With her final attempt of the evening, Venezuela's Yulimar Rojas bounded out to a world indoor triple jump record of 15.43m* at the Meeting Villa de Madrid, the final World Athletics Indoor Tourmeeting of the season, on Friday (21).
The two-time world champion opened with a foul but then registered a valid 14.65m in round two to immediately move into the lead. After another foul in round three, she sailed out to 15.29m in round four, breaking her own South American indoor record and moving to second on the world indoor all-time list.

The inaugural World Athletics Continental Tour, a series of leading international one-day meetings around the globe, kicks off this weekend with back-to-back meetings in Sydney and Auckland.
The Tour, which will span six continents over the next seven months, is designed to provide athletes with more high calibre competitive opportunities to earn prize money and world ranking points while reaching fans in nearly every corner of the world.
The Tour will be divided into three levels – Gold, Silver and Bronze – whose status will be determined by the quality of competition and prize money on offer.
World Athletics is investing in the Gold level meetings, which will each offer $US200,000 in prize money. Area associations will be responsible for managing the Silver ($US75,000 prize money) and Bronze level competitions ($US25,000).
Saturday's Sydney Track Classic, a popular fixture in Oceania dating back to the 1990s, will launch the Tour and will feature athletes from 12 countries.

‘Don’t be scared’ is the advice Thailand captain Sornnarin Tippoch received ahead of leading her country in their maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 match.
But the ever-smiling skipper needs no reminding to enjoy her debut on the biggest stage of all. 
The 33-year-old, a former softball player who didn’t know the rules of cricket 13 years ago, will lead Thailand in a global event for the first time against the West Indies on Saturday. 
And what better way to finalise the preparations than getting the opportunity to share some tips with two of the world’s best batters, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates. 

Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh smashed the world record* to win the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on Friday (21), clocking 1:04:31 at the World Athletics Gold Label road race.
Marathon world record-holder Brigid Kosgei was a distant second in 1:04:49, but her time was also inside the previous world record of 1:04:51, set by Joyciline Jepkosgei in Valencia in 2017.
Kosgei led for the first half, taking the field through five kilometres in 15:07 and 10 kilometres in 30:18. By this point, only Yeshaneh was able to stick with the Kenyan as Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yelahun led the chase pack some 11 seconds behind.

• First FIFA Diploma in Football Law begins in Miami
• Students embark on 13-month long course
• Diploma will take place across five continents

The first edition of the FIFA Diploma in Football Law commenced its opening module in Miami, USA on 17 February.
With five modules taking place across five different continents over the next 13 months, the 26 participants coming from different confederations, national associations, clubs leagues and players’ unions all around the world enjoyed their first taste of the course at Concacaf HQ.

With very few matches having been played on the international front in the first month of the year, there is little movement in the first FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of 2020.
Only 15 friendlies have taken place since the last ranking update in December – including two games in late 2019 – so it is little surprise that the top 20 remains unchanged with Belgium, France and Brazil still making up the top three.
Some minor movement in the top 50 sees both Wales (23rd, down 1) and Paraguay (41st, down 1) fall a spot, while Ghana (46th, up 1) rise ever so slightly.

Tokyo, 21 February 2020 – The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) today welcomed Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung) as a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Gold Partner in the category “Wireless Communications Equipment”. Its addition brings the total number of Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Partners to 78.

By becoming a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Gold Partner, the highest tier of the domestic sponsorship programme, Samsung will provide valuable support to the successful delivery of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Stafanie Taylor is ready to spoil Thailand’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup debut, saying her West Indies side will show no mercy in Saturday’s opener at the WACA.
When it comes to competing on the global stage, the two sides couldn’t be much further apart, he West Indies having won the tournament back in 2016 and Thailand making their debut in Australia. 

Thailand may have already won hearts but Taylor insists her side won’t be playing nice in Perth and will instead be treating the debutants like any other opponent.

“We’ll be looking at it exactly like playing Australia or India,” said Taylor. “We’re taking it very seriously, for sure.

“We can’t think in the back of our minds that they know nothing about cricket because we haven’t played or seen much of them. 
​

Ghana national boxing team, the Black Bombers captain, Sulemanu Tetteh has qualified for the Quarter Final stage of the Men's Flyweight (-52) Category at the 2020 Olympics qualification at the Dakar Boxing Arena after outclassing his Egyptian opponent Mostapha Mohammed.

