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PANORAMA: Crouser goes 75-feet-plus in Zagreb, U.S. men’s football in historic loss to Canada; Mintenko leaving USA Swimming

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. triple Olympic men's shot champion Ryan Crouser (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Council of Asia ● Although a formality since he ran unopposed, India’s Raja Randhir Singh was elected to a full term as President of the Olympic Council of Asia at the 44th OCA General Assembly in New Delhi (IND).

Now 77 and a five-time Olympian in shooting, he had served as the interim head of the organization since 2021, and received 44 votes, with one abstention, from the 45 members. An International Olympic Committee member from 2001-14, he is now an Honorary Member.

The OCA announcement noted that “The post of President, five Vice Presidents for the five zones and five Executive Board members were all uncontested.”

Singh is the third President of the OCA, founded in 1982. Both prior Presidents were from Kuwait: Sheikh Fahad Al-Sabah, who helped found the organization and was killed on the first day of the Iraqi invasion in 1990, and his son, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah, from 1991-2021, when he resigned after Swiss forgery conviction.

● Athletics ● Triple Olympic champion Ryan Crouser of the U.S. got a seasonal best of 22.93 m (75-2 3/4) to win the Ivan Ivancic Memorial in Zagreb (CRO) on Saturday, a day ahead of the Boris Hanzekovic Memorial on Sunday.

Crouser reached 22.90 m (75-1 3/4) – his winning distance in Paris – in the fourth round and then his winning throw in the fifth. Behind were three more over 22 m: American Payton Otterdahl at 22.46 m (73-8 1/4), his best ever outdoors, then Olympic bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell (JAM) with a national record of 22.31 m (73-2 1/2) and European champion Leonardo Fabbri (ITA) at 22.24 m (72-11 3/4).

On Sunday, American Courtney Lindsey continued his hot sprinting with a 9.97 to 10.02 win over Ferdinand Omanyala (KEN), and Olympic teammate Erriyon Knighton won the 200 m in 19.93 over Joseph Fahnbulleh (LBA: 20.08) and Lindsey (20.13).

Canada’s World 800 m champ Marco Arop claimed the world lead in the men’s 1,000 m at 2:13.13, with Jonah Koech of the U.S. second in a lifetime best of 2:15.15, the no. 2 performance in American history. Isaac Kimeli (BEL) won the 2,000 m in 4:54.29, with Americans Cooper Teare (4:55.42) and Johnathan Reniewicki (4:55.54) finishing 2-3 with lifetime bests and moving to nos. 5-6 on the all-time U.S. list.

Kenya’s Leonard Bett won the Steeple in 8:06.33, with Duncan Hamilton of the U.S. fifth in a lifetime best of 8:13.76 and Joey Berriatua eighth in a PR 8:2082.
Japan’s Rachid Muratake beat Olympic silver winner Daniel Roberts of the U.S. in the 110 m hurdles, 13.14 to 13.18. Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis beat Olympic silver winner Sam Kendricks (USA) in the men’s vault, 5.88 m (19-3 1/2) to 5.78 m (18-11 1/2).

Gina Bass Bittaye (GHA) won the women’s 100 m in 11.13, with American Jenna Prandini third (11.30). In the women’s 800, Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir won with a meet record of 1:57.00, and American Sage Hurta-Klecker got a lifetime best of 1:57.53 in fourth.

Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent won the women’s 100 m hurdles in 12.55, with Keni Harrison of the U.S. third (12.76) and Tonea Marshall fourth (12.79). Olympic bronze medalist Jasmine Moore won the long jump at 6.71 m (22-0 1/4) and Olympic champ Valarie Allman won the discus at 67.83 m (222-6).

In New York, the annual Fifth Avenue Mile had two runaway winners, as Olympic 1,500 m silver medalist Josh Kerr (GBR) defended his 2023 title and set a race record of 3:44.3 to win by more than four seconds over Josh Hoey of the U.S. (3:48.9).

Kerr was right at the front at the halfway point, then accelerated, losing everyone except 2023 World Road Mile champ Hobbs Kessler of the U.S., then was essentially alone in the final quarter, smashing Sydney Maree‘s long-standing race record of 3:47.52 from 1981!

Kessler fell back and Hoey was second, with Amon Kemboi (KEN: 3:49.3) in third and Vincent Ciattei fourth (USA: 3:50.6). Kessler was ninth in 3:52.1.

The women’s race was something of an upset, as American 5,000-10,000 m Olympian Karissa Schweizer dominated, breaking away from Kenyans Dorcus Ewoi and Susan Ejore in the final 200 m to equal the race record of 4:14.8.

Ewoi and Ejore went 2-3 in 4:17.3 and 4:18.3 with Britain’s Melissa Courtney-Bryant in fourth at 4:19.9.

Race Results Weekly reported there were total 8,087 finishers among all the Fifth Avenue races, the best since the pre-pandemic days of 2019.

● Football ● The U.S. men’s National Team suffered a disheartening loss, 2-1, to Canada in Kansas City on Saturday, showing little offensive initiative and losing to the Canadians on U.S. soil for the first time since 1957, ending a 23-match unbeaten streak.

The first half was especially deflating, as Canada out-shot the U.S. by 11-1 and had a 1-0 lead on a 17th-minute goal from midfielder Jacob Shaffelburg, who scored from the left side off a lateral pass from striker Jonathan David in the middle of the box.

Canada took a 2-0 lead 13 minutes into the second half, with David following a loose ball after a failed clearance, setting up striker Cyle Larrin, whose shot was blocked. The ball bounced over to David, who finished with a right-footer from the center of the box past U.S. keeper Patrick Schulte.

The U.S. finally scored in the 66th, as substitute striker Aidan Morris pivoted toward the goal inside the box and the ball came free, with midfielder Luca de la Torre lining the loose ball into the net to cut the deficit to 2-1.

But that was it. The U.S. had 58% possession in the game but just eight shots against 17 for Canada in Mikey Varas’ first game as interim coach for the Americans. The U.S. will play New Zealand in Cincinnati on Tuesday.

At the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup in Colombia, the American women’s team crushed Paraguay, 7-0, in their final group-stage game and finished second in Group C, moving on to the playoffs.

Colombia, Brazil, Spain and North Korea all finished 3-0 in their groups and Germany won Group D at 2-1. Japan and Austria are yet to play in Group E on Sunday, both at 2-0.

As for the playoffs, the U.S. is set to face Mexico on the 11th in Bogota, with the winner to play the victor in the Germany vs. Argentina match, on the 15th.

Brazilian star striker Vinicius Junior, who plays for Real Madrid in Spain, and has been the target of continuing racist abuse, said that the racism actions of a minority must be reduced, or consideration should be given to removing Spain as a tri-host of the FIFA World Cup in 2030.

“Until 2030, we have a lot of room to evolve. I hope that Spain can evolve, and understand how serious it is to insult someone because of the color of their skin.

“If by 2030 things don’t improve, I think we have to move the [World Cup] location, because if a player doesn’t feel comfortable and safe playing in a country where they can suffer racism, it’s a bit difficult.”

His comments were immediately attacked as calling the entire country as racist, but he explained:

“There are a lot of people in Spain, the majority, that aren’t racist. It’s a small group that ends up affecting the image of a country that’s good to live in. I love playing for Real Madrid. I love Spain, having the best conditions to live here with my family.

“We hope things can evolve more. They’ve already evolved, but they can evolve a lot more. For 2030, racist incidents and racism can, and should, decrease.”

● Sport Climbing ● Olympic champions showed their stuff at the IFSC Lead World Cup in Koper (SLO), winning both the men’s and women’s events.

Naturally, Slovenia’s two-time Olympic Combined champion Janja Garnbret was the star attraction. She led the qualifying, semifinal and won the final at 46+, ahead of Paris 2024 Combined bronze winner Jessica Pilz (40+). American Anne Sanders was third (39+).

Britain’s Olympic Combined winner, Toby Roberts, was a clear winner of the men’s final at 40, with Japanese Olympic silver winner Sorato Anraku at 35 (he’s still 17!) and France’s Sam Avezou at 31+.

● Surfing ● The fourth edition of the World Surf League finals concluded Saturday at Lower Tresles in San Clemente, California, a possible LA28 venue location, with Americans John John Florence and Caitlin Simmers winning the seasonal titles.

Florence competes for Hawaii, which for the WSL is a separate entity from the U.S., and won his third WSL seasonal title, defeating Brazil’s 2019 WSL champion (and Tokyo Olympic champ) Italo Ferreira, 2-0 (15.50 to 15.33; 18.13 to 16.30).

The women had an all-American final, with defending champion – and Paris Olympic champ – Caroline Marks facing 18-year-old Caitlin Simmers. This was tighter, with Simmers winning 2-1: 16.87 to 17.43, then 18.37 to 14.17 and 15.16 to 7.17 in the decider.

● Swimming ● As had been expected, USA Swimming announced Friday:

“Lindsay Mintenko, Managing Director of the National Team at USA Swimming, the national governing body for the sport of swimming in the United States, today announced resignation from her position effective September 20, 2024.”

Mintenko, 47, was a two-time Olympic relay gold medalist in the women’s 4×200 m Freestyle, in 2000 and 2004. She joined USA Swimming in 2006 and was named Managing Director of the national team in 2017.

She replaced Frank Busch, a highly-successful coach at Arizona, who was the National Team Director from 2011-17. Mintenko’s role at USA Swimming was seen differently from Busch, not only as to title, but because she was not a long-term head coach at the collegiate or club level.

Two coaching groups sent letters to the USA Swimming Board in August, complaining about the organization’s leadership, worries about membership totals and a perceived drop in performance at Paris 2024 via-a-vis Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

A search is underway for a success; it will be a shock if an experienced coach is not selected.

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PARALYMPIC GAMES: “Most spectacular ever” closes in Paris, Woodhall completes storybook double, Long wins 31st career medal

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ PARIS 2024 ≡

“You staged the most spectacular Paralympic Games ever.”

That salute from International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons (BRA) was the highlight of a rainy but happy XVII Paralympic Games in Paris, closing out more than a month of joy in the French capital.

Parsons was unrestrained in his thanks for a brilliant Paralympics:

● “Tonight, we must bring the record-breaking Paris 2024 Paralympic Games to a close. With more competing countries, women and global coverage than ever before, Paris 2024 has set a benchmark for all future Paralympic Games.”

● “People of France, your passion and support has been incredible and magnificent.

“With spirit and pride, you made the last 12 days joyful and unforgettable. You celebrated the start of the inclusion revolution with a Paralympic party in Paris. Together with fans all over the world, you idolized the athletes and were in awe at what you saw. Free from barriers, Paralympians performed to their best.

“Through sport they showed what humanity can achieve when given an opportunity to succeed.”

● “We all have a collective responsibility to use the momentum of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games to make the world around us more inclusive.”

Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet, in charge of a magnificent organizing committee that shattered the idea that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are no longer relevant after the Covid-depressed Tokyo 2020 experience, told the Stade de France and the Paralympians:

“In life, there are encounters that touch us, encounters that transform us, that make us better people.

“The Games we have experienced together were about sport, they were about records. But above all, it has been a story of encounters. The kind of extraordinary encounters that leave a permanent mark. Our encounter with you, dear Paralympians, is one of them.”

And to the Paralympians specifically, he said:

“Every time you competed, more people joined the party. Every time you succeeded, the intensity grew. With every wow, every cry, every heart you sent racing, you changed how people see sport and how they see the disability.

“Thanks to you, everyone has seen what an inclusive world looks like. You have launched this Paralympic revolution and now there is no turning back.”

Estanguet also noted the end of the party, including for the true champions of Paris 2024, the spectators who came out in the millions:

“Tonight is not just the end of the Paralympic Games, it’s also the end of Paris 2024.

“So I’d like to thank all of you who are here this evening and who have been with us since the first day of the Games: in the stadiums, in the fan zones, in the bars, in the streets. You have never been spectators. From the start, you’ve been supporters.

“You’ve given us everything: the flags, the shaking stands, the giant athletes’ faces, the singing, the dancing in the rain, the thunder claps, the Mexican waves. You’ve even invented the silent Mexican wave for Blind Football.

“The success of these Games is also your success.”

The ceremony itself, about two hours, included a lot of music, a final half-hour of electronica from 24 French DJs and the handover ceremony to Los Angeles for 2028. Estanguet accompanied Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo as she handed the Paralympic flag to Parsons, who gave it to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, accompanied by Blake Leeper, a two-time Paralympic medalist in 2012 and fourth in the men’s 400 m T62 final in Paris.

The U.S. national anthem was impressively rendered in the rain by Tony Award-winner Ali Stroker, followed by a cut to a six-minute video featuring multiple Paralympians, incorporating the iconic 1965 anthem “California Dreamin’” by The Mamas and the Papas, and ending with a performance at the Venice Beach Skatepark highlighted by eight-time Grammy winner Anderson .Paak.

The final week of the Games had lots of highlights, including a unique Olympic-Paralympic tie-in for Hunter Woodhall, the husband of Olympic women’s long jump winner Tara Davis-Woodhall.

Hunter finished sixth in the men’s T64 100 m earlier, but was brilliant on Friday (6th), winning the men’s T62 400 m in 46.36, over Johannes Floors (GER: 46.90) with Leeper fourth in 47.32. The win touched off a wild celebration on the field with the Woodhalls together, after Tara had returned from long-jumping in the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea meet on 30 August.

Hunter also won a bronze as a member of the mixed U.S. team in the 4×100 m Universal Relay, with Noah Malone (T12), Woodhall, Taylor Swanson (T37) and Tatyana McFadden (T54).

U.S. Paralympic icon Jessica Long continued busy, winning her second Paris Paralympic gold, this time in the women’s 100 m Butterfly S8, more than a second ahead of the field in 1:10.59.

Combined with her gold on 4 September in the 400 m Freestyle S8 final, she ended the Games with a sensational total of 31 career Paralympic medals, including 18 golds, eight silvers and five bronzes, all in swimming.

Long is now tied with Israel’s Zipora Rubin-Rosenbaum (1964-92) with 31 career Paralympic medals, no. 3 on the all-time list.

A sad note from Saturday’s men’s standing javelin (T41), won on the field by Iran’s Sadegh Beit Sayah with a Paralympic record of 47.64 m (156-3). But he was disqualified afterwards for two “Unsporting or improper conduct” actions which drew yellow cards and combined for his disqualification.

These were reported as “a ‘throat-slitting’ gesture after breaking the Paralympic record with his second throw” and showing “black flag with red writing as he celebrated his victory.” Sayah said the flag was a religious salute. He appealed, but to no avail.

China topped the medal table as expected with 220 (94-76-50), followed by Great Britain (124: 49-44-31) and the U.S. (105: 36-42-27).

China improved its total from Tokyo 2020 from 207 to 220; the British were exactly the same, and the U.S. won 104 medals in 2021 and 105 this time.

In Parsons’ closing remarks, he reminded everyone of the future to come:

“Sadly, the time has come for me to declare the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games closed.

“I call upon Paralympic athletes from all over the world to meet again in Los Angeles in four years’ time where the Paralympic Games will aim to transform America.”

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CYCLING: Roglic take control on Friday, overcomes illness Saturday, wins fourth Vuelta a Espana on Sunday!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Primoz Roglic celebrating his fourth Vuelta a Espana victory! (Photo: La Vuelta a Espana)

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≡ LA VUELTA A ESPANA ≡

Everyone knew that Slovenia’s three-time Vuelta a Espana winner Primoz Roglic was going to strike on Friday 19th stage, starting just five seconds off the lead and with a brutal finishing climb up the Alto de Moncalvillo.

And he did, winning the 164.8 km stage in 3:54:55, 46 seconds up on David Gaudu (FRA) and Mattias Skjelmose (DEN). Most importantly, Roglic finished 1:49 ahead of leader Ben O’Connor (AUS) and took back the red leader’s jersey with a 1:54 time edge.

O’Connor had been the race leader since the sixth stage, where he won by 4:33 and finished 6:31 ahead of Roglic, taking the race lead and enjoying a hefty 4:51 time advantage. But Roglic cut into the lead steadily, winning stage 8 and by the start of the final week, his deficit was down to 1:03.

Roglic got back most of that in stage 16 – another uphill finish – finishing 11th, but gaining another 58 seconds on O’Connor (in 20th), setting up the Friday charge into the lead.

But Roglic’s team, the German-based Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe squad, suffered several illnesses overnight and was in poor shape on Saturday for stage 20, a final climbing stage with seven ascents and an uphill finish over 172.0 km. Roglic rode conservatively, while Ireland’s Eddie Dunbar won his second La Vuelta stage, in 4:38:37, seven seconds ahead of Spain’s Enric Mas and 10 seconds ahead of Roglic, who got up to third. O’Connor was sixth, 14 seconds back of the winner, so Roglic’s final-day lead increased to 2:02 with Mas third at +2:11.

There were no surprises on Sunday, with the final day’s ride a flat, 24.6 km Individual Time Trial in Madrid. Roglic excels in these kinds of stages and he was good, finishing second to Swiss Stefan Kung, who won in 26:28.37. Roglic was 30.68 seconds back and Mattia Cattaneo (ITA) was third at +41.90.

O’Connor finished 11th at +1:05.54, and Mas was 23rd (+1:33.11), so Roglic finished in 81:49:18, a healthy 2:36 ahead of O’Connor in second and Mas (+3:13) in third. Defending champion Sepp Kuss of the U.S. was 14th overall (+20:25).

This was O’Connor’s best finish ever in a Grand Tour; he was fourth in the 2021 Tour de France and in the 2024 Giro d’Italia.

Mas, 29, won his fourth Vuelta a Espana medal: silvers in 2018-21-22 and now third. No Spaniard has won this race since 2014.

Roglic – the winner in 2019-20-21-24 – tied the career record for most La Vuelta wins with four with Spain’s Roberto Heras, who won in 2000–03-04-05. He also won the Giro d’Italia in 2023 and was the Tour de France runner-up in 2020. But he’s failed to finish in his Tour attempts in 2022-23-24. So what’s next?

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PARIS 2024: Hidalgo says Olympic Rings on the Eiffel Tower to 2028, sports facility to be named for Rebecca Cheptegei

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Olympic and Paralympic Cauldron and the Arc de Triomphe with the Paralympic Agitos in the background in Paris (Photo: City of Paris)

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo refined her comments on the Olympic Rings remaining – or re-installed – on the Eiffel Tower at a news conference last week, explaining:

“The proposal that I have made for the Rings … is a proposal that until 2028, until the Games in Los Angeles, we will leave the Rings on the Eiffel Tower.

“Perhaps after 2028, they’ll stay and maybe they won’t. Let’s see.”

The Olympic Rings are, of course, the property of the International Olympic Committee, which is fine with the idea of maintaining its symbol on one of the world’s most famous monuments.

However, the current version of the Rings is too heavy for the long term and the IOC is funding a study for a lighter version to be made and installed. The IOC could end up paying for the new set and the installation costs.

Although her decision on the Rings has been controversial, Hidalgo said she has the authority to make the determination herself. She was elected as Mayor in 2014 and re-elected in 2020; the next election is in 2026.

Hidalgo also responded to the call from the International Paralympic Committee to have its logo, the three Agitos, maintained in Paris. Currently on the Arc de Triomphe – the first symbol to ever adorn the monument – it will be moved, Hidalgo said, to another location, midway on the famed Champs-Elysees avenue in the center of Paris.

The Paris Mayor said Saturday that a sports facility in the city will be named for Rebecca Cheptegei, the Ugandan women’s marathoner – 44th in the Olympic marathon in 2024 – who was horrifically burned and eventually died on Thursday (5th).Said Hidalgo:

“She dazzled us here in Paris. We saw her. Her beauty, her strength, her freedom, and it was in all likelihood her beauty, strength and freedom which were intolerable for the person who committed this murder.

“Paris will not forget her. We’ll dedicate a sports venue to her so that her memory and her story remains among us and helps carry the message of equality, which is a message carried by the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Cheptegei was doused with gasoline and set afire by what has been described as a current or former partner, who waited for her in her home and attacked upon her return from church on Sunday (1st). She suffered burns over 75-80% of her body and leaves behind two children.

Paris’ summer of sport will end on Sunday with the close of the XVII Paralympic Games.

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ATHLETICS: Kenya’s Chebet says she missed the world record in Zurich due to cold; Duplantis and Warholm both trashed after 100 m race

By
Rich Perelman
-
No one close to Kenya's Beatrice Chebet in her world-record try at 5,000 m in Zurich (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ SCENE & HEARD ≡

Conditions at Thursday’s Weltklasse Zurich were not ideal, with temperatures in the low 60s and rain during the meet. The enthusiasm of the crowd in the Letzigrund Stadium was hardly dulled, but it impacted the competition.

Kenya’s Olympic women’s 5,000 and 10,000 m gold medalist, Beatrice Chebet was aiming at the impressive 14:00.21 world record in the women’s 5,000 m by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay in 2023. But it was not to be as she won decisively in 14:09.52, fastest in the world for 2024:

“I ran the world-leading time, the weather is not favorable for a world record. It was good to run, I just want to thank God. I really wanted to run the world record, but I missed it, this is due to the weather. And the pacemaker was supposed to pace until 3000 m. But she dropped off earlier.

“I used a lot of energy to push. It was not easy. Today, I just want to say thank you to the audience and to the fans. I am over the moon that I ran a world-leading time. I was not tired in the second half of the race.

“I got somebody´s spikes onto my leg at the beginning of the race, now it is bleeding. I will do Brussels [the Diamond League final]; I will have to talk to my coach about another attempt for the world record. I guess I do not have the world record in my legs anymore for 2024. Next year.”

(Kate Snowden (GBR) paced the first 1,200 m at 3:22.4 and Georgia Griffith (AUS) paced to 2,000 m (5:37.2), then retired.)

One winner who was thrilled was American 100 m hurdles star Grant Holloway, who won in 13.02, then saw his time re-read down to 12.99! He said:

“I did not react well to the gun but that is track and field so I had to accelerate in the finish. The main thing for me was to run the most sub-13s and I did that so it is surreal. Nobody had ever done that many sub 13s, ever. And now, I am on the top of that list so I am pleased.

“That was something I wanted to accomplish this season. I just kept trying and trying and trying for so long. So to run 12.99 just feels great. We will see what happens about Brussels. I am looking forward to it. Lets see what is next to come but right now, I am very excited about this one. The crowd here is remarkable. And to run 99 in these conditions, it is great.

“I follow the stats, I think that is what keeps me motivated. I have to keep that mindset that I still have something to achieve. It has been a great year and I want to thank my team what stands behind me.”

Holloway now has 12 sub-13 clockings (with legal wind), with a 12.81, 12.86, 12.92, 12.96 (x3), 12.98 (x3) and 12.99 (x3); the rest of the top five:

● 11: Allen Johnson (USA, 1992-2010)
● 8: Aries Merritt (USA, 2004-21)
● 8: Dayron Robles (CUB, 2003-17)
● 6: Xiang Liu (CHN, 1999-2012)

Wednesday’s hyped-up 100 m match race between friends Karsten Warholm (NOR) and vault star Mondo Duplantis (SWE) took a lot of out of both.

● Warholm did not start for the men’s 400 m hurdles on Thursday, saying:

“I am actually a bit sad about that I could not run. I would have loved to be in this race. But I felt my hamstring a little bit after the race yesterday. I tried to do a little bit of a warm-up today but I did not sprint properly and then it is not worth to risk.

“I am going to go home and check but despite the fact that it does not feel well today, I do not think it is a serious thing. We just need to check it and see what it is. So for now, maybe it was the last race of the season but we will see.

“I hope the bet [with Mondo] is done by now. I will wear this [Sweden] jersey and people will take pictures and make fun of me. But I hope that I can leave this behind me. Because I do not want to make a fool of myself twice.”

● Duplantis did compete and won the vault, in the much-less-than-perfect conditions at 5.82 m (19-1):

“Mentally, I felt kind of good today. But my body felt wrecked after yesterday´s race. Plus, the weather was really cold. So that was a bad combination.

“The sprint yesterday was very impressive. For both of us it was a great experience. It was super amazing. I think we built a super event, it was very new and innovative. And for just being a pre-event show for today. I do not see why there could not be more events like this. Today, it was really fun.”

It is different, competing after the high and the pressure of the Olympic Games:

● Said American Yared Nuguse, who won the men’s 1,500 m in 3:29.21: “This race was so highly anticipated and I knew that it was going to be quick in the end. Everyone could have gotten this race. I am glad I was still able to win.

“From the beginning, I just tried like not to do any wrong move and to be where I wanted to be And then you need to be ready for the end. It is definitely a lot less stressful.

“The Olympics were like huge milestone and when you got over it, it just felt like fun racing. It is so much more fun running with these guys today. I will hopefully have the Brussels Diamond League final, and I cannot wait to go home to see my family, my friends, and I will go for vacation.

“After today, I will hopefully go for another win. I really want this Diamond League trophy. After the Olympics, I think my life will change for better. Getting the medal at the Olympics just gave me more self-confidence in who I am and now I know what I can achieve. I mean, nothing has really changed but the way how I feel about myself has changed. So definitely, it is a positive thing.”

● Greece’s two-time Olympic men’s long jump champ Miltiadis Tentoglou was not as happy after a second-place 8.02 m (26-3 3/4):

“I had zero motivation to jump today. It has been a long season and in these conditions, it was hard. I have nothing to prove; I am the Olympic champion, I do not need points, I do not need anything, so what I needed is a good result, if there are good conditions.

“But coming here, I knew it was going to be like this. So zero motivation for me. If anybody beats me now, I am like: I do not care. At least, I am pleased with the 8 m jump; I did not miss my series. Like for two years now, I always jump at least 8 m in the competition. So at least, I did not lose that.

“About Brussels, I will see. I do not know now. I do not care about the money. Today, it was raining and I had to wait ten minutes because they told me that there is no camera and I had to wait. I should have jumped but had to wait like ten minutes in these conditions.”

Italy’s European men’s shot champ Leonardo Fabbri finished second to world-record holder Ryan Crouser of the U.S., at 21.86 m (71-8 3/4) and saw in Zurich what could be in Italy:

“The crowd is beautiful; it was nice that many people were cheering for me. We need to perform well and achieve medals to attract more crowds in Italy. Unfortunately, they just follow soccer and they watch athletics only during the Olympics.

“But things are changing a little bit and we just need to perform well at the world championships, and I am sure that the stadium will be full again.”

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PANORAMA: Albertville ‘92 head Barnier named French P.M.; McLaughlin-Levrone in for Brussels; Aussie coach fired for helping Korean star

By
Rich Perelman
-
Now Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone WILL be running at the Memorial Van Damme! (Photo: USATF)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● ALBERTVILLE 1992: Michel Barnier, 73, was the co-President of the organizing committee of the XVI Olympic Winter Games with skiing icon Jean-Claude Killy.

On Thursday, he was named as the new Prime Minister of France by French President Emmanuel Macron, in the aftermath of the fractured result – with no clear majority – of the French legislature in early July.

Barnier is also known as the head negotiator for the European Union in the withdrawal of Great Britain – known as “Brexit” – from 2016-19. He is a long-time member of the conservative Republicans party.

● PARIS 2024/OLYMPICS: The Australian Olympic Committee announced a national “Welcome Home Celebrations” tour to take place in 10 cities beginning on 13 September.

The tour will visit Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Launceston, Gold Coast and Darwin, with free admission at all sites, featuring both Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

The project is being hosted by the Australian Olympic Committee and Paralympics Australia with the support of state and territory governments.

● PARIS 2024/PARALYMPICS: More gold for another American Paralympic icon, as 35-year-old Oksana Masters won both the cycling Individual Time Trial (H 4-5) on Wednesday and the cycling Road Race (H 5) in rainy conditions on Thursday.

Masters completed the 14.2 km Time Trial in 23:45.20, 6.24 seconds up on Dutch rider Chantal Haenen. In the 56.8 km road race, Masters timed 1:52:14, a clear winner over Bianbian Sun (CHN: 1:52:25).

Masters has one more event to go, the Mixed Team Relay on Saturday. She now has four Paralympic cycling golds, two each from the same events at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. She has won 14 medals (5-7-2) in the Winter Paralympic Games in cross-country skiing and biathlon from 2014-22, for an all-in total of 18.

She was asked where she stores her medals: “I love socks, so I store them in socks. Honestly, I’m not a medal person. To me it’s the experience and the memory of the race that means the most to me. I’m looking at my mom, looking at my team and that’s the medal for me.”

● INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: A new report from London-based valuation consultant Brand Finance placed an $11.4 billion value on the Olympic “brand” in a report released on Wednesday.

The drivers are, of course, television rights and sponsorships, with the Olympic value of $11.4 billion second only to the National Football League ($24 billion) and the only other above $10 billion. According to the statement:

“Unlike other major sports leagues that operate for several months out of the year, the Olympics take place for just over two weeks every four years – or every two if you include the Winter Olympics – yet has the power to maintain a brand value that competes with year-round leagues.”

● WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY: Good news from Tunisia, as the World Anti-Doping Agency welcomed news of the release of the former Director General of the Tunisian anti-doping organization, Mourad Hambli, “after spending four months in prison for simply trying to abide by the consequences of ANAD’s non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code.”

Hambli and others were detained at the order of Tunisian President Kais Saied after the Tunisian anti-doping organization insisted that the national flag not be shown at the Tunisian Open Masters Championship last May, as Tunisia was deemed non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code (the sanction was lifted on 15 May after a change in national laws).

Saied came to the pool and demanded that the Tunisian flag be presented, and an order for the arrest of Hambli and others followed. He is now free. There will be Presidential elections in Tunisia, with Saied running, coming up on 6 October.

