Monday, 29 April 2024
Sunday, 28 April 2024
MARTIN WINS DRAMATIC HOME SPANISH GP SPRINT
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| Reuters |
Jorge Martin of Pramac Racing won sprint in front of adoring home fans at a crash-filled Spanish GP to extend his lead at the top of the championship, as reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia's Saturday went from bad to worse after a crash.
Spanish 19-year-old rookie Pedro Acosta continued his stunning debut season with Red Bull GasGas Tech3 to secure a second-place finish, with Yamaha' Fabio Quartararo also capitalizing on crashes to grab points to come third.
"Hopefully we can enjoy today because winning here in Jerez is amazing, and I'm really, really happy," Martin said.
Quartararo put on a gritty performance at the Circuito de Jerez, which witnessed as many as nine crashes, to finish third after starting 23rd on the grid.
"The track was really tricky, of course, many crashes in the front, but I managed to get the first podium of the year on the sprint," Quartararo said.
"Thanks to all the fans to be here and hopefully tomorrow we can make a great race, at least to enjoy like today."
Brad Binder of KTM got off to a flying start as he passed pole-sitter and six-times MotoGP champion Marc Marquez but was involved in a crash on turn one, resulting in Bagnaia and VR46 Racing's Marco Bezzecchi crashing out.
Ducati's Bagnaia had finished seventh in qualifying earlier on Saturday.
It was all heartbreak for home hero Marquez, who looked on course to win his first sprint but crashed out of the lead, managing to come seventh.
KENYA'S WANYONYI SETS RECORD MILE WORLD RECORD IN HERZOGENAURACH
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| Reuters |
Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi on Saturday set a road mile world record at the Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach, Germany, finishing with a time of three minutes and 54.5 seconds.
The race was Wanyonyi's competitive debut in the men's mile category.
The 19-year-old broke the previous record of 3:56.13 set by American Hobbs Kessler in October. Kessler, who also ran on Saturday, finished second with a time of 3:56.1.
Wanyonyi, who specialises in 800 metres, won silver at last year's World Athletics Championships in Budapest, before winning gold at the 2023 Diamond League.
OLYMPIC CHAMPION DOUGLAS RETURNS AFTER EIGHT-YEAR ABSENCE
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| Reuters |
Three-times Olympic gold medallist Gabby Douglas returned to competition for the first time in eight years at the American Classic and secured qualification for the U.S. Championships despite a slightly rusty performance.
The 2012 Olympics all-around individual and team champion, who had not competed since the 2016 Rio Games after taking time away to focus on her mental health, is looking to mount a comeback ahead of this year's Paris Olympics.
She placed 10th in the all-around in Katy, Texas, on Saturday, recording a score of 50.65 after errors on the floor and bars.
However, her promising showing in the vault and the balance beam proved enough to qualify for next month's U.S. Championships in those events.
The 28-year-old returned to training last year hoping to make the squad for Paris, but was forced to delay her return to competition earlier this year due to a bout of COVID-19.
The American Classic was won by Tokyo Olympics floor champion Jade Carey.
- Reuters
EUROPEAN SOCCER NEWS: DREAM GOAL FOR REAL MADRID'S GÜLER
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| Arda Güler scored on his first league start for Real Madrid to win 1-0 over Real Sociedad edging closer to the LaLiga title. (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images) |
It's another weekend of exciting action across Europe and here we are again to bring you a review of all the sights, sounds and drama that has occurred.
In Spain, we saw Real Madrid get closer to the LaLiga title following a 1-0 win against Real Sociedad, while over in Serie A there was a lackluster 0-0 draw between Juventus and AC Milan. Bayer Leverkusen remain unbeaten in the Bundesliga after a dramatic 2-2 draw with VfB Stuttgart, but the real spectacle was in Leipzig where Marco Rose's side hit four past Borussia Dortmund.
Let's take a look back at what happened all across the continent this weekend.
SATURDAY REVIEW
Güler scores as Madrid grow their lead at the top
"Arda Güler will get the minutes he wants" was what Carlo Ancelotti said this week. On Friday, the Real Madrid coach was true to his word. The 19-year-old Güler got his first league start away at Real Sociedad and was rewarded with the goal that gave Madrid a 1-0 win to increase their lead at the top of the LaLiga table.
Güler has had to be patient this season. A pre-season meniscus injury disrupted his start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu, followed by two muscular problems which kept him out until January. Since then, more patience has been required, with Ancelotti reluctant to throw the raw teenager into a team looking to win LaLiga and the UEFA Champions League.
