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From Mexicans left homeless by rising seas to Colombians affected by coral bleaching, hundreds of people are telling the top human rights court in the Americas what climate change means to them in an historic case that could shape international law.Environmental lawyers also hope the hearings at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR), which were requested by Colombia and Chile, will define the duties of states to confront the climate crisis and stop it infringing on human rights.As well as receiving submissions from climate victims, the Costa Rica-based court, which started its inquiry in Barbados in April, will hear from UN agencies, legal experts, grassroots environmental campaign groups, and youth groups.The next sessions are due to be held in Brasilia and then Manaus, Brazil at the end of May, and an advisory opinion is expected by May 2025.“We’re hoping that the court’s legal opinion is a guide and reference for Mexico, and other states, to develop public policies from a climate justice perspective,” said Nora Cabrera, a lawyer and head of Our Future, a Mexico-based youth climate justice campaign group.“And that it includes loss and damage compensation for affected communities, and adaptation policies for those not yet directly affected by climate change,” said Cabrera, who will be speaking at the next hearing in Manaus.In January, Colombia and Chile asked the IACHR to issue the advisory opinion, saying that they were experiencing the “daily challenge of dealing with the consequences of the climate emergency,” including fires, landslides, droughts and floods.“These events reveal the need for an urgent response based on the principles of equity, justice, co-operation and sustainability, with a human rights-based approach,” they said in their petition.“There is a close relationship between the climate emergency and the violation of human rights,” they added.It is this link between climate change and human rights that the IACHR will seek to define, while also examining how climate change affects migration and looking at the disproportionate effect on children, women and Indigenous people.Chile and Colombia also asked the court for clarification on a state’s duties to protect environmental activists.Latin America is the most dangerous place in the world for environmental and land defenders, according to advocacy group Global Witness. Around 90% of the 177 killings of environmental activists recorded in 2022 took place in the region.“The hearing aims to ask for clarity about human rights obligations and the climate crisis,” said Jacob Kopas, senior attorney at the Earthjustice environmental group, one of a group of lawyers who spoke at the Barbados hearing on April 26.“It will help to create a more concise framework to guide state behaviour and policy to confront the climate crisis and protect human rights,” said Kopas.Among those submitting testimonies will be the residents of the El Bosque fishing community in Tabasco, Mexico, where rising sea levels caused by climate change have swept away about 200 meters of coastline.Since 2019, the school and more than 50 homes have been destroyed, forcing about 200 people to leave.El Bosque community leader, Guadalupe Cobos, said she and 10 neighbours will probably have to leave within a year and resettle in an area about 12km away, where new homes are being built by the government.“We depend on the sea but coastal erosion has affected our way of life. It’s important for the court to know that we’re living climate change now and that this isn’t something that will happen in the future in 20 or 50 years’ time,” said Cobos.“We want the court to hear our experiences and to know that our rights have been violated, that we have been forced to migrate,” Cobos told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.The court’s advisory opinion could have important implications for climate litigation across Latin America and the Caribbean and make it easier for communities living with the effects of global warming to take legal action.The opinion will apply to all signatories of the American Convention on Human Rights, most of whom are members of the Organization of American States. The United States and Canada have not ratified the treaty however.The advisory opinion will help shape the region’s legal systems as many countries incorporate its jurisprudence into their laws and constitutions.“We’re hoping that the court makes the link between the climate crisis and human rights violations and that it recognises climate displacement,” said Cabrera, whose organisation has been supporting the El Bosque community.The IACHR is known for its progressive stance on climate justice and human rights.In March, it recognised that citizens in Peru have the right to a healthy environment when it ruled in favor of people living in the Andean mining town of La Oroya, who had suffered from decades of environmental pollution.Other courts are also breaking new ground in this sphere.In Colombia in April, in response to a lawsuit filed by a farming couple who were driven out of their home by flooding caused by heavy rains, the country’s constitutional court recognised the links between environmental disasters and climate change and people being forcibly displaced.Across the world, other top courts are also examining the connection between human rights and climate change. On April 9, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that the Swiss government had violated the human rights of its citizens by failing to do enough to combat climate change.Two other courts - the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) — are also expected to give advisory opinions on international legal obligations of states regarding climate change.Kopas said the IACHR ruling could lead the way by delivering a “forward-reaching and progressive” advisory opinion.“It’s historic because of the climate crisis we are in. This is the crisis of our lifetime and of all future generations.” — Thomson Reuters Foundation

