Latest news with #worldtitles
The Australian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Perkins claims 100m butterfly bronze as Walsh dominates in record time
In swimming terms Alex Perkins is somewhat of a late bloomer. But in public perception, the 25-year-old Gold Coaster is now the next member of Generation Next after she stormed home late to secure a bronze medal in the women's 100m butterfly at the world titles in Singapore. A day after the women's and men's freestyle relay teams shocked the world with a pair of gold medals, it was Perkins who was next to step up and claim an unexpected medal with a third place in the butterfly in 56.33s. US star Gretchen Walsh claimed the gold medal in 54.73s, just missing her own world record, ahead of Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium in second while Olympic champ Torri Huske withdrew from the heats as one of the several US stars who had battled a gastro bug throughout the lead up to these titles. Perkins, a relay heat swimmer silver medallist at the Paris Olympics last year, was fourth at the 50m turn and then came home strongly to secure her first individual international medal. 'I can't be happier with that,' she said. Perkins finished 13th in the 100m butterfly at last year's Olympics, and was happy to have such a strong improvement in 12 months. 'I missed out last year at the Olympics and I'm really proud of myself for coming here and handling my nerves,' Perkins said. 'I was definitely nervous today, but I just kept telling myself I just need to do the best job I can.' BOHL'D OVER The men's 100m breaststroke final was a gold medal result that cut deeper than most. Not a single Australian qualified for the final, while the winner Qin Haiyang of China was being coached by one of our greatest minds. Michael Bohl, mentor to the likes of Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown and Stephanie Rice, shocked Australian swimming last year when he announced he was taking the year off coaching only to sign a lucrative new deal in China a few months later. Now, rather than find our next generation of champions, he's played a major role helping China's superstar breaststroker return to form. Qin struggled in Paris last year after he was named as one of the 23 athletes who tested positive but was cleared of a doping violation ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. But with Bohl in his corner, he stormed home in the final 25m to secure a comfortable victory. AWKWARD AUSSIE ABSENCE If seeing Bohl celebrate a gold medal wasn't hard enough to stomach, there was more pain throughout the second night schedule to highlight the deficiencies in the Australian swimming team. No Australian in the men's 100m breaststroke final. No Australian in the men's 100m backstroke semi-finals. No Australian in the women's 100m breaststroke semi-finals. No Australian in the men's 50m butterfly final. There will be no Australian in the men's 200m freestyle final on Tuesday night after Flynn Southam (1:45.80) finished 10th in the semi-finals. There are some significant gaps in the Dolphins swim team and while it may be too soon to find potential medallists in those races for Los Angeles in 2028, the planning must start now for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. CASUAL KAYLEE Australia's most dominant current swimmer Kaylee McKeown eased her way into the 100m backstroke final, touching second in her semi-final behind fierce US rival Regan Smith in the semi-finals. Smith was fastest in 58.21s, closely followed by McKeown in 58.44s. The pair are expected to battle it out for gold in Tuesday night's final, with McKeown boasting the better finals record having won in Paris last year and the 2023 world titles where she swept all three backstroke gold medals. McKeown admitted she has a far different perspective to racing this year than she did at last year's Olympic Games where she won the 100m-200m double for the second Games in succession. 'I think Paris I really got consumed by the pressure and the nerves, especially the ones I put on myself,' she said. 'This year I'm taking a step back and just enjoying the sport. 'I don't care if I come last, I've just come here for a good time.' YU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT Canada's Summer McIntosh secured her second gold medal of the world titles, winning the 200m medley in 2:06.69, but it was China's 12-year-old Yu Zidi who almost completely stole the show. Yu was already the youngest swimmer to ever qualify for a world titles final, but she almost became the story of the night as she produced a late 50m surge going from seventh to just miss a medal by 0.06s in fourth place. USA's Alex Walsh pushed McIntosh down the third 50m but couldn't hold on in the freestyle leg to touch in second in 2:08.58, followed by Canada's Mary Sophie Harvey in 2:09.15 ahead of Yu in 2:09.21. Incredibly Yu's final 50m freestyle was swum in 30.17s, only 0.01s slower than McIntosh who is the 400m freestyle world record holder. Todd Balym is the Codes team editor leading the team of reporters covering all the non-footy sports. He is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years experience in media and covered major sporting events around the world including three Olympic Games. Olympics The USA might have sensed an opportunity when Emma McKeon and the Campbell sisters left, but the new generation have reminded the world how Australia sets the standard. Olympics Two teenagers produced the swims of their lives to retain Australia's stranglehold on the women's 4x100m freestyle relay as Kyle Chalmers led the underdog men's team to world championship glory.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former world champion boxer Dwight Muhammad Qawi dies at 72