The playmaker scored his first Madrid goal off the bench against Celta Vigo on March 10, and almost got the goal of the season at Osasuna a week later, hitting the bar from the halfway line. ESPN has reported that some at Madrid feel Ancelotti should have given the teenager more opportunities to prove himself.
Those voices will have been happy with Güler's contribution in San Sebastian. His 29th-minute goal was a cool finish, slotting Dani Carvajal's cross first time through the legs of keeper Álex Remiro. Before that, Güler had been booked for arguing with the referee; later, he showed deceptive strength going shoulder-to-shoulder with defender Robin Le Normand. There were two second-half shots from distance before he was substituted in the 68th minute.
Güler's 2023-24 record now reads six LaLiga appearances -- one start here, after five as a sub -- and two goals, an impressive return given such limited minutes. His development might be best served on loan next season, playing every week, but Ancelotti won't hear it. "Arda will be a very important player for us in the future," the coach said post-match. "There's no doubt he stays with us next year." -- Alex Kirkland
Saturday talking points around the leagues
Dortmund collapse against Leipzig days before Champions League clash with PSG
In a battle for fourth place in the Bundesliga standings on Saturday afternoon, RB Leipzig comfortably eased past Borussia Dortmund to extend the gap between the two teams to five points with three games remaining.
Four days before their Champions League semifinal first leg against Paris Saint-Germain, fifth-placed Borussia Dortmund lacked the luxury of resting key players. However, both Emre Can and Ian Maatsen missed the game in eastern Germany through suspension.
Before Saturday's game, RB Leipzig had prevailed in four of their five previous meetings with Dortmund, with Leipzig's intense pressing style often neutralizing BVB's efforts in possession. During the opening quarter, the dynamic between the two teams looked quite familiar. Dortmund were indebted to their two center-backs, Mats Hummels and Nico Schlotterbeck, for surviving the game's early stages without conceding.
Once Jadon Sancho scored the go-ahead goal for the visitors, all hell broke loose at both ends of the pitch. But Leipzig converted their chances for a 2-1 lead at halftime. Moments after the break, Dortmund were caught off guard again, as Leipzig advanced down the field at a rapid pace to set up a Mohamed Simakan goal. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for BVB, Hummels had to be taken off with what appeared to be a muscle injury, putting his availability for Wednesday's game against Paris in jeopardy.
A lackluster Dortmund failed to mount a second-half comeback. Leipzig remained more dangerous offensively and added a fourth goal in the 80th minute. While Dortmund have normally played better in Champions League games this season, this performance in a crucial league game does not bode well for their chances against a Kylian Mbappé-inspired PSG side.
Dortmund's chances of finishing fourth in the Bundesliga are now incredibly slim with Leipzig five points ahead. However, the Bundesliga will likely be granted a fifth spot for next year's Champions League, thanks largely to strong results by Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and Dortmund in European competition this campaign. -- Constantin Eckner
Juve and Milan serve up forgettable draw
Once again, Serie A has been great this season. Inter Milan are superb champions, Bologna and manager Thiago Motta have been a beautiful revelation, Atalanta a breath of fresh air, Fiorentina a joy to watch, and Daniele De Rossi a pleasant surprise for Roma. We have had some great games, amazing derbies and late drama. And then we had Juventus against Milan on Saturday. The most disappointing 0-0 draw of the season. 90 minutes of not much between a Turin side that has been average all season (to be kind) and a Milan team who had not won any of their last four matches and suffered a historic defeat in the Derby della Madonnina on Monday to crown their arch-rivals and neighbouring champions.
Christian Pulisic and his teammates are second in the table and for them, the only objective in this game was simply not to lose. They played for a 0-0 draw and they got it. They didn't create anything, had zero shots on target and mere expected goals of 0.31.
Juventus tried a bit more at least. They had two big chances saved by Marco Sportiello, in front of Danilo with a great acrobatic move and on a Arkadiusz Milik header. The Bianconeri were poor in the first half but had to push a bit more after the break because their third place is not guaranteed at all considering their current form: only two wins in their last nine games. They are only three points clear of Bologna in fourth and seven on Roma in fifth who both have a game in hand while Atalanta are 11 points behind in sixth but with two games in hand. This could be a very tense end of the season for them with four matches to go! And Saturday's game didn't do much good for head coach Max Allegri's future at the club. This team and this club are going nowhere with him at the helm.
