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Five breakout athletes to watch at the Tokyo Olympics

(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Caroline Marks – Surfing

For this 19-year-old, Florida-born surfer, the Tokyo Olympics have arrived at the zenith of her ascent up the ranks of the pro surfing world. Growing up with four brothers and a sister, Caroline had plenty of built-in competition and self-proclaimed critics to push her on the waves at the beach across from her family home. At age ten, the then-barrel racing horse lover decided surfing was her biggest passion and told her dad she wanted to start competing. Three years (and a west coast relocation) later, Marks became the youngest surfer to ever qualify for a World Surf League Championship Tour event. 

In 2018, during her first full season on tour, she earned Rookie of the Year and an impressive seventh place overall finish in the championship. And in 2019, in only her second year on tour, not only did she qualify to represent Team USA for the Olympics, but she finished the season in an astounding second place overall, just behind fellow USA surfer and four-time World Champion Carissa Moore. The goofy-footed Marks, now touted as the future of women’s surfing, will have the opportunity to capitalize on that heavy hype when the global spotlight shines on surfing for the first time this summer.

Sha’Carri Richardson – Track and Field, 100m

Sha’Carri Richardson is all the content the running world needs and more. Not only has she exploded onto the scene as the newest hope of ending the USA’s gold medal drought in the 100M, but she has a boldness in her presence both on and off the track that can draw in casual fans by the truck load. And much of her story has yet to be told. She has shared publicly that her mom left when she was very young and that she later attempted suicide as a teen, but the details of her troubled upbringing in Dallas, Texas are largely untold. What is well-documented is her jaw-dropping speed on the track. 

After winning several age-group state titles in school, Richardson broke onto the national scene when she took first place in the 100M at the 2016 AAU Junior Olympics. The following year, she was a member of the gold medal winning 4x100M team at the Pan American U20 Championships. But the most notable day of her career came at the end of her freshman year at LSU during the NCAA National Championships. In the 100M final Richardson ran a 10.75, setting a new U-20 world record with the fastest NCAA time in the event in 30 years. Less than an hour later, she set another U-20 world record in the 200M, sending her name on a trending spree and catching the deserving attention of pro sponsors. Four days later, she declared for the professional circuit and left her college career behind. With a solid but shortened first pro season in 2019 and a non-existent 2020 season, everyone is anxious to see how Richardson compares to the world’s best. Having already clocked a mind blowing 10.72 in the 100M this spring and winning the 100m race at the Olympic trials, Richardson’s career is primed to explode at the Tokyo Olympics.

Regan Smith – Swimming (100M Backstroke, 200M Fly)

When the first day of 2020 arrived, Regan Smith was a senior in high school who woke up with Tokyo very much on her mind. In a sport like swimming, where the Olympics happen to fall in your development and timeline is monumental. And for Smith, it was looking pretty perfect. In 2019, at just 17 years of age, she set new world records in both the 100M and 200M backstroke, with the latter still standing today. 

Luckily for Smith, an extra year of training seems to have paid off. While she fell just short of qualifying in the 200M backstroke, she managed to make the Olympics team for both the 100M and the 200M butterfly, her third strongest event.

“I think I was a lot more in my head about it last year, whereas this year we’ve all had plenty of time to get a grip on things mentally,” Smith told NBC Sports in early 2021. “Instead of being worried about how quickly they’re coming up, I’m really just trying to be excited and be like it’s finally go-time and treat it like that instead of treating it like it’s some big scary thing, because it’s not. It should be exciting.” 

The excitement in Tokyo might be even bigger due to the postponement, as the young Aussie swimmer Kaylee McKeown recently notched a 100M backstroke time just .06 seconds shy of Smith’s record. If all goes to plan in Tokyo, these two could give the fans some thrilling finishes come July.

Katie Lou Samuelson – 3×3 Basketball

The post-pandemic world is looking bright for Katie Lou Samuelson. Back in February, the third year WNBA player was traded from the Dallas Wings to the Seattle Storm in exchange for the first overall draft pick of 2021. The news of the trade furrowed many brows, as Samuelson’s first two seasons in the league have been largely underwhelming. She spent her rookie season with the Chicago Sky before being traded to Dallas for 2020, and was averaging just 3.7 points per game prior to her trade.

The long-range sharp-shooter from UCONN may have had difficulty finding her footing at the pro level. But things seemed to shift while playing overseas in Spain with Perfumerias Avenida. Playing alongside her older sister Karlie for the first time since high school, Samuelson averaged 15.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and was named to the All-EuroLeague team. 

As she explained last month to the Connecticut Post, “I was really given a lot of freedom on my overseas team to develop back into where I feel comfortable, strong, confident in myself and my game. I think that really was the main difference for me, just seeing myself having success.” 

That confidence carried over into Samuelson’s efforts with Team USA’s 3×3 squad. Alongside Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray and Kelsey Plum, Samuelson helped the team qualify for the inaugural Olympics tournament in Tokyo. All four players were subsequently named to the Olympics squad. After struggling to make her name in the WNBA, Samuelson (who’s still just 24 years old) could be hitting her stride at just the right time.

