Sports News Roundup: Cricket-NZ still in heavyweight Headingley fight, says Mitchell; Swimming-Ledecky dominates to take 800m freestyle gold, Milak completes butterfly double and more

Navratilova, a gay rights trailblazer, had slammed the IOC earlier this week for what she said was a lack of leadership on the issue of the inclusion of transgender athletes in sport.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Cricket-NZ still in heavyweight Headingley fight, says Mitchell

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell has likened the England series to a heavyweight boxing bout and thinks the Black Caps are still very much in the fight in the third test after a topsy-turvy day two at Headingley. Mitchell's third century of the series helped New Zealand to 329 on Friday but England charged back at them with Johnny Bairstow and Jamie Overton putting on 209 in an unbeaten seventh-wicket stand to take the home side to 264 for six at stumps.

Swimming-Ledecky dominates to take 800m freestyle gold, Milak completes butterfly double

Olympic champion Katie Ledecky stormed to a fifth straight 800m freestyle title at the swimming world championships in Budapest on Friday while home favourite Kristof Milak added to his 200m butterfly crown with victory in the 100m butterfly. Ledecky won in emphatic style, finishing more than 10 seconds faster than Australia's Kiah Melverton to seal her 19th gold medal at this level and go past Ryan Lochte. The American is now within seven of Michael Phelps' all-time record.

Olympics-IBA will not be in charge of Paris 2024 boxing competition, qualifiers-IOC

The International Boxing Association will not be in charge of the boxing competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics or qualifiers for those games, the IOC said on Friday. The IOC had stripped the IBA in 2019 of its involvement in last year's Tokyo Olympics due to governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues. The sport was also not included in the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Reports: Steve Clifford to be the coach of Hornets for the second time

Steve Clifford agreed to a multi-year deal on Friday for a second tour of duty as coach of the Charlotte Hornets, according to multiple reports. The 60-year-old Clifford went 196-214 with two playoff appearances in five seasons with the club from 2013-18. He was fired after going 36-46 in the 2017-18 campaign.

Boxing-Alvarez says trilogy fight against Golovkin is 'personal'

Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez said his upcoming trilogy fight with longtime ring rival Gennady Golovkin is "personal," adding that he was hoping to end the Kazakhstan boxer's career. Alvarez and Golovkin, known as "GGG", first met in 2017 and fought to a disputed draw. In the rematch in 2018 the Mexican won an even more controversial points decision that many observers thought could have gone the other way.

Fire, Dynamo looking for summer sparks

The Houston Dynamo will look to snap a two-match losing run on Saturday night when they host a Chicago Fire side that just escaped its own extended slide. Houston (5-7-3, 18 points) lost 3-0 at Real Salt Lake at the end of May just before the international break began, then followed with a 2-1 defeat at Orlando City when both teams returned from a three-week hiatus.

Aaron Judge, Yankees settle on 1-year, $19M contract

Field Level Media EditorsNote: Adjusts lede to make official, adds Boone quote in new Graph 4 Slugger Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees on Friday agreed to a one-year, $19 million deal, plus incentives, avoiding arbitration.

Olympics women's Nordic combined not part of 2026 Olympics-IOC

Women's Nordic combined will not feature in the programme of the 2026 Milan and Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy because it lacks universality and the men's Olympic spot is also at risk due to low interest, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday. The decision means Nordic combined, where athletes compete in cross-country skiing and ski jumping, remains the only Winter Olympic discipline where women are not allowed to compete, despite them now having a world championship and World Cup circuit.

Athletics-Kerley dominates, Jefferson stuns 100m U.S. finals

Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Fred Kerley won the men's 100 metres at the U.S. championships in a dominant 9.77 seconds on Friday, with Melissa Jefferson stunning the women's field in a scorching, wind-aided 10.69. Kerley exploded down the stretch at Eugene, Oregon's Hayward Field to punch his ticket to the world championships, with Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell finishing second and third, respectively, in 9.85 and 9.88.

Olympics-Each sport must set transgender rules says IOC despite criticism

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended its position that it is up to each international sports body to set its own rules for transgender athletes' inclusion, despite criticism from tennis great Martina Navratilova. Navratilova, a gay rights trailblazer, had slammed the IOC earlier this week for what she said was a lack of leadership on the issue of the inclusion of transgender athletes in the sport.

(With inputs from agencies.)