Three Irish athletes were in competition on evening three of the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

Lauren Roy and Rhasidat Adeleke were in semi-finals two and three of the women’s 200m, while Nicola Tuthill contested the women’s hammer final.

Fifth Place Finish for Nicola Tuthill

Sarah Tuthill started her women’s hammer final in fine fashion, throwing 70.30m with her first attempt.

This left the Irish thrower in third position after the completion of round one which was led by the reigning champion from Italy, Sara Fantini, with Beatrice Nedberge Llano from Norway was second with a throw of 72.88m.

Ranked 10th coming into the event and eventually finishing fifth was definitely a positive Nicola Tuthill will take away from the European Championships #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics pic.twitter.com/UaL15HgMmQ

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 12, 2026

In the second round, Tuthill dropped to fifth place, as Silja Kosonen, took the lead with 76.28m. Fantini was second with 73.45m, with Llano third with 72.88m and Anita Wlodarczyk moved into fourth position with a throw of 71.81m.

Despite a foul throw in the next round, Tuthill achieved a best throw of the final with 70.33m in round 4 – ensuring she went ahead to the last two rounds.

An effort of 69.57m in the fifth round was followed by 69.78m which left Tuthill in fifth place overall in the women’s hammer final.

Adeleke second fastest qualifier for 200m Final

Rhasidat Adeleke won her semi-final of the women’s 200m in a season’s best time of 22.43 seconds. Her time was the second fastest of all the qualifiers – behind Britain’s 100m European Champion, Amy Hunt, who stopped the clock at 22.37 seconds.

‘Just having fun and enjoying the process has really brought me down to earth – now I’m just enjoying everything’ – a content Rhasidat Adeleke on reaching the 200m final at the European Athletics Championships #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics pic.twitter.com/i9QbqeQrO8

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 12, 2026

Lauren Roy, who contested the 100m heats on Monday, finished fourth in the semi-final Amy Hunt won. Roy’s time of 23.16 seconds saw her ranked in 12th place overall, and as a result, did not proceed to the women’s 200m final.

Lauren Rory felt ‘she really left it all out there’ as she narrowly missed out on a place in the women’s 200m final #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics pic.twitter.com/ABsGbBicpA

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 12, 2026

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Marcus Rashford has returned to Manchester United this week for pre-season training

Manchester United icon John O’Shea believes it’ll be a straightforward conversation between Michael Carrick and Marcus Rashford about reintegrating into the first-team squad. The England international has spent the last 18 months playing his football away from United, but looks set to return to the fold this season.

Barcelona turned down the opportunity to sign Rashford on a permanent basis following his loan spell at the Nou Camp, and returned to pre-season training with the Reds earlier this week. There are still question marks over his long-term future at the club, but O’Shea believes his former teammate is the right man to get the best out of Rashford.

Speaking to ITV ahead of Man United’s pre-season friendly with Leeds United, O’Shea said: “Yeah, listen, it’s straightforward. I think it’ll be an honest conversation, straight up.

“Do you want to stay? If you do, great, let’s see what you’ve got again, and then start afresh. And listen, you know the fans, there’ll be question marks thinking, what are we doing, type of thing.

“But if he goes and struts his stuff at Old Trafford straight away, a lot will be forgiven, I think. [There’s] Still some questions to answer as well.”

Fellow pundit Michael Brown agreed, and said: “See, all those players we mentioned, we always have to come back down to Marcus Rashford.

“The reason it does, John, is because, as you know, he’s got everything, hasn’t he? He can change games. He’s electric, he’s got the pace. If you can get the best out of him, then it’d be a great sign.

“I think Michael Carrick is a great person to go and do that. He’s going to have to work, he’s going to have to earn it to get into the team, but imagine if he was firing this season.”

The debut Vikings depth chart is now live.

Albeit unofficial, the online roster hierarchy offers a glimpse as to how things are trending at the present moment. Much can (and will) change prior to the Week 1 game when the Green Bay Packers visit the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, September 13th. Even still, check out a trio of details that inspire a certain degree of curiosity.

Oh, and for the record, J.J. McCarthy is slotted in as the QB2.

Vikings Depth Chart — A Trio of Surprises

1: Caleb Banks Listed as a Backup

A towering, hulking presence, Caleb Banks boasts sky-high potential as a potential nightmare within the trenches. Why the backup spot?

The current starters are listed as Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Ty Ingram-Dawkins. All of those players are returners but only Redmond — a stud — is assured of a starting spot. Rodriguez is going to earn a hearty workload while Ingram-Dawkins is torn between being an edge rusher and a 5T.

Banks lost development time during the offseason recovering from his foot injury. He’ll need some time to work into the mix but is going to demand playing time. Opting for a DT at No. 18 means believing that he’ll create a ruckus before too long.

