Andy Sutch obituary

As London regional director for the Sports Council (later Sport England) from 1989 to 2003, my friend, Andy Sutch, was pivotal in raising the profile of grassroots sport and for laying the groundwork for the successful bid for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. He had joined the strategic planning department of the Sports Council in 1976.Andy, who has died aged 75, came up with a London sports strategy in 1987 that centred on increasing general participation, especially among marginalised groups. Early to recognise that the capital, given its world city status, should become a leader in world sport, he strongly supported and helped develop the credible, albeit unsuccessful, bid for the 2000 Olympics.Throughout the 1990s, his focus on inclusion and raising the profile of sport continued

Elliott targets Grand National with five runners after first-day Aintree double

Gordon Elliott opened the Grand National meeting with a 15-1 Grade One double on Thursday and now plans a five-strong challenge for the Grand National on Saturday, when a fourth success in the world’s most famous steeplechase would give the trainer a share of the all-time record.The highlight of Elliott’s afternoon was Brighterdaysahead’s two-and-a-quarter-length defeat of Dan Skelton’s The New Lion in the Aintree Hurdle, a result which confirmed the form of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, when the pair finished second and third. It was also a second course-and-distance success for Brighterdaysahead, who has yet to register a win at Cheltenham in three attempts.That record tempers enthusiasm somewhat for the ante-post prices available for the festival in March 2027, but Brighterdaysahead will still be an exciting recruit to the novice chasing ranks if, as expected, she graduates to the bigger obstacles next season.“She’s the apple of all our eyes,” Elliott said afterwards

Noa-Lynn van Leuven banned from women-only darts events after transgender ruling

Noa-Lynn van Leuven will be banned from competing in any of the Professional Darts Corporation’s women-only events with immediate effect after a ruling from the sport’s regulatory body stated only biological females can now compete in women’s tournaments.The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) has ruled that transgender women will no longer be permitted to compete in women’s events. Van Leuven can therefore no longer participate in the PDC Women’s Series, where she has won six titles, and will be prevented from also competing in the Women’s World Matchplay, which she was on course to qualify for this summer.The DRA said the move came in order to “achieve fair competition in darts”. The DRA commissioned a report from Dr Emma Hilton, an academic developmental biologist who has published several papers on sex and categories in sport, which determined that darts is a “gender-affected sport”

England absences mount for Six Nations opener after pregnancies and injuries

England are in danger of losing a ninth World Cup winner for the Women’s Six Nations after the prop Hannah Botterman was ruled out of their opener against Ireland with an ankle injury, amid doubts over whether she will play any part in the tournament.The Red Roses head coach, John Mitchell, said they will have confirmation on Botterman’s return timeline next week; Kelsey Clifford has been selected to start at loosehead at Twickenham.England are already contending with injuries, two retirements and four pregnancies; Rosie Galligan, whose partner is her England teammate Marlie Packer, the latest to announce she is expecting earlier this week.“Hannah had her ankle mended in the pre-season, at the moment mechanically it is not quite right,” Mitchell said after announcing the XV to play Ireland. “We are getting it checked

Gout and Kennedy renew rivalry, Hull eyes history as Australian athletics puts its best on show

Australia’s top sprinters lock horns again while the track queen is out to complete the set of middle-distance crowns at the national championships in SydneyAn array of exotic, well-trimmed dogs will parade around Sydney Olympic Park this weekend as part of the Royal Easter Show. The zoomies, however, will be across the road.Australia’s best athletes led by sprinter Gout Gout will dash around the newly laid blue track at the Athletic Centre, while others fly over bars or into sand.The immediate goal is a national title and selection for this year’s Commonwealth Games or World Junior Championships teams. But this meet arrives at a time when the sport is building towards Los Angeles 2028 and on towards Brisbane 2032, and a new crop of athletes is out to prove their era has arrived

Meet JJ van der Mescht, the 6ft 7in, 23st Saint: ‘A fly-half trapped in a second-row’s body’

Cometh the hour, cometh the big man. There are certain situations when size matters on a rugby field and the 6ft 7in tall, 23st JJ van der Mescht is the larger‑than‑life proof. If spectators at the Rec on Friday feel the ground beneath them shake as Northampton run out to face Bath in their keenly awaited Champions Cup quarter-final, there will be a giant-sized reason why.Clearly Saints will also bring their razor-sharp running game but even Bath’s meatier forwards should brace themselves. There is invariably a major collision when the massive Van der Mescht thunders into contact and asks the direct questions that led South Africa to include their exiled lock in an alignment squad before their July Tests against England, Scotland and Wales