● RUSSIA: Speaking at an anti-doping forum in Belarus, Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov expressed optimism that sanctions against both countries will eventually be ended:

“Now the Paralympians have gone. At least those who went on acceptable terms. A number of other federations are demonstrating greater flexibility than in the past, so, of course, water wears away a stone. Gradually, all the sanction pressure should come to naught.”

Only 15 Russian athletes went to the Paris Olympic Games as “neutrals”; 88 were allowed to compete at the Paralympic Games.

Pozdnyakov said the Russian Olympic Committee has set aside funds for the participation of a Russian team at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina (ITA), if sanctions are modified or dropped.

● ATHLETICS: OK, U.S. Olympic star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone WILL be running at the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, but not in the Diamond League Finals. The meet management declared Thursday:

“To avoid any confusion or misunderstanding, we do confirm that 400m hurdles Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will be competing at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme, but not as part of the Wanda Diamond League Final races.

“With two additional, special races, the Brussels meeting wants to honour McLaughlin-Levrone, who produced a historic 400m hurdles world record at the Olympic Games in Paris. She will run 400m on Friday at 7.53 pm and 200m on Saturday at 7.53 pm.”

● CYCLING: No change in the Vuelta a Espana leaderboard on Thursday, as the hilly, 179.5 km ride to Maestu’s Parque Nacional de Izki saw Spain’s Urko Berrade attack with 6 km to go and finish in 4:00.52, four seconds up on eight riders, led by Mauro Schmid (SUI).

Leader Ben O’Connor (AUS) and three-time champion Primoz Roglic (SLO) finished as part of a pack at +6:40 and will duel Friday and Saturday on the final two mountain stages. Roglic remains five seconds behind with Spain’s Enric Mas third (+1:25).

● FOOTBALL: FIFA has implemented its promised three-step anti-racism program at the ongoing FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup in Colombia. Now:

“By crossing their hands at the wrists, players will be able to signal directly to the referee that they are being targeted by racist abuse, prompting the referee to start the three-step procedure. With the first step, the match will be stopped. If the abuse continues, the match will be suspended, with the players and match officials exiting the field of play. In the event the incident does not cease, in the third step, the match will be abandoned.”

At the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup, host Colombia, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Japan and North Korea are all 2-0 in group play, with the top two in each group and the four “best” third-place teams advancing to the elimination round.

The U.S. is now 1-1 after a 2-0 victory over Morocco on scores by Yuna McCormack (48th minute) and Madeline Dahlien (90+6). The Americans, currently second in Group C, play 1-1 Paraguay on Saturday.

The U.S. men’s National Team will be back in action on Saturday, facing Canada in Kansas City, with Mikey Varas, an assistant coach under Gregg Berhalter, serving an interim coach. U.S. Soccer has reportedly come to terms with former Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino (ARG), who has not yet been released by that club.

A second friendly will be held on the 10th against New Zealand, in Cincinnati.

● SWIMMING: After a long video review, American Claire Stuhlmacher was declared the winner of the World Athletics Open Water Junior Championships women’s 10 km in Sardinia.

Initially, it had been thought that Italy’s Chiara Sanzullo had won, but the video placed Stuhlmacher first at 2:09:15.9 and Sanzullo at 2:09:16.2. Said Stuhlmacher afterwards:

“I didn’t know how this would go. I got fourth two years ago in the Seychelles, so toward the end today, I just took off. I just had that extra sense of motivation; I kept telling myself, ‘You have to medal this time.’ It really was internal motivation, pushing myself to the finish, that made the difference.”

France’s Sacha Velly won the men’s 10 km by almost 30 seconds in 1:59.44.2.

An Australian assistant coach at the Paris Olympic Games, Michael Palfrey, has been fired for telling South Korean media that he hoped freestyler Woo-min Kim would defeat Australian stars Elijah Winnington and Sam Short.

Australian head coach Rohan Taylor said at the time. “It’s just un-Australian, to be honest. I’m not here to defend that. As far as what happens post the Games, that will be dealt with.

“I’m very critical of him. I was angry. I made sure he knew that. I believe it was a very bad error of judgment and the consequences for that will be coming in the future when we get back home.”

Now, Swimming Australia said in a statement:

“Swimming Australia has terminated Michael Palfrey’s employment due to a breach of his employment agreement. Palfrey was found to have breached his employment contract by bringing himself into disrepute and causing serious damage to his and Swimming Australia’s reputation, and adversely affecting Swimming Australia’s interests.”

Winnington won silver in the men’s 400 m Free and Kim was third. Palfrey was advising Kim, considered a clear conflict of interest.

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FOOTBALL: U.S. scoring star Alex Morgan announces retirement; last game on Saturday

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. scoring great Alex Morgan announces her retirement (Photo: U.S. Soccer)

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

An iconic scorer on championship American women’s teams, Alex Morgan, announced her retirement from professional football, to begin after Saturday’s NWSL match in San Diego between her San Diego Wave squad and North Carolina.

Now 35, Morgan has been a star with the U.S. National Team since 2010, making 224 appearances and will retire as the fifth-best scorer in American history with 123 goals. She also had 53 career assists for a 176 total, also fifth all-time in U.S. history.

U.S. Soccer noted how closely tied the success of the women’s National Team and Morgan have been:

● “The USA’s record in matches in which Morgan played stands at 177W-15L-32D.

● “She scored in 86 of her 224 international appearances (good for ninth all-time in U.S. history), while making 158 starts, and she captained the USA 23 times during that span.

● “In the 86 matches in which Morgan scored the USWNT never lost, going 76W-0L-10D.”

Morgan will be remembered for her roles on two FIFA Women’s World Cup championship teams in 2015 and 2019 and was on the U.S. silver-medal team in 2011. She won an Olympic gold in 2012 and a bronze at Tokyo 2020.

A dangerous scorer in and around the box, Morgan had the knack of being in the right place at the right time, and creating situations in which defenders could not stop her, or a teammate that Morgan would pass to.

At the FIFA Women’s World Cup, she played in 22 matches and scored nine goals: two in 2011, one in 2015 and six in 2019. She scored five times in the 13-0 rout of Thailand in the 2019 opener, and then added one more goal during the tournament.

She scored six goals in 16 Olympic appearances.

Morgan was a consistent presence on the FIFA FIFPRO World XI with six selections. She was twice the runner-up for the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year and was named the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2012 and 2018.

She said in a statement:

“I grew up on this team, it was so much more than soccer.

“It was the friendships and the unwavering respect and support among each other, the relentless push for global investment in women’s sports, and the pivotal moments of success both on and off the field. I am so incredibly honored to have borrowed the crest for more than 15 years.

“I learned so much about myself in that time and so much of that is a credit to my teammates and our fans. I feel immense pride in where this team is headed, and I will forever be a fan of the USWNT. My desire for success may have always driven me, but what I got in return was more than I could have ever asked and hoped for.”

In club play, Morgan was a part of 10 different clubs, in three U.S. leagues as well as English and French leagues, with 183 regular-season appearances and scoring 81 goals.

Morgan was an All-American at Cal and she and husband Servando Carrasco – also a Cal soccer player who would go on to play nine years in Major League Soccer – welcomed daughter Charlie in 2020 and a second is on the way, as Morgan confirmed another pregnancy in her retirement video.

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ATHLETICS: Ugandan women’s marathoner Cheptegei died Thursday morning after being set on fire by partner

By
Rich Perelman
-
Ugandan women’s marathoner Rebecca Cheptegei, tragically killed in an attack by her partner, who set her on fire (Photo: Uganda Athletics Federation)

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≡ TRAGEDY IN KENYA ≡

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest In Peace.”

That’s from the Uganda Athletics Federation on Thursday, reporting a horrific end to the story of the Paris women’s Olympic marathoner who was doused with gasoline, set on fire and suffered burns over 75% of her body. According to an AIPS Media report:

“Cheptegei, who finished 44th in the Olympic marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, suffered the brutal attack in her house in western Trans Nzoia County. Her partner, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, doused her with petrol, which he had bought, and set her on fire during a disagreement on Sunday, Trans Nzoia police commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said. Local media reported that Marangach secretly entered Cheptigei’s home while she and her children were at church.”

Cheptegei and Ndiema Marangach were taken to a local hospital and transferred to larger facility in Eldoret. Cheptegei was reported on Wednesday to be in critical condition, but at 5:30 a.m. local time, at age 33. Kenyan media reported that Ndiema Manangach was admitted with 30% burns, and that the two had been quarreling over the use of Cheptegei’s property. He is reported in stable condition, under police custody; no information on any criminal charges has been reported as yet and the investigation is ongoing.

Reuters cited a Kenyan government survey from 2022, in which nearly 34% of Kenyan girls and women aged 15-49 years reported to have suffered physical violence. Married women are at particular risk, with 41% having faced violence.

CNN noted Kenyan reports that Cheptegei’s father, Joseph, had told Kenyan authorities that his daughter was in danger:

“I blame her death on negligence by the government because the authorities should have taken it seriously when we first reported that this man [Ndiema] had become problematic and he was fighting her. We reported to the police, to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations but they didn’t take any action to save her life.”

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) said in a statement:

“We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn about Rebecca Cheptegei’s death following the horrible attack against her. Rebecca’s participation in the Paris 2024 women’s marathon was a source of inspiration, pride and joy. Our hearts and thoughts go out to her family, in particular her children, her friends and the Olympic community in Uganda.”

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) said in a post:

“Our sport has lost a talented athlete in the most tragic and unthinkable circumstances. Rebecca was an incredibly versatile runner who still had lots left to give on the roads, mountains and cross country trails.

“I have been in touch with our Council Members in Africa to see how we can help not only in our capacity as governing body of the sport Rebecca competed in, but to assess how our safeguarding policies might be enhanced to include abuse outside of the sport, and bringing together stakeholders from all areas of athletics to combine forces to protect our female athletes to the best of our abilities from abuse of all kinds.”

Cheptegei won the Up-and-Downhill Mountain race at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in 2022, and had a marathon best of 2:22:47 from 2022. She finished 14th at the 2023 World Championships women’s marathon in Budapest.

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ATHLETICS: Nuguse beats Ingebrigtsen at 1500, Chebet short of 5000 WR; U.S.’s Holloway, Crouser, Richardson all win in Zurich

By
Rich Perelman
-
American Yared Nuguse won this Diamond League London event in 2023; he won in Zurich on Thursday as well (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

Two world-record attempts at the annual Weltklasse Zurich fell short, but both the men’s 1,500 m and women’s 5,000 m were thrilling in different ways, and U.S. Olympic medalists Grant Holloway, Ryan Crouser and Sha’Carri Richardson all scored wins.

The only world-leading mark was the women’s 5,000 m, with Paris 5,000-10,000 m winner Beatrice Chebet (KEN) taking a world-record shot and tucking right behind the pacesetters. The Kenyan star was already moving away at 2,000 m, with Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu Taye and world leader Tsigie Gebreselama trailing … and falling further and further behind. Chebet passed 3,000 m in 8:25.72, ahead of world-record pace and 4,000 m in 11:19.16, just 0.73 up on Ethiopian Guday Tsegay’s record run in 2023 (14:00.21).

Now the record chase was on, and at the bell, Chebet was all alone, as was Taye in second, followed by Gebreselama and American Elise Cranny. Chebet charged hard, but came up short in 14:09.52, the world leader for 2024 and the no. 7 performance ever. Chebet ran 65.3 for her final 400, but it wasn’t enough.

Taye was second in 14:28.76, followed by Gebreselama in 14:39.05. Further back, Cranny faded and fellow American Karissa Schweizer came up for fourth in 14:47.70. Cranny was eighth in 14:54.33 and Whittni Morgan was ninth in 14:54.89.

The men’s 1,500 m was a clear world-record attempt, with new World Road Mile record holder Elliott Giles (GBR) hired to lead at 1,200 m in 2:46.3, the same pace as Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) in his 1998 record run of 3:26.00.

The 800 m was reached in 1:51.17, on schedule, with Giles leading Norway’s Tokyo 2020 champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Yared Nuguse of the U.S., 2023 World Champion Josh Kerr (GBR) and Paris winner Cole Hocker of the U.S. through 1,000 m.

Ingebrigtsen took over past the 1,000 m, with Nuguse, Kerr and Hocker trailing and the Norwegian star was in front with 200 m left, but with Nuguse closing. And on the straight, Nuguse powered by and won in 3:29.21, with Ingebrigtsen at 3:29.52. Hocker was third at 3:30.46 and Niels Laros (NED) passed Kerr for fourth, 3:31.23 to 3:31.46.

The 3:29.21 is the no. 6 performance in U.S. history and Nuguse now has five of the top six. It’s Nuguse’s second win over Ingebrigtsen after five straight losses: first in Paris (3rd vs. 4th) and now in Zurich, so they’re 5-2 all-time for the Norwegian.

Another feature was the women’s 100 m, with five of the Paris finalists back in action. Off the start, 2019 World 200 m champ Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) was out best, followed by Paris seventh-placer Tia Clayton. Asher-Smith led for most of the race, but then Olympic silver winner Richardson of the U.S. got the lead, chased by Paris champ Julien Alfred (LCA).

This time, Richardson had the edge and kept it, getting to the line in 10.84 (wind: +0.1 m/s) to get the win, with Alfred at 10.88 and Asher-Smith at 10.89. Tamari Davis of the U.S. was fifth in 11.06 and Clayton was sixth in 11.09.

It’s Richardson’s second Diamond League win of the year – also at Pre – where she also defeated Alfred.

The men’s 200 m was another test for Olympic winner Letsile Tebogo (BOT), with runner-up Kenny Bednarek a lane outside of him in seven and Paris fourth-placer Erriyon Knighton of the U.S. in five. Off the start, Bednarek and Courtney Lindsey of the U.S. were off well, along with Knighton. But on the straight, Tebogo picked everyone off, one by one and passed Bednarek last in the final 10 m to win in 19.55 (wind: +0.4 m/s) over Bednarek’s lifetime best of 19.57. Knighton was third in 19.79, just ahead of Paris 100 m bronze winner Fred Kerley (19.81). Lindsey finished sixth in 20.17.

Olympic silver winner Daniel Roberts of the U.S. got to the first hurdle in front of Olympic champ Holloway, but Holloway took over from there, in front by hurdle three and on the way to an impressive 13.01 win (wind: -0.3 m/s). Behind him, Roberts faded and France’s Sasha Zhoya moved up swiftly at hurdle nine, getting second in a lifetime best of 13.10, ahead of Olympic sixth-placer Freddie Crittenden of the U.S. (13.15). Tokyo 2020 winner Hansle Parchment (JAM: 13.18) and Roberts (sixth) received the same time.

Later, the time was re-read and rounded down to 12.99, giving Holloway six sub-13s this season alone, and 12 for his career! That’s believed to be the most ever (he’s still just 26).

The men’s 400 m hurdles was odd from the start as Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ and Paris runner-up Karsten Warholm did not start, citing a hamstring injury after his defeat by vaulter Mondo Duplantis in the 100 m match race on Wednesday. France’s Clement Ducos got out best, chasing by Jamaican Roshawn Clarke, who took over by the sixth hurdle.

Clarke, who did not finish in the Olympic final, stormed home in a seasonal best of 47.49, with Qatar’s Abderrahmane Samba – sixth in Paris – second in 47.58, also his 2024 best and Estonia’s Rasmus Magi third (48.01). Ducos was fourth (48.02), ahead of American CJ Allen (48.20). Favored Alison dos Santos (BRA), the 2022 World Champion, did not finish, stopping after the sixth hurdle. 

Duplantis, the 100 m winner on Wednesday, did show up in the non-Diamond League men’s vault, and the event was down to he and two-time World Champion and Paris runner-up Sam Kendricks of the U.S. after both cleared 5.82 m (19-1). But neither could go higher and Duplantis won off of fewer misses at a lower height. Australia’s Kurtis Marschall was third at 5.72 m (18-9 1/4) and Tokyo 2020 runner-up Chris Nilsen was fourth at 5.62 m (18-5 1/4).

Olympic silver winner Wayne Pinnock (JAM) got out to 8.18 m (26-10) in the second round to take the lead in the men’s long jump. Two-time Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglou finally got close in round five at 8.02 m (26-3 3/4), but could do no more. Swiss Simon Ehammer got third at 7.98 m (26-2 1/4).

Triple Olympic champ Crouser of the U.S. got out in front in the men’s shot with his first-round throw of 21.87 m (71-9) and then improved to 22.66 m (74-4 1/4) in round two and that was it. European champ Leonardo Fabbri moved up to second in round five at 21.78 m (71-5 1/2) and improved to 21.86 m (71-8 3/4) in round six. American Payton Otterdahl got out to 21.38 m (70-1 3/4) in round five for third; world leader Joe Kovacs, the Paris silver medalist, was fourth at 21.90 m (68-7).

Two-time World Champion Anderson Peters (GRN) took the early lead in the men’s javelin at 84.98 m (278-10) in round three, ahead of 2022 European champ Julian Weber (GER: 83.67 m/274-6). Both improved in round four, with Peters at 85.72 m (281-3) and Weber out to 85.33 m (279-11). That’s how it ended. 

Kenya’s 2023 World Champion and Paris bronze medalist Mary Moraa was the favorite in the women’s 800 m and ran like. Shafiqua Maloney (VIN) – fourth in Paris – took the lead after the bell and onto the backstraight. But Moraa moved smoothly into the lead with 200 to go and led around the turn, then moving away to a clear win in 1:57.08. Behind her, American Addy Wiley was second coming into the straight, but Britain’s Georgia Bell, the Paris women’s 1,500 m bronzer, stormed past and moved from fifth to second in 1:57.94 to 1:58.16 for Wiley. Britain’s Jemma Reekie (1:58.49) was fourth as Maloney faded to seventh.

The top five from the Paris women’s 100 m hurdles were in Zurich, and Tokyo 2020 champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn – third in Paris – got to the front in mid-race and held off France’s silver winner, Cyrena Mayela-Samba, 12.36 to 12.40 (+0.8). American Masai Russell, the Olympic champ, got third with a late charge at 12.37 over teammate Grace Stark (12.39). Keni Harrison of the U.S., the Tokyo 2020 silver medalist, was seventh in 12.57.

Paris runner-up Anna Cockrell (USA) got out to the early lead in the women’s 400 m hurdles, with fellow American Shamier Little close and Jamaica’s Andrenette Knight third. But around the final turn, Little got to the lead, with Cockrell taking it back over the 10th hurdle. But on the run-in, Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon – sixth in Paris – surged to the lead and won in a lifetime best of 52.97. Cockrell was second in 53.17 and Little third in 54.07.

Ukraine’s Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh took the women’s high jump, the only one to clear 1.96 m (6-5). Olympic silver winner Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) was again second and Paris co-bronze medalist Iryna Gershchenko was third, with both clearing 1.93 m (6-4).

The Diamond League final comes next, at Brussels and the Memorial Van Damme on 13-14 September.

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SALT LAKE CITY 2034: Letter from USOPC’s Sykes says new Host Contract language not a threat to 2034 hosting status

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

“We assure you that the additional language added to the hosting contract will not impact Utah’s capability to be an exceptional host. There is no cause for concern regarding its implications.”

That’s from a letter written by Gene Sykes, the President of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee – and a member of the International Olympic Committee – to the board of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games.

The letter was reported by Lisa Riley Roche of The Deseret News on Wednesday, further quoting the letter that the added language to the Olympic Host Contract signed by the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games during the award process in Paris in July “does not impose any new or unmanageable obligations on either the USOPC” or the in-formation organizing committee.

Further, Sykes wrote that the “intent behind this revision was to alleviate any apprehensions by reaffirming our dedication to the global anti-doping framework, not to introduce additional requirements.”

The added (underlined) language to the Olympic Host Contract was in section 39.2:

“39.2. The IOC shall be entitled to terminate the OHC and to withdraw the Games from the Host, the Host NOC and the OCOG if …

“the Host Country is ruled ineligible to host or co-host and/or to be awarded the right to host or co-host the Games pursuant to or under the World Anti-Doping Code or if, in any other way, the supreme authority of the World Anti-Doping Agency in the fight against doping is not fully respected or if the application of the World Anti-Doping Code is hindered or undermined; …”

It is important to note that the new language does not change the existing compliance review by WADA of the USADA. If the U.S. were found not to be compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code – already included in the prior language of the Olympic Host Contract – the U.S. would be ineligible to host the 2028 Olympic or 2034 Winter Games until resolved.

Sykes’ letter also included:

● That the USOPC is not looking for repeal of the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019, which gives the U.S. Justice Department extra-territorial jurisdiction to find those who aid in doping schemes. Sykes wrote:

“The USOPC is actively engaged in resolving the ongoing tensions between WADA and [U.S. Anti-Doping Agency] through constructive dialogue. I am confident that with time, patience, and innovative thinking, we can bridge the gaps between these organizations for the benefit of everyone involved.”

● Concerning the ongoing controversy over WADA’s actions regarding the 2021 doping positives of 23 Chinese swimmers:

“Supporting WADA’s role in the international anti-doping community does NOT mean we support the Chinese athletes over (the U.S. Anti Doping Agency). Nor does it mean we feel WADA has done everything right in this case. The USOPC, and others, have questions about what happened and how the situation was managed, and we will continue to pursue answers to these.”

Observed: The letter, quoted in the story but not reproduced in full, is clearly designed to lower the temperature, and should have that effect in the short term. SLC-Utah Committee for the Games chief executive Fraser Bullock asked for Sykes to provide his board with a better idea of the status and what lies ahead.

The WADA-USADA fight is not going to go away, but it can be better resolved, as Sykes notes, through discussion than name-calling or threats of lawsuits. Both want effective anti-doping action and the continuing trail of positive tests and changes in results – even this week! – from the London 2012 Olympic Games is a warning that the system needs to be effective sooner rather than later.

New technologies, including the dried-blood-spot testing protocol, need to be advanced quickly, preferably in time for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Such testing concepts would allow much easier, less expensive, broader-based and more frequent testing anywhere in the world: the best possible way to reduce the incidence of doping.

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PANORAMA: U.S. record for steepler Hamilton; Roglic close to lead in Vuelta; irony: suit vs. NCAA to hurt non-rev sports brought by swimmer

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● RUSSIA ● In the latest foreign-policy maneuver to use sports, Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev announced the details of the fourth Russian-Chinese Winter Youth Games, to take place in 2025. According to the Russian news agency TASS:

“The competition will be held in January 2025 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in 10 sports: cross-country skiing, short track, figure skating, alpine skiing, curling, snowboarding, freestyle, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and ski mountaineering.”

Think this isn’t somehow political? Degtyarev told a conference in Vladivostock:

“Our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin said: ‘Russian-Chinese relations at the moment are the cornerstone of global stability and an example of harmonious creative cooperation between major powers.’ So, in fact, we will implement creative harmonious cooperation together with our Chinese partners.”

● ATHLETICS ● An American record for steepler Duncan Hamilton, who won the rarely-run men’s 2,000 m Steeple at the Copenhagen Athletics Games in Denmark in 5:19.68, ahead of Vidar Johansson of Sweden (5:22.58). Hamilton, who has run 8:16.23 for the 3,000 m Steeple and was sixth at the Olympic Trials, broke Farley Gerber’s 5:21.96 mark from 1984.

Lots of other U.S. stars at this meet, with Matthew Boling winning the 400 m in 45.24, Waleed Suliman taking the men’s mile in 3:52.03, Cooper Teare winning the 5,000 m in 13:15.12. Helen Schlachtenhaufen running 2:00.26 to win the women’s 800 m and Jillian Shippee reaching 73.79 m (242-1) to take the women’s hammer.

Hilary Bor won his seventh U.S. national title and former American women’s marathon record holder Keira D’Amato won her second USATF 20 km title in three years on Monday, held in conjunction with the Faxon Law New Haven Road Race.

Bor was a clear winner in a race record of 58:09, well ahead of Nathan Martin (58:26). Bor was alone from the three-mile mark.

D’Amato won this event in 2022, and broke away after nine miles, finishing in 1:06:25, eventually followed by Jess McClain in second at 1:06:50.

A horrific story from Kenya concerning Ugandan women’s marathoner Rebecca Cheptegei, who was doused with gasoline, set on fire and suffered burns over 75% of her body. According to an AIPS Media report:

“Cheptegei, who finished 44th in the Olympic marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, suffered the brutal attack in her house in western Trans Nzoia County. Her partner, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, doused her with petrol, which he had bought, and set her on fire during a disagreement on Sunday, Trans Nzoia police commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said. Local media reported that Marangach secretly entered Cheptigei’s home while she and her children were at church.”

Cheptegei and Marangach were taken to a local hospital and transferred to larger facility in Eldoret. Cheptegei was reported on Wednesday to be in critical condition.

Grand Slam Track, the four-meet circuit coming in 2025, announced the signings of Paris 1,500 m champ Cole Hocker and bronze winner Yared Nuguse, both of the U.S. Silver medalist Josh Kerr (GBR) has already signed as a committed “Racer.”

● CYCLING ● It’s a lot closer at the 79th Vuelta a Espana, as three-time winner Primoz Roglic (SLO) has almost close the gap on Australia’s Ben O’Connor.

After O’Connor’s sensational stage 6 win that gave him a 4:51 lead on Roglic, the Slovenian star has been gnawing at the gap. On Tuesday, he got almost all of it back, on the triple-climb, 181.5 stage to Lagos de Covadonga with another brutal uphill finish.

In fact, Roglic wasn’t close to the front, as the stage was won by Marc Soler (ESP) in 4:44:46 with an attach inside of 5 km remaining, finishing 18 seconds ahead of Filippo Zana (ITA: 4:45:04). Roglic finished 11th (+3:54), but broke away from O’Connor with about km left, who was 20th (+4:52).

That brought O’Connor’s lead down to just five seconds over Roglic, with Enric Mas (ESP) third (+1:25) and Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz fourth (+1:46) and very much in contention.

On Wednesday’s 17th stage, the 141.5 km route to Santander had two climbs in the middle, but a long, relatively flat stretch to the end and was therefore a mass sprint to the line, with by Australian Kaden Groves in 3:32:14 over Pavel Bittner (CZE) and Vito Braet (BEL), as the first 61 riders received the same time. O’Connor and Roglic were 28th and 35th; it’s third stage win for Groves in this race.

Thursday’s hilly stage may not be an agent for change, but the miserable uphill finishes in stages 19 and 20 will be, before Sunday’s Individual Time Trial in Madrid.

● SWIMMING ● Biting comment from Texas Christian athletics director Jeremiah Donati at a news conference on 27 August, explaining that if the current settlement proposal on paying $2.7 billion to college athletes for restraint of trade, and changing scholarship levels going forward, now being considered by a Federal judge goes through, it will impact non-revenue sports at universities like his:

● “The plan is not to add new scholarships. It’s potentially reallocating that. We’re going to be focused primarily on putting that $21 million of [proposed] rev share in the hands of the players, in the hands of the student athletes.”

● “We have no plans to eliminate sports right now. However, I would tell you that they’re probably going to look different.”

● “I think what’s fair is that the revenue should be commensurate with the programs that generate the revenue.”

Translation: at least some (many? most?) scholarships for non-revenue sports will be transferred to the revenue sports. And then there was this:

“The irony of this, if you will, we talked about the House case [settlement]. [Grant] House was a swimmer at Arizona State; that’s the irony of this, right? He’s from a non-revenue sport, right?

“So that’s Grant House, so that’s kind of the irony in this, so I don’t think if you were sitting here in this room, this is the outcome he probably would have imagined when he signed up for this.

“Again, I’m not throwing jabs at plaintiff’s attorneys, but that’s where we’re at.”

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PARALYMPIC GAMES: USA’s Long wins 30th Paralympic medal; McFadden wins 20th; Frech doubles up; now 2.3 million tix sold

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games medals (Photo: Paris 2024)

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≡ PARIS 2024 ≡

No worries for the Paris 2024 organizers as ticket sales were announced as reaching 2.3 million as of Tuesday, out of a total available of a bit more than 2.5 million. Paris 2024 chief executive Etienne Thobois said in a news conference that sales had picked up significantly after the opening of the Paris Olympic Games and has continued:

“We are surfing on the spirit of the Olympic Games, with an audience that has adhered to this spirit. Now, we have such a large audience that adheres to the Paralympic spirit. It is a positive signal in a society that needs more positive signals.”

Thobois emphasized the co-promotion of the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a factor. FrancsJeux.com reported the close ties:

“A common logo, identical competition sites, reinforced communication around the Paralympic Games, with the launch last year of the first Paralympic Day. The return match after the first leg. Two parts of the same project.”

The XVII Paralympic Games will close on Sunday.

Answering the call by the International Paralympic Committee to find a continuing home for the IPC’s agitos logo, Valerie Pecresse, the President of the Ile-de-France region – which includes Paris – posted on X on Wednesday (computer translation from the original French):

“Ready for the Agitos to remain on the façade of the Île-de-France Region Headquarters in Saint-Ouen, a stone’s throw from the Athletes’ Village, as a signal that obliges us in the years to come to build an inclusive and accessible region!”

The IPC agitos are currently adorning the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but with no long-term plan to keep them there.

At the La Defense Arena, six-time Paralympian Jessica Long of the U.S. continues to forge an unforgettable legacy, winning her 30th career Paralympic medal by winning the women’s S8 400 m Freestyle in swimming on Wednesday.

It’s her first medal of the 2024 Games; she started at Athens 2004 and has won 17 golds, eight silvers and five bronzes. Her 30-medal total ranks her equal-fourth all-time and are the second-most ever in swimming behind all-time medal leader Trischa Zorn of the U.S., who won 55 medals from 1980-2004.

Long said afterwards, “I wanted to get to 30. That’s the goal. It’s so hard to prove can I do it again and again. This is my sixth Paralympic Games.

“I was proud of my first Paralympic medal when I was 12 years old and I won by a tenth of a second and this to me is probably right up there. Just going back and showing my friends and family that I won a gold medal, there’s nothing better.”

