KAYAKING
Ice waterfall record set
Aniol Serrasolses has descended a 20m ice waterfall in the arctic — the biggest recorded descent of a glacial waterfall. The 32-year-old Catalan adventurer paddled through the rapids and ice tunnels of the glacial river on the ice cap before descending the ice waterfall in Brasvellbreen, the Svalbard archipelago of Norway. “The first time navigating through those rapids was absolutely incredible,” Serrasolses said. “Like kayaking on another planet. It was actually crazier than I ever thought it would be ... one of the roughest, most wild and virgin places I’ve ever seen.” To access the waterfall, the crew had to climb the ice cap using a ladder and then walk 11km across the ice to access the river. As the first person to run the waterfall Serrasolses named the descent “Philip’s Ladder” as a tribute to a crew member who pulled the ladder for the duration of the 11km trek to allow the team to get from the boat to the waterfall.
SWIMMING
Ledecky wins 800m free
Seven-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky on Wednesday eased to victory in the women’s 800m freestyle in the opening race of the US Open Swimming Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina. Ledecky, the three-time defending Olympic gold medalist and world champion in the 800m free, posted a time of 8 minutes, 15.91 seconds to win by almost 15 seconds. Ledecky’s time was more than 11 seconds shy of her world record, set in 2016, and almost two seconds behind her winning time from last year’s US Open.
WOMEN
Revenue to cross US$1bn
Annual global revenue for women’s elite sports is expected to cross the US$1 billion threshold for the first time next year, Deloitte said on Wednesday. The predicted US$1.28 billion revenue based on matchday earnings, broadcast and commercial revenue is “at least 300 percent higher” than their previous valuation three years ago, Deloitte said. “Women’s sport is increasingly being viewed as a unique product that is becoming ever more distinct from men’s elite sport,” said Jennifer Haskel, insight lead for Deloitte’s Sports Business Group. “This surge in fan and investor engagement is leading to new and improved opportunities for clubs and leagues.” Commercial deals by leagues and teams would bring in the majority of the revenue at 55 percent, while broadcast would account for 27 percent, Deloitte said.
NETBALL
Australia may miss funding
Netball Australia might miss out on A$18 million (US$11.94 million) in public funding amid an ongoing pay dispute with players from the country’s professional Super Netball league. The Australian government said it had not received a satisfactory business case for the funding, part of a A$30 million pledge by the previous government in 2019. “On the matter of remaining uncontracted funds that had been set aside for Netball Australia, those funds had always been subject to the receipt of a sufficiently robust business case,” the government said in a statement. “A satisfactory proposal has not been received that would enable appropriate use of these taxpayer funds.” Netball Australia was unable to provide immediate comment.
Manchester City have reached do-or-die territory in the UEFA Champions League earlier than expected ahead of what Pep Guardiola has described as a “final” against Club Brugge today. City have disproved the suggestion a new format to Europe’s top club competition would remove any jeopardy for the top clubs as Guardiola stares down the barrel of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in his career. The English champions have endured a torrid season both in their English Premier League title defense and on the continent. A run of one win in 13 games, which included Champions League
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday poured in 35 points as the Thunder grabbed a bounce-back 118-108 victory in Portland to push their NBA-best record to 37-8. The Thunder, surprised by the short-handed Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, fended off a late surge from the Trail Blazers to snap their four-game winning streak. Jalen Williams scored 24 points and Isaiah Joe added 16 off the bench. Center Isaiah Hartenstein, back after a five-game absence with a calf injury, added 14 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a big block. The Western Conference leaders were under pressure late as Portland, trailing by 15 heading
The Golden State Warriors on Wednesday withstood Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 52-point outburst to beat the Western Conference leading Thunder 116-109. Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points and Warriors superstar Stephen Curry scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half as Golden State erased a double-digit deficit and pulled away late for the victory. “We just stayed solid,” said Curry, who entered the contest mired in a shooting slump and had just four points on one basket in the first half. “Just all-around effort.” The Thunder, fueled by 31 first-half points from Gilgeous-Alexander, led by as many as 14 in the
Ousmane Dembele on Wednesday scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain romped to a 4-1 win at VfB Stuttgart and qualified for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. PSG were at risk of elimination after a disappointing league stage, with three losses and a draw, but were utterly dominant against an outclassed Stuttgart side as they confirmed their place in the playoffs. With six minutes gone, Bradley Barcola headed PSG in front after Desire Doue stood a cross up at the back post following a corner. Stuttgart probed for an equalizer, but PSG hit on the counterattack, Dembele tapping a Barcola pass into an
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