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Belfast Telegraph
27 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Derry City new boy reveals what he's aiming to bring in Candystripes' fight for a European slot
Derry City's new signing Jamie Stott is excited for Sunday night's clash against League leaders Shamrock Rovers. The defender hopes to hit the ground running after training with his new team-mates.
The Independent
27 minutes ago
- The Independent
Dina Asher-Smith sets championship record to seal 200m title at British nationals
Dina Asher-Smith produced a championship record and pipped Amy Hunt to gold in the women's 200m at the UK Athletics Championships. The 29-year-old held off a fightback from 100m UK champion Hunt and got her head beyond the line a thousandth of a second before her rival, with Daryll Neita third in Birmingham. Asher-Smith led round the bend but Hunt looked to overtake the three-time Olympic medallist - but the line came just in time for Asher-Smith. There was a nervous wait before the stadium announcement revealed she took the crown with a time of 22.14 seconds. Asher-Smith said: 'It was an excellent race, we needed a photo-finish because neither of us knew who had won. 'I have done this for long enough to know the only thing that matters is the Championships and Tokyo round-by-round, so I mind my own business and focus on myself. I am in great shape, and there are a few things in there that I can still tweak, so I am happy.' Asher-Smith's time would have been enough for her to get bronze in Paris last year, showing the upward trajectory of her performance, and she believes she is in a good place ahead of the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo. She added: 'I've been in great shape for quite a long time but it's about being in a good place that makes sense to you. It's a really strong place to be ahead of a championship.' Georgia Hunter Bell added another UK title to her collection with victory in the 800m. She had to work hard for her title though, facing competition from Jemma Reekie - who finished second - and it was not until the final 150m that she got her nose in front, crossing the line in 1:59.53 to claim gold. Hunter Bell runs in both the 800m and 1500m races but has still not made a decision on which discipline she will pick at the Tokyo games. She explained: 'I am not going to make the decision until after I have run my next Diamond League 1500 and 800, so I have a bit of time to think. 'The cons are that I am probably in better shape over 800 on the world stage, but the 1500 is first - it is hard to decide.' Asked whether she thinks she can beat Keely Hodgkinson, who may run in the same race in Tokyo next month, she added: 'I don't know. 'We train together all the time. But she's such a good athlete and it will be the first time we've raced where we're kind of close.' Paris 2024 silver medallist Josh Kerr earned an emphatic victory in the men's 5000m final. He was always one of the most prominent in the field and he started to stretch out the pack alongside Rory Leonard, who sprinted clear from the pack. However, Kerr claimed the lead with two laps to go and did not look back, leaving his opponents to finish in 13 minutes 23.78 seconds. Jack Kavanagh and Leonard were second and third respectively. He said: 'It was always going to be tough out there over the last mile but I really enjoyed the first eight laps. Elsewhere, Amber Anning won the women's 400m final in front of Victoria Ohuruogu and Charlie Dobson claimed gold in the men's race. Zharnel Hughes completed a double gold, setting a new championship record as he won the men's 200m just 24 hours after winning the 100m. He dedicated his 100m gold to his late aunt, whose funeral took place in Anguilla this weekend, and which he was forced to miss in order to compete in Birmingham.
Scotsman
27 minutes ago
- Scotsman
'Stressful' - Daniel Young on landing breakthrough win in Farmfoods Scottish Challenge
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It wasn't as straightforward as he'd have liked. Not after seeing his four-shot overnight lead halved straight away after an opening double-bogey 6. And not after seeing experienced Frenchman Julien Quesne push him all the way to the finish. It was mission accomplished, though, for Daniel Young. After finishing third then second in his previous two starts on the HotelPlanner Tour, the 33-year-old maintained the progression by winning the £250,000 Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at Schloss Roxburghe near Kelso. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Daniel Young shows off the trophy after winning the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge on day four of the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at Schloss Roxburghe in Kelso |Signing off with a 70 in blustery conditions at the Borders venue, Young finished with a 19-under-par total, pipping Quesne, a two-time DP World Tour winner, by a shot in a thrilling finish, with another home player, Euan Walker, finishing two shots further back in third place. Young became the first Scot to land the coveted crown since David Law at Aviemore in 2018 and only fourth home contender to land the title, with Jamie McLeary and George Murray being the other home winners in 2009 and 2010 respectively. 'Yeah, buzzing,' said Young of making the breakthrough on the DP World Tour's feeder circuit on his 104th appearance. 'Absolutely delighted and I think I am still lost for words (laughing).' That was in reference to his winner's speech, which was probably one of the shortest in the history of the game. 'None of this was planned,' he joked of that. Young joined Law, who landed the D+D REAL Czech Challenge last month, as a winner on the circuit this year, with both players now on course to secure seats at the top of the table next season. Law, who tied for tenth, is up to fourth in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, with Young jumping eight spots to sixth. The top 20 will secure DP World Tour cards at the end of the season-ending Rolex Grand Final in November. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Yeah, I don't think it gets any better,' admitted Young, who lost to Bob MacIntyre in the final of the 2015 Scottish Amateur final at Muirfield, of landing his breakthrough win, which was worth just over £46,000, on home soil. 'Honestly, you don't pick where you win. I would have taken winning anywhere but this is extra special, that's for sure.' His opening tee shot in the closing circuit ended up behind a tree, leaving him having to play out sideways. It looked as though he might get away with a par after a lovely wedge for this third shot only to three putt from around eight feet. 'Honestly, I actually felt fine on the first tee, which is bizarre,' insisted the Kingsbarns Links-attached player. 'I didn't actually think my tee shot was that bad. It must have got a ropey bounce and I was right up the back of a tree. I did the smart thing and I thought I'd stiffed it, hitting a great wedge shot, but, from there, it was careless.' His lead was down to just one shot at the turn, with his closest challenger at that point being the young Belgian, James Meyer de Beco. Young's cushion was up to three again after the 12th before all three players made birdie-2s at the 13th from inside 12 feet. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Daniel Young celebrates winning the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge |Then, on the back of stiffing his tee shot for another 2 at the 15th before also making a birdie from close range at the 16th, Quesne had closed the gap to just one and the 44-year-old did his best to force a play-off by also giving himself good chances at the closing two holes. It was a relief for Young that his title rival couldn't convert either of them and no-one could deny that this was a deserved title triumph. 'Just stressful,' declared Young in reply to being asked to sum up his day. 'Winning is hard. I knew guys would be throwing the kitchen sink at me. James came at me early and then Julien was coming at me fast at the end. Obviously I managed to just hold them off. I struggled to make a putt today, but I made my fair share over the first three days, so I am certainly not going to grumble.' After his early blip, he covered the remaining 17 holes in three under, getting up and down from the fringe on the left to seal the win. 'I was still two head (after the first hole) so just had to reset,' he said. 'It was a bit stressful, but I knew I was playing well. I knew I had to steady the ship, hitting fairways and greens. Maybe after the first I don't think I missed a green until the last. The golf was solid. The gusts were all over the place, so it was a tricky day.' On the back of his best finish of the season, Walker climbed 11 spots to sit 14th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings. Though there are still nine regular events remaining, it is shaping up to be the best season for Scots on the circuit since four players - Law, MacIntyre, Grant Forrest and Liam Johnston - graduated to the main tour at the end of the 2019 campaign. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Yeah, a really good week,' said Walker of his effort, having signed off with a 68 that included a burst of four birdies in five holes on the back nine. 'I hadn't played well in this event when it was at Newmachar, so I am pleased to have changed that at a new venue this week. Third on my own here is an absolutely massive finish.'