For Milan, it is all about seeing out the season now after a disappointing last few weeks, losing to Roma in the Europa League quarterfinals and handing the title to Inter. Manager Stefano Pioli is also under pressure regarding his future at the club and today's performance would not have really helped him either. -- Julien Laurens
Americans abroad: Sargent scores, Americans in Italy disappoint
The huge highlight coming from the USMNT players abroad on Saturday came in England where Josh Sargent scored in Norwich City's 2-2 draw against Swansea City as the striker now has 16 goals to his name in the EFL Championship.
With that goal, he becomes the leading top American goalscorer in England's second division, surpassing Coventry City's Haji Wright by one goal. The Canaries are still pushing to get promoted to the Premier League as they currently sit in fifth place in the league table, in a qualification spot for the play-offs as they look to join Leicester City and another side to England's first division next season.
Meanwhile, in Italy, we saw an all-American affair as Juventus of Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie took on AC Milan of Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah in a heavyweight clash between two historical giants in Serie A.
However, it was a mere dull encounter as both teams played to a scoreless draw, meaning that Milan continue in second below the newly crowned champions and neighbors, Inter but above Juve by five points as both teams look to qualify for next season's Champions League. -- Roberto Rojas
News of the day
Mohamed Salah has refused to reveal the reasons behind the touchline disagreement he had with manager Jurgen Klopp during Liverpool's 2-2 draw with West Ham. The Egyptian forward was quoted in the mixed zone saying: "There is going to be fire today if I speak." Klopp had declined to elaborate on the reasons about the argument saying: "We spoke about that in the dressing room and it's done for me, that's all."
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says her team were "robbed" in their UEFA Women's Champions League semifinal loss on Saturday, describing the penalty awarded to Barcelona as the "worst refereeing decision in women's Champions League history."
And finally, on Saturday ...
46 matches unbeaten in all competitions. An insane number continues to increase as the new reigned Bundesliga champions from Germany in Bayer Leverkusen snatched another last-minute result that keeps their unbeaten streak to 46 games following a comeback 2-2 draw at home to VfB Stuttgart.
It was looking like it was going to go the way of the visitors as two goals from the second half came from Chris Führich and Deniz Undav in a span of 10 minutes meaning that Xabi Alonso's unbeaten streak was going to be broken right at the near end of the Bundesliga season. However, this is Bayer Leverkusen we're talking about. They don't give up as they have repeated done so in the league and also in the Europa League.
A goal from Amine Adli 29 minutes from time restored some hope for Leverkusen and they kept attacking by putting more pressure on Stuttgart until the final ball came in the 96th minute, as off a free kick, the ball was found to Robert Andrich and struck it into the back of the next to secure a point and keep his team's streak alive as they head into their Europa League semifinal tie against Roma this upcoming week.
A even crazier stat? Bayer Leverkusen have now scored an equalizer or game winner in stoppage time on 10 different occasions! An insane amount as they look to cap off a historic season with possibly three trophies. But for now, the unbeaten streak continues. -- Rojas
- ESPN
POCHETTINO: VAR CALL ON LATE CHELSEA GOAL DAMAGED PREMIER LEAGUE
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| Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino and his players confronted the officials after their draw with Aston Villa. James Baylis - A |
A VAR decision ruling out what looked to be a late winner for Chelsea at Aston Villa on Saturday has damaged the Premier League, the London club's manager Mauricio Pochettino said.
His side thought they have completed a remarkable comeback when substitute Axel Disasi netted in second-half stoppage time, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review penalised a push by Benoit Badiashile in the build-up.
"Me and you and everyone in the stadium watching the game, they didn't see a foul on the pitch and then VAR changed the decision of the referee. For me that was a normal challenge. The decision was there and that's it," Pochettino told broadcaster TNT following the 2-2 draw.
"For me, it damaged a little bit the Premier League and English [football]. If we want to be the best league in the world it should be protecting the spectacle and the decision ... [it] damaged myself, damaged my team, my players, the fans," he added.
Chelsea were 2-0 down at the break but goals from Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher put them level before the late goal was overturned.
"The performance was very good and we played really well. It is true in the first half we conceded easy ... to play Villa, who are fighting for the top four, I am pleased with the team and the players were good," Pochettino said.
Villa boss Unai Emery said his side, who are currently in fourth spot and seven points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, still had their sights set on qualifying for next season's Champions League. Spurs, however, have three games in hand.
