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As part of its three years to go celebrations, the team behind Birmingham 2022 is dialling up the countdown to the Commonwealth Games by rolling out an art-led community research project that aims to connect communities across the West Midlands.

Birmingham 2022 is staging an innovative research project called Common Ground, which will visit nine locations across the region throughout June and July, inviting people to have a conversation about the Games and to explore how Birmingham 2022 can benefit their community and create a legacy in the region.

Featuring local artist illustrators Room 0121 and Void One who will be joined by a team of researchers, Common Ground hopes to engage local people to explore how they feel the Games can bring people together and provide a catalyst for change to benefit them and others living in their local area. The findings will be used by the artists to create a visual interpretation of the conversations, as they happen, at each location.

Common Ground will conclude with an exciting Birmingham 2022 milestone, an event called Commonwealth Social taking in Birmingham city centre on Saturday 27 July. The Commonwealth Social will mark the momentous milestone of three years to gountil the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in 2022 by uniting the people of the city and the region, who are pivotal in helping to shape Birmingham’s inaugural Games. The Commonwealth Social will also reveal the new Birmingham 2022 brand identity, which has been co-created with local communities across the West Midlands to truly reflect the region.

Common Ground will take place in the following locations on the dates below:

Saturday 22 June        Cannock                     Cannock Shopping Centre

Saturday 6 July           Coventry                     Broadgate

Sunday 7 July             Wolverhampton          Wolverhampton Food & Drink Festival

Friday 12 July             Stourbridge                 Ryemarket Shopping Centre

Saturday 13 July         West Brom                  Sandwell Arts Café, New Square

Sunday 14 July           Sutton Coldfield          Community Games - Wyndley Leisure Centre

Wednesday 17 July    Solihull                        Touchwood Shopping Centre

Saturday 20 July         Walsall                         Saddlers Shopping Centre

Saturday 27 July         Birmingham                City Centre – Centenary Square

Josie Stevens, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Birmingham 2022, said: “We’re putting local people at the heart of the Games and celebrating what makes the region special. For us to do this effectively it’s important that we hear from local communities and give them a voice to share their ideas, which in turn will help shape our approach. We want to create a Commonwealth Games that unites the region, benefits local people and marks the occasion in a way that only Birmingham can.”

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will bring athletes, officials, spectators and local people together in a unique celebration of sport, culture and business, creating growth and positive change in Birmingham and wider the West Midlands.

Described as a 'champion in the making', teenage sensation Cori 'Coco' Gauff, who at 15 years and 122 days became the youngest player to qualify for the main Wimbledon draw since the Open era began in 1968, swept aside five-time winning legend of the game, Venus Williams 6-4 6-4 on Court One in front of a packed crowd.

Comes from sporting stock - she is coached by her father Corey, who played basketball at Georgia State University and her mother Candi was a gymnast before moving into track and field – the tournaments new sensation adds this new record to that of her becoming the youngest US Open girls singles finalist at the aged just 13.

She won the French Open equivalent last year, aged 14.

BBC's Today at Wimbledon two-time US Open champion Tracy Austin said: "People have been talking about Coco for years”.

"They have now started to recognise her internationally. Obviously she's a tremendous athlete, but to walk on court to face Venus, a player who she idolises, there were plenty of opportunities for her to get tight and nervous.

"She has been raised for greatness and this is just the beginning".

Three-time Wimbledon singles champion John McEnroe said: "Gauff's not only physically mature, but also mentally.

The 7-times Grand Slam winner adding: "I look at the way she plays. If she's not number one in world by 20 I will be absolutely shocked."

Atlanta, Georgia-born Gauff idolised Venus and Serena Williams sisters, so being drawn against the elder of the two in the first round, was a dream-come-true.

To beat the seven-times ‘Slam winner was beyond belief for her.

In the bustling surroundings of Birmingham Airport, dancers from the Freefall Dance Company, one of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s most long-standing and impactful programmes, strutted their stuff as the year long partnership with Birmingham Airport was launched.

At All Bar One, in Birmingham Airport, Paul James, Chief Commercial Officer for the Birmingham Royal Ballet opened, “There were two things that struck me one which was making ballet more accessible for all and the other was changing lives for others. “This partnership is to promote and help those with learning difficulties and to support them in their love of ballet.”

