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TSX REPORT: U.S. scores five Diamond League wins; IOC has “grave concerns” over boxing fed; John Hancock ends 37-year Boston Marathon sponsorship

By
Rich Perelman
-
American sprint star Noah Lyles celebrates his Diamond League Final win in Zurich (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Diamond League wins for Bromell, Lyles, Holloway, Allman & Winger in Zurich
2. IOC reiterates “grave concerns” over Int’l Boxing Association
3. IOC says Russian status remains unchanged
4. John Hancock to end 37-year sponsorship of Boston Marathon
5. Evenepoel closing in on La Vuelta title with Stage 18 win

The conclusion of the Diamond League season in Zurich saw five U.S. wins from sprinters Trayvon Bromell and Noah Lyles, hurdler Grant Holloway and women’s throws stars Valarie Allman and Kara Winger, plus world-leading marks in three events, the men’s 800 m and 1,500 m and women’s 400 m. The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board met on Thursday and sent a stern letter of disappointment to the International Boxing Association, further dimming its chances to be on the LA28 sports program, and set the stage for suspensions of National Olympic Committees in Guatemala and India. The current sanctions situation for Russia (and Belarus) remains unchanged. The John Hancock insurance firm decided to end its sponsorship of the Boston Marathon after the 2023 race, after 37 years; it was one of the early leaders in the 1980s sports sponsorship explosion. At the Vuelta a Espana, Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel won Stage 18 and strengthened his grip on a possible overall victory on Sunday in Madrid.

1.
Diamond League wins for Bromell, Lyles, Holloway, Allman & Winger in Zurich

The 2022 Diamond League season came to a spectacular close at the legendary Stadion Letzigrund with the Weltklasse Zurich meet on Thursday, with three world-leading performances and five wins by American athletes. The world leaders:

● Men/800 m: 1:43.26, Emmanuel Korir (KEN)
● Men/1,500 m: 3:29.02, Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR)
● Women/400 m: 48.99, Marileidy Paulino (DOM)

In the men’s sprints, it was American Trayvon Bromell who got out best and could not be caught, winning in 9.94 (wind: 0.3 m/s), well ahead of Yohan Blake (JAM: 10.05) and Aaron Brown (CAN: 10.06). American Kyree King was seventh in 10.18.

American star Noah Lyles closed the program with another brilliant 200 m, steaming around the turn and running away with the race in 19.52 (-0.6), his sixth time at 19.62 or better this season! Brown and Alexander Ogando (DOM) were tight for second and third (both in 20.02) with Americans Erriyon Knighton and Kenny Bednarek fading to 4-5, both in 20.20.

Evergreen Kirani James (GRN), still just 30, won the men’s 400 m in an impressive 44.26, with Americans Bryce Deadmon and Vernon Norwood just behind in 44.47 and 44.66.

Both the men’s 800 m and 1,500 m produced world-leading marks. Canada’s Marco Arop came into the final straight as the leader and looking like the winner, but Olympic and World champ Emmanuel Korir (KEN) attacked and got to the lead only in the last 5 m, winning in 1:43.26, with Arop at 1:43.38. American Bryce Hoppel was fifth in 1:44.77.

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic champ, found himself in the lead at the 1,500 m bell, being stalked by familiar foe, 2019 World Champion Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN). But no one could match Ingebrigtsen’s fitness and he pulled away over the final 120 m to win in a world-leading 3:29.02. Cheruiyot was a clear second in 3:30.27 and Olli Hoare (AUS: 3:30.59) was third.

The three “hurdles” races showcased the 2022 World Champions. American Grant Holloway stormed out of the blocks and won the 110 m hurdles in 13.02 (-1.0), ahead of a fast-closing Rasheed Broadbell (JAM: 13.06). American Trey Cunningham was fifth in 13.30. Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos left no doubt in the 400 m hurdles, taking over by mid-race and winning in 46.98, his third sub-47 race of the year, with Americans Khallifah Rosser (47.76) and C.J. Allen (48.21) second and third. And Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali was in total control of the Steeple, winning in 8:07.67, ahead of a fast-closing Getnet Wale (ETH: 8:08.56) and Abraham Kibiwot (KEN: 8:08.61).

Jamaica continued to own the women’s sprints, as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce got out first and won by daylight in the women’s 100 m over teammate Shericka Jackson, 10.65-10.81 (-0.8). Americans Aleia Hobbs, TeeTee Terry and Sha’Carri Richardson finished 5-6-7 in 11.03-11.10-11.13. Jackson was totally in charge in the 200 m, storming the turn and taking a big lead to win in 21.80 (-0.9), more than a half-second up on Americans Gabby Thomas, Tamara Clark and Jenna Prandini, in 22.38-22.42-22.45.

The continuing rise of Dominican star Marileidy Paulino was shown by her world-leading win in the 400 m in 48.99, way ahead of countrywoman Fiordaliza Cofil (49.93). Worlds silver winner Paulino is only the 12th woman ever to break the 49-second barrier and just the fifth this century.

Worlds bronze medalist Mary Moraa of Kenya found herself in front on the backstraight of the women’s 800 m and made the most of it, extending her edge in the home straight and winning impressively in 1:57.63, ahead of a late rush by Jamaican Natoya Goule (1:57.85) and American Sage Hurta (1:58.47). Fellow Kenyan star Faith Kipyegon – the two-time Olympic champ – underlined her dominance with a 4:00.04 win in the 1,500 m, taking off on the final lap and not seriously challenged. Ireland’s Ciara Mageean ran strongly down the straight and got second in 4:01.68. Americans Heather MacLean and Cory McGee were 7-8 in 4:02.90 and 4:04.63.

The stars were out in the women’s hurdles as well. World Champion and world-record setter Tobi Amusan (NGR) overpowered an excellent field from the start and won the 100 m hurdles in a fast 12.29 (-0.3), the equal-18th fastest mark ever and no. 10 this century. American Tia Jones continued a late-season surge in second (12.40), with Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn fourth (12.49) and Americans Nia Ali and Keni Harrison in sixth and eighth (12.67 and 13.02).

Dutch star Femke Bol overtook Rio Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad of the U.S. by midway in the 400 m hurdles and won in 53.03 – a time only Bol and Sydney McLaughlin have beaten this season – with Gianna Woodruff (PAN) second in 53.72, as Muhammad faded to fourth (53.83). Ethiopia’s Werkuha Getachew was strongest in the final half-lap to win the Steeple in 9:03.57 from Winfred Yavi (BRN: 9:04.47), with American Emma Coburn seventh in 9:20.00.

The women’s high jump was decided at 1.97 m (6-5 1/2) with Ukraine’s World Indoor Champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh clearing on her second try, while teammate Iryna Gerashchenko finished second from her first-time clearance at 1.94 m (6-4 1/4).

The men’s vault really got going at 5.81 m (19-0 3/4) with Mondo Duplantis (SWE) over right away and joined by Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen on his second attempt, France’s 2012 Olympic champ Renaud Lavillenie and Tokyo silver winner Chris Nilsen (USA). Guttormsen got a lifetime best of 5.86 m (19-2 3/4) and that earned him second place as Nilsen and Lavillenie both failed at 5.91 m (19-4 3/4) to settle at 3-4. Duplantis made 5.91 m on his first try and then asked for 6.07 m (19-11), which he cleared on his second attempt, but went no higher.

The long jumps were an intertwined men’s and women’s event, alternating round by round. Serbia’s Ivana Vuleta took charge of the women’s event right away, jumping 6.97 m (22-10 1/2) in the first round and won easily. Swede Khaddi Sagnia managed 6.55 m (21-6) for second and American Quanesha Burks got out to 6.54 m (21-5 1/2) in the sixth round to get third.

Greece’s Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglu reached 8.14 m (26-8 1/2) in the men’s competition in the second round, but it was American Marquis Dendy – the 2016 World Indoor Champion, wearing a stylish bucket hat – taking the lead at 8.16 m (26-9 1/4) in round four! Tentoglu responded, re-taking the lead at 8.33 m (27-4), then Dendy improved to 8.18 m (26-10) in the final round, but it wasn’t enough. But Tentoglu wanted to make a statement and powered out to 8.42 m (27-7 1/2) on his final jump for the winning mark, his no. 3 jump of the year.

In the triple jumps, Cuba’s Andy Diaz boomed his first-round jump out to a lifetime best of 17.70 m (58-1) and no one could catch him. World Champion Pedro Pablo Pichardo (POR) also had his best mark in the first round at 17.63 m (57-10 1/4) and finished second. Women’s Olympic and World Champion Yulimar Rojas (VEN) fouled on her first try, but reached 15.28 m (50-1 3/4) in the second and won easily with her eighth-best jump of the year. Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk claimed second at 14.96 m (49-1) and American Tori Franklin finished fourth at 14.75 m (48-4 3/4).

The discus competitions saw men’s World Champion Kristjian Ceh (SLO) and Olympic gold medalist Valarie Allman of the U.S. take the early leads at 64.42 m (211-4) and 66.23 m (217-3), respectively. Ceh lost the lead to Lukas Weisshaidinger (AUT) in round five at 65.70 m (215-7), but took it back immediately at 66.75 m (219-0) and then finished with a best of 67.10 m (220-2). American Sam Mattis finished fourth at 65.24 m (214-0).

Allman improved to 67.77 m (222-4) in round three, and while two-time Olympic champ Sandra Perkovic (SLO) got close at 67.31 m (220-10) in round five, she finished second. American Laulaga Tausaga was sixth at 58.90 m (193-3).

The amazing Kara Winger, the Worlds silver medalist and American record holder – who has said she will retire at the end of the season – had the women’s javelin lead at 63.81 m (209-4) in the second round, ahead of World Champion Kelsey-Lee Barber (AUS: 63.72 m/209-1). Then Winger poured it on, adding to the lead at 64.98 m (213-2), the no. 5 throw of her career! Retire at 36? Really? When she is automatically qualified for the 2023 Worlds?

India’s Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra grabbed control of the men’s spear, reaching 88.44 m (290-2) in round two, ahead of Tokyo silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch (CZE: 86.94 m/288-6) and that’s the way it finished. American Curtis Thompson was fourth at 82.10 m (269-4).

The winners of each event took home $30,000 in prize money, with the lower places earning $12,000-7,000-4,000-2,500-2,000-1,500-1,000 through eighth. Most of the winners will get a direct entry into the 2023 World Championships, except in situations where the Diamond League champ comes from the same country as the 2022 World Champion (to be resolved later).

(Thanks to statistician Jed Brickner for a correction to yesterday’s post: Joe Kovacs’ throw of 23.23 m (76-2 3/4) made him the no. 2 performer in history, but with the no. 3 throw ever, behind Ryan Crouser’s 23.37 m (76-8 1/4) and 23.30 m (76-5 1/2), both in 2021.)

2.
IOC reiterates “grave concerns” over Int’l Boxing Association

The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board completed the first of a two-day meeting on Thursday, delivering some stern warnings to the International Boxing Association and to the National Olympic Committees of Guatemala and India.

On boxing, the IOC sent a stern letter to the IBA, which ended with:

“Boxing is currently not included in the sports programme of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. Considering the absence of a real evolution, the IOC Executive Board is not in a position to reverse this decision and will continue to monitor with grave concerns IBA’s governance.”

The letter reiterated the IOC’s continuing concerns over governance and finance. In specific, the IBA’s termination of its reform advisory committee and the weakening of its formal headquarters functions in Lausanne in favor of a “Presidential office in Moscow” were noted as negatives as well as

‘[A]ccording to the information available, the IBA has not been able to find new sources of income to mitigate its dependency from a Russian State-owned company [Gazprom]. Furthermore, the IOC Executive Board noted that this situation is exacerbated by the fact that IBA is dependent from a Russian State-owned bank’s branch located in Switzerland which is currently restricted in operation due to sanctions in place.”

The IOC’s view is that IBA’s actions “aggravate the most serious concerns of the IOC Executive Board.” The outcome of the upcoming Congress in Armenia on 25 September, which could include a re-vote for President, “will be thoroughly assessed.”

A qualification system for boxing for Paris 2024 was set up, rejecting the IBA’s proposal and using the results of the 2023 Asian Games, European Games, Pacific Games, Pan American Games and an African competition to be designated, and two worldwide qualifiers in 2024.

That’s boxing. On the other at-issue federations, IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell (NZL) said that discussions are continuing with the newly-elected leadership of the International Weightlifting Federation and with the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne. On the UIPM, McConnell made it clear that the IOC is waiting on the federation’s proposal for a different fifth discipline for 2028 and is well aware of the internal dissension among the sport’s elite athletes about the decision to remove riding.

As regards continuing governance crises with two National Olympic Committees:

● The Executive Board suspended the National Olympic Committee of Guatemala as of 15 October, as the country’s courts have suspended some of the NOC’s election rules, in violation of the Olympic Charter’s requirement of sports autonomy.

The five-week delay was set in hopes of settling the dispute with the government in advance of the 24-sport Central American Games, to be contested in Guatemala and Costa Rica beginning on 27 October 2022. The Guatemalan NOC and the government are expected to meet shortly on the issue, with the IOC looking for a solution by 25 September.

● The Indian Olympic Association is also dealing with election issues, and was previously suspended for similar problems from 2012-14. So a “final warning” was issued, with the Executive Board asking for a resolution by its next meeting in December, and orchestrating a meeting “with all parties concerned” in Lausanne later in September.

However, with the 2023 IOC Session to be held in Mumbai, the Executive Board postponed it to a date to be determined in September or October, instead of next May or June, and could be relocated elsewhere.

This impacts the ongoing discussions concerning the selection of a site for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games, which was to be voted on at the Mumbai Session. It is possible that the delay due to India’s internal issues could help the fledgling bid in Vancouver, which has been behind the bids from Salt Lake City and Sapporo.

For Paris 2024, venue changes already announced were confirmed for boxing and fencing in the modern pentathlon (North Paris Arena), for shooting (French National Shooting Centre) and the Main Press Center (Palais de Congres). The contentious fight over the preliminary basketball site continues.

Reports on future Games were received by the Executive Board, with the continuing turmoil over the management of Milan Cortina 2026 being monitored. The Los Angeles 2028 Coordination Commission is scheduled to visit the city for an in-person look from 13-15 September.

A potentially important new working group has been created to continue the Tokyo 2020 concept of streamlining the costs and operations of the Olympic Games, dubbed the “Games Optimisation Group” and chaired by Zimbabwean IOC member (and Olympic swimming champ) Kirsty Coventry.

3.
IOC says Russian status remains unchanged

IOC spokesman Mark Adams (GBR) noted that the situation with Russia (and Belarus) has not changed, and gave one of the clearest statements of the IOC’s position to date:

“The sanctions are against those responsible for the war, the Russian government; they remain in place. This means, in particular … no Russian flag or colors, no Russian anthem, no Russian identity at sporting events and also the International Federations should not hold events in Russia.

“With regard to the protective measures, which we recommended to the Olympic Movement, we have explained many times that we are in a dilemma. We did decide on the protective measures because the IOC had to realize that governments were starting to interfere in the responsibility of sports organizations by deciding who would be allowed to participate in international sports competitions, and by putting pressure on their athletes, [National Olympic Committees] and national federations.

“This obviously jeopardizes the integrity and fairness of international competitions, jeopardizes the autonomy of sports organizations, without which there can be no truly global sport. So to protect the integrity of the competitions, and to protect international sport from full politicalization, we had to take some protective measures.

“We had to take these measures reluctantly because, as I said, in an unsolvable dilemma. On the one hand, we cannot fully live up to our humanitarian mission, which is to unite the entire world in peaceful competition. On the other hand, the only way to protect this mission for the future was to recommend the non-participation of athletes just because of their nationality.

“We are, obviously, closely monitoring and will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

Sports Director McConnell further noted:

“Our recommendations regarding Russia are related to the integrity of sports competitions and protecting that integrity. We have not, in any way, recommended the sanctioning of the Russian Olympic Committee, Russian national federations or Russian officeholders.”

Adams explained that the IOC’s assistance fund for Ukrainian athletes and sports organization has now expanded to $7.5 million.

4.
John Hancock to end 37-year sponsorship of Boston Marathon

“Our contract with the Boston Athletic Association is expiring in 2023, and after careful review, we have chosen not to renew our principal sponsorship of the Boston Marathon after next year’s race.

“Our business has changed so much over the nearly four decades of our sponsorship; we have grown in size and scale and are more globally aligned than ever before. As our organization evolves and we double down on opportunities to help customers live longer, healthier lives through our John Hancock Vitality program, our partnerships must also evolve.”

That from a letter to the staff by Marianne Harrison, the chief executive of Boston-based insurer John Hancock, announcing the end of a partnership that lasted for 37 years, back to 1986. Hancock was in the forefront of sports sponsorship in the marketing explosion that followed the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and was deeply involved in running for many years.

The Boston Athletic Association, which owns the race, issued a statement; in part:

“At the B.A.A., our commitment to expanding events and creating more running opportunities has never been greater. We’re excited to find our next Boston Marathon principal sponsor, and look forward to partnering with an organization who shares our passion for athletic excellence, community engagement, and growing the Boston Marathon to new heights.”

John Hancock has been steadily scaling back its sports sponsorships, ending its 30-year relationship with the Boston Red Sox in July.

Although 37 years is a long partnership, it’s not a record. For example, in 2019, USA Swimming announced a multi-year extension with Phillips 66, which began sponsoring the federation back in 1973!

5.
Evenepoel closing in on La Vuelta title with Stage 18 win

The best to protect your lead at the head of the 77th La Vuelta a Espana is to win the stage. And that’s exactly what Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel did on Thursday, out-sprinting chief rival Enric Mas (ESP) to the line at the top of the 1,163 m Alto de Piornal.

Thursday’s 192 km route was flat for the first half, but featured three major climbs to the finish, with the final ascent of 13.3 km the decisive stretch. Mas attacked with 10 km remaining, but was reeled in by the Belgian. Dutch rider Robert Gesink was in the lead with just 1,000 m to go when Mas attacked once again, but Evenepoel struck back hard and managed to get to the line first, with Mas and Gesink both two seconds back.

With two more climbing stages left before the final-day ride into Madrid, Evenepoel had a lead of 2:07 on Mas and 5:14 on Juan Ayuso (ESP). If the 22-year-old Evenepoel can hang on, he will be the first Belgian winner since Freddy Maertens, way back in 1977.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Volleyball ● The semifinals are set for the 20th edition of the FIVB men’s World Championship in Poland, with defending champion Poland (5-0) to face Brazil (5-0) and 4-1 Slovenia playing 5-0 Italy.

In Thursday’s quarterfinals, the Poles took a 2-0 lead on the U.S., winning by 25-20 and 27-25. But the Americans fought back and tied to match with set wins of 25-21 and 25-21. But the home team, playing in Gliwice, managed a 15-12 fifth set win to advance.

Brazil had an easier time with Argentina, winning 3-1, but only after dropping the first set.

The semis will be played on Saturday and the medal matches on Sunday, all at the 11,036-capacity Spodek Arena in Katowice.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Pan American Games ● In view of receding interest in the Pan American Games as a stand-alone championship in recent editions – in part due to the lack of prize money vs. other events – the regional confederation Pan Am Sports made a strategic move to emphasize the role of the Games as an Olympic qualifying competition as a way to ensure strong participation by the best athletes in the hemisphere.

That effort has gone into overdrive for 2023, as 33 disciplines across 22 sports will offer either direct qualification (in 15 sports) or points toward qualifying marks or world rankings on which Olympic selection will be based (in 7 sports). This is up from 25 disciplines at the Lima 2019 Games.

This also applies to the Paralympic Games, with 15 (of 18) disciplines offering qualifying opportunities; six sports will provide direct qualifying from the ParaPan American Games.

The Santiago 2023 Pan Ams are expected to include more than 7,000 athletes and 2,000 para-athletes from the 41 countries of the Americas, competing in 39 sports (61 disciplines) and 17 para-sports (18 disciplines). The Games will be held late next year, from 20 October to 5 November.

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● WADA announced the appointments of 13 members of the WADA Athlete Council, including five from the IOC or International Paralympic Committee Athlete Commissions and eight elected by the Athlete Commissions of International Federations.

The IOC/IPC appointments include Finland’s Emma Terho, 40, currently the head of the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission, whose profile in international sport had been steadily increasing.

Among the International Federation reps is American Clare Egan, 34, nominated by the International Biathlon Union and a two-time Olympian in 2018 and 2022. She retired after the 2021-22 season.

● Athletics ● Thursday’s Diamond League Final in Zurich was shown on NBC’s Peacock streaming service live, but will be shown on CNBC on Saturday at noon Eastern time.

However, Sunday’s Fifth Avenue Mile from New York will be shown live on NBC beginning at noon, with the women’s elite race at 12:30 p.m. and the men’s race at 12:45.

● Basketball ● The U.S. men’s team barely got past Puerto Rico, 85-84, to advance to the semifinals of the FIBA AmeriCup in Recife, Brazil.

The game was tied, 42-42, at the half and the U.S. had a tenuous 64-60 lead after three quarters. In the fourth, a three-pointer by guard Norris Cole gave the U.S. an 82-76 edge with 2:05 left, but the game was tied at 82-82 with 0:09 to play. A Cole free throw made it 83-82 for the U.S., but ex-LSU star Tremont Waters got a layin with six seconds left to put Puerto Rico in front, 84-83.

Out of a timeout, Cole took over, dribbling from 25 feet out, down the left side of the lane and muscling up an in-the-paint, 8-ft. floater which swished through the net with just 1.4 seconds left for the win and the 85-84 final. Cole led all scorers with 20 points on 8-11 shooting, with guard Jeremy Pargo scoring 15.

The U.S. will meet undefeated Argentina in the semis, a 76-53 winner over Venezuela, on Saturday (10th).

● Diving ● “It’s with great contentment and excitement, I close this chapter and move on to the next. You always hear people say you’ll know when it’s time to hang it up and I never really believed that. I do now. I took my final dive at Olympic Trials in 2021 and the following months were rough. But ever since that dive, not once have I had a feeling of ‘I need to get back in’.”

That’s American diving star David Boudia, 33, announcing his retirement in an Instagram post, concluding a brilliant career that included three Olympic Games in Beijing, London and Rio, where he won gold in 2012 on the 10 m Platform and a bronze in the 10 m Synchro, and a silver (10 m Synchro) and bronze (10 m Platform) in 2016.

He won five World Championships medals (0-4-1) between 2007 and 2015, including individual Platform silvers in 2011-13-15.

Boudia is hardly leaving the sport, however:

“As many of you know, I am coaching along side Adam Soldati at Purdue University and I couldn’t be more eager to continue to learn from one of the best. I look forward to continuing to be immersed in the diving world as a coach and see what the next chapter holds. Eyes set for Paris 2024, just in a new role!”

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TSX REPORT: Kovacs now no. 2 ever at 76-2 3/4 in Zurich! World Athletics doubles reserves with IOC’s Tokyo 2020 cash; more Tokyo bribery arrests

By
Rich Perelman
-
Diamond League men's shot winner Joe Kovacs of the U.S., with the no. 2 mark of all time! (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Kovacs explodes to 76-2 3/4 for Diamond League winner in Zurich
2. “Olympic Dividend” rescues World Athletics’ finances
3. More arrests in Tokyo 2020 sponsor bribery scandal
4. Russian Olympic chief sees hopeful signs of re-engagement
5. Evenepoel might be set for La Vuelta win as Roglic crashes out

The first day of the Diamond League final in Zurich saw two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs of the U.S. author the second-longest throw in history at 23.23 m (76-2 3/4) to out-last fellow American Ryan Crouser and win the $30,000 first prize. The meet concludes on Thursday. World Athletics released its annual financial report and noted the $39.48 million “Olympic Dividend” from the International Olympic Committee from the television rights sales to the Tokyo 2020 Games from moves its reserves from approximately $30 million to about $71 million. Tokyo prosecutors arrested more people in connection with the Tokyo 2020 sponsor bribery scandal, which now extends to three companies and a possible fourth used as a go-between. The Russian Olympic Committee’s President sees positive signs for the eventual reinstatement of his country’s athletes, but with an uncertain timeframe in advance of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. At the Vuelta a Espana, three-time defending champion Primoz Roglic crashed at the finish of the 16th stage, possibly clearing the way for for Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel to win the race on Sunday in Madrid.

1.
Kovacs explodes to 76-2 3/4 for Diamond League winner
in Zurich

/Updated/“I had so many throws this year over 22.80 m [74-9 3/4]. So I feel like I was building and building. It feels good to finally click the box and be a 23 m shot putter.

“There is a bigger throw left in there. So it feels good to walk away from a PR and I want more, but it is also exciting because I know the level is getting better and better.”

That was two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs of the U.S. following his monstrous win during the first day of the Diamond League final at the Weltklasse Zurich meet, held against the shore of Lake Zurich at the venerable Sechselautenplatz.

Admission was free and both the temporary grandstands and the infield were full of people, even under threatening weather conditions that eventually turned to rain.

But the men’s and women’s shot final, with just six competitors each, was held with a novelty format of alternating rounds. The two giants of the men’s shot, world-record holder and Olympic and World Champion Ryan Crouser (USA) and Kovacs were both ready to go, each reaching  a stirring 22.67 m (74-4 1/2) in the first round.

Kovacs found a tight rotation in round two and got full extension and knew he had done something special, raising his arms in triumph while the ball was in the air. It landed at 23.23 m (76-2 3/4), making him the no. 2 performer of all time (no. 3 throw) and the world leader for 2022.

Crouser, who has been recovering from Covid, was game and got out to 22.74 m (74-7 1/4) in round three, but could do no more. Kovacs settled for silver at the Worlds, but has now won six meets in a row, two in a row from Crouser (after 14 straight losses) and took the Diamond League title and the $30,000 first prize. The future? Said Kovacs:

“I know that Ryan will throw further so I will have to throw even further next year.

“My wife [Ashley] is pregnant with twins. So I expect to get enough sleep to open up the season and be in a good shape. You do not want to go backwards. If you have a level you want to stay at that level. Now with a throw of 23, my goal for next year is to be able to achieve 23.50 m [77-1 1/4].” That would be a world record!

The U.S. completed a sweep of the shot with World Champion Chase Ealey extending an unbeaten outdoor season – 11 straight – with a dominant win at 20.19 m (66-3), well in front of Canadian Sarah Mitton (19.56 m/64-2 1/4).

The odd configuration included a partially-banked, almost trapezoidal-shaped, three-lane track of 516 m in length, making the men’s and women’s 5,000 m races technically road events, plus space for the men’s high jump and women’s vault.

The high jump included Olympic co-champs Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) and Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA), but it was American JuVaughn Harrison who made most of the noise. He equaled his seasonal best of 2.30 m (7-6 1/2) with ease, then cleared 2.32 m (7-7 1/4) on his first try, requiring Tamberi to go higher to win. He did, clearing 2.34 m (7-8) on his second try and while Harrison cleared on his third, neither could go higher and Tamberi was the winner on misses. Barshim had an off day and made only 2.18 m (7-1 3/4).

Australia’s Worlds bronze winner Nina Kennedy mastered the conditions best in the women’s vault, clearing 4.76 m (15-7 1/4) on her first try, while American and Worlds silver medalist Sandi Morris made it on her third, and then scraped over 4.81 m (15-9 1/4) while Morris missed all three times and settled for second.

The men’s and women’s 5,000 m races were similar: a hot pace left small pack racing for the tape. In the women’s race, American Alicia Monson had a tenuous lead over five others at the bell, but was quickly passed by World Champion Gudaf Tsegay (ETH), with silver medalist Beatrice Chebet (KEN) in hot pursuit. As they came into the final straight from under the pedestrian bridge to the infield, Chenet accelerated away and won in 14:31.03, with teammate Margaret Kipkemboi second (14:31.52) and Tsegay third (14:32.11); Monson finished sixth in 14:37.22.

The men’s race was run in a downpour, with some slick footing on the track and Worlds silver winner Jacob Krop stepped off early. Once again there was a lead pack, with Olympic 10,000 m fourth-placer Berihu Aregawi (ETH) in the lead over four others before the sprinting started. Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir – fourth in the Tokyo 5,000 m – attacked on the final straight and ran clear of the field to win in 12:59.05, followed by South Sudan’s Dominic Lobalu (12:59.40). American Grant Fisher appeared to have lost contact at the bell, but worked his way back to third in 13:00.56; Aregawi ended up fifth in 13:03.18.

Said Kovacs of the unusual format:

“I think it is really fun. As a shot putter I want to thank World Athletics for using us because we do not need too much space. So any time you need street competitions or more competitions we are excited to be part of it. Especially if you tell us to use a little bit more chalk.”

The final 26 events of the Diamond League final come on Thursday from 1-4 p.m. Eastern time, to be shown live on NBC’s Peacock streaming service. A five-hour highlights program of the two days airs on CNBC on Saturday at noon Eastern time.

(Thanks to statistician Jed Brickner for noting Kovacs’s throw as no. 3 ever behind Crouser’s 23.37 m and 23.30 m, both in 2021.)

2.
“Olympic Dividend” rescues World Athletics’ finances

More good news for World Athletics, which released its 2021 annual report and accompanying financial report on Tuesday. While its other revenues remained steady, the “Olympic Dividend” from the International Olympic Committee for Athletics’ share of Olympic television rights sales came in at $39.478 million, the most of any federation and nearly doubled the organization’s reserves.

Where its reserves were down to $30.94 million at the end of 2020 – from $73.78 million at the end of 2017 – the IOC’s payment and good control of expenses allowed a surplus of $29.77 million for 2021 and total reserves of $60.71 million. Much better.

(Looked at another way, without the Tokyo Olympic money, World Athletics would have lost $8.32 million for 2021.)

World Athletics’ regular income is primarily from television rights ($14.725 worldwide) and sponsorships ($8.5 million worldwide, $4.5 million from Japan and $5.7 million in profit-sharing), plus track certification fees ($1.42 million) and penalties and reimbursements from the Russian Federation ($1.53 million). All together, revenue totaled $38.241 million, up 9.4% from 2020.

Expenses were $52.648 million, primarily on competition support ($23.54 million) and legal and compliance costs ($13.14 million), including the Athletics Integrity Unit ($8.80 million).

3.
More arrests in Tokyo 2020 sponsor bribery scandal

Payments of ¥76 million (~$526,635 U.S.) were made by the Kadokawa publishing house to a consulting firm operated by former Dentsu staff member Kazukama Fukami, who may have asked Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member Haroyuki Takahashi – a former Dentsu senior managing director – for assistance in securing a sponsorship role for Kodakawa with the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.

Tokyo prosecutors “re-arrested” Takahashi on the new inquiry, as well as Fukami and two others associated with Kodakawa, which secured a sponsorship in the publishing sector in April 2019.

On Monday, the offices of Daiko Advertising were searched, in Osaka and Tokyo, for evidence relating to a ¥26 million payment (~$180,165) to Fukami’s consulting firm. Some ¥10 million (or about $69,294) may have been used to bribe Takahashi to push for Daiko to be used by the organizing committee for sponsorship-related work.

Confused? Essentially, the prosecutors are indicating bribery connections – so far – with three companies:

● Business suit retailer Aoki Holdings paid Takahashi – alleged to have significant influence over the sponsor selection process – to help it become a sponsor (which it did).

● Kadokawa Publishing paid Fukami’s firm to help it become a sponsor as well, with Fukami allegedly paying Takahashi for help with the organizing committee.

● Daiko Advertising also paid Fukami’s firm, with some of the money going to Takahashi to help Daiko get some sponsorship-related work from Tokyo 2020.

All of these are allegations, but the scandal continues to expand, as do the arrests, now totaling seven men.

4.
Russian Olympic chief sees hopeful signs of re-engagement

Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov told Russian media that continuing pressure to reinstate Russian (and Belarusian) athletes is being applied and that he sees breakthroughs coming.

While Russian and Belarusian athletes have mostly been banned, or allowed to compete as neutrals, since Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine, Russian delegates have been invited to the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly in South Korea in October. He sees this as important:

“A thesis of the political neutrality of the Olympic Movement was subjected to a certain pressure. I believe that on the whole it was a result of some kind of a mass media war against Russia.

“Nonetheless, our voice is heard and one of the bold indications about it that the ROC received an invitation to attend the General Assembly Meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees.

“ANOC is made up of 206 National Olympic Committees including the representation of international sports federations, and it offers a good platform for discussions as well as for the settlement of disagreements, which emerged through no fault of ours.

“A common sense should prevail, but the question is when it may happen … sports federations around the globe assumed a rather adequate stance compared to federations located Europe.”

Pozdnyakov noted a special, ongoing focus is on the beginning of the qualifying cycle for sports ahead of the Paris 2024 Games:

“The most important thing is to get started with the Olympic qualifiers. It is our priority and we are working in this direction. I have nothing to say about the so-called ‘point of no return’ because each sport has its own regulations regarding the qualifiers. This is why the phrase ‘the point of no return’ has nothing to do with the current situation.

“We will keep insisting on the full-fledged participation of all our athletes in the [2024 Olympics] qualifying tournaments and all of our diplomatic efforts are aimed at this.

“Diplomacy is about silence and this is why we are not making loud statements in the near future.”

A Russian government memorandum posted Monday and noted to be endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, included:

“Russia’s full-fledged participation in Olympic tournaments and its disciplines should not be dependent on a conjectural policy of certain countries and biased approaches on behalf of representatives of sports international organizations.

“It is important to keep protecting the rights of Russian athletes and to thwart attempts of their discrimination.”

Thus far, the IOC has not budged from its February stance that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be allowed to participate in international competitions.

5.
Evenepoel might be set for La Vuelta win as Roglic crashes out

Tuesday’s flat, 189.4 ride from Sanlucar de Barrameda to Tomares did not appear to be a deciding stage at this year’s La Vuelta a Espana, but then one of the most dangerous places to be in cycling is in a group during a final sprint.

Denmark’s Mads Pedersen won his second race in Tuesday’s 16th stage, but not before a wild turn of events that changed everything. Three-time defending champ Primoz Roglic (SLO) attacked with 3 km left, trying to close the gap on leader Remco Evenepoel (BEL), with the Belgian suffering a punctured tire and Roglic racing on. Evenepoel got a replacement bike and as Roglic was passed by Pedersen, Pascal Ackermann (GER), Danny Van Poppel (NED) and Fred Wright (GBR) to the finish, he appeared to get tangled with Wright and fell heavily to the pavement with 100 m to the line.

Bleeding, he got up and finished, but could not continue in the race and withdrew. Meanwhile, the “3 km rule” which forgives mechanical failures during the final segment of a race saved Evenepoel, who finished 97th, but lost no time vs. Roglic or third–place Enric Mas (ESP).

Thus, Evenepoel started Wednesday’s fairly flat, 162.3 km stage still 2:01 up on Mas, his only serious remaining challenger. Colombian star Rigoberto Uran, the London 2012 Olympic road race winner, won a final sprint over Quentin Pacher (FRA) and Jesus Herrada (ESP: +0:02), with Evenepoel and Mas finishing in the same time in 14th and 15th.

That leaves the three climbing stages on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to see if Mas can inflict enough damage to take over the race, which finishes Sunday in Madrid.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Volleyball ● The 20th edition of the FIVB men’s World Championship is into the quarterfinals now in Gliwice (POL) and Ljubljana (SLO), with the home teams still in contention.

The quarterfinals in Ljubljana pitted second-seed Slovenia and no. 10 Ukraine and no. 3 Italy and no. 6 France. The Slovenians advanced with a 3-1 win to move to 4-1 for the tournament, while in a battle of undefeateds, Italy came from behind to win, 3-2 and is now 5-0.

On Thursday in Gliwice, defending champ and no. 1 seed Poland (4-0) will play the U.S. (No. 8: 3-1), while no. 5 Brazil (4-0) faces Argentina (no. 13: 2-2). The semifinals are on the 10th and the medal matches on the 11th, all in Katowice (POL).

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● World University Games ● According to an online newsletter circulated for the Chungcheong Megacity bid by the InsideTheGames.biz Web site, “Only Chungcheong is ready” as per an interview with bid committee Secretary General Yoon-suk Kim:

“The Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Korea approved the Chungcheong Megacity 2027 WUG bid after deliberation by the International Event Review Committee.

“The approval means that the central Korean Government has recognised the necessity and appropriateness of hosting the 2027 Summer World University Games in Chungcheong and that the 2027 Games will become an official project carried out by the Korean Government if we are awarded the Games,” said the secretary general of 2027CMBC, Yoon-suk Kim.

“It also signifies that all domestic approval processes, which have been carried out since April last year, are finally ended.”

“The Korean Government approved approximately €440 million [~$439.67 million U.S. today] for the 2027 WUG.

“From this, 80 per cent of the budget comes from central and local Governments, with the remaining 20 per cent sourced from sponsors and Games profits, including ticket sales and participation fees.”

Kim added:

“What determines the stability of a mega-scale international event organisation is money. To put it straightforwardly, no money, no Games.”

This is a shot at the North Carolina 2027 bid, which utilizes existing facilities at multiple universities in the greater Raleigh-Durham area and expects to raise its own funds outside of a $25 million start-up grant from the State of North Carolina. And Kim did not fail to remind readers of the visa issues faced at international events in the U.S. in 2022:

“Unfortunately, there are many cases where athletes had to withdraw their participation from Games due to visa issues. Chungcheong and Korea are ready to help and encourage the participation of athletes from many countries across the globe, and connect students around the world through sport.”

Kim is trying for a knock-out blow here, but his comments actually only raise questions. First, why should a World University Games cost almost $440 million to put on? The newsletter notes that road improvements and the building of a Games Village will be separately funded “as part of a national project.” The Chungcheong Web site describes the project as: “It will be a low-cost, high-efficiency WUG …” Really? Is that what they told the Korean government? Kim said:

“With this final approval from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, we can say that all preparations for the 2027 WUG are complete.” Before they have been awarded the event? Then why do they need all that money?

The North Carolina bid, using existing facilities, is projected at a total cost of $100 million. Can it really cost more than four times as much in Korea?

Moreover, the newsletter makes much of Korea’s successful 2015 hosting of the Universiade in Gwangju. So why give another WUG to Korea within 12 years when the U.S. is a huge potential market for the International University Sports Federation (FISU), especially given the popularity of collegiate sport in the U.S.?

FISU will have to answer these questions and decide on the site of 2027 WUG in November and could decide to select both the 2027 and 2029 hosts and give both bids a victory.

● Athletics ● NBC owns the rights to the Wanda Diamond League meets in the U.S. and has decided to show them live on its Peacock subscription streaming service, and only show tape-delayed coverage on its over-the-air and cable channels.

Nonetheless, the Memorial Van Damme meet from Brussels (BEL), held on Friday, 2 September, obtained a one-day-delayed viewing audience of 739,000 on NBC on Saturday (3rd), airing at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Pretty good for a meet that had been over for more than a day.

● Basketball ● The U.S. men concluded group-stage play in the FIBA AmeriCup regional championship with a dominant, 101-49 win over Venezuela, playing the second half on Tuesday after being rained out (!) of the Geraldao Arena in Recife (BRA) at halftime on Saturday.

The American squad, made up of G League and foreign-league players, got 19 points from guard Craig Sword and 15 from sub guard Anthony Lamb.

The win meant that the U.S., Mexico and Venezuela all ended with 2-1 records in Group C, but with the Americans scoring the most combined points in the three games, they placed first. That means the U.S. will next play Puerto Rico (2-1) on Thursday in the quarterfinals and with a win, either Argentina (3-0) or Venezuela in the semis on Saturday. The medal matches are on Sunday.

● Boxing ● The forthcoming re-run of the International Boxing Association’s election for President is heating up as challenger Boris van der Vorst (NED), President of the Dutch Boxing Association, has asked incumbent Umar Kremlev (RUS) to a debate, communicated via Twitter:

“Umar, I know a nice boxing gym in Lausanne. You and me, we sit face to face, go live & take questions from National Federations, boxers, coaches & media. We ask each other a few important questions as well.

“Let’s do this. Choose a date, I am ready.

“The International boxing family needs this, since the proposed Congress Agenda does not offer any clear chance to discuss the current affairs in our sport and there is too little time left until National Federations get to choose the next IBA President.”

The IBA’s special electoral congress is scheduled for 25 September, in Yerevan (ARM).

● Football ● FIFA announced its “reimagined” FIFA Fan Festival for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, opening on 20 November, to include:

● “Live broadcasts of every match on giant screens, with views of Doha’s futuristic skyline in the background

● “Concerts starring top global and local music acts and live works by internationally acclaimed performance artists

● “A food court offering unique culinary experiences featuring local cuisine and international delicacies

● “Unique football matches with FIFA Legends, in addition to interactive physical and digital football gaming stations for fans of all ages

● “Innovative sponsor activations, as well as an official FIFA Store with licensed FIFA World Cup products”

The event will be open on all 29 days of the tournament at the Al Bidda Park in Doha and some of the programming will be available on the FIFA+ online platform.

Of note is the forward-looking concept of the program, designed to be licensed to “allow new and existing stakeholders to stage satellite events in major cities across the globe.” A similar program is already being readied for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, but in nine cities that will host matches.

The U.S. women concluded their two-match friendly series with Nigeria with a tight, 2-1 win in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.

The Americans dominated possession, 65-35% and had a 16-5 edge on shots. Nigeria didn’t help themselves with an own goal in the 24th minute, as defender Blessing Demehin tried to clear a cross into the box by striker Mallory Pugh, but deflected it into her own net for the only goal of the first half.

Nigeria got even in the 50th minute, ending an 880-minute U.S. shutout streak, as Uchenna Kanu dribbled down the left side and scored past U.S. keeper Casey Murphy on a left-to-right shot into the top right corner of the net. The winning goal came in the 66th minute on a diving header from Rose Lavelle from six yards out that hit the post, but landed behind the goal line.

The victory extended the U.S. women’s unbeaten streak in home matches to 71 (64-0-7) across five years, with their 13th consecutive win.

The prior Saturday friendly vs. Nigeria, a much more comfortable, 4-0 win, was seen by 474,000 on the FOX network, a reasonably good audience for a meaningless game.

● Tennis ● Remember Peng Shuai?

The Chinese star, who was missing prior to the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and then re-surfaced after making a sexual harassment allegation against a former Chinese Vice Premier, was the cause of the Women’s Tennis Association to cancel its tournaments in China in 2022.

On Tuesday:

“The WTA announced Tuesday that Fort Worth, Texas, will host the 2022 season-ending WTA Finals from Oct. 31-Nov. 7. The year-end finale, featuring the Top 8 singles players and doubles teams in the Race to the WTA Finals, will be held at the state-of-the-art Dickies Arena, with the event thereafter due to return to Shenzhen, China, in cooperation with long-term partner Gemdale.”

The WTA signed a long-term deal to held the WTA Finals in Shenzhen from 2019 to 2028, with the 2019 tournament held there, but not since. Covid canceled the 2020 event and the 2021 tournament was moved to Guadalajara (MEX) due to Covid; now the 2022 tournament will be held in the U.S., for the first time since 2005.

It will be interesting to see if the tournament is held in China in 2023; the WTA’s position has been that Peng’s allegations (since retracted) must be fully investigated.

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For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Families, German and Israeli Presidents attend 50-year Munich murders memorial; U.S. swim star Dressel took a mental health time-out

By
Rich Perelman
-
From Monday's memorial to the 11 Israeli victims and German policeman killed during the Munich Massacre in 1972 (Photo: IOC/Greg Martin)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Munich Massacre anniversary remembered with sorrow
2. Sapporo cancels meeting with IOC, perhaps in view of Tokyo scandals?
3. U.S. swim star Dressel took a mental-health break in 2022
4. U.S. men stomp Panama, 88-58, will resume vs. Venezuela Tuesday
5. IIHF to continue annual Worlds, even in Olympic years

The 50-year commemoration of the brutal murder of 11 Israeli Olympic delegation members and a German policeman took place on Monday in Germany, with an admission of “failure” by the German President, a call for continuing the fight on terror from Israel’s President and IOC President Thomas Bach calling it the “darkest day in Olympic history.” In a sideways turn for the Sapporo bid for the 2030 Winter Games, a scheduled meeting with the IOC was canceled, likely in response to the expanding Tokyo 2020 sponsor-selection and bribery investigation. American swimming star Caeleb Dressel, the five-time gold winner in Tokyo, explained in an Instagram post that he essentially took a mental-health break when he left the 2022 Worlds mid-way in June. At the FIBA AmeriCup championship in Brazil, the U.S. men’s team of G Leaguers and foreign-team players crushed Panama and will conclude the “rain-out” game against Venezuela today in order to move on to the playoffs. The International Ice Hockey Federation is looking to invest more in women’s hockey and is discussing a $9 million deal with China to host the next three IIHF Division I women’s championships, creating “the first time we generate marketing income in women’s hockey.”

1.
Munich Massacre anniversary remembered with sorrow

In a ceremony attended by the families of the victims, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and many more at Furstenfeldbruck, Germany, a somber ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of the murder of 11 members of the Israeli delegation at the Munich Olympic Games in 1972 by Palestinian terrorists.

“We wanted to be good hosts, but we were not able to live up to the trust that the Israeli sportsmen and their families placed in Germany,” said Steinmeier.

“The efforts of 1972 to showcase Germany as a peaceful, friendly democracy tragically failed in Munich. The Olympic Games because an international stage for the terrorists, an international stage for antisemitism and violence.”

He also noted:

“We cannot make up for what has happened, not even for what you have experienced and suffered in terms of defensiveness, ignorance and injustice. I am ashamed of that.

“As head of state of this country and in the name of the Federal Republic of Germany, I ask your forgiveness for the inadequate protection afforded to the Israeli athletes at the Olympic Games at Munich and the woeful investigation afterward. That it was possible for what happened to happen.”

Israel’s Herzog said, in part:

“For us, as a people and as a country, this massacre has always been a national disaster. It desecrated the unifying and cohesive sanctity of the Olympics, the ultimate symbol of sports, and smeared its flag with blood. The Olympic flag, with its five rings, would never again be what it was before. …

“The world must never forget what happened at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The world must never forget: the war on terror, everywhere and always, must be fought with unity, determination, and assertiveness. The future of human society depends on us sanctifying the good, and at the same time repudiating and vanquishing evil: anti-Semitism, hatred, terror.”

The 11 Israeli victims, initially killed or taken hostage at the Olympic Village building at 31 Conollystrasse, included weightlifters Yossef Romano, Ze’ev Friedman and David Berger, and judge Yakov Springer; wrestlers Mark Slavin, Eliezer Halfin, coach Moshe Weinberg and referee Yossef Gutfreund; fencing coach Andre Spitzer, shooting coach Kehat Shorr, and track & field coach Amitzur Shapira.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER), who was 18 at the time of the Munich Games, said:

“5 September 1972 was the darkest day in Olympic history. What began so peacefully and joyfully ended in inconceivable suffering.

“We share the pain of the relatives of the 11 Israeli victims and the German policeman [Anton Fliegerbauer]. To this day, that barbaric attack fills us with horror, shame and disgust.

“And yet our condolences can hardly ease the pain of the families who lost their son,
brother, father, beloved spouse or love of their lives to this cowardly attack.”

A recent agreement between the families of the Israeli victims and the governments of Germany, Bavaria and Munich on added compensation ensured that the families and Herzog would attend.

2.
Sapporo cancels meeting with IOC, perhaps in view of Tokyo scandals?

Sapporo’s bid for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games suffered a minor stumble with the withdrawal from a planned meeting in mid-September with the IOC in Lausanne in view of the expanding inquiry into allegations of bribery related to sponsor designations at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“It has nothing to do with the bribery case surrounding the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics,” according to Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto, and Japanese Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita said, “I and the IOC spoke over the weekend. The scheduling didn’t go well and we mutually proposed to cancel it this time.”

However, Kyodo News reported a source who commented, “The issue was the timing of it. Visiting them now would only draw criticism. There was no other option but to take that decision.” Other Japanese media carried similar reports.

Sapporo and Salt Lake City are the leading candidates for the 2030 Games, with Vancouver also working on a bid, but well behind the other two. The IOC has indicated it would like to narrow the field to a preferred candidate by the end of the year, but has no obligation to maintain that timeframe.

3.
U.S. swim star Dressel took a mental-health break in 2022

Not much had been heard from five-time Tokyo gold medalist Caeleb Dressel of the U.S. following his withdrawal – “for medical reasons” – from the 2022 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Budapest (HUN) last June. But a new post on Instagram gives some clarity:

“Hey friends I haven’t been on here at all but I wanted to share an update with what I’ve been up to. I haven’t swam since worlds and can honestly say I have been happy without swimming. I really miss it though.

“A few things I’ve done… I finally went on a honeymoon to Iceland, I bought a tractor, hiked another section of the Appalachian Trail, swam with some manatees.

“I know I can have swimming and happiness. I had them both at one point in my life and I’m working on it. If you need a break, take one.

“I’ll be back.”

Dressel, now 26, has been a busy and enormously successful swimmer, so maybe it was time for a break; consider what he has done, non-stop, over the past seven seasons:

● 2016: Two NCAA Championships wins for Florida (50-100-yard Free); five events at U.S. Olympic Trials; Olympic golds in 4×100 m Free and 4×100 m Medley; sixth in 100 m Free.

● 2017: Three NCAA Championships wins for Florida (50-100-yard Free, 100-yard Fly); seven golds at the FINA Worlds (50-100 m Free, 50 m Fly, four relays).

● 2018: Four NCAA Championships wins for Florida (50-100-yard Free, 100-yard Fly, relay); five medals at the Pan Pacific Championships (2-2-1); nine medals at the FINA World 25 m Championships (6-3-0).

● 2019: Six medals at the FINA World Championships (6-2-0) and swam for the Cali Condors of the International Swimming League.

● 2020: Swam for the Cali Condors in the ISL; other events shut down due to Covid-19.

● 2021: Won the 50-100 m Free and 50 m Fly at the U.S. Olympic Trials; Olympic golds in the 50-100 m Free and 100 m Fly, plus two relays (five in all).

● 2022: Won the 50-100 m Free and 50-100 m Fly at the U.S. International Team Trials; golds at the FINA World Championships in the 50 m Fly and 4×100 m Free, then withdrew from the 50-100 m Free and 100 m Fly.

Dressel has nothing to prove and could skip the 2023 Worlds in Fukuoka (JPN) and concentrate on Paris 2024. Only he knows for sure.

4.
U.S. men stomp Panama, 88-58, will resume vs. Venezuela Tuesday

At the FIBA AmeriCup, the regional championship tournament being played in Brazil, the U.S. men demolished Panama, 88-58, on Monday to even their record at 1-1 and will finish group play by resuming their game vs. Venezuela on Tuesday.

The U.S. was leading Venezuela, 48-21, at halftime on Sunday when rain came into the interior of the Geraldao Arena in Recife and the game was halted. FINA announced later:

“The FIBA AmeriCup 2022 game between USA and Venezuela, which had the second half postponed because of technical difficulties in the arena on Sunday September 4, 2022, will resume on Tuesday September 6th at 15:10 local time.”

On Monday, Venezuela beat Mexico, 80-74, meaning the U.S. needed to beat Panama and then continue to a win vs. Venezuela to be assured of moving on as one of the top two teams in Group C.

No problem. The Americans raced out to a 29-12 lead after a quarter and 57-30 at the half, on their way to the 88-58 final. Panama got only 53 shots in the game vs. 66 for the U.S. and was out-rebounded by 38-25. Guard Norris Cole led the U.S. with 17 points on 6-9 from the field, with guard Craig Sword adding 11 and guard Jeremy Pargo scoring 10.

Mexico finished group play at 2-1, with Panama at 0-3. Venezuela is 2-0, but appears ready to lose to the U.S. when Saturday’s game is finished on Monday; the U.S. is now 1-1. Assuming no disaster in the remainder of Tuesday’s Venezuela game, the U.S. will advance to the quarters on the 8th (Thursday).

The U.S. team is made up of players from the G League and foreign leagues and is the defending champion in this tournament from 2017 (its seventh title). Originally to be played in 2021, the tournament was postponed a year on account of Covid-19 and the move of the Tokyo Olympic Games from 2020 to 2021.

5.
IIHF to continue annual Worlds, even in Olympic years

The International Ice Hockey Federation pronounced itself pleased with the just-completed Women’s World Championship, held in Herning and Frederikshavn (DEN), where Canada edged the U.S., 2-1, in the final.

The federation voted in 2021 to hold the Women’s Worlds annually, even during Olympic years, starting in 2022. Said IIHF chief Luc Tardif (FRA):

“It’s the first time we organize it in an Olympic year, in August, which is not so easy. We had a busy summer and it’s not over as we have one more women’s tournament left to be played in Austria in September [Women’s U-18 Division I/Group B].”

Tardif emphasized that the federation is trying to further develop the women’s game. Asked about added prize money, he explained:

“We want to have prize money as soon as possible but at the moment times are difficult with the three years of the pandemic we went through. At the moment every tournament is funded by the income from the men’s World Championship.

“We want to have more income from the Women’s World Championship so we would be able to give prize money from the event. Give us time but we want to do it as soon as possible. We give prize money to the member national associations but it’s up to them how they use it but I’m confident that they do what is the right thing to do.”

On the question of marketing, Tardif noted an interesting development in the Women’s Division I Championships, one level below the Championship Division in which the U.S. and Canada compete:

“[W]e are in discussions with the Chinese Ice Hockey Association and Winter Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China for investments in the Division I. They want to get involved a bit more and asked us to host the tournament three years in a row [in Shenzhen].”

The Chinese offer was described to include $3 million a year, over three years, which would be invested into women’s hockey. China won the Division I Group B title in 2022 with a 5-0 record in the April tournament in Poland, and will be promoted to Division I Group A for 2023. Said Tardif:

“It would for the first time we generate marketing income in women’s hockey. We want to bring more sponsors because there is potential to do more. We want to drive the process of the professionalization of the top division. We will have discussions with the Women’s Committee to find out where is the best place and best time for this tournament but it won’t be August anymore.”

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Sailing ● The annual 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships – all Olympic classes – concluded at St. Margarets Bay in Nova Scotia (CAN) with familiar faces on the podium.

Defending World Champions Bart Lamrbiex and Floris van de Werken (NED) were the convincing winners in the men’s 49er division, winning three races and netting 100.0 points. That was well ahead of Spain’s 2020 World silver medalist Diego Botin, now teamed with Florian Trittel Paul (132.0) and Croatia’s 2018 World Champions Sime and Miho Fantela (134.0).

In the women’s 49erFX class, Dutch star Odile van Aanholt won her second World title in a row, this time teaming with two-time (2018-19) Worlds gold medalist Annette Duetz. They won three races and were in the top three in 10 of the 16 races to finish with a net 113.0 points. A distant second were Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler (SWE: 134.0), with Tamara Echegoyen and Paula Barcelo (ESP: 151.0). Americans Stephanie Roble and Maggie Shea finished fifth (187.0).

The mixed-crew Nacra 17 saw the second Worlds gold for Italy’s Tokyo Olympic champs Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti – they won previously in 2018 – who won the first six races, then finished 20th, then won the next seven in a row, plus the medal race to finish with a net of just 46.0. Runner-ups Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei (ITA) scored a net of 115.0, finishing second for the second year in a row! They claimed the bronze over Finland’s Sinem Kurtbay and Akseli Keskinen (also 115.0, but seventh in the medal race).

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● Foreign media are once again wagging their finger at the NCAA over its lack of doping controls, this time concerning athletes at North Carolina A&T.

Last week, the Athletics Integrity Unit provisionally suspended Nigerian sprinter Grace Nwokocha for use of the muscle-building drugs Ostarine and Ligandrol, which will likely cost Nigeria its women’s 4×100 m gold medal from the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Nwokocha is familiar to U.S. fans as a sprinter for North Carolina A&T, as she finished sixth in the NCAA Championships in June.

Back on 16 July, North Carolina A&T star Randolph Ross – the back-to-back NCAA champion and a 4×400 m relay gold medalist from Tokyo – was suspended during the World Championships in Eugene for missing a doping test (specified as “the allegation arises out of the athlete’s conduct during the course of an investigation into a potential whereabouts violation”).

Irish journalist Cathal Dennehy tweeted a familiar refrain:

“The doping cases coming out of North Carolina A&T, which were picked up by the AIU, show why proper drug testing is really needed in the NCAA.”

The North Carolina A&T coach for both athletes was Duane Ross, a star hurdler in his own right and the 1999 World Championships bronze medalist in the men’s 110 m hurdles. He was suspended for two years by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in 2010 for attempted use, possession and trafficking of doping materials; all of his performances from 2001 forward – including making the 2004 Olympic Team – were nullified.

Ross was hired as the coach at Tennessee in May and Randolph, his son, will transfer and be a junior in 2023.

● Football ● Alcoholic beverages have limited distribution in Qatar, served only in hotel restaurants and in licensed bars, but the regulations are being relaxed – slightly – for the 2022 FIFA World Cup starting 20 November.

Multiple sources reported that Budweiser beers will be available for purchase at the stadiums from three hours prior to kickoff (when gates open) and for an hour after the end of the game. During games, only the non-alcoholic Budweiser Zero – AB InBev is FIFA’s beer sponsor – will be available.

In addition, Budweiser will be sold at the main FIFA Fan Festival in downtown Doha from 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily during the tournament.

Hospitality ticket holders will have access to a wider selection of alcoholic beverages, expected to include wines and spirits.

FIFA announced the launch of FIFA+ Collect, a program of “affordable, inclusive” digital collectibles, “from the greatest game moments to the most iconic FIFA World Cup™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ art and imagery.”

The project is set to launch later this month. The International Judo Federation is already marketing non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on a dedicated site, apparently the first Olympic-sport federation in the marketplace. FIFA will soon join.

● Skateboarding ● SportBusiness reported that World Skate, the international federation responsible for skateboarding, announced the cancellation of the 2022 World Championships in Park and Street – the Olympic disciplines – in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) because of “the local organising committee’s organisational and financial inability to comply with the terms and conditions” of the hosting agreement.

The events were scheduled for 2-9 October for the Park World Championships and 9-16 October for the Street Worlds, both at the Praca Duo skate park in Rio. In response to the World Skate letter, the Brazilian Skate Confederation (CBSk) and event partner Skate Total Urbe (STU) replied jointly:

“CBSk and STU reinforce that all conditions negotiated and included in the memorandum were fulfilled by both Brazilian parties in order to build two major events in partnership with World Skate.

“However, World Skate presented some demands that were not in accordance with…what had already been agreed between the three parties. Thus, STU and World Skate did not reach a conceptual and commercial agreement.”

The all-discipline World Skate Games remain on target for 24 October to 13 November in Buenos Aires (ARG).

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TSX REPORT: Tokyo 2020 sponsor bribery scandal expanding; Esposito against NHL players in Olympics; NCAA Div. I limits transfers and timing

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Tokyo 2020 sponsor bribe scandal expands to Mori
2. Hockey legend Esposito against NHL Olympic participation
3. NCAA Div. I rejects unlimited transfers, designates time windows
4. Lyles, Holloway, Allman win at ISTAF before 37,000
5. Evenepoel’s lead shrinks (a lot) at La Vuelta

It’s more than a year beyond the end of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, but the allegations of payoffs for sponsorship favors continues to grow, with the report of money given to former organizing committee head Yoshiro Mori, a former Japanese Prime Minister. In addition, a publishing company is also suspected of paying bribes to advance its sponsorship ambitions. The hockey great Phil Esposito said in a Russian interview that he opposes NHL participation in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, a position he has maintained since the league’s players participated in 1998. The unregulated transfer of athletes between NCAA Division I schools was narrowed by the Division I Board, now allowing only one transfer with immediate eligibility and specifying specific dates during which transfers may be made. At the famed ISTAF meet in Berlin, American stars Noah Lyles, Grant Holloway and Valarie Allman all won before a crowd of more than 37,000! In Spain, the 14th stage of the Vuelta a Espana saw Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel’s lead shaved for the second consecutive day by defending champ Primoz Roglic of Slovenia.

