whose unauthorized biography on Mickelson is to be released next month.

Mickelson also said he recruited three other top players and they paid attorneys to write the operating agreement for the proposed league.

Within days, the biggest names in golf – some of whom had been contemplating taking the guaranteed Saudi riches – publicly stated support for the PGA Tour.

Still unclear is who will be playing in the LIV Golf events.

None of the top 10 players in the world has expressed interested in Norman’s venture. Norman since has said the rival league he envisioned will be put on hold for two years. Instead, he said players could sign up for any of the eight tournaments, which offer US$20-million in prize money with an additional US$5-million purse for the team aspect.

Even then, PGA Tour players – no matter their world ranking – cannot apply for conflicting event releases for the five tournaments planned for the United States.

The inaugural LIV event is June 9-11 outside London. Robert Garrigus, who is No. 1,053 in the world, is among those who have asked for a release with hopes of playing.

In an interview earlier this month with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, Norman said with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund behind LIV Golf, the carrot would be hard to resist.

“Quite honestly, it doesn’t matter who plays, we’re going to put the event on,” Norman told the The Telegraph. “There’s a $4-million first prize. I hope a kid who’s 350th in the world wins. It’ll change his life, his family’s life. And then a few of our events will go by and the top players will see someone winning $6-million, $8-million, and say, ‘Enough is enough, I know I can beat these guys week in week out with my hands tied behind my back.’”

The team championship, in which 12 four-man teams compete for a US$50-million purse, is scheduled for Oct. 27-30 at Trump National Doral Miami.

Details and players have not been announced.

Doral held a PGA Tour event from 1962 through 2016. It was a World Golf Championship for the final 10 years until the search for a new title sponsorship led to the WGC moving to Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City.

Trump was the presumptive Republican nominee for president when Cadillac chose not to renew as tournament sponsor and the PGA Tour left Doral for Mexico and the sponsorship of Grupo Salinas.

“I hope they have kidnapping insurance,” Trump said at the time.

Trump was a big personality as the new owner of Doral, even before he ran for office, and the tour said it was difficult to find a corporate sponsor willing to pay upward of US$15-million a year to share the stage.

“I think it’s more Donald Trump is a brand – a big brand,” former PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in announcing the Mexico deal. “And when you’re asking a company to invest millions of dollars in branding a tournament, and they’re going to share that brand with the host, it’s a difficult conversation.”

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Four Longhorns Champion Texas Relays Events – University of Texas Athletics

Four Longhorns Champion Texas Relays Events - University of Texas Athletics

AUSTIN, Texas – Four Longhorns were crowned the Texas Relays Champions on the second day of the 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays presented by Truist on Thursday.

Leo Neugebauer won the decathlon with a world-leading score of 8,131 points that moved him up six spots on the Texas All-Time list to No. 3. The Texas sophomore gained the lead after day 1’s 400m and never lost it.

Philip Frank rounded out the top-10 competitors in the decathlon with a score of 7,070 points.

Senior Jonathan Jones was the next Relays champion for the Longhorns winning the 800m dash with a personal-best time of 1:45.83, just .01 seconds off from the Texas Relays record. Four other Longhorns finished in the top-10 as Crayton Carrozza crossed in third-place at 1:46.89, Yusuf Bizimana in fourth at 1:47.19 and Camron Herron in seventh at 1:51.16.

Brooke Jaworski ran the fastest-collegiate time in the women’s 800m Invitational with a time of 2:04.90, while Valery Tobias finished fifth at 2:05.67 and Davicia Patterson in eight at 2:07.24. Amity Ebarb crossed at 2:12.84.

Sophomore Yaseen Abdalla continued his dominant season by winning the men’s 5000m with a time of 13:48.80 and moved to No. 4 on the All-Time list. Abraham Avila-Martinez finished third at 13:58.13, Cruz Gomez in fourth (13:59.81), Isaac Alonza (14:01.22) and Haftu Knight in eighth at 14:02.95.

Monica Hebner was the final champion for Texas on day two in the women’s 10,000m after finishing the race with a time of 34:25.28 and moved on the Texas All-Time list to No. 6, while Isabel Hebner is now No. 8 on the list with a time of 34:27.55.

Kristine Blazevica finished sixth in the women’s heptathlon and climbed six spots after day one’s competition to score 5,592 points. The sophomore began the day with a second-place in long jump at 6.06m (19-10.75).

The All-American added a throw of 36.23m (118-10) in the javelin and a third-place finish in the 800m at 2:13.90 to end her day.

Kaeli Thompson set a personal-best in the women’s B pole vault at 4.00m (13-1.50). On the men’s side, Warren Miller finished with a season-best height of 5.20m (17-0.75) to finish seventh in the A event, while Reid Foster finished 10th at 4.75m (15-7).

Senior Charles Brockman advanced to Friday’s 400m hurdles final after running a time of 51.32.

Alyssa Duhart finished second in the women’s 1500m B section with a time of 4:26.95, an eight-second personal best. Both Kelsie Vicknair (10:37.85) and Allyson Little finished in the top-10 in the 3000m steeplechase.

Beth Ramos set a personal-best time in the 5000m by 15 seconds, finishing second at 16:31.80. Ava Peeples finished eighth with a 20-second personal-best time of 16:47.42.

