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ABC News
21 minutes ago
- ABC News
Meg Harris claims 50m freestyle gold to round out world swimming championships
Australian swimmer Meg Harris has won the gold medal in the women's 50m freestyle final at the world swimming championships in Singapore. On the final night of competition, Australia's Jenna Forrester and women's medley relay team also claimed silver. Harris beat Chinese swimmers Quinfeng Wu and Yujie Cheng in 24.02 seconds, marginally slower than the swim that won her the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Paris. "Stoked, like there's not much more I can say," she said after the race. "I did the dream that I've been dreaming this whole time, like this is why I swim — also for the enjoyment — but it is nice winning. "I still can't even put it into words … it'll take a while to process." Harris, who also won a gold medal in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay on night one of the championships, said she had to reset her outlook after her Paris success. "It was a bit of a tough one," she said. "I felt such a high coming off that and then starting this year had to find a new motivation, not just coming in and doing the exact the same thing. "I tried for the first couple of months, but something just wasn't working, and I needed to find a new way to do it. "So, I stripped everything back and started with the basics — all the reasons that I started swimming, like I love sprinting, and I love racing." Harris admitted after the race that she swims with her eyes closed. "I guess it's just like trying to focus on my stroke," she said. She also took a breath — against instructions. "Pretty much my whole training has been to focus on not taking a breath, but it didn't feel so great in the semis, so I just tried to do whatever came naturally and the breath came naturally," she said. Canada's Summer McIntosh bounced back from her disappointment with her bronze in the 800m from Saturday night to blitz the field in the 400m individual medley. Her time of 4:25.78 was two seconds slower than her own world record but was a championship record. Australian Forrester came from third with her last stroke to tie for second with Japan's Mio Narita, 7.48 seconds behind McIntosh. "Yeah I didn't know that I was going to come in second, I thought, maybe third," Forrester said. "But seeing second up on the scoreboard I was honestly in disbelief. That was crazy. "To make a comeback like that this year, I'm super proud of myself. Super grateful to have the support team around me: My coach, my family, my friends. "It really means the world to me, and I felt like that swim was for everyone who helped me get here." Mollie O'Callaghan had one last chance to move ahead of Ian Thorpe as Australia's greatest world championship swimmer in the final of the 4x100 medley relay. But it was the United States that stole the show, breaking their own world record with a time of 3:49.34. The quartet of Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske will share a $US30,000 prize for breaking the record. The Australian team of Kaylee McKeown, Ella Ramsay, Alexandria Perkins and O'Callaghan came second 3.33 seconds behind the Americans. "I'm really proud of us all, I think we've all had a big meet," Perkins said. "Just to come out here and do our best is really important and I think we did a great job. "Also, a special mention to our little 16-year-old Sienna. She did a great job this morning too." That medley relay was the last event of the championships, which saw the United States top the medal table with nine gold, 11 silver and nine bronze ahead of Australia in second with eight gold, six silver and six bronze. "One medal short," Australian head coach Rohan Taylor lamented. "Obviously you hope for it all the time but it's nice for it to come down to the last relay and we did our best. "But anyway, they were too good on the day, but that just makes us more hungry for it." He said there was still room for improvement, given the absence of Ariarne Titmus, who was taking a year off, and decisions by some athletes not to swim in certain races. Illness also swept through the team and prevented Sam Short swimming in his favourite 800m. "We've now got past this meet and me in my mindset is looking forward to the future and the next stop is Comm Games and Pan Pacs," Taylor said. "We had a great conversion rate … as of tonight I think our whole team had a 60 per cent of finals swims that were equal or better than trials, which is something we really strive for." Asked for his highlights of the meet, Taylor said they all had a little meaning. He commended Forrester, who had to wait until the last day of the meet to swim. He also highlighted the two 100m freestyle relay gold medals on night one and Lani Pallister's silver medal. "Geez, that 800 free was special last night, it was just epic, I was fanning the whole time," he said. Asked if Ariarne Titmus planned to come back to the sport after her year off, Taylor said he hoped so "I haven't had a chat with her, I leave Arnie alone and let her work through that, but if Arnie wants to talk to me she'll obviously ring me," he said. "But I leave her to make her own decision, but I hope so, I really do. It'd be great."
