Italy's Sara Curtis set a new world record in the women's 50-meter backstroke Wednesday at the European Aquatics Championships, finishing in 26.63 seconds in the event's semifinals to lower the mark by nearly a quarter of a second.
Australia's Kaylee McKeown owned the previous mark of 26.86, set in Budapest, Hungary, in October 2023. McKeown, the United States' Katharine Berkoff and Curtis have all threatened the record since. Curtis clocked 27.07 seconds in June, tied for the ninth-best time ever for the race.
The 19-year-old Curtis is a six-time European junior champion and won three golds — including in the 50 backstroke — at the European short-course (25-meter pool) championships last year. This was her first major long-course (50-meter pool) gold.
The 50-meter events — all-out sprints over one length of the pool — will have increased attention over the next two years. The short versions of the backstroke, **** erfly and **** troke will all make their Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The 50-meter freestyle has been in the Olympics since 1988.
The European championships are the biggest event of the year for the continent's swimmers. The Pan-Pacific Championships — featuring the U.S., Canada, Australia and more — begin Wednesday night in Irvine, Calif. The next World Aquatics Championships meet is in July 2027.

#backstroke #mckeown

Northern Ireland bowlers Adam McKeown and Gary Kelly have won Commonwealth Games gold in the men's pairs after a dramatic extra-end win over England's Nick Brett and Jamie Walker.
McKeown and Kelly won the first set 6-2 but Brett and Walker won the second 6-2 to level - before the Northern Ireland pair prevailed to win the tiebreak 1-0.
It is a third gold medal for Northern Ireland at the Games in Glasgow after Kate O'Connor won the heptathlon and Jon McConnell's men's 70kg boxing success on Saturday.
It is a fourth Commonwealth medal for Kelly, and he finally adds gold to the bronze medals he won earlier in the Games in the singles and in Delhi in 2020, and his silver in Birmingham four years ago.
It is a second gold for McKeown after he won the fours with Northern Ireland in 2022.

#games #Gold #brett #walker

England will have the chance to add two more gold medals to their haul on the final day of the bowls competition at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Sunday.
The men's pairs team of Nick Brett and Jamie Walker comfortably came through their semi-final 2-0 against Canada to set up a meeting with Northern Ireland's Adam McKeown and Gary Kelly.
In the women's singles, Katherine Rednall from Suffolk was taken to a tie-break by Shae Wilson of Norfolk Island before winning a nailbiting final end.
Rednall, the daughter of former England international John, will face Ali Merrien of Guernsey at the SEC Centre.
"The Commonwealth Games is the pinnacle for us as bowlers," said Rednall. "To represent my country, pull on the England shirt is fantastic and I am so happy to bring back a medal for Team England."

#england #final #games #nick

2027 five-star prospect David Gabriel Georges will announce his college commitment on Wednesday. The 6-foot, 205-pound running back will choose between Tennessee, Ohio State and Ole Miss.
Gabriel Georges' commitment time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.
He is from Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 247Sports ranks the 2027 five-star as the No. 2 running back nationally and No. 1 prospect in Tennessee.
Tennessee offered Gabriel Georges a scholarship on July 31, 2024, while the Buckeyes extended an offer on Aug. 1, 2024. Ole Miss also offered a scholarship to Gabriel Georges on July 31, 2024.
Ahead of his decision on Wednesday, the Vols have 17 commitments in their 2027 football recruiting class: linebacker JP Peace, offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo, quarterback Derrick Baker, athlete Jaden Butler, wide receiver KeSean Bowman, defensive back Carter Jamison and defensive back Brandon Leavell, tight end Malik Howard, defensive lineman Christian Mays, cornerback Dylan Haley, linebacker Kenneth Simon II, kicker Ford Fehling, long snapper Sam McKeown, offensive tackle Q'Mari Hudson, athlete Dayon Cooper, safety Marcus Jones and offensive tackle Niko Kampas.