1.
Tokyo 2020 sponsor bribe scandal expands to Mori

The probe into bribes to influence the selection of Tokyo 2020 organizing committee sponsors is expanding.

Kyodo News reported that 600-store, publicly-traded business suit retailer Aoki Holdings – a Tokyo 2020 Official Supporter (the third tier) – is alleged to have given money to former organizing committee President Yoshiro Mori, now 85:

“Tokyo prosecutors are investigating the purpose and the timing of the suspected payment to Mori, a former prime minister of Japan, who stepped down as head of the committee months before the Summer Games after it was revealed he made sexist remarks, the source said.

“The funds could have been get-well money for Mori, who was battling cancer, the source added.”

Mori has said that he did not discuss Aoki Holdings’ sponsorship with either former organizing committee Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi or Aoki Holdings Chair Hironori Aoki. Takahashi, Aoki and two Aoki Holdings executives were arrested on suspicion of bribery for payments made to Takahashi to influence the designation of Aoki as a sponsor and the fee to be paid.

On Saturday, a new report indicated that Takahashi may have helped Kadokawa Corporation, a publishing firm, become an Official Supporter as well. Per Kyodo:

“The publishing company gave 70 million yen ($500,000) to an entity run by [a Takahashi] acquaintance and prosecutors are looking into why the money was paid and whether all or part of the amount was transferred to anyone.”

On Sunday, a report noted that an unnamed advertising agency may have paid Takahashi to influence the selection of a client as a sponsor for the Tokyo Games.

Takahashi’s consulting firm received ¥51 million (~$363,727 U.S. today) in installments from Aoki Holdings. Takahashi has not disputed that he received the money, but said it was for legal purposes.

2.
Hockey legend Esposito against NHL Olympic participation

One of the greatest players in history believes National Hockey League players should not be participating in the Olympic Winter Games.

Canadian Phil Esposito, 80, a Hockey Hall of Fame forward and two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Boston Bruins, a head coach of the New York Rangers, and one of the founders of the Tampa Bay Lightning and one of its radio broadcasters today, told the Russian TASS news agency:

“I’m not the fan of the Olympics… I don’t believe in closing your business down and giving your product for nothing. I just don’t believe in it.

“Basketball plays there in the Olympics in the summer time. There is no reason why hockey could not do that in September, like we did that with the Super Series in 1972 or with the World Cups. Olympics should be for amateurs and amateurs only.”

He said he has been against the idea when it was first approved in 1995 for the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano (JPN), when he was the Lightning’s President and General Manager:

“I voted against it in 1998, when it first started, because I was doing the Lightning then, and I never changed my mind about it since then.

“If they are getting paid by somebody under the table, then that’s a different story. They need to make a living too. But I don’t believe in guys making nine, ten million dollars a year just leaving their jobs and going overseas to play in the Olympics. I do not believe in that.”

NHL players played in the 1998-2002-2006-2010-2014 Winter Games, but not in PyeongChang in 2018 or Beijing in 2022. Discussions are ongoing about the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.

3.
NCAA Division I rejects unlimited transfers,
designates time windows

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors voted down a proposal to allow athletes to transfer as many times as they wish and to be immediately eligible.

A student-athlete may still transfer once and be immediately eligible, but must sit out one year after a second transfer. New regulations voted in last Wednesday now limit the times when transfers may be made:

● “Fall sports: a 45-day window beginning the day after championships selections are made in their sport, or May 1-15. Reasonable accommodations will be made for participants in the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision championship games.

● “Winter sports: a 60-day window beginning the day after championships selections are made in the sport.

● “Spring sports: Dec. 1-15, or a 45-day window beginning the day after selections are made in the sport.

“The legislation also establishes exceptions to the new windows for student-athletes who experience head coach changes or have athletics aid reduced, canceled or not renewed.”

The Division I Board also required that “[s]tudent-athletes who transfer will be guaranteed their financial aid at their next school through graduation.”

All of this is designed to narrow the transfer periods and tamp down some of the craziness seen in some sports; the NCAA reported that 5,072 undergraduates and 1,631 graduates entered the transfer portal in 2020 and expanded to 6,475 undergrads and 3,092 grads in 2021.

Major-college football had 1,427 who entered the transfer portal in 2021, compared to 1,138 in men’s basketball and 747 in women’s basketball. Baseball had 975 transfers, the third-highest total. Men’s track & field and cross country had 587 combined, and women’s track & field and cross country had 656 combined.

Finding a new school is hardly guaranteed. Data from 2020 and 2021 show 49% of those who enter the transfer portal find a spot at another school; 43% stay in the portal, meaning they found no new destination and 7% withdraw from the portal.

4.
Lyles, Holloway, Allman win at ISTAF before 37,000

A big crowd of 37,000-plus was on hand at Berlin’s Olympiastadion for the annual ISTAF meet, with some strong results, especially for American stars Noah Lyles, Grant Holloway and Valarie Allman.

Lyles ran a rare 100 m, winning in 9.95 (wind: +0.3 m/s), clear of Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala (10.11). Holloway led a U.S. sweep in the 110 m hurdles in 13.05, over Freddie Crittenden (13.07) and Daniel Roberts. And Allman, the Tokyo Olympic champ, won the discus at 70.06 m (229-10), her fourth-best throw ever and the second-furthest throw in the world in 2022. She was nearly 5 m up on the rest of the field.

There were also three German winners, with Julian Weber in the men’s javelin (84.90 m/278-6), Luna Thiel in the women’s 400 m (51.28) and Olympic and World champ Malaika Mihambo in the women’s long jump at 6.92 m (22-8 1/2).

Norway’s Karsten Warholm was supreme in the men’s 400 m hurdles, winning by more than a second in 47.24, his no. 2 time of the season. Nigeria’s World Champion and world-record setter Tobi Amusan won the women’s 100 m hurdles in 12.45 (-0.3) ahead of American Tia Jones (12.58).

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet won the women’s 5,000 m in 14:44.25, but American Elly Henes was second in a lifetime best of 14:52.87, moving to no. 14 on the all-time U.S. outdoor list.

At the 35th Citta di Padova in Italy, Notre Dame’s 2019 NCAA 1,500 m champ Yared Nuguse continues to improve, running the fastest time by an American this year, winning in a lifetime best of 3:33.26 over fellow American Cole Hocker (3:35.18).

Nuguse is now no. 17 on the all-time U.S. outdoor list and at age 23, he’s got a bright future! Americans Drew Hunter (3:36.37) and Sam Prakel (3:36.90) ran well, finishing in fifth and seventh. Nuguse’s win was one of eight for the U.S. on the day.

American Bryce Deadmon won the men’s 400 m at 44.76, ahead of countryman Michael Cherry (45.23). There was another sweep in the men’s 110 m hurdles, this time led by Worlds silver winner Trey Cunningham (13.21; -0.1) over Jamal Britt (13.27) and Eric Edwards (13.39).

Canada’s Aaron Brown won the men’s 100 m over Worlds silver medalist Marvin Bracy of the U.S., 10.12 to 10.13 (-1.6). On the infield, Jamaica’s 2019 World Champion Tajay Gayle won the long jump at 8.26 m (27-1 1/4) – his best of the year – with American Marquis Dendy third at 7.90 m (25-11). Rogers Steen of the U.S. won the shot at 21.38 m (70-1 3/4)

U.S. women went 1-2-3-4 in the 400 m, with Jaide Stepter Baynes the winner (51.43), followed by Courtney Okolo (51.57), Kaylin Whitney (51.67) and Kyra Jefferson (52.15). Allie Wilson posted another solid 800 m race, winning in 1:58.37 over Britain’s Jemma Reekie (1:58.71) and fellow American Nia Akins (1:59.56). Tonea Marshall won the 100 m hurdles in 12.93 (-0.7) with Gabbi Cunningham third (13.08), and Dalilah Muhammad won the 400 m hurdles in a meet record 53.84.

5.
Evenepoel’s lead shrinks (a lot) at La Vuelta

The 152.6 km Stage 14 of the 77th La Vuelta a Espana might be the cruelest of all, with a 1,731 m climb over the last 32 km to the Alto Hoya de la Mora in the Sierra Nevada mountains. But it made for great racing, with Spain’s Marc Soler leading as the ascent started, but he was caught by 22-year-old Thymen Arensman (NED), who attacked and soloed to his biggest win ever over the last 6.5 km in 4:17:17. That was a solid 1:23 up on Spain’s Enric Mas and 1:25 ahead of Miguel Angel Lopez (COL).

Race leader Remco Evenepoel (BEL) finished 10th, 1:59 behind and gave back more of his lead as three-time winner Primoz Roglic (SLO) was fifth (+1:44). With seven stages left, Evenepoel’s lead – 2:41 on Friday – is down to 1:34 over Roglic and 2:01 over Mas.

Roglic had first cut into Evenepoel’s lead on Saturday, gaining 52 seconds as the race leader faltered on the brutal final 23 km climb up the Sierra de la Pandera, gaining about 1,200 m in altitude to the finish. Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz – the 2019 Giro d’Italia winner – won his second stage in the last three in 4:09:27 with a breakaway in the final 3 km. Lopez and Roglic finished 2-3, eight seconds behind, with Evenepoel coming in eighth (+0:56). That brought down the Belgian’s lead to 1:49 over Roglic and 2:43 over Mas.

Friday’s mostly downhill, 168 km route from Ronda to Montilla came down to the expected sprint, with Denmark’s Mads Pedersen finally getting a win after runner-up finishes in Stages 2-3-4 in 3:46:01, ahead of Bryan Coquard (FRA) and Pascal Ackermann (GER).

The final week begins on Tuesday with two flat stages, then three climbing stages before the final ride into Madrid on the 11th.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Ice Hockey ● The U.S. came into the final of the 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship at the KVIK Hockey Arena in Herning (DEN) having outscored their opponents by 52-5, including a 5-2 win over Canada in the group stage.

But the Canadians had beaten all but the U.S. by 30-8 and parlayed superior defense into a 2-1 win and their second World title in a row.

The first period was scoreless, but then the Canadians got two goals from Brianne Jenner within 84 seconds. She scored first at 9:30 of the period and then got a power-play goal at 10:54 for 2-0 lead. Abby Roque got a power-play goal with Jenner off for interference with 21 seconds to go as the second period ended, 2-1.

The U.S. came out hot in the third period, but could not get another shot past Canada’s Olympic hero goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens, despite a 12-6 edge on shots in the final 20 minutes.

It was the 12th World title for Canada, now 12-8 against the U.S. in gold-medal finals. The American women have made the final in all 21 editions of the Women’s Worlds, but are now 9-12 in those games, with all of the losses to Canada.

The Czech Republic defeated Switzerland, 4-2, for the bronze medal, its first-ever medal in the Women’s Worlds. The Swiss were fourth for the second consecutive year.

● Swimming ● At the FINA World Junior Championships in Lima (PER), Romania’s world-record-setting sprinter David Popovici won three golds, but had the spotlight stolen by Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro, who set the only World Junior Record of the meet.

Ribeiro’s record swim was his win in the 50 m Fly (22.96), and he took the 100 m Fly (52.03) and the 50 m Free (21.92). Popovici won his specialty, the 100 m Free, in 47.13, and the 200 m Free (1:46.18) – both by more than two seconds! – and led off (in 47.07) the winning men’s 4×100 m Free Relay. He also won a silver as the lead-off leg on the Mixed 4×100 m Free Relay (47.23).

Multiple winners of individual men’s events included Carlos Garach (ESP) in the 800-1,500 m Freestyles and Ksawery Masiuk (POL) in the 50-100 m Backstrokes. Masiuk won two more golds on the 4×100 m Medley and Mixed 4×100 m Medley relays.

Turkey’s Merve Tuncel won three women’s golds in the 400-800-1,500 m Freestyles, but was out-medaled by Hungarian sprinter Nikolett Padar, who won the 100-200 m Frees and then on the 4×100 m Free, 4×200 m Free and Mixed 4×100 m Free relays for five total wins!

Poland’s Karolina Piechowicz won the women’s 50-100 m Breaststroke events and Japan’s Mio Narita took the 200-400 m Individual Medleys. Both won a third gold on relays.

Italy led the medal table with 20 (2-8-10), but Japan had 19 with seven golds, eight silvers and four bronze. Hungary and Poland also won seven events. The meet was limited to men aged 15-18 and women 14-17.

● Volleyball ● At the FIVB men’s World Championship being played in Poland and Slovenia, the U.S, team advanced through the round of 16 with a dramatic 3-2 win over Turkey that ended with a 15-12 fifth-set victory after losing two straight sets. David Smith led the American men with 17 points, including three blocks.

In the quarters, the U.S. will play defending champion Poland, which swept aside Tunisia in straight sets, 3-0. The Poles beat the U.S., 3-1, back on 30 August in group play.

In the other half of the bracket, co-host Slovenia stopped Germany, 3-1, and Italy took out Cuba, also by three sets to one. Round-of-16 play continues on Monday and Tuesday, with the quarterfinals set to start on 7 September.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● Sad news that two-time Olympic silver medalist and former indoor world-record holder George Woods has passed at age 79.

The obituary states that he died on 30 August in Edwardsville, Illinois. A big man at 6-2 and 300 lbs., he was gentle, but fast and precise in the ring, using the glide technique. He made the 1968 U.S. Olympic team and finished second to Randy Matson in Mexico City (20.12 m/66-0 1/4) and was second by a centimeter in Munich in 1972 at 21.17 m (69-5 1/2).

He electrified the track world with a sensational win at the Los Angeles Times Games in 1974 with a world indoor record of 22.02 m (72-3), which would be his best ever. He set his outdoor best later the same year at the California Relays in Modesto at 21.63 m (70-10 3/4) and equaled it in 1976, again in Modesto. He still ranks 15th on the all-time world indoor list.

He made the American Olympic team for a third time in 1976, but finished seventh in Montreal in 20.26 m (66-5 3/4). His last competition was in 1980.

He worked at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville through retirement in 2001. He is survived by his wife Jean, children Andrew and Lisa and many nephews and nieces.

French coach and commentator P.J. Vazel has weighed in on the Mondo Duplantis (SWE) vs. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) 100 m at the 2023 Memorial Van Damme in Brussels:

● “How fast is @mondohoss600? 10.2 m/s with a pole on 10-5m section runup for one of his jumps in @WCHoregon22

● “How fast is @realshellyannfp? 10.9 m/s during her 100m PB

“My bet: SAFP leads from the gun to half way then Mondo gets late surge and wins in the last 20m in 10.5″

● Basketball ● The FIBA men’s AmeriCup – the regional championship – is being held in Recife, Brazil, with plenty of surprises on the first weekend.

The first stunner came on Friday (2nd), with Mexico defeating the favored U.S., 73-67, in Group C. The American team consists of players from the G League and from some foreign teams, with no current NBA players, but Mexico forged a 56-48 lead after three quarters and after the U.S. tied the game at 58 in the fourth quarter, the Mexicans scored the next six points and held on.

On Sunday, the U.S. was beating up on Venezuela, 48-21, at halftime when rains seeped into the Geraldao Arena and the game has to be stopped and FIBA announced that it would be continued later … sometime.

The last game of the group is scheduled for Monday, with the U.S. facing Panama; the top two teams in each group and the top two third-place teams advance to the quarterfinals.

● Cycling ● At the final stop on the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, at Val di Sole in Italy, France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prevot dominated the competition.

The 2014 World Champion won the Cross Country Olympic race for her second victory and third medal of the season in 1:20:23, far ahead of countrywomen Loana Lecomte (1:21:50), Tokyo Olympic champ Jolanda Neff (SUI: 1:22:52) and American Haley Batten (1:23:41). Ferrand-Prevot also won the women’s Short-Course race in 20:56, just ahead of Lecomte (also 20:56), with Neff (21:03) fourth and American Kate Courtney (the 2018 World Champion) fifth (21:20).

France also swept the men’s races, with Titouan Carod winning both events. He took the Cross Country Olympic race at 1:22:02, comfortably ahead of Swiss legend Nino Schurter (1:22:37) and fellow Frenchman Jordan Sarrou (1:23:10). Carod won the Short-Course race in 22:28, ahead of South African Alan Hatherly (22:32).

Schurter won the Cross Country Olympic seasonal series for the eighth time in his career, scoring 1,723 points to 1,620 for Carod. Switzerland’s Alessandra Keller was the seasonal champ with 1,682 points, over Rebecca McConnell (AUS: 1,626). In the Short Track season series, Hatherly won the men’s title (1,342 points) and Keller took the women’s crown (1,460).

In the Downhill, France’s Loris Vergier won the men’s event in 3:39.774, with Americans Dakotah Norton and Aaron Gwin third and fourth. Myriam Nicole completed another French sweep in the women’s race in 4:21.804. The men’s seasonal title went to Amaury Pierron (FRA) with 1,253 points; Swiss Camille Balanche won the women’s season championship with 1,465 points to 1,405 for Nicole.

● Football ● The U.S. Women’s National Team had no trouble with Nigeria in a friendly in Kansas City, Kansas on Saturday, winning 4-0 after scoring three times in the first half.

Sophia Smith got the first goal, in the 14th minute, after a bad Nigerian clearance and a left-footed laser into the net. Lindsey Horan got a pass from Smith on another failed clearance and Horan maneuvered into the middle of the box and scored on a left-footed shot in the 25th minute.

The U.S. had other chances, but didn’t score again until one minute into stoppage time, as Emily Fox’s run down the left sideline drew the defenders to her and she found Smith for the re-direction into the goal for a 3-0 advantage. The U.S. had 58% of the possession and a 9-3 shots edge in the half.

The only score of the second half came from Alex Morgan, scoring her 119th international goal on a penalty kick after a foul on Mallory Pugh. The Americans ended with 56% of the possession and a 14-8 shots advantage.

Alyssa Naeher got the shutout in goal for the ninth consecutive scoreless performance for the Women’s National Team, equaling its third-longest streak ever. The U.S. will play Nigeria again on Tuesday (6th) in Washington, D.C. at 6 p.m. Eastern time (on ESPN2).

● Shooting ● The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF), headed by Russian billionaire Vladimir Lisin, has moved the 2023 World Championships from Russia to Azerbaijan, to be held in Baku.

The one-line announcement was included in a summary of ISSF executive Committee actions on Friday at a meeting in Cyprus. This brings the ISSF in line with the International Olympic Committee’s February recommendations not to hold any events in Russia or Belarus in view of the continuing invasion of Ukraine.

● Swimming ● FINA has approved a swimming cap style specially designed for “afro hair” after rejecting it prior to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The cap was not approved in 2021 because it did not conform to “the natural form of the head.” Now, according to FINA Executive Director Brent Nowicki (USA):

“This announcement follows a period of review and discussion on cap design between FINA and SOUL CAP over the past year. Promoting diversity and inclusivity is at the heart of FINA’s work, and it is very important that all aquatic athletes have access to the appropriate swimwear.”

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ATHLETICS: Sensational meet in Brussels, with three world leads and American Records for Winger and Fisher!

By
Rich Perelman
-
A deliriously happy Kara Winger of the U.S. after an American Record and world-leading win in the javelin at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels on Friday (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

The penultimate Diamond League meet of 2022 was worth the wait, as Friday’s Memorial Van Damme was one of the best of the season, producing world-leading marks in three events:

● Men/5,000 m: 12:45.71, Jacob Krop (KEN)
● Women/High Jump: 2.05 m (6-8 3/4), Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR)
● Women/Javelin: 68.11 m (223-5), Kara Winger (USA)

For American fans, two national records were set, first by Winger and then by Grant Fisher, runner-up in the men’s 5,000 m in 12:46.96!

The biggest surprise had to be Winger, 36, who said she will retire at the end of the season and won a stunning World Championships silver medal in Eugene in July on her final throw. In Brussels, she led the competition heading into the final round, at 63.82 m (209-4), then got hold of her sixth-round throw that finally landed at 68.11 m (223-5); she was celebrating while it was still in the air!

That shattered Maggie Malone’s U.S. mark of 67.40 m (221-1) from 2021 and Winger was celebrating with her husband Russ in the stands; she said afterwards that maybe she won’t retire:

“I feel so incredible my last personal best was twelve years ago in 2010 and I had two surgeries since then, but I felt really amazing this year. I was so consistent and with my husband as my coach and the best support system around me it has just been such a cool year of great decision-making for me and doing what is right for me. …

“It was the same this year in Eugene and now in Brussels. I felt very at home here. I’ll definitely return here. Just perfect conditions and fabulous women to compete with, a wonderful meeting overall. I just cannot believe it yet. I´m so happy.”

Winger is now the no. 12 thrower of all time; Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi was a distant second at 63.45 m (208-2).

There was a hot pace in the men’s 5,000 m from the beginning, with Kenya’s Worlds silver medalist Krop separating from a group of four on the final lap, with only Fisher giving chase. They were shoulder-to-shoulder off the turn, but Krop had more in the tank and his 12:45.71 win moves him to no. 6 on the all-time list. Fisher was game, but had to settle for second and shattering Bernard Lagat’s 12:53.60 mark from 2011. At 12:46.96, Fisher now ranks 12th all-time.

The top six all broke 13 minutes, with Nicholas Kipkorir (KEN) third in 12:50.97; Americans Woody Kincaid and Joe Klecker finished 12-13 in 13:13.90 and 13:15.17.

In the women’s high jump, Mahuchikh, 20, was the only one to clear 1.97 m (6-5 1/2), 2.02 m (6-7 1/2) and then a lifetime best and world-leading 2.05 m (6-8 3/4) in her second attempt. She had three good tries at a world-record 2.10 m (6-10 3/4), but failed to clear. It’s Mahuchikh’s second-highest jump ever, as she has cleared 2.06 m (6-9) indoors, in 2021.

And there were more shocks:

● Men/Vault: Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis came in with an undefeated season and 20 straight wins dating back to last year. But despite being way over the bar at 5.91 m (19-4 3/4), he came down on it three straight times and had to settle for second to E.J. Obiena (PHI), who cleared 5.91 m on his third try. American Chris Nilsen was third at 5.71 m (18-8 3/4).

● Women/100 m: Jamaica’s five-time World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce rocketed out of the blocks as usual, but was reeled in by teammate and World 200 m Champion Shericka Jackson in the final 10 m, 10.73-10.74 (wind: +0.6 m/s). That ended Fraser-Pryce’s undefeated season at six meets; Americans Aleia Hobbs, Sha’Carri Richardson and Tamara Clark went 4-5-6 in 10.91-10.93 and 11.03.

● Women/1,500 m: Surely, British star Laura Muir, the Commonwealth and European champ, was the one to beat, but it was Ethiopian Diribe Welteji who looked like the winner with 100 m to go when Ireland’s Ciara Mageean flew by and stormed to an unexpected win in a lifetime best and national record of 3:56.63, moving to no. 4 in 2022. Welteji was passed by countrywoman Freweyni Hailu on the straightaway, but Muir passed her for second at the line, 3:56.86 to 3:56.94.

American Heather MacLean was fifth with a lifetime best of 3:58.76, making her the no. 7 performer in American history. Elise Cranny was right behind in sixth in 3:59.61.

In the sprints, American Erriyon Knighton had to work hard on the straightaway to win the men’s 200 m in 20.07 into a 2.9 m/s headwind, well ahead of Alexander Ogando (DOM: 20.18). The men’s 400 hurdles was another triumph for World Champion Alison Dos Santos (BRA), winning in 47.54 ahead of American Khallifah Rosser (47.88). American C.J. Allen was third in 47.96, a lifetime best, but was disqualified for a trail-leg violation.

The women’s 400 m was a win for Dominican Fiordalize Cofil, who came on late to beat Sada Williams (BAR) with a lifetime best of 49.80 to 50.15. Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) overcame a strong start by American Keni Harrison and steamed to a quick 12.27 win (+0.1) in the 100 m hurdles, the equal-11th fastest time ever! American Tia Jones came up for second in a lifetime best of 12.38 (no 10 all-time U.S.) and Harrison was third in 12.40.

In the distances, World 1,500 m gold medalist Jake Wightman (GBR) continued his dream season with an impressive win in the men’s 800 m in a lifetime best of 1:43.65 – now no. 4 in 2022 – over Djamel Sedjati (ALG) and Olympic and World Champion Emmanuel Korir (KEN), both in 1:44.12. Kenya’s Jackline Chepkoech ran away with the women’s Steeple, winning in 9:02.43 – no. 5 on the season – with Werhuka Getachew (ETH: 9:03.44) second. Americans Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs were eighth and 10th in 9:14.43 and 9:20.93.

Cuba’s World Indoor Champion in the men’s triple jump, Lazaro Martinez, got a big mark of 17.49 m (57-4 3/4) in the second round to win, with recovering American star Christian Taylor getting a seasonal best of 16.72 m (54-10 1/4) for fourth. Nigeria’s Ese Brume – the Worlds silver medalist – got her first Diamond League win of the year in the women’s long jump at 6.83 m (22-5), ahead of American Quanesha Burks (6.54 m/21-5 1/2).

Quite a meet, with a strong crowd in the King Badouin Stadium that was fully in tune with the field-eventers, especially. The Diamond League season will conclude with the Weltklasse in Zurich on 7-8 September next week.

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TSX REPORT: Paris 2024 is looking to save money anywhere; eSports at Pan Am Games ‘23; Fraser-Pryce vs. Mondo at 100 m at Brussels 2023?!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. French Sports Minister asks for lowered specs for Paris 2024
2. Pan American Esports Championships with PanAm Games ‘23
3. Korea vs. U.S. Universiade 2027 selection process heating up
4. Kovacs 74-2 1/4 in Brussels; Fraser-Pryce vs. Duplantis at 100 m?
5. Ecuador’s Carapaz wins La Vuelta Stage 12 on final ascent

The cost pressures on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are real, real enough for the French Sports and Olympics minister to ask the Coordination Commission of the International Olympic Committee this week to revise some of its technical specs “a little downwards.” A Pan American Esports Championships will be mounted in parallel with the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, extending a run of closer relations in multi-sport games with the electronic gaming community. The 2027 World University Games will be in Korea or in North Carolina in the U.S. and the bid pace is increasing with second sets of visits underway from the International University Sports Federation (FISU). At the Diamond League Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, American shot star Joe Kovacs won with a brilliant 21.61 m (74-2 1/4) in the second round, and Jamaican sprint icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce challenged Olympic and world men’s vault champ Mondo Duplantis of Sweden to a 100 m race next year! At the Vuelta a Espana, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz won Stage 12 with a brilliant final climb while Remco Evenepoel of Belgium remained in the overall lead.

1.
French Sports Minister asks for lowered specs for 2024

The FrancsJeux.com site reports that the French Minister for Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games asked the International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission to look at relaxing some of its technical requirements for the Paris 2024 Games, in the name of saving money.

In her remarks at the organizing committee’s offices on Tuesday, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra told the CoComm (computer translation of the original French):

“We will have to deal with the adverse effects of inflation.

“It will sometimes be necessary to re-discuss with you certain specifications and see the reasonable side of revising them a little downwards. Moderate all forms of costs and be on the hunt for ‘waste.’ There is no room for bureaucracy, there is no room for unnecessary coordination costs. It may sometimes be necessary to work on optimizations, and sometimes on optimizations of lesser recipes.”

Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet underscored the need:

“In the current context, with the health, economic and geopolitical crises that have been linked for two years, maintaining the level of ambition until the end will be a real challenge.

“We are going to need your help to find new sources of optimization and to go even further in the savings to be made.”

At the Wednesday news conference at the end of the meetings, the Commission chair, Belgian Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant was enthusiastic about the hunt for savings and his confidence in the outcome:

“No stone will be left unturned! We will turn over all of those stones to find efficiency and we are going to think outside the box, be flexible, look at getting those creative juices flowing, so that we’re able to ensure that the work linked to optimizing the costs is put into place. It is a collective responsibility that we must take on. …

“We are leaving Paris with the conviction, with the belief that Paris 2024 is on track and will be able to overcome the [budget] challenge and the challenges that may present themselves in the upcoming weeks and months. The teams are ready, the projects are in place, and I have blind faith in Paris 2024.”

For openers, Paris 2024 chief executive Etienne Thobois mentioned that the rental periods for competition and training sites is being evaluated based on the now-available sports schedule and the number of vehicles being acquired could perhaps be dropped by 30-40% vs. Tokyo given the proximity of the venues and available public transportation. He noted that savings will be made on a case-by-case basis, a process that will continue not only up to the Games, but through them as well.

2.
Pan American Esports Championships with PanAm Games ‘23

PanAm Sports and the Global Esports Federation announced the first Pan American Esports Championships, to be staged alongside the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile in 2023.

This is the latest move to incorporate eSports into the Olympic Movement. The 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia had a six-game program included as a demonstration program and will have eight games included as medal events at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou (CHN), postponed to 2023.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (ENG) also included eSports as a demonstration program, with three games contested and open and women’s divisions.

Similarly, the 2023 Pan American Esports Championships will be held “in parallel” with the Pan American Games in Santiago, scheduled for 20 October-5 November, with 414 events in 39 sports. In addition, the Global Esports Federation will be showcased with a “GEF Festival” – described as “a celebratory showcase of the diverse esports culture” and “GEFcon,” a conference on the future of eSports.

The specifics of the 2023 event have not been worked out; the announcement noted only, “The GEF and Panam Sports will jointly establish the governance structures to oversee the coordination of the Pan American Esports Championships.”

3.
Korea vs. U.S. Universiade 2027 selection process heating up

The International University Sports Federation (FISU) will decide on the host for the 2027 World University Games in November, with the federation busy evaluating both candidate regions for the 12-day, 19-sport, 6,000-athlete event.

After seeing the Korean bid in early July, a three-member FISU technical team visited the North Carolina bid committee in late July, inspecting venues and reviewing the plan offered for the event.

Just completed – on Wednesday – was a visit by a four-member FISU senior management team to Korea to review the plan offered by the Chungcheong Megacity bid committee, including Acting FISU President Leonz Eder (SUI), Vice President Marian Dymalski (POL), Secretary General Eric Saintrond (BEL), Games Director Jing Zhao (CHN) along with Byong-jin You (KOR), a member of FISU’s Executive Committee.

Eder, Dymalski, Saintrond and Zhao are headed for North Carolina now for a 17-21 September review of its bid. The North Carolina organizers describe this as “a more high level tour intended to meet our state leaders, as well as local government, bid, sponsor, and sport key executives. Our guests will also spend time at primary venues, Games Villages, and on our Games plan and bid.”

The formal bid documents for the North Carolina bid were also completed this week and transmitted to FISU. The U.S. has hosted the summer World University Games once, in Buffalo in 1993, but will host the Winter WUG for a second time this coming January in Lake Placid.

4.
Kovacs 74-2 1/4 in Brussels; Fraser-Pryce vs. Duplantis
at 100 m?

The next-to-last Diamond League meet for 2022, the Memorial Van Damme, began on Thursday with the men’s shot put at the Marche aux Poissons in mid-town Brussels with a superb win for two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs (USA), at 22.61 m (74-2 1/4).

Here’s how good a season Kovacs – the Worlds silver medalist – is having: the winning distance was his ninth-best throw of the season. But: “I think there’s more in the tank, but hopefully in Zurich or Zagreb I can get out a few big throws and get towards the 23-meter line.”

Kovacs took the lead in the second round and was never challenged. New Zealand star Tom Walsh was second at 21.60 m (70-10 1/2) with teammate Jacko Gill third (21.32 m/69-11 1/2).

At the news conference ahead of Friday’s main meet, five-time women’s 100 m World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM: 35) challenged Sweden’s pole vault icon Mondo Duplantis (22) to a race! This was hysterical (partial transcript):

SAFP: How fast can you say you can do in the 100 meters … against me?

Mondo: Wait, what’d you say?

SAFP: Against me.

Mondo: Against you? I would beat you, yeah.

SAFP: Explain to us how sprinting and pole vault work; I don’t see you doing a lot of sprint work.

Mondo: How do you know what I do?

SAFP: I know, because I saw the backyard pole vault thing; I didn’t see you do any … I mean, 20 meters? 10 meters run-up [to vault]?

Mondo: Forty-five meters.

SAFP: 45? Are you sure?

Mondo: I should be sure. Of my own run, yeah. I ran the 100 meter a few times in high school.

SAFP: ‘18, ‘19, ‘20, ‘21 … that’s five years ago.

Mondo: And I’m a lot faster than five years ago.

SAFP: Wanna bet?

Mondo: I would want to bet a lot!

SAFP: OK (handshake).

Duplantis said he’s fine with a race in Brussels in 2023, “just me against Shelly-Ann.”

Now this would be classic, as Duplantis ran 10.73 for the 100 m back in 2018, and 10.57w, with a slight 2.1 m/s wind-aid. Fraser-Pryce, of course, ran 10.60 in 2021 and has run 10.70 or faster 10 times (with legal wind) in her career.

The Memorial Van Damme on Friday will be shown on NBC’s Peacock subscription service from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Eastern time, with highlights on NBC on Saturday from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

5.
Ecuador’s Carapaz wins La Vuelta Stage 12 on final ascent

Ecuadorian star Richard Carapaz, the Tokyo Olympic road race gold medalist, showed off his climbing skills with an impressive win in Stage 12 of the 77th La Vuelta a Espana. He broke away in the final 2 km of the misery-inducing finishing ascent up the Penas Blancas in the Andulucia region of Spain and finished nine seconds up on Wilco Keldermann (NED) and 24 seconds ahead of Marc Soler (ESP).

A breakaway group of 32 riders took a bid lead a quarter of the way into the 192.7 km route, but only 10 were left when the ride up the Penas Blancas started, with Carapaz finishing the strongest. Well behind him was the group of race leaders, with Remco Evenepoel (BEL) maintaining his 2:41 lead on three-time defending champion Primoz Roglic (SLO) and 3:03 on Spain’s Enric Mas.

While Friday’s stage is flat, the weekend stages both have climbing finishes; will Roglic try to strike at Evenepoel on either?

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● The twice-postponed World Indoor Championships in Nanjing (CHN) was postponed again in view of the continuing no-Covid policy in China.

World Athletics announced that the Nanjing meet, originally attributed for 2020, then slated for 2021 and then March of 2023, will now take place in 2025.

The World Indoors used to be held on a two-year cycle, with the next edition in Glasgow (GBR) in 2024. The statement noted that as “the bid process has already commenced for the 2026 edition of the championships,” the Nanjing event is being slotted for 2025.

The Philadelphia Eagles re-signed rookie wide receiver – and three-time national 110 m hurdles champion – Devon Allen to its practice squad on Wednesday after releasing him on Tuesday.

Allen, the no. 3 hurdler in history at 12.84 earlier this season, cleared waivers and will now be held in reserve; according to NBCSports.com:

“The NFL weekly practice squad minimum is now $11,500 for rookies, so they can make $207,000 if they remain on the practice squad the entire season. …

“With the NFL’s game-day call-up rules now, practice squad players earn a game-day active-roster minimum-wage salary of $39,167 for every week they’re promoted.”

● Ice Hockey ● At the IIHF Women’s World Championship in Denmark, the U.S. women continued their march, stomping Hungary in the quarterfinals by 12-1 on Thursday. Canada defeated Sweden by 3-0, the Czech Republic upset Finland by 2-1 in overtime and Switzerland edged Japan, 2-1, in a shoot-out.

The re-seeded semifinals will see the U.S. play the Czechs and Canada face Switzerland, both on Saturday. The medal matches will be on Sunday.

The U.S. has the top two goal scorers so far in the tournament, with Taylor Heise and Hannah Bilka both with five. The Americans have outscored their five opponents by 42-4.

● Wrestling ● Ellis Coleman, a U.S. Olympian in the 60 kg Greco-Roman division at the London 2012 Olympic Games, had his sanction for use of a steroid confirmed by an arbitrator in late July, according to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

Coleman, 31, a five-time U.S. Open champion at 67 kg, tested positive at an out-of-competition test in December 2021. According to the announcement, “USADA determined that Coleman used a supplement that listed the prohibited anabolic agent DHEA on the label.”

Coleman challenged the finding and the “arbitrator concluded that Coleman’s degree of fault was significant due to a number of factors, including the athlete’s extensive anti-doping education and failure to check the ingredients on the label to determine for himself whether it contained a prohibited substance.”

The sanction is for two years, through 28 February 2024.

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TSX REPORT: Rowing confirms move to Long Beach for LA28; IOC CoComm says Paris 2024 “on track”; Germany settles with Munich Massacre families

By
Rich Perelman
-
An aerial view of the historic Long Beach Marine Stadium, with the Davies Bridge visible at the bottom. (Photo: Google Maps)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. World Rowing confirms move to Long Beach for LA 2028
2. IOC CoComm chief says Paris 2024 “on track”
3. Germany agrees on added compensation to Munich Massacre families
4. Meyers-Taylor elected to USOPC Board for 2023-26
5. Australia’s Groves wins La Vuelta Stage 11 sprint

A three-year process to move the 2028 Olympic rowing competition from Lake Perris to the historic Long Beach Marine Stadium was confirmed by World Rowing, agreeing to a one-time change to a 1,500 m race course. The head of the International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission for the Paris 2024 Games said the project is “on track” and is fully confident in the preparations and even the budget so far. The German government, with the State of Bavaria and City of Munich contributing, announced a compensation settlement with the families of the 11 Israeli athletes, coaches and officials killed by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, days ahead of the official, 50-year commemoration ceremony. Four-time Olympian and Olympic and Worlds bobsled medalist Elana Meyers Taylor was elected by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Athletes Advisory Council to serve on the USOPC Board of Directors starting in January. At the Vuelta a Espana, Australian Kaden Groves won the sprint finish to Stage 11, while Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel continues in the overall lead.

1.
World Rowing confirms move to Long Beach for LA 2028

/Updated/Among the 142 pages of the agenda and reports for the 2022 World Rowing Congress to be held on 26 September is the introduction by President Jean-Christophe Rolland (FRA) that includes the federation’s agreement to move to the rowing events for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles:

“For some time now, I have widely shared our analysis on the opportunity to organise the Olympic and Paralympic regattas in Long Beach, rather than on Lake Perris as initially proposed in the bid file, in order to adapt to the context and to be in perfect harmony with the 2020 Olympic Agenda. Following our investigations, measurements and technical analyses, the Board has decided to formally accept this option proposed by the LA28 OGOC. We consider that reducing to 1500m, adapting to the technical and environmental constraints was a significant and justified effort, but one that will of course remain exceptional and unique. I would like to remind you that only the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic regattas are affected by this exceptional decision. Our existing Rules will continue to apply to all other official competitions. The ball is now in the Organising Committee’s court for the next steps.”

Translation: Moving the events from Lake Perris to Long Beach ostensibly removes a separate housing issue in Riverside County for the LA28 organizers, and makes the Games more compact and hopefully, saves money. The original request from LA28 was made in early 2019 and informally agreed by World Rowing in November of 2021. Now it’s final.

The Long Beach Marine Stadium is historic, having been used for the 1932 Olympic Games, but with the installation of the J.H. Davies Bridge in 1955, the course length is restricted and a full course of 2,000 m cannot be accommodated. So, the competitions will be shorter, at 1,500 m.

The 2,000 m course length was adopted for Stockholm in 1912; it was 1,750 m for Paris 1900, 3,218 m for St. Louis in 1904 and 2,414 m for London 1908. And for the post-war 1948 Games in London, the course was 1,850 m, so a different distance is not unprecedented. But this will be the shortest course in Olympic history.

The Marine Stadium, however, is adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and is impacted by tidal issues. Morning competitions will be called for and so there may be a need for some housing support close to the venue to keep crews from making pre-dawn bus rides from the Village at UCLA to Long Beach. That is yet to be determined.

The change of venue for rowing naturally means that the Canoeing competitions needs to be moved as well. The International Canoe Federation is already on board with this and has been since last year. A November 2021 inquiry at an ICF Council meeting was replied to with: “We are in Long Beach. LA28 wants it there.”

The rowing folks, however, are continuing to negotiate with the International Olympic Committee and LA28 about the program for 2028. The IOC has long been trying to eliminate the Lightweight division in the Games, which included the Double Sculls for men and women at Tokyo 2020 and listed for Paris 2024. Rolland wrote:

“[T]he objective remains to propose the inclusion of three Coastal Rowing events for Los Angeles 2028, a proactive and ambitious attitude in the face of the IOC’s position to eliminate lightweight events. We are entering the final phase of this phase, including an evaluation according to very precise criteria in line with Agenda 2020+5. This centres around aspects of costs and complexity, popularity and interest for the host country, universality, and gender equality and relevance for young people.

“In order to put the odds in our favour, the Council decided, based on the analysis and recommendation of the Coastal Rowing Commission, to focus on the ‘beach sprint’ format which, in the context of Los Angeles 2028, potentially Brisbane 2032 and the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, offers a more relevant and powerful argument.”

Note that World Rowing is trying to add another event to its existing total of 14. That decision should come in 2023.

(Thanks to reader Paul Roberts for spotting a typo on the 1904  – not 2004 – St. Louis Olympic Games.)

2.
IOC CoComm chief says Paris 2024 “on track”

“I can say, on behalf of all of the members of the Coordination Commission, that we were blown away by the level of accuracy, the precision, and the state of preparation for these Games.”

That’s IOC member Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant (BEL), the head of the Paris 2024 Coordination Commission, as interpreted into English during a Wednesday news conference following three days of meetings with the organizing committee.

He left no doubt of his confidence in the 2024 Games:

● “It is obviously normal for things to change, we have had adaptations, but over the course of the adaptations that have been made, this project has been strengthened on all different fronts. The vision [remains] to make these Olympic Games as spectacular as possible, emblematic, also the use of different emblematic sites in Paris, that Paris can offer.

“We are looking at sustainable, we are looking at responsible Games, and also Games that will be useful for French society and the world of tomorrow. All of the different pieces of the puzzle are intact, and they have been well prepared, and I think that they are very much well alive.”

● “Preparations for Paris 2024 are underway; we are on the right track for meeting different deadlines and this for us is a fundamental issue. Why? If you’re slightly off-track six years out, that’s fine, but two years out, we have to be following the different steps that have been outlined. And this is the case, which will allow us to deliver on the Olympic Games.

“We are two years out, in fact, less than two years out, and despite all of the different constraints that were imposed because of the pandemic and because of the economic crisis and geopolitical crisis that we have seen the past eight months, it’s remarkable that they’ve still managed to stay on track, and therefore, I would like to commend all the different stakeholders involved in Paris 2024 that have been here over the course of the last few days.

“We are leaving with strengthened trust in the leadership of Paris 2024.”

● “Collectively, all together, all of the different stakeholders, we want to deliver on this vision of Paris 2024, the elements of the ambition and the vision that will ensure that Paris 2024 and its Olympic Games will be a turning point in the history of the modern Olympic Games. They will be unique, useful, with real legacy left for France. In fact, a legacy which is already showing and will continue beyond the closing of the Olympic Games.”

Multiple questions were raised about the budget, which Paris 2024 head Tony Estanguet (FRA) has said is under pressure from the worldwide inflationary pressures and supply-chain issues. A third comprehensive budget will be released at the end of the year and the IOC and Paris 2024 are already engaged in an “optimization” process to find cost efficiencies wherever possible. Said Beckers-Vieujant:

“We are leaving Paris with the conviction, with the belief that Paris 2024 is on track and will be able to overcome the [budget] challenge and the challenges that may present themselves in the upcoming weeks and months. The teams are ready, the projects are in place, and I have blind faith in Paris 2024.”

As for the organizing committee’s domestic sponsorship sales effort, Beckers-Vieujant was optimistic:

“They’re still on track and happy that it’s going to reach the percentage it’s aiming for – 80% by the end of the year – then there’s no reason for concern. In fact, there are discussions on different levels – tier one, two and three – that are ongoing. There’s quite a lot in the pipeline and I know the teams are very busy with this. It is important, of course, because it’s over the next few months that we’re going to have to bring all of these marketing programs to a positive end. But we’re very happy with the level of involvement on the part of certain companies, and so at this stage, no reason for concern.”

Beckers-Vieujant said there had been no discussions about lowering the capacity along the River Seine for the Opening Ceremony from 600,000 to perhaps 400,000. Estanguet noted that discussions are continuing with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) about the use of the well-known Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille – built in 2012 with a retractable roof – for preliminary basketball matches, with the federation asking if the facility can be air-conditioned … at the expense of Paris 2024, of course.

3.
Germany agrees on added compensation to
Munich Massacre families

German media reported that an agreement on added compensation to the families of the 11 Israeli athletes and officials killed by Palestinian terrorists at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games had been reached, with family members now expected to attend the formal, 50-year memorial ceremony in Munich on 5 September.

The German government previously made payments to the families in 1972 and again in 2002, but these were derided as trivial in view of amounts paid to the victims of other tragedies.

Reports indicated that €28 million (about $28.02 million U.S.) will be paid in total, principally by the German government (€22.5 million), with smaller shares contributed by the State of Bavaria (€5 million) and the City of Munich (€500,000).

Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said:

“The German government welcomes the fact that it has now been possible to reach an agreement with the relatives on an overall concept to mark the 50th anniversary.

“This includes the reappraisal of the events by a commission of German and Israeli historians, the release of files in accordance with the law, the classification and acceptance of political responsibility within the framework of the commemoration ceremony, as well as the provision of further recognition services by the federal government, by the state of Bavaria and by the city of Munich.”

In a joint statement, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Israeli President Isaac Herzog noted:

“The agreement cannot heal all wounds. But it opens a door to each other. With this agreement, the German state acknowledges its responsibility and recognizes the terrible suffering of the murdered and their relatives, which we will commemorate next week.”

4.
Meyers-Taylor elected to USOPC Board for 2023-26

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Athletes Advisory Council (AAC) elected four-time Olympian – and five-time medal winner – Elana Meyers Taylor to serve on the USOPC Board of Directors from 2023-26.

Meyers Taylor will replace Steve Mesler – also a bobsledder – as one of three AAC-elected, athlete representatives on the 18-member USOPC Board. Her term will begin on 1 January 2023.

Meyers Taylor is widely respected not only as an athlete – winning five Olympic medals from 2010-22 (0-3-2) and eight World Championships medals (4-2-2) – but also for her leadership. She was elected to be a U.S. team’s flagbearer at the Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony, but could not participate due to Covid, and was then elected to be flagbearer at the Closing Ceremony.

No stranger to board rooms, she has served on the board of USA Bobsled & Skeleton and as President of the Women’s Sports Foundation, and had a two-month internship in 2014 at the International Olympic Committee.

5.
Australia’s Groves wins La Vuelta Stage 11 sprint

The mildly hilly, 191.2 km 11th stage of the 77th La Vuelta a Espana ended with a flat finish into Cabo de Gata, meaning the stage was for the sprinters.

German John Degenkolb made the first move toward the finish, but was passed by Sebastian Molano (COL), but the trio of Kaden Groves (AUS), Danny van Poppel (NED) and Tim Merlier (BEL) blew by to finish 1-2-3 in 5:03:14, with the top 120 riders all given the same time. It was Groves’ first career win in a Grand Tour.

No change in the overall standings, with Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel leading three-time defending champ Primoz Roglic (SLO) by 2:41 and Spain’s Enric Mas by 3:03. Thursday’s stage is a lengthy 192.7 km, finishing with a brutal final climb to the finish in Penas Blancas with a rise of 1,260 m in the final 20 km.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● Remember Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, the Belarusian sprinter who criticized her coaches at Tokyo 2020, then escaped at the Tokyo airport and eventually was granted asylum in Poland?

She’s a Polish citizen now, and on an Instagram post as Kristi Timanovskaya, she wrote in part (in Polish):

“Last Saturday, the Polish Team Championship took place, where I won the individual 100 meters, and our team @azsawf took second place

“This was my first official competition in which I participated not as a Belarusian, but as a Pole.

“After all, after such a long time, I can go to the track without any problems and represent my club. …

“Thank you @polishathletics for welcoming me and giving me the chance to continue my sports career.

“This season has been strange and difficult for me, but now I am going to rest and prepare for the new season with renewed vigor. I’m sure everything will be different now and my results will increase a lot.”

Timanovskaya, now 25, has run 11.31 this season and has a best of 11.04 from 2018; if she could regain that form, she could be one of her country’s best sprinters.

● Football ● The European Football Union (UEFA) announced impressive audience figures for the 2022 Women’s European Championship held in July, with 365 million estimated to have watched some part of the tournament worldwide.

That’s from 60 broadcast partners around the world, including ESPN in the U.S. and is an all-time record. The growth of interest in the women’s game was demonstrated by comparison to the two prior tournaments that drew 116 million in 2013 and 178 million in 2017.

The in-person attendance of 574,875 at the 10 different stadia in England that hosted game shredded the prior high of 240,055 from 2017 in The Netherlands. The per-match average of 18,544 was also a record.

● Sailing ● This is about Russian and Belarusian officials. World Sailing suspended eight individuals from the federation’s board and committees on late May, with the suspensions quickly appealed.

The World Sailing Judicial Board appointed an independent panel to hear the cases and a 12 August decision upheld the federation’s suspensions for all offices actually held. Other bodies, such as the IOC, do not want Russian or Belarusian athletes to compete, but have not suspended officials from those countries. World Sailing’s governing Council will review this policy in November.

● Swimming ● Marijuana use is looked at liberally in some countries, but not in Singapore. Rio 2016 hero Joseph Schooling – who swam at the University of Texas and won the 100 m Butterfly over American icon Michael Phelps – knows this only too well.

Now 27, Schooling has not reached the same level since Rio, but has been a consistent medal winner at regional competitions, including the important Asian Games. His two-year National Service conscription to the military was deferred through the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games last year and while he began serving in January 2022, he was allowed time off for training and competitions.

That ended on Tuesday (30th) as he admitted to cannabis use in preparation for and during the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi (VIE). The military will no longer allow “disruptions” to his service for training or competitions, and his case will be handled by the military as he is considered an active-duty service member.

He tested negative for marijuana at the Southeast Asian Games, but admitted the use in May. He could be sentenced to detention in a military facility, and the case is ongoing.

● Volleyball ● Defending champion Poland completed group play undefeated, along with five other teams at the FIVB Men’s World Championship being played in Katowice (POL) and Ljubljana (SLO).

Italy, Serbia, Poland, Brazil, France and the Netherlands all went 3-0 in their groups and advanced as winners to the round of 16, single-elimination playoffs that start on 3 September. The U.S. men were 2-1 – losing to Poland in four sets – in Group C and are seeded eight, playing Turkey on 4 September in Gilwice (POL); a victory would send the U.S. against the winner of Poland-Tunisia in the 8 September quarterfinals.

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TSX REPORT: Fanatics joins LA28 as retail partner; U.S.’s Cobb named IBU Secretary General; strict security in Qatar for FIFA World Cup

By
Rich Perelman
-
A July poll said Americans like the 2028 Olympics being in Los Angeles by 78-4%!

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. LA28, USOPC ink Fanatics deal for souvenirs and staff
2. USA Biathlon’s Max Cobb named Int’l Biathlon Union Secretary General
3. Infantino: very strict security coming at Qatar 2022
4. Three-year anniversary of Iran’s “Blue Girl” shame on Friday
5. Evenepoel and Roglic go 1-2 in La Vuelta time trial

More good news for the LA28 revenue side, as licensed merchandise giant Fanatics officially signs on as the retail partner for both the 2028 Olympic Games and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. U.S. Biathlon chief Max Cobb will be the new Secretary General of the International Biathlon Union, extending a growing American presence at International Federations. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, noting that fans of all 32 teams will be in proximity as never before at the compact Qatar ‘22 World Cup, promises zero tolerance for trouble makers. The three-year anniversary of the tragic death of Iranian football fan – “Blue Girl” – Sahar Khodayari, caused by her arrest while trying to watch her favorite team, was remembered by women fans allowed to attend a domestic-league match for the first time in more than 40 years. Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel extended his lead at the Vuelta a Espana over defending champ Primoz Roglic of Slovenia in the Stage 10 time trial, but the mountain stages beckon.

1.
LA28, USOPC ink Fanatics deal for souvenirs and staff

Tuesday’s announcement was no surprise:

“Today, LA28 and Team USA announced a comprehensive merchandise and omnichannel retail agreement with digital sports platform, Fanatics, to elevate the fan shopping experience before, during, and after the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

After all, the limited, existing LA28 merchandise program was already being handled by Fanatics and organizing committee chair Casey Wasserman had told the Los Angeles City Council last December that Fanatics was already deeply financially committed to the success of the 2028 Games.

And the scope of the agreement includes in-person retail spaces in addition to online shopping:

“A key aspect of the agreement is creating physical retail spaces with Fanatics operating the suite of on-site shopping locations within the LA28 Games footprint, as well as other locations throughout Los Angeles. The significant undertaking will work across many Games venues and stadiums with multiple touchpoints and experiences at each.”

But it was the next-to-last sentence which was an eye-opener:

“For the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Fanatics will outfit the tens of thousands of volunteers.”

Most often, an apparel company such as adidas, ASICS or Nike has been the primary supplier of uniforms for officials, staff and volunteers. Fanatics, with its wide sourcing and manufacturing capabilities, is certainly capable of outfitting LA28 volunteers, but no mention of officials or staff was included, so a separate program may be under consideration.

No financial terms of the agreement were disclosed and Fanatics was described as the “official retail partner” of LA28 and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (Fanatics has been the USOPC’s online retail vendor since 2009).

This is more good news on the marketing side for LA28 and another direct-to-consumer company involved with the Games, along with Delta Airlines and The Hershey Company. LA28 is also sponsored by entertainment giant Comcast (primarily NBC), professional services firm Deloitte and software provider Salesforce.

An LA28 agreement has long been expected with Nike; some, but not all, of the existing merchandise offered by Fanatics is Nike-branded and no competitive makers are shown to be used. The USOPC has used Ralph Lauren as its parade uniform supplier for its Olympic teams.

2.
U.S. Biathlon’s Max Cobb named Int’l Biathlon Union
Secretary General

Until fairly recently, almost no Americans were serving as Presidents or chief executives of International Federations, but that is slowly changing. On Tuesday, the International Biathlon Union ended a lengthy search and named American Max Cobb as its new Secretary General.

Cobb, 57, is no stranger to the biathlon community. He joined U.S. Biathlon as a race director in 1989, was an assistant coach and manager of the national team, became the federation’s program director in 1994, was named Executive Director in 2006 and has been in charge of the federation ever since.

At the international level, he was the head of the IBU’s Technical Committee and then elected to the IBU Executive Board in 2016 (his term will end in October). He will move to Salzburg (AUT) to start in October.

Cobb also served as the Vice Chair and then Chair of the U.S. National Governing Bodies Council, working with the USOPC on the complex issues that face individual sports within the U.S. Olympic Movement. At the IBU, he will be working with 60 national federations.

While there is only one American serving as an International Federation President – David Haggerty for the International Tennis Association – Cobb becomes the second American chief executive of a winter-sport federation, after Dwight Bell, Secretary-General of the Federation Internationale de Luge (FIL).

Further, Americans serving as summer federation Secretaries-General include Brent Nowicki for FINA (aquatics), Debbie Gawrych for sport climbing (IFSC) and Bob Fasulo for the International Surfing Association. The list is getting longer.

3.
Infantino: very strict security coming at Qatar 2022

You have been warned.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) made clear the view of the federation and the organizing committee for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar concerning security. Have a good time, and that’s all.

Speaking at a ceremony dedicating a new football field in San Jose, Costa Rica on the fringes of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup that concluded over the weekend:

“All fans around the world are welcome to celebrate, party, watch the matches.

“But if anyone wants to come and start a fight or whatever, obviously they won’t be welcome and we’re all going to be very strict, because everyone’s safety is the most important thing.

“We’re going to have fans from all countries in the same city, not just those from both countries playing a game one day, but everyone will be there all the time. There are many issues that need to be considered in terms of security, accommodation, transportation and every possible and imaginable effort is made to make it a party for everyone. For football fans, it will be a unique experience.”

Infantino made an important point, in that the 2022 World Cup stadia are so close together that fans of all 32 teams will see each other consistently during the group stage. This kind of closeness is a first and might be the last for quite a while. It all starts on 20 November.

4.
Three-year anniversary of Iran’s “Blue Girl” shame on Friday

Last Thursday (25th), about 500 Iranian women were allowed – reportedly for the first time since 1979 – to attend a domestic-league soccer match as spectators to the Esteghlal FC vs. Sanat Mes Kerman FC match at Tehran’s 78,226-seat Azadi Stadium.

It came almost three years to be day after the death of “Blue Girl,” an incident almost too awful to be true. But it happened.

In March of 2019, Sahar Khodayari – known as “Blue Girl” on social media for her affection for the Esteghlal club, whose primary color is blue – tried attend a home match dressed as a man since women were barred under an Islamic edict. She was arrested; during a hearing on 2 September, she was told that she was subject to a six-month jail sentence. Upon leaving the court, she poured gasoline on herself, lit a match and was burned on over 90% of her body. She died on 9 September at age 29.

The “Blue Girl” movement drew worldwide attention and FIFA demanded that Iran make some accommodation for women to attend international matches, which are under FIFA’s purview. Women were allowed to attend – in very small numbers – an Iran-Lebanon match in October 2019.

But a report on the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS) Web site noted that women were again denied entry for an Iran-Lebanon match in March 2022, despite having bought 2,000 of the 12,500 available tickets! This drew a threat of suspension of FIFA.

At the Esteghlal match on the 25th, the women attending chanted “Blue Girl” as a tribute to Khodayari’s actions, and the team’s Web site posted a welcome message picturing the women fans and the caption, “We are happy you are present at Azadi Stadium today”

This is progress, but slow and grudging. But to its credit, FIFA is watching and so are media inside and outside of Iran.

5.
Evenepoel and Roglic go 1-2 in La Vuelta time trial

Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel came into the 2022 La Vuelta a Espana as the 2019 European time trial champion and this year’s Belgian time trial national champ, so he was ready for Tuesday’s flat, 30.9 km ride from Elche to Alicante.

Already the race leader, he dominated from the final starting position, posting the fastest time of the day (33:18), 48 seconds faster than three-time defending champ Primoz Roglic (SLO), who finished second (34:06) and a full minute up on France’s Remi Cavagna.

Going into tomorrow’s 11th stage (out of 21), Evenepoel now leads Roglic by 2:41 and Enric Mas (ESP) by 3:03, but with five major climbing stages remaining, beginning on Saturday and Sunday. The 22-year-old Belgian is the leader, but not quite yet the favorite to win.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● Consistent headwinds in the sprints led to mostly modest performances in Luzern (SUI) on Tuesday, but American sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson appeared for the first time since the U.S. National Championships and scored an 11.29-11.30 win over Jamaican icon Elaine Thompson-Herah in the women’s 100 m (wind: -2.0 m/s).

American Tia Jones won the 100 m hurdles over Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR), 12.78 to 12.86 (wind -2.4). Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad of the U.S. won the 400 m hurdles in 54.57.

Marvin Bracy (USA) won the men’s 100 m in 10.17 (-1.7) and Bryce Deadmon (USA) won the 400 m over world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk (RSA), 45.11-45.19. Ryan Crouser of the U.S. won the men’s shot at a modest – for him – 22.08 m (72-5 1/4).

