Ben Bloom
@benbloomsport.bsky.social
Freelance sports journalist, formerly at the Telegraph.
Author of 'Batting for Time'. Buy the book here: https://linktr.ee/BattingForTime
Author of 'Batting for Time'. Buy the book here: https://linktr.ee/BattingForTime
“It’s as much of a normal Saturday as it can be. But I don’t think there’s any joy.”
Eight weeks after the tragic death of Billy Vigar, who collided with a perimeter wall during a match, Wingate & Finchley have finally returned to their home ground.
Eight weeks after the tragic death of Billy Vigar, who collided with a perimeter wall during a match, Wingate & Finchley have finally returned to their home ground.
Wingate & Finchley have perspective and concrete wall altered after Vigar’s death
Eight weeks after their last home game, the non-league club returned to their stadium eager to honour memory of opponent
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 11:26 AM
“It’s as much of a normal Saturday as it can be. But I don’t think there’s any joy.”
Eight weeks after the tragic death of Billy Vigar, who collided with a perimeter wall during a match, Wingate & Finchley have finally returned to their home ground.
Eight weeks after the tragic death of Billy Vigar, who collided with a perimeter wall during a match, Wingate & Finchley have finally returned to their home ground.
"I couldn't step off the train because I said I'd get back. I was fighting myself."
After almost dying in a motorbike crash, James Ellington spent years striving for a third Olympics. Then, he quietly stopped.
An admirably honest @athleticsweekly.com interview: pocketmags.com/athletics-we...
After almost dying in a motorbike crash, James Ellington spent years striving for a third Olympics. Then, he quietly stopped.
An admirably honest @athleticsweekly.com interview: pocketmags.com/athletics-we...
November 11, 2025 at 11:12 AM
"I couldn't step off the train because I said I'd get back. I was fighting myself."
After almost dying in a motorbike crash, James Ellington spent years striving for a third Olympics. Then, he quietly stopped.
An admirably honest @athleticsweekly.com interview: pocketmags.com/athletics-we...
After almost dying in a motorbike crash, James Ellington spent years striving for a third Olympics. Then, he quietly stopped.
An admirably honest @athleticsweekly.com interview: pocketmags.com/athletics-we...
Newcastle haven’t won an away Premier League game since April. Something is going very wrong.
Report from Brentford’s fully deserved 3-1 win.
Report from Brentford’s fully deserved 3-1 win.
Late Thiago double earns comeback win for Brentford against 10-man Newcastle
Kevin Schade was also on target in Brentford’s 3-1 win against Newcastle, who had led through Harvey Barnes before Dan Burn was sent off
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Newcastle haven’t won an away Premier League game since April. Something is going very wrong.
Report from Brentford’s fully deserved 3-1 win.
Report from Brentford’s fully deserved 3-1 win.
"It's the T20 cricket version of rowing. A real spectator sport and far more exciting."
Sand run, sea row, sand run. Welcome to beach sprint rowing, coming to the LA 2028 Olympics.
Sand run, sea row, sand run. Welcome to beach sprint rowing, coming to the LA 2028 Olympics.
Beach sprint rowing: The ‘T20 cricket of rowing’ coming t...
Created specifically for entertainment value a little over a decade ago, the new discipline will make its debut at the next Olympics
observer.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 9:45 AM
"It's the T20 cricket version of rowing. A real spectator sport and far more exciting."
Sand run, sea row, sand run. Welcome to beach sprint rowing, coming to the LA 2028 Olympics.
Sand run, sea row, sand run. Welcome to beach sprint rowing, coming to the LA 2028 Olympics.
Meet Megan Kealy, Britain's greatest gymnast you've almost certainly never heard of.
Meet Megan Kealy, Britain’s best gymnast you’ve never hea...
At the peak of her tumbling career, the 25-year-old is overcoming financial hurdles for the love of the sport
observer.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Meet Megan Kealy, Britain's greatest gymnast you've almost certainly never heard of.
Adele Nicoll has won the British shot put title in three of the last four years... but she's also the country's best female bobsleigh pilot, with sights set on the Winter Olympics.
Meet the British shot put champion doubling up as a bobsleigh pilot with an eye on Milan 2026
Having won her third British shot put title in four seasons in the summer, Adele Nicoll also has a Winter Olympic dream – and admits she’s ‘terrible for wanting to do everything’
www.theguardian.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Adele Nicoll has won the British shot put title in three of the last four years... but she's also the country's best female bobsleigh pilot, with sights set on the Winter Olympics.
Sumo wrestling at the Royal Albert Hall. Utterly absorbing.
The week sumo wrestling took over London | The Observer
Excitement crackled in the glorious surrounds of the Royal Albert Hall, leaving Japan for only the second time in its 1,500-year history
observer.co.uk
October 17, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Sumo wrestling at the Royal Albert Hall. Utterly absorbing.
I went to play cricket in Corfu and it turned out rather unexpected.
The Spin | Cricket in Corfu causes confusion but also unexpected delight for a few
Seeing a match on the Greek island may be unusual but it gave one American boy a touching link to his dead father
www.theguardian.com
October 8, 2025 at 2:04 PM
I went to play cricket in Corfu and it turned out rather unexpected.
