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Category: Sports

  • Historic Firsts at the Brier as Black and Asian Skips Compete in Canada’s Men’s Curling Championship

    Historic Firsts at the Brier as Black and Asian Skips Compete in Canada’s Men’s Curling Championship

    Two curlers believed to be the first Black and Asian skips in the history of the Brier are making history at this year’s national men’s curling championship.

    Cody Tanaka of Tsawwassen, British Columbia, realized the significance of his achievement only after qualifying for the tournament through the provincial championships. Tanaka is believed to be the first Asian skip to compete at the Brier and described the moment as an honour after a practice session at the Mary Brown’s Centre.

    At the same time, Team Ontario’s Jayden King of Tillsonburg is thought to be the first Black skip to appear in the championship. The 23-year-old, whose father immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago, began curling at age 11 after seeing the sport on television. King said his focus remains on competition rather than the milestone, expressing pride in reaching the Brier with his team.

    King leads a young and diverse roster that includes third Dylan Niepage, who is deaf and wears cochlear implants. All team members are under 25 and recently transitioned from junior and university curling. Starting the season ranked 40th in the world, the Tillsonburg Curling Club rink surged to No. 18 after winning the Ontario men’s championship in January.

    This year’s championship also marks a turning point for several long-standing legacies in the sport. Veteran skip Brad Gushue has announced this will be his final national men’s championship appearance, making the event especially emotional on home ice in St. John’s.

    British Columbia coach Josh Miki represents a third generation of Brier involvement. His father, Bryan Miki, won the 2000 championship with Team B.C., and his grandfather Fuji Miki was among the first players of Japanese descent to compete at the tournament. Josh Miki said growing up around curling rinks shaped his lifelong love for the sport.

    Curling Canada continues to expand efforts to diversify participation through community outreach and inclusive programming. Richard Norman, the organization’s director of community futures and innovations, has led initiatives tailored to different regions and communities, while providing clubs with resources to become more welcoming environments.

    Tanaka credits his introduction to curling through his high school league and said he is excited to experience the championship atmosphere. He identified Team Saskatchewan, skipped by Mike McEwen, and Team Manitoba, led by Matt Dunstone, as the teams to beat.

    King hopes his calm and quiet leadership style will help guide his team into playoff contention, noting that a strong tour season gave them confidence heading into the national event.

    The winner of this year’s championship will go on to represent Canada at the 2026 LGT World Men’s Curling Championship next month in Utah.

  • Casey Jarvis Clinches South African Open, Secures Masters and British Open Spots

    Casey Jarvis Clinches South African Open, Secures Masters and British Open Spots

    Casey Jarvis produced a commanding performance on Sunday to win the South African Open with a closing 3-under 67, sealing a three-shot victory and earning qualification for both the Masters and the British Open this year. The 22-year-old South African continued his remarkable run by claiming his second consecutive European Tour title after last week’s triumph at the Kenya Open.

    Jarvis took control early at Stellenbosch Golf Club with three birdies in his opening five holes and never relinquished his lead. Starting the final round one shot ahead, he holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the first hole, added another birdie on the fourth with an approach to two feet, and made a third on the par-five fifth. He closed with six straight pars to finish at 14-under 266.

    The victory carried historic significance, as this year marked the first time the Masters extended an invitation to the winner of the South African Open. The tournament also awarded three places to the top finishers not already qualified for the British Open in July at Royal Birkdale.

    Italy’s Francesco Laporta finished with a 69 to tie for second alongside France’s Frederic Lacroix, who shot 65, and South Africa’s Hennie Du Plessis, who closed with a 69. Du Plessis entered the final hole just two shots behind Jarvis but made a costly bogey that denied him a British Open spot, which instead went to Laporta and Lacroix based on higher world rankings.

    Jarvis has played only one major championship so far, qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Open through a 36-hole qualifier in England, where he missed the cut at Pinehurst No. 2. With this win, he moves into the world’s top 100 for the first time and is now in strong contention for an invitation to the PGA Championship in May.

    Reflecting on his breakthrough, Jarvis said playing at Augusta National had been a lifelong dream. He added that he could not wait to test his game against the world’s best players on golf’s biggest stage.

    Jarvis became the second South African this season to win back-to-back European Tour events, following Jayden Schaper’s consecutive victories at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritius Open late last year. Former Masters champion Patrick Reed, who leads the Race to Dubai, finished with a 68 in the final round and tied for 29th place.

  • Immanuel Quickley Powers Raptors Past Wizards to Solidify Playoff Position

    Immanuel Quickley Powers Raptors Past Wizards to Solidify Playoff Position

    Immanuel Quickley scored 27 points and added 11 assists as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Washington Wizards 134-125 on Saturday night.