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Wild reason Shaquille O'Neal wants to live in infamous village
Shaquille O'Neal has revealed his 'dream' is to retire in Florida's infamous community, The Villages, to discover if the sordid rumours about what goes on there are true. The 53-year-old NBA legend has been sharing his pro insights as a sports analyst on 'Inside the NBA' and his podcast, 'The Big Podcast', which he co-hosts with Adam Lefkoe. O'Neal and Lefkoe recently welcomed boxing icon Mike Tyson to their studio and lifted the lid on what they want their future to look like, Realtor reports. The former Los Angeles Lakers star revealed that he is looking forward to settling down in one specific place after he retires. When Lefkoe asked O'Neal what his 'dream retirement scenario' is, the basketball icon said he already had a plan in place that saw him living the rest of his days at The Villages — the retirement community that has become known for its wild goings-on and STD reports. The athlete began by noting that he always thinks about the fact that he has 'seven summers' left until he is 60. Tyson chimed in, 'That's how you have to think about, and then you have to ask yourself, 'What am I going to do at the end of my seventh summer?'' 'I tell my kids all the time that I don't want them taking care of me,' O'Neal, who shares children Shareef, 25, Amirah, 23, Shaqir, 22, and Me'arah, 19, with ex-wife Shaunie, said. He also has a stepson, Myles, 28, from Shaunie's former marriage. He also shares daughter Taahirah, 29, with ex-girlfriend, Arnetta Yardbourgh. O'Neal then lifted the lid on where he hopes he will spend his days after ringing in age 65. 'The dream scenario is: There's this place called The Villages. The Villages is an old folks' home, but they have the highest rate of STDs. I want to be there. 'When I get to 65 and I can't move, take me down to Ocala, Florida. Just drop me off, my boy,' the hoops star said. Last year, US Census data revealed that The Villages was the nation's fastest-growing metro, growing 4.7 per cent between 2022 and 2023. The purpose-built community offers its residents a wide array of amenities, including 3,000 social and special-interest clubs as well as activities like square dancing, drama, water ballet, belly dancing, precision golf cart driving, cheerleading, and tambourine tapping. There are also 14 country clubs, 17 pools, and 100,000 golf carts. Adding to The Villages' appeal is its access to all of the community amenities — gyms, pools, rec centres, softball fields, golf courses, clubs, and activities — are available for a fee of $US199 ($A305) per month, no matter the size of a resident's home. However, while the community is advertised as a thriving 'backdrop where you can live life to the fullest,' it is The Villages' residents and its bustling social scene that have attracted the most attention over the years. Many reports and rumours have emerged about the reportedly risqué scene that has emerged inside The Villages. The community made national headlines in 2006, when WFTV news reported that its Women's Center had seen an enormous uptick in the number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases. 'One physician at the Women's Center of The Villages said even in her years working in Miami, she has never seen so many cases,' the report stated. This quote went viral, and the community quickly became known as the 'STD Capital of America,' despite subsequent reporting calling attention to the fact that there was no accurate data to back up these rumours. Still, the stain of scandal has persisted inside The Villages ever since — with more fuel added to that fire when reports began to surface, suggesting that a group of swingers living in the community were using 'loofah signalling' in order to publicly express their sexual preferences to other residents. That rumour has been traced back to a riff made by comedian Tora Himan, an Orlando-area drag queen who previously performed at The Villages as part of a cabaret show. A similar whisper that ran rampant involved upside-down pineapples. That scandal saw people on the web claiming that upside-down pineapples in The Villages were a way to signalise swinging. In addition to big plans for his retirement, O'Neal boasts an impressive real estate portfolio, holding the keys to a slew of multimillion-dollar properties in Texas, Florida, California, Georgia, and Nevada.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Hope grows as cannabis contender enters the Rett syndrome fight
Rett syndrome is rare but relentless Neuren struck biotech gold with Daybue Neurotech brings cannabis to the fight Rett syndrome is the kind of diagnosis that hits hard and lingers long. It affects around one in 10,000 girls, and typically appears after what seems like a normal start to life. Then comes the regression - loss of speech, hand skills, mobility - followed by the onset of seizures, bone fragility, gut issues, scoliosis and, often, a haunting silence that replaces early babble. It's caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene, which plays a crucial role in brain development. While it's classed as rare, the ripple effects through families are enormous. Sleep disturbances are common. Breathing irregularities, like breath-holding spells, can leave caregivers powerless. And while most girls survive into adulthood, it's with round-the-clock support and complex medical needs. AussieRett and InterRett studies Professor Helen Leonard, principal research fellow at the Kids Research Institute, has spent decades studying the condition. Leonard's long-running AussieRett and InterRett studies have helped establish how Rett symptoms evolve over time, and her team has also created global care guidelines for things like nutrition, scoliosis and bone health. 