Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson and Emery Lehman of the United States won the silver medal in speed skating team pursuit on Tuesday at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
MILAN — An inspired Italy delighted the home crowd with a stunning victory in the Winter Olympics men’s team pursuit final, while Canada’s Ivanie Blondin, Valerie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann delivered another seamless performance to beat the Netherlands in the women’s event and retain their title on Tuesday.
Italy’s men upset the United States, who arrived at the Games as world champions and strong favorites for gold.
The Italian team of Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti electrified a frenzied arena as they stormed to a time of 3 minutes and 39.20 seconds — a commanding 4.51 seconds clear of the Americans, with China taking bronze.
The roar inside the Milano Speed Skating Stadium as Italy powered home was thunderous as the crowd rose to their feet, cheering the host nation to one of their most special golds of a highly successful Games.
Italy now tops the speed skating medal table at the Milan Cortina Games with three golds and one bronze.
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The American trio of Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson and Emery Lehman had hoped to deliver the United States’ first Olympic title in the event.
Dawson even skipped his individual 10,000 meters on Friday to give himself the best chance in the team pursuit, a gamble that ultimately did not yield gold.
The American world record holders opened with a controlled, slightly faster start. But, true to the form they have shown all Games, the hosts responded with composure and belief.
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With four laps to go, Italy looked to be fading. Yet with three laps remaining, they rallied, drawing strength from the roar of the home crowd. Their coach was a blur of fist pumps and shouts, urging them on as they clawed back time with every stride.
By the final lap, the arena was shaking. Italy had pulled it off again — a stirring performance that lifted the roof and sent the stands into delirium.
“Today is fantastic, it’s incredible,” Ghiotto said. “It’s a dream come true after four years of working together every day.
“It wasn’t easy to beat the American guys today, and Netherlands in the first part (semi-final). They’re both very good and strong teams, but we dreamed about this gold medal.
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“This day and this result was impossible without these guys and the other guys from the Italian team. We are very happy. It’s crazy we made the dream come true.”
Canada’s women crossed the line 0.96 seconds ahead of the Netherlands, stopping the clock at 2 minutes and 55.81 seconds, and Japan rounded out the women’s podium by beating the U.S. in the Final B.
Weidemann, a three-time medalist at Beijing in 2022 and the tallest of the Canadian trio, once again excelled in her role setting the pace, guiding the team with a smooth, metronomic rhythm.
It was only the third gold medal of the Games for Canada, following Mikael Kingsbury’s win in men’s dual moguls and Megan Oldham’s victory in women’s freestyle skiing big air.
Directed by Kat Coiro, You, Me & Tuscany is scheduled for release on April 10, 2026. The film stars Halle Bailey in the lead role, alongside Regé-Jean Page, with supporting roles from Marco Calvani, Aziza Scott, and Nia Vardalos, among others. The film’s official synopsis reads:
“When Anna loses her house-sitting job (and housing) in one fell swoop, a chance encounter with Matteo—a handsome Italian who happens to have a villa sitting empty in Tuscany—will inspire her to jet off for Italy, against the advice of her always-honest bestie, Claire”
You, Me & Tuscany plot, cast details and more
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You, Me & Tuscany follows Anna, who has lost touch with her dream of becoming a chef. After losing her job and home, she meets an Italian man, Matteo, and decides to travel to Italy on an impulse. She plans to stay one night in his empty villa, but things take a twisted turn when his mother arrives unexpectedly.
Out of panic, Anna pretends to be Matteo’s fiancée. The situation grows complicated when his cousin Michael, shows up. As Anna and Michael grow closer, her lie becomes harder to keep, forcing her to face the truth and decide what she really wants in life and love.
You, Me & Tuscany is led by actress Halle Bailey. Bailey became a household name with her breakout role as Sky Forster in the hit series Grown-ish, but she earned global fame as Ariel in the live-action reimagining of The Little Mermaid. In an interview with People, Bailey shared her personal connection to the project and what drew her to the lead role. She said:
“I was very intrigued by Anna’s storyline, by her character, by her vision and passion that she has and the wants and goals for herself. … It’s a really feel-good movie.”
Opposite her is Regé-Jean Page, whom we best know as the Duke of Hastings, in the first season of Bridgerton. Recalling how quickly he signed on to the film, Page shared a lighthearted moment about his conversation with producer Will Packer, revealing just how simple the decision was for him. In the same interview, he said:
“Will [Packer] and I had a real short conversation and then he just texted me ‘Tuscany in the summer’ with a question mark. End of message. I was like, ‘Yeah, I think we can do that.’ “
The script forYou, Me & Tuscanywas written by Ryan Engle, based on an original story he developed with Kristin N. Engle. It is produced by Will Packer, known for his work on Girls Trip, alongside Johanna Byer.
