Lewis Coombes

Teenage para-swimmer Isabella Haynes aims to follow the success of decorated athlete Alice Tai as she prepares to compete for England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Training in Dorset near Tai’s early roots, Haynes will race in the 100m breaststroke and backstroke. Identified by Team England three years earlier, she previously won a World School Games title and swims without a prosthetic despite being born without the lower half of her right leg. She looks forward to both performing well and gaining experience alongside seasoned Paralympians. The Games begin on 23 July at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow.

Sonny Baker credits Hampshire teammate Kyle Abbott for mentorship that helped him reach his England Test debut, where he took three wickets despite a heavy defeat to New Zealand. The 23-year-old reflects on gaining clarity about the standards of Test cricket and values Abbott’s guidance throughout recent County Championship seasons. Baker’s strong performances for Hampshire continue across formats, and he now looks ahead to England’s T20 series against India, aiming to improve on an earlier challenging debut.