In Rovereto (ITA), TeeTee Terry (USA) won the women’s 100 m in 11.02 (+0.3), and Americans Allie Wilson and Olivia Baker were 1-2 in the women’s 800 m in 1:58.53 and 1:58.83. Michael Cherry of the U.S. won the men’s 400 m in 45.27 and Britain’s Kyle Langford won in a lifetime best of 1:44.49.

Two-time Olympic relay gold medalist and eight-time World Championships gold medalist – all on relays – Natasha Hastings announced her retirement on Monday in an essay on The Players’ Tribune:

“I’m so much more than just someone who runs fast. And knowing that — realizing it with absolute certainty — is why making this decision to retire from the sport that’s been a huge part of my life since I was nine … it wasn’t really something that I agonized over.

“I’m 36 now — a mom, a graduate student. It’s time to move on. I feel it in my heart.

“I’m good with it.

“And all that passion that I had for running? The drive, the focus, the determination? I’ve found a new place to put it all. And I couldn’t be more excited for what’s next.

“Right now I’m doing my master’s in clinical mental health, and after I earn my degree my plan is to become a psychologist.”

A national-class runner by 2005 and a world-class 400 m star with a best of 49.84 from 2007, she was the 2013 U.S. national champ (49.94 in Des Moines). She finished fourth at the Rio 2016 Games in the women’s 400 m, but won golds on the women’s 4×400 m relay teams at Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016, plus World Champs 4×400 m golds in 2007-09-11-13-17 and indoors in 2010-14-16.

She will be remembered for her toughness, perseverance and ultimate reliability with a baton in her hand. Her best of 49.84 ranks her equal-20th all-time U.S.

● Basketball ● The U.S. men’s national team cruised past Colombia in Barranquilla, 95-77, in the last of a two-game window in the Americas Qualifying tournament for the FIBA 2023 World Cup.

The American men had a 45-32 halftime lead that expanded in the second half. Guard John Jenkins again led the U.S. in scoring with 26 points on 8-14 on three-pointers. Sub guard Langston Galloway and forward DaQuan Jeffries had 14 points each.

The U.S. is now 7-1 and leading Group F over Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay, all 5-3. There are four more games in group play, with the next two games coming on 11-14 November.

● Chess ● You can forget about chess making into the Olympic Games any time soon, said former World Champion Anatoly Karpov (RUS). In a TASS interview, he explained:

“I think that in our lifetime, mind sports will not be included in the program of the Olympic Games. We missed this chance in the ‘90s: the former head of the International Olympic Committee [Juan Antonio] Samaranch [ESP] supported us, there were even forms of interaction.

“We submitted a joint application with the Draughts and Bridge federations to include mind sports in the program of the Winter Games, since there was a break of 4-5 hours between the morning and evening competitions, when the fans had nothing to do with themselves.

“At first, [former FIDE President] Kirsan Ilyumzhinov [RUS] was very active, but then a scandal erupted in the IOC, and those who supported us were removed from their posts. Now there is no chance to enter the Games program, but work can be done.”

In the current situation, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) re-elected Russian Arkady Dvorkovich as President, but the national chess teams of Russia and Belarus are barred from team competitions. Grandmasters are allowed to play in individual tournaments in a neutral status. Said Karpov:

“Dvorkovich told me about the pressure and that FIDE had to follow the recommendations of the IOC, but the recommendation is not an order. We hope that gradually these outrages will be removed from the chess world and chess players will be able to play in peace. The only time for political reasons that they suspended the membership of the South African federation, They had separate chess clubs for blacks and whites, but the South Africans could easily play under their own flag in individual competitions; a year later they corrected themselves. Those decisions that were made this year in chess cannot be understood by a normal person.”

● Football ● In a rematch of the 2018 FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup final, Spain defeated Japan, 3-1, to win its first tournament title, in San Jose, Costa Rica. Although the result was reversed from four years ago, the score was identical!

Spain dominated from the start and had a 3-0 lead at half after goals by Inma Gabarro (12th minute) and two from Salma Paralluelo, in the 22nd minute and in the 27th on a penalty. Japan scored the only second-half goal, in the 47th minute, by Suzu Amano.

Brazil won its first medal since 2006 with a 4-1 win over the Netherlands, in the third-place game. The U.S. women were eliminated in the group stage.

● Ice Hockey ● At the IIHF Women’s World Championship in Denmark, the U.S. concluded a dominant group stage, winning its third and fourth games with a 9-0 whitewash of Switzerland and a 5-2 win over Canada, thanks to three goals in the final period.

The U.S. out-scored its four opponents by 30-3 (vs. 19-7 for 3-1 Canada) and rolls into the playoffs as the top seed. The Americans will play Hungary (1-3 with one overtime loss) on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

● Swimming ● The head of the Russian Swimming Federation, four-time Olympic gold medalist Vladimir Salnikov, told the TASS news agency that the current ban on Russian swimmers is wholly political:

“We have competitions that have been canceled – they have not been canceled forever – they are conditionally in the stage of postponement: the European Championship, and the World Cup. It is conditionally determined that they are postponed for some remote period.

“Answering the question ‘when,’ this is probably more of a political question. Now I will not answer it, because everyone expects some events, probably, improving the general atmosphere associated with the reaction of unfriendly countries, first of all. But it sits in everyone’s head that it’s time to do this. We won’t miss it [the decision], but we are waiting.”

Three-time U.S. Olympic relay gold medalist Blake Pieroni, 26, best known as a  Freestyle sprinter, announced his retirement from competitive swimming on Instagram last week:

“Big life update for everyone, I am retiring from the sport of swimming, I have loved all my years in the sport, the friends I’ve met and the doors that swimming has opened for me. However, I don’t feel a burning passion to be the very best that I can be. My lifetime goal from when I was young watching @m_phelps00 in Beijing was always to be olympian and I achieved that twice. Thank you to everyone who cheered for me and sent me encouraging messages. I still enjoy the sport and I hope to be around in some capacity in the future.”

He swam in the heats of the Rio 2016 men’s 4×100 m Free relay, was on the second leg of the winning Tokyo 2020 men’s 4×100 m Free relay and in the heats of the men’s 4×100 m Medley relay (which the U.S. eventually won). He also swam in the prelims of the men’s 4×200 m Free relay, but did not win a medal as the U.S. finished fourth in the final.

Pieroni also won six Worlds relay medals (4-0-2) in 2017 and 2019 and finishes with impressive Freestyle bests of 22.03 (50 m), 47.87 (100 m), 1:45.93 (200 m) and 3:53.98 (400 m).

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For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Ingebrigtsen gets world lead in Lausanne; 1.47 million attend Euro Champs; lessons in government relations from World Games ‘22

By
Rich Perelman
-
A big crowd at Munich's Olympiastadion during the 2022 European Championships (Photo by Thomas Niedenmueller, courtesy European Championships Munich 2022)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Ingebrightsen 3:29.05, upsets by Hobbs & Broadbell in Lausanne
2. European Championships drew 1.47 million spectators!
3. World Games organizers failed to inform the politicians
4. California legislature OKs 10-year in-state tuition for student-athletes
5. Evenepoel extends lead at La Vuelta a Espana

The Lausanne Diamond League meet showcased Norway’s distance star Jakob Ingebtigtsen, who won with a world-leading 3:29.05 in the men’s 1,500 m. But the meet was also marked by upset wins for American Aleia Hobbs (women’s 100 m) and Jamaican Rasheed Broadbell (men’s 110 m hurdles) and a speedy 19.56 200 m win for Noah Lyles of the U.S. The just-completed European Championships in Munich drew 1.47 million spectators in total and drew excellent television audiences as well, a good sign for an event in just its second edition. The 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, was an aesthetic and athletic success, but not a financial one, as it ended with a $15.66 million deficit, with the City Council angered because it was not kept informed. Nevertheless, it allocated $5 million to help more government help apparently on the way. The California legislature approved a bill to give Olympic-sport athletes in-state tuition rates through 2032; it now goes to Governor Gavin Newsom for signature. At the Vuelta a Espana, the third uphill finish in a row saw Belgium’s 22-year-old star Remco Evenepoel hold on to the lead for the fourth straight stage, heading into Monday’s rest day.

1.
Ingebrightsen 3:29.05, upsets by Hobbs & Broadbell in Lausanne

/Updated/The 11th of 13 Diamond League meets for 2022 saw one world-leading performance, but some amazing upsets in the sprints and hurdles on Friday in Lausanne’s Athletissima meet.

Norway’s Olympic 1,500 m champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen was the only one willing to follow the swift pacesetting, passing 800 m in 1:51.5 and continuing on through 1,200 m in 2:47.8. He was never challenged, finishing his last lap in 55.2 to cross the line in a world-leading 3:29.05. Kenyan Abel Kipsang out-dueled Australian Stewart McSweyn, 3:29.93 to 3:30.18 for second.

The sprints were another story. In the eagerly-anticipated women’s 100 m, Jamaica’s five-time World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrew with an injury during warm-ups and twice Olympic champ Elaine Thompson-Herah was disqualified for a false start! When the running finally got going, it was American Aleia Hobbs with the lead with 20 m and she survived a late rush by Jamaica’s World 200 m champ Shericka Jackson for the win by 10.87-10.88 (wind 0)! Americans Tamari Davis and TeeTee Terry went 4-5 in 10.94 and 11.13. Said the winner:

“I had a good start today and I know that if I start well I can get great times.”

In the men’s 110 m hurdles, World Champion Grant Holloway of the U.S. got out to his usual strong start and had control of the race after seven hurdles. But Commonwealth Games champ Rasheed Broadbell (JAM) came on strong as did Worlds silver winner Trey Cunningham of the U.S. and they went 1-2 in 12.99 (lifetime best) and 13.10, with Holloway slipping to third in 13.11 (wind 0).

Not every event was an upset. American Noah Lyles was challenged on the turn of the men’s 200 m by World 400 m gold medalist Michael Norman, but took over in the final 50 m to win in a speedy 19.56 (wind: +1.3 m/s) to 19.76 with Jereem Richards (TTO: 19.95) third. U.S. teen star Erriyon Knighton was sixth in 20.13. It’s the equal-16th performance of all-time for Lyles, who said afterwards:

“I would have taken anything under 19.60, so 19.56 is alright for tonight. I could have gone faster but I am not going to fret too much about it.

“I am going to run the 100 m in Berlin and 200 m in Zurich, so there are quite a few meets in the coming weeks. … I feel if I have a 19.30 in me, I will not be too far from a 9.70 in the 100.”

Olympic and World Champion Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) ran away with the men’s Steeple, winning in 8:02.45, the no. 5 time of the year. American Evan Jager was eighth in a season’s best of 8:16.99. Cuba swept the men’s triple jump, with Andy Diaz (17.67 m/57-11 3/4), Lazaro Martinez (17.50 m/57-5) and Jordan Diaz (17.44 m/57-2 3/4); Americans Donald Scott and Christian Taylor were 6-7 at 16.81 m (55-2) and 16.45 m (53-11 3/4). Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra (IND) got a big, 89.08 m (292-3) throw in the first round and that held up to win the javelin; American Curtis Thompson was third (83.72 m/274-8).

In the women’s 400 m, Dominican star Marileidy Paulino used a late rush to win, 49,87 to 49.94 over Sada Williams (BAR). European silver medalist Renelle Lamote (FRA) held on in the final meters to edge Allie Wilson of the U.S. in the women’s 800 m, 1:57.84 to 1:58.09 in lifetime bests for both. And it looked like American Alicia Monson was going to steal the women’s 3,000 m with her steady, hard pace, but was overtaken at the line by favored Francine Niyonsaba (BDI), 8:26.80 to 8:26.81 (lifetime best, no. 4 all-time U.S.). Dutch star Sifan Hassan was fourth (8:28.28) and American Elise Cranny got a lifetime best in sixth in 8:29.95, moving to no. 8 all-time U.S..

Femke Bol (NED) continued her superstar streak from the Europeans with a convincing 52.95 win, with Rio Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad of the U.S. out strongly, but fading to seventh in 56.03.

Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn took a swift 100 m hurdles in 12.34 (wind: -0.9) ahead of world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR: 12.45) and Americans Tia Jones (3: 12.47), Nia Ali (4: 12.59) and Keni Harrison (6: 12.59). Slovenia’s Tina Sutej won the vault at 4.70 m (15-5) and Olympic and World Champion Yulimar Rojas (VEN) took the triple jump at 15.31 m (50-2 3/4).

In the men’s high jump, Ukraine’s Andriy Protsenko faired best in the cool conditions at 2.24 m (7-4 1/4), ahead of World Champion Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) and JuVaughn Harrison of the U.S. In the men’s shot, two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs of the U.S. scored a minor upset over countryman Ryan Crouser, 22.65 m (74-3 3/4) to 22.05 m (72-4 1/4), with Crouser saying afterwards:

“I have just recovered from a long Covid and have not had any training in the last three weeks.

Considering that, tonight was not at all bad, Joe had a great series and I felt I was in the mix with the other guys.”

Next up is the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels next Friday (2 September).

2.
European Championships drew 1.47 million spectators!

The nine-sport European Championships Munich 2022 organizers released some statistics on the 12-day program, which has been widely regarded as a considerable success.

At the top of the figures was a whopping total attendance of 1.47 million, including the free public events, led by 200,000-plus for the men’s cycling road race; there were 55,000 for the opening ceremony in the Munich Olympiastadion. And:

● 4,024 athletes competing in 175 medal events in 116 sessions
● “The Roofs” festival added 150 musical performances
● Munich 2022 had 1,595 staff on-site and 6,000+ volunteers

A really unique program sure to be replicated elsewhere was the Sportabzeichen or “Sports Badge” project, in which visitors to Munich 2022 could try out each of the nine included sports for themselves. Each completed “sport” earned a single badge and more than 4,000 people completed all nine sports. The concept was to encourage more exercise.

The International Fair Play Committee awarded a “Special Fair Play Trophy” to Andorra’s Nahuel Carabana, who stopped to help the fallen Danish runner Axel Vang Christiansen in heat one of the men’s 3,000 m Steeplechase on 16 August. Christiansen – an 8:29 Steepler – had slammed into one of the barriers and crumpled in a heap on the track when Carabana (an 8:32 man) stopped to help him and get him out of the path of runners coming around again.

When the medical help came, Carabana continued, now hopelessly behind the other runners, and finished last in the heat at 9:37.74.

The television audience for the European Championships was also impressive, with the events shown on more than 50 public broadcasting channels in Europe via the European Broadcasting Union. Some 700 hours were shown live and 3,500 hours combined including on-demand video of other events.

The top draw in Germany was track & field, with an average audience on ARD of 4.48 million, followed by 2.4 million for triathlon and 2.1 million for gymnastics. Its audience peaked at about six million for Konstanze Klosterhalfen’s women’s 5,000 m win. The ZDF channel had a peak of 6.7 million, also for track & field, on the final day, with the entire session averaging 5.1 million viewers. ZDF had audiences that averaged 2.85 million for beach volleyball and track cycling (2.3 million).

Stars meant a lot and Swedish television (SVT) had a 60% audience share in the country for the men’s vault final, starring home favorite Mondo Duplantis on 20 August. Neighboring Norway’s NHK reported a 63% audience share for the track & field broadcast on 19 August that included the men’s 400 m hurdles final, starring Olympic champ Karsten Warholm.

The takeaway is that the program as a whole in Munich was more than the sum of its parts. That’s not easy to do, but this was – helped by being part of the 50-year commemoration of the Munich 1972 Olympic Games – a great example of what is possible.

3.
World Games organizers failed to inform the politicians

In a loud and forthright commentary, AL.com columnist Roy Johnson – a 2021 Pulitzer Prize winner – praised the 2022 World Games organizing committee for staging a remarkable event in a town which had never hosted anything like it, and condemned them for not sharing the financial realities as they went along:

“Yes, the World Games was a gargantuan feat. One executed with minimal glitches and seismic successes. One for which there was no viable economic blueprint, no sensible model for an event few on this side of the pond had even heard of until a handful of local businessmen and then-Mayor William Bell sought it out eight years ago – at least not one in which the math added up. …

“And yet, as [chief executive Nick] Sellers and crew fully know now: They should have said something sooner, much sooner. They should have alerted city and business leaders not just that there would be a deficit (which they did) but as soon as it was clear the hole was deeper than expected – $14 million deep.”

In fact, the debt was $15.66 million in all, with the Birmingham City Council agreeing to pick up $5 million of it, on what Johnson explained was a 7-2 vote. “I deeply resent being left in the dark,” said Councilor Valerie Abbott, one of the votes against the bailout. Sellers apologized, but Johnson noted that the Jefferson County Commission will be asked to vote on a $4 million grant and the Convention & Visitors Bureau for $1 million. That’s $10 million in all, with Sellers trying to raise the remainder from sponsors and supporters.

Said Councilor Clinton Woods:

“When we’re in the dark we’re in a terrible situation out there telling residents what we believe to be the truth. …

“In order to most effectively run the city, the public has to have faith in us – telling them the truth when we say we can’t give them what they want. We can say we didn’t know, but they see it as we should have known. They see it as a World Games versus the neighborhoods discussion. That is not the case. We got to do a better job.”

Observed: Long-time observers of the Olympic Movement will remember the broken relationship between the 1996 Olympic organizers and the City of Atlanta, which had terrible consequences for the short-term and long-term reputation of the event, such as from the non-sponsor commercial displays in the downtown area.

But in Birmingham – even with a deficit looming – the local and regional governments and the organizers ensured that the event went off well and are now trying to solve the remaining issues. That’s to the credit of both sides, with Birmingham looking to future on how it can capitalize on putting on a quality show for 3,600 athletes from 110 countries. Now they need to take the knowledge they have and make it pay off in the years to come.

4.
California legislature OKs 10-year in-state tuition
for student-athletes

The California Assembly and Senate have passed AB 2747 (2021-22), which will allow college students from anywhere who train in California to obtain in-state tuition rates and fees for the next 10 years:

“Any Team USA student athlete who trains in the state in an elite level program approved by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee is entitled to resident classification for tuition and fee purposes until the athlete has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident.”

Being a “Team USA athlete” only means being eligible under the rules of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the relevant National Governing Body.

The legislation was endorsed by the LA28 organizing committee, the USOPC, the National Governing Bodies Council and others. It’s in force as written through 30 June 2032; after that, it applies only to “any student athlete in training at the United States Olympic Training Center in the City of Chula Vista” (actually now named the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center).

It passed by 40-0 in the Senate and the final amended version was approved, 76-0, by the Assembly. California Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to sign it.

5.
Evenepoel extends lead at La Vuelta a Espana

Sunday’s 171.4 km route for Stage 9 at the 77th Vuelta a Espana featured yet another uphill finish, this time a brutal climb up Les Praeres in Nava in Asturias, rising almost 500 m in the final 3.8 km.

It was South Africa’s Louis Meintjes who mastered the climb best, catching the three riders ahead of him with 2.5 km left and storming to the finish in 4:32:39, ahead of Samuele Battistella (ITA: +1:01) and Edoardo Zambinini (ITA: +1:14).

Behind them was Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel (+1:34), who added to his overall lead, now 1:12 up on Enric Mas (ESP) and 1:53 on three-time defending champ Primoz Roglic (SLO). Just 22, Evenepoel has already had three UCI World Tour wins this season and continues in the lead for fourth straight stage.

The overall race did not change on Friday’s single-climb, 190 km ride from Camargo to Cistierna, with home favorite Jesus Herrada winning the final sprint from Battistella (ITA) and Fred Wright (GBR) with the top five all timed in 4:30:58. Saturday’s more arduous, 153.4 km route ended with a nasty climb on the Collau Fancuaya in Astuias in northwest Spain at 1,084 m, conquered by Stage 6 winner Jay Vine (AUS) with a solo attack over the last 6 km. He finished 43 seconds up on Marc Soler (ESP) and Estonia’s Rein Taaramae.

Monday is a rest day, with a time trial on Tuesday, two more flat stages, two hilly stages and two mountain stages coming up through next Sunday.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Badminton ● The 27th BWF World Championships was held in Tokyo, with China claiming two of the five titles decided on the final day.

In the women’s Doubles, defending champions Qing Chen Chen and Yi Fan Jia (CHN) out-lasted 2021 bronze medalists So Yeong Kim and Hee Yong Kong (KOR), 22-20 and 21-14; it’s the third world title for Chen and Jia (also in 2017). In the Si Wei Zhang and Ya Qiong Huang (CHN) won their third career Mixed Doubles title together by 21-13, 21-16 over Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino (JPN), silver medalists for the second consecutive year.

The hosts celebrated a win in the women’s Singles, as top-seeded and defending champion Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) defeated Yu Fei Chen (CHN), 21-12, 10-21, 21-14. Chen won her third Worlds medal in the last five editions, after bronzes in 2017 and 2019.

Viktor Axelsen (DEN) won his second career world title with a 21-5, 21-16 rout of Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA). Axelsen also won in 2017; Vititsarn was the first-ever Thai finalist in this event.

Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Wool Yik Soh won the country’s first-ever men’s Doubles world title, upsetting three-time champions Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan (INA), 21-19, 21-14.

● Cycling ● The Mountain Bike World Championships returned to Les Gets (FRA) for the first time in 18 years, with the amazing Nino Schurter (SUI) winning his 10th career Worlds gold in the men’s Cross Country final.

Schurter, now 36, was in the lead or close to it during the entire seven-lap, 24.01 km race, producing the fastest laps in the field on the final two laps to finish in 1:21:13. That was nine seconds up on Spain’s David Valero (1:21:22) and 29 seconds ahead of Italian Luca Braidot (1:21:42), both first-time medal winners. Schurter came in as the defending champ and has now won seven of the last eight world titles.

French star Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, 30, won her third world title in the past four seasons and fourth overall in 1:22:08 for the six-lap, 20.58 km course. She was a clear winner, some 1:35 up on 2017 Worlds winner Jolanda Neff (SUI) and 2:13 ahead of American Haley Batten, who won her first career Worlds medal and the first for the U.S. since 2018.

In the men’s 12.0 km short-track racing, New Zealand’s Sam Gaze – the two-time Commonwealth Games Cross Country winner – managed a three-second win over Swiss Filippo Colombo, 22:21 to 22:24 in the men’s race, with fellow Swiss Thomas Litscher third (22:27). France’s Ferrand-Prevot moved up from the bronze medal in the women’s division in 2021 to the top of the podium, winning the 10.8 km race in 21:56, 18 seconds up on Alessandra Keller (SUI: 22:14) and 21 seconds ahead of American Gwen Gibson. Fellow Americans Kate Courtney finished eighth and Savilla Blunk was 10th.

The non-Olympic downhill was a French sweep for the men, with Loic Bruni winning his fifth world title in 3:20.478 over Amaury Pierron (3:23.059) and Loris Vergier (3:23.864). Dakotah Norton and Aaron Gwin finished 7-8 for the U.S. Austria’s Valentina Hoell, 20, scored an upset win in the women’s race in 3:53.857, ahead of Nina Hoffmann (GER: 3:54.763) and defending champion Myriam Nicole (FRA: 3:57.304).

● Ice Hockey ● The annual IIHF Women’s World Championship is underway in Denmark, with the U.S. off to a hot start with a 10-0 rout of Japan and a 6-1 win over Finland, both at the KVIK Hockey Arena in Herning. Canada is 3-0 and has out-scored its opponents by 17-2 so far.

Canada and the U.S. will play on 30 August; the playoffs begin on 1 September with the medal matches on 4 September.

● Volleyball ● The 2022 FIVB men’s World Championship is underway in Poland and Slovenia, with pool play through the 30th, followed by playoffs beginning on 3 September.

The U.S. is in Pool C in Katowice (POL) along with defending champion Poland, and is 2-0 after defeating Mexico and Bulgaria in straight sets. The Americans and Poles will play in the final pool match on the 30th; the top 16 teams (out of 24) advance to the playoffs.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● National Olympic Committees ● The Russian sports minister, Oleg Matytsin, well respected from his time as the head of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), now is in a difficult position during the Russian war against Ukraine.

But given his FISU experience, his recent comments were an interesting gauge of what makes a sport important. At the All-Russian Spartakiad in Kazan, he visited the break dancing competition and told reporters:

“Everything that is interesting to people, everything that is interesting to young people deserves the closest attention and support.

“Moreover, this sport is Olympic, and the Federation of Dance Sports and Acrobatic Rock and Roll Russia is actively developing it in our country.”

On this basis, there are multiple Olympic-program sports which have low participation among youth and could be jettisoned. Time will tell if his view prevails.

● Athletics ● The Athletics Integrity Unit posted provisional suspensions for two more Kenyan marathoners late last week, alleging use of prohibited substances against Michael Kunyuga and Maiyo Johnstone Kibet (also known as Johnstone Maiyo).

Kunyuga, 35, a 2:06:43 man from 2020, was sanctioned for use of the steroid Norandrosterone, and Kibet, 33, with a 2:10:02 best from 2011, for the oxygen-support drug erythropoietin (EPO).

The AIU database shows 49 Kenyans as ineligible (45 are distance runners), not counting seven others on the provisional suspension list.

● Badminton ● Sydney 2000 women’s bronze medalist Zhaoying Ye of China told Denmark’s TV2 television on Saturday that she was ordered to lose to teammate Zhichao Gong in the Olympic semifinals in order to give Gong an edge going into the gold-medal match.

Gong “defeated” Ye, 11-8, 11-8, to advance to the final, which she won in straight sets over Denmark’s Camilla Martin. Said Ye:

“They asked me to do this. They told me not to let it look like I was losing on purpose. But at the same time, they wanted me not to tire Gong Zhichao too much. They wanted me to lose in two sets, not in three sets, so that I wouldn’t tire her out too much.

“You can go and watch it again. I would purposely put points out of bounds, stuff like that, or make sure (the shuttlecock) did not go over the net. I had no choice.”

Ye, now 48, won her bronze-medal match against fellow Chinese Yun Dai, and added, “We feel very helpless, because we are alone against the system. The Olympics is almost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an athlete, so it’s really sad. But as an individual, I couldn’t argue with the system.”

She and her husband, Haidong Hao, 52, a former Chinese football star striker, live in exile in Malaga (ESP) after Hao’s criticism of the regime in 2020.

The Badminton World Federation, in response to the story, noted that much stronger competition manipulation oversight tools are available today.

● Basketball ● The U.S. men’s national team crushed Uruguay, 105-71, in Las Vegas to win its first of six matches in Group F of the Americas qualifying window for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Guard John Jenkins – who plays professionally in France – the U.S. with 22 points, followed by sub guard Langston Galloway (18) and forward DaQuan Jeffries (16), as the team shot a blistering 63.6% from the field, including 51.7% (15-29) from three-point range.

The American squad will travel to Barranquilla for a Monday match against Colombia; the next qualifying window will be in November.

● Football ● FIFA lifted its suspension of the All India Football Federation on Friday, in view of the return of control of the federation’s operations from the court-appointed Committee of Administrators. The good news:

“As a consequence, the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 scheduled to take place on 11-30 October 2022 will be held in India as planned.”

● Rugby Sevens ● The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series came to the Los Angeles area over the weekend, playing the ninth and final stage of the season at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, the proposed site for the 2028 Olympic tournament.

Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa all cruised through pool play with 3-0 records. Those four all won their quarterfinals and then Fiji crushed the Aussies, 29-10 in one semi and New Zealand edged Samoa, 28-26 in the other.

However, Australia, which had never finished better than second way back in 2000-01, defeated Samoa, 21-7, in the bronze-medal march and won its first-ever team title with 126 points.

The gold-medal final saw a 14-14 tie at half, but New Zealand winning late, 28-21, for its first tournament win of the season.

Defending champion South Africa, which won the first four tournaments of the season, finished second overall with 124, with Fiji third (122), Argentina fourth (118) and Ireland (92) fifth. The U.S. was sixth (87).

● Wrestling ● U.S. wrestler Pat Smith won the Greco-Roman 60 kg gold for the only American win at the Slaven, Halfen, Weinberg & Gottfruend Memorial, held in Be’er Sheva (ISR) in memory of four members of the Israeli delegation who were murdered at the 1972 Olympic Games by Palestinian terrorists.

The seven-nation tournament saw Israel win nine titles overall (Greco and Freestyle), followed by Germany and Morocco with three each and Greece and the U.S. with one each.

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TSX REPORT: Remembering Munich ‘72 on its 50th anniversary; FIFA World Cup in Qatar to get heavy security; Mexico for the 2036 Games?

By
Rich Perelman
-
Otl Aicher's iconic pictograms for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Exactly 50 years ago: the opening of the Munich Games
2. Seven-nation wrestling fest in Israel salutes ‘72 victims
3. FIFA World Cup ‘22 security aid from Pakistan and Turkey
4. Mexico now looking to bid for 2036 Olympic Games
5. Vine takes La Vuelta stage 6; Evenepoel is the new leader

Today is the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Games of the XX Olympiad in Munich, West Germany, an event full of promise that collapsed into tragedy with the murder of 11 Israeli athletes and officials by Palestinian terrorists. Even so, it was a Games that brought design, technology and architecture to the highest levels in support of international sport, and changed how all future major sporting events would be organized and staged. As a Munich memorial, a remarkable, seven-nation wrestling tournament is being held in Israel, including the U.S., with Munich ‘72 team members and Olympic medalists John and Ben Peterson as part of the American delegation. In Qatar, the security for the upcoming FIFA World Cup will be extensive, with support from the Pakistani military, Turkish police and 15,000 surveillance cameras. The Mexican Olympic Committee has signaled its interest in exploring a hosting of the 2036 Olympic Games with the International Olympic Committee. At the Vuelta a Espana cycling extravaganza, Australian Jay Vine took a surprise win in Stage 6, but three-time defending champ Primoz Roglic of Slovenia moved back up, close to the overall lead.

1.
Exactly 50 years ago: the opening of the Munich Games

/Updated/One of the most consequential Olympic Games ever held opened 50 years ago – 26 August 1972 – at the sparkling new Olympiastadion in Munich, then in West Germany, with the flame lit by distance runner Gunther Zahn.

Held 36 years after the infamous, Nazi-dominated 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin and 27 years after the end of World War II, the event was designed to showcase the progress made in West Germany and was promoted as “The Cheerful Games.”

It was enthusiastically received by the West Germans, who supported the Games with ravenous purchases of Olympic coins (profit of 731 million marks, about $223.3 million U.S. at the time, or $1.58 billion in 2022), the Olympic lottery and related games (DM 437 million in sales through 1974, about $133.5 million U.S. at the time, or $946.2 million in 2022) and even postage stamps. All told, the Munich organizers realized DM 1.28 billion in revenue (about $391 million U.S. at the time, or $2.77 billion today), 64% of the total budget of the Games, actually reducing the public funding of the event by the federal, state and local governments!

(Thanks to Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist for pointing out our mis-conversions to U.S. dollars in our original post.)

A heavy promotional campaign emphasized the “new” Munich, using a pastel color scheme and a brilliant set of new venues, especially the futuristic-looking Olympiapark, with its iconic acrylic rooflines. The clean, precise lines of the logo and pictograms by designer Otl Aicher were hailed as a new standard in design:

“[Aicher] drew an extensive series of pictograms on a modular grid divided by horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines. A very good example of German cold geometry that emerged as a complete standardised visual language due to all of his drawings being designed under strict mathematical control. Aicher’s pictograms were an unavoidable milestone in the design of pictographic systems.”

Munich also introduced the first summer Olympic Games mascot, the multi-colored Waldi, the dachshund.

Behind the scenes, new technologies were at work, especially in the computerized timing and scoring systems designed by Siemens and Junghans. This was to be the most modern, technically perfect Games ever.

It started well, with a then-record 121 nations attending and 7,114 athletes. Russian teenager Olga Korbut debuted a fascinating, new, technical approach to gymnastics that earned her three gold medals. American Mark Spitz set a new standard for excellence in swimming, winning an unprecedented seven gold medals, winning the 100 and 200 m Freestyles and Butterflys and with legs on three winning U.S. relay teams, all in world-record times. Finland’s Lasse Viren fell during the final of the men’s 10,000 m on the track, but got up and not only won, but in a world record of 27:38.4. He later won the 5,000 m as well.

But on 5 September – 11 days into the Games – the happiness ended with the capture and murder of 11 Israeli athletes and officials by Palestinian terrorists. A day of mourning was held on 6 September, with International Olympic Committee President Avery Brundage (USA) telling an audience of 80,000 in the Olympiastadion, in pertinent part:

“We have only the strength of a great ideal. I am sure the public will agree that we cannot allow a handful of terrorists to destroy this nucleus of international cooperation and goodwill we have in the Olympic Movement.

“The Games must go on and we must continue our efforts to keep them clear, pure and honest and try to extend sportsmanship of the athletic field to other areas. We declare today a day of mourning and will continue all the events one day later than scheduled.”

The next day, Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett of the U.S. went 1-2 in the men’s 400 m and staged a passive protest on the awards podium by standing casually while the American anthem was played. They were disqualified from further participation in the Games (specifically the 4×400 m relay). On 10 September, American Frank Shorter – born in Munich – won the marathon in 2:12:20, one of the catalytic events of the “running boom” of the 1970s.

Munich was a success on many levels, but will always be remembered for its failure in security and the “Munich Massacre.” Security at the Games, and all other major events, has not been the same since.

2.
Seven-nation wrestling fest in Israel salutes ‘72 victims

A unique remembrance of the Munich Massacre is concluding in Be’er Sheva, Israel, with seven nations competing in the “Slavin, Halfen, Weinberg & Gottfreund Memorial.”

Of the 11 victims in Munich, four were wrestling-related, including athletes Eliezer Halfin and Mark Slavin, referee Yossef Gutfreund and coach Moshe Weinberg; weightlifting also had four victims, with three athletes and an official killed.

The 2022 tournament features athletes from Israel, the United States, Morocco, Germany, Greece, Switzerland and Tajikistan, in Freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions. A training camp program for youth wrestlers, including some Americans, is also included.

Two members of the American team from 1972 are part of the delegation, brothers John and Ben Peterson. Ben won the Olympic Freestyle gold at 90 kg and John was the 82 kg silver medalist. Also of note is the presence of the Moroccan team; Jake Kornblatt (USA) of the Israeli Wrestling Federation explained:

“A very significant part of this event is that it follows the Abraham Accords, in which Israel and Morocco signed a peace agreement. The delegation of 17 Moroccans have arrived in Israel for a week and the Moroccan Wrestling Federation President will be signing an agreement of cooperation with the President of the Israeli Wrestling Federation in the presence of the Chairperson of the Israeli Olympic Committee and the Moroccan Ambassador to Israel.”

The unofficial title of the competition is “Wrestle for Peace.”

3.
FIFA World Cup ‘22 security aid from Pakistan and Turkey

An agreement in principle between FIFA World Cup host Qatar and Pakistan will see Pakistani troops on the ground to help provide security during the event that begins on 20 November.

Reuters reported that the Pakistan government has approved the plan, ahead of a visit during the week by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. A statement explained, “The two sides will discuss bilateral relations between the two countries, especially to move forward cooperation in energy, trade, and investment opportunities.”

No further details about the specific number of troops or other aid to be provided for the World Cup were disclosed. Pakistan, suffering through continuing financial crises, is to receive $2 billion in aid from Qatar, along with $1 billion in financing from both Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The security arrangements for the World Cup include a heavy use of security cameras and facial recognition. An Agence France Presse story explained that the security program will include 3,000 Turkish police and the use of 15,000 security cameras across the eight stadiums and drones on the surrounding streets, trains and buses to gauge crowd control requirements. The camera systems have been equipped with facial recognition technology.

According to Biometricupdate.com, “Access to events will be controlled through the Hayya Card, a digital identity document that must be applied for by submitting passport scan, along with a high-quality facial image.” China’s Huawei was reported as the “system integrator for the facial recognition capability” and is providing network infrastructure for the organizers.

The interconnections between the stadia will allow a simultaneous announcement to be made in all eight at the same time.

Said Qatar 22 Chief Technology Officer Niyas Abdulrahiman (QAT), “What you see here is a new standard, a new trend in venue operations, this is our contribution from Qatar to the world of sport. What you see here is the future of stadium operations.”

Quite possible with eight stadia within 43 miles, but harder for larger, multi-sport events with more distant venues.

4.
Mexico now looking to bid for 2036 Olympic Games

ESPN Mexico reported that the Comite Olimpico Mexicano (COM) has made contact with the International Olympic Committee to open a dialogue about a second Olympic Games in Mexico in 2036.

The COM President, Mari Jose Alcala – a four-time Olympian in diving – was on the video call on Tuesday (23rd) to begin the discussion, ostensibly with the IOC’s Future Hosts Commission. The 1968 Olympic Games was held in Mexico City, following unsuccessful bids for the 1956 and 1960 Games.

However, a 2036 bid could be made with Guadalajara or Monterrey as the lead city, no doubt with events spread out to maximize the use of existing sites, as per the IOC’s desire. Mexico hosted the 1955 and 1975 Pan American Games in Mexico City and the 2011 edition in Guadalajara, and the 1986 FIFA World Cup (in 12 stadia in seven states). In 2026, FIFA World Cup matches will be played in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara.

There are plenty of other contenders for 2036, and the decision is not expected to be made until after current IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) leaves office in 2025.

5.
Vine takes La Vuelta stage 6; Evenepoel is the new leader

The first major climbing stage of the 77th Vuelta a Espana finished with a 12.6 km march up the Pico Jano that gained more than 800 m in elevation at the end of Thursday’s 181.2 km stage. At the end, it was Australia’s Jay Vine, 26, with his first-ever win on the UCI World Tour.

Ukraine’s Mark Padun was the leader at the start of the final climb, but he was overhauled by Vine and then Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel and Spain’s Enric Mas, who finished 1-2-3 in 4:38:00, 4:38:15 and 4:38:16.

Padun faded to 20th, but three-time winner Primoz Roglic (SLO) led the main contender pack in fifth place, just 1:37 back. While Evenepoel has the overall lead, Roglic chopped three minutes off of his deficit at the start of the day and is only 1:01 back in fourth. France’s Rudy Molard, the leader coming in, is now second (+0:21) and Mas is third (0:28).

A hilly stage on Friday will be followed by mountain stages on Saturday and Sunday in northwest Spain, both with uphill finishes.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore reports that UEFA director Michele Uva is the leading candidate to become the head of the Milan Cortina organizing committee, asked to speed up the recruitment of domestic sponsors and the organization of the event.

The Italian government has seen the costs for its contribution of the Games rise substantially, even to the level of providing a substantial loan to the organizers to help with cash flow. A new chief executive is desired; others consistently mentioned are Paolo Scaroni, the chair of the AC Milan football club and banking executive Alessandro Profumo, the current head of Leonardo S.p.A.

● Olympic Winter Games 2030: Vancouver ● The attitude of the British Columbia provincial government toward a possible Vancouver bid for 2030 remains uncertain.

Questions raised by the province were expected to be answered in a 15 August submittal from the Canadian Olympic Committee and the four First Nations who are leading the bid effort, but some information was not available. Reports indicated that the British Columbia government will not give or refuse approval until the fall or early winter. The main questions: cost, financing, governance and who is ultimately responsible in case of a deficit.

The Canadian national government’s view towards the bid is said to be dependent on the provincial decision. In the meantime, the IOC expects to decide on a preferred candidate for 2030 by December with Sapporo and Salt Lake City considerably in the lead.

● Athletics ● Sweden’s superstar vaulter, Mondo Duplantis, triumphed in Lausanne in a city-center pole vault on Thursday ahead of the main session of the Athletissima Diamond League meet on Friday (on NBC’s Peacock service from 2-4 p.m. Eastern time).

He continued his undefeated season by winning his 17th competition (and 20th in a row over two seasons) at 6.10 m (20-0) on his third attempt. He was the only one to clear 5.90 m (19-4 1/4) and 6.00 m (19-8 1/4), with American Chris Nilsen second at 5.80 m (19-0 1/4).

Russian national long jump champion Yelena Sokolova, the London 2012 silver medalist, told the Russian news agency TASS that the All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) is not the only one to blame for its continuous suspension for doping and governance issues since 2015:

“I won’t blame the ARAF for all the troubles. The international federation [World Athletics] is absolutely to blame. I don’t understand why there are no questions for them, but they blame the ARAF. I agree that and we must work together to improve, and not blame each other for everything.”

Russian Minister of Sport Oleg Matytsin echoed the sentiment, but in a different way, on Thursday in Kazan, with the multi-sport Spartakiad is continuing:

“We are not isolating ourselves, all questions are for the opposite side. We are ready for an open dialogue at any time, and Russian athletes are ready to compete and please our fans and the entire world community with their performances at any time.”

No mention of the “special military operation” in Ukraine, of course.

World women’s vault leader Anzhelika Sidorova, 31, the 2019 World Champion, told reporters that she is unsure about her future in the sport given the continuing suspension of the Russian federation:

“I’m going on vacation, and then I don’t know what will happen. … How can I be satisfied with the season if it was not?”

● Bobsled ● Canada’s Justin Kripps, the PyeongChang 2018 co-Olympic gold medalist in the Two-Man event, announced his retirement at age 35. He also piloted the Beijing 2022 bronze medalists in the Four-Man sled and won five World Championships medals (0-2-3) from 2012-19.

Originally a sprinter at Simon Fraser University, he saw bobsledding as a mix of track and auto racing and was a consistently dangerous performer. He won the 2017-18 seasonal World Cup title in the Two-Man division. He wrote on Instagram:

“16 years of living my dream, wearing the maple leaf proudly while representing this great country all over the world. It’s been my greatest challenge and the most rewarding adventure of my life. I pushed myself further than I thought possible and learned who I was in the process. I wouldn’t change even the worst day or the hardest struggle I had because my greatest moments seemed to arrive right after the most difficult times.”

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TSX REPORT: Birmingham gives $5 million for World Games debt; more Qatar labor protests as World Cup nears; $5 million to update Utah Olympic Park!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Birmingham City Council approves $5 million for World Games bailout
2. Labor arrests in Qatar add further focus on FIFA World Cup
3. Salt Lake City Olympic bid helped by $5 million for Utah Olympic Park
4. Soler’s breakaway scrambles La Vuelta leaderboard
5. A dozen World Champions at Lausanne Diamond League

The 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama ended up $15.66 million in debt, but achieved a first step in paying more than 100 creditors with a $5 million grant from the Birmingham City Council. A protest in 108-degree weather over unpaid wages against a private company in Qatar, followed by arrests and deportations has raised the issue of labor rights once again, with the FIFA World Cup coming in November; the country’s labor ministry says it will make good all of the payments. A $5 million donation to the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation will complete payments on the second phase of an upgrade series, with positive consequences for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics bid for 2030 (or 2034). A late breakaway during Stage 5 of the Vuelta a Espana led to a shuffling of the leaderboard, with three-time champ Primoz Roglic of Slovenia falling from first to fifth. The annual Athletissima meet in Lausanne comes Friday, with a dozen 2022 World Champions expected to compete, including Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and American Noah Lyles.

1.
Birmingham City Council approves $5 million for
World Games bailout

Once the bills were all added up, the organizers of the 2022 World Games in Birmingham owe $15,656,173 to more than 100 individuals or companies. On Tuesday, the City Council approved a $5 million grant to the World Games Birmingham Foundation.

World Games chief executive Nick Sellers explained that the event was organized to cost $75 million, but was reduced as the program was developed. But it became clear there was going to be a deficit; said Sellers:

“We believed we could do it for $60 million. We were tracking $57 million in real revenue.”

But sponsorships that would have brought in $2.5 million evaporated in May and then ticket sales failed to materialize as hoped:

“We had to recalibrate from $7 million down to $4 million in ticket revenues. That was a $6 million hit. We expected $57 million; we ended at $51 million.” Some 200,000 tickets were expected to be sold; actual sales were about 60,000 and the year’s delay in the event due to pandemic did not help.

Sellers also noted an important aspect of the shortfall was that many fewer out-of-area visitors came to see the Games than had been anticipated, especially in the bid phase.

That revenue total included $27 million in sponsorship revenue, but the costs ended up just above $66 million for the $15.66 million loss. Among the largest creditors are host broadcaster ISB television (owed $1.182 million), Swiss Timing ($1.155 million), Van Wagner for sports production services ($938,680), Miller Media for sports production and signage ($878,000) and Revel XP for bleachers, staging and tents ($852,000).

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin lobbied for the grant and later released a statement that included:

“The World Games 2022 was a success on many levels. We expect a strong economic impact when numbers are finalized. There are multiple economic development leads based on The World Games. You can’t put a dollar amount on the boost to civic pride and positive coverage of Birmingham worldwide due to the games.

“Let me stress, Birmingham benefitted greatly from this event. Taking the next steps to leverage the data and expertise from the Birmingham Organizing Committee while ensuring the Games and vendors close out on a positive note is critical to maintaining the momentum we have experienced in Birmingham.

“This event changed the funding model for The World Games. Previous events relied almost entirely on government funding. The 2022 World Games relied heavily on private funding. Funding by sponsors at the Birmingham games outpaced all other host cities combined.”

Sellers is next expected to ask Jefferson County Commission and the Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau for added funds, along with soliciting private-sector donations.

Birmingham has doubled down on events, as the City Council approved a $2 million grant to support the 2025 World Police and Fire Games. Some 8,500 competitors from 70 countries are expected to attend.

2.
Labor arrests in Qatar add further focus on FIFA World Cup

A labor protest over unpaid wages by at least 60 foreign workers in downtown Doha (QAT) on 14 August resulted in multiple arrests and some deportations.

The workers were protesting against a private company, Al Bandary International Group, which had reportedly not paid some workers for as long as seven months.

The Associated Press reported that “Qatar’s government acknowledged that ‘a number of protesters were detained for breaching public safety laws,’” but provided no specifics on the number of arrests or deportations.

According to the AP and other reports, the government agreed that Al Bandary International had not paid the workers and that “its Labor Ministry would pay ‘all delayed salaries and benefits’ to those affected.” The government statement added:

“The company was already under investigation by the authorities for nonpayment of wages before the incident, and now further action is being taken after a deadline to settle outstanding salary payments was missed.”

According to British-based labor-rights organization Equidem, the protesting workers are from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Egypt and the Philippines, who stood outside in 108-degree temperatures. Equidem and many others have protested against the award of the FIFA World Cup to Qatar – under questionable circumstances – in 2010 and ever since, especially in regard to the country’s treatment of foreign labor, a necessity in a country of just 2.8 million residents.

3.
Salt Lake City Olympic bid helped by $5 million
for Utah Olympic Park

The organizers of the Salt Lake City bid for the 2030 (or 2034) Olympic Winter Games have made it clear that it needs to build no new venues to host the event. Now, it won’t have to worry about some of the costs thanks to a $5 million donation by the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation, announced last Thursday (18th).

The grant will be used to pay off the remaining cost of the $17.5 million second phase of the multi-year upgrade program for the Utah Olympic Park, which hosted the ski jumping and sliding events at the 2022 Winter Games.

Expected to be completed in time for the coming winter season, the upgrades include a competition-grade Alpine Giant Slalom course and a competition course for Moguls skiing, a better chairlift, lighting and snowmaking machinery. Both are expected to be heavily used by the public, regardless of when the Winter Games return.

According to Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation chief executive Colin Hilton, the gift is the largest private donation ever received. He noted:

“It most certainly will be used for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. … [but] “the true value of this mountain is to have a dedicated training and competition venue that doesn’t have the challenges of being within a ski resort. That allows us to focus on athlete training and events. To have the terrain at a facility right here at the Olympic Park is just terrific for all parties.”

4.
Soler’s breakaway scrambles La Vuelta leaderboard

Stage 5 of the 77th edition of the Vuelta a Espana saw the script torn up and thrown away as a breakaway group turned into a 15 km solo by Spanish star Marc Soler that upset the race leaderboard.

The hilly stage of 187.2 km from Irun to Bilbao had five climbs in the final half, and 18 riders took off at midway. On the final climb up the Alto de Vivero, Soler took off, passing Jake Stewart (GBR) for the lead and soloing to the finish. He ended up four seconds up on Daryl Impey (RSA), Fred Wright (GBR) and Rudy Molard (FRA).

For Soler, 28, it was his second career La Vuelta stage – also in 2020 – but it was Moland who jumped from 20th to first in the overall standings. Three-time winner Primoz Roglic (SLO) finished with the other overall contenders in 23rd, some 5:09 back of the winner. Molard now has a two-second edge on Wright, 1:09 on Niklas Arndt (GER) and 4:09 on Roglic, now in fifth.

The major climbing stages start on Thursday with a four-climb stage that ends with a ferocious uphill finish to the 1,131 m altitude finish at San Miguel de Aguayo.

5.
A dozen World Champions at Lausanne Diamond League

The final chapter of the Wanda Diamond League for 2022 begins on Friday in Lausanne (SUI), with the annual Athletissima meet, with 12 of the World Championships gold medalists from Eugene expected to be on the starting lines.

The sprints will be featured, with Jamaican stars including five-time women’s 100 m champ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce meeting 200 m champ Shericka Jackson and 100-200 m Olympic winner Elaine Thompson-Herah.

American stars Noah Lyles and Erriyon Knighton, 1-3 at 200 m in Eugene, will face off once again, along with 400 m World Champion Michael Norman. World 110 m hurdles winner Grant Holloway of the U.S. will take on Eugene silver winner Trey Cunningham and Olympic winner Hansle Parchment (JAM).

Nigeria’s world-record setter and World 100 m hurdles champ Tobi Amusan will face Eugene medalists Britany Anderson (JAM), Olympic winner Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) and Olympic silver medalist Keni Harrison of the U.S. In the women’s 400 m hurdles, Dutch star Femke Bol, the Worlds silver medalist in 2022, will face 2016 Olympic champ and 2022 Worlds bronze medalist Dalilah Muhammad of the U.S.

More World Champions: Norway’s Worlds 5,000 m winner Jakob Ingebrigtsen will run the 1,500 m – where he said he was disappointed to be second – and Eugene winner Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) will feature in the men’s Steeple.

In the field, Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis will contest an in-city vault on Thursday evening; gold medalists Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT), Ryan Crouser (USA) and Yulimar Rojas (VEN) are the favorites in the men’s high jump and shot and women’s triple jump on Friday.

In the U.S., NBC will show the meet live only on its Peacock streaming service from 2-4 p.m. Eastern time on Friday. A replay on cable channel CNBC is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.

The Diamond League will conclude with the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels on 2 September and the final in Zurich on 7-8 September.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● Another poll of French attitudes towards the Games, this time from the magazine Sponsoring.fr, as reported by FrancsJeux.com.

This one is favorable to the Games, with 66% “happy” that Paris has the Games and 12% against. About 25% plan to attend the events. But as for finances, 54% believe the event will have a negative impact as to the cost borne by taxpayers.

The legacy of the Games? Some 87% say the practice of sport will be encouraged and 85% think tourism will be helped.

● Paralympic Games 2032: Brisbane ● The International Paralympic Committee celebrated exactly 10 years to go until the opening of the 2032 Paralympic Games, with Paralympics Australia chief exec Catherine Clark explaining:

“The Brisbane Paralympics presents a unique chance for Australia to make great strides towards becoming a truly barrier-free society. These Games will be a catalyst to drive greater social inclusion for Australians living with a disability, including in education, employment, transport and accommodation.”

The IPC story also editorialized:

“Since Sydney 2000, the success of host cities has been largely determined by the quality of delivery of their Paralympic Games. London 2012 was widely regarded as the ‘best Games ever’ after its highly successful Paralympic component.”

Observed: “Largely determined”? More than the Olympic Games? Really? The story was not bylined; perhaps the World Anti-Doping Agency should be made aware and issue a test request?

● Field Hockey ● Argentina’s Sofia Maccari won an Olympic silver medal as a forward on the women’s hockey squads in London in 2012 and Tokyo in 2021, and was going to show her Tokyo medal to friends on 8 September last year when she was the victim of an armed robbery.

Her car, phone, money and her Tokyo medal were all taken, beginning an extortion effort by the thieves for the return of the medal. Maccari went to the police; one of the suspects, aged 17, was arrested, but the medal has not been retrieved.

A long process then began to try and get a replacement medal and with the assistance of the Argentine Olympic Committee, Maccari received a replica medal in mid-August from the International Olympic Committee. Said the two-time silver medalist:

“This moment is very important for me because it represents all the effort that one makes for a long time to get this medal. With all my heart I want to thank all the people of the Argentine Olympic Committee, all those who helped on social networks and the girls of the team, who helped me make a huge mobilization, I thank the International Olympic Committee for having returned this medal that I loved so much. I want to share it with the girls and the team’s coaching staff.”

● Freestyle Skiing ● “Where do I even begin? 3 Olympic Games, 1 Olympic Silver Medal, World Cup podiums, X-Games medals, FIS globes, Dew Tour podiums, 1 Acl, 2-3 meniscus repairs, cartilage damage, broken bones, 2 dislocated shoulders, 5 total knee surgeries, and endless memories with amazing teammates, coaches, friends, and family. With all the good does come some bad but I wouldn’t trade anything for the experiences I’ve had the last decade. Skiing has given me a love for the outdoors, lifelong friends, and has given me a chance to see the world. Skiing has been my everything since I was 6 years old.

“I am retiring from competitive skiing! It is bittersweet but everything must come to an end. Not going to lie, I’m a little scared for the future because skiing has been all I’ve know basically my whole life, but I’m also excited for what’s next.”

American Freestyle Halfpipe and Slopestyle star Devin Logan, now 29, retires with an impressive trophy case, starting with her Olympic Freestyle Slopestyle silver in Sochi in 2014. She was a fixture on the FIS World Cup circuit and collected 14 medals from the 2010-11 season through 2021-22, including three wins. So, what is next?

“I’m finally going to be finishing my degree, have the time at home for house projects, and can even get a dog! I’m still going to ski as much as possible because that’s who I am but I’m also excited to discover other parts of myself outside of the bib.”

● Swimming ● FINA announced a nearly $1.2 million prize pool for the upcoming, three-meet FINA World Cup from mid-October to early November.

At each stop, $224,000 in prizes will be awarded to the top finishers ($112,000 per gender) for a three-meet total of $672,000. On top of this will be a “total series prize purse” of $262,000 per gender to the top eight finishers ($524,000 total), so total prizes will be $1,196,000.

Bonuses for world records ($10,000 each) and for event sweeps – wins in all three meets – of $10,000 will also be awarded.

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For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Saudi Arabia looking to future FIFA World Cup, Olympics; Simone Manuel emerges in Tempe; 1.5 million watch USA Gymnastics champs

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

Thank you to our 23 donors, who have covered 33% of our summer funding goal for operating costs. Can you help? Please donate here. Comments? Click here.

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Saudi sports ambitions growing despite “sportswashing” criticism
2. Manuel joins growing pro stars roster at Arizona State
3. U.S. viewers like women’s gymnastics, but less in 2022 than in 2021
4. Women’s triathlon gets 41st NCAA school with Arizona
5. Roglic takes lead at La Vuelta after terrific Stage 4 win

Despite wide concerns about repression, Saudi Arabia is aggressively looking to establish itself as a sports hosting and tourism destination, up to and including the FIFA World Cup and a future Olympic Games. America’s best women’s swimming sprinter, Simone Manuel, has been quiet since the Tokyo Games, but has re-emerged as part of the growing – and impressive – pro training group in Tempe, Arizona under Michael Phelps’ old coach, Bob Bowman. The USA Gymnastics Artistic nationals drew a nice TV audience on NBC for its final women’s session, but only a fraction of the size of that for the 2021 Olympic Trials. Thanks to a long campaign by USA Triathlon, women’s tri is on the way to becoming an NCAA championship sport in the next couple of years, with the University of Arizona announcing its will field a varsity team in fall 2023. At the Vuelta a Espana, three-time defending champ Primoz Roglic of Slovenia showed he is going to be hard to de-throne with an impressive attack on the final climb of Stage 4 and took over the race lead.

1.
Saudi sports ambitions growing despite “sportswashing” criticism

More and more events are being staged in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia is in overdrive, trying to bring high-profile sports programs, well beyond its controversial LIV Golf project.

“Our main focus now is the 2034 [Asian Games in Riyadh],” said Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal in an interview with Agence France Presse on Sunday.

“We’re open to discuss with the [International Olympic Committee] about [the Olympic Games] for the future. I think Saudi Arabia has showcased that we can host such events.

“Definitely, the Olympics would be an ultimate goal for us … But we’re open to that and I think we can.”

But that is not all:

● On Sunday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) was a guest of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud at the heavyweight boxing match in Jeddah, where Oleksandr Usyk (UKR) upset Britain’s Anthony Joshua.

InsideWorldFootball.com reported, “It is understood that Saudi Arabia wants to host the 2030 World Cup with Egypt proposing to team up with Saudi Arabia and Greece to stage the global finals.”

The Saudis have bid to host the 2027 Asian Cup, the continental football championship tournament.

● Last Friday (19th), International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev (RUS) visited the Saudi Arabian Boxing Federation, with its President, Abdullah Hamad Al Harbi, expressing interest in hosting both continental and World Championships. A youth boxing academy is being considered.

Said Kremlev, “Saudi Arabia has a great experience in the organization of big sports events. We are looking forward to seeing boxing tournaments in the country in the future.”

● In addition to the massive Asian Games in 2034, Saudi Arabia is apparently the only bidder for the smaller but still complex 2029 Asian Winter Games, to be allocated in October.

All of this interest follows the success of other Middle Eastern hosts of major events, especially Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Doha, Qatar, site of the 2019 World Athletics Championships and the forthcoming host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Critics of the Saudi regime and especially its human-rights record decry the sports outreach as a way to deflect attention from harsh governance, limited freedom of expression and rights issues – known as “sportswashing” – but Saudi officials explain it’s part of a formal diversification plan away from energy, instituted in 2016.

“We’re progressing, we’re moving towards a better society, we’re moving towards a better quality of life, a better country, for the future,” said the sports minister. “And the facts show that hosting these events benefit our people and benefit these changes that are happening and benefits living in Saudi.”

Britain’s The Guardian reported on a 2021 study, noting “Saudi Arabia has spent at least $1.5bn on high-profile international sporting events in a bid to bolster its reputation” through events in auto racing, boxing, chess, football, golf, horse racing, tennis and others. The story referenced the national “Vision2030″ plan, but pointed out:

“[T]he plan, touted as a watershed that will transform the Kingdom socially as well as economically, was followed by a broad crackdown on dissent, including the arrest of feminist activists and religious clerics.”

Lucy Rae (GBR), a director of the Grant Liberty human-rights group, accused Saudi Arabia of “committing human rights abuses on an industrial scale.

“The world’s leading sports stars might not have asked to be part of a cynical marketing plan to distract the world from the brutality – but that’s what is happening.”

The Saudi plan for the future has suffered bumps in the road. Sports Minister Abdulaziz told AFP that the furor over the LIV Golf project, funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, was unexpected. His view: “I think that if there’s a benefit for the sport, then why not, whoever does it.”

2.
Manuel joins growing pro stars roster at Arizona State

Although he will forever be known as the coach of swimming icon Michael Phelps, the winner of the most Olympic medals in history, Bob Bowman is suddenly once again perhaps the hottest swim coach in America.

The head coach at Arizona State from April 2015, Bowman, 57, enters his eighth season at ASU after a sixth-place finish in the men’s NCAA Championships in 2022 with four-event star Leon Marchand (FRA) leading the squad.

