The 11th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon took place on Saturday, February 8, 2026, bringing thousands of runners and spectators onto the streets of Lagos.
In the men’s race, Ezra Kipchumba Kering of Kenya claimed victory in the 42km event with a winning time of 2:11:55. The women’s race was won by Dinke Meleka of Ethiopia, who crossed the line in 2:37:36.
The Lagos City Marathon is an annual long distance road race organised to promote athletics, healthy living, and sports tourism in Nigeria. It is recognised by World Athletics, allowing elite runners to earn international ranking points.
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The race starts at the National Stadium in Surulere and finishes at Eko Atlantic City, passing through major parts of Lagos. Alongside the 42km race, the event also has a 10km fun run, which allows non-professional runners to take part.
Since its launch, the marathon has grown into one of Africa’s leading road races, attracting international athletes while giving Nigerian runners the chance to compete on a global stage.
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge has won three of the last four American League Most Valuable Player awards, and will enter this season with a chance to become the third player in Major League Baseball history to win three in a row (joining Shohei Ohtani and Barry Bonds). That doesn’t mean Judge is content with his game. Rather, he’s looking to add a new dimension this year.
“Baserunning’s on my mind this year a lot,” Judge told reporters on Monday. “I saw a lot of guys around the league with 40, 30 bases that you don’t usually normally expect to be running that much. Especially with how the game’s changed with the pickoffs and the pitch clock, I think that’s one way we can utilize, or, at least, I can utilize some of my skills a little bit more, getting into scoring position.
“With the lineup we have, this was probably the best offense in all of baseball last year. If I can find a way to get myself in scoring position, if they’re going to walk me or do something, then some good things are going to happen.”
To Judge’s point, 17 different players swiped at least 30 bases in 2025. That group included the likes of Juan Soto (38) and Josh Naylor (30), neither of whom fits the conventional picture of a high-volume thief. In fact, Soto and Naylor both finished in the 13th percentile or worse in Statcast’s sprint speed, suggesting their steals were the products of their smarts — and their leveraging of the aforementioned pickoff limit and pitch clock rules — instead of their wheels. Judge, for comparison, ranked in the 42nd percentile in that measure, which helps to explain why he’s been a legitimate center-field option for the Yankees in the past despite his size.
Judge, 33, has never stolen more than 16 bases in a single campaign despite succeeding at around a 75% clip. The key matter for the Yankees is whether or not the additional value he’d provide in running more often would be worth the downside of increasing his injury risk. Given how much Judge produces at the plate (he’s hit .312/.445/.674 and averaged 49 home runs over the last three years), the Yankees can be excused if they decide by Opening Day to give him the red light just as often as in the past.
The second year pf the new format of the UEFA Champions League, brought plenty of chaos on the final day of the league phase as 18 matches kicked off at the same time. Storylines can get muddled along the way during a jam-packed period of action but one stood out above the rest, fully embodying the drama of the day.
Real Madrid started the day well-positioned to finish in the top eight and book a direct spot in the round of 16, a favorable match against a Benfica team who were poised for elimination awaiting them. The script fully flipped, though — Benfica came out with an improbable 4-2 win, rounded out by a red card for Real Madrid’s Raul Asencio and the final goal of the game coming from shot-stopper Anatoliy Trubin. Benfica, coached by ex-Madrid boss Jose Mourinho, snuck their way into the knockout phase playoffs while Los Blancos were doomed to play another two games in the hopes of booking a spot in the last 16.
It makes for an unusual but perfect set-up for a rematch three weeks later, a painful reward for Benfica despite their hard work and a golden opportunity for Real Madrid to fully put that Matchday 8 defeat behind them.
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“They are wounded,” Mourinho said in his pre-match remarks on Monday, “and a wounded king is dangerous. We will play the first leg with our heads, with ambition and confidence. We know what we did to the kings of the Champions League … Real Madrid is Real Madrid, with history, knowledge, ambition. The only comparable thing is that we are two giants. Beyond that, there is nothing else. But football has this power and we can win.”