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Every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes. This statement from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) website, drives home the point that plastic pollution is a global problem. Every year 19-23mn tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas. Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change, directly affecting millions of people’s livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being, according to the UNEP.So much for a depressing but factual introduction about plastic pollution. But a latest breakthrough has come as a beacon of hope. A team of researchers from UC San Diego has created a form of plastic that can basically recycle itself. Dr Adam Feist and Professor Jon Pokorski combined traditional polyurethane with a microbial spore to create plastic that can break down in compost or any other natural environment in around five months. The newly crafted biodegradable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is just as durable and elastic as traditional polyurethane, with the ability to stretch up to 15 times its original size. TPU is used in footwear, floor mats, cushions, and memory foam. But unlike other plastic, the new blend almost completely decomposes much faster.The biodegradable TPU was made with bacterial spores from a strain of Bacillus subtilis that has the ability to break down plastic polymer materials. Pokorski and Feist say that will help the environment by eliminated waste. They say plastic companies can start to mass-produce this kind of “self-eating” plastic right now, simply by adding the microbial spores to their existing ingredients. It’s about 10% more expensive, but they believe that’s worth it to help with pollution and climate change. “To make the biodegradable plastic, the researchers fed Bacillus subtilis spores and TPU pellets into a plastic extruder. The ingredients were mixed and melted at over 200F, then extruded as thin strips of plastic. To assess the material’s biodegradability, the strips were placed in both microbially active and sterile compost environments. Prof Pokorski said the compost setups were maintained at around 100F with a relative humidity ranging from 44-55%. Water and other nutrients in the compost triggered germination of the spores within the plastic strips, which reached 90% degradation within five months.Although the researchers still need to study what gets left behind after the material degrades, they believe that any lingering bacterial spores are likely harmless. Pokorski explained that Bacillus subtilis is a strain used in probiotics that’s generally regarded as safe to humans and animals and can even be beneficial to plant health. For the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, the bacterial spores were evolutionary nudged to adapt to the hot temperatures necessary for manufacturing the TPU. The spores also serve as a strengthening filler, similar to how rebar reinforces concrete, resulting in a TPU variant with enhanced mechanical properties—requiring more force to break and showing greater stretchability.“This is great because the addition of spores pushes the mechanical properties beyond known limitations where there was previously a trade-off between tensile strength and stretchability,” said Pokorski. The research team is now working on optimising the approach for use on an industrial scale.

Al Shahania came up with a spirited display as they beat a strong Al Markhiya 3-1 in the relegation play-off at the Al Thumama Stadium yesterday and were promoted to the First Division – Qatar Stars League 2024-2025 season – in style.While Al Markhiya did rally to bounce back from being a goal down and equalise, Al Shahania hit back with two more late goals to ensure their first division berth.The goal-scorers for Al Shahania were Jaime Rubio (17th minute), Mohamed Abu Shanab (83rd minute) and Mohamed Ibrahim (90+6 minute). Al Markhiya’s only goal came in the 75th minute from an own goal of Niall Mason.Al Shahania began the match with intent and at a fast pace looking to attack at every given opportunity and succeeded soon as their 19-year-old left-winger Rubio struck off a rebound.The move was initiated by Alhassan Koroma who passed the ball to his right to Franceso Antonucci to deliver the strike but his kick saw the ball hit the left post and rebound, and an alert Rubio pounced on the chance to score.The very next minute, Al Markhiya tried to make amends but Yusupha Nije’s kick went just off the left post. A co-ordinated Al Shahania move in the 23rd minute saw Rubio shape up for another big attempt from just outside the box