Home Blog Page 101

Sebastian Coe says track & field has to be radical to stay relevant; how about competent?

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, October 9, 2017 – Olympic middle-distance icon Sebastian Coe was elected to head the international federation for track & field in 2014. After three years of dealing with continuing scandals regarding doping and alleged criminal activity by his predecessor, he says he’s got the IAAF in position for potentially “radical” reforms.

Fine, but how about doing the things that successful professional leagues already do to make their sports worldwide juggernauts?

We have three suggestions in our Lane One commentary, plus coverage of a stunning World Gymnastics Championships and more:

= p. 6/Gymnastics: Stunner by U.S.’s Morgan Hurd to win the women’s All-Around!
= p. 9/Football: U.S. really needed a win vs. Panama and Christian Pulisic delivered;
= p. 11/Athletics: American stars Galen Rupp & Jordan Hasay superb at Chicago Marathon;
= p. 14/Football: U.S. stomps India in New Delhi to open FIFA men’s U-17 World Cup!
= p. 15/Judo: Sweet surprise bronze medal for U.S. judoka Hannah Martin in Tashkent!

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It Takes a Village if the IOC is going to reform the Games

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, October 6, 2017 – The head of the International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo is now pressuring the organizers and the government to cut their budgets.

Australian IOC member John Coates has said he would like to see the cost of the 2020 Games slashed by as much as $1 billion. He said this week that he’s now looking into ways to trim some costs from the Olympic village.

He’s talking pennies in a billion-dollar project. The solutions are obvious, but no one wants to face reality. We have the details in our Lane One commentary, plus coverage of the World Gymnastics Championships and more:

= p. 5/Gymnastics: China goes 1-2 in men’s World Champs All-Around;
= p. 8/Athletics: American stars Galen Rupp & Jordan Hasay in Chicago Marathon;
= p. 10/Football: U.S. starts play Friday in FIFA men’s U-17 World Cup in India.

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Will home cooking power a Korean medal parade next February?

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, October 4, 2017 – Traditionally, countries which host an Olympic Games can expect their athletes to win more medals at home than in Games held elsewhere.

So what can be expected from Korean athletes at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games to be held – probably – next February in PyeongChang?

We survey the data from the last 20 years to see what the impact has been of “home cooking” on Winter Games athletes from the hosting country. The finding are in our Lane One commentary, plus the low-down on a major surprise at the World Gymnastics Championships:

= p. 5/Gymnastics: Shock as World Champion Kohei Uchimura withdraws from Worlds!
= p. 8/Football: U.S. men desperate for a win vs. Panama in World Cup qualifier on Friday;
= p. 10/Short Track: Are Korea’s Lim and Choi just too good, or ready too soon?
= p. 12/Diving: U.S.’s Brooke Schultz wins two at Pan American Junior Champs;
= p. 14/Surfing: U.S. juniors win World Surfing Championships team title!

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It really doesn’t pay to be a gymnast

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, October 2, 2017 – The FIG World Championships in Artistic Gymnastics are set to start Monday evening in Montreal in the historic Stade Olympique in an event that will have cost millions of dollars to stage.

But the gymnasts competing won’t see much of it. The prize money offered by the International Gymnastics Federation is just embarrassingly low.

How low? Find out in our Lane One commentary, plus your weekend report on the Olympic sport weekend that was:

= p. 5/Rowing: New faces on the podium at successful World Rowing Champs in Sarasota!
= p. 8/Swimming: Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu wins six events at swimming’s World Cup no. 4;
= p. 10/Equestrian: U.S. grabs silver at the FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final in Barcelona;
= p. 12/Weightlifting: IWF suspends nine countries for year for 2008-12 Olympic doping!
= p. 15/Judo: Teddy Riner keeps winning, but new U.S. medalist in Zagreb World Cup!

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The “other” anthem protest: Wayne Collett, Vince Matthews and the 1972 Games

By
Rich Perelman
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Wayne Collett and Vince Matthews of the U.S. on the men's 400 m victory stand at the 1972 Olympic Games (Photo: Associated Press via Wikipedia)

PALM DESERT, September 29, 2017 – The current furor over sitting, standing, protesting and counter-protesting of the U.S. national anthem is old news for long-time observers of the Olympic Games.

While the 1968 victory stand demonstration by sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos is well remembered, a non-demonstration on the victory stand by 400 m medalists Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett four years later in Munich is mostly forgotten. But it shouldn’t be.

We have a first-hand account of the circumstances, the event and the aftermath from Collett himself as recalled in 1977 in our Lane One commentary, plus an up-to-date report on a busy weekend coming up in Olympic sports:

= p. 6/Rowing: What to look for in the finals of the World Rowing Champs in Sarasota!
= p. 10/Swimming: Record-setting Sarah Sjostrom back for swimming World Cup no. 4 in Hong Kong;
= p. 12/Equestrian: U.S. looks for a medal in the FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final in Barcelona;
= p. 14/Alpine Skiing: An injury and training update on the U.S.’s Alpine stars;
= p. 17/Judo: France’s Teddy Riner, winner of 134 straight matches, headlines the World Cup in Zagreb!

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Smorgasbord in the 21st Century: the Olympic Channel

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, September 25, 2017 – The International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Channel celebrated its first birthday last week. With more than $100 million invested this far, is it a success?

It’s kind of like a smorgasbord: a lot of choose from, but hard to say that it’s really memorable. We check on what’s good, what can be improved and how the project might really make an impact in our Lane One commentary, plus an up-to-date report on the weekend in Olympic sports:

= p. 6/Athletics: Kenyan star Eliud Kipchoge wins Berlin Marathon in a downpour!
= p. 7/Cycling: Chantal Blaak’s surprise win tops Dutch trifecta in World Road Champs;
= p. 11/Athletics: London 1,500 m champ Asli Cakir Alptekin banned for life for third doping offense;
= p. 12/Cycling: U.S. track cycling star & eight-time World Champ Sarah Hammer retires;
= p. 12/Gymnastics: U.S. women’s squad named for World Artistic Championships.

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Winter Games warm-up: Five names to know (Part 3)

By
Rich Perelman
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Erin Hamlin, triple World Championships medalist (Photo: Sandro Halank via Wikimedia Commons)

PALM DESERT, September 22, 2017 – There have been only two Winter Games in Asia, both in Japan: Sapporo in 1964 and Nagano in 1998.

Between the two, the United States won 21 medals, but thanks to the athletes we’ve been profiling over the last couple of weeks, Team USA stands to win a lot more in PyeongChang in February.

