Commonwealth Games: Nicoll eyes shot put glory after Olympic bobsleigh

Published

5 minutes ago

July 29, 2026

To qualify for one major Games is impressive, to do two in the space of five months is pretty special, especially when the sports are nothing alike.

For Adele Nicoll, it is a delicate balancing act that she has done her best to master since 2020, when Mica McNeill sent her a message on Instagram encouraging her to give bobsleigh a go too.

Now the 29-year-old from Welshpool will throw in the Commonwealth Games shot put final just five months after competing for Great Britain at Milano-Cortina.

She says she is living her “nine-year-old dream” .

“Physically, they both require a lot of power and I train as a power athlete, so in that sense, it’s not too difficult, they relate really well.

“But it’s the lack of throws that’s been really difficult for me to catch up on.

“It’s the feeling of. where you are in the circle the proprioception.

“I didn’t have a winter training and most of the work that you do technically is done over winter.

“I’ve come back and had to kind of cram in winter training in the middle of the summer competitive season, so that’s the most difficult thing.”

Despite those challenges and balancing life with a new throws coach, Nicoll defended her Welsh shot put title in June, a week after missing the UK Championships with injury.

“Being able to know when my body needs a rest has been the biggest challenge for me,” she said

“It’s accepting that the body doesn’t always know what’s in the calendar and the goal was to be ready for the Commonwealth Games.

Nicoll says her time in bobsleigh has made her more grateful for the things she doesn’t have to do with athletics.

“In athletics we just get our kit bag and we turn up to the track, but with the bobsleigh we’re driving the vans around the world.

“You race, you pack up all the equipment and you drive to the next location which could be a 24-hour journey.

“It’s just you and your team-mates, you’re doing all the servicing of the sleds, you’re doing everything.

“Bobsleigh is basically a boot camp that makes you the most resilient hard-working. grafting athlete!

“I’ve come back into athletics now with that discipline and that’s what I think has made me a much better track and field athlete.”

How to watch Brewers vs. Giants: TV channel and streaming options for July 29

Published

13 minutes ago

July 29, 2026

qasimgillani

The Milwaukee Brewers visit the San Francisco Giants at 3:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday, with both teams hoping to win the series. Shane Drohan (5-4, 3.51 ERA) gets the start for the Brewers, who are 67-40 this season and first in the NL Central. Logan Webb (5-7, 3.98 ERA) is expected to start for the Giants, who are 45-62 and fourth in the NL West.

How to watch Milwaukee Brewers vs. San Francisco Giants

Brewers vs. Giants odds

Favorite Moneyline: Brewers -160
Underdog Moneyline: Giants +135
Total: 7
Total Over Odds: -120
Total Under Odds: +100

Injury reports

Brewers

Sal Frelick: 10 Day IL (Shoulder), Kyle Harrison: 15 Day IL (Forearm), Joel Kuhnel: 15 Day IL (Shoulder), D.L. Hall: 15 Day IL (Pectoral), Brandon Woodruff: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Rob Zastryzny: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Brian Fitzpatrick: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Angel Zerpa: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Brandon Lockridge: 60 Day IL (Knee), Quinn Priester: 60 Day IL (Wrist)

Giants

Harrison Bader: 10 Day IL (Plantar fasciitis), Matt Chapman: 10 Day IL (Leg), Casey Schmitt: 10 Day IL (Leg), Jonah Cox: 10 Day IL (Oblique), Victor Bericoto: 10 Day IL (Oblique), Trevor McDonald: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Matt Gage: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Rowan Wick: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Jose Butto: 60 Day IL (Arm), Joel Peguero: 60 Day IL (Hamstring), Randy Rodriguez: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Hayden Birdsong: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Jung Hoo Lee: day-to-day (Elbow)

Stats to know

Milwaukee’s Brice Turang has hit 15 home runs this season. He has also tallied 64 RBIs (19th in MLB) and has scored 70 runs. In 458 plate appearances, he has recorded a .269 BA, .363 OBP and .462 SLG with a 12.9% walk rate and a 24.5% strikeout rate. He has been effective on the base paths, recording 15 steals on 18 attempts.
In 381 plate appearances, Jake Bauers has slashed .265/.370/.486 this season. He has hit 18 long balls and driven in 60 runs with a strikeout rate of 26.5% and a walk rate of 13.6%. He has eight stolen bases on nine attempts. He has come around to score 62 times.
Luis Arraez is hitting for a .325 BA, .361 OBP and .447 SLG with a 4.5% strikeout rate and a 5.6% walk rate. His OPS is .808 and he has scored 51 runs. In 446 plate appearances, he has hit four home runs and driven in 41 runs. Arraez has recorded nine steals on nine attempts.
In 454 plate appearances, Rafael Devers has posted a 27.3% strikeout rate and a 9.5% walk rate while slashing .246/.317/.479 with 22 home runs (16th in MLB), 60 RBIs and 55 runs scored.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Ishika Samant, Scott Taetsch, Alika Jenner / Getty Images

Sports

Commonwealth Games 2026: Matt Richardson out of cycling events with injury

Published

21 minutes ago

July 29, 2026

qasimgillani

England’s Olympic cycling silver medalist Matt Richardson has been ruled out of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with injury, denying the event one of its most intriguing subplots.

Richardson, 27, controversially switched allegiance to England days after winning two silvers for Australia at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

He has since described the Australia programme as “like high school” and the British “like Hogwarts”, praising the greater resources and financial support he has received.

Former Australia team-mate Leigh Hoffman, meanwhile, said his compatriots “want me to smash him”.

Richardson – who was born in Maidstone, Kent, but moved to Australia at the age of nine and maintained dual citizenship – would have been one of the main medal contenders on the track in Glasgow and was planning to race the team sprint, keirin and the sprint.

He has had impressive results since switching his allegiance, winning two silver medals in sprint and team sprint at the 2025 Track Cycling World Championships and beating Olympic champion Harrie Lavreysen to win the European sprint and keirin titles.

Richardson was injured after a crash and subsequent heavy fall at this week’s World Series keirin event in Japan.

He will be replaced by Harry Radford, who will contest the sprint events on his Commonwealth Games debut.