but his kick sailed well over the crossbar. The opening half also saw Al Shahania’s goalkeeper Bautista Burke stave off two potential and powerful strikes from Al Markhiya as well. Post the half time break, Al Markhiya aimed at stepping up the ante and in the 50th minute Mouhamadou Naby Sarr did succeed in scoring while driving left from inside the box but a foul was ruled as the player had brought down defender Marc Martinez while being man-marked.Eight minutes later, Al Markhiya in a close action saw Yusupha rise high to make a header connect but couldn’t reach as the goalkeeper grappled to catch the ball.Al Markhiya repeated attempts eventually bore fruit in the 75th minute when a defensive lapse saw Nije grab the ball and pass it to Driss Fettouhi whose left-foot strike was headed into own goal by an evasive Mason.With parity drawn, the match gained more excitement but just when it seemed that Al Markhiya may try and gain an upper hand, Al Shahania picked up more pace and challenged their rivals.Soon, Al Shahania surprised their opponents as Mohamed Abu Shanab made a fine diagonal strike to score in the far left corner while beating a diving keeper. Abu Shahab was assisted with the ball by Koroma. Having conceded the lead again, Al Markhiya now had more worries and close battles for the ball had some of their players throwing up their arms in frustration. With ten more minutes of added time, the tussle became thrilling and in fast counter-attack Al Shahania struck one more time as Koroma’s long ball was intercepted by Al Markhiya’s Abdelghani Laallam but he couldn’t hold on and Ibrahim ran in to get to the ball and move into the danger zone to score a wonderful and finest goal of the match – keeping a chasing Laallam at bay and making a right foot flick for the ball to go over an onrushing goalkeeper’s head into the empty goal.The goal delighted Al Shahania’s many fans at the stadium and left Al Markhiya’s hopes dashed as they now go back to SecondDivision.

Al Duhail will kick off the prestigious Amir Cup 2024 against Al Shamal at the Al Janoub Stadium today at 5.15pm while defending champions Al Arabi will take on Al Sailiya in the second match at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium at 8pm.The winners of these two matches will meet in the quarter-finals. The matches of the Round of 16 are scheduled to be held from May 6 to May 9.Speaking ahead of his team’s match, Al Duhail’s coach Christophe Galtier said that the Amir Cup is an opportunity for his team to compensate for their performance during the Expo Stars League.Al Duhail finished sixth in the recently-concluded Expo Stars League.“Each member of the squad is aware of the importance of Amir Cup. There are no second chances in this tournament and our match against Al Shamal is very important,” said Galtier.“There is disappointment among the entire Al Duhail team members and fans but this Amir Cup is an opportunity for us to make amends. It will not be an easy match and I have told my players to focus on Al Shamal match as they are an organised team. A victory means we stay in the tournament,” he added.Al Duhail captain Almoez Ali, said, “This tournament is very dear to us and currently all our focus is on the first match. We are not satisfied with our performance this season and we are aware that Amir Cup is our last chance to qualify for the Asian Champions League. We will give our best to reach the final with Al Shamal being the first obstacles. We must play the match with full focus and determination as a lot of hardwork is required to win the title.”Al Shamal coach Poya Asbaghi said, his side was confident of taking on Al Duhail. “We are aware of the challenge we face in Al Duhail, who are looking to bounce back after losing the league title. They are very strong but we are also confident and all the players are determined for a win against them to advance in this prestigious tournament, he said.Al Shamal forward Ricardo Gomes, said, “We have great ambitions and we are ready for the match against Al Duhail. It’s a match that requires complete focus from start to finish.”Defending champions Al Arabi also do not want to take any chances in their match against Al Sailiya. Al Arabi coach Younes Ali, said, Al Sailiya are not going to be easy opponents and we expect a tough match. We are aiming to advance with a win as we are eyeing second straight Amir Cup title.“The atmosphere in the team is great and all the players are looking to give their best. “All the players are keen to give a better show than they gave in the Expo Stars League. Al Arabi is the club which has a rich history and we always compete for titles. We are happy to have clinched the Qatar-UAE Super Cup (with win over Sharjah) this season.”Al Sailiya coach Mirghani al-Zain, said, “The Amir Cup matches are played with a different system than league matches and we are aiming for a place in the quarter-finals.For his part, Al Sailiya player Saad al-Sawan: “We are looking to reach the quarter-finals but we will have to work hard for it. It is going to be a tough match for both the teams.Amir Cup ScheduleMay 6: Al Duhail vs Al Shamal (5.15pm); Al Arabi vs Al Sailiya (8pm)May 7: Qatar SC vs Al Waab (5.15pm); Umm Salal vs Al Bidda (8pm)May 8: Al Gharafa vs Al Ahli (5.15pm)May 9: Al Sadd vs Al Markhiya (5.15pm); Al Wakrah vs Muaither (8pm); Al Rayyan vs Al Khor (8pm).

