Sprinter Usain Bolt has had twin boys, named Thunder Bolt and Saint Leo Bolt. Bolt, 34, announced the news on Instagram on Father's Day, with a lightning bolt emoji next to each of his children's names. The Olympic champion posted a photo of him and partner Kasi Bennett, with their twin boys and one-year-old daughter Olympia Lightning. The couple did not say when exactly the twins were born.

Bennett also posted a photo with the babies, saying that Bolt was the rock of this family and the greatest daddy to our little ones. Olympia Lightning was born in May 2020, and her name was announced publicly two months later. Before her birth, Bolt had kept followers updated of Bennett's pregnancy on his social media. However, neither he nor Bennett had posted about her pregnancy with the twins. Bolt, a Jamaican sprinting icon, retired from athletics in 2017 and still holds the 100m and 200m world records, making him the fastest man in history. He is also the only man to have won three 100m Olympic titles and 23 major gold medals during his career.

After leaving athletics he tried to play professional football, but then announced he was leaving sports entirely in 2019. Bolt is not the first celebrity to use a play on words when naming children. In 2013 Kanye West and his wife Kim Kardashian West, who are currently separated, made headlines when they named their child North West. Musician Jermaine Jackson named his son, who is now 20 years old, Jermajesty.

And television actor Rob Morrow from 1990s series Northern Exposure named his daughter, who is now also an actor, Tu Morrow.

Holly Bradshaw faces a big test on the eve of the Tokyo Olympics when she takes on the world’s leading female pole vaulters at the Müller British Grand Prix in Gateshead International Stadium on Tuesday July 13.

The 28-year-old, who competes for Blackburn Harriers and is coached by Scott Simpson, cleared a British outdoor best with 4.82m at a meeting in Huelva, Spain, this month, whereas earlier this year indoors she cleared 4.85m, a mark which is close to her outright British record of 4.87m, which was also set indoors. The Müller British Grand Prix next month is part of the Wanda Diamond League series and Bradshaw’s competition includes:

Katie Nageotte – the world No.1 this year after clearing 4.94m at a meeting in the United States this month where the pole vault was moved indoors due to bad weather. However, the 30-year-old American also jumped 4.93m outdoors last month in the States and she produced the best jump in the world last year too with 4.92m.

Anzhelika Sidorova – the reigning world champion has a best of 4.95m, which was set when winning that title in Doha in 2019. The 29-year-old is one of a small number of Russian athletes who have been allowed to compete as Authorised Neutral Athletes.

Katerina Stefanidi – the Greek pole vaulter is the reigning Olympic champion and her national record of 4.91m was set in the UK when she won the world title at the London Stadium in 2017.

Sandi Morris – the reigning world indoor champion also has silver medals from the 2016 Olympics and 2019 World Championships and holds the No.2 outdoor mark in history with 5.00m. The American has a good record in Britain, too, as she won her world indoor title in Birmingham and was runner-up at the 2017 World Championships in London.

Bradshaw said: “After opening my season well in Doha last month, things have gone even better since with my best-ever outdoor height of 4.82m in Spain. My event is really competitive at the moment and in Gateshead I’ll be due to face most of the top pole vaulters in what promises to be a really good competition. With the meet falling so close to the Olympics as well it will be a great final test before heading out to Tokyo.”

Such is the quality of the competition, in good conditions the athletes could get close to the world record of 5.06m set by Yelena Isinbayeva in 2009. Several women’s pole vault world records have been set at Gateshead International Stadium in the past. Daniela Bartova of the Czech Republic, for example, set a world record of 4.14m at the venue in 1995 while Isinbayeva of Russia set world marks of 4.82m in 2003 and 4.87m in 2004 at the same track.

The pole vault line-up is the latest event to be announced for the Müller British Grand Prix following the news that British star Dina Asher-Smith will be racing over 200m and Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands will compete in the women’s mile. Gateshead staged the first Wanda Diamond League event of 2021 in May after it was moved from Rabat in Morocco to the North East of England and now, on July 13, the same venue will host the seventh Diamond League of the season after it was moved from its original home of London.

The Müller British Grand Prix will be broadcast internationally from 7-9pm with BBC showing the action live for domestic viewers.

Up to 10,000 Japanese fans will be permitted at Tokyo 2020 Olympic venues, despite warnings from health bosses. Overseas spectators are already banned but organisers said domestic fans could attend providing crowds did not exceed 50% of a venue's capacity.

