JUDE BELLINGHAM chatted with a sick child in hospital after an ex-team-mate called him out of the blue.

The England star is in Finland preparing for a Nations League game in Helsinki.

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But he took time to answer a call from his former team-mate Noah Ohio, who he played with for England Under-16s.

Ohio, who plays for Dutch Utrecht, was on international duty himself with the Netherlands national team.

Some members of the Dutch team visited a children’s hospital where Ohio asked one child who his favourite player was.

And when the youngster replied saying Bellingham, Ohio suggested the pair call the Real Madrid star.

Bellingham picked up his phone and FaceTimed with Ohio and the child, with the pair asking one another if they were okay.

Ohio did the translating and then told the child to pose for a photo holding up the phone so he was alongside Bellingham, who put his thumb up.

Bellingham, 21, often takes time to look out for youngsters having given away his England jacket to keep a child in a wheelchair warm before the match against Belgium in March.

He also donated a blanket to a young ballboy during a Spanish Cup win over Arandina last season.

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His former coach Mike Dodds who worked with Bellingham at Birmingham said of the midfielder: “He’s just a magnificent human being, he’s a role model not just for the young kids of Birmingham, now the nation.

“He’s got compassion, he’s got complete empathy for people around him. From a human perspective I haven’t got enough words to praise him with.

“He keeps in contact with me regularly – he doesn’t have to do that.

“He’s said some wonderful things about me which I’ll be forever grateful for. I think that just sums up the measure of the young man.”

Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter left the Buffaloes’ game against Kansas State late in the second quarter Saturday night after an apparent shoulder injury on a 14-yard reception.

Hunter went to the locker room and wasn’t on the field for Kansas State’s go-ahead 60-yard touchdown drive that put the Wildcats ahead 14-7 with 1:52 left in the first half.

Hunter returned to the sideline and briefly stood behind coach Deion Sanders before surrendering his helmet and again walking off the sideline with a member of the team’s medical staff.

Hunter hauled in Shedeur Sanders‘ pass on a crossing pattern for a 14-yard gain at midfield and ran full speed into safety Daniel Cobbs. He held onto the ball but signaled to the sideline that he needed a sub.

On the broadcast, ESPN said the medical team was evaluating Hunter’s right shoulder, but there was no immediate word from the Buffaloes on his injury. A press box announcement at halftime said both Hunter and wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. were questionable to return with unspecified injuries.

Hunter has rarely taken off a snap this season and is in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race.

Travis Hunter vs Ashton Jeanty: ‘They won’t give Heisman to a Boise State RB!’ | All Facts No Brakes

Keyshawn Johnson and Heisman Trophy voter Jeff Fellenzer dive into the heated debate surrounding this year’s Heisman contenders. With Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty in the spotlight, Keyshawn boldly states, “They won’t give the Heisman to a Boise State RB!”

Last season, Hunter missed three games with a lacerated liver after taking a hard hit against Colorado State.

Hunter had three catches for 26 yards and one tackle Saturday night before leaving. That gave him 49 receptions for 587 yards and two touchdowns on the season, along with 16 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble on defense.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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During a glittering Formula 1 career that for many years made him the most experienced driver ever, Rubens Barrichello enjoyed a special affinity for Monza.

Three of his 11 victories came in the Italian Grand Prix, making it statistically his most successful circuit. Of course, it helped that the Brazilian’s triumphs in 2002 and 2004 came while adorning the scarlet overalls of Ferrari.

Twenty years on from leading team-mate Michael Schumacher in a 1-2 aboard the all-conquering F2004, Barrichello will return to the track where he won his final Grand Prix for Brawn in 2009 when he races a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 in the International GT Open championship. But the location alone isn’t the only point of significance for the 52-year-old, who won his domestic Stock Car title for a second time in 2022.

What will elevate a welcome nostalgia hit for Barrichello into something rather more special is the team he is joining. Perhaps rejoining would be a better way of putting it. Because after 32 years, he will unite with Il Barone Rampante, the outfit he raced for during the 1992 International Formula 3000 championship.

Already a rising star with the British Formula 3 championship in his back pocket, Barrichello made an instant impression on his graduation to what was then F1’s main feeder category in 1992 aboard IBR’s unmistakable yellow and purple Reynard-Judd. Slotting seamlessly into the shoes of Alex Zanardi, who had challenged for the title as a rookie during the maiden campaign for Guiseppe Cipriani’s team in 1991, Barrichello was on the podium at the first time of asking at Silverstone by finishing runner-up to Jordi Gene’s Pacific Reynard.

