SRI

Banton hundred paves way for England ODI series win over Sri Lanka

BY JULIAN GUYER

  • England's victory, which saw them take the three-match series 2-1, was also their record ODI win against Sri Lanka in terms of runs, surpassing their 128-run win at Perth in 1999.
  • Tom Banton's maiden England hundred laid the foundations for a series-clinching 223-run win over Sri Lanka in the third one-day international on Sunday.
  • England's victory, which saw them take the three-match series 2-1, was also their record ODI win against Sri Lanka in terms of runs, surpassing their 128-run win at Perth in 1999.
Tom Banton's maiden England hundred laid the foundations for a series-clinching 223-run win over Sri Lanka in the third one-day international on Sunday.
Banton's commanding 126 was the cornerstone of England's imposing total of 355-7 at the Oval.
It was his first century in 53 limited-overs appearances for England.
Together with England captain Harry Brook, who made 77 after being dropped on seven, Banton shared a third-wicket partnership of 150.
Sri Lanka never looked like chasing down a target of 356 and were dismissed for 132, with nearly 21 overs to spare.
"As a kid you dream of scoring a hundred for your country and to do it here was really special," Banton said.
"I started really well, had a tough few years, then to put in a performance like that today is really rewarding."
Brook, hailing an "exceptional win", added: "I thought that was a near-perfect performance there."
England's victory, which saw them take the three-match series 2-1, was also their record ODI win against Sri Lanka in terms of runs, surpassing their 128-run win at Perth in 1999.

'Eventful summer'

It meant England ended a turbulent home season on a positive note after the international retirement of former Test captain Ben Stokes and the sacking of Brendon McCullum as their red-ball coach earlier in the campaign.
They have now won five series in a row across all formats, with McCullum -- still England's limited overs coach -- presiding over T20 and ODI triumphs against both India and Sri Lanka.
"It has been an eventful summer," said McCullum, who was replaced as Test coach by Stephen Fleming. 
"Stephen Fleming is one of my great mates, I know how good a coach and how good a man he is."
Sri Lanka, whitewashed 3-0 in the preceding T20 series, were in trouble from the moment Pathum Nissanka was caught behind off Sonny Baker in the second over.
Gus Atkinson took two wickets, with Kamindu Mendis (12) and Kusal Mendis (36) both perishing to the pace bowler, while spinner Liam Dawson's 3-26 ensured there was no way back for the visitors.
"We struggled with the batting and then we made some mistakes in the field, including me," said Kusal. 
"I think we played good cricket in the second ODI and when go to Pakistan after this, we need to be better." 
England had an early let-off in their dominant innings when Brook, who had made just seven, edged Dunith Wellalage to wicketkeeper Kusal, who failed to hold the chance.
Brook took full advantage of that escape, going on to complete a 49-ball fifty.
Banton, fresh from his 73 on Thursday, went into the 90s with an audacious reverse-swept six off leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage.
A glorious drive through extra cover off Wellalage -- his 13th four in 95 balls faced -- took the Somerset batsman to a hundred.
Banton's superb 105-ball innings, including 16 fours and five sixes, finally came to an end when he holed out to long-on off Colombage.
Jordan Cox kept the runs coming with 76 before he was dismissed off the penultimate ball of the innings. 
jdg/smg/bsp

AUS

Bavuma, Miller hit centuries as South Africa clinch series

  • It was the eighth one-day international century by the 37-year-old Miller and his fourth against Australia.
  • Centuries by Temba Bavuma and David Miller set up a series-clinching 32-run win for South Africa in the second one-day international against Australia at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.
  • It was the eighth one-day international century by the 37-year-old Miller and his fourth against Australia.
Centuries by Temba Bavuma and David Miller set up a series-clinching 32-run win for South Africa in the second one-day international against Australia at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.
It was South Africa’s sixth successive one-day series win against Australia since 2016/17.
Captain Bavuma hit 103 and Miller slammed 142 to propel South Africa to 365 for nine after they were sent in to bat for the second time in the series.
"It was an overall good team performance," Bavuma said at the post-match presentation. "It was tricky batting upfront but we were able to handle that challenge. It was an unbelievable performance by David, then the bowlers did well. They held their nerve, we knew they would put us under pressure."
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh acknowledged his team’s failure to build on a good start by Travis Head and himself.
Marsh and Head both hit 84 but as in the first match Australia struggled in the middle overs against South Africa’s spinners. They were bowled out for 333 despite some powerful late hitting by Xavier Bartlett, who made 50 off 28 balls.
"It’s really disappointing," said Marsh. "We haven’t been able to execute in those middle phases, which is a great learning curve for some of our younger guys. But credit to South Africa, who bowled well in those phases."
Bavuma and Miller shared a fourth wicket stand of 156 off 135 balls with Bavuma batting solidly while the left-handed Miller made a career-best score off just 93 balls, hitting 12 fours and nine sixes.
It was the eighth one-day international century by the 37-year-old Miller and his fourth against Australia. “They bring out the best in the guys," said Miller. "It’s good to compete against the best in the world."
It was South Africa’s “pink day” with the players wearing pink to raise awareness of breast cancer. Instead of their own names the players wore the names of cancer survivors on their backs and Miller wore the name of his mother, Jenny. “She’s been through a lot and it was nice to represent my mom and everything she’s been through,” he said.
With high totals a regular occurrence at the Wanderers, Australia seemed well on the way to chasing down the target as Marsh and Head put on 130 for the first wicket inside 17 overs.
The match changed when Marsh was bowled by Fortuin and the innings gradually lost momentum against a three-pronged spin attack, with left-armers Keshav Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin and off-spinner Aiden Markram all bowling their full quota of ten overs.
str/dmc