2: Jay Ward Overcomes Theo Jackson, at Least for Now

In Jay Ward, the Vikings boast a young safety who is long and rangy. He’s a good blitzer and has the capacity to play center field. Still, it’s somewhat surprising to see him listed over Theo Jackson.

Jackson has been in town since 2022. Since then, he has steadily risen, solidifying himself as a nice backup before earning a payday to become a starter last year. Toward the end of 2025, Jackson got demoted for Ward. Apparently, that trend could continue rolling into the upcoming season. Ward’s background at LSU and early usage in Minnesota inspires some belief that Brian Flores can move him around liberally.

Is Jackson a trade candidate? The Vikings have him under contract for two more years but may not want to pay medium money for a backup.

3 — Pair of O-Line Notes

Walter Rouse is a massive guy who got scooped up in the 6th Round of the 2024 NFL Draft. So far, the Vikings have used him sparingly, but kicking him inside to guard could be a nice development for him. The OG3 job is wide open.

Next up is the Vikings sticking Caleb Tiernan at offensive tackle. A criticism going into the most recent draft was that he had short arms, which can be an issue when trying to hold off the long-and-strong pass rushers seeking to wallop the QB. Tiernan is a huge guy at nearly 6’8″ and he boasts great feet. Can the Vikings use him at offensive tackle? If so, then the Vikings did well landing him in the late 3rd.

A touch obvious, perhaps, but getting a bounce back season out of the o-line will go a long way in making Kyler Murray’s season a success. Rouse and Tiernan could end up being useful depth at a remarkably rugged and physical position.

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

The Indian men’s hockey team will begin its title defence at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, after being drawn in a six-team Pool A alongside Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

India, the highest-ranked team in the 12-team competition, have been kept apart from arch-rivals Pakistan, who have been placed in Pool B alongside Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan and Thailand.

The men’s hockey tournament will be played from September 18 to October 3, with the competition also serving as an important qualification pathway for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

India placed in Pool A

Defending champions India will face five opponents in the pool stage, with each team playing every other side in its group.

India will open their campaign against Indonesia on September 20 before taking on Sri Lanka two days later. The defending champions will then face South Korea, Japan and Bangladesh in their remaining pool matches.

The top teams will progress to the knockout and classification stages, with the semi-finals scheduled for October 1 and the medal matches on October 3.

Men’s Hockey at Asian Games 2026

Pool A: India, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia

Pool B: Pakistan, Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan, Thailand

India begin campaign against Indonesia

India’s first match of the tournament will be against Indonesia on September 20 at 4:30 PM IST.

The defending champions will then meet Sri Lanka on September 22 before facing South Korea on September 24. Their fourth pool match will be against Japan on September 26, followed by the final group-stage fixture against Bangladesh on September 28.

Pakistan kept separate from India

The draw means India and Pakistan will not meet during the pool stage.

Pakistan will begin its campaign against Thailand on September 20 and will subsequently face Uzbekistan, China, Malaysia and Oman.

The arch-rivals could still meet later in the competition if their respective performances take them into the knockout stages.

Asian Games hockey doubles as Olympic qualification route

The Aichi-Nagoya hockey competition carries added significance as the tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

That makes every stage of the competition important for the participating teams, with India aiming not only to retain its Asian Games crown but also to secure its place at the next Olympics.

The Indian team will therefore be under pressure to negotiate a competitive pool before entering the knockout phase.

Knockout stage begins on October 1

The pool matches will conclude on September 28, after which the tournament moves into the classification and semi-final stages.

Two semi-finals are scheduled for October 1 at 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM IST. The classification matches will also be played on the same day.

The medal matches will take place on October 3, with the bronze-medal match scheduled for 6:30 PM IST before the gold-medal clash at 9:00 PM.

The men’s hockey competition at the Asian Games 2026 will begin on Friday, September 18, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The tournament will continue until October 3, when the gold-medal match will be played.

When will India start their campaign in the Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey tournament?

India will begin their campaign against Indonesia on Sunday, September 20. The match is scheduled to start at 4:30 PM IST.

Who are India’s opponents in the Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey group stage?

India have been placed in Pool A alongside Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

When will India play Pakistan in the Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey tournament?

India and Pakistan have been placed in separate pools, meaning they will not meet in the group stage. India are in Pool A, while Pakistan are in Pool B. The arch-rivals could face each other in the knockout stages depending on their performances.

When will the Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey final be played?

The gold-medal match will be played on Saturday, October 3. It is scheduled to begin at 9:00 PM IST.

Where will the Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey matches be played?

The men’s hockey tournament will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as part of the 2026 Asian Games.

Where can viewers watch the live telecast of Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey matches in India?

The live telecast details for the Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey matches in India will be available on the Sony Sports network.

Where can viewers watch the live streaming of Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey matches in India?

The official live-streaming for the Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey tournament in India will be available on SonyLIV.

