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  • GdS: ‘Willing to wait’ – Allegri and Milan agree on Vlahovic plan amid Juventus standstill

    GdS: ‘Willing to wait’ – Allegri and Milan agree on Vlahovic plan amid Juventus standstill

     

     

    There is a clear desire to bring Dusan Vlahovic to AC Milan. However, doing so is not proving easy to do, unfortunately.

     

    A move for the Serbian has been the most discussed thing all summer, at least in the striker deparment. There is a desire for strength and competition up front, and Vlahovic would provide that. Everyone feels that way.

     

    However, Juventus are unwilling to let the player go for little, whilst he is not going to leave without this season’s wage package arriving, in some form. So, as this morning’s Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) states, things are at a standstill.

     

    This is not a bad thing though, with Milan hoping for delays.

     

     

    Perhaps, they could help each other, with the report suggesting a swap is possible to help everyone. In this case, Vlahovic would move to the Rossoneri, whilst Malick Thiaw or Strahinja Pavlovic (who is ‘more likely), would go the other way.

     

    There are ‘no better opportunities’ on the market, and the Diavolo are aware of this. However, a move for the striker cannot be forced whilst there are problems to be sorted outside of their control, so this is why everyone is willing to wait.

     

     

    The signing of Pervis Estupinan is a big aid for Milan, mainly as it offers a bit of time to sort other things. It is one more position which looks complete. Of course, there are stresses with Ardon Jashari and a right-back.

     

     

  • Morgan Gibbs-White joins Nottingham Forest for training camp in Portugal amid Tottenham interest

    Morgan Gibbs-White joins Nottingham Forest for training camp in Portugal amid Tottenham interest

    Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest in action during the pre-season friendly match between Nottingham Forest and AS Monaco at SMH Group Stadium on July 19, 2025 in Chesterfield, England. (Photo by Ed Sykes/Getty Images)Paul Taylor

    Morgan Gibbs-White has flown out to Portugal to join the Nottingham Forest training camp.

     

    The attacking midfielder did not initially join up with the rest of the squad when they flew out on Monday but has done so after being allowed extra time at home because of a private family matter.

     

    Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are preparing for friendly games against Fulham on Saturday and Estoril on Wednesday.

     

    Gibbs-White has found himself at the centre of a transfer wrangle with Tottenham, after the London club made a £60million bid for Forest’s most important player on July 10.

     

    Forest were frustrated that Spurs’ bid happened to precisely match a confidential release clause in Gibbs-White’s contract and that they had not given their permission for talks to proceed with the player.

     

    Gibbs-White played for Forest in their last pre-season game, against Monaco at Chesterfield, when the England man applauded the Forest fans, before making a heart shape with his hands, as he was substituted at half-time.

     

    Forest are in an awkward position with Gibbs-White having two years remaining on the contract he signed when he joined in a £25m, possibly rising to £42m, deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022. The player has so far not agreed to put pen to paper on a new deal.

     

    Forest had already sold Anthony Elanga to Newcastle for £52m, a decision they might have made differently had they been aware of the situation that was arising with Gibbs-White.

     

    In the meantime, Forest continue to work to add to their own ranks, with Dan Ndoye of Bologna and James McAtee of Manchester City high on their list of targets.

     

  • Mark Pope sees Kentucky’s defensive potential, but ‘we’re a million miles away’

    Mark Pope sees Kentucky’s defensive potential, but ‘we’re a million miles away’

     

    It took Mark Pope‘s first Kentucky team longer than hoped to reach the point where defense was no longer an issue. It wasn’t until midway through SEC play that the Wildcats began to hit a groove on that end of the floor.

     

    “Last year, if you remember, we finally found our footing defensively after the game at Ole Miss and we made incredible strides in the last six weeks, eight weeks of the season,” Pope told reporters Monday. “We’re hoping to not wait quite that deep into the season before we improve.”

     

    Once sitting outside of the top 100 nationally in overall defense last season, Kentucky ranked among the top 35 the rest of the way after that blowout road loss to the Rebels. In the offseason, Pope retooled his roster with defense and athleticism at the front of his mind. The likes of Jayden Quaintance, Mo Dioubate, Denzel Aberdeen, and Kam Williams were all added through the transfer portal as impact players on defense.

     

    Since arriving on campus, many of those players have talked about Kentucky being among the nation’s best defenses going into 2025-26. But a little over halfway through summer practices, Pope is pushing back on that narrative.

     

    “We’re a million miles away from being the team that we think we can be,” Pope said about his team’s defense. “It’s all fun and games to say what we think we can be [one of the best defensive teams in the country], but I do think that the potential is there. We just have a long way to go to get there.”

     

    Pope wasn’t a huge fan of what he saw defensively during Kentucky’s scrimmage last week against La Familia, UK’s alumni team in The Basketball Tournament, which was eliminated in the Sweet 16 on Tuesday night. The current Wildcats still came out with the win, according to KSR’s Jack Pilgrim, but the defense left something to be desired in Pope’s eyes.

     

    Why, you might ask?

