.

1:59:40

[. @__EIvis]

📅 June 2022, on my birthday.
📍Kaptagat, 🇰🇪.

Time stood still at 1:59:40pm as my life peaked! Honoured to have met the greatest marathoner of all time 🐐 in his natural habitat. A moment I'll cherish for the rest of my life. Thank you @EliudKipchoge 👑 for the warm welcome❤.

[. @__EIvis]

Oh man. What a beautiful tribute for Roxane. May Diomande unlock every level of football success that exists.

[The Touchline | 𝐓 @TouchlineX]

🚨🤍 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Yan Diomande emotional letter to his late sister:

"Dear Roxane,

Remember when somebody bought me a fake United jersey, and I wrote Ronaldo 7 on the back with the black marker?"

"We didn’t know rich or poor. We just knew happiness."

"Remember 25 people sleeping in one house back in Abidjan? Mum wanted to watch her soap operas. Everyone else wanted to watch movies. Remember how I always used to fake like I was asleep and then go into the TV room after midnight? I’d put the TV on real low. Just like 2 volume bars. I’d watch football in the dark and dream."

"Remember when the adults saw me playing football in the dirt and nicknamed me “Roberto Carlos” because of how hard I would shoot? And remember how I was secretly so mad about it, because CR7 was my idol?"

"Remember when I went to play so far from home? I was 9 years old. Inter Foot Sud Comoé, all the way near the Ghana border. Just a little boy on his own. I don’t know if I ever told you this story, but me and the other kids used to go into the village and steal potatoes because we were so hungry. We did a “bank heist.” Two kids distracting the shop owner, and 18 other kids running out with two potatoes. They weren’t even good. But they tasted amazing. Hahahah. It’s still my favorite thing to eat. Boiled potatoes with some oil. It reminds me of those times."

"Remember when I got my first real football boots, and I used to sleep with them? Growing up, I always played in those white plastic sandals. Even when I go back home now, I still play in them. It’s our tradition."

"Remember when I would come back home, and you would tell my friends from the neighborhood, “Why did you stop training? Yan is not going to buy you cars. You have to keep working."

"You were 10 years old, and already my agent."

"Remember how we used to sit and dream about moving to France? How we were going to go shopping and get our own apartment and I was going to be a rich footballer with cars and a big house, and you wouldn’t have to worry about nothing. You were the one who always believed that I could be the next Cristiano, when everybody else laughed."

"Remember when I moved to America for high school at 15, and I was so homesick? I didn’t know what anybody was saying for months. They sat me next to a French kid, and he tried to translate everything the teacher was saying. Remember when I called you, saying, “You won’t believe it, the kids here argue with teachers."

"Back home, you know we wouldn’t even dare to blink at our elders."

"Remember when I couldn’t believe the kids were smoking after school? You used to say it sounded like I was in an American TV show."

"Remember when they took me on trial at Bournemouth? At Chelsea, Rangers, Olympiacos, Crystal Palace? Eze and Olise even came up to me after one training and said, “Yo kid, you’re really good.”"

"But they still didn’t sign me."

"Even the B teams in the MLS didn’t want me. I didn’t even know why. They never gave me a reason. The adults handled everything. They just kept taking me all around Europe, and everybody kept saying no."

"My visa was up. My dream was over. They sent me back to Africa, and we cried together."

"You were the one who never stopped believing. A few weeks later, I signed for Leganés and we cried different tears."

"That was back when I used to have emotions. Now, I don’t feel anything. It’s like I’m not even human. Since you died, I’m just blank."

"I don’t even think I shed a tear the day they told me that you were gone. I was just in shock."

"It was a few weeks after I made my debut for Leganés. Who makes their debut at 18 against Real Madrid? It was too crazy. It was a dream."

"And then it was a nightmare. Someone kept calling me from back home. I was annoyed. I didn’t understand why they kept calling me."

"I picked up, and they didn’t even soften it. You know how it is back home. No emotions. Just……..

“Your sister is gone.”
“What?”
“She died.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Somebody put something in her drink at a party, and she never woke up. She is gone.”

