Fast-rising Ngetich salutes track G.O.A.T Faith Kipyegon after overco…

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 13, 2026 – Having grown up idolising three-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, it must have meant the whole world to Agnes Ngetich to compete in the same event with the track queen.

It was an even more ecstatic feeling for the double world record holder to triumph over an athlete she has for so many years wished to emulate.

Ngetich clocked a world lead and meet record of 8:08.95 at Friday’s Monaco Diamond League to take top honour in the women’s 3000m, finishing ahead of the Ethiopian duo of Aleshign Baweke (8:23.81) and Senayet Getachew (8:24.02) who came second and third respectively. capturengo.com

On the other, Kipyegon had to be content with fourth place, trudging through her injury woes to cross the finish line in a personal best of 8:24.21.

Afterwards, Ngetich, overflowing with excitement, gave props to the world 1500m champion for the influence she has had on her career.

“Running side by side with Faith Kipyegon and with Jessica – it was a pleasure. It is a privilege. She is a nice lady, she is a queen on the track. She has been the role model to us,” the world cross country champion said.

It is the second time that Ngetich has excelled over her idol, following on from last year’s Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour in Eldoret.

On that occasion, the 25-year-old clocked 32:42 to win the senior women’s 10km race, in which Kipyegon was forced to withdraw midway.

Friday’s success continued what has largely been an imperious season for Ngetich in 2026.

Save for a disappointing 13th place finish March’s New York Half Marathon, where she clocked 1:10:25, Ngetich has won all the other five races she has participated in thus far.

Surprisingly, Ngetich played down her exploits in the French principality, shifting the limelight to her coach whose words of encouragement rang through her ears as she rounded the tartan track.

“Coming here, I did not have any plan. My plan was to run a PB. My coach was like – you know you can do it. And I was like: Hey coach, this is the first race on the track . I am opening on the track because I have been on the road races and cross country lately,” she said.

Ngetich added: “But for today, I am so happy and have to say thank you to him and to the whole team who helped me. I was coming here just to test if I still have the speed on the track. My last track race was in Tokyo and I see that it is so amazing. I just could not believe who I was on the track.”

With another track phenomenon Beatrice Chebet out of action for the foreseeable future — as she continues to enjoy the bliss of motherhood — 2026 may just be the year of Agnes Ngetich as far as the women’s 5000m and 10,000m is concerned.

With five more legs of the Diamond League to go, the world may not have heard the last of her.

A world record, maybe? It is not something inconceivable considering she already boasts the 5km and 10km world record titles.

Aymeric Laporte va retrouver la France avec l’Espagne. Une sélection tricolore dont il n’a jamais pu porter le maillot en match officiel avant d’opter pour la Roja en 2021. Un choc de Coupe du monde, demain à Dallas, qu’il a évoqué sur les ondes de Radio Marca.

Né en France et appelé plusieurs fois par Didier Deschamps entre 2016 et 2019 sans jouer aucune minute avec les Bleus, le défenseur Laporte a choisi, dès 2021 de porter le maillot de la sélection espagnole. À 48h du choc France-Espagne, il a confié ces dernières heures à Radio Marca, qu’il ne regrettait pas du tout son choix. C’était une période difficile pour moi. J’ai pris une décision et j’en suis extrêmement heureux. », a-t-il reconnu sur les ondes.

Avec plus de 50 sélections au compteur avec le Roja, le défenseur de l’Athletic Bilbao va à nouveau croiser les Bleus après la Ligue des Nations l’an passé. « Il faut qu’on soit prêts pour aborder ce match comme il se doit » a lancé Laporte pour qui la France est « très forte en attaque ».

Enfin, Laporte est conscient que le comportement de son équipe nationale va jouer beaucoup sur le résultat final. « On doit jouer notre jeu parce que cela va plus dépendre de nous que d’eux. », a-t-il conclu au micro de Radio Marca.

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Rassie Erasmus has likened rookie flyhalf Vusi Moyo to Handré Pollard as the Springbok boss explains his logic behind the four debutants set to tackle Wales on Saturday.

Erasmus on Monday named Moyo, right wing Jaco Williams, lock Ruben van Heerden and tighthead prop Carlü Sadie to start in a formidable Bok lineup for the Nations Championship clash at Kings Park.

Moyo made his senior Bok bow in the non-cap season opener against the Barbarians on 20 June, and Erasmus highlights the 20-year-old’s physicality and all-round skills.

TEAM: Rookie 10 to call shots for beefed-up Boks

“Sometimes you get a really skilful flyhalf, sometimes you get a small, nippy flyhalf. When Handré was a young guy coming through, he was somebody who took the ball to the line,” he said.

“I think Vusi, for his age, is a very big boy. He certainly doesn’t stand back from the physical side of the game. He kicks brilliantly off the tee, his restarts are excellent, he kicks to touch well and he kicks well at goal.

“We want to see him in a Test match because what he has shown in training sessions and also in the Barbarians, he definitely showed a lot. For a big guy, he’s got really soft hands.”

