mpjmcevoy

I don't see it lasting to be honest...but, for what its worth, I can see the 'West' turning more and more to Middle East allies to keep their own properties afloat.

Interesting. A strong city ready for such an event. Till now, the European Championships ECM event seemed to be more warmly embraced - it was certainly cheaper! - yet here's Istanbul and EOC, in place,with a full three and a half years to prepare, while the Championships are already denuded of athletics or aquatics (those 2026 events having already been handed out) and absolutely no sign of a host or a plan for the 2026 event... With the Commonwealths also looking doomed and the Francaphone on a shoogily peg, seems the 'West' just can't keep an event going...

UKA had historically a rather sweet broadcast deal with BBC financially. BS are probably happy just to have exposure for their sponsors. UKA probably need to read the room in that regard.

Confirmation from Freya Anderson. She's been struggling with Glandular Fever, not that likely to swim trials. Dreadful timing, and probably kaboshes Paris. Real blow to all the women's relays too, though Hopkin could cover the two medleys...

Absolutely. Although from a Gaelic Games and Soccer background, got into Rugby Union and NFL at almost the same time, aged about 11 (watching 6 Nations and Ch4 NFL with my cousins) Bizarrely enough became a huge cricket fan at the same time (long school holidays and limited TV = Test Matches!) before an Ireland international team technically existed (it was a representative 'county' team under TCCB). Got into League thanks to Martin Offiah's generation, and although the League-Union rivalry made me smile, being Irish I never quite 'got' it, because I liked both (and NFL!) on a sort of continuum. And then watched my first Grey Cup at 19 - personally, I prefer the rules of CFL just because it's a more expansive game, which may be a rugby fan overhang, come to think of it... But yes, you start with the Touchdown - why is it called that when you don't have to actually try to touch the ball down, where as in rugby, you don't only have to try to touch down to score a try, you actually have to touch down!). The 6 tackles v 4 downs is parallel evolution, I think. But yes, rugby League is basically ironman NFL without the forward pass, so everyone becomes, literally, a running back! FWIW I've a couple of American friends (and several Canadians from Uni!) who are late but absolutely mad concerts to rugby, precisely because they cottoned on to the idea of a speeded up NFL with no breaks - they just consider the sport brilliantly barbaric!

NFL is clearly a very different sport from the two classic rugby codes (and CFL for that matter), but they do share a rather larger amount that some might imagine - a lot of NFL fans found the recent NRL Las Vegas games oddly recognisable as well as enjoyable (obviously League is much much closer in 'form' to NFL than Union)

Rugby U will do the same shortly. not sure about Rugby League. Universally accepted among rugby codes as a dangerous tackle technique best excluded.

I fear this boil will not be lanced until either 1) he dies or 2) he wins. Hear me out. The man is, in a very real, practical, mentally unbalanced sense shameless. He literally cannot feel shame like other people, He resents mockery, sure, but he's never of the belief its deserved. And without shame, he can't stop running to win. He's lost the popular vote twice - that would normally be enough alone to send a politician back to the farm - and yet, with completely graceless shamelessness, here he is again. And If alive, he will be again in 2028. Only death and term limits can stop him - and he'd certainly challenge term limits.

Go away. It's tedious now.

or Sophie Coldwell or Jessica Fullager Meanwhile an impressive win in the European Triathlon Cup event for Hugo Milner

Suspect it's connected to the World Boxing/IBA issue

Laugher and Harding win World Cup gold in Men's 3m synchro. GBR 2 from 2. Chinese did not compete, obviously. As Toulson has not travelled, the run for GBR will come to a halt in the Women's 10m synchro in about an hour.

Unfortunately, I agree. We'll miss them when they're gone. But I think they're gone.

Noah was on for a 530 until that last dive, which would have been a handy score....

