SOUTH BEND, Ind. — It was a showdown of speed at John Adam’s High School Fri. evening, where about 50 of South Bend’s Police Athletic League (PAL) members competed in the second annual track and field showcase.

Five of the young runners at the showcase will be heading to Texas on Sun., as they qualified over the summer for the 2025 AAU Junior Olympics.

“Most of the kids… this is either their first or their second year running track period. Last year we had one or two qualify, [they] weren’t able to go. This year we were blessed enough to be able to sponsor all five kids to be able to send them down there and give them the opportunity to compete,” said Georgia wells, the PAL track and field head coach and a detective for the South Bend Police Department.

Wells said it’s the support from the community that helps her athletes shine.

“Being on this national stage is a huge accomplishment, you know, it’s going to open doors for them down the line when it comes to college or high school and other athletics. However far they want to take it and just know that they have that support here at home is gonna make the world of difference,” expressed Wells.

Each of the five Junior Olympic qualifiers had their own advice to share for any kid thinking about joining one of the activities PAL has to offer.

Zyaire Washington, a second grader at Bittersweet Elementary School, passionately exclaimed, “Come on! You got this!”Meanwhile, Peyton Bradford, a second grader at Christ the King Catholic School, offered the encouragement to “Try their best,” and Joel Wells, a third grader at Battell Elementary School, gave the awesome advice to “Push more.”

Finishing out the wise words from these rising stars, Tray’Von Irons, a third grader at Coquillard Elementary School, said to “Listen and do your best.” The fifth and final Junior Olympic qualifier, Maurice Griffin, added, “Keep trying and never give up, because they can do it one day.”

To follow along with the five future Olympians during their trip to Texas, click here.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his wife Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotaki, received the women’s national water polo team at the Maximos Mansion on Friday.

The team recently won the gold medal at the World Championships in Singapore.

Sources from the Maximos Mansion report that Mitsotakis and his wife congratulated the national team and coaching staff on their performance.

“You were amazing,” said Mitsotakis. “I remember not only the performances and the last-minute goal but also everything we saw in the pool. The image that will stay with me is how you sang the national anthem. That was the most beautiful image for me. That’s what stayed with me,” he continued.

The Greek premier discussed with the athletes and their coaches the prospects of Greek water polo and examined ways to support the sport and the national teams. They stressed the need to secure a swimming pool, gym, and guesthouse within the same sports centre, allowing the national water polo teams to train under optimal conditions for major events. In this context, the possible use of the upgraded OAKA, where athlete accommodation facilities are being built, was considered.

Views were also exhanged on raising the profile of women’s water polo and women’s sports more broadly. It was proposed to ensure equal television coverage of the women’s championship with that of the men’s by broadcasting at least one match per week on ERT channels.
The world champions presented Mitsotakis with a blue cap bearing the symbolic number 15-representing the 15 members of the national team-and a ball signed by all of them.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotaki thanked the “golden girls” and wished them success in their upcoming matches.

Source: ANA – MPA

Silver medalist Dávid Betlehem at the award ceremony for the three-km knockout race at the World Aquatics Championships on July 19, 2025

Among male open water swimmers, Dávid Betlehem leads the newly released world rankings of World Aquatics, according to the international federation for aquatic sports.

The 21-year-old Hungarian athlete improved his previous position by four places and replaced last year’s Olympic champion Kristóf Rasovszky at the top of the rankings.

As reported by Hungary Today, Betlehem finished second in the three-km knockout sprint race at the World Championships in Singapore last week, and won a bronze medal with his team. Hungarian open water swimmers made history, as the delegation finished the World Championships with three medals for the first time.

Hungary’s Rasovszky is currently third in the rankings, with Germany’s Florian Wellbrock moving up to second place after making sporting history in Singapore by winning gold medals in every event (3 km knockout, 5 km, and 10 km races, as well as in the team competition).

World Championship bronze medalist Bettina Fábián slipped from third to sixth place, with Australia’s Moesha Johnson leading the way after winning both the 5 and 10 km races in Singapore.

Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd