ALICE DEARING has urged young black swimmers not to get discouraged from taking part in competitions following a decision to ban specialist swim caps designed to protect natural black hair from being worn at the Olympics.
Dearing, 24, confirmed her place in Team GB last week and will participate in the 10km open water marathon at Tokyo Games, starting later this month. She is also the first black female swimmer to represent Britain at the Olympics.
The specialist headwear are made by the brand Soul Cap, whith whom Dearing had partnered last year. However, for the Tokyo Games, they have been by the International Swimming Federation (FINA), because the caps do not fit "the natural form of the head", with the body currently reviewing the product.
Dearing is a co-founder of the Black Swimming Association, and she feels this move will put off many young swimmers from ethnic minority backgrounds.
She told Sky Sports News: "The issue with this story is I don't want little black girls and little black boys to look at elite swimming and think it is not open to them because that is completely the wrong idea.
"It is open to them, I really hope that with it being under review that some agreement will come about, I'm sure it will.
"But I don't want people to look at elite level swimming and think: 'It's not open for me, I can't wear my hair the way I want to and I'll go and find another sport', because that's not what we want.
"Change is happening at least, Soul Cap has been made and even something as simple as that wasn't around when I started out swimming.
"My mum used to have to relax my hair and then braid it to make sure it would fit into a cap and make our lives easier and it's only when I've got older that I could find ways to manage it in its natural form.
"It's brilliant to see so many people passionate about this and wanting to make sure that swimming is open and available to everyone because that is the goal. I'm really hoping to see that this story would have a happy ending and I'm pretty sure it will.
"The issue of black people in swimming is a heavy topic so I'm happy to be the person to speak about it because I want to make people aware that these stereotypes aren't acceptable and black people should feel comfortable at swimming pools.
"They shouldn't feel subjugated or discriminated against in any way, so if I can help in any way to make that better and leave the sport one day where I can look back on it and see the difference I've made then that's what I want to do."
'No barriers'
In a statement, FINA has told Sky Sports News that it is committed to ensuring there are "no barriers to participation in swimming".
The statement read: "FINA acknowledges the comments and reactions concerning the use of 'Soul Cap' swim caps in FINA competition.
"FINA is committed to ensuring that all aquatics athletes have access to appropriate swimwear for competition where this swimwear does not confer a competitive advantage.
"FINA is currently reviewing the situation with regards to 'Soul Cap' and similar products, understanding the importance of inclusivity and representation.
"There is no restriction on 'Soul Cap' swim caps for recreational and teaching purposes. FINA appreciates the efforts of 'Soul Cap' and other suppliers to ensure everyone has the chance to enjoy the water. FINA will also speak with the manufacturer of the 'Soul Cap' about utilising their products through the FINA Development Centres.
"FINA expects to make its consideration of 'Soul Cap' and similar products part of wider initiatives aimed at ensuring there are no barriers to participation in swimming, which is both a sport and a vital life skill."
JOFRA ARCHER made an early breakthrough on his return to Test cricket at Lord’s on Friday, while India captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for a low score on the second day of the third Test.
Playing his first Test in over four years, Archer dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal with just his third ball. Later, Gill, who had scored 585 runs in four innings in the series including three centuries, was caught behind for 16.
India finished the day on 145-3 in response to England’s first-innings total of 387, trailing by 242 runs. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 53, with Rishabh Pant not out on 19.
Archer, who had impressed at Lord’s during the 2019 50-over World Cup final and made his Test debut at the same ground that year, bowled Jaiswal with a 90 mph full-length delivery that was edged to Harry Brook at second slip.
The 30-year-old celebrated with a roar as the Lord’s crowd joined in.
'X-factor' Archer
Archer’s return comes amid England’s hopes of him playing a major role in the 2025/26 Ashes series in Australia. He bowled a tight 10-over spell on Friday, conceding just 22 runs and consistently bowling over 90 mph.
"The noise, the pure joy everyone has seeing him (Archer) back in whites, everyone's genuine excitement to see him playing Test cricket again, it created a great atmosphere," Joe Root told Sky Sports after the day’s play.
"He's X-factor," added Root, who earlier scored a century and took a new Test record with his 211th catch as an outfielder.
England captain Ben Stokes, who had suffered a groin strain while batting on Thursday, returned to bowl without any visible discomfort. He dismissed Karun Nair for 40, who edged a delivery to first slip where Root held a one-handed left catch, giving him sole possession of the record he previously shared with Rahul Dravid.
