Latest news with #BritishOlympic
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Tom Daley says Celebrity Traitors was 'very intense'
Retired British Olympic diver Tom Daley has opened up about his time filming The Celebrity Traitors and said he got to know his fellow contestants on a "much deeper" and "very intense level", as they were all shut off from the world. The forthcoming BBC show, a charity spin-off of The Traitors, will see 19 famous faces – who include Irish actress Ruth Codd, comedian and presenter Alan Carr, and actor and broadcaster Stephen Fry – gather in the Scottish Highlands for the "ultimate game of deceit and betrayal". Speaking about The Celebrity Traitors at a special screening of his new documentary, Tom Daley: 1.6 Seconds, the 31-year-old said: "I'm not sure when it comes out, maybe later this year, but it was a very fun experience. "And honestly, all I want to do is talk about it, but I'm not allowed. "All I can say is, it was very fun – the cast and meeting the other people. "It was great to see everybody and get to know everyone on a much deeper level, and very intense level, because you're completely shut off from the rest of the world. So yeah, it was fun." Hosted by Strictly Come Dancing' s Claudia Winkleman, the nine-part celebrity version, airing in the autumn, will give contestants the chance to win a cash prize of up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice. Daley's new Discovery+ documentary, Tom Daley: 1.6 Seconds,features personal family films and candid interviews with the athlete and those closest to him, including his husband, the Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. The 90-minute documentary, the name of which references the time between diving platform exit and pool entry, charts Daley's career, from the build-up to his first Olympics in Beijing 2008 to post-retirement life. The Olympian said: "This documentary is a very vulnerable side to me, like diving into topics that I may not have talked about in such depth before, and it might give people a different perspective of what was actually going on versus what they saw in the media. "Because growing up is already kind of pretty tough, but then growing up under media scrutiny and having people already having a conception of who you are and how you should deal with things was pretty challenging. "But then also diving into the archival footage that my dad had seen. For me, it's like hearing my dad's voice that really makes me quite emotional in the documentary. "I just feel very grateful that I do have this documentary to be able to look back on, and for my kids to be able to see and have those moments kind of made eternal, if you like, with my dad and myself." Daley's father died from cancer in 2011, meaning he missed seeing the diver secure his first Olympic medal, a bronze, at the London Games in 2012. Daley went on to win gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021. The diver, who secured his fifth Olympic medal in 2024, announced his retirement from diving following the Paris Games.
Glasgow Times
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow champion pays tribute to ‘one of a kind' mentor
John Taylor competed for the last time at the European Celtic Wrestling Championships in Brittany, France, where he was victorious in the 100kg seniors category. He was determined to honour his former mentor William Baxter, who died in 2023. The coach left behind a legacy in the sport that included coaching and management roles with the British Olympic amateur wrestling team at the 1968 and 1972 games. William Baxter, right, was involved in a number of different roles within the Scottish amateur wrestling scene (Image: Richard Findlay) John, who was coached by the 88-year-old on and off from the age of eight, was keen to pay tribute to the man who "kept him out of trouble" during his younger years. He said: "After attending William's funeral, I was inspired to do one last tournament in his memory. "At that point, I had not wrestled for 13 years but competed in the British Heavyweight Championships and finished fourth. "Then, last year, I knuckled down and lost over two stone and have ended up back on the circuit competing, which has been great. "I have tried my best to honour William, who had a positive impact on everyone he met. "To win on the European stage in my last bout is something I will never forget." READ MORE: Police provide update after burnt out car found in Glasgow John Taylor competed in his final amateur wrestling match (Image: Richard Findlay) John, who is originally from Yoker, talks fondly of his time training with the man affectionately known as 'Wullie' among students and friends. He insists that it was very much a family atmosphere when preparing and also going to tournaments, particularly abroad. John continued: "I first met William aged nine at a tournament in Yoker Sports Centre. "He stuck out straight away, as he was wearing a bright-coloured kilt. "That attire was a staple of his personality, he loved being photographed. "William really was one of a kind. "Every tournament in Britain would involve us jumping into the back of a tiny van and he took us all across the country. "William was such a knowledgeable guy and an incredible coach, any question that you ever had about amateur wrestling, he would be able to answer it." John and William remained close up until the latter passed away (Image: Richard Findlay) John also opened up on what gave him an extra edge when competing in the tournament last weekend. He added: "It was a dream to win my final match on the European stage. "I wasn't wrestling my opponent alone, as Wullie was out there with me and that made things a lot easier. "I took Wullie's tartan scarf with me and put it on the mat before every bout and I think that gave me an edge. "It was my last big hurrah and I hope I did Wullie proud."
