It was one of the toughest world championships in history with over 2300 competitors from 41 countries, after a long competition and several tough rounds Chloe had to compete in a deciding contest for the gold medal. Chloe held her nerve and kicked and punched her way to become world champion in spectacular style in front of a vocal and packed arena.

Gina Akpe Moses has spent the last 12 months preparing to race in the 2018 World Under 20 Championships, taking place in Finland next month.

Now, the 100m sprinter is further motivated to pick up a second gold medal after receiving the top trophy at BMet’s Sports Awards.

The 19-year-old received the Elite Sportsperson of the Year Award after qualifying for the championships and being on target to achieve top marks in her applied science course at Matthew Boulton College.  She has also completed an Advanced Level Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE).

“I’m honoured to get this award, especially as the college has so many athletes doing brilliantly in their teams and individually.” said Gina.  “I opened my season with a personal best and have been doing everything I can to keep performing at a high level.

“Awards like this and support from other students and my coaches makes me appreciate how far I’ve come.  All of it encourages me to keep looking ahead and be a better athlete.”

She continued: “The World Championships are another opportunity for me to compete against the best of the best.  Getting gold again like last year would just be amazing.  I believe I can still improve on my race time and the 2020 Olympics are an achievable goal.”

Commending Gina on her award, BMet Principal Andrew Cleaves said: “She is a rising star that keeps on rising.  The award is our way of congratulating her on her ability to make it work both on and off the field.

“This is the first time we have presented an elite sportsperson award to a student and she is a most deserving recipient.  Here’s to Gina having another excellent summer of success.”

Following the championships, Gina hopes she’ll be selected for the Senior European Athletics Championships which will be in Berlin in August.  She will then take up a place at university to study psychology.

“My college course has given me a massive insight into the different fields of science I can go into,” she added.  “I’m now an expert at juggling my training schedule with classes and coursework deadlines and of course taking time just to hang out with friends and family.  If you believe enough in what you want to achieve, somehow you make it all happen.”

BMet’s Sports Awards were held at Aston Villa Football Club with presenters including midfielder, Jordan Lyden and women’s team captain, Katy Walsh.

Over 100 students received awards in recognition of their success in individual and team competitions at both regional and national level.  Individuals were also commended for academic achievement as well as for going above and beyond in their roles as coaches, volunteers and ambassadors for sport.

Well over half of Brits are shunning the pub to watch the World Cup at home with friends and family this year (57%), according to a new study.

The survey of 2,000 people, commissioned by The Ice Co found nearly half of Brits (45%) think the pub is too “laddy”, with a similar number (43%) saying they'd rather watch it in a more civilised environment.

When it comes to the ideal drinks to serve at a World Cup viewing party, beer comes out on top. The top 10 drinks are:

1. Ice cold beer (47%)
2. Soft drinks with ice (35%)
3. Cider in chilled bottles (25%)
4. Prosecco (24%)
5. Cocktails (23%)
6. Extra chilled wine (22%)
7. Gin and tonic (16%)
8. Red wine (11%)
9. Baileys on ice (9%)
10. Whisky on the rocks (6%)

So, what makes the perfect World Cup viewing party at home? The study shows having plenty of snacks in the house (52%), having lots of cold drinks in an ice box or bucket (43%), making sure everyone has a seat (37%) and stocking up on ice for drinks (33%) are the most important factors.

The Ice Co's findings have been included in a new report by food and drink futurologist Lyndon Gee, called World Cup 2018: We'll be playing at home, not away! In the report, Lyndon has also created World Cup drinking personalities, including the Penalty Taker who loves drinking games and the Referee, who tried to organise everyone and make sure all glasses are filled equally.

Lyndon Gee, commented: “There's lots of research out there, which I've cited in my report, to show that staying in is the new going out. The rise of trends such as hygge and lagom have helped fuel all of this, with many of us preferring the comfort and cosiness of our own homes than being in a busy bar or pub. This year's World Cup is no exception, with the survey from The Ice Co clearly showing a large proportion of Brits are shunning the pub, with many people saying the environment is too “laddy” and that they would rather celebrate in a more civilised way with friends and family.

