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Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool hint at Hugo Ekitike's future Liverpool number
Hugo Ekitike is here, and he's perfect. He's Liverpool's seventh new arrival in the window, counting in Giorgi Mamardashvili, who technically agreed to join the Reds last summer but only completed his move this year. LFC Kits Shop Now LFC x New Era Shop Now LFC Signed Merch Shop Now LFC x Titleist Shop Now Alongside him, there's also Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman. The Reds are not done yet. However, much of their activity will be determined by outgoings before they look to bring in more reinforcements. Who those reinforcements may be remains to be seen. Alexander Isak is still on the club's radar, meanwhile, a centre-back is also needed before the window shuts close. For now though, Liverpool will be just delighted they solved a major headache in the no.9 position, where Arne Slot has always wanted to reinforce his options. In Ekitike, Liverpool have gotten a really exciting forward, too. Someone who the club will believe can go very far in the game. His potential is limitless and he is a really good fit for the way Slot wants to play football. Ekitike is dynamic and he thrives inside the box but he's multifaceted in the sense that he can also create chances for his teammates, run into the channels and take players on one vs one. Undoubtedly when there's a new signing one of the most exciting aspects about their arrival is finding out what number they are going to wear. For Ekitike, just like every other new Liverpool signing this summer, there's going to be a wait.
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Skechers Confirms OG Anunoby Joins Its Roster
New York Knicks Forward Competing in Skechers Basketball Shoes LOS ANGELES, July 24, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Confirming the fan speculation surrounding his headline-grabbing slam dunk in SKX REIGN™ shoes during the 2025 NBA playoffs in May, Skechers officially announces that New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby has joined Team Skechers. In addition to competing in Skechers Basketball footwear, the NBA Champion and defensive powerhouse will appear in the brand's global marketing campaigns. The news drops ahead of Anunoby representing the brand on a European basketball tour with fellow Skechers athlete Terance Mann of the Brooklyn Nets. The tour kicks off July 26 in Belgrade, with additional stops to follow in Berlin, Frankfurt and Zadar. "Skechers has helped me continue to play basketball at an elite level and I love these shoes," said OG Anunoby, who wears a range of Skechers Basketball styles including the SKX NEXUS™ and SKX REIGN™. "I play quick and low to the court. I jump and move a lot. Skechers has the shoe to keep me comfortable, keep me protected and keep me playing my best every day." "As we grow and continue to innovate our Skechers Basketball shoes, more elite players want to join our team and bring the Comfort That Performs to their games," said David Weinberg, chief operating officer of Skechers. "Known for his viral dunks and defensive strength on the court, OG is a fantastic and inspiring addition to our global roster. We look forward to bringing OG and Terance Mann on tour to meet fans and the media at events with our European retail partners in the coming week." Born in London, UK, Ogugua "OG" Anunoby grew up in Missouri from age four and excelled as a basketball phenom in high school. He was selected as a pre-season All-American by The Sporting News ahead of his freshman year at Indiana University. In 2017, he declared for the NBA draft, where he was selected 23rd overall by the Toronto Raptors. In 2019, the Raptors won the NBA championship, making Anunoby the first British-born basketball player to ever earn the title. He was traded to the New York Knicks in 2024 and has had great success since with a career-high 18-point-per-game average last season, including reaching his career-high 40-point game versus Denver. The two high-performance Skechers Basketball shoes worn by Anunoby reflect his dynamic playing style—strong, versatile, and always in control. The SKX NEXUS™ is a low-top court shoe designed for speed, stability and support, offering exceptional comfort and responsiveness. Meanwhile, the SKX REIGN™ focuses on promoting elevation and intense traction, helping Anunoby stay quick and locked in on both ends of the court. Anunoby joins a Skechers roster that includes his Raptors championship teammate Norman Powell, European tour partner Terance Mann, as well as NBA players Julius Randle, Joel Embiid, Jabari Walker, and Josh Green, along with WNBA athletes Rickea Jackson, Jackie Young and Kiki Iriafen. Beyond basketball, Skechers also offers performance footwear for elite and casual athletes in running, soccer, golf, pickleball/padel and cricket. Skechers Basketball footwear is available at and select Skechers retail stores. Basketball fans can get behind-the-scenes access to Skechers Basketball product launches and more by following @skechersbasketball on Instagram and TikTok. About SKECHERS U.S.A., Inc. Skechers (NYSE:SKX), The Comfort Technology Company® based in Southern California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company's collections are available in 180 countries and territories through department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through and more than 5,300 Skechers retail stores. A Fortune 500® company, Skechers manages its international business through a network of wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint venture partners, and distributors. For more information, please visit and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, Skechers' future domestic and international growth, financial results and operations including expected net sales and earnings, its development of new products, future demand for its products, its planned domestic and international expansion, opening of new stores and additional expenditures, and advertising and marketing initiatives. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," "will," "could," "may," "might," or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include the disruption of business and operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic; delays or disruptions in our supply chain; international economic, political and market conditions including the effects of inflation, tariffs and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations around the world, the challenging consumer retail markets in the United States, and the impact of wars, acts of war and other conflicts around the world; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers; decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers, especially in the highly competitive performance footwear market; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in Skechers' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q in 2025. Taking these and other risk factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic into consideration, the dynamic nature of these circumstances means that what is stated in this press release could change at any time, and as a result, actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. The risks included here are not exhaustive. Skechers operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and we cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all such risk factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance. View source version on Contacts Media Contacts: Jennifer ClaySKECHERS U.S.A., Marvin HeinzSKECHERS U.S.A. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
23 minutes ago
- Forbes
Wallace Spearmon Talks About His New Role With USATF, And Shaping The Future Of U.S. Relays
US' Courtney Lindsey reacts after competing in the men's 4x100m relay heat of the athletics event at ... More the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (Photo by Martin BERNETTI / AFP) (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images) Wallace Spearmon has always been interested in the science behind performance. In 2011, less than a year removed from one of his best efforts on the track when he ran 200 meters in 19.79 seconds at the Zurich Diamond League, he was called upon by the television show MythBusters to determine whether a human could walk on water. 'Wallace, how far do you think you're going to get?' the show's host, Jamie Hyneman, said. 'I'm hoping for three steps,' Spearmon replied. The Chicago native sped down the sloped dirt path and proceeded to land directly in the water, ending that experiment's hopes. But 14 years later, maybe Spearmon has some tricks up his sleeve. As the General Manager of International Teams, Athletes, and Coaches Services for USA Track and Field (USATF), he's earned an opportunity to shape the direction of the U.S.'s hopes in the relays and says he intends to lean on data science to help promote future success at the national level. His appointment in February was part of a major restructuring of USATF's High Performance Department, which also saw Robert Chapman become its Chief of High Performance Operations and Tyler Noble as its Lead Sports Science & Data Analyst. In total, the USATF made a swift culture change – while at the same time laying off high-ranking employees, according to a report by LetsRun. In the aftermath of that organizational change, the USATF also moved on from relay coaches Mechelle Freeman, who coached the women's 4x100 team to Olympic gold in 2024 and World Championship wins in 2022 and 2023, and Mike Marsh, who were operating on contracts which ended after the 2024 year. Marsh's men won gold in 2023 at the World Championships, but were disqualified at the Paris Olympics following a head-scratching hand-off in the zone. Daryl Woodson, an assistant during the Paris Olympics, was hired in March to take over as head coach of the division. The American men haven't run faster than 37.40 in the 4x100 since 1992, while the U.S. women hold the world record of 40.82, though that time was last broken in 2012. Spearmon, 40, revealed to me that there's a grand vision in place. 'I'm actually really excited about this,' he said. 