The Independent
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
London Marathon 2025 prediction: Kiplimo and Hassan to make history in the capital
Jacob Kiplimo to win the men's race - 2/1 Bet365 Sifan Hassan to win women's race - 4/7 Bet365 The 2025 London Marathon takes place this weekend as over 56,000 runners take to the streets of the capital to tackle the 26.2-mile course. Thousands of novice runners will be participating alongside some of the finest long-distance athletes on the planet as PBs are broken, records are targeted and millions are raised for charity on what is often one of the most feel-good days of the sporting calendar. As always, there are plenty of intriguing storylines among the pro runners for this year's event, with chief executive Hugh Brasher labelling the 2025 edition as the greatest elite field in history. All four Olympic and Paralympic champions will be competing in 2025, along with British Olympic triathlon gold medalist Alex Yee, 2024 London champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao, former men's and women's world record holders Eliud Kipchoge and Tigist Assefa, and Jacob Kiplimo, the men's half marathon world record holder who is making his debut over 26.2 miles. And it's the latter who heads in the weekend as the early 2/1 favourite for the men's race on betting sites. As for the women's race, it's Olympic gold medallist Sifan Hassan, who enters as the 4/7 favourite to sweep Paris and London. The 24-year-old Jacob Kiplimo will have plenty of eyes on him this weekend as he makes his full marathon debut, with the Ugandan aiming for a win in his first ever race over 26.2 miles. And there's plenty of expectation on Kiplimo's young shoulders too after he shattered the half-marathon world record in Barcelona in February with a time of 56 minutes and 42 seconds – 48s faster than the previous record. While there will be some wondering if Kiplimo could be the one to break the sub-two-hour-marathon mark, it would be an equally as impressive achievement to win the race on his debut. He will face stiff competition from Paris Olympics champion Tamirat Tola and last year's London victor Alexander Mutiso, who won in a time of 2:04:01. Nevertheless, Kiplimo may well justify the hype and win London at the first attempt. Bet365 London Marathon tips: Hassan chasing Paris and London double There's a fascinating field assembled for this year's women race, even with world record holder Ruth Chepngetich (2:09:56,) and 2024 women's winner Peres Jepchirchir having withdrawn. In fact, there are still two of the fastest women in history competing in 2025, with Sifan Hassan and Tigst Assefa likely to face off for gold in the capital – just as they did at Paris 2024. Back in July, Hassan won gold for the Netherlands with a time of 2:22:55, just three seconds better than Assefa, who took home silver for Ethiopia in a time of 2:22:58. First place is likely to be contested by the pair again, with Hassan offered at odds of 4/7 on betting apps, compared with Assefa's 2/1. Responsible Gambling When having a bet, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. When using gambling sites, be aware that sports betting can be addictive. Please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies whether you're using new betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium. Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses. It's particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino offers you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution. You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs. You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:
The Independent
13-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Cambridge coach Rob Baker hails ‘best crew' of career after Boat Race success
Coach Rob Baker hailed the 'best crew' of his Cambridge career after they overcame controversy and secured a dominant victory in the 170th men's Boat Race. It was a clean sweep for the light blues, who also secured wins in the women's and reserve races, Baker's men claiming the trophy for a third-straight year by a margin of five-and-a-half lengths. Build-up was dominated by an eligibility row that resulted in 2024 British Olympic gold medallist Tom Ford and former under-23 world champion Matt Heywood ruled out of competing for Cambridge for separate reasons alongside two potential members of the women's crew. 'It's the best crew I've ever coached without question at Cambridge,' said Baker, who was appointed in 2018. 'Maybe that made me a bit more nervous because I knew what they were capable of doing. 'You want them to fulfil what they are capable of doing and I think we were a bit under the radar somehow. We have no Olympians – Oxford have three stars in the boat – so I couldn't be more proud of them. 'The noise (has) just been motivation, frankly and we treated it pretty sensibly. 