The Airport is donating to Birmingham Royal Ballet to support Freefall, their second company that works with young adults with severe learning disabilities. The event included the premiere of a new film featuring the Freefall dancers, directed by Birmingham Royal Ballet Director David Bintley with Ross MacGibbon.

“We look forward to joining you for the remainder of the year while this runs on,” explained Birmingham Airport chief executive, Nick Barton, “and we’ll see the success and the talent of these young people who have got real challenges but show great merit and great talent to overcome them”.

Leading up to the live performance a couple of the parents of the Freefall dancers beamed “he comes home and tells me how much he loves it every time.” The performance started off with three dancers by the end there were thirteen young adults expressing their passion for dance. The performance was very enjoyable to watch and at the end one dancer was extremely proud of the show.

His happiness was infectious, and really made you realise how much these dancers loved putting on the show. Freefall Dance Company is comprised of 10 adults with severe learning disabilities (SLD) and has been creating and performing daring, ground-breaking and award-winning dance since 2002.

By combining the dancers’ exceptional talents and individual styles, Freefall has repeatedly challenged and amazed audiences locally, nationally and internationally proving their artistic potential.

Dance Track is BRB’s talent identification programme within Birmingham schools, aimed at training young dancers aged from six to eight. Every year Dance Track invites 80 children who demonstrate a talent for dance to join the programme.

The participants, who might not otherwise have an opportunity to participate in dance, are given free weekly ballet lessons taught by Birmingham Royal Ballet staff. Throughout the year, they are invited to Birmingham Royal Ballet to have a look behind the scenes, meet Company dancers and are offered tickets to see Birmingham Royal Ballet performances at Birmingham Hippodrome.

Through this new partnership, Birmingham Airport will provide funding to enable one new school in the North East area of Birmingham to join the Dance Track programme, giving more children in the city access to the world of dance.

Commonwealth heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson will compete on both days at the Müller Anniversary Games, in the London Stadium on 20–21 July.

The multi-events star will line up in the 200m on day one, followed by the long jump on day two, exactly ten weeks before the start of the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

Johnson-Thompson has, so far this year, continued to produce the good form and confidence she found in 2018, a pivotal year in which she won the World Indoor pentathlon title, followed by her first major senior heptathlon medals; gold at the Commonwealth Games in Australia and silver at the European Championships in Berlin.

In March this year, the Liverpool athlete won her second European Indoor pentathlon title in Glasgow. She then produced an exceptional performance in Austria last month, to win the heptathlon at the Gotzis Hypo-Meeting, with a personal best and world-leading score of 6,813 points. This beat her previous best score of 6,759, set in Berlin on her way to winning the European silver medal last year.

Johnson-Thompson will be hoping for a quick time over 200m where she will line up against some of the fastest women in the world. She’ll also be looking for a big distance in the long jump, one of her strongest disciplines and an event in which she won a World Indoor silver medal in 2014.

Johnson Thompson said: “I’m really looking forward to competing on both days at the Müller Anniversary Games this year. I love this meet and the London Stadium is such an amazing venue, there’s no place like it in the world.

“With just ten weeks to go until the world championships, all the best athletes will be competing with an eye on being in the best shape for Doha. I’ll be doing the same, trying to put together what I’d be working on in training to produce good performances on both days.”

She continued: “I’m really settled now, in France, and the improvement in my performances have reflected that. My coach and training group are great and working with them has definitely given me more confidence.”

The Müller Anniversary Games has seen history made on numerous occasions in recent years, with some memorable performances from British names such as Sir Mo Farah, Laura Muir and Dina Asher-Smith, while para athletics stars Kare Adenegan and Sophie Hahn both broke world records at the 2018 edition of the event.  

British Athletics has selected a team of 15 for the World Para Athletics Junior Championships which take place in Nottwil, Switzerland from 1-4 August 2019.

Among those set to represent the country are two medallists from the 2017 edition of these championships, Karim Chan and Ethan Kirby, with 11 athletes earning their first junior international cap for the Great Britain & Northern Ireland team.

