An all-British heavyweight world title clash is on the horizon, as Fabio Wardley prepares to take on Daniel Dubois in his first defence of the WBO belt. Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed his thoughts on the proposed match-up.
The Ipswich fan-favourite was upgraded to full world champion and ever since, the 31-year-old sensation has been looking for a showdown that will prove his worth as a legitimate titleholder and kickstart his reign in style.
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It now appears as though Wardley has found the perfect dance partner, with reports suggesting that he will collide with former IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, who lost his belt to Oleksandr Usyk last time out in July.
Speaking with iFL TV, Eddie Hearn explained why he believes Dubois’ decision to jump straight into another world title contest may be a naive one.
“If I was Daniel Dubois, I would be coming back with a [lesser] fight, but what happens is you make so much money that you don’t want to come back with one of those fights because you are not really looking at the long play.
“I think sometimes that is a little bit of a poor decision. The last time Daniel Dubois fought was July, against Usyk, that was now eight months ago. So, if he fights in May, he is going to have been out of the ring for 10 months after getting knocked out.
“Daniel Dubois is the kind of guy where, if he has any doubts in himself or if he is not 100% confident, he is much easier to beat than the flip side of that.”
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Hearn then went on to reveal why he believes the scrap favours Fabio Wardley stylistically, predicting that the reigning champion will break Dubois down if he is able to survive an early onslaught.
“Daniel Dubois hits really hard, he can take anybody out or hurt anybody early but if you get past two, three or four rounds with him and you start making him second guess himself, you can break him down real quick.
“I think that Wardley and his team will look at that fight and say ‘that is a good fight for us’.”
Wardley-Dubois is being touted for Manchester on Saturday, May 9, whilst Usyk is currently being linked to a shock clash with Dutch kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven on the same date. Although, it is unclear whether the Ukrainian’s three heavyweight world titles would be on the line for that bout.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has insisted that Agit Kabayel “must” be next for Oleksandr Usyk, after the Ukrainian’s planned voluntary title defence.
However, Wilder has since been paired with Derek Chisora in a contest set for 4 April at London’s O2 Arena. And at last week’s press conference for that clash, Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel said: “Look, Usyk came to us recently to fight. We didn’t know if that could happen, and we were on a trajectory to fight Chisora.”
Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas previously noted that Wilder, a former world heavyweight champion, was one of the biggest names from this generation that Usyk hadn’t fought. “And as well, it’s in the United States,” Klimas said of a prospective bout between Usyk, 38, and the American, 40.
Now, however, Usyk’s next move is unclear. In any case, Sulaiman has said the WBC (World Boxing Council) interim champion must be next for the southpaw after his voluntary fight.
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Agit Kabayel holds the WBC interim belt, having won it with a stoppage of Zhilei Zhang last February, a result that gave way to a knockout of Damian Knyba last month.
Agit Kabayel (left) stopped Zhilei Zhang last February after climbing off the canvas (Getty Images)
“Kabayel was not available, because he had a fight scheduled in January,” Sulaiman told boxing analyst Chris Mannix. “So, [Usyk] requested a voluntary title defence, which is very customary.
“He was given that opportunity, and he must fight the interim champion next. That’s the ruling.”
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Like Usyk, Kabayel is unbeaten, and the 33-year-old German has occupied a place on the periphery of the world heavyweight title scene for some time.
A few months into his run with the interim WBC belt, Kabayel saw Usyk defend the unified titles against IBF champion Daniel Dubois, whom Usyk stopped to become a two-time undisputed king at heavyweight. Usyk, who was previously undisputed at cruiserweight, also stopped Dubois in 2023.
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However, there appears to be little interest in such a match-up, after Usyk outpointed Fury twice in 2024. Usyk handed the 37-year-old the first defeats of his career in their two bouts, winning their first clash by a close margin and their rematch more comfortably.
BYU wide receiver Parker Kingston was arrested and charged Tuesday with first-degree felony rape in Washington County, Utah. The Washington County attorney’s office said in a news release Wednesday that the charges stem from an alleged Feb. 23, 2025 incident in St. George, Utah.
Washington County Attorney Jerry Jaeger said the investigation began after the alleged victim, a then-20-year-old woman, went to the hospital and reported that she was sexually assaulted by Kingston.
