Category Sports News

Vasiliy Lomachenko, one of the sport’s most renowned athletes, has announced his retirement at the age of 37.

Lomachenko won 396 victories and one loss during his remarkable amateur career, which included winning Olympic gold in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, respectively.

He became a three-weight world champion in just 12 fights after turning professional in 2013 with Kosei Tanaka, who recently retired.

In a heartfelt video posted on social media, Lomachenko expressed gratitude that as my career came to an end, I had provided clarity about the course of action needed for true victory.

Lomachenko is regarded as one of the most technically gifted fighters of his generation despite being renowned for his excellent footwork, speed, and combination punching.

Lomachenko paid tribute to his teammates, their families, and especially his father, Anatoly Lomachenko, a devoted trainer.

He said, “My father taught me how to be a role model for my own children as well as boxing.”

He was always there for me and helped me when I needed to, despite having made many mistakes in both my life and the gym. I recall many happy times.

Lomachenko competed for the title in his second professional fight after a stellar amateur career, dropping a contentious decision to Orlando Salido in 2014.

Sarina Wiegman has named Lauren James in her 23-player squad for Euro 2025 as England attempt to defend their title in Switzerland next month.

Chelsea forward James has not featured for club or country since April after picking up a hamstring injury.

But the 23-year-old, who has scored seven goals in 27 appearances for England, is a key player and manager Wiegman is willing to take a risk on her fitness.

Teenager Michelle Agyemang is an exciting addition, included as one of seven forwards in the squad, despite making just one appearance for the senior team.

The Arsenal 19-year-old impressed with a stunning goal 41 seconds into her debut after coming on as a late substitute in a 3-2 defeat by Belgium in April.

England face world number 11 side France in their opening game on 5 July (20:00 BST) and also face 10th-ranked Netherlands and Wales in a tough group. The final will be held in Basel on 27 July.

Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride).

Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United.

Midfielders: Ella Toone (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Manchester City), Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Jess Park (Manchester City).

Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway, who has played 60 minutes in the past week after returning from a serious knee injury, makes the squad.

As do Manchester City duo Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp, who had knee operations this season but returned at the end of the Women’s Super League campaign to ensure their place in the squad was secure.

It has been a chaotic fortnight for England with goalkeeper Mary Earps and midfielder Fran Kirby announcing their international retirements, while 2023 World Cup captain Millie Bright withdrew from selection on Wednesday to focus on her physical and mental wellbeing.

Nine players from the Euro 2022 squad are not included this time around with five having retired.

Four players are on a standby list: Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley, Manchester City midfielder Laura Blindkilde Brown, Aston Villa midfielder Missy Bo Kearns and Villa defender Lucy Parker.

James is undoubtedly one of the world’s most talented footballers and that was on show in her first major tournament at the 2023 World Cup.

It was less than a year after making her debut and she put in two player-of-the-match displays against Denmark and China in the group stages, scoring three goals and providing three assists.

She was then needlessly sent off for standing on Michelle Alozie’s back in the last-16 match with Nigeria, receiving a two-match ban. She returned for the final in Sydney, when England were beaten 1-0 by Spain.

Her creativity, exquisite dribbling ability and brilliant long-range shooting technique makes her one of the hardest players to defend against.

Wiegman often uses James as a winger, interchanging with Manchester City’s Hemp on the opposite side, but she can also play as a number 10.

Goalkeeper Mary Earps – who started every game for England at Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup – announced her shock international retirement last week.

She had fallen down the pecking order with Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton looking increasingly likely to secure the number one spot for this summer’s championship.

Brighton midfielder Fran Kirby followed suit, stepping down from England duty an hour after full-time of England’s 2-1 defeat by Spain on Tuesday night.

She said she was told by manager Wiegman that she would not be selected for the Euro 2025 squad and therefore brought her international retirement plans forward.

There was a further blow on Wednesday morning when Chelsea defender Bright, who captained England to the World Cup final two years ago, withdrew from selection to look after her mental health.

Last month Manchester United defender Millie Turner fractured her foot, ruling her out of contention, albeit she had an outside chance of selection.

Betfred Men’s Challenge Cup final – Warrington Wolves v Hull KR

The Challenge Cup makes its return to the capital with three games taking place under the Wembley arch on a glorious day of rugby league.

After the curtain is brought down on this season’s women’s competition, the men take to the field as Warrington Wolves face Hull KR.

But will Sam Burgess win his first trophy as a head coach and lead Warrington to a 10th victory in the competition?

