At the New York City marathon last weekend, influencer Matt Choi had his brother and videographer follow him on e-bikes for the entire 42km to capture content.

Following reports that Choi’s entourage had caused significant disruption to other participants, the runfluencer’s result was disqualified and he has been banned from future competition. He has since apologised.

But… did you really do the NYC marathon if you don’t have a self-produced documentary to prove it? I wonder how many of the 55,000 runners went fully analog (no phone, no watch, no HR monitor, no music). None?

P.S. Australia are playing Pakistan in the second of three One-Day Internationals as this email goes out.

8
The number of goals scored by English football club Chelsea against Armenian club Noah FC in a UEFA Conference League match. It’s a goal-scoring record for the Conference League, the third tier of European club football competition behind the Europa League (2nd tier) and the Champions League.

“I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 [of] 1. He was smart-loving-gentle-patient-inquisitive and welcoming to all. Always a big smile and a soft tail wag. He and I could communicate. He and I understood each other and had each others’ backs. He was with me more than anyone at home and travelling with me for work. Such an easygoing companion. Hard day - but he will live within all of us forever.”
American football broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit in a post on X. Herbstreit’s dog, Ben, often featured on football broadcasts and was well known among fans. Ben died due to cancer at the age of 10 yesterday.

Only two Australian Olympians have competed in two different sports at the same Games. Edwin Flack was Australia’s first Olympian at Paris 1896, representing his country in athletics and tennis and Snowy Baker competed in boxing, swimming and diving at the 1908 London Olympics.

🎾 Iga Świątek has been knocked out of the WTA Finals, after Barbora Krejčíková beat Coco Gauff in the final match of the group stage. All three players won two out of their three matches but Krejčíková and Gauff secured semi-final spots ahead of Świątek based on their respective set percentages. In the semi-finals, Krejčíková will play Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, while Gauff will take on world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

⚽ Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has named the squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The major talking points of Popovic’s squad include the omission of young gun Nestory Irankunda and the inclusion of veteran right-back Rhyan Grant. Irankunda, 18, is currently playing for Bayern Munich’s reserves and training with their first-grade side. 33-year-old Grant, who last represented Australia in 2021, told AAP last year that he believed his international career was over. The Socceroos play Saudi Arabia next Thursday.

🏀 In the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers have set a franchise record, winning the first nine games of the season. The feat was achieved after the Cavaliers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 131-122 on Wednesday night (local time). Coach Kenny Atkinson, who became the first coach to win their first nine games with a new team, said: "This season's so long. It's so hard to win in this league. So, when you do have moments like this, you have to celebrate a little."

🏉 The Kangaroos and Jillaroos are both set to play at Commbank Stadium in Sydney’s west on Sunday for the respective men’s and women’s Pacific Cups. At 1:50pm the Jillaroos will play the Kiwi Ferns. The Aussies will head into the match with confidence having beaten the New Zealanders 16-0 two weeks ago in Christchurch. At 4:05pm, the Aussie men will play Tonga XIII. The Kangaroos are seeking to reclaim the Pacific Cup after last year’s 30-0 defeat to New Zealand in the final. Tonga downed New Zealand by one point last week and is looking to become the first Pacific nation to win the final of a major tournament. 

Kylian Mbappé has been dropped from the French national soccer team for the side’s upcoming Nations League fixtures against Israel and Italy. Mbappé’s omission from the squad is not due to injury or a refusal to play. Instead, it might be attributed to a recent slump in form.

The 25-year-old did not play in France’s October fixtures because he was returning from injury. Mbappé moved to Spanish club Real Madrid at the beginning of this season and has recently struggled to find the world-class form he is known for, scoring only one goal in his past five games.

Last month, Mbappé was named as the subject of a rape investigation in Sweden by local media. It was alleged that the player raped an unnamed woman while visiting Stockholm. Swedish authorities confirmed they were investigating an incident but did not name Mbappé.

French coach Didier Deschamps said: "I've had discussions with him, it is a decision that I took for this block of matches only. Kylian wanted to come."

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The Wallabies take on England this weekend in the first of their four Autumn International fixtures. There will be a host of other international rugby union matches to come as Southern Hemisphere teams tour the Northern Hemisphere.

The Wallabies will play England at Twickenham in London on Sunday morning (AEDT). Both sides are coming into this fixture off the back of three losses. Last week, England played the All Blacks and lost 24-22. English coach Steve Borthwick has named the same XV players who played the All Blacks to start against the Wallabies.

Despite finishing last in the Rugby Championship, Australia has shown signs of improvement under former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt. The Wallabies side to take on England was announced yesterday with former rugby league star Joseph Sua’ali’i being given his first opportunity to start since officially switching codes at the beginning of the month. The 21-year-old will start at outside centre in what will be one of the most highly anticipated Wallabies debuts in recent memory, if not ever. Sua’ali’i will be joined by Len Ikitau in the centres.

There were no other surprise selections from Schmidt, who is fielding previously tested combinations from the Rugby Championship. Number eight Harry Wilson will captain the side.

About Sua’ali’i, Schmidt said: "Everything's a risk, but I would challenge that with 'everything's an opportunity', and it's a fantastic opportunity for a young man who's really excited about getting the chance."

There will be a total of six Autumn Internationals played this weekend. Ireland will host New Zealand at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday morning (AEDT). On Sunday morning, Italy will take on Argentina, and France will play Japan. Finally, on Monday morning Fiji will face off against Wales and South Africa will play Scotland.

All matches will be streamed on Stan Sport.

ICYMI: TDA Sport has a new game on Instagram called Blurdle. IYKYK.
Today’s answer: Cristiano Ronaldo
Useless clue: Maccas (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.