Amit Mishra and Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir‘s record in white ball and red ball cricket as Indian men’s team coach has been a story of two polar opposites. In the white ball cricket, especially T20s, India have been a team to beat, Ireland and England would disagree.While India have lost T20 series against Ireland and England after Shreyas Iyer assumed T20I captaincy after India’s 2026 T20 World Cup triumph against Suryakumar Yadav, there’s little denying the fact that the Men in Blue are among the ruthless side in the T20 internationals. India didn’t lose a T20 series between 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cup.In ODIs too, India won the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. While they have lost some series here and there, there’s not much to worry about for India in the format.The worst for India under Gambhir’s coaching has come in the Tests. In the six Test series that India have played since Gambhir took charge as head coach (one-off Test against Afghanistan not included), they have won just two – against Bangladesh and West Indies at home.India lost 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia 3-1 and drew the series in England in 2025 2-2. However, the worst part is that India have lost two home series, that too they have been clean swept, against New Zealand (3-0) in 2024, and South Africa (2-0) in 2025.

Overall, India have won seven Tests and lost ten and drew two out of 19 Tests since Gambhir has become the head coach (not including one-off Afghanistan Test)

Gautam Gambhir’s record in Tests as India coach

India are scheduled to play Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in the two-match series starting later this month (Aug 15), and then they will travel to New Zealand for the two-match series before hosting Australia for the all important Border-Gavaskar series at the start of 2027 for the five-match Test series.With 48.15% of points, India are at fifth position in the World Test Championship (WTC 2025-27) points table, and it is highly likely that they will not make it to the WTC final for the second cycle in a row.With such an awful record in Tests under Gambhir, there have been talks about the split coaching previously, separate coaches for white ball and red ball cricket. However, talking to TimesofIndia.com, former India leg-spinner Amit Mishra backed Gambhir for the role and suggested that players should take “more responsibility”.“It’s tough for the coach. I think players need to take more responsibility. One coach for all format has been the norm for years. You have to give time to any coach. In Test matches, we have new players with less experience. It takes time for coaches and players to develop,” Mishra said in an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com.“It took 1-1.5 years for Rahul Dravid to establish himself. Then performance improved. Players need to take responsibility, understand the wicket’s behavior. You are selected from 140-145 crore people, you have to adapt according to the wicket and situation. That’s why you’re playing at the top. I don’t think any blame should be given to the coach.”“Give him (Gambhir) time in red-ball. He needs to explain to new players (in the squad). A coach’s job is to work on mental aspects, skills, but players have to play. In our time, players did it. You have to take stress, understand. You have to spend time, change according to the situation, player, bowler, wicket. Players need to take more responsibility. A coach’s job is to guide, plan, but players have to execute,” Mishra added.It’s not just the overall win-loss record, but Indian team’s tactics since Gambhir has assumed the role of head coach have also been under scrutiny. India have not sticked to a settled batting order, especially number three, with Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, and even Washington Sundar.However, Mishra believed that Gambhir and team management should be given some more time to prove themselves. “We don’t see it here, but they spend time with them (in the nets), and see who’s batting well and who isn’t. They have that in mind. We only see the changes. According to the wicket, situation, maybe Sundar was fitting, so they put him there (at number three in South Africa series). They see who bats well, bowls well. They’re trying to find the best combination for 11 in Tests. Give them time.”

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady reacted after a rare trading card featuring him was found after nearly 20 years.

The story went viral Tuesday after a collector’s girlfriend discovered a rare 2005 Topps Finest SuperFractor 1-of-1 die-cut card featuring Brady in his New England Patriots uniform.

The card had been missing from the sports card market for two decades and was worth six figures. It was authenticated by PSA and later sent to Goldin Auctions. After 43 bids, the card sold for $704,550.

Topps shared the incredible discovery on social media, and Brady reacted to the post on his Instagram Story. The NFL legend reshared Topps’ post, tagged his trading card company, CardVault by Tom Brady, and jokingly asked his parents to check their garage.

“Mom / Dad please check the garage ASAP. 🤪😜🤪”

Brady also gave fans a glimpse into his personal life on the same day.

The retired NFL star shared a photo of a family-style taco dinner on his Instagram Story with Post Malone’s “Circles” playing in the background. The meal included rice, black beans, shredded cheese and roasted corn.

Brady’s dining companion was seen holding a taco in the photo. He captioned the post:

“Taco Tuesday (Night) w my bestie. ❤️❤️❤️”

But Brady did not reveal the identity of his “bestie.”

Tom Brady celebrated his 49th birthday in Europe

Tom Brady celebrated his 49th birthday on Aug. 3 with a vacation in the South of France.

He was spotted spending time with his kids and an unidentified blonde woman.

Marking the occasion on Instagram, Brady posted photos of his children with the caption declaring that the “40’s farewell tour starts today” as he enters his final year before turning 50.

Before jetting off to South of France, he enkoyed “trip of lifetime” with “3 best friends” aka his children, Jack, Benjamin and Vivian, in Alaska.

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