But beyond his collegiate squad, Bowman is also now coaching multiple star professionals, with Rio 2016 two-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Manuel, 26, the latest to head to Tempe. Bowman’s pro roster also includes:

● Ryan Held (27), Rio 2016 4×100 m Free gold medalist
● Chase Kalisz (28), Tokyo 400 m Medley champ
● Jay Litherland (26), Tokyo 400 m Medley silver medalist
● Sierra Schmidt (24), 6th-8th-7th at ‘21 U.S. Olympic Trials 400-800-1,500 m Frees
● Regan Smith (20), 2019 World 200 m Back champ, 2022 World 100 m Back champ
● Olivia Smoliga (27), 2019 World 50 m Back Champion

Manuel essentially disappeared after the 2021 season, making the U.S. team in the 50 m Free and reaching the Olympic semis, then winning a bronze on the U.S. 4×100 m Freestyle relay. That’s a far cry from her four medals (2-2-0) in Rio in 2016 or her stunning 16 World Championships medals (11-3-2) from 2013-19. She announced her move to Tempe on Instagram on Monday.

In addition, French star Marchand (20) only completed his freshman season at ASU in 2021-22 and burst into prominence at the Budapest World Championships last June, winning the 200 and 400 m medleys – which Kalisz won in 2017 – plus a silver in the 200 m Butterfly.

With the exceptions of Smith (20), the rest of the pros now training with Bowman are getting up in years for swimmers and are looking for perhaps a final surge in their training with Paris 2024 coming fast.

3.
U.S. viewers like women’s gymnastics,
but less in 2022 than in 2021

The USA Gymnastics Artistic national championships in Tampa Bay drew good television audiences last Sunday for both men and women.

The final day of the women’s competition was shown live on NBC and had the no. 10 audience of the week, with an average audience of 1.539 million for the session that began at 7 p.m. Eastern time. The men’s final day – held on Saturday – was shown live on CNBC, but the audience was not reported, meaning it was less than 200,000.

However, a Sunday replay of the men’s session shown on NBC drew 642,000, quite respectable.

The women’s TV audience, of course, pales in comparison to the 2021 Olympic Trials a year ago, where the two women’s broadcasts averaged 5.287 million on NBC. The men’s replay show on NBC did better than the one live Olympic Trials show on NBCSN last year, which drew 461,000. Being on cable is great; being on the network is a lot better.

4.
Women’s triathlon gets 41st NCAA school with Arizona

Women’s triathlon is on its way to being an NCAA Championship sport, having reached the 40-school plateau in February with the addition of Cal Poly Humboldt. But the project, begun by USA Triathlon back in 2008, is continuing to grow with the University of Arizona announcing it will begin competition in the sport in the fall of 2023.

This raises the number of NCAA schools offering the sport to 41, but with 12 now at the Division I level, including Arizona State, the University of San Francisco and Texas Christian. The collegiate format uses the “sprint” distances of a 750 m swim, 20 km bike phase and 5 km run.

Triathlon is slotted as a fall sport; its current format includes two national qualifiers and a national collegiate championship in November. There are several further administrative steps before the sport has a full-fledged NCAA championship, “including committee, council, divisional and budget approvals.” This is a major boost to women’s triathlon in the U.S., assuming – of course – that the NCAA structure remains intact.

5.
Roglic takes lead at La Vuelta after terrific Stage 4 win

Slovenian star Primoz Roglic has won the last three editions of the famed Vuelta a Espana and no one has ever won four in a row. He’s going to be hard to beat.

With the race now back in Spain after spending the first three stages in the Netherlands, Roglic showed his formidable talents with a brilliant surge on the final climb to Laguardia in the Basque Country to win Stage 4.

His time of 3:31:05 was the same as given to Denmark’s Mads Pedersen, who finished second for the third stage in a row! But Roglic attacked beautifully on the final incline with 800 m remaining and took the race lead by 13 seconds over American Sepp Kuss and 26 seconds over Britain’s Ethan Hayter and Tao Geoghegan Hart and France’s Pavel Sivakov.

Roglic, 32, won his 10th career stage at La Vuelta, and might be able to break the race open this week, with three climbing stages coming on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday in the mountains of northwest Spain. Given his form so far in 2022, no one would be surprised.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Pan American Games 2023: Santiago ● The XIX Pan American Games will take place in Santiago, Chile beginning 20 October next year and the call for volunteers has now begun.

The organizing committee is looking for 17,000 volunteers to help with the Games, expected to include 7,000 athletes from 41 countries to compete in 412 events in 39 sports. The Parapan American Games will have about 2,000 athletes contesting 17 sports.

The call for 17,000 volunteer staff compares with about 3,300 volunteers for the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama (3,600 athletes in 30 sports) and about 14,000 for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England (5,054 athletes in 20 sports).

The Olympic Games is at an entirely different level. The first full-on use of volunteer staff was sat the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles – with 33,500 – but the total was more than 80,000 for the Tokyo 2020 Games, including those recruited to help as city guides for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

● National Olympic Committees ● A temporary reprieve for the Indian Olympic Association, which is still in charge of its own affairs … for now.

The Indian Supreme Court issued an order on Monday that extends the status quo for four weeks, instead of turning the IOA’s operations over to a Committee of Administrators. The IOA has run afoul of the national Sports Code but not moving toward elections in the aftermath of the resignation of former chief Narinder Batra.

The International Olympic Committee, which selected Mumbai as the site for its 2023 Session next May, will have its Executive Board review the India situation at its September meeting.

● Athletics ● Sad news of the passing of former discus world-record holder John Powell, on 19 August in Las Vegas, Nevada, at 75. The obituary stated that he died after a long illness.

Intense and impressive to watch, the San Jose State grad was one of the world’s best throwers from 1972 to 1987. Powell was fourth at the 1972 Munich Games, an Olympic bronze medalist at the 1976 Montreal Games and in 1984 in Los Angeles. A seven-time U.S. champion, he set a world record of 69.08 m (226-8) on 4 May 1975 in Long Beach, California and won the Worlds silver in Rome in 1987.

A San Jose policeman by profession, he never lost his love of the throws and was a devoted coach at camps and at Stanford University from 1981-90. He is survived by his wife Wally Powell, his daughter Julie Powell, and grandchildren Maddie and Tyler McGivern.

The European Athletics Championships in Munich was great, but it wasn’t perfect. On Saturday, after the British team won the men’s 4×400 m in an impressive 2:59.35, they arrived for the medal ceremony … only no anthem was played, due to a technical issue. Per The Mirror:

“The runners were seen looking around in confusion before the fans were asked to applaud, with officials explaining they were unable to play the anthem.”

BBC announcer Gabby Logan made light of the situation, telling viewers, “Talk about milking the moment. Very un-German like, the precision engineering or whatever equipment has failed them there. Bit disappointed there wasn’t an Alexa or something, or a phone, or something they could use to enjoy the moment. Hopefully they’re enjoying the attention anyway.”

● Cycling ● British track cyclist Dan Bigham earned a silver medal in the Team Pursuit at the recent Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as a member of the English team, but now owns a world record by himself.

Last Friday (19th), he set a new standard for the one hour, covering 55.548 km (34.52 miles) at the Tissot Velodrome in Grenchen (SUI). He broke Belgian star Victor Campanaerts’ 2019 mark of 55.089 km with room to spare. Said Bigham:

“I guess you’ve never got it until you’ve ridden the [250 m] laps. That’s the scary thing. You’re on pace but you still have to cover the distance. I had a bit of a wobbly in my head just after the halfway mark, like ‘how am I going to ride 16s for the next half hour?’ In my head I wanted 55.5 km so put another 48 metres on it, I am pretty pleased with that!”

● Football ● More on India, the country’s Supreme Court returned control of the All India Football Federation, and away from the High Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, on Monday. Elections are scheduled for early September and if the rules are properly followed and a properly-elected Board is seated, the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup could remain in India for its scheduled dates in October.

● Ice Hockey ● International Ice Hockey Federation chief Luc Tardif (FRA) confirmed the continuing ban on Russia and Belarus from IIHF tournament in view of the invasion of Ukraine. At a news conference near the end of the men’s World Junior Championship in Edmonton (CAN), Tardif noted:

“We do it year by year. For the 2022/2023 season they are not going to play. …

“When the war started, the solidarity of the IIHF family was fantastic. Hundreds of players had the chance to go and play in other countries in Europe with the support of many national ice hockey associations. The NHL and NHLPA also participated with equipment support, the IOC helped. We helped the [Ukraine] men’s senior and U18 national teams to go and train abroad and be able to participate in our tournaments. We had to organize buses from the border, find places where they can play, find places to live for the players and their families. Most of them are still abroad and we don’t know when they can return. When I look at everything that was done, I’m proud to be the IIHF President. …

“We are financially still alive and what is important is to keep our activities alive. We sometimes played in a bubble because of Covid, we have to play without Russia because of the war and we cannot do anything about it. When there’s a pandemic and a war many things change, teams cannot travel that easily.”

● Weightlifting ● USA Weightlifting announced that U.S. Anti-Doping Agency Chief Operating Officer Matt Sicchio will take over as the federation’s chief executive in October. He has previously worked with the U.S. Soccer Federation and has a deep background in insurance and risk management. It’s another strong statement by USAW in its commitment against doping in a sport whose survival on the Olympic program depends on anti-doping control and better governance.

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LANE ONE: Judo, a hands-on sport, goes digital with new NFT project to promote the IJF World Tour and the sport itself

By
Rich Perelman
-

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In today’s digital age, things that were old are new again.

Trading cards were apparently a U.S. phenomenon, starting as far back as the 1860s, used by sporting goods companies to promote their products and stores and quickly became a collecting passion for children. Although baseball cards became the best-known card type, 19th Century cards issued by candy, gum, tobacco and other companies featured all kinds of subjects.

Today, the trading card industry – and it is an industry – is both physical and digital and the digital side is expanding wildly. The newest rage – started in 2014 – is the non-fungible token (NFT), defined as “cryptographic assets on a blockchain with unique identification codes and metadata that distinguish them from each other.”

Individual athletes in major sports like baseball, basketball, football, hockey and others are already on this bandwagon. But sports governing bodies have been less active.

Now, the Olympic world and specifically the International Judo Federation is in the NFT business with the launch of its Judoverse.org sales channel. Promoted with a new, eight-minute video on the IJF Web site that features Director General Vlad Marinescu (HUN), the project is described as a way to bring judo closer to today’s indispensable accessory: your mobile phone.

So, what is the offer?

● “The International Judo Federation has entered the world of NFTs, by officially licensing over 30,000 uniquely generated collectables that feature one of five characters (lion, tiger, bear, gorilla, dog) in a piece of digital art on the polygon Blockchain.”

These are specially-created drawings, with each character presented in a variety of backgrounds and with different messages, all branded for the World Judo Tour.

● In a clever way to create scarcity and more purchases – at €54.95 each, about $54.64 U.S. today – buying an NFT results in a random issuance. You could get any of the five characters in any of several backgrounds, but more importantly, your random token comes with additional, real-world benefits:

(1) A “Bronze” token – 15,000 pieces or 50% of the available total – also gets the buyer (a) a year’s subscription to the direct-to-consumer Judo.tv streaming channel and (b) a free admission to all World Judo Tour events, including the World Championships.

(2) A “Silver” token – 9,000 pieces (30%) – adds in a second year of free admission to all World Judo Tour events.

(3) A “Gold” token – 4,500 pieces (15%) – adds a third year of free World Judo Tour admissions.

(4) A “Platinum” token – 1,500 pieces (4%) – gets two free years of Judo.tv and three years of World Judo Tour admissions.

(5) A “Diamond” token – 300 pieces (1%) – gets a lifetime subscription to Judo.tv, three years of World Judo Tour admissions and two years of “VIP” passes to tour events.

Remember, what you get is randomly generated, with a limit of 10 NFTs in a single transaction. Apparently, depictions of the characters wearing a gi (judo uniform) are to be especially rare.

There is also a giveaway program with prizes as the program generates sales. The ultimate prize, to be awarded once the entire inventory (30,000) is sold:

“3 investors will be invited to the 2022 Tashkent World Judo Championships as a VIP with accreditation, accommodation and travel.”

The 2022 Worlds starts on 6 October, so the federation is expected a runaway sales hit right away.

● It is important to note that the NFT offer specifies, “You will own full intellectual properties of purchased NFT and have various kinds of perks and benefits related to the IJF World Judo Tour.”

This is critical, as ownership allows later sale. The idea is that the small-issuance tokens – especially the Diamond and Platinum ones – will eventually re-sell for more than the purchase price.

Why is the IJF doing this? It says:

“First, we would like all members of the Judo family and beyond to enjoy the benefits of NFTs through our sport. We believe that NFTs are an excellent tool for the promotion and development of judo, as well as an opportunity for our community to benefit and grow. The second is to sell products in order to invest the profits in the development of our sport, for example by buying and sending materials to developing countries, therefore fostering the practice of judo throughout the world.”

It’s not going to make the federation super-rich overnight. At €54.95 per NFT, sales of 30,000 would gross €1,648,500 or about $1.64 million U.S. at today’s exchange. That’s not a difference maker for a federation that had $24.8 million in revenues in the pandemic year of 2020 and reserves of $17.6 million.

But it is a start, and a way to get judo onto people’s phones – especially youngsters, with whom cartoon characters and NFTs are highly popular – and more deeply ingrained in people’s lives.

Is this a good thing? Maybe. Should kids be hitting up their parents for digital artworks at €55 a pop? Not sure about that. Is this absolutely the future? Yes.

If this works, the next step will be to license the images of famous judokas – past and present – and all kinds of special-issue NFTs will follow, just as the history of baseball cards (and all kinds of other cards) has shown over more than a century.

As someone who has collected trading cards, comic books and a lot of other things over the past decades (and been both successful as an investor, and been burned), I am wary of entry into the new and not-always-truthful sector of digital art. But it is the future and if the IJF can successfully carry off this project, it will open an enormous door for the Olympic world to not only make money, but to use digital art as a promotional tool for the youth of today and tomorrow.

Credit the Budapest-based IJF, which has been resolutely forward looking and willing to lead, rather than follow, for this new project, which will have the attention of every Olympic-related entity worldwide. Especially if it gets the attention of buyers, whether young or old.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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TSX REPORT: FIFA World Cup 2022 now 81% sold out; Dutch star Bol wins 400-400H-4×400 at Euro Champs; McClain and Malone take USA Gymnastics crowns

By
Rich Perelman
-
Munich 2022 triple gold medalist Femke Bol (NED) (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. FIFA reports 2.45 million tix sold for Qatar 2022
2. European Championships a hit with television viewers
3. Bol storms to 400-400H-4×400 triple at European Champs
4. McClain and Malone win at USA Gymnastics Champs
5. Bennett pulls off back-to-back stage wins to start Vuelta a Espana

FIFA announced the results of the latest ticket sales effort for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with more than 520,000 tickets taken and now 81% of all tickets sold. A final sales period is expected to begin in late September. The 2022 European Championships in Munich has been widely viewed in Europe and especially in the major markets of Germany, Great Britain and Italy, a significant boost for the viability of the multi-sport concept in just its second edition. At Munich’s Olympiastadion, Dutch star Femke Bol won an unprecedented triple in the women’s 400 m, 400 m hurdles and the 4×400 m relay to headline the final weekend of track & field competitions, with Britain winning the most medals. Teenager Konnor McClain was the surprise winner of the USA Gymnastics women’s All-Around, edging Shilese Jones on the final rotation as the post-Simone Biles era gets started in earnest. Stanford’s Brody Malone defended his men’s All-Around title decisively. At the 77th Vuelta a Espana, Ireland’s Sam Bennett won both the second and third stages with sprints to the line, the first time in eight years that anyone has won back-to-back stages in this race.

1.
FIFA reports 2.45 million tix sold for Qatar 2022

More than 81% of all tickets for the 2022 FIFA World Cup have been sold, with FIFA announcing that 520,532 tickets were taken during the last sales period which ended on 16 August.

Agence France Presse reported that there are expected to be 3,010,679 tickets available in total, and a final sales period will open in late September or shortly thereafter; the first match will be played on Sunday, 20 November.

In terms of the countries with the most purchases, the top 10 are Qatar, the U.S., England, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the UAE, France, Argentina, Brazil and Germany.

In a somewhat related matter, the suspended CONMEBOL qualifying match between Argentina and Brazil from 5 September 2021, in which Brazilian health officials objected to the use of three Argentine players – coming from Europe – who had not met Brazil’s anti-Covid quarantine regulations, was finally canceled.

FIFA had ordered the game to be completed (and was scheduled for 22 September), but as its outcome meant nothing in the final qualifying standings in South America and the World Cup draw has already been completed, there was no reason to hold the match. FIFA’s order to hold the match and fines on both the Argentina and Brazilian federations was appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but was resolved before a decision was announced.

2.
European Championships a hit with television viewers

The 11-day European Championships in Munich (GER) has proved a success not only with local attendees, but with fans watching on television across Europe.

The second edition of the nine-sport program is being shown by the European Broadcasting Union’s 40 national broadcasters across the continent, with impressive viewership reported for the first six days that ended on Tuesday, 16 August:

● Germany: The top audience was 4.15 million for track & field on 16 August (Tuesday), and 3.07 million on 15 August (Monday). Beach volleyball on 15 August drew 2.85 million and 2.40 million watched triathlon on 14 August (Sunday).

● Great Britain: The largest single-sport audience was 1.5 million for track & field on 15 August and its afternoon programs on 16 August (Tuesday) had a 19.4% audience share.

● Italy: Track & field was again the leader, with 1.6 million viewers on 16 August; some 900,000 watched gymnastics on 14 August.

The appearance of individual stars made a difference, of course, with Norwegian distance star Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s race in the men’s 5,000 m on 16 August (Tuesday) giving national broadcaster NRK a 55.2% audience share for athletics that evening. In Sweden, the opening night of track drew a 35% viewing share.

The event concluded on Sunday, but these are impressive statistics and a boost for the viability of the European Championships concept – held this time without swimming – for the future.

Observed: More data is needed for a better evaluation, but the concept of ganging together multiple national or regional championships into a festival program that becomes more than the sum of its parts appears to be quite popular.

The U.S. has no such program at present, but the idea could be a popular promotion for Olympic sport at a cost far less than the cost of the old U.S. Olympic Festival. And if the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has no interest in this – it produces no national events at all any more – it could be created by the National Governing Bodies as a group, or by an independent entity like the multiple national championships event in Germany known as “Die Finals,” produced in cooperation with national broadcasters ARD and ZDF.

Said European Triathlon Union president Renato Bertrandi (ITA), “Well, for us, this is impossible to match with a standard European Championship. … We had the possibility to be shown to millions of spectators. Those numbers are very, very difficult to reach without events like this.”

3.
Bol storms to 400-400H-4×400 triple at European Champs

A very successful 25th edition of the European Athletics Championships concluded at the Munich Olympiastadion, with Dutch star Femke Bol winning an unprecedented triple gold in the women’s 400 m, 400 m hurdles and 4×400 m relay!

Bol won the 400 m going away on Wednesday in 49.44, then took the hurdles on Friday with a meet record of 52.67, winning by an impressive 1.63 seconds over Ukraine’s Viktoriya Tkachuk (54.30). Said the winner:

“Winning this gold medal is a big relief. It was a great race for me. I am very surprised to achieve such a fast time. I was very hard mentally to race the 400 m without hurdles. I am so proud to achieve the double. I will never do the double again. Well, maybe. Never say never!”

She also won a third gold with a brilliant 48.52 anchor on the Dutch women’s 4×400 m relay winners.

Bol wasn’t the only one to set a meet record in the final days. In the men’s 400 m hurdles, Norway’s world-record holder Karsten Warholm showed he has regained his fitness, moving to no. 3 on the year at 47.12, way ahead of France’s Wilfried Happio (48.56). Lithuania’s Worlds silver medalist Mykolas Alekna – age 19 and the NCAA runner-up for Cal – won the men’s discus, just as his father, Virgilijus Alekna, did in 2008! The young Alekna threw 69.78 m (228-11), his no. 2 throw ever, to upset World Champion Kristjian Ceh (SLO: 68.28 m/224-0).

Sweden’s Olympic and World Champion Mondo Duplantis triumphed – as expected – in the men’s vault, with a meet record of 6.06 m (19-10 1/2). Albanian Luiza Gega, fifth at the Worlds, won the women’s Steeple in 9:11.31, a meet record and her fourth national record of the season.

Britain won the most medals with 20 (6-6-8); over the weekend, Keely Hodgkinson got the win in the women’s 800 m (1:59.04), defending champion Laura Muir won the 1,500 m decisively in 4:01.08, Zharnel Hughes won the men’s 200 m (20.07) and the British men won the 4×100 m and 4×400 m relays.

Germany was no. 2 on the medals table at 16 (7-7-2), but had the most wins – to the delight of the home crowd – including Julian Weber in the men’s jav at 87.66 m (287-7) and the women’s 4×100 m. Ukraine got two wins from its women’s stars Yaroslava Mahuchikh (high jump: 1.95 m/6-4 3/4) and Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (triple jump: 15.02 m/49-3 1/2, no. 2 in 2022).

Other winners on the weekend included Spain’s Mariano Garcia in the men’s 800 m (1:44.85); Finland’s Topi Raitanan in the Steeple (8:21.80), Italian Yemaneberhan Crippa in the men’s 10,000 m (27:46.13), Swiss star Mujinga Kambudji in the women’s 200 m (22.32) and Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska – still just 21 – in the women’s 100 m hurdles (12.53).

Greece’s Elina Tzengko won the women’s javelin with a lifetime best of 65.81 m (215-11), with 41-year-old, two-time Olympic champ Barbora Spotakova (CZE) earning the bronze at 60.68 m (199-1). Greek Antigoni Drisbioti completed a double in the women’s walks, winning the 20 km race in 1:29:03. Spain won both men’s walks, with Alvaro Martin winning the 20 km in a lifetime best of 1:19:11.

4.
McClain and Malone win at USA Gymnastics Champs

The post-Simone Biles era in U.S. women’s gymnastics showcased a stunning turnaround and final-rotation drama at the USA Gymnastics Championships in Tampa, Florida that ended Sunday evening.

Seventeen-year-old Konnor McClain, an emerging star in 2021 whose training went so wrong that she did not even compete at the Olympic Trials, put on a rush on Sunday to pass first-day leader Shilese Jones and win the All-Around competition by 112.750 to 112.000.

Jones, 12th in the All-Around at the 2019 and 2021 U.S. championships, led at 57.200 on Saturday, followed by McClain (56.400) and Tokyo Olympic Team silver medalist Jordan Chiles (56.150). Carey had the highest score on Vault (14.800), while Jones won on Uneven Bars (14.850) and Floor (14.100). McClain won on Beam (14.800).

On Sunday, Jones and McClain dueled throughput the four-event program, with McClain’s score of 112.750 within Jones’s reach on her final apparatus, the Uneven Bars, on which she led all scorers on Saturday. But Jones fell on her dismount and scored only 13.600 to leave McClain in first place. McClain’s second-day score of 56.350 was tops in the field by a large margin in gymnastics: 0.60 points over Chiles.

Chiles ended up third (111.900), ahead of 2021 Worlds bronze medalist Kayla DiCello (110.950) and Tokyo Olympic Floor gold medalist Jade Carey (110.900). Leanne Wong, the 2021 Worlds All-Around silver winner, had a foot injury and contested only the Uneven Bars and Beam.

The individual event champions – using the two-day scores – were Carey on Vault (29.450), Jones and Wong on the Uneven Bars (28.450), McClain on Beam (28.900) and Jones on Floor (28.350).

In the men’s competition, reigning U.S. champ Brody Malone won again and decisively, leading both sessions of the All-Around and finishing with 176.590 points. That was well ahead of veteran Donnell Whittenburg (171.571), newcomers Asher Hong (171.210) and Fred Richard (169.166) and 2017 U.S. champ Yul Moldauer (169.139).

In the two-round scores for each apparatus, Malone won on Floor Exercise and Horizontal Bar and was second on Pommel Horse. Whittenburg won on Rings and was second on Vault. Hong was the Vault winner; Curren Phillips won on Parallel Bars and World Champion Stephen Nedoroscik won as expected on Pommel Horse.

5.
Bennett pulls off back-to-back stage wins to start Vuelta a Espana

The final Grand Tour of the 2022 cycling season, the 77th La Vuelta Ciclista de Espana, got underway over the weekend, with some noteworthy history already from Irish sprint star Sam Bennett.

The opening stages were in the Netherlands this year, with the Dutch Jumbo-Visma team – with three-time defending champ Primoz Roglic (SLO) aboard – taking the opening Team Time Trial. The second stage was a flat, 175.1 km ride to Utrecht, with Bennett winning the final sprint over Mads Pedersen (DEN) and Tim Merlier (BEL) in 3:49:34.

Sunday’s third stage was another sprinter’s race, 193.1 km in and around Breda and it was Bennett and Pedersen finishing 1-2 at the line again (!), this time with Britain’s Daniel McQuay third, all in 4:05:53. For Bennett, it was his 34th World Tour victory – at age 31 – and his fifth career stage win at the Vuelta a Espana. It’s the first time anyone has won back-to-back stages in this race since 2014, when German sprinter John Degenkolb pulled it off in stages 4-5.

The racing returns to Spain on Tuesday, with the first hilly stage and three climbing stages with uphill finishes on the program for next week. The 21-stage event continues through 11 September.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● The European Championships was not the only regional title event going on, with the three-day North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) meet on in Freeport (BAH).

Although this meet – in its fourth edition – is not that well known, the U.S. sent a pretty good team and the results showed: out of 43 total events, the Americans won 29 of them!

The top races were in the hurdles, with 2019 Pan American Games runner-up Freddie Crittenden (USA) setting a lifetime best of 13.00 (wind: +0.3 m/s) to beat countryman Jamal Britt (13.08, lifetime best). Crittenden moved to equal-third on the 2022 world list and is the 16th man to run 13.00 or better in U.S. history.

In the men’s 400 m hurdles, Commonwealth Games champ Kyron McMaster (IVB) scored a season’s best 47.34 to win over Americans Khallifah Rosser (lifetime best 47.59, no. 13 all-time U.S.) and C.J. Allen (48.23).

The U.S. men’s victories on the track also included Jonah Koech (800 m: 1:45.87), Eric Holt (1,500 m: 3:37.62), a heartening victory for Evan Jager in the Steeple (8:22.55), Woody Kincaid in the 5,000 m (14:48.58) and Sean McGorty in the 10,000 m (29:23.77). On the infield, William Williams took the long jump (7.89 m/25-10 3/4), Chris Benard won the triple jump (16.40 m/53-9 3/4), Roger Steen won the shot (20.78 m/68-2 1/4), Rudy Winkler won the hammer (78.29 m/256-10) and Curtis Thompson took the jav (84.23 m/276-4).

The U.S. women scored wins on the track by Brittany Brown (200 m: 22.35); by Ajee Wilson in the 800 m over Allie Wilson, 1:58.47 to 1:58.48; Heather MacLean in the 1,500 m (4:04.53); Gabrielle Jennings led a sweep in the Steeple (9:34.36); a medals sweep in the 5,000 m was led by Natosha Rogers (15:11.68); Stephanie Bruce led a 1-2 in the 10,000 m in 33:12.52, and Alaysha Johnson won the 100 m hurdles in 12.62.

On the infield, Vashti Cunningham took the high jump at 1.92 m (6-3 1/2), Alina McDonald won the vault at 4.50 m (14-9) and Quanesha Burks won the long jump at 6.75 m (22-1 3/4). In the throws, Laulauga Tausaga-Collins won the discus at 63.18 m (207-3) and Worlds silver medalist Kara Winger won the javelin at 64.68 m (212-2). In the women’s hammer, World bronze medalist Janee Kassanavoid won over teammate (and World Champion) Brooke Andersen, 71.51 m (234-7) to 69.66 m (228-6).

The American squad won all five relays: the men’s 4×100 m in 38.29 and the 4×400 m in 3:01.79; the women’s 4×100 m in 42.35 and the 4×400 m in 3:23.54. The Mixed 4×400 m of Quincy Hall, Jaide Stepter Baynes, Ismail Turner and Kaylin Whitney won in a speedy 3:12.05, the no. 5 performance of 2022 and no. 5 in U.S. history.

In addition to the American win parade, Jamaica’s World 200 m Champion Shericka Jackson continued to impress, winning the women’s 100 m in 10.83 and teammates Ackeem Blake (9.98) and Andrew Hudson (19.87) won the men’s 100 m and 200 m. World Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) favored the home crowd with a dominant, 49.40 win in the women’s 400 m.

● Cycling ● Swiss Mountain Bike star Mathias Flueckiger, the Tokyo Olympic Cross Country silver medalist and 2021 World Cup winner, has been provisionally suspended by the Swiss anti-doping agency, just before the European Mountain Bike Championships in Munich were set to start.

Flueckiger was informed of a positive test for Zeranol, an anabolic agent used mostly in livestock. Now 33, Flueckiger’s test from 5 June at the Swiss national championships came back positive and he was informed on 18 August. His second (“B”) sample has yet to be tested for confirmation.

● Football ● The FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica has reached the semifinal stage, to be held on Thursday (25th) in San Jose.

In the quarters, Spain defeated Mexico, 1-0, and Brazil also won by 1-0 against Colombia on Saturday. On Sunday, the Netherlands steamed past Nigeria, 2-0, and Japan defeated France on penalties (5-3) following a 3-3 tie after extra time.

In the semis, Spain will play the Netherlands and Brazil will face Japan.

The medal matches will be played on the 28th. The U.S. women did not advance past the group stage.

● Ice Hockey ● Host Canada won the IIHF World Junior (U-20) Championship in Edmonton with an overtime, 3-2 win against Finland.

It’s the 19th title for the Canadians, far more than anyone else (the USSR won eight), and they won seven games without a loss in the tournament, scoring 41 goals to 14 for its opponents.

In the final, Canada had a 2-0 lead after two periods, but the Finns tied it up with two scores in the first 10:46 of the third period. Forward Kent Johnson won it at 3:20 of overtime by knocking in a loose puck in front of the Finnish goal.

Sweden defeated the Czech Republic, 3-1, to win the bronze medal. The U.S. had gone 4-0 in group play, but were upset in the quarterfinals by the Czechs, 4-2.

● Swimming ● The revival of the “Duel in the Pool” between the U.S. and Australia was a popular attraction at the Sydney Aquatic Centre (AUS), with the Americans breaking away late in the meet for a 309-283 victory on Sunday.

U.S. star Michael Andrew was everywhere, scoring wins in the men’s 50 m Back Skins race, 50 m Breast Skins race and the 100 m Breast, and a second in the 50 m Fly Skins. Shaine Casas won the 50 m Fly Skins and the 100 m Fly and Ryan Held took the 50 m Free Skins and the 100 m Free. Bella Sims won the 200 m Free and the “broken” (segmented) 400 m Free.

Australia’s stars Emma McKeon and Kaylee McKeown were in form. McKeon won the women’s 50 m Fly Skins and 100 m Fly, while McKeown took the 50 m Back Skins, the 100 m Back and the 200 m “mystery” Medley. Among the men, Mack Horton won the “broken” 400 m and 800 m Freestyle races.

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TSX REPORT: World Games 2022 finishes with $14 million deficit; USA Gymnastics bankruptcy ends, but abortion laws now in focus for events

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. World Games in Birmingham left with $14 million deficit
2. Final Decree granted in USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case
3. USA Gymnastics to consider abortion laws in site selection
4. Tokyo 2020 bribery case involves sponsorship discount
5. Ingebrigtsen completes Euro double with 1,500 m win

The 2022 World Games Birmingham, Alabama were a success on the field, but a financial  loser off of it, with a $14 million deficit on a $65 million spend. The local and regional government may pick up most of it, but there is more fund-raising to go. The end has come for the USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case in Indiana (probably), but the organization’s chief exec says that abortion laws will impact their future event site selections. The bribery case involving a former Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member took a wild turn with a report that the company he was helping got a 67% discount on its sponsorship fee! And Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen completed a 1,500-5,000 m double at the European Athletics Championships.

1.
World Games in Birmingham left with $14 million deficit

After a highly-successful World Games in July, the bills have come due in August. The World Games organizing committee in Birmingham, Alabama cost about $65 million to put on, but raised only $51 million, leaving a $14 million deficit (21.5% of the total spend).

That means there is a list of vendors who are owed money, with Birmingham City Council member Darrell O’Quinn telling WBRC Television:

“We don’t need any Birmingham businesses failing. We can’t leave these vendors hanging. I mean some of them are owed very substantial amounts of money. I know one vendor in particular, it’s an excess of $1 million that they are owed.”

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin asked the City Council to appropriate $5 million to help cover part of the debt; O’Quinn added:

“Their plan is have the city of Birmingham cover one portion.

“Then, the Jefferson County Commission cover another big chunk, and then talk to the Convention and Visitors Bureau to have them cover a portion as well. Then, the remaining balance, I believe is about $3 million, they would raise from private sector. That’s the plan.”

World Games head Nick Sellers explained:

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team at The World Games 2022 Birmingham Organizing Committee. We delivered an amazing event for $65 million, $10M under the original budget of $75M. This event is a major platform for the Summer Olympic Games. And we delivered an Olympic caliber program.

“However, for many reasons, our revenues left us with a $14 million deficit. We are working with our public and private partners to close the gap as quickly as possible and satisfy all of our debts.

“We have every intention to raise the associated funds and pay our vendors. …

“Many factors contributed to the disappointing shortage. Due to the latest COVID spike, fewer than expected international travelers attended the games, particularly from China and Europe. That contributed to weaker-than-hoped-for ticket sales, and some open hotel room nights outside of the city’s core. The virus also delayed the Games a year, adding significantly to our costs. Finally, a challenging economy caused two large sponsors to withdraw support just weeks prior to The Games.”

Observed: The Birmingham organizers did an excellent job and put on a fine Games under the difficult circumstances of a year’s postponement and a lousy sponsorship sales environment. It is noteworthy that the city and county governments are immediately willing to help with most of the debt, which will make the asks for private support much easier.

Events, especially large multi-sport ones, are expensive, hard to stage and not for the feint of heart. Birmingham’s interest in the World Games was as a platform to seek more events that will fill its hotel rooms and raise its visibility. That was achieved, but the investment is going to be a bit more than expected. Birmingham appears to be OK with this; other cities will not be and the financial results of this event will scare some potential bidders for future events away.

2.
Final Decree granted in USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case

The long and winding path of the USA Gymnastics bankruptcy proceeding before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana has finally – maybe – come to an end.

On Wednesday (17th), the Court heard a motion for the closure of the case, and without objections from any party and the approval of the U.S. Trustee, the motion was granted.

The order includes “[T]he Bankruptcy Court hereby enters this Final Decree and orders this Chapter 11 Case closed,” but a dispute between USA Gymnastics and Liberty Insurance Underwriters will specifically remain open.

Also, “Entry of this Final Decree is without prejudice to the rights of any party in interest
to seek to reopen these cases for good cause shown.”

The case began with USA Gymnastics filing for voluntary, Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 5 December 2018; the Effective Date of the agreed-to reorganization plan was declared on 25 April 2022. The settlements process is underway, with insurers for USA Gymnastics, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and others paying in $339.46 million to the claimants, plus related expenses.

3.
USA Gymnastics to consider abortion laws in site selection

With the USA Gymnastics national championships in Artistic Gymnastics underway in Tampa, Florida through Sunday, the federation’s chief executive said that future site selections will consider the local laws on abortion.

Li Li Leung told the Associated Press, “We want to be able to align with cities and locations that are also aligned with our value system … We are about empowerment. We are about choice. We are about agency.”

She said that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year to return abortion rules to the states was contradictory to USAG values.

The booking of the Tampa site for the 2022 Artistic Nationals was made prior to the Supreme Court’s decision. The preliminary calendar for women’s Artistic Gymnastics in 2023 shows national qualifying events in Nevada in January, Ohio, Florida and Texas in February and in Virginia in March, but no sites selected yet for the Winter Cup (February), U.S. Classic (August), or the national championships (August).

However, there is a heavy schedule of 17 Elite Developmental and National Team training camp programs throughout the year, plus the American Cup competition in July and a World Championships selection event from 20-23 September, all in Katy, Texas. That state passed a law in 2021 which prohibits abortion after about six weeks and is being litigated at present.

Although not primarily a competition-site issue, will USA Gymnastics now move its main training facility out of Texas?

Leung also unveiled a new logo for the organization on Thursday afternoon, part of a rebranding effort which will continue through the fall.

4.
Tokyo 2020 bribery case involves sponsorship discount

Japan’s Kyodo News Agency reported Thursday that the bribery case involving former Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi and publicly-traded, 600-store business-suit retailer Aoki Holdings involves a “discount” of more than 65% on its Tokyo 2020 supporter license.

Aoki Holdings was granted designation as an tier-three “Official Supporter” in 2018, reported to ordinarily cost about ¥1.5 billion (~$11.04 million) or more, but that Aoki actually paid only ¥500 million (~$3.68 million). The idea is that Takahashi used his influence, as a former senior managing director of sponsorship agency Dentsu, Inc., to have Aoki (1) selected and (2) at a reduced fee.

Takahashi admits to receiving a “consulting fee” from Aoki Holdings, reportedly ¥1 million per month (~$7,360) from September 2017 into March of 2022, but has said there was nothing illegal about the arrangement. Aoki Holdings reportedly created a separate ¥250 million (~$1.84 million) fund for athlete support for the Games, with 92% of it going to Takahashi’s consulting company, ostensibly to fund these activities.

The Kyodo story included:

“Takahashi reportedly told investigators during questioning that he approached Aoki with a proposal to sponsor the games. He connected the retailer to an executive in the marketing division after the firm said it was interested in the deal if ‘fees were cheap.’”

5.
Ingebrigtsen completes Euro double with 1,500 m win

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen was unhappy with his silver-medal performance in the men’s 1,500 m at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene in July, but came back to win the 5,000 m title in splendid form.

He got both golds at the 2022 European Athletics Championships in Munich, completing his 1,500-5,000 m double on Thursday with a nearly wire-to-wire victory in the 1,500 m in 3:32.76, decisively ahead of Jake Heyward (GBR: 3:34.44) and Mario Garcia (ESP: 3:34.88). Ingebrigtsen led at the bell and ran his final lap in a speedy 55.25.

Poland’s Wojciech Nowicki finished second to countryman Pawel Fajdek at the Worlds in Eugene, but he won his second European men’s hammer title in style on Thursday with a world-leading throw of 82.00 m (269-0), his second-best ever. That’s two centimeters more than Fajdek threw at the Worlds and gave Nowicki a second consecutive Europeans win; Hungary’s Bence Halasz won the silver with a lifetime best of 80.92 m (265-6).

The men’s high jump was less thrilling, with Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi the only one to clear 2.30 m (7-6 1/2), with Tobias Potye (GER) and Ukraine’s Andriy Potsenko at 2.27 m (7-5 1/4). It’s Tamberi’s second European title, after his win in 2016.

Home favorite Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER) won the women’s 5,000 m in a one-on-one duel with Turkey’s 10,000 m winner, Yasemin Can. The two ran together from just after halfway, with Klosterhalfen sprinting away on the final lap to win, 14:50.47 to 14:56.91. Britain’s Eilish McColgan, second in the 10,000 m, was third (14:59.34).

Germany’s Olympic, World and 2018 European women’s long jump champ, Malaika Mihambo, may have been the favorite, but she couldn’t catch up to the brilliant 7.06 m (23-2) first-round jump by Ivana Vuleta (SRB). Mihambo got out to 7.03 m (23-0 3/4) in round two, but no further, giving Vuleta – rebounding from a seventh-place finish in Eugene – her second European title, also in 2016.

World Champion Nafi Thiam (BEL) was a clear winner in the women’s heptathlon, scoring 6,628 points to best Adrianna Sulek (POL: 6,532).

Dutch star Femke Bol easily led the qualifying in the women’s 400 m hurdles (53.73) and will go for an unprecedented 400-400 hurdles double tomorrow.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● National Olympic Committees ● Two hopeful signs for sport in India. First, a Wednesday meeting of the Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH) and the three-member Committee of Administrators agreed on the path forward for the Indian federation and for the men’s Hockey World Cup in January 2023.

A new draft constitution for Hockey India was presented and an elections schedule was agreed, to be completed by 9 October, to bring the federation in compliance with the Sport Code of India. In view of this, no plan to change or remove the men’s Hockey World Cup was discussed.

Second, the country’s Supreme Court stayed a High Court decree that appointed another Committee of Administrators to operate the Indian Olympic Association, in view of its non-compliance with the country’s Sports Code. As the All India Football Federation was similarly taken over and quickly suspended by FIFA, there was great concern that the IOC would do the same. The Indian Olympic Association’s appeal of the High Court decree will be heard on 22 August.

● Football ● The U.S. women were eliminated during the group stage of the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup, ongoing in Costa Rica. An opening 3-0 win over Ghana was followed by a 3-0 loss to the Netherlands and a 3-1 loss to Japan.

The group winners were Spain from Group A (2-0-1), Colombia from Group B (2-0-1), Nigeria (3-0) from Group C and Japan (3-0) in Group D. The quarterfinals will be on the weekend and the medal matches on the 28th.

● Sport Climbing ● The new Olympic format of Boulder + Lead together and separate from Speed debuted at the European Championships in Munich (GER), but the women’s winner was no surprise: Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Janja Garnbret (SLO).

She dominated the event, winning the individual Bouldering and Lead events and then taking the new, combined event with a near-perfect 199.9 out of 200, ahead of teammate Mia Krampl (180.9) and Jessica Pilz (AUT: 180.6). Make Garnbret the early favorite for Paris, still just 23.

The men’s event was much closer, with Austria’s Tokyo bronze medalist Jakob Schubert outlasting five-time World Champion Adam Ondra (CZE), 175.6 to 170.8 for the victory in the new event.

● Swimming ● The U.S. vs. Australia “Duel in the Pool” is back! With a lot of twists.

Not held since 2015, this edition is not a seriously-scored, nation-on-nation dual meet, but a mixture of traditional and novelty events to be held mostly on Saturday and Sunday at the 10,000-capacity Sydney Aquatics Centre in Australia.

There’s a 4×800 m open-water relay on Friday, and pool events with relays using six legs with three winners taking two legs each; Skins events in the sprint distances, combined able-bodied and para swimmer events, segmented (“broken”) 400 m and 800 m Free events, bonus scoring options and so on.

USA Swimming will have streaming coverage of the event on Saturday and Sunday, and neither side will have all of its best swimmers competing. It will be perhaps most interesting to see what the attendance is like, as Australians take their swimming quite seriously.

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TSX REPORT: Milan Cortina 2026 government spend balloons past $2 billion; Sjostrom wins 28th career Euro swim medal; Tokyo 2020 board member arrested

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Government spending for Milano Cortina 2026 at €2.165 billion?
2. Euro Champs swimming ends with Sjostrom’s 28th career medal
3. Success of Munich ‘22 driving Olympic dreams for Germany
4. Indian High Court now takes over Indian Olympic Association
5. Former Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member arrested for bribes

The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games is supposed to be a cost-efficient event, but new government reports show possible spending related (broadly) to the Games will eclipse €2 billion and that the organizing committee will be provided with a loan equal to 25% of its projected budget! The European Championships in swimming finished in Rome with Italy the top medal winner, but Swedish sprinter Sarah Sjostrom becoming the all-time individual medal winner with 28. The so-far-successful, nine-sport European Championships in Munich is driving new interest in a future Olympic bid for Germany, but it is seen as a long process with a pro-Olympic referendum likely. After India’s national football federation was suspended for government interference by FIFA, now the country’s National Olympic Committee is being taken over by a three-member committee appointed by the Delhi High Court; what will the IOC do? In Tokyo, a former Executive Board member of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee and the heads of a major clothing firm that was an “Official Supporter” of the Games were arrested on bribery charges. It never ends.

1.
Government spending for Milano Cortina 2026 at €2.165 billion?

In the typically confused cost accounting attached to an Olympic Games, the originally-promised €1 billion in governmental support spending for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games has now increased to perhaps €2.165 billion ($1 U.S. = €1.02 at present).

Reported in an update from the infrastructure company set up for works related to the Games in a bulletin of the regional government of Veneto, the spending list details projected costs in three different groups, each divided into “essential non-deferrable works” – these are must-haves to conduct the Games – and “essential” programs, many of which are long-term infrastructure items which are being done now as they can be lumped in with the Games.

The must-have programs total €286 million but the less-important “essential” items now total €1.879 billion. Samples of the must-have items, many of which also have long-term uses:

● €85.0 million to renovate the Cortina bobsled-luge run
● €50.0 million to renovate the speed skating arena
● €47.8 million for the Olympic Village in Cortina
● €23.5 million to renovate the ski-jumping facility
● €20.0 million for a new cableway system for alpine skiing
● €17.6 million for a new cableway system for freestyle and snowboard
● €11.5 million for the cross-country skiing stadium
● €11.0 million for the Olympic Village in Guardia di Finanza
● €10.0 million to create the medal plaza and other renovations
● €6.5 million for snow-making equipment for biathlon

(During the bid phase, the International Olympic Committee proposed that bobsled, luge and skeleton could be held at the existing facility in St. Moritz, Switzerland, saving a lot of effort and money. A Cortina City Council member has now suggested moving the events to Innsbruck, Austria.)

Then there are the other projects, characterized in one report as “works that have been awaited for decades” and are road and railway programs that are not required for the Games, but have been approved to support it. Originally tagged at €1 billion, the cost of these projects has risen 88% in three years!

According to the Rome newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano, much of the added spending on the actual Games-related costs and some of the infrastructure spending is relieving the financial pressure on the regional governments, who “would have had to redo at their own expense” and now will benefit “without in any way burdening the state coffers.”

Moreover, the concern over the work of the organizing committee, formed in 2019, is such that the federal funding decree also allows for a €400 million loan for the staging of the Games, which has a budget of €1.58 billion; that’s 25%! No wonder the Italian government has decreed that a new Board be installed.

The International Olympic Committee will provide $652 million in cash to Milan Cortina, but as for the expected €550 million in domestic sponsorship revenue, the newspaper sniffs, “to date, a pure utopia.” And:

“It must be said that between 2019 and today times, as [Lombardy President Attilio Fontana] also recalled, have definitely changed between pandemics and the increase in the prices of raw materials and energy, which added to bureaucracy, delays and the inaction of the [organizing committee] have created a paralysis and an enormous delay in the preparation of the event. Thus, the formula of state support ultimately turned out to be the best, perhaps the only one, for the ‘Olympics of autonomy’ and ‘at no cost’. Or presumed such.”

The budget pressures on Milan Cortina 2026 come along only weeks after the Paris 2024 organizers also noted the difficulties of keeping spending on track due to inflation and supply-chain disruptions. It isn’t easy.

2.
Euro Champs swimming ends with Sjostrom’s 28th career medal

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, 29, is one of the great sprinters in the history of the sport, with four Olympic medals and 20 World Championships medals in her career. And she added to her career lead in European Championships medals with a swift anchor on the women’s 4×100 m Medley Relay to bring Sweden home first.

Swimming at the Foro Italico in Rome in her seventh Euros, Sjostrom had to come from behind with a blazing 52.04 final leg to earn Sweden the win in 3:55.25 to 3:56.36 for France. It was her third gold in Rome and fifth total medal to give her 28 career European medals (17-7-4), more than anyone in history.

Lithuanian comeback star – and 2022 World Champion – Ruta Meilutyte defeated world-record holder Benedetta Pilato (ITA) to win the women’s 50 m Breast final, 29.59-29.71. It’s the no. 2 performance in the world for 2022 and the second European title for Meilutyte in the event; she also won in 2014.

Sixteen-year-old Lana Pudar (BIH) won the women’s 200 m fly in 2:06.81, a national record and now no. 6 on the 2022 world list. German Isabel Gose won the women’s 400 m Free in 4:04.13 to deny home favorite Simona Quadarella (ITA: 4:04.77) a triple-triple: Quadarella had won the last three Europeans in the 800 and 1,500 m Frees and was going for three in a row in the 400.

Britain’s Ben Proud completed a rare World Championships + Commonwealth Games + European Championships triple, winning the men’s 50 m Free in 21.58, adding to his win in this event in 2018. Italy’s Thomas Ceccon, the World Champion in the 100 m Back, took his first European title in 52.21; he also won the 50 m Fly earlier. Germany’s Lukas Maertens, the Worlds runner-up, won the 400 m Free in 3:42.50, the third-fastest time of the year; he has three of the top four.

Italy dominated the final swimming medal count with 35 total (13-13-9) to 15 for Hungary (5-7-3) and Great Britain (4-5-6). A total of 20 countries won medals.

3.
Success of Munich ‘22 driving Olympic dreams for Germany

The head of the German National Olympic Committee (DOSB), Thomas Weikert, said during a national ARD television interview that the success of the nine-sport European Championships in Munich over the past week has rekindled interest in a future Olympic bid.

“I think you can organize Olympic Games without everything being on a massive scale. Here is a very good event with nine sports and you can see that you can build on that …

“We are thinking about Olympic Games in Germany – winter or summer. We are thinking about it but will first ask the members. We will issue a timeframe at the next [DOSB] general assembly in December.”

Berlin tried for the 2000 Games and numerous bids from other cities have failed since the 1972 Games were held in Munich. But last Thursday, more than 55,000 showed up for the opening of the European Championships – a centerpiece of the 50-year commemoration of the 1972 Games – and interest in the sports has been high. The German national ARD channel reported an average television audience of 4.15 million (18.1% market share) for the athletics competitions on Tuesday evening.

DOSB Vice President Verena Bentele told ARD, “If we have a concept that involves people, that is sustainable, then we will also be able to trigger enthusiasm for the Olympic and Paralympic Games here. And that is our job now, and we will work on it.”

An ARD commentary notes that the view of the populace will be the key. Referendums killed the potential bids from Munich for the 2022 Winter Games and Hamburg for 2024. And with the current political factions in Germany at present, “no new application without a pro-Olympic referendum.”

This is a long-term project that should push German ambitions beyond a 2036 Games, which would be 100 years since the infamous Nazi Games of 1936. But for the future and noting the enormous success of the 2006 FIFA World Cup and now the Munich Europeans, Olympic ambitions in Germany are more than dreams.

4.
Indian High Court now takes over Indian Olympic Association

A few months ago, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had aspirations of hosting a future Olympic Games and bidding for a Youth Olympic Games. It will host – as of now – the International Olympic Committee as its 2023 Session in Mumbai.

But the IOA may be suspended by then.

The Delhi High Court – the highest authority in the New Delhi region, but subordinate to the Supreme Court of India – issued a ruling on Tuesday that placed the IOA under the control of a three-member Committee of Administrators:

“It is better that a legitimate body represents the cause of sportspersons than one simply masquerading as the real champion of Indian sports. Fairness and legitimacy need to imbue all public affairs. Recalcitrant entities which defy adherence to rules of the game, while continuing to unjustly enjoy government’s largesse and patronage, must be called-out.”

The IOA is in trouble for not following the Indian Sports Code regarding elections in the aftermath of the resignation of Narinder Batra in July, who is also being investigated for misuse of Hockey India funds.

However, FIFA just suspended the All India Football Federation as it was also taken over by court order for similar issues; such direct governmental control is seen as impermissible under the FIFA Statutes. How long will the IOC wait before issuing a similar order?

Observed: The situation in India is confused as Batra was at the center of sport in the country, as head of the IOA, as the President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and as an IOC member. He has resigned all three posts and the resulting power vacuum has created multiple problems for multiple sports bodies with the Indian Sports Code regarding elections and representation.

But it demonstrates that even large countries can have major complications that run their National Olympic Committees and national sports federations afoul of their governments – who fund them – as well as the IOC and the International Federations.

5.
Former Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member arrested for bribes

Tokyo prosecutors arrested former Tokyo 2020 organizing committee Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi, 78, on Wednesday in a case concerning bribes of about ¥51 million (~$380,000) from a Tokyo 2020 supplier.

Takahashi, a former senior managing director of Japan’s largest advertising agency Dentsu, is accused of receiving money from the publicly-traded, 600-store men’s clothing firm Aoki Holdings for “preferential treatment in the process of selecting sponsors from January 2017 to June 2021.”

Aoki Holdings became an “official supporter” of the Tokyo Games in 2018, which allowed it to create apparel – primarily men’s business suits – with the Games logo. The former Aoki chair, Hironori Aoki, his brother Takahisa Aoki, and executive Katsuhisa Ueda, were also arrested

Takahashi had admitted receiving money from Aoki Holdings, but says it was an independent consulting arrangement, and not related to his position as a Tokyo 2020 board member. The prosecutors believe Takahashi used his position to assist Aoki Holdings obtain its status as a licensee.

Observed: It’s another minor stain on the fringes of the successful Tokyo 2020 Games, and a reminder that those who have deep connections that are highly valued by an organizing committee may be susceptible to outside offers. One more headache.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The FrancsJeux.com site reports that contracts to make Tahiti the site for surfing for the 2024 Olympic Games were signed this week with the Paris 2024 organizing committee.

Commitments for infrastructure, security and the torch relay were all concluded and organizing committee chief Tony Estanguet said of the Olympic preparations, “Adjustments are necessary, but most will be temporary so as not to distort the sites.”

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● A shock for WADA with the sudden passing of Chief Operating Officer Frederic Donze (SUI) on Tuesday.

A WADA statement noted that he “died suddenly today, following a short illness, in Montreal, Canada, at the age of 50.” The statement also included:

“Fred joined WADA in 2002 in the role of Media Relations and Communications Manager. In 2011, he became Director of WADA’s Europe Office and International Federation Relations, in Lausanne, before being appointed COO in 2016. Prior to joining WADA, Fred was a journalist in his native Switzerland, including sports editor of the Geneva-based newspaper, Le Temps.”

● Archery ● An innovative idea that is sure to be copied has come from World Archery, asking to be included in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Australia.

The sport is not on the proposed program, which has 16 sports so far, including Paralympic events. So the archery federation is suggesting inclusion of a combined able-bodied and para archery program, with (1) four mixed team events (Recurve and Compound) and four doubles events for men and women with one able-bodied and one para archer, or (2) eight individual events (able and para) and the combined doubles events.

Up to five added sports are expected to be added to the 2026 Commonwealth program, with the decision expected by the end of the year. Watch for more of these kinds of proposals.

● Athletics ● Dutch star Femke Bol started her unprecedented quest to win both the 400 m and 400 m hurdles at a major championship with a victory in the women’s 400 m at the European Athletics Championships in Munich.

She won in 49.44, a national record and second in 2022 only to World Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH), and well ahead of runner-up Natalia Kaczmarek (49.94). Bol will run the 400 m hurdles semis on Thursday and, if qualified, the 400 m hurdles final on Friday. She’s the overwhelming favorite after finishing second at the World Championships in 52.27.

There was a major upset in the women’s vault, as two-time European Champion and Rio 2016 Olympic gold medalist Katerina Stefanidi (GRE) was beaten by Finland’s Wilma Murto. The Finn, fifth at the Eugene Worlds, cleared a national record 4.85 m (15-11) – equal-second in the world this year – while Stefanidi managed 4.75 m (15-7). Former Arkansas star Tina Sutej (SLO) was third, also at 4.75 m.

Olympic and World Champion Pedro Pablo Pichardo (POR) won the men’s triple jump at 17.50 m (57-5) in the second round, far ahead of Italy’s Andrea Dallavalle (17.04 m/55-11).

Favored Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) won the men’s 400 m at 44.53 and Spain’s Asier Martinez was called the winner of the men’s 110 m hurdles over 2018 champ Pascale Martinot-Lagarde (FRA), by 1/1000th of a second – 13.137 to 13.138 – with both given 13.14 (wind: -0.2 m/s). Romania’s Bianca Ghelber – sixth in Tokyo and sixth in Eugene – pulled an upset as the winner of the women’s hammer at 72.72 m (238-7).

● Cycling ● Colombian star Nairo Quintana, 32, the 2014 Giro d’Italia and 2016 Vuelta a Espana champion, was disqualified from his sixth-place finish at this year’s Tour de France for the use of an opioid.

The Union Cycliste Internationale announced the sanction Wednesday:

“The analyses of two dried blood samples provided by the rider on 8 and 13 July during the 2022 Tour de France revealed the presence of tramadol and its two main metabolites.

“In accordance with the UCI Medical Rules, the rider is disqualified from the 2022 Tour de France. This decision may be appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within the next 10 days.”

Per the UCI Medical Code:

“Tramadol is a synthetic opioid analgesic (painkiller) prescribed for the treatment of moderate to moderately severe pain. It is a centrally acting analgesic that affects the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. In addition to the risk of dependence and addiction, commonly reported adverse side effects of tramadol are dizziness, drowsiness and loss of attention, which are incompatible with competitive cycling and endanger other competitors.

“In light of the foregoing, in order to protect each rider’s health and physical integrity and to ensure the safety of the competitions, tramadol is prohibited in-competition.”

Tramadol use is not considered a doping violation and Quintana is not suspended; he is listed as a starter for the 2022 Vuelta a Espana which starts Friday in Utrecht (NED).

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For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Study compares track athlete pay with second-tier leagues; Italian gov’t taking charge of Milan Cortina 2026; FIFA blows up U-17 World Cup!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

Thank you to our 22 donors, who have covered 31% of our summer funding goal for operating costs. Can you help? Please donate here. Comments? Click here.

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Quick study shows T&F athlete pay in line with “other non-major sports”
2. Shake-up coming as government gets involved in Milan Cortina 2026
3. FIFA suspends India; what of the U-17 Women’s World Cup?
4. Biathlon federation to consider extending Russian ban
5. Sjostrom sets all-time medals record with Euro women’s 50 Free win

A review of player pay in second-tier U.S. professional leagues demonstrates the level of pay that U.S. track & field athletes can expect; a lot of it has to do with home-game attendance. The Italian government, which is itself in crisis, has moved to take a role in the governance of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games in view of not enough action from the organizing committee. FIFA, meanwhile, has suspended India in view of a government takeover and will not hold the women’s U-17 World Cup – scheduled for November – in that country! The Int’l Biathlon Union membership will vote next month on a continued suspension of Russia and Belarus, and on emergency powers for its Executive Board in case of another war. At the European Championships in Rome, Swedish sprint star Sarah Sjostrom set an all-time medal record with her third career win in the 50 m Freestyle.

1.
Quick study shows T&F athlete pay in line with
“other non-major sports”

A limited but fascinating examination of athlete salaries in second-tier U.S. professional leagues shows that many U.S. track & field performers – and perhaps others in Olympic sports – are being paid at about the same level.

NAL Athletics founder George Perry studied the salary data for leagues such as the U.S. Football League (USFL), XFL, National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Premier Hockey Federation (women’s ice hockey), the Premier Lacrosse League and others, as well as attendance figures for home games, in a Tuesday post.

What he found is an interesting correlation between average in-person attendance and player pay:

● 1,000 per game/$15,000 avg. salary: Premier Hockey Federation (20 games/team)

● 4,000 per game/$45,000 avg. salary: U.S. Football League (10 games)

● 4,227 per game/$35,000 avg. salary: Premier Lacrosse League (10 games)

● 7,500 per game/$35,000 avg. salary: National Women’s Soccer League (22 games)

● 18,126 per game/$55,000 avg. salary: XFL (10 games)

In comparison, the recent World Athletics Championships in Eugene drew 146,033 across 16 ticketed sessions or 9,127 on average. The problem is, as Perry points out, that the Worlds were a single show across 10 days, not a season-long promotion:

“If people want track & field athletes to make more money, they don’t need to look for more ways to get more people to attend USAs or Worlds or the Olympics. They need an everything, everywhere, but not all-at-once, spread out over 6-8 month season approach. Two thousand fans at each of 30 events across six cities has greater commercial viability than 60,000 fans for a weekend, not that track & field is getting 60,000 fans on a weekend. That would be the most effective and sustainable way to move track & field athletes up and to the right on the curve their peers in other sports have already defined.”

