Latest news with #worldtitles
BBC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
County Tyrone: Irish dancer went from a broken back to winning world titles
An Irish dancer who broke two bones in his back as a teenager said he never believed he would go on to win five world Teague, from Dromore in County Tyrone, has clinched five championships in a row, and is due to dance in Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance Feet of Flames production in Taiwan in when he was 14, he was shocked when doctors told him he had broken two vertebrae due to the stresses of playing Gaelic football and Irish dancing. The 21-year-old said the health scare led to him focusing on dancing. Breaking my back 'a wake-up call' "Before I broke my back I was dancing three nights a week and playing Gaelic football three nights a week," he told BBC News NI."Sometimes practice for both of those was on the same night."Doctors said it was the strain and far too much overuse - doing two-and-a-half hours of dancing, then getting changed in the car and doing two-and-a-half hours of football."Following his injury Barry had to wear a back brace and cut all sport out of his life for more than a year."In a way, maybe, breaking my back was a good thing as it gave me a bit of a wake-up call – that I wasn't invincible and I can't do everything," he added."It led me to push on hard with the dancing." His recovery - including monthly trips to Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast as well as physiotherapy appointments - was said he made sure he followed doctors' orders to ensure minimal recovery time."It was frustrating that I wasn't able to dance, but I knew if I followed what I was meant to do I would be back in no time," he said."When the year was over and I was getting back into routine with dance, I went to personal training to help me get back into shape."It took a while to get back into top shape for competitions." Barry said being a five-times world champion brought an added pressure."Obviously everybody wants to win, and why would you be doing anything if you didn't want to win?" he said."I never really thought I would win so many times."I was honoured to win it once never mind five times."When I stopped playing football to concentrate on Irish dancing, I just wanted to get better." Rosalind Middleton, a spinal physiotherapist at the Great North Children's Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, said athletes like Barry can get "an overuse injury", which then can develop into worse conditions. She said these type of injuries can be caused by "the same hyperextension activities and twisting motions, and it's a lot of the same stress in the same area of your body that you get"."It's more common in adolescence because your bones are thinner, you're going through puberty, you're growing," she said."It's getting more understood and, from a rehab point of view, there's no gold standard on treatment and rehabilitation."She said it's important for athletes to "come back from the injury correctly" by taking a break from their sport, eating right, doing rehabilitations and taking part in a strengthening programme. Ms Middleton said "it's impressive" that Barry has "come back to where he's at". Barry's friends and family recently organised a homecoming event in his hometown to celebrate his achievements in Irish said he would like to see more young men compete in the sport at a higher level."I always see really good young males doing really well at Irish dancing and then they disappear from the competitions, and I wonder if it's because they are getting stick at school," he said."I would encourage young males to keep at it as the stick and bullying from peers will all pass. "The lessons that dancing teaches you are brilliant, you get a lot of discipline and your fitness goes through the roof." Lord of the Dance Barry is studying engineering management at Ulster University and has two years left before he completes his degree. He said he was looking at the option of dancing full time professionally when he graduates, but for now he is looking forward to performing in Feet of Flames in Taiwan next month."I never dreamed it would take me this far," he said."It was always a dream – you always watched these shows when you were younger but you never think you would be good enough to be successful in an audition. "I'm very grateful it's worked out the way it has."