Chris Woakes, who had taken only three wickets in the series at an average of nearly 97, got Gill out for 16. The India skipper edged to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who was standing up to the stumps, leaving India at 107-3.
Earlier in the day, Jasprit Bumrah took 5-74 in 27 overs to help bowl England out after lunch. His performance earned him a place on the Lord’s honours board.
Bumrah delivered a key spell of 3 wickets for 1 run in seven balls, dismissing Stokes, Root, and Woakes.
"It's really special," Bumrah told the BBC. "We don't come here (to Lord's) very often, maybe every four years... Being on the honours board feels good."
However, Brydon Carse frustrated India with a 56-run innings. He shared an eighth-wicket stand of 84 with Smith, who made 51 after being dropped by Rahul in the slips when on five.
Smith had earlier made 184 not out and 88 in England’s loss to India in the second Test at Edgbaston, where the visitors won by 336 runs to level the five-match series at 1-1. Bumrah did not play that match.
Root, who resumed the day on 99, reached his century with a boundary off Bumrah. It was his 37th Test hundred, placing him fifth on the all-time list, led by Sachin Tendulkar with 51.
"I don't think I've been 99 not out overnight before," said Root. "I woke up in the night and couldn't get back to sleep."
Stokes added just five runs to his overnight score of 39 before being bowled by Bumrah. The next ball, Woakes edged behind for a golden duck to stand-in wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who replaced the injured Pant.
Carse survived the hat-trick ball but was later bowled by Siraj, ending England’s innings. He had earlier brought up his 50 off 77 balls with a six.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
Alcaraz has won 35 of his 38 matches on grass, including 20 in a row at Wimbledon since losing to Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz in four sets to reach his third Wimbledon final in a row.
The match was played in extreme heat, with on-court temperatures nearing 32 degrees Celsius.
Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 24 matches, the longest of his career.
He is aiming to become the fifth man in the Open era to win three straight Wimbledon titles.
CARLOS Alcaraz reached his third consecutive Wimbledon final on Friday with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) win over American fifth seed Taylor Fritz.
The defending champion battled through a match lasting two hours and 49 minutes on Centre Court, where temperatures reached close to 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Several spectators in the stands required medical attention due to the heat, but Alcaraz maintained focus to overcome Fritz with strong returns and consistent serving.
Carlos Alcaraz is a #Wimbledon finalist for the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW 😮
The two-time defending champion defeats Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) to put one hand on the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy - and Centre Court ROARS for the Spaniard 🇪🇸
“It was a really difficult match, as always when I play against Taylor. Even tougher with the conditions. It was really hot today,” Alcaraz said. “I dealt with the nerves. Playing here in a semi-final is not easy. I'm really proud with the way I stayed calm and thought clearly. I'm pleased about my level.”
The Spaniard, currently ranked world number two, has returned to form after an inconsistent start to the tournament. He is now on a 24-match winning streak, his longest career run, which began after a loss to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April. Since then, he has claimed titles at the French Open, Rome, Monte Carlo and Queen’s Club.
Alcaraz has won 35 of his 38 matches on grass, including 20 in a row at Wimbledon since losing to Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
"I'm not thinking about the winning streak or the results at all,” he said. “This is my dream, stepping on these beautiful courts and playing tennis in the most beautiful tournament in the world. I just want to enjoy this moment, that I've got to a third final in a row. I will have time to think about Sunday.”
"It is one of the most exciting match-ups we have on tour at the moment" ⚡️
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will come up against either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday - and he'll be watching intently to see who it will be 👀#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/t7f7MmuiMH — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2025
A win on Sunday would make Alcaraz the fifth man in the Open era to win three straight Wimbledon titles, following Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic. He would also become the second-youngest player in the Open era to win six men’s Grand Slam titles, after Borg reached that milestone in 1978, also aged 22.
Fritz, who was playing in his first Wimbledon semi-final, had hit 95 aces during the tournament but was unable to get past Alcaraz’s returns. The 27-year-old, a US Open runner-up last year, was broken in the first game of the match as Alcaraz took early control.
Alcaraz had his eye checked midway through the first set but held serve throughout to win it. After dominating on serve in the opener, he dropped a rare service game in the second set, allowing Fritz to level the match with the help of a double fault and two unforced errors from the Spaniard.
Alcaraz responded by breaking early in the third set with a drop shot and lob combination. He added another break later to take a two sets to one lead.
In the fourth set tie-break, Fritz led 6-4 but Alcaraz saved both set points. He then closed out the match with a series of ground-strokes to book his place in the final.