"We have to try to keep being consistent with the players we have and I believe in the players ... in Premier League we are fighting with Tottenham for fourth position," he said.
- Reuters
SLEEPER PICKS TO SUPERSTARS: DAY 3'S TOP SUCCESS STORIES
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| Brock Purdy, the "Mr. Irrelevant" of the 2022 NFL Draft, has become the latest in a long line of stars picked on Day Three. Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports |
Every year, the NFL draft provides teams with blue-chip prospects that immediately make their mark in the league.
But the draft doesn't end Thursday night. Undervalued talent abounds in the later rounds, with smart teams picking up key players to little fanfare.
Here's a look at some of the best players selected on Day 3 -- Rounds 4 through 7 -- of the draft since the seven-round format was adopted in 1994.
Brock Purdy
Draft year: 2022
Pick No. 262
Few active NFL players have a story quite like Purdy, who was selected with the final pick of the 2022 draft. "Mr. Irrelevant" -- as the draft's last pick is dubbed each year -- quickly proved to be quite relevant for the San Francisco 49ers. Injuries caused the Iowa State Cyclones product to rise to a starting role, where he helped lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game.
Purdy took over as full-time starter in his second season and rewarded the 49ers faith in him with a 12-4 regular-season record and a trip to the Super Bowl.
Amon-Ra St. Brown
Draft year: 2021
Pick No. 112
St. Brown has never shied away from his status as a player who slipped down draft boards, with the former USC Trojan once reciting all 16 wide receivers drafted ahead of him from memory.
Now part of the Detroit Lions, St. Brown's career has continually improved over the past three years. After emerging as a starter during his rookie season, St. Brown has caught 100-plus passes each of the past two seasons, earning an All-Pro nod this past fall.
George Kittle
Draft year: 2017
Pick No. 146
A product of the Iowa Hawkeyes' tight-end factory, Kittle's statistical résumé in college didn't turn heads -- 48 catches and 10 touchdowns, mostly across his final two seasons. But the eventual fifth-round pick did make a name for his stellar blocking.
The San Francisco 49ers got far more than quality blocking out of Kittle, as he developed into one of the best tight-ends in the league. He has made five Pro Bowls and caught 460 passes and 37 touchdowns across seven seasons in the league.
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| A fifth-round selection in 2017, George Kittle has emerged as one of the NFL's top tight ends in San Francisco. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images |
Tyreek Hill
Draft year: 2016
Pick No. 165
Now one of the most electrifying receivers in the NFL, Hill played for three different colleges before eventually landing in the 2016 NFL draft. A fifth-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, Hill's blazing speed helped him quickly carve out a role on one of the league's top teams.
Currently with the Miami Dolphins, Hill has made the Pro Bowl every year he's been in the NFL (though his selection in 2016 was as a return specialist, not a wide receiver) and was a key part in Kansas City's 2019 Super Bowl victory.
Stefon Diggs
Draft year: 2015
Pick No. 146
Diggs was a three-year standout with the Maryland Terrapins, catching 14 touchdowns during his career in College Park. The Minnesota Vikings picked him up in the fifth round, and it took Diggs less than a season to work his way into the team's receiving rotation. He'd ascend to an every-game starter and then star, eventually moving to the Buffalo Bills, where he'd string together four consecutive Pro Bowl campaigns. Diggs is now on the move once more, joining C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans this offseason with over 800 career receptions under his belt.
Richard Sherman
Draft year: 2011
Pick No. 154
One of the most feared defenses in NFL history was built in large part with Day Three selections. The "Legion of Boom" Seattle Seahawks were a nightmare for opposing offenses, helping the Seahawks lift the Lombardi Trophy in 2013. Among the most important members of the Legion was cornerback, who was the 24th cornerback taken in the 2011 draft out of Stanford.
Richard Sherman
Draft year: 2011
Pick No. 191
The recently retired Kelce leaves behind a long track record of stellar play with the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Cincinnati Bearcat rewarded the team that took him in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. He had 193 career starts across a 13-year career that included six All-Pro nods and a Super Bowl in 2018.
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| Jason Kelce's long career with the Philadelphia Eagles started with the organization selecting him in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports |
Jahri Evans
Draft year: 2006
Pick No. 108
Evans entered the 2006 NFL draft with a low profile, having plied his trade at the collegiate level for Division II Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania. However, he wasted no time establishing himself as a mainstay for the New Orleans Saints once joining the team, starting all 16 games as a rookie.