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The filming took place in Italy across locations such as Pienza, Montalcino, and the Amalfi Coast. It is set to premiere in theaters on April 10, 2026.
Quarterfinal action of the FA Cup continues on Sunday when West Ham United takes on Leeds United. Catch the action on Sportsnet ONE or Sportsnet+ and follow every play with the live tracker.
Fan-favourite heavyweight Dave Allen has sparred some of boxing’s best, but ‘The White Rhino’ admits that the man who hit him the hardest came as a ‘surprise’ to him.
Of those names, Allen has sparred all apart from ‘The Bronze Bomber’, as well as a host of other top contenders in the division.
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However, on his YouTube channel, when it came to naming the man who hit him the hardest, Allen claimed that Chisora was the biggest puncher that he has faced, much to his surprise.
“I sparred Derek Chisora before the Lucas Browne fight, so probably seven years ago to the week actually. He weren’t in the best shape, I don’t think, and I was fit and I sparred really well.
“But, he hit really hard. I thought he was the powerful puncher that I have ever been in with, just for pure power. Luckily, I could see him coming, because they were wide shots and they were coming from pretty far back and I could brace for them and take a bit off of them.
“In terms of power, he was definitely the biggest puncher that I ever sparred with, really, really heavy-handed. It surprised me because I didn’t think he was a big puncher. I had been watching him and, technically, I thought he didn’t look like he would be a big puncher.”
Chisora will hope to find some of that devastating power when he faces Wilder at the O2 Arena tonight. The Brit says he will retire win, lose or draw, but his 50-fight campaign would be remembered much more favourably if he called time after stopping one of his generation’s biggest names.
Taylor Fritz and Morgan Riddle have been a tennis power couple for over half a decade. The two had begun dating in June 2020, but if latest reports are to be believed, they have parted ways after a nearly six-year long relationship.
Tennis insider Craig Shapiro, who hosts an eponymous podcast, on Sunday took to social media to share the news. As per the post on X, he said “reliable sources” had confirmed the break-up to him.
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“Reliable sources telling me Fritz and Moorgs are no mas,” The Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast wrote on X.
Fans reacting to the post took note of Riddle’s absence from some of the more recent matches featuring Fritz. The social media influencer was otherwise a regular feature in the player’s box, cheering her boyfriend on at major events throughout the tennis season.
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Even though, Riddle and Fritz began dating back in 2020, they did not go public with their relationship until a couple of years later. They have since been spotted at multiple events together even outside of tennis, featured on magazine covers and are frequently seen on each others’ social media handles.
Morgan Riddle credited boyfriend Taylor Fritz for getting her into fashion
Morgan Riddle supports Taylor Fritz from the stands at the 2026 Australian Open. (Source: Getty)
Morgan Riddle had in an interview with Vogue magazine opened up about her relationship with Taylor Fritz. The social media influencer revealed that she was in fact a very person th first couple of years that she was with the Ameican tennis star.
Before taking on the role of a social media influencer, she worked for non-profit organizations. She even credited Fritz with pushing her into fashion, which has become a big part of her brand today.
“I was very private for the first two years of our relationship,” Morgan Riddle told Vogue in 2025. Work played a large role in her decision. “I was working in nonprofits for children in hospitals.”
“When I met him, I literally did not know one designer. He was like, ‘We’ve got to get you drip,’” she continued.
Riddle also spoke about some of the challenges that come with having a social media presence, especially for those clubbed under the tennis “groupie” label. She said she likes to keep a distance from negativity, has matured over the years and can handle it a lot better now.
“I have friends who have been on YouTube since they were 15 years old. It was kind of nice to have an introduction to it once I was mature and felt like I had a better head on my shoulders,” Morgan Riddle said.
“There’s still a lot of negativity around it, and I know that because I see misogynist comments—always from idiot men,” Morgan Riddle said. “I do think there’s more visibility on what girls are doing outside of just attending their partners’ matches.”
Fritz last played at the Sunshine Double on home soil. He has chosen to delay his start to the clay season, skipping the Monte-Carlo Masters. He will next feature at the clay event in Munich a fortnight later.
Liverpool go to Paris Saint-Germain for the Champions League quarter-final first leg this week with captain Van Dijk saying it will be hard to rouse them after they were left “very disappointed” by their poor display at the Etihad Stadium.
Asked if it was one of Liverpool’s most disappointing results and performances, he replied: “We’ve had a couple already this season. It’s mentally very tough at the moment, I must say.
