Team GB enjoy Magic Monday with three gold medals at Tokyo Olympics

Published

3 years ago

July 26, 2021

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After Super Saturday at London 2012, there was Magic Monday in Tokyo as British athletes won three gold medals in the space of a few hours.

Adam Peaty was Britain’s banker and did not disappoint, storming to victory in the 100 metres breaststroke to become the first British swimmer to retain an Olympic title.

The 26-year-old is unbeaten in seven years and now owns the 17 fastest times in history. He was as close to a sure thing as it is possible to get.

Peaty said: “It just means the world to me. I thought I had the best preparation but morning finals changed everything and threw that out of window.”

“I felt the pressure but I needed to put myself on edge. You can do whatever you want in your own pool but when it comes to being out here it’s not about a time.

“I was racing myself. It wasn’t about the time but the race.

“Thanks to the nation for being behind me for five years and my family and my beautiful boy.”

Peaty’s success turned into a gold rush in the afternoon in the Japan when divers Tom Daley and Matty Lee claimed a stunning victory in the 10-metre synchronised platform event, before 21-year-old Tom Pidcock dominated the men’s mountain bike race.

Daley made his Olympic debut back in 2008 aged only 14 and has been in the spotlight ever since, enduring the death of his father and biggest supporter Rob when still a teenager and then coming out in 2013.

He had two bronze medals to his name from London and Rio but, at the age of 27, has finally won the gold he coveted alongside debutant Lee, with the pair producing a stunning final dive to defeat the Chinese favourites.

“It’s kind of unbelievable. I’ve dreamt, as has Matty, since I started diving 20 years ago for this moment of becoming an Olympic champion,” said Daley.

“To take it to my fourth Olympic Games when I think a lot of people would have not considered it to be my peak Olympic Games, I thought I was going to win an Olympic gold medal in Rio and that turned out the complete opposite by a long shot.

“It was my husband [Dustin Lance Black] who said to me my story wasn’t finished and that my son or child, we didn’t know at the time, needed to be there to watch me win an Olympic gold medal.”

Lee said: “In 2018 I moved my whole life to London from Leeds, I had nothing really in London.

“Our aim was to get an Olympic medal and for it to go the way we wanted it to is awesome.

“I owe a lot to Tom because he has taught me a lot.”

Lee’s parents, Helen and Tim Lee, who could not travel to Tokyo due to COVID restrictions, invited friends and family over to watch him clinch gold with Daley.

They told Sky News that they had spoken to their son and that “he seemed like his normal self” and showed off his medal.

Pidcock is also an Olympic champion at the age of just 21 after a fearless display in Izu.

He started on the fourth row of the race but quickly got himself into the leading group and powered his way past the Swiss pair of Mathias Flueckiger and Nino Schurter to take control on the fourth of seven laps.

Flueckiger was the only man who could even remotely keep up, as Pidcock won by 20 seconds, even having time to snatch a Union Flag and hold it aloft as he crossed the line.

When asked how it felt to win gold, Pidcock told Eurosport: “Not real really. It’s pretty crazy that I became an Olympian and I was trying to tell myself at the start of the race it’s special just to be here.”

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His victory comes less than two months after he suffered a broken collarbone in a training crash on the road.

Meanwhile, Alex Yee also earned a silver medal in the triathlon.

The 22-year-old from Lewisham, south London, moved into the lead during the run but could not prevent Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt from taking gold.

And there was heartbreak for Lauren Williams who narrowly missed out on gold in the 67kg taekwondo final.

Williams led by three points with 10 seconds to go but a late rally from Croatia’s Matea Jelic forced the Briton to settle for silver.

Disappointed, she said: “It’s not enough. I came here for a gold medal. I went out there to win and I tried my best. I’m very happy with how I performed and it’s just a shame about the end. I suppose an Olympic silver medal is not bad, is it?

“I want to say a massive thank you to the National Lottery for getting me out here and everyone at home.”