Evans would go on to start 169 games in New Orleans, including a stretch of six consecutive Pro Bowl seasons from 2009 to 2014. He also helped the Saints capture Super Bowl XLIV.
Jared Allen
Draft year: 2004
Pick No. 126
An Idaho State Bengals alum, Allen entered the draft on the back of a mammoth senior campaign that included 17.5 sacks and over 100 tackles.
Allen fell to the Chiefs in the fourth round and quickly carved out a role, including a prolific 2007 campaign that saw him record a league-high 15.5 sacks. Allen would join the Vikings that offseason, and followed the move up with six consecutive seasons with at least 10 sacks.
Tom Brady
Draft year: 2000
Pick No. 199
The greatest late round pick of them all, it's difficult to find an achievement Brady didn't compile over the course of a remarkable 23-year career. He had 15 Pro Bowls, three league MVPs, five Super Bowl MVPs and of course seven total rings, the most of any individual player in league history.
Brady is the league's all-time leader in passing yards, total completions and passing touchdowns, amassing the vast majority of his stats across two decades with the team that drafted him, the New England Patriots.
Zach Thomas
Draft year: 1996
Pick No. 154
Thomas made his name with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and an average combine outing caused him to fall down draft boards. But Thomas' consistent college production proved more than translatable to professional ranks, as he was named defensive rookie of the year.
Thomas would go on to start 168 games for the Dolphins, earning seven Pro Bowl nods in the process. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
Terrell Davis
Draft year: 1995
Pick No. 196
The 1998 NFL MVP wasn't selected until the sixth round of his draft. Davis made his mark quickly with the Denver Broncos, rushing for 1,117 yards and 7 touchdowns as a rookie.
He'd continually improve until he would reach the peak of his powers with his stellar 1998 campaign -- he'd become one of just eight players to rush for over 2,000 yards in a regular season, leading the Broncos to a second-straight Super Bowl victory.
Davis was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
- J.J. Post, ESPN
Saturday, 27 April 2024
EVERTON OVERCOME BRENTFORD TO CONFIRM PREMIER LEAGUE SURVIVAL
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| Everton confirmed their Premier League survival with a win over Brentford at Goodison Park. |
Idrissa Gueye's strike at the hour mark secured Everton a 1-0 win over Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, confirming the club's survival from relegation.
The win took 15th-placed Everton to 36 points from 35 matches, 11 ahead of 18th-placed Luton Town who also have three games left to play after losing 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the day.
Brentford, whose survival was also confirmed with Luton's loss, fell to 16th with 35 points.
"Incredibly pleased and proud. They're a group of players who have had knocks all season," Everton manager Sean Dyche told the BBC. "They've had a massive week. There's a lot of pressure and intensity on the week and can you do it again?"
The hosts broke the deadlock when Jack Harrison's cross from the right reached Jarrad Branthwaite near the six-yard box, who was dispossessed by Nathan Collins. But the ball rolled towards Gueye who ran up and made no mistake with his right footed finish.
Everton had nearly led when Ben Godfrey's cross from inside the box was almost met in front of goal by Youssef Chermiti in the sixth minute, but the forward fell inches short of making the finish.
Brentford also came close in the 19th minute when Vitaly Janelt found Mathias Jensen just outside the six-yard box, but Branthwaite's diving block foiled his attempt.
But the best chance of the half fell to Everton's Abdoulaye Doucouré, who had space inside the box to put away Chermiti's pass but sent it wide just before the break.
The woodwork denied Everton when Dwight McNeil's brilliant left footed effort from outside the box came off the crossbar, but fans in Goodison Park breathed a collective sigh of relief when Gueye scored minutes later.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford punched out Keane Lewis-Potter's attempt from inside the box in the 76th minute, as the hosts held on through the nervy final minutes to ensure three points.
"Perfect week. Three wins, three clean sheets," Pickford said. "A lot of pressure the last two years and the deductions this year. The lads dug in massively."
Everton visit Luton on Friday, a day before Brentford host Fulham.
- Reuters
'EXTRAORDINARY' TEENAGER SCORED ON DEBUT START AS REAL MADRID NEAR LA LIGA TITLE
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| Real Madrid's Turkish teenager Arda Güler scored on his debut La Liga start. Ander Gillenea/AFP/Getty Images |
While Arda Güler’s first season with Real Madrid may have been relatively uneventful, on Friday the 19-year-old nevertheless helped push Los Blancos one step closer to another La Liga title.
