Sport

The Greek Freak triumphs all | ticker VIEWS

Published

2 years ago

July 22, 2021

In a world of NBA Super teams, one man won against all odds.

Ever since LeBron James took his talents to South Beach in 2010, N.B.A. super teams have become the new norm. A super team refers to the best players in the league teaming up to secure a championship.

All that changed in recent days with the Milwaukee Bucks winning the championship. Giannis Antetokounmpo put together one of the greatest performances in NBA finals history, to secure a 4-2 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Antetokounmpo also ranks as the first NBA Finals MVP to have also won the league’s Most Improved Player Award.

Giannis score 50 points and 14 rebounds in game 6.

He called out other players for winning the “easy way” in recent times.

“It’s easy to go somewhere and win a championship with somebody else … this is the hard way to do and we did it.”
ANTETOKOUNPMO SAID AFTER THE WIN.

James Harden, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving all left their respective teams to chase glory. Giannis stayed.

The comments may have not necessarily been a dig at his opponents, but it sure came off that way.

The two-time M.V.P. could’ve signed with a team that already had another superstar, in place to give himself the best chance to win a championship.

Instead, he stuck around in a small market and prevailed to win the Finals M.V.P. and lead the Bucks to their first championship in 50 years.

Antetokounmpo was the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA out of Greece, where he played at Filathlitikos.

Him and his brothers are of Nigerian decent, with a strong basketball background.

I'll never leave the team and the city of Milwaukee till we build the team to a championship level team..
— Giannis Ugo Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) July 17, 2014

The Greek superstar was true to his word and now has the highest form of glory to show for it.

The NBA could be entering a new era, with the new Finals MVP and the centre of it.

Sport

Rafa Nadal pulls out of French Open

Published

4 months ago

May 19, 2023

ticker NEWS, Brittany Coles

The Spaniard has failed to regain full fitness from a hip injury sustained earlier this year

Rafa Nadal has delivered news that no tennis fan wanted to hear.

The King of Clay will miss the French Open after failing to regain full fitness from a hip injury suffered at the Australian Open back in January.

The 14-time Roland Garros winner says he expects to retire following the 2024 season.

Nadal has dominated the clay court season for close to two decades.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion fronted a widely anticipated press conference at his tennis academy in Mallorca to drop the bombshell, saying its the right thing to do for his body and personal happiness.

“I’ll look to be 100% ready for next year, which I believe will be the last year of my professional career,” Nadal told a news conference at his tennis academy in Mallorca, Spain.

“The evolution of the injury I sustained in Australia has not gone as I would have liked. I have lost goals along the way, and Roland Garros becomes impossible.”

“I’ll not establish a date for my return. I’ll see how my body responds and take it from there,” said the 36-year-old. “If I keep playing at this moment, I don’t think I can be there next year.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to come back in the highest level and compete for Grand Slams. What I will try to do is to give myself the opportunity to go back to what could be my final year competing at the highest level.”

Sport

China expresses concerns about ‘politicisation of sports’

Published

5 months ago

May 8, 2023

ticker NEWS

The East Asian nation raised the issue when Premier Li met with the head of the IOC, Thomas Bach

China has expressed concerns to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the politicisation of sporting events.

The issue was raised when Chinese Premier Li Qiang met Thomas Bach, the head of the IOC, in Beijing over the weekend.

“China’s efforts to promote the Olympic spirit will never cease, and [China is] ready to work with IOC to oppose the politicisation of sports, and make further contributions to the Olympic movement,” Li said.

It is rare for China to raise such concerns with the IOC in public, and it was the first time it had made such comments since the Winter Olympics in Beijing early last year.

The United States and several of its allies took part in a diplomatic boycott of the Games, citing alleged human rights abuse in China’s far west region of Xinjiang.

Beijing has repeatedly denied the accusation and said it opposes any attempts to politicise sporting events.

Sport

Tasmanian AFL team becomes reality

Published

5 months ago

May 3, 2023

ticker NEWS

Tasmania will have a team in the AFL after all 18 current teams agreed to the motion

An exciting day for residents of the Australian state of Tasmania today.

Outgoing AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan confirming Tasmania has been granted the league’s 19th licence.

It follows the nation’s federal government confirming it will cover the $240 million shortfall to fund a new multi-purpose stadium at Macquarie Point.

This has long been viewed as Tasmania’s most significant hurdle for entry into the league.

All 18 clubs supported the state’s bid, before the AFL Commission agreed to a formal ratification.

McLachlan fronted a press conference at North Hobart Oval, alongside Premier Jeremy Rockliff, Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles and a whole host of players.

The CEO says the decision “will finally make [the] competitions truly national”. #trending #featured