WIS

Milestone man Kohli powers India to big ODI win over West Indies

  • Kohli hit the winning six -- the ninth in his 88-ball knock -- as India went 1-0 up in the three-match series, which is a step in the team's preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
  • Virat Kohli hit a record-extending 55th one-day international century after reaching 15,000 runs to lead India to a dominant eight-wicket win over the West Indies in the series opener on Sunday.
  • Kohli hit the winning six -- the ninth in his 88-ball knock -- as India went 1-0 up in the three-match series, which is a step in the team's preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Virat Kohli hit a record-extending 55th one-day international century after reaching 15,000 runs to lead India to a dominant eight-wicket win over the West Indies in the series opener on Sunday.
Kohli, who hit an unbeaten 139, put on 151 runs for the second wicket with skipper Shubman Gill (110) as India chased down their victory target of 296 with 50 balls to spare in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kohli hit the winning six -- the ninth in his 88-ball knock -- as India went 1-0 up in the three-match series, which is a step in the team's preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The 37-year-old Kohli made the evening his own as he went past 15,000 ODI runs to become only the second batter after icon Sachin Tendulkar to achieve the feat.
"My focus has never really been on these milestones," said Kohli.
"It's just understanding the situation along the course of just doing the job for the team. Achievements come along. Obviously, I feel very grateful and very blessed to be in this position for having played for so long."
Kohli reached the milestone with a boundary in his 303rd ODI innings, while Tendulkar, who finished his illustrious career with 18,426 runs, took 377 innings to get to 15,000.
Gill reached his 10th ODI hundred but the spotlight soon shifted back to Kohli, who reached his 100 with a six as a raucous home crowd stood up to applaud the star cricketer.
The top-order batter is leading century-maker in ODIs with Tendulkar next with 49 hundreds. Rohit Sharma is third with 34 tons.

Kohli's 2027 mission

Kohli and the 39-year-old Rohit are both playing only in the 50-over format after their Test and T20 retirements, as they look ahead to the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
"We're a year away from the World Cup. I know what my goal is, and yeah, it's pretty clear for me that whatever games we get, I just need to keep working on different aspects of the game," said Kohli.
"Keep myself physically fit, challenge myself to be out there, run from boundary to boundary in the last 15 overs if I can, field in the inner ring, show intensity."
Kohli on Saturday told broadcasters JioStar that the 2027 showpiece would be his last World Cup appearance.
Rohit got the team off to a brisk start in his 32 as he put on 74 with opening partner Gill.
Earlier, Justin Greaves made 101 and put on 135 for the first wicket with left-hander John Campbell, who made 62, to guide West Indies to 295-7.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav struck crucial blows to return figures of 4-40 including one maiden over as India hit back in the middle overs.
Kuldeep, who was named player of the match, also struck on successive balls, sending back Greaves and Jewel Andrew before Roston Chase avoided the hat-trick.
Chase steadied the innings with Amir Jangoo, who made an unbeaten 58, as the pair put on 52 for the sixth wicket.
The second ODI is on Wednesday in Guwahati.
fk/bsp

ESP

Spain bring in Le Normand for injured Garcia

  • French-born Le Normand has not played for Spain in almost a year.
  • Spain coach Luis de la Fuente on Sunday called up centre-back Robin Le Normand to his Nations League squad following an injury to Eric Garcia ahead of the world champions' 3-2 win away to England.
  • French-born Le Normand has not played for Spain in almost a year.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente on Sunday called up centre-back Robin Le Normand to his Nations League squad following an injury to Eric Garcia ahead of the world champions' 3-2 win away to England.
Garcia had initially been picked in the starting line-up at Wembley but pulled out at the last moment, to be replaced by Marc Pubill.
In a statement, the Spanish football federation said that Garcia "felt some discomfort in his left knee and, after undergoing tests, it was decided to withdraw him from the squad for the upcoming internationals, to avoid any risks".
De la Fuente had said after Saturday's victory at Wembley that Garcia's problem was "nothing serious".
The world and European champions host Croatia in Seville on Tuesday in their next match.
French-born Le Normand has not played for Spain in almost a year.
He was part of the squad that won the Euros in 2024 but was not selected for the World Cup earlier this year.
dr/bc/jc

SRI

Banton hundred paves way for England ODI series win over Sri Lanka

BY JULIAN GUYER

  • England's victory, which saw them take the three-match series 2-1, was also their record ODI win against Sri Lanka in terms of runs, surpassing their 128-run win at Perth in 1999. 
  • Tom Banton's maiden England hundred laid the foundations for a series-clinching 223-run win over Sri Lanka in the third one-day international on Sunday.
  • England's victory, which saw them take the three-match series 2-1, was also their record ODI win against Sri Lanka in terms of runs, surpassing their 128-run win at Perth in 1999. 
Tom Banton's maiden England hundred laid the foundations for a series-clinching 223-run win over Sri Lanka in the third one-day international on Sunday.
Banton's commanding 126 was the cornerstone of England's imposing total of 355-7 at the Oval.
It was his first century in 53 limited-overs appearances for England.
Together with England captain Harry Brook, who made 77 after being dropped on seven, Banton shared a third-wicket partnership of 150.
Sri Lanka never looked like chasing down a target of 356 and were dismissed for 132, with nearly 21 overs to spare.
England's victory, which saw them take the three-match series 2-1, was also their record ODI win against Sri Lanka in terms of runs, surpassing their 128-run win at Perth in 1999. 
It meant England ended a turbulent home season on a positive note after the international retirement of former Test captain Ben Stokes and the sacking of Brendon McCullum as their red-ball coach earlier in the campaign.
Sri Lanka, whitewashed 3-0 in the preceding T20 series, were in trouble from the moment Pathum Nissanka was caught behind off Sonny Baker in the second over.
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis defiantly pulled Gus Atkinson for two sixes in three balls.
But Atkinson took two wickets to reduce Sri Lanka to 53-3, with Kamindu Mendis (12) and Kusal (36) both perishing to the pace bowler.
The result was effectively put beyond doubt when Sri Lanka slumped to 82-6.
Liam Dawson took 3-26 before fellow spinner and player of the series Will Jacks ended the match by dismissing Eshan Malinga.
England had an early let-off in their dominant innings when Brook, who had made just seven, edged Dunith Wellalage to wicketkeeper Kusal, who failed to hold the chance.
Brook took full advantage of that escape, going on to complete a 49-ball fifty.
Banton, fresh from his 73 on Thursday, went into the 90s with an audacious reverse-swept six off leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage.
A glorious drive through extra cover off Wellalage -- his 13th four in 95 balls faced -- took the Somerset batsman to a hundred.
Brook eventually miscued paceman Asitha Fernando to mid-off but his exit left England still well-placed at 218-3 in the 35th over. 
Banton's superb 105-ball innings, including 16 fours and five sixes, finally came to an end when he holed out to long-on off Colombage.
Jordan Cox kept the runs coming with 76 before he was dismissed off the penultimate ball of the innings. 
jdg/smg/bsp

