The National Powerlifting Association of Jamaica (NPAJ) is buzzing as the highly anticipated Grace Kennedy Money Services National Powerlifting Series Bench Press 2023 approaches.
The event, scheduled to take place on July 15th, 2023 at the Fit Farm Venue, promises to showcase the incredible strength and determination of the nation's powerlifters. With an increase in the number of athletes participating this year, the stage is set for an unforgettable display of raw power.
The NPAJ proudly announces that a record-breaking 48 athletes have registered for the competition, representing a 52% increase compared to the previous year. This surge in participation reflects the growing popularity and recognition of powerlifting in Jamaica, as more individuals embrace the sport and test their limits.
Among the participants, 14 powerful females will be vying for glory, marking a significant 57% increase compared to the previous year. The rise in female athletes is a testament to the inclusive and empowering nature of powerlifting, as more women break barriers and prove their mettle on the platform.
In the highly competitive 63kg weight class, one female athlete stands out. Simona Mahfouz, the winner of the Squat Only 2023 event earlier this year, is determined to make her mark in the Bench Press category.
While no Bench Press record has been established yet, all eyes will be on Mahfouz as she pushes herself to new heights. In the 69kg weight class, three formidable females are set to battle it out.
Shaniqueka Allman, the class's defending champion and record holder, has proven her dominance in the Bench Press category. However, she finished third in the recent Squat Only 69kg event, which has only fueled her determination to reclaim her spot at the top. Shrona Scott, a previous runner-up in the 76kg Bench Press in 2022, has decided to move down to the 69kg class. With a win in the 69kg Squat Only 2023 event, she aims to make her presence felt. Cheyenne Campbell joins them, making her debut in the Bench Press after an impressive performance in the Squat Only event. The current class record in the 69kg weight class stands at 56.7kg/ 125 lbs. with a 46.49 GLP, held by Shaniqueka Allman.
In the 76kg weight class, two rising stars are ready to showcase their strength. Chevaneese Powell emerged victorious in the Squat Only 2023 event, and she is eager to make her mark in the Bench Press category. Kishon Green, the runner-up in the Squat Only 2023 event, is determined to prove her prowess on the bench press. Both athletes will be looking to challenge the class record held by Fiona Binns since 2022, who has moved up to the 84kg weight class for the 2023 season. The current class record in the 76kg weight class stands at 49.97kg/ 110 lbs. with a 38.34 GLP, held by Fiona Binns.
The 84kg weight class promises to be fiercely contested, with five talented females ready to give it their all. Ayana Duhaney, the defending champion, and record holder for the class, is keen on retaining her title and breaking her record in the process. Monique Smith, making her NPAJ debut, will be looking to make a strong first impression. Tzari Saunders, returning after a year's absence, aims to reclaim her spot among the elite. Fiona Binns, the record holder for the 76kg Bench Press in 2022, has chosen to challenge herself in the 84kg class this year. Tesi Scott, who faced disqualification in her Bench Press debut last year, is determined to make amends after finishing second in the Squat Only 2023 event. The current class record in the 84kg weight class stands at 70.37kg/ 155 lbs. with a 53.84 GLP, held by Ayana Duhaney.
In the 84+kg weight class, three powerhouses are ready to showcase their strength. Aiesha Denton, the reigning champion, and record holder, is looking to defend her title and set a new benchmark for the class. Kayla Edwards will be making her NPAJ Series debut, hoping to make an impression. Tashian Wallace, finishing second in the Squat Only 2023 event, is eager to prove herself on the bench. The current class record in the 84+kg weight class stands at 70.37kg/ 155 lbs. with a 50.56 GLP, held by Aiesha Denton. Compared to last year, the NPAJ has witnessed a remarkable 50% surge, with a total of 34 male powerlifters ready to demonstrate their prowess on the bench press platform.
In the fiercely contested 74kg weight class, six exceptional individuals will be vying for the top spot. Krishna Harris, the reigning champion in the Squat Only 2023, will make his bench press debut as he aims to solidify his dominance in this weight class. Joshua Ivey, who secured second place in the Squat Only 2023, will also be making his highly anticipated bench press debut. Jaheem Forrester, seeking redemption after a disqualification in the bench press last year, is determined to rewrite his story. Shaun Jennings, Brent Lee, and Joseph Walsh, all making their NPAJ debuts, will add excitement and competition to the mix. The 74kg weight class is wide open, as no records have been established in this category yet.
