PA Sport Trivia (16/10/2023)

By Sports Desk October 15, 2023

PA SPORT BIRTHDAYS

Bob Cottam (cricket) – former England bowler and later bowling coach, also played for Hampshire and Northamptonshire, born 1944.

Terry Griffiths (snooker) – Wales’ 1979 world champion, born 1947.

David Unsworth (soccer) – former Everton defender and caretaker manager, who won one cap for England, born 1973.

Jacques Kallis (cricket) – former South Africa all-rounder who scored 13,289 runs and took 292 wickets in 166 Tests, born 1975.

Craig Pickering (athletics) – British sprinter who turned to bobsleigh, born 1986.

Dan Biggar (rugby union) – Former Wales and Northampton fly-half, born 1989.

Charles Leclerc (Formula One) – Ferrari driver from Monaco, born 1997.

Naomi Osaka (tennis) – two-time winner of the Australian Open and US Open from Japan, born 1997.

Zak Skinner (Paralympics) – competed for Great Britain in the 100m and long jump in the T13 classification at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, born 1998.

ON THIS DAY IN SPORT

1920: Jockey Gordon Richards had his first ride at Lingfield Park. In a 21,843-race career that lasted until 1954, he won a record 4,870 races – 14 of them Classics. Richards was champion jockey 26 times.

1968: Britain’s Lillian Board lost the Olympic 400 metres final by a narrow margin to France’s Colette Besson, and US sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave their ‘Black Power’ salute on the winners’ rostrum.

2001: Liverpool beat Dynamo Kiev 2-1 in a Champions League encounter in Ukraine just days after manager Gerard Houllier was rushed into hospital to undergo heart surgery.

2006: International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed confirmed Pakistan had withdrawn fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif from their squad for the ICC Champions Trophy following positive drug tests.

2011: English driver Dan Wheldon, 33, was killed in a crash at the Las Vegas Indy 300.

2014: Former France, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham defender William Gallas retired at the age of 37.

2016: Munster head coach Anthony Foley, 42, died at the team hotel in Paris before their European Champions Cup tie against Racing 92.

2018: Wales beat the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in their Nations League match in Dublin.

PA SPORT SELECTIVE TV LISTINGS
Today (Monday, October 16)

SOCCER: Euro 2024 qualifier, Gibraltar v Republic of Ireland – Viaplay Sports 1 1935.

CRICKET: World Cup, Australia v Sri Lanka – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket 0900.

GRIDIRON: NFL, Los Angeles Chargers v Dallas Cowboys – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports NFL and Channel 5 0100 (Tues).

BASEBALL: MLB, Texas Rangers v Houston Astros – TNT Sports 1 2100, Arizona Diamondbacks v Philadelphia Phillies – TNT Sports 2 0030 (Tues).

Tomorrow (Tuesday, October 17)

CRICKET: World Cup, South Africa v The Netherlands – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket 0900.

SOCCER: Euro 2024 qualifier, England v Italy – Channel 4 1900, Northern Ireland v Slovenia – Viaplay Sports 2 1915; International friendly, France v Scotland – Viaplay Sports 1 1930.

BASEBALL: MLB, Arizona Diamondbacks v Philadelphia Phillies – TNT Sports 2 0000 (Wed).

PA SPORT QUIZ
1. How many men’s Rugby World Cup tournaments have New Zealand won?

2. Where will the women’s football European Championships be held in 2025?

3. Who scored the only try of the game for Wigan Warriors to beat Catalan Dragons in this year’s Super League Grand Final?

4. In which city is the US Grand Prix currently held?

5. Who won the first Super Bowl in 1967?

6. Who is currently number one in the WTA rankings?

7. Which side won the 2023 Netball Super League?

8. At which venue does the World Darts Championship take place?

9. When did former England captain Charlotte Edwards retire from international cricket? A- 2013, B- 2015 or C-2016?

10. In the Winter Olympics, Which two sports are included in the Nordic Combined?

ANSWERS: 1. Three; 2. Switzerland; 3. Liam Marshall; 4. Austin, Texas; 5. Green Bay Packers; 6. Aryna Sabalenka; 7. Loughborough Lightning; 8. Alexandra Palace; 9. C- 2016; 10. Ski jumping and cross-country skiing.