“Detectives with the St. George Police Department then gathered digital and forensic evidence. They also conducted interviews with the parties involved and other witnesses. The information was then turned over to the Washington County Attorney’s Office for review,” the Washington County attorney’s office said in a news release.
Kingston, 21, is currently being held in jail without bail and is scheduled to appear in Utah’s 5th Judicial District Court on Friday.
“BYU became aware today of the arrest of Parker Kingston,” BYU athletics said in a statement. “The university takes any allegation very seriously, and will cooperate with law enforcement. Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment.”
Kingston finished the 2025 season as BYU’s top pass catcher with 66 catches for 924 yards and five touchdowns. He announced Jan. 2 that he intended to return to BYU for his final college season.
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Kingston’s arrest comes less than a year after quarterback Jake Retzlaff was accused of sex assault in a civil lawsuit. The case was later dismissed, but Retzlaff left BYU because he was facing a seven-game suspension for violating the university’s honor code. He later transferred to Tulane.
The 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am kicks off Thursday with the first round at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill in California. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the tournament on Thursday, including full AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am TV coverage, streaming details and Round 1 tee times.
How to watch AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Thursday
By his own standards, Scottie Scheffler had a rough week at the WM Phoenix Open, a tournament he’s won twice previously. By anyone else’s standards, the World No. 1 had a great week.
Now Scheffler is on the Monterrey Peninsula to try and accomplish something he’s never done: win a tournament at Pebble Beach. But he’ll face stiff competition at this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the PGA Tour’s first Signature Event of the season.
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Defending champion Rory McIlroy is making his 2026 Tour debut on Thursday.
You can watch the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on TV via Golf Channel beginning at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive streaming coverage starting Thursday at 11:45 a.m. ET, as well as featured group and featured hole coverage all day long.
Below you will find everything you need to know to watch the first round of the 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
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How to watch on TV Thursday
Golf Channel will provide first-round TV coverage of the 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Thursday from 3-7 p.m. ET.
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How to stream online Thursday
You can stream the first round of the 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am via PGA Tour Live on ESPN+, which will offer streaming coverage starting at 11:45 a.m. ET on Thursday in addition to featured group and hole coverage.
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2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Round 1 tee times (ET)
Pebble Beach – Tee No. 1
11:45 a.m. – Pierceson Coody and Hank Plain/Ryo Hisatsune and Edward Herlihy 11:58 a.m. – Si Woo Kim and Dan Rose/J.J. Spaun and Pat Battle 12:11 p.m. – Corey Conners and Jake Owen/Sam Burns and Charles Kelley 12:24 p.m. – Ben Griffin and Matt Horner/Shane Lowry and Jamie Sahara 12:37 p.m. – Aldrich Potgieter and Fred Perpall/Kurt Kitayama and Jin Roy Ryu 12:50 p.m. – Denny McCarthy and Nathaniel Taylor/Stephan Jaeger and Derek Larson 1:03 p.m. – Viktor Hovland and Bryce Currie/Akshay Bhatia and Guru Gowrappan 1:16 p.m. – Chris Gotterup and Murray Demo/Wyndham Clark and Anthony Noto 1:29 p.m. – Scottie Scheffler and David Abeles/Hideki Matsuyama and Brian Ferris 1:42 p.m. – Tom Hoge and Ping Duan/Sahith Theegala and Shantanu Narayen
Pebble Beach – Tee No. 10