FRA

Fitzpatrick closes out fourth win of year at French Open

  • On Sunday, Fitzpatrick's lead was quickly cut to just two shots as he struggled to find his rhythm, but he scrambled well to record 12 successive pars from the start of his round.
  • England's Matthew Fitzpatrick secured his fourth victory of the year with a dominant three-shot win in the French Open at Le Golf National on Sunday.
  • On Sunday, Fitzpatrick's lead was quickly cut to just two shots as he struggled to find his rhythm, but he scrambled well to record 12 successive pars from the start of his round.
England's Matthew Fitzpatrick secured his fourth victory of the year with a dominant three-shot win in the French Open at Le Golf National on Sunday.
The world number four took a five-shot lead into the final round and a battling, one-under-par 70 ensured he finished clear of runner-up Angel Hidalgo.
Fitzpatrick had already won the Valspar Championship and RBC Heritage titles on the PGA Tour in North America earlier in 2026, as well as the New Orleans team event alongside younger brother Alex.
On Sunday, Fitzpatrick's lead was quickly cut to just two shots as he struggled to find his rhythm, but he scrambled well to record 12 successive pars from the start of his round.
Birdies on the 13th and 15th holes ended any hope for the chasing pack and the former US Open champion ended the week on 20-under-par overall.
"Delighted to get it over the line, it was definitely a battle today," said the 32-year-old after his 11th career European Tour title.
"I didn't have my best stuff for the first 12 holes and then managed to find some of my best stuff...
"It's right up there, just felt fantastic with the short stuff today in particular.
"In a way I was quite lucky, I left myself in some nice spots where you can still get up and down from, but I fully took advantage of that and did really well."
World number 318 Hidalgo shot a five-under 67 to finish second, two strokes clear of a group of four players -- home hopes Matthieu Pavon and Tom Vaillant, Spain's Eugenio Chacarra and in-form Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan.
jc/pb

LaverCup

Zverev stars as Team Europe win Laver Cup

  • World number two Zverev battled to a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win against Tien, ensuring Team Europe regained the Laver Cup with tournament co-founder Roger Federer watching in the stands.
  • Alexander Zverev clinched Team Europe's Laver Cup victory over Team World as the two-time Grand Slam champion beat Learner Tien at London's 02 Arena on Sunday.
  • World number two Zverev battled to a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win against Tien, ensuring Team Europe regained the Laver Cup with tournament co-founder Roger Federer watching in the stands.
Alexander Zverev clinched Team Europe's Laver Cup victory over Team World as the two-time Grand Slam champion beat Learner Tien at London's 02 Arena on Sunday.
World number two Zverev battled to a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win against Tien, ensuring Team Europe regained the Laver Cup with tournament co-founder Roger Federer watching in the stands.
Team Europe wrapped up their 13-5 success against Team World on the final day of the exhibition event, which started on Friday.
Zverev's Team Europe colleague Carlos Alcaraz this week said the German was the best player in the world after his French Open and US Open victories this year.
The 29-year-old struggled to live up to that billing when he lost in the doubles on Friday and let slip multiple match points in a defeat against Alex De Minaur on Saturday.
But world number three Alcaraz wrestled back the initiative on Saturday before Zverev teamed up with Casper Ruud to win in the doubles.
That left Team Europe only two victories from the trophy in Sunday's session.
Flavio Cobolli and Jakub Mensik moved Team Europe a step closer by beating Team World duo Taylor Fritz and De Minaur in the doubles.
Zverev saved a set-point in the first set against Tien before overwhelming the 20-year-old American in the second set to seal the silverware for Yannick Noah's squad.
It was only the second victory for Team Europe in the last five editions of the Ryder Cup-style event, which started in 2017 and does not award ranking points.
"I haven't won a match here in two years, so I'm happy that I did it today," Zverev said. 
"Massive credit to the entire Team World. They pushed us all the way again. They were champions last year. 
"This year, we had a great team chemistry and I'm very happy that we won."
smg/pb

Sports

Czech Republic beat Ukraine to win BJK Cup

  • Czech captain Barbora Strycova is a six-time champion and was a player on the team that beat the USA in the final in 2018.
  • Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova delivered a first Billie Jean King Cup title since 2018 for the Czech Republic with victories over Ukraine in the final in Shenzhen on Sunday.
  • Czech captain Barbora Strycova is a six-time champion and was a player on the team that beat the USA in the final in 2018.
Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova delivered a first Billie Jean King Cup title since 2018 for the Czech Republic with victories over Ukraine in the final in Shenzhen on Sunday.
The top-10 duo made history for their nation earlier this year when they squared off in an unprecedented all-Czech final at Wimbledon and have now added to their growing list of achievements by clinching the Czech Republic's 12th BJK Cup trophy.
Noskova sealed the 2-0 victory with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) win over world number seven Elina Svitolina after Muchova had put the Czechs in front with a 6-2, 6-3 rout of Anhelina Kalinina.
"It's very special, a dream of mine to lift the trophy," said the 30-year-old Muchova.  
"To do it with these girls sitting here, it's a pleasure. I'm just so proud of us, how we managed the whole week, how we fought, how we practised the whole week, how we just have the vibe in the locker. It was such a nice time. To win it is like a cherry on the top."
Czech captain Barbora Strycova is a six-time champion and was a player on the team that beat the USA in the final in 2018.
She has become just the fourth woman to win the BJK Cup as both a player and a captain –- joining Margaret Court, Chris Evert and King herself.
"To win it as a player and now win it as a captain of such an incredible group of players and be sitting there on the bench in the different position, it means so much," said Strycova.
"To be honest, it was my dream which I didn't say out loud. But yeah, it happened. It feels surreal but it's very real. I am very honoured."
In the opening singles of the tie, Muchova fired eight aces, dropped a mere total of seven points on serve, and faced zero break points throughout the 70-minute encounter to hand Kalinina her first defeat of the week.