Long, now 32, competed at Athens 2004 as a 12-year-old! In Paris, she finished sixth in the women’s S8 100 m Back, fourth in the women’s S8 200 m Medley and now a win in the 400 m Free (S8), her fourth time winning that event. She still has the women’s 100 m butterfly (S8) to go, on Saturday.

At the Stade de France, American Tatyana McFadden won her 21st career Paralympic medal and 20th in track & field with a silver in the women’s T54 100 m in 15.67. A five-time winner of the New York City Marathon in the women’s wheelchair division, McFadden is in her seventh Paralympic Games and owns eight track & field golds, eight silvers and four bronzes, plus a Winter Paralympic silver in women’s cross-country skiing 1,000 m from 2014.

The 19-year-old Ezra Frech – in his second Paralympic Games – surprised himself with his victory in the men’s T63 100 m in a lifetime best of 12.06 on Monday, then got the gold he was gunning for, with a win on Tuesday in the men’s T63 high jump at 1.94 m (6-4 1/4), a Paralympic Games record.

He also finished fifth in the T63 men’s long jump at 6.58 m (21-7 1/4).

Frech had finished fifth in the high jump and eighth in the long jump at Tokyo 2020.

With four days remaining, swimmers Ihar Boki (neutral/BLR) and Italy’s Carlotta Gilli are the biggest winners so far with five medals each. Boki has five golds and Gilli has two golds, a silver and two bronzes.

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ATHLETICS: Mondo beats Karsten over 100 m, 10 Paris Olympic champs in Zurich Thursday with a 1,500 m WR challenge

By
Rich Perelman
-
Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the men's 1,500 m in Lausanne over Paris winner Cole Hocker of the U.S. (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

A sensational edition of the Weltklasse Zurich meet takes place on Thursday at the famed Letzigrund Stadium, with 10 Paris gold medalists scheduled to compete, including another shot at a couple of world records.

But first, the hyped-up 100 m race between Tokyo Olympic champs and friends Mondo Duplantis (SWE: vault) and Karsten Warholm (NOR: 400 m hurdles) that grew out of a dare between the two last year was settled on Wednesday in a boxing-like atmosphere with a couple thousand people in the stands, and a bet, with the loser wearing the other’s national jersey when competing on Thursday!

After lots of build-up, crowd interviews and with a worldwide streaming audience looking on, Duplantis got the better start – as expected – and did not let up, winning in a very creditable lifetime best of 10.37 (wind: +0.1 m/s) to 10.47 for Warholm, also a lifetime best.

Said Duplantis afterwards, “I’m pretty fired up,” while Warholm was cursing under his breath at having to wear a Sweden jersey on Thursday. Great fun, and good for the sport.

In terms of the meet on Thursday, perhaps first on the list is the men’s 1,500 m, with Paris winner Cole Hocker of the U.S. facing silver medalist Josh Kerr (GBR) and American bronze winner Yared Nuguse. But Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ and Paris fourth-placer, ran the sixth-fastest time in history – 3:26.73 – in Monaco in July and 3:27.83 in Lausanne on 22 August.

Maybe another try at Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) and his 3:26.00 mark from 1998? In that race, El G came through in 54.3, 1:50.9 and 2:46.3 – thanks to statistician Walt Murphy for the splits – and finished his last 400 m in 53.5.

It’s possible.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet won the Paris women’s 5,000 m and 10,000 m, and set the world 10,000 m record at 28:54.14 in Eugene in May, the first woman ever under 29 minutes. Perhaps she’d like to be the first woman to break 14 minutes in the 5,000 m? The record is 14:00.21 by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay from 2023 and Chebet is no. 3 all-time at 14:05.92 in that world-record race.

Ethiopia’s Tsige Gebreselama is the 2024 world leader at 14:18.76 from the Pre Classic in May, backed up by teammate Ejgayehu Taye (14:18.92) and both are ready to challenge Chebet.

The other Paris champions in action:

● Men/200 m: Letsile Tebogo (BOT) is on a roll, winning in Rome (100 m), Lausanne and Silesia and will go against Paris silver winner Kenny Bednarek of the U.S., fourth-placer Erriyon Knighton and 100 m bronze winner Fred Kerley, plus Paris fifth-placer Alexander Ogando (DOM).

● Men/110 m hurdles: Grant Holloway wants to stay sharp for the Diamond League Final and will face Paris runner-up Daniel Roberts of the U.S., teammate Freddie Crittenden and Jamaica’s bronze winner Rasheed Broadbell.

● Men/Pole Vault: This is not a Diamond League event, but it’s news any time Duplantis is jumping, because a world record is always a possibility. Silver winner Sam Kendricks of the U.S. cleared a season’s best 6.01 m (19-8 1/2) at USTAF in Berlin, and Greece’s bronzer Emmanouil Karalis got over 6.00 m (19-8 1/4) for the first time in the Silesia meet on 25 August.

● Men/Long Jump: Greece’s two-time Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglou says he hates to lose and has won 12 of 13 meets this season and eight in a row in 2024. He’s the world leader at 8.65 m (28-4 1/2) and will once again face Paris runner-up Wayne Pinnock (JAM) and bronzer Mattia Furlani (ITA).

● Men/Shot Put: American superstars Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs are the three-time Olympic gold and silver winners. Crouser is the world-record holder and thinks he had a monster throw in him, and Kovacs is the world leader at 23.13 m (75-10 3/4). European champ Leonardo Fabbri (ITA) and Paris bronze winner Rajinda Campbell (JAM) are also challenging.

● Women/100 m: A Paris re-match with winner Julien Alfred (LCA) facing American Sha’Carri Richardson, with fourth-placer Daryll Neita (GBR) and fellow Brit, Dina Asher-Smith, fourth in the women’s 200 m.

● Women/100 m hurdles: The Paris podium is back, with winner Masai Russell of the U.S., Cyrena Samba-Mayela (FRA: silver) and Tokyo 2020 winner Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR: bronze), plus fifth-placer Grace Stark and Tokyo runner-up Keni Harrison of the U.S.

● Women/High Jump: Again, all the medalists with winner and world-record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) challenged by Nicola Olyslagers (AUS: silver), and bronzers Iryna Gerashchenko (UKR) and Eleanor Patterson (AUS).

Tokyo winner and Paris runner-up Warholm will be the men’s 400 hurdles, of course, against Paris bronze winner Alison dos Santos (BRA) and others. The women’s 800 m has Paris silver star Tsige Duguma (ETH) and bronze winner Mary Moraa (KEN), and women’s 400 m hurdles has runner-up Anna Cockrell of the U.S.

The women’s pole vault was held at the Zurich main train station (Hauptbahnhof) on Thursday, with Olympic champ Nina Kennedy (AUS) winning again at 4.87 m (15-11 3/4), ahead of Paris bronzer Alysha Newman (CAN: 4.82 m/15-9 3/4) and silver medalist Katie Moon of the U.S. (also 4.82 m). American Sandi Morris was fifth at 4.67 m (15-3 3/4).

The Weltklasse meet will be shown live in the U.S. on the NBC Peacock streaming service only, at 2 p.m. Eastern time. A replay will air on CNBC on Saturday (7th) at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.

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ATHLETICS: Will Sydney McLaughlin-Levone run at the Diamond League Final in Brussels? No, definitely NOT (maybe)

By
Rich Perelman
-
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone readies for a 22.07 win in the women's 200 m at the L.A. Grand Prix (TSX photo by Alan Mazursky)

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≡ DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

/Updated/The Allianz Memorial Van Damme meet, the Diamond League Final for 2024, is coming on 13-14 September in Brussels and announced Tuesday that four-time Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) will be running the women’s 400 m and 200 m:

“Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the absolute athletics star of the Paris Olympics, is coming to the Allianz Memorial Van Damme! It’s a unique opportunity for athletics fans worldwide, as it will be her only meeting after Paris. She will run a unique double with the 400m on Friday and the 200m on Saturday.”

There was this comment from meet director (and former 11.04 women’s 100 m sprinter) Kim Gevaert: “We are extremely honored that Sydney has chosen Brussels for this unique double.

“She has impressed me enormously with her double Olympic gold and her incredible world record time. I look forward to witnessing her testing her limits in the 400m and 200m. Sydney’s presence is making this years [sic] event historic.”

However, McLaughlin-Levrone has not qualified for the Diamond League Final, and does not fit the requirements for “wild card” entries, which includes:

“● To be eligible and considered for a Global Wild Card athletes must:

“o have either competed and achieved a result in at least one Diamond League meeting during the season or competed and got injured at a Diamond League Meeting.”

Moreover, the well-informed former Trinidad & Tobago sprint star, four-time Olympic medalist, and lead NBC track & field analyst Ato Boldon posted on X on Wednesday:

“Despite numerous reports to the contrary, my information is that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will NOT compete in Brussels. The meet has not accepted her entry, since she didn’t compete in any Diamond League meeting this year. ‘Byes’ into the meet apply only to those who did.”

And Diamond League chief executive Petr Stastny said at the Weltklasse Zurich technical meeting on Wednesday that McLaughlin-Levrone is ineligible (as shown above) to run at the Diamond League final. She could run in a non-Diamond League event added into the meet, however.

McLaughlin-Levrone did compete in two World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meets, the Los Angeles Grand Prix, in May, winning the 200 m in a lifetime best 22.07, and the NYC Grand Prix in June, winning the 400 m in a then-world-leading 48.75. But no Diamond League meets.

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PARIS 2024: City of Paris wants Olympic Rings to stay on Eiffel Tower permanently; others call for a hearings or a vote

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Olympic Rings on the Eiffel Tower (Photo: Ibex73 via Wikipedia)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

“The idea is to make permanent the events that Paris has lived through.”

That’s Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan, explaining that the city’s idea is to make the Olympic Rings a permanent addition to the Eiffel Tower.

“The Olympic Games are also a symbol of peace, fraternity and, whatever people might say, [the Paris Games] will have marked the history of the city and probably the history of the Olympic Movement. …

“We’re not disfiguring anything. We are going to add a powerful symbol to this iconic structure and this historic Parisian monument.”

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced the plan to keep the Rings on the tower in an interview published on Saturday, saying “As mayor of Paris, the decision is up to me and I have the agreement of the IOC.”

Rabadan insisted that having the Rings on the tower is not a modification out of keeping with its history, as additions – especially of telecommunications and weather monitoring equipment – have been made throughout its history. It was originally erected in 1889 as the centerpiece of the 1889 Paris Exposition and to mark the centenary of the French Revolution.

Rabadan told Agence France Presse that a technical study – being paid for by the International Olympic Committee – is being made now on the replacement of the current, heavy rings, with a lighter version better suited to long-term use on the tower. He said that the IOC could end up paying for the new Rings.

Rabadan also acknowledged that there would be times when the Rings might have to be covered, or made less prominent: “The idea is that they are visible when we want them to be and sometimes they will be less so.”

He brushed aside a report that a Change.org petition against the Rings had received 34,000 signatures by Tuesday:

“When you take decisions like this, you’re always faced with criticism from people who don’t want things to change.”

Some have asked for a more deliberate, legislative process to decide on the addition of the Rings, and Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, the great-great-great grandson of Gustave Eiffel, said in an interview:

“It was an honour and a great pleasure to have those Rings exhibited at the Eiffel Tower for the Olympic Games. There’s no denying that.

“But the idea that those Rings are going to stick forever on the Eiffel Tower … that’s a different story. And that’s where the problem is for us.”

He supports keeping the Rings on the tower for perhaps even a couple of years, but

“The Eiffel Tower has become, since its creation, the symbol of Paris, and to a large extent, the symbol of France for most of the world. So to associate a different symbol, no matter how strong of a symbol it may be, sounds like a very strange idea to us. …

“There’s a long history behind the Eiffel Tower. It’s a very powerful symbol. So I don’t think just one person can make such a decision,” he said.

He would prefer a vote.

Meanwhile, Paris Mayor Hidalgo told a conference of French mayors that it would have been better if Russian and Belarusian athletes had not been admitted to the Olympic Games or Paralympic Games:

“I would have wished that there would not even be a neutral banner, but at least it means they are not celebrated.”

There were 32 “neutrals” at the Olympic Games – 15 Russians and 17 Belarusians – and 96 at the Paralympics (88 + 8). The Paralympic Games conclude on Sunday.

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DOPING: Russian Tomashova disqualified from London 2012 women’s 1,500, moving American Shannon Rowbury to the bronze medal

By
Rich Perelman
-
American Shannon Rowbury and Russian Tatyana Tomashova (red tops, along the rail) running in heat one of the women’s 1,500 m at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Photo: tompagenet via Wikipedia).

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≡ LONDON 2012 ≡

“The Sole Arbitrator in charge of the matter found to her comfortable satisfaction that Ms Tomashova committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) in relation to the 2012 Samples through violations of Rule 2.2 of the 2021 [World Athletics] Anti-Doping Rules (WA ADR) (Use or Attempted Use of a Prohibited Substance or a Prohibited Method).

“Turning to the sanction, taking into account a previous ADRV committed by Ms Tomashova in 2008, the Sole Arbitrator determined the appropriate sanction applicable to multiple ADRVs to be the imposition a ten-year period of ineligibility, commencing on this day, the date of the CAS decision, as well as the disqualification of all competitive results obtained by Ms Tomashova from 21 June 2012 until 3 January 2015, with all resulting consequences, including the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, points and prize and appearance money.”

That’s from Tuesday’s Court of Arbitration for Sport announcement, in which Russian middle-distance star Tatyana Tomashova was disqualified from the London 2012 women’s 1,500 m, in which she is currently the silver medalist in one of the most drug-impacted races of all time.

By being disqualified, American Shannon Rowbury would advance to the bronze medal after originally finishing sixth.

Tomashova, now 49, was a major star at the beginning of the century, winning the IAAF women’s 1,500 Worlds golds in 2003 and 2005 and finishing with the Olympic silver at Athens 2004.

In London, she finished fourth on the track, behind Asli Cakir Alptekin (TUR), Gamze Bulut (TUR) and Maryam Yusuf Jamal (BRN). But Alptekin and Bulut were both later disqualified for doping, making Jamal the winner and Tomashova second, with Abeda Aregawi (ETH) in third. Rowbury was advanced to fourth.

Now, Tomashova’s disqualification, along with two other runners from Russia and Belarus, means that of the 13 finalists, five were disqualified for doping, including both Turkish finalists and both Russian finalists.

Rowbury, now 39, won the Worlds 1,500 m bronze in 2009 in Berlin and had been seventh at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She was later the American Record holder at 1,500 m, two miles and 5,000 m. She will now be the Olympic bronze winner in 2012, and she finished fourth at Rio 2016 in the women’s 1,500 m as well.

Any medal reallocation will have to be approved by the International Olympic Committee.

Tomashova’s case was pursued by the Athletics Integrity Unit, which re-tested her London 2012 samples in December 2021 and found her positive for anabolic steroids from tests in June and July of 2012. The pursuit of a judgement in the case was complicated by the continuing ban on the Russian Athletics Federation by World Athletics, but was finally delivered.

Because of Tomashova’s prior doping violation – for substituting urine samples – from 2008, which incurred a ban of two years and nine months (into 2011), the arbitrator agreed with a 10-year ban, and the loss of results from 2012 into 2015. Tomashova last results were from 2016.

Olympic super-statistician Dr. Bill Mallon noted:

● Eight of the 46 entrants in the London 2012 women’s 1,500 m have now been disqualified for doping.

● In conjunction with fellow stat star Hilary Evans (GBR), the numbers of Russians caught for doping violations at London 2012 is now 59 out of 429 athletes, or 13.8% of the total.

● Mallon and Evans have logged an all-time total of 515 doping offenses at the Olympic Games. Of those, Russia has 116 (22.5%), the most by far, “and equal to the total of the next 4 [National Olympic Committees] with the most – Ukraine, Belarus, USA, and Turkey (in that order).”

London 2012 is the worst Games in history for doping violations, with (now) 164. In addition to the on-site doping controls, samples are now frozen and stored for re-testing within 10 years. The International Testing Agency is now leading the re-testing effort for samples from Rio 2016.

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PANORAMA: 88% of French, 75% of Australians saw Paris 2024 in TV; Yavi and Crouser still thinking records in 2024; U.S. leads T&F World U20s

By
Rich Perelman
-

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic
and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● PARIS 2024: Broadcast figures are coming in from the 2024 Olympic Games, with impressive audiences reported by the International Olympic Committee in some markets:

● Australia: Channel 9, 9Gem and 9Now reported a combined audience of 19.5 million, a sensational 75% of the total Australian population, watched some part of the Games.

● Brazil: Some 140.4 million of the 215.3 million in the country – 65.2% – watched some part of the Games on TV Globo, SporTV, GloboPlay & Ge. An outreach program on YouTube with the popular online show CazeTV saw 41 million devices access the channel during the Games, with a high of 4.8 million.

● Canada: CBC/Radio-Canada reported 27 million tuned in for some portion of the Games: that’s 69.4% of the country’s entire population.

● Europe: Warner Bros. Discovery said 215 million across the continent (not including Russia) watched its programming, up by 40 million (+23%) vs. Tokyo 2020. That’s about 28.9% of the European population (without Russia), but does not count the national broadcasters who showed the Games.

● France: A staggering 60 million French – out of 68 million in the country – watched the Games in some part on France Televisions, or 88.2%!

● Germany: Public channels ARD and ZDF reported 53.4 million viewers combined, or about 63.7% of the total population.

● Great Britain: The BBC reported 36.1 million viewers, or 53.9% of the total population.

In India, 170 million reported to follow the Games on the Viacom18 channels, in multiple languages with a total viewing of more than 15 billion minutes.

NBC reported a daily coverage of 30.6 million for its Paris Prime (afternoon, live) and primetime programs combined, including streaming, a huge increase over the 16.9 million Tokyo average. No figures for total national reach have been announced yet.

● ATHLETICS: At the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Diamond League meet in Rome, the women’s Steeplechase world record was in the sights of the last two Olympic champions: Peruth Chemutai (UGA) from Tokyo and Paris winner Winfred Yavi (BRN), with Yavi missing the mark by just 0.07 seconds in 8:44.39, the no. 2 performance in history. Yavi said later:

“I looked at the time after the race and I went ´oh, no!´ Í was really expecting that record and I was going for it. I definitely feel I should break it and I believe it will happen. I need to work even harder.

“And I am planning to have another go at it before the end of the season! My biggest goal for next year is to become a double world champion.”

Chemutai was second in a national record of 8:48.03:

“I feel good and I am very happy. Yet, I came here for the world record and I missed it. But I still achieved a national record. The world record will be for next time.

“I kind of paced this race for Yavi. I knew that Yavi has this strong kick at the end. But I planned this race with my coach and my management, unfortunately I missed the world record. I guess I need to train more for the final 100 m.”

American shot star Ryan Crouser, now a three-time Olympic champion, is also hunting records after winning in Rome at 22.49 m (73-9 1/2):

“I executed a lot better today than I did in Silesia. I no longer feel the jet lag after coming back to Europe from home. It is a good indicator there is a big throw is coming up. Not that today´s mark is not big, but I believe I can still get into world record territory. I am trending in the right direction.

“Mentally and physically you reach your peak at the Olympics, but you can compensate for not being there with being more relaxed. I feel more mentally engaged than normally at this stage of the season. I am throwing consistently and that is important.

“You train for that one big throw, but when you get consistency, big throws are more likely to come.”

The Olympic Games can be a pivotal experience, as Paris men’s 400 m bronze winner – and Rome winner in 43.99 – Muzala Samukonga (ZAM) is finding out at age 21:

“My life changed completely this year. It is hard to even explain this fully. I am recognizable in my home country now and it is not easy sometimes. But you have to be strong enough as an athlete to deal with it. Not everyone is going to like you, it is normal. You just have to do what makes you happy.

“The win at the Diamond League means a lot. Running sub-44 is not easy, you have to be at top level to do that. I still have the Diamond League final coming up. Anything is possible there. I do not want to say what I will do, I just want to run my best.”

One of the busiest athletes in the sport has to be Tara Davis-Woodhall, who completed an undefeated season in the women’s long jump with a win in Rome at 7.02 m (23-0 1/2), but still has a lot going on:

“It is almost surreal, I mean no one has jumped seven meters so many times this year like me! I have been undefeated. I am tired.

“Tomorrow I will fly directly to Paris. I just want to see my husband Hunter Woodhall race there. I am excited just to see what he puts down. This year I told myself: no expectations, I worked so hard, I trained with the boys and it paid off.

“During the competition I did not have the approach I wanted, I had some pretty big jumps in me. Jumping first in the group is not what I prefer. Now I want to put my full attention on Hunter. Then we have some press interviews back home and after that we will go on a holiday to Las Vegas.”

Hunter Woodhall finished sixth in the men’s T64 100 m on Monday and will compete in the men’s T62 400 m on Friday (6th).

Kenya’s 2023 World women’s 800 m champion Mary Moraa was pretty thrilled to win the women’s 600 m at the ISTAF meet in Berlin, but to also grab the world best from South African star Caster Semenya, in 1:21.63:

“I am feeling so well and happy. To achieve this record on the first attempt is just overwhelming. I am so satisfied about the way I ran today. And I am happy for my coach, for my sponsor and my team.

“Yesterday I talked to my manager about the pace to set and that I have to do it without a pacemaker. But I was confident because I am strong. I told myself. ‘I am going to make it’ and I did!

“This is my first time to run here in this stadium and I am over the moon. The atmosphere is nice, it makes me feel great.”

The World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima (PER) concluded on Saturday, with the U.S. team leading the medal table with 16 total medals and eight golds (junior implements used in all events):

● Men/110 m hurdles: 13.05, Ja’Kobe Tharp
● Men/400 m hurdles: 49.26, Vance Nilsson
● Men/4×400 m: 3:03.56, Jayden Davis, Xavier Donaldson, Alexander Rhodes, Sidi Njie
● Men/High Jump: 2.25 m (7-4 1/2), Scottie Vines
● Men/Discus: 62.59 m (205-4), Bryce Ruland
● Women/4×400 m: 3:30.74, Michaela Mouton, Olivia Harris, Josie Donelson, Zaya Akins
● Women/Vault: 4.47 m (14-8), Molly Haywood
● Women/Shot: 17.34m (56-10 3/4), Akaoma Odeluga

There were a couple of lowlights for the U.S. An entry error by USA Track & Field resulted in the U.S. not being able to run a team in the Mixed 4×400 m relay, and the men’s 4×100 m relay squad did not finish after Brayden Williams and James Bauman were not able to complete the first pass inside the exchange zone. The women’s 4×100 m relay made the final (with the no. 2 qualifying time), but was also disqualified for passing outside of the zone.

Houston coach and sprint icon Carl Lewis wrote on X: “I guess we’ve accepted the fact that @usatf teams can not finish a relay race. It is so sad to see these young junior athletes also have to suffer from their incompetence.”

South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza doubled in the men’s 100 and 200 m in 10.19 and 20.52. Kenya’s Sarah Moraa, a cousin of World Champion Mary Moraa, won the women’s 800 m in 2:00.36.

The Fribourg Track Lab meet took place in Switzerland on Sunday, with a series of new formats tried successfully on the technical level. These included a 40 cm take-off zone for the long jump (16 inches vs. 8 inches) with the measurement from the actual spot of elevation, vault measurements of the actual height cleared, with a limit on total jumps, javelin measurements only if a prior best was improved on and others.

A new event, the Steeplechase over one mile, was also introduced. Per World Athletics:

“All of these new formats were being tested for the first time and form part of a consultation process for the future of the sport to see if such changes can enhance the enjoyment and excitement of a competition. Further testing and consultation with various stakeholders will be undertaken in the aftermath of this event. Anything that doesn’t pass extensive consultation will not be implemented.”

In terms of performance, all 18 of the long jumps were deemed “legal” under the new format, eliminating – here – foul jumps. Ethiopia’s Abrham Sime won the mile Steeple in 4:14.36.

It’s the first of what will need to be many such tests of these concepts before they can be introduced in any championship competition.

● FOOTBALL: The FIFA Women’s U20 World Cup has begun in Colombia, with 24 teams playing in six groups and qualifying 16 to the elimination round.

The U.S. is in Group C and lost its opener to group favorite Spain, 1-0, on Sunday, with Olaya Enrique’s score at the 15-minute mark the difference.

The Americans will play Morocco on the 4th and Paraguay on the 7th. The U.S. has not won a medal in this tournament since 2012, when it won its third title.

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PARALYMPIC GAMES: Triathlons completed, Stutzman wins archery gold; IPC asks for its logo to remain on the Arc de Triomphe or elsewhere

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Paralympic logo mounted on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris (Photo: City of Paris)

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≡ PARIS 2024 ≡

The 2024 Paralympic Games triathlon events went off in Paris on Monday after a one-day’s delay to assure better water quality in the Seine River.

All 11 events were held, with the home fans cheering the repeat victory of France’s Alain Hanquinquant, 38, in the men’s PTS4 classification over Carson Clough of the U.S. The French fans also celebrated a win for Jules Ribstein in the PTS2 class over the U.S.’s Mohamed Lahna and Mark Barr.

The U.S. scored three wins, with Chris Hammer in the men’s PTS5 class, and women’s winners Hailey Danz (PTS2) and Grace Norman (PTS5).

(“PTS” classes are for Para Triathlon Standing, with the athletes using prosthetics. The classes PTS2 through PTS5 defining the level of impairment, with PTS2 the most impaired and PTS5 the least impaired.)

The amazing Matt Stutzman, 41, one of the best-known U.S. Paralympians, won the men’s Compound archery title in a tight, 149-147 finals match against China’s Xinliang Ai. Stutzman is armless and shoots with his feet, was tied after the first end, 30-30, and at 89-89 after three.

But he won the final two ends, 30-29 each for the two-point win. It’s Stutzman’s first Paralympic gold – his fourth Paralympics – after finishing second at the London 2012 Paralympics.

Tragedy for Italy’s Giacomo Perini in the rowing PR1 Single Sculls final (use of arms and shoulders only), where he finished third, but was disqualified for having his mobile phone in the boat!

The World Rowing statement included:

“In the final of the PR1 men’s singles, the Italian athlete was found to be using communications equipment during the race, in violation of rule 28 and Appendix R2, Bye-Law of rule 28.”

Perini said he did not use the phone for communications and was on the boat by accident, in a bag with a bottle of water. Since the rule penalizes communications – not having a phone – he appealed, but was rejected. The Italian team plans an appeal to the World Rowing board.

At the halfway mark – six days complete, six to go – of the XVII Paralympic Games, China leads with 87 total medals:

● 1. 87, China (43-30-14)
● 2. 54, Great Britain (29-15-10)
● 3. 42, United States (13-19-10)
● 4. 38, Brazil (12-8-18)
● 5. 34, France (11-10-13)

The same top three countries won 207-124-104 medals at Tokyo 2020. The Paralympics continue through Sunday.

With Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo directing that the Olympic Rings will remain on the Eiffel Tower for some time to come, the International Paralympic Committee is asking for its symbol – the three agitos – to remain on the Arc de Triomphe or elsewhere. IPC spokesman Craig Spence (GBR) said at a news conference:

“The agitos looks very impressive on the Arc de Triomphe. It probably won’t stay there for long, but with the debate about whether the [Olympic] Rings will stay on the [Eiffel] Tower or somewhere else, let’s not forget that we are talking about two major sporting events: the Olympics and Paralympics. I would very much like to see a place where the agitos could stay in the city.

“During all our Games, we look at how the agitos can leave a legacy. In particular, our cooperation with the Tokyo government has resulted in many agitos being left in the Japanese capital as reminders of the wonderful Games. So I would like to point out that during the debate about where the Rings should be, we should not forget about the agitos, because the Paralympic Games were held here too.”

The agitos were installed on the Arc on 28 June and each of the three measures seven meters in height and three meters wide, with a total, installed size of 12 m wide and 9 m high. It’s the first emblem to ever be mounted on the monument.

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COMMONWEALTH GAMES: Glasgow ready to take 2026 as talks drag on with Scottish government

By
Rich Perelman
-

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

“The decision to host the Games has been sitting with the Scottish Government since May, and we have worked tirelessly to address all questions and concerns raised across the past few months. However, the window of opportunity is fast closing, and with it, the ability to deliver within the timeline ahead of us hampered by uncertainty and delays.

“It would be a travesty if instead of grabbing the opportunity of over £100 million inward investment, we chose to let it go and instead be left needing to find millions elsewhere to fund the essential capital work needed to upgrade public facilities in the coming years, and leave hundreds of Scottish athletes, aspiring and established, without an avenue to compete for Scotland on the international stage.

“A decision over the coming weeks is critical to deliver the Games – we believe the concept is a no brainer.”

That’s Commonwealth Games Scotland Chair Ian Reid in a statement issued on Friday, chiding the Scotland government over resistance to approving a private-sector-funded bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, an event which has been without a host since the Australian state of Victoria walked away in July 2023.

As a breach-of-contract fee, Victoria paid the Commonwealth Games Federation A$380 million, or about $258.14 million U.S. today. Glasgow hosted the Commonwealth Games very successfully in 2014, and has been promised £100 million-plus of that fee – $131.44 million or more U.S. – as a subsidy to host the 2026 Games.

Additional funds will be provided for facilities upgrades, such as for the Tollcross swimming facility and Scotstoun Stadium for rugby and track & field.

The Games budget is projected at a very modest £114 million (about $149.84 million), with a reduced scope:

● “[A] revised programme of 10 sports, reducing the number of athletes and support staff.

● “[A] compact four-venue model within an eight-mile corridor, minimising transport, hire and security costs.

● “[U]sing existing sport and accommodation venues, avoiding the need for major capital projects.”

The Games as planned would offer 500,000 spectator tickets and bring in an estimated £150 million in economic impact.