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11:45 a.m. – Joe Highsmith and Phillip McCrorie/Alex Smalley and BJ Jenkins 11:58 a.m. – Emiliano Grillo and Michael Xie/Michael Kim and Thomas Laffont 12:11 p.m. – Maverick McNealy and Chris Solomon/Russell Henley and Ted Fike 12:24 p.m. – Jacob Bridgeman and Stephen Reyes/Sepp Straka and Chris Reyes 12:37 p.m. – Max McGreevy and David Beam/Matti Schmid and Patrick Hamill 12:50 p.m. – Max Greyserman and David Solomon/Billy Horschel and Ron DeSantis 1:03 p.m. – Brian Harman and Bill Rogers/Rickie Fowler and Condoleezza Rice 1:16 p.m. – Andrew Novak and Philippe Lafont/Patrick Cantlay and Egon Durban 1:29 p.m. – Bud Cauley and Charlie Allen/Kevin Yu and David Hudson 1:42 p.m. – JT Poston and Lee Styslinger/Adam Schenk and Rob Light
Spyglass Hill – Tee No. 1
11:45 a.m. – Aaron Rai and Paul Salem/Min Woo Lee and Stu Francis 11:58 a.m. – Chris Kirk and David Kohler/Sami Valimaki and Donald Harrison 12:11 p.m. – Steven Fisk and Pat Monahan/Jake Knapp and Todd Wagner 12:24 p.m. – Jhonattan Vegas and Andrew Wilson/Nick Taylor and Greg Penner 12:37 p.m. – Brian Campbell and Kris Galashan/Sam Stevens and Jerry Tarde 12:50 p.m. – Michael Thorbjornsen and Jerry Yang/Nico Echavarria and Pau Gasol 1:03 p.m. – Cameron Young and Kelly Grier/Jason Day and Joe Kernen 1:16 p.m. – Harris English and Ralph LaRossa/Lucas Glover and Greg Henslee 1:29 p.m. – Harry Hall and Nikesh Arora/Keegan Bradley and Mary Meeker 1:42 p.m. – Taylor Pendrith and Barry Sternlicht/Rico Hoey and Jeff Paraschac
Spyglass Hill – Tee No. 10
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11:45 a.m. – Alex Noren and Ernesto Bertarelli/Matt McCarty and Johno Harris 11:58 a.m. – Robert MacIntyre and Heidi Ueberroth/Tommy Fleetwood and Greg Johnson 12:11 p.m. – Xander Schauffele and Robert Isom/Jordan Spieth and Bob Sternfels 12:24 p.m. – Rory McIlroy and Jeff Rhodes/Ryan Fox and James Dunne 12:37 p.m. – Marco Penge and Julie Frist/Daniel Berger and Harris Barton 12:50 p.m. – Keith Mitchell and Travis Kelce/Mackenzie Hughes and Alex Smith 1:03 p.m. – Matt Fitzpatrick and Doug Mackenzie/Tony Finau and Ryan Smith 1:16 p.m. – Justin Rose and George Roberts/Patrick Rodgers and Chuck Schwab 1:29 p.m. – Collin Morikawa and Geoff Yang/Ludvig Aberg and Tom Nelson 1:42 p.m. – Ryan Gerard and Annesley MacFarlane/Garrick Higgo and Steve Young
Technology-led refurbished laptop platform Edify has announced Indian cricketer Ravi Bishnoi as its brand ambassador and angel investor, marking a significant step in the company’s expansion journey. Founded in 2023 and backed by Prime Venture Partners and Beenext, the startup has already served more than 50,000 customers across India and recorded 5x growth over the past year. It is now targeting $10 million in annual recurring revenue by the end of the next financial year.
The partnership signals Edify’s intent to accelerate brand-building efforts as demand for affordable, high-performance computing continues to grow across the country.
Tapping into an $11 Billion Opportunity
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India’s secondary electronics market is estimated to be worth $11 billion, yet much of it remains unorganised. Refurbished laptops are often sold through offline grey-market channels with minimal quality assurance, creating hesitation among buyers.
Edify aims to formalise this space by positioning itself as a technology-first certification layer. Through enterprise asset sourcing, AI-led diagnostics, and transparent grading systems, the company seeks to shift refurbished purchases from being purely price-driven decisions to trusted, brand-led choices.
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Laptop penetration in India remains low, with only about 9% of households owning a computer. Edify estimates that nearly 220 million households are still awaiting their first laptop, underlining a vast affordability gap that certified refurbished platforms are now working to bridge.
Technology at the Core
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At the heart of Edify’s operations is a proprietary intelligence stack featuring automated testing, predictive procurement, and workflow optimisation. Each device undergoes a multi-stage certification process powered by data-driven diagnostics, ensuring consistent quality at scale while maintaining strong unit economics.
The model reflects a broader evolution in re-commerce, where differentiation increasingly comes from software, data systems, and consumer trust rather than simple inventory aggregation.
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Bishnoi’s Strategic Alignment
Ravi Bishnoi’s association extends beyond endorsement. By investing personally in the company, the cricketer aligns himself with Edify’s focus on digital inclusion and access.
