Raducanu overcomes fear of needles to manage back injury ahead of French Open
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu has overcome her phobia of needles in a bid to relieve a back injury ahead of her first round match against China's Wang Xinyu at the French Open on Monday.
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Bryson DeChambeau chips his way into tie for lead at LIV Golf Virginia
GAINESVILLE, Virginia.: Bryson DeChambeau chipped in for an eagle and a birdie on his way to a 5-under par 66, and he shares the first-round lead with Germany's Martin Kaymer at LIV Golf Virginia on Friday in Gainesville, Virginia DeChambeau shot up the leaderboard after a brief weather delay, eagling the par-5 14th and birdieing each of the next two holes at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. His chip at No. 14 was a soft placement next to a slope, and his ball rolled from right to left right into the cup. At the par-4 16th, he missed the green and chopped his third shot out of some thick rough, only to watch his ball head straight to the pin and disappear again. 'Man, what's nice is coming out into some soft conditions,' DeChambeau said. 'That little chip shot became a hell of a lot easier for me. So I just chipped it out to the right exactly what I saw. I don't know if you saw, but I was studying it before I left. I was like this looks perfect, came out, still looks perfect, hit it exactly where I wanted it to land, and it went right in the frickin' hole.' DeChambeau is tuning up to defend his title at the US Open next week at Oakmont Country Club. He is one of several LIV members who either were invited by the USGA or qualified for the third major of the year the old-fashioned way. Marc Leishman of Australia tied for third at the qualifying site in nearby Rockville, Md., on Monday, grabbing one of four spots available there. Leishman turned around and shot a 67 on Friday. Leishman is tied for third with Phil Mickelson, who may play in his final US Open next week; Jon Rahm of Spain, who will search for his third career major win; Joaquin Niemann of Chile, who received the USGA's first special invite based on LIV performance; Anirban Lahiri of India; and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland. RangeGoats GC teammates Bubba Watson and Peter Uihlein are tied at 3 under with Patrick Reed and Belgium's Thomas Pieters, both of 4Aces. RangeGoats lead the team competition at 9 under par, two shots better than 4Aces and DeChambeau's team, Crushers GC.
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16 hours ago
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Rakan Alireza: From Jeddah's waters to Milan's Olympic slopes
JEDDAH: Cross-country skier Rakan Alireza has made history as the first Saudi athlete to compete in cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He is now focused on leaving an even bigger mark on the sport. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Known for his unique dual-sport talent in skiing and rowing, Alireza last year won a rowing gold medal at the Saudi Games, the Kingdom's premier national sporting event held annually. Having steadily progressed on the international ski circuit, he has recently competed in several global events, including the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Above all, Alireza has successfully qualified for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and is already focused on preparing for the prestigious event. 'I've been working toward this goal for years,' Alireza told the media recently. 'It's a dream that's coming closer, but there's still a lot of work to do.' Despite tough competition and limited snow exposure at home, his international experience and discipline keep him in the running. Alireza's journey has already inspired many in the Kingdom. He trains year-round, alternating between alpine slopes and watersport arenas. His ambition extends beyond personal milestones. 'If I can qualify, it opens the door for others. It shows that Saudis belong in winter sports too,' he told Arab News. With growing institutional backing and increasing public interest, Alireza represents a shifting athletic landscape in Saudi Arabia, one where snow is no longer off-limits. For most athletes, preparing for the Winter Olympics involves snow, mountains, and early mornings in alpine silence. For Rakan Alireza, it begins in the desert heat of Jeddah. Now 29, the Saudi athlete will represent the Kingdom in cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Reflecting on the moment he learned he had qualified, Alireza called it 'bittersweet. 'Because when you work for a goal for such a long time, and once you reach it, it feels like the end,' he said. He remembers standing among the crowd at the Milan-Cortina slopes years ago — not as an athlete, but as a spectator — quietly dreaming of carrying his nation's flag across that snow. 'I saw different flags. I remember clearly. I felt like I can't wait to raise the Saudi flag there. That's the only thing I remember.' Skiing is now the sport driving his every move. His routine is a cycle of relentless fitness training. 'Wake up early. Two to three hours of steady-state cardio. Go to work. Do it again in the afternoon. Ninety percent of my training is just cardio,' he says, laughing. But the weight of Olympic qualification is never far from his mind. '(In) 2026, I'm going to Milan. In like eight months; it's really close.' Cross-country skiing and rowing may seem worlds apart, but Alireza sees them as complementary. 'They're both the most aerobic sports in the world. Being in the rowing team helps because I'm surrounded by competitors that make me work hard. 'If you go see the cross-country skiing field, I stick out like a sore thumb. I'm too big for the sport,' Alireza added. 'I drop from 91 kg to 85 during the season. Here in Jeddah, I just can't. It's a struggle.' His choice to pursue both sports was not always welcomed. 'They wanted me to focus strictly on one. But I didn't believe that was my way. I'd rather fail my way than succeed someone else's way.' His commitment to sporting excellence is deeply personal. 'It's a privilege to do what I do. I don't want to waste it. I don't regret anything. Even the race I didn't win, I'd do it again.' Alireza believes that mental strength can be forged through a dedication to motion. 'Anyone who tells me he has problems, I tell him: Go run. Do something boring for a while. You'll be in your head a lot. You need to push past that.' A key figure in his journey is his coach, Christer Skog, a seasoned Swedish trainer who has led national teams in Sweden, the Czech Republic, the UK, and Australia. 'Now he has me. We fight. We eat cake. We move forward,' Alireza laughs. Skog's unconventional methods resonate with him. 'He once told me to go pick mushrooms for dinner instead of training. I ended up hiking for three hours. He just knows how to get my head back into it.' Despite the rigorous training, Alireza remains grounded in humor and family. 'My dad still thinks I should work, but he supports me. My mom is my biggest cheerleader.' Apart from his skiing and rowing adventures, Alireza is also a sports entrepreneur and is currently working with Kona Jeddah Marine Sports Club, Saudi Arabia's first wakeboarding facility. 'I started three years ago. It was a coincidence,' he said. 'I had just returned from a winter trip. I had no job. I was supposed to attend a wedding, but I stayed at the training center instead. That's when my boss saw me and said, 'You're Rakan Alireza? Stay.' Two weeks later, I was hired.' Kona Jeddah is more than a sports club. It's a grassroots incubator offering wakeboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and electric surfboards. 'We introduced wakeboarding in Saudi. We have the first cable system here. The IWWF (International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation) certified us. Now they want to host international competitions. It's something I can contribute to.' Alireza hopes Kona will one day produce Olympic-level athletes. 'We already have MoUs with federations,' he said. 'Rowing, swimming, kayaking. I want someone to go to the Olympics from a sport we built here.' Alireza sees such targets as part of his contribution to the Kingdom's Vision 2030. 'When people say I'm ambitious, I say I'm just following the lead. Our leadership, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are ambitious. The country is ambitious. It's a duty for us to contribute.' The 2026 Winter Olympics will run from Feb. 6-22 next year, and as the countdown to the action in Milan continues, Alireza's focus is sharpening. 'I called the CEO of the rowing federation. He said, 'We'd love to have you back, but you should focus on skiing now. You have eight months. Give it your best.' 'Everything runs its course,' Alireza said. 'I haven't reached the point where I hate it. I'll always be in something. 'Maybe retirement from sport? Golf,' he grins. 'But not yet. Not now.'
