After winning his sixth gold medal of the Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps feared he wouldn’t be strong enough to win his seventh. But a mistake by Serbian rival Milorad Cavic allowed Phelps to pull out an improbable win in the 100-metre butterfly.

As Cadel Evans well knows, you can race 30,000km in a year yet be remembered - at least on YouTube - for a swat at a reporter’s microphone.

Rising star Cameron Meyer believes he can become a world champion within months and help Australia regain its status as track cycling’s No.1 nation.

Stocks markets and oil prices may dip and dive, but Olympic organisers with preparations under way for three games in the next six years aren’t breaking a sweat. The reasons? Time and television money.

Another day, another gong for Stephanie Rice. The darling of the Beijing Olympics was named Australia’s Swimmer of the Year at an awards ceremony in Sydney tonight.

Lleyton Hewitt says the layoff following hip surgery has revitalised him for the last phase of his tennis career and he still hopes to claim an Australian Open title.

The gongs just keep coming for Stephanie Rice. The glamour girl of Australian sport has been named in the nation’s top 100 Olympians of all time in a list compiled by the Australian Olympic Committee’s esteemed historian Harry Gordon.

Nick D’Arcy doesn’t reckon he can shake his tarnished reputation as he dips his toe back into competition for the first time in seven months.

Self belief of “Olympic” proportions will push England toward their first Rugby League World Cup title since 1972, according to captain Jamie Peacock.

A recovering Lleyton Hewitt should not be plotting to reclaim the world No.1 ranking because his body can’t cope, doubles legend Todd Woodbridge says. But he still believes 27-year-old Hewitt may yet have “one or two” grand slams left in him.

Sydney’s next big Games will differ from the Olympics in three major ways - there will be three times as many athletes, they will represent themselves rather than their countries and the oldest is likely to be 100.

The future of men’s road cycling in the Olympics could be threatened unless the sport cleans up its doping record.

China’s Olympic gold medal gymnasts at the Beijing Games were old enough to compete, but the team that won the bronze medal in Sydney eight years ago still faces questions, the international gymnastics federation said today.

Triple Olympic gold medallist Libby Trickett says she would have struggled to stay motivated ahead of the 2012 London Olympics if she didn’t make some drastic changes in her life.

Although the ’sexiest man in league’ title would convince any woman to watch Manly Sea Eagles fullback Brett Stewart play, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the NRL’s most potent attacking weapon.

Two goals from man-of-the match Luiz Fabiano and one from Manchester City’s new signing Robinho put Brazil’s World Cup qualification back on track today with a 3-0 win over Chile.

Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt takes on world champion Tyson Gay and Jamaican compatriot Asafa Powell in a mouth-watering, first-ever 100m clash here on Friday.

Serena Williams will face sister Venus for the fourth time at the US Open after bringing Frenchwoman Severine Bremond’s wildcard run to a halt with a 6-2 6-2 victory today.

Over a dozen Greek athletes who failed doping tests prior to and during last month’s Beijing Olympics thought a rare anabolic steroid would help them elude tests, a leading anti-doping expert said today.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone today called on the sport to forget the controversy surrounding International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley.