Sports News

With summer just around the corner, thoughts are turning to BBQs, the beach, and bikini shopping.

But if you’re like a third of young women who are too self-conscious to go swimming, instead of looking forward to stripping down to a bikini on the beach, you might find yourself missing out through body anxiety.

Swim England recently launched its plan to get the nation swimming:

“Our aim is to encourage everyone to take part in swimming in the way that suits them. Whether that is for fitness, to be the best they can, or as a volunteer teaching people to swim. Together we will reach our goal of a happier, healthier and more successful nation through swimming.”

If you can muster up the confidence to go swimming, it has amazing health and fitness benefits, as Carly Yue, personal trainer at DW Fitness Clubs explains:

‘Swimming is an amazing all round body workout, it has minimal impact on your joints so is a great option for injury rehabilitation.

You can get a workout from simply walking up and down in the pool as the water resistance means you need to put in more effort (and burn more calories) than simply walking on a treadmill.’

Longer working hours and the rise of obesity has been cited as the reason less of us are swimming, but other answers to the survey included poor health and not having enough time with children.

Public health experts in Sandwell are urging men to do something about their ‘belly fat’ as part of this week’s national Men’s Health Week.

The campaign is highlighting the dangers of abdominal obesity, better known as ‘belly fat’.

It focuses on encouraging men to be aware of the size of their waist, to help them become fitter and healthier.

Jyoti Atri, Sandwell’s Director of Public Health, said: “We have high levels of obesity amongst our men and this increases their risk of developing disease and early death. Men who have a waist measurement of over 37 inches have increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke.”

Sandwell Council Leader Councillor Steve Eling added: “We want to offer support to men to help them reduce their risk of these diseases, by watching their weight, taking more exercise and eating healthily.”

There’s plenty of support on offer. Sandwell’s Weigh2GO self-monitoring programme enables people to weigh themselves at various locations in Sandwell and to track their weight loss on their phone, with additional online support.

There’s also the Man vs Fat football scheme, where men take part in a weekly tournament and get advice about nutrition.

Paul said: “Every time I have come I have lost weight and met some new people as well. There is nothing malicious in the football and everybody gets on. It’s not just about winning on the pitch – you can still win by losing weight.”

Kevin added: “We get to play the game with like-minded people who need to lose a few pounds, and the exercise really helps. It’s a good laugh, it’s not overly-competitive, some players have never played the game before, so come along and enjoy it.”

Also, Weight Watchers is offering 12 weeks of free sessions for Sandwell residents. There are more than 20 sessions in the local area which people can attend.

Joining Weight Watchers also provides you with free access to online support for up to 16 weeks. Weight Watchers sessions are now available for wheelchair users at Portway Lifestyle Centre.

With exactly one month to go to the start of the Summer of World Athletics, official inspiration programme Team Personal Best is in full swing and growing with more than 100 events signed up. Having already held a host of inspiring events, any athletics or running-themed activity can get involved between now and the end of September.

The World Para Athletics Championships (14-23 July) and IAAF World Championships London 2017 (4-13 August) will be the biggest sporting event in the world in 2017. It is the first time ever that both Championships are being held in the same city in the same summer and the inspiration programme and Team Personal Best have been created to inspire anyone and everyone to get involved in grassroots athletics.

Events that have taken place already include disability festivals at the Copper Box at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to taster sessions at clubs around the country. There was even a running takeover from two-time British Olympian Mara Yamauchi as she joined local community groups in East London and shared advice and tips, whilst community fitness group GoodGym have signed up all their sessions to Team Personal Best from now until September.

14 athletes have been selected for the inaugural World Para Athletics Junior Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland to be held between 3-6 August 2017.

The championship offers an opportunity for developing athletes who are on the pathway towards individual medal success at a future senior world championships or Paralympic Games.

In the wheelchair racing events, under 20 athlete Jack Agnew is one of the key athletes to watch out for. He will compete across a series of T54 events; the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m. The Northern Irish athlete has lowered his personal bests in all of these events except the 200m so far in 2017, so he will be one of the in-form athletes competing in the Swiss town.

He is joined by two further wheelchair racers; U20 Craig Boardman and U18 Eden Rainbow-Cooper . The former has been rapidly improving, and enjoyed a successful Swiss series recently. The latter has been studying exams lately, but did achieve victory at the Westminster mile event last month.

British Athletics Parallel Success Event Academy athlete Amar Aichoun and Amy Carr  wrap up the quartet of under 20 age-group athletes representing the British team, competing in the T38 100m & 200m, and T37 100m, 200m & long jump respectively.