Hall of Fame boxer Dwight Muhammad Qawi, who took up the sport in prison and won world titles in two different weight classes, has died at age 72. Qawi's sister, Wanda King, said he died on Friday, July 25, after a five-year battle with dementia. "He was a great father, a great Pop-Pop to his grandchildren," King told BoxingScene. "He had a heart of gold, and he fought his dementia illness just like he was fighting in the ring." Born Dwight Braxton and raised in Camden, New Jersey, he learned to box at Rahway State Prison while serving a sentence for armed robbery. He turned pro after he was released in 1978 and later changed his name after converting to Islam in 1982. Nicknamed "The Camden Buzzsaw," Qawi won his first world title in 1981, defeating Matthew Saad Muhammad for the WBC light heavyweight crown. After winning a rematch with Saad Muhammad the following year, he lost to WBA champion Michael Spinks in a unification bout in March 1983. Despite being just 5-7, the compactly built Qawi moved up to cruiserweight in 1985 and dethroned champion Piet Crous before facing Evander Holyfield in what experts regard as one of the weight class's best fights of all time. Holyfield won the 15-round split decision in Atlanta on July 12, 1986, and then defeated Qawi in a rematch the following December. Qawi would have one more high-profile fight, a March 1988 loss to heavyweight George Foreman before retiring later that year with a career record of 41-11-1 and 25 knockouts. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004, and spent a large part of his retirement as a youth advocate and drug and alcohol counselor in New Jersey. Contributing: Field Level Media This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Hall of Fame boxing champ, dies at 72
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Wiffen wants more world titles and unbeaten run
Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen says he hopes that defending his world titles will mark the start of an unbeaten run during the Los Angeles Olympic swimmer Wiffen enjoyed a memorable 2024, winning 800m freestyle gold for Team Ireland at the Paris Games after his World Championship double in will defend his 1500m and 800m freestyle world titles in Singapore, and will also look to challenge in the 24-year-old says the prospect of remaining undefeated until the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 has given him a new focus."For me, it is about trying to win again and that motivation to stay undefeated going into LA," Wiffen took some time out of the pool after his Olympic success and returned to competition at the Irish Championships in April, where he set the fastest time of the year in the 800m will first race at the Worlds in Singapore in the 400m freestyle heats on Sunday (03:20 BST). Should he advance, the 400m final is at 19:00 BST. He will also compete in the 800m and 1500m heats on Tuesday and Saturday. Wiffen said it has "been amazing" being the reigning Olympic and World champion, but added his focus shifted to future goals pretty quickly after the Games in Paris."I looked back at the races in Paris, and looked at what has changed this year and what we are doing differently."Moving on from that, you look and what is next and that was pretty easy for me."Ellie McCartney and Ellen Walsh are also in action on Sunday in the 200m individual medley, while Shane Ryan goes in the 50m butterfly and Eoin Corby swims in the 50m bronze medallist Mona McSharry and Larne's Danielle Hill will be in action later in the championships. 'Gold is what we swim for' Wiffen is not the only Olympic champion from Northern Ireland competing in Singapore, with Jack McMillan competing for Great Britain in the 4x200m helped Team GB win gold in Paris by swimming in the heats of the relay and he is now targeting a world medal to add to his collection."That's why we go to these competitions, to do that," McMillan told BBC Sport NI."It's the ultimate goal, but it's about being level headed so we don't get ahead of ourselves. When it comes to that moment we need to be prepared for it, so it's just trying to prepare ourselves for that moment."That would obviously be great and it's what we swim for. Why we're competitive is for those things."Like Wiffen, McMillan also took some time away from the pool after the Paris Games. The 25-year-old heads to the World Championships set to fulfil a similar role for Team GB as he did at the Olympics. McMillan swam in the heats in the relay as GB set the fastest time, but sat out the final as Matt Richards and Duncan Scott returned to the team. However, his performance in the heats was enough to secure a gold medal along with his says it is important to peak at the right time of year and his return to the pool has been geared towards performing at the Worlds."It's only really two times you are at your best and it's where you need to peak," he added. "We are putting all this effort and training in for like a minute and 40-odd seconds of racing, twice a year. So it's quite a lot of sacrifice and training for one moment, you could say. "When you do get the result at the end of it, it shows that all the hard work and sacrifice paid off at the end of it."
