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McLaughlin-Levrone claims second world gold | The Express Tribune

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McLaughlin-Levrone claims second world gold | The Express Tribune



TOKYO:

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won her second gold of the world chanmpionships in Tokyo on Sunday, anchoring the USA team to a dominant victory in the 4×400 metres relay.

Double Olympic 400m hurdles champion McLaughlin-Levrone, who impressively won the 400m flat gold at these championships earlier in the week, put in a punishing last leg timed at a rapid 47.82sec to bring the USA team home in a championship record of 3min 16.61sec.

It beat by 0.10sec the previous best set by the United States in Stuttgart in 1993.

Jamaica claimed silver in 3:19.25, with the Netherlands taking bronze in 3:20.18.

Femke Bol, fresh from retaining her 400m hurdles crown and known for her fast finishing speed, was on the anchor leg for the Dutch team.

Also read: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2568048/duplantis-and-mclaughlin-levrone-lit-up-world-championships

But she had been left too much to do and could only chase down the shadows of her hurdling nemesis McLaughlin-Levrone.

“When you have great teammates as I have, it’s amazing,” said McLaughlin-Levrone, who ran the second fastest women’s 400m flat time in history in winning the individual event.

“My last lap felt it was like a victory lap for us. I just wanted to finish strong because you never know who is behind, chasing you. It was just an incredible race.

“Everyone just wanted to go out there, do their job.

“We weren’t really going for a time, we just wanted to obviously do our parts and win the race, so it’s always special to also add a championship record to the mix.”

Bol said the bronze brought the curtain down on yet another successful championships.

“It’s a team medal,” she said. “Even if I overtook a lot we made it all together.

“We worked hard to be able to do this and we have a great team around us to help us achieve our goals.

“I leave these world championships with three medals and I’m happy with that,” she said, having also won silver in the mixed 4x400m relay.

Boost for Tebogo 

Botswana’s quartet of Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori and the individual 400m world champion Busang Collen Kebinatshipi claimed a thrilling victory in the men’s 4x400m relay.

Kebinatshipi ran an impressive anchor leg, stealing the win in the final metres after running down American Rai Benjamin, the 400m hurdles gold medallist.

Botswana timed 2:57.76 to top the podium, with the US foursome taking silver 0.07sec adrift.

World 400m record holder Wayde van Niekerk ran the third leg to help South Africa to bronze.

“This gold medal makes up for my individual non-medal performances,” said Olympic 200m champion Tebogo, who false started in the 100m final here and finished fourth in the 200m.

“I am grateful to my teammates and to our coach. We came here dreaming of becoming world champions. It took a lot of courage for me. I am really happy to be sharing this medal with these guys.” 

Hocker wins world 5,000m

American Cole Hocker sprinted to victory in the men’s 5,000 metres at the world championships in Tokyo on Sunday, making up for his disqualification in the 1,500m.

The Olympic 1,500m champion timed 12min 58.30sec for gold at Japan’s National Stadium.

He had been excluded from the final of the 1,500m after he was adjudged to have jostled his competitors in the semi-final and a USA team appeal was rejected.

“I wanted to end the world championships on my terms, especially after how I prepared all year for this,” said Hocker.

“I felt I was robbed in the 1,500m. I knew I had the opportunity today, that I had the legs to take this field.”

Belgium’s Kenyan-born Isaac Kimeli took silver in 12:58.78, with France’s Jimmy Gressier claiming a bronze medal to add to his shock 10,000m gold.

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen came into the race as defending champion, but having sat out the entire outdoor season.

The effort proved too much on the night for the Norwegian, who eventually came 10th in 13:02.00.
Ingebrigtsen had tried to dictate the pace of the 12-and-a-half lap race, taking the lead with four laps to run.

But he lost that with 600 metres to go and was never in contention for a medal.

It was a tight affair down the far straight of the final lap, and off the bend, Hocker sat in fourth but the American turned on the afterburners to pass his rivals with the finish line in sight.