The 83kg weight class boasts an equally competitive field of six talented athletes. Damar Grant, the defending champion and record holder in the 83kg class bench press in 2022, comes into the competition with confidence after his recent triumph in the Squat Only 2023. Alexander Carrington, who claimed the second spot in the Squat Only 2023, will be looking for a different result this time as he makes his bench press debut. Hakeem Weir, Jévon Mitchell, Gary Adamson, and Kevin Taylor will also be competing, each bringing their unique strengths and aspirations to the stage. The current class record in the 83kg weight class stands at 124.77kg/275 lbs. with a 63.17 GLP, held by Damar Grant.
The 93kg weight class promises an electrifying showdown, with nine male powerlifters vying for the championship title. Ricardo Williams, who finished third in the Bench Press Only last year, will be looking to improve his standing. Xavier McCarty, Bruce Wilson, Rushane Johnson, David Answer, Scott Williams, Mervin Barrett, Roxroy Campbell, and Nathan Dawkins, all making their bench press debuts, are determined to make their presence felt and claim the coveted title. The current class record in the 93kg weight class is held by Jevon DaCosta with 195kg/430 lbs. and a 92.78 GLP.
The 105kg weight class features five powerlifters ready to leave their mark on the competition. Jevauny Simpson, Jonhoi Vaughn, Tavio Fairweather, Tajeel Thomas, and Staffon Commock will battle it out for supremacy. While Jonhoi Vaughn holds the title of the 105kg class Squat Only 2023 champion, the bench press competition remains open, with no records established yet.
In the 120kg weight class, the reigning champion and record holder Johnwayne Goulbourne returns to defend his title. Gregory Brown, who secured second place last year, and Darren Thomas, who won the Squat Only 2023, will also be contending for the championship. This weight class promises a fierce display of strength and determination.
Lastly, the 120+kg weight class will see five impressive athletes vying for the top spot. Karim Bryan, second-place finisher in the Bench Press in 2022, aims to start the season strong. Sashane Tomlinson, Bruce Higgins, Clifton Lee, and Algreg Sappleton, all bringing their own unique abilities, will compete fiercely for the title. The current class record in the 120+kg weight class stands at 192.77kg/425 lbs. with a 79.73 GLP, held by Shaun Simpson.
The Grace Kennedy Money Services National Powerlifting Series Bench Press 2023 promises to be an enthralling event, showcasing the incredible strength, dedication, and resilience of Jamaica's powerlifters. Fans and powerlifting enthusiasts are invited to join the NPAJ on July 15th, 2023, at the Fit Farm Venue, starting at 10 am, to witness history in the making. For more information and updates, please visit the official NPAJ website and follow their social media channels on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Venus Williams said she was “killed by the grass” after suffering a nasty fall as her emotional Wimbledon return ended in Centre Court defeat to Elina Svitolina.
The 43-year-old, whose first outing at SW19 came in 1997, was absent from the singles draw last year but was handed a wild card into this year’s tournament.
However, the five-time champion did not make it past the opening afternoon as she went down 6-4 6-3 to the Ukrainian having been injured in the opening moments of the match.
She slipped approaching the net in the third game and fell to the ground, shrieking loudly in agony.
It looked like that may be the end of her afternoon, but she was able to carry on, though admitted she was in so much pain she could not focus on the match.
“Grass is inherently going to be slippery. You’re going to fall at some point. It was just bad luck for me,” she said.
“I started the match perfectly. I was literally killing it, then I got killed by the grass.
“It’s not fun right now. I felt like I was in great form coming into this tournament, and great form in the match.
“It’s all very shocking at the moment. This is sports. I’m hitting the ball well.
“Hopefully I can just figure out what’s happening with me and move forward.
“I think what makes this one hard to process is I’ve had so many injuries. I’ve been missing from tour for quite a while. This is not what I want for myself.
“This kind of fall, I didn’t do anything wrong. I just went for the ball. There’s nothing I can really do about it.
“Those kinds of things are hard to process emotionally, mentally and physically on the court.
“I just couldn’t figure it out today. It was just real challenging. I’ve played through a lot of injuries and won a lot of matches injured.
“It’s almost a specialty of mine. I just couldn’t figure it out today.”
It remains to be seen whether this will be her Wimbledon swansong, as it was for her sister Serena 12 months ago, but time is obviously ticking on one of the all-time great tennis careers.
Williams would not commit on whether she would be fit enough to play at the US Open later this summer.
She added: “I’ve got to figure out my next plan. Right now I’m kind of in shock. I just can’t believe this happened. It’s, like, bizarre. I don’t know. I’m still processing it at the moment.”
Svitolina, who is making a return of her own after missing last year’s tournament following the birth of her first child, proved she is still a top-class player and was not going to let Williams off lightly.
But she admits she was fearing the worst when the veteran was screaming in agony.
“She screamed really loud, I was shaken up,” she said. “I was really shocked in a way, because I thought it was really, really serious.
“So I was really happy for her actually that she could stand up after and didn’t take a medical timeout. She just was checking how the knee is. And then we continue playing.