Para Athletics Head Coach, Paula Dunn, commented on the team selection:

“The World Para Athletics Junior Championships provides a valuable opportunity for our talented young athletes to gain experience in the major games environment. I have no doubt that the 14 athletes selected will use this championship wisely and hopefully learn plenty from it.

“This is an important part in the development pathway for these athletes as we build towards the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020. For many, this will be their first appearance in a British vest, and it will be crucial as we progress over the next few years.”

Dacia UK has partnered with Service by Emergency Rider Volunteers across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Northamptonshire (SERV OBN), providing a Duster 4x4 to aid its voluntary emergency riders in transporting blood and blood products to patients in need of urgent medical attention throughout the area. The Duster 4x4 Laureate dCi 110 was chosen by the service for its dependability and four-wheel drive capability and will be supporting the rapid response bikes as the region’s only four wheel vehicle.

The SERV OBN voluntary riders are usually used to riding motorbikes to ensure a quick delivery of medical products, however, the fully-equipped emergency vehicle is aimed at improving the service carried out by 124 volunteers from across the region. The Duster will be used to provide a quicker response to larger load requirements, as before the Duster was available, volunteers would have to use their own cars to transport products when two or more ‘Long Journey Boxes’ were to be transported on one journey. The Duster will also offer immediate access to a vehicle when the bike fleet is grounded during adverse weather conditions or when all bikes on duty are in use and there are further needs for SERV OBN’s services.

Paul Stothard, SERV OBN said: “The Dacia Duster 4x4 will make such a difference to the efforts of SERV OBN transferring potentially life-enhancing products to hospitals throughout the region. As a service, our voluntary riders undertook 1,500 journeys in 2016, however if we’d had the capabilities of a vehicle such as the Duster, that number could have been a lot higher. On some occasions, our riders have needed to use their own cars for journeys when they were unable to use their motorbikes. The Duster will remove the need for that and, given its livery, is much more appropriate for use. The Duster will provide a life-saving service for those in need of it.”

Louise O’Sullivan, Head of Dacia UK said: “The Dacia Duster 4x4 truly is a robust, go-anywhere vehicle, well suited to take on the demanding tasks the SERV OBN volunteers will put it through. Dacia UK is proud to support the humbling work the team do throughout the region and hope the arrival of the Duster contributes to SERV OBN saving many more lives.”

SERV OBN are a volunteer rapid response medical transport service delivering much more than just blood as any other urgently needed medical products are supplied out of hours, 365 days a year – all free of charge to the NHS. SERV OBN receives no government funding and relies on donations from the public and sponsorship to keep the service working. The volunteers receive no payment for their time or costs, saving the NHS thousands of pounds a year and allowing hospitals to divert funds to where they are needed the most. SERV OBN are founder members of the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes.

Basque Country by Ibérica will showcase the best food and wines from northern Spain to celebrate World #TapasDay.

With the highest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, Spain's Basque Country is a foodie's paradise. Some of the best produce in this region is 'pintxos': eaten standing up in a bar with a glass of Txakoli (white wine from the region) or Basque Rioja wine.

At this summer's Taste of London (14th – 18th June) visitors will be able to experience the culture of pintxos as if they were in the Basque Country with the pop-up pintxos bar “Basque Country by Ibérica”. The pinxtos bar will be hosted by group head chef of Ibérica, César García, and created by the Basque Country and Spanish Tourist Office (at stand A6).

Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a glass of Basque wine with a complementary delicious 'Pintxo' (the Tapas of northern Spain). There will also be food and wine tastings and cookery demonstrations by renowned chefs from the Miniature Pintxos Congress and Ibérica Restaurants.

Basque Country by Ibérica will offer a stunning range of dishes from Ibérica restaurants prepared by their head chef César García and based on their menus at their popular UK restaurants. Dishes have been designed to delight guests and to highlight the diversity of Basque Country's many twists on traditional pintxos:

• Spanish Omelette and Green Pepper from Gernika
• Cod Fritter with Vizcaína, an onion and red dried pepper purée sauce
• Sautéed Baby Broad Beans with Serrano Ham and Fried Quail Egg
• Guindilla de Ibarra Chilli Pepper and Crab Meat Mayo Salad
• Mushroom and Prawn in a Pil-Pil Sauce
• Gilda: Ibarra Peppers, anchovies and olives

Javie Piñanes, Director of the Spanish Tourist Office said: “The Spanish Tourist Office is looking forward to bringing some of the unique flavours the Basque County to Taste of London as well as offering a gastronomic journey through the Basque Country; one of Spain's greatest culinary regions.”

