The pro sports stadiums and arenas were quiet in the U.S. today as the American people headed to the polls.

Since 2022, the NBA has scheduled no fixtures on the day of a national election so that anyone associated with the league can exercise their right to vote.

3
The number of games Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid will miss after the NBA suspended him without pay. The suspension was in response to Embiid shoving a journalist, who published an article criticising the player for missing games, during a locker room altercation. The article also referenced Embiid’s brother Arthur, who died in a car crash in 2013 and his son, also named Arthur.

“Captaining the Thunder again this season means a lot to me. I was part of the team from the start, and now to be back with that ‘C’ next to my name feels fantastic. I’m looking forward to leading from the front and sharing my experience with the young talent coming through.”
Cricketer David Warner in a statement after he was awarded the captaincy for the Big Bash League’s Sydney Thunder. Last month, the 39-year-old successfully appealed the lifetime leadership ban he was handed for his involvement in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton played rugby union during his time as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in England. Clinton played in the second row for University College’s 2nd XV.

🏉 The AFL announced this morning that this year’s AFLW Grand Final will be played at night for the first time. The match is scheduled for 30 November at 7.45pm (AEDT). Depending on which team secures the right to host the Grand Final, it could either be in Fremantle, Adelaide, Brisbane, or Melbourne.

⚽ In the Asian Champions League, the Central Coast Mariners drew 2-2 with Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua. The Mariners staged a two-goal comeback with 19-year-old Bailey Brandtman scoring the equaliser in injury time. The draw means both teams were awarded one point. The AFC Champions League is still in the Group Stages. 

🏉 The Gold Coast Titans have referred five-eighth AJ Brimson to the NRL Integrity Unit for a photo of a gambling payout posted on social media. The photo was intended to highlight a $10,000 win on Melbourne Cup winner Knight’s Choice, but also showed the owner of the account had seemingly placed bets on NRL matches. Players on an NRL contract are not permitted to bet on matches. Brimson’s manager has since told AAP that “the account is his mother's and the reason she backed it is because her surname now is Knight". 

🏉 England rugby union coach Steve Borthwick has named an unchanged starting XV to take on the Wallabies at Twickenham in London on Sunday morning (AEDT). The English will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak after falling two points short against the All Blacks last weekend. The Wallabies side has not yet been announced. England have won ten of the last 11 meetings between the two teams.

🏈 Penn State University Police and Public Safety are investigating an incident between NFL commentator and former player Jason Kelce and a fan. In a video, the fan can be heard using a homophobic slur to describe Jason’s brother, Travis before Jason grabs the fan’s phone and throws it on the ground. Kelce has since apologised, saying: “In a heated moment, I chose to greet hate with hate, and I don’t think that’s a productive thing”.

⚽ A pig’s head was thrown onto a football pitch during a match in São Paulo between rival clubs Corinthians and Palmeiras. Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto, who attempted to kick it away, told Globo Esporte TV: "I almost broke my foot, I thought it was a cushion". Corinthians won the match 2-0. Palmeiras’ mascot is a pig. The side adopted the mascot after fans of other teams jeered the club by calling them pigs.

A Kenyan court has sentenced two men to 35 years in prison each for the murder of Ugandan Olympian Benjamin Kiplagat.

The two men followed Kiplagat before stabbing him to death on New Year’s Eve 2023. The former Olympic steeplechaser was 34. He competed in three Olympic Games between 2008 and 2016. At the Beijing Games in 2008, Kiplagat made the final of the 3000m steeplechase. He also holds the Ugandan record for the event.

Justice Reuben Nyakundi said: “Your actions were cruel to a defenceless person whose life you cut short”.

According to the local news, Kiplagat’s mother said: “My son had 8,000 [Kenyan] shillings ($AU95) and an expensive mobile phone, but the killers did not take any of the property from him. Their mission was to painfully finish him”.

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Alex de Minaur will become the first Australian men’s tennis player to compete in the end-of-year ATP Finals since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.

De Minaur secured his invitation to the event in Turin, Italy, as one of the world’s top eight players after world no.6 and defending champion Novak Djokovic pulled out. Djokovic, who has won the ATP Finals a record seven times, cited an ongoing injury as the reason for his withdrawal.

Before Djokovic’s announcement, de Minaur was due to play in the Belgrade Open to earn points in the race with Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud for the final two spots. The Aussie has since pulled out of the tournament in Serbia and will prepare for the finals, which begin on Sunday. The absence of Djokovic also means that it will be the first ATP Finals without either Djokovic, Nadal, or Federer in over 20 years.

Meanwhile, at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Coco Gauff recorded her second career win over Iga Świątek, beating the Polish 5-time grand slam winner in straight sets. Gauff has now won the first two of her three matches in the group stage and secured a spot in the semi-finals.

The 20-year-old American’s defeat of Świątek also means that Aryna Sabalenka is guaranteed to finish the year as the world’s number-one tennis player for the first time in her career.

De Minaur posted on his socials: “Turiiiiinnnnnnnnnn LFG 😍😍😍😍😍”

You can watch the ATP and WTA Finals on beIN Sports.

ICYMI: TDA Sport has a new game on Instagram called Blurdle. IYKYK.
Today’s answer: Michael Jordan
Useless clue: My icy cold achy exhausted legs (Get it? Email me if you do.)

Boosting Athletic Performance with AI: Insights from Deakin’s Dr. Lyndell Bruce

As a key partner at the recent Sport Tech World Series (STWS) during Australian Sport Innovation Week, Deakin University is leading the charge in harnessing data to revolutionise athletics.

Dr. Lyndell Bruce, a sport scientist at Deakin, believes that real-time data integration is the future of sports technology. This approach empowers coaches with insights that enhance decision-making during training and competitions.

Recent initiatives at Deakin have involved developing tools that combine AI analysis with human intuition. Dr. Bruce emphasises that while technology plays a crucial role, the true advantage comes from blending data-driven insights with the expertise of coaches. This fusion allows teams to adapt strategies on the fly and optimise performance.

Looking ahead, Dr. Bruce envisions user-friendly platforms that streamline data access for all sports professionals, making valuable insights readily available. By fostering this synergy between technology and athletic expertise, Deakin is setting the stage for a new era in sports performance enhancement

Think beyond the field. Study sport at Deakin.