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The circumstances could see Mourinho change his approach from the teams’ last meeting, too. Benfica were more forward-thinking than usual in their win over Los Blancos, in large part because they simply needed to score to even have a shot at advancing, but the calculus is usually different over a two-legged tie. A team can attempt to grind the opponent down in an attempt to lock their attack out, something Mourinho teams have done time and time again. Benfica’s attack-focused approach on Matchday 8 was atypical to their Champions League experiences since Mourinho took over after a Matchday 1 loss to Qarabag – they performed well above their average of 14.1 shots per game and 1.5 expected goals, instead taking 22 shots and generating 3.01 expected goals. Even with the 3-2 defeat to Qarabag factored in, Benfica are a solid defensive side – they have conceded just 10.1 nonpenalty expected goals against in eight games.
The question, then, is if this imperfect version of Real Madrid can find a way to break through a tough defense. Even in a season full of ups and downs, it feels hard to bet against the Spanish giants. They rank inside the Champions League’s top five for goals with 21 and expected goals with 18.99, their sheer ability to score papering over a handful of cracks. That is especially true since Xabi Alonso’s January ouster as the coach, his mission to build a more balanced Real Madrid abandoned despite the progress he made. Since Alvaro Arbeloa took charge, Los Blancos have fully switched to a strategy in which Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior share the field at the same time, kicking the can down the road on the longstanding question about the pair’s compatibility.
Both in Spain and in Europe, Real Madrid’s inherent attacking might is enough to survive their own inconsistencies and notch enough wins to keep them in the conversation for silverware. Mbappe himself is on pace for a career-best season with 39 goals across all competitions so far, while Vinicius has delivered since Arbeloa took charge with four goals and two assists in his last seven matches. Individually, the pair are a cheat code as Los Blancos continue to sort through their issues and will be enough of a challenge for Benfica’s defense over the next week and change.
The team, though, has received a boost in the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who notched his first start since December in Real Madrid’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday. He will provide some attacking balance for a team that is at times overly reliant on Mbappe, already providing a preview of what’s to come with an assist over the weekend. The England international is a uniquely creative player as a right back, though his range of passing and positional awareness means he can kickstart an attack from just about every area of the pitch.
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For all their flaws, Real Madrid have a perfect opportunity to put a sizable loss behind them, even if they are still unwilling to answer the big problems that plague their squad – and their pursuit of trophies, for that matter.
Jaron Ennis has been presented with an alternative option, against a former undisputed champion, while his potential clash with Vergil Ortiz Jr hangs in the balance.
The two super-welterweight contenders have been deep in negotiations for several weeks, hoping to finalise a deal for their showdown to take place in April.
Such a desirable outcome, however, has become increasingly unlikely, with Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya having seemingly thrown a spanner in the works.
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It was reported by Uncrowned last week that a Nevada judge has granted Golden Boy Promotions’ emergency motion for a temporary restraining order against Ortiz, preventing the boxer from entering into third-party contracts.
The 27-year-old exercised his right to terminate their promotional agreement last month, though it appears that Ortiz – amid Golden Boy’s ongoing negotiations with DAZN – is still expected to uphold the terms of his contract.
While this situation continues to develop, former unified world welterweight champion Ennis could be on the hunt for a new opponent.
One man who is angling to face the 28-year-old at 154lbs is Jermell Charlo, who has not fought since his points defeat to Canelo Alvarez in September 2023.
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But despite his inactivity, ‘Iron Man’ has sent a message to Ennis’ promoter, Eddie Hearn, via a recent interview with Cigar Talk.
“Hello, Eddie. Please answer my DMs [direct messages] if you see this message: I want you to set up something between me and your best fighter, ‘Boots’.
“Business-wise, we’ve got to make it happen. I’m not a friend to none of these motherf***ers.”
Charlo became an undisputed super-welterweight champion in 2022, following his victory over Brian Castano, which preceded the American’s wide unanimous decision defeat to Alvarez.
Ennis, meanwhile, has had just one outing at 154lbs, a first-round finish over Uisma Lima in October, since unifying the IBF and WBA welterweight titles against Eimantas Stanionis earlier last year.
Macclesfield bowed out of the FA Cup as a Sam Heathcote own-goal earned Brentford a place in the quarter-final where they will face West Ham
21:24, 16 Feb 2026Updated 21:40, 16 Feb 2026
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Macclesfield’s historic FA Cup run came to an agonising conclusion as Brentford overcame the giant-killers 1-0.
The Bees avoided becoming the latest Premier League scalp at the hands of John Rooney’s side with Keith Andrews’ side scraping past the National League North side thanks to a Sam Heathcote own-goal.
The Irishman emphasised that they would not be underestimating the sixth-tier side but team selection didn’t quite back that up with their two top scorers, Igor Thiago and Kevin Schade, left out of the squad while club-record signing Dango Ouattara named on the bench.
Eleven years and seven months after their League Two meeting, the two sides locked horns after enduring contrasting fortunes. Less than six months after Macclesfield were wound up in the High Court, Brentford made history by earning promotion to England’s top-table for the very first time.
Equipped with their tin-foil FA Cup trophies, half-and-half and newly-established bloodied head bandages from Paul Dawson’s heroics in January.
A walk in the park it was not. Brentford’s preparations saw them play on artificial pitches but it didn’t stop them struggling in the early exchanges. A string of misplaced passes from full-back Michael Kayode set the tone and it gave the underdogs a sense of impetus as they smelt trepidation for the visitors. Luke Duffy, a live-wire down the right-wing, fizzed a stinging effort over the bar.
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Captain Dawson immortalised himself in FA Cup and Silkmen folklore with his performance in the last round. He came agonisingly close to opening the scoring inside 20 minutes after Vitaly Janelt pockets were picked. The Macclesfield skipper marauded forward but could only drill his effort the wrong side of Hakon Valdimarsson’s right-hand post.
After a slow start, Brentford did put Max Dearnley’s goal under pressure.. Dawson handed the set-piece kings an opportunity to deliver and the non-leaguers survived after a goalmouth scramble.
The Silkmen shot-stopper was then forced into his first save when Aaron Hickey’s hard-work down the left fashioned Reiss Nelson an opportunity but the former Arsenal man could only sting the palms of the 27-year-old.
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As the minutes clocked on, the part-timer’s legs began to fade and the Bees found the sting in their tail. With Macclesfield down to 10 men as Luke Matheson prepared to come on for Lewis Fensome, the hosts capitalised with 20 minutes on the clock when primary school teacher, Sam Heathcote headed into his own net.
Romelle Donovan should have doubled their lead 10 minutes later but could only blaze over. The 19-year-old tricked his way around the Silkmen defender but couldn’t rubber-stamp their place in the quarter-finals against West Ham in March.
At the other end, the visitors were almost forced to rue their wastefulness when former Manchester United academy product D’Mani Mellor was twice denied by some desperate defending from the hosts.
Macclesfield will be brought back down to earth after the dizzying high of their FA Cup fourth round tie, which is predicted to score the club £400,000, as they chase a fourth promotion since rising from the ashes.
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Brentford qualify for the fifth round of the FA Cup for just the third time in their history, and their first since 1989, but they will breathe a huge sigh of relief after escaping another Macclesfield FA-Cup giant-killing.
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Barcelona fans have been left feeling pessimistic after forward Ferran Torres was named in the starting XI to face Girona in LaLiga. The Spanish giants are looking to reclaim top spot in the Spanish top-flight having dropped to second behind rivals Real Madrid.
Hansi Flick’s side saw their bitter rivals move two points clear at the summit of LaLiga after defeating Real Sociedad on Saturday. The German tactician has made two changes to the XI that lost 4-0 to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey last time out.
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The duo of Raphinha and Gerard Martin have been introduced in the XI in place of Marc Casado and Alejandro Balde. Up front, Torres has retained his place in the XI, with veteran striker Robert Lewandowski starting on the bench for La Blaugrana.
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Flick’s decision to name Torres in the starting line-up has not gone down very well with the Barcelona faithful, leading to reactions on X. One fan was unhappy with Torres’ inclusion, fearing that their side are about to bottle the league.
Another fan was perplexed with the decision to name the Spaniard in the XI.
A fan was left feeling disappointed by the inclusion of Torres in the line-up.
Another fan pointed out that the inclusion of the 25-year-old means they start a man short.
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A fan was left in disbelief following Flick’s decision to name the Spaniard.
Another fan was unhappy with the inclusion of Torres but chose to leave their comments unspoken until after the game.
A fan was left exasperated with the decision to play Torres from the start.