Chan won the T20 long jump title – for athletes with an intellectual impairment - in Nottwil two years ago and earns his place in the 2019 squad following a season so far which has seen him extend his personal best by 13cm to 6.33m.

Kirby won silver back in 2017 in the T20 400m and will compete over the distance once more in Nottwil. He lowered his PB to 52.92 at the end of May, dipping under 53 seconds for the first time. He will be joined in the T20 400m by Prince Reid who has a best of 52.49s, set in Watford last month. The athletes come into the under 20 contest as two of the leading names in the season’s rankings.

In the women’s T20 400m, Faye Olszowka will make her British debut in the U20 age-group, heading into the event ranked second in the junior world standings after revising her lifetime best to 1:03.08 in May.

Matthew Cooper, ranked second in the world in the junior T34 rankings in 2019, will be one to watch out for when he goes in the combined U20 T33/34 100m in August. The Weir Archer Academy athlete will additionally contest the 200m and 400m in Switzerland, as will Zien Zhou who also contests all three distances.

Ben Callander – a T33 athlete who is ranked number one junior in the world in the classification – will join the pair in the T33/34 100m, 200m and 400m.

One athlete has been selected in the U17 category; Wales-based Molly Hopkins who will race in the T62 100m – for athletes with lower limb amputations competing with a prosthetic – in her first international competition.

Team Leader Sarah Benson commented: “We are delighted to select 15 athletes for the second World Para Athletics Junior Championships. This event serves as an important step for these athletes in the Paralympic performance pathway and will be a fantastic opportunity to experience the international competition environment.

“It will be a great learning experience for these exciting prospects and I’m sure it will help them in preparation for future potential Paralympic Games and senior world championships.”

Plans showcasing the emerging design for the redevelopment of Alexander Stadium have been published, as public consultation begins.

The venue at Walsall Road, Perry Barr, will be the focal point of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, hosting the Opening and Closing Ceremonies as well as the athletics programme.

New artist impressions of the stadium have been released revealing Birmingham City Council’s intentions to create a legacy asset the city and its residents can be truly proud of.

The redeveloped stadium will increase its permanent seating capacity from 12,700 to 18,000 allowing up to 40,000 during the Games through additional temporary seating.

Key features include:

• A new western stand replacing the Main, Knowles and Nelson stands
• New tiered seating to the north and south
• A new 400m 6-lane warm up track and re-laying of a new IAAF Category 1 track (400m 9-lane competition standard track)
• Improved public realm and parking provision, with additional landscaping and signage
• Installation of new stadium lighting and practice throwing field
• A new access road from A453 Aldridge Road (to be used for event/maintenance use only)

Demolition of the current west stand within the stadium is subject to a separate application which will be submitted to Birmingham City Council in summer 2019.

Members of the local community are encouraged to attend the consultation events taking place at Alexander Stadium this evening (22 June) 11am-4pm. There will be an opportunity to meet members of the project team, view the indicative plans and provide feedback before a planning application is submitted in the autumn.

Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “We’re now in an exciting phase of the design process where we would like to share our plans for the future with the community and hear their thoughts.

“The team has designed a redeveloped stadium which will meet the needs and aspirations of the community for generations to come. This is about creating a destination venue, shaping a legacy beyond the Commonwealth Games.

“We are making lots of information and detail available, so I encourage as many people as possible to come along, have a look at the designs and provide their feedback.”

Subject to gaining planning permission, the redeveloped stadium will be ready ahead of the Games which will take place between 27 July and 7 August 2022.

For anyone unable to attend the events, all consultation material is now live on the council’s Be Heard consultation website at: www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/place/alexander-stadium

Those unable to access the internet can pick up a consultation leaflet and paper questionnaire at the following libraries: Library of Birmingham, Birchfield Library and Tower Hill Library.

The deadline for providing feedback is 5pm on Friday 12 July 2019.

Former basketball superstar, Shaquille O'Neal, says that he is very interested in buying out Reebok. Retired Shaq, who was drafted by the Orlando Magic in 1992, made more than $300 million from his NBA salary and various endorsement deals.

As a long-time serial entrepreneur, he has invested in several franchises and reportedly owns 155 Five Guys restaurants, 17 Auntie Anne’s, 9 Papa John's, 40 24-hour fitness gyms, and 150 car washes. According to CNBC, in America, he has also profited quite a bit from early investments in Google and Apple.