     

    “Poor coaching so far, actually,” Pope said half-jokingly. “Poor coaching so far.”

     

    During his time as a player, Pope said most of his teams — whether that be in college or the NBA — entered the offseason with the defense ahead of its offense. He admitted that hasn’t always been the case since becoming a head coach, though, “because I’m twisted and warped and I love the offensive side of the floor.”

  • Ozzy and Me: How I Got to Know the Real Ozzy Osbourne

    Ozzy and Me: How I Got to Know the Real Ozzy Osbourne

     

    A Rolling Stone writer reflects on the many hours he spent with the Prince of Darkness — and what it meant to see the humble underdog behind the larger-than-life persona

     

    Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath performs on stage during their ‘Never Say Die!’ tour at Lewisham Odeon, London, England, on May 27th, 1978. (Photo by Gus Stewart/Redferns)

    Ozzy Osbourne with Black Sabbath in 1978 GUS STEWART/REDFERNS

    It was a sweltering London day in August 2022 when I met Ozzy Osbourne in person for the last time, at a posh hotel near Hyde Park. I took a seat, but the Prince of Darkness had to lie down because he was exhausted from his triumphant comeback performance in his hometown of Birmingham the night before, when he performed “Iron Man” and “Paranoid” with his Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi. He’d made the decision to get onstage as a headliner for the first time in four years at the last minute, since he was battling several health setbacks. But he was in good spirits.

     

    “Is it hot in here or am I … fucking hell,” he sputtered. “We haven’t quite reached America yet with the air conditioning [in England].” Nevertheless, here he was, glistening sweat and all, undeniably “Ozzy” in spite of his pain and the uncomfortable heat. He wanted to discuss how reinvigorated he felt after getting onstage again, as well as his recent close calls with fate (he held out his hands to show me that his Parkinson’s meds were keeping him stable) and how even he couldn’t believe that he was still alive. He’d grown up living on the poverty line, but now he could afford the same hotel Winston Churchill stayed at.

     

    We spoke for about four hours that day, and he gamely answered every question I threw at him — topics my Rolling Stone editors wanted me to ask for a profile tied to his latest (and now last) studio album, Patient Number 9, and my own inquiries about everything I’ve ever wanted to know about his storied career. I’ve been an Ozzy fan since age 12, when I bought a double cassette of Live & Loud based on how much I loved his “Mr. Tinkertrain” and “Road to Nowhere” videos on MTV.

     

    “I think you’re not writing an article,” he teased me when we reached the three-and-a-half-hour mark, “you’re writing a fucking encyclopedia.” We both laughed because that wasn’t the first time he felt that way speaking with me.

     

    Over the past 15 years, I took advantage of every opportunity to interview Ozzy since he was my favorite artist when I was growing up, and, well, because he was always fun to talk to.

     

    My records tell me I conducted 20 interviews with the Prince of Darkness about music new and old, his travel TV series with his son Jack (the only time he really saw the world, since he was often cloistered in hotel rooms on tour), and the birth of heavy metal (not to mention liner notes for Black Sabbath’s Paranoid box set and The End concert film). Across all of those interviews I was able to build what I felt was a special rapport with him. I think he felt the same way, since he always ended our interviews by saying, “If you need anything else, just call the office,” which is something few artists of his stature ever offer.

     

    Today, as I process the news of his death, I’m making sense of not only Ozzy Osbourne’s impact on music and pop culture, but also the immense impact he had on my life. I remember listening to that Live & Loud tape in the back seat of a car with a 12-year-old friend who was listening to Sabbath’s Paranoid, and our moms telling us we were listening to the same singer.

     

    I remember attending his incredible Retirement Sucks concert in Denver in 1996, as well as Ozzfest there in 1997 (with a lineup that pound-for-pound bests any Coachella in my book, because not only did you see Black Sabbath and Ozzy solo, but you also got Pantera, Type O Negative, Fear Factory, Machine Head, and Neurosis). I saw Ozzy solo or with Black Sabbath at least 25 times live and can recall each show if I think hard enough.

     

    Initially, as a preteen, I was attracted to the danger of his music, the way he stared down and embraced darkness and how he was a self-proclaimed “rock & roll rebel.” But as I learned more about him, reading interviews in fanzines, I came to appreciate another side of him.

    I came to look up to Ozzy as a brilliant and innovative musician, as well as a flawed human who spoke openly about his struggles with alcoholism and how he wanted to better himself. For as controversial as his legacy was — beheading winged animals and urinating on American landmarks — he seemed like a role model to me, since he always strived for something more. He could be down but he was never out.

     

    The first time I met Ozzy was in 2005, as a 24-year-old at a Tower Records cattle-call meet-and-greet with hundreds of other fans. I told him then how his music had changed my life, and he immediately quipped back, “It changed mine, too” — the sort of dry-yet-honest wit that made him so endearing to the mainstream on The Osbournes. It was a reminder that Ozzy was famous because of his great music, but he was a legend because he was also relatable.

