FOOTBALL – The Euro Club Index (www.euroclubindex.com) rates all teams in top flight football in Europe and today has proved a guide to assess the 2015/2016 Champions League group stage draw. It points out the Group of Death, the teams facing strongest/weakest opposition and also the teams that were most fortunate/unfortunate in the draw.
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RECORD: Spain to serve up five-star CL campaign
FOOTBALL – Valencia CF reached the main stage of the Champions League and made Spain the first country ever to be represented by five teams in one CL season. In Thursday’s draw pots Valencia will be joined by fellow Spanish sides FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Sevilla FC.
REVIEW: Lightning Bolt strikes thrice
ATHLETICS – Usain Bolt won the men’s 100m at the world championships in Beijing. It was his third world title in this event. Bolt joined Carl Lewis (USA) and Maurice Greene (USA) as the only athletes to win three world titles in this event. Bolt also won in 2009 and 2013. Since Yohan Blake won this event in 2011, it is now four Jamaican gold medals in a row.
REVIEW: China rule world of water
AQUATICS – At the conclusion of the 2015 Aquatics World Championships, China have emerged as the most successful country winning 15 gold medals, 10 silver medals and 10 bronze medals. For the first time since 2001 (Australia), United States do not top the overall table.
ANALYSE THIS: Parity like never before in swimming
SWIMMING – With only one day of competition left at the 2015 Swimming World Championships in Kazan, the United States have reclaimed their leading position in the Market Share (metric that weights all ranks) table, but only by a very small margin. Like we reported earlier this week, their position is being challenged by traditional rivals Australia, China and France, but also the strong emerging force that is Great Britain. For comparison, the US had a market share of nearly 50% only eight years ago, now that has been reduced to 20%.
ANALYSE THIS: US domination in swimming challenged
SWIMMING – At the 2015 World Swimming Championships in Kazan, Russia, Australia and Great Britain have shown their intent to knock the United States off their perch as the world’s leading nation in swimming. After three days of competition they have a greater market share, a metric that weights all ranks, than the US.
Beijing will host the 2022 Olympic Winter Games
OLYMPIC GAMES – At the 128th IOC Session, it was announced today that Beijing will host the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
REVIEW: Hat-trick hero Cristiano strikes again
FOOTBALL – Cristiano Ronaldo registered his third career hat-trick for Portugal and the 35th of his career in an official match, propelling Portugal past Armenia on Saturday. It was the third consecutive hat-trick in official matches for Cristiano Ronaldo. He also netted three in league games against RCD Espanyol (17 May) and Getafe CF (23 May). He had not played an official match since 23 May. It is the first time in his career he has performed the three square performance (3×3).
IN THE NEWS: Titleholder and top seed meet unusually early at Grand Slam
TENNIS – A much anticipated quarterfinal in the men’s singles tournament at Roland Garros sees the top seed, Novak Djokovic, take on the titleholder, Rafael Nadal. Only once in 188 previous Majors, the number 1 seed ran into the defending champion before the semifinals. At Wimbledon in 1993, Pete Sampras, the top seed, overcame titleholder Andre Agassi in the quarterfinals.
RECORD: Barça complete sixth domestic double
FOOTBALL – FC Barcelona defeated Athletic Club in the final of the Copa del Rey on Saturday. After having won La Liga, this domestic double is the sixth in the club’s history. Before today, Barça had shared the mark of five with Athletic Club, their opponents in the final. FC Barcelona move two doubles clear of Real Madrid, who have done the double on four occasions.
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