Said Reid:

“This is a unique opportunity for the people of Glasgow and Scotland to be at the centre of a bold vision for the Games and we are calling on the Government to not waste the unique opportunity which is in front of us.”

Observed: Less is more. Glasgow’s move to tighten up the Commonwealth Games, reduce the sports, venues and costs is EXACTLY the right approach to saving this event, which debuted with six sports and 59 events in 1930. The 2022 edition in Birmingham (ENG) expanded to 20 sports and 280 events, but there had been just 10 sports as late as 1994.

Right-sizing the Commonwealth Games could save the event, and be a call for other events to be similarly and properly frugal.

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PANORAMA: Seine pollution postpones Paralympic tri; WADA reviewing U.S. compliance; record runs in road mile, women’s 600 m

By
Rich Perelman
-
Will the Seine be safe enough for swimming? Triathletes want to know! (Photo: Wikipedia)

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed to the Russian news agency TASS that its promised review of U.S. compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code has begun:

“In July, WADA confirmed that the issue of compliance of US legislation (in particular, the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act) with the World Anti-Doping Code would be discussed at the next meeting of the independent compliance committee. This meeting took place on August 8, and the preliminary review did indeed take place.”

The International Olympic Committee included a new clause in its Host City Contract with the Salt Lake City organizers of the 2034 Olympic Winter Games, allowing termination of the award of the Games if

“the Host Country is ruled ineligible to host or co-host and/or to be awarded the right to host or co-host the Games pursuant to or under the World Anti-Doping Code or if, in any other way, the supreme authority of the World Anti-Doping Agency in the fight against doping is not fully respected or if the application of the World Anti-Doping Code is hindered or undermined.”

● Paralympic Games 2024: Paris ● “The latest tests show a decrease in water quality in the river following the rain episodes over the last two days.

“As a result, the water quality at the competition venue on Sunday 1 September is not suitable for swimming and above the threshold established by World Triathlon. It has been decided to schedule all 11 Para triathlon medal events on 2 September. This is subject to the forthcoming water tests complying with the established World Triathlon thresholds for swimming.”

That’s from World Triathlon on Sunday, acknowledging the continuing concerns over pollution levels in the Seine – as was seen during the Olympic Games – due to continuing rain in Paris. There is also another reserve day on 3 September if the conditions are still not right.

● Athletics ● Lots of record action on Sunday, starting with Britain’s Elliott Giles running 3:51.3 to win the New Balance KO Meile in Dusseldorf (GER). Giles, a three-time Olympian at 800 m, held off American Yared Nuguse, the Paris men’s 1,500 m bronze winner, who was second in an American Record 3:51.9.

The world mark had been 3:56.13 by Hobbs Kessler of the U.S. from the 2023 World Road Running Championships, but Kenya’s Paris 800 m winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi had run 3:54.56 on 27 April in Herzogenaurach (GER) to set a new standard, still pending ratification.

At the famed ISTAF meet in Berlin (GER) on Sunday, Kenya’s 2023 World women’s 800 m champ Mary Moraa set a world best in the rarely-run 600 m, winning over Shafiqua Maloney (VIN), 1:21.63 to 1:22.98. That improved on South African Caster Semenya’s mark – also at ISTAF – of 1:21.77 from 2017.

Also at ISTAF, Germany’s Gesa Krause won the women’s rarely-run 2,000 m Steeple in 5:56.71, fastest in 2024.

There were some U.S. winners, with Courtney Lindsey winning the men’s 100 m in 9.99, ahead of Akani Simbine (RSA: 10.00), Grant Holloway in the 110 m hurdles in 13.14 (with Freddie Crittenden fourth in 13.53), and Sam Kendricks in the men’s vault with a seasonal best of 6.01 m (19-8 1/2).

Germany’s Gina Luckenkemper won the women’s 100 m in a lifetime best of 10.93, beating American Jenna Prandini (11.09).

At the Ambassadors Meeting of Bialystock in Poland, U.S. Indoor 800 m runner-up Addy Wiley ran away with the women’s 1,000 m race in an American Record of 2:31.49, winning by almost eight seconds. She broke the 2:31.80 mark set by Regina Jacobs back in 1999!

It’s the no. 2 mark in the world at 1,000 m this season and moves Wiley to no. 12 all-time.

● Beach Volleyball ● Catching up on the final Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 in Hamburg (GER: 22-25 August), Tokyo Olympic winner and Paris bronze medalists Anders Mol and Christian Sorum (NOR) won their second straight Elite 16 final with a 21-15, 21-11 sweep over Pablo Herrera and Adrian Gavira (ESP).

Similarly, women’s Olympic bronze winner Tanja Huberli and Nina Brunner (SUI) won the women’s title, defeating Svenja Muller and Cinja Tillmann (GER) in a tight final. 21-18, 18-21, 18-16. It was also the second win of the season for Huberli and Brunner.

● Boxing ● In the aftermath of the Asian Boxing Confederation vote not to join World Boxing, ASBC President Pichai Chunhavajira (THA) issued a statement, which included:

“I want to make it abundantly clear that our commitment to the Olympic Charter remains unshakeable. We will fight with everything we have to ensure that boxing retains its rightful place at the LA2028 Games. The Olympic spirit is deeply intertwined with the essence of our sport, and we will not allow it to be compromised.

“In light of the decisions made today, I have chosen to resign from my position on the IBA Board of Directors. This was not an easy decision, but it is necessary. My full focus and energy will now be devoted to one goal: securing the future of boxing in the Olympics and ensuring that the ASBC continues to play its long-standing, vital role in this sport.

“We stand at a crossroads, but I am confident that we have many paths available to us. Together, we will explore every option, overcome every obstacle, and do whatever it takes to save not just Asian boxing, but the entire global boxing community. This is a fight we cannot afford to lose, and I am fully committed to seeing it through.”

Eight of the 42 ASBC members have already joined World Boxing, but the others are in limbo as the ASBC voted not to join the new federation.

● Cycling ● Three-time Vuelta a Espana winner Primoz Roglic (SLO) continued to chew on the lead of Australian Ben O’Connor as the race headed into its final week.

O’Connor started the week with a 3:53 lead on Roglic, which was down to 3:16 by the end of stage 12 on Thursday. On Friday, Canadian climber Michael Woods attacked with 4.7 km to go on another uphill-finishing route of 176 km and won in 4:19:51, splitting up the field behind him. Roglic was 16th (+10:54) but O’Connor was 33rd (+12:49), so the lead was down to 1:21.

On Saturday, another mountain stage with two big climbs over 200.5 km on the way to Villablino, Australia’s Kaden Groves won a mass sprint on the descent over triple stage winner Wout van Aert (BEL) in 4:21:34, with the first 60 riders given the same time, including O’Connor and Roglic.

Sunday’s 143 km, hilly stage 15 to the massive Cuito Negru – at 1,835 m – was a second win for Castrillo, who out-lasted Russian Aleksandr Vlasov in the final 1,000 m to win in 3:45:51. Roglic was fifth (+1.04), but suffered a 20-second penalty along with two others for drafting behind a team car. O’Connor was 11th (+1:42), so his lead is now down to 1:03.

There are six stages left after Monday’s rest day, with mountain stages and uphill finishes on stages 16, 19 and 20. It’s going to be close.

At the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Vallnord, Andorra, Olympic disappointments were salved, with wins for Paris men’s Cross Country bronze medalist Alan Hatherly (RSA) and Dutch fourth-placer Puck Pieterse.

Hatherly was third by 11 seconds in Paris, but was even with Olympic silver medalist Victor Koretzky (FRA) on the final lap, then rode away after the final climb and by easily, 1:09:51 to 1:10.13. It’s first win in this race.

Britain’s Olympic winner, Tom Pidcock, finished third (1:10:30); Christopher Blevins was the top American, in 14th at 1:12:52.

Koretzky won Friday’s Short Track race, 21:49 to 21:52 over Britain’s Charlie Aldridge, with Hatherly third (21:52).

Pieterse, 22, was the two-time European Cross-Country champ and was fourth in Paris, missing a medal by 21 seconds. At Vallnord, she took off from the start and had a nine-second lead after the first lap. She never let up, up 12 seconds after three laps and finished with a 59-second win in 1:09:41. No contest.

Anne Terpstra (NED: 1:10:40) was a distant second and Martina Berta (ITA: 1:11:00) a distant third. Savilla Blunk and Kate Courtney were 8-9 for the U.S., in 1:12:13 and 1:12:38.

Britain’s Evie Richards won the Short Track race in 19:46, just ahead of two-time winner (and Paris XCO champ) Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (FRA: 19:47), with Rio 2016 Olympic XCO champ Jenny Rissveds (SWE: 20:04) third and Pieterse fourth (20:08).

In the men’s Downhill, France’s Loris Vergier led a French 1-2 in 2:38.661 to 2:38.809 with Benoit Coulanges, Vergier’s second title, 10 years after his 2014 win. The women’s Downhill went to favored Valentina Hoell (AUT) in 3:00.212 for her third straight World title! France’s Myriam Nicole was just 0.520 seconds back for silver, her eighth Worlds medal in the event in the last nine years (2-4-2).

The U.S. team of Braden Johnson (men’s U-23), Nicholas Konecny (men’s Junior), Blevins, Haley Batten (women’s elite), Vida Lopez de San Roman (women’s Junior) and Madigan Munro (women’s Junior) won the Mixed Team event over France and Italy.

● Flag Football ● The defending champion U.S. men and women repeated as winners at the IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Lahti, Finland.

It was the fifth straight win for the American men, who defeated three-time champ Austria, 53-21, in the final. Quarterback Darrell Doucette completed 6-7 passes and 155 yards and six touchdowns, three to Ja’Deion High and two each to Pablo Smith and Laval Davis. Felix Wasshuber completed 23-42 for Austria for 240 yards and three touchdowns, but suffered two interceptions.

The U.S. ran just 19 offensive plays to 43 for the Austrians, but it wasn’t enough. The Americans scored on their first seven possessions to take an unapproachable, 41-13 lead at half.

Switzerland edged Mexico, 41-35, in the bronze-medal match.

The U.S. women won their third straight title and second straight over Mexico, 31-18. Vanita Krouch completed 21-34 for the Americans, for 224 yards and three touchdowns, and Maci Jonich was 2-2 for 17 yards and a touchdown as well. Mexican star QB Diana Flores was 30-41 for 265 yards, three scores and an interception.

The U.S. scored on their first three possessions, with Mexico turning the ball over downs on their first three drives, and the Americans led, 18-6, at half. Both teams scored twice in the second half, but Mexico’s comeback failed on an interception of Flores by Laneah Bryan with 55 seconds to play.

Japan defeated Austria, 41-40, for the bronze.

Flag Football will be a medal event at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

● Judo ● Russian Judo Federation President Sergei Soloveichik told the state news agency TASS that Russian judoka will not longer use the “AIN” – International Neutral Athlete – designation, but will compete as “International Judo Federation” athletes:

“Over the past few years, we have enjoyed the support of the IJF. During the Olympic Games, we had a meeting where the IJF directorate supported our proposal that until we return to competing under our flag, with our anthem, which we hope will happen very soon, the abbreviation of the International Federation should appear on the back numbers of our judokas.”

● Volleyball ● At the Women’s Pan American Cup in Leon, Mexico, Argentina defeated the U.S. by 25-18, 25-10 and 25-19 for a sweep. It was the only loss of the tournament for the Americans, who had previously defeated Argentina in group play.

The Women’s Pan American Cup is the qualifier to the 2025 Women’s Pan American Cup, the 2025 NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship and the 2027 Pan American Games.

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PARIS 2024: Hidalgo says Olympic Rings will stay on Eiffel Tower, says Olympics was an “accelerator” of change

By
Rich Perelman
-
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo

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≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡

“As mayor of Paris, the decision is up to me and I have the agreement of the IOC. So yes, they will stay on the Eiffel Tower.”

That’s Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, from an interview with the French daily Ouest France during the Olympic Games, but published now, explaining that the Olympic Rings will remain on the Eiffel Tower.

Installed on 7 June, the Rings as currently displayed are too heavy to remain attached for a long period of time, and so they will be replaced with a lighter version. As currently installed, the Rings are 29 m wide (95-2) and 13 m high (42-8) and are 60 m (196-10) off the ground, requiring four cranes to install. But they will have to be replaced.

Hidalgo did not say that the Rings will become a permanent part of the landmark. Moreover, she noted that because the Eiffel Tower is sometimes used to create messages of support for other countries, the Rings may be covered during those times, as the International Olympic Committee is keen to maintain political neutrality.

Hidalgo was thrilled with the success of the Games, saying it was the result of a lot of effort:

“We worked for almost ten years for this result, which is not just linked to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. These Games are an accelerator of all the transformations of the city.

“Paris will never be the same again: in the minds of the French, in the minds of Parisians, in the minds of the world. Like the universal exhibitions or the Games of 1900 or 1924, we have collectively become aware that we have built and then lived and shared a historic moment. Like, and even if I do not want to compare what is not, the spirit of celebration that there was at the Liberation of Paris in 1944 and of which we commemorated the 80th anniversary a few days ago. I want this spirit of celebration to remain!

“Yes, many have fallen in love with Paris again. It makes me happy, after ten years of bashing, telling us that it was going to be hell. Hating Paris, some had even made it their business. Today, many tell me that the city is magnificent and tell me about the joy of staying in Paris, of reclaiming their capital.”

And she went further:

“We feel this joy of being together so strongly during the Paralympic Games. The detractors have understood that their denigration business no longer has any weight because instead, we are in a message of inclusion and tolerance.

“We are also far from the caricature of Parisians who would be either ultra-privileged, who understand nothing about the country, or ultra-bobos, who would live on another planet.”

She also disagreed with the idea that the naysayers simply left during the Games and will return, adding, “No, I don’t think so. Many Parisians have not fled Paris. I had advised them to stay.”

Hidalgo also said that the 10 statutes of French women shown during the Olympic opening on the Seine will be displayed after the Games; there are also plans to keep the balloon-shaped Olympic cauldron in the Tuileries Garden, although this decision is not up to the City of Paris, as it is on state lands.

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BOXING: The death of Olympic boxing? Asian Confederation declines to join World Boxing in Extraordinary Congress

By
Rich Perelman
-
Skull and cross bones artwork by WarX via Wikipedia.

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≡ THE LATEST ≡

“Regarding to joining World Boxing, 21 votes were for no, 14 favoured for yes and 1 vote was invalid in the secret voting.”

Saturday’s vote at the Extraordinary Congress of the Asian Boxing Confederation in Al Ain (UAE) showed the fractured nature of national boxing federations in the 42-member group, and significantly slowed the progress of World Boxing to become the recognized International Federation for boxing by the International Olympic Committee.

World Boxing, officially formed in November 2023, was created in the aftermath of the expulsion from the Olympic Movement of the International Boxing Association in mid-2023 by the IOC.

In fact, in view of its continuing issues with the IBA, the IOC itself organized the boxing competitions at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 and has said it will not do so in the future.

Said IOC spokesman Mark Adams (GBR) on 6 August during the Paris Olympic Games:

“[T]he sport of boxing needs a new federation to run boxing. …

“The sad thing is that boxing is incredibly important, an incredibly important Olympic sport, I think I’ve said that before. For us, it’s important not just because it’s a great sport, because actually it’s of those sports which has a real, social aspect to it. It often works in areas which are underprivileged and so it’s incredibly important.”

Asked about the decision date on whether boxing will be included in the program of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) indicated at his 10 August news conference that it will would need to happen in the first half of 2025.

The ASBC Extraordinary Congress was called a month earlier by the ASBC Board to specifically consider the question of moving to World Boxing. With the motion defeated, it’s not clear what will happen:

● Those federations who voted to go to World Boxing may join it and break away (some have done so already).

● All may stay, and will certainly not participate in any boxing competition in Los Angeles, if there is one.

What is true is that this was a major potential pivot point for World Boxing, and it didn’t happen; the federation has 42 members thus far, insufficient to be recognized. If boxing is not included on the LA28 program, how will national boxing federations explain to their governments why they should continue to be funded, since there is no opportunity for them to participate in the Olympic Games?

With an already enormous program confirmed for Los Angeles – an Olympic-record 35 sports, not counting boxing – the 2028 Olympic Games will go on either way.

World Boxing has issued no statement so far; the IBA issued statement saying it was pleased with the outcome.

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GYMNASTICS: Romanian federation asks for “dialogue” to award Barbosu, Chiles and Maneca Voinea floor exercise bronzes

By
Rich Perelman
-
In the middle of the storm over Paris bronze: Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu, American Jordan Chiles and Romanian Sabrina Maneca Voinea (Photo: Romanian Gymnastics Federation)

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≡ THE LATEST ≡

In the latest turn in the continuing saga of the bronze medal in the women’s Floor Exercise at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation has made a Saturday plea on Instagram for a discussion to allow Romanians Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca Voinea and, American Jordan Chiles to all receive bronze medals for the event:

“Romanian Gymnastics Federation ( RGF ) prioritizes the mental health and the emotional stability of all three athletes Ana Maria Barbosu, Sabrina Maneca Voinea and Jordan Chiles.

“This was and remains the fundamental reason why RGF has constantly advocated for awarding three bronze medals to these three athletes affected by the procedural and technical errors that occurred during the Paris Olympic Games floor finals.

“Following the steps taken at the Swiss Federal Tribunal, RGF, through its lawyers, sent an invitation for an open dialogue to all involved parties .

“Romanian Gymnastics Federation believes that only a constructive dialogue could be the fastest and safest way to reach a joint agreement to avoid the negative impact on these amazing three athletes.”

The Romanians upped the ante on 26 August by filing an appeal of the Court of Arbitration for Sport decision that removed the bronze medal awarded to Chiles and gave it to Barbosu, who received it from the International Olympic Committee in a ceremony on 17 August in Bucharest.

In the appeal, the Romanian are essentially asking for the Swiss Federal Tribunal to overrule an established precedent that “field of play” decisions are not reviewable after-the-fact by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. To do so would create chaos and is unlikely to be enacted.

However, the Romanian appeal is likely to be joined by a U.S. appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal on procedural grounds – one of the limited areas for a reversal – in that USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee were not informed in a timely way about the action at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Paris and did not have enough time to prepare a proper presentation of their position. Indeed, USA Gymnastics produced video evidence showing that its field-of-play appeal was submitted in a timely way, not late as contended by the Federation International de Gymnastique (FIG).

The Court of Arbitration decision left no doubt about the fault in this case: it’s with the FIG, whose procedures were inadequate to deal competently with what happened.

The Romanian ask is for a discussion not with the Swiss Federal Tribunal, but with FIG, the International Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics, to see if the federation and the IOC will see clear to declaring all three gymnasts as the bronze medalists.

This is possible; the IOC has done this before, most notably in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games figure skating judging scandal, which, in the end, saw original silver-medalists Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada upgraded to share the gold medal with original winners Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia.

At present, no meetings of the IOC Executive Board are scheduled for the remainder of 2024, although a fourth-quarter meeting will no doubt be held.

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ATHLETICS: Yavi misses world Steeple mark by 0.07, while Americans Crouser, Brown, Cockrell and Davis-Woodhall get wins in Rome Golden Gala

By
Rich Perelman
-
Close: Bahrain's Winfred Yavi missed the women's Steeple world record by 0.07 in Rome (Photo: Stephen Pond/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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≡ DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

So close to a world record at Friday’s Golden Gala Pietro Mennea at the famed Stadio Olimpico in Rome, with Paris Olympic women’s Steeplechase gold medalist Winfred Yavi missing the world record by just 0.07. It was one of two world-leading marks:

● Women/3,000 m Steeple: 8:44.39, Winfred Yavi (BRN)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.24, Ackera Nugent (JAM)

The women’s Steeple saw the Paris podium break away early with silver winner (and Tokyo winner) Peruth Chemutai (UGA) leading Yavi and Paris bronzer Faith Cherotich (KEN), all intent on an ultra-fast race.

Chemutai and Yavi separated from Cherotich with 600 m to go, and Yavi took over at the bell. The two were close, but Yavi had the edge over the final water jump and extended into the straight, winning in a world-leading 8:44.39, with Chemutai also brilliant at 8:48.03! Yavi’s time was just 0.07 off the world record of 8:44.32 and is the no. 2 performance ever; Chemutai moved to no. 3 all-time, with the no. 3 performance!

Cherotich was third in 8:57.65 and American Val Constien, the Trials winner, came up for fourth in 9:04.92. Fellow Americans Gabrielle Jennings and Courtney Wayment finished sixth (9:07.70 lifetime best) and ninth (9:14.46).

Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent crashed out in the Olympic final, but she is making everyone remember her on the Diamond League circuit. After a brilliant 12.29 win in Chorzow last Sunday, she blasted off in the women’s 100 m hurdles, grabbed the lead and took a world-leading win in 12.24, a lifetime best (wind: -0.4). American Masai Russell, the Olympic champ, was closing fast and got second n 12.31 as Dutch star Nadine Visser was third in 12.52.

Americans Alaysha Johnson and Tokyo runner-up Keni Harrison were 5-6 in 12.66 and 12.70. The winning time moves Nugent to no. 4 all-time with another Jamaican record, and with the equal-fourth performance all-time.

One of the two features of the night was the women’s 1,500 m, with triple Olympic champ Faith Kipyegon (KEN) ready for another fast time, with Australia’s Paris silver winner Jessica Hull unafraid to follow.

By the 800 m mark, Kipyegon was in front of Birke Haylom (ETH), Hull and Kenyan Nelly Chepchirchir, and began to stress the leaders by 1,000 m. At the bell, Kipyegon was leading Hull and Haylom and looking strong, moving away from everyone on the straight on the way to a 3:52.89 win.

Ethiopian Freweyni Hailu, the 2024 World Indoor winner, came up on the straight to get second in a lifetime best of 3:54.16, with Haylom, still just 18, also passing Hull for third, 3:54.79 to 3:54.98. Chepchirchir got a lifetime best of 3:56.14 in fifth.

The last race of the night was the men’s 100 m, with Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ Lamont Marcell Jacobs (ITA) and Paris bronzer Fred Kerley of the U.S. and 200 m gold medalist Letsile Tebogo (BOT).

Off the start, it was Tebogo and super-starter Christian Coleman of the U.S., the 2019 World Champion, in the lead, but Tebogo was in front after 60 m and got to the line in 9.87 (wind: +0.3 m/s) for the victory. Coleman was a clear second in 9.92 and Kerley came on the second half to get third in 9.95. Kyree King of the U.S. ran 10.07 for sixth; Jacobs was ninth (10.20). It’s Tebogo’s third Diamond League win since Paris!

But there was a lot more.

Zambia’s Paris bronze medalist Muzala Samukonga dominated the men’s 400 m, getting out strongly and running away from a good field into the home straight and to the finish in 43.99. Behind him, Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori was second around the final turn, but London 2012 Olympic winner Kirani James (GRN) powered down the straight to get second in 44.30, ahead of Jareem Richards (TTO: 44.55), with Ndori fading to fourth (44.56).

Vernon Norwood of the U.S. was fifth (44.71) and Bryce Deadmon was seventh in 44.77.

The men’s 5,000 almost looked like an Ethiopian time trial, with world leader Hagos Gebrihiwet, the Rio 2016 Olympic bronze winner, exchanging places with two-time World Indoor 3,000 m winner Yomif Kejelcha, Tokyo 10,000 m champ Selemon Barega and others. Kenya’s 2022 Worlds silver winner Jacob Krop was also in the mix.

At the bell, it was Telahun Bekele (ETH) leading Kejelcha, Aregawi and Gebrhiwet. Kejelcha took the lead on the backstraight, but Gebrhiwet, fifth in Paris, got to the front with 200 m to go and would not relent. He led into the straight and won in 12:51.07, with Kejelcha a close second at 12:51.25 and Barega at 12:51.39. Krop dropped to fourth in 12:51.55.

European champion Lorenzo Simonelli (ITA) was out well in the men’s 110 m hurdles, but France’s Sasha Zhoya got to the front after hurdle eight and stayed there, winning in 13.18 (+0.4). The fight for second was close, with Asier Martinez (ESP: 13.27) taking it, ahead of 2016 Olympic champ Omar McLeod (JAM: 13.28) and Eric Edwards of the U.S. (13.29). Americans Cordell Tinch (13.34) and Dylan Beard (13.35) finished 7-8. Simonelli finished sixth (13.34).

In the men’s high jump, 2.30 m (7-6 1/2) was the decider, with 2022 World Indoor champ Sang-hyeok Woo (KOR) clearing on his third try, as did Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford – with a lifetime best – but Woo got the win on misses at a lower height. Crowd favorite Gianmarco Tamberi, the Tokyo co-winner, tied for third at 2.27 m (7-5 1/4) with Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk.

Italy’s Olympic bronze winner Andy Diaz grabbed the lead in the men’s triple jump in round two, soaring to 17.32 m (56-10), but could do no better. German Max Hess, the European champ back in 2016, got up for second in round five and then sealed it at 17.01 m (55-9 3/4) in round six.

Triple Olympic men’s shot champ Ryan Crouser (USA) said he felt terrible at the Diamond League meet in Poland, but was in better spirits on Friday, launching his first throw out to 22.26 m (73-0 1/2) and then extending his lead to a meet record 22.49 m (73-9 1/2) in round two. Triple Olympic silver winner Joe Kovacs of the U.S. was out to 21.37 m (70-1 1/2) in the first round to stand second, then improved to 21.62 m (70-11 1/4) in round three.

Italy’s European champ, Leonardo Fabbri moved into second in round three at 21.70 m (71-2 1/2), and then Paris fourth-placer Payton Otterdahl of the U.S. popped into third at 21.63 m (70-11 3/4) in round four, knocking Kovacs out of the final round! And that’s how they finished, with Crouser getting his first Diamond League win of the year.

Jamaica’s Olympic champ Roje Stona showed his Paris win was no fluke, taking the lead in round two of the the men’s discus from world-record holder and Olympic silver winner Mykolas Alekna, 67.85 m (222-7) to 67.68 m (222-0). Stona led into round six, as Alekna and Slovenia’s Kristjian Ceh, the 2022 World Champion, got close in round five.

But on the final throw of the event, Ceh exploded to 68.61 m (225-1) and pulled out the win! It’s his second Diamond League win of the season, after his fourth-place Olympic finish.

The women’s 200 m included Olympic bronze medalist Brittany Brown of the U.S. and she was in a battle with Britain’s European silver medalist Daryll Neita coming off the turn for home. Brown never wavered and won in 22.00 (+0.4), with fellow American Anavia Battle coming up to grab second over Neita, with a seasonal best of 22.27, to 22.46. Jenna Prandini of the U.S. was sixth at 22.67.

Anna Cockrell of the U.S. was a revelation in Paris, getting the women’s 400 m hurdles silver, ahead of Dutch star Femke Bol. She led from the start in the 400 hurdles in Rome, chased first by Jamaica’s Andrenette Knight, then by Shiann Salmon. But Cockrell was strong to the end and won in 52.59, ahead of Salmon (53.20), with fellow American Shamier Little making a late charge to get third in 54.15.

Five cleared 4.63 m (15-2 1/4) in the women’s vault, led by Olympic champ Nina Kennedy (AUS), bronze winner Alysha Newman (CAN), plus Rio 2016 bronzer Eliza McCartney (NZL) and two-time World Indoor winner Sandi Morris of the U.S. At 4.73 m (15-6 1/4), Kennedy was over, but Morris moved up to second with a first-try make, with Newman joining on her second attempt.

Now at 4.83 m (15-10), Kennedy got over on her second try and Morris on her third, while Newman missed. At 4.93 m (16-2), Morris missed all three and Kennedy was the winner, her third title on the 2024 Diamond League circuit.

Olympic champ Tara Davis-Woodhall of the U.S. was on it from the start in the women’s long jump, taking the lead at 6.93 m (22-9) in round one. Saying beforehand this was her last meet of the season, she extended to 7.02 m (23-0 1/2) in round two.

Fellow American Monae Nichols moved into second in round two at 6.69 m (21-11 1/2) and improved to 6.82 m (22-4 1/2) in round four. Paris bronze winner Jasmine Moore of the U.S. got up to third in round four at 6.62 m (21-8 3/4), but was passed by teammate Quanesha Burks at 6.65 m (21-10) in round five – and then 6.66 m (21-10 1/4) in round six – giving the U.S. a 1-2-3-4 finish.

Davis-Woodhall finished winning all 10 meets this season, including the U.S. indoor and outdoor titles, the World Indoor and the Olympic Games.

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SWIMMING: CEO Hinchey leaves USA Swimming, Ferguson named as interim chief exec

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ THE LATEST ≡

A late Thursday announcement from the USA Swimming Board of Directors included:

● “USA Swimming Board of Directors today announces that Chief Executive Officer and President Tim Hinchey will be leaving USA Swimming to pursue other opportunities.”

● “The Board is pleased to announce that Shana Ferguson, USA Swimming’s COO, has been unanimously appointed to the role of interim CEO. Shana stated: ‘I am excited and appreciate the Board’s confidence in my assuming this role and stand ready to work with the Board and our membership to continue to drive our sport forward.’”

● “The Board will engage with the membership and promptly form a search committee to identify the individual to lead USA Swimming to LA 2028 and beyond. The Board will anchor the search on the north star of ensuring the success of the sport of swimming in the U.S. from the grassroots to the Olympic level.”

Hinchey had been under pressure, especially from two coaching groups, with letters sent to the USA Swimming Board by the American Swimming Coaches Association and the USA Swimming Coaches Advisory Council. The 13 August ASCA letter included:

“The American Swimming Coaches Association is deeply concerned with current USA Swimming membership trends, our perceived weaker performance on the world stage, and significant coach feedback expressing dissatisfaction with our national governing body. We see the next four years being some of the most important in our sports history domestically.”