Or will Super League leaders Hull KR continue their ascent into the echelons of northern hemisphere rugby league with a first Challenge Cup in almost half a century?

“I try not to get caught up in the fantasy land stuff. I just stay in the moment. We know the challenge in front of us and we know they’re a good side. We’ve got to work on getting a good performance out.

“If you ask me that question after the game, I might give you a different answer. For now I’ll just stay in the present moment.”

It is fair to say that Burgess is not losing sleep over the fact he has a winless record as a player and coach at Wembley.

Warrington were on the losing side under Burgess in last season’s final, as they were defeated by eventual quadruple winners Wigan Warriors.

Meanwhile as a player, Burgess started for England in their losing 2013 Rugby League World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.

Burgess said he has learned a lot from his 18 months as a head coach, including plenty from his most recent experience at the national stadium.

“There were a couple of things I got, I wouldn’t say wrong, but we could have been better in a few areas. It won’t happen twice in a row with those things,” he said.

For Willie Peters’ Hull KR, the sky is the limit, having dazzled in Super League this season.

Peters has led his side to the Challenge Cup final for the second time in three seasons but has been on the losing side in both the 2023 final and last season’s Super League Grand Final.

He said that his side have had a difficult time maintaining their impressive form having set up Saturday’s trip to Wembley almost a month ago.

“It’s a difficult period for the players because there’s no doubt they would have been thinking about this game three weeks ago,” Peters told BBC Sport.

“But where I can see the growth in the side is that they are able to put it aside and go after each Super League game, because any team that plays us knows they have to play well, but they are also going after us to beat us because we are at the top of the table at the moment.

“We know that every team is going to come to try to knock us off.”

Hull KR have lost only once in all competitions this season – against Wigan in Super League – but have still set the pace among their rivals this term.

But Peters knows that it would prove that his side have broken into the top tier of clubs in Super League if they were able to turn their form into winning a trophy.

“So what the players have done in being able to handle what goes into it and around a Challenge Cup final and putting it aside, they’ve done a remarkable job because it can be difficult,” he added.

Hull KR’s most recent triumph in the Challenge Cup came in 1980 when they beat city rivals Hull FC in a narrow 10-5 affair at Wembley.

Now, a new generation of Robins players stand on the cusp of adding a second Challenge Cup final victory to their history.

Second-rower James Batchelor started for the Robins in their most recent Challenge Cup final in 2023 but was on the losing side against Leigh Leopards that day.

He moved to KR from Wakefield Trinity ahead of the 2023 season and believes his career has prospered since leaving his hometown club.

“I made a decision that I thought would help me grow as a player, as tough as that decision was, and I feel vindicated in that now,” Batchelor told BBC Sport.

“Moving away from my home town I’ve definitely grown as a person, and the faith that Willie has put in me in all that time has helped me grow as a player as well.”

As for the prestige of playing at Wembley, Batchelor said that the sheen of taking to the field loses its lustre if you cannot bring home the win.

“Yes, Wembley has a lot of history behind it but if you don’t get the win it doesn’t really matter and you’re not too bothered about where you’ve played,” he added.

Unsurprisingly, Warrington Wolves name captain George Williams in their squad after he declared his fitness earlier this week.

Warrington (from): Williams, Yates, Tai, Vaughan, Powell, Ratchford, Harrison, Fitzgibbon, Lindop, Wrench, Holroyd, Sneyd, Currie, King, Crowther, Russell, Philbin, Josh Thewlis, Jake Thewlis, Dufty, Wood.

Captain Wendie Renard and all-time leading goalscorer Eugenie Le Sommer have been left out of France’s 23-player squad for next month’s Euro 2025 in Switzerland.

France, who are looking to win a major tournament for the first time, will face England in their Euro 2025 opener on 5 July, 20: 00 BST.

Neither Renard, 34, or Le Sommer, 36, were selected for their Women’s Nations League victories over Switzerland and Iceland in the past week – decisions manager Laurent Bonadei said were “not made in the spur of the moment”.

Centre-back Renard, who has played 168 times for France since making her international debut in 2011, missed three of the past four internationals because of injury.

Grace Geyoro, Sakina Karchaoui, Sandie Toletti, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin and Mbock are among those who have worn the captain’s armband in Renard’s absence.

Le Sommer, who has scored a record 94 goals in 200 appearances for France, featured for just 27 minutes of those games, and was due to be honoured last week before the victory over Switzerland in Nancy.

After omitting Renard and Le Sommer from his Nations League squad last month, Bonadei said: “As Einstein said: ‘ Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. ‘ I want different results for this team so I have gone with a different selection.