During a recent interview after candidly mentioning that he is a part of the investment group that just purchased Sports Illustrated, he also told CNBC that he would love to purchase Reebook.

The champion turned sports commentator signed his first shoe deal with Reebok in 1992, which was worth $15 million. He says though that Adidas, who currently owns Reebok, has “diluted [the brand] so much to where it’s almost gone.”

“If they don’t want it, let me have it,” Shaq said. “I want to bring them back to basketball and to fitness.”

He added that Reebok struggles to compete with brands like Adidas and Under Armour, and he thinks he knows how to fix the problem.

If Reebok is up for sale, it would be costly - definitely a multi-billion deal even though their exact value today is unknown. But O’Neal can easily afford it. According to Forbes, he himself is worth $400 million and his portfolio is worth up to $8 billion.

Hundreds of London youngsters are preparing to battle for the opportunity to compete at one of the world’s biggest athletics events, the Müller Anniversary Games, in the London Stadium on the weekend of 20–21 July.

The London Boroughs Connect Relays will see young athletes representing their schools and boroughs, in an initiative which will bring community athletics in London, together with the elite end of the sport, as part a four-day Festival of Athletics at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, from 18–21July.

Teams of children from four age groups (under 11, under 13, under 15 and under 17), will race at a qualification event on Thursday 18 July, and the top teams will then go head-to-head in the grand final as part of the pre-show at the Müller Anniversary Games on Saturday 20 July.

Relays will take place over three distances; 4 x100m, 4x200m and 4x400m.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The Anniversary Games are well established as one of the highlights of the international athletics calendar and we look forward to welcoming the elite competitors to London for what is sure to be another exciting edition of this event.

“What’s more, it’s fantastic that the best of London’s young up-and-coming athletes will have the chance to compete and I wish them all the best of luck.”

London’s European 100m and 200m champion, Dina Asher-Smith is just one of the big stars competing at the Müller Anniversary Games this year.

She said: “I love competing in the London Stadium, and I think it’s fantastic that so many young people from across London, will get the opportunity to be part of the Müller Anniversary Games and the Festival of Athletics.

“It will be a special week for everyone involved, and my advice to all the London Boroughs Connect Relays competitors is, run as fast as you can, but above all have fun.”

Newham’s Olympic and double world 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu added: “I’m so excited that children from community athletics programmes in London will be racing on the same stage as the best athletes in the world at the Müller Anniversary Games.

“The London Stadium is my home track and competing there is an unforgettable experience. I hope the London Boroughs Connect Relays will help young people from the city, to see how exciting and rewarding athletics and sport can be.”

Major Events Director for British Athletics, Cherry Alexander OBE said: “The London Boroughs Connect Relays is an exciting development of our successful Club Connect Relays, and will offer the opportunity, for children and teenagers from community athletics programmes in London, to be part of one of the world’s biggest and best athletics meetings.

“I’m delighted that so many young people from London will be part of the Festival of Athletics and the Müller Anniversary Games. I’m sure it will be a memorable experience for the competitors, and I hope their friends and families come along to support them and enjoy what will be a wonderful celebration of athletics.”

London Legacy Development Corporation CEO, Lyn Garner, said: “This summer we are proud to be hosting some incredible free sporting opportunities on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for people living in east London. Working with British Athletics, we have a fantastic opportunity for young sportspeople to enjoy the incredible atmosphere of the London Stadium - the best venue for athletics in the country.”

Track Academy, an athletics charity working with young people in London, is the Official Charity Partner to the 2019 Müller Anniversary Games.

Track Academy member Confidence Lawson said: “Borough connect relays is a great initiative for young kids around different boroughs to come together and showcase their talents. Relays is one event in track that creates team spirit and shows the value of working as a team. No one great gets to be where they are without a support system behind them.

“Athletics has been good to me in a sense of giving me constant motivation to always want to better myself and keep pushing forward. My only regret is not starting earlier than I did. Seeing my achievements inspires the younger generations is a blessing and I want to help as much as I can to motivate the younger generations.”

