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Updates on major football news and Olympics

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By Timothy Akintola

Latest on Tobi Amusan, Dani Olmo, Nikola Jokić, Samuel Ogazi and Chelsea.

Tobi Amusan is through to the women’s 100m hurdles semifinal.

World champion, Tobi Amusan has successfully qualified for the 100-meter hurdles semi-finals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, achieving a time of 12.49 seconds on Wednesday to lead the pack of eight athletes. She was closely followed by America’s Alaysha Johnson, who clocked in at 12.61 seconds, and Jamaica’s Janeek Brown, who qualified with 12.84 seconds. The semi-finals are scheduled for Friday, August 9, and the final will take place on Saturday, August 10, the penultimate day of the athletics event. This marks Amusan’s third consecutive Olympic Games appearance, and she is considered one of the favourites for the gold medal. However, she faces tough competition from a strong field that includes Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, USA’s Alaysha Johnson, world champion, Danielle Williams, and reigning Olympic champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico.

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Dani Olmo finally set to finalize long-anticipated move to Barcelona.

According to new reports from Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona and RB Leipzig have finalized a transfer deal for attacking midfielder Dani Olmo. The Catalan giants will pay a €55m (£46m) transfer fee, plus €7m (£5m) in add-ons. Olmo is set to sign a six-year contract, keeping him at Barcelona until 2030. Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, travelled to Germany on Monday night to expedite the negotiations. Despite multiple injuries during the 2023/24 season, Olmo managed 13 goal contributions in 25 games across all competitions. He had a standout performance in Euro 2024, scoring in three consecutive knockout games, including the semi-final against France, and won the golden boot, leading Spain to the European Championship title. Olmo is scheduled for a medical Exam on Thursday, with an official announcement expected soon after. He will be introduced to fans during the Joan Gamper Trophy against AS Monaco on Monday.


Nikola Jokić powers Serbia to a 24-point comeback to secure Olympics semis.

Serbia made history with the biggest comeback in Olympic basketball to secure a semifinal spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics, defeating Australia 95-90 at Bercy Arena in Paris. Australia started strong, leading 44-20 in the second quarter, fueled by Patty Mills’ 18 first-half points. However, Serbia gradually closed the gap and took a 65-64 lead in the third quarter. The game remained tightly contested, with both teams trading baskets in the fourth quarter. Mills hit a clutch step-back jumper over Nikola Jokić to force overtime. A critical turning point came when Jock Landale fouled out late in the fourth quarter, impacting Australia’s performance in overtime. Serbia capitalized by consistently feeding Jokić, who scored 21 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished out 9 assists. Bogdan Bogdanović also contributed 17 points, helping Serbia advance to the semifinals, where they will face team USA.

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Samuel Ogazi eyes Olympic medal as he qualifies for 400m final.

Nigeria’s sprint sensation, Samuel Ogazi has advanced to the final of the men’s 400m at the Paris Olympics. The 19-year-old athlete secured third place in the third semi-final with an impressive time of 44.41 seconds, setting a new personal best. Ogazi’s qualification is significant as he becomes the first Nigerian to reach the event final since Innocent Egbunike did so at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where Egbunike finished fifth. This feat is also historic because it marks the first time since 2008 that a Nigerian male athlete has reached the semi-finals of the 400m. Ogazi is known for his strong finishing ability and has consistently improved his times. While winning a medal might seem challenging, Ogazi’s progress with each race suggests he could potentially surprise the bookmakers and make it to the podium.


Defensive woes continue for Chelsea as they lose 2-1 to Real Madrid.

Chelsea ended their US pre-season tour with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in Charlotte, which highlighted ongoing defensive issues under new manager Enzo Maresca. The Blues struggled in the first half at Bank of America Stadium, conceding goals to Lucas Vazquez, Dani Ceballos, and Brahim Diaz. Noni Madueke scored a header to reduce the deficit before halftime. The second half saw no further goals, leaving Chelsea with three losses out of five friendlies in the U.S., including defeats to Manchester City and Celtic, and a draw against Wrexham. Their sole victory was a 3-0 win over Club America. Chelsea will face Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge for their final pre-season match, hoping Maresca can address the defensive problems before the Premier League opener.

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