” It’s something I’ve been thinking about since the start of the season.

“When I announced that everyone had a chance, that no one was indispensable, in my mind it wasn’t just about giving young players a chance but also players who had suffered psychologically after the Olympic Games and making sure that everyone was involved”.

France were beaten 1-0 by eventual silver medallists Brazil in the quarter-finals of their home Olympics.

The squad features four Women’s Super League players – Chelsea duo Sandy Baltimore and Oriane Jean-Francois, Kelly Gago of Everton and Manchester United’s Melvine Malard.

Goalkeepers: Justine Lerond (Montpellier), Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (Juventus Turin), Constance Picaud (Fleury)

Defenders: Selma Bacha (Lyon), Lou Bogaert (Paris FC), Elisa De Almeida (Paris SG), Maelle Lakrar (Real Madrid), Griedge Mbock (Paris SG), Melween N’Dongala (Paris FC), Thiniba Samoura (Paris SG), Alice Sombath (Lyon)

Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea), Grace Geyoro (Paris SG), Oriane Jean-Francois (Chelsea), Sakina Karchaoui (Paris SG), Amel Majri (Lyon), and Sandi Toletti (Real Madrid) are the midfielders.

After completing the acquisition of the UK’s oldest ice hockey club, a North American company has pledged to “restore the pride, energy, and identity” of the Fife Flyers.

Max Birbraer, a former Cardiff Devils and Israel forward, has assumed the role of the Flyers’ new president and general manager after leading the acquisition process.

The organization claims to be on the verge of appointing a new head coach and will update its members as they work toward “a competitive and committed roster.”

The Kirkcaldy side, which was founded in 1938, finished last season at the bottom of the Elite Hockey on ice League (EIHL).

The Fife Flyers have officially opened a new chapter, the club announced in a statement.

A North American company has funded and installed a new management team under the direction of Cardiff Devils legend Max Birbraer. The hard work is now complete, and the transition is complete.

“It is a pleasure to be the head coach of the oldest and most renowned hockey team in the United Kingdom. On and off the ice, our goal is simple: to restore the spirit, pride, and identity of Fife Flyers hockey.

It’s a people’s club, they say. Scottish hockey’s heartbeat is fueled solely by its supporters, who are its backers. Everything we do will depend on your commitment, voice, and passion.

After Jacob Bethell made the squad for the first Test against India, England selector Luke Wright chose not to support incumbent number three Ollie Pope.

After missing out on a defeat to Zimbabwe while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League, Bethell, 21, returns.

Ben Stokes, the Test team captain, said Bethell would make an immediate return to the starting lineup when she was available prior to the match. After vice-captain Pope completed a magnificent century at Trent Bridge, Stokes made clear that he was referring to Bethell joining the squad and that his earlier statements had been “twisted to fit an agenda.”

Wright said: “We’ll get together when we get up to Leeds and announce that two days out from the Test. Pope is still expected to retain his place at Headingley.

We’ll take into account everything, including the previous conditions. The melting pot contains all of those factors.

At the end of last year, left-hander Bethell batted at number three in New Zealand, scoring three half-centuries as Pope slipped down the order to take the wicket.

He impressed in his first one-day international against West Indies last week with 82 at Edgbaston despite choosing to miss the Zimbabwe Test to play in the IPL.

Wright speculated that Bethell would play in the opening Test, but he would be “very close.”

In reality, Bethell could pressure opener Zak Crawley or front-row spinner Shoaib Bashir to make the team, but Pope would have to be the winner.

Wright, a former England all-rounder, refrained from suggesting that Bethell’s position’s lack of clarity might uneasy the squad’s established members.

Before entering any game, everyone knows that there are always prizes to be won, Wright said. Nobody in international cricket, in my opinion, takes it for granted. That is the way it ought to be.

You desire a powerful squad. They are all accomplished professionals who are well-versed in the subject. What will the XI will be always subject to speculation. Before that first Test, I’m confident that the players will be fully aware of what is happening and how it will turn out.

Matthew Potts misses out on the Test squad, but Jamie Overton makes a comeback for the first time in three years.

While Potts had fallen behind Sam Cook in the role of Chris Woakes’ new-ball understudy, Wright explained that England wanted the choice of Overton’s extra pace.

Jofra Archer’s participation in Sussex’ County Championship game against Durham will start on June 22.

Due to a number of injuries, Archer has not played red-ball cricket for more than four years.

Without a thumb injury, he would have played for England Lions against India A on Friday in Northampton.