The Australian
04-08-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
World Aquatics Championships: Cameron McEvoy in 50m freestyle final
Death. Taxes. Cam and Kaylee. Some things in life you can take to the bank and when it comes to Australian swimmers stepping up on the international stage and delivering epic performances, Cameron McEvoy and Kaylee McKeown are as dependable as the sun rising tomorrow morning. In a replica of their fantastic August night at the Paris Olympics 12 months ago, McEvoy stormed to the 50m freestyle gold medal at the world titles in Singapore and not long after McKeown charged home to win the 200m backstroke gold medal. SWIM SPECIAL: AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST SINCE 2000 RANKED You've just got to admire the steely resolve and excellence this duo show time after time, defending their 2023 world titles and showing that despite massive life changes after Paris their commitment to superhuman performance remains resolute. For McEvoy he has welcomed his first child, a son Hartley, just 23 days ago with wife Madeline. Cameron Mcevoy won the 50m freestyle final. For McKeown she has suffered the broken heart of an ended relationship, had her coach Michael Bohl depart for China and moved back home to the comfort of family on the Sunshine Coast to push her career towards a potential Olympic three-peat in Los Angeles. At this rate, McKeown just might become Australia's greatest ever Olympian. Already she is the first Australian to do the double-double, winning both the 100m and 200m backstroke in Tokyo and Paris. A three-peat beckons in Los Angeles in 2028. And now she's done a world title double-double, winning the 100-200 in both Fukuoka and Singapore. Her victory on Saturday night was classic Kaylee. Out strong and then destroy them on the final 50m to win in a championship record time of 2:03.33. McKeown said she was thrilled with her time, especially after her recent shoulder issue and the gastro illness that has hit the Australian swim team. 'I wasn't feeling too great heading in, a bit of illness and stuff going around, dealing with a bit of a shoulder,' she said. 'I had to put my best foot forward tonight, I dug really deep, and I'm really happy with the time that I posted. 'Something I've been really working on is focusing on my own race. I think it really helped me on the outside lane (six), not seeing the other girls around me, and just really focusing on what I've been working on. I don't see a whole lot when I'm racing. I had to ask for my time at the end.' Yet again US backstroker Regan Smith had to settle for silver in 2:04.29, no doubt cursing the fact she is confronting one of the greatest racers the world of swimming has ever seen. Father time and fatherhood, it seems, will not stop McEvoy. Cam McEvoy celebrates his win. Kaylee McKeown was at her ruthless best. The 31-year-old Olympic champion again destroyed a field containing the fastest men on water, obliterating them off the blocks and holding strong to claim his second world title. The 50m freestyle specialist had an incredible 0.56s reaction time off the blocks and emerged ahead from the outset to race down and win in 21.14 seconds. In the process he became Australia's oldest ever swimmer to win a world championship gold medal, eclipsing former backstroke and butterfly champion Matt Welsh in 2007. It is the third year in a row McEvoy has been the toast of world swimming and the fastest man in the pool, with Great Britain's Ben Proud (21.26s) completing another veteran quinella just as the two elder statesmen did at the Paris Olympics last year. For McEvoy this victory is especially sweet given the major life changes back home with the Queenslander marrying his sweetheart Madeline after the Olympics and the pair welcoming their first child, son Hartley, just 23 days ago. 'It is pretty nice, a little bit different now compared to last year, I didn't have a son last year,' McEvoy said. 'Life has changed pretty dramatically, as it does with a newborn. 'I have to shout out Maddie, I couldn't be here without her … shout out little Hartley too. 'It's a very different life now, I've got to navigate it. I will figure it out.' US sprinter Jack Alexy completed the podium, touching third in 21.46s.
News.com.au
02-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
World Aquatics Championships: Cameron McEvoy wins gold in 50m freestyle final
Death. Taxes. Cam and Kaylee. Some things in life you can take to the bank and when it comes to Australian swimmers stepping up on the international stage and delivering epic performances, Cameron McEvoy and Kaylee McKeown are as dependable as the sun rising tomorrow morning. In a replica of their fantastic August night at the Paris Olympics 12 months ago, McEvoy stormed to the 50m freestyle gold medal at the world titles in Singapore and not long after McKeown charged home to win the 200m backstroke gold medal. You've just got to admire the steely resolve and excellence this duo show time after time, defending their 2023 world titles and showing that despite massive life changes after Paris their commitment to superhuman performance remains resolute. For McEvoy he has welcomed his first child, a son Hartley, just 23 days ago with wife Madeline. For McKeown she has