     

    His response also made me feel better about being shuffled off for the next fan, because I’d have something unique that he told me to remember in case I’d never have the opportunity to speak with him again. Luckily, that wasn’t the case.

     

    The first time I spoke with Ozzy as a professional was when I was an editor at Revolver magazine. It was in Sony Music’s New York office, and I was nervous, but Ozzy put me at ease, answering questions about his new album, 2010’s Scream, and my own questions about Randy Rhoads, the late guitarist who co-wrote two of Ozzy’s best albums, Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman, with him.

    We spoke for maybe 45 minutes, but it seemed to fly by. I’d compartmentalized any fandom and it was about half an hour afterward that it hit me: “I just interviewed Ozzy Osbourne!“

     

    The real work began when I played my cassette back and had to decipher Ozzy’s famously incoherent mumbling. But when I did, I discovered he’d made little jokes and callbacks to jokes that I hadn’t picked up on in person, and it was even funnier and more fun to read. It gave me a better sense of his personality, and it primed me to listen even closer to what he said the next time I spoke to him.

     

    With time, I learned it was best to ask Ozzy questions as clearly and concisely as possible and to just let him talk. He often surprised me with his wit (such as when I played to his interests as a World War II buff with my question about Adolf Hitler’s alleged micropenis, which he turned into a deeper rumination on the führer’s failed sex life), and he wasn’t shy about telling me if he didn’t like one of my questions (he swore Black Sabbath weren’t a heavy metal band, because that tag included bands like Poison) or if he simply didn’t have an answer for me.

     

    For instance, I’ve asked all four Sabbath members at one point or another what inspired my favorite song of theirs, the opening cut of their masterpiece Vol. 4 album, “Wheels of Confusion,” but none of them, including Ozzy, had any particular memories of it. It’s nevertheless one of the most moving pieces of crushing heavy metal I’ve ever heard. (They all did remember the drug escapades that surrounded the time, though, in vivid and hilarious detail.)

     

    No matter the situation, Ozzy was always earnest and gracious every time we spoke. In 2016, his manager and wife, Sharon, cordially invited my wife and me backstage to say hello to them before Black Sabbath performed a tremendous concert in Chicago on their The End tour. We saw Ozzy warm up his voice, he showed me a Lemmy Kilmister poker chip that he carried around with him to remind him of the late Motörhead frontman and his dear friend, and he recommended a serum he used to keep his vocal cords fresh to my wife, who sings opera.

     

    When I interviewed him backstage at a concert in Allentown, Pennsylvania, two years later, when he was kicking off his farewell tour as a solo artist, he showed me a picture of his beloved pet dog, Rocky, who was too scared to travel with him, as well as the doodles of skulls he made to keep his own nerves at bay.

     

    At the time, he was adamant that he’d still do gigs here and there after the tour, but a staph infection and a middle-of-the-night fall ended his performing career early. He told me about the staph infection with his typical candor (his thumb was swollen to “the size of a fuckin’ lightbulb”), and later described to me in vivid detail how awful the tumble had been. Then he revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis.

     

    It was hard for me to hear how broken he sounded when we’d do phone interviews after that, especially since I could hear how “with it” he was mentally and how excited he was to record new music, like his excellent Ordinary Man and Patient Number 9 albums, even if his body was rebelling against him. But once he worked through his frustrations (I always expressed compassion for his state), he’d warm up and he could still vividly describe photo shoots he did for his album sleeves, and he sounded excited about a new song he recorded with one of his best friends, Billy Morrison.

     

    So it was incredible to see how rejuvenated he felt in 2022 after singing a single song with Iommi, more than half a century after they’d formed Black Sabbath. “I never think I’m going to win,” he told me then. But for that one night, he felt like a winner. That’s when it dawned on me that what made Osbourne truly special was his underdog spirit. He told me a long story about how he regretted acting like a jackass around Eric Clapton once, so he was honored that Clapton would perform on his album; he didn’t think he was in the same league, even though he was.

     

    That humility is what made me and everyone want to root for him, whether as an artist or as a befuddled reality-TV dad, for more than half a century. But for as much as he wanted to get onstage again, he’d play only one more one-off appearance and his Back to the Beginning farewell concert after that gig.

     

    A few weeks ago, I watched the whole Back to the Beginning livestream. For as much as I would have loved to travel to Birmingham to see the concert live, the event was scheduled to take place a day after the due date of my baby daughter. Luckily, she arrived a little early, so we were able to watch the whole 10-hour livestream as a family, marking her first “concert.”

     

    Seeing Ozzy on his throne, looking frail but sounding strong, was emotional for me. There was something revealing about how he sang “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” with his broken voice that touched me deeply.

     

    It was a soul-baring display of his humanity, pure Ozzy, fighting to succeed just like he had the last time I’d met with him. He was determined to win. I watched that performance again and again on my iPad during late-night bottle feedings over the past few weeks (I kept the stream active by rewinding every day), and seeing it repeatedly was moving for me each time because I knew from talking to Ozzy just how much it meant to him to say goodbye the right way.