“A lot of people think: ‘What is this guy doing?’ But the money is so good and it’s an easy lifestyle. I’m my own boss.”
Meet the cyclists earning more competing virtually from their own living rooms than they did as top-tier road-racing professionals.
Meet the cyclists earning more competing virtually from their own living rooms than they did as top-tier road-racing professionals.
Meet the cyclist who can earn six figures without leaving...
More riders are turning to e-racing, despite the snobbery in the peloton
observer.co.uk
October 1, 2025 at 1:21 PM
“A lot of people think: ‘What is this guy doing?’ But the money is so good and it’s an easy lifestyle. I’m my own boss.”
Meet the cyclists earning more competing virtually from their own living rooms than they did as top-tier road-racing professionals.
Meet the cyclists earning more competing virtually from their own living rooms than they did as top-tier road-racing professionals.
The Enhanced Games is dangerous, exploitative and those in charge could not care less about sport.
It is all about money, and to hell with the consequences.
It is all about money, and to hell with the consequences.
Comment: To hell with consequences, the Enhanced Games is...
American sprinter Fred Kerley’s addition to the games shows athletes are merely pawns ripe for exploiting
observer.co.uk
September 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The Enhanced Games is dangerous, exploitative and those in charge could not care less about sport.
It is all about money, and to hell with the consequences.
It is all about money, and to hell with the consequences.
What does all this cricket mean?
Harry Brook has a dilemma as England search for more meaning
The continued global formats forces England to solve their own malaise
observer.co.uk
September 6, 2025 at 5:37 PM
What does all this cricket mean?
Last month, I wrote about the world's greatest air hockey player. Now, it's on to tug of war (where England/Britain this weekend bid for an unprecedented golden summer).
To think I got ditched from my last job because athletics is supposedly too niche...
To think I got ditched from my last job because athletics is supposedly too niche...
Rope hope: meet the 72-year-old heaving hard for England’s tug of war team
After helping Great Britain win gold at the World Games last month, lifelong puller Richard Keightley is competing again in the world championships in Nottingham this weekend
www.theguardian.com
September 5, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Last month, I wrote about the world's greatest air hockey player. Now, it's on to tug of war (where England/Britain this weekend bid for an unprecedented golden summer).
To think I got ditched from my last job because athletics is supposedly too niche...
To think I got ditched from my last job because athletics is supposedly too niche...
Ahead of Sunday’s finals, an overview of The Hundred season in a series of exactly 100-word sections.
A task that started off oddly enjoyable and ended with a wish to never again count words.
A task that started off oddly enjoyable and ended with a wish to never again count words.
Southern Brave and Oval Invincibles shine as Hundred’s po...
We wrap up 2025’s The Hundred in a series of 100-word snippets
observer.co.uk
August 31, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Ahead of Sunday’s finals, an overview of The Hundred season in a series of exactly 100-word sections.
A task that started off oddly enjoyable and ended with a wish to never again count words.
A task that started off oddly enjoyable and ended with a wish to never again count words.
Seamus Derbyshire's story is important, because sport is for everyone.
observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...
observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...
Seamus Derbyshire sashays towards track stardom
Ahead of his World Championship debut, the openly gay hurdler has gone viral on TikTok for his starting line routines
observer.co.uk
August 27, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Seamus Derbyshire's story is important, because sport is for everyone.
observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...
observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...
This season, eight players have emerged from the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to earn professional contracts, including four in the past month alone.
A huge success story that tells a deeper tale.
A huge success story that tells a deeper tale.
SACA: The growing success of Asian talent factory is a le...
Breakthrough for South Asian Cricket Academy as more of their players go pro
observer.co.uk
August 25, 2025 at 2:37 PM
This season, eight players have emerged from the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to earn professional contracts, including four in the past month alone.
A huge success story that tells a deeper tale.
A huge success story that tells a deeper tale.
Two sets of worried fans turned up. Now there is only one.
Brilliantly drilled Brentford, woefully impotent Aston Villa.
Brilliantly drilled Brentford, woefully impotent Aston Villa.
Dango Ouattara sees off Aston Villa as Brentford give Keith Andrews first win
A debut goal from Brentford’s record signing combined with stubborn defending secured a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa
www.theguardian.com
August 23, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Two sets of worried fans turned up. Now there is only one.
Brilliantly drilled Brentford, woefully impotent Aston Villa.
Brilliantly drilled Brentford, woefully impotent Aston Villa.
There are 14 sets of brothers playing first-team county cricket this season.
Rivalry and role models: the benefit of a cricketing brother
The Rew and Ahmed duos follow in a long history of fraternal competition
observer.co.uk
August 20, 2025 at 8:27 AM
There are 14 sets of brothers playing first-team county cricket this season.
Ignored by the masses, but adored by a select few.
Meet Colin Cummings, the greatest air hockey player of all time.
Meet Colin Cummings, the greatest air hockey player of all time.
‘I went from world champ to mopping floors’: Colin Cummings, the greatest air hockey player of all time
The Hawaii-based Cummings is hoping to parlay his family’s air hockey dynasty into a more prominent future for the sport
www.theguardian.com
August 19, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Ignored by the masses, but adored by a select few.
