Latest news with #2024OlympicGames
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Kiwi Erika Fairweather disqualified from 400m freestyle world title defence
Erika Fairweather after winning her heat at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Photo / INPHO Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Erika Fairweather after winning her heat at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Photo / INPHO Erika Fairweather's defence of her world 400m freestyle title was short-lived after the Kiwi swimmer was disqualified for a false start. The 21-year-old finished fourth in the third heat at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Sunday, with a time of 4min 3.39sec - which would've seen her comfortably qualify in sixth for the final. Instead, Fairweather was scratched after what the international broadcasters said was a move on the start. Here's the Fairweather false start at the top of the screen in the blue suit. What do you think? I think the call is technically correct. I don't know what the officials' guidelines are on what is too little to count, but there's definitely early movement there. — Braden Keith (@Braden_Keith) July 27, 2025 Nine-time Olympic gold medallist Katie Ledecky - the most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history - qualified first with a time of 4:01.04.
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Chery Malaysia donates RM50k to KWASN for sports development
CHERY Malaysia, an automotive manufacturer, has contributed RM50,000 to the National Sports Trust Fund (KWASN), reflecting the corporate sector's continuous support for national sports development. The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) stated that they appreciate the contribution, which was announced during the launch of the Chery Tiggo Cross last Wednesday. Adding to this, Chery Malaysia will also contribute a portion of the profits from the sale of the Chery Tiggo Cross model to KWASN, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to KBS's efforts in promoting and developing sports, aligning with the National Sports Vision 2030. 'Chery Malaysia has gifted cars to Malaysian athletes who won medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Strategic collaborations between the government and private sectors like this not only have the potential to elevate national sports performance to a higher level but also serve as an appreciation for athletes who have brought glory to the country on the world stage,' according to a KBS statement today. KBS also encourages more companies and corporate entities to contribute to KWASN or any sports development initiatives, whether in the form of sponsorship, financial contributions, or collaboration in talent development programs. KWASN is a trust fund open to the public, aiming to provide grants for organising sports activities at national and international levels, including athlete participation, specifically to help improve the ranking of national athletes. - Bernama
UPI
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Famous birthdays for June 30: Michael Phelps, David Alan Grier
1 of 2 | Michael Phelps attends the Women's Basketball quarterfinals game between Nigeria and the United States at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France on August 7. The former Olympian turns 40 on June 30. File Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI | License Photo June 30 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Cancer. They include: -- U.S. first lady Elizabeth Monroe in 1768 -- Actor Susan Hayward in 1917 -- Musician Lena Horne in 1917 -- Magician Harry Blackstone Jr. in 1934 -- Actor Nancy Dussault in 1936 (age 89) -- Musician Florence Ballard in 1943 -- Musician Hal Lindes (Dire Straits) in 1953 (age 72) -- Actor David Alan Grier in 1956 (age 69) File Photo by Greg Grudt/UPI -- Actor Vincent D'Onofrio in 1959 (age 66) -- Actor Rupert Graves in 1963 (age 62) -- International Boxing Hall of Fame member Mike Tyson in 1966 (age 59) -- Musician Phil Anselmo (Pantera) in 1968 (age 57) -- Musician Tom Drummond (Better Than Ezra) in 1969 (age 56) -- Actor Monica Potter in 1971 (age 54) -- Actor Molly Parker in 1972 (age 53) -- Musician Matisyahu in 1979 (age 46) -- Actor Lizzy Caplan in 1982 (age 43) File Photo by Derek French/UPI -- Musician Cole Swindell in 1983 (age 42) -- Actor Katherine Ryan in 1983 (age 42) -- Musician James Adam Shelley (American Authors) in 1983 (age 42) -- Musician Fantasia Barrino in 1984 (age 41) -- Wrestler Cody Rhodes in 1985 (age 40) -- Olympian Michael Phelps in 1985 (age 40) -- WWE wrestler Alicia Fox in 1986 (age 39) -- Actor Elliot Fletcher in 1996 (age 29) -- Actor Wolfgang Schaeffer in 2009 (age 16) File Photo by Greg Grudt/UPI
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
All ears to entertainment