The premiere League of Legends league in North America is getting a major face lift in 2018, including giving teams permanent spots, opening up revenue sharing, and forming a player’s association.

Riot Games’ North American League of Legends Championship Series (NA LCS) will begin to emulate traditional sports leagues like the NBA and MLB next year by expanding revenue sharing and increasing player pay, kicking of a player’s association so players have a say in how things run, and introducing team franchising — the first existing esports league to do so. This means team owners will have permanent partnerships with the NA LCS and will no longer have the fear of relegation looming over them if they’re having a bad season.

This changes will be implemented at the start of the 2018 season. In the meantime, Riot will be accepting applications from teams to be permanent fixtures in North American League of Legends. With these applications, Riot will be focusing on team branding (connecting with fans and merchandising), the owners’ business plans, team development and strategies, and the owners themselves.

Wolverhampton City Sports Advisory Council held a celebration to mark its 50th anniversary last week.

Since 1967 the Sports Advisory Council has promoted and represented sports clubs across Wolverhampton, as well as supporting individuals and celebrating their achievements.

It has also worked closely with the City of Wolverhampton Council to launch the Sporting Hall of Fame, held at WV Active Aldersley, which recognises and celebrates the achievements of dozens of sportsmen and women who have represented Wolverhampton on an international stage, from athlete Denise Lewis to Wolves footballers Bert Williams and Billy Wright.

To mark its golden anniversary this year, sportsmen and women past and present, along with others who have been involved with the council over the years, were invited to a special celebration event at the Diamond Banqueting Suite on Wednesday 24 May, 2017.

Chair of the Sports Advisory Council Peter Holmes MBE said: “We are celebrating 50 years of dedication to sport.

“In this time, we have successfully put the City’s sporting achievements in the spotlight to show the people of Wolverhampton the benefits and contributions of our City’s sportspeople and sports clubs.

“Ultimately, their fantastic achievements enhance Wolverhampton’s reputation and the image of the City itself.”

Among those in attendance was Deputy Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Phil Page who said: “The City of Wolverhampton is proud of its athletes and their success over the years, and it was great to see so many sports represented at this event.

“On behalf of the City of Wolverhampton Council, I would like to congratulate Wolverhampton City Sports Advisory Council on its 50 years and thank it for all the help it has given to sportsmen and women in our area. Here’s to the next 50 years.”

With seven events dropping in to six cities, AX throws together an intoxicating mix of world-class indoor Motocross racing, high-flying Freestyle Motocross and a show to rival any music festival including lights, lasers, pyro and a pumping soundtrack. With over 60,000 fans streaming through the doors each year, it doesn’t matter if you’re a life-long two-wheeled super-fan, or this is your first AX visit – there are few better ways to banish those winter blues.

Heading into its sixth year, AX is an international affair with athletes from around the world travelling to compete in arguably the most prolific indoor race series Europe has to offer. Young racing warriors from the age of seven will take to the track too and, like their aspiring heroes, will engage in fierce competition with a single-minded determination to claim Arenacross glory.

Away from the racing, the crammed tour programme will include radical Freestyle Motocross, where the giants of FMX showcase their breath-taking skills with tricks and backflips, some sixty foot above the arena floor. This must be seen to be believed!

With its highly-charged atmosphere, thumping beat, lasers, lights, and presenter hype, fans are left in no doubt that being an Arenacross spectator means they’re as much a part of the show as the racers themselves. And whether it’s children’s favourite, MAX the AX mascot, meet and greet the pro riders or up-grading your tickets to arrive early and walk the track with the stars, the action doesn’t get any better than this adrenalin-fuelled night of entertainment that will leave you on the edge of your seats!

Leading precious metal asset firm, Rosland Capital, chose the 2017 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix to unveil their latest coin collection - designed in collaboration with the Ayrton Senna Institute (Instituto Ayrton Senna) - celebrating the landmark first win at the most renowned circuit in F1 by its most famous son thirty years ago.

Six 30oz Gold Coins (a number specifically chosen to mark this special anniversary) along with a further 180 2.5oz Gold & 300 2.5oz Silver Coins all bearing the iconic image of the legendary Brazilian driver have been produced as part of a wider series of celebratory events that took place in Monaco to commemorate the first of his record six wins in Monte Carlo - in 1987 while driving for Team Lotus.

