🇳🇦NamibiaSouthern Africa
Pogacar wins final stage to seal Tour of Switzerland success
via The Namibian4 min read
Tadej Pogacar secured his third stage victory this week, sealing overall success in the Tour of Switzerland. The world champion caught French climber Lenny Martinez 800 meters from the finish line after a 152km mountainous stage. Pogacar gradually closed a 1 minute 30 second lead held by Martinez, ultimately winning by seven seconds. The 27-year-old Slovenian expressed satisfaction with testing his legs and lungs on the climb. Martinez, 22, who was part of an 11-man breakaway, acknowledged Pogacar's strength and insatiable will to win. This marks Pogacar's first victory at the Tour of Switzerland, meaning he has now won six of the seven most historic week-long stage races. His overall margin of victory ahead of Ecuador's Richard Carapaz was 6 minutes 32 seconds. Pogacar has 13 wins from 16 race days this year, setting a strong precedent for his bid for a record-equalling fifth Tour de France victory next month.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Belgium played to a scoreless draw against Iran, a match that saw the Red Devils reduced to 10 men and facing potential group-stage elimination for a second consecutive World Cup. Despite controlling possession, Belgium, with players like Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, struggled to create clear opportunities. Iran, in contrast, had the game's best chances, including a Mehdi Taremi goal disallowed for offside by VAR. Nathan Ngoy of Belgium was sent off in the second half for fouling Taremi after a misplaced backpass. This result means all three games in Group G have ended in draws, leaving Belgium with two points ahead of their final group match against New Zealand. Iran will need at least a point against Egypt. Protesters from Los Angeles' Persian exile community demonstrated outside the stadium against Iran's regime, and the Iranian anthem was met with boos and whistles inside the venue.
Fifteen-year-old cricket player Vaibhav Sooryavanshi achieved the fastest half-century in List A history, reaching the milestone in just 11 balls during an India A match against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla. The Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI praised the teenager for his performance. Sooryavanshi scored 94 runs off 29 deliveries, contributing to India A's total of 377-9. This left-handed batsman's 11-ball fifty established a new record for the quickest half-century in the 50-over format. Sooryavanshi was selected for India’s T20 squad for tours to Ireland and England, and the Asian Games, following his success in the Indian Premier League where he was the leading run-scorer for Rajasthan Royals with 776 runs, including one century and five half-centuries.
Spain secured a 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in their World Cup Group H match, with Lamine Yamal opening the scoring after 10 minutes. Mikel Oyarzabal added two goals, and an own goal from Hassan al-Tambakti completed Spain's tally. This win places Spain at the top of Group H with four points after two matches. Spain's coach, Luis De la Fuente, emphasized the need for continued improvement. Meanwhile, Cape Verde, who drew with Spain in their first game, will face Uruguay, with coach Pedro Leitao Brito, known as “Bubista,” stating his team will play "without fear." Cape Verde's goalkeeper, Vozinha, will have his mother, Ana Candida Evora, watching after she received a US visa. In other World Cup news, Belgium will play Iran without Jeremy Doku due to respiratory problems, while Iran's coach Amir Ghalenoei expressed concerns about US travel restrictions affecting his team. Germany advanced to the knockout rounds after a 2-1 win against Ivory Coast, and Curacao's 0-0 draw with Ecuador ensured Germany will win Group E. The Netherlands defeated Sweden 5-1, and Japan beat Tunisia 4-0.