At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity , the entertainment category celebrates campaigns that creatively engage audiences through content and experiences. In "BE Extraordinary," our series in collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India , we peer outside the Grand Prix, focusing on clutter-breaking work that picked silvers and bronzes, often overlooked despite their significant impact and innovative approach. This segment highlights campaigns that masterfully combine brand messaging with compelling entertainment. Collateral Stains - Tide, Saatchi & Saatchi New York Tide, a brand synonymous with stain removal, partnered with Marvel Studios to launch its Tide Ultra Oxi Boost Power PODS. Instead of focusing on superheroes, the campaign ingeniously spotlighted the "collateral damage" suffered by background actors and extras in action-packed Marvel films. The insight was that these individuals, caught in the chaos of superhero battles, often end up covered in various stains from dust, debris, ketchup, or ice cream. Tide created a series of "Collateral Stain Stories," featuring these often-unseen characters. The campaign went as far as creating limited-edition action figures of "guac stain journalists" or "ketchup stain business guys," and produced short films showing these everyday heroes using Tide Ultra Oxi Boost Power PODS to clean up. This highly observant and humorous approach demonstrated the product's power by tackling the dirtiest consequences of superhero antics, proving it could clean even the most epic messes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saatchi & Saatchi (@ Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony - KitKat, VML Czechia The opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, an event recognised for its immense scale and profound messaging, was a notable entry for its entertainment value, involving KitKat and VML Czechia. Diverging from the conventional stadium-based spectacle, the ceremony ingeniously transformed every corner of Paris into a dynamic stage, utilizing the entire city as its backdrop. Beyond its striking visual grandeur, the performance delivered a powerful and timely message that stood in defiance of prevalent global conversations. It emphatically emphasised themes of unity, togetherness, and inclusivity. In a world frequently grappling with cultural divides and fragmentation, Paris chose to celebrate diversity and underscore its importance through this monumental public performance. The ceremony was lauded not merely for its breathtaking production values and artistic ambition but also for its courageous and resonant statement on universal values, solidifying its status as a globally impactful piece of entertainment. The girl who played the tutari - Coca-Cola's Coke Studio, VML India Coca-Cola, through its established Coke Studio platform in India, sought to maintain the freshness and relevance of its music content. The campaign focused on the 'tutari ,' a traditional Indian wind instrument historically associated with announcing war, and largely believed to be exclusively played by men. The initiative identified and showcased a female artist who performed the tutari , defying this age-old myth and outdated notion. By providing a prominent stage and platform to this artist, the campaign subtly championed women's empowerment without being overtly didactic. The project beautifully integrated traditional music with a modern social message, crafting an entertainment piece that was both culturally significant and musically compelling. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coke Studio Bharat (@cokestudiobharat) Tracking Bad Bunny - Rimas Music, Bad Bunny, DDB Latina Puerto Rico This campaign leveraged the influence of global music sensation Bad Bunny to create a unique blend of music launch and tourism promotion. In response to a politician's negative remarks about Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny launched his album by naming his song tracks after the longitude and latitude coordinates of various locations across Puerto Rico. This innovative approach engaged his massive fanbase, who eagerly deciphered these coordinates to explore the island virtually via Google Maps, and in some cases, physically visit the locations. The campaign effectively transformed an album release into an immersive experience and a powerful, organic tourism initiative for Puerto Rico, showcasing how product (the music) and marketing can be intricately intertwined. It demonstrated a high degree of confidence in the artist's ability to drive fan engagement beyond traditional promotional methods. Project Memory Card - PlayStation, Six Inc Tokyo / Hakuhodo Tokyo To commemorate its 30th anniversary, PlayStation chose an unconventional approach that centered on its community rather than just its history. Instead of producing a commercial highlighting past achievements, PlayStation launched "Project Memory Card," inviting fans to submit their personal connections and playing memories associated with the brand. The core of the campaign involved an open invitation for fans to submit their personal connections and