    Brandon Ingram contributed 24 points for Toronto, which bounced back from consecutive home losses earlier in the week. With the win, the Raptors remain fifth in the Eastern Conference and moved three games clear of the play-in positions.

    Will Riley led Washington with 19 points as the Wizards dropped their fourth straight game after winning twice against Indiana following the All-Star break.

    Washington continued to miss newly acquired Anthony Davis due to a finger injury and Trae Young with knee and quad issues. Alex Sarr (hamstring) was also sidelined. Toronto was without Collin Murray-Boyles because of a thumb injury.

    The Wizards led by three midway through the third quarter before Toronto went on an 11-2 run capped by Ingram’s three-pointer. The Raptors took a 98-92 lead into the fourth quarter and quickly pushed the margin into double digits.

    All five Toronto starters scored at least 18 points. Canadian RJ Barrett finished with 21 points, while Scottie Barnes added 18 and Jakob Poeltl recorded 18 points and 10 rebounds.

    Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George each scored 14 points for Washington. The Wizards shot 16-of-34 from beyond the arc, but Toronto dominated inside, converting 42-of-63 shots in the paint.

    Washington signed former Maryland standout Julian Reese to a two-way contract earlier Saturday, though he did not dress for the game.

    Despite holding a 64-26 edge in bench scoring, the Wizards were unable to overcome Toronto’s balanced offensive attack.

    Toronto will next host the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

  • Canadian Divers Secure Finals Spots at Montreal World Cup as Mexico Event Is Cancelled

    Canadian Divers Secure Finals Spots at Montreal World Cup as Mexico Event Is Cancelled

    Four Canadian divers booked places in the finals of their events on Thursday at the Montreal World Cup, marking a strong showing on home soil and securing qualification for the Beijing Super Final in early May.

    Benjamin Tessier of Laval, Quebec, and Matt Cullen of Rosemere, Quebec, advanced in the men’s 10-metre tower event. Tessier said the competition marked his return after a lengthy break, admitting he felt rusty at first but quickly regained his rhythm. He added that he now plans to fine-tune his performance ahead of the finals.

    In the women’s three-metre springboard, Calgary’s Margo Erlam and Sonya Palkhivala of Pointe-Claire, Quebec, also advanced to the final round, giving Canada four finalists across the two disciplines.

    Finals qualification at the Montreal World Cup automatically earns divers a place at the Beijing Super Final, the season’s culminating event.

    The World Aquatics Federation confirmed on Thursday that the only other scheduled World Cup event, set for next week in Zapopan, Mexico, was cancelled due to recent violence in the region.

    As a result, the Montreal competition will be the sole qualifying event used to determine who advances to the Super Final in China, increasing the significance of the results achieved by Canadian athletes this week.

  • Max Scherzer Returns to Toronto Blue Jays on One-Year Deal Ahead of New MLB Season

    Max Scherzer Returns to Toronto Blue Jays on One-Year Deal Ahead of New MLB Season

    Veteran pitcher Max Scherzer is set to return to the Toronto Blue Jays after agreeing to a one-year, US$3 million contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The deal is pending a successful physical and has not yet been officially announced.

    The three-time Cy Young Award winner can earn up to an additional $10 million in performance bonuses. At 41, Scherzer brings experience and leadership back to the reigning American League champions as spring training continues.

    Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA across 17 starts and 85 innings last season in his first year with Toronto. He later made three postseason starts, including a key win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. He also started twice in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    In Game 7 of the World Series, Scherzer delivered 4 1/3 innings of one-run baseball before leaving to a standing ovation from fans at Rogers Centre. Despite his effort, the Blue Jays fell 5-4 in 11 innings.

    Scherzer originally signed a $15.5 million one-year contract with Toronto in February 2025 and became a free agent again this winter. His return strengthens a rotation expected to include Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, José Berríos and Eric Lauer.

    Blue Jays manager John Schneider praised Scherzer’s influence on and off the field, noting his willingness to challenge teammates and share lessons from his long career.

    “He’s not afraid to push the envelope. He’s not afraid to be curious. He’s not afraid to share things that he’s been through,” Schneider said last season.

    Scherzer is a two-time World Series champion, winning titles with the Washington Nationals in 2019 and the Texas Rangers in 2023. The eight-time All-Star owns a career record of 221-117 with a 3.22 ERA while pitching for the Diamondbacks, Tigers, Nationals, Dodgers, Mets, Rangers and Blue Jays.

    He currently ranks 11th on Major League Baseball’s all-time strikeouts list with 3,489, just 20 shy of Hall of Famer Walter Johnson.

