Britain’s Charlotte Bankes and Austria’s Alessandro Hämmerle came out on top in the snowboard cross qualifiers at the International Ski Federation (FIS) Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships.

qualified after the first run as she topped the standings with a time of 1min 21.93sec.Faye Gulini of the United

States was a second further back while reigning champion Eva Samková of the Czech Republic came third

Olympic gold medallist Michela Moioli of Italy and five-time world champion Lindsey Jacobellis of the United

States also secured a place in the top eight.A further eight athletes qualified after the second run

impressed in the qualification round in Idre Fjäll ©Getty ImagesDefending champion Mick Dierdorff of the United

How bent is boxing? Those who watched the recent BBC Panorama programme, graphically headlined Boxing and the Mob must have thought the old noble art - if it was ever thus - was being dragged back into the dark days, like those across the Atlantic from the 20s into the mid-60s, when the fight game was run and ruled by Mafioso characters whose surnames invariably ended in vowels.

Incidentally if you want to know how boxing beat the real Mob in the United States the man responsible

Fourteen members of the troubled International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Executive Board are on the list of candidates for next month’s elections.

four nominations who are not on the Board - former IWF Interim President Ursula Papandrea from the United

States, Jinqiang Zhou of China, Stian Grimseth of Norway, and Ali Moradi of Iran.The only IWF Board

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has responded to intense criticism from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by adopting new rules for its elections, scheduled for March 26 to 27.

October - the month when the IWF Board ousted its Interim President, Papandrea.Papandrea, from the United

States, had been trying to lead governance reforms and had the IOC’s backing, if not the Board’s.Since

The top seed in the women’s singles draw Ashleigh Barty recorded a double bagel win in her first round match on day two of the year’s opening Grand Slam tournament.

minutes.It was a good day for the top seeds in the women’s draw with defending champion Sofia Kenin of the United

States, who is ranked fourth in this year’s event, triumphing 7-5 6-4 against home wildcard player Maddison

Frenchman Benoît Paire lashed out at Australian Open organisers over their "shameful" quarantine rules after suffering a shock first-round defeat at the tournament in Melbourne.

Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, was also left frustrated after losing to debutant Jessica Pegula of the United

States."

USA Luge’s partnership with burger chain White Castle has been extended through until 2023.

White Castle USA Luge Slider Search programme, launched in 1985, more than 25,000 children across the United

States have been introduced to luge.A series of new videos will be released to mark a new partnership

The United States has won five luge medals in Winter Olympic history - silver and bronze at the men’s

His final bout came against Israel Galvan of the United States in the world final before he opted to

United States President Joe Biden has said a decision on whether Tokyo 2020 should take place should

USA Wrestling is searching for a new host for its Olympic trials less than two months before the event is due to take place after confirming it would no longer be held on the campus of Penn State University.

trials at Penn State University was made by USA Wrestling, Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics and the United

States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.USA Wrestling also confirmed the Bryce Jordan Center would instead

Thirteen-time Paralympic swimming gold medallist Jessica Long starred in a commercial for car manufacturer Toyota that ran during yesterday's Super Bowl.

Long, the United States' second most-decorated Paralympian with 23 medals, said the advert perfectly

Men’s world number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia was among the winners on the opening day of the Australian Open Tennis Championships at Melbourne Park.

set on a tie-break on the Margaret Court Arena, as he came from behind to beat Marcos Giron of the United

States 6-7 7-6 6-3 6-2.Eighth seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina needed four sets to get past qualifier

States needed only 56 minutes to overcome Laura Siegemund of Germany for the loss of just two games

was Germany’s Angelique Kerber, with the 23rd seed comprehensively defeated by Bernarda Pera of the United

States 6-0 6-4.Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, action is taking place in front of a reduced crowd

The poker players of men’s pole vault, where the stakes are already sky high this year, are set to play it again in the northern French city of Liévin tomorrow in the third of this season’s World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meetings.

January 29 with 5.95m.Two days later at the Dusseldorf Silver meeting Duplantis - who is based in the United

States but competes for Sweden - took over the lead in the season’s rankings with an effort of 6.01m.But

Gold meeting of the season ©Getty ImagesAlso in the mix will be the two-time world champion from the United

States, Sam Kendricks, Brazil’s Olympic champion Thiago Braz and world bronze medallist Piotr Lisek

States, who clocked 7.10 in Metz.The men’s 800m will bring together Poland’s world indoor champion Adam

Czech star Eva Samková will aim to defend her snowboard cross world title in Idre Fjäll, with action at the Swedish resort due to begin tomorrow.

2014 Olympic champion arrives in Sweden as the joint World Cup leader alongside Faye Gulini of the United

States, after two races.She claimed victory last time out in Chiesa in Italy as she bids to win the

FIFA is among the organisations to pay tribute to Iranian football legend Mehrdad Minavand after he died from coronavirus aged 45.

had played at the World Cup and the country earned its first victory at the tournament against the United

States.