“I had a lot of bodies ahead of me but I felt very strong, enough to pass them one by one,” said Hocker. 

“Our last 5km champion (Bernard) Lagat was someone I grew up watching. This is a huge step to win this gold like he did.”



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Cristiano Ronaldo goal tracker: Road to 1,000 career goals

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February 15, 2026

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Cristiano Ronaldo goal tracker: Road to 1,000 career goals


Feb 15, 2026, 08:17 AM ET

Cristiano Ronaldo is chasing what no soccer player — despite Pelé and Romário claiming otherwise when adding in friendly matches — has ever officially achieved in competitive games: The ultimate milestone of 1,000 career goals. It’s the summit of statistical greatness, a record that would redefine the limits of individual excellence in the sport.

Throughout his career, the Portugal superstar has broken most of the records and won most of the trophies he could have won, but being able to officially score 1,000 goals will put him in a pantheon of his own among athletes.

Ronaldo is already the leading men’s international scorer with 143 goals from 225 games, while the rest of his domestic career total over his two-decade career have come in the club game for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and now at Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.

So, as he nears an extraordinary landmark, ESPN will track every goal on his journey toward 1,000 — one strike at a time — until he reaches the magic number.

Ronaldo’s goal tally:

  • Games played: 1,306

  • Goals: 962

  • Ratio: 0.74 per game

Goal No. 962 | Feb. 14: Al Fateh 0-2 Al Nassr

Ronaldo missed Al Nassr’s last two Saudi Pro League games due to a short-lived dispute over the club’s transfer policy. However, he didn’t take long to let the club know what they missed, taking just 18 minutes to open the scoring by diverting Sadio Mane’s low cross into the far corner of the goal.

Goal No. 961 | Jan. 30: Al Kholood 0-3 Al Nassr

Four wins in a row for Al Nassr and it’s another goal for Ronaldo — his 17th of the season — as he scored the opener in their 3-0 win over Al Kholood after combining well with João Félix with a tidy finish inside the box.

Goal No. 960 | Jan. 21: Damac FC 1-2 Al Nassr

40 goals to go! Ronaldo got his 960th career goal giving Al Nassr their second consecutive win of the season, with the Portuguese scoring the winning goal by drilling a shot into the bottom corner.

Goal No. 959 | Jan. 12: Al Hilal 3-1 Al Nassr

Ronaldo was on the scoresheet and opening the match up in this huge clash against Al Hilal. However, second place Al Nassr was unable to cut the cap as the league leaders scored three times in the second half to get all three points.

Goal No. 958 | Jan. 8: Al Nassr 1-2 Al Qadsiah

It’s a new year but it’s the same old Ronaldo as he scored his first goal of 2026, making it 24 straight calendar years with at least one goal, as he scored a penalty but was unable to help Al Nassr beat Al Qadsiah.

Goal No. 957 | Dec. 30: Al Ettifaq 2-2 Al Nassr

Ronaldo surely didn’t want to end the year without a goal, and he was able to do it — with the help of a deflection off compatriot João Félix — as Al Nassr ended 2025 by snatching a point.

Goal No. 956 | Dec. 27: Al Nassr 3-0 Al Okhdood

Another strike that was all about timing and positioning, Ronaldo guided home a low cross from the right at close range to double his side’s lead and help seal a 10th consecutive win for Al Nassr.

Goal No. 955 | Dec. 27: Al Nassr 3-0 Al Okhdood

You’d think a defender would know better than to let Ronaldo have a free run into the six-yard box at a corner, but that’s what he got to tap home a flick-on at the far post and open the scoring.

Goal No. 954 | Nov. 23: Al Nassr 4-1 Al Khaleej

As pretty as any of the 953 goals that came before it. The 40-year-old got on his bike to connect with a floated cross from the right flank and deliver an exquisite right-footed bicycle kick into the top corner.

