CNN
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The fan who fell onto the field at PNC Park earlier this week, identified as Kavan Markwood, is “awake and continuing to work toward making his body stronger each day,” according to a post on social media from his girlfriend Alonna Brown.

An update was also posted to the family’s GoFundMe, which has raised more than $27,000 as of Saturday evening.

“At this time, he needs rest, peace, prayers, privacy, and all the positive thoughts and energy you can send as he continues on his journey,” Brown wrote. “… Please keep Kavan in your thoughts.”

The family has not responded to CNN’s request for further information.

The incident happened during the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 20-year-old Markwood, fell from the right field wall onto the field and was listed in critical condition.

Players from both teams could be seen kneeling down, while others put their hands on their heads in concern for the injured fan.

The fall is being treated as accidental, police previously said.

“As of this morning, Kavan is awake, alert, and able to speak,” wrote Jennifer Phillips, who identified herself as Brown’s mother.

“After everything he’s been through since the accident on Wednesday night, this progress feels nothing short of miraculous. He still has a long road ahead of him but today brought a moment of hope that we’ve all been holding onto.”

CNN has attempted to reach out to Brown and Phillips.

Markwood graduated from South Allegheny High School in 2022. The school, in a post sent to CNN, said he was the team MVP of the football team and earned first team All-Conference honors.

“Kavan is best known for his resilience, strength, and kindness. He is a friend to all – someone who lifts others up and faces challenges with courage and grace.”

Markwood played college football at Walsh University and Wheeling University.

“The Wheeling University Community is heartbroken to hear of the tragedy that occurred at PNC Park involving former Wheeling Football Player Kavan Markwood,” the school said in a statement Thursday. “Kavan is a valued member of our Cardinal family. He played on the Football team for the 2023 season after transferring from Walsh University. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kavan, his family, friends, and all his loved ones. The Cardinal family is praying for a full and speedy recovery.”

CNN
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Sovereignty won the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.

The 2025 edition of the longest continuously held major sporting event in the United States featured all of the pomp and pageantry that has become the hallmark of “The Run for the Roses.”

After a slate of preliminary races, American gymnast Simone Biles, an 11-time Olympic medalist, gave the “riders up” call for the jockeys to mount their rides in the paddock.

Moments later, the bugler sounded the call to the post and the horses began to enter the famed Churchill Downs Racetrack as the University of Louisville marching band and choir performed “My Old Kentucky Home.”

After a heavy dose of rain earlier in the day, the 19 horses took to the muddy track in front of 147,406 spectators under cool, overcast conditions.

When the starting gates opened, it was Citizen Bull and Neoequos taking the lead to set the pace early, while the eventual frontrunners found themselves stuck in traffic towards the rear of the pack.

Citizen Bull and Neoequos were joined by American Promise and East Avenue as the leaders raced four-wide down the back stretch.

As the horses raced around the final turn, Journalism and Sovereignty began to impose their wills on the rest of the field. The two horses ran neck-and-neck as they passed the rest of the pack on the outside.

The pair reached the final sixteenth of a mile running nose-to-nose before Sovereignty began to pull ahead, finishing a length and a half ahead of pre-race favorite Journalism.

Baeza, meanwhile, was able to follow the two leaders as they made their push to the front and surged to a third place finish, just a neck behind Journalism.

The three-year-old Sovereignty, trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Venezuelan jockey Junior Alvarado, entered the race as one of the favorites at 9-1 odds to win.

Alvarado, a first-time winner at the Derby, gave all the credit to Sovereignty.

“It was him, Soverignty, who got me all the way to the wire,” Alvarado told the NBC broadcast after the race. “It meant the world to me and my family here, I thought I had a great chance. … I was so confident all week. … It’s more than even a dream come true to have it done with (Mott).”

Mott was appreciative of the atmosphere at Churchill Downs, saying “it’ll take a while to sink in” after getting his second career Derby win.

“This one got there the right way,” Mott said. “He’s done well. He’s a great horse. He’s come from a great organization and I can’t say enough about the horse and the organization that started him out and did everything to make this happen.”

Bob Baffert, a six-time Kentucky Derby winner, made his return to Churchill Downs on Saturday after a three-year absence.

Until last year, the Hall of Famer was banned from running horses at the first leg of the triple crown after his horse Medina Spirit’s failed drug test in 2021.

However, his return wasn’t as successful as he would have hoped after his two horses failed to win.

Citizen Bull finished in 15th while Rodriguez had to withdraw earlier this week due to a bruised foot.

The next leg of horse racing’s triple crown will take place in two weeks at The Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland, followed by the final race on June 7 at the Belmont Stakes. The Belmont Stakes is being held in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the second consecutive year due to ongoing construction the race’s typical venue of Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNN’s Jacob Lev contributed to this report.

CNN
 — 

Ryan Garcia suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Rolando “Rolly” Romero on Friday night in Times Square, losing on points in his first fight since returning from a one-year doping ban.

Romero’s double left hook in the second round dropped Garcia, and while the 26-year-old got straight back to his feet, he struggled to find rhythm and his opponent was awarded a unanimous decision with scores of 115-112, 115-112 and 118-109.

“Just found myself very off after the year layoff. That whole year, it was a lot for me mentally,” said Garcia afterward.

“Just a lot of stuff I’ve got to figure out mentally, and then I’ll get back to it and you’ll see that aggression come out. I just didn’t have that tonight,” he added.

The bout came as part of the first boxing card ever held in Times Square, with Garcia arriving in a Batmobile and ring girls replaced by impersonators of the likes of Michael Jackson and Hulk Hogan.

The event, which was hosted by Saudi-backed Ring Magazine, was watched in person by about just 300 invited guests, including Mike Tyson and Roberto Durán, according to the BBC. Meanwhile, outside the makeshift arena, fans gathered to watch the bouts on big screens erected in Times Square.

Romero remained in control of the welterweight bout following his second-round hook, but it was a fight which lacked quality moments. The 490 combined punches thrown represents the third fewest in a 12-round fight since CompuBox started recording punches in 1985.

Garcia looked rusty in his first outing since he tested positive for the performance enhancing drug ostarine on the day before and day of his victory over Devin Haney in April 2024. The victory was later overturned into a no-contest while Garcia was suspended for a year by the New York State Athletic Commission.

At the time, Garcia denied the allegations, saying: “I’ve never taken a steroid. … I don’t even know where to get steroids at the end of the day … I barely take supplements.”

His loss to Romero on Friday, which leaves him on a record of 24-2 and one no-contest, has potentially dashed plans for a proposed rematch with Haney. Having achieved the biggest win of his career, it may be Romero – now 17-2 – who takes his place.

Haney had upheld his end of the bargain earlier on Friday, beating José Ramírez by unanimous decision.