
Alabama track and field star wins outdoor national championship
Alabama track and field star wins outdoor national championship
After an impressive showing at the 2025 NCAA outdoor track and field championships, Alabama Crimson Tide star Samuel Ogazi has now been officially crowned a national champion.
Taking place Friday night at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, Ogazi won a national championship in the 400-meter dash, finishing with a time of 44.84 seconds. The second place time was 45.53 seconds, nearly a full second behind Ogazi, making the Alabama star the only runner to finish with a sub-45 second time.
A year ago, Ogazi was the national runner-up in the 400-meter, while also finishing as a First Team All-American. Ogazi is the Alabama all-time record in the outdoor 400-meter as well with a time of 44.41 seconds.
Ogazi, an Olympian from Nigeria, also won the outdoor SEC championship earlier this season in the 400-meter.
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USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
House that Leo built: Pope delivers message of hope at White Sox park
House that Leo built: Pope delivers message of hope at White Sox park Thousands went to the first American pope's old haunt on the South Side to hear a message from the man they once knew as Robert Francis Prevost. Show Caption Hide Caption 'One of our own': Chicago celebrates election of Pope Leo XIV Chicago residents and leaders with the Archdiocese of Chicago are celebrating the election of a native to the papacy. CHICAGO – The city's favorite son delivered a fastball straight from the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago in 1955, spoke in a video message to tens of thousands of spectators at Rate Field, the Chicago White Sox ballpark that was a staple of his youth growing up. Leo's message was part of a celebration of the first American pope at the stadium of his beloved ball team. The South Side native's message was aimed particularly at young people. 'That restlessness you feel in your hearts, we shouldn't look for ways to put out the fire, to numb ourselves to the difficulties we feel, we should get in touch with our hearts and realize that God can work through it,' said Leo, speaking in a pre-recorded message to people gathered at the sunny ballpark. 'That light on the horizon is not easy to see and yet as we come together we discover that light is growing brighter and brighter.' The special message from Leo was part of a program at the home of the pope's beloved ball team that included words from people who knew him as Robert Francis Prevost, fourth graders who participated in a viral mock conclave and performances by a Chicago Catholic high school choir that was recently on America's Got Talent. 'I'd like to take this opportunity to invite each one of you to look into your hearts,' Leo said. 'God is present and in many ways He's calling you to look into your heart, to discover how important it is for each one of us to pay attention to God in our hearts, to that longing for love we may feel.' Chicago-area Cardinal Blase Cupich celebrated Mass and Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky emceed the event. Among attendees were nuns from Chicago-area convents who had never been to the stadium and Saturday found themselves seated in the infield, Sox fans returning to their regular stomping grounds and Chicago Cubs fans who were convinced to cross enemy lines at last. Leo is a noted Sox fan. He was recently spotted wearing the team's ball cap and was seen in archival footage at Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. The ball club honored the moment with a mural at Section 140 where Leo was seen standing to rally the team in the team's pinstripes. Alderwoman Nicole Lee of the city's 11th Ward, which includes the stadium, attended in a retro Sox shirt. 'What a great way to bring people together in a time when we need people to come together,' said Lee, noting the No Kings protests happening just a few miles north of Sox park and around the country. 'It's not that normal that we're here like this and I love that that's what we're doing right now. We could all use a dose of energy and a word of encouragement about what it'll take for the world to get on a better path.' Da Pope-mania Many showed up at the event on Saturday wearing the 'Da Pope' paraphernalia that's popped up in stores and streetside stands around the city in the wake of Leo's election at the conclave on May 8. Silvia Campos and Miguel Angel Vazquez, South Side residents and regular Sox game goers, wore White Sox-styled pope shirts they picked up at a recent game. The jerseys include the number 14 on the back. 