It also just happened to be the last action of the game.

Goal No. 953 | Nov. 8: Neom SC 1-3 Al Nassr

A penalty in the 65th minute… but it was dispatched with calmness as CR7 did a little stutter-step, waited for the goalkeeper to dive to his right and then slotted it home down his left side.

That’s now a cool 100 goal involvements in the Saudi League in 85 matches.

Goals No. 951 & 952 | Nov. 1: Al Nassr 2-1 Al Fayha

Another game, another two goals for the Portugal legend.

Ronaldo was in fine form on Saturday as Al Nassr came back from a goal down to defeat Al Fayha at the King Fahd International Stadium.

After slipping behind early, the 40-year-old latched on to a through-ball from Kingsley Coman to restore parity for the hosts in the 37th minute. Ronaldo then kept his cool to slot home the winner from the penalty spot to ensure Al Nassr kept a flawless seven-in-seven record to start the Saudi Pro League season.

Goal No. 950 | Oct. 24: Al Hazem 0-2 Al Nassr

The 40-year-old was on the scoresheet as he, and compatriot João Félix, helped Al Nassr beat Al Hazem to continue their perfect start in the Saudi Pro League with six wins from their first six matches of the season.

Following a great ball from teammate Wesley, Ronaldo was able to score with ease inside the box with a great strike and now needs just 50 goals to reach a four-digit total.





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T20 World Cup Pakistan Take the Field First After Toss Victory Over India – SUCH TV

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February 15, 2026

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T20 World Cup Pakistan Take the Field First After Toss Victory Over India – SUCH TV



Pakistan have elected to field first against India in the 27th match of the Men’s T20 World Cup in Colombo on Sunday. 

According to details surfaced on Sunday, the Green Shirts will look to continue the momentum, they got after thumping Netherlands and USA.

Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (capt), Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed

India XI: Ishan Kishan (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah



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Sanjay Manjrekar criticises India over handshake row

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3 hours ago

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February 15, 2026

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Sanjay Manjrekar criticises India over handshake row


Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar seen in a file photo. — AFP

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has criticised the defending champions over the recent “no-handshake” controversy involving Pakistan during the ACC Men’s Asia Cup, terming the gesture unnecessary and against the true spirit of the game.

The two Asian giants will face off in the T20 World Cup 2026 clash here on Sunday at the R Premadasa Stadium, with fans eagerly waiting to see whether the two captains shake hands.

Taking to the social media platform X, the former cricketer-turned-commentator expressed concern over what he termed an unbecoming trend that contradicts cricket’s long-standing traditions of sportsmanship.

“This ‘no shaking hands’ is such a silly thing that India has started. It’s unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don’t play at all,” he wrote.

The absence of the customary post-match handshake has continued in recent encounters between the arch-rivals. 

Players from both sides have avoided traditional interactions since their group-stage clash at the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup in Dubai last year.

The issue first drew widespread attention during that fixture when Suryakumar Yadav did not greet Agha Salman at the toss. 

After India sealed victory, Suryakumar and teammate Shivam Dube walked back to the pavilion immediately after scoring the winning runs, further fuelling debate.

India and Pakistan faced each other twice more in the tournament — in the Super Four stage and the final — but handshakes were again notably absent on both occasions.

Moreover, after defeating Pakistan in the final, the Men in Blue refrained from receiving the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who serves as Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and President of the Asian Cricket Council.

The practice has not been limited to senior men’s cricket. 

Similar scenes were witnessed during their meeting at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, as well as in age-group and emerging competitions, including the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship and the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup.

In the recently concluded ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026, India captain Ayush Mhatre and Pakistan skipper Farhan Yousaf also avoided shaking hands following their match, highlighting how the controversy has extended across different levels of international cricket.

The practice remained the same during the recently concluded match between Pakistan A and India A in the ACC Asia Cup Rising Stars Women’s 2026 on Sunday.





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