General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Winter Olympics Wrap
Team GB's Winter Olympians returned home from Milan Cortina after their most successful Games ever with five medals including three golds. The 2026 Winter Olympics concluded with a dazzling closing ceremony at Verona Arena where the twin flames were extinguished. IOC president Kirsty Coventry praised athletes for showing "the Olympic Games are a place for everyone" during the handover to the French Alps for 2030.
Basketball Headlines
Geno Auriemma broke the record for most AP Top 25 appearances by a coach with his 655th showing as UConn remained unanimous No. 1. The new AP Top 25 saw Oklahoma, Iowa and TCU rise while Tennessee fell out of the rankings. Meanwhile, the WNBA players union announced the league generated sufficient revenue to trigger revenue sharing for the first time.
Cricket Action
West Indies maintained their perfect record at the 2026 T20 World Cup with a dominant 107-run victory over Zimbabwe in their Super 8 opener. Shimron Hetmyer smashed 85 runs after being dropped twice by Zimbabwe's Tashinga Musekiwa, who also dropped the same batter twice in a stunning fielding lapse. England now face another "trial by spin" against Pakistan with their batting frailties threatening their World Cup semi-final hopes.
Tennis & Golf Updates
Andy Roddick joined ESPN's broadcast team for Wimbledon and US Open coverage under a multiyear deal. In golf, Rory Mc Ilroy fired a four-under 67 but finished one shot behind Jacob Bridgeman at the Genesis Invitational. The Mexican Open organizers confirmed the tournament will proceed despite drug cartel violence following the death of Mexico's most wanted drug baron.
Rugby & Football
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell called his squad's potential "huge" after their record Six Nations win over England. Wales released several players for upcoming fixtures while ruling out Rhys Davies for the Six Nations. In snooker, Ronnie O'Sullivan signed up for his debut at the World Seniors Championship at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre in May.
Combat Sports
Kara Braxton, two-time WNBA champion with the Detroit Shock and former SEC Freshman of the Year, died at. In boxing, Claressa Shields defended her undisputed heavyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over rival Franchon Crews-Dezurn in Detroit.
Auto Racing
Tyler Reddick became the first driver in 17 years to sweep the first two NASCAR Cup Series races, winning in double overtime at Echo Park Speedway after rebounding from an earlier crash.
Track & Field
Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson said she feels "closer than ever" to breaking the women's 800m outdoor world record - the longest-standing record in athletics. The British star described it as the "closest I've felt" to achieving the milestone.
College Sports & NIL
Kansas faces uncertainty with projected No. 1 NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson's availability casting doubt on their March potential. Meanwhile, coaches are calling for NIL regulations to protect athletes from "street agents" as cash in name, image and likeness deals continues to grow.
International Football
England will face a daunting summer itinerary covering three countries and 25,000 miles for fixtures against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina. The 2028 USA Olympic men's basketball roster is expected to feature a youth movement as the program undergoes transition.
Other Sports
Luke LittlerREF:39