'It's a way to get closer to him,' said Vazquez. 'We wouldn't be able to get to Rome so for us this is the closest possible for now.' The White Sox could not be immediately reached about whether they will retire the number 14. Paul Konerko, who wore the number 14 and whom Leo rooted for at the 2005 World Series, already has his name up at the stadium. Among the other paraphernalia were jerseys outfitted with the keys of the Vatican and Leo's name set against Chicago's iconic skyline. Grace and Janice Carpenter wore a pair of visors they had outfitted to look like a bishop's mitre hat. Fernando Flores, a shirt vendor outside the stadium, said his outfit had sold 10,000 shirts in the weeks since Leo's election. 'I would compare it to a championship overnight,' said Flores, 45. 'It's a phenomenon where everyone wants a piece of it.' Shirts sell for $25. Pope Leo baseball cards from Topps were for sale outside the stadium for $20. Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIII cards were also for sale. Prayers for peace The event celebrating Leo convinced even die hard Cubs fans to head to the South Side park. 'I'm in enemy territory here, where do I go,' Raul Gomez asked staff outside the stadium. The 36-year-old North Side resident said it was his first time back at the stadium in 10 years. 'A whole stadium filled with Catholics, Pope Leo the first American pope, from Chicago, I needed to be a part of that,' he said. 'That lineage from Peter somehow goes through Chicago, how amazing is that.' Gomez was satisfied with how the first-place Cubs are doing but said Leo lends a hand to other Chicago teams. 'I'm hoping Leo does some kind of prayer for the Bears because they're deep in the hole,' he said. Friendly divisions between the North and the South sides were just part of what many hoped Leo will bridge. 'As a Latina, it's very meaningful to see somebody as pope who understands the reality of Latin America, of the poor,' said Teresa Montes-Lara, a Dominican nun originally from Mexico. 'I hope he challenges us in our faith and I want o hear something about migrants, about the radical obligation the church has.' Cupich raised the issue in his homily at the Mass. 'It is wrong to scapegoat people without documents, for indeed they are here due to a broken immigration system,' he said. 'They are here not by invasion but by invitation.' Others hoped for more personal intercession. Dr. Joy Henningsen said she flew in from Nashville for the event. The radiologist said she lived in the Chicago area until 2020. Her family was devoted to Pope John Paul II and attributes a miracle to the pope that led a doctor to discover a piece of glass near his heart when he was having heart trouble. 'I believe in the power of healing via the Holy Father so I'm here asking for healing and peace in the world,' said Henningsen. 'I would not miss this for the world.' Mound is waiting Among official speakers were those who knew Leo back in Chicago. Father John Merkelis, who belongs to the same Augustinian order as Leo and was his high school classmate, said he was emailing Leo in the days leading up to the conclave. 'He said he's sleeping well because an American is not going to be pope,' said Merkelis. Days later, the priests said he was at an Augustinian house shouting 'that's Prevost, that's Prevost' when Leo was announced. The Augustinian said Leo's a guy who can change a car's oil and is an excellent Wordle player. But he remembers him best as the man who waited past midnight to share his condolences when Merkeles got home after his dad died. 'He was there waiting on the stairs,' he said. 'He's a sensitive, sensitive man.' Dianne Bergant, a former teacher, said she remembered him as an excellent student but she also took the moment to celebrate the Chicago community that raised him. 'It says something about the education he got,' she said. Many at the stadium hoped the event was a pre-season for Leo in person. Brooks Boyer, a White Sox executive, said that the 'mounting is waiting' for Leo. 'Your holiness, you've always been one of us, you wear the Sox cap like it was made for you, on behalf of White Sox fans, we'd be happy to welcome you back for a first pitch,' Boyer said. 'We'll send a ball to the Vatican so your arm is prepared.'