(With inputs from agencies)
Keep ReadingShow less
The portrait was created by Stuart Pearson Wright, based on a photograph taken by the artist at Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai 18 years ago. (Photo: PTI)
SACHIN TENDULKAR said "life has truly come full circle" after a portrait of him was unveiled at Lord's on Thursday.
Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen, scored 34,357 runs across Tests, one-day internationals and one T20 match for India during his international career from 1989 to 2013.
(Photo credit: PTI)
His total is over 6,000 runs more than the next highest of 28,016 scored by Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara.
In a post on X, Tendulkar recalled his first visit to Lord’s in 1988. "I remember standing near the pavilion, soaking in the history and dreaming quietly," he wrote.
"Today, to have my portrait unveiled at this very place is a feeling that's hard to put into words. Life has truly come full circle. I’m grateful, and filled with wonderful memories."
I first visited Lord’s as a teenager in 1988, and returned in 1989 with the Star Cricket Club team.
I remember standing near the pavilion, soaking in the history and dreaming quietly.
Today, to have my portrait unveiled at this very place is a feeling that’s hard to put into… pic.twitter.com/ZC987eH8oZ — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 10, 2025
The portrait was created by Stuart Pearson Wright, based on a photograph taken by the artist at Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai 18 years ago. It was unveiled before the first day of the third Test between England and India.
It is the fifth portrait of an Indian player to be added to the collections of Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns Lord's.
(With inputs from AFP)
Keep ReadingShow less
Swiatek broke early in the match, racing to a 3-0 lead and never allowed the 35th-ranked Bencic to settle. (Photo: Getty Images)
Iga Swiatek storms into her first Wimbledon final with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic
Swiatek will face Amanda Anisimova, who beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka
Anisimova reaches her first Wimbledon final and will break into the top 10 rankings
Sabalenka exits in the semi-final for the second time, despite a strong 2024 season
IGA SWIATEK reached her first Wimbledon final on Thursday with a dominant 6-2, 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic in just 71 minutes on Centre Court. The 24-year-old, seeded eighth, will face Amanda Anisimova in the final after the American defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set semi-final.
“Honestly, I never even dreamed that it's going to be possible for me to play in the final,” said Swiatek. “So I'm just super-excited and proud of myself and, I don't know, tennis keeps surprising me. I thought I had experienced everything on the court but I didn't experience playing well on grass, so that's the first time. I'm super excited and just enjoying it.”
Swiatek broke early in the match, racing to a 3-0 lead and never allowed the 35th-ranked Bencic to settle. The Swiss player, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, managed to win two games in the first set but was unable to respond as Swiatek took full control in the second.
“Today was just a different level from Iga. She played amazing and I didn't feel like she let me in the match for one second,” said Bencic. “There's nothing I really regret. In the end, she was just too good, and I was a step too short.”
Swiatek has now dropped just one set in the tournament. Although four of her five Grand Slam titles have come at the French Open, she made her first grass-court final at Bad Homburg two weeks ago and has now reached her second on the surface.
Swiatek, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, has won all five of her previous Grand Slam finals. She will face Anisimova in their first professional meeting.
Anisimova, seeded 13th, advanced to her first Wimbledon final after beating Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a match lasting just over two and a half hours.
“This doesn't feel real right now, honestly,” said Anisimova. “Aryna is such a tough competitor and I was absolutely dying out there. I don't know how I pulled it out. We've had so many tough battles and to come out on top and be in the final of Wimbledon is incredible.”
The 23-year-old, who now holds a 6-3 head-to-head record over Sabalenka, won the first set before the Belarusian levelled the match in the second. Anisimova closed out the final set to complete a notable victory.
Anisimova made headlines in 2019 when she reached the semi-finals of the French Open at the age of 17. In 2023, she took an eight-month break from tennis for mental health reasons and dropped out of the top 400. At Wimbledon last year, she failed to qualify for the main draw.
On Thursday, she became only the second player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam final after losing in qualifying at the same event the previous year. She is now guaranteed to enter the top 10 of the rankings on Monday.
“If you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon, I would not believe you. It's indescribable to be honest,” she said.
For Sabalenka, it was another disappointment at Wimbledon. The 27-year-old has now failed to progress past the semi-finals at the tournament. She won the US Open last year and reached the finals of both the Australian Open and French Open earlier this season.
“Losing sucks,” Sabalenka said. “You feel like you are getting close to your dream and then this is the end. You always feel like you want to die and not exist any more. But then you sit there a little bit and think about what you could have done differently.”