His charting of leagues, average player salaries and average attendance per game, compared with the Eugene Worlds, showed:

“Using the relationship from the graph above, track & field athletes should average $48,419 per year.”

There are quite a few athletes making that much, but a lot fewer than the 1,720 who showed up in Eugene; at that average, the total payroll for the Worlds would have been $83.28 million! The prize purse at the 2022 Worlds was $8.498 million or 10.2% of that figure. And that $8.498 million was distributed to 392 place winners across 49 events (average $21,679 per placing).

Looking at the number of athletes in the football, hockey and lacrosse leagues above, a true professional U.S. track & field league could be expected to support perhaps 400-500 athletes at maximum, but across how many events? Discounting relays, road and multi-events, the Eugene Worlds had 36 events for men and women combined, so 12-15 per event, max?

Is that a good number? At what pay rate? Not even today’s performers know, since as U.S. superstar women’s 400 m hurdler Sydney McLaughlin said in Eugene of her coach, the legendary Bobby Kersee, “I just do what Bobby tells me.”

It would be interesting to bring the real players together to talk through what a true, professional track & field commercial project would look like: athletes for sure, but also coaches and agents, as they often control the lives of their athletes … whether everyone wants to admit it or not.

And such a conference has no guarantee of success. Ukranian billionaire Konstantin Grigorishin did exactly this with his International Swimming League, which debuted in late 2019 with lots of excitement, but only a tepid response from the public. That’s partly due to the format decided on and a lack of promotion; Grigorishin has said he lost $20 million per season for his first three seasons, then had to freeze the ISL program due to the Russian invasion of his homeland. But several hundred swimmers got paid a salary and benefits for three seasons, more than they have ever received before.

World Athletics Council member Willie Banks (USA) – the former world-record holder in the triple jump – said prior to the Eugene Worlds that USA Track & Field was “mulling how to put top performers on the payroll” with “athlete payments [that] would derive from revenues of USATF, corporate sponsors and USATF Foundation grants (which until now has handed out stipends of $5,000 and less).” He envisions a “living wage” payment level of $80,000 or more a year.

How? “I am not at liberty to give you the plan right now,” he said.

Perry, and a lot of others, will be very interested when he does.

2.
Shake-up coming as government gets involved in
Milan Cortina 2026

Italy is in crisis. Prime Minister Mario Draghi resigned on 21 July and the Italian Parliament was dissolved the same day, with elections coming on 25 September.

Nevertheless, the Italian government is now getting more directly involved in the development of the 2026 project, decreeing that a revamped organizing committee Board of Directors would be made up of 14 members. Seven would be named by the government, in consultation with the Italian National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee. The other seven will be representatives of the regions where the event will take place, expected to include Lombardy, Veneto, Trento, Bolzano, Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Why? According to the newspaper La Repubblica:

“Since the IOC (24 June 2019) assigned us the Winter Games, too little has been done and some works, among those that are not essential, will never be done. Lost opportunity. But on the rest you have to run.”

The expectation is that chief executive Vincenzo Novari will be replaced, with multiple names already being floated. La Repubblica noted that the domestic sponsorship program has only one company under contract – retailer Esselunga – opining “Now we really have to run, there is no longer the Covid alibi.”

There are expectations of sponsor agreements coming with professional services provider Deloitte, supplement maker Herbalife and staffing giant Randstad, but still well short of the €575 million budget target.

3.
FIFA suspends India; what of the U-17 Women’s World Cup?

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been suspended by FIFA “with immediate effect due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.

“The suspension will be lifted once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been repealed and the AIFF administration regains full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs.”

At issue is the takeover of the AIFF by a Committee of Administrators following a Supreme Court decree to hold overdue elections from 2020; said committee chair, retired Justice Anil Dave:

“It is really deplorable that for almost last two years, the body, whose term had already been completed, had continued in an absolutely undemocratic and illegal manner, no action was taken. But when the Hon’ble Supreme Court passed an order to set things right so as to see that a democratically elected body takes charge, and when the CoA and the Sports Ministry were doing their best for the implementation of the Order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the order of the suspension was passed by FIFA.”

This is once again a question of governmental interference, but in this case significantly impacts an upcoming competition:

“The suspension means that the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022, scheduled to take place in India on 11-30 October 2022, cannot currently be held in India as planned. FIFA is assessing the next steps with regard to the tournament and will refer the matter to the Bureau of the Council if and when necessary. FIFA is in constant constructive contact with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India and is hopeful that a positive outcome to the case may still be achieved.”

The U.S., five-time CONCACAF women’s U-17 champions, was eliminated in the group stage in 2012-16-18 after finishing second in 2008. It was drawn into a group for 2022 with India, Morocco and Brazil, but a replacement team for the host will be needed.

The suspension is another blow to sports in India, which saw Narinder Batra, the President of the International Hockey Federation and of the Indian Olympic Committee, resign his posts earlier this year after suspicions of improper use of public funds surfaced. Batra had been leading the charge for India to bid for the 2036 Olympic Games and a future Youth Olympic Games, but those projects are now sidelined.

4.
Biathlon federation to consider extending Russian ban

The International Biathlon Union Executive Board recommended that the suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes and of their national federations be continued by the IBU Congress in September.

The original ban from 29 March 2022 requires that the status of the suspension be reviewed by the IBU Congress. In specific:

“The IBU Executive Board’s motion proposes that the RBU’s and BiFB’s membership will be suspended until they demonstrate their full commitment to support and promote the purposes and principles of the IBU, for example clearly distancing themselves from the war in Ukraine and ensuring that none of their officials or athletes are actively involved in the Russian military and/or take any part in the war effort.

“The IBU Executive Board will monitor the implementation of the conditions above and may provisionally lift the suspension imposed until the next Congress, if it considers in its absolute discretion that the above-mentioned conditions have been fulfilled.”

The decision of the Congress will have quick impacts, as the IBU World Cup season will begin on 29 November in Kontiolahti, Finland.

The Russian Biathlon Union issued a statement that included:

“We believe that today’s IBU Executive Board voiced recommendations in regard to athletes from Russia and Belarus were hypocritical and politicized, just like their March decisions. They contradict the IBU Constitution and inflict damage upon the global sport of biathlon.”

An IBU constitutional amendment is also being proposed to allow the Executive Board to implement “exceptional protective measures” in case of circumstances beyond the federation’s control, such as war. This is in line with measures discussed at other federations to deal with the situations raised by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

5.
Sjostrom sets all-time medals record with
Euro women’s 50 Free win

With a bronze on Sweden’s Mixed 4×100 m Freestyle relay, Sarah Sjostrom equaled the record for the most career European Championships medals with 26 (16-7-4), held by Russian sprinter Alexander Popov from 1991 to 2004.

On Tuesday at the Foro Italico in Rome, Sjostrom grabbed the record for herself with a 27th career medal, winning the women’s 50 m Free in style, with a world-leading time of 23.91, seven 100ths faster than her winning time at the 2022 Worlds in Budapest.

Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte – the London 2012 gold medalist in the 100 m Breast – continued her comeback with a world-leading 29.44 in the semis of the women’s 50 m Breaststroke, setting a national record, with the no. 4 performance of all-time (and now the no. 3 performer). She won the world title in this event earlier this year in Budapest.

Margherita Panziera (ITA) completed a women’s 100-200 m Backstroke double, winning the shorter race in 59.40.

Hungary’s Kristof Milak completed his 100-200 Fly double, winning the longer race in 1:52.01, a time only he has bettered in 2022. It’s the no. 7 performance in history, with six by Milak, who now has five medals at the 2022 Europeans. Italy’s Niccolo Martinenghi completed the 50-100 m Breast double, winning the 50 m race in a world-leading 26.33, moving him to equal-2nd all-time with Felipe Lima (BRA: 2019).

Ukraine’s Mykhailo Romanchuk upset World Champion Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) in the men’s 1,500 m, 14:36.10 to 14:39.79, to defend his title from the 2020 Europeans. It’s the no. 2 performance of the season and moves the Ukrainian to no. 4 all-time.

The swimming events conclude on Wednesday.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● At the European Championships in Munich, Olympic 100 m champ Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy finally got back on the winning track.

He won the men’s 100 m in a modest 9.95 (wind: +0.1 m/s), to 9.99 for Britain’s Zharnel Hughes and 10.13 for Jeremiah Azu (GBR). It’s his fastest time of the season and only his third final due to injury; it equals his fourth-fastest time ever, in his first European final.

World 5,000 m Champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) completed his Eugene-Munich double, winning by 13:21.13 to 13:22.98 over Spain’s Mohamed Katir.

Greece’s Tokyo Olympic winner Miltiadis Tentoglu defended his 2018 European title with the big jump he had been looking for all season – a world-leading 8.52 m (27-11 1/2) – in the fourth round. He had two other jumps good enough to win as well. In the decathlon, 2019 World Champion Niklas Kaul (GER) won with 8,545 points over Swiss Simon Ehammer, who set a national record at 8,468. Spain’s Miguel Angel Lopez won the men’s 35 km walk in 2:26:49.

The women’s 100 m wasn’t especially fast, but it was close with Gina Luckenkemper (GER) edging Swiss Mujinga Kambundji, 10.984 to 10.989, with both officially in 10.99 (+0.1). Britain’s Daryll Neita was third in 11.00!

Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic, 32, won an amazing sixth European title in the discus at 67.95 m (222-11), just ahead of Germany’s Kristin Prudenz (67.87 m/222-8 lifetime best). Greek Antigoni Drisbioti won the 35 km walk by more than two minutes in 2:47:00.

● Basketball ● On Monday, American star Brittney Griner’s attorneys filed her appeal against the nine-year prison sentence handed down on 4 August. This is a separate move from the continuing discussions between the U.S. government and Russia concerning a possible prisoner exchange.

Griner has been locked up since mid-February and the U.S. government continues to consider her “unlawfully detained.”

● Football ● U.S. Soccer announced the remaining pre-World Cup friendly for its Men’s National Team on 23 September, facing World Cup qualifier Japan in Dusseldorf (GER), to be shown on ESPN2, UniMas and TUDN.

The American men will play Saudi Arabia, also a World Cup team, on 27 September in Murcia, Spain, in its final warm-up match. The first U.S. World Cup match will be against Wales on 21 November.

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TSX REPORT: Russian ban chatter heats up; teen Popovici threatens another world swim mark; Israel wins Euro team marathon, dedicates to ‘72 victims

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. War of words over Russia continues; IOC’s Bach holds firm
2. Popovici scares untouchable 200 m Free world mark: 1:42.97!
3. Israel wins Euro Champs marathon team title; dedicated to 1972 victims
4. Future of the European Championships still up in the air
5. Vuelta a Espana and USA Gymnastics Champs this week

While the international ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes continues mostly in force, Canadian law professor Richard McLaren told German television he thought the ban was unfair, but IOC chief Thomas Bach says no change in status is coming. At the European Championships in swimming in Rome, Romanian teen star David Popovici scared the 2009 world record in the men’s 200 m Freestyle, while at the European Athletics Championships in Munich, Israel won the men’s marathon team gold and dedicated the win to the victims of the 1972 Munich Massacre. Can the multi-sport European Championships survive beyond the current success in Munich, to 2026? It’s confusing. And look for the start of the three-week La Vuelta a Espana on Friday and the USA Gymnastics nationals this weekend in Florida.

1.
War of words over Russia continues; IOC’s Bach holds firm

“Those responsible for this war of aggression have to be punished: that is the Russian government. We have successfully appealed to all international federations that there should be no international sporting events in Russian and Belarusian. We have issued this recommendation and it remains in force. Now is not the time to reverse this recommendation and change the position. We also recommend not to invite Russian or Belarusian athletes: no anthems, no flags, no colors.”

That was International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER), speaking with the German Bild.de site last week, re-confirming the IOC’s stance on Russian and Belarusian participation in international sport. He added:

“I am grateful to the international federations for following us. That athletes who support the war, who appear or advertise with the infamous ‘Z,’ are sanctioned.”

Over the weekend, the national “Sportschau” program on the German ARD network aired an interview with Richard McLaren, the Canadian law professor whose reports detailed Russia’s state-sponsored doping program from 2011-15 and has been deeply involved in integrity investigations in other sports. He took a different position:

“The way they are treated is not fair.

“The athletes did not start this conflict and are not responsible for its course. Those are two good reasons to let them participate again. … [But] as long as the conflict lasts, the international sports community will not change the decision it has made.”

This brought cheers from Russia, as reported by the TASS news agency, from Russian Wrestling Federation chief Mikhail Mamiashvili: “I believe that McLaren is a very honest person regarding his own world perception since he had the courage to make such statement.”

Famed figure skating coach Tatiana Tarasova added: “Perhaps, his voiced opinion would have some impact regarding our [Russian] return to the world arena.

“I believe that countries in the West come to realize that tournaments without the participation of Russian athletes are dull and incomplete.”

There are other voices, including continued criticism of IOC and federation policies which allow Russian and Belarusian officials to continue to function. German Viola von Cramon, a Green Party member of the European Parliament since 2019, told Sportschau:

“Russia has managed to optimize its influence over the years – through very generous financial donations to international sport, to national sports associations, to professional associations, to organizers.

“It has the institutions hollowed out from the inside, undermined, corrupted that no one dares to take action against these Russian officials. Russia can still use its influence even if the athletes are no longer allowed to compete.”

She is calling for the IOC and the federations to “suspend, sanction and withdraw all of their rights.”

The IOC issued a lengthy update on Monday, recounting its support for more than 3,000 Ukrainian athletes in multiple sports, and noting the contributions of sports organizations including, but not limited to World Athletics, European Athletics, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation, the Slovak Olympic & Sports Committee, the 2022 World Games organizing committee in Birmingham (USA), the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation and others.

2.
Popovici scares untouchable 200 m Free world mark: 1:42.97!

Romania’s 17-year-old Freestyle sensation David Popovici starred again at the European Championships in Rome, swimming the fastest-ever men’s 200 m Freestyle in a textile suit, winning in 1:42.97.

After breaking Brazilian Cesar Cielo’s 2009 record in the 100 m Free – set in a since-outlawed plasticized suit in 2009 – at 46.86 last Friday, Popovici approached the seemingly-unapproachable mark of 1:42.00 by German Paul Biedermann – also from 2009 and also set in Rome – on Monday.

Popovici led from start to finish and set another World Junior Record with his 1:42.97 final time, the no. 4 performance in history. Only Biederman (1:42.00 and 1:42.81 on a relay leg, both in 2009) and Michael Phelps’s 1:42.96 from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games are faster. All three of those performances were from the “supersuit” era; the fastest in a textile suit had been 1:43.14 from France’s Yannick Agnel at the London 2012 Games.

Popovici now owns two of the six fastest times in history and brings the 200 m Free mark within range, but only for himself. No. 2 on the year list is Sun-woo Hwang (KOR) at 1:44.47, and second in Rome on Monday was Antonio Djakovic (SUI) at 1:45.60.

3.
Israel wins Euro Champs marathon team title;
dedicated to 1972 victims

“It was an excellent team effort of the team Israel. We are very pleased with it especially because these championships mark the 50th anniversary of the tragic events that took place here in Munich in 1972. I would like to dedicate this medal to all the families of the victims, and to send my love to everyone. As soon, as we realized that these championships were going to take place here in Munich, we felt it in the heart, an inner strength to the best we can to honor those families.”

That was European Championships men’s marathon silver medalist Maru Teferi of Israel, after the country won four medals on the opening day of the European Athletics Championships, taking place at the Munich Olympiastadion with the road-race finishes at the Odeonplatz.

Teferi looked like a possible winner, but was passed in the final strides by Germany’s Richard Ringer, 2:10:21 to 2:10:23, in 75-degree (F) weather at the finish. Israel’s Gashau Ayale was third (2:10:29), with Yimer Getahun seventh (2:10:56) and Girmaw Amare ninth (2:11:32). The top three finishers gave Israel the team title, 6:31:48 to 6:35:52, over Germany.

In addition, Israel’s Lonah Salpeter won the bronze in the women’s 10,000 m, behind Yasemin Can (TUR) and Britain’s Eilish McColgan, 30:32.57-30:41.05-30:46.37.

The women’s marathon was a win for Poland’s Aleksandra Lisowska (2:28:36), with Germany winning the team title over Spain and Poland.

On the infield, the men’s shot went to European Indoor bronze winner Filip Mihaljevic (CRO), throwing 21.88 m (71-9 1/2) , ahead of Serb Armin Sinancevic (21.39 m/70-2 1/4). Worlds bronze medalist Jessica Schilder (NED) won the women’s shot at 20.24 m (66-5). The meet continued through the 21st.

4.
Future of the European Championships still up in the air

While the Asian Games (1951), Pan American Games (1951) and African Games (1965) have been around for decades, Europe got along without a region-wide competition until 2015 with the first European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. The third edition will take place in Krakow (POL) in 2023.

In 2018, a second multi-sport program was launched, the European Championships, a conglomeration of events in seven individual sports. The second edition is going on now, with competitions in athletics, beach volleyball, canoe-kayak (sprint), cycling (4 disciplines), gymnastics (artistic), rowing, sport climbing, table tennis and triathlon.

Can these two survive? Can either? In the case of the current European Championships, the interest in the events in Munich, Germany, as part of the 50th anniversary program of the 1972 Olympic Games, has been solid, as has viewership in Germany.

Some 40 members of the European Broadcasting Union is showing more than 3,500 hours of coverage across 50 channels and SportBusiness reported that “Gymnastics, sport climbing and triathlon events at Munich’s European Championships have all attracted audiences of over 2 million viewers on ARD, the German public-service broadcaster” on Sunday (14th):

● 3:30 p.m.: 2.19 million for Gymnastics
● 5:30 p.m.: 2.01 million for Sport Climbing
● 6:00 p.m.: 2.40 million for Triathlon (mixed relay)

These figures represent more than 14% of the national audience and are impressive; rowing did 1.52 million and table tennis, 1.49 million, earlier on Sunday. The reception has not been lost on European Athletics, one of the key anchors of the event. Although it had previously announced that it would go its own way in the future, President Dobromir Karamarinov (BUL) said “We support the multisport concept, but with important adjustments. …

“After the event we will very carefully study the concept in our Council, but of course we will be happy if we can continue together with some kind of multi-sports format.”

European Athletics will hold its 2024 championship meet in Rome (ITA) and said in June that its 2026 candidates are Birmingham (GBR) and Budapest (HUN), with chief executive Christian Milz (SUI) adding:

“European Athletics would also like to confirm, following a recent European Athletics Council decision, that the 2026 European Athletics Championships will be organised as a stand-alone event like that in Rome in two years time.”

Confused? So is everyone else. No host for a 2026 European Championships has been identified and it’s hard to imagine a choice as compelling as Munich and its 50-year commemoration of the 1972 Olympic Games. The Euro Champs continue through the weekend.

5.
Vuelta a Espana and USA Gymnastics Champs this week

Beyond the European Championships this week are the start of the third of cycling’s annual Grand Tours and the 2022 USA Gymnastics nationals in Tampa, Florida.

The 21-stage, 77th Vuelta a Espana will begin on Friday (19th) in Utrecht (NED) with a team time trial and continue in Holland for two more stages before heading for Spain. There are nine flat stages, four hilly stages and eight mountain stages, with the final ride a flat stage into Madrid on 11 September.

Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic has won the last three Vueltas – no one has ever won four straight – and will contend with 2022 Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley (AUS), runner-up Richard Carapaz (ECU, the 2020 Vuelta runner-up), 2018 winner Simon Yates (GBR) and two-time Vuelta runner-up Enric Mas (ESP). The race will be televised in the U.S. only on NBC’s Peacock streaming service.

The OOFOS U.S. Gymnastics Championships mark the start of the post-Biles era for the American women’s program, with Tokyo Olympic Floor Ex winner Jade Carey and Team silver medalist Jordan Chiles the headliners. Leanne Wong, the 2021 Worlds All-Around runner-up and Kayla DiCello, the All-Around bronze winner, are also expected to contend.

The men’s competition includes three Tokyo team members: Brody Malone (the defending national All-Around champ), Yul Moldauer and Shane Wiskus, along with Worlds medalists Donnell Wittenburg (2015 vault bronze) and 2021 World Pommel Horse gold medalist Stephen Nedoroscik.

Thursday (men) and Friday (women) sessions will be carried on NBC’s Olympic Channel, with Saturday’s men’s finals on CNBC at 7 p.m. Eastern and Sunday’s women’s finals on NBC at 7 p.m.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Curling ● The skip of the Beijing 2022 women’s gold medalists, Eve Muirhead (GBR), announced her retirement last Thursday at age 32, concluding a brilliant career.

Muirhead represented Great Britain and Scotland during four Olympic Games, nine World Championships appearances and 13 European Championships from 2010-22. Her teams won the Olympic bronze in 2014 and the gold in 2022, the 2013 World Championship, a silver medal in 2010 and a bronze in 2017 and 10 European Championships medals, including three golds.

● Football ● U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner gave preliminary approval to the announced settlement between members of the U.S. Women’s National Team and the U.S. Soccer Federation last Friday. He set a hearing for 5 December for final approval.

The two sides agreed on a $24 million settlement, with $22 million for the plaintiffs (to be distributed based on playing time) and $2 million in post-career support services.

Along with all the other preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, FIFA held three-day seminars in May and June for all 129 referees, assistant referees and video review officials who will work the matches in November:

“The three-day seminars enabled officials from each confederation to come together in Asuncion, Paraguay (CONCACAF/Conmebol), Doha, Qatar (AFC/OFC/CAF), and Madrid, Spain (UEFA), led by Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, and Massimo Busacca, FIFA’s Director of Refereeing.

“The match officials were put to the test in both theoretical classes and on-the-field training sessions each day, allowing the officials to simulate and practice various live-match situations.

“‘Our objective is to prepare the referee as best as possible to avoid using technology, but technology is there to reduce the possibility of human mistake that can affect the outcome of a match,’” said Collina.

● Skeleton ● One of the greatest racer in history, Latvia’s Martins Dukurs, announced his retirement – after 22 seasons – on Monday.

Now 38, he finishes with Olympic silvers in 2010 and 2014, six World Championships golds, 12 European Championships wins, 61 World Cup race victories and 11 seasonal World Cup titles. His first World Cup win came in 2008 and he finished in style in the 2021-22 season, winning the overall title once again and ending his racing career with two straight wins at Winterberg (GER) and St. Moritz (SUI).

Such was his popularity in his home country that he was depicted on a Latvian postage stamp issued in 2014 after his Sochi Olympic Winter silver medal.

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TSX REPORT: World Athletics starts U.S. fan-dev program with video series; Qatar World Cup starts 20 November; Brisbane 2032 costs already in dispute

By
Rich Perelman
-
American sprinter Aleia Hobbs at the 2022 World Championships, wearing a QR code on her left thigh, which leads to a new video series called "Going the Distance" on the World Athletics Web site! (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. World Athletics’ U.S. promo program starts with QR codes
2. FIFA confirms Sunday, 20 November start for Qatar 2022
3. Brisbane 2032 Olympic stadium budget fight well underway
4. Families of Munich Massacre victims to boycott memorial ceremony
5. Teen Popovici shatters world 100 m Freestyle mark in Rome

World Athletics has opened its promotional program in the U.S. with a series of seven “Going the Distance” video programs profiling stars like Ryan Crouser, Grant Holloway, Athing Mu and four others. The change in the FIFA World Cup schedule has been approved, with Qatar and Ecuador opening the tournament now on Sunday, 20 November. The arguing over costs has already started for the Brisbane 2032 Games and the Queensland plan to renovate the main stadium and adjoining area. Most, if not all, of the families of the victims of the 1972 Munich Massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and officials, will not attend the official commemoration ceremony in a fight over compensation with the German government. In Rome, 17-year-old David Popovici of Romania broke one of the long-standing records in swimming, winning the European title in the men’s 100 m free in 46.86!

1.
World Athletics’ U.S. promo program begins with QR codes

American sprinter Aleia Hobbs, a Tokyo Olympic 4×100 m silver medalist, shared a new promotional program for American track & field after the recent Diamond League meet in Poland:

“I was running with a QR code on my hip here. It is a project we have been doing with World Athletics. By scanning the code, it links you directly to a series of films called ´Going the Distance with Aleia Hobbs´ on their YouTube account. You can go there to discover more about me.”

What? Jackie Brock-Doyle (GBR), the World Athletics communications chief, explains:

“World Athletics and USATF selected 7 athletes we thought GenZ would relate to and spent a day with each one doing some filming and a series of quick fire question and answer sessions to give people more insight to the person behind the performance.

“We then created individual playlists of 4-6 short videos on World Athletics’ YouTube channel under the heading ‘Going the Distance Series’.”

The program actually debuted at the World Championships in Eugene, but also included one athlete who didn’t make the team. The athletes:

● Ryan Crouser, the Olympic and World Champion in the men’s shot;

● Aleia Hobbs, who was also wearing it at the Diamond League meet;

● Grant Holloway, the 2019 and 2022 World men’s 100 m hurdles winner;

● Athing Mu, the women’s 800 m Olympic and World Champion;

● Elle St. Pierre, the World Indoor women’s 3,000 m silver medalist;

● Cooper Teare, the U.S. Olympic Trials winner in the men’s 1,500 m;

● Gabby Thomas, the Tokyo Olympic women’s 200 m bronze medalist.

This part of a promised push toward expanding the popularity of track & field inside the U.S. by World Athletics, on the six-year run-up to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) has made no secret of his appreciation for the role that the Netflix documentary series “Drive to Survive” – which debuted in 2019 – has played in increased interest for Formula 1 racing.

The Drive to Survive programs are 34-52 minutes each in length, so the World Athletics concept is more bite-sized in style and easy to view quickly. The Going the Distance videos with Hobbs ran 1:36, 1:35, 1:29 and 1:39 across the four episodes; Holloway’s series has five parts. First up were the series on Crouser and St. Pierre on 15 July, the first day of the Eugene World Championships; Thomas’s series was the last to be posted, on 5 August.

The most popular segments so far – remember, the series has not even been officially announced as yet; that will come at the end of the Diamond League season in September – are the opening videos for Mu (8,202 views) and Teare (7,533).

These are well done and an extension of a very vibrant YouTube channel for World Athletics, which has 1.03 million subscribers and 442.04 million views of its videos since beginning the service in 2010. Will it move the needle in the U.S.?

2.
FIFA confirms Sunday, 20 November start for Qatar 2022

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar will officially open one day earlier, on 20 November 2022, with Qatar playing Ecuador at 7 p.m. at the Al Bayt Stadium, following approval by the Bureau of the FIFA Council last week.

The move of this match from Monday (21st) to Sunday (20th) also allows the Netherlands-Senegal – which was to have been the tournament opener – to kick off later in the day, at 7 p.m. instead of at 1 p.m., in cooler temperatures. The announcement noted:

“The change ensures the continuity of a long-standing tradition of marking the start of the FIFA World Cup with an opening ceremony on the occasion of the first match featuring either the hosts or the defending champions.

“The decision followed an assessment of the competition and operational implications, as well as a thorough consultation process and an agreement with key stakeholders and the host country.”

What about added costs for spectators due to the change? “FIFA will seek to address any issues arising from this change in a case-by-case basis.”

One group which will be impacted directly is the U.S. broadcaster FOX, which will now have to deal with a match beginning at noon Eastern, in the middle of its NFL Sunday programming. The likely result is the opening match of the World Cup on FS1 instead of the over-the-air network.

3.
Brisbane 2032 Olympic stadium budget fight well underway

Yes, the Games of the XXXV Olympiad is 10 years away, but the political infighting concerning Brisbane 2022 is already here.

The government’s plan to renovate not only the Brisbane Cricket Ground – known as “The Gabba” – but the surrounding area into a major entertainment and sports area was expected to cost perhaps A$1 billion (~$712.7 million U.S.), but the costs could escalate. The Brisbane Times reported last week:

“The Queensland government will push on with plans to demolish and rebuild the Gabba for the 2032 Olympic Games, even if required changes to the precinct’s critical infrastructure cause a cost blow-out.”

A major concern is whether the site is large enough to handle the proposed expansion. Questions have also been raised about the Australian federal funding commitment to the project, especially with the Labour Party taking control of the government from the Liberal Party in May, with Anthony Albanese now the Prime Minister instead of Scott Morrison.

Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace told lawmakers during a late July budget review session:

“Final design, final works on that stadium have not been completed. … You are operating in a vacuum: we do not know the footprint, we do not know the design, we’ve got a schematic sketch, we’re still stabbing in the dark, it is still 10 years away.”

Yep, 10 years away.

4.
Families of Munich Massacre victims to boycott memorial ceremony

A long-simmering dispute between the families of the 11 Israeli delegation members murdered by Palestinian terrorists during the 1972 Munich Games has exploded with the public release of a letter last Friday from two of the widows stating they will boycott the official, 50-year memorial ceremony on 5 September.

The New York-based newspaper The Algemeiner noted:

“The letter from the two women emphasized that they had made three demands of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Firstly, a formal apology for the refusal of the German authorities to allow Israeli special forces to conduct the rescue operation – during the hostage situation, the German-led attempt to free the Israelis ended with all the Israeli athletes murdered on the tarmac of the Furstenfeldbruck airbase. Secondly, they called for the full opening of state archives related to the massacre, and finally, ‘adequate compensation.’”

The first two items have been concluded, but the fight now is over compensation, with the widows demanding a much higher amount than the $2.98 in payments made in 2002. One widow, Ilana Romano, said the German government had “abused” the families, “but in a polite manner and with a nice smile.”

At least some of the family members of the victims will attend another ceremony, to be held on London on 5 September.

5.
Teen Popovici shatters world 100 m Freestyle mark in Rome

The European Championships are underway in Rome (ITA), with Romanian teen sensation David Popovici, 17, wiping away a 13-year-old world mark in one of the sport’s glamour events on Saturday (13th).

After becoming only the fourth man in history to break 47 seconds in the men’s 100 m Freestyle in the semis at 46.98, he removed Brazil’s Cesar Cielo and his 2009 mark of 46.91 in the day-three final, winning in 46.86!

Popovici came from behind to win, trailing France’s Maxime Grousset by 0.02 at the turn, then stormed away to win by 0.61 over Hungary’s Olympic 200 m Fly champion, Kristof Milak (47.47). Popovici now owns the top five times of 2022 and now two of the five sub-47 performances in history!

Even more amazing is that Popovici’s swim was in the same pool – at the Parco del Foro Italico – where Cielo set his mark in 2009. On Sunday, Popovici led the semi-finals in the 200 m Free in 1:44.91; he’s already the world leader in 2022 in 1:43.21. Also of note:

In the men’s 100 m Breast, World Champion Niccolo Martinenghi (ITA) equaled his winning time from the Budapest Worlds – fastest in the world this year – at 58.26. World Champion Milak won the 100 m Fly in 50.33, the no. 5 performance of 2022.

In the women’s 50 m Fly, Sweden’s sprint superstar Sarah Sjostrom won her fifth European title in 24.96, just a 100th off her world-leading time in winning the world title in Budapest in June.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Equestrian ● The Federation Equestre Internationale dispensed with its all-in-one World Equestrian Games after the 2018 edition and held its World Championships for Dressage, Jumping and the non-Olympic Vaulting discipline in Herning (DEN) last week.

The medal winners for the Dressage Special and Dressage Freestyle were exactly the same: Britain’s Charlotte Fry, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN) and Dinja van Liere of the Netherlands. Fry, on Glamourdale, won the Special with a score of 82.508% – first place by six of the seven judges – and received the €30,800 first prize. Laudrup-Dufour (on Vamos Amigos) was close at 81.322% and won €18,100. Defending champion Isabell Werth (GER), trying for a fourth world title in the event, finished fourth; Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, the 2014 champion, was sixth; American Adrienne Lyle finished ninth.

The Dressage Freestyle was another close decision, with Fry scoring 90.654% (again, with six judges in favor) to Laudrup-Defour’s 89.11%, winning €40,500 to €25,000. Lyle was sixth; Werth was ninth and Dujardin, finished 10th.

On Sunday, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann won his first individual World Jumping title, aboard King Edward, with only 0.58 faults. That earned him the gold and €86,016! Belgium’s Jerome Guery (aboard Quel Homme de Hus) was second (3.35), worth €67,968, and Maikel van der Vleuten (NED: Beauville Z) was third, earning €50.468.

It was von Eckermann’s second gold of the Championships as he was a member of Sweden’s Team winners, just as he was at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Sweden had only 7.69 total faults to 19.31 for the Netherlands and 22.66 for Britain. The U.S., the defending champion, was 11th.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2036 ● Jurgen Kessing, the head of the German Athletics Federation (DLV) told Deutsche Presse Agentur that a Berlin bid for the 2036 Games – a century after the infamous Nazi Games of 1936 – should be publicly discussed.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who is German, said recently that a German bid for 2026 should not be ruled out on account of the 1936 Games.

Berlin bid for the 2000 Olympic Games, but was eliminated in the second round.

● Archery ● The 138th United States National Target Championships once again concluded with international stars Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold winning the national Recurve (Olympic division) titles.

The 144-arrow Nationals was held in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with Ellison – the 2019 World Champion – scoring 1,348 to 1,319 for Gabe Anderson and Matt Nofel. Kaufhold, still just 18 and the 2021 World silver medalist, scored 1,333 to win the women’s Recurve division. Catalina G’Noriega was second at 1,283 and Isabella Frederick was third (1,265).

In Saturday’s elimination-play U.S. Open, 20-year-old Nicholas D’Amour of the U.S. Virgin Islands upset Ellison in the final, 6-0, while Atlanta 1996 gold medalist Justin Huish – now 47 – won the bronze over Jackson Mirich, 7-1. It’s Huish’s best performance since returning to the sport three years ago. Frederick won the women’s title, 6-4, over Gabriella Sasai.

● Athletics ● U.S. sprinter Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry was fun to read on Twitter last week prior to the Diamond League meet in Monaco. After anchoring the U.S. to a stunning women’s 4×100 m gold at the World Championships, she set a lifetime best of 10.82 in Nashville on 30 July.

Then off to Europe, where her bags got lost and she ran poorly in Chorzow (POL) on 6 August – eighth in 11.20 – and tweeted:

“I need to figure out how to run the first 10 meters by tomorrow.”

She was better at the Gyulai Memorial in Hungary on the 8th, finishing fourth in 11.02 and then finished fifth at 10.90 – her fourth-fastest ever – in finishing fifth at the Herculis Diamond League meet in Monaco. Her tweet:

“10.90 man I will take that… I’ve literally been on go back to back since Worlds.”

The full-house crowds for track & field at the refurbished Alexander Stadium in Birmingham (GBR) during the just-completed Commonwealth Games – 30,000-plus per session – has one British columnist ready to forget London, with the Daily Mail’s Martin Samuel writing last week:

“After the success of this summer, a further refurbishment will mean the capacity of the [Alexander Stadium] can switch between 18,000 and 40,000, according to demand. It is perfect for athletics. Compact when it needs to be, with the potential for expansion. It could not be more different from athletics’ current home. A giant, unwieldy and costly white elephant in — where else? — London.

“The unloved London Stadium will host its first Diamond League meeting since 2019 in July next year. And that should be its farewell, too. We have sufficient distance from London 2012 for this not to be seen as a legacy betrayal.

“We know about the drugs cheats. We know much of what we saw, particularly at the track, was false. The romance has gone. We also know it costs £4-6 million to convert the venue for athletics’ use. So, in effect, athletics has no home. It rents a room in a football stadium for a few weeks in the summer. And the country picks up the tab.”

At the same time, he also poured some cold water on thoughts for the 2036 Olympic Games and Birmingham:

“Birmingham 2036. An Olympic Games for the Second City. That’s where euphoria gets you. Pipe dreams, castles in the sky. This country last hosted in 2012 — so it would be a short gap of 24 years. That’s not how the modern Olympics works.

“Australia will wait 32 years between Sydney 2000 and Brisbane 2032. France’s 2024 edition will nod to the centenary of the last summer Games in Paris. Tokyo 2020 was 56 years on from 1964. The wait for Athens was 108 years. The exception is the 12 years that passed between Los Angeles 1984 and Atlanta 1996 — but Atlanta is widely regarded as the worst Olympics of the post-war era. So lesson learned.”

Two-time World Javelin Champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, 24, was assaulted on a party boat last Wednesday (10th), apparently by six members of the crew, and thrown into the water off St. George’s in Grenada.

Police arrested six men, all from Trinidad & Tobago, who will appear in court on Monday (15th), on charges of grievous harm and stealing for five of them and assault for the sixth.

Peters apparently suffered only minor injuries. He had just returned from a silver-medal performance at the Commonwealth Games on 7 August.

● Beach Volleyball ● The fifth Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 tournament was in Hamburg (GER) over the weekend, with Americans Kelly Cheng and Betsi Flint defeating 2021 European champs Nina Betschart and Tanja Huberli (SUI), 21-19, 21-18 to finish off a sixth straight opponent.

It’s the first American medal – men or women – in an Elite 16-level tournament in the reformatted world beach tour program. For Flint, it’s her fifth win in an FIVB event, but by far her biggest and first with Cheng. For Cheng (nee Claes), it’s her third career FIVB event win, after two victories with Sarah Sponcil in 2021.

In the men’s final, Poland’s Bartosz Losiak and Michal Bryl won their fourth event on tour this season – three prior Challenge tournament wins – by out-lasting 2013 World Champions Alex Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen (NED) by 21-18, 16-21, 29-27.

● Football ● More on our Lane One story last week about the closer and closer ties between FIFA and the National Football League, from Todd Parker, the Director of Marketing for the World Cup USA 1994 organizing committee and now at Overtime Sports & Entertainment.

Of the 1994 World Cup, the first ever in the U.S., he noted, “this FIFA/NFL crossover has been building for nearly 30 years.

“Our nine venues were all U.S. football stadiums serving NFL and/or college team tenants. The massive aggregate capacity allowed the World Cup USA 1994 event to set tournament attendance records and demonstrate to FIFA and the U.S. corporate community our country’s potential to launch a deserving first-division professional soccer league.

“Many NFL owners greatly contributed to the event’s success including organizing committee Board member [and Kansas City Chiefs owner] Lamar Hunt and World Cup 2026 Honorary Board chair [and New England Patriots owner] Robert Kraft. Interestingly, former head of NFL Europe Don Garber has been MLS’ longstanding commissioner.”

Of the nine venues used for the 1994 World Cup, five were NFL facilities and four were used for college football, including the Rose Bowl, where the final was played, and the since-downsized Stanford Stadium.

It’s worth remembering that FIFA’s belief in the U.S. as a country ready to embrace soccer came 38 years ago last week with the semifinals and finals of the 1984 Olympic tournament. To the amazement of then-FIFA President Joao Havelange (BRA) and then-Secretary General Sepp Blatter (SUI), the two semis drew 83,642 at Stanford and 97,451 at the Rose Bowl. The medal matches – both at the Rose Bowl – drew 100,374 for the bronze-medal game where Yugoslavia defeated Italy, 2-1, and a stunning 101,799 for France’s 2-0 shutout of Brazil in the championship final.

The United States was selected to host the 1994 World Cup just less than four years later.

● Judo ● Congratulate Jack Yonezuka, 19, of West Long Branch, New Jersey, for his World Junior bronze medal in the International Judo Federation’s World Junior Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

A third-generation judoka, Yonezuka won his medal at 73 kg, becoming the first U.S. men’s World Junior medal winner since 1992! He was the only American medalist in the event.

● Skateboarding ● ESPN reported that the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has filed a decertification complaint against National Governing Body USA Skateboarding.

The USOPC is alleging a lack of compliance with various rules; the story noted:

“The deficiencies included not requiring background checks for staff, judges, athletes, board members and contractors, having their tax status revoked by the IRS in June 2021 and not having an anti-doping policy. The audit also deemed the NGB deficient in child protection and found ‘a number of significant concerns raised during the review, including athlete representation, conflicts of interest, USOPC funding, athlete safety and managerial capabilities.’”

The decertification process is a slow one, requiring a hearing and then a decision, which can be appealed. In the interim, USA Skateboarding remains the U.S. governing body for the sport.

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TSX REPORT: Fraser-Pryce 10.62! Lyles 19.46! Holloway 12.99 in Monaco; Ukraine sports minister says more than 100 athletes dead in Russian war

By
Rich Perelman
-
Jamaica's amazing Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce after winning the women's 100 m at the Diamond League in Monaco on Wednesday (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Sprint stars and four world leads at Monaco Diamond League
2. Ukraine sports minister reports 100+ athletes dead in war so far
3. Late schedule revision will see FIFA World Cup start a day early?
4. Birmingham Commonwealth Games reach 28.6 million in Britain
5. Indonesian Olympic bid to be for new capital city!

Jamaica’s amazing, ageless Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the women’s 100 m at the Diamond League meet in Monaco in a stunning 10.62, her sixth win in six finals this season and all between 10.62 and 10.67. There were plenty of other highlights, including three other world-leading performances and an American Record from Grant Fisher in the men’s 3,000 m. That was exciting and in contrast to a letter from the Ukrainian sports minister that more than 100 athletes have died at the hands of the Russian aggressors in the six-month-old war in his country. FIFA will apparently move the opening of the 2022 Qatar World Cup up by one day to allow the home side to play in the opening match. The 2022 Commonwealth Games did very well on British television, with nearly 43% of the country tuning in at some point. And Indonesia is building a new capital city, so why not program in facilities for an Olympic bid for 2036?

1.
Sprint stars and four world leads at Monaco Diamond League

It’s pretty late in the 2022 season, so to see four world-leading performances means the racing was superb at the Stade Louis II in Monaco at the Diamond League Herculis meet on Wednesday:

● Men/1,000 m: 2:13.88, Jake Wightman (GBR)
● Men/3,000 m: 7:25.93, Thierry Ndikumwenayo (BDI)

● Women/100 m: 10.62, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM)
● Women/1,500 m: 3:50.37, Faith Kipyegon (KEN)

And that was hardly all, as there were many other excellent marks, especially among the sprinters.

At the top of the list has to be Jamaican icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who stormed out of the blocks and raced away to sixth win in six finals this season in a stunning 10.62, the equal-6th-best performance of all time and her second-fastest time ever, even at age 35 (wind: +0.4 m/s)..

She dominated a field which was ran brilliantly behind her: teammate Shericka Jackson was second in a lifetime best of 10.71 to move to no. 6 all-time; Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) ran a lifetime best of 10.72 to become equal-7th all-time in third; Americans Aleia Hobbs and TeeTee Terry ran 10.81 and 10.90 and were fourth and fifth, and fellow American Tamara Clark was seventh in 10.96!

Fraser-Pryce’s six finals this season have been 10.67, 10.67, 10.67, 10.66, 10.67 and now 10.62. Astonishing. And there are more meets to come.

World 200 m champ Noah Lyles headlined a fabulous field in the men’s 200 m, including Worlds silver medalist Erriyon Knighton (still 18), World 400 m winner Michael Norman of the U.S., NCAA champ Joseph Fahnbulleh (LBA) and even brother Josephus Lyles. But the race was all about Noah, running out of lane seven. Norman got the best start and made up some ground on Knighton, but Lyles was flying around the turn and in the lead into the straight. He never let up on the accelerator and won by daylight in 19.46 (+0.8), the no. 9 performance of all-time and his second-fastest ever. Knighton got up for second on the straightaway over Norman, 19.84-19.95 and Josephus Lyles was sixth in 20.26 with Fahnbulleh seventh (20.46).

In the men’s 110 m hurdles, World Champion Grant Holloway got his patented hot start and once again faded slightly before the end, but got across the line first with a heavy lean in 12.99, the no. 2 mark for 2022 (+0.6), ahead of Worlds silver winner Trey Cunningham (USA: 13.03), Olympic champ Hansle Parchment (JAM: 13.08) and American Daniel Roberts (13.20). It’s Holloway’s fourth time under 13 seconds.

There were world-record scares in the distances races as well. Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon owns two Olympic golds from Rio and Tokyo and Worlds golds from 2017 and 2022. She has nothing to prove. But she went for the world record of 3:50.07, set in Monaco in 2015 by Genzebe Dibaba (ETH). And she nearly got it.

Running alone after 900 m, Kipyegon had run laps of 60.5 and 62.1, then took the bell after another 62.1 lap and powered home in a tantalizing 3:50.37, just 0.3 off the world mark, but the no. 2 performance in history. She ran he last 400 m in 60.3.

Behind Kipyegon were Americans Heather MacLean and Elise Cranny, who had worked their way up through the chase pack and finished 2-3 in lifetime bests of 3:58.89 and 3:59.06, moving to no. 8 and no. 9 all-time U.S. Americans Cory McGee and Sinclaire Johnson were fifth (4:00.70) and ninth (4:02.87).

Ethiopia’s Berhanu Aregawi, the Tokyo 10,000 m fourth-placer, stormed after Kenyan Daniel Komen’s outstanding 3,000 m world mark of 7:20.67 from 1996, but faded on the final two laps and was then passed by Ndikumwenayo in the final half-lap, 7:25.93-7:26.81, becoming the nos. 7 and 11 performers of all time. American Grant Fisher was third in 7:28.48, an American Record, bettering Bernard Lagat’s 7:29.00 from 2010.

In the rarely-run 1,000 m, World 1,500 m champ Wightman struck again, passing Canada’s Marco Arop on the final straight to win in a world-leading 2:13.88, moving to no. 9 on the all-time list. Arop was second in 2:14.35 (no. 18 all-time) and American Clayton Murphy charged from eighth to third on the straight, finishing in 2:15.73, the no. 2 performance in U.S. history. Countrymen Bryce Hoppel and Josh Thompson were fourth and fifth (2:15.99 and 2:16.38) to now stand fourth and eighth all-time U.S.

Those were the headlines! There was a lot more:

● In the field, World champ Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) won the men’s high jump at 2.30 m (7-6 1/2) in a jump-off with Korea’s Sang-hyeok Woo, and Cuban Maykel Masso won the long jump at 8.35 m (27-4 3/4) to move to no. 5 on the 2022 year list. Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglu (GRE) and American Marquis Dendy both jumped 8.31 m (27-3 1/4) – a season’s best for Dendy – with Tentoglu taking second on a better back-up jump.

● The women’s 400 m was a runaway for World Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH), powering away down the straight to win in 49.28, while Jamaica’s Natoya Goule scored a seasonal best of 1:56.98 to win the women’s 800 m – no. 4 in the world for 2022 – over Americans Sage Hurta (1:57.85 lifetime best) and Olivia Baker (1:58.05 lifetime best).

● American Emma Coburn led the women’s Steeple for most of the back half of the race before being passed by Ethiopia’s Werhuka Getachew, who won in 9:06.19; Coburn faded to fourth, getting a seasonal best of 9:07.93. NCAA champ Courtney Wayment of the U.S. got a lifetime best of 9:09.91 in sixth, now no. 3 all-time U.S. In the 400 m hurdles, Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton ran a lifetime best of 53.33 to win and move to no. 5 in the world.

● Venezuela’s triple jump icon Yulimar Rojas fouled her first two jumps, but then got a fair third try and won the event on her fourth at 15.01 m (49-3). American Tori Franklin got a lifetime best on her final jump at 14.86 m (48-9) for third, a lifetime best and the no. 2 jump in U.S. history! American record holder Keturah Orji was fifth at 14.56 m (47-9 1/4).

● In the women’s vault, Australia’s Nina Kennedy, American Sandi Morris and Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi all cleared 4.66 m (15-3 1/2), with Kennedy the winner on fewer misses. The women’s javelin went to World Champion Kelsey-Lee Barber (AUS) at 64.50 m (211-7) in the third round; American Kara Winger was fourth at 60.95 m (199-11).

The circuit now takes two weeks off for the European Championships and resumes in Lausanne on 26 August, with meets in Brussels and Zurich to finish the season.

2.
Ukraine sports minister reports 100+ athletes dead in war so far

“More than 3,000 athletes have gone to war to defend their country. More than 100 of them are already dead. It is impossible to continue sports training under air attacks and artillery fire. In addition, 111 sports facilities have been destroyed so far by the Russians, including one of the largest fencing centers, Club ‘Unifekht’ in Kharkiv. Thousands of young athletes are forced to leave their homes to escape war.”

This from a letter reported by FrancsJeux.com from Vadym Guttsait, Ukrainian Minister of Youth and Sports and President of the Ukranian fencing federation, sent at the beginning of August to the Federation Internationale de Escrime (FIE) and all of its member federations. Guttsait added:

“No Russian or Belarusian athlete has spoken out against the war. Therefore, the Ukrainian Fencing Federation urges the FIE and all national federations to follow the recommendations of the IOC and not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in official competitions, even under the FIE flag.

“The Ukrainian Fencing Federation believes that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed to participate in international tournaments only after the end of this bloody war.”

3.
Late schedule revision will see FIFA World Cup start 20 November?

While not announced officially, Reuters reported that FIFA is expected to move the date of the Qatar-Ecuador match forward by one day, to 20 November, to allow the host country to play the first competition of the tournament.

The Qatar-Ecuador game – with an attached opening ceremony – had been scheduled as the third of the event, behind Netherlands-Senegal and England-Iran on Monday, 21 November. A approval vote by FIFA’s six confederations and President Gianni Infantino (SUI) is expected to go through, perhaps as soon as Thursday.

It’s highly unusual to move dates for a major event like the FIFA World Cup so close to the start and it will have implications for television broadcasters such as FOX in the U.S. If the gametime is maintained at 7 p.m. local time, that’s noon Eastern time and in the midst of its NFL Sunday broadcast programming. But it would also allow the Netherlands-Senegal match to be moved later than its posted 1 p.m. start and beat some of the midday heat in Qatar.

The Reuters story noted that any added expenses for spectators such as changes in accommodations or travel due to the change will be covered.

4.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games reach 28.6 million in Britain

Viewing interest in the XXII Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in the host county was quite good, with the BBC reporting that its coverage reached 28.6 million in Great Britain. That’s about 42.6% of the entire country (67.2 million total population).

The 28.6 million viewers is way up from the 2018 Commonwealth Games in a tougher time zone in Australia (22.8 million), but trailed the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, which drew 35.3 million viewers. Still, this is good news for the Commonwealth Games Foundation, which is now looking to attribute the 2030 Games, likely to go to Hamilton (CAN), site of the first British Empire Games in 1930.

The BBC noted that the biggest audience of the 2022 Games was for swimming:

“The highest peak being 6.6m ahead of the men and women’s 100m backstroke and breaststroke finals on day 3, followed by the Opening Ceremony, which had a 5 minute peak of 5.2m viewers.”

Streaming was, as expected, way up, with 57.1 million individual streams, more than six times the total for 2018.

Swimming proved popular in the U.S. as well, even for a re-run!

Nielsen reporting for last week showed that the NBC re-run of highlights of the USA Swimming National Championships from Irvine, California aired last Saturday (6th) drew 548,000 viewers. That just behind the 572,000 who watched the highlight program the prior Sunday (31st)!

5.
Indonesian Olympic bid to be for new capital city!

The selection of the host of the Games of the XXXVI Olympiad in 2036 is a ways off, perhaps enough time to consider its placement in the new capital of Indonesia.

While Jakarta co-hosted the massive 2018 Asian Games, GamesBids.com reported that Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, has recommended that a large sports training center be included in the city plan, a possible focus of an Olympic venue plan.

Called Nusantara, the new city – on the island of Borneo – began construction in mid-2022 and is pegged for completion in 2024. It will replace Jakarta – on the island of Java – as the national capital. The Indonesian National Olympic Committee is already in discussions with the International Olympic Committee’s Future Hosts Commission about the possibility of a future Games.

Indonesia is hardly alone with interest in 2036; possible suitors include China, Egypt, Great Britain, India, Qatar, Turkey and even Russia.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2020: Tokyo ● On the anniversary of the Tokyo Games, Dr. Brian McCloskey (GBR) looked back on the preparations made to allow the event to take place despite the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic.

“Just one year ago, I was heading the Independent Expert Panel of the International Olympic Committee to work alongside the Japanese authorities and design together the COVID-19 countermeasures for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics. We were in the middle of the pandemic, vaccination was not yet available across the globe, and we expected 11,300 athletes and tens of thousands of participants to come to Japan. …

“Today we can say: what Tokyo 2020 did, in a historic way, was to show that the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO) was right. By following basic public health measures, and by layering a testing programme on top, we have shown that it is possible to keep a pandemic at bay.

“As the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 reach their one-year anniversary and we are in our third summer grappling with COVID-19, we can clearly see the impact these Games had in paving the way. Major events, including the Commonwealth Games, are a regular feature in the calendar again, and no longer a matter of global concern.”

McCloskey noted that with the preventative measures in place, there were only 33 positive cases among the athletes, and 464 among the entire accredited population attending the Games. In the end, “the Games’ universal reach that gave them the potential to demonstrate that, if we pulled together as a global community, people could start to see that the pandemic did not have to control their lives forever.”

● Athletics ● The Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Twitter a list of sanctioned athletes last Friday, including three Kenyan athletes, three Russian athletes from the mid-2010s and an Indian sprinter.

The Kenyans included a notice of allegation against road runner Philemon Kacheran (2:05:19 marathon in 2021); a seven-year ban on half-marathoner Tabitha Wambui (1:08:18 in 2019) for steroids and tampering, and charges against Eglay Nalyanya (women’s 400-800 m) for steroid use and tampering.

Russian sanctions came from the Moscow Laboratory database and McLaren reports for offenses by 2004 women’s Olympic high jump winner Yelena Slesarenko – now 40 – with her results annulled from July 2013 to October 2016; by Yelena Arzhakova (now 32), with a two-year ban from July 2022 and all results annulled from January 2015 to July 2022; and hammer thrower Kiril Ikonnikov (now 38), already serving an eight-year ban from 2016-24 and now with an added two years to April 2026. All three are no longer active.

● Football ● The African Football Confederation (CAF) announced the creation of an African Super League, with $100 million in prize money and 24 clubs from 16 countries to compete in the tournament.

The project is due to launch in August 2023

Coverage of Wednesday’s announcement has noted the approval of FIFA, in contrast to the disastrous European Super League concept which crashed amid public anger days after it was revealed in news reports last year. The difference: the African Super League is designed to raise the level of football and financing on the continent, where the European Super League was criticized for removing its clubs from the rest of the continent.

A solidarity fund is also to be established that will channel $1 million per year to each of the 54 African federations to fund further development of the game.

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LANE ONE: The 2026 World Cup is where FIFA is meeting the NFL, with enormous future implications

By
Rich Perelman
-
The FIFA World Cup trophy; what impact will be 2026 World Cup have on the National Football League?

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Under Swiss President Gianni Infantino, FIFA – the international football federation – has undertaken to grow the game even beyond its present status as the world’s most popular spectator sport. His touchphrase:

“Making football truly global, at every level, is the core task for FIFA to pursue over the coming years.”

While November’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be a spectacle and full of controversy – all World Cups are – it’s fascinating to see how the federation has looked to the future in selecting its U.S. venues for the mammoth 2026 World Cup.

This will be first edition of a 48-team World Cup, with the format not completely set at either 16 groups of three teams or 12 groups of four, to be played at 11 U.S. sites, three in Mexico and two in Canada. In any case, a lengthy application and review process finally concluded with the announcement on 16 June 2022 of the 16 sites that will host matches.

Did the U.S. selections feature the shiny new Major League Soccer stadiums which have popped up across the country, such as the elegant Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles (opened 2018), or Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota (2019), or Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas (2021)?

Nope. Not a one.

Instead, FIFA chose 11 U.S. facilities which are primarily home to National Football League franchises, three of which also host MLS teams. The U.S. sites:

● Atlanta: Mercedes Benz Stadium (75,000)
● Dallas: AT&T Stadium (92,967)
● East Rutherford: MetLife Stadium (87,157)
● Foxborough: Gillette Stadium (70,000)
● Houston: NRG Stadium (72,220)
● Kansas City: Arrowhead Stadium (76,640)
● Los Angeles: SoFi Stadium (70,240)
● Miami: Hard Rock Stadium (67,518)
● Philadelphia: Lincoln Financial Field (69,328)
● Santa Clara: Levi’s Stadium (70,909)
● Seattle: Lumen Field (69,000)

These stadia are big, two to four times bigger than the new MLS venues; the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles seats 22,000, for example. But there is perhaps much more going on here.

Not only will these state-of-the-art NFL stadiums generate far more ticket and ancillary income for FIFA, which is serving as the direct organizer of the 2026 World Cup – a first for the federation – but it brings Association Football (FIFA) and American Football (NFL) closer than they have ever been.

And they are already close, as six of the owners of the NFL teams whose stadia will be used are already involved – or wanted to be – in soccer. Consider the soccer backgrounds of these NFL owners whose stadia will be used for the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

● Atlanta: Falcons owner Arthur Blank owns Atlanta United F.C. of the MLS (which plays in a reduced-capacity Mercedes Benz Stadium).

● Kansas City: Chiefs owner Clark Hunt was an original owner-investor in Major League Soccer and owns F.C. Dallas.

● Los Angeles: Rams owner Stan Kroenke not only owns the Colorado Rapids of the MLS, but Arsenal of the English Premier League.

● New England: Patriots owner Robert Kraft was the original and still owner of the New England Revolution (which plays in a reduced-capacity Gillette Stadium).

● Seattle: Seahawks owner Jody Allen is a minority owner of the MLS’s Seattle Sounders (which plays in a reduced-capacity Lumen Field).

Let’s add in New York Jets co-owner Woody Johnson, the former U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain, who unsuccessfully bid for Chelsea F.C. of the English Premier League earlier this year.

That’s six of 11 NFL facilities in which the team owners are either owners, or wanted to be an owner of an MLS or English Premier League club.

That’s close. The other five NFL owners whose clubs play in host venues for 2026 are not known to own soccer clubs – Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Janice McNair of the Houston Texans, Steve Ross of the Miami Dolphins, Jeffrey Lurie of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Denise DeBartolo York of the San Francisco 49ers – but is there any doubt that they will learn a lot more about soccer as 2026 approaches?

And the NFL owner meetings are already teeming with more soccer club owners:

● Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper also owns Charlotte F.C. of the MLS;

● Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam also own the Columbus Crew of the MLS;

● Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan also owns Fulham F.C., advanced to the English Premier League for 2022-23;

● Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf is a part-owner of the new Nashville Soccer Club, which began MLS play in 2020;

● Tampa Bay owners, the Glazer Family, own the fabled Manchester United club of the English Premier League.

The count is up to 11 of the 32 NFL owners with a direct tie (or intended tie) to soccer club ownership.

The future implications are clear: FIFA and the NFL’s owners will get to be even more familiar as the 2026 World Cup approaches. More opportunities for soccer in the U.S.? This appears sure.

But what about help in expanding the NFL’s impact – which it desires – in Europe and South America, the heartlands of soccer? A joint venture between the NFL and FIFA perhaps? Maybe introductions to tie-ins with some of Europe’s blue-blood football clubs?

