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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Transgender ● The battle royal over transgender participation in women’s sports continues in California.
Last Tuesday, the Kern County Board of Education voted to not allow transgender girls to compete in the girls division of school meets. This followed parallel motions from the Redlands Unified School Board and the Chino Valley Unified School District in the spring.
The State of California, however, continues to follow AB1266 (now Education Code §221.5), passed in 2013, which allows participation in athletic teams by gender identity.
In view of the 5 February 2025 Executive Order signed by Pres. Donald Trump, the U.S. Justice Department has sued the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for Title IX violations. That process is ongoing.
● Athletics ● Reuters reported that some countries are having challenges meeting the World Athletics requirements that female athletes complete an SRY-gene test by 1 September, ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN).
Testing at the Canadian nationals by contractor Dynacare, using saliva, were invalid as the “test kits they provided were not of the required standard,” and blood samples were needed.
In France, the French federation was told that “such tests are prohibited under the French Bioethics Law enacted in 1994,” and is looking for testing for its athletes elsewhere.
USA Track & Field set up a testing service for athletes as its nationals in Eugene, Oregon.
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Fascinating information from superagent Paul Doyle in a Forbes’ story on athlete pay wait times from Diamond League meets. Of the nine meets held this year through 11 July, not including the Pre Classic, doping control clearance – which allows meet organizers to pay athletes – came in 17 days following the Monaco meet on 11 July, from 21-29 days for the meets in Europe and Africa in May and June and 31-39 days for the meets in Qatar and China in April and May.
● Gymnastics ● Good audience for the final night of the USA Gymnastics national championships from New Orleans, with the second women’s session drawing an average of 1.872 million viewers on NBC. This lags behind the 2.664 million which saw the 2023 Nationals (with Simone Biles), but was reportedly up on 2022, when Biles did not compete.
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The Russian Gymnastics Federation withdrew its appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport of the denials by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique of “neutral status” to eight gymnasts. According to the Russian news agency TASS:
“[T]he FIG refused to grant neutral status to some athletes from Russia due to the posting of a congratulatory message on social networks for Victory Day, the athletes’ participation in a gala concert for Defender of the Fatherland Day, during which the St. George ribbon was used and photographs were taken with children in military uniform.”
● Surfing ● The City of San Clemente, California, the nearest municipal jurisdiction to the 2028 Olympic venue at Lower Trestles, signaled its support for USA Surfing to be re-certified as the National Governing Body for surfing by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
A 5 August letter from the members of the City Council was sent to the USOPC and included:
“The City of San Clemente is not only the epicenter of surfing in the United States, but also the home of USA Surfing. As elected officials in San Clemente, we fully support the application of USA Surfing to be recertified as the National Governing Body. … Many Olympic and professional surfers call San Clemente home. Having a Governing Body that recognizes and understands the importance of surfing in San Clemente and is familiar with the community is crucial.”
A resolution supporting USA Surfing to be the recognized NGB will be on the Council agenda for Tuesday (19th), stating:
“The City Council of San Clemente, California respectfully requests consideration of the United States Olympic and Para-Olympic Committee to select USA Surfing as the Governing Body for the U.S. Olympic Surf Team. It is further requested that all provisions of the Ted Stevens Act be followed.”
USA Surfing is vying for recognition against U.S. Ski & Snowboard, whose chief executive is the former head of the World Surfing League. The Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act – at 36 U.S.C. §220522 (6) – requires that a National Governing Body must represent one sport only. The USOPC is expected to make a decision on the issue in September.
≡ RESULTS ≡
● World Games 2025: Chengdu ● The XII World Games in Chengdu (CHN) concluded on Sunday, with 83 countries winning medals across the 256 events. China led the medal table with 64 total (36-17-11), followed by Italy (57: 13-25-19) and Germany (45: 17-14-14). The U.S. stood sixth with 28 (11-10-7).
There were multiple sports which will have some events on the 2028 Olympic program:
● In Field Archery, Matteo Borsani (ITA) defeated Britain’s Patrick Huston in the men’s Recurve final, 61-58, while Denisa Barankova (SVK) took the women’s title, edging Chiara Rebagliati (ITA), 59-57. Mike Schloesser (NED) won the men’s Compound gold, 150-148, over American Curtis Broadnax. Mexico’s Andrea Becerra won the women’s Compound, 147-146, against Estonian Lisell Jaatma.
● In women’s Flag Football, lightning struck twice for Mexico, which came from behind to win its second straight World Games gold over the U.S., 26-21, on Sunday.
Both teams were 3-0 in group play, and the U.S. defeated Italy (33-12) and Austria (46-39) to reach the final again. Mexico stomped China, 40-9, then beat Canada, 25-13, in the semis.