“I was really happy, because it’s such a horrible injury, the knee injury. Any injury is bad, but, you know, she screamed really loud. So I really got scared.”
Coco Gauff was dumped out of Wimbledon by her fellow American Sofia Kenin in a bruising contest on Court One.
The seventh seed, who made her big breakthrough in SW19 when she got to the fourth round as a 15-year-old in 2019, was a strong contender to challenge for the title this year but was beaten 6-4 4-6 6-2.
This was arguably Kenin’s best performance since she won the Australian Open in 2020 as she was able to out-hit her powerful opponent to incredibly register her first victory in a grand slam match since 2021.
There is a strong rivalry between these two and they went toe-to-toe over two hours and three minutes to leave the crowd enthralled.
An early break for Kenin, who had to come through qualification, was enough for her to take the first set as she both soaked up Gauff’s power and delivered some fine hitting of her own.
Gauff, playing on the court where she famously beat Venus Williams four years ago, hit back and crucially broke at 5-4 in the second set.
She would have been favourite to go on and win it but Kenin was resilient, getting an early break in the decider and then crucially adding a second at 4-2.
There were no problems for her serving it out as she claimed a memorable victory and a place in the second round.
She said in her on-court interview: “I am just super happy, Coco played a tough match, I knew I needed to play my best to win.
“I just tried to stick to my plan and I am just super happy I won before it got dark because I didn’t really feel like finishing it tomorrow to be honest.
“This means a lot, I had to go through qualies, I battled out there. I took this as just another match. I know Coco has had a great year so I am just super proud of myself.”
Wimbledon organisers face concerns over the Centre Court roof after Novak Djokovic’s first-round match against Pedro Cachin was delayed amid farcical scenes.
The four-time defending champion defeated Argentinian debutant Cachin 6-3 6-3 7-6 (4) but the clash was delayed for nearly an hour and a half after the first set because of a damp court despite the roof being deployed.
Djokovic had begun to complain about the surface but officials waited until the end of the set to cover the court.
While play resumed under the roof on Court One, Djokovic and Cachin came out to inspect the court with referee Gerry Armstrong, but it was clear the world number two in particular was not happy.
Playing in his first official match on the surface since last year, it was no surprise that Djokovic, who described trying to move on grass in the early stages of the tournament as “like walking on eggs”, was being extremely cautious.
The Serbian maintained good humour about the situation and re-emerged with a towel, which he proceeded to rub on the court to laughter from the crowd, before members of the ground staff used leaf blowers to try to dry the surface.
But it was not until the skies cleared and the roof was opened again that play was able to resume, rendering the expensive covering redundant.
Djokovic said later: “I was communicating quite a lot out of the court with the supervisor and referee, and the chairman of the club came down as well. They were all a little bit confused because that’s something that they never experienced ever since the roof was installed on the Centre Court.
“Both of us players wanted to come out. We did several times to show to the crowd that we want to play, we want to be there. But it was just too many places on the court which were too slippery and really moist.
“It was very strange that for more than an hour the situation was not changing at all for the better. I think it was a good call from the chair umpire (to carry on). I don’t think it has gotten too much wet from that maybe extra minute and a half or something.
“We were lucky that rain stopped so we could resume play with an open roof. Hopefully they’ll fix it because that’s one of the only two courts that has a roof. If it starts raining, if you can’t play under the roof, that’s a little bit of an issue for the schedule.”
Had it not been for the delay, this would have been pretty much the ideal start to Djokovic’s campaign for a record-equalling 24th grand slam singles title and eighth Wimbledon crown.
Cachin only played his first tour-level match on grass in Majorca last week and was never likely to prove too much of a test.
There was some early rust from Djokovic, who double-faulted to give Cachin a break for 2-1, but he hit straight back and manoeuvred himself into a 5-3 lead.
Djokovic is now on a 29-match winning streak on grass having not lost on the surface since a final defeat at Queen’s Club back in 2018.
He convincingly won the second set but Cachin earned applause from his opponent for his efforts in the third, which he pushed to a tie-break.
Djokovic had won all his tie-breaks at the French Open without making a single unforced error. That streak ended with a double fault here, and he netted a backhand on his first match point, but he took his third chance, winning it 7-4.
Stiffer tests will surely await, perhaps in the second round against Australian grass-court lover Jordan Thompson, but the defending champion is off and running.
Djokovic has not lost on Centre Court since his final defeat to Andy Murray in 2013, and he said: “It was a solid performance. I’ve been in these situations before so hopefully, as the tournament progresses, I’ll raise my level as well.”
Jan Choinski followed compatriots Liam Broady and Jodie Burrage into the second round with a fine victory over Dusan Lajovic on his main draw debut at Wimbledon.