"You were 15."

"15."

"I never got any answers. I don’t know if I want to know why. Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it’s just something that happens in our country. Maybe I could have protected you. I don’t know."

"I try to trust God’s plan. It’s all I can do. I don’t try to forget, because I know I won’t forget. All I can do is use the pain to work harder, and to do everything we dreamed about."

"I wrote this because I can’t speak about it. I wrote this because I want you to know that I will make sure that you live on. I will make sure that everybody knows your name. The whole world."

"Everything I do on a football pitch, it’s for you."

"So much has happened since I last saw you…… You would not even believe it. I don’t know if I believe it."

"You know what’s crazy? After my debut against Madrid, I actually swapped shirts with Mbappé. Remember when we used to watch him on TV, and you’d say, “Mbappé? Yeah, he’s good. But my brother is better.”

"I was wrong about one thing. I don’t want to be rich. I see what it does to people, even to family. When I was at Leganés, everything I was earning, I was sending home. It got to the point where I didn’t even want money anymore. It was just a burden. They never stopped asking. I guess they thought I was a millionaire already. I didn’t even have an apartment. I was living at the training ground in a room with no TV. Just football and sleep, football and sleep."

"I didn’t want a big house. I didn’t want cars. I just wanted to put everything into football. Everything to show the world that my sister was right……."

"Ha…. you will think this is funny. When I moved to play at RB Leipzig, I was always late. Well, not late. But I was on time, which in Germany means you’re very late."

"So you already know what I did next. I started arriving 90 minutes early to everything. I was so early all the time that the guys started calling me “The German.”"

"I always have to overdo everything. I have zero chill. You always said that."

"The pitch is the only place that I feel at home anymore. It’s the place where I feel calm, and I can speak to you. I just wish you were still here so I could tell you….. We did it."

"Everything you said came true."

"We’re leaving for the World Cup tomorrow. For real. Your brother is going to play for Côte d'Ivoire, like Drogba, like Yaya, like Gervinho."

"I don’t even look at it like a game. I look at it like a stage. This is my chance to show the whole world what you saw in me. Every time I score, I’ll make sure everybody knows your name. I’ll make sure they don’t forget you."

"You always said that I could be better than Cristiano. If I see him there, I’ll tell him hello for you."

"I’m going to do what you predicted, I swear. Before I even had real boots, you were telling everybody, “My brother is going to be the greatest in the world.”

"I will prove that you were right, or I will die trying... Your brother, Yan."

— @PlayersTribune

[GADDAFI 🏆🇵🇸 @daweed_004]

This feeling can't be explained. You'd think the club belonged to my father.

[. @__EIvis]

6 years later. Thank you Star Boy! @BukayoSaka87

[Bukayo Saka @BukayoSaka87]

You deserve more Arsenal fans 💔

[. @__EIvis]

Studge is always spot on. One of the best pundits out there💯

[Arsenal News Channel @Arsenalnewschan]

🗣️Daniel Sturridge when asked who #Arsenal’s best player was in the win over Atletico: “Gyokeres for me was Arsenal’s best player. He caused so many problems for Atletico and took the pressure of Arsenal’s defence. He did it all and his performance tonight is a clear reason why Arsenal signed him.” 💯

[Arsenal News Channel @Arsenalnewschan]

🗣️Daniel Sturridge when asked who #Arsenal’s best player was in the win over Atletico: “Gyokeres for me was Arsenal’s best player. He caused so many problems for Atletico and took the pressure of Arsenal’s defence. He did it all and his performance tonight is a clear reason why Arsenal signed him.” 💯

[. @__EIvis]

Viktor Gyökeres!👑 The beast kept going all the way till 90. My striker!

[FK @fkhanage]

Another Viktor Gyökeres masterclass. Water is wet. 😮‍💨

[Aaron M. Renn 🇺🇸 @aaron_renn]

I heard the CEO of Air France recently talk about the market problem of the Concorde: asymmetric demand. Lots of demand to fly west supersonic to get to NYC quickly for a day of mtgs, but the return flight doesn’t make sense. Better to fly subsonic overnight.