Hannah Roberts – BMX Freestyle

Another sport making its Olympic debut this summer is BMX Freestyle. While other forms of women’s cycling have been part of the games for decades, this skate park style, course-based sport is catching fire among young women across the US. The woman leading that charge at the moment is 19-year-old Michigan native Hannah Roberts. 

Following in the footsteps of an older cousin who rode in the upper ranks on the men’s side, Roberts took up the sport at nine and at seventeen became the first-ever BMX Freestyle World Champion in 2017. After a third-place finish to the season in 2018, Roberts reclaimed the top pedestal again in 2019 and was the first American to qualify for Tokyo in the event. The year-long postponement definitely had its challenges.

“Being already qualified was a blessing and a curse,” she told Fox Sports, “I started putting more pressure on myself because I felt like I had something to prove since my spot was already solidified and we had to wait another year, which kind of put me in a weird position where riding wasn’t as fun … because I was weighing myself down with all the pressure.” 

To offset the performance pressure, Roberts shifted her focus to her personal life and mental health. She got engaged, married, and purchased a new home with her wife. For someone not yet twenty, she’s making big moves and is approaching the upcoming competition with a healthy combination of excitement and humility. 

“I’m just excited to see what everybody else is doing, and I know there are a few riders I’m riding with that are just going to go and kill it. They are going to definitely hold their own, and I have to go hold my own.”

Ottawa Upsets No. 1 Seed Montréal in Game 1 of 2025 PWHL Playoffs

Ottawa's Jocelyne Larocque, Emily Clark, and Alexa Vasko celebrate a 2025 PWHL regular-season win.
The Charge defeated No. 1-seed Montréal 3-2 in Thursday's Game 1. (Michael Chisholm/Getty Images)

Top-seeded Montréal suffered a surprising loss in their first 2025 PWHL Playoffs game on Thursday, falling 3-2 to postseason debutant No. 3-seed Ottawa.

Despite a tense back-and-forth battle, Ottawa forward Shiann Darkangelo broke through with a third-period game-winning goal, pushing the Charge to an early lead in the best-of-five semifinal series.

The Victoire, who notably used their No. 1-seed advantage to handpick the Charge as their semis opponent, have yet to log a playoff win, adding Thursday's defeat to last season's first-round sweep by Boston.

Even so, Montréal is already viewing the loss as fuel to even the score this weekend.

"We outshot them, we had a lot of great opportunities. We were right there," said Victoire forward Laura Stacey. "If we can put that game together for a whole 60 minutes, it'll look scary I think."

Toronto's Julia Gosling celebrates a goal with the Sceptres' bench during a 2025 PWHL regular-season game.
Toronto rookie Julia Gosling's brace secured the Game 1 win for the Sceptres. (Rich Graessle/Getty Images)

Toronto takes Game 1 from defending champs Minnesota

In the PWHL's other semifinal matchup, No. 2-seed Toronto claimed a one-win advantage over No. 4-seed Minnesota on Wednesday, halting the defending champion Frost's late-season surge with a 3-2 Sceptres victory.

Captain Blayre Turnbull opened scoring in the first period, giving Toronto a lead that they never relinquished, while rookie Julia Gosling netted a second-period brace to secure the Sceptres' win.

Minnesota, acknowledging the tough road they face to return to the championship ice, has already set their eyes on Game 2.

"It's going to be a hard-fought series," said Frost head coach Ken Klee after the Frost's Game 1 loss. "We didn't get one tonight…[so now] we're looking forward to Friday."

How to watch the 2025 PWHL Playoffs this weekend

Toronto and Minnesota are back in action for Game 2 of their series at 7 PM ET on Friday, before traveling to St. Paul for Game 3 at 6 PM ET on Sunday.

Sunday will also see Montréal’s attempt to even their series with Ottawa, with the puck dropping on their Game 2 matchup at 2 PM ET.

All games will stream live on the PWHL YouTube channel.

Chelsea Chases History as 2024/25 WSL Season Ends

Chelsea's Lucy Bronze celebrates a 2024/25 WSL goal with her teammates.
2024/25 WSL champions Chelsea aims to finish the season undefeated on Saturday. (Molly Darlington - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

The 2024/25 Women's Super League (WSL) season officially wraps on Saturday, with Chelsea preparing to claim even more history on the heels of their sixth-straight league title.

The still-undefeated Blues will face sixth-place Liverpool in their final outing, with Chelsea on the cusp of becoming the fourth-ever team to finish a WSL season unbeaten.

Should they do so, Chelsea will join 2012's Arsenal, 2016's Manchester City, and their own 2018 squad in achieving perfection — those this year's Blues would be the first to accomplish the feat in the expanded 22-match campaign.