suffered the broken heart of an ended relationship, had her coach Michael Bohl depart for China and moved back home to the comfort of family on the Sunshine Coast to push her career towards a potential Olympic three-peat in Los Angeles. At this rate, McKeown just might become Australia's greatest ever Olympian. Already she is the first Australian to do the double-double, winning both the 100m and 200m backstroke in Tokyo and Paris. A three-peat beckons in Los Angeles in 2028. And now she's done a world title double-double, winning the 100-200 in both Fukuoka and Singapore. Her victory on Saturday night was classic Kaylee. Out strong and then destroy them on the final 50m to win in a championship record time of 2:03.33. McKeown said she was thrilled with her time, especially after her recent shoulder issue and the gastro illness that has hit the Australian swim team. 'I wasn't feeling too great heading in, a bit of illness and stuff going around, dealing with a bit of a shoulder,' she said. 'I had to put my best foot forward tonight, I dug really deep, and I'm really happy with the time that I posted. 'Something I've been really working on is focusing on my own race. I think it really helped me on the outside lane (six), not seeing the other girls around me, and just really focusing on what I've been working on. I don't see a whole lot when I'm racing. I had to ask for my time at the end.' Yet again US backstroker Regan Smith had to settle for silver in 2:04.29, no doubt cursing the fact she is confronting one of the greatest racers the world of swimming has ever seen. Father time and fatherhood, it seems, will not stop McEvoy. The 31-year-old Olympic champion again destroyed a field containing the fastest men on water, obliterating them off the blocks and holding strong to claim his second world title. The 50m freestyle specialist had an incredible 0.56s reaction time off the blocks and emerged ahead from the outset to race down and win in 21.14 seconds. In the process he became Australia's oldest ever swimmer to win a world championship gold medal, eclipsing former backstroke and butterfly champion Matt Welsh in 2007. It is the third year in a row McEvoy has been the toast of world swimming and the fastest man in the pool, with Great Britain's Ben Proud (21.26s) completing another veteran quinella just as the two elder statesmen did at the Paris Olympics last year. For McEvoy this victory is especially sweet given the major life changes back home with the Queenslander marrying his sweetheart Madeline after the Olympics and the pair welcoming their first child, son Hartley, just 23 days ago. 'It is pretty nice, a little bit different now compared to last year, I didn't have a son last year,' McEvoy said. 'Life has changed pretty dramatically, as it does with a newborn. 'I have to shout out Maddie, I couldn't be here without her … shout out little Hartley too. 'It's a very different life now, I've got to navigate it. I will figure it out.' US sprinter Jack Alexy completed the podium, touching third in 21.46s.
The Australian
28-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Perkins claims 100m butterfly bronze as Walsh dominates in record time
In swimming terms Alex Perkins is somewhat of a late bloomer. But in public perception, the 25-year-old Gold Coaster is now the next member of Generation Next after she stormed home late to secure a bronze medal in the women's 100m butterfly at the world titles in Singapore. A day after the women's and men's freestyle relay teams shocked the world with a pair of gold medals, it was Perkins who was next to step up and claim an unexpected medal with a third place in the butterfly in 56.33s. US star Gretchen Walsh claimed the gold medal in 54.73s, just missing her own world record, ahead of Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium in second while Olympic champ Torri Huske withdrew from the heats as one of the several US stars who had battled a gastro bug throughout the lead up to these titles. Perkins, a relay heat swimmer silver medallist at the Paris Olympics last year, was fourth at the 50m turn and then came home strongly to secure her first individual international medal. 'I can't be happier with that,' she said. Perkins finished 13th in the 100m butterfly at last year's Olympics, and was happy to have such a strong improvement in 12 months. 'I missed out last year at the Olympics and I'm really proud of myself for coming here and handling my nerves,' Perkins said. 'I was definitely nervous today, but I just kept telling myself I just need to do the best job I can.' BOHL'D OVER The men's 100m breaststroke final was a gold medal result that cut deeper than most. Not a single Australian qualified for the final, while the winner Qin Haiyang of China was being coached by one of our greatest minds. Michael Bohl, mentor to the likes of Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown and Stephanie Rice, shocked Australian swimming last year when he announced he was taking the year off coaching only to sign a lucrative new deal in China a few months later. Now, rather than find our next generation of champions, he's played a major role helping China's superstar breaststroker return to form. Qin struggled in Paris last year after he was named as one of the 