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China’s Yu Zidi competes in the women's 200m butterfly final at the China Open Swimming Championships in Shenzhen, in China’s southerm Guangdong province on March 19, 2026. Chinese swimming sensation Yu Zidi added to her
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President of World Athletics Sebastian Coe reacts during the opening ceremony of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 2026 in Torun, Poland on March 20, 2026. (AFP) World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Saturday that the decision to hold the next two world indoor championships in Asia was "strategic", with both venues having come through tough evaluations.The city of Bhubaneswar in Odisha state in eastern India will host the world indoors in 2028, while the Kazakh capital Astana was chosen for the 2030 edition.Coe, speaking to reporters at the ongoing world indoors in Torun, Poland, justified the decision to move the global three-day competition to Asia as an opportunity to "get more than a toe hold" in important markets."First of all, Asia is a very large continent and if you really want to define it, we're talking from Qatar to the Philippines," he said."So it's not a one size fits all. It's not sort of saying it's like Europe, where in three hours, you're basically almost out of Europe in most directions."Coe added: "Why those two? First of all, they threw their hats in the ring. Secondly, they went through a really tough set of evaluations."An independent evaluation panel "makes judgements across competence, about integrity, about commercial opportunities, the strategic imperatives", added the two-time Olympic 1500m gold medallist for Britain. Sports marketing landscapeWith large populations, Coe continued, comes "a pretty sophisticated sports marketing landscape"."We witness that in everything from cricket through to Formula One, now even the Premier League, you know it is where we need to be."I've been in Bhubaneswar on a few occasions... it is a big sporting hub in India. It has very strong political leadership down there."I was there not that long ago for the Asian track and field championships. World Cup hockey tournaments are held there. It's a sporting hub where they do deliver sports events."Turning to Kazakhstan, Coe added: "I was in Astana not that long ago. They have identified athletics as their number one strategic sport."In Kazakhstan in the last six or seven years, they've built some outstanding indoor athletics facilities and their ability and their appetite to play a bigger role in world athletics is again another interesting market for us."Central Asia is hugely important, so for strategic reasons, they're good bids to have at the table, and I hope in both those cases, they open other opportunities for us to get more than a toe hold in those marketplaces."The choice of Odisha comes with Amdavad, the city also known as Ahmedabad - in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat - confirmed as host city for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which will feature a full track and field programme.That is widely viewed as a stepping stone to bidding to host the 2036 Olympics, and erasing memories of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi - an event marked by construction delays, substandard infrastructure and accusations of corruption.When Amdavad was confirmed for the Commonwealths, Coe said at the time that India was "already expressing interest in hosting major global athletics events, and the long-term aspiration to host a World Athletics Championships - and one day the Olympic Games".Coe said it was a "powerful sign of a nation thinking boldly about its sporting future". Related Story
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Bryson DeChambeau acknowledges fans during the third round of the LIV Golf event in South Africa Saturday. (Reuters) Bryson DeChambeau carded two eagles Saturday to maintain a two-shot lead at the inaugural LIV Golf event in South Africa.Southern Guards, the home favorites, lead the team event entering the final round at Steyn City in Johannesburg.DeChambeau posted a 7-under-par 64 in the third round to move to 21 under, two shots ahead of South Africa's Branden Grace. He eagled the par-4 fifth hole and the par-5 10th and added birdies at Nos. 1, 4 and 18 in a bogey-free round at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.DeChambeau, 32, remains red hot after winning the LIV Golf Singapore event last week for his fourth career individual title on the circuit."Tomorrow is going to be a great day," DeChambeau said. "Gracey is playing some incredible golf, and it's fun to be alongside him playing some good golf, as well. He's got a huge hometown support, and it's cool to feed off of that energy, so hopefully there's a little bit more energy, and I can kind of feed off of that. I like it."Grace also turned in a 64 thanks to an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole plus six birdies and one bogey. The Southern Guards member birdied the last two holes to open a one-stroke lead over Mexico's Abraham Ancer (64 on Saturday) and Spain's Jon Rahm (64), who sit at 18-under.Belgium's Thomas Detry (63), South Africa's Dean Burmester (65) and Spain's David Puig (66) are tied for fifth place at 17 under. Tied for eighth at 16 under are Mexico's Carlos Ortiz (65) and Charles Howell III (66).Grace's and Burmester's Southern Guards teammates Louis Oosthuizen (64) and Charl Schwartzel (65) are