competitive spirit

The Matildas have kick-started their 2026 Asian Cup preparations on a positive note, defeating South Korea 1-0 in a tightly contested match at the Sydney Football Stadium.

In a moment that was both nerve-wracking and thrilling, world No 12 Daria Kasatkina debuted as an Australian tennis player on Wednesday, cruising past American Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-1 at the Charleston Open. Her dominant performance came just one week after officially changing her tennis nationality from Russia.

Carlton’s hopes for the 2025 AFL season are already on life support after suffering a fourth consecutive defeat, falling to arch-rival Collingwood by 17 points at a rain-soaked MCG on Thursday night.

In a night that will be remembered as a turning point for Australian athletics, teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout was edged out by rival Lachie Kennedy in the men’s 200m at the Maurie Plant meet in Melbourne. In front of a packed crowd of approximately 10,000 at Lakeside Stadium—the first sell-out at an Australian one-day athletics meet in over two decades—Kennedy clocked a personal best of 20.26 seconds, finishing just 0.04 seconds ahead of the 17-year-old record-holder.

In a night that rekindled the spirit of competitive athletics in Australia, a sell-out crowd of around 10,000 at Lakeside Stadium witnessed thrilling races that underscored the nation’s athletic resurgence. The Maurie Plant meet, marking the one-day highlight of the domestic athletics calendar, delivered memorable performances on both the track and field.

Chelsea has pulled off a dramatic turnaround in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals, overturning a two-goal deficit from the first leg to secure a 3-0 home victory against Manchester City and advance to the semifinals with a 3-2 aggregate win.

In a bold shake-up ahead of Friday night's clash in Wellington, the NSW Waratahs have appointed Joey Walton as captain for their upcoming Super Rugby Pacific match against the Hurricanes. With key players sidelined or rested, the decision to promote the unfashionable yet dependable outside centre marks a significant turning point for the team as they chase a fifth win from six games—the best start to a campaign in 17 years.

In a thrilling display of resilience and determination, the Essendon Bombers staged a last-quarter comeback to defeat Port Adelaide by 12 points—snatching their first win of the season in a scrappy, hard-fought contest at Docklands. The victory, which ended a disheartening round two loss by 10 goals to Adelaide, underscores Essendon’s renewed fighting spirit and could mark the beginning of a turnaround for the struggling Bombers.