Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan is set to return to the London Marathon on April 27, joining all four reigning Olympic and Paralympic marathon champions in the UK capital.
The 32-year-old Dutch runner, a 15-time global medallist across distances from 1500m to the marathon, made history at Paris 2024 by becoming the first woman to win Olympic golds in the 5,000m, 10,000m, and marathon.
Hassan’s marathon journey began in London in 2023, where she staged a dramatic comeback to win despite a mid-race injury. Reflecting on the experience, she said, “London taught me patience and resilience. It’s where I grew as both an athlete and a person.”
After her stunning Olympic victory last summer, Hassan revealed ambitious plans, including running four marathons in a single year and chasing personal bests on the track. “I’m crazy—I just want to try everything and see how far I can go,” she said.
The 2025 London Marathon will also feature Ethiopia‘s Tamirat Tola and Paralympic champions Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug.
West Indies stunned Pakistan with a crushing 120-run win in Multan, ending a 34-year drought of Test victories in the country and leveling the two-match series 1-1 on January 27.
Spin maestro Jomel Warrican was the architect of Pakistan’s collapse, bagging 5-27 in the second innings and finishing with remarkable match figures of 9-70. Chasing 254, Pakistan‘s fragile batting lineup crumbled for just 133 an hour into day three.
Starting at 76-4, Pakistan’s hopes faded quickly as Saud Shakeel edged to slips in the first over, and nightwatcher Kashif Ali fell to Warrican moments later. Despite brief resistance from Muhammad Rizwan (25) and Salman Ali Agha (15), Pakistan’s lower order had no answers to the West Indies spinners. Warrican bowled Sajid Khan to seal the emphatic victory.
This marks the Windies’ first Test win on Pakistani soil since 1990, a triumph led by Warrican’s brilliance, with 19 wickets across the series. The victory not only snaps their decades-long losing streak but reignites West Indies‘ Test cricket ambitions.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan remains banned from bowling in international cricket following a failed reassessment of his action. The 37-year-old was suspended from bowling in ECB competitions after concerns over his action during a County Championship match for Surrey last season.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed that the ban applies to all domestic and international cricket, but Shakib is still eligible to play as a specialist batter.
Despite his plans to retire after the Champions Trophy in March, Bangladesh now faces a decision on whether to include him as a batter in their 15-man squad for the tournament.
Shakib, who has represented Bangladesh in 71 Tests, 247 ODIs, and 129 T20s, has already retired from T20 internationals and likely played his final Test. His bowling suspension, triggered by a test showing an illegal elbow extension, means he will not be able to bowl in the Champions Trophy starting February 19.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) faces mounting pressure to boycott England’s upcoming Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan on February 26 in Lahore. UK politicians, including Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi and figures like Nigel Farage, Jeremy Corbyn, and Lord Kinnock, are calling for the team to take a stand against the Taliban’s suppression of women’s rights.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, women’s sport in Afghanistan has been effectively banned, with many female cricketers fleeing the country. Despite this, Afghanistan‘s men’s team continues to participate in ICC tournaments, prompting calls for action from the ECB.
In response, ECB CEO Richard Gould expressed the board’s commitment to advocating for women’s rights in Afghanistan but emphasized the need for a unified approach within the ICC, rather than unilateral action. He also acknowledged the complexity of a boycott, noting that cricket offers hope to many Afghans, including displaced women.
The UK government is in talks with the ECB over the issue, while Afghanistan‘s women’s cricket team remains sidelined due to Taliban restrictions. Afghanistan’s men’s team is set to compete in the Champions Trophy alongside England, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh.
Liverpool risk losing Mohamed Salah on a free transfer as Al-Hilal reportedly make the Egyptian forward their top target following Neymar’s departure. Salah, 32, is in the final months of his contract at Anfield, and the Saudi Pro League leaders are keen to secure a marquee signing before the revamped Club World Cup this summer.
Neymar’s recent exit freed up significant funds for Al-Hilal, who previously attempted to lure Salah in 2023. Reports suggest the Saudi side is ready to offer him a record-breaking deal, which could make him the league’s highest-paid player. While Liverpool remains hopeful of extending Salah‘s stay, the uncertainty grows as talks stall.
Salah’s decision could have a massive impact, with Saudi officials eyeing increased TV revenues and an Egypt-specific rights package if the star joins their league.
UFC: Islam Makhachev, unbeaten since 2015, has set his sights on becoming a three-weight UFC champion. Fresh off defending his lightweight title for a record-breaking fourth time at UFC 311, the 33-year-old declared his ambition to conquer featherweight and middleweight divisions.
“I’m not leaving this sport without a second belt,” Makhachev vowed after defeating Renato Moicano. He hinted at a showdown with featherweight champ Ilia Topuria, who boldly responded, “If I want to, I can finish you.” Looking even further, Makhachev expressed willingness to challenge middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis after his February title defense at UFC 312. “I can be a three-division champ. Just give me the chance,” Makhachev said.
UFC President Dana White called Makhachev the pound-for-pound best fighter and possibly the greatest lightweight in history. With 15 straight victories, Makhachev’s dominance shows no sign of slowing.
Egypt has been confirmed as the host for the 2025 World Squash Junior Championships following approval by the World Squash Federation (WSF) board. The prestigious event will take place at New Cairo’s Black Ball Sporting Club from July 21 to August 1, featuring both men’s and women’s individual and team competitions.
This announcement follows the record-breaking 2024 edition in Houston, USA, which made history as the first World Juniors to feature simultaneous men’s and women’s team championships.
A dominant force in the sport, Egypt boasts a thriving grassroots scene and a legacy of excellence. At the 2024 World Juniors, the country achieved a clean sweep of titles, with Amina Orfi and Mohamed Zakaria winning the individual events, and both the men’s and women’s squads claiming team championships.
Photo Sifan Hassan at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, August 26, 2023.
(Credit: Erik van Leeuwen/ Zenfolio – Erki Pictures).