The Müller Anniversary Games has seen history made on numerous occasions in recent years, with some memorable performances from British names such as Sir Mo Farah, Laura Muir and London sprint star Asher-Smith, while para athletics stars Kare Adenegan and Sophie Hahn both broke world records at the 2018 edition of the event. Each participant in this year’s inaugural London Borough Connect Relays will be distributed with a Nike t-shirt as part of the event.

Greene King IPA, the Official Beer of England Cricket, has teamed up with cricketing legend Darren Gough to offer customers the chance to meet him and watch England this summer.

The former England fast bowler and talkSPORT broadcaster Darren Gough is calling out to cricket super fans to win a once in a lifetime opportunity to watch England take on Australia during the fifth test of the Ashes on Saturday 14^th September. Starting the day with a breakfast at a Greene King pub hosted by Darren, the lucky winners and their guests will then be whisked across to the Kia Oval Cricket Ground alongside Darren to watch the England super stars in action.

Fans can win this unique prize through ‘Goughie’s Giveaway’, a Greene King IPA pub promotion, spearheaded by Darren across over 2500 pubs throughout the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and Ashes. Punters who buy a pint of Greene King IPA at participating pubs will be given a scratch card with the chance to win top prizes. There are twenty-one pairs of tickets for the exclusive VIP cricket experience with Darren and over 99,000 instant prizes to be won including free pints.

Speaking about the promotion Darren Gough said: “What a summer of cricket we have ahead of us. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy watching England in action than with a group of cricket fans and a few pints of Greene King IPA. Get yourself down to the pub to be in with a chance to win and I’ll see you later this summer.”

Matt Starbuck, managing director of Greene King Brewing and Brands added; “For England cricket fans the chance to meet one of England’s greatest ever players and spend a day watching our national team is a dream come true. We are proud to be the Official Beer of England cricket and to celebrate our national team by rewarding our loyal customers with this money can’t buy experience.”

The FIFA Women's World Cup, held in France, starts tomorrow so whether you're new to the world of women's football, on the hunt for a second team, the tournament, held in nine cities, in nine different venues, runs to July 7 with England and Scotland among the 24 teams aiming to reach Final in Lyon.

The hosts – who have never gone beyond the semi-finals of the World Cup and have only reached the last eight at the European Championship - get the competition under way with their opening group match against South Korea in Paris, while Scotland, who are making their first appearance at the World Cup, will meet England, who are much-fancied, in Nice on June 9 in what is the opening game for both countries.

Defending champions are the United States - who are seeking a fourth title.

They have a squad bursting with talent and experience with the likes of Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe. It is also expected to be 36-year-old Carli Lloyd's last tournament - the former Manchester City midfielder was Fifa World Player of the Year and the Golden Ball winner at the World Cup in 2015.

The US will begin the defence of their title against Thailand June in Reims on June 11.

Olympic champions Germany are, along with England, a main threat - the side having been knocked out in the semi-finals in 2015 - and in the quarter-finals of the European Championship in 2017.

They remain ranked No.2 in the world.

Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg has not been included in Norway's squad but a few of her European Champions League winning Lyon team-mates are likely to be on show, including England's Lucy Bronze and the newly-signed Nikita Parris, plus Japan defender Saki Kumagai.

Speaking of Japan - as an outside bet the world number seven ranked team were World Cup winners in 2011 and runners-up in 2015.

European champions the Netherlands, with PFA Player of the Year Vivianne Miedema a leading figure, could also challenge for the title.

Australia captain and forward Sam Kerr guided her country to their first Cup of Nations in March.

Orlando Pride forward, the 6-times FIFA World Player of the Year Marta - who won the Best Female Player Award in September, is the driving force behind an ageing Brazilian team.

Just some to watch out for as the FIFA Woman’s World Cup takes centre stage.

The region’s new congestion-busting transport co-ordination centre will step into action this summer as Birmingham plays host to the Cricket World Cup.

Birmingham’s Edgbaston Cricket Stadium is set to host five international matches during June and July with thousands of fans expected to add to the already pressurised road network during the morning rush hour. But transport bosses are working together through the new Regional Transport Co-ordination Centre (RTCC) to manage journeys and keep people moving.