These closer and closer ties between the most successful North American sports league and the world’s most impactful sports federation will be a sideline to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first to be played in three countries. But it’s worth watching to see the business impact of the world’s largest single-sport event on (or with) the owners of America’s flagship league. And there will be an impact.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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TSX REPORT: Paralympics not combining with Olympics any time soon; Paris 2024 opening down to 400,000? Fraser-Pryce does it again: 10.67!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Could Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone win four gold medals at Paris 2024? (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Paralympic inclusion in Commonwealth Games not an Olympic signal
2. Paris 2024 opening ceremony could be downsized … to 400,000?
3. Excellent Commonwealth Games close in Birmingham
4. Fraser-Pryce 10.67, McLaughlin 51.68, Kovacs 75-1 1/4 in Szekesfehervar!
5. Carrington, Harrison, Luzan star at ICF Sprint Worlds

The highly successful 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham came to a close on Monday and with 42 Paralympic events interspersed throughout the program, is a combined Olympic-Paralympic Games coming? No, says the International Paralympic Committee. Concerns over security for the Paris 2024 opening on the River Seine could see the allowed crowd cut from 600,000 to 400,000. Sensational track & field marks at the Gyulai Invitational in Hungary, with Jamaican sprint icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce winning in 10.67 again, American star Sydney McLaughlin running 51.68 for the 400 m hurdles and two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs reaching 75-1 1/4 in the men’s shot. New Zealand’s superstar kayaker Lisa Carrington won two events at the ICF World Sprint Champs and American Nevin Harrison, the Olympic champ in the C-1 200 won again as well.

1.
Paralympic inclusion in Commonwealth Games
not an Olympic signal

“Since 1988, we have seen exponential growth in Paralympic sport. We are on a strong ascendancy and growing the Games so combining both events would potentially stunt and jeopardise that growth, and we could potentially go backwards.

“This is a conversation that crops up regularly, but you have to look to see if it makes sense to bring both Games together and at the moment we believe it doesn’t. The current agreement works for us at the moment. It serves us well and we like it and are keen to keep it.”

That’s Craig Spence (GBR), the communications chief for the International Paralympic Committee, speaking to the BBC about the well-received inclusion of 42 Paralympic events into the program of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (ENG).

“Our fear is if you were to bring both events together you would hear much less about Paralympic performances and you would jeopardise the impact of the Games being the most transformational sporting event on earth.

“Our ambition is to continue growing the Paralympics and there is so much more potential there to make the Games even better.”

The sheer size of a combined Games would also be a negative, as the Olympic Games has a quota of 10,500 athletes (and thousands of coaches and staff) and the Tokyo Paralympic Games had 4,403 athletes (plus coaches and staff); a combined program of 868 events (!) might go on for more than a month.

IPC President Andrew Parsons (BRA) told Reuters that the future participation of Russian and Belarusian teams in Paris could be decided in November:

“We will have to wait for extraordinary General Assembly. So we need the General Assembly to make decisions [in November] and give us a clear, clear indication of where the membership wants to go.

“What I can say is that we had a very strong positioning of our own membership during the Beijing [Winter Paralympic Games against Russian and Belarusian participation] and this to me was really impressive and really good to see how the movement will get in that direction. …

“If our movement decided they [Russia and Belarus] will not be at the [Paris] Games, yes, we will miss some athletes but sport will survive.”

2.
Paris 2024 opening ceremony could be downsized … to 400,000?

The new Prefect of the Paris Police, Laurent Nunez, told Agence France Presse and the French all-sports newspaper, L’Equipe, that the plans for the Paris 2024 opening ceremony on the River Seine are progressing.

“The ceremony will take place, that’s clear,” he said in an interview, but noted that there are “still discussions on the gauge.” Translation: the projected crowd – paid and free – of 600,000 may be considerably smaller, perhaps 400,000. Still immense, but no doubt easier to secure.

Nunez took over as the head of the Paris police force on 21 July, following the embarrassing security failures at the Stade de France for the 28 May UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said at Nunez’s induction ceremony: “You will be the police chief in charge of the Olympic Games, and the entire police service must be focused on that task.” Nunez said he will personally lead the Olympic planning effort, under the authority of the Interior Ministry. He manages a force of 28,000 officers, plus 16,000 support staff.

3.
Excellent Commonwealth Games close in Birmingham

A musical festival disguised as the Closing Ceremony was held Monday evening at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham (ENG) to conclude a highly successful XXII Commonwealth Games.

Nearly two dozen groups performed in all, including Dexy’s Midnight Runners, UB40 and a finale that united Black Sabbath stars Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

The Games enjoyed more than 1.5 million ticket sales, with Alexander Stadium filled to its 30,000-seat capacity for all 12 sessions of Athletics. A total of 13,000 volunteers helped to make the Games work and stamped Birmingham as a future host for more events, with the inevitable chatter about a future Olympic bid already started.

The competition was absolutely fierce, with Australia winning the overall medal count by just 178-176 over England. The Aussies had 67 golds, 57 silvers and 54 bronzes to 57-66-53 for England. Canada was a clear third at 92 (26-32-34); a total of 43 countries won medals, equaling the all-time high from 2018.

One of the marks of a successful Games is the adoption of one or more icons, and the giant “Raging Bull” from the Opening Ceremony stood out. A massive adaptation of the local symbol of the historic Bull Ring Market that dates from the 12th Century, the 30-foot tall, 2.5-ton “machine” has been on display in Centenary Square. More than 10,000 petitioners asked to keep it on display beyond the end of the Games and it will remain through the end of the Birmingham 2022 Festival in September.

4.
Fraser-Pryce 10.67, McLaughlin 51.68, Kovacs 75-1 1/4 in Szekesfehervar!

Tremendous performances at the Bregyo Athletic Center in Szekesfehervar (HUN) on Monday at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet, with Jamaican sprint icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Americans Sydney McLaughlin and Joe Kovacs among the brightest stars.

In typical fashion, Fraser-Pryce ran away from field in the women’s 100 m and won in an astounding 10.67 (wind +1.3 m/s), meaning her five finals in 2022 have been 10.67, 10.67, 10.67, 10.66 and 10.67! It’s the equal-13th performance in history and well ahead of runner-up Tamari Davis of the U.S. (10.92); American TeeTee Terry was fourth in 11.02.

McLaughlin, in reportedly her last meet of the year, won the women’s 400 m hurdles by nearly 2 1/2 seconds in 51.68, the no. 6 performance of all-time, with McLaughlin owning five of the six. Jamaica’s Janieve Russell was second, in 54.14

Kovacs, the World Championships silver medalist in Eugene, equaled his Worlds performance of 22.89 m (75-1 1/4) and equaled the no. 2 throw of his career! He was nearly a meter better than New Zealand’s Tom Walsh – the Commonwealth Games winner – at 21.93 m (71-11 1/2).

In the men’s sprints, Worlds silver medalist Marvin Bracy reversed the Diamond League results from Saturday, beating Trayvon Bromell (USA) by 9.97 to 10.01, with Elijah Hall (USA) third, also at 10.01 (+1.3). Teen sensation Erriyon Knighton of the U.S. won the men’s 200 m at 19.88 (+0.8), but Olympic silver winner Kenny Bednarek pulled up mid-race and finished last. Vernon Norwood of the U.S. won the 400 m over World 400 m hurdles winner Alison Dos Santos (BRA) by 44.96-45.11.

Commonwealth Games winner Rasheed Broadbell upset World Champion Grant Holloway of the U.S. in the men’s 110 m hurdles, coming from behind on the final two hurdles to win with both timed in 13.12. American Daniel Roberts was third in 13.13 (+1.0). Olympic champs Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA) and Mondo Duplantis (SWE) won the high jump and pole vault with modest clearances of 2.24 m (7-4 1/4) and 5.80 m (19-0 1/4). World Champion Kristjian Ceh (SLO) won the discus with an impressive 71.23 m (233-8) toss and Poland’s Olympic champ Wojciech Nowicki won the men’s hammer at 79.96 m (262-4).

Jamaica’s World Champion Shericka Jackson was an easy winner in the women’s 200 m (22.02; +0.6) with American Kayla White third in 22.46. Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won the women’s 100 m hurdles in a speedy – but wind-aided 12.27 (+2.4), ahead of five Americans: Keni Harrison (12.49w), Nia Ali (12.60w), Alaysha Johnson (12.62w), Chanel Brissett (12.87w) and Gabbi Cunningham (13.09w).

Just as at the Diamond League meet on Saturday, Americans Brooke Andersen and Janee Kassanavoid were 1-2 in the women’s hammer at 74.84 m (245-6) and 72.58 m (238-1).

A day off and the Diamond League resumes in Monaco on the 10th before it shuts down for another two weeks with the European Championships in Munich starting on the 15th.

5.
Carrington, Harrison, Luzan star at ICF Sprint Worlds

It’s the time for world championships and the International Canoe Federation’s World Sprint champs were held on Lake Banook in Dartmouth, Canada, with the biggest star once again from New Zealand.

Lisa Carrington, the triple-gold-medalist from Tokyo, won her 11th and 12th World Championships golds in the women’s K-1 200 m and K-1 500. It’s her eighth world title at 200 m and third at 500 m, and neither was close. She won the 200 m final by a full second and the 500 m final by 1.28 seconds.

Also impressing was American Nevin Harrison, the Tokyo Olympic champ in the C-1 200 m and the 2019 World Champion in the same event. She won her second Worlds gold with a decisive 49.87-50.54 victory in the final over Maria Corbera of Spain.

Ukraine’s Liudmyla Luzan also won two individual golds, taking the C-1 500 and C-1,000 m titles, as well as a silver in the C-2 500 m with Anastasiia Chetverikova.

Canada’s Katie Vincent won her fourth Worlds gold in the C-1 5,000 m by nearly five seconds, then came back to help with Canadian wins in the women’s C-4 500 m and the Mixed C-2 500 m with Connor Fitzpatrick for three total victories.

In the men’s races, Brazil’s Isaquias Querioz won his fourth world title in the C-1 500 m, with Czech veteran Martin Fuksa third. Fuksa also won the C-1 1,000 m bronze and now has 12 World Championships medals in his career. Teammate Josef Dostal won the K-1 500 m for the third time in his career and now has 11 total Worlds medals. Hungary’s Olympic champ Balint Kopasz won two kayaking golds, in the K-1 1,000 m and with Bence Nadas in the K-2 500 m. Spain’s Carlos Arevalo won the men’s K-1 200 m and with winners of the K-4 500 m.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Figure Skating ● The Russian Anti-Doping Agency said that the investigation into the doping violation of Kamila Valieva – which caused so much consternation during the Beijing Winter Games in February – “is in the final stages” and is expected to be completed “in the coming weeks.”

Of special interest are the people surrounding Valieva – she was 15 years old at the time of the Games – and “The case of a protected person … requires a thorough investigation involving Athlete Support Personnel.”

Valieva competed in Beijing in the Team Event, won by Russia; the medal ceremony was never held and the final results have been in limbo pending the inquiry and outcome of the investigation into Valieva’s December doping positive that was overturned by the RUSADA appeals panel.

● Water Polo ● The U.S. women’s dominance in international competitions extends down to the youth level as the American team triumphed over Greece, 10-8, in the final of the FINA Women’s World Youth Championship in Belgrade (SRB).

The teams were limited to players under age 18 and the U.S. and Greece were the class of the tournament from the start. Greece defeated the Americans, 15-14, in group play, the only U.S. loss of the tournament. After that, the U.S. smoked Kazakhstan by 17-3 to reach the quarterfinals, edged Spain by 13-9 and doubled up Italy, 18-9 in the semis.

The U.S. got out to a 5-2 lead after a quarter in the final, but the Greeks came back with a 4-1 second period to even the score at 6-6 at half. But the U.S. outscored Greece by 2-1 in the third and fourth periods to finish with a 10-8 win. Jenna Flynn, the tournament’s leading scorer, got key goals to put the U.S. up 8-7 at the end of the third period and scored the 10th goal for the final margin. She finished with 29 total goals.

The American youth squad won the FINA title for the second time (also in 2014) and joins the National Team as FINA World Champions in 2022.

● Wrestling ● With the conclusion of the United World Wrestling Ranking Series, the potential for high seeds in next month’s World Championships are good for eight American wrestlers ranked no. 1 or no. 2 worldwide in their classes.

The six top-ranked Americans include men’s Freestylers Tom Gilman (57 kg), Kyle Dake (74 kg), Jordan Burroughs (79 kg) and Kyle Snyder (97 kg) and women’s Freestyle stars Sarah Hildebrandt (50 kg) and Helen Maroulis (57 kg).

Olympic champs David Taylor (men/86 kg) and Tamyra Mensah-Stock (women/68 kg) are ranked no. 2.

Such is the depth in the U.S. that two women who will not be wrestling at the Worlds are also highly ranked: Forrest Molinari, no. 1 at 65 kg and six-time World Champion Adeline Gray, no. 2 at 76 kg.

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TSX REPORT: Fraser-Pryce flies to 10.66 world leader in Chorzow; two world champs win Commonwealth gold; little chance for Griner appeal

By
Rich Perelman
-
Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce celebrates her 200 m win at the Pan American Games in Lima (Photo: Lima 2019)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Fraser-Pryce zooms 10.66 for world leader in Chorzow
2. World Champs Amusan and Barber win at Commonwealth Games
3. Griner appeal to take three months, but has little chance
4. WADA chief Banka says NCAA could sign on to international rules
5. Low interest in Modern Pent obstacle test events?

The amazing Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, five times the World Champion at 100 m, wrote another headline at the Diamond League meet in Poland on Saturday, winning in a world-leading 10.66, at age 35! U.S. athletes got six wins, including three from Eugene world champs Michael Norman (men’s 400 m), Chase Ealey (women’s shot) and Brooke Andersen (women’s hammer). At the Commonwealth Games, only two Eugene champs won in Birmingham, including Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan (women’s 100 m hurdles) and Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber (women’s javelin), with Australia leading the medal count over England with the event ending on Monday. American basketball star Brittney Griner’s appeal will take three months, said her Russian lawyers, but has almost no chance to succeed. World Anti-Doping Agency chief Witold Banka of Poland told Reuters that the NCAA might consider adopting the World Anti-Doping Code, but not the U.S. professional leagues. The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne is continuing its plan to use obstacle-course racing as a new, fifth discipline, but its touted test events have drawn only modest interest and participation.

1.
Fraser-Pryce zooms 10.66 for world leader in Chorzow

The Wanda Diamond League resumed on Saturday in Chorzow (POL), with Jamaican star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce claiming the only world-leading performance with a startling 10.66 win in the women’s 100 m.

Matched against a good, but not great field, Fraser-Pryce got her patented super start, but no one could make up any ground against and she won easily in 10.66 to 10.94 for American Aleia Hobbs (wind +0.5 m/s). Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) was third in 11.00 and Americans Kayla White, Melissa Jefferson and TeeTee Terry were 6-7-8 in 11.15-11.18-11.20.

It’s the no. 12 performance in history for Fraser-Pryce, and her third-fastest ever, after her 10.60 and 10.63 in 2021. In her four finals in 2022, she has run 10.67, 10.67, 10.67 and 10.66!

Fellow Jamaican star Shericka Jackson likewise dominated the 200 m, winning in a runaway in 21.84, the no. 9 performance of the year (+0.2; Jackson has four of the nine). World 400 m champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo founded a late charge from lane nine to get second in 22.35, with American Jenna Prandini third in 22.39. Fellow Americans Tamara Clark and Gabby Thomas finished 6-7 in 22.82-22.86.

Americans won six events on the lengthy, 21-event program. Worlds bronze medalist Trayvon Bromell got out best and was never headed in a tight men’s 100 m, winning in 9.95 to 10.00 for Marvin Bracy, with Christian Coleman fourth (10.13), Elijah Hall sixth (10.14) and Kyree King ninth (10.29). World 400 m champ Michael Norman pulled away on the final straight to win his event in 44.11 over Kirani James (GRN: 44.55) in a re-run of the Worlds final. Americans Bryce Deadmon, Vernon Norwood and Champion Allison were 3-4-5 in 44.68, 45.20 and 45.35; Michael Cherry was seventh in 45.45.

Joe Kovacs won the men’s shot at 21.79 m (71-6) ahead of New Zealand’s Tom Walsh (21.70 m/71-2 1/2) and Worlds bronze medalist Josh Awotunde (21.35 m/70-0 1/2).

World Indoor 800 m Champion Ajee Wilson finished last in the Worlds final in Eugene, but she was strongest on the home straight and won the women’s 800 m over fellow American Sage Hurta, 1:58.28-1:58.40. American Allie Wilson was fifth in 1:59.35.

World Champion Chase Ealey took the lead in the women’s shot with her first throw of 19.84 m (65-1 1/4) and then improved to her winning throw of 20.38 m (66-10 1/2) in round three. Americans Maggie Ewen and Jessica Ramsey were seventh (18.50 m/60-8 1/2) and eighth (18.22 m/59-9 1/2). Fellow World Champion Brooke Andersen led a U.S. 1-2 in the women’s hammer with Worlds bronze medalist Janee Kassanavoid, 75.76 m (248-7) and 74.89 m (245-8).

Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis have the crowd a thrill in the early part of the program, winning at 6.10 m (20-0); American Worlds silver winner Chris Nilsen was fifth (5.53 m/18-1 3/4). Fellow World champ Alison Dos Santos (BRA) was a clear winner in the 400 m hurdles (47.80) over Khallifah Rosser (USA: 48.30); fellow Americans Amere Lattin (48.79) and C.J. Allen (49.01) were fourth and sixth.

In the men’s long jump, Steffin McCarter of the U.S. was second (8.09 m/26-6 1/2) to World silver medalist Miltiadis Tentoglu (GRE: 8.13 m/26-8 1/4).

The women’s 400 m was an impressive win for Dutch 400 m hurdles star Femke Bol in a national record 49.75, equal-third on the world list for 2022. Equally imposing was Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, fourth in the Worlds 800 m, charging past star Gudaf Tsegay to win the women’s 1,500 in 3:56.91, now no. 4 for 2022; Tsegay was second in 3:58.18, with American Heather MacLean fourth in a lifetime best 4:01.38. Double Olympic winner Sifan Hassan took the lead on the final straight to win the women’s 3,000 m in 8:39.27, with American Alicia Monson fourth in 8:41.61.

Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) was a decisive winner in the women’s 100 m hurdles on 12.34 (+0.8) over Keni Harrison and Tia Jones of the U.S. (12.37 and a lifetime best 12.49). It’s the equal-fifth-best performance of the year for Camacho-Quinn and equal-eighth for Harrison.

The show goes on in Szekesfehervar (HUN) on Monday for a Continental Tour Gold meet, in Monaco on Wednesday (10th) with another all-star cast, then takes two weeks off for the European Championships.

2.
World Champs Amusan and Barber win at Commonwealth Games

The XXII Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will conclude on Monday (8th), but with most of the competitions finishing on Sunday. The event has been a popular success, especially with full houses of 30,000-plus at the Alexander Stadium for track & field.

It looked like none of the 2022 Eugene World Champions entered in the meet would win a Commonwealth title, until Sunday. Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, the women’s 100 m hurdles winner and world-record setter, dominated the final, winning on 12.30 (-0.2) and javelin World Champion Kelsey-Lee Barber (AUS) won on her last throw, defeating teammate Mackenzie Little, 64.43 m (211-4) to 64.27 m (210-10).

It looked like Scotland’s Jake Wightman might be able to pull off a World Championships/Commonwealth double, leading into the final straight of the men’s 1,500 m. But he was overhauled by Australia’s Olli Hoare (3:30.12) and Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN: 3:30.21), all breaking the famed 3:32.16 meet record by Tanzania’s Filbert Bayi from 1974! Wightman won the bronze in 3:30.53.

Same in the men’s javelin, with Grenada’s Anderson Peters a big favorite. But despite an impressive 88.64 m (290-10) effort in the fifth round, he was passed by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem – fifth at Eugene – who scored a national record 90.18 m (295-10) in the fifth round and won in a total shocker. Among the other highlights:

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo completed a 5/10 double with a final sprint to win Saturday’s 5,000 m in 13:08.08, ahead of Kenyans Nicholas Kimeli (13:08.19) and Jacob Krop (13:08.48). Jereem Richards moved to no. 5 on the 2022 world list with his 19.80 win in the 200 m. Kenyan Abarham Kibiwot won the 3,000 m Steeple in 8:11.15 and Kyron McMaster (IVB) took the 400 , hurdles in 48.93.

New Zealand’s Tom Walsh won the men’s shot at 22.26 m (73-0 1/2), followed by a lifetime best from teammate Jacko Gill (21.90 m/71-10 1/4). Grenada’s Lindon Victor, fifth at the Worlds, defended his 2018 Commonwealth title with a win with 8,233 points.

Jamaican sprint star Elaine Thompson-Herah completed her double, following up her 100 m win with a victory in the women’s 200 m in 22.02, way ahead of Favour Ofili (NGR: 22.51) and Christine Mboma (NAM: 22.80). Sada Williams of Barados, third at the Worlds, won the women’s 400 m in a meet record of 49.90.

Kenyan Mary Moraa won an seemingly impossible, come-from-behind win in the 800 m on Saturday, sprinting from a well-back fourth with 140 m to go to pass favored Kelly Hodgkinson (ENG), 1:57.07-1:57.40, as Scotland’s Laura Muir out-leaned Natoya Goule (JAM), 1:57.87-1:57.88 for the bronze. Muir came back on Sunday to win the 1,500 easily, in 4:02.75. Fellow Scot Eilish McColgan lost out on a 5/10 double, settling for silver in the 5,000 m (14:42.14) behind Beatrice Chebet (KEN: 14:38.21).

Meet records were set in the women’s steeple and the triple jump on Friday, by Jackline Chepkoech (KEN: 9:15.68) and Shanieka Ricketts (JAM: 14.94 m/49-0 1/4). On Saturday, Jamaica’s Lamara Distin upset World Champion Eleanor Patterson (AUS) in the high jump, 1.95 m (6-4 3/4) to 1.92 m (6-3 1/2). Worlds silver medalist Cam Rogers (CAN) won the hammer easily, at 74.08 m (243-0). On Sunday, Nigeria’s Worlds bronze medalist Ese Brume won the long jump at 7.00 m (22-11 3/4), a mark only she and three others have reached this season.

In beach volleyball, the women’s final was a rematch of the 2018 Commonwealth final between Canada’s Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes (also 2019 World Champions) and Australia’s Mariafe Artacho and Taliqua Clancy (also Tokyo silver medalists). This was a battle royal, with the Australians taking the first set, 24-22, but the Canadians tied it with a 21-17 second-set win. The third set went from 9-9 to a 14-10 lead for the Canadians en route to a 15-12 win and a second Commonwealth Games gold.

In the tightly-contested men’s final, Paul Burnett and Chris McHugh (AUS) defeated Canadians Dan Dearing and Sam Schachter, 21-17, 17-21, 20-18.

In cycling, Australia’s Georgia Baker won the mass sprint to take the 112 km women’s Road Race in 2:44:46 over Neah Evans (SCO) and Sarah Roy (AUS). The men’s race of 160 km was won by Aaron Gate (NZL) in 3:28:29, with Daryl Impey (RSA) and Finn Crockett (SCO) close behind.

In hockey, the women’s final pitted no. 3 Australia vs. no. 4 England, with the English scoring twice early, in the 22nd minute from Holly Hunt and in the 26th, by Tess Howard. The English defense and keeper Madeleine Hinch kept the Hockeyroos scoreless until an Ambrosia Malone goal with just 20 seconds left and England captured its first Commonwealth hockey title, 2-1.

With medal events in five sports remaining for Monday, Australia has a 174-166 lead on England. The Aussies have 66 golds (55-53) to 55 (59-53) for the English; Canada is an easy third with 91 (26-31-34).

3.
Griner appeal to take three months, but has little chance

“I talked to her after the meeting. Brittney is in a depressed state. We don’t agree with such a harsh sentence. In normal judicial practice, under this article, five to six years, and from a third to half of the cases, suspended sentences. This is an extraordinary sentence. in our jurisprudence.”

That was Alexander Boykov, one of the Russian lawyers for imprisoned American basketball star Brittney Griner, after a Moscow-area court sentenced her to 10 years for “drug smuggling.”

He added, “In practice, three months is considered normal. After such a strict verdict, there is little chance of satisfying the appeal, but it’s worth trying.”

With Griner’s conviction and sentencing, the way is clear from the Russian government point of view to discuss a prisoner exchange with the U.S. government. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week in Cambodia that Russia is ready, “but only within a channel”:

“If the Americans once again decide to resort to public diplomacy and to make loud announcements that they plan to take some steps, then that is their business, and I would even say, their problem. The Americans often do not comply with agreements on a quiet professional work on this and many other topics.”

4.
WADA chief Banka says NCAA could sign on to international rules

World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka (POL) told Reuters that he believes that the National Collegiate Athletic Association, not currently a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, could join in.

Interviewed during a visit to the Commonwealth Games, Banks told the news service:

“Maybe the major leagues are more problematic, a different animal, because they are private business but the NCAA is a good example of an institution that should be a co-signatory.

“We proposed some road maps for them. It was our initiative to encourage them and to start working the NCAA. It should be one of the main goals of USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency), it is their responsibility, it is their own backyard.”

Banka has regularly chided professional leagues such as Major League Baseball, the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and others that they do not follow the World Anti-Doping Code. But the vast majority of NCAA athletes compete in Olympic sports and therefore are already subject to the Code once their collegiate seasons are over and they compete in other meets – such as those held by USA Swimming and USA Track & Field – which are subject to the Code.

Said Banka, “I told them we are very open to start working with you but the ball is in their court now.”

Observed: The inclusion of NCAA programs with the World Anti-Doping Code makes a lot of sense, given the number of athletes participating in Olympic sports. However, Banka always omits one important point when needling the U.S.-based professional leagues: the “voice of the athlete.”

In all of the large U.S. pro leagues, the drug testing and sanctions policies are collectively bargained between the leagues and the player associations. That’s the “voice of the athlete” in action. So if WADA really wants to make inroads with MLB-NFL-NBA-NHL and others, perhaps it should be talking with the player unions in these leagues. If the unions are in favor – and they will not be happy about full-year, two-year and four-year bans for doping violations – then some agreement with the leagues will be forthcoming. But that’s not how it is now.

When Banka criticizes the U.S. pro leagues, he is complaining about the stance of the athletes as well as the team owners.

5.
Low interest in Modern Pent obstacle test events?

The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne has controversially removed riding from its program and is testing two forms of obstacle-course racing as a replacement to try to be re-instated to the sports program for Los Angeles 2028. But it is continuing to draw harsh criticism from dozens of its own athletes, who are campaigning to retain riding, but under much different competitive conditions than currently used.

Undeterred, the UIPM completed its second “test” of an obstacle-course event over the weekend, this time in Manila (PHI), on the fringes of a non-UIPM Ninja World Cup event there. The participation in these test events was interesting:

● Test I followed the UIPM World Cup Final in Ankara (TUR) from 21-26 June, which had 35 men and 36 women participating for a total of 71 athletes. But only 36 stayed on for the obstacle test and of these, only 28 answered a UIPM survey, which – incidentally – did not ask them if they preferred riding.

● Test II in Manila was not attached an a UIPM event and had considerably less participation from pentathletes. According to the athlete group PentUnited – in favor of retaining riding – 38 athletes from nine nations were registered, but only 27 competed and 24 completed the fourth (18 men and six women, from seven nations). Their conclusion: “athletes didn’t want to attend/participate.” There were 59 obstacle-course racers who competed on the course.

PentUnited continues to promote its own survey of 213 pentathletes from 40 nations, of whom 92% want to retain riding.

Observed: With such small numbers on its test programs and a third test coming in September and aimed at youth athletes, can the UIPM really say it has athlete buy-in for the change? Will the International Olympic Committee be enthusiastic about admitting the sport for the LA28 program with this level of athlete dissent, as well as the cost of creating a Modern Pentathlon venue, including a temporary pool and a custom-built obstacle course for a week?

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● The World Athletics U-20 Championships finished in Cali (COL), with Jamaica winning 16 medals (6-7-3) to 15 for the U.S., with the American team having the most victories with seven (plus four silvers and four bronzes).

The Jamaican women’s 4×100 m team to Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Kerrica Hill and Tia Clayton set a World U-20 Record of 42.59, with the U.S. second (Jayla Jamison, Autumn Wilson, Iyana Gray and Shawnti Jackson) in 43.28, a national junior record. Japan won the men’s 4×100 m at 39.35, with the U.S. third (39.57).

The U.S. women’s 4×400 m team of Mekenze Kelley, Jackson, Akala Garrett and Roisin Willis won easily in 3:28.06, with Jamaica second at 3:31.59. The U.S. men did likewise, with Steven McElroy, Ashton Schwartzman, Charlie Bartholomew and Will Sumner finishing in 3:04.47, with Jamaica at 3:05.72.

A noteworthy field-event mark was the 17.27 m (56-8) win by Jaydon Hibbert (JAM) in the men’s triple jump, moving him to no. 8 on the 2022 year list.

In the eight-deep placing table, the U.S. was the top scorer at 166 points to 126 for Jamaica and 116 for Ethiopia. This was a large event, with 1,533 competitors from 145 countries, with an impressive 70 winning medals.

● Luge ● The Federation Internationale de Luge announced that the canceled World Cup season opener in November in Innsbruck (AUT) – due to the lack of television coverage availability due to the FIFA World Cup – has been replaced.

The end of the season has been extended by a week and the final FIL World Cup event will be in Winterberg (GER) from 24-26 February, following up on the prior Winterberg races from 10-12 February. No television broadcast issues are anticipated.

● Swimming ● Whether you’re a fan of swimming or not, the raw enthusiasm of three-time Olympic gold medalist Rowdy Gaines is infectious. Now 63, he shared once again the NBC clip of him going crazy – while on air – during the Tokyo Olympic men’s 4×100 m Freestyle Relay, an event in which he won an Olympic gold medal himself.

Gaines has been the principal swimming analyst for NBC from Atlanta 1996 forward and is still going strong. He’s now celebrating the 38th anniversary of his three 1984 golds in Los Angeles, in the 100 m Free, 4×100 m Free Relay and the 4×100 m Medley Relay.

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TSX REPORT: Cornelius Johnson home & Olympic Oak recommended as monument; IOC and LA28 to consider nine sports to add; Griner sentenced to 9 years

By
Rich Perelman
-
The former Johnson Family home and Olympic Oak (at right) in Los Angeles, now being considered for monument status (Photo: mls.com from a City of Los Angeles filing)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Cornelius Johnson home & Olympic Oak recommended as monument
2. Report: nine sports considered for LA28 additions
3. Brittney Griner sentenced to nine years in Moscow-area court
4. New stars from Jamaica and Kenya at the Commonwealth Games?
5. USA Gymnastics asking for bankruptcy case closure

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission unanimously approved a recommendation to the Los Angeles City Council to declare the former home of Berlin 1936 men’s high jump gold medalist Cornelius Johnson, including the backyard Olympic Oak, as a Cultural-Historic Monument. But whether the oak can survive until a new owner is found is unknown. A report from Spain says that nine sports have been selected for final review for possible inclusion as added sports for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. American basketball star Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison for “drug smuggling” as her trial ended in Russia; the closure of the trial could open the negotiations for her release with the U.S. government. The 2022 Commonwealth Games continued in England with new stars from Jamaica and Kenya on the track, and USA Gymnastics is asking for its bankruptcy – now almost four years old – to be declared over.

1.
Cornelius Johnson home & Olympic Oak recommended for monument status

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted, 5-0, on Thursday to recommend to the City Council that the Cornelius Johnson home and Olympic Oak be declared a Cultural-Historic Monument.

The house and the tree, at 1156 S. Hobart Boulevard in what is now the Koreatown District, was built in 1903 and was the home of Johnson, who competed in the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles as a high schooler and then won the men’s high jump at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.

He received, as did all gold medalists, an oak sapling as a gift to take home and plant. Johnson passed away in 1946, but his home remained in the family until its sale in 1994. The family who followed the Johnsons maintained the tree in good shape, but it has fallen into distress since the sale in 2019 to KLD Investment, LLC, which had plans to develop the property, but now wants to sell it.

Owner representative Simon Hong spoke briefly at Thursday’s meeting-by-Zoom, asking the Commission: “We want to know what kind of options do we have after you guys make a decision? That’s all we need to know.”

Commission President Barry Milofsky explained, “The process is, after we make a decision … it goes on to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee of City Council, and then to City Council for their final action.” He noted that the remainder of the process will likely take 6-8 weeks and referred Hong to meet further with the City’s Office of Historic Resources.

Hong added, “That property was on the market for sale. We cannot afford to hold it any more. We put it in the market for sale. But we also waiting for the final decision.”

An online check of the site status shows that the property is for sale for $1.29 million, but that a sale is pending: “The seller has accepted an offer, and this property is now pending or under contract.”

While the Johnson home is in reasonably good shape, the Olympic Oak is not. A presentation on the property noted that the tree has deteriorated badly during the last year and desperately needs a watering program to begin within 4-10 weeks, or it could die.

Milofsky told Hong, “I would also encourage you to do whatever is required to bring the tree back to health, in the process, as the process will probably take more than the 8-10 weeks that the presenter initially mentioned.”

During a visit by Commission members to the site, the owners were informed that the value of the property to preservationist organizations will be reduced if the tree dies, and were urged to begin a watering program, but nothing has apparently been done.

Ken Bernstein, a Principal City Planner and Manager of the Office of Historic Resources, added:

“There are a number of organizations who have expressed interest in participating in a potential purchase of the property, in order to preserve the tree and the residence. We have been in touch with a number of non-profit organizations, and most notably the organization the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, which is among a consortium of organizations and has expressed interest in taking a lead role in purchasing the property and holding it for a period of time until an ultimate plan and program for its re-use can be put forward.

“We would be happy to facilitate discussions with the owner, or the ownership team, with some of those organizations.”

There was no other opposition to the recommendation to have the home and tree designated for monument status and the vote was unanimous. Said Milofsky, “I think one of the important things about the historic designation in the city is the ability to tell stories. This isn’t about architecture, necessarily, this is about the stories of the people and the places that make the city of Los Angeles unique.”

Whether Johnson’s 86-year-old Olympic Oak will survive depends now on whether the owners will take actions to save it, or more likely, whether one or more organizations will acquire it in time for the tree to be saved.

2.
Report: nine sports considered for LA28 additions

The Spanish site Marca reported Tuesday:

“Nine international federations have been invited to bid for LA28, with the ICC cricket federation, for example, set to present its sport and competition model this month.

“But there are eight more in the running and they are: Breakdancing (World DanceSport Federation), Baseball/softball (WBSC), Flag football (IFAF), Lacrosse (World Lacrosse), Karate (WKF), Kickboxing (WAKO), Squash (WSF) and Motorsport (FIA).”

The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic program has 28 sports already, with the International Olympic Committee reserving judgement on boxing, modern pentathlon and weightlifting – each of which have governance or competition format issues – which could bring the total to 31.

The LA28 organizers have the option to add sports which they wish to stage at the Games, with baseball and softball long expected to be added to the program in view of their local popularity. One of the issues that will play into the decisions will be the overall quota of 10,500 athletes for the 2028 Games.

If boxing, modern pentathlon or weightlifting are added back, the number of athlete spots will be reduced for everyone else. Same for any added sports.

Of the nine reported possible additions, baseball and softball have been part of the Olympic medal program multiple times, in 1992-96-2000-04-08-20, but will not be part of Paris 2024. Break dancing will debut in Paris 2024; cricket was played at Paris 1900 only; lacrosse was in St. Louis 1904 and London 1908 only; karate debuted at Tokyo 2020. Flag football, kickboxing, squash and motorsports have not yet been medal sports at the Olympic Games.

3.
Brittney Griner sentenced to nine years in Moscow-area court

The Russian “drug smuggling” trial of two-time American Olympic basketball gold medalist Brittney Griner concluded with the court in Khimki finding her guilty – she had entered a guilty plea – and sentencing her to nine years in prison plus a fine of one million rubles (about $16,700).

Her defense pointed out numerous flaws in her arrest, but the conviction and long sentence were widely expected. Her attorneys plan to appeal the sentence.

Griner, 31, was arrested on 17 February and has been held since then. The U.S. government considers her “unlawfully detained” and has been discussing her release with the Russian government.

The Russians have said that no negotiation of a prisoner swap or other arrangement could proceed until the court proceedings concluded, which has now taken place. The Associated Press reported:

“White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday that Russia had made a ‘bad faith’ response to the U.S. government’s offer, with a counteroffer that American officials don’t regard as serious.”

A joint statement from the NBA and WNBA included:

“Today’s verdict and sentencing is unjustified and unfortunate, but not unexpected and Brittney Griner remains wrongly detained. The WNBA and NBA’s commitment to her safe return has not wavered and it is our hope that we are near the end of this process of finally bringing BG home to the United States.”

In a fairly unbelievable comment, former Russian player and coach Vladimir Gomelsky told the Russian news agency TASS:

“At one time I carefully studied the criminal code. There is an article that describes the crime committed by Greiner, the same article provides for sentencing. I was not surprised at the verdict, a fine of a million rubles for her is nothing. As for the American players who remained in Russia, this story can frighten the stupid and illiterate, but it shouldn’t scare those who can read.”

Former Russian women’s coach Boris Sokolovsky told TASS: “Many drugs are allowed in the USA, but this does not mean that we must follow their rules. In addition to the fact that foreign athletes bring a new level of skill to our championship, many vices also come with them.”

4.
New stars from Jamaica and Kenya at the Commonwealth Games?

Perhaps a new Jamaican hurdles star? The Commonwealth Games men’s 110 m hurdles in Birmingham was won by 21-year-old Rasheed Broadbell, timing 13.08, a lifetime best and now no. 5 on the 2022 world list (wind: +0.9 m/s).

He easily defeated Shane Brathwaite (BAR: 13.30) and Britain’s Andrew Pozzi (13.37) for his first major international win.

Australia’s Matthew Denny scored a lifetime best of 67.26 m (220-8) to win the men’s discus, staying no. 8 in the world for 2022. He was well ahead of Lawrence Okoye (ENG), at 64.99 m (213-2). Laquan Nairn (BAH) and Sreesh Sreeshankar (IND) both jumped 8.08 m (26-6 1/4) in the men’s long jump, but Nairn had the better back-up and was awarded the gold medal.

Australia swept the cycling road time trials, with Rohan Dennis winning the men’s 37 km race in 46:21, 26 seconds up on Fred Wright (ENG) and 28 seconds ahead of 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas (WAL). Grace Brown won the women’s 29 km race in 40:05, way ahead of Anna Henderson (ENG: +0:34).

5.
USA Gymnastics asking for bankruptcy case closure

With the processing of abuse and related claims now well underway by an independent trustee, USA Gymnastics has filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern Division of Indiana for a final decree to close its bankruptcy case.

The matter will be heard on 17 August; there is still an open matter in a dispute between USA Gymnastics and Liberty Insurance Underwriters and there is a provision to re-open the case under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

If agreed, it will bring to an end nearly four years of wrangling since 5 December 2018, when the federation filed for voluntary Chapter 11 protection in the wake of the Larry Nassar abuse scandal and related events. A total of 14 insurers agreed to fund a settlement program of $339.48 million plus attorney’s fees and ancillary costs, estimated to total about $380 million in all.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● More Jamaican sprint stars at the World Athletics U-20 Championships in Cali (COL), as Tina Clayton and Serena Cole went 1-2 in Wednesday’s women’s 100 m final in 10.95 and 11.14 (-0.1 m/s).

American Shawnti Jackson – the daughter of 2005 World 400 m hurdles champ Bershawn Jackson – tied for third with N’Ketia Seedo (NED) with a lifetime best of 11.17.

American Roisin Willis, the U.S. high school indoor record-setter from Stevens Point (Wisconsin) HS, won the women’s 800 m from the front, leading at the bell at 59.41 and holding off Audrey Werro (SUI), 1:59.13-1:59.53. That’s the second-fastest ever by an American prep, albeit after the high school season has concluded. High school record holder Juliette Whitaker (Mt. de Sales of Catonsville, Maryland) won the bronze in 2:00.18.

There’s a new Kenyan Cheruiyot to watch out for, as Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot dominated the men’s 1,500 m, winning in 3:35.83, with Ermias Girma (ETH) second in 3:37.24 and Daniel Kimaiyo (KEN) third in 3:37.43.

On Thursday, American Akala Garrett won the women’s 400 m hurdles in 56.16, with teammate Michaela Rose taking the bronze. Stephen McElroy of the U.S. won the men’s 400 m silver (45.65), behind Lythe Pillay (RSA: 45.28).

The shocker of the day was in the men’s 200 m final, as Israel’s Blessing Afrifa – born in Israel to parents from Guinea – upset Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, with both timed in 19.96! American Brandon Miller was fifth in 20.64. Afrifa and Tebogo moved to no. 3 all-time on the World Junior List, just 0.03 off Usain Bolt’s junior best from 2004.

● Football ● English enthusiasm for its women’s European Championship team was reflected in the selling of all available tickets for the friendly with the top–ranked U.S. women on 7 October within just one day.

The match, to be played at London’s Wembley Stadium, site of England’s 2-1 win over Germany in the UEFA 2022 final – before 87,192 – will kick off at 8 p.m. The English team’s Twitter feed noted: “A reminder that all available general admission tickets have sold out, with only limited hospitality options remaining on sale at this time.”

● Weightlifting ● Colombia and the U.S. led the medal parade at the 2022 Pan American Championships in Bogota (COL) that ended on 29 July, with the American squad winning five overall golds.

Host Colombia won seven class (five men, two women) and the U.S. got wins from Hampton Morris in the men’s 61 kg class, and four women’s golds: Hayley Reichardt at 49 kg; Shayla Moore at 55 kg; three-time Worlds medalist Mattie Rogers at 76 kg and 2017 World Champion Sarah Robles at +87 kg. The U.S. also won two women’s silvers, from Cicely Kyle at 45 kg and Jourdan Delacruz at 49 kg.

All together, counting only medals for the combined weight of both lifts, Colombia led with 16 medals (7-7-2), followed by the U.S. (10: 5-2-3) and Mexico with seven (1-2-4).

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TSX REPORT: FIG says most gymnastics fans are women; World Tri adopts strict transgender standard; McKeon scores 20th career Commonwealth medal

By
Rich Perelman
-
Who are fans of gymnastics? The first-ever FIG Yearbook answers the question! (Photo from the FIG Yearbook)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. First FIG yearbook shows most gymnastics fans are women
2. World Triathlon adopts stringent transgender policy
3. U.S. Women’s National Team books UEFA champs England
4. Future of the Rose Bowl under discussion in Pasadena
5. McKeon finishes with Commonwealth Games record 14 golds

According to the International Gymnastics Federation, 68% of its fans are women and it released a lot more data in its first-ever Yearbook, posted Tuesday, including better-than-expected financial results. World Triathlon joined the aquatics and cycling federations in announcing a strict standard for participation by transgender women, based on serum testosterone levels. The U.S. and English soccer federations wasted no time arranging a friendly between the newly-crowned European champions and the American women, for October. The future of the famed Rose Bowl, slated for football matched at the LA28 Games was discussed in depth by the Pasadena City Council this week; at issue is the $206 million debt the facility is dealing with. And Australia’s Emma McKeon wrapped her 2022 Commonwealth Games efforts with another gold medal, giving her eight medals for the event and a record career total of 20, of which a record 14 are gold.

1.
First FIG yearbook shows most gymnastics fans are women

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) published its first-ever Yearbook, covering the events of 2021, including the Tokyo Olympic Games, with the usual, heavy self-promotion and full-page ads given to federation sponsors.

Of considerable interest was a market research project completed in 2021 which broke down the audiences for the FIG disciplines:

● Artistic: 55% women, 45% men
● Rhythmic: 88% women, 12% men
● Trampoline: 67% men, 33% women
● Acrobatic: 71% women, 29% men
● Aerobic: 74% women, 26% men
● Parkour: 89% men, 11% women

Overall, 68% of all gymnastics fans were women, and in Artistic Gymnastics, the prized 18-34 age demographic comprised 62% of all fans (men and women combined). Interestingly, even with so many female competitors who are teenagers, only 16% of fans were aged 13-17.

The FIG saw a major increase in its social-media accounts in 2021 due to an athlete who stopped competing:

“The decision of USA’s Simone Biles to withdraw from five finals in Tokyo – including the Team and the All-Around finals – to focus on her mental health drew a spike in activity on the FIG Facebook account. It was also one of the three most popular posts of the year on the FIG’s Twitter account.

“According to a FIG media analysis, interest in Biles’s story also caused a surge in traffic on the governing body’s website with more than 350,000 users recorded in August. Biles’s withdrawal was the focus of 20% of the FIG’s online media mentions.”

At the end of 2021, FIG had 828,000+ followers on Facebook, 140,000+ on Instagram and 80,500+ on Twitter.

In terms of finances, FIG showed reasonable reserves of CHF 35.57 million and total assets of CHF 71.9 million For 2021, income was CHF 21.03 million vs. expenses of CHF 10.82 million for a surplus of CHF 10.21 million, much better than expected. It’s still a remarkably small financial footprint for one of the top-three federations in Olympic popularity.

2.
World Triathlon adopts stringent transgender policy

Following a wide survey of its own committees and outside experts, World Triathlon’s Executive Board adopted a transgender participation policy on Wednesday:

“To compete in the female category in an Elite or Age-Group triathlon competition, a Transgender athlete must demonstrate that the concentration of testosterone in the athlete’s serum has been less than 2.5 nmol/L continuously for a period of at least 24 months. Also, at least 48 months must have elapsed since the Transgender athlete has competed as a male in any sporting competition.”

This is a pretty stringent policy, adopted with two votes against by the 17-member Executive Board. It follows the basic approach of the swimming (FINA) and cycling (UCI) federations in limiting serum testosterone in transgender women to 2.5 nmol/l. However, the time requirements for transition and maintenance are fairly long.

Said World Triathlon President Marisol Casado (ESP):

“The policy that we have just approved shows that we are prioritizing the fairness principle but showing inclusiveness. It is fully aligned with the IOC’s recommendation, and similar to what other IFs have done in the last months. We will of course monitor the situation and the evolution of this policy, and we are open to reviewing and discussing it as much as necessary over time, as this subject is still evolving and we need to be flexible.”

3.
U.S. Women’s National Team books UEFA champs England

The English women’s football team caused a national sensation with a 2-1 win in extra time over Germany on Sunday to win the 2022 UEFA Women’s Championship before 87,192 at Wembley Stadium.

Not wanting to miss out on a good thing, U.S. Soccer and the England Football Association announced on Tuesday that the no. 1-ranked American women will play the Lionesses at Wembley on Friday, 7 October, to be televised in the U.S. on FS1. The match is dependent on England qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but this seems a formality with matches against Austria and Luxembourg remaining.

The teams last met in 2020, a 2-0 U.S. win at the SheBelieves Cup in Orlando. There have been 18 games between the sides, but only two in England: a 2-1 England win in 2011 and a 1-0 U.S. win in 2015.

The U.S. will play one other match in Europe as a tune-up for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

4.
Future of the Rose Bowl under discussion in Pasadena

The iconic Rose Bowl, site of cycling at the 1932 Olympic Games, football at the 1984 Olympic Games and the memorable 1994 FIFA World Cup final and the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, is slated to once again host football matches at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

But the stadium and the City of Pasadena are struggling under the weight of $206 million in debt that the Rose Bowl absorbed from a huge renovation (completed in 2018), a lack of revenue due to Covid restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and poor attendance at UCLA football games for the past four seasons.

On Monday, the Pasadena City Council debated whether the stadium – which will celebrate its centennial on 28 October of this year – should be sold, or leased to a private operator. These options have been considered before, but the Council voted by 6-1 to direct the facility’s management to explore eight revenue concepts, including (1) a family golf center on adjacent grounds, (2) a campus marquee and sponsorship program, (3) signage on or near the 210 Freeway, (4) alignment of interests in contracts with UCLA and the Tournament of Roses, (5) a south end zone seating project, (6) analysis of a potential city-wide parking tax on paid parking spaces, (7) a potential increase of transient occupancy tax, and (8) third-party funding opportunities related to future capital improvements.

While the stadium is nearing its 100th birthday, and has had to deal with the defection of some events to the new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, it retains plenty of appeal, as evidenced by the massive crowd of 93,702 who came to see a friendly between European club powers Real Madrid and Juventus last Sunday (31st).

Verdict: it’s still a special place.

5.
McKeon finishes with Commonwealth Games record 14 golds

Australia’s Emma McKeon, 28, extended her career Commonwealth Games record for most medals won with a speedy third leg on the winning women’s 4×100 m Medley Relay on Wednesday, giving her 20 total medals and 14 golds.

She won six golds, a silver and a bronze in Birmingham to lead all medal winners so far with eight. That’s only one more than teammate Mollie O’Callaghan won (5-2-0) and two more than teammate Kaylee McKeown (4-1-1).

Aussie distance star Ariarne Titmus completed her triple, winning the 400 m Free showdown with Canadian teen (15) sensation Summer McIntosh, 3:58.06 to 3:59.32. Titmus’s mark is the eighth-fastest swim ever, in an event where she holds the world record.

World Champion Kylie Masse (CAN) won the women’s 50 m Back in 27,31, beating both O’Callaghan and McKeown.

Tokyo silver medalist Duncan Scott (ENG) won his second Birmingham gold in the men’s 200 m Medley (1:56.88) over teammate (and Tokyo 200 m Free winner) Tom Dean (1:57.01). Teammate Ben Proud won his third Commonwealth 50 m Free title in a row at 21.36, with teammate Lewis Burras second (21.68).

In the first major day of track & field finals, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala – who had so much trouble with his visa for the Eugene Worlds – won the men’s 100 m in 10.02, well ahead of South Africa’s Akani Simbine. Jamaican star Elaine Thompson-Herah was the clear winner in the women’s 100 m in 10.95, beating Julien Alfred (LCA), who was one of those disqualified for a questionable false start in Eugene in the semifinals.

New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr won the men’s high jump at 2.25 m (7-4 1/2); Scotland’s Eilish McColgan won the women’s 10,000 m (30:48.60); Nina Kennedy (AUS) took the vault at 4.60 m (16-1); Sarah Milton of Canada won the women’s shot at 19.03 m (62-5 1/2); Chioma Onyekwere (NGR) took the discus (61.70 m/202-5) and England’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson defended her heptathlon title at 6,377.

Halfway through the Games, Australia and England are dueling as expected, with the Aussies at 123 medals (46-38-39) and the English at 105 (39-37-29) so far. Canada is a distant third with 57 (16-20-21). The Games continue through the 8th.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● On Screen ● More television viewing data from Sunday (31st), with the finale of the Tour de France Femmes drawing a small audience of 71,000 on CNBC at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time.

Previously noted was the 573,000 viewers on NBC for highlights of the USA Swimming National Championships from Irvine, California. A re-run of the highlights show on CNBC at 5 p.m. Eastern drew 77,000 viewers.

● World University Games ● A three-person delegation from the International University Sports Federation (FISU) is in North Carolina this week to review the area’s bid for the 2027 World University Games.

In addition to the North Carolina legislature’s allocation of $25 million for the WUG if North Carolina is selected, the bid has now drawn 47 sponsors and supporters. Pretty impressive for an event most of these supporters had never heard of, but which might well come to the area, which also impressively hosted the 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival (remember that?).

North Carolina and the ChungCheong region of South Korea are the two candidates for 2027, with the selection to be made later this year.

● Athletics ● The World Athletics U-20 Championships are underway in Cali (COL), with a World Junior Record in the books on day two.

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo had already set the World U-20 men’s 100 m mark of 9.94 at the Eugene World Championships, but he did even better, winning in 9.91 (wind: +0.8 m/s) while celebrating the last 30 meters. How fast could he have run? He’s headed to the University of Oregon in the fall.

The U.S. team of Charlie Bartholomew, Madison Whyte, Will Sumner and Kennedy Wade won the Mixed 4×400 m in 3:17.69 to 3:17.76 for India, with anchor Rupal closing the gap on the final lap, but fell short of Wade at the tape.

● Figure Skating ● The International Skating Union issued its entry limits for the 2023 World Championships on Tuesday and if Russian skaters are allowed to compete at all, they will be limited to only one skater in each event: men, women, Pairs and Ice Dance.

By virtue of performance, Russia would normally have been entitled to three skaters in each division, but “protective measures” instituted by the ISU as of 1 March limit its participation. Same for the World Junior Championships as well.

Said famed Russian coach Tatyana Tarasova, who has choreographed routines for champion skaters including Americans Michelle Kwan, Evan Lysacek and Johnny Weir: “They want to see the death of figure skating in Russia.”

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TSX REPORT: Utah likes Salt Lake’s 2030 bid by 79-16%; record 33 sports apply for LA28 Paralympics; McKeon gets career Commonwealth medals mark

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Deseret News poll shows 79-16% favor Salt Lake 2030 bid
2. Paralympics receives bids for 33 sports to be held at LA28
3. McKeon sets career Commonwealth Games medals mark with 19
4. Cheptegei withdraws from Commonwealth 10,000 by letter!
5. Swimming breaks through: 572,000 watched Nationals highlights

Costs less. Tastes great. That’s essentially the pitch of the Salt Lake City bidders for 2030 or 2034, especially after an independent poll found Utahans were in favor of the Winter Games returning by 79-16%. Wow. The International Paralympic Committee reported that a record 33 federations have asked to be on the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic program; the decision will be made next year. At the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Australian swim star Emma McKeon became the most-medaled athletes in Games history, winning her 18th and 19th medals on Tuesday. But not everyone is happy, as six Gambian athletes missed their first events with visa troubles, and the head of one delegation told his team to do better. USA Swimming can smile, as after seeing very little viewership of its Nationals on the to-be-shuttered Olympic Channel, a highlights show on NBC drew 573,000 viewers on Sunday!

1.
Deseret News poll shows 79-16% favor Salt Lake 2030 bid

A new poll released Monday by the Deseret News and Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah showed that 79% of the state residents favor the return of the Olympic Winter Games to Salt Lake City in 2030 or 2034.

The survey was taken from 13-18 June from 801 registered Utah voters with a margin of error of 3.46%. The results showed 44% strongly in favor of the bid to just 8% strongly against, and 35% somewhat-in-favor vs. 8% somewhat against. That’s 79-16 in total, with 5% having no opinion.

That’s impressive and backs up polls previously done by the bid committee and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. It also separates Salt Lake City from the tepid bid support in Sapporo (JPN: 52-57% in March) and Vancouver (54% in July); the proposed Salt Lake City budget is also lower than the projections for Sapporo or Vancouver.

The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games expects to spend just $2 million or so in private funds on its bid effort. Said bid chief Fraser Bullock, who served as the Chief Operating Officer of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games:

“I still strongly believe that we’ll be awarded either ’30 or ’34. We are one of the best cities in the world to host a Games, for all the reasons we all know about, whether it’s compact Games, whether it’s the unified support, whether it’s excellent economics — or just the love of the Games in Utah.”

2.
Paralympics receives bids for 33 sports to be held at LA28

The first-ever Paralympic Games to be held in Los Angeles is already a hit with the Paralympic sport federations, with a record 33 sports signaling their interest to the International Paralympic Committee in being part of the Los Angeles 2028 sports program.

For Paris in 2024, 22 sports will be part of the program and all have requested to continue: Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Blind Football, Boccia, Cycling, Equestrian, Goalball, Judo, Paracanoe, Paratriathlon, Powerlifting, Rowing, Shooting, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Tennis. Potential new sports for 2028 include:

● Arm wrestling
● Beach ParaVolley
● Climbing
● CP (cerebral palsy) Football
● Golf
● Karate
● Para Dance Sport
● Powerchair Football
● Sailing
● Surfing
● Wheelchair Handball

Next up: “Over the summer the IPC will review the applications in accordance with the IPC Handbook and identify areas for further clarification from applicants where needed. The IPC will also work closely with LA28 to analyse the potential impact of sports on the programme. A final decision on which sports make up the LA28 Paralympic Games sport programme will be taken by the IPC Governing Board by the end of January 2023.”

The 2028 Paralympic Games is scheduled for 15 to 27 August 2028.

3.
McKeon sets career Commonwealth Games medals mark with 19

The swimming competition at the new Sandwell Aquatics Centre at the 2022 Commonwealth Games has turned out to be not only about this year, but the all-time lead in career medals.

On Tuesday, South Africa’s Chad LeClos missed a chance for a 19th career Commonwealth Games medal, which would have broken a tie he had with shooters Philip Adams (AUS) and Mick Gault (ENG). But he finished fourth in the men’s 100 m Butterfly, with rising Canadian star Josh Liendo winning in 51.24.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Emma McKeon – already the all-time Commonwealth Games record holder with 12 career golds – won a bronze in the women’s 100 m Free (52.94) to also get to 18 career medals. (Fellow Australian and World Champion Mollie O’Callaghan won in 52.63).

But McKeon closed the session with a win – on anchor – in the Mixed 4×100 m Medley Relay, giving her 19 career medals (13 gold) and the all-time Commonwealth Games career mark. South Africa, with LeClos on third leg, finished fourth.

Also, South Africa’s Lara van Niekerk won the women’s 100 m Breaststroke to add to her 50 m Breast title and England’s Adam Peaty – coming back from a broken foot – won the 50 m Breast in 26.76 after finishing a disappointing fourth in the 100 m Breast (in which he is the world-record holder). Australian distance star Ariarne Titmus won the women’s 800 m Free in 8:13.59 to give her three golds for the meet with one day left.

The Track Cycling program closed with New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews the women’s star, winning the Sprint, Keirin and Team Sprint for three golds. Fellow Kiwi Aaron Gate won three golds on the men’s side, in the Individual Pursuit, Points Race and Team Pursuit.

4.
Cheptegei withdraws from Commonwealth 10,000 by letter!

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei is the world record holder in the men’s 10,000 m, the 2019 and 2022 World Champion at the distance and the defending Commonwealth Games champion from 2018. But he did not contest the event in Birmingham, withdrawing by letter sent to the President of the Uganda Athletics Foundation on 28 July and posted on Twitter on Tuesday.

A phone call, text or e-mail wasn’t enough? In his letter, typed, signed and stamped on his personal letterhead, Cheptegei writes, inter alia:

“Since the 10,000m gold achievement at the Worlds, my body has demanded and requires some rest and recovery if I am to embark on future prospects and plans including the World Cross Country Championships early next year and World Championships in Athletics again later in the summer next year.

“I am really sad to have to withdraw from the Games. I was really looking forward to defending my title, especially at the 5000m event. I have endured some illness which has set back my training program and would not love to aggravate it.”

He expressed full confidence in Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, the Tokyo Olympic and Eugene Worlds bronze medalist and Kiplimo came through, winning Tuesday’s 10,000 m final in 27:09.19, ahead of Daniel Ebenyo (KEN: 27:11.26) and Kibiwott Kandie (KEN: 27:20.34).

There have been other disappointments in Birmingham:

● The BBC reported that five sprinters from Gambia missed the heats of the men’s and women’s 100 m due to visa issues, as well as a judoka. All six were coming from France, but were not able to enter Great Britain in time for Tuesday morning’s heats.

● The head of the Sierra Leone National Olympic Committee, Dr. Patrick Coker, had some unhappy words for his athletes after watching swimmers Joshua Wyse and Isha Kanu finish 52nd in the men’s 50 m Fly and 33rd in the women’s 50 m Breaststroke, respectively, in Birmingham:

“Let me start by congratulating you and the team so far for disciplinary behaviour. I know it is difficult for us to compete against big nations like Australia and England in the pool but we have to do more. The performance so far tells us we need to do more and with the support we are getting from the government we need to be on the right track.”