UK

Kris Hallenga, founder of breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!, dies aged 38

Published

9 hours ago

May 6, 2024

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Kris Hallenga, founder of breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!, dies aged 38

Kris Hallenga, the founder of breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!, has died aged 38.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 23 and lived with the illness for 15 years, tirelessly campaigning for breast cancer awareness in that time.

A statement on the charity’s website said: “She hasn’t lost a battle, she wasn’t in a fight and she certainly wouldn’t want you to see her death as tragic.

“She was simply living. She was 38 and died with fulfilment and a heart full of love.”

Ms Hallenga’s breast cancer was terminal by the time it was diagnosed in 2009.

“Kris’ ambition was for no one else to find themselves in her position and so CoppaFeel! was born, to ensure breast cancers are diagnosed early and accurately,” the charity said.

Describing her as “founder, boob chief, colleague, friend and queen of glittering turds”, CoppaFeel! said she was “the biggest promoter of being ‘alive to do those things'”.

“She approached life in a wildly creative, fun and fearless way, and showed us that it is possible to live life to the full with cancer.”

Last year Ms Hallenga threw a living funeral, where guests were invited to sign a cardboard replica of her coffin and childhood footage was projected around Truro Cathedral in Cornwall.

Dawn French did the eulogy in character as the Vicar of Dibley, while Ms Hallenga gave a speech and sparkled in a glittery jumpsuit.

Afterwards, she posted on Instagram: “I’ve never felt love like it. I’ve never felt joy like it. I’ve never felt such kinship with mortality. I’ve never felt so alive.”

Ms Hallenga campaigned for cancer education to be included in the school curriculum, won the Women of the Year Outstanding Young Campaigner award, received an honorary doctorate from Nottingham Trent University and wrote a memoir titled Glittering a Turd.

A post on her Instagram page announcing the news to her 146,000 followers was signed off by her cat Lady Marmalade.

It said: “Her final message from her to you would be one that probably involved checking your chest, getting in some cold water, talking more about death and dying, that even the turdiest of turds are glitterable, that you should always see the silly side of life, that she LOVED her life and that giving Neighbours 2.0 is worth another chance.”

UK

Ipswich Town fans enjoy ‘long-awaited’ open-top bus celebrations after Premier League promotion

Published

9 hours ago

May 6, 2024

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Ipswich Town fans enjoy 'long-awaited' open-top bus celebrations after Premier League promotion

Ipswich Town fans celebrated their “long-awaited” return to the Premier League after they secured promotion over weekend.

On Saturday, Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys clinched their place in the top flight with a 2-0 win over now-relegated Huddersfield Town.

The result meant Ipswich will return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.

Saturday’s victory secured the Suffolk club back-to-back promotions as they became the first team since Southampton in 2011 and 2012 to win successive promotions to the top flight from League One.

On Monday the team rode through Ipswich on an open-top bus, with thousands of fans turning out to celebrate.

Speaking to Sky News, fans described feelings of euphoria amid the celebrations, as others were enjoying a long weekend of non-stop celebrating.

“It’s been a really really long time coming,” one fan said.

Paul Smith, who like many was on his second day of celebrating, said: “I’ve been lucky enough to live through an era of seeing the great times at Ipswich, but I dragged him [his son] along for many many years and I’m grateful his generation gets to see some great times as well.

“When you realise the teams we’re going to be playing it’s incredible.”

Paul’s son Arthur said it was “euphoric” seeing his side promoted but admitted to feeling quite “jaded” from the celebrations.

It was also quite an emotional moment for some who shared a bond with the club with family members.

Adam Conuel, another fan, described the promotion in one word: “Unbelievable”.

He added: “My grandad passed away last year, we were quite close, he was a supporter all his life too, like my dad.”

He described the celebrations as “emotional” and said “look how many people are here, it’s crazy, I never thought in my lifetime… every conversation I’ve had with my grandpa used to be ‘we were rubbish weren’t we’ and he’s missed the past two years of us being unbelievable so it’s quite emotional to watch us.”

Again and again one name surfaced from fans out celebrating – their coach McKenna.

