It’s Friday eve - we did it, team.

I’ll be tuning into the Euros - one of the most coveted football tournaments on the planet.

My tip: France to win, sending the country into a frenzy only weeks before the start of the Olympics (the Euro Final will take place on 14 July, and the Olympics start on 26 July!). Kylian Mbappé will win the Golden Boot (the award for scoring the most goals), and I’ve got my eye on Hungary as the surprise team of the tournament. Let’s touch base at the end of the tournament.

No matter the team, I can guarantee the atmosphere will be electric. Bring it on. By the way, I still don’t have gas at home. But I now have live European football.

I’ve got 10 seconds

Stat of the day

92
Australian Golfer Adam Scott’s appearance at the U.S. Open this week marks the 92nd straight major that he has played in. With four majors played every year, his streak began at the U.S. Open in 2001 and has lasted 23 years. The 2024 U.S. Open is being played in North Carolina with the final round on Sunday.

Quote of the day

"We had a point to prove after the last couple of games."
English cricketer Mark Wood after England defeated Oman in the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup. England completed the fastest run chase in T20 World Cup history, reaching Oman’s total of 47 runs in just 19 balls. England will now play Namibia on Sunday in their final game of the group stages. If Scotland beat Australia on Sunday, England will miss out on the quarter-finals.

Random fact of the day

While Usain Bolt is a household name for his efforts over 100m on two feet, not many people know that Kenichi Ito holds the world record for the fastest 100m on all fours. Ito scampered across 100m in a record-breaking 15.71 seconds. Watch here.

I’ve got 1 minute

The Queensland Firebirds will head into round ten of the 2024 Super Netball season without coach Bec Bulley after it was announced yesterday she would be parting ways with the club effective immediately.

Why?

ABC Sport has reported that Bulley’s departure, in just her second season at the club, is the result of a mutiny led by players who requested her removal from the position. The Firebirds are sitting on the bottom of the Super Netball ladder this year with two wins from nine games. The role was Bulley’s first as head coach after a successful 15-year playing career which included 42 games for Australia.

What now?

Assistant coach Lauren Brown will step into the role as a caretaker coach ahead of the Firebirds clash with the Melbourne Mavericks this Sunday.

This weekend

Saturday:

Giants v Thunderbirds at 5:00pm

Lightning v Vixens at 7:00pm

Sunday:

Mavericks v Firebirds at 2:00pm

Fever v Swifts at 4:00pm

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I’ve got 2 minutes

24 national football teams from across Europe have made their way to Germany for the beginning of the UEFA European Championships (or Euros) this weekend. The tournament will be played over the next four weeks with the final scheduled for Sunday July 14 at Olympiastadion Berlin.

Keep your eyes on…

One of the favourites to win this year’s tournament is England. The English have never won the European Championships despite hosting the Premier League, arguably the strongest domestic competition in Europe. The closest England have come to claiming the title was in 2021 when they lost the final to Italy in penalty shootouts.

Two-time world champions France are the other hot favourites to claim the title. They have won the title twice before, in 1984 and 2000.

Notably, Georgia and Serbia are both making their Euros debut this year.

The tournament’s opening match will be played between host nation Germany and underdog Scotland at 5:00am tomorrow (AEST).

What is the Euros

The Euros is the second-most watched football tournament globally after the World Cup. The first edition of the tournament was held in 1960 and it has been played every four years since (the 2020 Euros were postponed until 2021 due to COVID-19).

Germany and Spain are the most successful nations in the history of the tournament. Each team has won three titles, although two of Germany’s were won by West Germany during the Cold War.

Format of the tournament

The tournament begins with a round-robin style group stage whereby the 24 teams are placed in six groups of four. The winners and runners-up of each group will then advance to the Round of 16 alongside the four best third-placed group teams. There are then quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final to decide the ultimate winner.

The Round of 16 begins on 30 June.

How to watch

All games of the UEFA Euro 2024 will be streamed on Optus Sport in Australia.

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In Conversation with Deakin University Elite Athlete, Kate Eddy:

Kate Eddy is a professional Netballer with the Melbourne Vixens and 2020 Premiership winner. Kate is also studying a Bachelor of Arts at Deakin University so she can become a Health and PE Teacher.

What’s your sporting schedule like?

In the [on] season we do two court sessions, two gym sessions and then we have a lighter session the day before the game, as well as a recovery day and lots of meetings to watch footage. We [also] travel to play every team once a season, so we have six away trips in the home and away season.

What is one of the hardest aspects of studying and being an elite athlete?

Definitely having the energy to study with such a physically demanding career after training. You are mentally and physically exhausted so it makes it hard to find motivation and energy to study.

What appealed to you most about the Deakin Elite Athlete Program and how has it helped you?

The ability to talk to someone and have support was the biggest thing. Also being able to have a point of contact to talk to in terms of how to approach certain situations.

Think Beyond The Field. Study sport at Deakin.

Looking back…

Looking forward…

TDA asks