Meet Colin Cummings, the greatest air hockey player of all time.
Meet Colin Cummings, the greatest air hockey player of all time.
A once-great competition pushed to English cricket’s unloved margins. Welcome to the One-Day Cup in 2025.
Wedding venues and club pitches: where 50-over cricket we...
The unloved One-Day Cup has been downgraded to little more than a development competition
observer.co.uk
August 10, 2025 at 9:05 AM
A once-great competition pushed to English cricket’s unloved margins. Welcome to the One-Day Cup in 2025.
A couple of harsh decisions went against them, but plenty to hearten Birmingham fans after a dominant start to what they hope will be a Premier League promotion campaign.
Match report from Birmingham City 1-1 Ipswich Town.
Match report from Birmingham City 1-1 Ipswich Town.
Hirst’s late penalty earns Ipswich draw with Birmingham in Championship opener
The Ipswich striker fired home from the spot in the 95th minute to earn a 1-1 draw at Birmingham on the opening night of the Championship season
www.theguardian.com
August 8, 2025 at 10:06 PM
A couple of harsh decisions went against them, but plenty to hearten Birmingham fans after a dominant start to what they hope will be a Premier League promotion campaign.
Match report from Birmingham City 1-1 Ipswich Town.
Match report from Birmingham City 1-1 Ipswich Town.
Mid-season upheavals are avoided in athletics, but last month Dina Asher-Smith left her American coaching setup and returned to London.
Now happy again, she claimed the British 200m title in a time quick enough for last year’s Olympic podium.
Now happy again, she claimed the British 200m title in a time quick enough for last year’s Olympic podium.
Asher-Smith surges to 200m win and competition best at UK championships
The sprinter clocked 22.14secs to edge out Amy Hunt in the women’s 200m, while Zharnel Hughes also ran a championship best in the men’s 200m
www.theguardian.com
August 3, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Mid-season upheavals are avoided in athletics, but last month Dina Asher-Smith left her American coaching setup and returned to London.
Now happy again, she claimed the British 200m title in a time quick enough for last year’s Olympic podium.
Now happy again, she claimed the British 200m title in a time quick enough for last year’s Olympic podium.
With none of GB’s five Olympic medalists contesting their primary event this weekend, it’s over to the next generation to shine at UK Championships.
Step forward Max Burgin, Molly Caudery, Amber Anning, Charlie Dobson and the rest…
Step forward Max Burgin, Molly Caudery, Amber Anning, Charlie Dobson and the rest…
Burgin and Caudery dispel their demons as they target glo...
With stars of the Olympics absent, new generation hope to stake their claim
observer.co.uk
August 3, 2025 at 9:00 AM
With none of GB’s five Olympic medalists contesting their primary event this weekend, it’s over to the next generation to shine at UK Championships.
Step forward Max Burgin, Molly Caudery, Amber Anning, Charlie Dobson and the rest…
Step forward Max Burgin, Molly Caudery, Amber Anning, Charlie Dobson and the rest…
- Zharnel Hughes misses his aunt’s funeral to win British 100m title.
- Amy Hunt clocks another PB after harsh Daryll Neita DQ.
- Molly Caudery says Olympic pole vault disaster is forgotten history.
- Amy Hunt clocks another PB after harsh Daryll Neita DQ.
- Molly Caudery says Olympic pole vault disaster is forgotten history.
Zharnel Hughes dedicates British 100m title to aunt after missing her funeral to race
Zharnel Hughes won the men’s 100m while Amy Hunt won the women’s 100m at the British athletics championships
www.theguardian.com
August 2, 2025 at 8:14 PM
- Zharnel Hughes misses his aunt’s funeral to win British 100m title.
- Amy Hunt clocks another PB after harsh Daryll Neita DQ.
- Molly Caudery says Olympic pole vault disaster is forgotten history.
- Amy Hunt clocks another PB after harsh Daryll Neita DQ.
- Molly Caudery says Olympic pole vault disaster is forgotten history.
Over the first half of this year, the Professional Cricketers’ Association referred 79 cases for mental health treatment, putting it on track for its highest ever annual figure.
Is there a link between cricket and depression? And if so, then why?
Is there a link between cricket and depression? And if so, then why?
A Day for Thorpey: Cricket still learning how to deal wit...
With mental health referrals in the game at a high, a new book is trying to find answers
observer.co.uk
August 1, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Over the first half of this year, the Professional Cricketers’ Association referred 79 cases for mental health treatment, putting it on track for its highest ever annual figure.
Is there a link between cricket and depression? And if so, then why?
Is there a link between cricket and depression? And if so, then why?
Georgia Hunter Bell will next week ask to be selected for the 800m and 1,500m at the World Championships. But actually contesting both events is another matter.
Hunter Bell’s dilemma over audacious bid for double world athletics glory
Middle-distance runner heads into this weekend’s UK Championships in Birmingham with a tricky decision looming
www.theguardian.com
August 1, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Georgia Hunter Bell will next week ask to be selected for the 800m and 1,500m at the World Championships. But actually contesting both events is another matter.