The 37-year-old Northern Irish manager has taken the English football league by storm in recent years, charging up to the Premier League.

A former Manchester United assistant manager, McKenna was praised repeatedly by fans for his handling of the club and his brand of attacking, and successful, football.

When he took charge of Ipswich, they were languishing in League One and now within three years he has catapulted them to the Premier League.

Speaking on board the bus, McKenna told Sky Sports News: “It’s an incredible turnout, amazing seeing so much joy.

“Everyone deserves it, the whole town deserves it, the players … for how hard they’ve worked. And the supporters, who’ve followed so loyally for years and have been waiting for a day like this.

“We just set out to be as good as we could possibly be.

“The closer you get to the end you know you’re within reach of an amazing achievement and we’re so glad we were able to finish off well.”

UK

Scottish singer drafted in to replace Olly Murs at Glasgow Take That concert thought offer was a ‘joke’

Published

9 hours ago

May 6, 2024

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Scottish singer drafted in to replace Olly Murs at Glasgow Take That concert thought offer was a 'joke'

A Scottish singer plucked from obscurity at the last minute to replace Olly Murs as the opening act for Take That in Glasgow has told Sky News he thought the life-changing opportunity was a “joke”.

Daniel Rooney, 26, was playing at the Radisson Red hotel opposite the OVO Hydro when news broke that Murs was forced to cancel his support act on Friday due to transport issues.

TV presenter Ross King, who was enjoying a family dinner at the hotel, was impressed with Mr Rooney’s vocals and recommended the singer to his friend and Take That frontman Gary Barlow.

With 30 minutes to go before the show was due to start, Mr Rooney was quickly whisked to the arena and opened the festivities with a range of upbeat cover songs.

Barlow later thanked him on Instagram.

Mr Rooney, from Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire, told Sky News he thought it was a wind-up at first.

He said: “I was thinking, ‘right, who’s trying to play a wee joke on me here’. But thankfully it wasn’t a joke and Ross King was saying, ‘I’ve got an opportunity of a lifetime here, Danny boy, so are you up for it?’

“And I was.”

Mr Rooney started to feel a mixture of emotions on his way to the stage. As well as excitement, he began to feel apprehensive about what he was going to play.

He said: “I was obviously buzzing just to get that news. It was just mental.

“I had a wee discussion with the boys from Take That, who were brilliant and really good with me.

“We just agreed on making it really fun and making the songs nice big singalongs.

“It was just really great. The crowd were brilliant, and they sang to every song and the feedback was magic.”

Mr Rooney paid tribute to Mr King for the opportunity and thanked him for his warm introduction onstage to explain the situation to the crowd.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr King said: “I was listening to [Mr Rooney] while I was having dinner and was very impressed – never thinking that 30 minutes later I’d be saying ‘come with me and support Take That’.

“Gary Barlow is one of my closest pals and I’ve known the band since 1990. When Gary called me and said ‘you’re going to have to go on, Olly is stuck in London’, I thought it was a wind-up. But no.”

Mr King agreed to go on, but then pitched the idea of Mr Rooney.

Mr King added: “Daniel was the coolest guy in the Hydro and played a blinder. I was thrilled to share the stage with him and help out my old mates too.

“I know this has made news all around the world, so I hope Daniel continues to have the success he deserves.”

Mr Rooney now intends to head into the studio to record some music.

He added: “I’ve got some ideas and demos there, so this is the opportunity to get them out now and just really capitalise on the moment.”

Murs apologised for cancelling his performance at short notice after falling foul of flight issues.

The former X Factor star said he had been at Heathrow from 11am ahead of his performance on Friday night, but the flight was cancelled after “several delays” and an accident with a cabin crew member.

He later shared a video of himself being driven to Glasgow for his Saturday and Sunday performances.

Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine programme on Monday, Murs paid tribute to Mr Rooney for holding his nerve and being able to perform in front of an arena crowd of thousands with just 30 minutes’ notice.

Murs said: “Fair play to him, that’s amazing. You know what, credit to him.”