“I’ve been there already many times this season when I’ve had hope and then we couldn’t build on performances. Today our second half, the intensity we didn’t match, the challenges we didn’t win, it was tough. To lose then 4-0 is tough.
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“I am trying to think how we can turn it around but we have been going through this for almost 75 percent of the season. It definitely hurts me. So the focus is now on Paris away, but it’s tough. It will be a tough Sunday to digest it.”
Many of the Liverpool supporters left the Etihad Stadium long before the final whistle and Van Dijk did not blame them as he said sorry to them.
He added: “The fans were there to support us and I can only apologise to the fans for what we have shown, especially the second. I can understand the fans’ frustration as well.”
Four of the ever-present Championship sides since 2020-21 are also among the top six current second-tier clubs hardest hit by losses.
Bristol City (£111m), Preston (£84.4m), QPR (£82.9m) and Middlesbrough (£80.4m) have all failed to record a profit for five consecutive seasons – as have Derby, Millwall, Oxford, Portsmouth and Swansea.
Coventry City, who are on course to win promotion to the Premier League this season, have lost £29.5m in the past five years, while Ipswich Town are down £72.4m.
Maguire likened Championship owners striving for the top flight to “buying a EuroMillions ticket” with clubs chasing a TV deal worth £106m plus parachute payments in the Premier League compared to £12m in the second tier.
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“If I’m a Championship owner, I know at the start of the season, in theory, I’ve got a one in eight chance of getting promoted,” he said, which is in turn causing owners to “act like the the bank of mum and dad”.
“They hand over money effectively unquestioningly, which is nominally a loan, but both parties know there is no chance of repayment.
“The owner of Stoke wrote off £90m, the Hemmings family in Preston put in £1m a month.
How to watch Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper – TV channel, live stream and ring walk time – Manchester Evening News
Need to know
Caroline Dubois is set to face Terri Harper in the main event of a ten-fight card in London on Sunday as she puts her WBC title on the line
Caroline Dubois will take to the ring on Sunday evening(Image: Getty)
Everything you need to know as Caroline Dubois clashes with Terri Harper:
Main Event Details: Caroline Dubois will face Terri Harper in a lightweight world title unification bout at the Olympia London in Kensington. Dubois defends her WBC lightweight title while Harper puts her WBO lightweight championship on the line.
UK Broadcast Channel: Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the entire event live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event. This card marks the debut of the “MVPW” series as part of a new exclusive broadcast partnership with Sky.
US Viewing Platform: For audiences in the United States, the full card is available to stream live on ESPN+. American viewers can access both the preliminary bouts and the main card through the ESPN app on supported devices.
Event Start Times: The live broadcast of the preliminary fights is scheduled to begin at 5pm. The main televised card is set to follow two hours later, starting at 7pm.
Main Event Timing: Ring walks for the headline unification fight between Dubois and Harper are expected to take place at approximately 10pm This timing is subject to change based on the duration of the preceding undercard matches.
The card includes an undisputed world title clash between Ellie Scotney and Mayelli Flores for the super bantamweight championship. Scotney defends her IBF, WBC, and WBO titles against Flores, who is the reigning WBA world champion.
A third world title bout features former undisputed champion Chantelle Cameron moving up in weight to face Michaela Kotaskova. They will compete for the vacant WBO super welterweight world championship during the main broadcast.
The early portion of the card includes a fourth world title fight between Irma Garcia and Emma Dolan. Garcia defends her IBF super flyweight title in a scheduled 10-round contest starting shortly after the 5pm broadcast begins.
Former world champion Shannon Courtenay returns to action in a competitive bantamweight match against Sasha Booker. The undercard also features Elizabeth Oshoba facing Chelsey Arnell in a featherweight contest.
Rounding out the 10-fight card are appearances by rising prospects Gemma Richardson, Chloe Watson, and several other developmental athletes. These bouts are designed to fill the opening hours of the Sky Sports and ESPN+ coverage.
Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora left it to the judges after twelve all-action rounds.
Many had predicted the fight – number 50 for both men – would end inside the distance, with Chisora backed to take advantage of what many assumed to be a faded Wilder, or Wilder to find his form and finish it with one of those famous right hands.
Speaking on the DAZN broadcast, WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley agreed that Wilder did enough to earn the nod.
“Deontay for me. Hard fight to score, it was a fight. It was a lot of what you like. But at the end of the day I do think the right man won.”
While Chisora – who believes he won the fight – may retire following the defeat, Wilder’s message was loud and clear – he intends to have another crack at the very top of the division. One route back to becoming champion would be against Wardley, who has often been likened to the American due to his own one-punch power.
If fans felt Wilder-Chisora was unlikely to go the distance, you would be hard pressed to find anyone at all betting on a fight with Wardley requiring the judges.