German-born Choinski, who is the son of a British ballet dancer, changed allegiances in 2019 and received a wild card into round one at the All England Club for the first time this year.
Choinski rewarded the faith placed in him with an impressive 5-7 7-6 (4) 6-2 6-2 win against the world number 56.
Warm applause greeted Choinski’s arrival on Court 17, but he was made to wait five minutes before Lajovic arrived.
When the Serbian did turn up, he was able to break world 164 Choinski immediately, only to see it wiped out in similarly quick time.
Lajovic did manage to edge the opener but it failed to deter Choinski.
An even second set went to a tie-breaker and Choinski managed to hold his nerve.
It boosted the confidence of the British number six and, backed on by a growing crowd, he moved two sets up when he claimed the third.
There was no looking back now, with Choinski able to break Lajovic twice more in the fourth set to secure himself a spot in round two after two hours and 35 minutes.
Jodie Burrage feared she would have to give up her tennis career three years ago – but now she is celebrating a first Wimbledon win.
Burrage, 24, contemplated hanging up her racket and going to university instead after undergoing a third ankle operation.
But a 6-1 6-3 win over American Caty McNally – her maiden success at SW19 after consecutive first-round exits – has likely catapulted the British wild card into the top 100 for the first time.
“I’ve dealt with a lot of injuries throughout my career, and a lot of people telling me that I couldn’t get to the top, that I wouldn’t be a player when I was younger,” she said.
“After my third ankle operation, my mind had decided that that was it. That was my tennis career done.
“But I somehow got back on the horse with help from family and friends, and my boyfriend as well, that really helped push through that not-so-nice time.
“To sit here saying I’ve won my first round at Wimbledon, hopefully going to be in the top 100 in two weeks, I was not expecting that, but I’m very happy that it’s happened.”
McNally was clearly hindered by a problem with her right thigh, which was heavily strapped, and Burrage broke her three times as she wrapped up the first set in only 22 minutes.
The world number 67 received treatment at the changeover and instantly improved, forcing a break after Burrage stopped to challenge a call which had clearly hit the baseline.
“I wasn’t happy with myself at all at that call but sometimes stuff like that happens. Unfortunately it was on a break point,” she added.
“But I think actually that fired me up a little bit. I was obviously annoyed with myself, but I used it in a positive way. ”
Burrage hit back with a double break, and converted a match point at the sixth time of asking to book a second-round meeting with 11th seed Daria Kasatkina.
Venus Williams suffered a nasty fall as her emotional Wimbledon return ended in Centre Court defeat to Elina Svitolina.
The 43-year-old, whose first outing at SW19 came in 1997, was absent from the singles draw last year but was handed a wild card into this year’s tournament.
However, the five-time champion’s stay did not make it past the opening afternoon as she went down 6-4 6-3 to the Ukrainian having been injured in the opening moments of the match.
It remains to be seen whether this will be her Wimbledon swansong, as it was for her sister Serena 12 months ago, but time is obviously ticking on one of the all-time great tennis careers.
Williams, who only had two warm-up events in the run up to the tournament having previously not played since January, briefly gave hope that she could roll back the years as she broke Svitolina in her first service game.
But a slip as she approached the net in the third game saw her fall to the ground and shriek loudly in agony, and it looked like that might be the end of her return.
She was able to be patched up but, although she proved she still has the power to match anyone with some searing winners, her movement was hampered and Svitolina broke again on a run of four successive games.
That was enough for her to claim the first set and she strengthened her grip on the contest by immediately breaking at the start of the second to leave Williams facing an uphill task.
The veteran has overcome some obstacles in her time but this one proved too much.
Svitolina, who is making a return of her own after missing last year’s tournament following the birth of her first child, proved she is still a top-class player as she raced to a 5-1 lead and served for the match at 5-2.
Much to the delight of the Centre Court crowd, though, Williams displayed her fighting spirit as she claimed one break back.
It only delayed the inevitable, though, as the Ukrainian closed it out on Williams’ serve to book her place in the second round.
The Minnesota Timberwolves had faith that Anthony Edwards would be the cornerstone of the franchise when they selected him first overall in the 2020 draft.
He's proven he was worth the pick and has been rewarded, agreeing to a five-year, $207million rookie max extension with the Timberwolves on Monday.
The deal could be worth $260million if he makes an All-NBA team during the 2023-24 season.
Edwards made his first All-Star team this past season, as he led the Timberwolves in scoring with a career-best 24.6 points per game, while also averaging 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 steals.
At 21 years old, he became the youngest player to average those numbers in a season since LeBron James in 2005-06.
He has helped guide the Timberwolves to back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2004, and stepped up his scoring game in this season's first-round loss to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets.