     

    In the music industry, you often hear the adage, “Never meet your heroes,” because they’ll disappoint you. But Ozzy never let me down, mostly because I was able to see firsthand how hard he strived to succeed. In the end, he was incapable of being anyone other than Ozzy Osbourne. “My life has just been unbelievable,” he once told me. “You couldn’t write my story; you couldn’t invent me.” He was right, too. I just felt lucky he wanted to spend hours of his life telling me his stories.

  • Hodgkinson Set to Return in Lausanne on 20 August

    Hodgkinson Set to Return in Lausanne on 20 August

     

    British middle-distance star Keely Hodgkinson is set to make her much-anticipated return to the track at the Wanda Diamond League meet in Lausanne on August 20, marking her first race since early summer. The 22-year-old, widely regarded as one of the brightest talents in the 800m, will be looking to reaffirm her status among the world’s elite as she builds toward the latter stages of the 2025 athletics season.

     

    Hodgkinson, a silver medallist at both the Tokyo Olympics and two consecutive World Championships, has had a relatively quiet year by her own high standards. After opening her season with a dominant performance indoors and a solid showing early in the outdoor campaign, she opted for a short break to recover and reset, choosing quality over quantity in her competition schedule. Now, with Lausanne fast approaching, fans and pundits alike are eager to see if she can recapture the form that has made her a global force in the two-lap event.

     

    Her return in Switzerland is significant for multiple reasons. Firstly, Lausanne has often served as a key battleground for the world’s top 800m runners. The meet has seen legendary performances in the past, and this year’s field is expected to be stacked with talent, including strong contenders from the United States, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Hodgkinson’s presence adds further prestige to an already high-profile event and is likely to draw global attention.

     

    Secondly, this race comes just weeks before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. For Hodgkinson, Lausanne is not just about winning; it’s about measuring herself against top-tier competition and fine-tuning her race strategy. With rivals like Athing Mu and Mary Moraa also sharpening their form, the women’s 800m is shaping up to be one of the most competitive events on the world stage. Lausanne will provide an early preview of what fans might expect in Tokyo.

     

    What sets Hodgkinson apart is not only her incredible speed and tactical intelligence but also her maturity beyond her years. Since bursting onto the scene as a teenager, she has handled pressure with grace, regularly delivering strong performances in high-stakes situations. Her decision to prioritize rest and targeted racing over a packed calendar reflects a level of strategic planning uncommon in athletes her age.

     

    Coach Trevor Painter has expressed confidence in Hodgkinson’s preparation and has hinted that she’s been working on specific elements of her racing technique during the break. “Keely’s in a great place mentally and physically,” Painter said in a recent interview. “She’s had time to work on her acceleration phase and her ability to finish strong. Lausanne is a great place to show that progress.”

     

    British fans will be watching with keen interest, hopeful that Hodgkinson’s return marks the beginning of a strong finish to the season. A podium finish—or even a statement victory—in Lausanne would set the tone heading into the championships and reaffirm her credentials as one of the top medal threats in Tokyo.

     

    As the countdown to August 20 begins, all eyes will be on the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise in Lausanne. For Keely Hodgkinson, it’s not just a return to competition—it’s the next chapter in what promises to be a remarkable career.

     

     

  • The Best 200m Runner in the World’ – Letsile Tebogo Backed to Dethrone Noah Lyles at World Championships

    ‘Letsile Tebogo Backed to Dethrone Noah Lyles at World Championships

    Despite an up-and-down season, Letsile Tebogo’s coach remains confident he will rise to the occasion and beat Noah Lyles in Tokyo.

    Despite a mixed start to the season, Letsile Tebogo’s coach, Nicolas Keita Manyepedza, confidently predicts the Olympic 200m champion will win gold at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

     

    Letsile Tebogo claimed a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary and will be looking to go one place better, and hopefully dethrone Noah Lyles. The anticipated showdown with rival Noah Lyles could shape the future of men’s sprinting.

     

    The 21-year-old has experienced both triumphs and setbacks in 2025. Letsile Tebogo had a strong start to the season with a series of wins in the 400m.

     

    Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sports

     

    American Sprint Legends Defend Gout Gout Amid Claims He ‘Ducked’ Racing Noah Lyles, Letsile Tebogo in Monaco

     

    He made his 200m season debut with a victory at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix. The world 100m silver medallist also finished seventh in the 100m at the Diamond League meet in Xiamen and third in Keqiao.

     

    A 200m win in the Diamond League Meeting in Doha was followed by a disappointing 100m performance in Rabat, where he finished ninth, citing an injury.

     

    Letsile Tebogo then claimed a world-leading 19.76-second 200m run at the Prefontaine Classic, showcasing his potential, but he faltered against Noah Lyles in Monaco. A seventh-place finish in the 100m at the London Diamond League meet further fueled concerns about his consistency.

     

     

    Letsile Tebogo’s Coach Backs Him to Beat Noah Lyles at World Championships

     

    Coach Manyepedza, however, dismisses any notion of fatigue or pressure affecting Letsile Tebogo ahead of the global showpiece.

