The New Zealand middle-distance runner Sam Tanner has all-but secured his spot at the upcoming Commonwealth Games and World Championships with a big win in the United States.
Sam Tanner Photo: supplied
The 21-year-old from Papamoa has run a personal best to take out the 1500 metres at the prestigious Prefontaine Classic in Eugene - which is the third stop on this season's Diamond League circuit.
Tanner - who is conditionally selected for the Commonwealth Games - clocked 3 minutes 34.37 seconds, which is comfortably under the World Championship automatic entry time.
Shot putter Tom Walsh threw a season's best 21.96 metres - but was more than a metre behind American star Ryan Crouser and countryman Joe Kovacs.
Geordie Beamish ran an outdoor personal best to finish ninth in the 5000 metres.
- RNZ
Two New Zealand golfers chasing silverware
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox has moved within one shot of the lead after the third round at the Dutch Open.
Also in the running for a title going into the final day of his latest tournament is Steven Alker.
Ryan Fox Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Alker is four shots off the lead after three rounds of the Senior PGA Championship in Michigan.
Alker carded a two-under par round to move to eight-under overall.
Meanwhile Fox's impressive form has continued as he carded a two under-par 70.
The Aucklander will be hoping for a change in fortunes on the final day at the Bernadus Golf Course.
Fox has fallen away in recent finishes and doesn't want that to happen again.
- RNZ
Leclerc takes pole in Monaco amid late drama
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc secured pole position for his home Monaco Formula One Grand Prix for the second year in a row after a crash halted qualifying with 30 seconds remaining.
Leclerc was joined on the front row by Spanish team mate Carlos Sainz, who was unable to complete his final lap after running into Mexican Sergio Perez's crashed Red Bull with the cars blocking the track.
Charles Leclerc Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The red flags came out and the session was not resumed.
Perez, who had to go to the medical centre for checks after the session, ended up third with world championship leading team mate Max Verstappen fourth on a tight street circuit where qualifying is crucial.
The pole was Leclerc's fifth in seven races so far this season and third in a row.
His time of one minute 11.376 seconds was already comfortably quicker than rivals, with Sainz 0.225 slower and Perez 0.253 off the pace.
Lando Norris qualified fifth for McLaren, after shaking off the tonsillitis that affected him in Spain, and ahead of the Mercedes of fellow-Briton George Russell.
Double world champion Fernando Alonso starts seventh for Renault-owned Alpine with seven-times champion Lewis Hamilton lining up eighth for Mercedes.
Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel qualified ninth for Aston Martin and Esteban Ocon 10th for Alpine.
- Reuters
Western United dethrone Melbourne City to take A-League title
Western United stunned crosstown rivals Melbourne City with a deserved 2-0 victory in the A-League playoff Grand Final to become champions of Australia in only their third season of existence.
The expansion team scored twice in the first half an hour through a Nuno Reis own goal and a Aleksandar Prijovic strike before holding on as City came out back at them in the second half at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Western United players celebrate with the trophy. Photo: WILLIAM WEST
It was the pressure of Prijovic's presence in the box that resulted in Portuguese centre half Reis heading the ball into his own net in the second minute.
The scorer of two goals as United beat four-times champions Melbourne Victory in the semi-finals, Prijovic hit the mark for the 13th time this season in the 30th minute.
Connor Pain's shot rebounded off a defender and back to him with the ricochet carrying the ball forward to Prijovic, who lashed it past City goalkeeper Tom Glover.
The referee initially ruled that Prijovic had been offside but reversed his decision after consulting VAR, leaving the league's second best defence with a two goal advantage to protect.
City, who were heavy favourites going into the match as reigning champions and having topped the league in the regular season to win the Premiers Plate, were stung into a response after the break.
Central defender Curtis Good hit the crossbar with a header from a 47th minute free kick and just after the hour mark Socceroos forward Mathew Leckie touched the ball past United goalkeeper Jamie Young but could not get his shot off.
Frenchman Leo Lacroix and his Japanese partner Tomoki Imai have been rocks at the heart of the United defence all season, however, and they and their team mates hussled and harried to keep City's much vaunted attack out.
- Reuters