Edwards averaged 31.6 points against the Nuggets and scored a Timberwolves franchise playoff-record 41 points in Game 2.
He drained six 3-pointers in that game and averaged 2.7 made 3s during the regular season while shooting 36.9 per cent from beyond the arc.
As one of the league's brightest young stars, Edwards emerged as Minnesota's most dangerous scoring threat with two-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns missing 52 games this past season with a calf strain.
The durable Edwards has missed just seven games due to injury in his first three seasons.
In 223 career games, he is averaging 21.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.7 made 3s.
Frankie Dettori is to sell a selection of his trophies and racing silks, putting 126 items up for auction ahead of his retirement from the sport.
The 52-year-old jockey, who will bow out at end of the current campaign, has been clearing out items from his home near Newmarket as he and his wife Catherine prepare to move house, as he said their children have all “branched out”.
His scales, a saddle, boots and photographs are among the 126 pieces to be sold in an online auction by Cheffins in Cambridge from July 5.
The sale has been described by auctioneers as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own prizes and memorabilia from one of the greatest sports personalities worldwide”.
Among the lots is Dettori’s trophy from last month’s Oaks win aboard Soul Sister, which would be his last success in a British Classic should he not win the St Leger in September.
Dettori said: “We’re going to move away from Newmarket.
“Newmarket’s been my life.
“We’re scaling down and I’ve got so much stuff, we thought we might as well just auction it.
“I didn’t realise because they end up in drawers, in cupboards, in the cellar, I mean they’re all over the place.
“Now we’re clearing up a lot of stuff, we didn’t realise how much accumulated in so many years.”
He said it had been difficult to decide what to sell and what to keep.
“Yes, of course, you know, but then you’ve got to put everything in context,” he said.
“You need a mansion to put the trophies up.
“I tried to keep something what means something to me, some of the important stuff like the Derby and things like that, but the rest is going to go up in auction.”
He continued: “All my kids have branched out, so it’s only myself and Catherine my wife left so we’re planning to rent the house, scale down and move towards London a bit.
“And I’d like to travel the world a bit.”
Dettori said he felt it was the “right time” to retire, and “wanted to stop at the top”.
“I’m going to be 53 and I wanted to stop at the top. I still feel that I’m riding well enough to finish at the top.
“I think it’s the right time.
“My heart doesn’t want to stop but my brain is telling me to stop.
“It’s not going to be easy.”
He said some of the proceeds of the auction will go to the charity Direct Aid For Africa (DAFA), and some will go to his children, adding: “My daughter’s getting married next year but she hasn’t fixed a date yet.”
He said that in his retirement he is “not going to be too far away from racing”.
“Working on TV is an option,” he said.
“I’m in talks at the moment with a few different channels and I think that’s the way that I’m going to head.”
Asked if he would consider an appearance on the reality show I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here, Dettori said: “I haven’t been asked yet but if I do get asked, I’ll have a good think about that.”
He said the reception he has been getting for winners has surprised him.
“The warmth of the people has been amazing,” said Dettori.
“Wherever I go, I was taking a lot of selfies last year but quadrupled the amount of selfies that I’m taking every day.
“People have been so good. I’m enjoying it.
“It’s going to be sad when I get to the end of the season, but at the moment I’m not thinking about it.
“I’m trying to do good and trying to go through my last year in a happy fashion.”
Harriet Lusty, deputy saleroom manager at Cheffins, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own prizes and memorabilia from one of the greatest sports personalities worldwide.
“This one-off sale will take place solely online over a two-week period, and will include some of the most significant prizes Frankie has won to date, such as the trophy for his win in the Epsom Oaks in June 2023.
“This is an incredible opportunity for fans of horseracing, and we expect interest from buyers not only from the UK but also from across Europe, the Middle East and also the US as Frankie Dettori is consistently the most famous name in the sport worldwide.”
McLaren boss Zak Brown has called on Formula One’s governing body to ensure the track-limits fiasco which overshadowed the Austrian Grand Prix never happens again.
Drivers were penalised throughout the weekend at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg for crossing the white lines – with the final classification for Sunday’s race only settled five hours after the chequered flag.
Eight of the 20-strong grid were dealt post-race sanctions by the FIA, with Lewis Hamilton demoted from seventh to eighth.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz slipped two places to sixth, while Frenchman Esteban Ocon was handed an extraordinary half-a-minute’s worth of combined penalties for track-limit infringements.
Earlier in the weekend, world champion Max Verstappen accused race director Niels Wittich of making the grid’s stars look like “amateurs”. In all, more than 100 laps were deleted during Sunday’s race.
“It definitely wasn’t ideal what happened, and that’s stating the obvious,” said Brown.