Fans will not be allowed to shout or speak loudly, and must wear face masks at all times while in venues. The Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 23, while the Paralympics follow a month later, from August 24.

Spectator numbers for the Paralympics will be confirmed by July 16, said a joint statement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, the Tokyo metropolitan government and the government of Japan. The decision to allow spectators comes despite the release of a report last week by Japanese medical experts that said holding the Games without spectators was the least risky and most desirable option.

Tokyo 2020 organising committee president Seiko Hashimoto said: "There are so many cases, domestically and internationally of sports events with spectators."

"By exercising thorough measures and based on the government criteria, we believe we can hold the Games with spectators. The entire world is facing the same issues and we have to work together to overcome them."

Should there be a rapid increase in Covid-19 infections and impact on Japan's healthcare systems, the five parties will consider further restrictions. This could include further reducing spectator numbers at venues.

There are fears that the Games may trigger a surge in coronavirus infections in Japan. As a result, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga last week encouraged the Japanese public to watch the Games on television, rather than attending events in person.

A state of emergency in Tokyo has been lifted, five weeks before the start of the Olympics with emergency Covid-19 restrictions having been in place in Japan's capital and other prefectures since late April amid a surge in infections. However, some quasi-emergency measures will remain in some areas, including Tokyo, until July 11.

The Birmingham Bears have joined forces with two Midlands-based football freestylers to showcase the skill and talent of their players by taking part in a series of football-meets-cricket trick-shot challenges.

Ahead of the Bears’ first home Vitality Blast fixture of the season against Lancashire Lightning, club captain Will Rhodes, West Indies star Carlos Brathwaite, and opening batsman, Adam Hose, teamed up with two of social media’s most popular freestylers, Wolverhampton’s Ewan Baggott (@EABSkills) and Kieran Brown (@KieranDB), to test two key Twenty20 skillsets – their batting power, and fielding accuracy – in a range of challenges at Edgbaston Stadium.

Influencers Ewan and Kieran have spent the last decade creating viral clips on social media, and have racked up millions of views on Instagram and YouTube. Known for their incredible technique and tricks, the challenges they devised featured typical cricket drills with a freestyle twist.

Fielding drills became Clay Pigeon-style target practice, with Bears players aiming at footballs in mid-air; the bowling machine was fed by freestyler tricks for range-hitting, and Carlos Brathwaite practised his big-hitting from inside Edgbaston’s famous Hollies Stand. Not to be outdone, Ewan and Kieran demonstrated their own outrageous ability, showing off control and touches with cricket balls that most people could only dream of doing with a football.

The Bears return to Edgbaston for their first home game of this season’s Vitality Blast in a mouth-watering clash against Lancashire Lightning. With England stars Chris Woakes and Olly Stone available for the Bears, and Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone due to turn out for the Lightning, fans can expect fireworks and dynamic skills galore. A small number of tickets are still available for the game, and can be purchased at Edgbaston Stadium - Online ticket sales.

Will Rhodes, Birmingham Bears captain, said: “The boys always love the chance to show off our skills so we loved the challenges that Ewan and Kieran set us. We’re really excited to get back to Edgbaston after a run of away games. There’s a great atmosphere in the ground for these Blast games, and hopefully we’ll entertain the home fans with a few more skills!”

Football freestyler and influencer, Ewan Baggott, said: “A lot of people don’t realise how skilful cricketers are. I’ve been lucky to work with a number of top athletes, and the ability of the Bears players is right up there with the best I’ve seen.”

Birmingham Bears play seven home games at Edgbaston up until Sunday July 18. Under-16s go free to all games, and Vitality Blast Season Passes are still available, entitling the holder to entry to all home Bears T20 group games, and a free guest pass to use at any home game, excluding the Worcestershire Rapids fixture.

One of India's greatest athletes, Milkha Singh, has died from Covid-related complications.

Popularly known as "the Flying Sikh", Singh won four Asian gold medals and finished fourth in the 400m final at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

In 2013, his story was turned into the Bollywood film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag - Run Milkha Run.

Singh's wife, Nirmal Kaur, a former volleyball captain, also died with Covid earlier this week, aged 85.