The USA Swimming Coaches Advisory Council letter to the Board noted six concerns, including “Membership and retention rates continue to decline, and an increasing number of swimmers are leaving USA Swimming for AAU” and a “General distrust toward USA Swimming leadership.”

USA Swimming issued an open letter to the membership over the last weekend, adding some details to correct “inaccuracies,” but not answering several of the core concerns.

Hinchey joined USA Swimming in July 2017, after six highly-successful years as president of Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids franchise. He replaced Chuck Wielgus, who died in April 2017 after becoming USA Swimming’s Executive Director in 1997.

Ferguson was elevated to Chief Operating Officer in late July, from her position as Chief Commercial Officer for five years, leading efforts in sales, sponsorships, marketing, communications, productions and creative.

SwimSwam.com also reported that “Lindsay Mintenko is reportedly planning to resign from her role as National Team Managing Director”; the coaching groups have asked to have a veteran coach be in charge of the national team, as was the case with Frank Busch, in charge from May of 2011 to September of 2017 and previously the coach at the University of Arizona.

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ATHLETICS & CYCLING: New, Swedish baking soda formula breakthrough is powering Olympic champion results in distance cycling and track events

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ SCENE & HEARD ≡

On Wednesday, Outside Online posted an important story by Alex Hutchinson titled “Why Top Olympic Athletes Use Baking Soda to Boost Performance,” explaining the rise in the use of a specially-formulated system that uses baking soda to augment distance performance in running and cycling.

The story follows up on Hutchinson’s February 2023 story on the Swedish Maurten Bicarb System, explaining how this product alleviates the devastating side effects of ingesting sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda.

What’s especially interesting is a new study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology on 28 July – “The effect of sodium bicarbonate mini-tablets ingested in a carbohydrate hydrogel system on 40 km cycling time trial performance and metabolism in trained male cyclists” – which showed:

“The present study suggests that ingesting [Maurten] NaHCO3 mini-tablets in a carbohydrate hydrogel can enhance 40 km [time trial] performance in trained male cyclists, with minimal [gastro-intestinal symptoms]. This ingestion strategy could therefore be considered by cyclists looking for a performance enhancing ergogenic aid.”

The positive impact of baking soda has been known since the 1980s, but has always come with a physical cost, often inducting nausea, gas, cramps, vomiting or diarrhea or other such problems. As such, it has not had wide use.

Maurten’s breakthrough has been to create a system in which a pre-measured baking soda component is combined with a hydrogel – water-based – packet, and the two are mixed in a provided bowl. The formulation reduces the gastro-intestinal issues to a minimum, but allows retention of the baking soda’s performance advantages. Says the manufacturer:

“The Bicarb System cracks the code to deliver the smoothest, most effective bicarb experience ever.”

The study was conducted at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, England, with the 14 participants – all trained cyclists, ages 28-58 – visiting five times, and included an indoor cycling training time trial of 40 km (24.9 miles), and then two indoor performance time trials of the same distance. The tests were of randomized, double-blind, crossover design, and showed:

● “This is the first study to observe, that ingestion of 0.3 g kg-1 of NaHCO3 supplementation in the form of mini-tablets in a CHO hydrogel (Maurten Bicarb System) improves 40 km TT cycling performance by 1.42%.”

and

● “The performance enhancement in 40 km TT cycling performance following NaHCO3 ingestion is likely due to an increased blood buffering capacity, with reduced relative oxygen cost suggesting improved gross efficiency.”

This was an important finding in that baking soda use had previously been thought to be a benefit for shorter-duration efforts, perhaps up to 10 minutes. Moreover, the performance of those on the Maurten formula was better than those on placebo at 10, 20, 30 and 40 km, with minimal or no gastro-intestinal impact.

For cycling, the improvement by using the Maurten system would be about a minute over an hour of racing.

From a track & field perspective, what would a 1.42% reduction mean (only men’s events are shown as the test was made only on men)?

● A men’s 1:44.0 time in the 800 m would be reduced to 1:42.5.

● A men’s 3:30.0 time in the 1,500 m would be reduced to 3:27.0.

● A men’s 13:00.0 time in the 5,000 m would be reduced to 12:48.9.

Game-changer. But at a cost, of course. The Maurten Bicarb System is shown for sale at $70 U.S. for four servings.

Hutchinson writes, however, that the test was made with the Maurten system against a placebo, so other forms of baking soda could also be used, but there are those gastro-intestinal effects to consider, as well as questions on dosage and timing. But, Hutchinson writes:

“In Paris, I watched another batch of newly crowned champions swear by it: triathlete Alex Yee [GBR], mile superstar Faith Kipyegon [KEN], along with [Uganda’s Joshua] Cheptegei, [Britain’s Keely] Hodgkinson, and others. But before we anoint baking soda as the new caffeine, we’re going to need more studies.”

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PANORAMA: Netherlands’ Groot wins first Paralympic gold; U.S. reaches both Flag Worlds finals; USA Wrestling budget passes $20 million!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Dutch cycling star Caroline Groot won the first gold of the Paris Paralympic Games on Thursday (Photo: Lisa Martin for the IPC)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Paralympic Games 2024: Paris ● The first medals of the XVII Paralympics were won on Thursday, with Caroline Groot (NED) taking the first gold, in the women’s Track Cycling C4-5 500 m Time Trial, at the Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

Questions about the Seine River and swimming returned on Thursday, as the International Triathlon Union re-scheduled all events for Sunday, 1 September, rather than for Sunday and Monday:

“This decision has been taken to provide athletes and coaches with as much certainty as possible. The latest weather forecast provided by Météo France indicates high level of uncertainty for the upcoming days, which could have an impact on the conditions of the Seine.”

Training swims took place on Thursday and are scheduled for Friday and Saturday. There are contingency days for the triathlons on 2-3 September.

● Artistic Swimming ● The U.S. won a stunning Olympic silver in the Team Event in Paris, but the architect of that achievement is heading home.

Andrea Fuentes (ESP), 41, the coach of the U.S. squad, has been hired as the Spanish national team coach, returning home, where she won four Olympic medals (0-3-1) in 2008 and 2012, in both Duet and Team. She said in a post on the USA Artistic Swimming site:

“With a Heavy Heart, I Say Goodbye It is with a heavy heart that I announce the conclusion of my mission in the United States. When we first arrived, I knew our time here wasn’t permanent, but I didn’t realize just how deeply this journey would impact me. The experiences, challenges, and growth I’ve encountered in the US have shaped me in ways I could never have imagined.

“I came here with a vision to become the coach I always dreamed of being. The US, a country that changed my life as a child and inspired me to become an Olympian in Artistic Swimming, was the perfect place to pursue this dream. From the very beginning, this country believed in me, even when I was just starting out as a coach.

“The road wasn’t easy – adapting to a new culture and environment brought many challenges – but each obstacle made me stronger, more resilient, and more determined. I leave with immense gratitude for all the experiences and the incredible people who have been part of this journey.

“USA Artistic Swimming not only helped me build the coach I wanted to be but also shaped me into the person I am today. The growth I’ve experienced here is something I will carry with me forever. As much as I’ve cherished this chapter, the time has come for me to return to Spain, primarily to take care of my family.”

USA Artistic Swimming named Tammy McGregor as its new national-team coach, returning to a position she held in 2008. McGregor, 48, was an Olympic gold winner in the Team Event for the U.S. at Atlanta 1996. McGregor was currently serving as the coach of the national junior squad.

● Canoe-Kayak ● An interesting development in the sustainability area is the development of rental boats for International Canoe Federation championship events. At the ICF World Sprint Champs in Samarkand (UZB), 300 athletes attended and the organizers spent €120,000 (about $133,000 U.S.) to make boats available on-site.

The 240 vessels were sourced from boat manufacturers Nelo and Plastex through an effort with Sports Camps, created by former Bulgarian canoeist Adnan Aliev.

Said ICF President Thomas Konietzko (GER):

“Using rental boats is more sustainable than each National Federation organising transport by themselves and helps us to achieve our goals in reducing carbon footprint at events.

“Rental boats remove any barriers around transportation, ensuring that the biggest to smallest teams have accessibility to the best equipment to compete in a world-class event.”

Aliev explained that saving boat transport costs can make a significant change in the sport:

“I think rental boats are a great opportunity to grow this sport and make it popular in different parts of the world. We want to make big maps and different hubs for competition and training camps than traditional European locations.

“Rental boats are great opportunities to save costs and time and make it easier to organise together. It’s great for federation from out of Europe to experience rentals. We need time for European countries to understand, trust and change their habits.”

● Cycling ● No change in the overall leaderboard at the 79th Vuelta a Espana on Thursday, with Australia’s Ben O’Connor maintaining his 3:16 lead over Slovenia’s three-time winner Primoz Roglic and 3:58 on Spain’s Enric Mas.

The 137.5 km 12th stage featured a hilly ride and then an uphill finish to the Estacion de Montana de Manzaneda, with Spain’s Pablo Castrillo attacking with 10 km to go and winning by eight seconds over Max Poole (GBR) and 16 seconds over Marc Soler (ESP) in 3:36:12.

O’Connor, Roglic and Mas were in a large pack that finished 6:29 back.

Friday could be more interesting, with another, more severe, uphill finish to the Puerto de Ancares in northwest Spain.

● Flag Football ● The U.S. men will try for a fifth consecutive Worlds gold at the IFAF World Championships in Lahti, Finland, after making it to the final against Austria, with the championship match to be played Friday.

The American men sailed by the Czech Republic in its round-of-16 elimination match, 68-18, then defeated Italy, 46-21. In the semis, the U.S. won by 45-6 against Switzerland to land in their fifth consecutive final.

Austria, which has won this tournament in 2002, 2004 and 2012, and lost only by 19-13 against the U.S. in 2018, just got by Australia, 28-26, in the round-of-16, then edged Denmark, 29-24 and out-scored Mexico – the 2021 runners-up, 36-32.

The U.S. women stormed their way to the final, and a re-match with Mexico, after winning three games on Thursday. First, the U.S. routed host Finland, 61-0, before a tight, 18-14 win over Spain in the quarterfinals. In the semis, the U.S. eased by previously-unbeaten Austria. 41-24.

Mexico cruised past Israel, 42-6, in its round-of-16 game, then beat Canada, 35-20 and Japan by 40-31 to make its second straight Worlds final. While the U.S. beat Mexico, 31-21, in 2021, Mexico won the 2022 World Games final, 39-6!

● Wrestling ● USA Wrestling’s Board of Directors approved a 2024-25 financial plan, projecting $20,649,326 in revenue and $20,595,443 in expenses, for a modest surplus of $53,883. This continues an upward trend that has shown 47% revenue growth of the pre-pandemic results from 2019:

● 2023: $19.927 million
● 2022: $17.442 million
● 2021: $14.601 million
● 2020: $12.352 million
● 2019: $14.011 million

Said USAW Treasurer Don Reynolds:

“Our operations across the board are why we have had the financial results that we have. Every single department, the grassroots and every part of the organization is clicking. The budget is balanced and will accommodate our current growth and lead us into the next Olympic quad. The growth curve is going to keep going north, and there are going to be opportunities for us to leverage LA28.”

The federation announced in March that it had surpassed 300,000 total members (300,236 at the time), an all-time high for the organization, founded in 1968.

USA Wrestling athletes won seven medals in Paris, including three in men’s Freestyle (0-1-2) and four in women’s Freestyle (2-1-1).

President Bruce Baumgartner, a two-time Olympic Freestyle champion in 1984 and 1992, was re-elected for another term from 2025-28.

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SAILING: World Sailing chief Li to face three challengers for President on 9 November

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

There are many International Federations which re-elect their Presidents over and over again, often without challengers, sometimes for decades, or in recent times, to the end of their term limits.

The situation in 2024 is different at World Sailing, where first-term President Quanhai Li of China is being opposed by three other candidates:

● Rodion Luka (UKR)
● Ben Remocker (CAN)
● Philippe Rogge (BEL)

The election will take place in Singapore during the World Sailing General Assembly on 9 November 2024.

Li won a tight election –also among four candidates – in 2020, defeating incumbent Kim Andersen (DEN) by 68-60 on the second ballot; a majority of more than 50% of the voting delegates was needed to win.

Li, 62, was a long-time Council member and a two-term Vice President (2012-20) prior to his election as President, and was heavily involved in the organization of the 2008 Olympic sailing competitions in Qingdao.

Each of the candidates submitted an information package, including a page on candidate goals:

● Li emphasized athlete development, writing “Sailors are the cornerstone of our sport. We will prioritize their development by more proactive global sailing calendar management & promoting regional growth. By supporting tailored regional development plans we will optimize resource allocation, ensuring necessary support and assistance.”

He also recognized the issue of finance: “The fragility is the dependency we have on the IOC income. Management and Board focus will be on ensuring our relevance in the Olympic Movement. In parallel, we will build and enhance the World Sailing brand, expand market channels, develop the sports presentation using innovation and technology. We will invest in research and development, exploring new ways to enhance the sailing experience for our audience. We will formulate diverse marketing plans. In turn this will increase media attention and attract sponsors, driving revenue for regional development. This collaboration with stakeholders, sponsors, and governmental bodies, will give us the best chance to secure the resources needed to elevate our sport to the next level and further support our athletes.”

● Luka, 51, was a four-time Olympian and 2004 Olympic silver winner in the 49er class. His commentary recognized access to sailing and growth of the sport as key. He also stated:

“One of the primary goals is to increase the visibility of our sport on television during the Olympic Games, as this is our main income. To achieve this, we must increase the number of people interested in yacht racing and encourage them to adopt it as a lifelong hobby. It is evident that only dedicated enthusiasts follow their favorite sport online or on TV.”

● Remocker is 55, was a 2008 Olympian (49er) and a 2012 Olympic coach in Canada in the RS:X class, and heavily active in the World Sailing Events Committee. His goals list pointed to:

“We must deliver outstanding Olympic events with engaging TV coverage, satisfied athletes, innovative formats, and flawless execution. This will secure our position within the Olympic Movement and attract new participants.”

He also noted that “shared club boats and collegiate sailing, we can guide our member national authorities and clubs to rapidly expand participation.”

● Rogge, 54, is the former chief executive of Vodafone Germany, after a significant career with Microsoft in Europe and China from 2010-22. He is the son of the late former International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge and has had a long history in sailing for more than 40 years.

He expressed concern that “our sport is today not on the winning end of capturing the hearts and minds of the next generation” and that “Ensuring Sailing retains its place among the 32 ‘most important’ Olympic sports and regains Paralympic status are, beyond their financial significance, a necessity.”

Expansion can come “from universal access into our sport (all regions, genders, religions and abilities), including further leveraging e-sailing, improved access to standard equipment, the stability of equipment pathways and continued work to reduce the cost of competitive campaigning” and leveraging “the ‘7-77 years’ participation appeal of our sport.”

None of these three challengers ran for President or Vice President in the 2020 elections, so this is a new field of players to run against Li.

Sailing has a significant opportunity to raise its profile in Los Angeles in 2028 as the sport will be held in Long Beach – same as in 1984 – within the Olympic city and not set up in a faraway location, as was the case for 2024, with the Olympic Games in Paris and the sailing in Marseille.

US Sailing is also undergoing change, as chief executive Alan Ostfield “will step down from his role and transition to an advisory position for the Association.”

Ostfield joined US Sailing in April 2021, after prior chief Jack Gierhart left in November 2020. Gierhart had been with US Sailing since 2010 and had been the acting Executive Director since 2010 and Executive Director since February 2011.

US Sailing has gone through a turbulent period, with complaints about fund-raising, governance and the performance of the national team. The federation’s statement noted:

“Over the past four years, Ostfield and his team have implemented critical improvements, including professionalizing the staff with a talented new leadership team and many key staff members, ensuring financial accuracy and transparency, hiring Marcus Lynch as the new High Performance Director to rebuild the Olympic operations, ensuring that the sailor athletes have their important and required voice, building trust and confidence with the USOPC, and developing a corporate partnerships department that has since created more than a dozen new partnerships.”

American sailors won their first Olympic medal since Rio 2016 at the 2024 Paris Games, with a bronze in the men’s 49er class for Ian Barrows and Hans Henken.

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PANORAMA: U.S. World U20 champs Mixed 4×400 out due to USATF error; Davis-Woodhall coaching at K-State; O’Connor’s Vuelta lead shrinks

By
Rich Perelman
-
Vuelta a Espana leader Ben O’Connor of Australia (Photo: Wladyslaw Sojka via Wikipedia)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● ANOC ● The Association of National Olympic Committees announced an interesting sponsorship agreement with Chinese equipment maker JOY Billiards.

It’s the first ANOC sponsorship deal, aimed at raising funds for its programs. JOY Billiards is an interesting choice, with sales in 80 countries, but for a sport which is not on the Olympic program. The World Confederation of Billiards Sports, founded in 1992, is a member of the Association of Recognized International Sports Federations (ARISF).

As a Gold Sponsor, the company will have significant visibility at the ANOC General Assembly and the ANOC Awards.

● ATHLETICS ● At the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, the U.S. Mixed 4×400 m team did not get to compete as their entry was apparently mishandled by USA Track & Field. USATF’s statement included:

“USATF explored every potential solution possible with World Athletics to resolve the situation, however the team were unable to run. We apologize for this oversight.”

Olympic women’s long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall is turning coach as she was named as an assistant coach at Kansas State by head coach Travis Geopfert on 2 August. Geopfert happens to also be Davis-Woodhall’s coach, and said:

“I’m thrilled to have Tara joining us at K-State. To say that she brings the energy is an understatement.

“I’ve loved coaching this young woman for the last three years and to bring her elite level experience to Manhattan is absolutely invaluable. She knows what it takes to be great, and she also fully understands the challenges of what life is like as both a student-athlete and as a professional athlete. Her mentorship of these young student athletes is going to expedite their careers to an elite level in dramatic fashion. So excited to have TDW and her husband Hunter joining us in Manhattan!”

World Athletics announced a five-year extension of its agreement with respected Italian surface provider Mondo S.p.A., through 2029:

“As an Official World Athletics Supplier, Mondo will be actively involved in all World Athletics Series stadium events from 2025 to 2029. This includes the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, Beijing 27 and the 2029 edition, the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing 25, and the 2028 edition, the World Athletics Relays, the World Athletics U20 Championships, as well as the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.”

The New York Road Runners announced a deal expanding their agreement with ESPN and ABC to televise not only the annual New York City Marathon, but also the NYC Half Marathon, the Fifth Avenue Mile and the New Mini 10K.

The deal also includes local coverage on ABC7 in New York.

● CYCLING ● At the 79th Vuelta a Espana, Ireland’s Eddie Dunbar won his first-ever UCI World Tour race with an attack just 600 m from the finish of the five-hill, 164.2 km route in and around the Campus Technologico Cortizo in Padron, Spain.

He finished in 3:44:52, with Quinten Hermans (BEL) and Max Poole (GBR) two seconds behind and 11 more riders just four seconds back.

Further behind were the race leaders, with three-time winner Primoz Roglic (SLO) taking a bite out of Australian Ben O’Connor’s lead, finishing 3:31 back of Dunbar, with O’Connor at 4:08 behind. So, after 11 stages and the mountain stages ahead, O’Connor leads by 3:16, with Spain’s Enric Mas third, 3:58 behind.

● FLAG FOOTBALL ● Pool play continued at the IFAF World Championships, with the defending champion U.S. men defeating Serbia, 49-6, to finish at 3-0 in Group A and on to the round-of-16.

Mexico, Great Britain, Austria, Panama and Japan all won their groups at 3-0, and Italy finished 2-1 and won its group. Israel won Group G at 2-0 as India withdrew.

The defending champion U.S. women defeated France, 37-6 and stomped Ireland, 59-6 to finish 4-0 in Group A, and moving on to the round-of-16. The other group winners were Germany (4-0), Mexico (4–0), Great Britain (3-0) and Austria (3-0).

The tournaments continue through Friday.

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ATHLETICS: Eight Paris champs in Rome for Friday’s Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, including U.S.’s Crouser, Russell and Davis-Woodhall

By
Rich Perelman
-
Another hair-raising jump coming from Olympic champ Tara Davis-Woodhall? (Photo: Christel Saneh for World Athletics)

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≡ THE LATEST ≡

Coming up Friday in the Diamond League is the annual Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Rome’s famed Stadio Olimpico, with a superb line-up, including eight Olympic gold medalists from Paris:

● Men/200 m: Letsile Tebogo (BOT)
● Men/Shot: Ryan Crouser (USA)
● Men/Discus: Roja Stona (JAM)
● Women/1,500 m: Faith Kipyegon (KEN)
● Women/Steeple: Winfred Yavi (BRN)
● Women/100 m hurdles: Masai Russell (USA)
● Women/Pole Vault: Nina Kennedy (AUS)
● Women/Long Jump: Tara Davis-Woodhall (USA)

Tebogo will be in the men’s 100 m with Jamaican Paris silver winner and world leader Kishane Thompson (JAM), bronzer Fred Kerley of the U.S., 2019 World Champion Christian Coleman and Tokyo 2020 winner Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy.

Crouser had a bad time at the prior meet on Sunday in Poland, barely getting any sleep after his trip over and then, after taking the lead in the fifth round, saw triple Olympic silver winner Joe Kovacs slip by for the win with a better fifth-round toss. Kovacs will be back in action in Rome, as will home favorite (and European champ) Leonardo Fabbri.

Jamaica’s Stona was such an upset winner in the Paris men’s discus that he’s never been in a Diamond League meet before! This will be his debut, facing silver medalist and world-record holder Mykolas Alekna (LTU), Paris bronzer Matt Denny (AUS), Tokyo Olympic champ Daniel Stahl (SWE) and 2022 World Champion Kristjian Ceh (SLO). This might be the best event on the program.

Kipyegon won her third straight Olympic women’s 1,500 m title in Paris, but will have quality challengers in silver medalist Jessica Hull (AUS), World Indoor Champion Freweyni Hailu (ETH), plus Olympic 10,000 m silver winner Nadia Battocletti of Italy.

The whole women’s Steeple podium returns, with winner Yavi, Tokyo winner and Paris runner-up Peruth Chemutai (UGA), and bronzer Faith Cherotich (KEN), along with U.S. Trials winner Val Constien, and Courtney Wayment.

Masai Russell of the U.S. is the world leader in the women’s 100 m hurdles, but barely won in Tokyo and was fourth at the Silesia meet last Sunday. She gets to deal with Paris silver winner Cyrela Samba-Mayela of France, Jamaica’s Ackera Nugert – the winner in Poland – plus Tokyo runner-up Keni Harrison of the U.S.

Australia’s Nina Kennedy won the Paris women’s vault, after sharing the 2023 Worlds gold. American Sandi Morris, the two-time World Indoor winner, will challenge, as will Canada’s Paris bronzer, Alysha Newman.

Davis-Woodhall had to be one of the most overjoyed winners in Paris and while husband Hunter Woodhall is getting ready to compete at the Paralympics, she’s jumping in Rome. Fellow Americans Jasmine Moore – the bronze medalist – and Quanesha Burks figure to be her main challengers.

The loudest cheers at the meet, however, may be for Tokyo 2020 men’s high jump co-champ Gianmarco Tamberi.

The Golden Gala will be shown live in the U.S. on NBC’s Peacock streaming service at 3 p.m. Eastern, with a replay on cable on CNBC on Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern.

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PARALYMPICS: Calls for change and equality amid dazzling Para opening ceremony at the Place de la Concorde

By
Rich Perelman
-
The parade of nations during the Paralympic Opening at Paris' Place de la Concorde (Photo: Paris 2024)

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≡ THE OPENING ≡

The XVII Paralympic Games opened in Paris on Wednesday, with another outdoor ceremony, this time in clear, 85-degree conditions at the historic Place de la Concorde, in a temporary stadium with a huge stage surrounding the Luxor Obelisk.

Themed “From discord to concord,” the opening show included the obligatory video with popular French television personality Theo Curin, a 2016 Paralympic swimmer, from “Theo Le Taxi.”

The parade of nations – 168 delegations, representing a total of about 4,400 athletes – on the Champs-Elysees and into the Place de la Concorde, began in twilight at 8:12 p.m. Paris time, with three delegations, from Eritrea, Kiribati and Kosovo, appearing for the first time.

The U.S., as at the Olympic Games, came in at 9:54 p.m., next-to-last as the host for the next Paralympic Games, led by flagbearers four-time Paralympian and two-time gold medalist Steve Serio (wheelchair basketball) and 2016 Paralympic champion Nicky Nieves (sitting volleyball). Hosts France followed.

China has the largest delegation, expected to be 284 athletes, followed by France (239 expected), with the U.S. third at 220 (plus five guides).

The parade ended about 10:07 p.m. with the delegations seated, followed with an uplifting sequence that saluted the growth of the Paralympic Movement.

Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet addressed both the athletes and the audience, including:

“Tonight, you are inviting us to change our perspectives, change our attitudes, change our society to finally give every person their full place.

“Because when the sport starts, we will no longer see men and women with a disability, we will see you: we will see champions.

“With you, we are going to re-live all the most beautiful things that sport has to offer. …

“[Y]our power is such that each of your victories will also make a whole country change. Thanks to you, each of your victories will help to move the world forward. Because every emotion that you make us feel will carry a message that will never be forgotten.

“You have no limits: so let us stop imposing limits on you. That is the Paralympic revolution.

“A gentle revolution, but one that is going to profoundly change every one of us, forever.”

And remembering the enormous and loud crowds during the Olympic Games, he promised, happily, “An atmosphere as crazy as your collective achievements.”

International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons (BRA) told attendees and viewers that the event goes beyond simply sport:

“At a time of growing global conflict, increasing hate, and rising exclusion, let sport be the social glue that brings us together.

“Here at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, we will celebrate what makes us different, show there is strength in difference, beauty in difference, and that difference serves as a powerful force for good. …

“Paralympic athletes are not here to participate. They’re not playing games. They are here to compete, win, and smash world records.

“Paralympians are also here to achieve something far greater than personal glory. They want equality and inclusion for themselves and for the world’s 1.3 billion persons with disabilities.

“Through their performances Paralympic athletes will challenge stigma, alter attitudes, and redefine the limits of what you think is possible.

“The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will show what persons with disabilities can achieve at the highest level when the barriers to succeed are removed.

“The fact these opportunities largely exist only in sport in the year 2024 is shocking. It is proof we can and must do more to advance disability inclusion -whether on the field of play, in the classroom, concert hall or in the boardroom.

“That is why 225 years on from when Place de la Concorde was central to the French Revolution, I hope the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games spark an inclusion revolution.”

The Paralympic Flame, once again using the innovative balloon cauldron in the Tuileries Garden, was brought down the Champs-Elysees by French swim star Florent Manaudou – winner of two bronzes during the 2024 Olympic Games – brought the torch into the stadium, where it was passed to four others during a torch-lit ceremony with 150 other torchbearers!

American star Oksana Masters passed the flame to German long jump champ Markus Rehm, who ran it out of the stadium and into the Tuileries Garden and began another set of passes, to five more torchbearers, before the final lighting.

French Paralympic stars Alexis Hanquinquant (triathlon) and Nantenin Keita (athletics) took the torch to the lighting place, joined by Fabien Lamirault (table tennis), Elodie Lorandi (swimming) and Charles-Antoine Kouakou (athletics), and all five lit the cauldron, which again rose majestically into the night.

A final performance of French singer Patrick Hernandez’s 1978 disco hit “Born to be Alive” by Christine and the Queens wrapped it up at 11:40 p.m. Paris time. The competitions begin at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

“We have almost two million tickets sold, out of a total of 2.5 million.”

That’s Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet, adding that 84 organizing committee sponsors and suppliers have purchased Paralympics tickets. Combined with the French government purchase of about 200,000 tickets for use by school children, about 700,000 tickets have been purchased.

FrancsJeux.com reported that, in parallel with the Olympic Games, 70 festival sites across France have been organized for the Paralympics, and 25 National Paralympic Committees have “national houses,” many at the Parc de la Villette, as at the Olympic Games. The story also noted that Paris 2024:

“had sold 565,000 tickets for the para athletics sessions at the Stade de France, a number that surpasses the record of 530,000 seats set at the World Athletics Championships, held at the same venue in 2003.”

The Paralympic Games will close on 8 September.

The Russian Paralympic Committee said that two of its athletes (out of 90) were refused visas by the French government, adding

“This is unacceptable for a country that hosts such major sporting events as the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We view the refusal to issue visas to Paralympic athletes who are citizens of the Russian Federation as yet another step toward the politicization of sport. It is especially sad that this decision concerns people with disabilities who strive for high sporting achievements.”

The Russians asked the Paris 2024 organizers and the International Paralympic Committee to appeal the refusals to the French government.

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PARIS 2024: Canadian gymnastics star Ellie Black wins Paris Olympic Fair Play Award

By
Rich Perelman
-
Canadian gymnastics star Ellie Black (Photo: Canadian Olympic Committee)

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

Canadian gymnast Ellie Black, 28, competed in her fourth Olympic Games in Paris, and was named the winner of the Paris 2024 Fair Play Award, by the International Fair Play Committee and the International Olympic Committee.

A three-time World Championships medal winner, Black finished fifth in the women’s All-Around at the 2016 Rio Games and sixth in Paris. But her shining moment in Paris was when she came to comfort a fallen competitor.

France, competing in the fourth subdivision (of five) in the women’s team qualifying, suffered multiple falls, including by star Melanie de Jesus dos Santos, and ended up 11th, failing to advance to the Team final, where they had been expected to contend for a medal.

Per Olympics.com:

“After competition, Black and Canadian teammate Shallon Olsen were seen comforting de Jesus dos Santos, wiping away her tears and offering extended hugs and words of encouragement, reminding people around the world of the power of the Olympic Games to united others from across the globe.”