AN Indian sprinter who recently broke a national record has said he wants to win an Olympic medal to inspire young athletes to pursue similar dreams.
Animesh Kujur, 22, last Saturday (5) smashed the 100-metre national record with a stunning 10.18 seconds at the Dromia International Sprint and Relays Meeting in Greece.
The Odisha athlete’s record-breaking performance was an improvement on Gurindervir Singh's previous mark of 10.20 seconds, making him the first Indian to hold both the 100m and 200m national records, simultaneously. His 200m record stands at 20.32 seconds, set at the Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea in May.
In an interview with Eastern Eye, Kujur said, "When I finished the line, I saw the clock and it stopped at 10.20. I was like, 'Oh, I just equalled the national record'. Then I went to my coach and said, 'Coach, if it was 10.19, then I could have done the national record, but I didn't.' Then my coach said, 'No, you did 10.18 - you did break the record.' I was like, 'Oh, wow.' Then my coach and I were shouting."
The achievement comes as Kujur prepares for another historic milestone - becoming the first Indian man to compete in the 200m at a Diamond League event in Monaco on Friday (11). Though competing in an under-23 race rather than the main event, his coach views it as a crucial experience.
"It's a big step up to eventually race against Noah Lyles (US athlete)," said Englishman Martin Owens, the head coach of Reliance Foundation Youth Sport Odisha High Performance Centre (HPC). "He'll get the atmosphere with 15,000 spectators without the pressure of running against the Olympic champion and world champion."
Kujur's transformation began when he joined the Reliance Foundation programme in December 2022. The change was dramatic and immediate. "Before joining Reliance, I was a normal athlete. I didn't know what professional training or a professional athlete's life looked like," he said. "After joining Reliance, I got everything - physio support, psychology, coach, everything. I came to know what a professional life looks like."
The foundation's investment in Indian athletics reflects the broader ambitions of the Ambani family, who are heavily backing India's Olympic aspirations both to host the Games in 11 years and to produce potential medal winners.
Nita Ambani sits on the International Olympic Committee, while her daughter Isha Ambani has joined the board of volleyball's international governing body, FIVB.
Mukesh Ambani, who heads Reliance Industries, is India’s richest.
For Kujur, the 200m remains his preferred event. "Because 200 is tougher compared to 100 metres. That's why I like to do 200, and from the beginning, my coach has been mainly focusing on 200 metres," he said.
Unlike traditional Indian coaching approaches that focus intensively on single competitions, Kujur's programme involves year-round planning and multiple competitive opportunities.
"My coach prepares my training for the next year - which is the main competition you have to focus on," he added. "Foreign coaches make you compete in so many competitions so that you can get more experience."
Recent training camps in Switzerland and working with movement specialist Chris Woolley have focused particularly on improving Kujur's starts - historically his weakest area. The work has paid dividends, with both athlete and coach noting significant improvements in his acceleration phase.
Owens, who has worked with Kujur for almost three years, credited the athlete's dedication and the systematic approach they've developed together. "When he came to the HPC, he was a 21.1-21.2 runner, and now he's a 20.32 runner," Owens said. "That's a lot of his hard work and dedication. He learns all the time, makes mistakes - like we all do - but he tries not to make the same mistake twice."
His strategy extends beyond individual achievement to building a sustainable sprint programme for India. "The aim is to get as many athletes running and training with each other as possible, supporting each other," he said. "We're driving the relay programme. Very few athletes in India at the moment are going to be competitive on the world stage individually, but the young sprinters we've got could collectively be competitive in relays."
The foundation promotes clean athletics, with the coach proudly noting that Kujur is "the most tested athlete in India" and emphasising "there are no shortcuts - hard work is the best way."
Kujur's transformation began when he joined the Reliance Foundation programme in December 2022
For Kujur, the immediate focus is performing well at the World Championships, where he wants to break the pattern of Indian athletes failing to deliver at major competitions. "Every time Indian athletes go to big competitions, but they don't perform. I want that if I'm competing in World Championship - such a big competition - I want to perform well there."
Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, Kujur spoke of his ambition. "For longer term, I'm preparing for the Olympics - I want to win a medal for India in Los Angeles," he added.
His coach shares this optimism, believing that international exposure is crucial for development. "You need to get out of your backyard to get a good view of the world," he said. "That exposure trip last year changed Animesh completely. This one will make him better."
Owens added that Kujur holds "10 of the top 10 times run in India this year" in his events, with "the second fastest runner half a second behind him, which is massive in sprinting."