“Where we need to do a better job is that we knew this was going to be a problem on Friday and yet we just kind of watched it happen.
“We need to make sure it never happens again, and that we do a proper debrief and understand how we could have prevented it in the first place or handled it differently.”
McLaren driver Lando Norris benefited from Sainz’s post-race penalty to be promoted to fourth to take his best result of a difficult season for the British team.
Brown, speaking at the reveal of a one-off livery for McLaren’s home race at Silverstone this weekend, continued: “I’ll take my hat off to the FIA for addressing the issue and I think it would have been easy to say, ‘this is going to cause a lot of noise, let’s just kind of get it right next time’.
“For them to put their hands and say there were some penalties that needed to be addressed, I thought that was a brave decision.
“But we can’t have it again. We can’t have a race and then five hours later you have that degree of change in the result.”
Cadan Murley has been analysing prolific Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to sharpen his own finishing as he targets a place in England’s World Cup squad.
Murley is happy to put his support for Manchester United on hold in the belief that even though Haaland plays a different sport, his predatory instincts provide a valuable insight into scoring.
Haaland recently set a new goalscoring record in a Premier League season with 52 – 36 in the top flight – as he helped City complete the treble, while Murley proved equally deadly in the Gallagher Premiership by ending 2022-23 at the top of the try chart with 15.
“Every sportsman looks at other sports to see how they can improve and you’ve just got to look at Haaland’s goalscoring record this season – it’s been absolutely incredible. As a United fan that’s a pretty tough thing to say!” Harlequins wing Murley said.
“For a lot of those goals he’s been called a tap-in merchant, but you have to be in the right place at the right time. A lot of that is down to his relationships and his understanding of the players around him.
“He’s got some of the best assisters around him – Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez – but he still has to be in the right place at the right time to know what they are going to do and how to finish.
“Watching him play, he’s always so alert, he’s always live in the play and looking around for where the opportunity is going to come.
“And a lot of wingers these days, that’s where their tries come. You need to read the game early and know who is around you.
“At Quins, we’ve got Andre Esterhuizen and Alex Dombrandt and they are the two who are going to look for the offload the most, so if I can flood in around them, I know that’s when the touch is going to come.
“I know Marcus Smith prefers to kick one way, or when he looks a couple of times that’s when he’s going to do it. Little things like that, having those relationships with the players around you, is massive.”
The task now facing Murley is to rapidly develop his familiarity with his England team-mates having been picked in a 41-man World Cup training squad that will be reduced to 33 on August 7.
The uncapped 23-year-old has been working on his aerial skills to improve his all-round game, but it is understanding the nuances of playmakers such as Owen Farrell and George Ford that will be key to securing his place at France 2023.
“Haaland joined Manchester City and fitted in seamlessly, which is a skill in itself. It’s about working on how you can come in and and do that as quickly as possible in this environment,” Murley said.
“We’re all chucked together from different clubs and all play a different way. Getting to know people on and off the pitch firstly will help.
“Then going through different clips from training, watching different clips of people during the training and analysis – what they are thinking at different points – that can help as well.
“I’ve got those relationships with the Quins lads already, but we don’t know who’s going to get picked for the World Cup, so I need to have relationships with all the 41-man squad at the moment.”
Lando Norris has told Just Stop Oil campaigners that they would be “stupid and selfish” to put lives in danger by protesting at the British Grand Prix.
The climate activists have already targeted the Lord’s Ashes Test, the Premiership rugby final and the World Snooker Championship so far this year.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s race, British driver Norris, 23, said: “Of course, it is a concern because is a stupid thing to do to put your life in danger with cars driving around.
“It is also a very selfish thing to do because of the consequences it could have on the person that drives the car.
“Everyone has a right to protest and I guess there are good ways of doing it and worse ways.
“I just hope people are smart enough not to do it. There are much safer ways to get just as much attention.”
Five protesters invaded last year’s British Grand Prix after they stormed the Wellington Straight – the fastest point of the Northamptonshire track – before sitting down during the opening lap.
The contest had already been suspended following Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu’s high-speed crash, but a number of cars sped by the group before they were dragged away by marshals. The protesters were handed suspended jail sentences in March.
Silverstone has worked alongside Northamptonshire Police to beef up security ahead of this year’s event, with a record 480,000 people expected to attend over the weekend, and more than 140,000 fans in place for the race.
Speaking to the PA news agency earlier on Monday, Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle said: “The fundamental difference here is that you are not putting your life in danger when you run on the pitch at Lord’s.
“You are not putting your life in danger when you sit on a snooker table or protest at a flower show.
“A motor racing track is not the place to go. It is extraordinarily dangerous and people will be putting lives at risk if they go there, and any sensible, right-thinking person can extrapolate what the ultimate risk here is.
