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Saudi Arabia’s Participation in Paris Olympics Part of Quality of Life Program, Al-Bakr Says

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Participation in Paris Olympics Part of Quality of Life Program, Al-Bakr Says

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)

CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life Program Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Bakr said on Friday the Kingdom’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is part of integrated and comprehensive efforts to build a distinguished future for the sports sector in the Kingdom.

This will help reach the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in achieving sports excellence and building a vital and stimulating sports sector for young Saudi men and women.

Al-Bakr said the participation reflects the support of the country’s wise leadership for the sports sector, as well as the efforts made by the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee to develop the sector under the supervision of Sports Minister and Chairman of the Olympic and Paralympic Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal.

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program, which is “achieving excellence in several sports regionally and globally” by launching several initiatives on supporting and empowering Saudi athletes and contributing to increasing the number of athletes participating in the Olympic Games.

Since its launch in 2018, the program has offered many initiatives to develop the sports sector, Al-Bakr said. He cited the Elite Athletes Development Program, which trained and empowered Saudi players participating in the Paris Olympics, in addition to initiatives concerned with supporting and empowering women to contribute to the sports system, the Saudi Games, and building sports academies, including the establishment of Mahd Academy.

The program seeks to discover, develop, and support sports talents with the aim of creating a sports generation capable of competing in and representing the Kingdom in various regional and international events, he added.

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Premier League: Everton Snatch Late Draw Against United

Ainsley Maitland-Niles celebrates Everton's late equalizer against Man United (dpa)
Ainsley Maitland-Niles celebrates Everton's late equalizer against Man United (dpa)
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Premier League: Everton Snatch Late Draw Against United

Ainsley Maitland-Niles celebrates Everton's late equalizer against Man United (dpa)
Ainsley Maitland-Niles celebrates Everton's late equalizer against Man United (dpa)

Ainsley Maitland-Niles struck in added time to rescue a 2-2 draw for Everton against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

The deadline day signing came off the bench to make his debut and curled a brilliant long-range shot into the top corner to salvage a point for his new club.

United twice led at Hill Dickinson Stadium through goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, who looked to have scored the winner in the 88th. But Everton had an answer on both occasions, with Tyrique George also scoring.

“Everybody wants to start off like that,” The Associated Press quoted Maitland-Niles as saying. “The ball fell to me on the edge of the box. I put my foot through it, it ended up in the top corner, which I’m happy about.”

It was another setback for United, which has just one win from its opening three games of the season after a loss to Hull and victory against Ipswich.

Defensive frailties cost United again as it conceded two goals for the third game running.

Mbeumo fired United in front straight after halftime with a low shot into the far corner. George lashed in a near-post equalizer in the 83rd, but substitute Sesko headed United back in front.

The visitors were seconds away from three points when the ball broke to Maitland-Niles outside the box in the sixth minute of added time and his first-time shot left United goalkeeper Senne Lammens standing.

“We haven’t started the season that bad. It’s not that bad, we’ve got that close to coming away with three points today, that’s football,” United coach Michael Carrick said. “There are moments we can deal with a bit better, but we’ll be fine.

“We’re bitterly disappointed to be up in the position we were in the game twice, so close to the end.

“All the work that went into putting us in that position at different stages to then come away like that – it’s not a great feeling. It feels like a defeat."

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Antonelli Takes Sensational Home Italian GP Win from Back of Grid

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix race, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix race, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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Antonelli Takes Sensational Home Italian GP Win from Back of Grid

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix race, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix race, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Formula One leader Kimi Antonelli won his home Italian Grand Prix after a sensational race from 19th to first on Sunday in a massive blow for Mercedes teammate and closest championship rival George Russell.

The 20-year-old was the first Italian winner at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti for Ferrari in 1966.

Russell, who had led a re-start after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc crashed heavily at the end of lap two, finished second -- 3.857 seconds behind -- after being hunted down by a teammate on fresher tires late in the race with Max Verstappen a distant third for Red Bull.

The Briton had hoped to slash Antonelli's 59-point lead after the ⁠Italian took an ⁠engine penalty and lined up on the back row of the grid, with two other drivers starting in the pitlane, but instead ended up 66 adrift after 13 rounds.

"Oh my god, oh my god," screamed Antonelli over the team radio as he took the chequered flag as a winner for the seventh time this season and gave the crowd something to celebrate after Ferrari failed to make the podium.

"I am so happy and I ⁠could have never imagined to be here today. But we managed to pull it off and I'm really, really happy," he said later, after stepping out onto the podium to huge cheers.

The Italian, who swapped the lead repeatedly with Russell before pitting during a virtual safety car period while Russell stayed out, cut an 8.9 second gap to less than a second in 10 laps but then appeared to have wasted his efforts.

Trying to pass, Antonelli went into the gravel with four laps to go but still came back and took back the lead on lap 51 of 53 before pulling away.

"Our Italian hero. So deserved. That was a fantastic lap. I hated the last ⁠one, but it ⁠was fantastic," commented Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff over the team radio after the flag.

According to Reuters, Russell said he did not have the tires to fight back.

"It was looking like a pretty strong race from us, and then I was just struggling with the tires towards the end. Obviously, we did the whole race on that one hard tire," he said.

"I thought we were both going to stay out. I was surprised to see him pitting. In the end it was a roll of the dice both ways."

McLaren's reigning champion Lando Norris finished fourth with teammate Oscar Piastri fifth.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton was sixth, after starting fourth and clashing with Leclerc on the opening lap.

Pierre Gasly, the initial pole sitter for Renault-owned Alpine, was seventh with Racing Bulls' rookie Arvid Lindblad eighth and Alpine's Franco Colapinto ninth. Racing Bulls' stand-in Yuki Tsunoda completed the scoring positions in 10th.

Sports

Zverev Reaches US Open 4th Round with Win over Tabilo

Zverev Reaches US Open 4th Round with Win over Tabilo
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Zverev Reaches US Open 4th Round with Win over Tabilo

Zverev Reaches US Open 4th Round with Win over Tabilo

Top seed Alexander Zverev lost his way in the second set but got his game back under control to secure a 6-2 7-6(2) 6-2 victory over Alejandro Tabilo and reach the fourth round of the US Open on Saturday.

After spending a grueling nine hours and 26 minutes on court across back-to-back five-setters against Lorenzo Sonego and Quentin Halys, the last thing the German would have wanted was another long night on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"My coach was quite smart, he said that best-of-five sets doesn't mean that you have to play ⁠five sets. I ⁠didn't know it until now, that was quite helpful," Zverev joked later, according to Reuters.

"I'm happy with my level right now, it's going in the right direction and I'm happy to be in the second week.

"I didn't practice much yesterday, only an hour, which is very little for me. I'd spent almost 10 ⁠hours on court, so I had to find my rhythm somehow. I still think I can play better, but for now I'm happy with how things are going."

The 29-year-old, who won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open and finished runner-up at Wimbledon, stormed out of the blocks by breaking 25th seed Tabilo twice before taking the first set with an unreturnable serve to love.

Zverev raced to a 4-2 lead in the second set but his level suddenly dropped, ⁠allowing world ⁠number 28 Tabilo to claim three games in a row and go within touching distance of drawing level in the match.

However, the Chilean was unable to press home the advantage and Zverev, after chiding a courtside fan who appeared to be offering coaching advice during the ensuing tiebreak, rediscovered his composure and his best tennis, pulling away to tighten his grip on the match.

The writing was on the wall for Tabilo when Zverev raced ahead 5-2 in the third, and the German booked his place in the round of 16 where 21st-seeded Italian Luciano Darderi awaits.