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Growing up in a small village near Jodhpur, Bishnoi’s journey resonates with Edify’s mission to democratise premium computing for students, creators, and young professionals.
Ashwini Purohit, Co-founder, Edify, said: “India doesn’t lack devices. It lacks trust and accessibility. Our goal has been to rebuild the refurbished category from the ground up with technology, transparency, and strong consumer experience. Ravi joining as both ambassador and investor signals that this shift is becoming mainstream.”
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Ravi Bishnoi added: “Access to the right tools can change a person’s journey. Edify is making premium laptops accessible to people who need them most, and I’m excited to support that mission both as an ambassador and an investor.”
Expansion Plans Ahead
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Looking forward, Edify plans to strengthen its footprint in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, expand into adjacent computing categories, and build enterprise and fintech partnerships aimed at extending device lifecycles.
With corporate IT refresh cycles accelerating and millions of devices entering secondary markets annually, Edify believes India is on the cusp of an organised re-commerce transformation, one defined by AI-driven quality control, trusted branding, and capital-efficient supply chains
In anticipation of possible global racing, Chris Waller alongside Godolphin moved Beiwacht to Melbourne to acclimate to straight-track conditions.
The three-year-old colt targets the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday, matched against Godolphin stablemate Tentyris, handled by Anthony and Sam Freedman.
These Godolphin colts are both tabbed for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington March 7, with overseas options including the June Royal Ascot meeting in Britain.
They previously dueled on the Flemington straight, Tentyris taking the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) in November as Beiwacht came home fourth.
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Beiwacht‘s fourth came off a dominant score in September’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.
Trainer Chris Waller confirmed readiness, citing Ben Melham’s positive feedback from last week’s Flemington gallop, with the jockey aboard Saturday.
“Darren (Beadman) went down to watch it, and he gave us a glowing report,” Waller said.
“Everyone is happy.”
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Waller emphasized the Melbourne races prep for trips abroad, yet the key focus with Godolphin is revitalizing the colt’s form.
“We need him in form and we need him used to straight racing,” Waller said.
“We will let him run his race, not worry too much about other things. We will get him into a good rhythm and let him find his pace he’s comfortable with.
“I think that’s what we have to do with him, he showed that in the Golden Rose. Let him use his speed but harness that speed, a little bit like Nature Strip.
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“He’s not as free going, but we’ve just got to get it right.”
Waller replicated this strategy successfully with Home Affairs, Lightning Stakes winner after Coolmore Stud Stakes.
Nevertheless, Home Affairs couldn’t sustain momentum in 2022 Newmarket Handicap with 56kg, ninth place, before trailing at Royal Ascot in Group 1 Platinum Jubilee (1200m).
“To get him ready for the Newmarket, they need to have a run first so it might as well be up the straight,” Waller said.
“It could have been in the Eskimo Prince (in Sydney), but he’s won his Group 1, so I’ll keep him there and give him a chance the learn about straight racing.”
Feb 11, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward/center Lauri Markkanen (23) drives into the basket around Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images
Jaren Jackson Jr. is fitting in well and making a solid first impression with the Utah Jazz.
The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year also has a solid offensive game, and he will look to record a 20-point performance for the fourth straight game with his new team when the Jazz battle the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
The clash will be the final one before the All-Star break for both teams.
Jackson might not want the time off as he has stood out since Utah acquired him from the Memphis Grizzlies as part of an eight-player trade early last week.
He scored 22 points in 25 minutes in his Utah debut on Saturday in a road loss against the Orlando Magic. Two nights later, he again had 22 points in 25 minutes as the Jazz notched a road victory over the Miami Heat.
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Jackson kept it going Wednesday with 23 points in 22 minutes as Utah walloped the visiting Sacramento Kings 121-93.
“Credit to my teammates,” Jackson said after the latest win. “It’s been a great week. It’s been crazy. They have made me feel welcome and comfortable. I’m glad to get a home game in. It was loud. It’s been great.”
Jackson, a two-time All-Star, is averaging 19.5 points in 48 games, the first 45 coming for the Grizzlies.
The Jazz acquired Jackson to team with Lauri Markkanen, a former All-Star who narrowly missed making the team this season. Markkanen is averaging a career-best 26.7 points in 41 games after scoring 19 against the Kings.