Top-10 Texas Finishers:

  • Leo Neugebauer – Men’s Decathlon – 1st place (8,131 pts)
  • Jonathan Jones – Men’s 800m Invitational – 1st place (1:45.83 seconds)
  • Yaseen Abdalla – Men’s 5000m – 1st place (13:48.80)
  • Monica Hebner – Women’s 10000m – 1st place (34:25.28)
  • Isabel Hebner – Women’s 10000m – 2nd place (34:27.55)
  • Brooke Jaworski – Women’s 800m Invitational – 2nd place (2:04.90 seconds)
  • Alyssa Duhart – Women’s 1500m Section B – 2nd place (4:26.95 seconds)
  • Beth Ramos – Women’s 5000m – 2nd place (16:31.80)
  • Abraham Avila-Martinze – 3rd place – (13::58.13)
  • Crayton Carrozza – Men’s 800m Invitational – 3rd place (1:46.89 seconds)
  • Cruz Gomez – Men’s 5000m – 4th place (13:59.81)
  • Yusuf Bizimana – Men’s 800m Invitational – 4th place (1:47.19 seconds)
  • Isaac Alonzo – Men’s 5000m – 5th place (14:01.22)
  • Valery Tobias – Women’s 800m Invitational – 5th place (2:05.67 seconds)
  • Camron Herron – Men’s 800m Invitational – 7th place (1:51.16 seconds)
  • Kristine Blazevica – Heptahtlon – 6th place (5,592 pts)
  • Warren Miller – Men’s Pole Vault – 7th place (5.20m)
  • Kelsie Vicknair – Women’s 3000m SC – 7th place (10:37.85)
  • Haftu Knight – Men’s 5000m – 8th place (14:02.95)
  • Davicia Patterson – Women’s 800m Invitational – 8th place (2:07.24 seconds)
  • Ava Peeple – Women’s 5000m – 8th (16:47.42)
  • Jack Garey – Men’s Javelin Throw Section B –  9th place (53.52m)
  • Kaeli Thompson – Women’s Pole Vault – 9th place (4.00m)
  • Charles Brockman III – Men’s 400m Hurdles 1st round – 9th place (51.32 seconds)
  • Allyson Little – Women’s 3000m SC – 9th (10:47.49)
  • Phillip Frank – Men’s Decathlon – 10th place (7,070 pts)
  • Reid Foster – Men’s Pole Vault – 10th place (4.75m)

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Olympic Champion Kaylee McKeown May Add 3 Events To Commonwealth Lineup

Olympic Champion Kaylee McKeown May Add 3 Events To Commonwealth Lineup

Australia’s multi-Olympic gold medalist Kaylee McKeown hasn’t stopped since Tokyo, already putting up the top 100m back and 200m back times in the world this year.

McKeown clocked both of the #1 times in the world at last month’s Victorian Open, with the versatile ace posting marks of 58.31 and 2:04.64, respectively. The latter time beat out what it took McKeown to win gold in the event in Tokyo (57.47, Olympic Record).

With these types of recent performances, it appears that McKeown’s move from the USC Spartans under Chris Mooney to Griffith under coach Michael Bohl has been a smooth transition.  Mooney is now at the helm of the Bond swimming program and McKeown chose to move in a different direction.

Speaking to NewsCorp Australia, McKeown said that family was a big part of her decision to move to train alongside sister and 2016 Olympic finalist Taylor McKeown,

“(Family) was probably 90 percent of my reasoning to move down to the Gold Coast,” she said. “My mum is moving down to the hinterland and Taylor is already down here so it was going to be quite lonely for me and I’m a big family and friends person, so to not have that support there I knew I would struggle.

“I think the move not only swimming-wise but outside of the pool-wise has been really good for me.

“I think surrounding yourself with people who are driven and motivated really does put you up in a level of training that you may not be able to reach in certain squads and surrounding myself with those sorts of people will inevitably make me a better swimmer.

“I think it was just the right path for me to go down if I wanted to make myself a better person and grow mentally and physically as well.”

McKeown’s father Sholto, died in August 2020 at the age of 53 after a two-year battle with brain cancer.

Looking ahead to the Commonwealth Games, which take place in Birmingham in July and August, McKeown is reportedly thinking of adding two additional individual races to her 100m/200m backstroke double.

The 50m backstroke, 400m IM and 200m IM are being tossed around, the latter of which she actually qualified for Tokyo before deciding to drop the race from her program.

Should McKeown race all 3, she could match Ian Thorpe or Susie O’Neill’s 6-gold medal Commonwealth Games hauls. But, it’s a big ‘if’ for adding all three events.

“I’m not going to lie, I hate swimming the 400 IM so if I can get out of that I definitely will, but I do love the 200 medley so we will see what happens,” McKeown gold Newscorp Australia.

“It could be something to look out for that is for sure.

”You want to have this (year) as a pathway and step to eventually getting behind the blocks at an Olympics and not only doing two individual events but potentially three or four.”

Schedule-wise, should McKeown race the 5 individual events plus relays, this is how her Commonwealth Games may look. The races are actually spread out quite nicely, save for the grueling 200m back/200m IM double on Monday, August 1st.

Possible McKeown Commonwealth Games Schedule:

Friday, July 29th:

  • 400m IM Heats in AM
  • 400m IM Final in PM

Saturday, July 30th:

  • 100m Back Heats in AM
  • 100m Back Semi-finals in PM

Sunday, July 31st:

Monday, August 1st:

  • 200m Back Heats, 200m IM Heats in AM
  • 200m Back Final, 200m IM Final in PM

Tuesday, August 2nd:

  • 50m Back Heats in AM
  • 50m Back Semi-finals, Mixed Medley Relay final in PM

Wednesday, August 3rd

  • 50m Back Final, Women’s Medley Relay final in PM

 

McKeown’s best times and the all-time world and Australian ranks are below.

Event Best Time Date Aussie All-Time Rank World All-Time Rank
50m Back 27.16 May 2021 1 6
100m Back 57.45 WR June 2021 1 1
200m Back 2:04.28 June 2021 1 3
200m IM 2:08.19 June 2021 3 8
400m IM 4:32.73 December 2020 2 14