     

    The veteran tactician views the Diamond League as crucial preparation for the World Championships.

     

    Despite Letsile Tebogo’s recent loss to Noah Lyles, who is aiming for a triple gold medal performance in Tokyo, Manyepedza remains unwavering in his belief in the youngster’s abilities.

     

    “I don’t think it’s fatigue or pressure. He won some races prior to London. What happened there was more about top-end speed,” the coach told SportsBoom.com.

     

    “In London, he pushed hard from the start but faded in the last 20 meters. He’s working on perfecting both his start and finish and trying to combine them in future races.

     

    “He can definitely beat Lyles. I strongly believe he’s better in the 200m. Letsile is the best 200m runner in the world right now and he will dominate for years to come. He’s quite young compared to Lyles and still improving.”

     

     

    As Letsile Tebogo prepares for the final Diamond League events, the focus sharpens on the potential clash with Lyles in Tokyo, a rivalry poised to define the landscape of men’s sprinting in 2025.

  • Thank Heavens…Jamaica will be in that 4x100m Relay Event in Tokyo..’ | TVJ Sports Commentary

    Thank Heavens…Jamaica will be in that 4x100m Relay Event in Tokyo..’ | TVJ Sports Commentary

    4x100m relay event for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. In a sport where fractions of a second mean everything, the narrow qualification brought a collective sigh of relief across the Jamaican athletics community. After months of uncertainty and inconsistent performances, the team delivered when it mattered most — just in time.

    TVJ’s Sports Commentary fittingly captured the sentiment of many with the headline: “Thank Heavens…Jamaica will be in that 4x100m Relay Event in Tokyo.” It reflects not just gratitude, but a shared awareness of how close Jamaica came to missing out on an event where they’ve historically dominated. Since the days of Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake, and Nesta Carter, the men’s 4x100m has been a gold mine of glory for Jamaica. To not feature in Tokyo would have been unthinkable, almost sacrilegious.

    The qualifying performance came during the London Diamond League, where the Jamaican quartet produced a season’s best time that moved them into the top sixteen rankings globally — just enough to punch their ticket to Tokyo. It wasn’t a perfect race. There were still some baton exchange issues, slight hesitations, and the overall chemistry needs more polish. But it was enough. And for now, enough is everything.

    This moment marks a potential turning point for Jamaica’s men’s sprint relay team. Over the past few years, while the women’s team has flourished with stars like Shericka Jackson, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the men’s side has struggled to rebuild after the Bolt era. Young talents like Oblique Seville and Rohan Watson are beginning to make their mark, but consistent relay cohesion has been lacking. Qualification now offers a much-needed runway to fine-tune and gel ahead of the biggest stage.

    Importantly, making it to Tokyo also preserves the legacy and expectations of Jamaican sprinting. For generations, the 4x100m relay has been a source of national pride. The rhythm of the baton passing from hand to hand has echoed in schoolboy meets, national trials, and Olympic finals alike. A no-show in Tokyo would have disrupted that lineage. Now, the baton — both literally and figuratively — has been kept in motion.

    Looking ahead, the coaching staff must now seize this opportunity to optimize the team’s potential. The baton exchanges must be drilled with precision, the running order carefully considered, and every detail scrutinized. Jamaica has raw speed — that much is clear. But in a race where technical efficiency can eclipse flat-out speed, execution will be everything.

    In Tokyo, the world will be watching. And while teams like the USA, Canada, and Great Britain will come loaded with talent, no one can underestimate a Jamaican team that’s hungry, underestimated, and fighting to reassert its sprinting supremacy. There’s a long way to go, but Jamaica is back in the mix.

    Thank heavens, indeed.

  • American Sprint Legend Speculates Who Could Stop Julien Alfred Following Record-Threatening 200m Show in London

    American Sprint Legend Speculates Who Could Stop Julien Alfred Following Record-Threatening 200m Show in London

    Justib Gatlin has hailed Julien Alfred’s commanding 200m performance at the London Diamond League last Saturday which sent shockwaves through the track and field world.

    Julien Alfred’s commanding 200m performance at the London Diamond League last Saturday has sent shockwaves through the track and field world.

    Running into a -0.6 m/s headwind, Alfred clocked an astonishing 21.71, surging away from the field with effortless power. It wasn’t just a win—it was arguably the most dominant women’s 200m performance of the season so far.

    Her poise and control mirrored that of a championship final, and with the World Championships fast approaching, her message was loud and clear.

    Now, former Olympic gold medalist Justin Gatlin is weighing in on who, if anyone, might be able to stop her.

     

    In a recent episode of his Ready Set Go podcast, Gatlin emphasized just how uncommon it is to see times like Alfred’s outside of major championship settings:

    “Usually when you hear about ninth all-time, fifth all-time, or second, third all-time—it’s in championship settings,” Gatlin said.

    “That’s when athletes peak. But for her to run that kind of time at a Diamond League? That tells you she’s not just in form, she’s ahead of schedule.”

