CORTINA D’AMPEZZO: Russia won its first Winter Paralympic gold medal under its own flag since 2014 as skier Varvara Voronchikhina was crowned women’s super-G standing champion on Monday in Cortina.

Despite Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, the Intern­ational Paralympic Commi­ttee (IPC) has allowed six Russian athletes and four from their allies Belarus to rep­r­esent their countries, accompanied by their nati­onal flags, rather than competing as neutrals.

“It’s so special for me bec­ause it’s my first Paralympic Games and it’s my dream since I was a child,” Voron­chikhina told reporters after collecting her medal. “And when I see my flag, it’s so special and amazing.”

The 23-year-old dedicated the win to “our whole country, which was rooting for us… To my family and loved ones”.

Already a bronze medallist last weekend, when she clai­med Russia’s first podium appearance at a Winter Ga­mes in 12 years, Voronc­hikhina beat French silver medallist Aurelie Richard by 1.96sec on the Olympia delle Tofane piste on Monday to claim top spot. Sweden’s Ebba Aarsjoe was third.

“Congratulations to Varv­ara Voronchikhina on Russ­ia’s first gold medal in the super-G at the Milan-Cortina Paralympics,” Russia’s sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev posted on Telegram.

“The Russian anthem is playing,” he added of the podium ceremony, which took place at the end of Monday’s super-G events.

Voronchikhina received a polite smattering of applause as the gold medal was placed around her neck, before the playing of the national anthem and raising of the Russian flag were greeted with a respectful silence.

During Friday’s opening ceremony in Verona, representatives of the Russian team were booed by some spectators as they paraded behind the country’s flag.

Russia was banned from the 2018 Games due to a doping scandal, although some ath­letes were permitted to com­pete under neutral colours.

“I dedicate my medal to my (deceased) grandfather,” Voronchikhina added. “Who, unfortunately, was unable to wait and see my victory.

“Because it should have happened earlier, when we won our medals, because we came to Beijing in 2022 and we were kicked out from there.”

Voronchikhina’s exploits have brought her to the attention of foreign media at the Games.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2026

PARIS: Liverpool go to Istanbul for the second time this season and Newcastle United prepare to host Barcelona again as the Champions League last-16 roll into action on Tuesday.

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence collapsed during a horrific run of results from late September, and they face a battle even to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Now Arne Slot’s side head back to Istanbul, where they lost 1-0 to Turkish champions Galatasaray during the league phase.

A deep run in the Champions League would be a major boost for Slot, who has come under fire from frustrated fans during Liverpool’s slump.

Significantly, German playmaker Florian Wirtz made his return from a back injury as a late substitute in Friday’s FA Cup win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Slot played down concerns over Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister after the World Cup winner limped off.

Galatasaray held off Juventus in the play-off round, after winning 5-2 at home in the first leg and then losing 3-2 after extra time in the return.

They lead the Turkish Super Lig and won 1-0 at Istanbul rivals Besiktas on Saturday, with Victor Osimhen scoring the goal — that was his 18th of the season, with seven coming in Europe.

Meanwhile, Barcelona will be confident when heading to Tyneside as the Catalans have already defeated Newcastle 2-1 at St James’ Park in the league phase thanks to a Marcus Rashford brace and without teenage star Lamine Yamal.

Hansi Flick’s entertaining side still have their flaws though, particularly the exploitable high defensive line which makes them vulnerable to pace in behind, with Anthony Gordon likely to cause the La Liga leaders trouble.

Newcastle have found the going tougher in the Premier League this season after several years of sustained progress under Eddie Howe. They beat Manchester United last week before crumbling in the FA Cup against a Manchester City team that had made 10 changes.

Nick Woltemade started against City after a brief illness while Tino Livramento was on the bench. Howe said Lewis Miley will not be ready to face Barcelona

BAYERN TAKE ON ATALANTA

Bayern probably deserve to be considered among the leading three or four contenders to win the Champions League, as the German giants chase what would be a seventh title in Europe’s elite club competition.

Vincent Kompany’s team head to Italy with an 11-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga and having won seven of eight games in the Champions League so far.

With the Bundesliga title all but wrapped up, Bayern gave Harry Kane a rest and left Michael Olise on the bench in Friday’s 4-1 win against Borussia Moenchengladbach.