“Ice cold beer is still the most popular alcoholic drink but low and no-alcohol varieties are gaining a lot of traction. Soft drinks are no longer an afterthought for summer parties, and this is evident with the growing trend for adult soft drinks. Cocktails and mocktails are also bang on trend this summer, so we'll see many people serving these at their World Cup viewing parties.”

When it comes to the ideal number of people Brits want to invite round to their World Cup party, the study shows five or six close friends and family members is the “sweet spot”.

Ginny Durdy, marketing manager at The Ice Co, which commissioned the research, said: “Our study showed two-fifths of people (22%) hate queueing for drinks at the pub. So, one of wonderful things about hosting a World Cup party at home, is you don't have to do this! There's nothing quite like getting your friends and family round to your house for a World Cup viewing party and serving them cold soft drinks, wine and beer all day long straight from a box or bucket filled with Party Ice. It's also worth stocking up on Super Cubes or slow melting Premium Ice cubes, which are a brilliant way to keep drinks like gin and tonic, cocktails and mocktails cold while you're watching the game.”

We’re going to make this event a great celebration of cricket and the cultural diversity of our sport, says David Richardson. The greatest cricket celebration is just one year away. To celebrate this milestone, the LOC has released the ICC Cricket World Cup Declaration by London Poet Caleb Femi. ICC Chief Executive, David Richardson: “The ICC Cricket World Cup in England and Wales is truly unique. No other country in world cricket offers every competing nation a ‘home crowd’ atmosphere”.

CWC Managing Director, Steve Elworthy: “England and Wales have a rich history of staging great cricket and global sporting events with phenomenal public support. We know the ICC Cricket World Cup will be no different and fans will turn out in record numbers to support the event’. With the Cricket Family ballot closing at 8pm (BST) on 1 June – there are just two days left to register – and the response has been outstanding”.

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock: “Cricket is a common language that unites nations across the world and it is fantastic that the ICC Cricket World Cup is returning to England and Wales next year”. Today marks a year to go until the greatest celebration of cricket, the ICC Cricket World Cup, gets underway when hosts England take on South Africa at The Oval in London.

The format for the 2019 edition, the same used in Australia and New Zealand in 1992, sees the 10 best teams in the world go head to head in a round-robin format, resulting in a true world champion. Building on the overwhelming success of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 and 2017 as well as last year’s ICC Women’s World Cup, it is anticipated that every one of the 48 matches will attract diverse crowds creating a unique atmosphere where every team has home support.

To celebrate the milestone and start the countdown, London-based artist Caleb Femi has written a Cricket World Cup declaration setting out the promise of the event to fans around the world and what it means to cricket fans in England and Wales.

A launch event on the iconic Brick Lane will bring together cricket ambassadors, such as England captain Eoin Morgan as well as ICC Cricket Hall of Famers Brian Lara and Waqar Younis, local street cricket projects, and community leaders.

ICC Chief Executive, David Richardson said: “The ICC Cricket World Cup in England and Wales is truly unique. It offers every competing nation a ‘home crowd’ atmosphere with passionate fans. That combined with the best teams in the world going head to head in outstanding venues is a fantastic combination for cricket fans globally.

“We’re going to make this event a great celebration of cricket and the cultural diversity of our sport, bringing people and communities together from Manchester to Mumbai and Southampton to Sydney.”

Interest in tickets has reached a new peak in the Cricket Family Ballot and Steve Elworthy, the ICC Cricket World Cup Managing Director, said: “England and Wales have a rich history of staging great cricket and global events with phenomenal public support. We know the ICC Cricket World Cup will be no different and fans will turn out in record numbers to support the event.

‘‘With the Cricket Family Ballot closing at 8pm on 1 June – there are just two days left to register – and the response so far has been outstanding. We thank all those, from around the world who support this great game on a regular basis and it is fitting they had priority access to tickets.