    The Flo Factor

    At the center of Alfred’s rise is her coach, Flavio “Flo” Bennett, whose athlete-first mindset is turning heads across the sport. Gatlin praised Flo’s approach, particularly the mental preparation he instills in his athletes:

    “Flo gets in your head—in a good way. He tells his athletes, ‘Forget the time, focus on effort. Make me proud. Run with everything you’ve got.’ That kind of coaching takes pressure off. Athletes aren’t chasing numbers—they’re chasing execution. And when they nail that, the times follow.”

    The Competition: Who Can Challenge Alfred?

    American Sprint Legend Speculates Who Could Stop Julien Alfred Following Record-Threatening 200m Show in London

    With Alfred rapidly ascending, the attention now shifts to the other heavy hitters in the women’s 200m.

    “You can’t forget the usual suspects,” Gatlin noted. “Gabby Thomas is locked in, trying to secure her first world title. Then you’ve got Anavia Battle, Brittany Brown, and young guns like McKenzie Long—who just ran 21.21 with far fewer races under her belt. That’s dangerous.”

    Yet one name looms large despite a relatively quiet season: Shericka Jackson, the defending world champion and one of the fastest 200m runners in history.

    “Shericka hasn’t looked like her old self yet, but she’s climbing,” Gatlin said. “For seasoned vets, it’s not about peaking early—it’s about delivering when it counts. When you win that final, all the Ls from earlier in the season? They disappear.”

    A Season Building Toward Greatness

    With Alfred peaking at the right time and major contenders sharpening their form, the women’s 200m is shaping up to be one of the most exciting showdowns of the year. But as Gatlin suggests, this isn’t just a battle of speed—it’s about experience, composure, and execution under pressure.

    “At the end of the day, when you cross that finish line with gold, that’s all people remember. The rest? That’s just buildup.”

    As the World Championships approach, one question lingers: Who can stop Julien Alfred?

  • Bandmates and fans pay tribute to Black Sabbath singer

    Bandmates and fans pay tribute to Black Sabbath singer

     

    Reuters Bandmates Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler pose in front of yellow and white Grammy logos while holding a grammy award for Best Metal Performance at the 2014 Grammy awards

     

    Music stars, fans and former bandmates have paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, who has died at the age of 76.

     

    Black Sabbath have “lost our brother”, said the band’s co-founder Tony Iommi, while bassist Geezer Butler remembered their final gig and drummer Bill Ward shared an old photo of them together.

     

    The music icon’s death on Tuesday came less than three weeks after his band played their farewell gig in his home city of Birmingham.

     

    “He loved what he did, he loved music, he loved playing together, and I’m so glad we had the opportunity of getting together again to do the [farewell] show,” Iommi told BBC Radio 4’s Today on Wednesday.

     

    “It was brilliant being with all the guys again, and the atmosphere, and it was brilliant for Ozzy because he really wanted to do that, he felt at home there and it was good for all of us.”

     

    Osbourne, known for energetic and controversial live shows, inspired a generation of musicians.

     

    “It’s impossible to put into words what Ozzy Osbourne has meant to Metallica,” the band said in a statement on X. “Hero, icon, pioneer, inspiration, mentor, and, most of all, friend are a few that come to mind.”

     

    Henry Rollins, former frontman of hardcore band Black Flag, said it was “rare that somebody can be so synonymous” with a specific musical genre.

     

    “But if you want to talk about heavy metal, first up it’s Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. Everyone else comes after.”

     

    PA Media Floral tributes are left on the Black Sabbath Bridge bench on Broad Street in Birmingham, following the death of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne aged 76. Picture date: Wednesday July 23, 2025.

    Fans left flowers, candles, handwritten notes and memorabilia on the Black Sabbath Bridge bench in Birmingham

    US rock band Aerosmith called him “our brother in rock”, sending their love to “the millions around the world who felt his fire”.

     

    Osbourne’s bandmates in Black Sabbath all shared separate tributes on social media.

     

    Drummer Bill Ward looked back at their time together and said: “Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls? No, you’re forever in my heart.”

     

    Bassist and lyricist Geezer Butler wrote: “Goodbye dear friend. Thanks for all those years – we had some great fun. Four kids from Aston – who’d have thought, eh?”

     

    ‘A category of his own’

    On 5 July, the self-styled “prince of darkness” performed in Birmingham supported by many of the musicians he had inspired, including Metallica and Guns N’ Roses.

     

    Billy Corgan, lead singer of The Smashing Pumpkins – one of the many bands that performed alongside them – said: “Some of the biggest musical artists in the world travelled from all over the world to be there literally to celebrate the legacy of this band.

     

    “It’s one of the greatest musical moments of my life,” added Corgan, who spoke to BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight.

     

    Reuters Ozzy Osbourne is seen on a screen as he performs at the Black Sabbath’s farewell show

    Ozzy Osbourne is seen on a screen as he performs at the Black Sabbath’s farewell show titled “Back to the Beginning”, at Villa Park in Birmingham in early July.

    “For him to have been that close to death on July 5 and still get up there and perform like he promised… Wow! That puts him in a category of his own,” Sammy Hagar, former vocalist of Van Halen, who also played at the farewell concert, wrote on Instagram.