With 45 goals in 37 games in all competitions this campaign, Kane is in ominous form, reaching his best ever mark in a season by February.

In leaving the England captain out for the first time this season, Kompany said Kane had a knock on his calf and would be back to his best in a couple of days.

Atalanta knocked out Borussia Dortm­und in the last round and have also beaten Eintracht Frankfurt this season, so will be relishing another test against German opposition. Gianluca Scamacca scored twice as they came from behind to draw 2-2 with Udinese in Serie A on Saturday.

TOTTENHAM RETURN TO MADRID

Tottenham Hotspur go back to the Metropolitano, where they lost to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final. The current Spurs side is a shadow of Mauricio Pochettino’s exciting team, however, and they find themselves in the strange position of still being involved in Europe and locked in a relegation battle in the Premier League at the same time.

A long way off the pace in La Liga, Diego Simeone’s Atletico are fully focused on cup goals for the remainder of the season. The Argentine coach led them to the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016 but came up short against rivals Real Madrid both times, and Atletico are desperate to win the competition for the first time in their history.

Hosting a crumbling Spurs, they will aim to build a strong first-leg lead and try to capitalise on being in the theoretically weaker side of the draw.

Simeone highlighted the speed of Premier League sides’ play on Monday ahead of the tie.

“(English teams) have a faster pace. I don’t know why, I can’t quite put my finger on it,” Simeone told reporters. “Some say the referees let the game flow more, I don’t know if it’s the tactics or the pre-game preparation, but it’s true that the speed is faster.

“When you watch it on television, you can see that the speed is faster than in Spain, Italy, Germany… it’s the fastest league.”

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2026

AHMEDABAD: India opener Sanju Samson’s rise from not being a preferred opener to finishing as the player of the tournament became the campaign’s most compelling redemption arc as the hosts retained the men’s Twenty20 World Cup title.

The 31-year-old arrived at the tournament under scrutiny after enduring a prolonged slump in form through last year and into the early stages of this one.

His returns were modest and inconsistent, and questions grew over whether India could continue backing a player whose promise often outpaced his output.

Samson, who did not play a game in the 2024 edition desp­ite being in the squad, made 46 runs in five T20 internationals against New Zealand before the start of this year’s World Cup and his place in the team loo­ked anything but guaranteed.

“Right after the New Zeal­and series, I was broken, I was completely out of my mind,” said Samson in the post-match presentation. “I was like my dreams have shattered, what else can I do?”

Samson played only one ga­me against Namibia in the T20 World Cup group stage and scored 22 off eight balls. He ret­urned against Zimba­bwe in the Super Eight but scored only 24.

The narrative changed when the stakes rose.

The wicket-keeper-batter peaked in the knockouts, reeling off three successive 80-plus scores and finishing as the tournament’s third-highest run-scorer with 321 runs.

“God had different plans,” he said. “I suddenly came back into the crucial games, and did what I could for my country. So I’m very proud and happy that I was courageous enough to dream about it.”

Samson struck 89 in India’s total of 255-5, setting up a 96-run win over New Zealand in the final and registering the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final, capping a campaign in which he also hit a record 24 sixes in a single edition.

He credited India legend Sachin Tendulkar for his preparation and mindset.

“From the last couple of months, I’ve been in constant touch with Sachin (Tendulkar) sir… reached out to sir and had huge conversations with him,” Samson said.

“Getting guidance from someone like him, what more can I ask for — that clarity, game preparation, awareness and sense.”

SPECIAL TALENT

Head coach Gautam Gambhir hailed Samson’s performances and called him a ‘special player’ whose surge validated the value of backing talent through lean stretches.

“He deserves a lot more than actually he’s got till now,” Gam­bhir said. “There was never any doubt on his talent. It was just about going out there and just be as free as he wanted to be.

“He has shown it to everyone that when you start believing in yourself, nothing matters to you apart from that.”

Samson’s turnaround mirrored India’s own — less about personal peaks and more about collective purpose.

“Imagine if he would have been playing for a milestone, probably we wouldn’t have got 250,” Gambhir said.

India have now become the first team to lift the T20 World Cup title three times.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2026