The limited number of coins created mark them out as timeless collectors’ items for any true F1 and Senna fan. Each individually crafted coin, featuring his unmistakable image, is minted by Swiss-based PAMP S.A., one of the world’s finest coin producers and celebrates the enduring legacy of one of the most iconic racing drivers of all time, with a share of the proceeds going directly to the Ayrton Senna Institute.

Rosland Capital CEO, Marin Aleksov presented Senna Institute Director and the late icon’s niece, Bianca Senna, with the Gold & Silver coins after the unveiling of a commemorative plaque for the three-time F1 World Champion by HRH Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Fairmont Hotel, Monte Carlo during the Grand Prix weekend.

Aleksov was thrilled to showcase this special coin collection to Bianca Senna in Monaco: “We are honored to be part of this wonderful celebration of the anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s first win in Monaco thirty years ago. We know how important his legacy is to all Formula 1 –and indeed all sport - fans – and as such we feel very privileged to have been asked by the Ayrton Senna Foundation to produce this special range of gold and silver coins. With a share of the proceeds going towards the incredible work of the Foundation, this is a project that we are extremely proud to be associated with.”

Bianca also commented on the celebration of her uncle’s legacy: “It was an unforgettable weekend at the Monaco GP due to the tributes in honor of the 30th anniversary of Ayrton's first win in Monte Carlo, opening the series of six victories that still stands as an F1 record.

The launch of these coins immortalizes these celebrations by engraving in gold and silver such a special moment for us at the Ayrton Senna Institute and my uncle's fans in Brazil and all over the world."

Speaking at the Laureus Sport for Good European Summit, Pete Edwards from Manchester-based organisation The Running Charity - which using running to build resilience, confidence and self-esteem in homeless youth – said; “I’m leaving here with hope. Where there is sport, there is hope,” which proved poignant words in light of recent news from the city.

One of the world’s greatest football coaches Fabio Capello attended the Summit, in Stockholm, in Sweden, joining small group conversations and learning about the day-to-day work of the programme leaders in attendance. The hugely successful Capella offered his own personal experience of football in countries across Europe, before delivering a motivational message to programme leaders, encouraging them to instill a winning mentality within their organisations.

“Throughout my playing and managing career, I’ve seen first-hand the impact that sport can have,” he said. “It brings people together, gives them a common purpose and instils confidence in young people. I always worked in organisations with a winning mentality; I encourage you to adopt a winning mentality within your organisations. Be the best you can for the youth.”

The Laureus Sport for Good European Summit, hosted in partnership with the Swedish Postcode Foundation, brought together more than 50 programme leaders from organisations across Europe who uses sport to change the lives of young people. The event aptly took place in the sporting surroundings of Bosön on the outskirts of Stockholm, a picturesque campus which serves as a training facility for many of Sweden’s leading and aspiring athletes.

A fiercely entertaining day out for everyone this half term is a brand new, £1m attraction opens tpday at Playgolf in Bournemouth – Mighty Claws Adventure Golf.

Open seven days a week, this prehistoric paradise is home to some of the largest and fiercest animatronic dinosaurs on the Jurassic Coast. Suitable for the whole family, kids can swing, cut and slice their clubs through 18 holes of prehistoric thrills and near life-sized dinosaurs before devouring some of the best pizzas on the South Coast at The Kitchen Club.

Nestled between an erupting volcano and a five-metre high waterfall, the terrifying – almost life-sized moving 'Iron Jaws' can be found throughout the 18-hole course, breathing, moving and even roaring. Visitors will also get to know the friendly 'Sweet Claws' dinosaur characters along the way as they try to navigate the flowing streams, play three hidden holes in the awesome echoing cavern and follow the jungle paths before completing the course with a rest stop in a dramatic Dino Jaw Throne.

Taken from the children's storybook 'The Invasion of the Iron Jaws', created by Michael Volokh, the impressive course is based on the first episode in the adventures of a small group of lovable dinosaurs from Sweet Claw Valley, who must undertake a series of fearsome adventures in order to free their valley from the evil Iron Jaws. A number of Mighty Claws Adventure Golf courses are planned to open nationwide, each themed around one of the many adventures of the Sweet Claws dinosaur chums.

With Wasps having won only four of the past 15 Premiership meetings between them and the Exeter Chiefs and back Kurtley Beale being ruled out of the Premiership final at Twickenham, the Wallaby’s absence may prove pivotal in the outcome of what is already a tight match to call.