Mexico had a 14-7 halftime lead in the final, then Deliah Autry rushed for a touchdown to tie, only to have Mexican quarterback Diana Flores find Monica Rangel for a score with 2:36 to go for a 20-14 lead, but the conversion was missed. The Americans got ahead, 21-20, with just 28 seconds left as U.S. quarterback Vanita Krouch tossed a touchdown to Madison Fulford and the conversion was good.
But Flores had some magic left and completed a touchdown on the final play to Victoria Chavez for the 26-21 lead; with the conversion missed, that was the final, echoing Mexico’s win in 2022, a 39-6 rout.
● The women’s Softball tournament had the expected U.S. vs. Japan clash, but it came in the semifinals, with the teams tied 4-4 after five innings, 5-5 after eight and then the U.S. coming from behind in the 10th with two runs to advance, 7-6.
Chinese Taipei won its semi against Canada and faced the Americans in the final, losing 5-0. The U.S. scored three in the second and two in the seventh, while UCLA’s Megan Faraimo pitched a three-hit shutout. Japan beat up on Canada, 11-1, in the bronze-medal game.
● The Sport Climbing speed events saw China’s Shou Hong Chu winning the men’s final over Olympic bronzer Sam Watson of the U.S., 4.80 to 4.96. The all-China women’s final had Li Juan Deng timed in 6.40, just 0.01 ahead of Yu Mei Qin.
The Ultimate Flying Disc final, always a popular event, had a Mixed Team tournament, with the U.S. defeating Canada, 13-12, in the final.
The 2029 World Games will be held in Karlsruhe (GER), which also hosted the III World Games in 1989 and will be the first two-time host of the event.
● Junior Pan American Games 2025: Asuncion ● The second Junior Pan American Games, being held in Asuncion (PAR), continues this week and will finish on the 23rd.
The U.S. has the sixth-largest team at 169 athletes – Mexico has the most at 285 – and through Sunday, Brazil is the medals leader at 118 (55-27-36), trailed by the U.S. at 68 (20-26-22) and Mexico at 65 (15-24-26).
● Archery ● The amazing Brady Ellison did it again, winning the men’s Recurve division at the USA Archery National Target Championships in Springfield, Missouri. In the 144-arrow nationals, he scored 1,364 points to lead Trenton Cowles (1,346) and Christian Stoddard (1,331); according to USA Archery, that’s his 17th win in the last 19 U.S. men’s nationals!
In Sunday’s U.S. Open elimination tournament, Ellison defeated Jacob Robinson in the final by 7-1 (25-24, 30-26, 26-26, 30-28); Tokyo Olympian Jack Williams took the bronze.
In the women’s nationals, Catalina GNoriega, 22, won the 144-arrow title at 1,307, just ahead of Olivia Martin (1,306) and defending champ Casey Kaufhold (1,303). GNoriega also won the U.S. Open women’s title, also by 7-1, over Alexandria Zuleta-Visser; Martin won the bronze.
In the Compound Division, Stephan Hansen won the men’s nationals, 1,428 to 1,426 over James Lutz and Alexis Ruiz won the women’s national title, 1,400 to 1,397, ahead of Liko Arreola. Hansen and Toja Ellison won the U.S. Open titles.
● Athletics ● At the NACAC Championships in Freeport (BAH), the most startling result was another super-fast men’s 800 m, with Penn State’s Handal Roban (VIN) edging Brandon Miller of the U.S. at the line, 1:42.87 (no. 14 in 2025!) to 1:43.15!
A large U.S. team came away with a batch of wins, including from Daniel Michalski in the men’s steeple, in 8:14.07 with national champ Kenneth Rooks third (8:26.52); Drew Hunter in the 5,000 m (14:38.85); CJ Allen in the 400 m hurdles (48.22); Tyus Wilson in the high jump (2.24 m/7-4 1/4); Josh Awotunde in the shot at 21.68 m (71-1 1/2); Daniel Haugh, who edged teammate Rudy Winkler in the men’s hammer, 77.08 m (252-10) to 76.87 m (252-2); Curtis Thompson in the javelin at 87.24 m (286-2) with teammate Dash Sirmon second at 77.04 m (252-9), and Austin West in the decathlon at 8,038.
In the women’s events, American winners included Nia Akins in the 800 m (1:59.75), Emily Mackay in the women’s 1,500 m (4:09.48) ahead of Danielle Jones (4:10.49); Krissy Gear in the steeple (9:35.27); Taylor Roe in the 10,000 m (32:19.84); Sanaa Barnes in the high jump at 1.91 m (6-3 1/4), with Vashti Cunningham second at the same height; Alyssa Jones in the long jump (6.74 m/22-1 1/2); Janee Kassanavoid in the hammer (74.31 m/243-9), and Evie Bliss in the javelin (58.62 m/192-4).
In a very good men’s discus, Jamaica’s 2019 Worlds runner-up Fedrick Dacres edged American Sam Mattis, 65.10 m (213-7) to 64.06 m (210-2).
