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Must be good points for the lads, now with that Hors cat. Probably relatively safe now with 2, and Kye increasingly looks a real threat come Paris Unfortunately the push for two on the women's side looks goosed at this point, but if Schriever is fit and on form, should be good to o for at least the podium

She's clearly the successor, along with Sophie to the Potter-Taylor Brown generation, much as they were to the Stanford-Holland - and they in turn Cave and Tucker/Jenkins. The women's pipeline continues to deliver, and Sian, Olivia, Jess Fullager means there is good depth, as Learmonth provided. On the boys side, the sound of drifting tumbleweed...

Excellent signs for GTB who had a really, rally tough year just when she should have been taking the 'final step' last year. Her strength on the bike is tactically very useful against the likes of Duffy, where Beth Potter, Kate Waugh etc can be slightly weaker, while their running strength means Beaugarde etc can't just wait them out. Given the strength of Sophie Coldwell over supersprint relay distances, it's going to be a brutal 2 from three to join Beth. And that's not allowing for the Sian's and Fullagers making a late charge, or Learmonth showing old swimming form... The Boys would give their right leg for that sort of depth...

Yep, Istanbul was announced as the likely host a month or so ago, and it was confirmed last week - I think their 2026 ambition is 'unlikely' but it would very likely have a good shot thereafter. Clever of the EOC to lean into Istanbul's Olympic ambitions, but they need to pull it off now - Poland did an exceptionally good job in very difficult circumstances, but a 'bad' Games can really derail Olympic ambitions - see Delhi CWG 2010.

Keeps all options open...and shows how close it probably is in selection terms...

I see Charlie Young made it to the third round, albeit with a bye

Interesting is putting i mildly - it's dynamite.

Great summary Rafa. I think GBR might do OK here; I'm actually quite hopeful in BMX freestyle and women's Park skateboard - even 3 is not beyond the bounds of possibility in the latter, as I think Strachen is better than her ranking. Think GBR COULD pick up a handful of '1 quotas' too in men's park, men's breaking and women's Boulder and Lead. When you add this event to the Boxing, it seems the IOC are increasingly stretching their remit out from the Games simpliciter and into the qualifications - and for the IOC that makes good sense, gives them much more narrative control - and it's a win win for these slightly fringe urban sports. Istanbul 2027 is also making noises about giving the EOC (essentially Europe's end of IOC) much more input in qualification for LA 2028, which will both give IOC more of this power, and raise the importance of Continental Games, which IMHO IOC should make a priority from its own standpoint.

Have we seen much of Houldan this term?

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.