We take a look at five more American stars in Freestyle Skiing, Luge, Snowboarding and Speed Skating in our Lane One commentary, along with previews of this weekend’s top attractions in international sports:

= p. 7/Athletics: Another world record coming in Sunday’s Berlin Marathon?
= p. 8/Cycling: Going Dutch: Annemiek van Vleuten and Tom Dumoulin win Worlds Time Trials;
= p. 16/Football: Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan key U.S. win in friendly over New Zealand.

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EXTRA: Our updated, 728-event Olympic sport calendar for 2017-18

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, Sep. 20, 2017 – We’re working on a software upgrade, but we had enough time to update our massive calendar of international events. In fact, the International Olympic Committee lists 41 sports on the program of the Olympic Games and 15 more for the Olympic Winter Games.

So, how best to keep track? By using The Sports Examiner’s updated, 728-event roster of events for the remainder of 2017 and on into 2018!

Compiled from the official calendars of the international sports federations and U.S. national governing bodies, this list includes information available as of this week. There are many summer-sport events not yet listed, but for a comprehensive list of winter-sport events leading to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang (KOR), we have you covered.

You’ll find World Championships, regional championships (especially in the Americas), World Cups, Grand Prix and U.S. championship events in an easy-to-use, chronological format across 17 pages.

Additions and amendments are welcome, so don’t be shy with comments and questions and feel free to share this with others who can benefit from it. Special thanks to Garry Hill of Track & Field News and Fred Baer for pointing out where to find the IAAF Diamond League schedule for 2018!

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Los Angeles has the 2028 Olympic Games, so what’s next? Hibernation?

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, September 18, 2017 – As the parties and parades pass on and the recognition that Los Angeles will organize an Olympic Games 11 years into the future sets in, the question is well asked: What now?

What should the start-up organizing committee in Los Angeles be doing? Hibernate?

It’s instructive to look at how the prior L.A. organizers in 1932 and 1984 handled the start-up period. In fact, the 1932 Games were awarded nine years prior, so what did they do?

We have the answers in our Lane One commentary, along with highlights of an interesting weekend in international sports:

= p. 7/Triathlon: Flora Duffy completes dream season with second World Series title!
= p. 11/Cycling: Do you know who Hannah Roberts is? BMX Freestyle fans know …
= p. 12/Figure Skating: Nathan Chen sharp in season debut in U.S. International Classic;
= p. 13/Football: Julie Ertz keys U.S. women’s win in friendly over New Zealand;
= p. 15/Volleyball: Brazil wins, as U.S. men are fourth in Grand Champions Cup.

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Winter Games warm-up: Five names to know (Part II)

By
Rich Perelman
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Will American biathlete Lowell Bailey (center) be partying in PyeongChang like it's 2017?

PALM DESERT, September 15, 2017 – For decades, the U.S. showed only a middling interest in the Olympic Winter Games. And then the Games came to Salt Lake City in 2002.

The U.S. national governing bodies revved up like never before and American athletes won an unheard-of 34 medals. There has been very little fall-off since, and a powerful team is expected for PyeongChang next February.

We continue with a look at some of the people you’ll be hearing about, ready to make history in Biathlon, Cross-Country Skiing, Bobsled, Snowboarding and Figure Skating. Some you have heard of, but some, probably not. And there is more:

= p. 7/Anti-Doping: 17 organizations demand Russia be banned from PyeongChang!
= p. 9/Diving: U.S. Platform diving star David Boudia to continue on for 2020;
= p. 9/Gymnastics: Riley McCusker out of World Champs training camp due to injury;
= p. 10/Athletics: Multi-eventers in Talence, France for annual Decastar meeting;
= p. 12/Volleyball: U.S. comes from ahead to lose to Iran in Grand Champions Cup.

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Can the IOC learn from shows like “Lets’s Make A Deal” and “The Match Game”?

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, September 13, 2017 – The International Olympic Committee’s annual meeting is underway in Peru and along with handing the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games to Paris and Los Angeles, the members are considering how to further change the Games bid process for the future.

IOC chief Thomas Bach has already said the current system “produces too many losers.” Perhaps a lesson from a classic game show like “Let’s Make a Deal” or “The Match Game” might help: no one goes home empty-handed!

And there are lots of events besides the Olympic Games which could be of interest to cities which show some interest in bidding.

Check our list to see if you recognize all or any of them in our Lane One commentary, plus a look ahead to the weekend with big events coming in cycling, triathlon, volleyball and more:

= p. 5/Cycling: Britain’s Chris Froome declares his intentions for the World Championships!
= p. 6/Triathlon: Flora Duffy looking for second straight world title, in Rotterdam;
= p. 7/Volleyball: U.S. men start 1-0 in Grand Champions Cup in Japan;
= p. 8/Cycling: BMX Freestyle Park World Cup comes to Edmonton;
= p. 10/Football: U.S. women in two-game friendly series vs. New Zealand.

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Winter Games warm-up: Five names to know (Part I)

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympic Winter Games snowboard halfpipe favorite Chloe Kim of the U.S.

PALM DESERT, September 11, 2017 – We’re barely finished with summer and it’s less than five months from the start of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

So, to get you ready for the Games, let’s introduce some of the U.S. stars who will be relentlessly promoted on NBC and elsewhere to get you interested in watching. Today’s first installment includes medal contenders in Alpine Skiing, Snowboard, Figure Skating and Speed Skating. Can you guess who they are?

And we had a wild weekend of Olympic sport competitions, with great U.S. performances on four continents, including two medals in snowboarding! Yes, snowboarding in September! Highlights:

= p. 6/Tennis: Next generation of American women break through at U.S. Open!
= p. 7/Cycling: Historic win by Britain’s Chris Froome in Vuelta a Espana;
= p. 10/Shooting: U.S. on target with 12 medals in World Shotgun Championships!
= p. 12/Athletics: Nick Willis & Jenny Simpson win Fifth Avenue Miles, again;
= p. 20/Snowboard: Chloe Kim & Lindsey Jacobellis get World Cup wins down South!

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The ticking time bomb of Olympic bids, bribery and doping cover-ups

By
Rich Perelman
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Lamine Diack (SEN), former IAAF president and IOC member, whose trial on corruption charges in France has begun

PALM DESERT, September 8, 2017 – High school civics classes emphasize the difference that each of us can make in our surroundings and to the people around us. One person can make a difference.

For example, consider what French prosecutors are saying about 84-year-old Lamine Diack of Senegal, alleging in detail that he set up a multi-million-dollar corruption ring inside the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) during his 16-year term as president, as well as trying to influence the election of host cities for the Olympic Games.