cherished playing memories associated with the PlayStation brand. This initiative resonated strongly with the community, resulting in a collection of over 26,000 fan-contributed posts. PlayStation then partnered with a director to meticulously transform these authentic, user-generated memories into an original branded entertainment film titled 'Players.' The resulting film was praised for its surreal and beautifully crafted interpretation of these collective memories. It was notably not a traditionally scripted piece, instead deriving its narrative and visual direction directly from the wealth of shared fan experiences. "Project Memory Card" exemplified how a brand can leverage its community's deep connection to create a highly personaliaed and emotionally resonant piece of entertainment, truly reflecting years of shared history and fostering a sense of collective ownership over the brand's legacy. Avani's Gold - Britannia Marie Gold, Talented India Britannia Marie Gold, an Indian biscuit brand, launched "Avani's Gold" to shine a spotlight on a sport often overshadowed by cricket in India: shooting. The campaign centered on an Indian Olympian, Avani Lekhara , who achieved significant success in shooting. The Avani Lekhara Special Edition stands as a testament to Britannia Marie Gold's unwavering commitment to empower women for decades. The core idea ingeniously linked the physical size and circular shape of a Marie Gold biscuit to a shooting target. This made the niche sport of shooting instantly relatable and more viewer-friendly for a mass Indian audience. The campaign aimed to break through the cricket-obsessed media landscape, making shooting more accessible and understandable, and in turn, building a wider fanbase for the sport. This creative integration allowed Britannia to play an active role in sports promotion beyond conventional celebrity sponsorships, demonstrating brand involvement through an insightful product connection. Signed by Fanatics - Fanatics NewYork "Signed by Fanatics" innovatively expanded the traditional merchandising business into the digital realm, specifically within American college sports. Recognising the significant role of college athletes and the lucrative NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals, Fanatics, a sports merchandising company, tapped into the popular EA Sports video game. In these games, millions of fans create and play as their own virtual college athletes. Fanatics identified an opportunity to extend its product portfolio beyond physical merchandise by offering the first-ever real NIL deals to these virtual athletes created by fans. The campaign, encapsulated by the line "Players created by fans, now signed by Fanatics," enabled fans to monetise their digital creations and allowed Fanatics to enter the digital merchandise space, effectively expanding its business by integrating with digital gaming culture. (At BE Extraordinary, a series about the winners at Cannes Lions in collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India, we peer outside the Grand Prix, and look at clutter breaking work that picked the silvers and the bronzes, but don't often get discussed.)
North Wales Chronicle
12-06-2025
- North Wales Chronicle
Olympic swimmer speaks of devastation after attack on leisure centre
On the third night of disorder on the streets of Ballymena, masked youths attacked Larne Leisure Centre, around 20 miles away, under the impression it was housing immigrant families who had been affected by violence. On Thursday morning, the leisure centre was described as closed until further notice while the damage is assessed. Danielle Hill, who competed in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and the 2020 Games in Tokyo, spoke of her sadness at events in the town that 'I have proudly represented on the world stage'. Hill, who is a member of Larne Swimming Club and also coaches younger children at the club, said the leisure centre was a safe space for many people. 'No child should ever be forced to witness masked men in their home community,' she said. 'The local leisure centre is a safe place for so many, from young children (as young as six) learning to swim to elderly residents, has now been transformed into a place marked by fear and trauma. 'What unfolded last night was not just violence – it was racism in its rawest and most dangerous form. Young people seeking 'fun' in a senseless act of vandalism. 'And its consequences are already being felt; a local community torn apart, families left frightened, workers left without incomes. 'The harm is not abstract – it is here, it is local and it is devastating.' She also called for rebuilding. 'This is a moment to come together, not fall apart,' she said. 'Let's keep talking. Let's keep listening. As we have done so many times before, let's lead with compassion, stand up for one another and show the strength of our community through our support – for every child and every family that calls this centre a home. Time to rebuild.'