While the team only needs a draw to remain undefeated, a win would secure Chelsea another record, becoming the first club to tally 60 points in a single campaign — two more than the current mark the Blues claimed in 2022/23.

Despite their astounding WSL record, the Blues have fought hard for their dominance this season, with first-year head coach Sonia Bompastor strategically using her entire roster to maintain the winning legacy left by now-USWNT boss Emma Hayes.

"Don't think it's easy. It's never easy," said Bompastor after Chelsea's 2024/25 title win. "It's a great achievement and a lot of work every day — I don't let my players breathe."

Arsenal's Alessia Russo and Manchester United's Millie Turner battle for the ball during a 2024/25 WSL match.
Arsenal and Manchester United will play for second-place in the WSL on Saturday. (Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)

Battle for second-place continues on final WSL matchday

While Chelsea chases records, other top WSL clubs are still jockeying for positions on the league's final 2024/25 table.

Along with the Blues, Arsenal and Manchester United are locked into Champions League qualifying positions for next season — but United could leapfrog Arsenal for a second-place WSL finish on Saturday.

Separated by just one point, the Red Devils and the Gunners will face off against each other in the season's final blockbuster matchup.

Arsenal has extra incentive for a good showing, as the Gunners try to snap their two-game WSL losing streak and gain momentum before battling Barcelona in the May 24th Champions League final.

Chelsea also has a shot at another trophy looming, with the Blues chasing a second domestic treble — winning the league, FA Cup, and League Cup.

However, a tough Manchester United stands in the way of Chelsea's third and final treble title, with the pair facing off in the FA Cup's May 18th championship match.

How to watch WSL matches this weekend

All 12 WSL teams will kick off their season's last matches at 7:30 AM ET on Saturday.

Both Chelsea's game against Liverpool and Manchester United's visit to Arsenal will stream live on ESPN+.

Naomi Osaka Continues Comeback Tour at the 2025 Italian Open

Naomi Osaka serves the ball at the 2025 Italian Open.
Naomi Osaka advanced to the Round of 32 at the 2025 Italian Open. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)

As tune-up tournaments like this week's 2025 Italian Open dominate tennis ahead of the 2025 French Open, one familiar name is back in the headlines, with world No. 48 Naomi Osaka making significant strides on the clay court.

Coming off her first tournament win since 2021 at L'Open 35 de Saint-Malo — a WTA 125 event — last weekend, Osaka immediately advanced to the Italian Open's third round this week.

The four-time Grand Slam winner has shown glimpses of brilliance after returning from her 2023 pregnancy, with Osaka now aiming to keep up momentum on her historically weakest surface.

"Kinda ironic to win my first trophy back on the surface that I thought was my worst," Osaka posted after her May 4th victory. "That's one of my favorite things about life though, there's always room to grow and evolve."

Osaka isn't the only tennis star cooking in Europe, as heavy-hitters like world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 2 Iga Świątek, and No. 3 Coco Gauff also moved ahead in Rome as they look to hone their Roland-Garros form.

Not usually a clay court specialist, Sabalenka has looked particularly formidable, defeating Gauff to take the 2025 Madrid Open title just last week.

How to watch the 2025 Italian Open

The 2025 Italian Open's Round of 32 kicks off early Saturday morning, with continuing coverage on The Tennis Channel.

Short-Staffed WNBA Champs NY Liberty Tip Off Preseason Play

The New York Liberty huddle during a 2024 WNBA Finals game.
Defending champ New York enters the 2025 season short-handed due to injuries. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Fresh off winning their first-ever WNBA title, the New York Liberty will kick off their 2025 preseason slate with in a Friday night clash against the Connecticut Sun — despite the reigning champs looking a little worse for wear.

Two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart has been slowly recovering from offseason knee surgery, with the 30-year-old watching from the bench on Friday in an effort to return to full fitness for next week's season opener.

Similarly, star guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is likely out for the entirety of the 2025 WNBA season with a knee injury of her own, exiting the offseason 3×3 league Unrivaled with a meniscus injury in early March.

Meanwhile, starting sharpshooter Leonie Fiebich has yet to join the Liberty in training camp as the European standout finishes her overseas season with Spain's Valencia Basket.

Liberty additions to make New York debut on Friday

That said, New York did manage to make a few savvy pick-ups ahead of the 2025 campaign, with the newly configured team eyeing a strong Friday showing to avoid rumors of a slow season start.

The Liberty traded for point guard Natasha Cloud and signed forward Izzy Harrison over the offseason, while also welcoming back guards Marine Johannes and Rebekah Gardner.

Given New York's lengthy availability report, Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello noted that the team's markedly late preseason start was not strategic, but merely a scheduling solution.

"Sometimes it's just out of our hands," Brondello told reporters. "This is the first home game that we've had because we've never been able to get the arena availability, so that's it. Ideally, we would have liked to play the game by now, but it is what it is."

How to watch the New York Liberty in the 2025 WNBA preseason

New York will tip off against Connecticut at 7 PM ET on Friday, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

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