The boxing Road to Tokyo 2020 kicks off in Dakar, Senegal, where the firstd of the five boxing qualifying events for the Olympic Games will be held from 20 to 29 February. It will be live streamed on the Olympic Channel.
The Olympic Channel will cover all five Boxing Qualifying Events, including live streaming of all women’s and men’s bouts across all weight categories from the first day of competition through to the finals for each event.
In addition to live streaming with commentary in multiple languages, highlights and news, the Olympic Channel will present a live studio show prior to the quarter-final, semi-final and final matches of each event from its Madrid headquarters.
News, photo galleries and Olympic Channel videos will also be posted on the Athlete365 Boxing Corner, along with all relevant competition information such as the rules, schedules, draw-sheets and results. Video News Releases (VNR), including highlights of the competition, will be published daily on the IOC Newsroom.

The National Sports Authority (NSA) and the International Games Committee have inaugurated the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 7th Africa Zone 2 Senior Swimming Championship slated for Ghana from the 5th – 8th March 2020.
The L.O.C members are; Dr. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, Mrs Sarah Asafu-Adjei, Mrs.Delphina Quaye, Hon. Mohammed Adjei-Sowah, Mr Charles Mensah, Mr Seth Nti, Lawyer Muniru M. Kassim, Mrs Helena Williams and Mr George Owusu Ansah aka Nana Mankata.
Other sub committees who will work with the L.O.C were also introduced to the media.

It is crunch time for Menengai Oilers, Stanbic Mwamba and Top Fry Nakuru in their quest to secure the two remaining Kenya Cup slots

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 20, 2020/ -- Crunch time for Oilers, Mwamba and Nakuru in Kenya Cup playoff race.

It is crunch time for Menengai Oilers, Stanbic Mwamba and Top Fry Nakuru in their quest to secure the two remaining Kenya Cup slots.

Oilers are in their second season in the top tier league and have lived to their dark horse tag given to them by pundits at the start of the season. They have certainly impressed and looked like playoff contenders. They are two points clear of sixth placed Stanbic Mwamba and three ahead of cross town rivals Top Fry Nakuru. With matches against KCB and Kenya Harlequin coming up in quick succession, we should expect a spirited from the Oilers.

Stanbic Mwamba lie sixth on the log, occupying the final playoff slot. They play their remaining fixtures against Resolution Impala Saracens and Nondescripts.

The Ghana Rugby Women’s Club Championship (GRWCC) started earlier this year with new talents discovered throughout the competition

ACCRA, Ghana, February 16, 2020/ -- The Ghana Rugby Football Union (Ghana Rugby) (Ghana.Rugby) 2020 Women’s League ended on Saturday 15 February 2020 with semifinals and finals at the St. Thomas Aquinas School in Accra, Ghana. Conquerors Ladies won the 2020 Championship comfortably.

The Ghana Rugby Women’s Club Championship (GRWCC) started earlier this year with new talents discovered throughout the competition. According to Ghana Rugby’s Board Member and Women’s Representative, Ms Rafatu Inusah, the passion of these young women means that the future for Women in Rugby in Ghana is bright. 

The semi-finals fixtures were played between Griffons Ladies vs Hurricanes Ladies, and Lions Ladies vs Conquerours SC Ladies. 

The match between Griffons Ladies (32) and Hurricanes Ladies (5) ended with six tries and one conversion. In the second semi final Conquerours Ladies beat Lions Ladies by 15 points to 0.

The winner of the finals was Conquerors Ladies who beat Griffons Ladies 31 points to 0.

New Ghana Table Tennis Champion, Emmanuel Commey has dedicated his win in the 2020 Chairman’s Cup to all his supporters, fans, admirers and his family who have been encouraging him.
Speaking to Yours Truly after attending church at Radiant Gospel to thank the Lord Almighty for giving him strength and luck through hard training, he said the Chairman’s Cup would be remembered for ever because the settings at the venue, Accra Table Tennis Centre was classic and of international standard.
The 26 year old sports star praised the president of the Ghana Table Tennis Association, Mr. Mawuko Afadzinu for his vision and interest in the welfare of players.
He also thanked the managers of the Fantasy Dome for creating the space for international and leisure Table Tennis in Accra.