Ukraine proud in defeat

Next up, in a battle between two top-10 players, Svitolina struck first, breaking for a 3-1 advantage with some brilliant all-court coverage, but Noskova responded immediately, unleashing some punishing returns to take the next five games and claim a one-set lead in 44 minutes.
The pair were neck and neck in the second set and it took a well-timed drop shot from Noskova to carve a 6-3 gap in the tiebreak.
Svitolina aced to save the first match point and Noskova missed a backhand on the second but the Czech was third time lucky as she wrapped up the win in 95 minutes.
"Elina, she's a great player, so she definitely put up a fight. But I'm glad I rode it home," said Noskova, the reigning Wimbledon champion.
Ukraine were competing in their first-ever BJK Cup final after they knocked out two-time defending champions Italy in the previous round.
"Was not an easy day for us, but I'm really proud of the team, all the effort that we've done this year," said Svitolina, whose foundation has been funding and managing the Ukrainian national tennis team.
"Went one step closer to be the champions here, but not this year. We are really motivated for next year to come and do better."
Ukraine captain Illya Marchenko added: "Our team is becoming stronger and stronger every year. Last year was historic achievement for us to make the semi-finals. This year it was kind of normal. Now it's another historic achievement, we played final.
"We look to the future with a lot of optimism.
"Of course, for Ukraine it's very important. Right now we see a lot of struggles in our home country with attacks, with drones, with rockets and everything. These moments of enjoy are very important for Ukrainian spectators. We are really happy that we could bring some joy into Ukraine this week."
str/mw

Sports

China teen blows away the field for record-setting gold at 'sad' Games

BY PETER STEBBINGS

  • Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Shavkatov became the first medallist at the Games to test positive for doping.
  • China's 18-year-old Yan Ziyi showcased her rare talent by shattering the Asian Games record to win the javelin, as a medallist failed a doping test and a decorated badminton player branded the event in Japan "sad".
  • Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Shavkatov became the first medallist at the Games to test positive for doping.
China's 18-year-old Yan Ziyi showcased her rare talent by shattering the Asian Games record to win the javelin, as a medallist failed a doping test and a decorated badminton player branded the event in Japan "sad".
Golds were up for grabs on day eight in sports including athletics, baseball, diving, skateboarding, squash and weightlifting.
On another wet day in Aichi-Nagoya, the teenager Yan demolished the opposition in the women's javelin with her first and only throw of the night of 70.46m.
It was a new Games record, smashing the 66.09m by compatriot Liu Shiying in 2018, and left Japan's reigning Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi in a distant second for silver (62.70m).
Yan's incredible throw was the sixth best of all time. The world record is 72.28m by Barbora Spotakova in 2008.
But Yan is closing in -- she hurled 71.74m in May, the second best of all time.
Yan said she did not expect her Asian Games debut to be over after just one throw.
"My plan was to make my first two throws count," she said.
"But I didn't expect to reach that distance on my very first throw."
On the track, Thailand's Puripol Boonson made it a sprint double, winning the men's 200m to go with his 100m crown.
His scintillating 19.88sec equalled the Asian record.
Asked how much faster he can run, the 20-year-old said: "I can't say how fast it's going to be, but it's going to be more records and faster."
 

Eyes on LA

 
Towards the end of day eight, China topped the medals table with 119 golds, with Japan second on 37 and South Korea on 20.
North Korea enjoyed more record-setting success in weightlifting, taking their overall haul in the sport to six golds out of an available 10 so far.
China maintained their unbeaten start in diving, while a pair of teenagers took gold in the street skateboarding finals.
China's Zhu Yuanling, 15, won the women's event and the 17-year-old Juni Kang of South Korea took the men's title.
Kang now has his eyes on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"I want to be No.1 in LA," he said.
Malaysia reigned in the squash, with Ng Eain Yow winning the men's crown and compatriot Sivasangari Subramaniam prevailing in the women's singles.
Both booked spots to Los Angeles in the process.
In the baseball final, South Korea beat the hosts 3-1.
 

'It was sad'

 
Organisers in Aichi-Nagoya did not build a traditional athletes' village in a bid to save money, with competitors instead staying in hotels or temporary wooden units, and on a cruise ship.
India's multiple badminton medallist H.S. Prannoy said that made for a disappointing experience.
"It was sad," the 34-year-old, who won team bronze, said in a YouTube video published by the Badminton Association of India.
"It never felt like we were playing in an Asian Games, to be honest."
There have been a series of problems at the Games, including a shortage of rooms, long delays at the airport and poor transport services.
Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Shavkatov became the first medallist at the Games to test positive for doping.
Shavkatov, who won bronze in mixed martial arts, has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium, the International Testing Agency said.
The drug is a prescription heart medication that can improve endurance and accelerates muscle recovery.
pst/ami

athletics

China's Yan one and done after golden Asian Games throw

BY ANDREW MCKIRDY

  • Yan said she did not expect her Asian Games debut to be over after just one throw.
  • Chinese teen Yan Ziyi said she surprised even herself after demolishing the opposition with her first and only throw of 70.46m to win Asian Games women's javelin gold on Sunday.
  • Yan said she did not expect her Asian Games debut to be over after just one throw.
Chinese teen Yan Ziyi said she surprised even herself after demolishing the opposition with her first and only throw of 70.46m to win Asian Games women's javelin gold on Sunday.
The 18-year-old broke the Games record with her sole attempt and it was enough to beat a field that included Japan's Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi.
Yan's effort was the sixth best of all time and confirmed her enormous potential two years out from the Los Angeles Olympics.
She threw a colossal 71.74m in May this year, second only to the world record of 72.28m set by the Czech Republic's Barbora Spotakova in 2008.
Yan said she did not expect her Asian Games debut to be over after just one throw.
"My plan was to make my first two throws count," she said.
"But I didn't expect to reach that distance on my very first throw."
Yan finished second behind Kitaguchi at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest earlier this month.
Heavy rain in Nagoya made for unpredictable conditions but Yan said it did not affect her.
"As an athlete who has competed in many meets and on the international stage, I think it's very important to adapt to changing conditions," she said.
Kitaguchi finished a distant second with 62.70m.
Thailand's Puripol Boonson completed a sprint double after blazing to the men's 200m title in an Asian record 19.88sec.
The 20-year-old broke his own Asian Games record to win the 100m title two days earlier.
He was in full control in the 200m and finished 0.57sec ahead of China's silver medallist Huang Youwen, with Japan's Soshi Mizukubo third.
"I can't say how fast I'm going to get," said Puripol.
"But there are going to be more records and I'm going to be much faster."
Singapore's Shanti Pereira defended her title in the women's 200m after pipping China's Chen Yujie to the line.
The 17-year-old Chen was looking for a sprint double after beating Pereira into second in the 100m.
Pereira, who won in a time of 22.78sec, said her victory was a case of "mind over matter".
"I told myself, 'Today it's mine'," she said.
"No matter what, nothing in the world is going to stop me from getting it."
A late injury ruled Qatar's defending champion Mutaz Barshim out of the high jump.
Barshim, a gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, is a three-time Asian Games champion.
The competition was won by Taiwan's Fu Chao-hsuan with a jump of 2.25m.
amk/pst