It’s not all about hugs and orange slices when government funding is involved in Sierra Leone.

5.
Swimming breaks through: 572,000 watched Nationals highlights

Swimming has had a tough time on U.S. television this year, with no discernible ratings for the FINA World Championships on the soon-to-be-shuttered cable Olympic Channel. Same for the five-day USA Swimming National Championships in Irvine last week, also shown on the Olympic Channel.

But the sport did get a pretty good viewership on Sunday, 31 July, with a highlights show of the event drawing 572,000 viewers on NBC at noon Eastern. In case you missed it, it will be on again on Saturday (6th) at 3 p.m. Eastern.

Also doing well as the UEFA Women’s Championship between England and Germany, which drew 885,000 viewers on Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN. The semifinals did not do nearly as well: 278,000 for England-Sweden and 292,000 for Germany-France.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● USA Triathlon’s Chief Executive Officer Rocky Harris has been hired as the USOPC’s Chief of Sport and Athlete Services, in charge of a large portfolio that includes athlete care, competition support including international Games operations, the USOPC training centers, sports medicine, and liaison with the National Governing Bodies.

Harris has long experience in these areas, serving as the head of USA Triathlon since mid-2017. He previously was the Chief Operating Officer for Arizona State’s athletics department and the Senior Vice President of the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.

It’s a big job; Harris will begin in September.

● Athletics ● Russian Anzhelika Sidorova, the 2019 World Champion, won her sixth national women’s pole vault title in Cheboksary on Tuesday (2nd), clearing a world-leading 4.91 m (16-1 1/4) on her third try. She already had the highest vault, at 4.86 m (15-11 1/4) from a meet in Moscow on 19 July.

● Basketball ● Two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner appeared in a Moscow-area court on Tuesday for the seventh time in her trial for “drug smuggling,” with her attorneys citing errors and omissions in her detainment process and prosecution.

Griner is expected back in court on Thursday and the trial could go to closing arguments by the end of the week.

In all of the tributes to the late, great Bill Russell, the two-time NCAA Champion at USF and 11-time NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics, his gold-medal performance at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne is mostly overlooked.

Russell dominated the Olympic basketball tournament just as he dominated everywhere else. Although not known for his scoring, he led the team at 14.1 points per game and the U.S. was a stunning 8-0, outscoring its opponents by 793-365 or an average of 99-46. Russell shot 48% from the floor at the Games, better than his NBA career average of 44%.

And in the showdowns with the USSR, the European Champions in 1951 and 1953, and 1955 runners-up? Russell and the U.S. won by 85-55 in the quarterfinal pool round and then in the final by 89-55. Rebounds were not kept in those days, but a sign of Russell’s defensive prowess was that he was called for just five total fouls in eight games, while playing center.

Dominant and dignified, just as he was during his NBA career and afterwards.

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TSX REPORT: Luge fed calls off World Cup event due to Qatar 2022; terrible Commonwealth Games crash; monument hearing on ‘36 Olympic Oak Thursday

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

Thank you to our 21 donors, who have now covered 24% of our summer funding goal for operating costs. Can you help? Please donate here. Comments? Click here.

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Power of the FIFA World Cup: Innsbruck Luge World Cup canceled
2. Horrific crash at Commonwealth Games as LeClos equals medal record
3. Cornelius Johnson’s home and Olympic oak monument hearing Thursday
4. Mongolian Olympic judo champion sentenced to 16 years for killing
5. Doing it differently: Norway’s sports culture

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is now impacting luge. Yes, you read that right, as the International Luge Federation called off its first World Cup of the coming season in late November because it could not be televised due to the FIFA World Cup. At the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, a horrific crash in a men’s Scratch qualifier sent seven riders flying, but no one was hurt seriously. In happier news, South African swimmer Chad LeClos equaled the record for most career medals, but Australia’s Emma McKeon set the record for the most career golds with 12 (and neither is done yet). The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission will consider monument status for 1936 Berlin high jump winner Cornelius Johnson’s home and the Olympic Oak in his yard on Thursday. In Mongolia, a national hero who won two Olympic medals in judo was sentenced to 16 years in prison for killing a childhood friend in a drunken brawl last year. And Norway’s youth sports system is contrasted with the U.S. in a fascinating review from last week.

1.
Power of the FIFA World Cup: Innsbruck Luge World Cup canceled

A demonstration of the impact of the FIFA World Cup on other events came Monday, with the International Luge Federation (FIL) posting:

“The International Luge Federation, FIL recently received the final information that the 1st EBERSPACHER Luge World Cup of the 2022/2023 season, which was scheduled to take place in Innsbruck (AUT) on the weekend of November 26 and 27, 2022, will not be televised. The November 2022 event in Innsbruck (AUT) will hardly be able to be broadcasted on television live due to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which commences 21 November.

“Therefore, the FIL Executive Board intends to revise the Luge World Cup calendar. The exact date and venue of the missing World Cup will be announced as soon as possible.”

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar runs from 21 November to 18 December, with a heavy schedule during the group stage through 2 December and then the round of 16 playoffs on 3-6 December.

The Luge World Cup had scheduled two consecutive events in Innsbruck on 26-27 November and 3-4 December and the second event is still on. The remainder of the FIL World Cup schedule, which moves to North America for the next two weeks – in Whistler and Park City – is not expected to be impacted.

Yes, the FIFA World Cup is a pretty big deal.

2.
Horrific cycling crash at Commonwealth Games as LeClos equals medal record

The XXII Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (ENG) are rolling on with multiple all-time medal records, but worldwide attention was paid to a terrible crash in track cycling at the Lee Valley VeloPark.

In the men’s 15 km Scratch Race qualifying on Sunday morning, Mathias Guillemette of Canada was disqualified for causing a major pile-up with England’s Matt Walls – the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in the Omnium – and Derek Gee (CAN) careening over the outside barriers into the spectator seats and five others sprawled on the track!

Walls, Gee and Matt Bostock from the Isle of Man did not finish the race and received medical treatment, but were not seriously injured. George Jackson (NZL), Jamol Eastmond (BAR) and Josh Duffy (AUS) returned to the race and qualified for the final! Two spectators were injured, but apparently not badly.

The rest of the morning session was canceled and picked up in the evening; the Scratch Race was eventually won by New Zealand’s Corbin Strong.

At the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, South Africa’s Chad LeClos took the silver in the 200m Butterfly on Sunday, winning his 18th career Commonwealth Games medal (7-4-7) to tie for the most total medals ever, also won by shooters Philip Adams (AUS: 7-9-2 from 1982-2002) and Mick Gault (ENG: 9-4-5 from 1994-2014). LeClos will have more chances to get the record for himself; next up is the 100 m Fly.

Australia’s Emma McKeon has won the women’s 50 m Free, 50 m Fly and golds on the Mixed 4×100 m Freestyle relay and women’s 4×100 m Free Relay to give her a career total of 12 Commonwealth Games golds, the most in history. She surpassed fellow Australian swim star Susie O’Neill (11 from 1990-98) for the most ever and is still going. McKeon has 17 career Commonwealth Games medals (12-1-4), and has the 100 m Free coming, so she is in the chase after LeClos, Adams and Gault!

On Monday, Rio 2016 men’s 100 m Free champ Kyle Chalmers (AUS) won his specialty in a speedy 47.51, after swimming 47.36 in the prelims, no. 2 in the world for 2022.

Australia’s Tokyo Olympic champ in the women’s 200 m Back, Kaylee McKeown, won that event over Canada’s Kylie Masse, 2:05.60-2:07.81, to add to her 100 m Back gold. Canada’s 15-year-old phenom Summer McIntosh beat McKeown, however, in the 200 m Medley, 2:08.70-2:09.52 for another World Junior Record.

3.
Cornelius Johnson’s home and Olympic Oak monument
hearing Thursday

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission will consider whether to declare the home of 1936 Olympic high jump champion Cornelius Johnson – including the Olympic Oak from the sapling presented by the Berlin organizers – as a Historic-Cultural Monument this Thursday at its 10 a.m. meeting by videoconference.

The staff report on the property recommends that the property receive monument designation in view of:

“The Cornelius Johnson Residence and Olympic Oak ‘is associated with the lives of historic
personages important to national, state, city, or local history’ as the residence of Cornelius
Johnson, two-time Olympic athlete and gold medalist in the high jump in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, for which he received the oak tree planted in the rear yard.”

The home, at 1156 S. Hobart Boulevard in Los Angeles, was built by Johnson’s father in 1903. Johnson, who was fourth at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and won the high jump at Berlin in 1936, was presented – as were all gold medalists – with a German oak sapling as a gift of the organizing committee. Per the staff report:

“Cornelius resided at the subject property until 1945, one year prior to his passing, and the Johnson family continued to live at the residence until it was sold in 1994. The oak tree is one of 25 known remaining oaks worldwide that the German Olympic Committee presented to all 129 gold medalists at the 1936 Olympics.”

Johnson, it should be noted, was the Black American snubbed by German dictator Adolf Hitler. Johnson won the high jump on the first day of the track & field events in Berlin and while Hitler greeted the winners of the men’s 10,000 m (from Finland) and the men’s shot and women’s javelin (both German), he left rather than greet Johnson and did not meet with any of the subsequent Black Americans who won events, including Jesse Owens, Archie Williams and John Woodruff, among others.

The report does not indicate the view of the current owner, KLD Investment, LLC, who was unaware of the history of the home when purchased and plans to tear it down and build a multi-story residential complex. The final decision on the status of the Johnson home and Olympic oak – which is in distress – rests with the City Council once the Cultural Heritage Commission has made its determination.

4.
Mongolian Olympic judo champion sentenced to 16 years for killing

Mongolian judoka Naidangiin Tuvshinbayar was the toast of his country after winning the Olympic gold at 100 kg at Beijing 2008 and a silver at the London 2012 Games.

Now 38, he is in disgrace. Elected as President of the Mongolian National Olympic Committee in 2020, he is now a convicted criminal, sentenced to 16 years for the killing of a childhood friend during a drunken brawl in April 2021. Erdenebilegiin Enkhbat, 37, was himself a World Tour medalist in judo and later turned to wrestling; after being struck by Tuvshinbayar in April, he never recovered and died in December 2021.

The trial of Tuvshinbayar carried on for a year, with the sentence announced on 9 June. He paid reparations to Enkhbat’s family of 2.78 billion Mongolian Tugriks (~$873,675).

5.
Doing it differently: Norway’s sports culture

An important story from Mark Ziegler of the San Diego Union Tribune, posted during the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, passed on by 1976 Olympic basketball silver medalist and four-time UCLA All-American Ann Meyers Drysdale: “Norway’s hands-off approach to youth sports might explain why they’re so good when they get older”

Ziegler explains that while the U.S. model has been for kids to find a sport they excel in at a young age and concentrate on it to the exclusion of others:

“Youth sports in Norway: Your kid tries multiple sports at the local club whether or not they’re any good at them, you pay a nominal fee but only if you can afford it because it’s subsidized by the national lottery, coaches are volunteers, there are no scores or standings or regional competitions until age 11 and sometimes older, children are encouraged to pick their sports and decide amongst themselves what they want to do in practice (“Scrimmage!”), most kids don’t specialize until late in high school.

“Youth sports in the U.S.: driven by egos and money.

“Youth sports in Norway: driven by fun.”

This system is actually protected by law in Norway, with a children’s sports rights statute passed in 1987. It’s radically different than the U.S. approach and worth considering.

Do we really need national competitions for kids as young as six and seven, as in the Dragon Division of the just-completed USA Taekwondo National Championships?

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 1984: Los Angeles ● Remember who carried the American flag at the head of the U.S. delegation during the Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles?

It was hammer thrower Ed Burke, in his third Olympic Games – also in 1964 and 1968 – who placed 18th. Now 82, Burke is in the news again, this time for setting an American Masters Record in the 80-84 age category at the USA Track & Field National Masters Championships in Lexington, Kentucky on Sunday. He reached 43.33 m (142-2), adding nine inches to the old mark despite still being in recovery from long Covid.

“I’m a Masters advocate. It’s amazing to be in a competition like this. Your heart jumps as you get ready to compete. It’s like the Olympics,” said Burke. Pretty impressive.

● World University Games ● Good news for the Lake Placid Winter World University Games coming up in January 2023, with ESPN contracted as the “Official Television and Digital Distributor” of the event.

More than 140 hours of the event, with 12 sports and 86 events, will be shown on the ESPN+ streaming service and 20 hours on the cable channels ESPN2 and ESPNU, between 12-22 January. For an event designed to showcase Lake Placid and its facilities for sports tourism, this is a major step toward realizing the goals of the Adirondack Sports Council, which is serving as the organizing committee.

In addition, TSN will have coverage of the event on both broadcast and streaming platforms for Canada.

● Gymnastics ● U.S. All-Around champ Brody Malone was the men’s winner at the U.S. Classic in West Valley City, Utah on Sunday, scoring 88.588 points to best Stanford teammate Colt Walker (85.264).

Malone placed in the top four on five of the six apparatus and won on High Bar (16.016). Walker won on Parallel Bars (15.860), while two-time Worlds medalist Donnell Whittenburg won on Rings (15.522) and Vault (16.780). Penn State’s Matt Cormier won on Floor (15.222) and teammate (and World Champion) Stephen Nedoroscik won on Pommel Horse (14.743).

● Rowing ● World Rowing announced that its fund-raising campaign to assist Ukrainian athletes surpassed its original CHF 50,000 goal, and the CHF 60,000 raised so far has been allocated to the Ukrainian senior national team to relocate to Plovdiv (BUL) for training from June through August (37,000); to the Ukrainian Paralympic rowing squad to move to Nancy (FRA) for training (21,000) and an additional CHF 2,000 for transportation assistance. The campaign to support these rowers continues.

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TSX REPORT: Remembering the Games that changed everything: Los Angeles 1984; strong start for Commonwealth Games; world BMX title for USA’s Stancil

By
Rich Perelman
-
The magnificently-decorated peristyle end of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Opening Ceremonies of the 1984 Olympic Games (Photo: Wikipedia)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Now 38 years since the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
2. Commonwealth Games start strong in Birmingham
3. Doping control: 56% of Beijing 2022 athletes tested
4. Catalonia ready for 2030 Winter Olympics bid without Aragon
5. The first FIFA World Cup was in South America; and 100 years later?

The 38th anniversary of the opening of the revolutionary 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles was barely noticed last Thursday, but absolutely worth remembering. The XXII Commonwealth Games is underway in Birmingham, England, with more than 1.3 million tickets sold and a world record in the pool already. At the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, 3,100 doping control tests were made, with four positives; some 56% of all athletes were tested at least once. In Spain, the Catalonia region wants to make it own bid for the 2030 or 2034 Winter Games, but is running out of time. And will the centennial FIFA World Cup return to South America, where it began? Plus world-championship results in BMX cycling (with a U.S. gold medalist!), canoe-slalom and modern pentathlon!

1.
Now 38 years since the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles

Munich is staging a comprehensive 50th-year retrospective of its 1972 Olympic Games, with the European Championships in track & field returning to the Olympiastadion on 11 August. The 10-year memory of the London 2012 Games was quietly noted in Britain.

No such program was planned for the 38th anniversary of the Games that changed everything: Los Angeles 1984.

A modest celebration at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was planned for last Thursday (28th), but had to be canceled due to illness of some of the presenters. So the anniversary of the Opening Ceremony – the Rocketman, the 84 grand pianos, the startling national flag card stunt – passed without notice.

The Los Angeles Games were the third in a row to be boycotted by a group of nations, after Montreal in 1976 and Moscow in 1980. But it also created and extended iconic Olympic figures like Carl Lewis, Joan Benoit Samuelson in the first-ever Olympic women’s marathon, Edwin Moses, Mary Lou Retton, Rowdy Gaines, the U.S. men’s and women’s basketball teams, and many more.

Los Angeles got its second Games – following the success of the 1932 Games, held during the Great Depression – because no other country submitted a bid. Further, the organization of the Games was controversially handed to a private committee after the City of Los Angeles refused to take financial responsibility for the Games following the C$1 billion deficit in Montreal.

So, in 1979, the wholly-private Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee hired Peter Ueberroth, a 42-year-old travel industry entrepreneur who had built the second-largest agency in the country, to put the project together. Five years later:

● The Los Angeles Games changed the way television rights are sold, signing a then-staggering $225 million cash rights deal (plus $100 million in host broadcast services) with ABC in late 1979, and sports marketing with a program of exclusive categories and limited availability (35 Official Sponsors, 64 Official Suppliers).

● The original budget projections were for $368 million in revenues, $347 million in expenses and a $21 million surplus. But revenues skyrocketed to more than $769 million (209%) and a surplus of $232.5 million was realized, with 60% going to the U.S. Olympic Committee and the National Governing Bodies and 40% to what is now the LA84 Foundation.

● Of the 27 competition venues, only three were built: the McDonald’s Olympic Swim Stadium at the University of Southern California; the 7-11 Eleven Velodrome at Cal State Dominguez Hills and the Olympic Shooting Range in Chino. Everything else was existing or temporary; the USC swimming facility and Chino shooting range are still in operation; the velodrome was removed to create the Dignity Health Sports Park, which includes a new, indoor velodrome.

● Games staffing was founded on the use of volunteers, a concept already part of the Los Angeles culture, but completely new elsewhere. The 1984 Games were staged with a workforce of more than 81,000, with 45,450 from the LAOOC, of which ~33,500 were volunteers. Another 36,000 contract workers were also used, primarily from suppliers and vendors.

● New concepts were introduced in multiple sectors: a 10-week Olympic Arts Festival instead of a Games-period-only program; a four-year youth sports program replaced the Games-period Youth Camp; a national torch relay that raised funds for youth; today’s accreditation system that separates who-you-are from where-you-can-go … all of these were created by the LAOOC. New technologies such as electronic mail and accessed-from-anywhere voice mail were introduced at LA84.

The result was a record-breaking Games on many levels, not least of which was 140 nations in attendance, shattering the Munich mark of 122. And it proved that the Games need not be a financial loser if existing venues are emphasized, a concept at the center of the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Agenda 2020, adopted 30 years after the Los Angeles Games, in 2014.

All of which makes the 1984 Games worth remembering, 38 years later.

2.
Commonwealth Games start strong in Birmingham

The 22nd Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (ENG) began with a bang on Thursday with a big crowd of 30,000 at the renovated Alexander Stadium, as the event was opened by Prince Charles and featured musical entertainment from local legends Duran Duran and Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. The ceremony notably included a historical review which included a 33-foot tall “Raging Bull” that referenced Birmingham’s Bullring Market that opened in the 1100s and became one of the epicenters of the Industrial Revolution; a sculpture of a large bull sits in the market center today.

The response to the Commonwealth Games has been quite good, as the organizers announced that more than 1.3 million tickets have been sold to the events, the most ever among the seven Commonwealth Games to take place in Britain (1934: London; 1958: Cardiff; 1970: Edinburgh; 1986: Edinburgh; 2002: Manchester; 2014: Glasgow).

The first gold medal of the Games came in Triathlon Sprint, where Tokyo silver medalist Alex Yee (ENG) claimed a dramatic win over Hayden Wilde (NZL), 50:34 to 50:37. In the afternoon, Olympic champ Flora Duffy (BER) repeated her Tokyo win over Georgia Taylor-Brown (ENG), 55:25 to 56:06.

The swimming events feature multiple match-ups of interest, especially between Australia’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus and 15-year-old Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh. Both have been busy already, with Titmus winning the women’s 200 m Free in a fast 1:53.89 and McIntosh winning the 400 m Medley in a world-leading 4:29.01, a World Junior Record. They are slated to meet in the 400 m Free, won by Titmus in Tokyo.

Titmus anchored a world-record effort in the women’s 4×200 m Freestyle, with Madison Wilson (1:56.27), Kiah Melverton (1:55.40) and Mollie O’Callaghan (1:54.80), in 7:39.29. Titmus swam the fastest split in history at 1:52.82.

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Emma McKeon (AUS) won the 50 m Free in 23.99, no. 2 in the world for 2022, but was beaten by Canada’s Maggie MacNeil in the 100 m Fly, 56.36-56.38. Tokyo winners Kaylee McKeown (AUS) and Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA) won the 100 m Back and 200 m Breast events, respectively.

Olympic silver winner Duncan Scott (SCO) defeated Tokyo champ Tom Dean (ENG) in the men’s 200 m Free; Australia’s Tokyo gold medalist Zac Stubblety-Cook won the 200 m Breast, and Lewis Clareburt (NZL) won both the 200 m Fly and the 400 m Medley. English superstar Adam Peaty, the two-time Olympic champ in the 100 m Breast, returned from a broken foot, but could only manage fourth as teammate James Wilby won in 59.25; it was Peaty’s first loss in a final in this event since 2014!

The Games continue through the 8th.

3.
Doping control: 56% of Beijing 2022 athletes tested

The International Testing Agency announced its testing statistics from February’s Olympic Winter Games in Beijing (CHN), with 3,100 specimens – blood and urine – collected from 1,600 athletes from all 91 delegations.

That means that 56% of the 2,871 participating athletes were tested at least once, with extra testing done on the largest delegations (Russia, Canada and the U.S.) and on those with high performance in winter sports (Italy, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Russia). The most-tested sports were cross-country-skiing, ice hockey, biathlon, speed skating and alpine skiing.

There were four doping violations: one from Iran (alpine skiing), one from Spain (figure skating) and two from Ukraine (bobsled and cross-country).

All of this was done in coordination with the strict anti-Covid protocols of the host Chinese authorities. The doping test team included 17 supervisors from the ITA, 150 doping-control officers and 300 doping-control chaperones.

Observed: Although this may have been too difficult in the anti-Covid situation in Beijing, why isn’t every athlete tested? Especially with the advances in dried-blood-spot technologies, there is no reason why every athlete at an Olympic Games cannot be tested in this way, with samples stored for 10 years.

4.
Catalonia ready for 2030 Winter Olympics bid without Aragon

The Spanish region of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona and a portion of the Spanish Pyrenees, has announced it is ready to proceed with a bid for the 2030 or 2034 Olympic Winter Games on its own. The Spanish Olympic Committee had been proposing a joint bid for the regions of Aragon and Catalonia, but this concept imploded as the two governments could not agree on the distribution of site.

The new Catalonia bid would have everything except ski jumping, which would be held in Sarajevo (BIH), site of the 1984 Winter Games. One new facility would be built, for curling.

Aragon has its own concept for a standalone bid for 2034. The next step, if any, is up to the Spanish Olympic Committee. The details for a Catalonia bid would have to come fast, as the International Olympic Committee’s Future Hosts Commission is looking to decide on its preference for 2030 by the end of the year. Sapporo (JPN), Salt Lake City and a still-developing bid from Vancouver are the existing candidates.

5.
The first FIFA World Cup was in South America;
and 100 years later?

Uruguay was the host for the first-ever FIFA World Cup, back in 1930. Now, a group of four South American nations – Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay – have announced their intention to bid for the centennial World Cup in 2030. The 1930 World Cup had 13 teams; now there will be 48.

FIFA had expected to choose a host for 2030 in 2024, but could move early. Spain and Portugal have been busy with their own bid for the Iberian Peninsula, even identifying the stadiums to be used. And, the World Cup has not been held in the same area for consecutive editions – if you consider the Americas a single area – since Switzerland and Sweden in 1954 and 1958.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

Lots of results, including three world championships over the weekend:

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● This is only for those interested in press operations, public relations and/or devotees of the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020. The Main Press Center for the Paris Games has been moved and shrunk by a third or more.

The Paris 2024 bid placed the Main Press Center and the International Broadcast Center together at the massive Parc des Expositions du Bourget in the Seine-Saint-Denis area, with 80,000 sq. m of exhibit space (about 861,000 sq. ft.) and an expansion underway. The IOC’s evaluation of the facility noted that “A 24,000 sq. m temporary hall would be added for the Games” at a cost of $48 million.

Now, the IBC is staying put, but the Main Press Center is being moved about 10 miles southwest to the new Palais des Congres building at Porte Maillot, with 18,000 sq. m of exhibition space (~194,000 sq. ft.), chopped up among seven different halls. Why: “This change came out of the Organising Committee’s wish to reduce the cost and time required to build and assemble temporary facilities by using instead an existing infrastructure and venue.”

This is the Paris 2024 budget crunch in action. It’s also a sea change for future organizers as the IOC’s “minimum requirement” for the Main Press Center was 30,000 sq. m, which the Palais de Congres meets only if you include the four theaters on the site and its 104 conference and meeting rooms. That requirement no longer applies, and more creative spaces can be used. That’s good.

A negative of the change is that those who will stay at the under-construction media village in Seine-Saint-Denis are now further from their first-stop work space, creating new issues in media transportation … but expected to cost less. The IOC must still give its approval, but given this demonstration of Agenda 2020 in action, can there be any doubt?

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The 2026 Winter Games organizing committee announced its first major sponsor, the Italian retailer Esselunga. Critics have decried the slow pace of the domestic sponsorship program, which is to provide more than a third of its budget: €550 million out of €1.58 billion (35%). But here is the first.

● Athletics ● Sensational running at the American Track League’s Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday, including a World Junior Record.

TeeTee Terry, the anchor on the U.S.’s surprise Worlds 4×100 m victory, ran a lifetime best of 10.82 (wind: +0.6 m/s) to win the women’s 100 m final, just ahead of 19-year-old Tamari Davis, who set her second World U-20 Record of the day in second (10.83), and Shania Collins (10.92).

Davis had broken the ancient U-20 mark of 10.88 by Marlies Gohr of East Germany from 1977 in the prelims, running 10.87, then improving in the final (Sha’Carri Richardson’s 10.75 from 2019 has still not been ratified). Terry moved to equal-6th on the 2022 World List with her win in the final, with Davis at equal-8th.

The next shocker came in the women’s 100 m hurdles, where Alaysha Johnson, who didn’t finish in her heat at the Worlds, stormed to a win in 12.43 (+2.0), ahead of Tia Jones (12.52). Johnson’s time would have made the Worlds final and placed her sixth, a fine return to form after her disappointment in Eugene.

Joe Kovacs won the men’s shot at 21.88 m (71-9 1/2). The next Diamond League meet is on 6 August in Chorzow (POL).

What about the impact of the Oregon22 World Championships on the local community?

Depends who you ask. The Eugene Weekly’s 21 July story – more than halfway through the meet – was headlined, “Oregon22’s Restaurant Flop” and started:

“The starting gun has fired, but Oregon22’s track and field-loving visitors from around the globe are nowhere to be found in Eugene restaurants.

“In preparation for the track and field competition that has drawn athletes, media and spectators from around the world, local restaurants stocked up on food and scheduled workers for shifts during the 10-day event. But so far turnout at restaurants has been nonexistent, some restaurant owners say, especially with locals staying at home out of fear of crowded establishments.”

Explained Andy Vobora, Vice President of Stakeholder Relations for Travel Lane County. “We saw kind of mixed results throughout the community. With some restaurants doing extremely well and setting records. While others not seeing as many people as they anticipated.”

Essentially, the further away a spot was from Hayward Field, the less business it saw, a lesson rarely learned by communities which host such events and which are bombarded by pre-event promotional campaigns by organizers. Accommodations tax data comes in September and is expected to see a surge in housing revenue from the event.

● Canoe-Kayak ● The ICF World Slalom Championships took place in Augsburg (GER), with home favorite Ricarda Funk picking up from her Tokyo performance.

Funk, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in the women’s K-1, won her second consecutive world title, finishing in 105.50 seconds, with no penalties. Spain’s Maialen Chourraut, the Rio 2016 winner, finished second (106.63; 0), just ahead of Australia star Jessica Fox (106.73, with four penalties), who won her fifth career Worlds medal in the event. Funk then won a second gold in the K-1 Team event for Germany.

Czech star Vit Prindis won his first men’s K-1 individual title and second Worlds medal in the K-1 in 94.78, edging Giovanni De Gennaro (ITA: 95.49). Germany won the team title.

Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Andrea Herzog moved up to gold in the women’s C-1 final on Sunday, finishing in 111.72 to edge Tokyo winner Fox (112.64) and Tokyo runner-up Mallory Franklin (GBR: 117.05). Fox did win the Extreme Slalom, ahead of Kimberley Woods (GBR) and Monica Doria Vilarrubla (ESP).

Two-time Olympic medalist Sideris Tasiadis (GER) won the men’s C-1 (101.05) over Slovakian star Alexander Slafkovsky (102.23), who won his fourth Worlds silver and second in a row. German Franz Anton (102.66) was third. Britain’s Joseph Clarke won the Extreme Slalom with France’s Anatole Delassus second.

● Cycling ● The revived Tour de France Femmes concluded on Sunday, with favorite Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) taking charge in the difficult seventh stage.

Fellow Dutch star Marianne Vos had been the race leader from Stage 2, maintaining the lead when Lorena Wiebes (NED) won her second stage last Thursday, but then struck for her own stage win on Friday in the Vosges Mountains with a final sprint in Rosheim. But on the triple-climb, 127.1 km seventh stage, van Vleuten struck.

She destroyed the field with a brilliant, 62 km solo attack and finished a startling 3:26 ahead of Demi Vollering (NED) and 5:16 up on Cecile Uttrup Ludwig (DEN). She entered Sunday’s 123.3 km double-climb to La Super Planche des Belles Filles with a 3:14 lead on Vollering, with Vos dropping 20 places and now 23:29 out of the lead.

Just to put an exclamation point on her victory, van Vleuten won Sunday’s final stage, attacking with 5 km remaining and winning in 3:37:23, 30 seconds up on Vollering and 1:43 ahead of Silvia Persico (ITA). Van Vleuten’s final winning margin was 3:48 over Vollering and 6:35 over Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma.

The UCI BMX Racing World Championships were on in Nantes (FRA), and after three top-10 finishes in the last five editions, American Felicia Stancil rose to the top of the podium.

Fourth at the Tokyo Games last year, Stancil rode to victory in 33.144 seconds, ahead of Zoe Claessens (SUI: 33.154) and 2018 silver medalist Merel Smulders (NED: 33.260) with fellow American – and two-time winner – Alise Willoughby fourth (33.523). Between Post and Stancil, American women have won three of the last five world titles!

Swiss Simon Marquardt, only 19th in Tokyo, was a first-time Worlds medalist with his victory in the men’s division. He crossed the finish in 29.525 seconds, just ahead of Britain’s Tokyo silver medalist Kye Whyte (29.657) and France’s 2018 runner-up Joris Daudet (30.110).

It was the first-ever Worlds win for Switzerland, men or women!

● Gymnastics ● U.S. Olympic alternate and 2021 Worlds All-Around silver medalist Leanne Wong triumphed in the All-Around at the U.S. Classic in West Valley City, Utah.

Wong scored 54.400 to best Shilese Jones (54.050), a member of the 2018 Pan Am Games Team gold medalists. Wong and Jones tied for the best mark on Vault (14.400); Wong won on Beam (13.550) and was third on Floor (13.600). Jones won in Uneven Bars (14.500) and Katelyn Rosen was tops on Floor (13.700).

● Modern Pentathlon ● The 2022 UIPM World Championships concluded in Alexandria (EGY) with Britain’s Joseph Choong confirming his Olympic triumph in Tokyo with his first world title.

He won the fencing section, was third in swimming and won riding, and started the Laser Run with a 20-second lead. Egypt’s Mohamed Elgendy started 24 seconds back, but made up ground on Choong with every lap, coming as close as four seconds behind. But Choong had plenty of reserve and finished with the win, scoring 1,514 to 1,512 for Elgendy. The Egyptian’s older brother, Ahmed, won the Tokyo silver behind Choong and finished fifth in Alexandria. Hungary’s Balazs Szep came from 36 seconds behind to win the bronze, with 1,507 points.

In the women’s division, Italy’s 2019 Worlds silver medalist Elena Micheli was second in fencing, won the swimming and finished 10th in riding and entered the Laser Run with an 18-second lead on France’s Rio 2016 silver medalist Elodie Clouvel. The 2021 Worlds bronze winner, Hungary’s Michelle Gulyas, shot brilliantly and was moving up to challenge Micheli, who had enough in reserve to cross the line first, scoring 1,416 points to 1,412, for her first Worlds Championships gold. Turkey’s Ilke Ozyuksel had the fastest time in the Laser Run to pass Clouvel for the bronze, 1,405-1,397.

Korea’s Woongtae Jun and Sunwoo Kim won the Mixed Relay, winning the fencing, placing fourth in swimming and second in riding and finished with 1,393 points to 1,380 for Choong and Jessica Varley of Great Britain.

● Swimming ● The USA Swimming National Championships concluded in Irvine with Shaine Casas delivering two brilliant, national-title swims that mark him as a star-in-the-making.

The World Championships bronze medalist in the 200 m Back in 2022, Casas dominated the men’s 100 m Butterfly on Thursday, crushing the field in 50.40, moving him to equal-third all-time U.S.. His time would have won the Worlds bronze this year.

Then on Saturday, Casas won the 200 m Medley in 1:55.25, making him no. 2 for 2022 in a time that would have won the Worlds silver medal! He’s now no. 7 all-time and no. 3 among Americans; only two guys named Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps have gone faster!

Olympic 800 and 1,500 m gold medalist Bobby Finke was ill prior to the meet, but still managed to put on his patented late charge to win the men’s 800 m Free in 7:51.21. World 50 m Back champion Justin Ress took the men’s 100 m Back event in 53.55. Matt King, who tied for the 100 m Free win, got a solo gold in the 50 m Free in 21.83, with Ress second (22.01) and Michael Andrew fourth in 22.20.

Jake Magahey won the men’s 400 m Free in 3:46.36; Josh Matheny won the 100 m Breast in 59.44 and Kevin Vargas won the 400 m Medley in 4:11.45.

Katie Ledecky had to come from behind to win the women’s 400 m medley in 4:36.77, no. 9 on the world list for 2022 and just ahead of Leah Smith (4:36.66). It was a lifetime best for Ledecky, who says she has no plans to compete in this event internationally (even though her mark would have won a Worlds bronze in Budapest this year!). Smith won the 200 m Medley in 2:11.67, equaling her lifetime best from 2021.

There were numerous guest entries from foreign counties and Poland’s Kasia Wasick – the Worlds silver medalist – won the women’s 50 m Free in 24.17, ahead of Gretchen Walsh of the U.S., whose 24.47 time moved her to no. 7 on the world list. Australia’s Maddy Gough won the 1,500 m Free in 16:07.34, moving to no. 8 on the year. Walsh came back later to win the 100 m Butterfly in 57.44, now no. 9 for 2022.

Erin Gemmell, 17, won the women’s 400 m Free impressively in 4:06.17; Tokyo fourth-placer Rhyan White won the 100 m Back over Dutch star Kira Toussaint, 58.91-59.24, and Kaitlyn Dobler won the 100 m Breast final in 1:06.88.

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TSX REPORT: U.S. has offered proposal to release Greiner, Whelan; is France excited about 2024 or not? Felix appointed to IOC Athletes Commission

By
Rich Perelman
-
First step toward IOC membership? Track & field star Allyson Felix (with daughter Camryn) was appointed to the IOC Athletes Commission on Wednesday. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. U.S. offered deal to release detainees Griner and Whelan
2. France is excited about the Paris 2024 Olympic Games … or not?
3. Allyson Felix among four appointed to IOC Athletes’ Commission
4. Commonwealth Games open in Birmingham.
5. Ledecky wins 20th and 21st titles at USA Swimming Nationals

The U.S. Department of State has made, and is pursuing, an offer to Russia for the release of basketball star Brittney Griner and security executive Paul Whelan, even as Griner testified in a Moscow court on Wednesday. In France, a survey published Monday showed 47% of respondents across the country are “indifferent” to the 2024 Games in Paris, with 26% interested and 19% “worried” with the Games two years away. U.S. track star Allyson Felix is one of four athletes to join the International Olympic Commitee’s Athletes’ Commission, a positive for American representation. In Birmingham, England, the 22nd Commonwealth Games begin on the 28th, with more than 5,000+ athletes competing in 20 sports. Swimming superstar Katie Ledecky continued winning, scoring her 20th and 21st career victories at the USA Swimming nationals in Irvine, California. And physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson weighs in on whether Tobi Amusan’s 12.12 world record in the women’s 100 m hurdles is legit.

1.
U.S. offered deal to release detainees Griner and Whelan

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters on Wednesday that the U.S. had made a proposal to Russia for the release of detainees Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan:

“In the coming days, I expect to speak with Russian Foreign Minister [Sergey] Lavrov for the first time since the war began. I plan to raise an issue that’s a top priority for us: the release of Americans Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner, who’ve been wrongfully detained and must be allowed to come home.

“We put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate their release. Our governments have communicated repeatedly and directly on that proposal. And I’ll use the conversation to follow up personally and I hope move toward a resolution.”

Griner has been detained since mid-February and is on trial for “drug smuggling.” Whelan, a corporate security director, was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison for “spying.”

Two-time Olympic basketball gold medalist Griner testified at a Moscow courthouse on Wednesday that she did not intend the break any laws when the returned to Russia to play for her team, UMMC Ekaterinburg:

“I do plead guilty because of the actions that have happened, but again I did not intend to smuggle or bring any substance into Russia.”

She explained that the small amount of cannabis oil she brought in vape cartridges was purchased under a doctor’s supervision in Phoenix:

“I still don’t understand to this day how they ended up in my bag. If I had to speculate, if I had to guess on how they ended up in my bags, I was in a rush packing. I was recovering from COVID, the stress of packing, making sure I had my COVID tests. Jet lag. And I was in a rush, throwing my stuff into my bag.

“In the seven years that I came back and forth (to Russia), I never brought any substance that needed to be declared. And I didn’t plan on bringing any substance when I came on Feb. 17.

“The rules change everywhere on what you can and can’t bring into the country. And our team is always giving us updates and making sure that we know all the rules for whatever border we’re crossing or country we’re going into.”

Griner said she never had any information given to her on her legal rights: “No one explained any of it to me.” Her attorneys are asking for a light sentence in light of the “imperfections” in her arrest and the small amount of oil she was carrying. The trial is expected to continue well into August; the Russian government has said that her release is not possible until the trial is over.

2.
Paris is excited about the 2024 Olympic Games … or not?

The International Olympic Committee’s Monday report of the meeting between President Thomas Bach (GER) and French President Emmanuel Macron included Bach’s comment:

“He also noted the enthusiasm of the French people for the Olympic Games, and the great inclusivity of the project. A recent report found an approval rating of 80 per cent for the Games, rising to 90 per cent among young French people.”

Directly contrary was a survey published Tuesday in Le Parisien, titled – per a computer translation – “Paris 2024: the French are not against the Games, but we will have to convince them.” The story explained the results:

● 47% are “indifferent”
● 26% are “interested”
● 19% are “worried”
● 7% are “impatient”
● 1% did not have an answer

The poll was taken of 1,019 French aged 18+ on 20-21 July, and also found that 54% expect to follow the Games in the media, 12% said they wanted to buy tickets and 6% indicated they wanted to work on the Games or volunteer.

And, showing that concerns over costs are ever-present, 75% thought the existing budget for the event will be exceeded.

Some 65% are positive on the concept of staging the Opening Ceremony on the River Seine.

Bach and LeParisien can’t both be right. The actual answer will begin to be apparent in December and early 2023, when ticket sales will begin.

3.
Allyson Felix among four appointed to IOC Athletes’ Commission

Another honor for the most decorated athlete in World Athletics Championships history, as 20-time medalist Allyson Felix (USA) was one of four appointees announced on Wednesday for the IOC Athletes’ Commission.

Also joining are two-time Olympic Triathlon winner Alistair Brownlee (GBR), Canadian sprinter and bobsledder Seyi Smith, and Tokyo Olympian cyclist Masomah Ali Zada, originally from Afghanistan, but now part of the Olympic Refugee Team and living in France.

According to the International Olympic Committee:

“The four athletes were appointed by IOC President Thomas Bach, in consultation with IOC AC Chair Emma Terho [FIN], and in accordance with IOC AC regulations, which are aimed at ensuring a balance between genders, regions and sports within the Commission. They can each serve a term of up to eight years.”

Felix’s appointment is especially important for the U.S., as it lost Olympic Winter gold medalist Kikkan Randall from the Athletes’ Commission in 2021 to health issues after she was elected in 2018. It also opens the possibility for Felix to become an athlete member of the IOC in the future.

4.
Commonwealth Games open in Birmingham

Overcoming a lack of interest and possibly developing a significant competitor to London for major sporting events in England, the XXII Commonwealth Games will open in Birmingham on Thursday and run through 8 August.

First held in 1930 as the British Empire Games, the Commonwealth Games now bring together 72 countries, with 5,054 athletes expected and contesting 280 medal events in 20 sports. Some athletes, especially from Australia – with a huge team of 433 – have chosen the Commonwealth Games over the world championships in their sports, notably in swimming.

For others, the Commonwealth Games is a nice, but no longer vital event. However, it is a major step forward for Birmingham, which has reportedly put the event to together for about £778 million (now ~$938 million U.S.), with the British government paying 75% and the Birmingham City Council responsible for the other 25%.

The use of existing facilities has been emphasized, with three universities providing the athlete accommodations Of the 16 competition venues, 13 are existing, one is temporary, the Alexander Stadium – expanded from 18,000 to 32,000 for athletics and ceremonies – was extensively renovated and one new facility, the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, was built.

Australia was the top medal winner at the 2018 edition in Gold Coast (AUS), collecting 198 total to 136 for England; the English team topped the table in 2014 in Glasgow (SCO), 174-137.

5.
Ledecky wins 20th and 21st titles at USA Swimming Nationals

USA Swimming’s national championships have returned to the familiar surroundings of Irvine, California at the Woollett Aquatics Center for the sixth time in the last 17 years, and Tuesday’s opening day saw another familiar winner: Katie Ledecky.

She won the women’s 800 m Freestyle in 8:12.03, some 19 seconds ahead of Mariah Denigan (8:31.12) for her 20th U.S. summer national title. She added the 200 m Free on Wednesday in a seasonal best 1:54.50, ahead of 17-year-old Erin Gemmell  (1:56.14); Ledecky remains no. 2 on the world for 2022 and Gemmell moved to no. 10! Ledecky also plans to contest the 400 m Medley and will swim time trials in the 200 m Fly and 200 m Medley.

Tuesday’s other winners included Olympic relay bronze medalist Natalie Hinds in the women’s 100 m Free in 53.53, and Dakota Luther in the women’s 200 m Butterfly (2:07.02, no. 7 worldwide in 2022). In the men’s 100 m Free, Zach Apple and Matt King tied at 48.44; Will Gallant won the men’s 1,500 m Free in 14:57.08, and Gabriel Jett won the men’s 200 m Butterfly in 1:54.37 (world no. 8 in 2022).

On Wednesday, Luke Hobson upset Tokyo 400 m Free bronze winner Kieran Smith in the men’s 200 m Free (1:46.14-1:46.32); Matt Fallon used a hot last 50 m to win the 200 m Breast in a lifetime best of 2:07.91, now no. 3 on the world list for 2022 (!), and Virginia frosh Jack Aikins took the 200 m Backstroke in 1:57.52.

Mackenzie Looze used a lifetime best of 2:25.35 to win the women’s 200 m Breast title, then 2019 Pan Am silver winner Isabelle Stadden upset Worlds bronze medalist Rhyan White to win the 200 m Back in 2:07.29-2:07.51, moving Stadden to no. 6 in the world for 2022.

The meet is being broadcast live by NBC, mostly on the Olympic Channel, at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with highlights on Sunday at noon on NBC and 5 p.m. on CNBC.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 1972: Munich ● The German government is proposing further payments to the families of the 11 Israeli athletes and officials who were murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Games. However, family members of the victims have characterized the new offer as “degrading.”

No figures have been released; the Associated Press reported that a first settlement was paid in in 1972 of 4.19 million German marks (~$2.09 million U.S.) and a further amount of €3 million in 2002 (~$3 million at that time). The German Ministry of the Interior is in discussions with the families.

● National Olympic Committees ● The International Olympic Committee is warning the Indian Olympic Association that it may be suspended if it does not hold elections soon.

The IOA has had governance issues before and was suspended in 2012; its President, Narinder Batra, resigned as he is being investigated for possible misappropriation of public funds. Elections were to have been held in December, but have been held up by litigation over its constitution and national sports regulations.

India was recently considered a rising power in sports hosting and plans for bids for the Youth Olympic Games and a future Olympic Games have been widely discussed. The country planned to showcase itself during the 2023 IOC Session to be held in Mumbai in May or June, but if the IOA is suspended, the Session will likely be moved.

● Athletics ● World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) was asked last Sunday about a possible format change for the World Athletics Championships from the present 10-day program:

“I don’t think we should ever feel that existing formats are absolutely sacrosanct. We know the existing challenges of having 10 days. Morning sessions; you want flow, you want content, you want people in the stadium that are actively engaged and maybe looking at the 10 days, you’re just not going to arrive at that that easily.

“So I’m not sitting here saying there’s an imminent change. We have our championships that are contracted and agreed up until ‘25. But I instinctively think that there are lots of things that we want to achieve in our sport and 10 days is quite a challenge.

“It’s quite a challenge for broadcasters. It’s quite a challenge for the public. It’s quite a challenge for the fans and it’s quite a challenge for organizing committees. So that’s sort of where my head is at the moment and I don’t have a tidy prescriptive view, but it has been my view for some time and are going to have to address that.”

As for the controversy – in some quarters – about the validity of Nigerian Tobi Amusan’s 12.12 world record in the first semifinal at the Worlds, here’s the view of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on Twitter:

“I timed the race video with a digital stopwatch, of course taking multiple measurements. The data easily averaged the reported world record. So either the race clock & race video are both wrong or there was a tail wind nobody noticed – or they simply kicked ass.”

NBC released its ratings data for the Eugene Worlds, reporting a total audience of 18.7 million across all platforms for the 10-day event. The network ratings on NBC (reported at 1.934 million on average) didn’t set any records, as the 2007 Worlds in Osaka (JPN) drew an average of 2.08 million. NBC has rights to the World Athletics Championships into 2029.

American 1,500 m and 5,000 m record holder Shelby Houlihan is serving a four-year ban into 2025. But some sharpies on Twitter noticed that she is still active, winning the University of Okoboji Homecoming Half Marathon in Iowa on 16 July in 1:16:18. Wrote USATF activist and @PoleVaultPower poster Becca Peter:

“Ah I see Shelby and [coach] Jerry [Schumacher] have discovered one of the largest loopholes in the WADA code… many road races in the US are open to banned athletes because they are not USATF sanctioned.”

● Cycling ● Stage four of the revitalized Tour de France Femmes saw the fourth different winner, as Swiss Marlen Reusser attacked with 23 km remaining on the 126.8 km, modestly hilly ride from Troyes to Bar-Sur-Aube and went unchallenged. She won by an impressive 1:24 over Evita Muzic (FRA), Russian Alena Amialiusik (competing as a neutral) and American Veronica Ewers.

Race leader Marianne Vos was fifth (+1:40) and continued with a 16-second edge on Silvia Persico (ITA) and Kasia Niewiadoma (POL). The race continues through Sunday, with the final three stages all in the Vosges Mountains.

● Water Polo ● World Championships silver medalist Italy pounded the U.S. by 6-1 in the third quarter and won the FINA men’s World League Super Final by 13-9 in Strasbourg (FRA).

The teams were tied, 4-4, at halftime, but Italy’s overwhelming third quarter left the U.S. down five goals entering the final period. The American squad managed four goals in the period, but Italy scored three for the 13-9 final. Alex Bowen led the U.S. with four goals, while Luca Damonte, Giacomo Cannella and Eduardo Di Somma each scored three times for the winners.

The FINA Water Polo World League has been dominated by Serbia and Montenegro, which have won 15 of the 20 seasonal titles, and the last eight in a row. Italy’s win is its first, after three silvers and a bronze. The U.S. finished second for the fourth time, and for the second straight year.

Spain, the 2022 World Champions, won the bronze medal over France, 11-8.

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TSX REPORT: World T&F Champs average 2 million U.S. viewers on NBC; is that good or bad? Lochte medals bring $166,779 at auction

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe (GBR): no excuses in Eugene, focused solely on the future. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. World Athletics Champs averages 2 million viewers on NBC
2. Give credit to Coe, but there are more questions
3. Paris 2024 announces sports schedule, ticket offers
4. French President Macron to offer free tickets but no taxes
5. Lochte medals highlight Olympic memorabilia auction

Quite a few U.S. television viewers took in the World Athletics Championships on NBC over the past two weeks: about two million per show on average. That’s much better than other meets, but still more than a third less than the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. World Athletics President Coe made no excuses and was forthcoming about the challenges for track & field in the U.S. in the future; that was refreshing and welcome. Paris 2024 celebrated the two-years-to-go mark on Wednesday and revealed the detailed sports schedule and some ticketing details; the least-expensive tickets will apparently cost €24. French President Macron promised no Olympic taxes, but the government will distribute tickets to some who would not otherwise be able to go. And a major Olympic memorabilia auction ends with the sale of Ryan Lochte’s silver and bronze medals from the 2004-08-12 Games, and a lot more.

1.
World Athletics Champs U.S. TV viewership
averages 2 million on NBC

Television ratings data for the just-completed World Athletics Championships came in on Tuesday and showed that interest in the meet was solid on NBC and showed promise on cable:

World Champs on NBC:
● Jul. 16 (Sat.): 2,129,000 (3:00 p.m. Eastern)
● Jul. 16 (Sat.): 1,575,000 (9:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 17 (Sun.): 2,235,000 (2:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 17 (Sun.): 1,925,000 (10:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 23 (Sat.): 1,733,000 (9:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 24 (Sun.): 2,362,000 (9:00 p.m.)

So, NBC’s seven shows – across 12 hours – averaged 1.993 million viewers, with the best audience of the meet on the final Sunday.

This is almost double the audience from the USA Track & Field Championships in June, which averaged 1.051 million viewers on NBC and more than double the Pre Classic and NYC Grand Prix invitationals in May and June, which averaged 906,000 viewers.

But the World Championships paled in comparison to the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, also held at Hayward Field in Eugene, down 37% from the six-show NBC average of 3.183 million viewers.

The Worlds on cable was a mixed picture:

● Jul. 15 (Fri.): 430,000 on USA Network (8:00 p.m. Eastern)
● Jul. 16 (Sat.): 160,000 on CNBC (1:30 p.m.)
● Jul. 16 (Sat.): 247,000 on CNBC (8:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 17 (Sun.): no data (<200,000) on CNBC (9:00 a.m.)
● Jul. 17 (Sun.): 368,000 on CNBC (8:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 18 (Mon.): 210,000 on USA Network (9:00 a.m.)
● Jul. 18 (Mon.): 272,000 on USA Network (11:30 p.m.: delayed)
● Jul. 19 (Tue.): 249,000 on USA Network (11:35 p.m.: delayed)
● Jul. 20 (Wed.): 647,000 on USA Network (7:30 p.m.)
● Jul. 21 (Thu.): 732,000 on USA Network (8:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 22 (Fri.): 783,000 on USA Network (8:30 p.m.)
● Jul. 23 (Sat.): 353,000 on CNBC (8:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 24 (Sun.): 384,000 on CNBC (8:00 p.m.)

Across 12 shows and 27 1/2 hours, the cablecasts averaged 403,000 viewers. The four live evening shows on USA Net did well, with an average of 648,000, but the two delayed, mid-week evening programs averaged just 261,000. The five shows on CNBC that had results measured (one was too small) averaged 302,000.

The cable average of 403,000 is down 30% vs. the 2021 Olympic Trials cable average of 573,000 across six shows on the now-closed NBCSN. But the live, mid-week shows on USA Net did better than that and rivaled the top audiences from the 2021 Trials.

In terms of the World Championships in competition with other sports, the final Saturday NBC audience of 1.733 million was second in the same time frame to FOX Saturday baseball (1.751 million), and the Sunday audience of 2.362 million led all sports programs, but was third vs. other prime-time programming on CBS (Big Brother: 3.359 million) and ABC (Final Straw and $100,000 Pyramid: 2.785 million average).

What does this tell us? That there is an audience for track & field in the U.S., potentially larger than that for the smaller leagues such as Major League Soccer and the WNBA, which have drawn multi-million and even billion-dollar contracts for broadcast rights. But creating a consistent stage for the sport in the era of all-controlling coaches and agents will be difficult.

NBC reported that the first seven days of the Worlds had drawn a cumulative audience of 13.7 million people, which may also include its streaming programs on Peacock. But that’s not the way television is sold; advertisers want to know what kind of audience they can count on, day in and day out.

2.
Give credit to Coe, but there are more questions

For those who knew the history behind the award of the 2021 World Championships – postponed to 2022 – to Eugene, it was fascinating to see how the event played out and the positioning that was taken by World Athletics and USA Track & Field.

Credit to World Athletics and its President, Sebastian Coe (GBR), for never once even hinting at the history, that the direct award to Eugene without a bid process or a formal vote, was the doing of the late, convicted criminal Lamine Diack of Senegal, during his ill-fated tenure as IAAF President.

Coe and Co. never mentioned Diack’s folly in pushing for the 2019 Worlds to go to Doha, either, trying to make the best of a difficult situation and positioning the event as a way to expand exposure to the sport. Same for Eugene. No excuses, always looking forward.

And at his wrap-up news conference, Coe was forthright:

● “I’m probably not going to be Mr. Popular for saying this but I don’t think in years past the sport has been marketed as well as it could have been in the U.S. I think there was a complacency for many years that believed it was just enough to come back from an Olympic Games or a world championships on top of the medals table. I think there’s now a much greater recognition that that in itself is important, but it’s not enough.”

● “We need to be in this market. It’s important. It’s not punching its weight.”

● “We want to be back here. It won’t be Eugene. I want to be back into L.A. or Miami or Chicago.”

Good for him. Now let’s see what happens as the excitement of Eugene cools.

Viewers also did not see any mention of the man most responsible for bringing the Worlds to Eugene: former Oregon coach and TrackTown USA chief Vin Lananna, now the head coach at Virginia. Lananna is the President of USA Track & Field, but has been demoted to Vice Chair by its Board of Directors in a direct slap at the membership, which has elected him twice.

The next question following the Worlds in Eugene will be about finances. The Oregon22 organizing committee never released a budget, which included a $10 million contribution from USA Track & Field, and received $40 million in State of Oregon and U.S. government subsidies. With the less-than-full attendance at the event, will it break even?

If there is a deficit, who picks it up?

3.
Paris 2024 announces sports schedule, ticket offers

Marking two years to go to the Paris 2024 Games, the detailed sports schedule was announced Tuesday, as well as the outlines of the ticketing program.

A total of 329 events across 32 sports will take place in 762 sessions, with tickets apparently priced from a low of €24 (currently $24.29 U.S.) to about €950 (~$964), with the Opening Ceremonies higher:

“[M]ore than 1 million tickets across all sports on the Olympic Games programme will
cost just €24. Nearly half the tickets on sale to the general public will cost €50 or less and almost a third of general public tickets for finals will be priced at €100 or under. Over 90% of the general public tickets are priced at €200 or less.

“These prices, which are extremely affordable for an event the size of the Olympic Games, have been made possible thanks to the adoption of a special pricing structure: the highest-priced tickets, which make up 15% of the tickets on sale to the general public, will generate almost 50% of Paris 2024 ticketing revenue. Individual tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will cost between €24 and €950 (excluding the ceremonies). The highest fares will be €950 and represent about 0.5% of the total volume of tickets to the general public.”

The full details of the ticketing program are expected in December, with sales to start shortly thereafter. The 91-page sports schedule, by session, is available here.

The Games slogan was also announced “Ouvrons Grand Les Jeux” or “Games Wide Open,” for the possibilities of a post-Covid Games and new opportunities for athletes and participants.

4.
French President Macron to offer free tickets but no taxes

A series of announcements came from the French President Emmanuel Macron on the 25th, a day before the two-years-to-go celebrations, which included a clear refusal to implement any kind of added tax to help pay for the 2024 Games in an interview with the French all-sports daily, L’Equipe:

“I reaffirmed a simple principle: there will be no Olympics tax. The Games must finance the Games.”

There is considerable concern over the budget and the impact of both inflation and supply-chain issues.

Macron did say, however, that the government will purchase 400,000 tickets for the Games. According to FrancsJeux.com:

“They will be distributed to young people and schoolchildren, in priority those under the age of 16, but also to volunteers from the sports movement, people with disabilities, state officials and local authorities who contribute to the preparation of the event. This so-called ‘popular ‘ ticket office will be intended to make the Paris 2024 Games accessible to a public that would not necessarily have the means to buy tickets for the competitions.”

Macron also met with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER), who enthusiastically commended the preparations so far, noting especially:

“Sustainability, legacy and inclusion are at the heart of their strategy, which, with two years to go, is already contributing to the positive impact the Games are having before competition has even begun.”

The IOC noted specially – in view of the security problems at the UEFA Champions League final match in Paris in May – Bach’s expression of “full confidence in the security provided by the French authorities, which had been evident again during the very successful final stage of the Tour de France along the Champs-Elysees,” which Bach attended on Sunday.

Concerns continue to be expressed within the French government on the security arrangements and cost of the Opening Ceremony, to be spectacularly held on the River Seine and to be watched live by 600,000.

5.
Lochte medals highlight Olympic memorabilia auction

The massive RR Auction of Olympic memorabilia closed on Sunday, with 15 items selling for $10,000 or more, including the buyer’s premium. The Ryan Lochte collection of silver and bronze medals and other personal items was popular (prices include buyer’s premium):

● $89,423 for his pair of Beijing 2008 bronze medals
● $56,348 for his three London 2012 silver and bronze medals
● $21,008 for his Athens 2004 silver medal
● $16,143 for his Breitling watch purchased after the 2012 Games

Lochte has said he will donate the proceeds to the Jorge Nation Foundation, which arranges special trips for terminally-ill children.

There were plenty of other items which did well:

● $50,000 for a 1924 1st Winter Games gold medal
● $45,000 for a 1936 Berlin gold medal
● $40,206 for a 1948 London gold and silver medal pair
● $19,899 for a 1904 St. Louis athlete participation medal
● $15,625 for a 1900 Paris silver medal
● $12,501 for a 1972 Munich gold medal
● $10,981 for a 1952 Helsinki gold medal

An excellent selection of Olympic torches was also on offer; the top offers:

● $48,721 for a 1992 Albertville Winter Games torch
● $20,625 for a 1972 Sapporo Winter Games torch
● $18,996 for a 1988 Calgary Winter Games torch
● $12,501 for a 1956 Melbourne Games torch
● $11,688 for a 2020 Tokyo Games torch

There were lots of other interesting sales. An excellent collection of official’s badges for the 1972 Sapporo Winter Games sold for $9,371 and two posters for the never-held Helsinki 1940 Games sold for $1,751. A 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games cowboy hat, used for the Opening Ceremonies, sold for $250.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● World Athletics adopted a policy of introducing “repechage” races into the Olympic program for Paris 2024, giving athletes eliminated early the possibility of advancing back into the medal round.

The details are not all in place yet, but the repechage round will be used for events from 200 m to 1,500 m, including the hurdles:

“[A]thletes who do not qualify by place in round one heats, will have a second chance to qualify for the semi-finals by participating in repechage heats.

