PARIS: Thierry Henry was unable to leave the Olympics with the gold medal he craved but the France great has enhanced his reputation as a coach after taking the hosts to the men’s football final.
France pushed Spain all the way in an epic match in Paris on Friday, eventually losing 5-3 and settling for silver having earlier recovered from 3-1 down to force extra time.
Now almost 47, Henry is a France all-time great after a playing career in which he won the World Cup and European Championship while also starring for Arsenal and Barcelona.
But he had struggled to make a name for himself in coaching and agreeing to lead his country into the Olympics at home was a risk.
Henry’s hopes of building a squad good enough to win football gold for France for the first time since 1984 were compromised from the beginning.
Clubs are not obliged by FIFA to release players, which meant Henry was unable to call upon Kylian Mbappe, the France senior team captain, despite the superstar striker making clear his desire to feature.
Mbappe’s new club Real Madrid said no, while hopes of enrolling the services of others such as Antoine Griezmann were dashed too.
Henry was left to mold a hotchpotch of players into a cohesive team, which he did with considerable success.
France beat Argentina in the quarter-finals and showed character to come back against Egypt in the semis.
Henry labelled his team “the crazy guys” and repeatedly said he was “living a dream” at the Olympics.
“It’s been a great run and we leave with a medal, so these will be great memories,” he admitted.
It is just under a year since Henry was appointed France Under-21 coach and also given the task of leading his country into the Olympics.
That marked a return to the role of number one for Henry for the first time since his departure from Montreal Impact in early 2021.
Before that there was a disastrous three-month stint at Monaco, the club where he started his playing career.
Henry has also been an assistant coach with Belgium but had developed a better reputation as a pundit during television appearances in Britain, France and across the Atlantic.
His knowledge and his past experience on the pitch mean players are in awe of him.
“The coach was a great player so he has great experience and it is very easy to follow his advice. We know that everything he says is because he has been through it too,” said Alexandre Lacazette, the captain of France’s Olympic team.
Some of his comments while at Monaco betrayed a frustration with players who were inevitably below the standards he himself reached.
Now, however, Henry appears to understand how to get the best out of a team.
“They are educating me. There is stuff that at times I need to let go,” he said of his France squad.
“They know already that I am not the type of guy that will be on their back every single second.
“When we work, we work, but other than that I would like to think I am pretty cool.”
Henry’s success in the dugout at the Olympics makes him a more enticing proposition to clubs and national teams on the lookout for a coach.
There have been reports that the United States would like him to lead their men’s national team into the 2026 World Cup, which they will co-host.
He has also been linked to the Wales job, although he remains under contract with the France Under-21 team until next year.
Not that Henry was in the mood for discussing his future following Friday’s Olympic final.
“My future is to go to eat with the guys later on. Tomorrow morning hopefully I will wake up,” was his laconic response.
Henry the coach comes of age on France’s run to Olympic silver
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Henry the coach comes of age on France’s run to Olympic silver
- Henry had struggled to make a name for himself in coaching and agreeing to lead his country into the Olympics at home was a risk
- His hopes of building a squad good enough to win football gold for France for the first time since 1984 were compromised from the beginning
MOD UAE fighters continue to dominate on day 2 of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship
- Round 4 of national competition concludes on Sunday at Zayed Sports City Complex in Fujairah
FUJAIRAH: The fighters of MOD UAE continued their impressive performances on the second day of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship — Round 4 (Gi), taking first place at the Zayed Sports Complex in Fujairah and maintaining their lead for a second straight day.
Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club secured second place, while Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club finished third.
With competitions across the youth and children’s categories, the event drew about 850 male and female competitors from clubs and academies throughout the UAE on Saturday. The competitions for the boys U-14 and U-16 will be held on Sunday.
Sheikha Al-Kaabi, a member of the Federal National Council, expressed her pleasure at attending the championship and participating in crowning the champions.
