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Emma Finucane on brink of history after dominating velodrome on golden day for Wales

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Emma Finucane will bid to make Commonwealth Games history on Sunday after clinching a third gold on a dramatic day of track cycling at Glasgow 2026.

Finucane had already wrapped up the team and individual sprint titles by the time she took to the start line for the women’s kilo, an event she does not usually contest.

She flew round to take another dominant gold and tee up the opportunity to become the first Welsh athlete to win four golds at a single Commonwealth Games when she competes in the keirin.

The 23-year-old insists she is content with her current haul but is a world silver medallist in the keirin and will undoubtedly fancy her chances given the form she has brought to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

More than anything, Finucane loves competing for Wales and will want to hear Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau ring out again.

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The Welsh national anthem rang out two more times on Saturday night, as Anna Morris claimed her second gold of the Games in the points race to continue an outstanding few days for Welsh cyclists.

She was joined on the podium by compatriot Jess Roberts, who won silver, and the Principality now sits second in the medal table and within touching distance of Australia.

“The Welsh team have been incredible,” said Finucane. “The girls have really shone at these Games. We’ve done so, so well. Seeing one of our athletes on the podium just minutes before I stepped onto the podium myself was iconic.

Finucane competing in the Women's 1000m Time Trail Final
Finucane competing in the Women’s 1000m Time Trail Final (Getty)

“As a small nation, we have so much pride. The support we’ve had has been amazing, and I think we’ve really put the dragon on the track. We’ve embraced every moment.

“We’ve raced with pride and passion, and that’s why we’ve come away with so many medals. I’m really proud to be Welsh and I can’t wait to get out there again. Anything’s a bonus now. I didn’t think I’d win three gold medals. I came here with a dream, and I feel like I’m living an absolute movie.

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“I’m just going to go into it and leave everything out on the track. I love a keirin race, so I’m going to get on my bike, race the riders, get stuck in and see what happens.

“I’ll keep dreaming. Whatever happens, I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved.”

Anna Morris also won gold for Wales in the women's 4000m individual pursuit
Anna Morris also won gold for Wales in the women’s 4000m individual pursuit (PA)

Finucane has dominated the headlines but Morris is also putting together a storming Games in Glasgow, backing up her individual pursuit title with gold in the points race.

The 31-year-old was disqualified from the scratch race on Friday after initially finishing second, but shrugged off the disappointment to lead a Welsh one-two ahead of Roberts.

“Yesterday was about refocusing and resetting,” she said.“I spent some time watching the races back, taking the lessons from them and learning what I could.

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“I just gave it everything I had in that final sprint. When I came off the track, I felt pretty sick after the effort. It was just a really tough race.”

Saturday also saw its fair share of crashes, with Neil Fachie picking himself up off the boards to win the seventh and final Commonwealth gold of his career.

Neil Fachie and pilot Aaron Pope overcame a crash in the Men's tandem B Sprint Finals to win gold for Scotland
Neil Fachie and pilot Aaron Pope overcame a crash in the Men’s tandem B Sprint Finals to win gold for Scotland (PA)

Fachie was set to say goodbye to the sport regardless of what happened but he looked set for a drab ending when he and pilot Aaron Pope crashed in the men’s tandem B sprint against Wales’ James Ball and Matthew Rotherham.

The race was restarted and a bruised but fired up Scottish pair got back in the saddle to seal an emotional victory.

“I said to a few people afterwards it’s almost like they poked the bear and we were ready,” said Fachie. “It might only be a little bear, but it’s quite an angry one. I was definitely an angry bear.”

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The afternoon session concluded with a huge crash in the men’s scratch race, which saw nine riders dramatically wiped out on the penultimate lap.

England’s Henry Hobbs was the main beneficiary, as the teenager kept his head to sprint for the line, popping a wheelie while he did it. Teammate Ethan Vernon took bronze behind New Zealand’s Thomas Sexton.

“To hear a massive crash behind you puts off a bit but I just had to lock back in and get it done,” said Hobbs. “It gives me a lot of confidence knowing I’ve got what it takes to win these sort of races in this sort of field.

“It’s really exciting in terms of where this could take me. Hopefully I can carry on this sort of trajectory and work towards the next few years.”

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Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £33m is raised every week for good causes. It’s because of you that sport, arts, heritage and community projects, as well as our athletes competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, are supported across the UK.

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Departed Vikings Skill Guy Earns a Tryout

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Mattison get buried
Sep 22, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison (25) leaps over Oakland Raiders defensive back Curtis Riley (35) for a touchdown in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.

There was a time not too long ago, folks, when Alexander Mattison was being leaned on to become Minnesota’s next RB1. The plan didn’t work out particularly well.

Currently a free agent, Mr. Mattison is trying to find employment soon. The departed Vikings skill guy could still get a nice merge lane — training camp — to prepare for a bounce back in 2026 if he puts pen to paper soon. Check out the update courtesy of ESPN’s Adam Schefter: “Houston tried out veteran RBs Hassan Haskins and Alexander Mattison.”