It’s a complicated story that is hardly over, so we’ve tried to outline what prosecutors say actually happened in our Lane One commentary, plus all that’s going on in the Olympic world:

= p. 6/Athletics: Former World Champion David Oliver retires; heads into coaching;
= p. 7/Weightlifting: IWF appoints commission to recommend how to clean up doping;
= p. 8/Athletics: Jenny Simpson trying to win fifth Fifth Avenue Miles in a row!
= p. 9/Cycling: van der Breggen & van Vleuten fight for World Tour title in Madrid;
= p. 9/Cycling: World Mountain Bike Championships this weekend in Australia.

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Thinking the unthinkable: What if the 2018 Winter Games could not be held?

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, September 6, 2017 – The Korean peninsula has seen more than its share of tragedy and war. Now, with the Olympic Winter Games coming to PyeongChang, what happens if the unthinkable happens and conflict breaks out again?

Or if the security risks to athletes and teams is so great that countries decide not to participate? What happens then?

Unfortunately, this has happened before. We review the history, and the options for the International Olympic Committee in our Lane One commentary, plus all that’s going on in the Olympic world:

= p. 5/Football: Bobby Wood saves the U.S. in the World Cup Qualifier in Honduras;
= p. 6/Athletics: The biggest winner in the IAAF Diamond League won $134,000!
= p. 7/Basketball: Jeff van Gundy on the AmeriCup champion U.S.: “mentally strong”
= p. 10/Karate: U.S.’s Tom Scott ranked no. 1 heading into Premier League final!
= p. 11/Cycling: Chris Froome nearly doubles his lead in Vuelta a Espana.

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Television: the glue that holds the Olympic Games together

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, September 4, 2017 – There was no such thing as television when the Olympic Games were revived in 1896. Radio networks didn’t spring up until the 1920s.

But it is television which has made the Olympic Movement a relevant part of worldwide society today and will continue to extend the audience for the Games in new devices and transmission methods into the future.

We note some of the turning points in television’s history with the Games and its direct impact on several of the sports we now see as they happen in our Lane One commentary, plus an enormous week of world championships action:

= p. 5/Archery: U.S. men win three medals in World Cup Final in Rome;
= p. 6/Athletics: The future: Noah Lyles wins tight 200 m in Diamond League Final!
= p. 9/Basketball: U.S. men, down by 20 in the second half, come back to win AmeriCup!
= p. 10/Boxing: Turnaround: U.S. wins first men’s World Champs medals in six years!
= p. 15/Football: After Costa Rica flop, U.S. heads to Honduras in World Cup chase;
= p. 16/Gymnastics: Russia’s Averinas win all five events at World Rhythmic Champs.

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Six dates that will shape Olympic sport over the next six months

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, September 1, 2017 – Now that the swimming and track & field world championships are over, time to relax until the Winter Olympics, right?

Wrong.

Six key dates that will shape the direction of Olympic sports are coming up in the next six months … and we have the list in our Lane One commentary. Could one sport that has been on the Olympic program for 97 years be on the chopping block?

That story, plus this week’s upcoming action and results:

= p. 6/Archery: U.S.’s Brady Ellison in Rome to defend his World Cup Final title;
= p. 8/Football: This is serious: U.S. vs. Costa Rica in key World Cup qualifier;
= p.13/Athletics: U.S. shot putter Darrell Hill stuns with win in Diamond League final!
= p. 14/Basketball: Undefeated U.S. men win group and head to semis in AmeriCup 2017;
= p. 18/Gymnastics: Russia’s Averina twins dominating World Rhythmic Champs.

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Study says 44% of IAAF World Champs athletes doped in 2011, and now?

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, August 30, 2017 – The World Anti-Doping Agency released its annual report for 2016 last week and said it had “turned the corner” against doping.

Let’s hope so, since a report it funded in 2011 and released on Tuesday indicated that nearly half of all athletes at that year’s IAAF World Championships had knowingly violated the anti-doping rules.

So what should we believe? The details and some perspective in our Lane One commentary, plus this week’s action and results:

= p. 5/Athletics: What to watch for in Friday’s Diamond League finale in Brussels;
= p. 7/Gymnastics: Russia’s Averina twins ready to dominate World Rhythmic Champs;
= p. 9/Basketball: U.S. toughs out tight win at Uruguay to go to 2-0 in AmeriCup 2017;
= p. 12/Judo: Japan sweeps first four weight classes in World Championships!
= p. 15/Swimming: U.S. leads the medal parade at the World Junior Champs in Indy.

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TSX Weekend Fab Five: Amazing American wrestling

By
Rich Perelman
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The Sports Examiner’s best Olympic-sport performances of the weekend includes spectacular performances by U.S. wrestlers at the World Championships in Paris, where the American men’s Freestyle team partied like it was 1995!

=> No. 5: Nino Schurter

Never heard of him? He’s Switzerland’s Olympic champion in Mountain Bike Cross Country and just completed a perfect season – six wins in six races – in the Mountain Bike World Cup with a huge win at the finale in Val di Sole, Italy.

=> No. 4: Flora Duffy

Bermuda’s reigning World Champion just won her fifth race of the 2017 Triathlon World Series, something that only Olympic champ Gwen Jorgensen (USA) has done before. Duffy came back from injury to be in position to win the World Series title for the second year in a row.

=> No. 3: Phil Dalhausser & Nick Lucena

Who says 37 is old in sports? This American pair – both 37 – just won the FIVB World Tour Finals in Hamburg (GER), overcoming the Brazil’s 20-somethings World Champion pair in straight sets. Tweeted Dalhausser after the victory: “Winner winner chicken dinner!!!”

=> No. 2: Helen Maroulis

The best wrestler in the world: not just World Champion in 2017, but who went through the tournament undefeated … and unscored upon! The final count: Maroulis (USA) 52, opponents 0! More on her here.

=> No. 1: The U.S. men’s Freestyle Wrestling team

It had been 22 years since the U.S. men had won the World team title, and it came down to the final match of the tournament, pitting American World and Olympic champ Kyle Snyder against a two-time Russian World Champion for the individual title at 97 kg and the global team title. It was a match for the ages and we have all the details in Monday’s issue of The Sports Examiner!

U.S. men win first world Freestyle wrestling team title in 22 years!

By
Rich Perelman
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A happy U.S. men's Freestyle wrestling squad: 2017 World Champions! (Photo courtesy Larry Slater)

PALM DESERT, August 28, 2017 – For fans of Team USA, here was the scenario. If reigning World and Olympic champ Kyle Snyder could beat Russia’s two-time World champ, Abdulrashid Sadulaev, the U.S. would win the World Freestyle team title for the first time in 22 years … by a point over Russia.

