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Welsh council lowers age limit for strength training

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By Kath Hudson    04 Feb 2026

Caerphilly County Borough Council is allowing 14-year-olds to lift weights / Adobe

Caerphilly County Borough Council has lowered the age limit for strength training

Fourteen-year-olds are now able to use weights and resistance kit

This is part of the council’s strategy to remove barriers to exercise

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The counicl offers a junior membership for 11 to 16-year-olds, costing £12.05

Caerphilly County Borough Council has lowered the age limit for resistance training to 14 in its gyms.

Young people are allowed to access the fitness suites from 11-years-old to use cardiovascular equipment and to be taught body weight exercises and now they will be able to weight train, using resistance kit and free weights from the age of 14. Qualified staff will be on hand to provide guidance and ensure appropriate use of equipment. 

The change forms part of the council’s Sport and Active Recreation Strategy, which focuses on removing barriers to participation, developing lifelong healthy habits and creating more opportunities for young people to be active in ways that suit them.

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The council offers the Junior Active Plus membership, for 11- to 16-year-olds which costs £12.05 per month. It gives access to gyms, swimming, classes and racquet sports.

Councillor Chris Morgan, cabinet member for leisure, says: “Lowering the age for fitness suite access gives young people more opportunities to be active in ways that interest them. It supports the development of confidence and healthy habits at an earlier age, while ensuring access remains safe, supported and welcoming across our leisure centres.”

HCM discusses how operators can engage young people in the current issue. You can sign up for a free digital subscription here.

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England Lioness Missy Bo Kearns reveals she lost her baby in heartbreaking statement

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England Lioness and Aston Villa midfielder Missy Bo Kearns has revealed that she and her partner, Luton midfielder Liam Walsh, have lost their child during pregnancy.

The couple announced they were expecting in a video posted to social media earlier this month.

It showed the pair painting “mum + dad” onto a wall along with the September due date, and proudly holding ultrasound scans.

Kearns, 24, took to Instagram Sunday night to share the sad news in a post to her Stories.

She wrote: “With very heavy hearts, we want to share that we’ve lost our baby during pregnancy.

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Aston Villa Women offered their condolences, writing: ‘We are sending all our love and support to Missy Bo and Liam at this difficult time’
Aston Villa Women offered their condolences, writing: ‘We are sending all our love and support to Missy Bo and Liam at this difficult time’ (Getty Images)

“The past weeks have been filled with a kind of sadness that’s hard to explain, and we’re still trying to come to terms with it all.

“Right now, we’re focusing on recovering and supporting each other through this. We truly appreciate the love and support around us more than we can say.”

Walsh, 28, shared the same post to his Stories.

Aston Villa Women offered their condolences on X, in a post reading: “We are sending all our love and support to Missy Bo and Liam at this difficult time.”

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Complete IndyCar championship standings after Barber 2026

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Entering this race, Kyle Kirkwood held a 26-point lead in the championship standings, bit Alex Palou’s victory at Barber helped him to move much closer to the top of the leaderboard. He is now just two points behind.

There is a new driver now third in points, with Lundgaard jumping up from seventh with his runner-up finish. He is 35pts out of first and now leads the Arrow McLaren squad.

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Graham Rahal’s first podium in almost three years helped him to jump four positions in the standings, moving from 16th to 12th.

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Read Also:

Official race results: 2026 IndyCar at Barber

Alex Palou dominates again with 13-second IndyCar win, closes on points lead

2026 IndyCar points after Barber (Race 4 of 18)

 

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

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Blue Jays hit three HRs to finish three-game sweep of A’s

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MLB: Athletics at Toronto Blue JaysMar 29, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Athletics center fielder Denzel Clarke (1) loses his batting helmet on a swing against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Jesus Sanchez hit a two-run home run Sunday afternoon as the Toronto Blue Jays went deep three times to defeat the visiting Athletics 5-2.