A few events are still ongoing; this post will be updated as needed.
● Beach Volleyball ● At the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 in Montreal (CAN), Tokyo Olympic champs and Paris bronze winners Anders Mol and Christian Sorum (NOR) kept rolling, scoring their fourth medal (2-1-1) in five Elite 16 tournaments with a 21-19, 21-13 win over Swedes Jacob Holting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson.
Czech stars Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner, the 2023 World Champions, defeated Paris Olympic winners David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig (SWE), 14-21, 22-20, 20-18 for the bronze.
The women’s final had Paris Olympic runner-ups Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson (CAN) winning the first set, 21-15, then coming from way back to win the second set, 22-20, for a sweep of 2024 European champs Svenja Muller and Cinja Tillmann (GER)
Olympic champs Ana Patricia Ramos and Duda Lisboa (BRA) won the bronze medal with a 21-14, 21-16 win over Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova (LAT).
● Canoe-Kayak ● Stars Fernando Jorge and Ana Swetish dominated the ACA Sprint National Championships in Seattle, Washington, winning seven events each!
Jorge, 26, a three-time Olympian, won an Olympic gold for Cuba at Tokyo 2020 in the C-2 1,000 m and six World Championships medals from 2017-21. He left Cuba in 2022 and was a member of the Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024, now living in Florida.
In Seattle, he took wins in the men’s C-1 200 m, 500 m, 1,000 m and 5,000 m, and the C-2 200 m, 500 m and 1,000 m with Oreste Fransisco.
The men’s Kayak finals saw three wins for Walker Peck, in the K-1 5,000 m and the K-2 500 m (with Colin McMullen) and K-4 500 m. McMullen also got a second gold in the K-2 1,000 m with Karl Sorocco. Finn Connell won the K-1 500 m over Peck and also took the K-1 1,000 m for his two victories.
Swetish, 23, a star racer in the surfski category, dominated the Kayak finals, winning the K-1 500 m, 1,000 m and 5,000 m, and teamed with Abby Scoggins to win the K-2 200 m and K-2 500 m races. Swetish teamed with Paili Airth to win the K-2 5,000 m final as well, and was part of a K-4 500 m winner which also included Scoggins.
Scoggins won a fourth race – as did Peck – in the Mixed K-2 500 m final, and a fifth with Ellie Scoggins in the C-2 500 m.
Kenley Edwards was also a big winner, taking the women’s C-1 500 m and 1,000 m and teamed with Malia Terry-Voisard to win the C-2 200 m. Terry-Voisard also won the C-1 200 m.
● Cycling ● There was a major incident prior to the start of the three-stage UCI Women’s World Tour Tour de Romandie in Switzerland, which started on Friday. The UCI had mandated that one rider from each team entered in the race have installed on their bike a GPS tracking safety tracking system for testing purposes. Per the UCI in a Friday statement:
“The teams that have refused to participate in the GPS tracking technology test – and that are therefore excluded from the Tour de Romandie Féminin – are:
● Canyon//Sram zondacrypto
● EF Education – Oatly
● Lidl –Trek
● Team Picnic PostNL
● Team Visma | Lease a Bike.
“It should be noted that most of these teams are part of the Velon organisation which is the owner of its own data transmission system and is working on the development of its own GPS tracking system.”
The Canyon//Sram zondacripto team issued its own statement, confirming the competition with another system:
“Despite our cooperation and the existence of a proven and collaborative safety tracking system already tested successfully in other major races (fully operational for the whole peloton and offered to the UCI), the UCI has chosen to impose this measure without clear consent, threaten disqualification, and now exclude us from the race for not selecting a rider ourselves. The reason why they don’t want to nominate a rider themselves is still unknown and unanswered.”
Eleven teams remained in the race, with Spain’s Paula Blasi leading after the first-stage time trial, and then stage 2 runner-up Urska Zigart (SLO) taking the lead by eight seconds over stage winner – and home favorite – Elise Chabbey (SUI), going into Sunday’s hilly, 122.1 km third stage in and around Aigle.
The title fight came down to the end, with Hungary’s Blanka Vas winning the final stage in a sprint against Blasi and Chabbey, with all three given 3:11:35 as their time. Zigart was 10th (+0:11), so with a four-second time bonus for third, Chabbey ended up the overall winner in 6:53:02, just 0:07 up on Zigart and 20 seconds better than Yara Kastelijn (NED)
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Ireland’s Rory Townsend, 30, a two-time national road champ, got his first UCI World Tour victory with a late attack in the ADAC Cyclassics in Hamburg (GER), riding away over the hilly 207.4 km course in 4:24:06 to edge Arnaud De Lie (BEL) and Paul Magnier (FRA) as the first 36 riders were given the same time. He’s the first-ever Irish winner of this race, which dates back to 1996.
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