It set the tone for an ultra-consistent season in which he began the year with three podium finishes from as many races. A mistake-free visit to Pau, a tall order for any newcomer, netted third place and was followed by finishing second to third-year team-mate Andrea Montermini in Barcelona. At that point he led the standings, although a run of victories for Luca Badoer’s monoshock-equipped Crypton Reynard ultimately took the title out of his grasp.

Barrichello finished second to Jordi Gene at Silverstone in 1992

Photo by: Motorsport Images

A mid-season change of engine to the Mader Cosworth used by Crypton did not herald the instant success hoped for, and Barrichello ended the season without a win – albeit an impressive third in the standings. Had he returned for 1993, it’s likely he would have been the class of the field, but he had no need to do so. His performances for IBR had set him on a path to F1 with Jordan for 1993, and he never looked back.

IBR dropped off the F3000 grid in 1993, but has been revived as a vehicle for Cipriani’s own exploits in GT racing. The Italian has already clinched his third Am class title in the GT Open series run by Jesus Pareja’s GT Sport organisation and for the 2024 season finale on 19-20 October will step up to the Pro-Am class to pair up with one of his most esteemed former drivers.

Barrichello has already tested the Huracan at Barcelona ahead of what will be his category debut, although he has previous experience in GT3 machinery from winning an Italian GT round in 2022 alongside fellow ex-F1 racer Giancarlo Fisichella aboard a Ferrari 488 at Vallelunga.

“I’m really happy to race in Monza with Il Barone Rampante in the Lamborghini Huracan,” said Barrichello, whose son Fernando has raced on the GT Open support bill this season in the Euroformula Open category for Formula 3-style cars.

“I had already raced with them when we were involved in Formula 3000; obviously the team has changed category and members, but they are still an excellent team, they have already won the Am class title fighting for the podium at every race.

Rubens Barrichello celebrating winning the 2009 F1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza

Photo by: Sutton Images

“Competing in Monza is always special for me, here I won twice with Ferrari and once with Brawn GP. ​​I had some wonderful moments when I competed with Ferrari and I can’t forget the tremendous support of the fans, who always followed me with affection even when I changed teams.

“I’m competing in the GT Open for the first time and so it will all be new for me. I had the opportunity to do some laps with the car in Barcelona and I have to say that I felt good. Now I can’t wait to get on track for the first tests!

“In Monza my son will also compete in the Euroformula Open, where he is currently third in the standings. It will be a busy weekend and hopefully full of satisfaction for the whole family!”

Barrichello will race a Il Barone Rampante Lamborghini Huracan GT3 at Monza

Photo by: GT Sport

England have now played 30 matches since McCullum and Stokes took control. In those games, they have scored at 4.61 runs per over, an unprecedented rate in Test cricket.

To give some context to quite how extraordinary their approach has been, the previous fastest-scoring 30-Test sequence was achieved by the almost-all-conquering Australian team in the early 21st Century, who scored at 4.00 per over from August 2001 to December 2003.

England have scored fractionally more than one run per over quicker than the second-quickest-scoring Test team since 2022 – India, who have scored at 3.60 per over, but have been accelerating of late and will provide compelling opposition for Stokes’ side next summer.

For further context, in the 30 Tests immediately before Stokes became full-time captain, England scored at 3.09 per over.

Prior to the Bazballian revolution, the fastest England had scored over 30 Tests was 3.58 per over – from May 2009 to August 2011, when Andrew Strauss’ team ascended to number one in the ICC rankings.

In the 1950s – one of England’s most successful Test decades – they scored at 2.23 per over, and 2.18 across the three Ashes triumphs in 1953, 1954-55 and 1956.

England have won 20 and lost nine of their past 30 Tests – the joint-most wins they have achieved in a 30-match sequence since the late 19th Century, although with more defeats and without the landmark series victories against elite teams that Michael Vaughan’s team secured while winning 20, and losing four, out of 30 games between 2003 and 2005.

THE proposed date for the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois rematch has been revealed.

Dubois, 27, stunned AJ at Wembley last month.

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His monster right hand emphatically downed the Watford man in the fifth round.

And that ensured he kept hold of his IBF world title and wrecked Joshua’s dream of a spring blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury.

But AJ looks set to get a shot at revenge with a repeat of the all-British dust-up next year.

And Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh told fans to mark their calendars because there is a provisional date in the diary for the rematch.

He revealed at the controversial Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol fight night that the plan is for Joshua vs Dubois 2 to take place on February 22, 2025.

The date is only tentatively pencilled in at this stage.

The other thing yet to be decided is the location.

Wembley hosted the initial bout but many expect the second version to be held in the Saudi desert.

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Four of AJ’s 32 fights have been in Saudi Arabia – including his rematches with Andy Ruiz Jr and Oleksandr Usyk.

Dubois, meanwhile, beat both Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

When previously discussing the Joshua vs Dubois rematch, AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn said: “I think it would be part of Riyadh Season in Riyadh. Riyadh Season runs from October to end of February, early March.

“So anything within that period takes place in Riyadh. So yeah, it would be part of Riyadh Season if it were to happen.”

There was a suggestion that the rematch could be pushed back after the IBF ordered a fight between Agit Kabayel and Martin Bakole to decide who will become the heavyweight challenger to Dubois.

The fighters were told this week to make their availability known in the coming days, and there is even a chance the bout could take place before the end of the year.

However, it seems the IBF could sanction the AJ-Dubois rematch before ordering Dubois to face his mandatory challenger.

Dynamite Dan, meanwhile, will be keeping a close eye on the Usyk vs Fury rematch in December – knowing he could battle to be undisputed heavyweight champ next year.

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Formula 3 has confirmed that DAMS will join the grid in place of Jenzer for the next three-year cycle.

The move sees the French outfit expand its operation beyond only a single series focus for the first time since ex-Formula 1 driver Charles Pic bought the team in 2022, when it ceased operating in Formula E to leave Formula 2 as its only project.

DAMS was last present at the third tier of motorsport in 2017 when it withdrew from the GP3 series.

Founded by Jean-Paul Driot and Rene Arnoux in 1989, DAMS has largely operated in single-seater championships and been a mainstay of F2 since its previous guise as GP2 began in 2005, winning the 2019 teams championship with Sergio Sette Camara and Nicholas Latifi.

Since its formation out of the ashes of the GBDA team in which Driot and Arnoux also had an interest, it has earned drivers’ titles in Formula 3000 and GP2 with Erik Comas, Olivier Panis, Jean-Christophe Boullion, Romain Grosjean, Davide Valsecchi and Jolyon Palmer.

It also enjoyed success in the Formula Renault 3.5 championship, and A1 Grand Prix.

Pic bought out Olivier and Gregory Driot, who had assumed control of the team following their father’s death in 2019.

He said: “We’re thrilled to have been selected to enter a Formula 3 team from next season for the next three years.

DAMS previously competed in GP3

Photo by: Motorsport Images

“This is a logical step for us as we’re already competing in F2, and this latest endeavour means we can develop younger drivers from our F3 programme into our F2 team, using systems we have put in place to support and train drivers on the technical side.

“The main objective of this first campaign is to develop a competitive car, like we’ve done in F2 this year.

“Starting the championship with the arrival of a brand-new car is great timing, as we can reuse our methods that we’ve developed over the years.

“We’ve put together a very experienced technical team with proven engineers alongside good mechanics, so I’m confident we can deliver strong performances in Formula 3 over the coming seasons and be a contender at the front of the field.”

All of the other nine existing teams will remain on the grid for the coming cycle.
Championship CEO Bruno Michel added: “For the next three-year cycle, we have retained nine of our current teams.

“Their level of professionalism and expertise guarantee the best preparation for the young drivers who aspire to progress to the highest levels of motorsport.

“To complete the grid, we welcome DAMS to the list of selected teams. We know them very well from the FIA Formula 2 Championship. Their pedigree and level of performance make them the perfect addition to the F3 field.

“Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Andreas Jenzer and everyone at Jenzer Motorsport for their commitment to Formula 3 since the beginning of the category.

Jenzer bows out after a long stint in the GP3/F3 championship, having won its first race in 2010

Photo by: Motorsport Images

“They have left their mark in the championship, and I completely respect their decision to focus now on new challenges.”

Jenzer won the very first round of the GP3 championship with Pal Varhaug in 2010, when it finished third in the teams’ standings.

That result was matched in 2017, but results were harder to come by following the merger with European Formula 3 to form the current FIA F3 championship in 2019.

Taylor Barnard became the Swiss squad’s final F3 race winner in the Spa feature contest in 2023.