“My strong, strong message is: ‘Do not put your life in danger. This is not the place to go and sit on a floor’. It is absolute madness if someone climbs on to a live racing track.
“We have no specific intelligence, but we will plan for the worst and hope for the best.”
Lewis Hamilton is gearing up for his home race following a disappointing Austrian Grand Prix where he finished seventh and was then demoted to eighth after a post-race penalty for exceeding track limits.
Hamilton was also dealt a public rebuke by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. The Austrian told Hamilton to “just drive the car” following a number of complaints by his driver over the radio.
“There are days when I can say I’m truly proud of myself, and days like today when frustration takes over,” said Hamilton on his Instagram account.
“In a race it can feel like you’re hanging off a cliff and losing the strength to hold on.
“It’s confusing for us to have such strong performances one day and then be nowhere the next.
“But when you really care about what you’re doing, you brush it off and keep fighting. Heads down for Silverstone.”
Liam Broady made French magician Constant Lestienne disappear to reach round two at Wimbledon.
Lestienne is a part-time conjurer who performs at weddings and parties, but was unable to pull a rabbit out of the hat against British wild card Broady.
The 29-year-old from Stockport produced a spellbinding display to win 6-1 6-3 7-5.
Broady broke the world number 74 twice, either side of a brief rain delay, to race away with the first set in 27 minutes.
A pair of winners gave Broady another break and the advantage in the second.
Lestienne’s hopes vanished when Broady edged a nip-and-tuck third set to book his place in the second round in just over two hours.
Jodie Burrage made it third time lucky as she registered her first Wimbledon win by beating American Caty McNally.
British wild card Burrage had suffered first-round exits in the previous two years at SW19.
But the 24-year-old, who reached the final of the Nottingham Open last month, swept aside world number 67 McNally 6-1 6-3 to march into the second round.
Victory also means Burrage has likely broken into the top 100 for the first time.
McNally was clearly hindered by a problem with her right thigh, which was heavily strapped.
Ruthless Burrage broke her three times as she wrapped up the first set in only 22 minutes.
McNally received treatment on her thigh at the changeover and instantly improved, forcing a break after Burrage stopped to challenge a call which had clearly hit the baseline.
But Burrage hit back with a double break, and converted a match point at the sixth time of asking to wrap up victory in an hour and four minutes.
We Never Stop broke his maiden in the British Stallion Studs EBF Spindrifter Novice Stakes at Pontefract to highlight a double for Shane Gray.
Placed at York twice previously, the Cotai Glory colt had finished almost three lengths behind John Quinn’s reopposing Twilight Romance most recently but did have a 4lb pull.
Perhaps more in his favour, though, was his draw in stall four of the five runners, which on most days at Pontefract would be a disadvantage but at this meeting the usually favoured inside rail was almost shunned throughout.
Gray was able to get Kevin Ryan’s youngster over to the stands’ rail first and he held off his old foe by half a length to win at 10-1.
Gray said: “We’ve always thought a lot of him but he grew a lot between his last run and this one.
“He’s a fine stamp of a horse and I think he’ll make a fine three-year-old. He’s so big, whatever he does at two he’s only going to improve on it next year.
“He showed some pace at York and travelled very strong. I’d almost say you could come back to five furlongs but he’s only going to get quicker with age, so six is fine for now.
“They came over in the first race, I’d walked the track and you can see by the colour of the grass there’s a difference in the ground, it’s a good advantage today.”
Gray was also on Mick and David Easterby’s So Grateful (15-2) who was winning for the first time on turf in the Napoleons Casino Bradford Handicap and another to take the favoured rail early.
That came after Serena Brotherton had charted an almost solo run up the stands’ side on the Easterbys’ Unplugged (13-8 favourite) in the 21st Wilfred Underwood Memorial Handicap.
It appeared a bold move by the veteran amateur rider, but it proved inspired, especially as only one other followed her, and she revealed a pre-race course walk made the decision much easier.
“I walked the track and I thought the fastest bit of ground was either right on the inside rail, which I didn’t think I could get to because of my draw (10), or the outside rail,” said Brotherton.
“I did have a moment of doubt when we turned in and I could feel him thinking ‘what are you making me do?’ but he was fine.
“He wants top of the ground so it worked out.”
David Easterby, speaking after the win of So Grateful, said of the ploy: “It’s OK having these plans but you’ve got to be able to carry them out and he (Gray) didn’t go too fast. It’s easy to get the fractions wrong but he didn’t do that.
“Unfortunately for me, Serena likes to get to the track nice and early so I walked the track with her. I think the only reason we won today was because of the tactics, so the handicapper should drop him!
“They are running well this summer, so long may it continue.”
