McConville and Best secure second Special Olympics golds
Caolan McConville and Lucy Best have secured their second skiing gold medals in as many days for Team Ireland at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy,After topping the podium in the giant slalom Final on Wednesday, they dominated the Super G event on Thursday, with Caolán securing gold in the advanced division with a time of 33.10 seconds and Lucy claiming victory in the novice division at 41.39 seconds. McConville, 21, from Aghagallon in County Antrim, is the first Team Ireland athlete to compete in the advanced division in alpine skiing and was competing in the advanced Super G category for only the second time."It's absolutely amazing. I've only done the Super G once before, and that was in the European Games – so no practice before, but I came out with gold. I'm absolutely delighted," said Caolan.It is McConville's second Games appearance after competing as a 13-year-old in Austria in 2017, where he won a silver and bronze medal.Best, 33, from Ballinderry, said her second success of the Games felt "amazing"."I'm so glad I got another gold medal, I'm just really pleased," said Best."To any young athletes out there starting out, I'd say go for it, work hard, and you could get a gold medal like me."
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The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Cricket's world showdown finally lives up to its billing on thrilling first day
Over the week of lead-up to its third staging, the World Test Championship final has felt increasingly like something that counts. After two abandoned attempts to host it at Lord's, having been diverted first to the Hampshire Bowl and then to The Oval, it is finally being held at cricket's original headquarters. On the first day of the match, with a surge of people up St John's Wood Road, whether for a sensible start time of 10:30am or spilling over into an occasionally sunny afternoon, forming an eventual crowd of over 26,000, this at last felt like vindication of concept. Of course, cricket being cricket, this also means that the game's biggest interests are right now lining to sabotage it. The Indian board plans to take the next final to their cavern in Ahmedabad, where about 13 people will show up to watch, especially if it's a neutral fixture. Even India Tests when Virat Kohli was playing drew paltry crowds there. Partly their move will be motivated by a thirst for prestige, partly by India having already lost two finals in England. It is comically being framed as a 'bid', while everyone in cricket knows that that the BCCI does not do any bidding, but only has its bidding done. England, meanwhile, the only team that could credibly provoke complaints about home ground advantage, have spent the last cycle disparaging the tournament. Home advantage is only a factor if you qualify for the final, which England have conspicuously failed to do at every opportunity, so their manner has more than a touch of fox and grapes about it. The attitude has filtered through to a decent portion of England's cricket media, who criticise the format, but of course the structure is janky – international cricket's unequal relations between participants make some level of jank inevitable. Disgruntled English voices may be cheerier if the ECB's millions of pounds of annual expenditure could produce players able to count how many overs they had bowled in a session. And yet, and yet, there would have been plenty of English cricketing hearts gladdened by the second hour of the match, as South Africa's fast bowlers came to play. It had to be the premier quicks, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, if they were to really challenge Australia, and both did the job perfectly: keen to bowl after winning the toss, bringing aggression and accuracy, four down for 67 on the stroke of lunch. For the biggest Test in the calendar, Australia's batting configuration has a makeshift current composition, with Marnus Labuschagne opening and Cameron Green at three, and the collective failed to fire. Usman Khawaja spent the last Australian summer on the hop, repeatedly jumping and fending at pace to be caught behind the wicket. Swap Jasprit Bumrah for Rabada and the same mode occurred. Green pushed across the ball in being caught the same over. Labuschagne was kept dry before finally being drawn into a push and an edge, while Travis Head fell into an long-held habit of nicking down the leg-side. And so the urge from an English view, or any neutral perspective really, to see Australia knocked over by a team with fewer resources, was well fed by lunch, only for that excitement to be gradually sapped as it has so many times before by Steven Smith. Three months without a bat in hand seems a good recipe for the former batting obsessive on this evidence, as he moved perfectly into line with the outswinging ball, waiting with patience to punch it through the off-side, before stepping to the slightly straighter line to turn it fine down the leg. In a country where he has eight centuries, and on a ground where he has two, a bigger innings looked a lock for Smith once he had Beau Webster locked in for support. That didn't happen in the end, Smith having what for him is a modest stay of just under two hours. But as the scoring patterns of this match emerged, his score of 66 is beginning to look as effective as a hundred elsewhere. Australia were all out 212 and still reach stumps as favourites, with South Africa 43 for 4. This was always likely to be the biggest disparity: South Africa's often fragile batting, featuring solid domestic types and white-ball bashers, against Australia's quicks. Ryan Rickelton has a fine domestic record but won't have faced an attack of this pedigree. Wiaan Mulder wants to believe, but is an all-rounder and a makeshift number three. Tristan Stubbs is a white-ball smasher yet to credibly make the transition. Aiden Markram has high class but a record that doesn't sufficiently reflect it. All were out cheaply, among sharp bounce and smashed stumps. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion Overnight, then, the match awaits another test. Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham need to mimic the rescue job of Smith and Webster. If they don't, and South Africa fall over, the scrutiny on their path to qualification will intensity. That shouldn't be the case, because lopsided Tests occur between all strengths of nations all the time, but it will. If instead they can take it up to Australia again, as they did in the first session, they will solidify fondness in the hearts of neutrals, for the match as much as the team. Beyond parochial views, this is what a global final should be about. The concept is right, but there is more vindication to achieve.
