British sprinter Reece Prescod says athletics pushed him “physically, mentally, and emotionally” in ways he “never imagined possible” as he announced his decision to retire from the sport.
The 29-year-old has hung up his running spikes after a decade as a professional which saw participate in three World Championships and the 2020 Olympic Games.
Prescod is the fourth fastest British man ever over 100m, with a personal best of 9.93 seconds, a tenth of a second behind Zharnel Hughes ‘ national record.
He won a silver medal in the 100m at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin, and picked a bronze in the 4x100m relay at the 2022 Worlds in Eugene.
London-born Prescod, who represented Enfield and Haringey Athletic Club, reached the semi-finals of the 100m at Tokyo 2020 in his only appearance at an Olympics.
“Athletics has taught me invaluable lessons, the true meaning of hard work, dedication, and discipline”, Prescod said in a post on his Instagram account.
“I have been fortunate enough to travel the world, compete at the highest level, and represent my country with pride.
The real Annabelle doll that inspired The Conjuring films has a famous new owner – just weeks after its previous handler died in mysterious circumstances
The Annabelle doll from the horror films, which is based on a real-life doll said to be ‘cursed’(Image: FilmMagic)
US comedian Matt Rife has confirmed he is the new ‘legal guardian’ of the Annabelle doll that is said to be cursed and inspired The Conjuring movie franchise and its subsequent Annabelle spin-off films.
The 29-year-old took to Instagram to share the news, after admitting he is “obsessed with the paranormal and all things haunted” and that The Conjuring films films are his “favourite scary movies of all time”.
It comes just weeks after the Annabelle doll’s previous caretaker – paranormal investigator Dan Rivera – mysteriously died as he took it on tour round America. The 54-year-old was found dead in his hotel room in Pennsylvania on July 13. A post-mortem is yet to reveal his cause of death.
READ MORE: ‘Cursed’ death-wish doll Annabelle locked in glass case ’causes horror car smash’ amid grim warningREAD MORE: Shocking twist revealed after real-life Annabelle doll handler’s unexpected death
The real Annabelle doll with her new owners Matt Rife (right) and his friend Elton Castee(Image: Instagram )
Writing on social media, Matt shared a photo with the infamous Raggedy Ann doll, best known to modern horror fans by her more menacing fictionalised form in The Conjuring films. She is supposedly haunted by the spirit of a deceased six-year-old girl who others have claimed has the ability to move around – and even inflict “psychic slashes” on horrified house guests.
For decades, the allegedly fearsome red-haired doll was owned by Ed and Lorraine Warren, the husband and wife duo famed for delving into some of the most chilling paranormal cases ever recorded, from the Amityville haunting to the Enfield poltergeist.
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It was kept in a glass case bearing the warning ‘ positively do not open’, and from an early age young members of the Warren family were taught that Annabelle was not a toy. She is even said to have caused a car crash involving one of the family members.
Ed and Lorraine are now deceased and their home and their Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, was put up for sale. Matt has now bought both and will Annabelle’s guardian for at least the next five years.
Alongside the photo with the doll, he posted: “INSANE ANNOUNCEMENT. I have officially purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren’s home and Occult Museum, including being the legal guardian for at least the next 5 years, of the entire haunted collection including THE ANNABELLE DOLL, with my good friend @eltoncastee! !
” If you know me, you know I’m obsessed with the paranormal and all things haunted. You also may know The Conjuring films are my favourite scary movies of all time. So I’m incredibly honoured to have taken over one of the most prominent properties in paranormal history.
“Ed and Lorain Warren arguably put demonology and paranormal into the mainstream and are the very heart of some of the most famous haunted stories of all time, The Conjuring House, Amityville Horror, etc…”
Sharing his plans for the future – which may delight horror fans eager to meet the real Annabelle doll in person – he added: “We plan to open the house for overnight stays and museum tours so you yourself can experience and learn all the haunted history surrounding this amazing place”.
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But some fans issued warnings to Annabelle’s new owners, with one writing: “This isn’t just a fun fascination guys, this is a literal spiritual agreement with darkness. Demons aren’t collectibles. They don’t care if you believe in them or not — the fact is, they’re real, and they’re dangerous”.
Another commented: “Oh boyyyy. Didn’t someone just die for taking that Annabelle doll on tour or something??”? A third chillingly said: “RIP buddy. It’s been nice knowing ya”. A fourth warned: “Be careful please!”! And a fifth added: “DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING!! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING! “!
READ MORE: ‘I lost 4 stone in a year but still eat takeaways by changing just two things’
A shipment of birds destined for illegal export to Kuwait has been intercepted by Nigeria Customs Service agents at the Murtala Mohammed Area Command in Lagos State.
More than 1, 620 live birds are Parrots and Canaries feather-tagged Green and Yellow Fronted, or Parrots and Canaries feathers.