The Royal Ascot-winning duo of Tom Clover and Danny Tudhope teamed up to win the Wayne Conway Memorial Handicap with Rogue Tornado, a first success at the track for Clover.
Sent off the 4-5 favourite, he briefly looked in a bit of bother before his stamina kicked in and he went on to win by two and a half lengths.
Simon and Ed Crisford’s Laser Guided (4-1) clearly thrives in the Yorkshire air as having dead-heated at Ripon earlier this season, he won the “89 And Reunited” Memorial Handicap off bottom weight under Oisin Orr.
Orr then doubled up himself on Gannon Glory (13-2) in the Northern Commercials Service, Sales And Parts Handicap, making all for his boss, Richard Fahey.
Novak Djokovic eased into the second round of Wimbledon amid farcical scenes on Centre Court.
The four-time defending champion defeated Argentinian debutant Pedro Cachin 6-3 6-3 7-6 (4) but the clash was delayed for nearly an hour and a half after the first set because of a damp court despite the roof being deployed.
Djokovic had begun to complain about the surface but officials waited until the end of the set to cover the court, which proved to be a major error.
While play resumed under the roof on Court One, Djokovic and Cachin came out to inspect the court with referee Gerry Armstrong, but it was clear the world number two in particular was not happy.
Playing in his first official match on the surface since last year, it was no surprise that Djokovic, who described trying to move on grass in the early stages of the tournament as “like walking on eggs”, was being extremely cautious.
The Serbian maintained good humour about the situation and re-emerged with a towel, which he proceeded to rub on the court to laughter from the crowd, before members of the ground staff used leaf blowers to try to dry the surface.
But it was not until the skies cleared and the roof was opened again that play was able to resume, rendering the expensive covering redundant.
Had it not been for the delay, this would have been pretty much the ideal start to Djokovic’s campaign for a record-equalling 24th grand slam singles title and eighth Wimbledon crown.
Cachin only played his first tour-level match on grass in Majorca last week and was never likely to prove too much of a test.
There was some early rust from Djokovic, who double-faulted to give Cachin a break for 2-1, but he hit straight back and manoeuvred himself into a 5-3 lead.
Djokovic is on a 28-match winning streak on grass having not lost on the surface since a final defeat at Queen’s Club back in 2018.
He convincingly won the second set but Cachin earned applause from his opponent for his efforts in the third, which he pushed to a tie-break.
Djokovic had won all his tie-breaks at the French Open without making a single unforced error. That streak ended with a double fault here, and he netted a backhand on his first match point, but he took his third chance, winning it 7-4.
Stiffer tests will surely await, perhaps in the second round against Australian grass-court lover Jordan Thompson, but the defending champion is off and running.
Andrey Rublev believes Wimbledon was wrong to ban him and his fellow Russians last year and said the only loser was the event itself.
The All England Club this year overturned its controversial decision to not allow players from Russia and Belarus to compete in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.
“I think that, I mean, we were talking, and I think we could find the solution,” said world number seven Rublev after becoming the first man into the second round at this year’s Championships.
“Yeah, if we really want to help or do what is better for tennis and for the people, I think obviously there were better options. Not just to ban. Because in the end, (there) was no difference. They did only worse to themselves.
“So in the end, I think that there were options to do much better for everyone.
“Now we are here, I’m really happy to be back and to compete.”
The ATP and WTA tours subsequently stripped Wimbledon 2022 of ranking points in response to the ban.
This year, Russian and Belarusian players have all signed declarations stating they will not express support for either regime and that they are not receiving any direct or indirect government support.
Rublev, 25, recovered from 2-5 down in the second set on his way to beating Australian Max Purcell 6-3 7-5 6-4.
His victory set up an all-Russian clash with Aslan Karatsev in the second round.
Michael van Gerwen has revealed he is facing further surgery but will play at the World Matchplay at Blackpool later this month.
The three-time world champion returned to action after a lay-off for dental and jaw surgery at the European Darts Matchplay at the weekend.
Van Gerwen was beaten on Saturday by fellow Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld and has called for understanding as he looks to get back into his rhythm.
The world number three will participate in the Poland Darts Masters, which begins on Friday, and then hopes to defend his title in Blackpool the following week.
Van Gerwen said in a statement on Twitter: “After winning the Premier League and US Darts Masters recently, I needed to have pre-planned dental and jaw surgery which meant that I missed the World Cup of Darts.
“With the schedule being so busy it is always hard to fit in anything like this, especially with an operation which involves a lot of recovery time.
“In my case, I might not look or sound the same for a little while and I’ll soon have braces fitted as well as needing some further surgery in the future.
“I don’t want this to affect my performances in the Poland Darts Masters and World Matchplay coming up and I’ll be trying my best to win both events, but at the moment I’m also still recovering and hope that everyone can understand this.”
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