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“He can do everything on the court,” Jackson said of Markkanen. “This fan base knows what he brings. I’m happy to be out there with him, and we’re going to keep doing it.”
Utah has won back-to-back games for the first time since late December. The Jazz lost 12 of 14 games before the wins over Miami and Sacramento.
The two victories came without standout guard Keyonte George (sprained right ankle), who has missed five of the past six games, the first three due to a sprained left ankle.
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Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers are completing a quick two-game road trip.
Portland fell into 10th place in the Western Conference when it was blasted 133-109 by the Timberwolves on Wednesday in Minneapolis. Julius Randle had 41 points for Minnesota.
Jrue Holiday led Portland with 23 points while All-Star Deni Avdija managed just 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting. He missed all seven shots from behind the arc.
Avdija has struggled with lower back pain in recent weeks and is a candidate to be rested on the second end of the back-to-back.
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Portland’s Shaedon Sharpe (left calf strain) will likely miss his fourth straight game.
Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter wasn’t pleased with the effort against Minnesota. Particularly disturbing was seeing his squad turn the ball over 26 times to match its season worst. The Timberwolves scored 43 points off the miscues.
“Of course, not a great game. We couldn’t get our rhythm,” Splitter said. “They did a tremendous job with their defense. We turned the ball over way too much. Can’t win a game like that.”
Portland might fare better Thursday as it is 2-0 against the Jazz this season. The Trail Blazers recorded a 136-134 win on Oct. 29 in Salt Lake City, and Portland led by as many as 32 points during a 137-117 home win over the Jazz on Jan. 5.
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“We got to get better and we will,” Splitter said. “I think it was an off-game for everyone (Wednesday).
“We got to bounce back. We have another game (Thursday) night. We have to regroup and see who’s ready to play.”
Tyson Fury is aiming to become a three-time heavyweight world champion but there is one man looking to intervene and disrupt those plans by sending Fury into a more permanent retirement.
‘The Gypsy King’ has hung up the gloves on several occasions but, at the age of 37, th ere was a sense that his most recent retirement, off the back of consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, could have been his last.
However, it has now been confirmed that Fury will return to action in two months’ time, as he sets about his goals of becoming boxing’s fifth three-time ruler.
Speaking with Sky Sports, Camille Estephan, founder of Eye of the Tiger Promotions and promoter of Makhmudov, stated that his fighter’s goal is to send Fury into a ‘real retirement’.
“Our goal and objective is send him to retirement, this time for real!”
Of Makhmudov’s 19 wins inside of the distance, 17 have come within the first three rounds, meaning Fury will need to be prepared for an attempted early onslaught when he collides with the Mozdok-born underdog.
It is believed that Fury-Makhmudov will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, April 11, after failed attempts to stage the event at Old Trafford.
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The event will broadcasted live by Netflix at no additional cost to a standard subscription, with further details regarding the undercard expected imminently.
Nottingham Forest have dismissed head coach Sean Dyche, meaning Nigerian players Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi will soon work under a new manager.
The club decided to part ways with Dyche after a poor run of results this season. Forest have struggled for form and are currently close to the relegation zone.
Dyche was appointed after Nuno Espirito Santo left the club last November following disagreements with the club owner. Although Dyche started well, the team later lost consistency and dropped points in many matches.
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Forest confirmed his exit after their goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The coaching change could affect Aina and Awoniyi in different ways. Aina has been a regular starter at left-back and is expected to keep his place in the team.
Awoniyi, however, may face more competition. Injuries have affected his season, and other strikers are fighting for a place in the starting line-up. If he fails to impress the new coach, he could get fewer minutes on the pitch.
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Nottingham Forest are expected to announce a new manager soon, and the Super Eagles duo will be hoping the new appointment improves their chances in the team.
Feb 7, 2026; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) shoots free throws in overtime while his teammates watch in their game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images
Michigan State faces a tough road challenge when the No. 10 Spartans take on Wisconsin in a Big Ten Conference matchup Friday night in Madison, Wis.
Both the Spartans and Badgers are coming off overtime victories against nationally ranked Illinois.
Michigan State (20-4, 10-3 Big Ten) has been idle since an 85-82 OT win over the Fighting Illini on Saturday in East Lansing, Mich.
Wisconsin (17-7, 9-4) overcame a 12-point second-half deficit to rally for a 92-90 overtime victory at Illinois on Tuesday, bouncing back from a 78-77 OT loss at Indiana on Saturday.