Munich, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti opted to rest key players for the game.
Real Madrid stars Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior and Antonio Rüdiger were all relegated to the bench to keep them as fresh as possible for the midweek semifinal.
As expected with the changes, Real Madrid was far from its best. But a sign of a champion is managing to get over the line despite struggling, and Real Madrid managed to do so while keeping a clean sheet away from home.
“I’m very happy for the goal and the victory,” Güler said postgame, per Real Madrid.
Real Madrid boss Ancelotti said of Güler: ” … he is going to be a very important player for us in the future. There is no doubt that he will stay here next year. He has extraordinary quality and a great gift, which is his talent.”
“I’m very proud of the players because they have shown character and the desire to keep winning,” he added.
Real needs four points from its remaining five games to secure the league title.
PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS FLAME SETS SAIL FOR FRANCE IN FINAL RELAY LEG
The Paris 2024 Olympic flame sailed for France on Saturday on board a three-masted ship to mark the final sprint of preparations ahead of the Olympic Games opening ceremony on July 26.
The "Belem" left the port of Piraeus in the morning for an 11-day voyage and will arrive in the southern city of Marseille, founded by the Greek settlers of Phocaea around 600 BC, on May 8.
Paris Games organisers had received the flame on Friday in a ceremony at Athens' Panathenaic stadium, site of the first modern Olympics in 1896, following last week's lighting in ancient Olympia that kicked off an 11-day Greek relay leg.
After a brief ceremony in Piraeus on Saturday the vessel set sail for France.
An estimated 150,000 spectators are expected to attend the ceremony at the Old Port of Marseille, which will host the Olympic sailing competitions and be the start of a 68-day French torch relay across the country.
The last torch bearer in Marseille will climb on the roof of the Velodrome stadium on May 9 and the relay will end in Paris on July 26 with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron during the Games' opening ceremony along the Seine river.
Organisers hope the opening ceremony, in which 160 boats carrying athletes from around the world will travel a six kilometre route towards the Eiffel Tower, will deliver a jaw-dropping spectacle.
Some 300,000 spectators will watch from the banks as a global audience tunes in on TV, and with security forces in the country on high alert with the Games taking place against a backdrop of wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
The French government has asked around 45 foreign countries to contribute several thousand extra military, police and civilian personnel to help safeguard the Paris Olympics.
LIVERPOOL REAC AGREEMENT WITH FEYENOORD FOR SLOT COMPENSATION - SOURCES
Liverpool have moved a step closer to appointing Arne Slot as manager at Anfield after reaching an agreement with Dutch club Feyenoord for the highly rated coach, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Slot, 45, confirmed on Thursday that he was keen to move to Liverpool after being identified as the Premier League team's preferred candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp, who is stepping down at the end of the season after 8½ years in charge.
And sources have said that the two clubs have now sealed a compensation deal for Slot, who has two years left to run on his contract with the Eredivisie side.
Feyenoord had been holding out for a £9 million ($11.25m) deal for Slot and, although a figure has yet to be confirmed publicly, a settlement has been reached, leaving Liverpool free to negotiate a contract with Slot.
Liverpool opened talks with Feyenoord on Wednesday for Slot, who signed a three-year contract last year after guiding the Rotterdam-based club to the Eredivisie title. The former AZ Alkmaar coach rejected offers from Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur to commit his future to Feyenoord.
But speaking to ESPN Netherlands ahead of Thursday's Eredivisie game against Go Ahead Eagles, Slot said he wanted to take the opportunity to move to the Premier League with Liverpool.
"The only thing I can say about it is that the clubs are in negotiations," Slot said. "And then you sit in the waiting room and wait for what will come out.
"It seems clear to me that I would like to go to Liverpool. Now I'm waiting to see whether the clubs reach an agreement. I'm very confident in that."
Slot emerged as the leading contender for the Liverpool job after Xabi Alonso's decision to remain at Bayer Leverkusen and a cooling in the Premier League club's interest in Sporting CP coach Rúben Amorim.
Asked about his potential successor on Friday, Klopp was full of praise for Slot.
"I like the way his team play football," he told a news conference. "All the things I heard about him as a guy, a good guy, some people I know know him; I don't know him yet, but some people tell me that he's a really good guy, and I like that a lot.
"Good coach, good guy -- looking forward for the club if he is the solution."
- Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC
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