George Springer and Kazuma Okamoto hit solo shots for the Blue Jays, who swept the three-game season-opening series.

Max Muncy hit a two-run home run for the Athletics, who struck out 50 times in the series.

After Toronto left-hander Eric Lauer (1-0) struck out the side in the first, Springer led off the home first with a home run to left on a first-pitch fastball from Luis Morales (0-1). It was his 64th career leadoff homer.

Tyler Heineman singled with one out in the third and Sanchez lined a homer to center with two out.

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Okamoto led off the fourth with a home run to right center on a 1-0 fastball. It was his first major league homer after being signed as a free agent from Japan.

The Athletics struck back in the fifth. Jacob Wilson led off with a double to left center, the Athletics first hit of the game and his first hit of the season. Muncy followed by homering to right on a first-pitch fastball.

Morales had two walks and a strikeout in the home fifth before J.T. Ginn replaced him. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded a single to left to load the bases. Ginn walked Addison Barger to force in a run. Okamoto bounced into a double play to end the rally.

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Morales allowed five runs, five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Braydon Fisher replaced Lauer after Nick Kurtz’s one-out single in the sixth.

Lauer allowed two runs, three hits and a walk while striking out nine in 5 1/3 innings.

Fisher retired five straight before Tommy Nance took over in the eighth. Mason Fluharty replaced Nance after Shea Langeliers singled with two out and ended the inning with a strikeout.

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Jeff Hoffman pitched around a single in the ninth to earn his first save in two opportunities.

Ginn gave the Athletics’ beleaguered bullpen a break, allowing a single and a walk in 3 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

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Real Valladolid vs Cadiz Prediction and Betting Tips

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Real Valladolid will host Cadiz at the Jose Zorrilla on Tuesday in another round of the 2025-26 Spanish La Liga 2 campaign. Both teams will be desperate to get vital points next week in a bid to avoid slipping into the drop zone this late in the season.

Real Valladolid’s 1-0 loss to Burgos on Saturday summed up their season, as they were the better side for most of the game but failed to convert any of their chances before conceding a 93rd-minute penalty, which their opponents duly converted. Pucelanos have been on a steady decline all season, despite already replacing two head coaches this campaign, and now sit just one place above the drop zone entering their final 10 games of the season.

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Cadiz have not fared much better than their midweek opponents, sitting only two points clear in the table following a narrow 2-1 away loss to Ceuta over the weekend. The Limoneros have registered just one win in their last 11 games and will be counting on new manager Sergio Gonzalez to steer the side clear of the relegation zone and prevent a drop to the Spanish third tier for the first time in a decade.

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Real Valladolid vs Cadiz Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

  • The sides have met on 55 previous occasions going into Tuesday’s game. Real Valladolid have won 18 of those games, and 18 ended in draws while Cadiz have won the remaining 19.
  • The hosts have failed to get a win in this fixture since the 2016-17 Segunda Division season.
  • Four of the last seven meetings between these sides have ended level, including their most recent matchup which ended goalless.
  • The visitors have kept clean sheets in four of their last five meetings with Valladolid.
  • Cadiz have scored 32 goals in the league this season. Only Cultural Leonesa (29) and Real Zaragoza (27) have scored fewer in the Spanish second tier after 32 games.

Real Valladolid vs Cadiz Prediction

The teams are closely matched going into the weekend clash, although the Pucelanos will hope to gain a slight boost from their home advantage after winning two of their last three games at the Jose Zorrilla.

The Limoneros will likely be satisfied with a draw against a fellow struggling side but are in significantly worse form and could come away empty-handed.

Prediction: Real Valladolid 2-1 Cadiz


Real Valladolid vs Cadiz Betting Tips

Tip 1 – Result: Real Valladolid to win

Tip 2 – Goals – Over/under 2.5 – Over 2.5 goals

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Tip 3 – Both teams to score: Yes (Five of the hosts’ last six games have featured both teams getting on the scoresheet)