“Jiu-jitsu has become a part of every household in the UAE, and is increasingly popular among children and families. We are confident that the future holds even greater success for Emirati jiu-jitsu athletes,” she said.
Ibrahim Al-Hosani, technical director of jiu-jitsu at Sharjah Self-Defense Sports Club, said: “Our club had a strong presence today, with 135 male and female athletes from our team, all of whom performed exceptionally.
“The level of talent displayed by these young athletes at such an early age is remarkable. Their precision, skill, and execution are outstanding, reflecting the efforts of our clubs and academies. They have not only promoted the sport but have also developed a new generation of champions,” he said.
Princess Dilayl crowns Saudi Games triathlon winners
- Jessica Arnzen won gold in the women’s competition
RIYADH: The 2024 Saudi Games’ CEO Princess Dilayl bint Nahar on Saturday crowned the male and female winners of the triathlon competition held at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex.
Ali Maqbool, president of the Saudi Triathlon Federation attended the competition.
Jessica Arnzen won gold in the women’s competition with a time of 58 minutes and 41 seconds, while Sarah Kennedy bagged silver in 61:19. The bronze medal went to Kerma Al-Jaroudi with a time of 64:33.
In the men’s competition, Oscar Rodriguez won the gold medal in 49:37, ahead of Ryan Al-Khuwaitir with a time of 50:43 and Ibrahim Al-Zaidi who clocked 51:59.
Guardians crush Tigers 7-3 to advance in Major League Baseball playoffs
- The AL champion will face the National League champion, the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers, in the World Series
WASHINGTON: Lane Thomas smashed a grand slam and the Cleveland Guardians beat Detroit 7-3 on Saturday to advance in the Major League Baseball playoffs.
Cleveland captured the winner-take-all showdown to seal the American League division series 3-2 and reach a best-of-seven AL Championship Series (ALCS) matchup with the New York Yankees that starts on Monday in New York.
The AL champion will face the National League champion, the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers, in the World Series.
Cleveland, into the ALCS for the first time since 2016, have not captured the MLB crown since 1948 and have not reached the World Series since 2016.
Thomas blasted his bases-loaded home run in the fifth inning and drove in another run in the seventh to power the Guardians.
“It’s incredible,” Thomas said. “You just love coming through for your teammates in that situation. Our bullpen has been grinding this whole series and to make all those innings worth it, it feels awesome.”
Cleveland used eight pitchers to frustrate Detroit batters, combining to strike out 16 while scattering seven hits and six walks as closer Emmanuel Clase retired the last six Tiger batters over the final two innings.
“Watching him all year has been incredible,” Thomas said of Clase. “It was cool to see him get those last outs.”
Detroit’s left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal — the Game 2 winner who led the AL this year with 18 wins, 228 strikeouts and a 2.39 earned-run average — struck out six over six innings but surrendered the pivotal grand slam to Thomas.
“He threw me a good pitch to hit,” Thomas said of the grand slam offering. “He threw one pitch over the middle and I happened to put a good swing on it, simple as that.
“It was good to come through.”
The Tigers escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third inning when Thomas popped out to first base.
The game was scoreless until the fifth, when Detroit’s Trey Sweeney walked and scored on Kerry Carpenter’s single off the right-field wall.
The Guardians loaded the bases again in their half of the fifth on singles by Andres Gimenez, Steven Kwan and David Fry and then Skubal hit Jose Ramirez in the left forearm to force in the tying run.
It was the first run allowed by Skubal after 28 2/3 scoreless innings since Sept. 18.
Thomas then followed with his bases-clearing grand slam to give Cleveland a 5-1 advantage.
“I don’t know how many scoreless innings he threw,” Thomas said. “But it only takes one (pitch).”
Detroit answered in the sixth when Spencer Torkelson doubled, took third on a wild pitch by Tim Herrin and scored on a Jake Rogers single, but the Tigers left the bases loaded when Carpenter struck out.
The Tigers, who last won the World Series in 1984, pulled within 5-3 in the seventh when Riley Greene singled and scored on a double by Colt Keith.