The match was a thriller – and we have all the details – but Snyder did win and the U.S. celebrated like it was 1995!

It capped a big week for USA Wrestling, but that was only the beginning of a heavy weekend of international sports action:

= p. 3/Lane One: Where does America’s amazing sports talent come from?
= p. 10/Judo: World Championships start Monday; our class-by-class preview;
= p. 13/Athletics: World 600 m best from Caster Semenya at ISTAF in Berlin;
= p. 17/Beach Volley: Greybeards Phil Dalhausser & Nick Lucena win World Tour Final!
= p. 30/Triathlon: Flora Duffy makes history with a World Series win in Stockholm!

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The world’s best wrestler: Undefeated, Unscored on and World Champion: Helen Maroulis!

By
Rich Perelman
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World Champion Helen Maroulis (USA) Photo courtesy Tony Rotundo of WrestlersAreWarriors.com

PALM DESERT, August 25, 2017 – How do you define greatness?

Surely, American wrestling star Helen Maroulis fits the bill no matter what criteria you use. She won her third global title in three years at the wrestling World Championships in Paris on Wednesday. She not only went undefeated, she was unscored on in five matches!

More of the details of this astonishing performer and a preview of the men’s Freestyle events in our Friday edition, plus:

= p. 3/Lane One: Africa wants the IAAF World Championships? Why?
= p. 13/Athletics: Mo Farah learns a lesson and wins the Diamond League 5,000 m!
= p. 16/Boxing: Troubled AIBA hosts men’s World Championships in Hamburg;
= p. 17/Basketball: U.S. team of G-leaguers in FIBA AmeriCup 2017 in Uruguay;
= p. 20/Triathlon: Mario Mola and Flora Duffy try to protect season leads in Stockholm.

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Case study: How IOC President Juan Samaranch outlasted North Korea

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, August 23, 2017 – The 2018 Olympic Winter Games will be held in PyeongChang, South Korea next February. You probably know that already.

But it would not have happened if the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul had not been such a success, attracting 159 nations to compete there – an all-time record – even including countries which did not have diplomatic relations with the host country.

How? Much of the credit has to go to IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, who launched a noteworthy diplomatic offensive, recounted by IOC member Dick Pound in a 1994 book. We take a quick tour of the situation and the solution as recounted by Pound in our Lane One commentary, plus:

= p. 6/Wrestling: U.S. shut out of Worlds Greco-Roman medals, but the women start today!
= p. 12/Headlines: Badminton, Canoe-Kayak and Modern Pentathlon Worlds all starting;
= p. 19/Athletics: $1.2 million Diamond League Final – Part 1 – in Zurich Thursday!
= p. 22/Beach Volleyball: World Tour final – with four U.S. pairs – starts in Hamburg!
= p. 25/Volleyball: U.S. men’s U-19 and women’s U-18 squads in World playoffs!

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How Usain Bolt lost the last race of his career

By
Rich Perelman
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PALM DESERT, August 21, 2017 – There’s an old adage that it’s not how you start, but how you finish.

Don’t try telling that to Jamaica’s Usain Bolt after his loss in the 100 meters at the recent IAAF World Championships. A special university biomechanical project broke down the race in astonishing detail, even down to split times every 10 meters!

Who was the fastest of all during the race? Who kept their speed up and who slowed down? We have the data in our Lane One commentary, plus:

= p. 6/Gymnastics: Ragan Smith and Yul Moldauer crowned national champions!
= p. 8/Wrestling: Previews of the Greco-Roman World Champs starting in Paris today;
= p. 13/Athletics: How about a world-leading 7-10 1/2 for Mutaz Essa Barshim!
= p. 18/Cycling: Megan Guarnier of U.S. falls just short in Ladies Tour of Norway.

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The life of a 24-year-old Shooting star: Lexi Lagan

By
Rich Perelman
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New U.S. 25 m Pistol Olympian Lexi Lagan

PALM DESERT, August 18, 2017 – The United States national champion in the women’s Sport Pistol event is Lexi Lagan. Her win at the U.S. Nationals in Ft. Benning, Georgia changed her life, as she now pursues her goal of Olympic glory.

What she did, and how hard it is are explained, as well as her goals, in our Lane One commentary, plus:

= p. 5/Vox Populi: There’s one athlete group that doesn’t care about the IAAF Worlds;
= p. 6/Wrestling: First steps taken toward an NCAA championship in women’s wrestling;
= p. 7/Athletics: Diamond League resumes with Mo Farah’s last track race in Britain;
= p. 9/Cycling: Britain’s Chris Froome out for historic double in La Vuelta;
= p. 12/Cycling: Jennifer Valente scores three U.S. national track cycling titles.

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Are World Championships as important as the Olympic Games?

By
Rich Perelman
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World Champions: The U.S. women's 4x400 m team: Allyson Felix, Phyllis Francis, Shakima Wimbley, Quanera Hayes (Photo: USATF)

PALM DESERT, August 16, 2017 – The IAAF’s great World Championships in London was one of the sports highlights of 2017, but how do the athletes who competed feel about the Worlds vis-a-vis the Olympics?

We asked some of the top U.S. athletes about it and have their views in our Lane One commentary, plus:

= p. 5/Jim Bush: Celebration of the life of the late UCLA coach coming this Saturday;
= p. 6/Gymnastics: New talent to be showcased at P&G Nationals in Anaheim;
= p. 8/Athletics: How did U.S. athletes do better in London than in Sacramento?
= p. 10/Swimming: Who were the big money-winners in the first World Cup cluster?
= p. 14/Golf: U.S. men and Korean women are the Majors’ “medalists” so far.

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TSX Weekend Fab Five: Three weeks of World Championships drama

By
Rich Perelman
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The Sports Examiner’s best Olympic-sport performances of the weekend includes a look back at the astonishing World Championships in track & field in London and what American athletes accomplished over the past three weeks in the prime Olympic sports of swimming and track:

=> No. 5: Mo Farah and Usain Bolt

These two track & field icons finished their World Championships careers last Saturday, although Farah will continue as a road racer. Neither ended the way they wanted to, but that does not diminish their great achievements and the memories that they left behind. More on their final races at the World Championships, click here.

=> No. 4: Sarah Sjostrom

Hungary’s amazing Olympic champion Katinka Hosszu has won the swimming World Cup for five straight years. She’d also won 12 straight “cluster” awards for the top swimmer in each three-meet group. But it was the Swedish star Sjostrom who ended the streak with two world records in Eindhoven … and collected $74,000 for her efforts!

