Cycling teams could boycott races involving Israel-Premier Tech after Vuelta chaos

World Tour cycling teams may refuse to race against Israel-Premier Tech following the multiple protests during the Vuelta a España that exploded into street violence in central Madrid on Sunday.Sources within rival teams have expressed their dismay to the Guardian at the refusal of the team to withdraw from the Vuelta and the lack of protection from the International Cycling Union (UCI) for its own commercial and sporting interests.Michal Kwiatkowski of Ineos Grenadiers was among those to publicly criticise the UCI for its lack of action during the Vuelta. The former world road race champion posted on social media: “If the UCI and the responsible bodies couldn’t make the right decisions early enough, then long‑term it’s very bad for cycling that the protesters managed to get what they wanted.“From now on, it’s clear that a cycling race can be used as an effective stage for protests and next time it will only get worse, because someone allowed it to happen and looked the other way

Kurtis Marschall shines light on high jump camaraderie in epic Tokyo final

Armand Duplantis’s world record rightfully stole the spotlight, but the true nature of pole vaulting revealed itself in a brief moment from Monday’s epic men’s final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.Kurtis Marschall was moments away from his second world championship medal, and Australia’s first in Tokyo. It was 10.09pm, and his final rival for bronze stood at the top of the runway. American Sam Kendricks – then in fourth behind the Australian – had his pole over his shoulder eyeing a clearance that would slide Marschall off the podium

Football agent Kia Joorabchian’s big racing spend needs to start paying off

The first of the four weekends that will decide the champions of the 2025 Flat season in the northern hemisphere passed in a blur of Classic and Group One action at Doncaster, Leopardstown and the Curragh, and while Aidan O’Brien, as ever, emerged with a lion’s share of the spoils, there were also hints that he will not have things all his own way as the cavalcade moves on towards Paris, Ascot and finally the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in California.It was encouraging too – since variety, after all, is the spice – that it was not the usual suspects from Godolphin and Juddmonte that were giving Ballydoyle the most to do.Karl Burke and Eve Johnson Houghton were the only British-based trainers to saddle a winner at the two-day Irish Champions Weekend meeting at Leopardstown and the Curragh, and both returned home with a Group One success – just the second of her career in the case of Johnson Houghton, who took the National Stakes with Zavateri. Burke, meanwhile, sent out a treble from just seven runners over the two afternoons, highlighted by Fallen Angel’s victory in the Group One Matron Stakes on Saturday.And there was a confidence-boosting Group One winner too for Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation, to kick off a vital period for the owner after a substantial eight-figure investment in both bloodstock and property ahead of the 2025 campaign

AFL finals: where the Geelong v Hawthorn preliminary final will be won and lost | Martin Pegan

The Geelong and Hawthorn rivalry will be reignited when the heavyweight duo meet in a final for the first time in nine years on Friday with a spot in the 2025 AFL decider up for grabs. The Cats have recent history on their side with six wins in their past seven matches against the Hawks, though the balance has been tipped the other way when the clubs have met in cut-throat finals over more than five decades.The Hawks have knocked out the Cats in all four finals clashes since 1963 when there is no second chance for the loser. That streak most memorably includes the Hawks’ premiership triumphs in the all-time classic 1989 grand final and the 2008 upset-for-the-ages, both at the Cats’ expense.Geelong have gone a long way to easing the pain of those defeats as they have become one of the powerhouses of the AFL

‘A nobody who became really good’: Gout Gout takes his bow on the world stage

The Australian sprint sensation charms international media ahead of his senior competition debut on WednesdayThe subways and shopping malls in Tokyo were busy on Monday for the national public holiday to celebrate “respect for the aged day”. Four storeys up, inside Adidas’ hospitality fortress a walk from Japan’s National Stadium, the sentiment was different. Here, a room filled with international press bowed at the altar of athletics’ new prodigy.Gout Gout, the 17-year-old Australian who will compete in the 200m at the World Athletics Championships on Wednesday, is faster than Usain Bolt was at the same age. His spectacular performances and gleaming grin have swamped social media

World Athletics Championships 2025: Duplantis claims pole vault world record as Kambundji wins 100m hurdles – as it happened

Emmanouil Karalis clips the bar at 6.20m so gold goes to Armand Duplantis! The two shake hands but the crowd are waiting … is Duplantis going to try to break his 14th world record now that he has won gold?Here is Sean Ingle’s verdict on an exceptional day at the Japan National Stadium.The Swede’s first attempt failed by the tiniest of margins. The second was even closer. As he prepared for the final attempt, the Greek athlete Emmanouil Karalis, who had taken silver with a six metre clearance, blew a fan in his face