Marco Bianchi 
Eilish McColgan, the reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion, is battling a foot fracture sustained after the London Marathon. She is determined to compete at the Glasgow 2026 Games, with her team cautiously monitoring her recovery.
Sean McCann, a 21‑year‑old long‑distance freestyle specialist and Loughborough University student, has been selected to represent Scotland at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. He will race in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events, marking his debut at a senior multi‑sport championship.
Gerwyn Price produced a clinical display to beat Ross Smith 16-12 in the World Matchplay quarter-finals, securing a place in the semi-finals where he will face Gian van Veen. The win came after Price rallied from a 12-8 deficit, posting a 102.78 average. The article also outlines the upcoming semi-final matchups in the tournament.
Belgium have named former Netherlands captain Mark van Bommel as the new head coach, signing him on a deal that runs until Euro 2028. He replaces Rudi Garcia after the Red Devils’ quarter‑final exit at the 2026 World Cup and will take charge from 15 August, assisted by Boudewijn Zenden, Maarten Martens and Reinier Robbemond.
Northern Ireland boxers Jon McConnell and Kaci Rock will make their Commonwealth Games debuts after pulling out of the Love Island audition process, which clashed with the Games. Both see the Games as a chance to focus on their sport rather than reality TV, with Rock aiming to follow her father’s legacy and McConnell hoping for a medal.
The BBC preview outlines Team Northern Ireland’s busy schedule on the opening day of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Athletes such as Gary Kelly in bowls, a host of swimmers, boxer Louis Rooney and gymnasts including Rhys McClenaghan will compete across several venues.
Wrexham defender Zak Vyner is eager to see first‑hand how popular the club is among American fans as the team embarks on a US pre‑season tour. The tour features games against Leeds United, Liverpool and Sunderland, and Vyner hopes the experience will help him settle into his new club after joining from Bristol City.
Australia midfielder Cristian Volpato was stopped twice for speeding on the Anzac Bridge and allegedly returned a positive cocaine test from an oral fluid sample. The incident comes as he featured for the Socceroos at the FIFA World Cup 2026, with police continuing their investigation.
Double Olympic champion swimmer Matt Richards is targeting a Commonwealth Games gold medal in Glasgow 2026 to complete his collection of major titles. He leads a Welsh squad of 21 swimmers and para‑swimmers, including Kieran Bird, Medi Harris, Ela Letton‑Jones and rising stars Theodora Taylor and Tyler Melbourne‑Smith.
Jessica Andrade, the former UFC strawweight champion from Brazil, has taken a job as a delivery driver while she recovers from a shoulder injury that sidelined her since August 2025. The move highlights the financial challenges some fighters face despite having fought 30 times in the UFC.