     

    AC/DC posted that Osbourne’s death was a “great loss to all that loved him”, while Sir Elton John posted on Instagram: “So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away.

     

    “He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend.

     

    “He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.”

     

    Foo Fighters wrote that “Rock and Roll would not be as loud or as fun” without Osbourne; while Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant said he had “truly changed the planet of rock”.

     

    US pop star Lady Gaga took to the stage in an Ozzy Osbourne T-shirt as she ended her first Mayhem Ball show in San Francisco on Tuesday.

     

    “We’ll miss you Ozzy”, she said, as Osbourne’s song Crazy Train played in the background.

     

    And during a concert in Nashville, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin led a rendition of Changes by Black Sabbath in tribute to the heavy metal star.

     

    “OK Ozzy we love you, wherever you’re going, thank you for everything”, he said after playing the tune on a piano.

     

    Watch: Ozzy Osbourne looks back at his time with Black Sabbath, in 2017

    US rock singer Alice Cooper dedicated his show in Cardiff on Tuesday to Osbourne, and said in a statement: “The whole world is mourning Ozzy tonight. Over his long career, he earned immense respect among his peers and from fans around the world as an unmatched showman and cultural icon.”

     

    Billy Idol said Osbourne “opened musical doorways for people like me at a time when we were very young and looking for inspiration”, while Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong posted a photo of the singer on Instagram and wrote: “No words. We love you Ozzy.”

     

    Kiss frontman Gene Simmons told BBC Breakfast: “I know that, right now, millions of fans around the world are crying and shocked, and my heart goes out to Sharon and the family and the fans.

     

    “There were no airs about him – he’s met kings queens, political leaders, I think it’s fair to say there was never an Ozzy Osbourne before Ozzy, and there will be another Ozzy. He was a unique, loveable person.”

     

    Yungblud, who performed a cover of Changes at the farewell concert with Black Sabbath in Birmingham just weeks ago, hailed Osbourne as a “legend” and said “I didn’t think you would leave so soon”.

     

    Announcing the star’s death on Tuesday, his family said in a statement: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love.”

     

    London metal band Iron Maiden posted their own tribute online, saying Osbourne had “helped shape heavy metal as we know it and we will be forever grateful to Black Sabbath for forging the path that so many followed”.

     

    Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, who performed at the star’s recent final gig, wrote: “We all loved him dearly. I’ll miss him as a friend and a pillar of the spirit of rock n roll.”

     

    He added: “But I’m so happy Ozzy had that last show that we all could share with him, it truly meant the world to one of the greatest of all time.”

     

    ‘More than a rock legend’

    Others shared fond memories of Osbourne’s larger-than-life character.

     

    Variety magazine’s senior entertainment editor Jem Aswad recalled the first time he met Osbourne, he was “nervous” to meet the prince of darkness.

     

    “It was just this sort of really bizarre scene,” Aswad told the BBC.

     

    Osbourne entered the room near noon in a bathrobe, having “just woken up”, wearing loads of jewellery and accessories and “a lot of gold”, Aswad said, though adding that Osbourne was “perfectly nice, perfectly friendly”.

     

    Meanwhile, fans laid flowers at a mural for the band in Birmingham, and gathered at the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

     

    “Osbourne was more than a rock legend – he was a cultural icon who reshaped music and defied expectations,” said Ana Martinez, the venue’s producer.

     

    Black Sabbath were pioneers in the heavy metal genre of music, writing classic tracks like Paranoid, War Pigs and Iron Man.

     

    After leaving the band in 1979 over rising tensions with its other members, Osbourne had a lengthy solo music career releasing more than a dozen albums. His debut single released the next year, Crazy Train, is arguably one of his most famous songs.

     

    In the 2000s, his wild image was transformed thanks to the MTV reality show The Osbournes – which portrayed the star as the well-meaning, frequently befuddled patriarch of an unruly household.

     

    1. Osbourne is survived by his wife Sharon and six children, three from each of his two marriages.

     

     

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  • Lewis Hamilton says he is pushing for change at Ferrari because he ‘refuses’ not to win a world title with them

    Lewis Hamilton says he is pushing for change at Ferrari because he ‘refuses’ not to win a world title with them

     

    Lewis Hamilton has revealed the steps he is taking to ensure Ferrari are able to challenge for titles in the near future; watch every session of the Belgian GP, starting with Practice at 11.30am and Sprint Qualifying at 3.30pm on Friday – live on Sky Sports F1

     

    Lewis Hamilton reveals ‘the big, big push’ he is undertaking to help Ferrari ‘get better’

    Lewis Hamilton says he is making a “big push” for change at Ferrari because he “refuses” to become the latest star driver to fail to win a world championship with the team.

     

    Hamilton has endured a largely disappointing debut campaign with the Italian team, failing to score a grand prix podium across his first 12 races in red, with the SF-25 failing to live up to pre-season expectations of being a title-challenging car.