DOHA: Riders from various age categories will vie for top honours in the two-day Al Shaqab Showjumping League which will begin on Friday at the Longines Indoor Arena. The event is poised to be a spectacular sporting extravaganza, spotlighting the remarkable skills of riders in the league of show jumping competitions.With an emphasis on establishing a distinguished league that provides a prominent platform for riders, this championship also aims to offer opportunities to young riders, aspiring female participants, juniors, future champions and all equestrian enthusiasts.Registration for the competition is open to all members of the Al Shaqab Equestrian Education Academy and riders from all the clubs.The FEI Group 7 qualifying class held in earlier leagues saw all riders qualified for the FEI Group 7 final. Furthermore, the Al Shaqab League is dedicated to providing riders at Al Shaqab with opportunities to qualify for prestigious events such as the FEI group 7 final, Youth Olympic Games and FEI international events. Among the notable achievements, Saad Al Saad stands as the sole rider from Al Shaqab to have qualified for the youth Olympics, a testament to the calibre of talent nurtured within the Al Shaqab community.The main classes of Al Shaqab League includes Future Champions – Ages 14 years old and below (Height 90cm), and Junior Champions – Ages 18 years old and below (Height 100cm).

Liverpool shattered Tottenham’s hopes of finishing in the Premier League’s top four with a 4-2 win that left Aston Villa on the brink of Champions League qualification despite their 1-0 defeat at Brighton yesterday.Needing a win at Anfield to close the gap on fourth-placed Villa, Tottenham slumped to a fourth successive loss to leave their Champions League hopes in tatters. Villa are seven points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have a game in hand but will miss out on the top four if Unai Emery’s men win one of their remaining two matches.Mohamed Salah was back in the Liverpool team after being dropped for last weekend’s draw at West Ham. The Egypt forward had argued with Klopp before being introduced as a substitute at the London Stadium and fanned the flames afterwards when he said there would be “fire” if he spoke about the clash.Klopp, in the final weeks of his nine-year reign, was celebrating in the 16th minute when Salah notched his 25th goal in all competitions this term with a clinical header from Cody Gakpo’s cross.Andrew Robertson scored Liverpool’s second on the stroke of half-time as the Scotland left-back finished from close-range after Salah’s shot was saved by Guglielmo Vicario.There was worse to come for woeful Tottenham as Gakpo headed in a 50th-minute cross from Harvey Elliott, who netted the fourth in the 59th minute with a superb curler from 20 yards.It was little consolation for Tottenham that Richarlison reduced the deficit in the 72nd minute before setting up Son Heung-min’s goal five minutes later.Liverpool’s first victory in three league games kept them in mathematical contention to win the title, but in truth they have little chance, with leaders Arsenal five points ahead with only two games left. A Villa win combined with a Tottenham loss would have sealed a Champions League place for Emery’s side. But Villa were unable to fulfil their part of that equation as Joao Pedro’s 87th-minute goal condemned them to a second painful defeat in four days. Ending Brighton’s six-match winless run, Pedro headed in the rebound after Robin Olsen saved his penalty, which had been awarded for Ezri Konsa’s foul on Simon Adingra. Surprisingly beaten 4-2 by Olympiakos in the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg on Thursday, Villa were well below their best once again.Emery’s men host Liverpool and travel to Crystal Palace in their last two games as they fight to return to the Champions League for the first time since 1982-83. “We competed but we didn’t get a good result and we didn’t deserve more. I don’t want to know anything about Tottenham because it’s in our hands,” Emery said.At Stamford Bridge, seventh-placed Chelsea thrashed West Ham 5-0 to keep alive their hopes of European qualification. Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is fighting to convince the club’s co-owner Todd Boehly to give him a second season in charge after his troubled debut campaign.Pochettino admits it is “not his decision” if he stays, but securing a place in Europe could be enough to avoid the sack. Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead in the 15th minute with his 21st league goal of the season, the forward firing home after West Ham failed to clear.Conor Gallagher doubled Chelsea’s advantage after 30 minutes with a blistering volley after West Ham’s Kurt Zouma deflected the ball towards the midfielder. Noni Madueke bagged Chelsea’s third as the winger turned in Thiago Silva’s header from close-range. Nicolas Jackson piled on the misery for woeful West Ham in the 48th minute and the Senegal striker bagged his second.

The AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 has come to a successful end in Doha. A total of 12,276 spectators made their way to Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium to watch Japan edge Uzbekistan 1-0 in a tightly contested match.This was the second time that Qatar hosts the tournament, having previously organised it in 2016. It was the first time that the AFC U23 Asian Cup was played on FIFA World Cup stadiums.“Once again, Qatar has proven its ability to host tournaments to the highest standards,” said Jassim al-Jassim, CEO of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 Local Organising Committee (LOC).“It was a true pleasure to see Asia’s young stars and future Olympians make use of our world-class sporting infrastructure. This edition of the biennial tournament acted as Asia’s qualifiers to the Men’s Olympic football tournament in Paris. Champions Japan were joined by runners-up Uzbekistan and third-place finishers Iraq in qualifying to the 2024 Summer Olympics, while fourth-place Indonesia will vie for a final spot at the summer games in a play-off match against Africa’s representative Guinea.“We are truly committed to the ideals of the Olympic movement, and strongly believe in the power of football to unite people and promote peace,” said al-Jassim.“The under-23 Asian Cup embodied those ideals, and created an exciting platform for up-and-coming stars to make a name for themselves here in Qatar.”A total of 32 matches were played by 16 teams in four stadiums over a span of 18 days during the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024.Al Janoub and Khalifa International stadiums, which previously hosted matches during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, were joined by Abdullah Bin Khalifa and Jassim Bin Hamad stadiums. Approximately 500 volunteers supported with the delivery of the tournament across 10 functional areas. An additional 148 young people took part in the LOC’s Youth Programme as flag bearers and members of the ball crew. “This tournament showcased the tremendous human legacy we have created in Qatar from hosting many successful mega-sporting events over the years,” said al-Jassim.“We now possess the talent and volunteer culture to deliver any tournament, in any sport, and that is in line with the national vision set out by the country’s leadership.”The AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 comes only months after the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 which saw record-breaking attendance.In 2022, Qatar hosted the first FIFA World Cup in the Arab world and Middle East, a tournament widely recognized as the best edition of the competition in its history.Most recently, FIFA announced that Qatar will host the next five editions of the FIFA U17 World Cup.

Andrey Rublev won the Madrid Open with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime yesterday to secure his second title of the year.The Russian world number eight had lost four consecutive matches before arriving in the Spanish capital but came from a set down to beat his Canadian opponent and claim a career second Masters 1000 victory.Rublev, 26, triumphed at the Hong Kong Open in January but struggled since before turning around his form in Madrid, dropping just one set on the way to what proved a tense final.“I think it was an incredible match, Felix deserved (in) the same way as me to win today and we showed a great battle together, I think the most important thing was that the people enjoyed it,” said Rublev on court.“Our sport is like this, we cannot have both winners,” Rublev added.Auger-Aliassime reached the final after his opponent Jiri Lehecka retired hurt in the semi-finals and quarter-final opponent Jannik Sinner withdrew with a hip injury, with the ATP draw at the clay-court tournament struck by misfortune.However the 23-year-old Canadian, ranked 35th in the world, gave everything he had in his first Masters 1000 final appearance.Auger-Aliassime started superbly by breaking to love in the first game and then again in the fifth game for a 4-1 lead.Rublev recovered a break when Auger-Aliassime went long, and consolidated for a 4-3 deficit.The Russian saved a set point to hold for 5-4 down but Auger-Aliassime clinched it at the second opportunity with a forehand down the line.In the second set the Canadian held for 3-3 with a brilliant drop shot after Rublev spurned a break point.They stayed on serve until the 12th game when Rublev brought up two set points, converting the second to take it to a deciding third set.Rublev raced through his service games and put heavy pressure on his opponent’s serve, forcing a break point in the second game and two more in the fourth, none of which he could take.Auger-Aliassime produced huge serves to fight his way out of tough spots, racking up 14 aces in the match to Rublev’s seven.However Rublev dropped just three points on his serve in the third set, while Auger-Aliassime trailed in all of his service games but always battled back, until the decisive 12th game.Auger-Aliassime double-faulted to hand Rublev the title, with the Russian falling to the floor in delight.