#wednesday

Week 11 of the 2026 NWSL season saw the league return after a four-week summer break. Ashley Sanchez and Temwa Chawinga kept scoring at will, San Diego tightened its grip atop the table, and Boston showed real fight against Bay FC.
The break did little to slow the league’s biggest storylines. Washington needed late Trinity Rodman magic, Kansas City kept climbing behind Chawinga, and Chicago delivered one of the weekend’s loudest surprises against Utah.
This one saved the best for last. The streaking Spirit hosted the reeling Dash in the first NWSL match since the break. The hosts started off hot. Continued pressure at the Houston end led to several scoring chances, followed by a big break in the 32nd minute. While trying to defend against Trinity Rodman, Dash defender Avery Patterson took down the Spirit striker. The referee immediately pointed to the spot, and Rosemonde Kouassi stepped up. The Ivory Coast international went to Jane Campbell’s right, and Campbell read her perfectly. Following Campbell’s big save, neither side could find the net for the rest of the half.
The second half started out perfectly for the home side. Just five minutes in, Leicy Santos sent a terrific long ball to a wide-open Rodman. She closed on Campbell, then sent her shot to the far post for a 1-0 Spirit lead. Just moments later, the visitors nearly equalized. Second-half sub Kate Faasse got in deep against Sandy MacIver, but the Scotland international’s aggressive goaltending stopped the threat. Campbell kept the match in reach for the Dash with a brilliant late save against a perfect header from Tara McKeown.
And then, in the last gasps of the match, Houston equalized. In the 90th minute, Linda Ullmark sent a perfect through ball to Faasse. She would not be denied by MacIver a second time, and the match was tied. Just when it looked like the Dash had salvaged a point, however, Rodman broke the hearts of Houston. Four minutes into five added minutes of extra time, she made her way to the top of the box, then sent a soaring shot through the box and past Campbell’s outstretched hand. Washington moves into a tie for third (GD) in the table, while Houston now has but one win in their last nine matches.

SYDNEY (AP) — Five-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Kaylee McKeown is out of the Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Championships which follow due to glandular fever.
The star backstroker won both the 100- and 200-meter distances at the Tokyo Olympics and repeated the feat at the Paris Games in 2024. She also won both events at the world championships in Singapore last year.
“I am gutted to medically withdraw,” McKeown said in a Swimming Australia statement Friday. “What I thought a few months ago was flu has turned out to be my body fighting glandular fever.
“I was sick going into trials and I have just not got better and I am worried about pushing myself so hard that I end up with chronic fatigue. It was a hard decision to make but the right one.”
The 24-year-old McKeown is planning to swim at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Four-star safety Ta'Shawn Poole will announce his commitment between Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State on July 17, according to Brendan Sonnone of 247Sports.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect is from Howard High School in Macon, Georgia. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 4 safety in the class and No. 6 player in Georgia.
Tennessee offered Poole a scholarship on Feb. 21, 2025. He has visited the Vols three times, including an official visit on June 5.
UNLV was the first school to offer Poole a scholarship on Aug. 1, 2024. Other Power Four schools to offer him scholarships include Louisville, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Auburn, Missouri, Miami, North Carolina State, Kentucky, Nebraska, Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, North Carolina, Penn State, Ole Miss, Indiana, Mississippi State, Wake Forest, Alabama, Virginia Tech and Clemson.
Tennessee has 16 commitments in its 2027 football recruiting class: linebacker JP Peace, offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo, quarterback Derrick Baker, athlete Jaden Butler, wide receiver KeSean Bowman, defensive back Carter Jamison and defensive back Brandon Leavell, tight end Malik Howard, defensive lineman Christian Mays, cornerback Dylan Haley, linebacker Kenneth Simon II, kicker Ford Fehling, long snapper Sam McKeown, offensive tackle Q’Mari Hudson, athlete Dayon Cooper, and safety Marcus Jones.

A "chance encounter" in a park in Leicester led to the death of a "defenceless" grandfather who was floored by a single punch.
Leicestershire Police said Joshua Moore was riding a quad bike with a young child when he confronted 62-year-old James McKeown as he walked home from a pub through Beaumont Leys Park on 6 April.
Leicestershire Police said Moore hit McKeown once, causing him to fall to the ground and suffer a head injury. He died a short time later in hospital.
The 33-year-old, of Fowler Close, Beaumont Leys, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Leicester Crown Court on Thursday, and will be sentenced on 31 July.
Police said after attacking McKeown, Moore placed him in the recovery position and left the park on the quad bike, with no attempt to contact emergency services.

Tennessee and Southeastern Conference schools continue recruiting toward their 2027 football signing classes.
Josh Heupel enters his sixth season as the Vols' head coach in 2026. Tennessee's coaching staff has received 16 commitments for its 2027 recruiting class: linebacker JP Peace, offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo, quarterback Derrick Baker, athlete Jaden Butler, wide receiver KeSean Bowman, defensive back Carter Jamison and defensive back Brandon Leavell, tight end Malik Howard, defensive lineman Christian Mays, cornerback Dylan Haley, linebacker Kenneth Simon II, kicker Ford Fehling, long snapper Sam McKeown, offensive tackle Q’Mari Hudson, athlete Dayon Cooper and defensive back Marcus Jones.
Following June, Vols Wire looks at updated SEC recruiting rankings. Updated 2027 SEC football recruiting rankings from 247Sports are listed below.
Tennessee is ranked ahead of three league schools entering July.
More: Josh Heupel recaps Tennessee's 2026 football signing class