  • U.S. Men’s Hockey Captain Auston Matthews Defends Women’s Team After Trump Call Backlash

    U.S. Men’s Hockey Captain Auston Matthews Defends Women’s Team After Trump Call Backlash

    U.S. Olympic men’s hockey captain Auston Matthews has called the controversy surrounding the women’s hockey team “unfortunate” after backlash erupted over his team’s reaction to comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump following Sunday’s gold-medal victory over Canada.

    “We have nothing but love and respect for the women’s team and what they were able to accomplish,” said Matthews, who also captains the Toronto Maple Leafs. “It’s amazing that the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams were both bringing home gold medals for the United States of America.”

    The men’s team captured its first Olympic gold since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime on a goal by Jack Hughes at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

    After receiving an invitation from Trump, the men’s team visited the White House on Tuesday and later attended the State of the Union address. However, a phone call between Trump and the players following the championship game sparked criticism when the president joked that he would need to invite the women’s team as well or risk impeachment. The players’ laughter during the call drew swift attention on social media.

    U.S. women’s hockey player Hayley Scamurra addressed the situation by shifting focus to the team’s achievements, saying they had received overwhelming support from fans, celebrities, and brands since the incident.

    Women’s team captain Hilary Knight later described the remark as a “distasteful joke” during an interview on ESPN’s SportsCenter, adding that it had overshadowed the women’s Olympic success. Trump subsequently announced the women’s team would visit the White House “soon,” though USA Hockey confirmed no date had been set due to players returning to professional and collegiate seasons.

    Several members of the men’s team acknowledged the moment could have been handled better. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman said the players fully supported the women’s squad, while Jake Oettinger emphasized that the women “deserve all the credit in the world.” Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor said the locker-room atmosphere was chaotic following the gold-medal win and that he barely remembered the exchange.

    Sports sociologist Laura Misener said she would have preferred a stronger response from the men’s team earlier in the week, arguing that athletes should take clearer stands against behavior that diminishes women’s achievements in sport.

    Despite the controversy, Trump also announced that U.S. goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his performance in the gold-medal game, where he stopped 41 shots. He will become the first professional hockey player to receive the honor.

    Murat Ates of The Athletic said the recognition elevates Hellebuyck’s legacy, calling his Olympic performance a defining moment that cements his place among hockey’s elite.

  • Bad Bunny Revives Pelé’s Legacy by Wearing Iconic 1966 World Cup Jacket in Brazil Concerts

    Bad Bunny Revives Pelé’s Legacy by Wearing Iconic 1966 World Cup Jacket in Brazil Concerts

    A jacket worn by football legend Pelé during the 1966 World Cup has captured new global attention after pop superstar Bad Bunny wore it on stage during his recent concerts in São Paulo, marking his first performances in Brazil.

    The tribute went beyond fashion. During his shows, Bad Bunny altered the lyrics of his song MONACO, replacing the line referencing “Messi and Maradona” with “scoring a goal after Pelé and Maradona,” drawing loud reactions from Brazilian fans and celebrating Pelé’s enduring influence on world football.

    The historic jacket belongs to Cássio Brandão, owner of the Alambrado Futebol e Cultura store, a specialist shop dedicated to football history and memorabilia. Brandão owns more than 7,000 football-related items, including 115 that once belonged to Pelé, and played a role in selecting the jacket for Bad Bunny’s performances.

    “He took very good care of the piece. It came back only with sweat, wet with sweat, but it was perfect, in the same condition. They were very careful. It returned in the same suitcase,” Brandão said.

    Pelé’s official Instagram account later thanked the singer for the homage, stating that when an artist of Bad Bunny’s stature honors “the King on Brazilian soil, it shows the crown is still shining.”

    Brandão said the moment was deeply meaningful for preserving Pelé’s legacy among younger generations. He noted that the tribute could inspire children and teenagers in Brazil and around the world to search for Pelé’s highlights online and learn more about his achievements.

    “I think that today, when I see Bad Bunny doing this, it warms my heart to imagine that many kids across Brazil and around the world are going on YouTube trying to learn more about Pelé, watching his goals and better understanding the magnitude and greatness of this figure, who is the greatest football player in history and, to me, the greatest Brazilian who has ever lived,” Brandão said.

  • U.S. Olympic Hockey Team Honored at White House and Receives Standing Ovation at Trump’s State of the Union

    U.S. Olympic Hockey Team Honored at White House and Receives Standing Ovation at Trump’s State of the Union

    The Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team visited the White House on Tuesday and later received a bipartisan standing ovation during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

    Trump praised the players for their historic achievement and announced that the U.S. women’s hockey team, which also defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win gold, will visit the White House soon. The women’s team declined to attend the State of the Union because of scheduling conflicts.