'There are two guys who could have been in the boat today and didn't get that opportunity, so they're rowing for them as well.' The men's race was due to begin at 14:21 but was delayed for just under 10 minutes to clear some floating debris. It started out evenly before Cambridge began building up a steady lead, ultimately crossing the finish in a winning time of 16 minutes 56 seconds. Cambridge six seat James Robson, a Team GB reserve athlete at last summer's Paris Olympics, told the PA news agency: 'I think there's been a lot of external noise this entire year and I think one of the things that Rob has done so masterfully all year is just focus on the guys that we've got in the building. 'We heard everything, we listened to nothing and we just went out there and tried to perform our best on the day.' Oxford sent out a crew comprised of several Olympians including men's president Tom Mackintosh, who won gold with New Zealand's eight at Tokyo 2020. He said: 'Unfortunately, it just didn't go our way today, but I don't feel like we've lost because I'm still proud of the work that all the Oxford men and women have done. 'That's the beauty of an event like this and the beauty of sport. Some days it doesn't go your way, but the race won't define you and it won't define Oxford.' Cambridge cruised to an eighth-straight victory in the 79th edition of the women's race, which began with some drama. The crews clashed oars within the first two minutes and umpire Sir Matthew Pinsent elected to restart rather than disqualify who he deemed to be the Oxford instigators. Cambridge ultimately took victory by a two-and-a-half-length margin in a winning time of 19mins 25secs. Winning six seat Claire Collins – a two-time United States Olympian – revealed her crew had visualised a pre-race interruption, which allowed them to quickly regroup. She said: 'It feels amazing. It's so fun. There is a huge team around the team, so it's every person on and off the water that helped this happen. 'We are really proud, but it was also great competition from Oxford, we respect them a ton and are just glad we got some good racing in.'
The Independent
11-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Heidi Long dares young girls to dream as she prepares for Boat Race
British Olympic bronze medallist Heidi Long is daring girls to dream when they watch her tear down the Thames in the Boat Race. The 28-year-old is set to stroke Oxford's dark blue boat on Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the men's and women's events both taking place on the historic 6.8-kilometre Championship Course. Long, who was on the podium last summer in Paris with Team GB's women's eights, remembers sitting on the London river's bank at a younger age, not even noticing the lack of female crews because the absence back then felt 'so normal'. 'I think the fact that women fought for this to be an opportunity, and that for us to be included without a second glance is really special to be a part of,' Long told the PA news agency. 'I hope that we create something and encourage girls of the future. I remember when I first watched the Boat Race, and it was just the men's race, so to now, I never knew that would be possible. 'So now to be out there, racing, hopefully we can inspire the next group of young girls who are out there, who will hopefully be watching and cheering on, and in 10 years time they will be in our seats, racing and competing on an equal playing field.' Oxford won the first women's edition on the Thames in 2015, highlighted by a devastating sprint at the Surrey bend that that led to them crossing the finish line six-and-a-half lengths ahead of their Cambridge rivals, with about 4.8 million people watching on the BBC. A decade later, Long and her crew-mates in the dark blue boat will be in the hunt for Oxford's first women's trophy since 2016 – and a third on the Thames – having been beaten by seven lengths last year. Long said: 'I remember we would watch the Boat Race (before) and I remember there not being many women involved, but I didn't notice that that was a bad thing. 'It was so normal that women weren't given the same platform, so I didn't notice that as anything different. Now this feels like the new norm. 'Women's and men's sports should be equal, and to have the opportunity to speak with everyone, and race on the same day with the same coverage is really special.' Long's late father Keith was so convinced his daughter would be an Olympian last summer he bought a block of tickets to events well before he knew she was even competing. He also booked accommodation in Paris, correctly anticipating a large travelling party, and left the log-ins for friends and family in one of his final notes before he passed away from cancer in 2023. 'That confidence and who I am it really wouldn't be without him,' added Long. 'I don't really hear much when I'm rowing, apart from the cox. 'I drown everything out, even at the Olympic Games, everyone warns you the last 500 metres will be the loudest thing. You can't hear anything. 'There are two people I can hear when I'm rowing. One is one of my brothers, and the other is my dad, so I'll really miss his voice on the bank (at the Boat Race). 'There's going to be noise, but he'd be one of the only people I'd hear.'