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Tyrone All-Ireland winner focused on county and not AFL after being named U20 Player of the Year
The Red Hands ace was outstanding as they defended their All-Ireland crown, scoring 2-4 in the Final against Louth including two goals in the second half. It continues a remarkable run for McElholm, who starred in the All-Ireland Minor Final for Tyrone and won the Hogan Cup with Omagh CBS, captaining the side to the title in 2023. And while the Loughmacrory teen is not shutting the door completely on an AFL career in the future, especially after impressing at the Draft Combine two years ago and spending time on loan with Fremantle last July, he is not taking his eye off his county role. "If the opportunity came, I'd definitely look into it because I was out twice and really enjoyed it out there,' said McElholm. "I really enjoyed the whole experience. But just for the meantime, the focus is on Tyrone and what happens there. "I did the combine over there, when I went out two years ago. It's the 2km run, the 20m sprint, the jump and agility test. I actually did well in the 20m sprint, I got top-10, ninth. Probably the rest of my scores weren't as good as the sprint. "But that's what they really look into, your physical attributes. Because they know when you're over there, you'll have the skill base to pick up on their game and learn it." McElholm admits he has kept a close eye on Fremantle since his time there but that it would be hard to walk away from Tyrone now when he is so close to cracking the senior team. The impressive youngster has come on as a substitute in all three of the county's Championship games thus far but he could be in line for his first start against Cavan this weekend, when a win would see Tyrone top their All-Ireland group and reach the Quarter-Finals. "It definitely would (be tough to walk away). It wouldn't be a straightforward decision,' said McElholm. "The two Canavans and Petey (Peter Harte) and Darren (McCurry), they're boys who you watched growing up. Now playing with them and learning different tips and skills, it's a complete pleasure. "I'd obviously have to think about it and stuff. I just really enjoyed the opportunity and obviously if things weren't going well, you're always only a flight away from home.' Reflecting on the Cavan game, the Sigerson Cup Semi-Finalist continued: "It's a knock-out game, that's the way you have to look at it. It's an elimination game now. You have to prepare for it as if it's your last chance basically. The main thing is getting a performance. "Cavan showed great glimpses of what they can do against Mayo and Donegal. They're going to be very up for it, especially after us beating them in the Ulster Championship." McElholm was one of six Tyrone players to be named in the Under-20s Team of the Year as the All-Ireland champions, unsurprisingly, dominated the nominations, with runners-up Louth having four on the panel, Mayo two and Kerry one. Goalkeeper Conan McGarvey, full-back Joey Clarke, corner-back Caolan Donnelly, centre-back Callum Daly and corner forward Ruairí McCullagh were all named in the team, with Donegal pair Kevin Muldoon and Seanan Carr also included. Under-20s Team of the Year: Conan McGarvey (Tyrone); Padraic Tinnelly (Louth), Joey Clarke (Tyrone), Caolan Donnelly (Tyrone); Tadhg McDonnell (Louth), Callum Daly (Tyrone), Hugh O'Loughlin (Mayo); Sean Callaghan (Louth), James Maguire (Louth); Kevin Muldoon (Donegal), Eoin McElholm (Tyrone), Seanan Carr (Donegal); Ruairí McCullagh (Tyrone), Tomás Kennedy (Kerry), Darragh Beirne (Mayo)
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Daily Record
Prince Harry confirms his UK return date after losing devastating security battle
Prince Harry has confirmed when he will be in on British soil for a very important trip after a UK judge dismissed his plea to restore his state-funded security last month. Prince Harry has confirmed when he will make his next trip to Britain following a UK judge's dismissal of his plea to restore his state-funded security last month. While it's expected that the Duke of Sussex will return long before this date, Harry has confirmed he will be back on British soil for the Invictus Games when they are held in Birmingham in 2027. Back in July 2024, it was announced that the city had won its bid to host the Games but the specific dates were yet to be confirmed. However, this all changed on Tuesday when the official Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 social media account posted: "SAVE THE DATES! The Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 are coming: 10th–17th July. Opening Ceremony: 10th July. Closing Ceremony: 17th July." Prince Harry found inspiration to launch the Invictus Games after attending the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013 and witnessing how injured American military personnel thrived on the challenge of taking part in competitive sports that aided their recovery. He went on to launch the first games in London in 2014 and has since held the tournament in locations all around the world including Orlando, Sydney, Dusseldorf and, most recently, hosted the first winter version of the games in Whistler, Canada. The update regarding the Invictus Games comes a little over a month after the duke lost his the latest stage of his legal battle in the UK, the Express reports. Shortly after his defeat which saw a UK judge dismiss the prince's plea for restoration of state-funded security, Harry took part in a scathing interview with the BBC. The broadcaster released the interview where the duke said he was "devastated" by the situation and publicly confessed his wishes for "reconciliation" with the Royal Family, including his dad King Charles. In an emotional statement, he made an eyebrow raising remark about the King's health, sparking concern after he stated he does not know how long the monarch has left to live as he continues his treatment for cancer. The Duke also said: "I can't see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point. "There have been so many disagreements between myself and some of my family". Despite this, he added that he had now "forgiven" them. Harry continued: "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious." He referred to the dispute over his security as something which had "always been the sticking point". Prince Harry first fell out with his family in January 2020 when he relocated to the US with his wife Meghan Markle. The pair stepped down from their senior royal roles less than two years after officially tying the knot at St George's Chapel in 2018. Harry has only came face to face with his family a number of times since, including at the late Queen Elizabeth's funeral in 2022 and King Charles' Coronation in 2023. He is believed to not be on friendly terms with any senior members of the Firm including his brother, Prince William and his mother-in-law, Queen Camilla.