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    Bellingham won the World Breakthrough of the Year prize after a stunning start to life at Real Madrid.

    The 20-year-old has scored 21 goals since his summer move from Borussia Dortmund, his latest effort being a stunning winner in Sunday’s El Clasico against Barcelona.

    Bellingham now hopes to end the season with a LaLiga and Champions League double at Real before heading to Euro 2024 in Germany where England are among the favourites to win the trophy.

    Asked what would mean success, Bellingham said: “I think just more trophies really.

    “We’re still in with a chance of two with Madrid and obviously the Euros with England. So I think success would be all three.

    “It’s been a bit of a crazy week, really. I’m so tired, to be honest. So excuse me if I look it.

    “But I’m really proud to win this award and hopefully keep making more memories with Real Madrid and with England in the future.”

    Novak Djokovic was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for a record-equalling fifth time after winning the Australian Open, French Open and US Open to lead the way with 24 grand slam men’s singles titles.

    “I am incredibly honoured to have won my fifth Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award,” said Djokovic.

    “I think back to 2012, when I won it for the first time as a 24-year-old. I am very proud to be here 12 years later, reflecting on a year that brought me and my fans a lot of excitement and success.

    “It was thrilling to return to Australia last January and win my 10th title. It is a tournament that is so dear to my heart and set me up for an incredible 12 months.

    “I could not have achieved so much success without an incredible team behind me, and inspirational rivals who have always pushed me to be the best version of myself.”

    Aitana Bonmati took to the stage twice to collect two awards – the first footballer to win the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year trophy, and also represent the Spain team which won the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

    She said: “It is humbling to see the list of previous winners of this award.

    “From Serena Williams to Simone Biles, Lindsey Vonn, Naomi Osaka and last year’s winner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, they are all incredible athletes who have not only excelled in their chosen sports, but been incredible role models for younger generations of young women and girls.

    “As the first women’s team to win the Laureus, we are proud of our status as pioneers and as a group we are as committed to equality and representation as we are to what we do on the football pitch.”

    American gymnast Biles, a three-time winner of Sportswoman of the Year, won the World Comeback of the Year Award.

    Biles collected four gold medals at the World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, her first global event since leaving the Tokyo Olympics due to mental health issues and entering a near two-year break from the sport she had dominated.

    Other award winners were Rafael Nadal (Sport for Good), Diede de Groot (World Sportsperson of the Year with a disability) and Arisa Trew (World Action Sportsperson of the Year).

    :: The 25th Laureus World Sports Awards took place on Monday 22 April in Madrid, celebrating the leading names in sport from across the globe. To find out more, visit www.laureus.com.

  • Mark Selby ponders walking away from snooker after ‘pathetic’ Crucible loss Mark Selby ponders walking away from snooker after ‘pathetic’ Crucible loss

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    Having first questioned his future after a Tour Championship defeat to Gary Wilson earlier this month, Selby admitted something will have to change if he is to continue on the tour next season.

    Selby, who has reached a solitary ranking final this season, said: “I will take a long time to think about it over the summer. Away from snooker I’m happy, then when I come to snooker it’s the opposite. It was pathetic from start to finish.”

    O’Connor, who grew up idolising Selby and cheered him to three of those previous successes, held his nerve as his opponent – aided by breaks of 112 and 91 – slowly reduced the deficit to 8-5 at the mid-session interval.

    Selby threatened to move within two frames when he went 39 points up in the 15th but he left himself too much to do and O’Connor built on a nerveless red down the rail to complete the biggest win of his career.

    It marked the first time since 2018 that Selby has lost in the first round, and prompted ‘The Jester from Leicester’ to concede he will not be able to continue without some serious help.

    He told the BBC: “I’ll sit down with (my wife) Vicky and see what the options are.