     

    However, the seven-time world champion remains adamant that he can make a success of his blockbuster switch from Mercedes, and revealed ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix – live on Sky Sports – that he has been submitting documents and holding meetings with key figures at the team’s Maranello factory over the past two weeks.

     

    Hamilton said on Thursday: “I was at the factory a couple of days in each week. Naturally, you’re going over where we were at the previous race, things we need to change.

     

    “I held a lot of meetings. I’ve called lots of meetings with the heads of the team, so I’ve sat with (chairman) John (Elkann), (chief executive) Benedetto (Vigna), (team principal) Fred (Vasseur). And several meetings I’ve sat with the head of our car development, with Loic (Serra), with also the heads of different departments – talking about the engine for next year, suspension for next year – things that you want, issues that I have with this car.

     

    Kimi contract

    Lewis Hamilton offers to help Kimi Antonelli with his Mercedes contract negotiations!

    “I’ve sent documents through the year. After the first few races, I did a full document for the team. Then, during this break, I had another two documents that I sent in. So, then I come in and want to address those.

     

    “Some of it is structural adjustments that we need to make as a team in order to get better in all the areas that we want to improve, and then the other one was really about the current issues that I have with this year’s car. Some things that you do want to take on to next year’s car, and some that you need to work on changing for next year.

     

    “I tried the 2026 car for the first time and started working on that. The engineers come to the room and sit and debrief with every single one of them, so a big, big push.”

     

    ‘I’m going the extra mile!’

    Ferrari’s last silverware came in the form of the 2008 Constructors’ Championship, while their most recent triumph in the Drivers’ Championship was delivered a year earlier by Kimi Raikkonen.

     

    Since then, both Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel both failed to add the world championships they had won elsewhere during stints with Ferrari, while Raikkonen also missed out in his second stint with the team.

     

    Hamilton’s team-mate Charles Leclerc is driving his seventh season for the team, and has failed to mount a sustained championship challenge.

     

    Asked if he could provide any more information on the documents he had been submitting, Hamilton explained his desire to claim a record eighth drivers’ title during the latter stages of his career.

     

    Watch new onboard of Lewis Hamilton as he made a double overtake on George Russell and Esteban Ocon in wet conditions at the British Grand Prix.

    Watch new onboard footage of Lewis Hamilton as he made a double overtake on George Russell and Esteban Ocon in wet conditions at the British Grand Prix

    The 40-year-old said: “The reason for it is that I see a huge amount of potential within this team. The passion, nothing comes close to that. It’s a huge organisation with a lot of moving parts, and not all of them are firing on all the cylinders they need to be. That’s ultimately why the team’s not had the success that I think it deserves.

     

    “I feel that it’s my job to challenge absolutely every area, to challenge everybody in the team, particularly the guys that are at the top making the decisions.

     

    “If you look at the team over the last 20 years, they’ve had amazing drivers – you’ve had Kimi, you’ve had Fernando, you’ve had Sebastian – all world champions; however, they didn’t win a world championship. For me, I refuse for that to be the case with me.

     

    “So, I’m going the extra mile. I’ve obviously been very fortunate to have had experiences in two other great teams. Whilst things are for sure going to be different, because there’s a different culture and everything, I think sometimes if you take the same path all the time, you get the same result.

     

    “I’m just challenging certain things. They’ve been incredibly responsive. We’ve been improving in so many areas, through marketing, through everything we’re continuously delivering for sponsors, the way the engineers continue to work. There’s lots of work and improvements to be made, but very responsive.

     

    “I guess ultimately, I’m just trying to really create allies within the organisation and get them geed up, get them pushing for… I’m here to win, and I don’t have as much time as this one (Mercedes’ 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli) here.

     

    “So, it’s crunch time. For me, I truly believe in the potential of this team. I really believe they can win multiple world championships moving forwards. They already have an amazing legacy, but during my time, that’s my sole goal.”

     

    Sky Sports F1’s live Belgian GP schedule

    Look back at some of the most dramatic moments throughout the years at the Belgian Grand Prix.

    Look back at some of the most dramatic moments throughout the years at the Belgian Grand Prix

    Friday July 25

    7.55am: F3 Practice

    9.05am: F2 Practice

    11am: Belgian GP Practice One (session starts at 11.30am)

    12.55pm: F3 Qualifying

    1.50pm: F2 Qualifying

    3pm: Belgian GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 3.30pm)

     

    Saturday July 26

    8.10am: F3 Sprint

    10am: Belgian GP Sprint (lights out at 11am)

    12.20pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook

    12.40pm: F2 Sprint

    2pm: Belgian GP Qualifying (session starts at 3pm)

    5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

     

    Sunday July 27

    7.25am: F3 Feature Race

    8.55am: F2 Feature Race

    10.40am: Porsche Supercup Race

    12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Belgian GP build-up*

     

    4pm: Chequered flag: Belgian GP reaction*

    5pm: Ted’s Notebook

     

    *also live on Sky Sports Main Event

     

    The 2025 Formula 1 season resumes this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix as the Sprint format returns, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.