As ‘The Bronze Bomber’ now recovers from an injured, perhaps broken, hand, Wardley prepares for the first defence of his belt against Daniel Dubois next month.
There was a familiar presence on the touchline in a Liverpool FC game. Pep Lijnders belongs in a tradition of successful Liverpool assistant managers, even if his destiny, unlike those of Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan, was not to get the top job at Anfield.
Instead, Lijnders has, via an ill-fated spell in charge of RB Salzburg, traded a role as Jurgen Klopp’s sidekick for one as Pep Guardiola’s second-in-command. With the Catalan banned, he was in charge in the technical area as Liverpool crashed out of the FA Cup, beaten 4-0 by Manchester City. Lijnders had been on the winning side in these clubs’ previous FA Cup clash, too: Klopp’s team had been outstanding in the 3-2 semi-final win in 2022.
Lijnders coined one of the mottos of Klopp’s Liverpool: “Our identity is intensity”. A reason, perhaps, why the Dutchman has not succeeded as a manager in his own right is that such phrases sound more convincing when said by Klopp. But, in his time at Anfield, he wrote a book called Intensity. Unsurprisingly, it is out of stock in the Liverpool club shop now.
Liverpool crashed out of the FA Cup (Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
But Liverpool have lost their intensity in another respect. “Our second half, the intensity we didn’t match,” said a downcast Virgil van Dijk after his hopes of lifting the FA Cup this year ended. Klopp had called his team “mentality monsters”. On Saturday, Dominik Szoboszlai reflected: “The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough. The mentality wasn’t there enough.”
And if, over eight-and-a-half years under Klopp, Liverpool were not always mentality monsters, or intense, or playing heavy-metal football, there is the sense they have lost their identity now. That they have lost 15 games this season, their most in a campaign since 2014-15 culminated in a 6-1 thrashing at Stoke, shows they are not as hard to beat. They have lost to late goals too often this year, but there have also been too many emphatic defeats. This was a fifth by at least three goals. Each, in its own way, has been a limp, lame loss.
There are times when Arne Slot’s Liverpool lose their way in games even before they lose them. It is not entirely his fault, but it raises the question of what Slotball actually is. It had seemed a hugely efficient tweak, rendering Klopp’s football calmer, more efficient, more effective. Yet Arne Slot won a Premier League title with players he inherited, rather than those purchased on his watch.
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Arne Slot inherited an excellent squad but has struggled to forge his own (PA Wire)
This year, Liverpool – apart from when they score their own late winners – have tended to lack the visceral excitement Klopp’s football offered. Slot can sound like a man dreaming of a different time when he complains about low blocks and set-pieces. A broader failing – again, not entirely his – is that Liverpool are not intense enough.
They have contrived to spend £450m and yet look short on players, rendering it harder to play high-speed football when the overworked know they have to manage their energy and Slot is forever substituting those he fears will get injured. On Saturday, Van Dijk conceded a fourth penalty of the campaign; but a man nearing his 35th birthday has already played 4,131 minutes for Liverpool and a further 675 for the Netherlands. Szoboszlai, at fault for Tottenham’s late equaliser three weeks ago – albeit when used out of position at right-back – is now up to 3,938, plus 717 for Hungary.
Liverpool have spent huge money and yet seem short of players (Action Images via Reuters)
If there is one team ill-equipped to consistently play at the high speed Liverpool showed in their 4-0 win over Galatasaray, it may be them. They entered the season with too small a squad in which two young players, Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, and two senior players, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa, were never going to start much.
Add in three long-term injuries, to Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak and Conor Bradley, and Slot’s attempts to make sure that Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez don’t break down and Liverpool look a team simply trying to survive, an exhausted group rather than one who can tire the opposition with their own running. They lack the pressing that was Klopp’s trademark: two of those who defended so energetically from the front were Luis Diaz and the late Diogo Jota, one sold, the other tragically killed.
Meanwhile, they have lost their efficiency. Slot bemoans missed chances and how other teams overperform their expected goals against Liverpool. Yet a side who have conceded 63 goals in all competitions have not been defensively tight enough. Much as Slot feels that, across the country, there are too few goals in open play, they were unlocked by the creativity in open play of City’s Rayan Cherki on Saturday.
Florian Wirtz has not provided the desired creativity (Getty Images)
Liverpool may have assumed that Florian Wirtz would have had a similar impact. But if they are not the creative team or the efficient side, the mentality monsters or the ones with the intense identity, what are they? And if there is not likely to be an answer to their identity crisis until next season, it would help if Slot could present a compelling vision of what his Liverpool should look like.
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