ABC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Australia's new wave of swimmers faces resilience test at world titles in Singapore
The new wave of Australian swimmers faces an immediate resilience test at the world titles, head coach Rohan Taylor says. Taylor is overseeing a Dolphins team with a near-quarter of debutants, plus five new coaches, at the championships starting on Sunday in Singapore. "We don't have a footy game every week, we go once this year," Taylor said. "So we have got to make sure that they get the experience. "Next year we will have a multiple competitions that they will be exposed to. "But the first one is the one that will test their resilience." Proven performers and gold-medal winners including Kaylee McKeown, Kyle Chalmers, Cam McEvoy and Mollie O'Callaghan form a core of a team including 10 world championship rookies including 16-year-old breaststroker Sienna Toohey. And the 10-strong coaching team under Swimming Australia's head coach Taylor has been revamped after last year's Paris Olympics with five fresh faces. Taylor was impressed with integration of the newcomers at the Dolphins' camp in Darwin before arriving in Singapore. "Having new people come in — a quarter of the team, half the coaching staff — they slotted in really well, it was really nice to see. That is the first step," he said. "The second step will be when they get into competition, obviously anything can happen. "It's going to be how they manage themselves, manage the ups and downs that come with it. "We have had a pretty consistent group of coaches and athletes over the last cycle that we worked with. This is just a new test for us as a leadership." The titles were vital for Taylor's plans for the ultimate goal, the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. "I want to be able to look at the next three years to ensure we're working on all the key things for LA," he said. "I just want to know where are our gaps, where are our strengths … and what do we need to be doing about it as an organisation." Australia will unveil a revamped women's 4x100m freestyle relay team on night one at the Singapore Sports Hub. The retired Emma McKeon, and Shayna Jack, who missed selection, are missing from the relay team that won Olympic gold last year. Also on night one, Paris silver medallist Elijah Winnington and a rejuvenated Sam Short renew rivalry with Germany's Olympic champion Lukas Martens in the men's 400m freestyle. And with Ariarne Titmus yet to return post-Olympics, Lani Pallister will fly the Australian flag in a highly-anticipated women's 400m freestyle boasting Canadian Summer McIntosh and American legend Katie Ledecky. McIntosh, at Canada's trials last month, regained the 400m free world record from Titmus and also set global records in the 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley. AAP
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Shakur Stevenson proves he's boxing's new Floyd Mayweather
Headed into the fight, there were many questions surrounding Stevenson's ability to handle a fighter with Zepeda's output – but the Newark native proved beyond any doubt that he can adapt to any style and win 'whatever it takes'. While it may seem early to make comparisons to a legend like Mayweather, the similarities are hard to ignore. Mayweather was heavily criticised towards the end of his career for his defensive boxing style. Shutting his opponents out made for less interesting fights for the spectators. Eddie Hearn openly spoke against Mayweather before his 2014 clash with Marcos Maidana for avoiding the big fights and taking on subpar opposition. Hearn said: 'When the big fights don't happen, the public loses faith. That is happening with Floyd Mayweather.' He continued: 'He is the king of the ring and the king of making money. But fight week seems particularly flat, and I'm hearing from my people in America that there is not the buzz or even much interest in his fight with Marcos Maidana.' This is something Stevenson has also been accused of – not being a fan-friendly fighter and winning his world titles against opposition who never really posed a threat. Long-serving commentator and Hall of Famer Jim Lampley said of Stevenson: 'So far Shakur Stevenson is choosing to win, and so far in choosing to win, he's getting less entertaining. But for both men, a time came when they had to prove to the world that they could stand and fight with the best. Stevenson vs Zepeda (2025) For Stevenson, Zepeda was the perfect opportunity