Canada finished sixth in qualifying and Black was ninth among individual qualifiers for the women’s All-Around. Canada finished fifth in the Team final and Black was sixth in the women’s All-Around final.

The Fair Play Award is enjoying its 60th anniversary, initiated at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Black was one of five finalists, which also included World Rowing president Jean-Christophe Rolland (FRA); Hungarian fencer Csanad Gemsi; cyclists Fariba Hashimi (AFG) and Hanna Tserakh (AIN/BLR); and German chef de mission Olaf Tabor.

The process of selection started with athletes and fans were invited to submit nominations, then a jury from the IOC and the Fair Play Committee named the five finalists. The final decision was made by public vote, which garnered tens of thousands of responses.

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PANORAMA: No Russians at Paralympic opening; North Korean aths screened for “contamination” in Paris; IFAF Flag Worlds open

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● Another reminder of the Olympic opening on the Seine River, as the City of Paris announced that the metallic “horse” which “rode” along the 6 km route during the 26 July ceremony will be on exhibit at the Hotel de Ville – Paris City Hall – from 29 August to 8 September, in the inner courtyard.

● Paralympic Games 2024: Paris ● Olympics or Paralympics, the issues with Russia don’t go away.

On Tuesday, Pavel Rozkhov, the head of the Russian Paralympic Committee, said that the 88 Russian athletes competing as “neutrals” in Paris will not take part in the Opening Ceremony on Wednesday:

“We will not be at the opening ceremony of the Paralympics, although we have been granted the right to attend as spectators.

“Some of the athletes have scheduled events the next day, and the [opening] ceremony usually ends late. Not all of our athletes attended this ceremony at the last Paralympics.”

“As for the Closing Ceremony, we will discuss this issue closer to the end of the Games depending on the situation. As for today, our priorities are somewhere else.”

● DPR Korea ● “[A] high-ranking source in Pyongyang told Daily NK on Wednesday that the athletes and members of the North Korean Olympic committee have been undergoing an ideological review in Pyongyang after returning home on Aug. 15.

“In North Korea, it is typical for athletes who participate in international competitions to undergo three rounds of assessment. These assessments are conducted by the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports, and the athletes themselves. This year’s Olympic athletes are no exception.”

That’s from a South Korean news site, DailyNK.com, reporting on government “cleansing” of North Korea’s Olympic athletes after their return from Paris:

“‘The assessment begins the moment the athletes return home. They have to ‘scrub’ their ideology as soon as possible,’ the source explained. The reference to ‘ideological scrubbing’ reflects how, in North Korea, simply spending time overseas is thought to ‘contaminate’ people in the form of exposure to non-socialist cultures.”

Public criticism and punishment may be imposed for poor performances at the Games, for contact with other athletes and for “inappropriate” public conduct. The story notes that table tennis Mixed Doubles silver medalists Jong-sik Ri and Kum-yong Kim received a “negative ideological assessment” for participating on a victory stand selfie with China’s gold medalists Chuqin Wang and Yingsha Sun and South Korean bronze winners, Jong-hoon Lim and Yu-bin Shin, and for “grinning” during the ceremony.

● Television ● NBC’s Peacock streaming service has had a good summer, picking up 2.8 million subscribers during the first week of the Paris Olympic Games, adding to its 33 million subscriber base as of the end of June.

Some forecasters see Peacock growing to more than 75 million subscribers by the end of the year, thanks to some exclusive NFL programming. The NBC streaming service is trying to catch up to streaming leaders Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, all with more than 200 million worldwide subscribers.

● Athletics ● The XX World Athletics U-20 Championships have started in Lima (PER) with an all-time high of 1,720 athletes competing, from 134 countries: 909 men and 811 women. Competition continues through Saturday (31st).

Jamaican star George Rhoden, winner of the 1952 Olympic men’s 400 m in Helsinki (FIN), passed away last Saturday (24th) at the age of 97.

Rhoden was eliminated in the heats of the 400 m at London 1948, but won two golds in Helsinki: the 400 in 45.9 (later 46.09 on automatic timing) and with teammates Herb McKenley, Arthur Wint and Les Liang in the 4×400 m in a world record of 3:03.9.

Rhoden was the world-record holder in the 400 m from 1950 (45.8) to 1955, and was NCAA champ at Morgan State in the 220 yards in 1951 and the 440 yards in 1950-51-52.

He taught physical education and coached track and field at Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia, and also served as the president of the Jamaican Amateur Athletic Association.

● Cycling ● Riding resumed at the 79th Vuelta a Espana, with Belgian star Wout van Aert winning his third stage, out-dueling Quentin Pacher (FRA) in the final sprint to the line in Tuesday’s 10th stage.

The two were clear of the field by the final climb, the Alto de Mougas, with 31 km left on the 160 km route to Baiona. Van Aert won in 3:50:47 with Pacher three seconds back.

There was no change in the overall leaderboard, with Australia’s Ben O’Connor continuing to lead three-time winner Primoz Roglic (SLO) by 3:53 and Richard Carapaz (ECU) by 4:32.

● Flag Football ● The 11th IFAF World Championships are underway in Lahti (FIN), with the U.S. the defending champions in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

The 2024 tournament has 32 men’s teams and 23 women’s teams, with pool play ongoing; the men’s tournament has eight groups of four and the women in three groups of five and two of four.

The U.S. men opened with wins of 52-6 over Brazil and 57-25 against Spain. The American women defeated Sweden by 40-6 and Australia by 48-6 in their first two games.

This is 5-on-5 football on fields of 50 by 25 yards, with end zones of 10 yards on each side. Games are 40 minutes in two 20-minute halves. Touchdowns are six points each and trys-after-touchdowns are scrimmage plays (no kicking) from 5 yards (worth one point) or from 10 yards (two points).

Flag football will be a medal sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

● Wrestling ● Tokyo 2020 Olympic Freestyle 125 km gold medalist Gable Steveson was waived by the NFL’s Buffalo Bills on Tuesday, as teams pared down to the 53-man seasonal roster.

He had been signed in May as a defensive lineman, but did not make the squad, but could end up on a practice squad after the roster cuts were finalized. Steveson played in all three preseason games for Buffalo, with three tackles.

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PARALYMPIC GAMES: Calls for 20-year access plan for Ile-de-France Metro showcases what the Paralympics is actually about

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Paralympic logo mounted on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris (Photo: City of Paris)

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≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡

“The announcement by Ile-de-France region is a clear example of how Change Starts with Sport, and how hosting the Paralympic Games triggers significant changes that will benefit millions of people for generations to come.”

That’s International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons (BRA) on Tuesday, reacting to the comment by Ile-de-France regional President Valerie Pecresse that accessibility to the region’s vast Metro system is needed:

“This project, ‘A metro for all’, could become the great project of the decade with the accessibility of the historic metro.”

It would be an enormous effort, with Pecasse saying that the project would take 20 years and cost from €15-20 billion, or about $16.8 to $22.4 billion U.S. She added:

“My proposal is on the table and my hand is extended … I am ready, and I have said so … to complete this financing plan by making three equal parts, one regional part, one State part, one City of Paris part.”

For Parsons, this is the true value of the Paralympic Games, benefitting those with disabilities:

“Hosting the Paralympic Games has put discussions about the accessibility of the metro high on the news agenda and it is wonderful to hear Il-de-France make this visionary announcement.

“The key now is to bring all the parties together to make this vision a reality.

“With every city that hosts the Paralympics, we see the step-changes made in thinking and planning for the Games, ultimately leading to long-term attitudinal shifts.

“An accessible metro system for Paris would be the greatest Paralympic Games legacy that Paris could deliver to their own people, and people across the world that love to visit this iconic city.”

And Parsons commended Paris and the region for coming as far as they have in accessibility:

“It is incredible to see how far Paris has come over the past seven years, making the city more accessible in preparation for the Paralympics.

“Paris now has a public bus system that is 100 percent accessible and during the Games there will also be an accessible taxi fleet for people with disabilities.

“Paris also has one of the most well-connected train networks in the world, however metro station accessibility has been a constant challenge for people with disabilities to navigate due to heritage stations with stairs.

“Upgrading the metro so it is accessible to all will transform how people with disabilities experience Paris and create a blueprint for other European cities to follow suit.”

Parsons has made the point that the Paralympic project serves not just the athletes who compete in the Paralympic Games, but the wider, worldwide community with disabilities, who need support far away from fields of play and in their everyday lives, as with the Paris Metro.

If the Metro project in Paris is indeed undertaken, it will be another victory for the International Paralympic Committee, achieved before its opening ceremony in Paris on Wednesday.

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GYMNASTICS: Romania pursues Maneca-Voinea Paris floor bronze at Swiss Federal Tribunal, trying to open court review of replays

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Swiss Federal Tribunal, in Lausanne.

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≡ ANALYSIS & OBSERVATIONS ≡

“Through the present press release we would like to inform you that today, 26.08.2024, the Swiss Supreme Court (TSE) confirmed the reception of the appeal formulated by FRG and Sabrina Maneca Voinea against the decision of the Sports Arbitration Court in Lausanne.”

That Instagram post from the Federatia Romana de Gimnastica – the Romanian Gymnastics Federation – announced not simply the latest challenge to the Paris 2024 women’s Floor Exercise results, but a call to change the way sports events are operated and officiated under the rules of Olympic International Federations.

The impact could be staggering.

The facts are, by now, well established:

● On 5 August, Rebeca Andrade (BRA: 14.166) and Simone Biles of the U.S. (14.133) were the gold and silver medalists on Floor, with a three-way fight for the bronze.

● Ana Barbosu (ROU) scored 13.700, as did teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, but Barbosu was ranked higher thanks to a better execution score. American Jordan Chiles scored 13.666, but an inquiry about her difficulty score resulted in her total being increased to 13.766, good enough to win the bronze.

● The Romanians filed an action with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, protesting that (1) Chiles’ inquiry came after the 60-second limit and (2) Maneca-Voinea did not step out of bounds, as per a video replay, and should not have been penalized 0.100 points. If not, she would have scored 13.800 and been the bronze winner in any case.

● The Court of Arbitration for Sport heard the case on 10 August, and a three-member panel issued their decision on the same day, with the full opinion delivered on 14 August. In it, the upwards revision of the Chiles score was eliminated, the Maneca-Voinea request for a review of the out-of-bounds deduction was dismissed and Barbosu was named as the bronze medalist, later confirmed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG).

USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee have promised to pursue a further appeal for Chiles on procedural grounds – they were informed quite late in the process – and the Romanians have now appealed the same decision to the Swiss Federal Tribunal – the Swiss Supreme Court – which sits in Lausanne.

What they are asking for is for Maneca-Voinea’s score to be increased because video replays indicated she did not step out of bounds, which resulted in the 0.100-point deduction. This way outside the jurisdiction of the Swiss Federal Tribunal, whose authority in reviewing cases from the Court of Arbitration for Sport is limited by the Swiss Private International Law Act §190.

The five grounds include whether the arbitration panel was improperly arranged; jurisdiction questions, that the claims were not decided, “where the principle of equal treatment of the parties or their right to be heard in an adversary procedure were violated” or “where the award is incompatible with public policy.”

There has been a long-standing principle that judging or refereeing decisions are not reviewable on appeal. The CAS opinion in the Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea decision went into this in detail:

● “104. The Panel agrees that the ‘field of play’ doctrine is well-established and settled as a cornerstone principle of sports and CAS case law. The Panel will not depart from this principle, which is, moreover, in line with the application of the same in all CAS cases cited by Respondents [FIG]. The Parties agree on the rationale and the scope of this principle.”

● “105. According to the field of play principle, if a decision is demonstrated to be a ‘decision made on the playing field by judges, referees, umpires and other officials, who are responsible for applying the rules of a particular game,’ (CAS 2021/A/8119), the same should not be reviewed by the Panel. This wise principle seeks to avoid a situation in which arbitrators are asked to substitute their judgment for that of a judge, referee, umpire or other official, on a decision taken in the course of a competition that relates to a sporting activity governed by the rules of a particular game.”

● “106. As put in CAS 2021/A/8119, ‘[t]he rationale for the ‘field of play’ doctrine is that CAS Panels are not sufficiently trained in the rules of any or all sports and do not have the advantage to observe the event. All submissions by a party in relation to the judging and scoring of a competition are within the ‘field of play’ doctrine and cannot be reviewed by a CAS Panel.

“Consequently, any challenge to the assessment of difficulty in a performance, assessment of artistry and execution – including the results of the performances – are all matters within the doctrine of ‘field of play.’ Any challenge on technical breaches in the athletes’ performance are always matters requiring the expertise and judgment by those experts in the ‘field of play.’ If a video recording was a procedural aspect that led to the decision-making in the ‘field of play,’ its use is not open to review.”

Consequently, the CAS panel dismissed Maneca-Voinea’s appeal:

“The Applicants contend that the 0.1 deduction, corresponding to a line deduction, applied to Ms. Maneca-Voinea’s score, was unjustified as the athlete did not step out of the boundary during her performance. The Panel considers that the decision as to whether a 0.1 deduction was appropriate is a textbook example of a ‘field of play’ decision, one that does not permit the arbitrators to substitute their views for that of the referee. It warrants the non-interference of CAS as it entails the exercise of judgment by the referee, based on expertise in the ‘field of play’. Whether the judgment is right or wrong, it cannot be reviewed.”

It was further noted that the Romanian coaches did not make an inquiry about Maneca-Voinea’s score within the allowed 60-second time frame, as the U.S. did (or tried to do).

What the Romanians are asking for now is to have the Swiss Federal Tribunal intercede in the on-the-floor scoring of Maneca-Voinea’s routine in Paris, or at least send the matter back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to re-examine the matter and to shrink or eliminate the “field of play” principle.

This is a potentially dangerous possibility and it is inconceivable that the Swiss Federal Tribunal will do as the Romanians have asked. But they have asked.

Observed: Whether this cascade of errors – by the FIG for not having a protocol for timing the receipt of inquiries, and by the Romanians for not protesting the deduction on the spot – eventually results, as the Romanians asked, for Barbosu, Maneca-Voinea and Chiles to all receive bronze medals, is yet to be determined. Only the International Olympic Committee, as the owner of the Games can do that, and that could happen.

Chiles’ appeal, however, is about procedure and the inability of USA Gymnastics and the USOPC to have enough time to prepare effectively for the hearing, on a day’s notice. That is in line with one of the grounds for action by the Swiss Federal Tribunal and more is to be said.

But the great danger of having courts interfering – days, weeks or months after the fact – in decisions of judges and referees on the field of play is too horrific to imagine. It is likely that the Swiss Federal Tribunal will think so too.

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PARIS 2024: Celebration sites an innovative success during the Olympic Games, now readying for the Paralympics

By
Karen Rosen
-
The scene at the Paris City Hall, a major “Terrasse des Jeux” site for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (TSX photo by Karen Rosen).

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

It seemed as if all of Paris was a celebration zone during the Olympic Games. Cheering erupted in cars on the Paris Metro whenever France won a race or scored a goal, courtesy of people who could cling to a pole and look at their phones at the same time.

There were also official fan zones which attracted an impressive 1.5 million people in Paris alone for the Olympics. Many of these zones will re-open for the Paralympics.

The Clubs 2024 or “Terre de Jeux 2024” is a network of more than 180 clubs throughout France from the smallest town, Méral-en-Mayenne (population 1,098 in 2021), to Paris itself, with about 40 clubs in the Ile-de-France region. Every arrondissement except the 7th is represented in the 26 sites operated by the City of Paris. These free sites opened before the Olympic Games and will close Sept. 8. They are accessible and practice sustainability.

Additional clubs during the Olympics were located in French Polynesia, Guadeloupe and Reunion Island. The programs include sports and cultural activities, live screenings of competitions on large screens, mascot meetings and chances to try out different sports, such as a climbing wall, basketball and table tennis.

One of the most impressive Club 2024 sites is located in the forecourt of the Hotel de Ville, the city hall of Paris. The “Terrasse des Jeux” attracted nearly 25,000 people a day, “an attendance figure that exceeded our expectations,” Pierre Rabadan, deputy mayor in charge of sports at Paris City Hall, told the French daily, Le Monde.

The innovative Parc des Champions, or Champions Park, with a capacity of 13,000, operated over nine different days during the Olympic Games. It was designed by the Paris 2024 Athletes’ Commission, chaired by Martin Fourcade, the French five-time Olympic gold medalist biathlete, and built at the Trocadero with a full view of the Eiffel Tower.

According to the Paris 2024 Press Office, the park “has been full each day it has been open,” and had 26,000 on its first day. Attendance was free, but spectators often waited in long lines to get in.

Several hundred athletes participated, from newly-minted medal winners in Paris to the U.S. and Japanese figure skaters who were finally awarded their medals from the 2022 Beijing Winter Games on 7 August.

The athletes, said a press office spokesperson, “are very infatuated with this brand new concept.”

While the Champions Park will not be used for the Paralympics, other celebration zones will spring back into action.

Those include what Olympics.com calls “the beating heart of Team France.” That’s Club France, which was one of the hottest tickets of the Olympic Games. As one of 15 nations with “houses” in the Nations Park at the Parc de la Villette in northern Paris, Club France had the most buzz.

There was a nominal entry cost of €5 for the Olympics, but it will be free for the Paralympics with registration. Other countries participating during the Olympics included Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, Canada, India, the Netherlands and Slovakia. Only Casa Colombia and Team NL will join Club France for the Paralympics.

According to Paris 2024, more than 30,000 ticket holders and guests attended Club France each day during the Olympics for a grand total of about 600,000. It will reopen on 29 August, the day after the Paralympic opening ceremony. With capacity for the Paralympics at 15,000, it is reportedly already completely booked for 31 August.

For the Paralympics, organizers will dismantle the outdoor lawns and the perimeter of Club France will be concentrated around the Grande Halle. In another departure, all French athletes are expected to appear, not just those who have won a medal.

Élie Patrigeon, General Manager of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee, told Olympics.com that the “target is to welcome between 100,000 and 120,000 spectators between August 28 and September 8.”

Club France will also welcome international athletes via the Pride House, which will be added to the site for the Paralympics.

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LANE ONE: Team USA surprised at Paris 2024 Olympics as swimming and track & field won less than half its medals!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ THE U.S. OLYMPIC MOVEMENT ≡

If you hate the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, or foam at the mouth when one or more of the U.S. National Governing Bodies is mentioned, please skip this column. You won’t like it.

But there is a recent trend in the performance of U.S. summer Olympic sports which continued at the just-concluded Paris Olympic Games that’s worth noting.

American teams in swimming track & field won less than half of the U.S.’s total of 126 medals.

That’s the second Games in a row the two leading U.S. federations did not win half or more of the total American medal haul, but only the second time this century. But what was more impressive was the spread of the medals won by Team USA athletes to a record 29 National Governing bodies:

● 34: Athletics
● 28: Swimming
● 9: Gymnastics
● 7: Wrestling
● 6: Cycling
● 5: Shooting
● 4: Fencing
● 3: Basketball, Skateboarding
● 2: Archery, Canoeing, Rowing, Sport Climbing, Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting
● 1: Artistic Swimming, Boxing, Breaking, Diving, Equestrian, Football, Golf, Rugby Sevens, Sailing, Surfing, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Water Polo

That’s by far the largest number of National Governing Bodies to win medals in a single Games for the U.S., four more than the prior high at Tokyo 2020 (25). And it is the sixth time in seven Games this century that 20 or more U.S. NGBs produced medal winners.

It used to be that swimming and track produced most of the medals. At Mexico City 1968, swimming and track won 80 out of 107 U.S. medals. At Munich 1972, 55 of 94, and at Montreal 1976, 56 out of 94.

After the Moscow 1980 boycott, however, things changed. For one, the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 was passed, making the then-United States Olympic Committee the central coordinating body for Olympic sports in the U.S.

The Act also created single-sport National Governing Bodies – the Amateur Athletic Union governed eight sports for Montreal 1976 – and resolved the decades-long NCAA-AAU fight over athlete eligibility.

The results were made clear at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which with the Soviet-led boycott, produced a medal bonanza for the U.S. of 174 medals, the most since 1904 in St. Louis. In 1984, athletes from 22 NGBs won medals; swimming & track combined for 74 and the other 20 sports won 100 medals, or 26 more. That kind of production has not been seen since.

With the return of the USSR for 1988 and 1992 (as the “Unified Team”), U.S. medal production was less, of course (“SW-TF” is swimming and track & field):

● 1988: 94 by 19 NGBs (44 SW-TF vs. 50 by all others): +6 for all other NGBs
● 1992: 108 by 17 NGBs (57 SW-TF vs. 51): –6

The 1996 Atlanta Games was the first with the Soviet Union broken into multiple countries, with many more entries and more medal opportunities. Thus, despite having a home Games, medal production went DOWN for the U.S.:

● 1996: 101 by 21 NGBs (49 SW-TF vs. 52): +3 for all other NGBs

In the 21st Century, starting at Sydney 2000, swimming and track & field have usually led the way:

● 2000: 93 by 22 NGBs (49 SW-TF vs. 44): –5
● 2004: 101 by 22 NGBs (53 SW-TF vs. 48): –5
● 2008: 112 by 20 NGBs (56 SW-TF vs. 56): Even
● 2012: 104 by 18 NGBs (59 SW-TF vs. 45): –14
● 2016: 121 by 22 NGBs (65 SW-TF vs. 56): –9

The Tokyo 2020 Games, held in 2021, were deeply influenced by the Covid pandemic, but saw the “other” NGBs win more medals than swimming and track for the first time since Atlanta, with a record for the most NGBs to win a medal:

● 2020: 113 by 25 NGBs (56 SW-TF vs. 57): +1 for all other NGBs

In Paris, the number of NGBs expanded against to a record 29 in a Games which saw the most medals won by a U.S. team since Los Angeles:

● 2024: 126 by 29 NGBs (62 SW-TF vs. 64): +2 for all other NGBs

This is impressive for multiple reasons. Yes, there are more sports and events in the Games now, but the U.S. didn’t pick them. However, the USOPC either self-managed or found NGBs to handle all of the new sports and events and to get quality teams chosen.

The world is getting better in every sport, and this was certainly true in swimming, where American medal production was still by far the highest at 28, but with the lowest total since Athens 2004.

And the U.S. has transitioned, finding new sports to star in. While swimming and track & field have been stalwarts for the U.S. Olympic efforts since the beginning of the modern Games in 1896, Americans used to regularly produce medals in boxing, sailing and diving, to name three sports which won one medal each in Paris.

But in 2024, U.S. athletes from 29 National Governing Bodies won medals, well ahead of the other top medal-winning countries:

● 91 medals: China, in 21 sports/disciplines
● 65 medals: Great Britain, in 18
● 64 medals: France, in 22
● 53 medals: Australia, in 15

The USOPC has oversight of all the National Governing Bodies and relative to the Olympic Games, signs an agreement with each NGB at the start of the Olympic cycle, setting a goal for achievements or medals for the next Olympic Games. This “high-performance” agreement is the basis for funding of that NGB for the rest of the Olympic run-up period and is one of the ways – but far from the only way – that NGBs are evaluated on a rolling basis.

For Paris, a lot of NGBs met their targets and beyond, including USA Swimming, which “slumped” to 28 medals; Australia was next with 19.

Was this a “perfect” Games for the U.S.? No; for example, Americans won 48 golds in London and 46 in Rio, but 39 in Tokyo and 40 in Paris. But Paris was, overall, an outstanding effort, and the most U.S. medals ever in an Olympic Games held in Europe, typically a challenging location for American teams.

So, congrats to the USOPC and the Sports Performance Division led by Rocky Harris, the Chief of Sport & Athlete Services. The bad news? Much more pressure ahead for the first home Olympic Games in 32 years, in Los Angeles in 2028.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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FOOTBALL: UEFA Euro 2024 tournament generates €7.44 billion in economic impact, more than 68% from fans and visitors

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

“[T]he economic impact of UEFA EURO 2024 for Germany and the ten host cities amounts to €7.44bn.

“More than 90% of this sum, was the direct result of expenditure by the 2.7 million ticket holders (44% from abroad), organisers and accredited persons as well as the resulting indirect and induced economic effects. The most significant expenses included accommodation, travel to and within the host cities, and food and beverages outside and inside the stadiums.”

In a nutshell, that’s the economic impact summary of the UEFA Euro 24 tournament in Germany, held from 14 June to 14 July, with 24 teams and 51 matches in 10 venues in 10 cities.

UEFA’s announcement was based on a commissioned study by Nielsen Sports, and translates to about $8.30 billion U.S. and was better than expected. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser explained:

“I’m very pleased at the study’s findings: an economic impact of 7.4 billion euros in Germany exceeds expectations for hosting the tournament in Germany. And I’m especially happy that the economic, social and media impact of the tournament is directly benefitting the host cities.”

The study showed:

● The total impact of €7.442 billion breaks down to 91% economic impact, 8% media impact – essentially the advertising value of the event to Germany – and 1% social impact, from people playing sports more and volunteering.

● As far as the economics, the direct economic delivery from the event was €2.063 billion in actual spending (~$2.30 billion U.S.), from ticket buyers (€711.3 million), the cost of organizing the event (€649.6 million), spending by accredited people (€237.5 million), €233.9 million from Fan Zone visitors for food & beverages, and €230.4 million from pub and at-home spending – watch parties – related to Euro 2024.

That means €4.649 billion worth of direct and indirect and inducted spending came directly from people attending the tournament, or 68% of the total, with the cost of organizing the tournament taking up the rest.

● Using a multiplier effect of 3.29x of direct spending for indirect and induced rounds of spending gets the total to €6.776 billion in “total economic impact.”

● Total attendance was stated as 2,664,731 with an average of 52,250 per match.

● Of the 1.711 million ticket buyers, 56% were from Germany (about 967,000): 23% from the host cities and 33% from elsewhere in the country.

● So, 44% of all ticket holders (about 745,000) came from outside the country (119 countries); the economic engine that drove the much of the direct spending on the event.

● While there were 2.7 million attendees, cumulative attendance at the various fan festivals was 6.2 million – more than twice as much – an important report on the impact of such programs today and into the future.

The largest number of visitors from outside Germany were from Britain (9.4% of all visitors), followed by the Netherlands (4.4%), Switzerland (4.0%), Austria (3.8%) and Romania (3.1%). The U.S. was next, at 2.5%.

These folks spent the majority of their money (beyond the tickets themselves) on accommodations, food, and travel to the tournament. The average stay for international visitors was 2 1/2 days.

The tournament had 13,247 volunteers helping with the organization of the event, valued in the study at €10.1 million.

There was a lot of interest in the tournament, with an estimated 5.4 billion cumulative audience on television and 4.5 billion video views on social media. But once again, the value in this mega-event was the spending by fans and especially by visitors to Germany for the tournament.

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ATHLETICS: USATF shifts road prize money to World Road Champs trials in ‘25; bad day for Crouser in Poland; Arop sees 800 m WR in Brussels

By
Rich Perelman
-
Canada’s Marco Arop routs the field in the men’s 800 m in the Silesia Diamond League (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Road Racing ● USA Track & Field is concentrating more prize money into the selection races for the World Athletics Road Running Championships, taking place in San Diego from 26-28 September 2025.

The Road Champs include three events each for men and women: Mile, 5 km and Half Marathon, and USATF will designate selection races for each distance. Federations can send two athletes per gender for the Mile and 5 km races and four per gender for the Half.

On Friday, USA Track & Field announced that the $150,000 in final-standings prize money paid in 2024 for the 11-event USATF Running Circuit will be split into two parts for 2025:

● $100,000 to be split between men and women and among the top placers for the selection events in the Mile ($25,000), 5 km ($25,000) and Half Marathon ($50,000).

● $50,000 remaining will be used for the 2025 USATF Running Circuit final-placing prizes, with $15,000-7,500-5,000 for each gender. This is down from the five-place prizes paid in 2024 from $30,000 to $5,000.

USATF wants to name the selection events for all three distances by 1 October and bidding is open, and submissions will be reviewed beginning on 15 September.

● Track & Field ● Kenya’s Pulse Sports reported on a prize offered by now-former men’s 3,000 m world-record holder Daniel Komen, who set the mark at an unbelievable 7:20.67 back in 1996. He had offered a new Mercedes automobile and title to a plot of land in Eldoret to any Kenyan who broke his record.

But in 2021, after 25 years, he ended the offer. Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen took the record on Sunday with his sensational 7:17.55 win at the Diamond League meet in Chorzow (POL). In 2023, Komen told the Daily Nation:

“I even challenged my competitors then, including Ethiopia’s legends Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele, among others, and I wanted to give them the prize, but no one came close.

“No one came close to what I had registered then. After 25 years, my offer has expired and it’s unfortunate that Kenyan athletes missed it.”

● Track & Field ● More on the fabulous Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzow on Sunday, with two different views of the men’s shot put, won by two-time World Champion and three-time Olympic silver medalist Joe Kovacs of the U.S. at 22.14 m (72-7 3/4):

“This is one of my favorite meets especially because the Polish people know the throws and the field events; there is such a history here. It is really one of the best places to throw because when the ball lands on the 22 m, people in the stands know what it means thanks to the history.

“So I am glad I got the 22 m throw, pushed Ryan [Crouser] back and forth. I have my family here with me, my twin babies, they are going to be two years old in October, so it is certainly challenging but it just makes me feel it is worth it and I am glad to be here.

“We are going to stay here one extra day and then heading to the Rome Diamond League. We are trying to make a fun trip, looking for the things that kids can enjoy, so it is kind of a holiday but it is still a work trip. I feel like I am doing better when I am enjoying my life and when having the kids with me.

“In Paris, it was definitely weird to me because I felt like I underperformed. I thought I could have won and that was actually my first Olympics when I realized that they could be my last Games. I felt the emotions.