23 athletes who tested positive but was cleared of a doping violation ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. But with Bohl in his corner, he stormed home in the final 25m to secure a comfortable victory. AWKWARD AUSSIE ABSENCE If seeing Bohl celebrate a gold medal wasn't hard enough to stomach, there was more pain throughout the second night schedule to highlight the deficiencies in the Australian swimming team. No Australian in the men's 100m breaststroke final. No Australian in the men's 100m backstroke semi-finals. No Australian in the women's 100m breaststroke semi-finals. No Australian in the men's 50m butterfly final. There will be no Australian in the men's 200m freestyle final on Tuesday night after Flynn Southam (1:45.80) finished 10th in the semi-finals. There are some significant gaps in the Dolphins swim team and while it may be too soon to find potential medallists in those races for Los Angeles in 2028, the planning must start now for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. CASUAL KAYLEE Australia's most dominant current swimmer Kaylee McKeown eased her way into the 100m backstroke final, touching second in her semi-final behind fierce US rival Regan Smith in the semi-finals. Smith was fastest in 58.21s, closely followed by McKeown in 58.44s. The pair are expected to battle it out for gold in Tuesday night's final, with McKeown boasting the better finals record having won in Paris last year and the 2023 world titles where she swept all three backstroke gold medals. McKeown admitted she has a far different perspective to racing this year than she did at last year's Olympic Games where she won the 100m-200m double for the second Games in succession. 'I think Paris I really got consumed by the pressure and the nerves, especially the ones I put on myself,' she said. 'This year I'm taking a step back and just enjoying the sport. 'I don't care if I come last, I've just come here for a good time.' YU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT Canada's Summer McIntosh secured her second gold medal of the world titles, winning the 200m medley in 2:06.69, but it was China's 12-year-old Yu Zidi who almost completely stole the show. Yu was already the youngest swimmer to ever qualify for a world titles final, but she almost became the story of the night as she produced a late 50m surge going from seventh to just miss a medal by 0.06s in fourth place. USA's Alex Walsh pushed McIntosh down the third 50m but couldn't hold on in the freestyle leg to touch in second in 2:08.58, followed by Canada's Mary Sophie Harvey in 2:09.15 ahead of Yu in 2:09.21. Incredibly Yu's final 50m freestyle was swum in 30.17s, only 0.01s slower than McIntosh who is the 400m freestyle world record holder. Todd Balym is the Codes team editor leading the team of reporters covering all the non-footy sports. He is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years experience in media and covered major sporting events around the world including three Olympic Games. Olympics The USA might have sensed an opportunity when Emma McKeon and the Campbell sisters left, but the new generation have reminded the world how Australia sets the standard. Olympics Two teenagers produced the swims of their lives to retain Australia's stranglehold on the women's 4x100m freestyle relay as Kyle Chalmers led the underdog men's team to world championship glory.
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former world champion boxer Dwight Muhammad Qawi dies at 72
Hall of Fame boxer Dwight Muhammad Qawi, who took up the sport in prison and won world titles in two different weight classes, has died at age 72. Qawi's sister, Wanda King, said he died on Friday, July 25, after a five-year battle with dementia. "He was a great father, a great Pop-Pop to his grandchildren," King told BoxingScene. "He had a heart of gold, and he fought his dementia illness just like he was fighting in the ring." Born Dwight Braxton and raised in Camden, New Jersey, he learned to box at Rahway State Prison while serving a sentence for armed robbery. He turned pro after he was released in 1978 and later changed his name after converting to Islam in 1982. Nicknamed "The Camden Buzzsaw," Qawi won his first world title in 1981, defeating Matthew Saad Muhammad for the WBC light heavyweight crown. After winning a rematch with Saad Muhammad the following year, he lost to WBA champion Michael Spinks in a unification bout in March 1983. Despite being just 5-7, the compactly built Qawi moved up to cruiserweight in 1985 and dethroned champion Piet Crous before facing Evander Holyfield in what experts regard as one of the weight class's best fights of all time. Holyfield won the 15-round split decision in Atlanta on July 12, 1986, and then defeated Qawi in a rematch the following December. Qawi would have one more high-profile fight, a March 1988 loss to heavyweight George Foreman before retiring later that year with a career record of 41-11-1 and 25 knockouts. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004, and spent a large part of his retirement as a youth advocate and drug and alcohol counselor in New Jersey. Contributing: Field Level Media This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Hall of Fame boxing champ, dies at 72