=> No. 3: Allyson Felix

Now 31, Felix won two golds and a bronze at the World Championships and now holds the record – by herself – for the most career Worlds medals. Amazing … and she’s not done!

=> No. 2: U.S. swimmers & track & field athletes

Usually, there’s a drop-off after an Olympic year in performance and interest among American athletes. Not in 2017, as the stunning results of the swimming and track World Championships showed: 68 medals over the past three weeks. Wow!

=> No. 1: Emma Coburn & Courtney Frerichs

At best, Coburn and Frerichs figured to be about fifth and eighth in the women’s 3,000 m Steeplechase at the track & field World Championships. Instead, Coburn and her coach/fiancee worked out a brilliant plan and Frerichs stuck close to engineer one of the great upset performances in the history of sport. For the details, click here.

Want to know more? Check out all of the highlights in the only all-in-one briefing on Olympic sports anywhere: The Sports Examiner!

=> For today’s issue, click here
=> For subscriptions, click here
=> Follow us on Twitter here

Three weeks, two World Championships, 68 U.S. medals!

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, August 14, 2017 – Although you wouldn’t even know about them if you were reading U.S. newspapers or watching SportsCenter on ESPN, United States athletes just completed three dominating weeks in the pool and on the track.

Between the swimming portion of the FINA Worlds in Budapest and the IAAF Worlds in London, American stars won a dazzling 68 medals.

How does that compare to Rio? To what other countries did? How do U.S. athletes pull this off? We don’t have the answer to that last question, but the rest of the details are in our Lane One commentary, plus:

= p. 5/Vox Populi: More on eSports, the Olympic Games and the IAAF;
= p. 6/Athletics: U.S. wins gold, silver and bronze to close out the World Champs;
= p. 9/Athletics: Who won what: medals, money, records and results!
= p. 18/Diving: Teenagers dominate U.S. Diving National Championships;
= p. 21/Swimming: Sarah Sjostrom wins $74,000 on one meet in Eindhoven!

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EXTRA/Four more U.S. medals, but no fairy-tale farewells for Farah & Bolt

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, August 13, 2017 – Sure, the United States women’s 4×100 m relay team won gold at the IAAF World Championships, but the day featured two great champions who did not fulfill the hopes of their fans.

Mo Farah finished second in the 5,000 m, with American Paul Chelimo winning the bronze, and Usain Bolt – in his final race – pulled up on the anchor of the men’s relay as Great Britain beat the U.S. at the tape.

Allyson Felix set a career record with another World Championships medal and the U.S. is approaching the all-time Worlds medal record, with one day remaining. All the details, previews of Sunday’s finals and much more in this EXTRA edition of The Sports Examiner.

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EXTRA/Not fake news: Coburn & Frerichs 1-2 in Steeple!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Truth is always stranger than fiction: Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs win Worlds Steeplechase gold and silver (Photo: USATF)

PALM DESERT, August 12, 2017 – Two Americans expected to finish about fifth and eighth instead stunned the track & field world, as Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs won the gold and silver medals in the women’s 3,000 m Steeplechase at the IAAF World Championships in London.

How crazy was this? Coburn and Frerichs placed 4-5 behind three of the competitors in Friday’s Steeple final at the Prefontaine Classic back in May. But this was different and the first World Championships medals ever won by U.S. women in this event.

How did it happen? We have all the details, plus the NBC/NBCSN/NBC Olympic Channel television schedule, a preview of Saturday’s seven finals – and Usain Bolt’s last race, in the 4×100 m – and much more in this EXTRA edition of The Sports Examiner.

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The antidote to eSports: Real sports, and how the IAAF can lead the revolution

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, August 11, 2017 – The Olympic world is in a dither as the prospective chief executive of the Paris 2024 organizing committee tells the Associated Press he wants to talk about having eSports as part of the 2024 Games.

Are you kidding?

How about promoting real sport, real fitness and a lifetime plan of walking, running or both … and the IAAF could be the organization to do it with a new World Road Race Championships that includes both elite athletes and events for public participation!

Impossible? The details are in our Lane One commentary, plus much more from the IAAF World Championships in London and much more:

= p. 5/Vox Populi: How about some recognition for Jenny Simpson?
= p. 6/Athletics: Kori Carter and Christian Taylor mine U.S. gold in London;
= p. 9/Athletics: Previews of Friday’s four Championship finals;
= p. 17/Swimming: Can Sarah Sjostrom end a four-year streak by the Iron Lady?
= p. 19/Hockey: U.S. women in semis, U.S. men play for bronze in Pan Am Cup.

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EXTRA/Phyllis Francis’ 400 m win even shocked her!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Phyllis Francis wins the 400 meters, with Allyson Felix (center) third and Salwa Eid Naser second (Photo: USATF)

PALM DESERT, August 10, 2017 – A crazy day of track & field, held in a heavy rain in London, ended with surprise finishes in the women’s 400 m and men’s 400 m hurdles.

In both cases, the Olympic champions from Rio went down to defeat, including a shocking finish to the women’s 400 that saw a stunned Phyllis Francis of the U.S. win her first individual world title.

We have all the details, plus the NBC/NBCSN/NBC Olympic Channel television schedule, a preview of Thursday’s finals – including a possible U.S. sweep – and much more in this EXTRA edition of The Sports Examiner.

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On your marks, set, shoot! Is the IAAF pointing a gun at its own head?

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, August 9, 2017 – The International Association of Athletics Federations is enjoying a banner World Championships in London, but there is trouble ahead.

Doping scandals, investigations of its past president, a worrysome 2019 championships venue and much more. Now the whisper is that the IAAF wants to change its name, if as they will help its problems go away.

We have all the details, and the core issue the IAAF must address in our Lane One commentary, plus much more from London and beyond:

= p. 5/Vox Populi: Comments on our Lane One story saluting Justin Gatlin;
= p. 6/Athletics: U.S.’s Sam Kendricks soars 19-6 1/4 for pole vault gold;
= p. 9/Athletics: Previews of Wednesday’s three finals in London;
= p. 20/Swimming: The Iron Lady strikes: 4 wins & a world record in Berlin!
= p. 22/Wrestling: U.S men’s junior Freestylers win World Junior Championships.

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EXTRA/Jenny Simpson’s sprint claims World Champs silver

By
Rich Perelman
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Think Jenny Simpson is thrilled with her silver medal at the IAAF World Championships? (Photo: USATF)

PALM DESERT, August 8, 2017 – The field for the women’s 1,500 m final at the IAAF World Championships was one of the greatest ever. The world-record holder, two Olympic champions, two World Champions and the 2017 world leader were all on the start line.

One of those past World Champions was American Jenny Simpson, whose reputation for tactical excellence was won in races like this.