    As the men’s team entered the House chamber, lawmakers from both parties stood and chanted “USA,” with some pumping their fists in celebration. Republican House Conference Chair Lisa McClain shouted “Love you!” toward the players.

    “I want to thank you all,” Trump told the team. “What a special job you did. What special champions you are.”

    Trump also revealed that goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who stopped 41 shots in the gold medal game, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour. Hellebuyck placed his hand over his heart as the chamber applauded.

    Earlier in the day, the players were welcomed to the White House and posed for photos along the West Wing colonnade before entering the Oval Office. Videos shared by Trump administration aides showed the team flashing their gold medals near the press office doors and celebrating with staff.

    “I recognize every one of you. I know every one of you,” Trump said as he shook hands with the players, who wore dark tops marked with “USA,” the American flag and the Olympic rings.

    The team won gold with a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics, marking the first U.S. men’s hockey gold medal since the “Miracle on Ice” at Lake Placid in 1980.

    Forward Matthew Tkachuk greeted Trump with “Good to see you again,” during his third White House visit in just over a year following consecutive Stanley Cup victories with the Florida Panthers. For several other players, it was their first time visiting the White House.

    The team returned from Italy on Monday, landing in Miami to a heroes’ welcome. They dined together in Miami Beach and later visited a nightclub where hundreds of fans gathered to celebrate their victory.

    “Our sport just got the biggest stage in the world of sport,” said Panthers general manager Bill Zito, an assistant GM for the Olympic team. “That’s wonderful. And we need to celebrate it.”

  • Olympic Heartbreak: Team USA Defeats Canada in Overtime to Capture Men’s Hockey Gold at Milano Cortina 2026

    Olympic Heartbreak: Team USA Defeats Canada in Overtime to Capture Men’s Hockey Gold at Milano Cortina 2026

    Team Canada suffered a dramatic overtime defeat to the United States in the men’s hockey gold-medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, as Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal less than two minutes into the extra period to secure a 2–1 victory for Team USA.

    The win marks the United States’ first Olympic men’s hockey gold medal in the modern NHL participation era, ending Canada’s pursuit of another championship and forcing the Canadians to settle for silver.

    After a tightly contested matchup in Milan, Hughes fired a wrist shot past Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington at the 1:41 mark of 3-on-3 overtime, igniting celebrations for Team USA and closing out one of the most intense hockey finals of the tournament.

    The Americans opened the scoring early when Matt Boldy found the net in the first period. Canada responded late in the second period through a goal from star defenseman Cale Makar, setting the stage for a scoreless third period and sudden-death overtime.

    Despite Canada controlling large stretches of play and outshooting the United States 42–28, American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck delivered a standout performance, stopping 41 shots — the highest single-game save total of the tournament — to anchor the U.S. gold-medal triumph.

    Canadian captain Connor McDavid was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after leading all players with 13 points (two goals and 11 assists), setting a scoring record for Olympic tournaments featuring NHL athletes. However, the gold-medal game marked the only contest in which McDavid failed to register a point.

    McDavid was also recognized as Best Forward, while U.S. defenseman Quinn Hughes earned Best Defender honours and Hellebuyck was named Best Goaltender.

    The 2026 tournament marked the return of full NHL participation for the first time since 2014, elevating the competition level and renewing the historic Canada–USA rivalry on Olympic ice. Veteran defenseman Drew Doughty was the lone player in the final with experience from the previous NHL Olympic tournament, while Canadian legend Sidney Crosby missed the final due to injury.

    Canada entered its fourth Olympic gold-medal game since NHL players were permitted to compete beginning in 1998, but ultimately fell short in a final defined by elite goaltending, defensive discipline, and a decisive overtime finish.

    Swifteradio.com

  • Mikaël Kingsbury Secures Historic 92nd World Cup Victory in Sweden

    Mikaël Kingsbury Secures Historic 92nd World Cup Victory in Sweden

    Mikaël Kingsbury, the moguls legend from Deux-Montagnes, Quebec, continues to solidify his position as the greatest in his sport. The 31-year-old champion claimed his 92nd World Cup victory at the FIS World Cup stop in Dalarna, Sweden, dazzling fans and competitors alike with his unmatched skills and precision on the slopes.

    With this latest win, Kingsbury reinforces his dominance in mogul skiing, further extending his record as the most decorated athlete in World Cup freestyle skiing history. His consistent performances and ability to adapt to challenging conditions have made him a standout figure in the sport.

    As Kingsbury’s incredible career progresses, his achievements continue to inspire a new generation of athletes while cementing his legacy as a Canadian sports icon.

    Source: Swifteradio.com