General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 13, 2026, 12:40 PM ET
Formula 1 & Motorsports
Lewis Hamilton cited a power unit deficit espn.com as the primary reason Ferrari trails Mercedes after qualifying fourth for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race. His focus remains on the race weekend, causing him to miss the Oscars ceremony espn.com despite nominations for the "F1" documentary, as travel logistics from Shanghai proved impossible. In golf, Scottie Scheffler is the overwhelming favorite espn.com for The Players Championship, with odds reflecting his pursuit of a third title, while Brooks Koepka seeks greater consistency espn.com in his return to the PGA Tour after a limited schedule.
Winter Paralympics
Haiti's Ralf Etienne, who lost his leg in a 2010 earthquake bbc.com, became his nation's first Winter Paralympian in Milan-Cortina. Britain's Hester Poole vowed a redemption arc bbc.com after crashing in her giant slalom debut, aiming to recover in the slalom. Guide dog Pickle, described as a "furry ball of love" bbc.com, has become a popular member of Paralympics GB. In visually impaired skiing, Neil Simpson and guide Rob Poth failed to finish their opening run bbc.com due to a "costly" error, leaving Simpson bitterly disappointed. Cross-country skier Jake Adicoff became the first out gay man bbc.com to win an individual Paralympic gold medal, while German skiers protested Russian inclusion bbc.com by turning their backs on the podium.
Six Nations Rugby
Scotland, driven by a "to hell and back" mentality, aim to end a 12-game losing streak bbc.com against Ireland in a Triple Crown decider. Head coach Gregor Townsend faces his most significant selection dilemma bbc.com ahead of the Dublin clash. Ireland, missing lock James Ryan, are desperate for the Triple Crown bbc.com and require a "big performance" to overcome Scotland, according to flanker Josh van der Flier. Wales named an unchanged starting side bbc.com for their finale against Italy, with record-breaking flanker Alex Mann stepping up bbc.com and Louis Rees-Zammit confident the team is "exciting again." France will wear a special pale blue shirt bbc.com to mark 120 years of rivalry with England, and will start uncapped flanker Temo Matiu. England's campaign has been marred by errors and ill-discipline bbc.com, with coach Steve Borthwick admitting the shirt has weighed heavy bbc.com on players. Despite fan frustration, England's kicking remains one of their few functional areas bbc.com. Fin Smith brushed off an on-pitch row with captain Maro Itoje, saying it reflects their deep relationship bbc.com.
College Basketball: Tournament & Coaching Carousel
Approximately $3.3 billion is expected to be wagered espn.com on the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments with U.S. sportsbooks, a slight year-over-year increase. The Big 12's experiment with an LED glass court ended espn.com after players slipped, forcing a return to hardwood for the remainder of its conference tournament. The decision followed Texas Tech's Christian Anderson suffering a strain espn.com after slipping on the surface during a loss to Iowa State. In that tournament, AJ Dybantsa set a Big 12 freshman record with 40 points espn.com to lead BYU past Kansas State. Hofstra broke a 25-year drought espn.com by winning the Coastal Athletic Association tournament, securing its first NCAA bid since 2001. Miami (Ohio)'s unbeaten season ended espn.com with an 87-83 loss to UMass in the MAC tournament. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl lobbied for an NCAA bid espn.com after his team blew a double-digit lead to Tennessee, arguing they "deserve" a spot. Syracuse fired Adrian Autry espn.com after three seasons without an NCAA tournament appearance, a decision Jim Boeheim attributed to star player underperformance espn.com and lack of NIL funding. Hours after a 91-42 historical blowout loss espn.com to Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament—the largest margin in conference tournament history—Arizona State parted ways with Bobby Hurley espn.com after 11 seasons. Kansas State is expected to hire Belmont's Casey Alexander espn.com, a perennial 20-game winner. The Big Ten asked the NCAA to pause tampering investigations espn.com, seeking rule modernization.
Combat Sports & Boxing
Khamzat Chimaev will defend his UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland in May, with Strickland confirmed as the challenger bbc.com. Ronda Rousey announced a return to MMA after a decade bbc.com to face Gina Carano on May 16, saying she wants to "rewrite her ending." British super featherweight Ryan Garner has his eye on the winner bbc.com of Saturday's James Dickens vs. Anthony Cacace world title bout. Dickens' journey to that fight included a two-day ordeal traveling bbc.com from Dubai to Dublin. Harry Redknapp's horse, Jukebox Man, is confirmed for the Cheltenham Gold Cup bbc.com after the trainer explained his £390,000 investment in the Hundred auction was based on valuing uncapped potential bbc.com.
Horse Racing & Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival saw Willie Mullins secure his third win of the meeting bbc.com as Il Etait Temps captured the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Earlier, Lossiemouth dominated the Champion Hurdle bbc.com to be crowned "Queen of Cheltenham." Henry de Bromhead celebrated his first winner bbc.com of the festival as Heart Wood took the Ryanair Chase. Trainer Nicky Henderson, however, threatened to boycott bbc.com future festivals over ground quality after withdrawing Fact To File. Meanwhile, thousands of British racing fans have travelled to Spain's Costa Blanca bbc.com to watch the festival remotely in "Costa del Cheltenham." Harry Redknapp, who entered racing via his grandmother's tips bbc.com, hopes Jukebox Man can deliver Gold Cup glory.
Rugby Union & Other Sports
Ireland back-row Jack Conan described Scotland fly-half Finn Russell as a player who can "pull a rabbit out of a hat" bbc.com, highlighting the threat posed by the creative playmaker. Scotland's rise has been fueled by players like Jack Dempsey, a Wallabies cast-off bbc.com now a powerhouse for Scotland. Ireland's Rob Baloucoune has undergone a rapid revival bbc.com to become a key Six Nations star. In the United Rugby Championship, prop Tom McAllister made his Ulster debut bbc.com after Wales U20s released Carwyn Leggatt-Jones to play for Scarlets. Scotland flanker Sione Tuipulotu embodies the team's desperate push bbc.com for Six Nations contention. In cricket, the Hundred auction saw Abrar Ahmed's signing by Sunrisers Leeds bbc.com allay concerns about Pakistan players being ignored by IPL-affiliated franchises. Coaches of those teams denied being told to avoid Pakistanis bbc.com. Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu received a key to her hometown espn.com in the Bay Area during a celebratory rally. In swimming, Tom Dean, a triple gold medallist, has his sights on the 2028 Olympics bbc.com after relocating to Stirling. Paralympic cyclist Hester Poole's guide dog Pickle continues to