'Tyler Noble, he has some programs that can motion-capture stride length, stride frequency, gait – they can almost project injuries. And he's at every relay practice.' An Important Time For Change With USATF EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 06: Athletes compete in the Women's 10,000m Final during the 2023 USATF ... More Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field on July 06, 2023 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by) This moment is particularly important for Spearmon, who became a world champion in 2007 as a member of the U.S. men's 4x100 team and reached both the Beijing and London Olympics in the mid aughts. His most gut-wrenching setback, however, came when he was not selected to be a part of the men's 4x100 lineup in 2008. And in fact, failure in the relays has been an ongoing sore subject for Team USA. The American men's 4x100 team has not won gold since 2000, enduring a drought of six straight Olympic cycles. This bothers Spearmon, because the U.S. men have won three Olympic golds at the men's 100 meters since 2000 and won the last four golds at the World Championships. It's not an issue of talent. 'I believe we have the best athletes in the world,' Spearmon said. The most important piece to the puzzle, Spearmon contends, is an overarching, consistent vision of the team's objectives and its strategy. He confirmed to me that flaws in communication were an issue in previous cycles. Prior to Spearmon's appointment, the USATF pivoted from a model of hiring relay coaches who were, more or less, volunteers or contractors, to a more precise and long-term outlook decided upon by USATF. Woodson's hire reflects that vision, he said. What also elevated that strategy was a directive by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, which issued a $6.2 million dollar grant to the governing body and advised for a more centralized model of hiring. Florida track coach Mike Holloway, who is on the executive committee of the USATF High Performance Division, told LetsRun that he felt that Freeman and Marsh, who do not coach college or professional athletes, were more akin to 'relay coordinators' than coaches of the program. Spearmon said shoring up communication issues within the relay pool is one of his main priorities. 'As an athlete, if you're given at the beginning of the year a certain direction, you can train for that. You can make sure you're ready for it,' he said. 'But when you don't receive any information until you make the team, that's too late. So we've addressed that by hiring a relay coach who applies consistent concepts from the youth level all the way up to our senior teams.' But this also applies for athletes who aren't ultimately selected for teams. Notably, U.S. 400 meter runner Kendall Ellis expressed frustration in Paris when she was not selected to run in the Olympic final. 'If we win and people are feeling negative about the experience, then that's something I would like to address,' Spearmon said. 'I feel like it's our job to provide you with information. It is not our job to ensure you like that (information), but it is our job to make sure you have it.' Hiring Woodson was the first step, Spearmon said. Next were key hires like Jeremy Wariner, the Olympic 400 meter champion in 2004 and a three-time gold medalist; Kyra Jefferson, a 3-time NCAA champion; and Taylor Washington, an Olympic gold medalist in the 4x400 in Rio in 2016. All three are assistants under Woodson. If not more important are the relationships USATF's new coaches forge with the likes of Lance Baumann, Mike Holloway and Tonja Buford-Bailey—three coaching veterans whose technical acumen lead the likes of Noah Lyles, Grant Holloway and Gabby Thomas, among others. Can a collaborative vision coincide with U.S. success ahead of Los Angeles 2028? Spearmon said he got his first glimpse of his new standard in March at the Texas Relays. The 4x100 foursome of Tamari Davis, Thomas, Jenna Prandini and Anavia Battle ran a time of 41.74, which was four-hundredths of a second faster than the U.S. women's winning time from Paris. 'This is the most prepared we've ever been,' Spearmon said of USATF's relay strategy. 'We have some big goals and I would say we have some big expectations for LA28. I think we'll be able to achieve those.' What's Next For Wallace Spearmon's Vision On The Track With USATF BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - AUGUST 26: Noah Lyles of Team United States reacts after winning the Men's ... More 4x100m Relay Final during day eight of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 at National Athletics Centre on August 26, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by) Spearmon will get answers for all of his questions soon enough. And he says his experience will have prepared him for it. From his time as the USATF Athlete Commission's Chair, to his tenure as an Associate Director of Athlete Services, which saw him work through governance and advocacy for athletes, his influence has grown and shaped around the changing dynamics of the sport itself. Spearmon has even coached at the international level, from the under-20 ranks all the way up to the senior team. From 2017-2019, he was an assistant relay coach and in 2021 became the team's lead when Orin Richburg could not attend the Tokyo Olympics, per LetsRun. Identifying objectives and meeting core expectations will be a subject shared between Spearmon and the staff that reports up to him. 'What I felt like as an athlete was completely different then what I felt as a coach,' Spearmon said. 'So in this administration role, I believe it's going to be different then either one of those previous experiences. 'It's my job to make sure that our relay coach operates within a certain scope and does the best job he can do,' he continued.