New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Francisco Lindor's stunning All-Star drought could finally end — and it's about to get a big first clue
Access the Mets beat like never before Don't miss Mike Puma's text messages from Queens and beyond — he's giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Mets. Sign up Now Finding out Francisco Lindor has never been an All-Star as a Met is not exactly like the day you learn there is no Tooth Fairy, but it does come with a 'Wait! What?' reaction. It feels nearly impossible to believe that a potentially Cooperstown-bound player in his prime who over the past three seasons has finished no worse than top nine for NL MVP, won two shortstop Silver Sluggers and plays in a huge market with a big personality had not over his first four Mets seasons gained Midsummer Classic entry. 'You have got to have a good first half and I haven't had a good All-Star-type first half with the Mets, where people feel like I deserve to be an All-Star,' Lindor said. 3 Francisco Lindor is pictured during the Mets' game against the Nationals on June 12. Jason Szenes for the NY Post This velvet rope seems like it is going to fall. Lindor, a four-time All-Star with Cleveland, has never been better positioned to find the alchemy of strong first half/popularity contest that goes into gaining an All-Star spot.


Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
With Alex Bregman and Wilyer Abreu close to returning, Red Sox have difficult roster decisions to make
Momose would demonstrate a particular movement and Bregman would follow him, testing the strength and flexibility of his strained right quad. Bregman moved side to side, lifted his knees to his waist while walking and at one point was skipping. The workout ended with the two playing catch, first from 60 feet and then from 90. Bregman mimicked picking up a ground ball as he would playing third base before firing the ball to Momose. In all, it was 45 minutes of work and Bregman was sweating when it was finished. Advertisement The Red Sox third baseman is not ready to line a fastball into the gap and hustle into second base, far from it. But he's a lot closer to that than was expected when he was injured on May 23. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Back then the fear was Bregman would be out 10 weeks, the same time he missed when he strained his left quad in 2021. Now there's a chance he's back around the All-Star break, maybe even sooner. The timeline for right fielder Wilyer Abreu, who is out with a strained left oblique, is even shorter. He has started taking batting practice and expects to be activated from the injured list on the first day he's eligible. That would be Friday in San Francisco. He could play minor league games on Tuesday and Wednesday then fly to the West Coast to join the major league team. Advertisement 'I'm feeling great,' Abreu said Saturday. 'I'll be ready.' The Red Sox are about to have some difficult decisions to make. Abreu should go back into right field when he's ready. He's one of the best defensive outfielders in the game and has a .785 OPS over 196 games the last two seasons. Roman Anthony was called up when Abreu went on the injured list. So send him back? 'We'll talk about it during the week and which route we're going to go,' Alex Cora said. 'Right now we have this 26 for the next three or four days and when we have to make a decision, we'll make a decision.' Anthony could play left field with Jarren Duran moving to center field and Ceddanne Rafaela becoming a super sub. Obviously Bregman goes right back into the lineup at third base once he's ready. The Red Sox desperately need his righthanded power. Does that mean Marcelo Mayer returns to Triple A, too? Not necessarily. Mayer could go to second base or even first base. At some point soon, the Red Sox have to see more from Kristian Campbell to justify him being in the lineup. Campbell hit .313 with a .935 OPS in his first 28 games. He hit .158 with a .454 OPS in the 34 games that followed. The defense at second base has been a big disappointment. Teams generally endeavor to retain the most talent they can. If Anthony, Campbell, and/or Mayer return to the minors for a few weeks, so be it. Cora manages a fourth-place team that hasn't been over .500 since May 24. But somehow the Red Sox have all these good players they can't get into the lineup and he gets questions about it every day. Advertisement Mayer was out of the lineup on Friday. Anthony took a seat on Saturday. It'll be somebody else's turn on Sunday. The Sox do have a lot of good players. But too many of them are outfielders or lefthanded hitters. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has until the July 30 trade deadline to create a more useful roster. It also doesn't help that Cora once again proclaimed on Saturday that Rafael Devers would only DH this season. Devers is 28 and played 130 games at third base last season. He can't make things a little easier with an occasional game at third base? The Sox are playing better and were two games out in the wild card when they took the field on Saturday. Imagine what they could do with a roster that works? Peter Abraham can be reached at