RSA

Kiss praises Wallabies' composure after wild Test finish

  • South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus was disappointed his team fell into such a hole before the Wallabies' late upheaval.
  • Coach Les Kiss praised Australia's "calmness" on Sunday after being down to 11 players in the dying stages of their 42-38 upset over World Cup champions South Africa in Perth.
  • South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus was disappointed his team fell into such a hole before the Wallabies' late upheaval.
Coach Les Kiss praised Australia's "calmness" on Sunday after being down to 11 players in the dying stages of their 42-38 upset over World Cup champions South Africa in Perth.
The inspired Wallabies were on course for a comprehensive victory over the world's top-ranked team, leading 42-17 midway through the second half of the one-off Test.
The match turned wildly when the Wallabies were handed a succession of yellow cards that saw skipper Harry Wilson, Ryan Lonergan, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Hunter Paisami sent to the sin bin.
The Springboks pounced and scored three tries to get within striking distance of snatching victory at the death.
But the Wallabies hung on to ensure Kiss' unbeaten record continued in his fifth match in charge since replacing Joe Schmidt in July.
"It was bizarre for sure, just reflecting on it," Kiss said of the flurry of yellow cards. 
"But in the end, the boys found a way.
"The pleasing thing for me was that there was a nice calmness, a bit of clarity and focus about what they had to do next.
"How they looked and felt in those tough moments was incredibly pleasing."
In front of more than 54,000 fans at Optus Stadium, the Wallabies played in exhilarating fashion to build a healthy lead.
Kiss' selection gamble of placing Suaalii on the wing, a position he had never played before, paid off with the 23-year-old rugby league convert producing an energetic performance.
"I think tonight he found some good space," Kiss said.
"We're trying to work on adapting our positions and get a bit of depth in our combinations."
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus was disappointed his team fell into such a hole before the Wallabies' late upheaval.
"I thought we had a chance at the end there," he said.
"But we played ourselves in that position where we were 25 points behind, so we've got nobody else to blame."
tl/ami

WTA

Fernandez downs Gibson to claim Singapore Open crown

  • It was the 24-year-old Canadian's first title since the Japan Open in October and the sixth WTA title of her career.
  • Leylah Fernandez notched her first WTA title in nearly a year on Sunday, overcoming a shaky start against Australia's Talia Gibson to win the Singapore Open final 7-5, 6-0.
  • It was the 24-year-old Canadian's first title since the Japan Open in October and the sixth WTA title of her career.
Leylah Fernandez notched her first WTA title in nearly a year on Sunday, overcoming a shaky start against Australia's Talia Gibson to win the Singapore Open final 7-5, 6-0.
The world number 31 faced a set point against the unseeded Australian but held her nerve, going on to win nine consecutive games in the WTA 500 tournament at OCBC Arena.
It was the 24-year-old Canadian's first title since the Japan Open in October and the sixth WTA title of her career.
"Throughout the year, it's been a lot of hard work in finding the right balance between attacking and defending," Fernandez said.
"Today, everything just kind of clicked in the right place at the right time."
Fernandez reached the final after downing top seed Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals and coming from a set down to beat 25th-ranked Maja Chwalinska in the semis.
Gibson appeared in her first career WTA final and held her own during the early stages of the match, twice recovering from service breaks and setting up set point at 5-4 on Fernandez's serve.
But the Canadian dug deep to hold before wearing down Gibson and taking the opener 7-5.
The second set was no contest as Gibson committed a number of unforced errors and dropped her first three service games.
With Fernandez serving for the match, Gibson put a return into the net to hand her the title.
"Talia is a fighter and she found a way to break me a few times. I got a little bit frustrated and overthought too much in those moments," Fernandez said.
"So when I was facing that set point and those break points, I just told myself to think of the ball and let my instincts take over.
"I wasn't thinking of where I needed to hit it. Just hit the ball and trust that my training is going to pay off and thankfully today, it did."
str/mjw/ami

Pr

Former Stoke boss Pulis 'cheated' over FA Cup final loss to Man City

  • In a BBC Sport column on Sunday, Pulis said Stoke fans had been asking him: "When do we get our FA Cup?"
  • Former Stoke manager Tony Pulis said he feels "cheated" by his club's FA Cup final defeat against Manchester City.
  • In a BBC Sport column on Sunday, Pulis said Stoke fans had been asking him: "When do we get our FA Cup?"
Former Stoke manager Tony Pulis said he feels "cheated" by his club's FA Cup final defeat against Manchester City.
Pulis was in charge of Stoke when they were beaten 1-0 by City at Wembley in the 2011 FA Cup showpiece.
It was a painful loss for Pulis, who was hoping to lead unfashionable Stoke to their first major trophy since the 1972 League Cup.
City's victory was their first significant success under their Abu Dhabi-based owners, setting the stage for over a decade of dominance.
But City's achievements have been cast into doubt after they were reportedly found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League for breaching financial rules.
News of the decision, reached by an independent commission, was widely reported on Friday but no official announcement has been made by the Premier League.
City have strenuously denied the charges and their chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak on Saturday said he is still confident of proving the club's innocence.
City are expected to appeal against their eventual punishment, which is yet to be announced and could include a points deduction, expulsion from the Premier League or a huge fine.
There have also been calls for City to be stripped of the Premier League titles won since their 2008 takeover by Sheikh Mansour' Abu Dhabi United Group.
In a BBC Sport column on Sunday, Pulis said Stoke fans had been asking him: "When do we get our FA Cup?"
"I thought exactly the same. While the process is far from over because Manchester City are expected to appeal, I have to say this verdict and the whole situation has left a very sour taste in my mouth," he said.
"I don't expect Manchester City to phone me or the club up and offer back the 2011 FA Cup and the winners' medals their players received.
"I don't seriously believe any other trophies and titles will be handed back over either. A points deduction and a massive fine feels far more likely. But I still feel cheated."
City were charged by the Premier League following an investigation into alleged breaches of regulations between 2009 and 2018.
The club were accused of failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, as well as breaches of financial sustainability rules. 
They were also charged with failing to cooperate with an investigation.
City were referred to an independent commission and a hearing started behind closed doors in September 2024, lasting around 12 weeks.
In 2020, European football's governing body UEFA imposed a two-year European ban on City as well as a fine for breaking financial fair-play rules, though that ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
smg/pb