“But everyone will get a chance as the Public Ballot will open on 1 August 2018 and then in September the remaining tickets will go on open sale. Our initial campaign has been an enormous success and we can be proud of the progress so far.

“Our aim is to deliver an outstanding tournament for the players, the match officials and the fans. In hosting the CWC we have an opportunity that will leave a lasting impression that will inspire more people to play or get involved in cricket not only in England and Wales but across the world.”

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock said: “Cricket is a common language that unites nations across the world and it is fantastic that the ICC Cricket World Cup is returning to England and Wales next year. We have a brilliant track record in the UK for hosting major sports events, which help inspire future generations to take part. I’m extremely proud that we will host the biggest tournament in cricket and look forward to welcoming the world in the summer of 2019.”

The ICC Cricket World Cup will culminate with the fifth final at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on 14 July and Lord’s will be one of 11 venues joining Bristol County Ground, Cardiff Wales Stadium, County Ground Taunton, Edgbaston, Hampshire Bowl, Headingley, Old Trafford, The Oval, The Riverside and Trent Bridge as host venues.

With the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^TM just one week away, Qatar Airways, the Official Partner and Official Airline of FIFA, is preparing to unite football fans from around the world as it begins the official countdown to the World Cup.

With the first World Cup match set to kick off on 14 June in Moscow, the award-winning airline will bring fans from across the world to Russia to celebrate their love for football by taking part in one of the most highly-anticipated events on the global sports calendar.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “With just seven days until the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^TM begins, we could not be more pleased to be taking part in this event as the Official Partner and Official Airline of FIFA. This year’s tournament is especially exciting, as it is the first to take place in Russia, an extremely important market to us. In the past year, we have extended our reach in Russia by launching new daily services to St. Petersburg, Russia’s glittering cultural capital, complementing our triple-daily services to Moscow.

“As the Official Partner and Official Airline of FIFA, we are delighted to see the excitement building, as fans from around the world prepare to gather in Russia to cheer for their teams and celebrate their love for the game. As an airline, we believe in the power of sports to bring people together, and there is no greater event than the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^TM to celebrate a love for football.”

Last week, Qatar Airways launched a new 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^TM campaign, featuring a re-recording of the classic song ‘Dancing in the Street’ sung by renowned singer and TV star Nicole Scherzinger. The upbeat TV commercial has seen tremendous global success, with more than 20 million views  across the airline’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

To celebrate the upcoming World Cup with fans and passengers, the airline launched a social media campaign last month titled ‘FIFA Fan Match’. Participants were asked to describe themselves using five emojis for a chance to win tickets to watch the semi-finals in St. Petersburg. The highly engaging campaign was a great success, with five lucky winners from around the world looking forward to attending the World Cup semi-final match in Russia.

In April, Qatar Airways signed an MoU with Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport, Russia’s third-largest airport, committing to a potential acquisition of up to 25 per cent of the airport’s total shares, complementing the strong ties established with the country, and in support of the airline’s existing investment strategy.

To celebrate the Year of Culture between the State of Qatar and Russia, the airline also earlier this year announced a five-year partnership with Cosmoscow International Contemporary Art Fair, a prestigious event that unites the contemporary Russian art market and helps its contributors establish contacts with the international art community.

In December 2017, Qatar Airways launched a new daily service to the cultural capital of Russia, St. Petersburg, doubling the number of Russian routes operated by the carrier. The addition of St. Petersburg to Qatar Airways’ route map demonstrates the importance of the Russian market to the carrier, which has been flying to Moscow since 2004. The award-winning airline currently operates three daily flights between Moscow and Doha, in addition to a daily flight between St. Petersburg and Doha.

In May 2017, Qatar Airways announced a groundbreaking sponsorship deal with FIFA, which saw the award-winning airline become the Official Partner and Official Airline of FIFA until 2022. The partnership, one of the biggest sporting sponsorships in the world, gives Qatar Airways extensive marketing and branding rights at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ and the 2022 World Cup Qatar™, with an expected audience reach of more than two billion people per tournament.

