In today's news: Sandy Ryan leaves Team GB to pursue professional boxing, Ellyse Perry signs for Birmingham Phoenix and Rachael Blackmore rides to another victory at Cheltenham.
Sandy Ryan to leave Team GB and turn professional
The Commonwealth Games champion has announced she will be entering the professional boxing ranks this summer after her Olympics dream left her disappointed.
Ryan was snubbed of her chance to represent Great Britain in Tokyo after last year's qualifying event was curtailed. The restrictions put in place due to Covid-19 forced the qualifiers to be decided by a points-based ranking system, which saw the 27-year-old fall short of the mark.
Ryan won gold in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at welterweight and also boasts the silver medal she picked up in 2014 at the World Championships in Jeju City.
Ellyse Perry signs for Birmingham Phoenix
Australian stalwart Ellyse Perry has joined the Birmingham Phoenix ranks ahead of this summer's The Hundred competition. The 30-year-old will bring a wealth of experience to the Worcester-based side, who are in search of their first win in The Hundred.
Perry makes the move from Victoria in her native country to join fellow Australian Ashleigh Gardner at Phoenix. The all-rounder boasts five Twenty20 World Cups and has more than 200 caps on the international stage.
"I feel really chuffed that another country wanted me to come and play in their competition," Perry said on her move overseas. She will be eligible to feature in the first fixture of The Hundred against London Spirit in July, as Phoenix and the seven other teams eagerly await the postponed start of the competition.
Spurs awarded points from unfulfilled match
Tottenham Hotspur's postponed match against Birmingham City will be chalked off the schedule. The north Londoners will be given the three points from the match which was originally set to unfold at the start of the year.
The FA has released a statement confirming the decision, after the fixture set for January 10th was called off due to a shortage of players on Carla Ward's side. Birmingham were ruled to have breached competition rule 11.3.18, the 'failure to fulfil an engagement'.
Spurs are currently eighth in the Women's Super League table on 16 points, with a game in hand over seventh place Reading. They will face Bristol City in their next league clash on Sunday.
Rachael Blackmore wins again at Cheltenham
After making history earlier this week by becoming the first female rider to win the Champions Hurdle, Rachael Blackmore has stormed to two more victories at Cheltenham Festival.
The Irish jockey thundered over the line to win the Ryanair Chase today, before coming from behind to win at the Mares Novice Hurdle. Blackmore, on board Willie Mullins' horse Allaho, snubbed stablemate Min of the top spot in the 2.30pm race. She won by a whopping 12 clear lengths ahead of runner-up Fakir D'oudairies.
The 31-year-old then rode to victory on the 4.15pm set, taking Henry De Bromhead's Telmesomethinggirl over the line despite being way behind the pack for the majority of the race.
Reduced capacity expected at Wimbledon
Wimbledon organisers have announced that the championships will go ahead this summer with a reduced capacity crowd. This aligns with the recent Covid-19 restrictions, but tournament chiefs have said that they will increase or decrease the numbers allowed in attendance as circumstances change.
The Grand Slam will get underway on June 28th, a week after government guidelines regarding Covid restrictions are set to relax. Organisers are planning on leaving ticket sales as late as possible to ensure the maximum amount of spectators can attend.
Wimbledon 2019 welcomed a total of 500,397 supporters across the 13 days of the tournament.