Ferran Torres has scored three goals in his last ten appearances for Barcelona across all competitions. The former Manchester City man has appeared 32 times for the Spanish giants this season, scoring 16 goals and providing an assist.
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Raphinha returns for Barcelona against Girona
Barcelona forward Raphinha has been included in the starting XI for their LaLiga clash against neighbours Girona. The Brazil international has struggled with injuries this season, and has been limited to only 22 appearances across all competitions.
Raphinha last appeared for La Blaugrana in their 3-1 win over Elche last month, when he was forced off after the first half with an injury. The Brazilian missed games against Albacete, Mallorca, and Atletico Madrid due to his injury.
Hansi Flick will be pleased to be able to call on Raphinha against Girona as he hopes to see his side return to the summit of LaLiga. The former Leeds United man has scored eight goals and provided three assists in 14 league appearances for Barcelona this season.
Salah Tahlak, tournament director of the Dubai Tennis Championships, has called for tougher penalties for players who withdraw at the last minute, following the exits of Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka from this year’s event.
Speaking after both withdrawals were confirmed, Tahlak said the decision is an unexpected setback for the tournament and questioned the reasons given. Swiatek cited a scheduling change and mental readiness, while Sabalenka pointed to minor injury concerns.
Tahlak argued that financial fines are no longer an effective deterrent for top players and suggested that ranking point deductions would carry more weight.
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“I think there should be a harsher punishment on the players, not just fines,” he said. “They should be docked ranking points.”
He added that he had consulted the tournament doctor regarding Sabalenka’s condition and was told it was a minor issue, not one that would normally require withdrawal. He also questioned Swiatek’s decision, calling it unusual given her status and preparation.
Tahlak pointed to past examples to support his argument, noting that fines have little impact on elite players.
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“A monetary fine won’t help. Many years ago, Serena Williams withdrew and was fined $100,000. But what is $100,000? She would play somewhere else and make $1,000,000.”
The Dubai director confirmed that the issue will be raised at an upcoming meeting in Rome, where tournament representatives plan to discuss the matter with the WTA.
“It’s a shame that we’re spending these huge amounts to upgrade facilities, and in the end the players are the main part of the tournament,” he said.
GB’s Kirsty Muir finishes fourth for the second time at the 2026 Winter Olympics after scoring an incredible 93 points on her second run, before falling on her third.
Unimpressive efforts in a recent track session by a fellow stable inmate will direct Ole Dancer towards the fillies’ Stakes at Flemington.
Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s Sheza Alibi had lined up for her autumn debut in the Listed Desirable Stakes (1400m) on Saturday, leaving Ole Dancer to challenge seasoned mares in the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m).
Tuesday’s lacklustre gallop from Sheza Alibi resulted in the team opting to interchange the runners.
Moody views the Desirable Stakes as the less demanding race for Ole Dancer, matching her with contemporaries.
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“She’s not wound up or screwed down as we’re mindful of not wanting her to have a gut-buster 14 days before the Surround, which is a Group 1, and ultimately, we want to be going around two or three runs after that,” Moody said.
“Class will take her a long way, unless one of the other fillies really jumps out of the ground, so I would suggest it would be hard to see her getting beat.”
She holds three wins from five starts, her unplaced runs chalked up to tough barriers by Moody.
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Some improved luck could see her unblemished, treading a trail akin to distant kin Black Caviar, honoree of Saturday’s marquee Black Caviar Lightning.
Ole Kirk, Ole Dancer’s sire, descends from a sibling of Black Caviar.
“The times she got beat she had bad barriers, so we rode her stone cold and she ran home super,” Moody said of Ole Dancer.
“We’ve probably got to ride her cold on Saturday, seven of seven, and the filly of Danny O’Brien’s (Sass Appeal) probably leads and controls the tempo and is probably the one we have to beat.
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“It’s not going to be an easy task, but it will be a nice gallop for her, the track looks enormous and the rain we had on Wednesday is the best thing that has happened to every track in Victoria.
“All being well, this will lead us to the Surround in a couple of weeks.”
Visit online bookmakers to find betting markets for the race in the Desirable Stakes.
NEW DELHI: Opener Pathum Nissanka turned a challenging chase into a masterclass on Monday, smashing a blistering 100 not out off 52 balls to guide Sri Lanka to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Australia at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.The win not only secured Sri Lanka’s spot in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup but also left Australia’s qualification hopes hanging by a thread. Australia will be eliminated if Zimbabwe beat Ireland on Tuesday.