World sprint champion Noah Lyles and reigning Olympic 100m gold medallist Marcell Jacobs on Saturday helped the United States and Italy qualify for the 4x100m relays at the Paris Olympics.Drawn in the same heat at the World Athletics Relays in Nassau, Lyles anchored the US quartet also including Courtney Lindsey, Kenneth Bednarek and Kyree King to victory in 37.49 seconds.Jacobs ran the second leg for the Italians, the defending world relay and Olympic champions coming in just 0.65sec behind the Americans in a high-octane session featuring a plethora of track stars.Also qualifying for Paris and a place in the finals were Olympic 200m champion Andre de Grasse’s Canada, Japan, Italy, China, France, Britain and Jamaica.“In Oregon (when the US won world silver), I was on the second leg, that’s what I did in high school a lot. It was all right, but it’s nowhere near as fun as running across the line and putting the USA front and centre,” Lyles said.“I can’t wait until the night for the moment when we cross the line first,” the American added in response to the Italian team saying they had a good chance to have the edge on the Americans in Paris.Jacobs was left more than pleased with his leg.“I got the baton and had the Liberian in front of me, he was my point and I passed him. The second exchange was very quick and good,” he said.“We wanted to get into first two without too much drama and we did it.“We’re confirming the strength of our squad.”Olympic 200m bronze medallist Gabby Thomas led the US women’s quartet to a solid victory in 42.21sec in their heat of the 4x100m.“We came together and made it happen in such a short time. Tomorrow, I believe we will do better and can be faster,” said Thomas.But Jamaica, without world and Olympic gold medallists Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah, had a disaster, coming in only fifth in their heat won by Poland.Also booking their spots in Paris were Britain, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, Canada and France.There was a heady carnival atmosphere at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium featuring dancers, deafening drums and brass band, and a scintillating jazz trumpet interpretation of the national anthem.The first of two evenings of action kicked off in perfect style as Olympic 400m champions and local heroes Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner took to the track in the opening heat in the mixed 4x400m relay.The Bahamas had the lead through to the anchor leg, but Shania Adderley flagged badly under pressure from the Netherlands’ Femke Bol, the recently crowned world indoor 400m champion and reigning world 400m hurdles gold medallist.Bol slowly but surely reeled Adderley in and powered through for a Dutch victory in 3:12.16.“We knew we had to be strong, we had the Bahamas in the mix,” said Bol, who was joined by Isayah Boers, Lieke Klaver and Isaya Klein Ikkink.“We’ll be even faster tomorrow.”The Bahamas eventually finished fourth as reigning world 400m champion Marileidy Paulino ran a strong anchor leg to ensure the Dominican Republic grabbed second spot for a place in the final and an automatic place in the Olympics.Also advancing as the two top finishers in the three other heats were the United States, Ireland, Belgium, Poland, Nigeria and France.The Bahamas will have a second opportunity to qualify for the Paris Games in an additional round on Sunday, when the top two teams in each heat will also book their ticket to the French capital.Teams in the finals will also be vying for prize money, with $40,000 to be awarded to the winners, while the eighth-placed team take away $2,000.Rhasidat Adeleke had a night to remember, running brilliantly in the mixed relay as well as the women’s 4x400m as Ireland qualified in both as heat winners.Other countries qualifying in the women’s 4x400m comprised Britain, Italy, Poland, Canada, France, the United States and Norway.The men’s 4x400m saw Botswana, with in-form sprinter Letsile Tebogo racing, and South Africa, with world 400m record holder Wayde van Niekerk on the third leg, both qualify for the Olympics.Belgium, Japan, Germany, Italy, Nigeria and Britain all also went through.