    “Obviously it will be a big decision but if I do carry on playing I need help, probably on the mental side of it a little bit more just to go out there and enjoy the game.

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    Shaun Murphy avoided the same fate as he turned a 6-3 overnight advantage into a comfortable 10-5 win over China’s Lyu Haotian.

    Murphy punished Lyu from 38 points behind to pinch the opening frame, and was never in danger of surrendering his advantage in the tie, which he eventually polished off with a break of 81.

    The 2005 champion told the BBC: “It’s such a relief, it’s so rewarding and pleasing, I haven’t won a match here for a few seasons. I’m delighted to have got that win and (be) in the second round of the tournament.”

    Triple world champion Mark Williams edged in front of last year’s surprise semi-finalist Si Jiahui in a high-quality opening session of their first round match.

    Williams started the match with a brilliant 142 clearance but Si hit back, and the Welshman had to dig deep to win the final two frames of the session to establish a 5-4 lead ahead of Tuesday’s conclusion.

    Stuart Bingham stormed into an impressive three-frame lead to give him a healthy advantage at the end of the first session, leading Gary Wilson 6-3.

    Bingham started in tremendous fashion, falling just two points short of an opening-frame century break and he rattled off the next three before Wilson made his mark on the scoreboard.

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    Staring down the barrel of an early exit, Wilson’s session-high 60 break came in the final frame but a missed black helped Bingham swoop and almost clear the table until he himself missed a routine black, which his opponent sunk to reduce the deficit to three.

  • Emile Cairess dedicates impressive London Marathon display to cousin Emile Cairess dedicates impressive London Marathon display to cousin

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    Cairess finished third in the second fastest time by a British man in two hours, six minutes and 46 seconds.

    The run should rubber-stamp his place Great Britain team for this summer’s Olympics.

    But Cairess’ immediate thoughts were with his 22-year-old cousin, Oliver Burton, who is still in hospital but out of intensive care.

    “He’s my little cousin, like a little brother to me, and a couple of months ago he was in a bad accident,” said Cairess, 26.

    “He was in a coma for about a month and just came out of ICU a few days ago,

    “It was so stressful, it was touch and go at some points but he’s made a fantastic recovery in the last couple of weeks.

    “This morning I was really emotional. Hopefully I’ve made him proud today.”

    Cairess did not even know he was third, behind winner Alexander Munyao of Kenya and 41-year-old Kenenisa Bekele, until about 200m from the finish line.

    “I heard it over the tannoy,” he added. ” I passed about four people in the space of a minute around the 39km mark and I thought I’d already passed a few from the front group.

    “I was like ‘there can’t be many more left so I must be in a decent position’ but I didn’t know, I could have been sixth or seventh. When I heard I was third it was a great feeling.”

    Another Briton, Mahamed Mahamed, finished fourth, making it the first time two home runners have finished in the top four since Kevin Forster and Hugh Jones in 1988.

    Mahamed was catching Cairess in the closing stages and although he could not quite overhaul his team-mate, he was still inside the Olympic qualifying time.

    “Me and Mahamed have been racing since we were 13, so we’ve always been neck and neck,” said Cairess.

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    Four runners were in with a shout down the final straight and Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa came in second, ahead of Joyciline Jepkosgel in third with Megertu Alemu fourth.

    The previous world record for a women-only race was 2:17.01 by Mary Jepkosgei Keitany in London in 2017.

    “I’m so happy for today’s victory,” said Jepchirchir. “I wasn’t expecting to run a world record. I thought there might be one – but I didn’t think it would be me.”

    Marcel Hug won a record fourth-consecutive men’s wheelchair race, the Swiss ‘Silver Bullet’, 38, clocking 1:28.33.

    Daniel Romanchuk of the United States was second with Britain’s David Weir third in his 25th consecutive London Marathon.

    Weir, 44, said: “Keeping up with Marcel for 20 miles, it was one of the best races I’ve done on this course.

    “Some of these guys are 10 or 20 years younger than me. But I promised myself I’d come back and get on the podium.”

    The women’s wheelchair race was won by a distance by another Swiss, Catherine Debrunner.

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