The MMIA Command’s regular inspections were the result of the interception, which was carried out under the direction of Michael Awe, the Customs Area Controller.
Awe noted that no illegal shipment will pass through the airport without the necessary permits and documentation because Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.  ,
Read more: According to Ojulari, Africa Needs Bankable Energy Projects.
He claimed that while the fragile creatures have been given to rehabilitation and re-introduction to the natural environment, an investigation has already been launched to find the perpetrators.  ,
No illegal shipment will pass through this airport, according to my watch. My employees are always on high alert. According to Awe, “their eagle eyes are trained to spot and stop any unlawful activity.”
The Nigerian Customs Service stated that as a signatory to CITES, it is committed to ensuring that international trade in endangered species is regulated, accountable, and sustainable.
The fragile birds will be given to the National Parks Service (NPS) for rehabilitation and reintroduction into their natural habitat while investigations are still being conducted to identify and find those responsible for the attempted smuggling.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi Adewale, MFR, who is also the current Chairman of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council, emphasized the Customs Service’s commitment to inter-agency cooperation in line with the organization’s policy direction.
Liverpool paid tribute to Diogo Jota in their first match at Anfield since the late forward’s death.
The 28-year-old Portugal international died in a car crash in Spain along with his brother Andre Silva, 25, in July.
The Reds played Athletic Bilbao in a double header of pre-season friendlies on Monday, with games at 17: 00 and 20: 00 BST.
Liverpool legend Phil Thomson and Athletic president Jon Uriarte brought wreaths out on to the pitch and laid them on the edge of the six-yard box before the opening game.
The billboards around Anfield read ‘ Rest in Peace Diogo Jota and Andre Silva – You’ll Never Walk Alone’, while fans sang about Jota.
Reds supporters also held up flags and banners remembering their number 20 – a number that has been retired by the club this summer.
Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the Reds, helping them win the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup, following his arrival from Wolves in 2020.
“I know that you will want to pay your tributes before, during and after the games, and I know that we will hear his song ringing out throughout the evening”, said Reds boss Arne Slot in his match programme notes.
“It has been a tough time for everyone connected with the club, but especially for Diogo’s family, his wife, his children and friends.
” We cannot imagine the pain that they have been going through, and the club will continue to give them all the support they can going forward. We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go.
“Diogo’s passing has had a big impact on us all, but what has been so important has been the love and care shown from the football world, and in particular of course the Liverpool FC community”.
Liverpool paid tribute to Diogo Jota in their first match at Anfield since the late forward’s death.
The 28-year-old Portugal international died in a car crash in Spain along with his brother Andre Silva, 25, in July.
The Reds played Athletic Bilbao in a double header of pre-season friendlies on Monday, with games at 17: 00 and 20: 00 BST.
Liverpool legend Phil Thomson and Athletic president Jon Uriarte brought wreaths out on to the pitch and laid them on the edge of the six-yard box before the opening game.
The billboards around Anfield read ‘ Rest in Peace Diogo Jota and Andre Silva – You’ll Never Walk Alone’, while fans sang about Jota.
Reds supporters also held up flags and banners remembering their number 20 – a number that has been retired by the club this summer.
Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the Reds, helping them win the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup, following his arrival from Wolves in 2020.
“I know that you will want to pay your tributes before, during and after the games, and I know that we will hear his song ringing out throughout the evening”, said Reds boss Arne Slot in his match programme notes.
“It has been a tough time for everyone connected with the club, but especially for Diogo’s family, his wife, his children and friends.
” We cannot imagine the pain that they have been going through, and the club will continue to give them all the support they can going forward. We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go.
“Diogo’s passing has had a big impact on us all, but what has been so important has been the love and care shown from the football world, and in particular of course the Liverpool FC community”.
Seventeen-year-old off-spinner Farhan Ahmed, the younger brother of England international Rehan, has been signed as a late replacement for Manchester Originals in The Hundred.
Farhan replaces Gloucestershire left-arm quick Marchant de Lange while the Originals have also signed New Zealand batter Mark Chapman as cover for four games while his international team-mate Rachin Ravindra is on Black Caps duty.
West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein has been signed by Trent Rockets for two games while George Linde is away with South Africa.
Pakistan left-armer Mohammad Amir will replace Ben Dwarshuis at Northern Superchargers for the entire competition, with the Australian on international duty.
In the women’s competition, uncapped Australian all-rounder Charli Knott has replaced Deepti Sharma at London Spirit for the full competition, which begins on Tuesday.
Organisers have also confirmed the availability for some of England men’s Test players for the competition.
Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett (both Birmingham Phoenix), Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton (London Spirit), Harry Brook, Zak Crawley (Northern Superchargers), and Sam Cook and Joe Root (Trent Rockets) will be available for the duration.
England vice-captain Ollie Pope will miss Spirit’s first two games and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith their opener against Oval Invincibles on Tuesday. Chris Woakes has been ruled out entirely with his shoulder injury.
