- Van Graan has 'utmost respect' for Du Toit as Bath go top of Premiership
- Report details fossil fuel threat to 'Amazon of the seas'
- Michelle Obama to boost Harris, as Trump rages against migrants
- Catholic Church assembly acknowledges 'obstacles' for women
- 'Too early' to say Leverkusen out of title race: Alonso
- World champion Malinin grabs men's lead at Skate Canada
- Farrell 'sorry' for second Top 14 yellow in Racing win
- Ruling party set to win Georgian elections
- Piastri, Norris set Mexico practice pace as Verstappen struggles
- Lewis century gifts West Indies consolation victory in Sri Lanka
- Guardiola vows to learn from rock-bottom Southampton after tight win
- Rooney 'angry' despite stunning Plymouth fightback in Preston draw
- Opposition, ruling party both shown ahead in Georgia elections
- Venezuelan prosecutor accuses Lula of faking injury as tensions with Brazil rise
- Draper into Vienna ATP final, ensures career-high ranking
- Farrell opens Top 14 try account in Racing victory, ends game in sin-bin
- Opposition tipped to win narrow majority in Georgia election: exit poll
- Haaland fires Man City to top of Premier League, Villa held
- West Indies set 195 to win rain-hit Sri Lanka ODI
- Leipzig beat Freiburg to go top, Dortmund lose away again
- Shelton downs friend Fils to reach Basel final
- Di Lorenzo fires Napoli past Lecce and five points clear
- Hussain says Pakistan have found 'kryptonite to Bazball' with England series win
- Seven dead in overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine
- Tehran presses on, uneasy after Israeli strikes
- Masood says Pakistan need stability after famous England win
- Iran warns will defend itself after Israeli strikes
- N.Korea involvement in Ukraine raises regional security risks: analysts
- Santner heroics seal historic New Zealand Test series win in India
- Brignone wins ski World Cup opener as Shiffrin flops
- Thitikul surges into three-way lead at LPGA in Malaysia
- Israel hits Iran military sites in retaliatory strikes
- Santner heroics seal New Zealand's first Test series win in India
- Activists say 50 killed in Sudan paramilitary attack
- Stokes says Pakistan spin duo just too good after series defeat
- Zheng to face injury doubt Kenin in Tokyo final
- Final-hole eagle puts Echavarria in driving seat in Japan
- Commonwealth agrees 'time has come' for talks on legacy of slavery
- Late Love helps All Blacks thrash Jones's plucky Japan
- Bastianini wins Thai MotoGP sprint race ahead of Martin
- New Zealand near historic Test win as India wilt in chase
- Tehran residents fear escalation after Israeli attacks
- Iran says two dead in Israeli strikes on military targets
- Pakistan thrash England to win series after Noman, Sajid heroics
- Harris, Trump barnstorm battlegrounds seeking to break deadlock
- Pakistan on brink of series win as Noman, Sajid destroy England
- India 81-1 in fight to deny New Zealand historic series win
- Georgia votes in key test for democracy, EU ambitions
- New Zealand sniff historic win as India set 359 to win Test
- End of golden era for Chinese investors in Bordeaux wine
Austrian ski great Hirscher to make comeback under Dutch flag
Austria's two-time Olympic ski champion Marcel Hirscher announced on Wednesday that he was coming out of retirement to compete under the flag of the Netherlands.
The Netherlands may not be known as a go-to ski destination -- the country's highest mountain measures just 322 metres (1,056 feet) above sea level.
But Hirscher, 35, plans to return to the World Cup circuit next season as a Dutch competitor for the first time since his retirement in 2019.
"For me it's just a really cool chance to live out my passion and get the best out of skiing once again," the eight-time overall World Cup champion said in a video on Instagram.
"The joy of skiing has never gone away," he said, adding he chose to compete for the Netherlands so as not "to be in the way" and take resources, such as trainers, and training and race spots, from young Austrian skiers.
His decision to switch nationality was greeted with a certain reluctance by the Austrian ski authorities.
Hirscher -- the son of an Austrian father and Dutch mother -- is one of the greats of the sport and his collection of eight consecutive overall World Cup crystal globes from 2012 to 2019 remains a record.
"Over the past few days we have learned that Marcel Hirscher plans to return to the international circuit," Austrian ski chief Christian Scherer noted in a statement.
"Of course we regret enormously his decision to ask for a change of nationality to join the Dutch Ski Federation but we have finally given it our support... out of respect to him," Scherer added.
The Dutch, on the other hand, are thrilled at the prospect of Hirscher competing in their colours.
"The fact that Marcel Hirscher plans to work for the Netherlands and to ski for the NSkiV is an absolute honour," said Dutch ski federation general director Fritz Avis.
"Marcel is a global icon and an inspiration for all skiers and winter sports enthusiasts in the Netherlands," he continued.
"We hope that this will stimulate interest and that enthusiasm for winter sports will get a boost in our already winter sports crazy country."
Hirscher retired with 67 World Cup wins, claimed Olympic gold in slalom and combined at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games, and has seven world titles to his name.
Since retirement Hirscher, who has rock star status in ski-crazy Austria, set up his own ski company.
J.Williams--AMWN