Cleveland responded in the seventh when Kwan singled, took third on a Ramirez single and scored when Thomas singled for a 6-3 advantage.
The Guardians added another insurance run in the eighth when Gimenez doubled and scored on Brayan Rocchio’s single.
Clase entered for the Guardians in the eighth and the 26-year-old Dominican right-hander sent down the Tigers’ final batters in order for the victory.
Women’s T20 World Cup: Pakistan stay alive despite consecutive losses
- Pakistan need to beat New Zealand by “significant margin” to stay alive in tournament, says ICC
- Skipper Fatima Sana, who missed previous match due to father’s passing, will rejoin team on Monday
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s hopes of making it to the semifinals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup remain alive despite its back-to-back losses to heavyweights India and Australia, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Sunday.
Pakistan began the tournament on a high note, beating Sri Lanka by 31 runs on Oct. 3 before losing to arch-rivals India by six wickets last Sunday. Pakistan suffered their worst defeat of the tournament so far on Friday, losing to heavyweights Australia by nine wickets.
The South Asian country will now face a strong New Zealand side on Monday which has already defeated India in the tournament.
“Pakistan are still in contention for the semifinals but will need to beat New Zealand by a significant margin to stand a chance,” the ICC said in a report.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, who missed the previous game after her father passed away, will return to lead the team for the New Zealand fixture.
However, the green shirts will have to do without pacer Diana Baig, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament after a calf muscle injury that she sustained during the clash against Sri Lanka.
“Najiha Alvi will replace Baig in the squad ahead of the final Group clash against New Zealand on Monday,” the ICC said.
Pakistan squad:
Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sundhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Najiha Alvi.
Artur Beterbiev dominates Dmitry Bivol in triumphant return at IV Crown Showdown
- The 39-year-old Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) had won all 20 of his previous fights by knockout
Riyadh: Artur Beterbiev made a triumphant return to the ring at the IV Crown Showdown to beat Dmitry Bivol by majority decision and underline his status as one of the light heavyweight greats.
Despite recent knee surgery, Beterbiev showed his resilience and skill, sending a clear message to the boxing world that he remains a formidable force at 39 years of age.
The IV Crown Showdown, which took place during the grand opening of Riyadh Season 2024, featured some of the sport’s biggest names in a series of compelling bouts in which champions were crowned and new talents made their mark.
Headlining the night was Beterbiev, who solidified his reputation as one of boxing’s toughest competitors and showed that his dominance in the light heavyweight division remains unquestioned.
In another major highlight, Australian featherweight sensation Skye Nicolson delivered a commanding performance, defeating Raven Chapman in a thrilling contest. Nicolson, known for her sharp technique and quick movement, used her superior footwork to neutralize Chapman’s attempts to pressure her. The victory is another step forward in Nicolson’s rapidly rising career as she continues to establish herself as a force in women’s boxing.
The local crowd also had much to celebrate, as Saudi boxer Mohammed AlAkel earned an impressive victory over Jesus Gonzalez in a welterweight showdown. AlAkel was cheered on by an enthusiastic Riyadh audience as his aggressive approach and tactical precision overwhelmed Gonzalez, securing him a well-deserved win and further fueling Saudi Arabia’s growing presence on the international boxing stage.
Throughout the evening, fans were treated to a range of matchups in several weight divisions, with each fight contributing to the atmosphere. The IV Crown Showdown successfully blended high-level competition with the excitement of Riyadh Season, making it a landmark event in Saudi Arabia’s sports and entertainment calendar.
With boxing stars from around the world converging on Riyadh and a passionate fanbase in attendance, the IV Crown Showdown set a powerful tone for the season ahead. The event not only highlighted top-tier boxing talent but also confirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to hosting premier sporting events on the global stage.
As Riyadh Season continues, the event will be remembered as a night when champions were made, careers were advanced, and the spirit of competition took center stage in the heart of the desert.