The agreement sees Qatar Airways become the Official Airline Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup™, the FIFA Women’s World Cup™, the FIFA Under-20 and Under 17 World Cups™, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™, and the FIFA Interactive World Cup™.

The airline’s partnership with FIFA builds on its existing sponsorship strategy with premier sporting clubs around the world. In March, Qatar Airways signed a five-year partnership agreement with leading German football team FC Bayern München AG, making the award-winning airline an FC Bayern München platinum partner until June 2023.

Qatar Airways also recently revealed multi-year sponsorship agreements with Italian football club AS Roma, for which it will become the Official Jersey Sponsor through the 2020-21 season; and with Argentinian football club Boca Juniors, for which it will become the Official Jersey Sponsor through the 2021-22 season.

As part of a newly-enhanced three-season deal with Formula E, announced in Doha in January this year, the airline will also be the title sponsor of the upcoming Qatar Airways New York City E-Prix, taking place on 14-15 July.

The award-winning airline has received a record number of accolades recently, including ‘Airline of the Year’ by the prestigious 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards, which was held at the Paris Air Show. This is the fourth time that Qatar Airways has been given this global recognition. In addition to being voted Best Airline by travellers from around the world, Qatar’s national carrier also won a raft of other major awards at the ceremony, including ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’ and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge’.

Qatar Airways recently revealed a host of upcoming new global destinations, including the announcement that it will be the first Gulf carrier to begin direct service to Luxembourg. Other exciting new destinations to be launched by the airline include Tallinn, Estonia; Valletta, Malta; Cebu and Davao, Philippines; Langkawi, Malaysia; Da Nang, Vietnam; Bodrum and Antalya, Turkey and Málaga, Spain.

Next week the borough of Haringey welcomes a competition with a difference, the World Football Cup.

Coles Park Stadium in Tottenham – home to Haringey Borough FC – is hosting the CONIFA competition, made up of non-FIFA teams from all over the world. Five games will be played there from May 31 to June 3. And the man tasked with getting the stadium and 3G pitch ready is Borough men’s manager Tom Loizou.

"I’m the Borough manager but I’m also the groundsman. So I’ll be brushing the pitch, checking the floodlights, cleaning the stands – even making sure we’ve got the burgers in."

Tom has been Borough manager for nine years, and has helped them soar up the leagues. They’ve just been promoted again, and next season they’ll play in the Bostik Premier. But that doesn’t stop him pitching in.

"I brush the pitch twice a week, I do the weeding around the club grounds. After every game I sweep the terraces. I have to unblock the toilets, I put up the nets, I do all the maintenance and painting."

Tom, who has years of coaching and managing experience and did a stint as Leyton Orient’s caretaker-manager, works tirelessly on the stadium all year round. The dugouts were welded together by a local mechanic and one of the stands used to be a driving range.

He says:

"I had to hand-dig the fences around the edge of the ground. I started in April last year and finished in August. There were too many pipes and wires to use machinery. It had to be done for the start of last season and I managed to get it done the day before kick-off."

But he says the 110m x 70m artificial 3G pitch is a blessing.

"When it was grass I had to cut it, seed it, get new soil. Now the pitch is made of shredded lorry tyres – black rubber. So you get a nice bounce. It’s much better to manage, but I have put on two stone since I stopped having to cut the grass."

Tom is the only full-time member of staff at the club, but has a strong team of volunteers around him – including his son and daughter. Tom says:

"It’s like a big family here. We’re trying to create a nice atmosphere so that everyone feels welcome. The fans have been unbelievable – they push us on and you end up working for them. When we went up the chairman, Aki Achillea, was acting just like a fan. The players had huge smiles and brought their kids on the pitch, players were mingling with the fans – that’s what I want for the club."

"My personal mission is for everyone to know Haringey Borough. Three years ago no one wanted to play on our pitch or come through the gates. Aki put his money where his mouth is and now we’re here. I’m a Gunner and he’s a Spurs fan, so we’re also proof that the two can live in harmony…"

The World Football Cup will be the first time the teams and players have come to Haringey Borough and this will put us on the map – I’ll also be keeping my eye out for some new players.