ATHLETICS
Bolt in race to be fit for Rio Olympics
Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt is racing against time to be fit for his attempt at a three-peat – winning the 100m, 200m and 4x100m at the Olympics for a third time. After winning his semi-final in 10.04 seconds at the Jamaican Olympic Trials, Bolt submitted a medical exemption for the remainder of the National Championships with a mildly torn left hamstring.
In Bolt’s absence, Yohan Blake won the 100m at the Trials, one-hundredth of a second ahead on Nickel Ashmeade.
Felix keeps 200-400 dream alive
Allyson Felix kept her dream of becoming only the third woman to win the 200-400 double in Olympics by emerging from her 400m heat at the US trials. Felix came in second behind Quanera Hayes in a time of 51.96 seconds.
There will be no Olympic swansong for 2012 400m champion Sanya Richards-Ross, as she limped out of the trials, pulling up on the final bend of her heat with discomfort.
BASKETBALL
Jeremy Lin set to join Brooklyn Nets
As NBA free agency began on Friday, players started to listen to and agree to offers. Jeremy Lin is set to return to New York with Brooklyn Nets, Dwight Howard heads towards Atlanta, Joakim Noah will be joining New York Knicks and DeMar DeRozan will stay with Toronto Raptors.
Other players, including Kevin Durant who is seen as the best pick up for grabs, have started listening to offers from different franchises.
FOOTBALL
Wales stun Belgium to reach their first major semi-final
After going a goal down within a quarter of an hour, Wales bounced back to score three goals and stun Belgium 3-1 in their quarterfinal clash at Lille.
Radja Nainggolan handed Belgium the lead in the 13th minute with a ferocious drive from 25 metres out. The goal, however, seemed to hand the initiative to Wales, who woke from their slumber.
Captain Ashley Williams equalised with a downward header in the 31st minute before Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes settled the game with goals in the 55th and 86th minutes. Robson-Kanu’s goal included a Cruyff turn, deceiving three defenders before shooting for goal.
France not taking Iceland lightly
Hosts France are up against Iceland in the last quarterfinal encounter of the Euro 2016. The hosts, who have largely relied on late rallies so far in the tournament, would have to take the game to Iceland, the smallest nation to appear at the European Championships.
While Iceland will come into the game taking huge confidence from their shock 2-1 win over England, the challenge against the hosts would be all the more difficult.
SWIMMING
Phelps holds off Lochte in 200m medley
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte pushed each other with every stroke, as they have often done over the past decade, but it was Phelps who emerged triumphant in the 200m medley event at the US Olympic swimming trials. Phelps finished with a time of 1:55.91, ahead of Lochte, who finished second in 1:56.22.
TENNIS
Federer first man to reach Wimbledon fourth round
With rain playing spoilsport yet again, Roger Federer became the first man to reach the Wimbledon fourth round. Yet to lose a set in the tournament, Federer cruised past Britain’s Daniel Evans 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
