Tag: Ancelotti

England’s Chelsea Pitman has announced her retirement from international netball; 35-year-old says she wants address pregnancy issues after sharing her experience of miscarriage in 2020; Pitman said she was “grateful, thankful and absolutely honoured to call myself a Rose”

England’s Chelsea Pitman has announced her retirement from international netball.

The 35-year-old earned 52 caps for the Vitality Roses and featured in England’s first World Cup final match in Cape Town earlier this year, where England were beaten 61-45 by Australia.

Pitman says she wants to “delve a bit deeper” into pregnancy issues she has experienced in the past.

“I have made the extremely tough decision to retire from international netball,” Pitman said. “I never thought I’d be someone who chose to retire from the international stage, but it’s the right time for me.

“I haven’t been secretive with saying that I’ve tried to become a mum in the past and that I’ve had issues,” she added.

“I think it’s time that I delve a bit deeper into why my body failed me when it comes to that. I’m going to miss it, but you’ll still see me. I love you all.”

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Watch as Australia beat England in the Netball World Cup final in South Africa.

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After defeat in the Netball World Cup final against Australia, the England players collect their silver medals in South Africa.

Pitman was born in Australia and played for The Diamonds in 2011, helping them win the Netball World Cup in Singapore before switching to England in 2017.

She also helped London Pulse to their first Grand Final in the Netball Super League this year where they were beaten by Loughborough Lightning 57-48.

Pitman said: “I look at my time as a Rose, and every other opportunity I’ve had to step out on the international stage as a netballer, and it has been the best time of my life. What an epic journey. What a rollercoaster and I wouldn’t change a single thing.

“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be able to call myself a Rose, for saying ‘yes, put me up for selection!’ because if I didn’t do that, how boring my life would have been, because I have made the best of friends, and I have made and created history. We achieved things that people thought were impossible for us.”

Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby said it was an “absolute pleasure” to work with Pitman.

“She has not only inspired so many with her on-court flair, netball nous and competitive spirit, but I have such admiration and respect for her as a person.

“Chelsea wears her heart on her sleeve and her passion for the Roses and commitment to pull on the red dress is unquestionable. It not only means a lot to her, but we have been richer for having her as a Rose.”

Pitman discusses anguish of miscarriage

In 2021, Pitman spoke to Sky Sports about her miscarriage to build awareness.

“Being an athlete, my body is my job and usually, does what it is told to do (trained to do). But, one thing my body has failed at multiple times is pregnancy. I never ever thought this would be the case or realise how absolutely devastating every loss is.”

Read the full interview here…

Michael van Gerwen beats Nathan Aspinall 11-4 in the final at AFAS Live in Amsterdam to win his fifth World Series of Darts title; “The biggest challenge for me was the pressure of playing in front of the home crowd, but they have been absolutely fantastic,” van Gerwen said

Michael van Gerwen won his fifth World Series of Darts title in front of his home crowd in Amsterdam.

The three-time world champion beat Nathan Aspinall in their final.

Van Gerwen saw off Aspinall 11-4 in the final at AFAS Live.

Aspinall stayed in touch at the first interval, landing a brilliant double-double 86 finish after van Gerwen missed two darts at tops for a 4-1 lead.

However, van Gerwen took four of the next five legs to stretch his advantage to 7-3, firing in a brace of 14-darters and a spectacular 160 checkout.

Van Gerwen extended his winning run to five straight legs. Though Aspinall stalled him for a moment in leg 14, the home favourite wrapped up victory with a clinical two-dart 63 combination.

Previously this tournament’s champion in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019, van Gerwen delighted the Amsterdam crowd with the triumph.

“The most important thing for me is to win another title on stage,” said van Gerwen, who won World Series events in New York and Poland earlier this year to seal his spot in the season-ending finals.

Van Gerwen with the support of his home crowd

“You always want to perform well, and to do it in front of your home crowd, it gives you such a good feeling.

“I think the biggest challenge for me was the pressure of playing in front of the home crowd, but they have been absolutely fantastic this weekend.”

His victory in the final came after he had earlier defeated Dimitri van den Bergh 10-8, then produced an 11-10 last-four victory over Luke Humphries featuring a sensational nine-darter, the first in the history of the finals.

Aspinall had got past Keegan Brown 10-5 and then Peter Wright 11-9 in the semis.

Watch the best darts live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW.

Raymond van Barneveld, 56, who reversed a retirement decision at the end of last year, produced a 156 checkout to level at 4-4 before winning the last two legs for one of his biggest wins in recent years

Raymond van Barneveld rolled back the years to beat world champion Michael Smith and seal his place in the last eight of the World Series of Darts finals in Amsterdam.

The 56-year-old, who reversed a retirement decision at the end of last year, produced a 156 checkout to level at 4-4 before winning the last two legs for one of his biggest wins in recent years.

Fellow Dutchman Michael van Gerwen survived a scare before seeing off Ireland’s William O’Connor to join Van Barneveld the quarter-finals.

Van Gerwen lost the first three legs of the match before recovering to reel off six of the next seven, including a superb 161 checkout to break throw in the penultimate leg of the match.

Keegan Brown delivered a 164 finish to complete a shock 6-4 win over defending champion Gerwyn Price, while an average of 106.74 saw Luke Humphries claim a dominant 6-3 win over Krzysztof Ratajski.

Rob Cross and Nathan Aspinall also claimed 6-3 wins over Jonny Clayton and Danny Noppert respectively, while below-par Peter Wright had to come from behind to chisel a 6-4 win over Haupai Puha.

Fifth seed Dimitri Van den Bergh completed the quarter-final line-up as he cruised to a 6-1 win over Ricky Evans.

Watch the best darts live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW.

Luis Alberto Lopez and Joet Gonzalez weigh-in ahead of their World Featherweight Championship fight.

Former Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan discusses Cristiano Ronaldo’s two spells at Old Trafford and reflects on his departure from the club.

Take a bow Mitchell Santner! Watch this incredible catch from the New Zealander during the second ODI against England.

Sri Lanka Women 1st innings

Yet to bat

• Samarawickrama
• Gunaratne
• de Silva
• Dilhari
• Ranasinghe
• Ranaweera
• Kulasuriya
• Perera
• Prabodhani

USA sprinter Noah Lyles calls out the NBA for labelling its winners as ‘World Champions’ after he won the 100m and 200m titles at the World Athletics Championships.

Karen Carney reflects on the Lionesses’ World Cup campaign and why the foundations of women’s football still needs significant help.

Sky Sports News’ Anton Toloui and Gail Davis reflect on England’s 1-0 World Cup final defeat to Spain and the future of head coach Sarina Wiegman.

Highlights of the second round of the BMW Championship from the Olympia Fields Country Club, Illinois.

Just four minutes into his Bundesliga debut, Harry Kane gets his first assist for his new club, setting up Leroy Sane to give Bayern Munich the lead at Werder Bremen.

Fern Whelan and England fans react to Ella Toone’s fabulous goal that has given England an 1-0 advantage at half-time in their World Cup semi-final against Australia.

Anthony Joshua says he was boxing “like a game of chess” against Robert Helenius and did not want to trade from the opening bell just to please the fans.