Towhid Hridoy top-scored with 37 as Bangladesh cruised to a six-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second Twenty20 international in Chittagong yesterday, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.The hosts eased their way to 142-4 in 18.3 overs, defying rain and some inspirational bowling from Zimbabwe after restricting the visitors to 138-7.Bangladesh seemed to be coasting when opener Liton Das (23) and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (16) took them to 56-1 before rain intervened for the second time in their innings to halt the momentum.Luke Jongwe (2-35) dismissed Najmul and Liton in the next over after the rain break to put Bangladesh under some pressure, which increased following Jaker Ali’s dismissal by Richard Ngarava for 13.But Hridoy and 38-year-old Mahmudullah Riyad, 26 not out, put on 49 runs for the fifth wicket to prevent a further slide and deny Zimbabwe.Debutant Johnathan Campbell earlier top scored for Zimbabwe with 45 off 24 balls after the visitors were asked to bat first - the highest ever score by a Zimbabwean appearing for the first time in a T20 international.Son of Alistair CampbellCampbell, the son of former Zimbabwean captain Alistair Campbell, put on 73 runs with Brian Bennett to help Zimbabwe recover from a precarious 42-5 after they were asked to bat first. Bennett stayed unbeaten on 44, facing 29 balls and hitting three sixes alongside two fours.Bangladesh wicketkeeper Jaker Ali dropped Campbell on just one off Mahedi Hasan. ampbell used his luck to hit four fours and three sixes before Shoriful Islam removed him. Taskin Ahmed was the most successful bowler for Bangladesh 2-18 while leg-spinner Rishad Hossain claimed 2-33.Bangladesh won Friday’s opening match by eight wickets.The third match of the series will be held at the same ground tomorrow.BRIEF SCORESZimbabwe 138-7 in 20 overs (J. Campbell 45, B. Bennett 44 not out, Taskin Ahmed 2-18, Rishad Hossain 2-33) v Bangladesh 142-4 in 18.3 overs (Towhid Hridoy 37 not out, Mahmudullah Riyad 26 not out; Luke Jongwe 2-35)Toss: BangladeshResult: Bangladesh win by six wicketsSeries: Bangladesh lead five-match series 2-0Next Match: Tuesday

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja starred with bat and ball as defending champions Chennai Super Kings thrashed Punjab Kings by 28 runs to boost their IPL play-off hopes yesterday.Left-hander Jadeja top-scored with 43 off 26 balls to guide Chennai to 167-9 after being invited to bat first in Punjab’s adopted home ground of Dharamsala.Jadeja then returned figures of 3-20 from his four overs of left-arm spin to help restrict Punjab to 139-9 for Chennai’s sixth win in 11 matches as they climbed to third in the table.The top four teams will make the play-offs with the final on May 26 in Chennai.Earlier Chennai suffered from a lack of partnerships despite a second-wicket stand between skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who hit 32, and Daryl Mitchell, who struck 30.Also yesterday, ted-hot Sunil Narine smashed 81 off 39 balls to help Kolkata Knight Riders thrash Lucknow Super Giants by 98 runs and take top spot in IPL table.Narine’s blitz, laced with six fours and seven sixes, guided Kolkata to 235-6 after they were invited to bat first in Lucknow’s final home game.Two-time champions Kolkata bowled out Lucknow for 137 in 16.1 overs for their eighth win in 11 matches and almost guaranteed a play-off berth. Second-placed Rajasthan Royals have played one match fewer.BRIEF SCORESChennai Super Kings 167 for 9 (Jadeja 43, Chahar 3-23, Harshal 3-24) beat Punjab Kings 139 for 9 (Prabhsimran 30, Jadeja 3-20, Deshpande 2-35) by 28 runsKolkata Knight Riders 235 for 6 (Narine 81, Salt 32, Raghuvanshi 32, Naveen 3-49) beat Lucknow Super Giants 137 (Stoinis 36, Rana 3-24, Varun 3-30, Russell 2-17) by 98 runs