Sports

Czech Republic beat Ukraine to win BJK Cup

  • Noskova sealed the 2-0 victory with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) win over world number seven Elina Svitolina after Muchova had put the Czechs in front with a 6-2, 6-3 rout of Anhelina Kalinina.
  • Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova delivered a first Billie Jean King Cup title since 2018 for the Czech Republic with victories over Ukraine in the final in Shenzhen on Sunday.
  • Noskova sealed the 2-0 victory with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) win over world number seven Elina Svitolina after Muchova had put the Czechs in front with a 6-2, 6-3 rout of Anhelina Kalinina.
Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova delivered a first Billie Jean King Cup title since 2018 for the Czech Republic with victories over Ukraine in the final in Shenzhen on Sunday.
The top-10 duo made history for their nation earlier this year when they squared off in an unprecedented all-Czech final at Wimbledon and have now added to their growing list of achievements by clinching the Czech Republic's 12th BJK Cup trophy.
Noskova sealed the 2-0 victory with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) win over world number seven Elina Svitolina after Muchova had put the Czechs in front with a 6-2, 6-3 rout of Anhelina Kalinina.
Czech captain Barbora Strycova is a six-time champion and was a player on the team that beat the USA in the final in 2018.
She has become just the fourth woman to win the BJK Cup as both a player and a captain –- joining Margaret Court, Chris Evert and King herself.
Ukraine were competing in their first-ever BJK Cup final after they knocked out two-time defending champions Italy in the previous round.
str/mw

Pr

Isak returns to Liverpool after injury scare

  • "Alexander Isak is to return to Liverpool from international duty due to a minor injury," a statement on the club's website said on Sunday.
  • Liverpool striker Alexander Isak has returned to Anfield after suffering a "minor injury" on international duty with Sweden.
  • "Alexander Isak is to return to Liverpool from international duty due to a minor injury," a statement on the club's website said on Sunday.
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak has returned to Anfield after suffering a "minor injury" on international duty with Sweden.
Isak scored and played the full 90 minutes in Sweden's victory against Romania in the Nations League on Friday.
But the 27-year-old will not feature in Sweden's matches against Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania over the remainder of the extended international break.
"Alexander Isak is to return to Liverpool from international duty due to a minor injury," a statement on the club's website said on Sunday.
"The striker will not be involved in Sweden's three remaining fixtures in the current international break and will now be assessed by club medical staff at the AXA Training Centre."
Isak had an injury-disrupted first season at Anfield after his acrimonious move from Newcastle.
He has fared better this term, scoring four times in his first seven games in all competitions.
Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola will hope Isak is fit for their next Premier League game against Manchester City on October 11.
smg/pb

Nations

England closing the gap on Spain says Kane

  • Kane is sure England's performance against Spain on Saturday will have left an impression on the world champions.
  • Harry Kane insists England are close to the level of Spain despite losing their Nations League clash with the world champions.
  • Kane is sure England's performance against Spain on Saturday will have left an impression on the world champions.
Harry Kane insists England are close to the level of Spain despite losing their Nations League clash with the world champions.
Thomas Tuchel's side recovered from a second-minute Lamine Yamal strike to lead at the break thanks to goals from Anthony Gordon and Kane at Wembley on Saturday.
England captain Kane had the chance to make it 3-1, but slipped while taking a penalty that hit the crossbar.
Spain showed their class to hit back, sealing a 3-2 victory with Alex Baena's equaliser and Mikel Oyarzabal's winner.
But Kane is adamant England showed enough to prove they can match the World Cup and European Championship holders.
"I think we're close, without a doubt," he said. "I think anyone who watched that game will see that.
"They have the trophies to back it up, so until we do that, we can only use words. We have to show it on the pitch."
England were beaten by Spain in the Euro 2024 final and missed out on a final rematch at the World Cup after losing to Argentina in the semi-finals.
Kane is sure England's performance against Spain on Saturday will have left an impression on the world champions.
"We showed a lot of good things on the pitch, but in the big moments, we didn't quite have it," the Bayern Munich striker said.
"But we're top four in the world. We finished third in the World Cup, so without a doubt, we're close, and I think they would have felt that out there today for sure."
smg/dmc