[KC-10 Driver ✈️ 👨‍✈️ B-737 Wrangler @MCCCANM]

I know the guy who was the Aircraft Commander that landed this C-17 at the wrong airport.

The Air Force kind of screwed these guys. They had been all over the world in the days leading up to it, flying really long days across lots of time zones. This mission was almost 12 hours of flight time alone…and it was sprung on them an hour before takeoff, a complete change to their itinerary. Add in pre-flight prep time of 4-5 hours & that’s a long day…they were exhausted.

The final report found the pilot could only have been 79% cognitively effective due to fatigue. Not quite equivalent to drunk, but close.

Gen Mattis was indeed onboard. Told my guy he would speak to the Air Force, that they’d pushed too hard. Maybe he did, but the Air Force burned the crew anyway, disqualifying them in the jet.

He got asked about it in his airline interview & asked to explain. He’s been happily flying for the airline for probably a few years more than a decade now, and I’d put my kids on a jet he’s flying with no issue whatsoever.

[. @__EIvis]

@WorldAthletics @usatf @Atletiekunie @EuroAthletics There’s nothing left for Beatrice Chebet to prove in the 5,000m and 10,000m. She’s been robbed for the second year in a row. And that’s what most replies are calling out. Do the right thing and revise the selection of the finalists.

[Arsenal @Arsenal]

It was only ever Arsenal.

A boyhood Gooner, our new number 10 – welcome home, Ebere ❤️

[. @__EIvis]

“The first ever female sprinter, and the second sprinter after Usain Bolt, to win the sprint double at consecutive Olympics”.

@FastElaine is an all-timer who held her own in an era where female sprinting was very competitive. Legend!💐

[Owen @_OwenM_]

Happy 33rd birthday to the fastest woman alive, Elaine Thompson-Herah 🥳🎉

• 5x Olympic Champ (‘16-‘21)
• 5x World Champs medallist (‘15-‘23)
• 3x Commonwealth Champ (‘14-‘22)
• Pan American Games Champ (‘19)
• 3x Diamond League Champ (‘16, ‘17, ‘21)
• World Indoor bronze medallist (‘16)
• 100m national record holder (10.54)

📸 Doug Mills

[. @__EIvis]

@yvetteelm12 The 800m WR. I think he’ll switch after getting that.

[. @__EIvis]

He's 40 years old and just ran a 2:05 marathon(!), an incredible feat for ANYONE, let alone a 40 y.o. That time outpaces every Olympic-winning time and he was 6th in an elite field, running with the lead pack for much of the race. That’s actually superhuman guys.

[Runner's World @runnersworld]

At 40, Eliud Kipchoge Isn’t Superhuman Anymore. That Doesn’t Change His Legacy at All. https://t.co/1aW3FhFwpg

[. @__EIvis]

@fkerley99 Spot on. Any athlete who qualifies for the Olympics is special, whether or not they win a medal. And you have the medals from various global championships including Paris ‘24 + you have the unique range of outstanding times in the 100,200 and 400. You’re a 1-of-1!

[. @__EIvis]

@kenyan_parody 😂😂😂 gold.

[. @__EIvis]

@MJGold Because competition amongst athletes is much better than competition against the world record. The WR is always a nice bonus.

Non-championship racing has room for pushing an athlete’s limits vs time but championship racing is all about pushing yourself against fellow athletes.

[. @__EIvis]

@MJGold @GrandSlamTrack Do: Balance the coverage. All athletes have interesting backstories that would make for good tv so let’s not focus too much on winners/big stars whose stories have already been covered multiple times.

Don’t: Insist on interviews when they’re still panting. We can always wait.

[. @__EIvis]

@MJGold Depends on how deep we’re into the season. The who also matters; if it’s a WR holder, meh. If it’s a newbie, and we’re deep into the season, it may signal a change of guard is in the offing which is exciting. I’d rather hear the stat and not find it useful, than not hear it.