“In Rio [in 2016], it was logistically overwhelming, Tokyo with no fans, so this time, to see my wife in the stands, to have my family there; it was the Olympic experience I have always dreamed of.”

Crouser, the three-time Olympic champ, who took the lead in the fifth round at 22.12 m (72-7), only to see Kovacs win on the next throw, didn’t enjoy Chorzow quite as much:

“It is frustrating to lose by such a small margin, but this was a really bad day for me. I came in from the U.S. and yesterday was my first full day in Europe. I was jetlagged and did not sleep well.

“I totally missed the first throw, had to do a safety throw in the second round, then missed again, so it was essentially a three-throw competition for me. Still, it is encouraging that I can still do 22 meters on a bad day.

“I still have more competitions coming up and I know I can only go up from here. I still feel good physically, I just could not execute today.”

Norway’s world-record-holder Karsten Warholm won the men’s 400 m hurdles in a meet record of 46.95, and is looking ahead, as well as remembering his Paris experience:

“I wanted to do this race well before the Diamond League final so it feels nice to come out and to see the momentum going after the Olympics. It has been tough getting up after such a big competition but today felt good.

“After an Olympics, it is even worse if you get a gold medal; I have done that before as well. So many things happen afterwards, but I am starting to get used to it. To me, it is getting back to the rhythm quite fast.

My highs and lows are much more stable now. I do not go really high and I do not go really low. So it is easier when you are getting older [he’s 28]. I would rather have the silver that the bronze or fourth or fifth place, so it was the second-best option. It was not my best race in Paris and Rai [Benjamin] had a really good one. So the best man got it that day, but I know I can match that time, so it is of course a bit disappointment.

“But still, I did not have it in me in the most important day of the year. We need to go back to work and to make sure it does not happen again. As long as I have the fire in me, which is still burning right now, I will keep on going.”

And there may be another world record coming this season, according to men’s 800 m victor Marco Arop of Canada, who won in 1:41.86 after seconds at the Olympic Games and the Lausanne Diamond League:

“Finally, I get the win. I think this is my first win over [Olympic champ Emmanuel] Wanyonyi since last year at the World Champs, so it was a good race today. Fast track and amazing atmosphere. I managed to run fast; just wanted to see how fast I could go.

“Pacing was perfect, I stayed in lane one this time so that kind of helps a little bit. I am just glad I am able to step on the line and to be able to compete. After the Olympics, I was gathering myself and was ready to race again. It was not that hard, I ran the best race of my life and even thought that I could not win in Paris, I keep my head up and I know I gave it my all.

“I am going to do 1,000 m in Zagreb and I want to try to break the world record and will be back in Brussels for the Diamond League final.

“The [800 m] world record, it is definitely going to go. I think in Brussels [at the Diamond League final]. Honestly, all three of us [Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati and Wanyonyi] could win the race. It is very possible. So it is very exciting to be a part of the 800 m.”

That record is one of the best on the books, the famed 1:40.91 by Kenyan Daniel Rudisha to win the London 2012 Olympic title. But where they had been 15 sub-1:42 performances in history at the start of 2024 – seven by Rudisha – there have been 12 so far this year alone, led by Wanyonyi’s 1:41.11 to win in Lausanne!

The remaining Diamond League meets are on Friday, 30 August in Rome, 5 September in Zurich, and the final on 13-14 September in Brussels.

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SWIMMING: USA Swimming answers coaches association letters: we “take seriously the concerns”

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ THE LATEST ≡

“We admire the immense devotion both groups have to our sport, and we continue to work diligently to ensure that we hear all members’ voices and consider constructive criticism.”

That’s from USA Swimming, which posted a four-page open letter in response to critical letters sent to the USA Swimming Board of Directors by the American Swimming Coaches Association and Coaches Advisory Council. Both groups complained about membership, especially vis-a-vis the AAU, the perceived U.S. performance in Paris and the leadership of the national team, and the national office.

The USA Swimming letter noted:

“We will not use this response to minimize the passion expressed or what we know is a true desire from ASCA and the CAC to improve our sport. We do, however, want to correct some inaccuracies so we can move forward together from the same set of facts. Below we address directly those comments we believe would benefit from further clarification.”

In terms of the issues raised:

● Membership:

“USA Swimming is pleased to share that final 2024 membership numbers exceeded 2023 and continue to display upward trends. Athlete membership increased, with substantial growth in premium athlete membership, a key metric for retention”

and

“[C]oach membership eclipsed 20,000 for the first time since 2019 and for just the second time in history. Membership of our officials hit a post-pandemic high, continuing an upward trajectory and just below all-time highs from 2018. Though membership numbers have not returned to all-time pre-COVID highs, the upward trend, particularly in crucial membership sub-categories, indicates long-term projected growth, not decline.”

A graphic showed that USAS membership hit an all-time high in 2017 at 421,200 and was at 413,800 in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic. Then:

● 2020: 365,100 ~ pandemic
● 2021: 333,400 ~ pandemic
● 2022: 396,200 ~ up 18.8%
● 2023: 379,300 ~ down 4.3%
● 2024: 379,800 ~ up 0.1%

As for losing members to AAU clubs, a situation which has impacted multiple U.S. National Governing Bodies, the letter explained:

“We are listening to club coaches and leaders who offer AAU membership to their athletes, but we continue to point out that our club and coach resources, Safe Sport program, and insurance benefits are unparalleled in our efforts to support, protect, and assist.”

● National team performance in Paris:

As far as the performance of the American team in Paris, USA Swimming cited the three key indicators set by the USAS Board:

“1. Win the gold medal count
“2. Win the overall medal count
“3. Achieve the overall medal goal set by the USOPC in its high-performance plan”

All three were achieved, but the eight golds and 28 total medals are levels not seen since Seoul 1988 for gold medals and Athens 2004 for total medals. And almost 70% of the final-round performances at the Olympic Games were inferior to those at the U.S. Olympic Trials a month earlier.

As for coaching staff assignments, they were made by committees, which included the 2024 Olympic head coaches.

● New SWIMS 3.0 database

USA Swimming created the original SWIMS program as a way to keep in touch with membership and then as a database for millions of results from competitions of all kinds. Introduced in 2002, it had become obsolete and had to be replaced. So:

“While the rollout and communication of the new SWIMS database disappointed many, migration to a modern technology stack was essential to our continued operations as a National Governing Body. Compliance with the U.S. Center for SafeSport and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) was difficult with our legacy technology, and failure to implement an updated database would have vastly jeopardized the organization’s standing and long-term sustainability”

The importance of the role of SafeSport in this element is a direct follow-up to the Larry Nassar abuse scandal in gymnastics and an area of high interest to the U.S. Congress, which controversially gave itself the right to vaporize the board of directors of any U.S. National Governing Body in the “Empowering Olympic, Paralympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020.”

There was more, on education programming, member surveys and staffing, which explained the current programs and process. It’s hardly the end of the discussion, but a useful step.

Observed: This was a detailed, forthright letter that will likely neither end or even slow the criticism coming from the two coaching groups. But it presents facts that the coaches letters did not touch on and sets a better context for the future.

At their core, the coaching groups asked for a deeper level of understanding of what USA Swimming is doing and why it is doing it, a comprehensive development plan from Paris to Los Angeles for the athletes and the sport, and a higher level of responsibility for coaches in the organization (of course!).

The USAS letter does not resolve any of these issues, but it sets a better framework for more detailed talks. The sky is not falling, but the challenges to U.S. dominance in swimming, continued development of swimmers amid a rise in interest in AAU clubs and a possible implosion of collegiate sport in the U.S., and the future role of coaches as key decision makers within USA Swimming are issues which are not going to leave any time soon.

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PANORAMA: Record number of delegations for 2024 Paralympics; FIFA sues Google over search result; Dressel thinking 50 Free at LA28

By
Rich Perelman
-
American swimming sprint star Caeleb Dressel (Photo: Panam Sports)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Paralympic Games 2024: Paris ● The International Paralympic Committee announced a record number of delegations will compete in the 2024 Paralympics, with 168 national delegations, four more than the prior high of 164 from London 2012 and Tokyo 2020.

That total includes the eight-member Refugee Paralympic Team but not 96 “neutrals” from Russia (88) and Belarus (8).

The exact number of competitors is still to be confirmed, but it could top the all-time high of 4,393 from Tokyo 2020. According to the IPC:

“China, who have topped the medals table at each Paralympic Games since Athens 2004, boasts the largest delegation with 282 athletes (124 male and 158 female).

“With 255 athletes (138 male, 117 female), Rio 2016 hosts Brazil have the second biggest delegation, followed by host nation France with 237 athletes (155 men and 82 women). …

“The USA will feature 220 athletes (110 male and 110 female), while Great Britain will have 201 (109 male and 92 female).”

The Paralympics open on Wednesday.

● Russia ● The World Friendship Games was supposed to be held in September 2024 as a “friendly” counterpoint to the Paris Olympic Games, but was postponed to 2025. Now it may be postponed again. Dmitry Putilin (RUS), general director of the Friendship Games organizing committee, told reporters on Friday (computer translation from the original Russian):

“We are waiting for the decision of the country’s leadership. We are ready to hold it at any time, we were ready to hold it in 2024.

“The proposal to postpone it came from the International Friendship Association, which is why it is being discussed now. I will say again, in 2025 or 2026 – for us the main thing is not just holding international competitions with a large number of countries – we have already achieved this in the bidding campaign, a large number have already been declared for the Games this year. But we want to raise the level of athletes who will take part in these Games.”

● Athletics ● “It feels special, amazing.”

That was Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, after smashing the world record in the men’s 3,000 m, timing 7:17.55 and destroying a very highly-respected record of 7:20.67 by Kenyan Daniel Komen from 1996 at Sunday’s Diamond League meet in Poland. The Norwegian star continued:

“I was hoping to challenge the world record here, but based on my training, I can never predict exactly what kind of time I am capable of. I would not have imagined I could run 7:17, though.

“At the beginning the pace felt really fast, but then I started to feel my way into the race and found a good rhythm. 3000 is a tough distance. After 4-5 laps you feel the lactic acid, but you need to get going. The conditions were difficult with the heat today, but it is the same for everyone. I have a good team.

“We use ice vests, we make sure I stay hydrated and I am prepared. This meeting is great. The organizers make sure we feel appreciated and are comfortable and that really allows us to perform. Now I want to challenge world records at all distances, but it is one step at a time.”

He already owns the 2,000 m and 3,000 m world records, at age 23.

Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis, who set his 10th world record in the men’s vault at 6.26 m (20-6 1/2), was equally thrilled:

“It almost feels weird and unnatural to get so much love and support from the crowds when I compete. I see that especially in Poland. The energy in this stadium just keeps getting better every year. My first world record also came in Poland, indoors in Torun, so I have great memories from here.

“The track here is wonderful, the conditions today were perfect, everything just came together to allow me to do this. I know a lot of people came here to see me jump, so I wanted to put in a good showing for them. This year I focused on the Olympics, records just came naturally because I was in good shape.

“So I am not surprised with the record today, but I am thankful. It is just about being in good shape and believing you can do it. I always want to jump as high as I possibly can and to keep pushing. I have never hit a jump that felt absolutely perfect, so I always feel like I can do better.”

More from Chorzow, as the World Athletics report on the meet explained:

“The newly-instituted MVP award to the athlete producing the best performance of the meeting, according to World Athletics points scoring, went to Duplantis, who thus took possession of a 14-carat gold, diamond champion ring worth $10,000 and an additional cheque for the same amount.”

The Jamaica Gleaner reported that Ronald Levy, the Tokyo 2020 bronze winner in the men’s 110 m hurdles, has been banned for four years by the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) effective 1 November 2023.

The decision was issued on 21 August, stating that Levy, 31, “tested positive for the banned substances GW501516-Sulfoxide and GW501516-Sulfone during an out-of-competition test on October 9, 2023.”

Sad news that Amadeo Francis, a long-time member of the IAAF Council from Puerto Rico, has passed away at age 92 on Sunday.

He competed for Puerto Rico in the 400 m hurdles at the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games and beyond his work as an economist, had a long career in sports administration. He joined the IAAF Council in 1976, serving until 2007 and was a Vice President from 1999-2007.

Francis was also the head of the National American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) athletics confederation, an important organization for development efforts, especially in Central American and the Caribbean.

● Canoe-Kayak ● The ICF Sprint World Championships were held for non-Olympic events in Samarkand (UZB), with Russian teams winning four events as “neutrals” and Belarusian teams also winning four events.

Among the Olympic stars competing, Olympic men’s C-1 1,000 m winner Martin Fuksa (CZE) finished second in the C-1 500 m to Serghei Tarnovschi (MDA), who won the Paris bronze. Czech Josef Dostal, the Paris K-1 1,000 m winner, took the K-1 500 m in Samarkand, beating two-time Olympic medalist Fernando Pimenta (POR).

● Cycling ● Australian Ben O’Connor’s dramatic solo victory in stage 6 of the 79th Vuelta a Espana put him 4:51 up on the field and 4:51 up on three-time winner Primoz Roglic (SLO).

Roglic is trying to whittle down that lead and gained back almost a minute over the weekend.

He gained nothing on Friday as Belgian star Wout van Aert won stage 7 in the expected mass sprint in 4:15:39 over 180.5 km, finishing in Cordoba. Roglic and O’Connor were also given that time as part of the first group of 33 riders.

On Saturday, a 159 km route to Cazorla with a mid-race climb and an uphill finish, was won by Roglic – his second stage win this year – in a sprint finish with Spain’s Enric Mas. O’Connor was 17th, 46 seconds back, and lost 56 seconds of his lead with the time bonus for Roglic for winning the stage. The lead was 3:49.

On Sunday, a 178.5 km, triple-climb stage with a hard descent to the finish in Granada, British star Adam Yates attacked with 58 km left and soloed to a 1:39 victory over Richard Carapaz (ECU) and 3:45 over O’Connor, with Roglic eighth. No time difference between O’Connor and Roglic, but O’Connor got a four-second bonus for finishing third. So, O’Connor’s lead into Monday’s first rest day is 3:53 over Roglic and 4:32 over Carapaz, with Mas now fourth (+4:25).

Tuesday brings another climbing exercise, a 160 km ride to Baiona, with a major early climb and three smaller ones in the last third. A brutal stretch of climbs and uphill finishes in stages 12 to 16 will go a long way in determining whether O’Connor can win.

● Football ● Swiss broadcaster SRF reported a filing in Swiss court by FIFA against search-engine giant Google, alleging defamation. The suit, in the Zurich commercial court, claims an injury from a search listing on the 10th or further page of a Web site which is strongly negative about FIFA.

From the story:

“FIFA’s lawyer told SRF News that the world football association has no objection to critical media reports. Unlike other media, the website in question does not adhere to any rules and its content goes way beyond the mark. This constitutes a violation of personal rights. FIFA is therefore demanding that the site and its articles no longer appear in Google search results.”

Swiss law may be helpful to FIFA, but the case would have major repercussions for all search engines if FIFA were to prevail. No timetable has been set for the next steps.

● Swimming ● U.S. sprint star Caeleb Dressel told reporters during an appearance at Daytona International Speedway for a NASCAR event that he’s interested in competing at LA28:

“I’m young. I’m feeling good.

“It’s hard right now because when you get done with a championship meet the last thing you want to think about is swimming. That’s why I’m running around in Daytona and having a good time.

“But it has always been one of my dreams to compete on American soil at a championship meet. So, yes, my eyes are on 2028. I don’t think it’s going to be a full-event lineup. I think maybe just the 50 Free, put a little bit more muscle on, don’t have to be in as good a shape. So maybe look forward to just doing the splash-and-dash. That might be a good time for me.”

Dressel, 28, won two relay golds at Rio 2016, five golds – including the 50 m Free and 50-100 m Butterflys – at Tokyo 2020 and two relay golds and a relay silver in Paris. At the Paris Games, he finished sixth in the 50 m Free and did not make the final in the 100 m Fly.

He added:

“Paris was really special. … The amount of American flags and support we got in Paris was unbelievable. I can’t imagine actually having that same thing in the U.S. I think that would just be such a sweet way to end my career.”

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ATHLETICS: World records for Ingebrigtsen at 3,000 m and Duplantis in pole vault at Diamond League Silesia, plus four U.S. wins

By
Rich Perelman
-
He did it again! Another world record for Mondo Duplantis (SWE) (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ DIAMOND LEAGUE SILESIA ≡

There was a lot going on at the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzow (POL) on Sunday, most especially two world records for Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis! There were four world-leading marks, and Ingebrigtsen got two in the same race:

● Men/2,000 m: 4:55.21, Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) ~ en route
● Men/3,000 m: 7.17.55, Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) ~ World Record
● Men/Vault: 6.26 m (20-6 1/2), Mondo Duplantis (SWE) ~ World Record
● Women/1,000 m: 2:31.24, Nelly Chepchirchir (KEN)

An all-star cast was assembled for the men’s 3,000 m and Norway’s Ingebrigtsen was on a mission. Yes, he lost the Olympic 1,500 m, but won the 5,000 m and now was looking at a world-record try in Chorzow.

He got the fast pace he wanted and took over at 1,600 m, chased by four Ethiopians, led by two-time World Indoor 3,000 winner Yomif Kejelcha and Addisu Yihune. Ingebrigtsen never wavered, passed 1,600 m in 3:56.0, 2,000 m in 4:55.21 and continued pulling away. Only Paris 10,000 m runner-up Berihu Aregawi was anywhere close, and he wasn’t.

Ingebrigtsen stormed to the finish all alone and won in a sensational world record of 7:17.55 – with a 55.5 last lap – crushing Kenyan Daniel Komen’s brilliant 1996 record of 7:20.67. Aregawi got a national record of 7:21.28 in second, the no. 3 performance in history, with Kejelcha far back in third at 7:28.44. Americans Sean McGorty and Grant Fisher finished 14-15 in 7:42.15 and 7:49.79.

Ingebrigtsen, still just 23, averaged 58.3 per lap for 7 1/2 laps! He now holds the world records in the 2,000 m and 3,000 m, ranks no. 4 all-time in the 1,500 m and no. 3 in the mile. At 23.

In the vault, Duplantis, two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks of the U.S. and Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis all cleared 6.00 m (19-8 1/4). Karalis retired, Kendricks could not go higher and Duplantis skipped right to another world-record height of 6.26 m (20-6 1/2).

He missed his first try, but made the second, setting his 10th world record and second this month! Amazing. American KC Lightfoot was fourth at 5.92 m (19-5) and Tokyo silver winner Chris Nilsen was sixth at 5.72 m (18-9 1/4).

Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir was eliminated in the Paris women’s 1,500 m semifinals, but took control of the women’s 1,000 m from the pacesetter and ran away with a world-leading 2:31.24, well ahead of Britain’s Jemma Reekie (2:32.56) and 2023 World 800 m champ Mary Moraa (KEN: 2:33.43). American Nia Akins finished 10th (2:38.30).

Chepchirchir was fast, and her 2:31.24 moves her to no. 11 all-time in the rarely-run kilometer; it’s the fastest in the event since 2020.

Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, eliminated in the semifinals in Paris, got to the lead by 40 m in the men’s 100 m, but was pressed by bronze winner Fred Kerley of the U.S. and Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake. All three were close in the final 50, with Kerley getting the lean and the win in 9.87 (wind: +1.9 m/s) ahead of Omanyala (9.88) and Blake (9.89). American Pjai Austin was sixth in 10.06.

It’s Kerley’s first Diamond League win of the season after a second and third in the China meets in April.

Olympic 200 m champ Letsile Tebogo (BOT) was back in action, this time facing Olympic runner-up Kenny Bednarek of the U.S., along with fourth-placer Erriyon Knighton. And Bednarek had the lead coming off of the turn and into the straight, but Tebogo and Dominican Alexander Ogando – fifth in Paris – moved past him with 20 m to go and were 1-2 in 19.83 (+0.6) and 19.86, a national record.

Bednarek had to settle for third in 20.00, with Knighton fourth in 20.07 and fellow American Kyree King at 20.27 in fifth.

The men’s 800 m was an eagerly-awaited re-match of Thursday’s sensational race and Kenya’s Olympic champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi was back on the line against runner-up Marco Arop (CAN) once again. This one was different, however, as Arop took over from the pacesetter after the bell and was determined to push the pace. He did and broke away.

He was way ahead of the field into the final turn, with Wanyonyi, Eliott Crestan (BEL) and Wyclife Kinyamal (KEN) chasing. But Arop ran away from everyone, winning decisively in 1:41.86, with Wanyonyi at 1:43.23. American Bryce Hoppel, fourth in Paris, zoomed the straight and moved from seventh to third in 1:43.32, ahead of Crestan (1:43.48) and Kinyamal (1:43.54). World Road Mile champ Hobbs Kessler of the U.S. was eighth in 1:43.97.

Two-time Olympic champ Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) was right behind the pacesetters in the men’s Steeple, and took over at the 1,600 m mark, ahead of Kenyans Abraham Kibiwot, the Paris bronzer, and Amos Serem. Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu moved up to second at 2,000 m, and those four, with Spain’s Daniel Arce, were the key players at the bell, with Serem, the world no. 2 in 2024, leading.

On the backstraight, Serem continued to lead, but off the last water jump, El Bakkali struck and had the lead for keeps. But it was a battle between the Moroccan and Serem to the line, with El Bakkali winning, as both timed 8:04.29. Firewu, sixth in the Olympic final, came hard in the final 50 m and got a lifetime best of 8:04.34 in third and Kibiwot was fourth in 8:08.21.

Olympic silver medalist Kenneth Rooks of the U.S. had none of his Paris fire and was 16th in 8:35.19; teammate Matthew Wilkinson was 17th (8:40.35).

The men’s 110 m hurdles was once again a re-run of the Olympic final, with gold medalist Grant Holloway and silver winner Daniel Roberts of the U.S. getting out best. But as Holloway led, Paris bronzer Rasheed Broadbell (JAM) came hard to move to second and then for the lead on the run-in. Unlike the finish in Lausanne on Thursday, Holloway got to the line first in 13.04 (+1.1), with Broadbell at 13.05. Roberts finished third in 13.24, just ahead of fellow American Cordell Tinch (13.29).

Norway’s world-record-holder Karsten Warholm was out fast – as usual – in the men’s 400 m hurdles, but he was followed closely by France’s Clement Ducos, the Olympic fourth-placer. Warholm finally got free on the straight and won in a meet record 46.95 to 47.42 for Ducos, a lifetime best and equal-fifth in the world for 2024. Olympic sixth-placer Abderrahmane Samba (QAT) was third at 47.69, a seasonal best.

Four jumpers made 2.26 m (7-5) in the men’s high jump, with Euro bronze winner Oleh Doroshchuk (UKR) over on his first try, as was 2022 World Indoor champ Sang-hyeok Woo (KOR). Tokyo Olympic co-champ Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA) took two tries, and Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford – a two-time NCAA champ for Arkansas – took three. But Beckford shot into the lead, making a lifetime best 2.29 m (7-6) on his first attempt, Doroshchuk took two and Woo took three. Tamberi missed once and passed, then took the lead with a first-try clearance at 2.31 m (7-7) that won the day. Beckford, Doroshchuk and Woo were 2-3-4 on misses.

Two-time World Champion and three-time Olympic silver winner Joe Kovacs of the U.S. took the lead in the men’s shot in round one at 21.51 m (70-1 3/4) and then extended to 22.06 m (72-4 1/2) in round two. He maintained the lead over Olympic winner Ryan Crouser until round five, when Crouser improved to 22.12 m (72-7) to take the lead. But Kovacs, throwing next, did better at 22.14 m (72-7 3/4) and regained the lead for good. European champ Leonardo Fabbri (ITA) got third at 22.03 m (72-3 1/2), ahead of Paris fourth-placer Payton Otterdahl (USA: 20.95 m/68-8 34).

In the men’s hammer, Olympic champ Ethan Katzberg (CAN) got out to 80.03 m (262-6) in round two, and Paris bronze winner Mykhaylo Kokhan (UKR) got close in the final round at 79.85 m (261-11), but had to settle for second. Tokyo Olympic champ Wojciech Nowicki (POL) reached 76.05 m (249-6) and got third on a better second throw over Paris runner-up Bence Halasz (HUN).

The women’s 100 m, the last event of the day, featured Polish star Ewa Swoboda, the 2024 World Indoor 60 m runner-up and European 100 m silver medalist. But out of the blocks, it was Jamaica’s Tia Clayton, seventh in Paris, who got to the lead over American Tamari Davis. But 2019 Worlds bronze winner Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (CIV) moved up to challenge Clayton, with both timed in 10.83 (+2.9, wind-aided) and Davis just behind at 10.84.

Britain’s Daryll Neita was fourth in 11.01; Swoboda finished sixth in 11.03. American Jenna Prandini was eighth in 11.07.

The entire Paris podium was in the women’s 400 m, and silver winner Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) was in the lead on the backstraight, with Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke close and Olympic champ Marileidy Paulino (DOM) following. But off the final turn, it was Paulino – as usual – zooming into the lead and running away to win in 48.66, comfortably ahead of Naser (49.23). Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, third in Paris, went from fifth to third on the straight in 49.95, with Adeleke at 50.00 in fourth. Alexis Holmes of the U.S. was fifth in 50.01.

The women’s 1,500 figured to be a battle between Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, the 2023 World Road Mile champ and countrywoman Freweyni Hailu, the 2024 World Indoor champ at 1,500 m. And at the bell, Hailu surged into the lead, trying to run away from Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka and Welteji. But Welteji had the lead with 200 m to go and did not relent, winning in 3:57.07, with Hailu at 3:57.88 and Britain’s Georgia Bell a close third in 3:58.11. American Cory McGee was 13th in 4:02.79.

The women’s 100 m hurdles saw two-time World Champion Danielle Williams (JAM) take heat one in 12.37 over Paris fifth-placer Grace Stark of the U.S. (12.42), and Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent take heat two (12.30) over Alaysha Johnson of the U.S. (12.46). Olympic champ Masai Russell was fifth, but advanced to the final on time.

In the final, Nugent – the Jamaican champion in 2024 – was out best and had the lead, but not by much. She expanded her lead over the last half and got to the line in 12.29 (-0.5), a meet record and her second-fastest time ever. Stark was barely second in a blanket finish in 12.37, with Williams third (12.38), Russell in 12.40, and Johnson in 12.42 in fifth. Americans Keni Harrison and Tonea Marshall finished 8-9 in 12.52 and 12.76.

Four Jamaicans were in the women’s 400 m hurdles to challenge Dutch star Femke Bol and Paris runner-up Anna Cockrell of the U.S. And two-time Worlds bronze winner Rushell Clayton had the lead on the backstraight with Cockrell chasing and Bol fourth. But Bol moved up to second on the turn and had the lead into the final straight over Clayton. But Cockrell came back up on the straight and was second as Bol got a meet record win in 52.13, with Cockrell at 52.88 and Clayton at 53.11. Dalilah Muhammad of the U.S., the Rio 2016 gold medalist, was ninth in 55.99.

Jamaica’s Olympic silver winner Shanieka Ricketts got out to the lead right away in the women’s triple jump, at 14.50 m (47-7) in the first round, with World Indoor silver medalist Leyanis Perez (CUB) moving up to second at 14.42 m 47-3 3/4) in round two. Olympic bronze winner Jasmine Moore of the U.S. was third at 13.80 m (45-3 1/2) from round two, but was bounced to fourth by Italy’s Dariya Derkach (14.02 m/46-0). Moore improved to 13.84 m (45-5) in round five, but finished fourth.

World leader Brooke Andersen of the U.S. took control of the women’s hammer in round three at 76.19 m (249-11) and no one came close. Hanna Skydan (AZE), seventh in Paris, reached 71.82 m (235-7) in round five to secure second, followed by 2023 Worlds silver winner Janee Kassanavoid of the U.S. (70.55 m/231-5) and Paris runner-up Annette Echikunwoke (USA: 70.52 m/231-4).

Serbia’s Adriana Vilagos, at 20 a two-time European silver winner, took control of the women’s javelin right away at 65.60 m (215-3) in round one, a national record! Olympic silver winner Jo-Ane van Dyk (RSA) moved into second in round three at 62.67 m (205-7), and improved in round six to 62.81 m (206-1). Paris bronze winner Nikola Ogrodnikova (CZE) also got her best in round six at 61.84 m (202-11) for third. Maggie Malone Hardin of the U.S. was fourth at 60.81 m (199-6).

Three remaining Diamond League meets, on 30 August (Rome), 5 September (Zurich) and the final on 13-14 September in Brussels.

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SPORTS SCIENCE: Academics and researchers in 10 countries ask for imposition of early-age “sports sex” testing

By
Rich Perelman
-
Test tubes in a laboratory (Photo by Andrea.exp15 via Wikipedia)

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≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡

“Current technology enables a screening procedure for ‘sports sex’ that involves a simple cheek swab to determine sex chromosomes. This screen can be performed reliably and quickly and should be done in duplicate to ensure reliable results.”

That’s from a group of 32 academics and researchers at universities and institutes in Canada, Denmark, Great Britain, Norway, Qatar, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States combined for an editorial published online on 10 August in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.

The authors note that while the bizarre and often unhelpful gender-testing procedures of the past were finally eliminated in 1999, better and more dignified and useful processes are available today.

At the core of the comment was the Paris Olympic Games furor over boxers Imane Khelif of Algeria (age 25) and Chinese Taipei’s Yu-ting Lin (28), who won the women’s 66 kg and 57 kg classes, and have been competing in the women’s division for their entire careers. They were disqualified for not meeting “eligibility requirements” during the 2023 World Women’s Boxing Championships by the International Boxing Association, which was expelled from the Olympic Movement by the International Olympic Committee later in the same year.