to show his grit against a fighter whose power and volume punching made him a ferocious competitor who has more knockouts than Stevenson does fights. Stevenson showed incredible composure and counterpunching ability to tame the fire of Zepeda and dominate their exchanges, landing eye-catching counter shots and combinations. Just like we saw from Mayweather during his best years, Stevenson boxed from behind a Philly shell when he was forced to the ropes. He was not only effective on the back foot, however, the WBC champion surprised onlookers when he was happy to go toe-to-toe with the fierce Mexican puncher, absorbing or avoiding the best he had to throw and responding with precision and power. The only flaw in an otherwise commanding performance was a well-timed right hand from Zepeda that briefly unbalanced Stevenson, but the American did not waver and quickly returned to dominating the fight. Zepeda showed true spirit to continue his assault despite not landing any meaningful work for the majority of the fight. But the more he threw, the more obvious it became he was outmatched by the American, who could answer him from anywhere – on the inside, at range, on the backfoot or even off the ropes. After the fight Shakur sent a message to the world and said he is more than just a boxer, he is a fighter too. Stevenson said: 'Whatever it takes to get the job done. I got dog in me, I'm not no puppy, I'm not no poodle, I'm a tough guy.' He continued: 'He pushed me to another level.' Mayweather vs Cotto (2012) Mayweather had announced his retirement from boxing after brutally stopping Ricky Hatton in 2007, but came back to the ring in 2009 to fight Juan Manuel Marquez. He put together an impressive couple of victories over Marquez and Shane Mosley, followed by a controversial knockout of Victor Ortiz, which saw him under heavy fire from the boxing public. As well as the controversial ending to the fight, many thought Mayweather was boxing too negatively in his comeback and not providing fans with the entertainment they had paid for. Mayweather's moment of vindication came against Miguel Cotto in one of the toughest challenges of his career. Cotto was, similar to Zepeda, a hard-hitting machine with an unrelenting come-forward style that Mayweather had struggled with in the past against the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Jose Luis Castillo and Carlos Hernandez. But on the night, Mayweather proved that the days of the destructive 'Pretty Boy Floyd' were not past him but had just morphed into and become a part of his new 'Money' Mayweather persona. Cotto barrelled forward at Mayweather, head low and unloading heavy barrages of hooks, which initially looked to trouble the American. But his signature Philly shell defence took the sting out of most of the punches Cotto was throwing. The five-weight world champion, although he could have, chose not to rely so heavily on his defensive brilliance to beat Cotto and instead took the fight to the Puerto Rican on the inside using the upper cut as an effective weapon. These tactics, as we also saw with Stevenson, created an insurmountable advantage for Mayweather. Cotto could not be effective on the inside and was simply getting picked off at range, which led to a wide unanimous decision for Mayweather against another Hall of Fame opponent. After the fight, Larry Merchant, who had been a critic of Mayweather, asked him how he felt after being in a war with Miguel Cotto after so many years of avoiding punishment. Mayweather said: 'When it's pay per view and the fans are paying and the fans are coming to see you. You want to give the fans excitement." Merchant interrupted and reminded Mayweather that we had not seen him in a fight this tough in some time. Mayweather responded: 'It's about giving the fans excitement. That comes with the territory. Sometimes we have to suck it up and fight hard.' The ability of Mayweather to muzzle an aggressive opponent with inch-perfect defence and lashing counter punches is something we hadn't seen replicated so masterfully until Stevenson. With victory over Zepeda. The boxing world has seen the true potential of Stevenson. He is a fighter who continues to evolve and rise to the challenges as they are thrown at him, just as we saw Mayweather do throughout his career. As a three-weight world champion at just 28 years old, the lightweight champion's achievements at such a young age are undeniable, but the Newark fighter's toughest challenges lie ahead of him.
