
Lyles scorches to comeback win, Alfred conquers 100m
Lyles delivered a near-faultless run to clock 19.88 seconds to edge Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo into second with 19.97sec.
And Alfred timed a very comfortable looking 10.79sec to win the women's event-ending blue riband race ahead of American Jacious Sears (11.02).
But Lyles was the star of the show at a packed Stade Louis II in perfect balmy conditions. Tebogo had even said that when the American's face appears on meet posters, people want to come and see him perform.
And so it proved, Lyles coasting to a morale-boosting victory after successfully coming back from a tendon injury.
"I pray for times like this to be out here and do what I love. I come out here and I give my best," said Lyles.
The 10th competition on the 15-meet Diamond League circuit was loaded with a raft of top track and field stars, none less so in the electric men's 800m.
There was a late change in the wavelight technology that informs racers of record pacing in the two-lap race, with an unexpected tilt at Kenyan David Rudisha's world record from when he won gold at the 2012 London Olympics.
His compatriot and current Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi looked liked he might break the now mythical mark of 1:40.91, but he just faded at the line to win in a meet record and world lead of 1:41.44.
American Josh Hoey, the world indoor champion, was second in 1:42.01, with Algerian Djamel Sedjati rounding out the podium (1:42.20).
"I came to run a season's best and a meeting record," Wanyonyi said. "I came prepared. I gave my best today so I am happy with the result."
There was another world-leading meet record in the women's 400m hurdles as world champion Femke Bol shot out a warning to the imperious Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone with a maiden victory in Monaco in 51.95sec.
The win took Bol's incredible streak of consecutive victories in the Diamond League since 2021 to 26, including four final wins.
The Dutchwoman easily saw off competition from Dalilah Muhammad and fellow American Anna Cockrell, Olympic silver medallist in Paris, who finished second and third.
"Running 51 is always very special, I don't do that every day," Bol said. "I am feeling good so far this season, I had a great start to it. I also did two 400m flats but I could see my shape getting better."
Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis again dominated the pole vault, the US-born Swede breaking the meet record with a successful vault of 6.05m on just his third effort of the competition, with only Greece's Emmanouil Karalis left to push him.

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Business Recorder
12 hours ago
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For a nation that once ruled the hockey world with an iron grip, Pakistan's recent back-to-back final appearances in the FIH Nations Cup and the Men's U18 Asia Cup in 2025 have reignited a spark of hope. After decades of underachievement, these runner-up finishes in 2025, while not yielding trophies, mark a shift in momentum for a sport that has languished far from its glorious past. The Green Shirts, for the first time in years, are being discussed not just in terms of legacy, but also in terms of possibility. The weight of history Pakistan's hockey pedigree is unmatched in Asia. Four World Cup titles, three Olympic golds, and a host of continental triumphs once positioned the country as a field hockey superpower. The 1980s in particular saw dominance under players like Hassan Sardar, Islahuddin, and Shahbaz Ahmed Sr., whose influence extended well beyond the field. But the decline has been sharp. The last major title, the 1994 World Cup in Sydney, is now over three decades old. Since then, the national team has missed out on World Cups and Olympic Games, dropped in rankings, and watched its domestic infrastructure erode. The National Hockey Stadium in Lahore, once the largest of its kind, now reflects this neglect. Turning a corner The FIH Nations Cup in Malaysia, where Pakistan beat France in the semifinal before falling to New Zealand, marked the senior team's first final appearance in a major FIH event in more than ten years. Captain Ammad Butt called it a 'revival' of the sport. While perhaps premature, the performance did signal tactical improvement and competitive intent. The Under-18 squad followed closely in China, reaching the final of the Asia Cup after dominant wins in the group stage. Despite losing to Japan in the final, the emergence of players like Ali Hamza and Hasan Shahbaz has given observers reason to hope for a more sustainable pipeline of talent. 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Reports of players going unpaid for weeks after the Nations Cup and the absence of central contracts reflect the Pakistan Hockey Federation's financial instability. Private donors temporarily filling the gap is not a sustainable model. Pakistan still lacks a professional domestic league, an essential platform for developing match-ready talent. Facilities remain underfunded, and administrative turnover has made long-term planning difficult. Political tensions in the region are another factor. Pakistan's participation in upcoming tournaments in India, including the Asia Cup and Junior World Cup, remains uncertain due to visa restrictions and unresolved diplomatic issues. If unresolved, these barriers could again limit international exposure for emerging players. A fragile opportunity There is no shortage of goodwill. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and national cricket captain Babar Azam have both publicly supported the hockey team. But symbolic gestures alone will not revive the sport. 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Without opportunities to face top-ranked teams or participate in overseas leagues, players miss out on the experience needed to raise their game beyond local standards. Equally pressing is the absence of financial incentives. The phasing out of institutional jobs, contracts, and long-term benefits has made hockey an increasingly unattractive career path for young athletes. Without financial stability, many are turning away from the sport altogether. Governance is another central concern. Years of internal politics and ad-hoc decision-making have eroded confidence in the system. Any meaningful progress will require professional management, transparency, and long-term planning. Pakistan has the talent, but without systems to support it, that talent will continue to be wasted.


Business Recorder
a day ago
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Unforgiving Swiatek crushes Anisimova 6-0 6-0 to win maiden Wimbledon crown
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Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Lyles scorches to comeback win, Alfred conquers 100m
Noah Lyles fired a warning shot at contenders over the 200m at the world championships by scorching to victory in the Diamond League meet in Monaco on Friday as Julien Alfred notched up another win in the 100m. Lyles delivered a near-faultless run to clock 19.88 seconds to edge Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo into second with 19.97sec. And Alfred timed a very comfortable looking 10.79sec to win the women's event-ending blue riband race ahead of American Jacious Sears (11.02). But Lyles was the star of the show at a packed Stade Louis II in perfect balmy conditions. Tebogo had even said that when the American's face appears on meet posters, people want to come and see him perform. And so it proved, Lyles coasting to a morale-boosting victory after successfully coming back from a tendon injury. "I pray for times like this to be out here and do what I love. I come out here and I give my best," said Lyles. The 10th competition on the 15-meet Diamond League circuit was loaded with a raft of top track and field stars, none less so in the electric men's 800m. There was a late change in the wavelight technology that informs racers of record pacing in the two-lap race, with an unexpected tilt at Kenyan David Rudisha's world record from when he won gold at the 2012 London Olympics. His compatriot and current Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi looked liked he might break the now mythical mark of 1:40.91, but he just faded at the line to win in a meet record and world lead of 1:41.44. American Josh Hoey, the world indoor champion, was second in 1:42.01, with Algerian Djamel Sedjati rounding out the podium (1:42.20). "I came to run a season's best and a meeting record," Wanyonyi said. "I came prepared. I gave my best today so I am happy with the result." There was another world-leading meet record in the women's 400m hurdles as world champion Femke Bol shot out a warning to the imperious Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone with a maiden victory in Monaco in 51.95sec. The win took Bol's incredible streak of consecutive victories in the Diamond League since 2021 to 26, including four final wins. The Dutchwoman easily saw off competition from Dalilah Muhammad and fellow American Anna Cockrell, Olympic silver medallist in Paris, who finished second and third. "Running 51 is always very special, I don't do that every day," Bol said. "I am feeling good so far this season, I had a great start to it. I also did two 400m flats but I could see my shape getting better." Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis again dominated the pole vault, the US-born Swede breaking the meet record with a successful vault of 6.05m on just his third effort of the competition, with only Greece's Emmanouil Karalis left to push him.