Departed Vikings Runner Gets Chance in HOU

At minimum, DeMeco Ryans is a top-ten NFL coach. Quite possibly, Coach Ryans deserves to be included among the top five. Winning a Super Bowl would fully solidify his reputation as one of the foremost leaders in the NFL.

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The skipper down in Houston has done terrific work. Most notably, there’s the gruesome twosome coming off the edge in Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter. The NFL doesn’t offer a deadlier duo than those guys. Hunter has aged beautifully and Anderson is only surpassed by Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons in ability. Anderson could prove that he’s as good, or better, than any edge rusher in the upcoming season.

Coach Ryans, a defensive tactician, will be leaning on a ferocious defense to lead the Texans. His ambition can get complemented by a robust ground attack.

NFL: Houston Texans Training Camp
Jul 31, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Safe to say that Alexander Mattison has had a disappointing second half of his career.

Originally, Mattison arrived in the Twin Cities with some optimism as a 3rd-Round selection. He could function as a rock-solid RB2 behind the elegant, gliding Dalvin Cook. Mattison has never been a terrific athlete but he had good straight line speed and had better mitts than most realize.

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— READ MORE: The Vikings’ Trade Candidates: The Top 5 Roster Options
— READ MORE: Forgotten Vikings Young Fella Turning Some Heads at Camp

— READ MORE: NFC North Head Coach Rankings for 2026
— READ MORE: Hype Builds for Vikings Pass Catcher Who has Been “Everywhere”

Adding all of Mattison’s Vikings stats together involves seeing a runner who finished with 584 carries for 2,370 yards and 11 touchdowns. There were then 100 receptions for 718 yards and 6 scores. The 4.1 yards-per-carry average isn’t particularly inspiring. His normal season featured 132 carries going for 537 yards and 2 or 3 touchdowns. Essentially, a solid RB2, especially since his intangibles (compete, work ethic, etc.) were very high.

Recent seasons have seen him struggle with injury. Alexander Mattison played in fourteen games in Las Vegas in 2024. In 2025, Mattison worked as a Dolphin but didn’t play at all during the season. He’s very unlikely to get anything above the veteran minimum — think something a bit beyond $1 million — since he has produced modestly and is coming off injury.

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Individual RB
Sep 10, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) hands the ball off to running back Alexander Mattison (2) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Meanwhile, the Vikings are desperate for improvement in the ground game.

Veterans Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are competing to work as the RB1. Mr. Jones is a versatile, high-compete player who is respected for his leadership (he’s also just a charming, down-to-earth guy if you ever get the chance to chat, so it’s easy to see why he’s well-liked by essentially everyone). The former Packer has soft hands as a pass catcher and does well in pass pro. He has lost a step, though, as somebody who is on the wrong side of 30.

Mason is young (27) and a physical presence. While he doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his athleticism, Mason is mostly in town due to his hulking size. If you get to camp, take a moment to look at Mason and Jones side-by-side. There’s quite the difference. Plus, Mason is a hammer who treats defenders like nails. Minnesota needs more of that physicality.

Otherwise, the top names to know are Demond Claiborne and Max Bredeson. The rookies got chosen during the 2026 NFL Draft, meaning they’ll be employed by the Vikings for the upcoming season.

Alexander Mattison, 28, will look to secure work sooner rather than later as a strong RB3 who could be elevated to RB2 if health allows.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Randy Orton finally returns and attacks his real-life best friend at WWE SummerSlam 2026

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In a rather shocking twist at SummerSlam 2026, WWE legend Randy Orton made a massive return after months to cost his best friend in the co-main event of the night.

CM Punk is still the WWE Champion after the co-main event of SummerSlam. That’s right – Cody Rhodes vs CM Punk didn’t actually headline SummerSlam Night One. That honor went to Oba Femi vs Brock Lesnar and their Hell in a Cell match. Many fans felt that the build-up to Cody vs Punk was underwhelming considering how big they are as superstars. Cody, Punk, and Roman Reigns are the undisputed three top stars of modern WWE. That’s why many thought that the WWE Championship would logically headline SummerSlam Saturday. However, that wasn’t actually the case.

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Either way, the war ended in a bizarre way at SummerSlam. The Viper, Randy Orton, made a shocking return for the first time since WrestleMania 42 in April – three-and-a-half months ago. He hit the RKO on Cody Rhodes while the referee wasn’t looking and CM Punk was outuside the ring. Punk swooped in and hit the GTS, getting a slow three-count from Charles Robinson, but enough to retain his WWE Championship.

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Orton was last seen over three months ago, when he lost in the main event of WrestleMania 42 Night One, and turned on Pat McAfee. The Orton-McAfee alliance is something that fans like to actively forget, and from the look of things, McAfee wasn’t feeling the response either, which is why he reportedly pulled out voluntarily, as did Jelly Roll.

Randy Orton ended the night by hitting a punt on Cody Rhodes and lifting the WWE Championship up in the air to signal that he was still in the rivalry, but he had vanished right after that, leaving everyone utterly confused about the storyline.