The Chiefs make one change to the starting XV which overcame Saracens, with wing Olly Woodburn replacing top try-scorer James Short, whilst Willie Le Roux switches to full-back, with Josh Bassett starting on the wing.

Despite their knock-back, though, Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: "We have a lot of respect for Exeter Chiefs, who are a quality team and a quality club. We've had some memorable battles over the past couple of seasons and know how well drilled and coached they are, so we will have to be at our absolute best to win.

Exeter Head Coach Rob Baxter said: "We're probably a stronger group going into this game than we were last week, which is always nice. But we've got to make sure that we don't expect that having a bit of experience from last year will be that big a factor. We've got to demand that what the big factor is, is the quality we play at."

Wasps finished Aviva Premiership in 1^st place, with Exeter finishing 2^nd but in 14 past Premiership finals, the league winners have only gone on to win at Twickenham five times (Sale 2006, Leicester 2009 and 2010, Harlequins 2012, and Saracens 2016) – which makes this one very hard to call.

Organisers have unveiled the official medals for the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017, which place the drive and determination of athletes at the heart of its unique clockwork design.

Based within the shape of an athletics track, both sets of medals for the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships are layered with symbols of every event for each schedule, an intricate design that bears resemblance to the inner workings of a watch.

With London the historical home of Greenwich Mean Time, the medals for the IAAF World Championships also feature iconic London landmarks that sit on the River Thames – Tower Bridge, the London Eye, the Shard and Big Ben – to give a strong sense of location.

For the World Para Athletics Championships, the layering of the equipment enables visually impaired athletes to feel the details of the medals while there is braille on the reverse marking the host city and the year.

The medals were designed by Birmingham-based Toye, Kenning & Spencer who asked themselves “What makes an athlete tick?” when creating the medals. Founded in 1685, Toye, Kenning & Spencer have a proud history, holding a royal warrant and being commissioned to manufacture the medal presented to serving personnel in celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Five-time Paralympic medallist Dan Greaves, European and Commonwealth silver medallist Jazmin Sawyers and coach of Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill, Toni Minichiello, were all part of the creative panel that fed into the medal design process.

Dan Greaves said: “You don’t need to much motivation going into a home World Championships but being part of the panel and having helped to choose such great medal designs really does make you want to win one. I more determined than ever to get on the podium in London.

“The medals are so unique and I really like how my event, the discus, is represented along with all the other disciplines. As an athlete, a lot of hard work and time goes into winning medals and it is great to see that element of time reflected in the design.”

Jazmin Sawyers said: “I loved being part of the panel. It was something that I have never done before and such a unique experience to see what goes into making the medals for a World Championships. It is great that organisers wanted input from athletes and coaches.

“Long jump is all about getting your timing right. If you get your run up just right and hit the board at exactly the right time you can land a big jump. That is what I will be aiming to do this summer and I can’t wait to hopefully be a part of an amazing World Championships.”

Toni Minichiello said: “The IAAF World Championships London 2017 is going to be a fantastic event and that organisers are recognising the coaches of medal-winning athletes with a medal for the first time too is a great progressive step.

“A coach works very closely with athletes and it’s important to understand what makes them tick. It is great to see that element being applied to the medals. At a big event like a World Championships, mindset and good decision making at the right time makes the difference between being successful and not.”

The biggest sporting events in the world in 2017, the World Para Athletics Championships kick off the Summer of Athletics from 14-23 July with the IAAF World Championships following at the London Stadium from 4-13 August.

Niels de Vos, Championship Director, said: “We are very proud of the unique medal designs for both the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017. It isn’t easy to demonstrate so much on a medal but Toye, Kenning & Spencer have done a fantastic job with a design that carries such a great message.

“There are 213 medal events at the World Para Athletics Championships and 47 medal events at the IAAF World Championships and every athlete dreams of standing on the podium to collect one. Hopefully we have made that moment even more special by presenting a truly unique medal.”

Hamish Ritchie, Account Manager at Toye, Kenning and Spencer, said: “For us as a company it was massive honour to be chosen to design the medals. It has been a while since we have worked on such a large scale international event like this and it is really nice to have that support.

“They wanted something that was made in Britain entirely. We have the factory in Birmingham and the factory in Bedworth were the medal ribbons are manufactured. For us to be able to manufacture everything here, with our own manufacturing capabilities is fantastic.

“We are very proud to have been able to show off what we can do, not only our company but as a country for such an international event. We can say with pride that we made the medals for the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017.”