RASSIE: We got the mix to match Wales threat

Williams starred for South Africa A in a 40-0 rout of Zimbabwe last month at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. This week, he lines up in an exciting back three alongside Kurt-Lee Arendse and Aphelele Fassi.

“I always thought Jaco was just a nippy guy and just a finisher, but he’s certainly a guy who brings it physically,” Erasmus said.

“For a 21-year-old, he’s a powerful player. And he’s got a lot of speed and X factor.”

Van Heerden and Sadie featured against the Zimbabweans and Baa-Baas, respectively.

“Like last weekend [against Scotland] and the Barbarians game, there were some guys who got opportunities,” Erasmus said. “Guys like Jaco, Carlü, Vusi and Ruben are the new players this week.

“They’ve helped prepare the other guys for the Test matches. We feel it’s fair to give them an opportunity here.”

MORE: Wales boss to wield axe for Bok clash

Erasmus was especially pleased to reward Van Heerden’s patience and commitment.

“Ruben played against us for the Barbarians last year and I thought, defensively, he really put up his hand.

“But when we called him up because of a few injuries, he said he didn’t want to play for the Barbarians. He wanted to play for South Africa. He’s a guy who really wants to be a Springbok.

“It’s nice to reward someone, and it’s not about handing out caps for free. It’s also definitely not that Ruan Nortjé has been dropped. It’s about resting Ruan.”

Photo: Steve Haag/Getty Images

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 13, 2026 – President William Ruto on Monday handed a new bus to newly-crowned National Super League (NSL) champions Migori Youth.

Ruto congratulated the team for overcoming the competition in the second-tier of Kenyan football to earn passageway to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League.

“I want to welcome all of you here (State House) and congratulate you. I know that there were many other teams and talents and for you to organise and win, it takes effort, organisation, for which I want to say congratulations,” the president said.

Ruto added: “As you graduate to the Premier League, your assignment becomes even better.”

The president further announced that a government-sponsored stadium under construction in Migori will be the new home base for the top flight newbies.

“The stadium we are building in Migori will be the home base of this great team,” he said.

Migori Youth secured their ticket to the elite level of Kenyan football after topping the NSL with 81 points, four better than second-placed 3K FC, who also earned promotion.

The two could also be joined in the FKF PL by Mombasa United who took third after accumulating 76 points.

Last week, Migori announced the appointment of national under 20 head coach Salim Babu as their new boss.

Babu was most recently the head coach at Nairobi City Stars with who he was relegated from the top tier in 2024/25.

Avant d’affronter l’Angleterre en demi-finale de la Coupe du monde 2026, l’Argentine de Lionel Scaloni affiche une statistique qui en dit long sur sa domination face aux sélections européennes. Depuis l’arrivée du technicien à la tête de l’Albiceleste, les champions du monde n’ont tout simplement jamais perdu contre une nation du Vieux Continent.

Des matchs amicaux à la conquête de la Coupe du monde 2022, l’Argentine a enchaîné les performances de haut niveau face aux sélections européennes. En dix confrontations disputées depuis 2019, elle présente un bilan impressionnant de sept victoires et trois matchs nuls, les trois égalités s’étant conclues par une qualification ou un trophée à l’issue des tirs au but.

La série a débuté par un spectaculaire match nul (2-2) contre l’Allemagne en octobre 2019. En 2022, l’Albiceleste a ensuite largement dominé l’Italie (3-0) lors de la Finalissima, avant de s’imposer 5-0 face à l’Estonie en match amical, puis de battre la Pologne (2-0) lors de la phase de groupes de la Coupe du monde au Qatar.

Au Mondial qatari, les hommes de Lionel Scaloni ont confirmé leur suprématie face aux représentants européens. Après un quart de finale haletant contre les Pays-Bas (2-2, 4-3 aux tirs au but), ils ont surclassé la Croatie (3-0) en demi-finale avant de décrocher leur troisième étoile aux dépens de la France (3-3, 4-2 aux tirs au but), au terme de l’une des plus grandes finales de l’histoire de la compétition.

Une dynamique qui se poursuit en 2026

Cette impressionnante série s’est prolongée en 2026. L’Argentine a d’abord dominé l’Islande (3-0) en match amical, avant de s’imposer face à l’Autriche (2-0), puis contre la Suisse (3-1) en quart de finale de la Coupe du monde, confirmant une nouvelle fois sa capacité à répondre présente face aux sélections européennes dans les grands rendez-vous.

Au total, l’Albiceleste affiche donc sept victoires et trois matchs nuls en dix rencontres disputées contre des nations européennes depuis 2019, sans la moindre défaite. Une série qui illustre parfaitement la solidité, la constance et la maturité de l’équipe bâtie par Lionel Scaloni.

L’Angleterre face à un véritable défi

Mercredi 15 juillet, l’Angleterre tentera de mettre fin à cette impressionnante invincibilité en demi-finale de la Coupe du monde 2026. Les Three Lions savent toutefois qu’ils auront face à eux une sélection argentine particulièrement à l’aise contre les équipes européennes, comme en témoigne cette série exceptionnelle qui dure depuis près de sept ans.

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