And she did it again. Find out how she somehow claimed a sensational silver medal in this EXTRA edition of The Sports Examiner, plus previews of Tuesday’s finals and the week-long World Championships television schedule on NBC, NBCSN and the NBC Olympic Channel.

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Amid the jeers, cheers for Justin Gatlin

By
Rich Perelman
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Justin Gatlin (Photo: Augustas Didzgalvis via Wikimedia Commons)

PALM DESERT, August 7, 2017 – Lustily booed by the capacity crowds in London’s Olympic Stadium and then stunning the world by winning the men’s 100 m World Championship over countryman Christian Coleman and Jamaican icon Usain Bolt, American sprint star Justin Gatlin is being derided as a “disaster” for the sport of track & field.

Far from it: he should be celebrated, for his resilience, perseverance and grace. We have all the details in our Lane One commentary, plus much more from London and beyond:

= p. 5/Athletics: A four-medal day for the U.S. and history by Tori Bowie & Amy Cragg;
= p. 13/Archery: Ninth national title for shooting star Brady Ellison!
= p. 14/Beach Volleyball: Silver medals for the U.S.’s April Ross & Lauren Fendrick!
= p. 18/Swimming: Sarah Sjostrom on a roll with two more wins in Berlin World Cup;
= p. 19/Triathlon: Winning streaks end for Mario Mola & Flora Duffy in Montreal World Series.

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EXTRA/Gatlin guns down Coleman & Bolt from lane eight!

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, August 6, 2017 – The thrilling semifinal showdown that saw American Christian Coleman edge Jamaica’s Usain Bolt put the focus on those two in Saturday’s men’s 100 m final at the IAAF World Championships.

And then Justin Gatlin – booed before each of his races in London – stole the race from lane eight and won his second World Championships, some 12 years after his first.

How? We have a full analysis and much more in this EXTRA edition of The Sports Examiner, plus:

= p. 1/How Gatlin made history in the men’s 100 m on Saturday;
= p. 7/Who to look for in Sunday’s six finals, including the morning marathons;
= p. 6/U.S. television schedule for the Championships.

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EXTRA/Farah’s fitness wins 10,000 m; what about Bolt?

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, August 5, 2017 – The IAAF World Championships got underway with a brilliant men’s 10,000 m final and the third straight world title for British distance icon Mo Farah.

It wasn’t easy, but he did it in the greatest 10,000 m in World Championships history. All the details in this EXTRA edition of The Sports Examiner, plus:

= p. 2/Reviews of Friday’s qualifying events;
= p. 4/Previews of Saturday’s four finals, including Usain Bolt in the 100 m;
= p. 3/U.S. television schedule for the Championships.

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Did Los Angeles get a good deal for 2028, or just a deal?

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, August 4, 2017 – First the announcement and the excitement. Now comes the careful review.

The International Olympic Committee has made public the “Host City Contract Principles” for the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad in 2028, so we examined it in detail to determine whether the Los Angeles bid committee got a good deal … or just a deal to host the Games in 11 years’ time.

The answer? Find out in our Lane One commentary, plus the start of the IAAF World Championships:

= p. 6/Athletics: British idol Mo Farah defends his 10,000 m title in London;
= p. 12/Triathlon: Will Mario Mola and Flora Duffy make more history in Montreal?
= p. 13/Beach Volleyball: Three U.S. teams left in Beach World Championships;
= p. 14/Football: Australia wins Tournament of Nations, with U.S. second;
= p. 15/Swimming: Sjostrom sets two world records in first World Cup meet!

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A third Los Angeles Games in 2028 ends a 32-year quest for the faithful

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, August 2, 2017 – When the news flash came across on Monday that an agreement had been made to award the 2028 Olympic Games to Los Angeles, quiet smiles broke out on the faces of a group of people who have never been associated with the LA2024 Bid Committee.

But they knew all about bidding for the Games, because they were part of an organization that had been bidding almost continuously over the last 73 years to bring the event back to Los Angeles, had succeeded in 1984, and were determined to succeed again.

What organization? Who has been bidding for 73 years, and for the last 32 since the 1984 Games? Find out in our Lane One commentary, plus money matters in swimming and look ahead to this week’s mega-championship:

= p. 6/Athletics: A look ahead to the IAAF World Champs starting Friday in London;
= p. 11/Swimming: A Swede and a Brit scored the biggest paydays at the FINA Worlds!
= p. 13/Cycling: USA Cycling Track Nationals underway in California;
= p. 14/Football: U.S. women in final Tournament of Nations match vs. Japan;
= p. 14/Swimming: FINA goes from great World Champs to silly World Cup series.

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TSX Weekend Fab Five: Comebacks, history and total U.S. domination

By
Rich Perelman
-

The Sports Examiner’s best Olympic-sport performances of the weekend … includes a miracle comeback from the U.S. women’s national soccer team and historic performances from American riders, international triathletes and those incredible American swimmers.

=> No. 5: U.S. women get off the mat for 4-3 win over Brazil

This has been an uneven year for the no. 1-ranked American women’s soccer team. There’s nothing really to play for until the Women’s World Cup in 2019, but even in a made-up event called the Tournament of Nations, the U.S. looked lost with a 1-0 loss to Australia and down 3-1 to Brazil in San Diego. Then came nine magical minutes and a 4-3 win! See today’s issue for the details!

Embed from Getty Images

=> No. 4: Alise Post and Corben Sharrah

Don’t recognize the names? You should: they’re the World Champions in BMX, after winning this past weekend’s Elite divisions at the UCI Worlds held in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Both had a tough ride against veteran opposition; the story on page 15 of today’s issue.

=> No. 3: Mario Mola and Flora Duffy

Both are the reigning World Series champions from 2016, but the Spaniard Mola and Bermuda’s Duffy won their fourth World Series race in a row in Edmonton. That’s never been done before on the men’s side and Duffy is now tied with the great Gwen Jorgensen of the U.S. among women. History!

=> No. 2: Caeleb Dressel

He won a gold medal in Rio at age 19 as the “unknown” member of the men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay, but he came into his own in 2017 with SEVEN gold medals at the World Championships, winning three individual events and four relays. Can he equal Michael Phelps’ record of eight golds in a single Games in Tokyo? Check out our Lane One commentary for the outlook …

Embed from Getty Images

=> No. 1: United States swim team

For the second week in a row, who else can it be but the American swim squad? This team didn’t just dominate the World Championships – as it did the Rio Olympics last year – but set an all-time record of 38 medals – across 42 events – won in a single Worlds. Wow!

Swimming’s new dilemma: What if you have two Michael Phelps?