AUS

Inspired Wallabies notch statement Test win over Springboks

BY TRISTAN LAVALETTE

  • Having trailed 42-17, South Africa scored three tries at the death but it was not enough to overturn the deficit in a wild match in front of 54,678 fans, many drawn from Perth's sizeable South African community.
  • Len Ikitau scored twice as Australia claimed their biggest scalp under new coach Les Kiss with a dramatic 42-38 win in the one-off Test against South Africa in Perth on Sunday.
  • Having trailed 42-17, South Africa scored three tries at the death but it was not enough to overturn the deficit in a wild match in front of 54,678 fans, many drawn from Perth's sizeable South African community.
Len Ikitau scored twice as Australia claimed their biggest scalp under new coach Les Kiss with a dramatic 42-38 win in the one-off Test against South Africa in Perth on Sunday.
The Wallabies scored five tries but had to hang on against the World Cup champions, going down to 11 players late on as skipper Harry Wilson, Ryan Lonergan, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Hunter Paisami received yellow cards.
Having trailed 42-17, South Africa scored three tries at the death but it was not enough to overturn the deficit in a wild match in front of 54,678 fans, many drawn from Perth's sizeable South African community.
"I'm so proud of the group," Wilson said.
"We're excited and we were up for it. The first 70 minutes we executed our game plan."
It marked a statement for the Wallabies in their first match under Kiss against one of the traditional rugby powers, albeit a shorthanded Springboks.
The world's top-ranked side fielded a new-look lineup after making 13 changes from their Test win over the All Blacks earlier this month in Baltimore.
"I'm very proud of the fight the boys showed at the end, but we have got to be better than that," South Africa stand-in captain Andre Esterhuizen said.
South Africa were helpless countering Ikitau, who relished his shift to outside centre with several exhilarating runs through the middle. 
After trailing early, the Wallabies took control against a Springboks side still boasting 10 World Cup winners.  
The victory in the Mandela Challenge Plate means the Wallabies continued their unbeaten record under Kiss, who replaced Joe Schmidt in July in preparation for next year's home World Cup.
Australia had kick-started the new era by beating Japan twice and then securing a first-ever series triumph in Argentina.
But they were dealt a blow ahead of the match after the withdrawal of lock Josh Canham, who was ruled out with a mild hamstring injury. 
Kiss made a major tactical adjustment with Suaalii starting on the wing for the first time in his career.
The 23-year-old rugby league convert made his presence felt immediately by spectacularly flying high after kick-off only to give away the penalty at the breakdown.
Both teams felt each other out and traded penalties within the opening 10 minutes.
The Springboks' vaunted physicality in set pieces came to the fore when Johan Grobbelaar crashed through for the match's first try.
The Wallabies butchered several possessions, unable to handle the intense defensive pressure from their counterparts.  
But they were ignited by consecutive tries to Ikitau, with the latter a superb gather off an aerial contest before storming over the line.
South Africa responded with Edwill van der Merwe's blistering run into the corner finishing off a superb chain of passes. 
A high-octane first half was capped when Ben Donaldson crossed in the left corner to reward a period of dominance for the home side.
The Wallabies' momentum carried over in the second half even though Allan Alaalatoa failed to return to the field with a head injury. 
Lonergan's accurate penalty stretched the Wallabies' lead to 27-17, leading to South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus making eight changes to his starting line-up.
But it did not do the trick, with Wilson and Max Jorgensen scoring before the late drama.  
tl/mjw

GER

Assefa's world record bid at Berlin Marathon foiled by injury

BY DANIEL WIGHTON

  • - 'Worked wonderfully well' - The 35-year-old did not take the lead in the race until the 30-kilometre mark but was able to emerge with a lead of almost 30 seconds when he crossed the finish line. 
  • Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa narrowly missed out on breaking the women's world record at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, battling through injury to cross the finish line after being on record pace for much of the race.
  • - 'Worked wonderfully well' - The 35-year-old did not take the lead in the race until the 30-kilometre mark but was able to emerge with a lead of almost 30 seconds when he crossed the finish line. 
Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa narrowly missed out on breaking the women's world record at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, battling through injury to cross the finish line after being on record pace for much of the race.
Assefa was on track to break the record and accelerated in the final 10 kilometres, but faded in the closing stages, visibly limping across the finish line before collapsing on the road. 
The Ethiopian missed the podium ceremony as she was receiving medical treatment at the time the honours were handed out. 
She finished in a time of 2hr 11min 04min, the third best in history and breaking her personal best and course record of 2:11:53, set in 2023. 
Race director Mark Milde confirmed to AFP that Assefa was suffering from an injury to her Achilles tendon in her right leg. 
"We have to bow our heads to this performance. She was on a world record course for most of the race but then something happened to her tendon," said Milde. 
"To finish like this, I've never seen something like this. The pain is hard to imagine. 
"With a heavy heart, we saw her set a course record, but it could have been a lot more."
Assefa's late fade means the women's world record of 2:09:56 remains in the possession of Ruth Chepngetich, a mark clouded by the Kenyan's three-year doping ban handed down in 2025. 
It was an all-Ethiopian podium as Bedatu Hirpa finished second in 2:16:53 and Dera Dida came third in 2:16:55. 
Ethiopia's Guye Adola won the men's race in 2:02:50, adding another Berlin crown after his 2021 victory in the German capital. 
Adola's time was comfortably short of world record pace and outside the course record of 2:01:09, set in 2022 by five-time Berlin winner Eliud Kipchoge. 

'Worked wonderfully well'

The 35-year-old did not take the lead in the race until the 30-kilometre mark but was able to emerge with a lead of almost 30 seconds when he crossed the finish line. 
"My goal was to hold back a bit and see what the pacemakers did so I could know exactly what was happening -- and that worked wonderfully well," Adola said to Germany's RTL. 
"I love Berlin, totally. I love being back here and there's a pretty good chance I'll be back again."
Gemechu Dida took second in 2:03:19, continuing an impressive event for the Ethiopians, with Gabriel Geay of Tanzania third in 2:03:59. 
Held in temperate September, the Berlin marathon is considered the fastest of the major courses. The world record has been broken 13 times in Berlin, more than anywhere else. 
The late withdrawal of men's world record holder Sabastian Sawe, the 2025 Berlin winner who became the first man to crack the two-hour barrier earlier this year, meant hopes of another world mark shifted to Assefa. 
Paris Olympics silver medallist Assefa, now a three-time winner in Berlin, pledged to run "better than my best" before Sunday's race, with the world record on her mind. 
Assefa began strongly and had already opened up a lead of 25 seconds by the 5km mark which grew to a minute at 15km. 
Assefa largely stayed on world record pace throughout, only dropping below around the 25km mark at the flat course's only incline, before returning to record speed. 
The Ethiopian was still on track for the record at 35km, pulling 15 seconds clear of the pace needed. She was still 10 seconds ahead of the required tempo with just two kilometres to go. 
But with the finish line almost in sight, Assefa began to be troubled by a foot problem and started limping. She gamely fought on but her hopes at the record were dashed.
dwi/mw