Bringing together industry experts from rail, bus and Metro, transport bosses will monitor the whole transport system during the Cricket World Cup, including roads, 6am-9pm.

It will mean passengers, residents and businesses will have access to a consistent ‘live’ stream of information and travel advice to help them plan their journeys.

The plan is made possible by a £19.5m pot of funding from the Department of Transport and Transforming Cities Fund, which is set to be approved by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board on May 24. The money gives the green light to the first phase of the RTCC which will be in place by December 2019, monitoring roads and public transport 15 hours a day, six days a week with a duty manager available 24/7 and co-ordinating the entire network's response to congestion.

It will be the first time the West Midlands will be monitored at such a scale. The trial runs will take place following the closure of the Five Ways underpass on June 3 and during the Cricket World Cup.

Data monitored and collected by the centre will be used to help shape future improvements to the road network by highlighting congestion hotspots.

The investment will also see better co-ordination of multi-agency construction projects including HS2, Metro extensions and Sprint. Giving people access to more accurate travel information, better alternative options during disruption, more reliable journey times and ultimately, less time sitting in traffic especially during major events.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Birmingham and the West Midlands is on a global stage for the Cricket World Cup and during that time we need to make sure fans have the best possible experience, which includes getting to and from matches in good time. “Whether people are attending the cricket matches or just going about their day-to-day journeys, it is imperative there are no major disruptions and the region continues to run smoothly. I believe the RTCC, incorporating all the major transport operators in one room monitoring the network, can help achieve this.”

Councillor Roger Lawrence, WMCA portfolio holder for transport said: “Our congestion management plan sets out a commitment to improving journeys in the West Midlands. "A Regional Transport Co-ordination Centre with one view of the whole transport network is key to managing manage major disruption and events and delivering more reliable journeys.”

Ahead of the clash between Afghanistan and Australia the Bristol community was invited to the grand unveil of the ‘Take Part in Giant Art’ project that took place at Bristol’s Millennium Square over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The event marked the commencement of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 in the city, as it prepared to host three games, with the first game between Afghanistan and Australia.

To celebrate the world’s greatest cricket celebration coming to Bristol, an impressive 4-metre batsman has been painted to represent each of the ten competing #CWC19 nations, standing proudly in the city’s Millennium Square.

Bristol County Ground, home of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, will host three fixtures at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, doubling the number of Men’s World Cup games the ground has held, following one in 1983 and two in 1999.

On June 1, the community was invited to Millennium Square to join in the unveil of the cricketer that was hand painted by children, adults, artists and cricket stars, over three fun-filled days where the Bristol community came together.

The unveil was supported by ambassadors Jemel One Five, a born and raised Bristolian YouTube star, who unveiled the statue and comedian Mark Watson who also attended to partake in the day's activities.

The live #CWC19 day-night match between Afghanistan and Australia was screened during the day on Millennium Square, in addition to cricket games and activities, adding to the fantastic community event taking place in the square.

Director of City & Spectator Experience, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, Paul Smith, said: “The Giant Art installation is the culmination of a brilliant community effort of painting from Bank Holiday weekend.

We are delighted to bring the colour and creativity of the city to life in this way, hopefully giving the people of Bristol another reason to cheer on the tournament while it takes place here. The live screening in Millennium Square also gave those that couldn’t be at the game a chance to watch some of the action at Bristol’s County Ground.”

Captain David Warner led holders Australia (209-3 in 34.5 overs) to a routine seven-wicket win against Afghanistan (209-3 in 34.5 overs) with an unbeaten 89 at the start of their World Cup defence.

Cheshire Phoenix have announced that Disraeli Lufadeju will be returning for a second season with the Nix for the 2019-20 BBL Season.

The 6'2 guard established himself as a standout defensive player, whilst averaging just under four points along with 2 rebounds per game in 14 minutes of play.

Coach Ben Thomas said: "I'm really happy that we have secured Dizzy for next season. He's a team first player and his work rate on the court is second to none.

"It's great that we have multiple guys coming back next year as we hope that builds on the success that we have had this season."

Lufadeju added: "I would just like to start off by saying I've had an amazing year being a part of the Cheshire Phoenix. The support throughout the year from the fans and people within the organisation has been consistently great.