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Chasing a target of 182, Sri Lanka’s innings was anchored by Nissanka, who struck 10 fours and five sixes, and Kusal Mendis, who contributed a fluent 51 off 38 balls. The pair stitched together a 97-run partnership for the second wicket, keeping Sri Lanka comfortably ahead. Pavan Rathnayake added a quick 28 off 15 balls as the hosts raced to 184/2 in just 18 overs, maintaining a commanding run rate throughout.Australia, sent in to bat, got off to a flying start with Mitchell Marsh (54 off 27) and Travis Head (56 off 29) adding 104 runs in less than nine overs. Their power-hitting set Australia up for a total beyond 200, with boundaries and sixes flowing freely.However, Sri Lanka clawed their way back in the latter half of the innings. Leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha emerged as the standout bowler with figures of 3/37 in four overs, while Dushmantha Chameera and Dunith Wellalage picked up crucial wickets. Australia collapsed from 104/0 to 130/4 and eventually folded for 181. Pathum Nissanka also redeemed himself in the field, taking a brilliant diving catch to dismiss Glenn Maxwell.Sri Lanka suffered an early setback when Kusal Perera was caught at deep backward point, but Nissanka and Mendis ensured the chase remained under control. Even after Mendis’s dismissal by Marcus Stoinis, there was no stopping Nissanka, who carried the team over the line with 12 balls to spare.The result marks a dramatic turnaround for Sri Lanka, while Australia, who had earlier been humbled by Zimbabwe, now face a precarious path to the Super Eight. The hosts’ combination of explosive batting and clinical bowling proved too much for the Australians, highlighting Sri Lanka’s momentum and Australia’s vulnerability in the tournament.
Basketball players are some of the highest NIL earners in college sports. Their impressive earnings lessen the need to declare for the NBA draft after the freshman year.
With March Madness around the corner, let’s look at the five highest-earning men’s college basketball athletes.
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Top 5 men’s college basketball athletes with highest NIL valuation
5. Donovan Dent, Guard, UCLA Bruins – $2 million
Donovan Dent made the move from New Mexico to UCLA during the offseason. The flamboyant guard averaged 20.4 points per game as a junior last season.
According to Fox Sports, Dent received a $3 million NIL deal to transfer to UCLA in March. He received $2 million of that deal up front, while he’ll earn $1 million during the ongoing 2025-26 season. He currently averages 13.5 points per game with the Bruins.
4. Boogie Fland, Guard, Florida Gators – $2.1 million
Boogie Fland initially declared for the 2025 NBA draft. However, the former Arkansas star removed his name from consideration and decided to take his talent to Florida.
According to Fox Sports, Fland’s move to Florida was sweetened by an NIL package worth $2.1 million. He currently averages 11.3 points per game and is looking to improve his stock ahead of the 2026 draft.
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3. Yaxel Lendeborg, Forward, Michigan Wolverines – $2.3 million
Yaxel Lendeborg was initially set to enter the 2025 NBA draft. However, the versatile forward removed his name from consideration in late May.
According to CBS, Lendeborg’s NIL package from Michigan is valued at $2-3 million. He is averaging 14.4 points in the 2025-26 season.
2. JT Toppin, Forward, Texas Tech Red Raiders – $2.8 million
JT Toppin was the star of the show as the Texas Tech Red Raiders reached the Elite Eight in the 2024-25 season. He scored 18.2 points per game and was the school’s go-to bucket getter in high-stakes situations.
The Red Raiders made Toppin one of the highest earners in collegiate sports to ensure he sticks around for the 2025-26 season. He’s currently averaging 21.9 points as Texas Tech looks to make a deeper postseason run.
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1. AJ Dybantsa, Forward – BYU Cougars – $4.4 million
AJ Dybantsa got paid a major bag to start his collegiate basketball career at BYU. According to On3 Sports, Dybantsa is valued at $4.4 million.
The skillful forward reportedly has sponsorship deals with Red Bull and Nike. He’s living up to expectations on the court with 24.4 points per game, and he’ll likely go one-and-done at the end of the 2025-26 season.
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