Singh had contracted Covid-19 last month and died of complications from the disease in a hospital in the northern city of Chandigarh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the tributes to the athlete, who has been described as independent India's first sporting superstar.

Singh's exploits on the track and field are legendary in India.

He won five golds in international athletic championships and was awarded the Helms World Trophy in 1959 for winning 77 of his 80 international races. He also won India's first

Commonwealth gold in 1958.

Singh grew up in a small village in what, during his childhood, was still British India. As a young boy who lived in a remote village in Multan province, he saw his parents and seven siblings murdered during the Partition of India and the creation of Pakistan in 1947.

As his father fell, his last words were "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", exhorting his son to run for his life. The boy ran - first to save his life, and then to win medals.

Arriving in India as an orphan in 1947, he took to petty crime and did odd jobs for survival until he found a place in the army. It was there that he discovered his athletic abilities.

Singh won Gold at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff and went on to finish fourth in the 400 metres at the Rome Olympics, missing out on a bronze medal by a whisker. In 1960, he was invited to take part in the 200m event at an International Athletic competition in Lahore, Pakistan. He hadn't been back to Pakistan since fleeing in 1947 and initially refused to go.

Singh eventually did go to Pakistan. Despite the huge support for his main rival, Pakistan's Abdul Khaliq, in the stadium, Singh went on to win that race, while Khaliq took the bronze medal. As Gen Ayub Khan, Pakistan's second president, awarded the competitors their medals, Singh received the nickname that would stick with him for the rest of his life.

He said: "Gen Ayub said to me, 'Milkha, you came to Pakistan and did not run. You actually flew in Pakistan. Pakistan bestows upon you the title of the Flying Sikh.' If Milkha Singh is known as the Flying Sikh in the whole world today, the credit goes to General Ayub and to Pakistan.”

Even though he never won an Olympic medal, his only wish was that someone else should win that medal for India. When the biographic film was released in 2013, Singh told the BBC that it would inspire the next generation.

"We had nothing in our times,” he said. “The athletes and sportsmen in those days didn't earn much money. We worked for the applause, people's appreciation inspired and motivated us, we ran for the country." He was 91.

Police and council staff will be working together to keep fans safe from Covid-19 when England take on Scotland in Euro 2020 today.

Officers from Wolverhampton Police and the City of Wolverhampton Council's licensing team will be visiting pubs and bars around the city to ensure venues are operating in a Covid-secure manner.

Infection rates have risen in Wolverhampton and across the country in recent weeks, largely driven by the new, more transmissable Delta variant, with latest figures showing 112 people in the city tested positive for Covid-19 in the seven days to June 14 – though the true number of new cases will likely be higher.

As a result, the Government has delayed the further relaxation of coronavirus restrictions, meaning limits remain on the number of people who can mix indoors – up to six individuals, or two households – and that pubs, bars and restaurants still have to operate within capacity limits. Venues must only offer table service and customers should wear a face covering except when seated at a table to eat or drink, unless they are exempt for medical reasons.

Councillor Stephen Simkins, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: "The vast majority of our pubs and bars are doing an excellent job in ensuring they are able to operate in a Covid-secure manner and we are happy to give them all the support they need to keep their staff and customers safe from this deadly virus.

"Our staff were out and about with police over the weekend to ensure that venues showing the opening England game were doing so safely, and were able to offer help and advice where required. And we will be doing the same for today's big match between England and Scotland to ensure that fans can enjoy the action safely.

“Our aim is simply to ensure we can protect as many citizens as possible while at the same time allowing everyone to safely support their teams in the Euros.”

Supt Simon Inglis from Wolverhampton Police said: "We appreciate that our communities have had a really difficult 15 months and there is now an opportunity to let off some steam and enjoy the night time economy and the football.

“If last weekend is anything to go by it is clear that people are happy to do that and still stick within the rules and comply with the restrictions that are still in place.

“Our officers attended many venues in partnership with the council and it was great to see that both the licensed premises as well as those attending them were able to enjoy the football and the occasion in a really positive way as well as keeping themselves safe during these really difficult times.

“All we ask is that you continue to do so this weekend and throughout the coming weeks and please see our visits to the locations as a positive step that is there to keep you all and your families safe. You being able to enjoy the football and the night time economy in a safe and organised manner is really important to us and so please help us to help you by complying with the restrictions, whilst enjoying the occasion.”