The authors’ editorial, titled “Fair and Safe Eligibility Criteria in Women’s Sport” builds off of a study reported by some of the same authors in March 2024, “The International Olympic Committee Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations Does Not Protect Fairness for Female Athletes.” In short:

“[W]e explained how endogenous testosterone production during male development leads to performance advantages arising from well-established sex-based differences in body size, muscle mass, endurance, speed, strength, and power.

“These physical advantages are so large that they necessitate a separate and protected female category that excludes male advantage to ensure fair and safe competition for female athletes. The unfortunate developments in the 2024 Olympic Games compel these matters to be revisited.”

Recognizing that prior methods of gender screening violated concepts of athlete consent, dignity, and confidentiality, the editorial insists, however, that the situation is different now than in 1999:

“Today, 25 years later, there is ample evidence that biological sex is a crucial differentiator in ensuring fairness and influencing safety for female athletes.

“The participation of male-born competitors (e.g., transgender women) and athletes with certain XY [differences in sex development] in female sport is a growing concern. These athletes experience male-typical development from testes producing testosterone, with resultant physiological differences creating athletic advantages and safety risks, even in athletes with XY DSDs who might have been observed as female at birth.”

The authors go further than asking for a simple cheek-swab test:

● “The ethical framework that governs modern genetic testing is thorough and, importantly to overcome the shortcomings of the past, it emphasizes individual consent, confidentiality, and dignity.”

● Rather than simply using the test results for a yes/no determination, the test is only the gateway to more intensive care:

“The results of this sex chromosome screening should be used to indicate the need for follow-up tests as part of standard medical care, including counseling and psychological support as part of the ongoing duty of care to the athlete.”

● And testing at worldwide championship events is the wrong approach altogether:

“[T]o preserve confidentiality and dignity, athletes must be screened early – perhaps when they first register in the female category in an affiliated competition and before they are thrust into the global spotlight. This would prevent the individual targeting and unsolicited public scrutiny that has occurred numerous times, most recently in the 2024 Olympic Games.”

The authors explain that “An early, cohort-wide approach that treats all participants equally is overwhelmingly preferable to the current approach that invites targeted testing based on allegation, suspicion, subjective assessment, and bias.”

The short comment does not go into costs of the test, time, supplies and personnel needed and all the other details. It does point to a survey taken at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games that 82% of women athletes supported the sex-testing effort, which also used the cheek-swab method.

It was further noted that World Aquatics has specifically identified genetic testing as a procedure to be used. The authors close with a call for care rather than confrontation:

“Rather than ‘policing female bodies,’ screening followed by comprehensive follow-up in the rare cases that require extra consideration, with emphasis on the duty of care to every athlete, will ensure preservation of the female category for fair and safe sport.”

The IOC’s “Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations,” was published in November 2021 and did not impose any hard-and-fast rules on the International Federations, but demanded recognition of the need for a “rights-respecting and evidence-based eligibility criteria for sex-segregated sports competition.”

If there is any good that might come out of the Paris Olympic circus on this issue, a further discussion of early, widespread testing might be a place to start, including the costs, logistics and process.

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GYMNASTICS: FIG chief Watanabe calls Chiles-Barbosu Olympic medal incident a “tragedy” that “must never happen again”

By
Rich Perelman
-
Federation Internationale de Gymnastique President Morinari Watanabe (JPN) (Photo: FIG)

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

“This tragedy must never happen again.”

The President of the International Gymnastics Federation – known as FIG by its French initials – Japan’s Morinari Watanabe, commented on the procedural, technical and judging failures that resulted in a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling that placed Romania’s Ana Barbosu third and American Jordan Chiles fifth in the Olympic women’s Floor Exercise event at the Paris Olympic Games.

Writing in the just-issued FIG Bulletin no. 265, Watanabe commented:

“First of all, I would like to congratulate the organisers of Paris 2024, which is now one of the greatest Olympic Games in history. I would like to thank all the gymnasts and their national federations who have produced such wonderful gymnasts for the wonderful competitions and the dramas they have created. I would also like to thank France, the City of Paris, the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, the French Olympic Committee, the French Gymnastics Federation and the volunteers for hosting the Olympic Games. …

“Finally, I would like to address the tragedy that occurred in the women’s floor exercise final. This tragedy must never happen again. Since I became FIG President, I have been promoting the use of technology in judging. Unfortunately, this tragedy happened.

“The use of technology in sport is now taken for granted and the FIG used to be at the forefront of introducing technology in all International Federations. But now we are no longer a pioneer. This is because we are not able to break our own prejudices because of our traditions. We need change. We need challenges. And we need the courage to move forward. It was the lack of courage to take that step forward that led to the tragedy in Paris.

“What can we do to prevent the same tragedy from happening again? It is up to us to have the courage to change.”

That isn’t much comfort of Chiles, who has been placed fifth in the event, pending an appeal of the CAS decision to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, where there is some possibility of a referral back to a new CAS panel for re-examination.

Watanabe also praised the expansion of gymnastics, as shown by the spread of medals to 20 countries across artistic, rhythmic and trampoline:

“Looking at the Olympic landscape, people have probably noticed. The athletes have changed a lot. Simone Biles from the USA has overcome a setback to dominate the sport. Carlos Yulo of the Philippines won two gold medals. Colombia, Ireland, Algeria and Kazakhstan won their countries’ first Olympic medals in gymnastics.

In the past, only a limited number of countries won medals. But now many countries can win medals. Why is that? When Zhang Boheng [CHN], performed on high bar in the men’s team final, his rival Hashimoto Daiki of Japan asked the crowd to be quiet. This is the landscape of gymnastics in the world today. We respect our opponents as much as we respect ourselves and we help each other. This is the world of gymnastics today. And I hope it will be the world of gymnastics in the future.”

Watanabe also addressed efforts against abuse and gender participation:

“In its history, gymnastics has had a dark past of harassment of athletes. Reflecting on this dark history, the ‘Gymnastics Ethics Foundation’ was established and the system to protect the gymnasts was created.

“With the ‘Gymnastics Ethics Foundation,’ we have faced the reality. The reality is that harassment still exists. The ‘Gymnastics Ethic Foundation’ aims to improve the situation by acting as a court for gymnastics and imposing sanctions. At the same time, the ‘Safeguarding Working Group’ has been set up within the FIG organization as a section to train coaches.

“The ‘10 Golden Rules’ drawn up by the Working Group have become a model for all International Federations. My goal is ‘zero harassment’ in gymnastics. The goal is still far away, but we are certainly making progress.

“As for the gender equality, we examined the actual situation and achieved gender equality in the composition of officials in FIG as well as in its member Federations. In many cases, gender equality is neglected in the composition of officials in National Federations. We will continue to promote gender equality activities in each country and region.”

Watanabe did not address the continuing lag of gymnastics in terms of revenue vis-a-vis the other first-tier Olympic television share federations, World Aquatics and World Athletics. Amazingly, FIG continues with its policy of not paying prize money, even at its own World Championships.

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PANORAMA: About 10% of Paris Seine swimmers had gastro troubles; another Russian federation head sees no hope for 2028

By
Rich Perelman
-
Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen wins the men's 1,500 m at the Athletissima Lausanne (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● MedPage Today reported that “About 10% of athletes who competed in the triathlon or open water swimming events developed gastroenteritis, compared with about 1% to 3% of athletes in the same events in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.”

The information came from Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, the chief medical officer for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, who said it was obtained from data collected by the International Olympic Committee during the Paris Games. Finnoff noted that comparisons to past Games were harder because the Paris swim was in fresh water and the 2016 and 2020 swims were in salt water venues.

In some cases, a virus was detected, which was not related to E. Coli levels in the Seine, the main indicator which was used to determine whether the river was safe enough for competition.

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● Another Russian national federation head has projected that Russian teams will not be able to compete at the 2028 Olympic Games.

Irina Viner, the President of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, said at a youth exchange event in Moscow:

“Los Angeles is not a city from the country that will give us the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games; we have not performed in the USA once before.”

Viner is not quite right with the history.

Russia did not send any athletes to the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, the USSR sent none to Los Angeles in 1932 and the Soviets boycotted the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Russia did send 390 athletes to the Atlanta 1996 Games, winning 63 medals (26-21-16).

Russian teams also participated at the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley (now Palisades Tahoe), and 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid and the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

● Athletics ● The Athletissima meet in Lausanne had some spectacular performances, and some of the athletes had a chance to chat afterwards. It’s a pretty good race when the top three in the headlining men’s 1,500 m were all pleased:

● Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR: winner): “It´s been almost two weeks since Paris so there was plenty of time to recover. For me a lot of it has been mental, including going home, taking some easy days and then getting back to work.

“Tonight´s race gave me good answers and I´m looking forward to building on this for my next race on Sunday [in Poland] and the rest of the season.”

● Cole Hocker (USA: second): “3.29.85 [is] my second best ever, so I can´t complain.

“Considering the overwhelming past two weeks, it was a solid race. Physically I felt comfortable, but mentally, it´s a new challenge being announced as Olympic Champion. I felt the pressure but I´m excited about how things are shaping up. I was ready for whatever pace the race demanded, and I executed well.

“With another two weeks of practice ahead, I´m focused on getting my mental game right. The post-Olympic storm wasn’t as tough as people say.”

● Hobbs Kessler (USA: third): “The event was awesome, I´m super happy to be here. The race went smoothly but I just need a little more training to stay with the leaders. I’m planning to race a few more times this season then focusing on getting stronger for next year.”

Kenya’s Olympic men’s 800 m champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who won the 800 m in 1:41.11 and moved to equal-second on the all-time list, was more than pleased:

“I´m so happy to have run that crazy time here in Lausanne. Improving my PB once again setting the world lead today in Lausanne, is very good. I really loved the crowd here at Athletissima and I hope for the best for my next race in Silesia.”

That’s on Sunday and he will again face 2023 World Champion Marco Arop of Canada:

“I feel pretty good tonight, especially after the Olympics. My fitness is holding up, so I´m excited for the next few races. Next up is Silesia on Sunday, then 1,000 m in Zagreb, and hopefully the Diamond League [final].

“Lausanne is simply incredible, the atmosphere and crowd is amazing. It´s been three years since I was here, and I hope to be back again next year.”

One of the happiest winners was two-time women’s World shot champ Chase Jackson of the U.S., who didn’t qualify for the Olympic final in Paris:

“I´m super glad to have done my season best and now I´m super focused on Brussels [Diamond League final]. I didn’t take any time off after the last event; I just went straight back to training.

“My goal is to win another world title and keep pushing myself. I know I can go further, much further, so I´m working hard on my technique to really excel in the World Cup. Wonderful to be in Lausanne tonight, such an amazing stadium and ambience!”

Perhaps the most determined winner was Greece’s Olympic men’s long jump champion Miltiadis Tentoglou, who won the event on his last effort of 8.06 m (26-5 1/2):

“I feel really well because I had a streak, for over two years now, where I´ve never jumped less than 8 meters in any competition, and I don´t want to lose that streak at this point.

“As for how far I can go next year, I don´t know exactly, but I´ll try some new things, maybe take on some difficult challenges, and see what happens. Another year, another chance.”

● Cycling ● Stage 6 of the 79th Vuelta a Espana was a startling, fabulous win for Australian Ben O’Connor, who attacked with about 28 km left on the 185.5 km quadruple climb and uphill-finishing route to Yunquera.

No one could follow, and O’Connor, 28, won in 4:28:12, a full 4:33 ahead of Marco Frigo (ITA) and 5:12 up on four riders, led by German Florian Lipowitz in third place. With his rout of the field, O’Connor became the race leader, suddenly 4:51 ahead of three-time winner Primoz Roglic (SLO), and 4:59 ahead of Portugal’s Joao Almeida (POR).

O’Connor win was his first at the Vuelta a Espana and gives him career stage wins in all three of the Grand Tours; he won at the Giro d’Italia in 2020 and at the Tour de France in 2021.

Friday’s seventh stage has one climb in the final third and then a descent, likely ending in a mass sprint, unless Roglic decides to get some time back right away.

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ATHLETICS: World Athletics confirms heavy doping-related sanctions on Bahrain by the Athletics Integrity Unit

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

“The impetus for the investigation was the serious anti-doping rule violations committed by two BRN athletes at the Tokyo Olympic Games for homologous blood transfusions and the discovery that the BAA had engaged a coach to work with the national team between 2019 and 2021 who was in fact banned from sport for anti-doping rule violations.”

That’s from a statement issued Thursday by World Athletics, confirming a series of strong sanctions against the Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA) “following historical breaches of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules.”

The BAA has admitted to the charges and agreed to some deep sanctions:

● “The BAA’s participation in both the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 will be limited to a maximum of 10 athletes.”

● “The BAA will not participate in any other World Athletics Series events for 12 months from 1 June 2024.”

● “The BAA will not apply for any transfers of allegiance or recruit any foreign athletes until 2027.”

● “The BAA will spend up to $7.3 million over four years on … measures to address the doping and integrity risk in athletics in Bahrain,” including “implementing a detailed strategic plan and operational roadmap (SPOR) as agreed with the AIU to transform the federation and properly manage integrity matters.”

● Further, a national anti-doping organization will be required to be created in Bahrain and funded by the national government through 2026 (this has been done and the agency is in operation for a year) and a talent academy must be set up to help develop native athletes, as opposed to recruiting foreigners to switch allegiances.

Bahrain won two track & field medals at the recent Paris Olympic Games, with Winfred Yavi (born in Kenya) taking gold in the women’s Steeplechase and Salwa Eid Naser (born in Nigeria) winning silver in the women’s 400 m. It sent six athletes to both the 2022 World Athletics Championships and the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

The ban on participation for 12 months from June 2024 will not impact Bahrain’s attendance at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, scheduled for 13-21 September.

The World Athletics statement lastly noted:

“In the view of the AIU Board, a satisfactory outcome to the matter has been reached – one which appropriately balances the need for punitive measures to send a strong message, and the goal of creating real change within the federation and within the sport.”

The sanctions were the conclusion of an 18-month investigation by the AIU, and included a review of obligations under the AIU regulations, which in some areas, go beyond those required in the World Anti-Doping Code.

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PARIS 2024: Voting for Paris 2024“Fair Play” award now open online

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ GAMES OF THE XXXIII OLYMPIAD ≡

The International Committee on Fair Play (CIFP), in coordination with the International Olympic Committee, has opened voting for the Paris 2024 Fair Play Award.

The Fair Play group celebrated its 60th year in 2024, and offers five options “honours extraordinary acts of sporting spirit” from the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris:

● “Canadian gymnast Ellie Black: Four-time Olympian Ellie Black has a long history of being a generous competitor, supporting all gymnasts, regardless of team affiliation, throughout her career.”

● “World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland [FRA] and the singles sculls Group A final competitors/coaches: When AIN [BLR] rower Yauheni Zalaty‘s bus broke down, meaning he would not make it to the single sculls Group A final in time, Jean-Christophe Rolland leapt into action as some of the competitors were already on the water for their final warmups. He got the executive board and then the remaining competitors and their coaches to agree to shift the event from being the first race to the last of the day.”

● “Hungarian fencer Csanad Gemesi: In the men’s individual Sabre competition between Csanad Gemesi (HUN) and Fares Ferjani (TUN), Gemesi acknowledged a touch in Ferjani’s favour, shifting the score from 9:10 to 9:11. Ferjani went on to win the match by a single touch margin.”

● “Cyclists Fariba Hashimi (AFG) and Hanna Tserakh (AIN [BLR]): During the women’s road race, cyclists Fariba Hashimi (AFG) and Hanna Tserakh (AIN) provided helping, steadying hands while Slovakian competitor Nora Jencušová attempted to fix her bike chain, struggling to keep her balance.”

● “Olaf Tabor, Chef de Mission of Team Germany: When the single sculls boat of Yauheni Zalaty (AIN [BLR]) was held up in customs, the German team offered one of their boats to the athlete. Zalaty went on to win silver in the event, finishing behind German rower Oliver Zeidler.”

No date was shown for the last day to vote, but the typical timeframe has been short in the past, so go now if you want to cast a ballot.

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ATHLETICS: Wanyonyi sensational at 1:41.11, Ingebrigtsen beats Hocker, U.S. women’s 3,000 record for Cranny at Athletissima Lausanne

By
Rich Perelman
-
Redemption win for U.S.'s Chase Jackson in Lausanne (Photo: Marta Gorczynska for Diamond League AG)

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≡ DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

The Wanda Diamond League resumed in Lausanne, Switzerland at the annual Athletissima meet, with plenty of Paris Olympic re-matches and two world-leading marks:

● Men/800 m: 1:41.11, Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN)
● Women/3,000 m: 8:21.50, Diribe Welteji (ETH)

The men’s 800 m, a non-Diamond League event, had Olympic champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) and 2023 World Champion Marco Arop of Canada, who dueled right to the line in Paris. They were right behind the pacer at 49.32 for the first lap, with Arop leading on the backstraight. But Wanyonyi got on the gas into the turn and sprinted home, with he and Arop separating from everyone and then Wanyonyi running away to win in a sensational 1:41.11, even faster than his monumental Paris finish and the equal-fourth performance of all-time, just 2/10ths from the world record of Daniel Rudisha (KEN: 2012)!

Arop was not far behind, second in 1:41.72, and France’s Gabriel Tual, sixth in Paris, came up for third off the turn in 1:42.30. American Bryce Hoppel, fourth in Paris, was fourth here in 1:42.63.

The women’s 3,000 m started at a nice pace, with Ethiopia’s Tsige Gebreselama and Olympic 1,500 m fourth-placer Diribe Welteji at the front at the 2,000 m mark, with Kenyan Janeth Chepngetich and Paris 5,000 m 11th-placer Elise Cranny of the U.S. in close attendance.

With a lap to go, Welteji took over, with Chepngetich second and Welteji took firm control of the race on the backstraight and led all the way to the finish in an outdoor world-leading time of 8:21.50, a meet record. Chepngetich remained second (8:23.48), with Gebreselama third in a lifetime best of 8:24.40 and Cranny getting a lifetime best of 8:25.10 in fourth.

That’s the fastest outdoor women’s 3,000 m ever by an American – breaking Mary Slaney’s U.S. record of 8:25.83 from 1985 – and no. 3 on the combined indoor-outdoor all-time U.S. list. Fellow American Karissa Schweizer finished seventh in 8:34.96.

The most-awaited race had to be the men’s 1,500 m with surprise Olympic champ Cole Hocker of the U.S. and Olympic 5,000 m winner Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway. The pace was fast at 1:51.14 for 800 m and then Ingebrigtsen took over, trailed by Americans Hobbs Kessler and Hocker.

At the bell, they were the top three and the two Americans chased Ingebrigtsen down the backstraight. But around the turn, the Norwegian broke away and won convincingly in 3:27.83, a meet record, trailed by Hocker (3:29.85) and Kessler (3:30.47). Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot came up for fourth in 3:30.88.

It’s Ingebrigtsen’s third-fastest time ever and his fourth sub-3:30 time this year! It’s Hocker’s no. 2 time ever.

The other feature was the men’s 200 m with Botswana’s Olympic winner Letsile Tebogo in lane six, with Americans Erriyon Knighton – fourth in Paris – and 100 m bronzer Fred Kerley to his outside.

Tebogo started well, but Knighton was running the turn hard and had a slight lead by the 50 m mark. He was holding on, with Tebogo, Kerley and Dominican Alexander Ogando chasing him on the straight. Finally, Tebogo regained the lead with 50 m left and won in 19.64 (wind: +0.9 m/s) to 19.78 for Knighton, with Kerley getting third in 19.86 for a seasonal best. Ogando was fourth in 19.94.

The 19.64 time is Tebogo’s third-fastest ever.

There was another event with an American on the redemption trial: the women’s shot.

Two-time World Champion Chase Jackson had no intentions of letting her Paris flop – she didn’t qualify for the final – linger and she got out to the lead right away at 19.75 m (64-9 3/4) in the first round. No one was close, but Jackson extended to 20.64 m (67-8 3/4) in round three, a seasonal best and her second-best throw ever. She added a 20.17 m (66-2 1/4) heave in round four just to be sure.

Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye, the Olympic champion, reached 19.55 m (64-1 3/4) in round three, but did not improve and finished second. World Indoor champ Sarah Mitton (CAN) was third at 19.52 m (64-0 1/2). Raven Saunders of the U.S., the Tokyo silver medalist, was fourth at 19.08 m (62-7 1/4), Maggie Ewen was seventh at 18.60 m (61-0 1/4) and Adelaide Aquilla was ninth at 17.62 m (57-9 3./4).

In the men’s 400 m, Botswana’s Busang Kebinatshipi was the early leader, but Olympic silver winner Matthew Hudson-Smith took over by the 250 m mark. He led into the straight, chased by Vernon Norwood of the U.S., but Hudson-Smith got to the line first in 43.96. A final rush by Paris bronzer Muzala Samukonga (ZAM) got second (44.06), with Kebinatshipi third in a lifetime best of 44.22.

American Bryce Deadmon was fourth (44.37) and Norwood faded to sixth (44.55).

Olympic champ Grant Holloway got his usual strong start in the men’s 110 m hurdles, along with Olympic silver winner Daniel Roberts. Holloway was on his way in mid-race, but Jamaica’s Rio 2016 winner Hansle Parchment moved up as did Paris bronze winner Rasheed Broadbell. And Broadbell got to the line first on the run-in in 13.10 (-0.1), with Holloway second in 13.14, Parchment third in 13.23 and Roberts fourth in 13.26. American Cordell Tinch was sixth in 13.34.

It’s Holloway’s first loss of the year after four wins in the indoor 60 m hurdles and six straight wins in the 110 hurdles.

The men’s long jump didn’t generate much excitement through the first five rounds, with Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock, the Paris runner-up, in the lead with a modest best of 8.01 m (26-3 1/2), ahead of Swiss Simon Ehammer (7.99 m/26-2 3/4).

But Paris victor – and two-time Olympic champ – Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) hates to lose and standing third into the final round, got the last jump of the competition and won it at 8.06 m (26-5 1/2)! It’s his eighth win in a row this season and 12th in 13 competitions for the whole year.

The men’s javelin seemed frozen in the second round, as two-time World Champion Anderson Peters (GRN) extended his lead from 86.36 m (283-4) to 88.49 m (290-3) and German Julian Weber, the 2022 European champ, reaching 87.08 m (285-8).

India’s Tokyo 2020 gold medalist, Neeraj Chopra of India finally moved up from fourth (from his second-round throw) to third in round five at 85.58 m (280-9) and then rocketed his final throw out to 89.49 m (293-7) in round six.

But by that time, Peters, throwing first in the final round as the leader, sent a rainbow out to 90.61 m (297-3) for the winner. It’s his third-longest throw ever and best in two years.

The women’s 100 m was a showcase for Britain’s 2019 200 m Worlds winner Dina Asher-Smith – fourth in the Paris 100 – who got her usual solid start and held off American Tamari Davis, the U.S. Trials fourth-placer, 10.88 to 10.97 (-0.4). Swiss favorite Mujinga Kambundji was third in 11.06. It was a seasonal best for Asher-Smith, now equal-8th for 2024.

The women’s 800 went to plan, with 2023 World Champion Mary Moraa (KEN) leading at the bell over U.S. Trials winner Nia Akins and Britain’s Jemma Reekie. Akins pushed into the lead on the backstraight, with Moraa and Britain’s Georgia Bell, the Paris 1,500 m bronze winner, in third.

But Moraa made her move on the turn and got to the lead on the straight and would not be denied, winning in 1:57.91, with Bell coming up for second in 1:58.53. Akins faded, and Reekie got third in 1:58.73. Akins ended up 10th in 2:00.0, ahead of fellow American Allie Wilson in 11th (2:00.35).

In the women’s 100 m hurdles, American Olympic fifth-placer Grace Stark got out best and had the lead over Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Dutch star Nadine Visser through most of the race. But on the run-in, Camacho-Quinn surged and got to the line first in 12.35, equaling her seasonal best (wind: 0.9). Stark was a close second in 12.38, with Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent getting third ahead of Visser, 12.38 to 12.49. American Alaysha Johnson, seventh in Paris, finished sixth in 12.59.

All eyes were on Dutch star Femke Bol, the Olympic bronze winner, in the women’s 400 m hurdles, but Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton – fifth in Paris – had the lead from hurdles four through eight, with Bol second. But Bol came on off the turn and zoomed to the lead and run away to a solid 52.25 to 53.32 win. Jamaicans Janieve Russell and Andrenette Knight were 3-4 in 54.48 and 54.93. American Shamier Little was eighth in 58.57.

The bar was at 1.96 m (6-5) when the women’s high jump narrowed, with Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) and bronze medalist Eleanor Patterson (AUS) both clearing on their first attempts. Australia’s Paris runner-up Nicola Olyslagers missed her three tries and had to settle for third at 1.92 m (6-3 1/2).

Mahuchikh sailed over 1.99 m (6-6 1/4) on her first try, and Patterson missed her three tries, giving the Ukrainian the victory. She tried 2.03 m (6-8), but missed her three attempts.

The Diamond League is back in action on Sunday in Chorzow (POL), shown in the U.S. on Peacock, beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern, with a same-day replay at 4 p.m. on CNBC.

The remaining Diamond League meets are on 30 August (Rome), 5 September (Zurich) and the final on 13-14 September in Brussels.

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FOOTBALL: Morocco announces new, 115,000-seat football stadium as possible FIFA World Cup 2030 final venue

By
Rich Perelman
-
Architect’s rendering of the to-be-built 115,000-seat Grand Stade Hassan II in Morocco (Image courtesy Populous)

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

The FIFA 2030 World Cup will be played primarily in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with three initial games in South America to mark the centennial of the event.

Now, the Moroccan architectural firm of Oualalou + Choi, in cooperation with global design giant Populous, has unveiled a design for a 115,000-seat Grand Stade Hassan II, to be a candidate for the FIFA 2030 World Cup final.

It’s a brand-new facility, to be the largest football stadium in the world, to be built in Benslimane, about 30 miles east of Casablanca. From the architect’s description:

● “The design draws inspiration from the traditional social gathering of Morocco known as a ‘moussem’, with the stadium structure set under a large tent roof that emerges as a dramatic intervention in the forested landscape.

● “At both ends of the colossal stadium bowl, three steep, compact tiers ensure a vibrant and spectacular atmosphere. Each ‘end’ of the stadium holds 29,500 general admission spectators.

● “Five levels of hospitality along each of the main stands at the side of the pitch welcome 12,000 VVIP, VIP, Hospitality and Box users, in addition to the Royal box.

● “The stadium is covered by a spectacular roof made from a unique aluminum lattice. Supporting the geometry of the roof and the bowl is a ring of 32 stairways, creating monumental gateways that feature lush gardens positioned on raised platforms, each 28 meters from the ground.”

After the World Cup, the stadium will be the home field for two Moroccan clubs, along with an expected rush of concerts and special events of all kinds.

The project is to be publicly financed, with a projected cost of €500 million (about $555 million U.S.) that was approved in October 2023. Preliminary groundwork has already started.

The facility is one of six proposed by Morocco for the 2030 World Cup; Spain has proposed the mammoth Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona (capacity 105,000), and the famed Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid (80,000), certainly a possible location of the championship match, and the site of the final at the 1982 World Cup.

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ATHLETICS: Eight Olympic champs in action at Diamond League Athletissima Lausanne on Thursday

By
Rich Perelman
-
Ukraine's Olympic and World Champion high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Photo: Dan Vernon for World Athletics)

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≡ PREVIEW ≡

The post-Paris leg of track & field’s Wanda Diamond League starts in the Olympic capital of Lausanne, Switzerland with the annual Athletissima meet on Thursday, with the main program starting at 1:45 p.m. Eastern time.

The headliners are eight Olympic champions who will be in action:

● Men/200 m: Paris gold medalist Letsile Tebogo (BOT) against Americans Erriyon Knighton (fourth in Paris) and Fred Kerley (100 m bronze), and ex-Florida star Joseph Fahnbulleh (LBA).

● Men/800 m: Paris winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) against runner-up and 2023 World Champion Marco Arop (CAN/silver), and American Record-setter Bryce Hoppel, among others.

● Men/1,500 m: Olympic champ Cole Hocker of the U.S. against 5,000 m Olympic champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR), with 2019 World Champion Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) and the U.S.’s World Road Mile champ Hobbs Kessler.

● Men/110 m hurdles: Olympic winner Grant Holloway, runner-up Daniel Roberts, 2023 Worlds team member Cordell Tinch of the U.S. against Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell (bronze) and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ Hansle Parchment.

● Men/Long Jump: Greece’s two-time Olympic winner Miltiadis Tentoglou dominated in Paris; Wayne Pinnock (JAM/silver) and Italy’s Mattia Furlani (bronze) will try to get closer.

● Women/High Jump: The entire podium is in, with winner Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR), silver medalist Nicola Olyslagers (AUS), and bronze winners Iryna Gerashchenko (UKR) and Eleanor Patterson (AUS).

● Women/Shot: Yemisi Ogunleye (GER) facing World Indoor winner Sarah Mitton (CAN) and two-time World Champion Chase Jackson of the U.S., who did not make the Paris final.

Look out for something special from Femke Bol, who finished third in the women’s 400 m hurdles, and the women’s 100 m hurdles has silver and bronze winners Cyrena Samba-Mayela (FRA) and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR), plus Americans Grace Stark (fifth) and Alaysha Johnson (seventh).

There’s a lot more. The meet will be shown in the U.S. on the Peacock streaming service on Thursday beginning at 2 p.m. A replay will be shown on Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern on CNBC.

The next meet comes on Sunday in Chorzow, Poland, also on Peacock, beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern, with a same-day replay at 4 p.m. on CNBC.

The remaining Diamond League meets are on 30 August (Rome), 5 September (Zurich) and the final on 13-14 September in Brussels.

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