It's important for a couple of reasons 1) it showcases matchplay, which has been lacking, despite it arguably being the more watchable format for virgin viewers 2) it gets more use out of the venue My proposal? 12 Teams of 4 - 2 men, 2 women. in three groups of 4 - Highest ranked nations are offered 4 spots automatically, before kicking into single rankings If more than 12 teams are possible, the strokeplay aggregate is used to rank top 12 teams. Max 1 team per NOC in final 12. Matches over 9 holes in group stage, with nearest the pin tie breaker if all square after 9 Matches scored on the 2pts per hole won, 1 per hole tied basis - first to 10 therefore wins. Match halts at that point Each 'rubber' consists of three matches - men's singles, women's singles, and mixed foursome. 2 matches wins the rubber, match scores 10-x used like goal difference if required. Top 2 per group plus next best 2 to QF, again over 9 holes Group matches could easily be done in a day, 2 at most Then semis and medal matches done over 18 holes over next two days, or next day Total holes for medalists (9+9+9) Group + 9 QF + 18 semi + 18 medal = 72 holes.over three days - (27) Groups (27) Quarter and semi (18) Medal

Instant wave of dread. The overbearing and controlling parent trope. Never. Ends. Well.

I forsee a squad with an unusually high number of 'medal punts', but relatively few 'gold chances'. you're basically hoping one or two come right through the middle, and Caudrey must be a shout for that role. Hodgkinson is a fantastic talent, but it's a brutally tough era in that event. KJT will be watching the Euros - if Nafi stumbles, things get interesting, although Anna Hall seems to have the edge. And of course, it will be interesting to see if Jake and Josh and A.N. Other (the GBR number 3, given GB depth, will be no patsy - instinct says George Mill) can tagteam Jakob. Laura's not gonna beat Faith Kipyegon, and truth be told, I think the decline has probably begun - she simply doesn't look the athlete she did 2 years ago. Likewise, Dina, who I just don't see reaching those heights again though she remains a key relay member - I think all the relays could be competitive, although the Men's 4 x 4 are probably the weakest. There are 'punchers chances' in a number of events, especially the sprints with Zharnel, but you can't simply ignore 16 events in the field, plus anything longer than 5000, as UKA have done, and expect anything.

I must admit, I'm quite excited to see the interaction over the next few years of Megan Keith and Innes Fitzgerald. You get a certain chemistry when two big talents come through at once (Jackson-Jarrett/Coe-Ovett/Sanderson-Whitbread/McColgan-Murray)

They both have time for another Olympics, and I'd imagine they'd be hungry for it. Without them, of course, GB loses any realistic chance of a team medal, and loses its floor and AA threat. Wonder if this plays into Beckie's hands as a plausible - if no longer likely - UB outside medal chance? And penny for the thoughts perhaps, of her retired sister?

Whisper it quietly....possible Olympic Hoy-trick?

Men's quota always seemed unlikely tbh. Frankly, just getting a male in to be sure of a mixed pair will be a relief.

They'll be begging Fragapane to suit up again....

Finucane, straight sets, not even all that close. BC must be laughing themselves silly to have cottoned onto the increasingly uncontestible 'best female sprinter in the world' just in time for Paris, after years of Post Becky James torpour. (Becky was obviously meant, in BC terms, to lead this team for a decade, and her retirement left a vast hole...which has just suddenly filled up quite nicely!). Really did NOT see this coming a few years back...

All things being equal, the team with the leading individual sprinter tends to be favourite in these circumstances - not always, but usually. At the moment it seems incontrovertible that for the men that's Harri Levreyson and for the women it's Emma Finucane. Finucane, however, is relatively new in this position, so it is more difficult to assume she wiill carry it through. The keinin is a bit more of a toss up, and while a single supremely fit athlete can take a lot of the chance out of it - think Hoy in his pomp, there is room for ingenuity and downright sneakiness (think Kenny in Tokyo taking advantage of Glaeser's nervousness, throwing fake over the shoulders to get Glaetzer to miss him taking off - that's speed, but it also a careers worth of clever)

They've made a point of talking up the fact - perfectly legitimate - that Laura is still young enough to have LA and even Brisbane in front of her, if she so chose (I'm not sure she will, but having Jason as a coach in the Manchester system doesn't hurt). I'm guessing she'll miss Paris, come back for Worlds, and work back towards LA. Choices about brisbane will wait till after that.