AZE

Three talking points from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

  • Can we win a race?
  • He did not win, but in finishing within a whisker of George Russell's triumphant Mercedes on Saturday, Max Verstappen showed he could be a factor in this year's drivers' title race. 
  • Can we win a race?
He did not win, but in finishing within a whisker of George Russell's triumphant Mercedes on Saturday, Max Verstappen showed he could be a factor in this year's drivers' title race. 
With at least seven races to go, depending on the survival of the season-ending events in the Middle East, the four-time champion's pace and commitment in his resurgent Red Bull could upset Mercedes' supremacy. 
As championship leader Kimi Antonelli showed signs of vulnerability in Baku, even with a 66-point cushion, AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from Saturday's dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix: 

Verstappen remains a force

Having signed a new contract to settle his future and driving a car that is rapidly improving, Verstappen is chasing a long-awaited 72nd victory.
He has not won since last year's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and is in danger of completing a season winless for the first time since he joined Red Bull 10 years ago.
Given McLaren's inconsistency and Ferrari's recent decline, he and team-mate Isack Hadjar can emerge as the chief threat to Mercedes as the F1 circus flies to Asia for a Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia followed by the Singapore race.
"I was close and it was fun," said Verstappen after a strong drive from eighth on the grid to finish less than two-tenths adrift of Russell. "For most of the race, we were on the wrong tyres because the medium, unfortunately, didn't work like a lot of people expected.
"Once we swapped to the soft, you could see George and I were pulling away. Can we win a race? We'll keep trying, and we'll see what happens!"
Hadjar returned from injury to finish third. 
"The car is great," he said. "This weekend it was the second-fastest. I took it easy to avoid the walls and it was my comeback." 
"I had the better grip, but honestly I was fine to sit behind Max. Third was my target and I'm satisfied."
With a power unit that the team has developed into one of the strongest, Red Bull could shake up the run-in. 

Briatore ponders Colapinto future

Alpine team boss Flavio Briatore said he will reflect before deciding what action to take after Franco Colapinto's "rush of blood" crash into his team-mate Pierre Gasly, who then smashed into world champion Lando Norris's McLaren, wiping all three out of the race. 
It cost Alpine a solid points haul. Norris called for a one-race ban for Colapinto but race stewards settled for a 10-second time penalty, converted into a five-place grid drop for the next race.
"I feel very sorry for the team and for Pierre and my apologies also go to Lando and McLaren for ruining their race," said Briatore. "I know that Franco has taken full responsibility for it, as he should -- he braked far too late considering the context of the race and the safety car restart. It was a very poor move for a driver of his experience.
"I want to take time to reflect and consider what action should be taken."
The Argentine driver was fortunate to keep his seat this year and Briatore will surely consider alternatives for 2027.
- Russell can press Antonelli - 
Kimi Antonelli faces a test of his composure and emotions after Mercedes team-mate Russell ramped up the pressure for the run-in. The 20-year-old Italian's 66-point lead looks solid enough, but Russell returned to winning form with his first 'grand slam' of pole position, fastest lap and leading from lights to flag. 
"I never lost faith in myself," said Russell, after his eighth career win. "Even in the tough moments. So I am confident and I've been on the front row of the grid in three of the last four races and had three podiums. I can fight for victory now, week in and week out." 
str/pb/mw

GER

Assefa just misses women's world record at Berlin Marathon

BY DANIEL WIGHTON

  • The 35-year-old did not take the lead in the race until the 30-kilometre mark but was able to emerge with a lead of almost 30 seconds when he crossed the finish line. 
  • Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa narrowly missed out on breaking the women's world record at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, battling through injury to cross the finish line after being on record pace for much of the race.
  • The 35-year-old did not take the lead in the race until the 30-kilometre mark but was able to emerge with a lead of almost 30 seconds when he crossed the finish line. 
Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa narrowly missed out on breaking the women's world record at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, battling through injury to cross the finish line after being on record pace for much of the race.
Assefa was on track to break the record and accelerated in the final 10 kilometres, but faded in the closing stages, visibly limping across the finish line before collapsing on the road. 
The Ethiopian missed the podium ceremony as she was receiving medical treatment at the time the honours were handed out. 
She finished in a time of 2hr 11min 04min, the third best in history and breaking her personal best and course record of 2:11:53, set in 2023. 
Assefa's late fade means the women's world record of 2:09:56 remains in the possession of Ruth Chepngetich, a mark clouded by the Kenyan's three-year doping ban handed down in 2025. 
It was an all-Ethiopian podium as Bedatu Hirpa finished second in 2:16:53 and Dera Dida came third in 2:16:55. 
Ethiopia's Guye Adola won the men's race in 2:02:50, adding another Berlin crown after his 2021 victory in the German capital. 
Adola's time was off world record pace and outside the course record of 2:01:09, set in 2022 by five-time Berlin winner Eliud Kipchoge. 
The 35-year-old did not take the lead in the race until the 30-kilometre mark but was able to emerge with a lead of almost 30 seconds when he crossed the finish line. 
"My goal was to hold back a bit and see what the pacemakers did so I could know exactly what was happening -- and that worked wonderfully well," Adola said to Germany's RTL. 
"I love Berlin, totally. I love being back here and there's a pretty good chance I'll be back again."
Gemechu Dida took second in 2:03:19, continuing an impressive event for the Ethiopians, with Gabriel Geay of Tanzania third in 2:03:59. 

World record past

Held in temperate September, the Berlin marathon is considered the fastest of the major courses. The world record has been broken 13 times in Berlin, more than anywhere else. 
The late withdrawal of men's world record holder Sabastian Sawe, the 2025 Berlin winner who became the first man to crack the two-hour barrier earlier this year, meant hopes of another world mark shifted to Assefa. 
Paris Olympics silver medallist Assefa, now a three-time winner in Berlin, pledged to run "better than my best" before Sunday's race, which would put her on track for a shot at the world mark. 
Assefa began strongly and had already opened up a lead of 25 seconds by the 5km mark which grew to a minute at 15km. 
Assefa largely stayed on world record pace throughout, only dropping below around the 25km mark at the flat course's only incline, before returning to record speed. 
The Ethiopian was still on track for the record at 35km, pulling 15 seconds clear of the pace needed. She was still 10 seconds ahead of the required tempo with just two kilometres to go. 
But with the finish line almost in sight, Assefa began to be troubled by a foot problem and started limping. She gamely fought on but her hopes at the record were dashed.
dwi/mw