"Therefore the decision to come back to Phoenix for the next season was an easy one. I can't wait to see what next season brings Go Nix!"

Lufadeju joins the returning Louis Sayers on the roster for the 2019-20 season.

Three top-four spots remain up for grabs as a thrilling Vitality Superleague season reaches its climax today.

As the Superleague enters its final round, five teams remain in with a chance of a place in the semi-finals, with only Wasps guaranteed a spot. Fittingly in a season full of twists and turns, four of the five matches have something riding on them.

Bath, Thunder and Lightning are all on 36 points and currently occupy second place to fourth place in the standings, so they have their destiny in their own hands as a win would be enough to secure a semi-final.

However, Mavericks - on 33 points and with a superior goal difference to Loughborough and Bath - lurk ominously and ready to take advantage. They will know that for another week they can afford no slip-up if they are to bounce on any from their rivals.

With all five matches taking place at the same time, the teams will not know until after their match has ended what shape the top-four will finally take.

Bath will be looking to replicate their stellar performance against Thunder when they take on bottom-of-the-table London Pulse.

Delivering another twist in our Netball Superleague tale, the Blue and Gold beat second-place Thunder on the road in what was a must-win match to keep their semi-final dreams on track.

Speaking about her side's performance, Team Bath head coach Jess Thirlby acknowledged the significance of the victory: "Saturday's result at Thunder was obviously incredibly pleasing and has kept our destiny in our own hands.

"But we are all aware that it will mean nothing if we don't back it up against Pulse."

Thirlby's warning recognises the way in which Pulse continue to push teams to the very edge without quite putting together four consistent quarters. When at their most consistent they are capable of real damage, having beaten Mavericks in Round 13.

The last time these two met Bath only just edged out Pulse 64-60, and in their first-ever season Pulse will be keen to pick up a third victory to finish their debut campaign on a high.

Dragons kept Storm at bay in what was their last home game of the season, as well as the added dynamic of being an emotional occasion for Dragons and Wales centre Kyra Jones who was competing in her final home fixture for the club ahead of retirement.

There is no doubt Dragons would have felt this victory was befitting of the Dragons legend and they will hope to carry their winning momentum forward against Lightning with sixth place still a possibility.

Lightning need a victory to get into the semi-finals and will look to quell any sort of upset the Welsh side may hope to cause. After overcoming a first-quarter deficit, Lightning rarely put a foot wrong last time out, and their minimal error count ultimately prevented Pulse from getting back into the game. A similar performance will keep them in the chase for a third successive Grand Final appearance.

This fixture is the only one this weekend with no top-four stakes attached as Wasps sit six points clear at the top and have already sealed a home semi-final, which will be played at the University of Warwick's new Sports and Wellness Hub.

The two-time Superleague champions showed the impressive depth of their squad against Sirens in Round 17 with Sam May, Chloe Essam and Tamsin Moala all featuring in the team that took the win in Glasgow.

Whilst Wasps had the luxury of exploring options, Stars endured a tough encounter against fifth-placed Mavericks, a team desperate to keep up with other top-four contenders.

Despite starting strongly, Stars were unable to adjust to the increasing Mavs pressure and ultimately came up short.

The last time these two sides met Wasps won 54-47 which should give Stars some sense of belief going into their last game of the season.

A bruised Thunder will be hoping to right the wrongs of defeat last time out when they face Storm knowing a win will secure a home semi-final.

Outclassed by Bath, who offered more composure and resilience, Thunder struggled with held ball and the way in which Bath isolated certain players to disrupt Thunder's attacking play.

Defeat for Thunder may not be disastrous as their goal difference is likely to be enough to secure their place even if they slip up against a Storm side who continued their losing streak against Dragons.

Since a stunning victory against Lightning back in Round 13, Storm have been unable to replicate that performance and with Thunder looking particularly threatening off the back of their loss against Bath, they will have to dig deep if they are to spring a surprise.

Mavericks have no other option than to beat Sirens this weekend if they want to force their way into the post-season scramble for the title.

Whilst Sirens put in a brave performance against league leaders Wasps, they were unable to stop the rolling champions taking the win in Glasgow.

