Sprint legend Allyson Felix begins 2028 Olympic preparations at Aspir…

Doha, Qatar: American sprint legend Allyson Felix has chosen Aspire Academy in Doha as a key training base as she prepares for a return to competition with the goal of racing at the 2028 Olympic Games in her hometown of Los Angeles.

Felix, 42, announced her return to competitive athletics in April after a four-year retirement and has set her sights on earning a place on the United States team for the Los Angeles Olympics.

The seven-time Olympic gold medallist selected Aspire Academy as one of her training destinations, citing its world-class facilities and athlete development programs. cricket-ipl.in

"I have been visiting Qatar for many years, and each time I have received a very warm welcome," Felix said in a statement.

"I know very well the amazing sports facilities at Aspire Academy, and it is truly the best place in the world to train."

She added: "It was important for Aspire Academy to be part of my journey as I work on regaining my full physical fitness in this new phase of my life, and I knew I could trust that I would find everything I needed here."

The American sprinter, who has competed in the 100m, 200m and 400m events, said her return is driven by a desire to see what she can still achieve, with the 2028 Olympics providing added motivation.

"It's really about curiosity," she said.

"I'm not trying to be the athlete I was in the past, but I'm curious to see what's still possible, especially since my city, Los Angeles, is hosting the Olympics. My goal is to be part of the national team, and I hope to be part of the relay team."

By hosting Felix during her preparations, Aspire Academy further reinforces its reputation as a leading destination for elite athlete training while giving its student-athletes the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by one of the greatest sprinters in athletics history.

Miami: Lionel Messi scored twice on Wednesday to become the Leagues Cup's record goalscorer as Inter Miami beat Atletico San Luis 4-2 at home in the 2026 edition's opening group matches.

Messi, who helped Miami win the 2023 crown in his first weeks with the Florida club, took his tally in the competition for Major League Soccer and Mexican Liga MX sides to a record 14 goals.

David Rodriguez gave San Luis the lead in the fourth minute but Messi equalized seven minutes later.

Venezuelan midfielder Telasco Segovia edged Miami ahead in the 26th minute.

Messi struck again just before half-time with Brazilian defender Micael making it 4-1 deep into first-half stoppage time.

Atletico's Rafa Llorente scored a second-half consolation.

Other Leagues Cup matches on Wednesday saw Dallas beat Queretaro 2-0 and Leon won 1-0 at Nashville.

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar national junior chess team delivered an impressive performance at the Arab Junior and Youth Chess Championship in Egypt, winning one gold, one silver and one bronze medal as the tournament concluded yesterday

The championship, organised by the Egyptian Chess Federation under the auspices of the Arab Chess Federation, featured around 350 players from 16 Arab countries.

Mohammed Jarbi led Qatar's medal haul by claiming gold in the under-10 rapid chess event. He finished first with 7.5 points from nine rounds. Jarbi also added a bronze medal in the under-10 classical competition after scoring seven points, underlining his consistency across both formats.

Khalid Al Jumaat secured Qatar's second podium finish, winning silver in the under-12 rapid chess category with seven points from nine rounds.

Mohammed Al Mudahka, President of Qatar Chess Association, expressed his delight with the national team’s results in the tournament, noting that participation in the competitions provided the players with an opportunity to compete against different schools of chess, improve their international rankings, and achieve commendable results.

Hamad Al Tamimi, Executive Director of Qatar Chess Association, stated that this success is a result of the strategic vision adopted by QCA, which focuses on developing chess locally by investing in different age groups and increasing regional and international participation.

Doha, Qatar: American JuVaughn Harrison produced a world-leading jump of 2.34m to win the inaugural Monaco Athletics Festival yesterday, while Qatar’s three-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold winner Mutaz Barshim finished ninth in the elite high jump competition yesterday.

The event was part of the What Gravity Tour, the international high jump circuit founded by Barshim in 2025 to showcase the discipline through standalone competitions.

Harrison was the only athlete to clear 2.34m, capping a dominant performance against a strong field of 10 world-class jumpers.

His compatriot Tyus Wilson claimed second place with a personal best of 2.30m, while Italy’s Christian Falocchi took third on countback after clearing 2.27m.

Barshim cleared 2.10m before bowing out. The Qatari entered the competition with a season’s best of 2.27m but was unable to challenge for the podium.

Unlike a traditional athletics meeting, the one-evening festival was dedicated exclusively to the high jump, bringing together some of the world’s leading specialists, including Harrison, Wilson, Jamaica's Romaine Beckford and Barshim.