'Rett syndrome is an unusual condition in that it mainly affects girls who, following a period of apparent normal development, gradually show signs of regression," she told Stockhead. "Between the ages of 6 and 18 months they lose skills, particularly in relation to hand function and communication. 'As well as loss of hand function, these individuals develop unusual patterns of hand movements, such as hand-wringing or clapping known as stereotypies." Neuren's moonshot moment Until recently, there was no approved treatment for Rett, only a patchwork of management strategies and hope. That changed when ASX-listed Neuren Pharmaceuticals (ASX:NEU) struck gold with its drug trofinetide, now marketed as DAYBUE in the US. Approved by the FDA in March 2023, DAYBUE became the first and only drug for Rett syndrome, unlocking a commercial windfall for Neuren. Since 2019, Neuren's stock has surged over 1,200%, and the company now commands a $2 billion market cap. Thanks to a savvy licensing deal with Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Neuren pockets royalties and milestone payments with no royalty outgoings - every dollar drops to the bottom line. 'The FDA approval of trofinetide for Rett syndrome is very exciting, and represents the first ever treatment for the disorder,' said Leonard. For investors, it was a reminder that rare paediatric disorders, long overlooked, are now a serious biotech frontier. And that's where Neurotech (ASX:NTI) enters the frame, with a somewhat different approach. Cannabis steps into the ring Neurotech's lead therapy, NTI164, is a full-spectrum cannabis extract containing a cocktail of cannabinoids like CBDA, CBC and CBN. But it only contains 0.08% THC, meaning it's non-intoxicating and suitable for children. The company recently published results from its Phase I/II study in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. This report shows the therapy was well tolerated and offered signs of clinical improvement across neurological, behavioural and functional domains. The drug's unique formulation is designed to reduce neuroinflammation, support synaptic function and modulate glial cells - factors believed to play a key role in Rett's progression. NTI164 is gaining traction internationally. It's already secured Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) in the US and European Union. This unlocks a range of incentives, including market exclusivity, reduced regulatory fees and access to research funding. It's the kind of support that can help fast-track rare-disease drugs through the system. Meanwhile, data from the same study was presented by lead investigator Professor Carolyn Ellaway at the World Rett Syndrome Congress. That put NTI164 front and centre in a growing global conversation about next-gen Rett treatments. Caution, hope and next steps Research into cannabis for Rett is still early, and Leonard urges caution when interpreting results from small, open-label trials. 'I think that we need a larger national double-blind placebo-controlled study before making any judgement,' she said. 'I would hope that this would use an alternative outcome measure to the RSBQ.' Her research has shown that Rett's behavioural symptoms - like those measured by the RSBQ - tend to decrease with age; unlike its clinical severity, which often worsens. That disconnect, she believes, can muddy trial results, and partially explains why she urges a broader toolkit for measuring impact in future studies. Still, she acknowledged that apart from the Rett Syndrome Symptom Severity (RTT-SIS) scale, some of the other measures used in the NTI164 study 'were showing positive changes'. She's not easily swayed by early signals but she recognises momentum when it's building. And regulators seem to agree. A closer look under NTI's hood From a clinical standpoint, NTI164 is ticking key boxes. Its pharmacokinetic (PK) data shows rapid absorption, minimal THC exposure and consistent dosing with no cannabinoid build-up - making it suitable for chronic paediatric use. NTI164 has also shown promising results in other paediatric neurological conditions like autism and PANDAS/PANS, potentially supporting its use in Rett by building a broader safety and efficacy profile. Perhaps most notably, its primary cannabinoid, CBDA, doesn't just convert into CBD like many assume. It appears to act directly on the brain, interacting with receptors linked to mood and inflammation. That matters because Rett isn't just neurological, it's deeply inflammatory. 'The clear validation of systemic stability, safety and targeted therapeutic action highlights NTI164's potential as a disease-modifying therapy,' said Neurotech CEO, Dr Anthony Filippis. Whether that turns into a commercial home run is still to be seen, but NTI164 has already demonstrated solid safety and early signs of symptom relief. In Rett, that bar is high. So are expectations. And that's what makes Neurotech's path an interesting one to watch. At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While Neurotech is a Stockhead advertiser, it did not sponsor this article.