Welterweight Blair Cobbs did just enough to remain unbeaten Friday night, winning by split-decision over Samuel Kotey Neequaye.
One judge scored the bout 95-94 for Kotey, while the other two judges scored the bout 96-93 for Cobbs, who improves to 14-0, 9 knockouts.
The flamboyant Cobbs, who resides in Las Vegas, had stopped four of his last five opponents, including Carlos Ortiz after the sixth round of his last fight on Nov. 2.
Kotey entered Friday’s clash having split his previous four bouts over a span of almost six years.
From the opening bell, the southpaw Cobbs chose to box and counter as Kotey attempted to close the distance between the two fighters. The few times both fighters opened up and traded, Cobbs landed the more-telling punches.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 is officially up and running with all 10 captains excited to showcase their abilities to both Australia and the world.
Those in charge of the 10 teams headed to Taronga Zoo in Sydney, providing a picturesque setting for the official captain’s media launch on Monday morning.
The 2020 edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup is set to be the most closely-fought yet, and the prize at the end could not have been greater.
A world record attendance for a women’s sport fixture could be set when the final is held on 8 March in Melbourne – International Women’s Day – with those at the helm desperate to take their country to the MCG.

​Southern Kings suffered a 68-3 defeat against Munster at Irish Independent Park in Cork on Friday
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, February 16, 2020/ -- Hard work lies ahead for the Isuzu Southern Kings and Toyota Cheetahs in the Guinness Pro14 after the teams were reintroduced the realities of touring the northern hemisphere in winter this past weekend, with both sides suffering disappointing defeats.

The Toyota Cheetahs went down 36-12 against defending champions, Leinster, at a drenched RDS Arena in Dublin on Saturday, while the Isuzu Southern Kings suffered a 68-3 defeat against Munster at Irish Independent Park in Cork on Friday.

Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie took some encouragement from the way his charges finished their encounter against Leinster, scoring twice and denying the hosts from adding to their score, but he admitted that their performance earlier in the match was not good enough.

“We came back well in the last 30 minutes and performed really well in that period, and we controlled a certain aspect of our game (the scrums) and put a lot of pressure on them. But the first half just wasn’t good enough in the conditions,” said Fourie.

​Top NBA basketball players react on the significance of a professional basketball league in Africa
CHICAGO, United States of America, February 16, 2020/ --  JOEL EMBIID: I think it's really important because there's a lot of special talent that the world doesn't know about. If you look at the guys in the league who have been able to make it, there's probably somebody better than me or has the potential to be better than me in the future. So I think it's a great initiative.

The 2020 edition of the GNPC Ghana Fastest Human competition would be launched on Thursday, February 20, 2020 at the Media Centre of the Accra Sports Stadium.
According to Reks Brobbey, the inventor of the concept, it has been very successful as the programme has unearth and groomed all the current best sprinters in the country like Edwin Gadayi, Ben Azamati, Grace Obuor and others.
He said the event on Thursday would be graced by Nana Bediatuo Asante, secretary to the president of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo.

​Nel breaks Emirates Lions’ hearts with last-gasp try
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, February 16, 2020/ -- The DHL Stormers scored a dramatic last-minute try to snatch victory away from the Emirates Lions on Saturday afternoon for their first win in five years in Johannesburg. The 33-30 result made it three wins from three starts for the Cape side who are also the early frontrunner in the South African Conference.

After winning their first two matches, the Cell C Sharks suffered their first loss of the campaign in Wellington against the Hurricanes who won this Saturday morning encounter 38-22.

The Vodacom Bulls had a bye this weekend, while the Jaguares - the other team in the SA Conference ­- came from behind to beat the Reds 43-27 in the early hours of Sunday morning in Buenos Aires.

Heather Knight and Danni Wyatt led the way as England bounced back from not making the final of a preceding tri-series, beating New Zealand in their first warm-up fixture in Adelaide.
The two batters both made 40s to steer England to a six-wicket win, after their bowling unit made the ideal start to ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 preparation by restricting the White Ferns to 134 for nine.
Meanwhile, dismissing Lizelle Lee from the second ball was some way for Sri Lanka to begin their warm-up opener with South Africa, but they couldn’t convert the perfect start into victory.

Joshua Cheptegei shattered the world record in the 5km, clocking 12:51* at the Monaco Run 5km in the Mediterranean Principality today (16).
Running alone from the start, the 23-year-old Ugandan smashed through the event's 13-minute barrier, clipping a massive 27 seconds from the previous record of 13:18 set by Kenya's Rhonex Kipruto en route to his 10km world record in Valencia on 12 January.
“Wow, this is a really great," said Cheptegei, the 2019 world 10,000m champion, who was making his 2020 racing debut.

Ghana’s paralympian Aishatu Seidu has won Gold in the 2020 OCC Marathon in the Republic of South Africa.
The competition which was competed by over 7 nations.

Executives of a newly formed national sports association, Ghana Droughts Association have been officially recognized and sworn into office by the National Sports Authority (NSA).