By
Rich Perelman
-
Why shouldn't these American swimmers smile? Their team won the most medals in the history of the FINA World Championships!

PALM DESERT, July 31, 2017 – A marvelous World Championships in the aquatic sports closed on Sunday with a historic performance by the United States swim team, which won more medals – 38 – than any team in history.

The next World Championships isn’t until 2019, but FINA and the Olympic organizers in Tokyo for 2020 will starting thinking quite soon about the Games swimming schedule. Will it allow American stars Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky to potentially pursue “unreachable” medal goals held by Olympic stars Michael Phelps and East Germany’s Kristin Otto?

We consider the possibilities for history – based on what we saw from Budapest – and the politics in our Lane One commentary, plus a wrap-up of the World Championships and much more:

= p. 5/Swimming: Recap of the Worlds’ final, frantic day and how the U.S. made history;
= p. 9/Water Polo: Undefeated U.S. women earn gold and extend an amazing win streak;
= p. 15/Cycling: U.S. stars Alise Post & Corbin Sharrah win BMX world titles!
= p. 17/Football: Wild comeback for U.S. women vs. Brazil: 3 goals in 9 minutes!
= p. 23/Triathlon: Mario Mola & Flora Duffy make history at Edmonton Sprint!

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EXTRA/FINA World Champs Day 8: Will the U.S. set a medals record?

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, July 30, 2017 – After the U.S. Nationals, it was clear that the U.S. would send a formidable swim team to the World Championships in Budapest. But a team that would win the most medals in the history of the event?

After a brilliant, six-medal performance on Saturday, it’s possible, as the U.S. has 31 medals through the first seven days of the swimming. The record is 36 in a single Worlds, set by the U.S. back in 2007, and the American squad could have as many as 11 finalists in Sunday’s final day of competition. Wow!

In this EXTRA edition, we have your full guide to the final day:

= Previews of all eight of Sunday’s swimming finals;
= Saturday’s highlights, and how much history Caeleb Dressel made in 106 minutes;
= Comprehensive review of the records and results from Budapest this week!

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EXTRA/FINA World Champs day 7: 3 Caeleb Dressel golds in 98 minutes?

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, July 29, 2017 – Caeleb Dressel is using the 2017 FINA World Championships to announce that he will be a force in the swimming world for years to come. He’s already won two golds in the 100 m Free and the 4×100 m Free Relay, but could win three gold medals on Saturday in just 98 minutes … if everything goes just right!

We have his full schedule, and his chances in each event, in this EXTRA edition, with previews of all six finals on Saturday’s program, including another gold-medal opportunity for Katie Ledecky.

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The Olympic Games, Los Angeles and hysteria, courtesy of Sergeant Schultz

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, July 28, 2017 – As the International Olympic Committee and the bid committees of Paris and Los Angeles get closer to an agreement that will place Olympic Games in both of them over the next 11 years, the level of hysteria is increasing at an exponential level.

Naysayers are doing everything short of lighting themselves on fire to warn of impending doom. It’s worth asking, however, if any of these “experts” have spent even a day working for the organizing committee of a major sporting event. Answer: they haven’t.

They’re reminiscent of Sgt. Schultz, the Sergeant of the Guard at Stalag 13 in the 1960s sitcom, Hogan’s Heroes. “I know nothing” was his trademark reply and, in the case of Los Angeles for 2028, the naysayers are in league with Schultz.

We explain why Los Angeles has real advantages for 2028, and where the focus of concern should really be, in our Lane One commentary, plus full coverage of the FINA World Championships and much more:

= p. 6/Aquatics: Three more golds and a U.S. first since 1978 at the swimming Worlds;
= p. 14/Football: Amazing Gold Cup win for the U.S. men’s team and Bruce Arena;
= p. 15/Fencing: American Foil fencers win two team silvers at World Championships;
= p. 20/Triathlon: Can Mario Mola and Flora Duffy make history in Edmonton?
= p. 21/Basketball: No. 1 USA women in U-19 World Champs quarters vs. France!

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EXTRA/FINA Worlds Day 5: More U.S. gold in Budapest?

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, July 27, 2017 – Starting the second half of the FINA World Championships, the U.S. has stars Nathan Adrian, Caeleb Dressel, Chase Kalisz, Kathleen Baker and a relay headed by Katie Ledecky ready to compete on Thursday.

There are five finals coming up and we have previews of all of them, as well as full details and analysis of the two world records by the U.S. in the new Mixed Medley relay and Ledecky’s silver medal in the 200 m Freestyle.

With 24 of 42 events still to be swum, the American squad leads with 16 medals to six for Australia and five for China and Italy. More coming on Thursday!

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Please … no more pants!

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, July 26, 2017 – Have you been watching the FINA World Championships from Budapest?

The competition has been marvelous … except for those deck-side interviews where the athletes are still panting and gasping for breath after their swims.

Do we really need this? The concept of putting athletes and media together next to the field of play started in 1984 and needs to be updated. We have the back story in our Lane One commentary, plus full coverage of the FINA World Championships and much more:

= p. 5/Aquatics: Four world records, Katie Ledecky and Lilly the King on Day 3!
= p. 13/Football: U.S. and Jamaica face off for the Gold Cup on Wednesday;
= p. 14/Beach Volleyball: World Champs starting, but without Kerri Walsh Jennings;
= p. 17/Cycling: Who won how many Euros at the Tour de France?
= p. 21/Basketball: No. 1 USA women in U-19 playoffs in Italy!

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EXTRA/FINA Worlds Day 3: Ledecky vs. the clock, Efimova vs. King and much more

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, July 25, 2017 – Day three of the FINA World Championships in swimming will have three riveting rivalries to watch:

  • Olympic champion Lilly King of the U.S. against Russia’s reigning World Champion Yuliya Efimova in the women’s 100 m Breaststroke;
  • American Olympic champions Matt Grevers (2012) and Ryan Murphy (2016) trying to chase China’s Jiayu Xu in the men’s 100 m Backstroke;
  • Katie Ledecky against the clock in the women’s 1,500 m Freestyle!

We have previews of each event, links to the live results, a review of Monday’s highlights and the records and results summaries in this EXTRA edition of The Sports Examiner.

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TSX’s Weekend Fab Five: A Jamaican you know and one you don’t

By
Rich Perelman
-

The Sports Examiner’s best Olympic-sport performances of the weekend … includes two fine Jamaican performances, but also a powerful start by the formidable U.S. swimmers:

=> No. 5: Usain Bolt, Evan Jager and Ajee Wilson

At the IAAF Diamond League meet in Monaco, Jamaican icon Usain Bolt showed that he is quite capable of winning the 100 m World Championship in London in a couple of weeks. But American Evan Jager ran the no. 2 time in U.S. history in winning the Steeplechase from Kenya’s Jairus Birech and Ajee Wilson set an American Record in the 800 meters in a tight finish with Olympic medalists Caster Semenya and Francine Niyonsaba.