The Scottish side will take solace in the first-half performance which saw them stay in contention with a side who have title-winning ambitions.

However, inconsistencies throughout the regular season mean their top-four ambitions will be decided outside of this fixture; all they can do now is win and hope for the best elsewhere.

The 2019 NFL Draft is in the books and has set new records in media consumption and fan attendance. With a combined 3.9 HH TV rating and average of 6.1M viewers across NFL, ESPN and ABC TV and digital channels, the 2019 NFL Draft is the highest-rated and most-watched Draft ever, breaking records established just a year ago. In total across Nielsen-measured channels, all NFL Draft telecasts combined to reach more than 47.5 million viewers over the three-day event, up +5% vs. 2018.

The 2019 NFL Draft featured the broadest ever distribution of official NFL Draft video with NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes in addition to NFL and ESPN digital and social properties. This was the second straight year that all seven rounds of the live, three-day event were aired on broadcast television.

The collaborative distribution approach across NFL Media and The Walt Disney Company helped grow the combined rating and viewership by +11% and +8% respectively over 2018.

In addition to media consumption, the 2019 NFL Draft shattered records for attendance as over 600,000 fans fill the streets of Nashville to celebrate the newest class of NFL rookies, easily establishing a new record (250k in 2017 – Philadelphia). Many of those in Nashville not attending the NFL Draft in-person were watching from home, as the market delivered a combined for a 10.6 HH rating – up +104% versus Nashville last year, and up +74% versus the 2018 host city.

"The 2019 NFL Draft was a tremendous continuation of the celebration of the NFL's 100th season and an opportunity to welcome the next generation of stars," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "Dramatic and emotional storylines played out in cities across the country with the energetic host city of Nashville serving as a breath-taking backdrop to hundreds of thousands of passionate fans who lined the streets and enjoyed a unique NFL Draft Experience. We congratulate our newest players and their families and thank the Tennessee Titans, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., the City of Nashville, the volunteers, and everyone who made the Draft such a memorable, entertaining, and successful experience."

Viewership metrics reflect Nielsen Fast Nationals, Nielsen Fast Total Audience Estimates, and ESPN/NFL digital measurement.

After losing her landmark legal case against athletics’ governing body, the IAAF, South African 800m Olympic champion Caster Semenya is considering an appeal against the sporting body, whose decision, it is widely felt, could end her career as an elite athlete.

The ruling by the Court of Arbitration (Cas) for Sport means that Semenya, who has not been beaten over 800m since 2015, will have to take medication to significantly reduce her testosterone if she wants to run internationally at events between 400m and a mile.

Under the regulations she - who has naturally high testosterone levels - would be required to undergo hormone therapy for at least six months before any competition.

Cas agreed that the IAAF’s policy was “discriminatory” to athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) such as Semenya.

Semenya, who has long argued that her unique genetic gifts should be celebrated not regulated, said she would not give up her fight and believed that the DSD regulations would be one day overturned.

“I know that the IAAF’s regulations have always targeted me specifically,” she added. “For a decade the IAAF has tried to slow me down, but this has actually made me stronger.” The decision brought widespread reaction

Whilst Britain’s former champion marathon runner, Paula Radcliffe had said that the court ruling involving Caster Semenya could have hand intersex and transgender athletes an unfair advantage, and ultimately bring about the end of women’s sport, the decision brought angry responses elsewhere.

A fuming Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Dalton Grant, said: “Should you then have banned Usain Bolt because of his height advantage over other sprinters, or ban Ethiopian distance runners who live, run and train at high altitude.”

The former board director of the London 2012 Olympic bid team added: “I’m sure there has been, and still, any athlete who takes advantage of any level of ‘God-given’ advance they have over others.”

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova says Caster Semenya verdict is unfair. On her website she said; "The verdict against Semenya is dreadfully unfair to her and wrong in principle.

"She has done nothing wrong and it is awful that she will now have to take drugs to be able to compete. General rules should not be made from exceptional cases, and the question of transgender athletes remains unresolved."

The UN condemned such treatment as an “unnecessary, humiliating and harmful medical procedure.”

“The decision of the Cas,” Semenya said, “will not hold me back. I will once again rise above and continue to inspire young women and athletes in South Africa and around the world.”