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• Tullis-Joyce expects more success from USA under Hayes

  Phallon Tullis-Joyce is excited by the job Emma Hayes has already done with the United States and predicts she will have even more success in the role.

  Hayes left Chelsea after 12 years in charge in May, going out on a high after leading the Blues to a fifth consecutive Women's Super League triumph on the final day of last season.

  It was her seventh title overall with Chelsea, also winning five FA Cups and two League Cups, as well as leading the team to the Champions League final in 2020-21.

  Hayes began her tenure as the USA boss in May and helped the team to a record-extending fifth Olympic gold in Paris, as an undefeated tournament ended with a 1-0 win over Brazil in August.

  Having made such a bright start to life with the USWNT, Tullis-Joyce, who has never played for her national team, is expecting great things from Hayes.

  Speaking at the Barclays WSL's 2024-25 season launch media day, the goalkeeper told Stats Perform: "I think that's incredible for US soccer to have such a notable coach.

  "Everyone has seen how great she's done in this league alone, and I'm excited to see what she does with the US Women's National Team.

  "She's already done an amazing job, so I can imagine she's going to do so many more great things for time to come, especially for the younger generations."

  One of the players who did not feature at the Olympics for the USWNT was Alex Morgan, who recently announced her retirement from football.

  Morgan, regarded as a USA legend, is one of the most decorated players in the history of the team, winning back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019 and clinching Olympic gold in 2012.

  She is ninth on the all-time appearance charts having earned 224 caps, and since her international debut in March 2010, no player has been involved in more goals for the USA than her (175, 123 goals, 52 assists).

  Tullis-Joyce was full of praise for the former striker and explained how she drove her to improve after coming up against her.

  "Just massive respect for Alex Morgan, she's definitely a player that I've looked up to as an American," Tullis-Joyce said.

  "She was one of the ones that we saw on the national team constantly just shredding goalkeepers left and right.

  "Honestly, I'm learning from her how to protect my goal a little bit better. I had the fortunate opportunity to play against her several times.

  "Honestly, she just seems like such a great person. And I wish her all the best in her retirement, especially after what she's done for women's football."

• Woods undergoes back surgery after difficult 2024 season

  Tiger Woods has undergone surgery to address the back spasms and pain that hampered him throughout 2024.

  Woods has struggled for fitness throughout the last few years, having suffered serious leg injuries in a car crash in 2021.

  He appeared at all four majors this year but missed the cut at three of those events, also finishing 60th at the Masters, while illness forced him to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational in February.

  The 15-time major champion has also undergone several surgeries on his back throughout the last decade, and he revealed on Friday that another procedure was required to rectify issues that plagued him this season.

  "Earlier this morning Tiger underwent micro decompression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in the lower back," read a statement posted to Woods' X account.

  "Dr Sheeraz Qureshi of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach performed the surgery and deemed it successful."

  Woods added: "The surgery went smoothly, and I'm hopeful this will help alleviate the back spasms and pain I was experiencing throughout most of the 2024 season.

  "I look forward to tackling this rehab and preparing myself to get back to normal activities, including golf."

• T&T’s Richards receives additional financial support from Ministry of Sport and Community Development

  Olympic 400m finalist Jereem Richards on Wednesday has been rewarded with additional financial support from Trinidad & Tobago’s Ministry of Sport and Community Development.

  The 30-year-old, who finished fourth in the 400m final in Paris in a national record 43.78, collected a cheque for $187,500 from acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, David Roberts, at its head office in Port of Spain.

  “Jereem’s performance at the recent Paris 2024 Olympics games and his subsequent bronze medal at the Diamond League, showed true grit and a determination to succeed,” T&T’s Minister of Sport, Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, told Trinidad Express.

  “We at the Ministry are committed to ensuring that athletes are given all that they need to reach their highest levels of performance,” she added.

  The funding was awarded under the Elite Athlete Assistance Programme (EAAP) designed to help athletes like Richards to cover costs including training, international competition and travel fees as well as other essential expenses.

  A Ministry release on September 11 stated that, “similar to other athletes, the Ministry has continuously supported Richards’ athletic development which allowed him to successfully compete on the international stage. In 2019, Jereem Richards was awarded $125,000 and $187,500 in 2021. In 2022, he received $250,000 and in 2023 he was awarded a further $250,000.”

  Richards is also a World Indoor 400m champion from 2022, a two-time Commonwealth Games 200m champion from 2018 and 2022 and a World Championship 200m bronze medallist from 2017.