=> No. 4: British diver Tom Daley

The 2009 World Champion in the 10 m Platform event, Britain’s Tom Daley famously imploded last year and failed to make the Olympic final in Rio. In 2017, he was expected to challenge for a medal, but China’s Aisen Chen – gold medalist in Rio – was a prohibitive favorite. Instead, Daley’s first two dives gave him a lead he would never relinquish, and a second World title, in Budapest.

=> No. 3: U.S. women’s hockey team wins FIH World League semi

True, it was only a semi-final tournament, but the sixth-ranked U.S. women fought their way through second-ranked England and then out-lasted Germany in the final, winning two shoot-outs in a row to claim the win and move on to the final later this year.

=> No. 2: U.S. into the CONCACAF Gold Cup final … against Jamaica?

Turnarounds came this weekend in the Gold Cup as the U.S. powered through Costa Rica and reversed the humiliating loss last November with a 2-0 at AT&T Stadium in Texas. Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Kemar Lawrence curled a free kick into the Mexican goal to send the Reggae Boyz to their second straight Gold Cup final with a 1-0 upset.

One more winner from these results will be the advertising directors of Mexican radio and television sportstalk shows, which are sure to see their audiences increase!

=> No. 1: United States swimmers

The American swim team had an astonishing first day at the FINA World Championships with three gold medals, four total medals and five American records. Katie Ledecky won two golds on the first day and Caeleb Dressel set two American records, wiping out two marks from the plastic-suit era in one day.

When is being the best in the world not good enough?

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, July 24, 2017 – The United States swim team led the medal count at the 2015 World Championships … and was considered a near-failure.

Sometimes, even being the best isn’t good enough. But USA Swimming changed its approach and had an Olympic Games for the ages in Rio last year.

Now a new development could change the way U.S. sports federations think about the years between Olympic Games: NBC’s Olympic Channel.

Can it really make a difference? We examine the possibilities in our Lane One commentary, plus full coverage of the FINA World Championships in Aquatics and much more:

= p. 5/Aquatics: U.S. opens swimming with four medals & five U.S. records!
= p. 15/Football: Jamaica stuns Mexico and will meet U.S. in Gold Cup final!
= p. 16/Cycling: Chris Froome wins fourth Tour de France with brilliant time trial;
= p. 18/Athletics: Bolt wins, but Ajee Wilson sets new U.S. women’s 800 record!
= p. 25/Beach Volleyball: Kerri Walsh Jennings injured in World Tour Olsztyn;
= p. 28/Hockey: U.S. women victorious in World League semi-final tournament!

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EXTRA: Swimming starts at World Champs with Katie Ledecky in 400 m Free

By
Rich Perelman
-

PALM DESERT, July 22, 2017 – Diving, synchronized swimming and open water events are all fun and interesting.

Now come the swimming events that everyone has been waiting for at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest.

The pool program gets off to a roaring start on Sunday with American superstar Katie Ledecky (pictured) possibly ready to better her own world record in the women’s 400 m Freestyle, plus the men’s 400 m Free and the men’s and women’s 4×100 m Freestyle relays.

We have previews of each event, links to the live results and television listings and even the prize money – and world record bonus – breakdown in this EXTRA edition of The Sports Examiner.

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The Sports Examiner’s Weekend Watch List: The Katie Ledecky Show

By
Rich Perelman
-

The best of Olympic sport on television this weekend is from, in reverse order, Paris, Arlington, Pasadena and Budapest:

=> No. 3: Cycling/Tour de France: Stages 20-21

 Stage 8: Saturday, July 22 on NBCSN at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time from France.
¶ Stage 9: Sunday, July 23 on NBCSN at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time from France.
¶ Why watch? British star Chris Froome is closing in on his third straight Tour de France win, but he’s not free and clear yet, especially from France’s Romain Bardet, just 23 seconds back in the overall standings, after more than 80 hours of racing. Remember, no Frenchman has won the Tour since 1985, so he will have plenty of supporters!

=> No. 2: Football/CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals

¶ Saturday, July 22 on FS1/Univision/UDN at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time from Arlington, Texas;
¶ Sunday, July 23 on FS1/Univision/UDN at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time, from Pasadena, California.
¶ Why watch? The U.S. men’s soccer team faces Costa Rica, which humiliated the Americans so badly in their last game in November that Jurgen Klinsmann was fired and Bruce Arena re-hired. That’s on Saturday.

On Sunday is upstart Jamaica, trying to make its second consecutive Gold Cup final vs. defending champion Mexico, with a suspended coach and more drama than all the telenovelas on television put together, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

=> No. 1: Swimming/FINA World Championships

Sunday, July 23 on NBCSN at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time from Budapest, Hungary.
¶ Why watch? The swimming action is finally starting, with American superstar and world record holder Katie Ledecky swimming in the 400 m Freestyle, and the men’s and women’s speed relay, the 4×100 m Freestyle, all from Budapest.

When technology went too far: Swimming’s fantastic plastic suits

By
Rich Perelman
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Introduction of Speedo's LZR Racer plasticized swimsuit in February 2008 ~ when technology overtook swimming.

PALM DESERT, July 21, 2017 – The swimming portion of the FINA World Championships starts on Sunday with American superstar Katie Ledecky possibly ready to better her own world record in the women’s 400 m Freestyle.

But there are plenty of records that will not be approached, as they are reminders of the short but devastating era when technology got ahead of the swimmers. The plastic-suit era saw a wholesale rewriting of the record books and because it took two years before the suits were banned, half of today’s records date from 2008 and 2009.

We have the details in our Lane One commentary, plus full coverage of the FINA World Championships in Aquatics and much more:

= p. 5/Aquatics: Ashley Twichell takes gold for U.S. in Open Water 5 km!
= p. 13/Football: U.S. men reach Gold Cup semis, face Costa Rica on Saturday;
= p. 14/Cycling: Britain’s Chris Froome leads Tour de France with three stages left;
= p. 16/World Games: 31-sport, 222-event with 111 nations starts in Wroclaw!
= p. 17/Athletics: Usain Bolt’s last pre-World Champs tune-up in Monaco today!
= p. 21/Basketball: No. 1-ranked U.S. women’s U-19 starts World Champs in Italy;
= p. 21/Weightlifting: Pan American Champs starts in Miami!

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