“This league is not for the faint of heart,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said following the Illinois game. “As I told Brad (Underwood, the Illinois coach,) after the game, he’s got a heck of team, which I knew coming in, but we’re growing into a heck of a team, too.”
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Michigan State overcame a nine-point deficit early in the second half to rally past Illinois. Jeremy Fears Jr. scored 22 of his game-high 26 points in the second half and overtime while adding 15 assists to pace the Spartans.
Jaxon Kohler added 11 points and a game-high 16 rebounds for Michigan State, which hit 20 of 23 free throws. The Spartans also had a 48-38 edge on the boards and a 22-0 advantage on fastbreak points.
“They had won 12 in a row, and we were limping,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “That’s a better team right now, and yet, I thought we played better, and that’s why you play the games on this night. But just think, all the things we’re talking about, and it still took overtime.”
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Michigan State, 8-2 away from East Lansing, scores an average of 79.1 points while allowing 65.6. The Spartans also significantly outrebound opponents by a whopping 13.1 per game, the second-best margin in the nation.
Fears averages 9.1 assists, tops in the nation, and 15.1 points per game. Kohler adds 12.8 points and 9.4 rebounds. Coen Carr contributed 11.4 points and Carson Cooper 10.0.
Wisconsin overcame a 68-56 deficit at Illinois in the final nine minutes, then scored the first eight points in overtime. John Blackwell hit the first of two free throws with 5.7 seconds left to make it 92-90, and Illinois missed a long 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Nick Boyd had 25 points, Blackwell added 24 and Austin Rapp came off the bench for 18 in the victory. The Badgers had 16 3-pointers to improve to 14-2 when hitting 10 or more beyond the arc.
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Wisconsin committed only four turnovers compared to Illinois’s 13, leading to a 23-6 advantage in points off miscues.
Wisconsin, which owns a 12-2 home record, is averaging 83.3 points scored and 75.8 allowed. The Badgers are 15-0 when they score at least 80 points.
The backcourt of Boyd and Blackwell went into the Illinois game as one of three high-major duos to both average at least 18.5 points.
Boyd averages 20.2 points and Blackwell 18.7. Nolan Winter adds 13.9 points and a team-high 8.9 rebounds with 11 double-doubles.
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The recent series has been almost even, with Wisconsin winning six of the past 10. The Badgers won the latest meeting 77-74 in the semifinals of the 2025 Big Ten tournament.
Chinese snowboarder Liu Jiayu took a serious fall during an Olympic qualifying run Wednesday.
Competition at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics was briefly suspended while Liu remained largely motionless on her back in the snow at the bottom of the halfpipe. The toe edge of Liu’s snowboard appeared to get caught in the snow, sending her slamming, face-first, into the bottom of the halfpipe.
An emergency sled was used to remove the 33-year-old from the area for further evaluation. Liu was able to avoid major injuries to her spine, The Associated Press reported, citing sources with knowledge of the professional snowboarder’s medical report.
Liu Jiayu of the People’s Republic of China reacts after her qualifying run in the women’s snowboard halfpipe during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park Feb. 11, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.(Joe Camporeale/Imagn Images)
It is believed that Liu maintained consciousness after the scary fall.
Liu was trying to finish her second and final qualifying run with a 900-degree spin. After she slammed into the halfpipe, her legs and board snapped over her back, a wreck known in snowboarding as a “scorpion.”
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Liu Jiayu of the People’s Republic of China reacts after her run in women’s snowboard halfpipe during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 11, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.(Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
Riders wear protective gear, including helmets, during competitions. Despite the precautions, dangerous crashes remain a strong — and sometimes life-threatening — possibility. If the head or neck is impacted during a fall, the risk of serious injury rises sharply.
Liu Jiayu of China competes in the women’s snowboard halfpipe qualification at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park Feb. 11, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.(Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Former world champion freestyle skier Dave Murray died in 1990 after suffering serious injuries in a halfpipe crash in Utah. In 2010, Kevin Pearce sustained brain injuries while training for the Vancouver Olympics.
Earlier this week, Australian snowboard cross racer Cam Bolton was hospitalized. Representatives for Bolton confirmed he was dealing with multiple stable neck fractures.
