Sports News 12:30
BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 26 June 12:30 pm
Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:
# We start off with soccer: South Africa will look to get their 2024 Cosafa Cup campaign off to a strong start when they face Mozambique in their Group A opener, in Gqeberha tonight at six. South Africa are five-time Cosafa Cup champions but were beaten in the semifinals by eventual champions Zambia in last year’s edition. Bafana Bafana will be led in the tournament by assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, who has named a strong squad for the match. Mozambique last year failed to get out of the first round after finishing behind Lesotho and Angola in their group.
Meanwhile Real Madrid defender and captain Nacho is leaving after a 23-year stay at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 34-year-old Spain international has won six Champions League titles with Madrid since joining their youth academy in 2001, as well as four LaLiga crowns, and two Copa del Reys. The Spanish club in a statement expressed its gratitude and affection to Nacho and called him one of the great legends of the club. Nacho has been linked with a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah.
# Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz will start defending his 2023 Wimbledon title on Monday. His main rival is likely to be world number one Jannik Sinner. Victory for the 21-year-old Spanish crowd-pleaser will give him back-to-back Grand Slam crowns after his French Open triumph. Djokovic, the seven-time champion, is an injury doubt, as is 2013 and 2016 winner Andy Murray. And with Roger Federer retired and Rafael Nadal sitting out for the Olympics the men’s final is likely to be the first in 22 years not to feature at least one of the Big Four.
# Boxing: Five weeks after becoming the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in nearly 25 years, Oleksandr Usyk has given up one of his belts. Usyk beat Tyson Fury on a split decision on 18 May to add the WBC title to his WBA, WBO and IBF collection. The Ukrainian says his IBF belt can now be taken by the winner of the anticipated bout between two Britons, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois. Usyk retains his IBF belt ahead of his rematch with Fury in December.
# And finally, Swimming: Olympic swimming icon Michael Phelps and four-time gold medallist Allison Schmitt have called for reform of the World Anti-Doping Agency over its handling of the 2021 Chinese swimming drugs scandal. They took aim at Wada over the recent revelations concerning 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for banned prescription heart medication. None of the swimmers were suspended or sanctioned after Wada accepted the explanation of Chinese authorities that the results were caused by food contamination. Phelps and Schmitt say athletes’ trust in the body has been damaged by the scandal.
Stay tuned for more news………….