part of a six-way tie for 18th at 12 under."What a day. All four boys had a good day," Burmester said. "It looks like all four of us scored well. I don't know what the total is, but Gracey just birdied 17. For me, honestly, I'm so proud of all the guys, and for us to be in the hunt for the team thing is incredible."Oosthuizen said the "rowdy boys" in the gallery have added to the excitement of chasing the team title on home soil."We're feeding off the energy at the moment," he said. "I mean, we're playing -- me and Charl were playing so-so, and today we really felt the energy, and obviously Dean and Branden are playing well, so I think we can just go tomorrow and pull this thing through."Fireballs GC and Torque GC are tied for second in the team competition at 58 under, two behind Southern Guards.The first LIV Golf event held on the African continent has sold out and is expected to draw more than 100,000 fans over the course of the four-day tournament.Phil Mickelson, playing in his first LIV event of the season due to a family health matter, finished the third round at 7-under 64. He played the first two rounds at even par, recording a 75 and a 67."I really missed it. I'm glad I'm here," Mickelson said. "I wish I played better the first day, but I'm really having fun. It's just fun to be back playing." Related Story
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Britain's Josh Kerr celebrates winning the men's 3000m final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 2026 in Torun, Poland on March 21, 2026. (AFP) Britain's Josh Kerr produced a devastating final lap to win gold in the men's 3,000m at the world indoor championships in Torun, Poland, Saturday.Kerr hit the front at the bell and clocked 7min 35.56sec for victory, 0.14sec ahead of US rival Cole Hocker.France's Yann Schrub claimed bronze.The 15-lap race had been heralded as one of the stand-out events at the world indoors.It featured the full men's 1500m podium from the 2024 Olympics along with the world 3,000m steeplechase champion, New Zealand's Geordie Beamish, in a stacked clash of medallists.Hocker, who already has Olympic 1,500m and world 5,000m titles to his name, was targeting his first world indoor title after 1,500m silver in 2024, while 2023 world 1,500m champion Kerr was eyeing a second world indoor title two years on from his victory in Glasgow.Also in the running was the USA's Olympic 1,500m bronze medallist Yared Nuguse, who got 3,000m silver behind Kerr two years ago.Come the race, Luan Munnik took up the early running, the South African closely followed by Hocker, who soon took over the lead, with Nuguse on his tail.Kerr ambled along in the middle of the pack as the Ethiopian pair of Addisu Yihune and Getnet Wale surged with nine laps to go.Beamish was in last, well off the pace, which saw the field split into single file through the halfway mark.Kerr made his way up through the field to sit on Hocker's shoulder in fifth.With two laps to go, it was still the Ethiopians in control, but their teamwork went astray as they collided.It was then that Kerr made his move past Hocker and Nuguse.As the bell rang for the final lap, Kerr struck, Schrub following on his coattails.Hocker kicked down the home stretch to nip in front of the Frenchman, but he had left himself too much to do and Kerr streaked through with gritted teeth for a second world indoor title.Nuguse finished fifth behind Kenya's Jacob Krop, while Beamish eventually came in 14th, almost 10sec down on Kerr's pace. Related Story
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Iga Swiatek crashed out of the Miami Open second round on Thursday as 50th-ranked fellow Pole Magda Linette fought back for a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over the six-time Grand Slam champion.Reigning Wimbledon champion Swiatek,
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Tom Latham carried his bat for 63 and put on 96 for the first wicket with Devon Conway to set up New Zealand’s eight-wicket win over South Africa in their third Twenty20 on Friday.Conway made
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Nottingham Forest reached the Europa League quarter-finals after Midtjylland missed all three of their penalties in the last-16 second-leg shoot-out, while John McGinn inspired Aston Villa’s 2-0 win against Lille on Thursday.Vitor Pereira’s Forest won
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will take place on schedule and with the participation of all national teams.Speaking during today's online meeting of the FIFA Council, Infantino said, "FIFA is looking forward to all teams participating in the 2026 World Cup to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect." "We have a schedule, and we want the World Cup to go ahead as planned." Infantino noted that FIFA cannot resolve geopolitical disputes, but is committed to using the power of football, stressing that the World Cup is about building bridges and promoting peace.
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English cricket chiefs Rob Key and Richard Gould will speak to the media at Lord's on Monday regarding a post-Ashes review into the team's series loss in Australia.Key, the managing director of men's cricket, will
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Aston Martin said Adrian Newey remained principal of the struggling Formula One team as media speculation ramped up on Thursday that he was set to be replaced by Audi's Jonathan Wheatley.The www.motorsport.com website reported the