“This will replace the former system of athletes advancing through fastest times (q) in addition to the top placings in the first round heats (Q).”

Why? This protocol will give athletes in these distances at least two races at the Games, instead of instant elimination in the heats. This concept is widely used in other sports, with the same rationale.

The five semi-finalists for the International Fair Play Award have been announced and fans can vote for their favorite on World Athletics social-media platforms this week, to help cut the finalist list to three. Nominated:

● Katie Nageotte (USA) assisting Holly Bradshaw (GBR) after an injury at the women’s vault and then defending her decision to withdraw.

● Ukrainian high jump stars Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Andriy Protsenko for their silver and bronze-medal performances against the backdrop of the Russian invasion.

● American Noah Lyles, who “lost his spikes” in a rock-paper-scissors duel with a young fan.

● British hurdler Andrew Pozzi, who came to the aid of injured Petr Svoboda (CZE) after their race and helped get him to medical aid.

● British heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, supporting devastated German competitor Sophie Weissenberg after the latter suffered three fouls in the long jump and did not score any points.

Voting is available on the World Athletics Twitter and Instagram pages.

● Basketball ● Two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner was back in a Moscow court on Tuesday as her trial for “drug smuggling” continued. She has pled guilty to bringing a small amount of hashish oil into Russia in a vape cartridge, but said she did not mean to break the law. Griner may testify on Wednesday.

The U.S. continues to consider her illegally detained, since February, and has been working to secure her release.

● Cycling ● The revived Tour de France Femmes rolls on this week, with Dutch star Marianne Vos taking Monday’s flat, 136.4 km Stage 2 in a final sprint over Silvia Persico (ITA) and Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma, in 3:14:02.

On Tuesday, another fairly flat, 133.6 km ride from Reims to Epernay, it was Denmark’s Cecile Uttrup Ludwig winning the final sprint over Vos, Persico (4th), Niewiadoma (6th) and two others in 3:22:54. Vos retains the lead, with a 16-second edge over Persico and Niewiadoma.

There are two more hilly stages and then the final three stages in the Vosges Mountains, where the race will be decided.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The UIPM World Championships have started in Alexandria (EGY), with the host team winning the women’s relay via Haydy Morsy and Amira Kandil. They won the fencing event, were fifth in swimming and fourth in riding to start the Laser Run with a 14-second advantage. That proved to be enough to finish ahead of Mariana Arceo and Mayan Oliver of Mexico, who had the fastest time on the course (13:50), but with the Egyptian second (14:05). Korea won the bronze medal, with the final scores at 1,298-1,291-1,260.

The Koreans had already won the men’s relay, with 2017 World Champion Jinhwa Jung and 2019 Worlds bronze medalist Woongtae Jun winning the fencing and swimming and with a third in riding, started 21 second ahead in the Laser Run. They held on to win, 1,427 points to 1,419, over Eslam Hamad and Ahmed Hamed of Egypt, who had the sixth-fastest time in the Laser Run. Czechs Matous Tuma and Filip Houska (1,408 points) won the bronze.

The championships continue through Sunday.

● Volleyball ● The FIVB Nations League tourneys for men and women finished over the last 10 days, with Italy and France winning their first titles in the women’s and men’s events.

The Italian women defeated Brazil, 25-23, 25-22, 25-22, in Ankara (TUR) in the final, finishing with a 13-2 overall record. Serbia defeated Turkey in straight sets to win the bronze; Serbia had eliminated the Olympic champ U.S. team in the quarterfinals in a five-set marathon.

France, the Tokyo 2020 gold medalist, won the men’s final over the U.S. men by 25-16, 25-19, 15-25, 21-25, 15-10 in a five-setter in Bologna (ITA). The U.S. had won their round-robin match – also in five sets – and both teams finished with a 12-3 overall record. It was a major improvement for the U.S. men, who finished 10th at the Tokyo 2020 tournament.

● Water Polo ● The FINA men’s Super League Final tournament in Strasbourg (FRA) will end with a gold-medal rematch between the United States and Italy on Wednesday.

The U.S. – sixth at the recent World Championships in Hungary – won their group-stage match-up, 13-9, and the two teams have pushed to their playoffs to the re-match. Both teams were 2-1 in group play, then the American squad defeated Australia, 12-11, in the quarterfinals and host France, 16-15, in the semis. Italy defeated Serbia by 14-17 and then Spain, 9-8, to reach the final. Max Irving leads the U.S. in scoring with 14 goals so far.

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LANE ONE: Eugene World Championships were inspiring and brilliant, but leave more questions than answers

By
Rich Perelman
-
World record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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“Surely, surely Gail, and this is one of the reasons why we have come here to Eugene; surely a 1-2-3 in a home World Championship will generate front-page headlines in the United States tomorrow. Tell me that’s the case.”

At the end of the second day of the 2022 World Athletics Championships at the new Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, veteran British commentator Rob Walker, the long-time primary voice of the World Athletics international television feed asked his analyst, triple Olympic gold medalist Gail Devers of the U.S. if the medal sweep of the men’s 100 m was going to be big news in America. Said Devers, with a hint of weariness at a question she has heard for decades:

“I’m hoping, all I can do is hope like you. It should be everywhere, because that was big.”

The next day, the Los Angeles Times carried a 2,346-word dive on future plans to revitalize interest in track & field in the U.S. The actual coverage of the men’s 100 victory by Fred Kerley was given 10 single-column lines – 44 words – in the miscellaneous news section, one more line than for 400 m star Randolph Ross’s disqualification for a doping violation. No other results were noted.

That’s the paradox presented by the 2022 Worlds in Eugene, the first ever held in the U.S. and in the smallest facility ever to host the event.

Walker doubled down on the final day of the meet last Sunday, as the U.S. squad was handed the first-ever World Championships team trophy:

“The team champions are USA, and we can only hope – from a neutral, global perspective – that these images will be in newspapers in the United States tomorrow. That, after all, has been the ultimate goal of bringing the World Championships to Tracktown USA. We want these people to become stars, not just in Europe, where we love them, but in your country.”

His fellow commentator, Olympic and World Decathlon champion Dan O’Brien of the U.S. didn’t take the bait, replying, “This World Championships will be remembered for a long time.”

On the field, the Eugene Worlds were spectacular and the numbers are worth listing:

● From 1,972 entered, there were 1,705 athletes from 179 countries competing, with a record 29 countries winning events and 81 countries reaching the top eight (essentially a final), the most ever.

● There were world-leading performances in 24 of the 49 events, and 30 world leads in all.

● World Championships meet records were set in 13 events and there were 92 national records set.

● There were three world records, by Sydney McLaughlin (women’s 400 m hurdles), Tobi Amusan (women’s 100 m hurdles) and Mondo Duplantis (men’s vault), all in the final three days of the meet.

● Tom Lewis of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association compiled some impressive documentation of the impact of the U.S. collegiate system: 21.2% of all athletes (363) competed for a U.S. collegiate program (from 71 countries), winning 37 individual medals (14-12-11), more than the United States (33), without counting relays!

There was no shortage of stars, including a lifetime memory for a hometown hero in Eugene.

● The world records by McLaughlin and Duplantis were not surprises, but Amusan’s 12.12 in the first semi on Sunday was a complete shocker, even leading some folks to doubt the timing equipment.

However, she came back about 90 minutes later and won the final in a wind-aided 12.06! Another malfunction? Comparing the times using the wind-aid tables in the authoritative Big Gold Book by Track & Field News:

= Semi: 12.12 ~ wind +0.9 m/s saved 0.05 seconds
= Final: 12.06 ~ wind +2.5 m/s saved 0.14 seconds

So, the 12.06w final was “worth” 12.15 if the wind had been the same as the semi. Amusan was great, twice.

● How good were the Amusan, Duplantis and McLaughlin records vis-a-vis other world records? World Athletics sponsors a scientific study which assigns points to performers, separately for men and women. The comparison:

Men:
1. 1,365: Javelin ~ 98.48 m (323-1) by Jan Zelezny (CZE)
2. 1,358: 100 m ~ 9.58 by Usain Bolt (JAM)
3. 1,351: 200 m ~ 19.19 by Usain Bolt (JAM)
4. 1,346: Long Jump ~ 8.95 m (29-4 1/2) by Mike Powell (USA)
5. 1,341: 400 m hurdles ~ 45.94 by Karsten Warholm (NOR)
6. 1,325: Pole Vault ~ 6.21 m (20-4 1/2) by Mondo Duplantis (SWE)
7. 1,323: Shot ~ 23.37 m (76-8 1/4) by Ryan Crouser (USA)
8. 1,321: 400 m ~ 43.03 by Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)
9. 1,320: Discus ~ 74.08 m (243-0) by Jurgen Schult (GDR)
10. 1,314: High Jump ~ 2.45 m (8-0 1/2) by Javier Sotomayor (CUB)

Women:
1. 1,382: Discus ~ 76.80 m (252-0) by Gabriele Reinsch (GDR)
2. 1,372: Shot ~ 22.63 m (74-3) by Natalia Lisovskaya (URS)
3. 1,333: Long Jump: 7.52 m (24-8 1/4) by Galina Chistyakova (URS)
4. 1,331: Heptathlon: 7.291 by Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA)
5. 1,314: 100 m ~ 10.49 by Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA)
6. 1,312: 400 m hurdles ~ 50.68 by Sydney McLaughlin (USA)
7. 1,309: High Jump ~ 2.09 m (6-10 1/4) by Stefka Kostadinova (BUL)
8. 1,308: 200 m ~ 21.34 by Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA)
9. 1,306: Javelin ~ 72.28 (237-2) by Barbora Spotakova (CZE)
10. 1,304: 400 m ~ 47.60 by Marita Koch (GDR)

Amusan’s 12.12 is worth 1,272 points, ranking her 19th. McLaughlin would rank higher if marks made by chemically-enhanced competitors from East Germany and USSR were removed, but those are the ratified world records.

● Another all-time mark set by Duplantis was his clearance of 6.00 m (19-8 1/4) or more on 48 occasions, including three times en route to his world record in Eugene. That passes Ukraine’s Sergey Bubka, who cleared 6.00 m 45 times, a mark long thought to be untouchable. Mondo has touched and surpassed.

● Allyson Felix won a bronze medal on the Mixed 4×400 m, then went home to Los Angeles, but was recalled to run a leg in the heats of the women’s 4×400 m at the end of the program. As the U.S. won the event, she earned a gold medal, giving her an all-time record of 20 World Championships medals – the most by anyone – with 14 golds, three silvers and three bronzes from 2005-22.

● The conventional wisdom is that the long collegiate season in the U.S. argues against success in the World Championships. But four U.S. collegians beat the odds and ran brilliantly in Eugene.

The list starts with sprinter Abby Steiner (Kentucky), who finished fifth in the 200 m and ran legs on the winning 4×100 m and 4×400 m relays. Including the Worlds, she has run in 56 total races during the 2022 season: 10 at 60 m, eight at 100 m, 20 at 200 m, one at 300 m and 17 on relays!

Britton Wilson (Arkansas), who finished fifth in the women’s 400 m hurdles and ran on the winning 4×400 m team, has run 45 races during 2022, in the 400 m, 400 m hurdles and relays.

Not quite as busy were men’s 400 m stars Elija Godwin (Georgia) and Champion Allison (Florida), who have contested 33 and 27 races, respectively in 2022.

● If there is a “I finally made it” story on the U.S. team, it has to be sprinter Jenna Prandini. A star at Oregon and running on her “home track,” Prandini has been a fixture on U.S. teams, but never a finalist. She reached the semis of the women’s 100 m at Rio 2016 and in the 200 m at the Worlds in 2015 and 2022 and the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games, but no finals.

She won silvers on the 4×100 m at the 2015 Worlds and Tokyo 2020 Games, but broke through with a brilliant turn on Saturday against Jamaican superstar Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, to give TeeTee Terry the lead she required to hold off the Jamaicans and win the 4×100 m gold in Eugene.

There was impressive new technology on display on the television broadcast, including an unbelievable live scoring display during the final events of the men’s decathlon (1,500 m) and women’s heptathlon (800 m).

Thanks to computer chips embedded in the identification bibs worn by all competitors, a graphic showed the “running” final scores of the top competitors as they ran on the track!

This was a mind-blower! There was also a wide use of graphics showing the relative speed of the competitors, but this was hard to absorb since the races themselves commanded all the attention. Same for the artificially-inserted lines that showed the world records and the final qualifying times. Good ideas, but hard to follow.

Same for the graphic at the end of each race on the left-hand side that showed how far behind placers 2-8 were, but leaving out the winning time, which was on the right side of the screen! The idea was good, but the execution was busy and confusing.

One improvement from Doha was the elimination of the on-the-field light show for the sprint finals. These were spectacular lighting effects, but were only done for a couple of events, a clear show of disrespect to other athletes.

Speaking of disrespect, there will be plenty of discussions to come about the false starts – by tiny margins – in the women’s 100 m semis and of Devon Allen of the U.S. in the men’s 110 m hurdles final.

All credit to The Oregonian, which did a masterful job of obtaining daily figures on the numbers of tickets sold at the Worlds, with none of the sessions approaching the expected availability of about 15,000 spectator seats:

● 15 Jul: 13,646 (Fri.: 2 sessions)
● 16 Jul: 19,543 (Sat.: 2 sessions)
● 17 Jul: 21,065 (Sun.: 2 sessions)
● 18 Jul: 10,990 (Mon. evening only)
● 19 Jul: 11,865 (Tue.)
● 20 Jul: 10,881 (Wed.)
● 21 Jul: 11,253 (Thu.)
● 22 Jul: 12,054 (Fri.)
● 23 Jul: 12,132 (Sat. evening only)
● 24 Jul: 12,143 (Sun. evening only)

This totals 136,572 across 13 sessions or 10,506 on average; the evening-only average was more like 11,849. At the Doha 2019 Worlds, the stadium capacity was reduced to 21,000 and the announced attendance of 13,288 and 11,300 for the first two days was so awful that no further figures were ever provided, even with the stadium fairly full for the last weekend.

Eugene barely rivaled even those figures, and while the new Hayward Field is small for a Worlds, it was also engineered to be loud. So the athletes had people back in the stands cheering after the empty stadiums at Tokyo 2020 and it was especially loud for the home-standing American team.

Make no mistake, World Athletics is not expecting crowds of this size in the 36,000-seat facility in Budapest in 2023 or for the return to the 68,000-seat National Stadium in Tokyo in 2025. But it is boasting now of how full the stands were, in the smallest facility to ever host a World Athletics Championship.

The U.S. television ratings will be out on Tuesday and will tell even more about the impact – or lack thereof – that the Eugene Worlds had across the country.

There’s no doubt that the U.S. should get a future World Athletics Championships, but where? Kerley was on Twitter mid-meet and suggested:

“We need to have world champ in Miami.”

Rich Perelman
Editor

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TSX REPORT: World records for Amusan and Duplantis and U.S. sets all-time medal record as Eugene T&F Worlds close brilliantly

By
Rich Perelman
-
This is what a world record looks like: Nigerian Tobi Amusan's stunning 12.12 win over Keni Harrison (USA: 12:27) in the semifinals of the World Athletics Championships (Official Seiko finish photo)

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 16 ~ Sunday, 24 July 2022

The final session of the 2022 World Athletics Championships at a sold-out Hayward Field in Eugene was hot – 89 F at the start – and started with a world record in the women’s 100 m hurdles! From there, it got better!

No one expected to see a world mark from Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, but a world record from Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis was widely hoped. And once again, the U.S. showed its power by winning three events on the day and finishing with more medals than any nation has ever won before. Here’s what happened:

● Women/100 m hurdles ● A bolt of lightning from the first race of the evening session as Nigeria’s Amusan got out well and ran perfectly in semi one, moving ahead of world-record holder Keni Harrison of the U.S. and flying to the line … in a world record of 12.12!

The wind was legal at +0.9 m/s and she displaced Harrison as the fastest ever (12.20 in 2016). Harrison was second in 12.27, the no. 4 performance in U.S. history and 2015 World Champion Danielle Williams (JAM) was third in 12.41.

There were still two semis to go, and semi two was a three-way fight with Alia Armstrong of the U.S., Devynne Charlton (BAH) and Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper (JAM), finishing 1-2-3 in 12.43-12.46-12.52 (-0.1), with lifetime bests for all three! Tokyo Olympic finalist Britany Anderson (JAM) got a lifetime best and national record of 12.31 (+0.3) to beat Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR: 12.32) in semi three. Wow: a world record and the four fastest times of the year in the semis!

The final came at 7 p.m., with Harrison in three, Amusan in four and Anderson in five and Camacho-Quinn in an unexpected lane seven. Off the gun, Armstrong got the best start and was over the hurdles first, with Anderson and Amusan both pressing for the lead. By hurdle five, Amusan was on the gas and moving away from the field, winning in the fastest time ever run, a wind-aided 12.06 (+2.5 m/s). There was no doubt.

Anderson was second for most of the last half of the race, with Armstrong third, but Camacho-Quinn moved hard over the last three hurdles and was barely third, with Anderson and Camacho-Quinn both timing 12.24w.

Anderson was fourth in 12.31w, and Harrison, pressing hard, hit a hurdle and stopped.

Amusan had always been the one to be disappointed, finishing fourth at the 2019 Worlds in Doha and the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Not any more: she is the World Champion and the world-record holder, worth $170,000 in prize money.

● Men/Pole Vault ● The serious jumping started at 5.87 m (19-3), with Rio 2016 gold medalist Thiago Braz and Ernest John Obiena (PHI) clearing right away, but Olympic champ Duplantis and Olympic silver winner Chris Nilsen (USA) both missed.

Nilsen was way over on his second try, as did Duplantis, 2012 Olympic winner Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) and Oleg Zernikel (GER), who scored a lifetime best; those six were in the fight for medals.

At 5.94 m (19-5 3/4), the medalists were decided, Duplantis and Nilsen both cleared right away, with Obiena over on his second try. Braz missed twice, then missed once at 6.00 m (19-8 1/4) and ended up fourth. Zernikel was fifth and Lavillenie sixth.

At 6.00 m, Nilsen and Obiena both missed three times, while Duplantis cleared brilliantly and the medal standings were determined. At 6.06 m (19-10 1/2), Duplantis was over easily, and asked for the bar to go to an absolute world record of 6.21 m (20-4 1/2).

The first try missed. But Duplantis, jumping after the women’s 4×400 m and the last athlete to compete in the World Championships, cleared majestically for the second world mark of the day and third of the Championships. He jumped out of the pit, sprinted down the backstraight and did a somersault as the crowd applauded.

Like Amusan, he will collect $170,000 for winning and for the world mark. The best-possible – even if hoped for or even expected – end to the meet.

● Men/5,000 m ● World-record holder Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) decided to set an honest pace and led through laps of 62.05, 63.19 and 62.73 , giving way to Kenya’s Jacob Krop. He took the lead with nine laps left, with teammates Nicholas Kipkorir and Daniel Ebenyo, who slowed the pace to 65.12 and 64.79 and the race bunched up and Cheptegei allowed it, passing 3,000 m in 8:04.51.

The field stayed together, with no attacks, and Norway’s 1,500 m runner-up Jakob Ingebrigtsen took the lead with two laps to go and nine in contention. Ingebrigtsen continued to lead and took the bell in front of Kipkorir, Krop, Grant Fisher of the U.S. and Cheptegei.

The top three remained that way through 4,800 m and around the bend came Canada’s Moh Ahmed to pressure Fisher, who appeared to step on the rail with his left foot and almost fell down, losing his momentum and a shot at a medal. Into the last 100 m, Ingebrigtsen moved away from Krop to win in 13:09.24 to 13:09.98, Uganda’s Oscar Chelimo racing past everyone else for bronze in 13:10.20. Ahmed was fifth in 13:10.46, Fisher recovered for sixth in 13:11.65 and Abdi Nur of the U.S. was 11th in 13:18.05

Redemption for Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic 1,500 m champion, who was upset earlier in the week, but proved he had both the pacing and sprint skills to win at 5,000 m.

● Women/800 m ● A brilliant field, with the Olympic gold and silver winners in Athing Mu (USA) and Kelly Hodgkinson (GBR). But it was Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji taking the lead over Mu after 200 m and holding the lead at the bell at 57.11.

There were a half-dozen in contention around the turn, but Mu moved hard at 500 m and Hodgkinson went with her with Kenyan Mary Moraa and Welteji giving chase. In the straight, it was Mu leading, but Hodgkinson moving hard on the inside and trying to pass. But Mu gave no quarter, stayed calm and pushed to the line, winning in an emotional and world-leading 1:56.30-1:56.38.

Moraa and Welteji stayed 3-4 in 1:56.71 and 1:57.02. Americans Raevyn Rogers and Ajee Wilson never challenged for the medals and ended up sixth and eighth in 1:58.26 and 2:00.19.

● Women/Long Jump ● Olympic champ Malaika Mihambo (GER) fouled on her first two jumps, but came through in round three to take the lead at 6.98 m (22-10 3/4), but was immediately passed by Nigeria’s Ese Brume, out to a seasonal best of 7.02 m (23-0 1/2).

No concern for Mihambo, who responded in round three with 7.09 m (23-3 1/4) to re-take the lead. Behind the top two were Brazil’s Leticia Oro Melo with a lifetime best of 6.89 m (22-7 1/4) in round one and American Quanesha Burks, who also got a seasonal best at 6.88 m (22-7), with two more behind her at 6.87 m (22-6 1/2).

That was the order right to the end, as no one improved … until Mihambo on the final jump of the event, reaching 7.12 m (23-4 1/2) for her final, winning mark. That’s the Olympic and world title for the German in consecutive years; Brume was third in Doha in 2019 and scored the Olympic bronze last year, but moved up to silver.

American Tiffany Flynn jumped 6.48 m (21-3 1/4) and was 12th.

● Men/Decathlon ● The second day began with a 110 m hurdles win for Canada’s Pierce LePage in 13.78, ahead of first-day leader Ayden Owens-Delerme (PUR: 13.88), and Daniel Golubovic (AUS) and world-record holder Kevin Mayer (FRA), both in 13.92. Americans Kyle Garland and Zach Ziemek were seventh and 13th in 14.18 and 14.47. Steve Bastien was 16th in 14.75.

Czech Jiri Sykora won the discus at 54.39 m (178-5), followed by Lindon Victor (GRN: 53.92 m/176-11) and LePage at 53.26 m (174-9), a lifetime best! That gave the lead back at LePage, at 6,427, with Owens-Delerme second (6,309) and Ziemek third (6,221).

The pole vault started in 77 F temperatures, but Mayer and Ziemek both got seasonal bests of 5.40 m (17-8 1/2) to lead the field. LePage managed 5.00 m (16-4 3/4) and maintained the lead at 7,337 to 7,256 for Ziemek and 7,251 for Mayer. Garland cleared only 4.60 m (15-1: 6,930 for 7th) and Bastien did 4.70 m (15-5: 6,589 for 16th).

Mayer kept climbing in the javelin, reaching 70.31 m (230-8) for 894 points, moving into the lead, while Ziemek got a lifetime best of 62.18 m (204-0). Niklas Kaul (GER) was next-best at 69.74 m (228-10) and Victor reached 66.20 m (217-2).

The 1,500 m started with Mayer at 8,145, LePage at 8,038 and Ziemek at 8,027; Victor was well back at 7,838. Owens-Delerme won the race in a lifetime best of 4:13.02 and Mayer ran home in 10th and LePage had enough to finish ahead of Ziemek to clinch the silver, 4:42.77 to 4:44.97.

Mayer finished at 8,816, ahead of LePage (8,701 lifetime best), Ziemek (8,676 lifetime best) and Owens-Delerme (8,532 lifetime best). American Kyle Garland finished at 8,133 for 11th and Steve Bastien was 16th at 7,939.

Mayer, 30, battling injuries, has only contested one decathlon in each of the last four years, failing to finish at the 2019 Worlds and winning silver in Tokyo last year. Now he has won his second world title, after his victory in 2017.

● Men/35 km Walk ● The 6:15 a.m. start saw 50 men begin the first World Athletics Championships 35 km walk in sunny and cool conditions at 52 F. And from the very first steps, it was Japan’s Daisuke Matsunaga who had a big lead.

The Rio 20 km seventh-placer in 2016, he was up by 48 seconds at 5 km and 1:03 ahead by 13 km. But led by Sweden’s 2019 and 2022 20 km bronze medalist Perseus Karlstrom, the pack caught up and passed Matsunaga after 20 km. A lead group of seven pushed ahead and it became clear the medalists would come from those athletes, including Italy’s Tokyo 2020 20 km gold medalist Massimo Stano and Japan’s Masatora Kawano, the 2022 world leader at 2:26:40.

By 30 km, the lead group was down to five, with China’s Xianghong He dropped soon afterwards. Ecuador’s Brian Pintado fell back after 32 km, with Stano continuing to press the pace over Kawano and Karlstrom.

Stano was relentless, churning out kilometers after 30 km of 4:03, 4:04, 4:00 and 3:53 at 34 km to drop Karlstrom and forge a lead over Kawano, who was straining badly and received two warnings.

Stano took a 5 m lead over Kawano right after the bell and could not be headed, finishing with a brilliant 3:50 final km to win in 2:23:14, the second-fastest time ever walked (there is no official world record yet). Kawano gained ground at the end, pumping his arms furiously and lunging across the finish line to finish just one second behind Stano (2:23:15), then pounding his fist into the ground in frustration, but later smiling at having won the silver medal.

Karlstrom, the bronze medalist at 20 km, won the 35 km bronze and was satisfied enough to don his trademark Viking hat on the way to the finish line in 2:23:44. Pintado was fourth in 2:24:37. Matsunaga finished in 26th place in 2:33.56; American Nick Christie finished 36th in 2:41:08.

● Men/4×400 m ● The favored U.S. fielded a team of Elija Godwin, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon and Champion Allison, starting in lane six. And it was no contest.

Godwin, who was stellar on the Mixed 4×400 m and in the heats, made up the three staggers ahead of him and handed to Norman with a big lead after a 44.28 opener. It was over.

Norman had a 12 m lead after a 43.64 leg and handed to Deadmon, who extended the lead to more than 20 m (43.82). Allison, who was part of a collegiate record team at Florida this season, finished with a 44.43 leg for a world-leading 2:56.17, the no. 10 performance in history.

Behind the U.S., Jamaica and Belgium dueled for the silver and a 43.98 anchor for Christopher Taylor outlasted Kevin Borlee (44.07), 2:58.58 to 2:58.72. Japan was fourth at 2:59.81.

● Women/4×400 m ● The U.S. brought out a team of Talitha Diggs, Abby Steiner, Britton Wilson and Sydney McLaughlin, starting in lane five, with Jamaica behind them in four and Britain ahead in six.

Diggs was in a tight battle with Britain’s Victoria Ohuruogu, but passed first, 50.50-50.59. Steiner, an experienced 4×4 runner at Kentucky, ran 49.99 and nursed a small lead over Jamaica’s Janieve Russell (49.90) at the exchange. Then the race broke open.

Wilson, also a sensational relay runner at Arkansas, stormed the turn and opened a 10 m lead on the field, finally passing to McLaughlin with a 5 m lead after a 49.39 leg. The result was not in doubt with the stick in McLaughlin’s hand and she exploded for a 47.91 leg, one of the fastest ever, to finish in a world-leading 3:17.79, the no. 8 performance of all time.

Jamaica finished second in 3:20.74, ahead of Britain (3:22.64) and Canada (3:25.18).

With the counting completed, the U.S. finished with 33 medals (13-9-11), two more than the previous high of 31 from the doped-up East German team in the 1987 Worlds in Rome. Ethiopia (4-4-2), Jamaica (2-7-1) and Kenya (2-5-3) all finished with 10.

The placing table, with scoring to eight places, revealed the U.S. dominance even further. The American team piled up 328 points to 110 for Jamaica, 106 for Ethiopia and 104 for Kenya. Great Britain scored 68 for fifth, with Canada and China in sixth at 63.

The U.S. won the first-ever recognized team title, celebrating with a massive trophy on the home straight.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Cycling ● The 109th Tour de France concluded on Sunday with the grand entrance into Paris and Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard moving up from second in 2021 to the top of the podium in 2022.

The final, 115.6 km stage finished in the usual sprint, with Jasper Philipsen (BEL) winning his second stage with a powerful surge ahead of Dylan Groenewegen (NED) and Alexander Kristoff (NOR), all in 2:58:32.

The victorious Dutch Jumbo-Visma team crossed together, with Vingegaard in 75th and ending in 79:32:29, with a margin of 3:34 over two-time defending champ Tadej Pogacar (SLO) and 8:13 over 2018 winner Geraint Thomas (GBR). Neilson Powless was the top American finisher, in 13th, 47:48 behind the winner; the U.S. had three more inside the top 21: Sepp Kuss (18th for Jumbo-Visma), Brandon McNulty in 20th and Matteo Jorgenson in 21st.

Vingegaard, 25, won stages 11 and 18, and second in stages 7, 17 and 20, with five other top-10 finishes. He’s only the second Dane to win cycling’s greatest race, after Bjarne Riis won in 1996. Pogacar, still just 23, won his first two Tours and was second this year.

The secondary winners included Wout van Aert (BEL) in the Points Division (for sprinters) and Vingegaard as King of the Mountains, a key to his winning the overall title.

Worth noting was the start of the revived Tour de France Femmes, an eight-stage race that began in Paris with an 81.7 km, flat course, with Dutch riders Lorena Wiebes and Marianne Vos finishing 1-2 at the head of a mass sprint in 1:54:00. Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky was third, with race favorite Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) in 21st (same time).

The race starts with two flat stages, then three hilly stages and the final three stages in the Vosges Mountains of eastern France, where the winner will be decided.

Various forms of a women’s Tour were organized from 1984 through 2009, but the new race is run by the same group – Amaury Sports Organisation – which owns the Tour de France.

● Fencing ● The 2022 FIE World Fencing Championships concluded in Cairo on Saturday, with France and Italy dominating the competition, finishing with eight medals apiece.

In the final team events, France won the men’s Team Epee over Italy, 45-42, with individual winner Romain Cannone getting his second gold medal of the tournament. Japan finished third, defeating Hungary. 45-30.

Italy won the men’s Team Foil, 45-39, over the U.S. team of Nick Itkin, Chase Emmer, Alex Massialas and Gerek Meinhardt. Itkin had previously won the individual bronze medal.

The women’s Team Foil was another Italian win over the U.S., with individual silver medalist Arianna Errigo lead a 45-27 win over Jackie Dubrovich, Olympic winner Lee Kiefer, Zander Rhodes and Maia Weintraub. France won the bronze, 40-34, against Japan.

Hungary defeated France in the women’s Team Sabre final, 45-40. Japan got another bronze, 45-43, over Spain.

France won four gold, two silver and two bronze for eight total to lead the medal table; Hungary also won eight (2-4-2). Japan (1-1-2) and the U.S. (0-2-2) both won four.

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TSX REPORT: U.S. women upset Jamaica in 4×1; Canada upsets U.S. men in 4×1 and Peters and Pichardo supreme at Worlds in Eugene

By
Rich Perelman
-
Upset! The U.S. women celebrate after winning the 4x100 m relay at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene.

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 14 ~ Saturday, 23 July 2022

(Coverage of Saturday morning’s events, with the men’s decathlon and women’s hurdles and long jump qualifying is here.)

There were exciting finals in six events on Day 9 of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, but it was really about the 4×100 m relays. And they were great.

The difference was passing and running at full speed with the stick in two memorable races:

● Women/4×100 m ● The U.S., with Melissa Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and TeeTee Terry, drew lane three, with favored Jamaica – Kemba Nelson, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson – in five.

Off the gun, both Jefferson and Terry were excellent and the pass to Steiner had her and Thompson-Herah close at the second exchange. Then came the crucial moment in the race, as Prandini got a near-perfect pass and stormed the turn to take the lead from Fraser-Pryce going into the final leg. This was decisive.

Prandini made a solid pass to a full-speed Terry and although Jackson was motoring, closing with every stride, Terry was strong enough and held on to take the upset win with the no. 5 time in history (and no. 3 U.S.), 41.14 to 41.18.

Britain was in contention until Dina Asher-Smith pulled at the end of the third leg and barely made the pass to anchor Daryll Neita. Germany took advantage and won the bronze in 42.03.

● Men/4×100 m ● The U.S. team of Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, Elijah Hall and Marvin Bracy – same as in the heats – was in lane three, one ahead of Jamaica and one behind Canada.

Coleman was hot from the start and handed off to Lyles in good shape, and Lyles stormed to the lead on the backstraight. His pass to Hall was good, but Canada was flying with Brendon Rodney and handed first to Olympic 200 m champ Andre De Grasse.

The U.S. pass from Hall to Bracy was poor and barely within the zone and De Grasse was flying. Bracy closed, but De Grasse crossed first in a world-leading 37.48, a national record. The U.S. was timed in 37.55 and Britain got the bronze in 37.83, over Jamaica (38.06).

Upset? Yes, but well deserved, especially with the legs by Rodney and De Grasse.

● Men/800 m ● The pace was slow to start, so Canada’s Marco Arop decided to lead, passing 400 m in 52.03 with France’s Gabriel Tual and Algerian Slimane Moola close behind. On the backstraight, Arop stayed in front, but Kenya’s Wyclife Kinyamal moved up to challenge with Tual. But Olympic champ Emmanuel Korir unleashed a fierce kick with 150 m to go, moving quickly to second and then passing Arop on the home straight to win going away in 1:43.71.

Behind Arop was Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, who close with a rush to win silver in 1:44.14 to 1:44.28 for Arop. Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi sprinted home for fourth in 1:44.54.

● Men/Triple Jump ● Portugal’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo, the Olympic champion, exploded in the first round, landing at a world-leading 17.95 m (58-10 3/4) and taking the air of the event after two jumps. Olympic bronze winner Hugues Zango (BUR) tried to match, getting out to 17.55 m (57-7) and then Italian Andrea Dallavalle reached 17.25 m (56-7 1/4) to stand third after round one.

But that didn’t hold, as Olympic silver winner Yaming Zhu blasted out to 17.31 m (56-9 1/2) to grab third, in round two, while Pichardo backed up his leading effort with another bomb: 17.92 m (58-9 1/2). And that’s how it ended, with the same medalists as in Tokyo, but with Zango second and Zhu third this time.

U.S. champ Donald Scott was in the mix at 17.14 m (56-2 3/4) on his first try, standing fifth after the first three rounds, but did not improve and finished sixth. Fellow American Will Claye managed 16.54 m (54-3 1/4) and finished 11th.

● Men/Javelin ● Grenada’s Anderson Peters, the 2019 World Champion, has been the best thrower this season and he stamped his name on the gold medal in round one at 90.21 m (295-11), a distance only he and one other man have reached in 2022.

Czech Jakub Vadlejch, the other 90m-plus thrower this season, moved into second right away at 87.23 m (286-2) in the second round, with German Julian Weber third (86.86 m/285-0).

Then Peters extended to 90.46 m (296-9) in round two and Vadlejch answered in round three, but was still short at 88.09 m (289-0). Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra finally got untracked in round four, moving from fourth to second at 88.13 m (289-1). But no one could handle Peters, who defended his title in style, with three throws that would have won the competition, tacking on a final 90.54 m (297-0) – best of the day – to end the event.

American Curtis Thompson threw 78.39 m (257-2) and finished 11th.

● Women/5,000 m ● The race started slowly, with Ethiopia’s 1,500 m runner-up Gudaf Tsegay picking up the pace on the third lap and then 10,000 m winner Letsenbet Gidey took the lead after 2,000 m. By the 3,000 m mark, there were 11 in the lead pack, with Gidey leading at 9:02.80.

Gidey and Tsegay ran together at the front, alternating the lead, but not fast enough to shake Hassan. With two laps left, Gidey and Tsegay were in front of Beatrice Chebet (KEN) and Dawit Seyaum (ETH). The pack shrunk to nine by the bell, with Hassan coming up to challenge Tsegay and Hassan had the lead on the final backstraight, but in a tight group of a half-dozen potential winners.

But on the turn into the home straight, it was Tsegay and Chebet racing past Hassan and running to the line 1-2 in 14:46.29 and 14:46.75. Ethiopian Seyaum and Margaret Kipkemboi (KEN) raced for the bronze and ended 3-4 in 14:47.36 and 14:47.71. Gidey finished fifth and Hassan sixth.

Tsegay was known as a 1,500 m star, winning the 2022 World Indoor title, but now she is the World 5,000 m gold medalist, in her third Worlds after a 1,500 m bronze in Doha and silver in Eugene.

Elise Cranny was the top American in ninth (14:59.99), with Emily Infeld 14th in 15:29.03; Karissa Schweizer didn’t finish.

● Women/4×400 m heats ● The U.S. fielded a team of Talitha Diggs, Allyson Felix, Kaylin Whitney and Jaide Stepter Baynes in heat one and Diggs – the NCAA champion for Florida – got off to a solid lead (51.01) and made the pass first to Felix. The veteran star took off hard and forged a 7 m lead over Great Britain (Laviai Nielsen) heading into the third leg (50.61). Whitney (51.01) and Britain’s Victoria Ohuruogu separated from the rest of the field and Stepter Baynes (50.75) held off Nicole Yeargin on the home straight for a 3:23.38-3:23.92 win. The Dutch dropped the stick on the second hand-off, but anchor Femke Bol – as with the Mixed 4×400 m – brought her team home in third (49.38) in 3:28.58, but was disqualified for the illegal pass.

Felix says she was back in Los Angeles and got a call to help with the relay prelims, and zipped back to Eugene to run on Saturday.

Jamaica’s Junelle Bromfield broke open the second heat with a brilliant first 200 m and giving third leg Tiffany James a 10 m lead that was opened to 20 m lead for Charokee Young, winning in 3:24.23. Belgium’s Camille Laus stormed past Canada for second in 3:28.02.

● Men/4×400 m heats ● The U.S. team of Elija Godwin, Vernon Norwood, Bryce Deadmon and Trevor Bassitt drew lane six in heat one, and Godwin (44.46) destroyed the field, handing Norwood a solid lead that was quickly extended. Norwood held the lead (44.73) and had a 6 m lead with the exchange to Deadmon, who ran a 44.48 leg to extend the lead. Bassitt was not challenged and won easily in 2:58.96 (leg 45.29).

Behind him, there was a furious race between Japan, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, with Yuki Nakajima passing Jamaica’s Anthony Cox in the final straight for second, 3:01.53-3:01.59.

In heat two, Botswana and Belgium were coming in together for the final exchange, with the Belgians leading and Botswana dropping the baton and falling out of contention. Veteran Kevin Borlee maintained the lead and brought Belgium home in 3:01.96, with the Czech Republic second in 3:02.42.

● Men/Decathlon ● The afternoon program began with the high jump, and Norway’s Sander Skothein scored a lifetime best of 2.17 m (7-1 1/2) to lead the field, ahead of American Kyle Garland’s 2.14 m (7-0 1/4). American Zach Ziemek was fourth overall at 2.08 m (6-9 3/4) and stood second to Olympic champ Damian Warner (CAN) in the overall score, 3,696 to 3,634, with Garland third (3,582).

In the 400 m, Warner grabbed his left leg after 100 m and crashed to the track, ending his competition suddenly and tragically. On the track, Ayden Owens-Delerme (PUR) raced brilliantly, setting a lifetime best with a world-class time of 45.07! LePage was second at 46.84 and with Warner out, the event is suddenly wide open. After five events: Owens-Delerme leads with 4,606, followed by LePage (4,485), Ziemek (4,469) and Garland (4,413).

The U.S. medal count is up to 28 (10-8-10), with the all-time record of 31 possibly in sight on Sunday. Ethiopia is the second to get to double digits, at 10 (4-4-2), with Kenya third with eight (2-4-2).

On the placing table, the U.S. leads the eight-place scoring, 274-100 over Ethiopia, ahead of Kenya (89), Jamaica (82) and China (59).

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TSX REPORT: Olympic champ Warner leads decathlon early as two U.S. hurdlers fall in heats at Worlds in Eugene

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 13 ~ Saturday, 23 July 2022

● Men/Decathlon ● Olympic champ Damian Warner of Canada was – as expected – fastest in the opening event, the 100 m, finishing in 10.27 for 1,030 points, ahead of teammate Pierce LePage (10.39).

There was another false start moment, in heat two, as Australia’s Cedric Dubler was called for a false start and the computer showing he left in 0.099 seconds, same as Devon Allen of the U.S. in the men’s 110 m hurdles. But as this was the decathlon, the false start was charged against the field and everyone – including Dubler – got to continue.

In the long jump, Warner led again, at 7.87 m (25-10/1,027 points), ahead of Zach Ziemek of the U.S. (7.70 m/25-3 1/4 for 985 points). In the shot put, Lindon Victor (GRN) reached 16.29 m (53-5 1/2) to lead the field, ahead of Leo Neugebauer (GER) at 15.83 m (51-11 1/4) and Ziemek with a lifetime best of 15.37 m (50-5 1/4).

So, after three events, it’s Warner in front of Ziemek, 2,846 to 2,756 with Puerto Rico’s NCAA champ Ayden Owens-Delerme third with 2,728.

● Women/100 m hurdles heats ● Defending World Champion Nia Ali of the U.S. got out well and was the clear leader, but pressed by Brittany Anderson (JAM), caught her trail leg (left knee) going over the ninth flight and crashed into the 10th hurdle and fell. Anderson won in 12.59 (-0.3 m/s); Ali walked in seventh and last.

Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) came on strong over the last three hurdles and won heat two in 12.52 (-0.4), just ahead of Devynne Charlton (BAH: 12.69). Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan looked sensational in heat three, winning impressively in 12.40 (+1.5), an African Record, ahead of 2015 World Champion Danielle Williams (JAM: 12.87).

In heat four, American Alaysha Johnson, no. 2 on the 2022 world list at 12.35 and a clear medal contender, stutter-stepped the first hurdle and stopped after two and was eliminated. Australia’s Liz Clay also crashed in mid-race, leaving Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska as the winner in 12.70 (+0.7). Johnson told NBC afterwards, “I have no words. This is crazy.”

American Alia Armstrong – the NCAA champ from LSU – powered through heat five, winning in 12.48 (+0.5), ahead of Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper (JAM: 12.73). There was another fall, with Haiti’s Mulern Jean falling over the first hurdle; she did not finish. World-record holder Keni Harrison of the U.S. got an ordinary start, but came on strongly over the final three hurdles to move away from Cindy Sember (GBR) in 12.60 to 12.67 (-0.4).

● Women/Long Jump qualifying ● The auto-qualifying distance was 6.75 m (22-1 3/4), reached by four women on their first tries, all medal contenders: Olympic champ Malaika Mihambo (GER: 6.84 m/22-5 1/4), 2019 Worlds silver medalist Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (UKR: 6.81 m/22-4 3/4), Sweden’s Khaddi Sagnia (6.78 m/22-3) and Brooke Buschkuehl (AUS: 6.76 m/22-2 1/4).

American Quanesha Burks joined the club in the third round with the best jump of the day at 6.86 m (22-6 1/4) and Ese Brume (NGR) got out to 6.82 m (22-4 1/2) for six auto qualifiers.

The other Americans: Tiffany Flynn was seventh and qualified at 6.73 m (22-1), while Jasmine Moore was 13th and did not qualify at 6.60 m (21-8).

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Cycling ● The 109th Tour de France will conclude on Sunday with the finish in Paris, but it will be Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard who will win, only the second Danish winner in the event’s history.

Friday’s Stage 19 was a modestly hilly, 188.3 km ride to Cahors, with France’s Christophe Laporte winning the final sprint with Jasper Philipsen and Alberto Dainese (ITA). Vingegaard remained 3:26 ahead of two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar (SLO).

On Saturday, the 40.7 km time trial was Pogacar’s last chance, but it was Jumbo-Visma teammates Wout van Aert (BEL) and Vingegaard who went 1-2 in 47:19 and 47:38. Pogacar was third in 47:46, so Vingegaard enters the final stage with a 3:34 lead on Pogacar and 8:13 on Geraint Thomas (GBR).

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TSX REPORT: Staggering 50.68 WR for McLaughlin in Worlds 400H as Norman, Miller-Uibo and Barber also win in Eugene

By
Rich Perelman
-
Double Olympic gold medalist and world-record setter Sydney McLaughlin (USA) (Photo: Tim Healy for TrackTown USA)

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 12 ~ Friday, 20 July 2022

The track & field intelligentsia would say that the most likely world-record breakers at the 2022 World Athletics Championships were American Sydney McLaughlin in the women’s 400 m hurdles and Mondo Duplantis of Sweden in the men’s vault. Both are the existing world-record holders and both were in action on Friday evening at Hayward Field.

Duplantis was only in qualifying, but McLaughlin etched her place in history more deeply with one of the greatest runs in history. The details:

● Women/400 m hurdles ● The race was in the middle of the track, with Olympic bronze medalist Femke Bol (NED) in lane four, world-record holder and Olympic champ McLaughlin in five and defending champ Dalilah Muhammad (USA) in six.

Off the gun, McLaughlin was off like never before and made up the stagger on Muhammad – herself always a brilliant starter – on the back straight and was moving away. McLaughlin was in a place no other women’s 400 m hurdler has ever been, and continued to gain ground on the field right through the tape, stopping the clock in a world record 50.68!

She didn’t set the world record, she obliterated it with an improvement of 0.73 in a single race! McLaughlin herself could hardly believe it, sitting on the track and shaking her head at what she had done. At 22, she now owns five of the top six times in history. And in the past two seasons, she has set world records of 51.90 and 51.46 in 2021 and 51.41 and now 50.68.

Behind her, Muhammad was a clear second coming into the straight, but Bol came on over the turn and ran away on the straight for the silver in 52.27 and Muhammad third in 53.13. The U.S. was 4-5 with Shamier Little and Britton Wilson, in 53.76 and 54.02.

McLaughlin’s coach, the legendary Bobby Kersee, has said that she will soon move to the 400 m, where the world record is an other-worldly 47.60 by East German Marita Koch from 1985. If anyone can challenge that mark, she can.

● Men/400 m ● Favored Michael Norman of the U.S., who called his Tokyo fifth a “slap in the face,” lined up in lane four, with 2012 Olympic champ Kirani James (GRN) behind him in three and Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith ahead in lane five.

Norman started well, moving up on Hudson-Smith on the back straight, but with James moving smartly behind him. On the far turn, Norman moved smoothly, but was close with James – who was slightly in front – and Hudson-Smith coming into the final straight.

But Norman had the speed he needed on the home straight, moving ahead of James, with Hudson-Smith not quite able to keep up and challenged by world-record holder Wayde van Kiekerk (RSA). Pumping his arms hard, Norman held off James and won his first global title, 44.29-44.48. Hudson-Smith took the bronze in 44.66, and Champion Allison of the U.S. passed van Kiekerk late to finish fourth in 44.77 (to 44.97).

The win gives the U.S. men the World titles at 100, 200 and 400 m in 2022, a far cry from the results in Tokyo last year, when the U.S. men didn’t win an individual event on the track.

● Women/400 m ● Olympic champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) had all of her challengers in front of her from lane three, but it hardly mattered as she flew around the turn and made stagger after stagger, forging a clear lead through 200 m. There was no let-up on the turn, but Sada Williams (BAR) was running brilliantly in lane seven and came across 300 m just slightly behind Miller-Uibo.

On the final straight, Williams was pushing, but Olympic silver winner Marileidy Paulino (DOM) made her usual late charge and ended up second, 49.11-49.60. Williams was third in a national record 49.75.

Miller-Uibo’s time was the fastest in the world for 2022 and she finally won a Worlds gold in the event to go along with her silvers in 2017 and 2019. She also completes the indoor-outdoor double after winning the World Indoor Championships gold at 400 m in March.

● Women/Javelin ● Defending champion Kelsey-Lee Barber (AUS) broke open the event with her third-round 66.91 m (219-6) and everyone had to chase her. Olympic champ Shiying Liu (CHN) reached 63.25 m (207-6) in round four and moved to second, but that did not last.

The sixth round got crazy. Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi – the leader in qualifying – armed a strong throw to her best throw of the day, and into second place at 63.27 m (207-7), pushing Liu to third. Then came American Kara Winger – in her final competitive season and sixth Worlds – who was standing fifth and got ahold of her final throw, sailing out to a stunning 64.05 m (210-1) and into second place!

Barber had only one big throw, but one was all she needed. She defended her title and moved up from a disappointing Olympic bronze in Tokyo.

● Women/35 km Walk ● The 20 km Walk medalists were Kimberly Garcia Leon of Peru, Poland’s Katarzyna Zdzieblo and China’s Shijie Qieyang. Same in the 35 km, held Friday morning in cool, 60 F conditions on a 1 km course outside Oregon’s Autzen Stadium.

But the race developed differently, with Garcia Leon and Zdzieblo walking together in the lead from the second km. They had a 5-second lead on Qieyang by 5 km, seven seconds by 13 km and 28 seconds by the 10 km split.

Garcia Leon pushed into the lead for good after halfway, building an 11-second edge by 20 km. The Pole got closer by 25 km, but Garcia Leon’s lead was 21 seconds by 30 km and she strode home in 2:39:16, equaling the no. 2 mark in the world for 2022. Zdzieblo finished in 2:40:03, a lifetime best.

Behind the two leaders, Qieyang, 31, was unchallenged for third. She had nearly a minute’s lead over the rest of the field by 15 km and finished in an Asian Record 2:40:37, winning her fourth World Championships medal to go along with her 2012 London 20 km gold. Greece’s Antigoni Ntrismpioti was fourth in a national record 2:41:58.

Maria Michta-Coffey was the top American, finishing 22nd in a lifetime best of 2:58:51, followed by Stephanie Casey in 24th (3:00:54 lifetime best) and Miranda Melville (29th: 3:05:31).

● Women/800 m semis ● Kenya’s national champion, Mary Moraa, went to the lead and was in front of a bunched field through 400 m in 59.00 and then pushed hard on the backstraight to gap the field. American (and World Indoor Champion) Ajee Wilson moved into second at 600 m and stuck close to Moraa into the straight, out of traffic. Those two had more speed than the rest, with Moraa winning at 1:59.65 and Wilson at 1:59.97 as the automatic qualifiers.

Australia’s Catriona Bisset, advanced to the semis after being pushed down in her heat, took off on the first lap and led at the bell in 57.37. She was caught on the back straight by Olympic silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson (GBR), who led around the turn and into the straight, being chased by Jamaica’s Natoya Goule and American Raevyn Rogers. Those three separated from the rest and finished in that order in 1:58.51-1:58.73-1:58.77; Rogers qualified for the final on time.

Semi three had Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji go to the lead and pass 400 m in the quickest time yet, in 57.09. Olympic champ Athing Mu of the U.S. was an easy second and those two broke away on the backstretch and extended their lead all the way to the finish. Mu had the most speed on the run-in and won in 1:58.12 to 1:58.16. Defending champ Halimah Nakaayi (UGA) faded to eighth and did not advance.

● Women/4×100 m heats ● In heat one, Jamaica ran a second team of Briana Williams, Natalliah Whyte, Remona Burchell and Kemba Nelson, starting on the outside in lane eight and starting well, with a sizable lead on the back straight. But Britain’s Ashleigh Nelson stormed the turn to pass first to anchor Daryll Neita, who outclassed Nelson on the run-in to win in a world-leading 41.99 to 42.37.

The U.S. fielded a very good team of U.S. champ Melissa Jefferson, Aleia Hobbs, Jenna Prandini and TeeTee Terry in lane two, starting in heat two, and Jefferson was out like a shot. The pass to Hobbs was good and she stormed down the straight and handed to Prandini, who blew the race completely open on the turn. The pass to Terry was smooth and the time was another world leader: 41.56, equal-seventh-fastest in U.S. history. Spain was second at 42.61. Impressive.

● Men/4×100 m heats ● Question no. 1 was “Did the U.S. get the stick around the track?”

Yes!

The team of Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, Elijah Hall and Marvin Bracy started in lane seven in heat one, with Lyles replacing the injured Fred Kerley on the second leg. Coleman got his usual excellent start and got the stick to Lyles on the backstraight, who forged a solid lead. The pass to Hall was solid and he opened a big lead and Bracy finished in a world-leading 37.87.

Heat two had Canada and Jamaica as favorites in lanes seven and eight, but France’s Ryan Zeze passed to anchor Jimmy Vicaut in the lead and Vicaut held off Canada’s Tokyo 200 m champ Andre De Grasse, 38.09 to 38.10. South Africa edged Jamaica, 38.31-38.33 for third, but the Jamaicans qualified on time.

● Men/Pole Vault qualifying ● The auto-qualifying height was 5.80 m (19-0 1/4), a mark cleared by 14 men this season, but it only took 5.75 m (18-10 1/4) to separate the top 12. The stars were all included: Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis, Olympic silver winner Chris Nilsen of the U.S., London 2012 winner Renaud Lavillenie (FRA), Rio 2016 champ Thiago Braz (BRA), NCAA champ Sondre Guttormsen (NOR) and E.J. Obiena of the Philippines. The final is Sunday.

American Luke Winder cleared 5.65 m (18-6 1/2) and finished 17th; Andrew Irwin did not clear a height.

American decathlete Garrett Scantling claimed a world-leading mark of 8,867 in winning the U.S. Nationals in May, moving to no. 7 on the all-time list. But he was left off the team for the World Championships and now we know why, per the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency:

“USADA announced today that Garrett Scantling, of Jacksonville, Fla., an athlete in the sport of track and field, has accepted a provisional suspension, effective July 21, 2022, following notification of possible Whereabouts and Tampering Anti-Doping Rule Violations. The potential Tampering violation stems from Scantling’s conduct during an investigation into his third potential Whereabouts Failure.”

Scantling, 29, could face a years-long suspension. The Worlds decathlon begins Saturday and the U.S. will field Nationals runner-up Kyle Garland (8,720), Zach Ziemek (8,573) and Steve Bastien (8,135); Garland and Ziemek stand 3-4 on the 2022 world list.

Errata: Last night’s post stated that the U.S. sweep in the men’s 200 m was the first in Worlds history. No. SpainSports’ Phil Minshull notes that the U.S. went 1-2-3-4 back in 2005, with Justin Gatlin, Wallace Spearmon, John Capel and Tyson Gay. So the 1-2-3 sweep in Eugene was the first since 2005. Thanks, Phil!

With a couple of days left and 15 finals remaining, the U.S. medal count has reached 26 (9-7-10), ahead of Ethiopia (8: 3-4-1) and Jamaica (2-3-1) and Kenya (1-3-2) with six. On the placing table, scoring 1-8 for a better representation of team strength, the U.S. leads Ethiopia, 256-82.

The all-time medals record at a World goes back to the chemically-enhanced East German team of 1987, which won 31. The best U.S. performance came in 2017 in London, at 30. Both those marks are in jeopardy.

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TSX REPORT: Vancouver 2030 bid continues in confusion; Russia not planning “alternative” to Olympics; Vingegaard ready to win Tour de France

By
Rich Perelman
-
Two-time winner Tadej Pogacar (SLO; in white) leading 2022 Tour de France leader Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) during Thursday's Stage 18 (Photo: A.S.O./Pauline Ballet)

★ The Sports Examiner: Surveying, monitoring and explaining the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement. This site is free to view, with donations gratefully accepted to support our operating costs.
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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Doubt expressed on 2030 Vancouver bid, but it’s still alive
2. Russian sports minister: no need to challenge Olympics?
3. Vingegaard all but clinches Tour de France win
4. Devon Allen consistently the quickest starter
5. Rare insight into costs of elite sailing

Concern over the details of a Vancouver bid for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games were laid out by city staff on Wednesday over familiar issues of governance, money and risk, with little time remaining to work things out. But the City Council voted to keep going. In Russia, the sports minister said there were no plans to offer new competitions as alternatives to the Olympic Games. In France, Jonas Vingegaard won Stage 18 and has essentially wrapped the first Tour de France win by a Danish rider in 56 years. At the World Athletics Championships, three false-start disqualifications have roiled fans, but American Devon Allen was a known fast starter who got no break from officials. And it costs a lot of money to outfit and enter a boat in the 2022 49erFX (Olympic) class World Championship; a U.S. duo is raising money online.

(Errata: Some readers saw a version of last night’s post on the World Athletics Championships with a typo. Noah Lyles’s winning time of 19.31 makes him the no. 3 performer in history, with the no. 4 performance ever. Only Jamaicans Usain Bolt (19.19 and 19.30) and Yohan Blake (19.26) have ever run faster. Shericka Jackson‘s winning time in the women’s 200 m was rounded down from 21.46 to 21.45.)

1.
Doubt expressed on 2030 Vancouver bid, but it’s still alive

A 47-page report delivered Wednesday by Vancouver City Manager Karen Levitt expressed significant doubts on the ability of the region to compile and submit a quality bid for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games on the reported timeline preferred by the International Olympic Committee.

The staff report identifies significant concerns over multiple areas, starting with formal approval of the bid from the four First Nations designated to lead the effort. Then there are issues of money and risk:

● “The proposed financial, indemnification and governance model for the Games is not yet known. The Province of BC has stated that the municipalities and First Nations should not assume that the Province will be responsible for the cost of services and/or risks incurred, and that their participation in a bid would be contingent upon a commitment to share the costs and risks of hosting the 2030 Winter Games by each of the municipal and First Nation bid participants, stated publicly by mid-August 2022.”

● “The federal government as a matter of policy does not indemnify international sporting events. The Province of BC has stated that the municipalities and First Nations involved in the bid should not assume that the Province will be responsible for indemnities. The absence of a clear senior government commitment to indemnify the event represents a material difference in context for Vancouver, relative to the 2010 Games. Given the magnitude of the potential liability, it would not be feasible for the City to sign on as Host City for the 2030 Winter Games without being appropriately indemnified.”

● “The timeline for the [Canadian Olympic Committee] to submit a BC bid with Vancouver as an official Host City is extremely compressed, and it is staff’s view that there is insufficient time for the requisite work to be done by staff to evaluate the potential benefits, costs and risks to the City, and to negotiate the necessary legal agreements by the COC’s deadline of December 2022.”

In other words, it’s getting late, and the City staff is not sure it has the resources to pull things together in time: “It is the view of staff that the proposed timeline to submit a bid as currently constituted is not achievable.”

Moreover, the question of who is ultimately responsible to pay for the Games is not resolved, and the City staff do not recommend assuming “unlimited financial risk” to put on the event. A comprehensive agreement to bid for (and stage) a 2030 Winter Games likely has 12 signatories, including First Nations, three levels of governments and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees.

Canadian Olympic Committee President Tricia Smith noted that the 2030 Games is a better fit for Vancouver since the cost to refurbish the venues for 2034 will cost more. The GamesBids.com site reported:

“The COC feasibility team hopes to get First Nation stakeholders to back the project in August leading to a multiparty agreement by November and meeting a proposed IOC deadline. But standing in the way are October 15 municipal elections across British Columbia that could change the face, and minds, of Vancouver city council. Only weeks would be available for the council and staff to move forward with important negotiations and decision making.”

On Wednesday, the Vancouver City Council voted 8-2 to continue the bid development process, with the urging of the four First Nations, the city of Whistler and the Canadian Olympic Committee. The Council also rejected, by 10-1, a request for a public referendum on the bid in October, again suggested by Council member Colleen Hardwick, who has floated this idea before.

2.
Russian sports minister: no need to challenge Olympics?

Russian sports minister Oleg Matytsin told reporters on Thursday that he does not see the new Friendship Games as a challenge to the Olympic Movement:

“We are ready to develop in any format, today I do not see the need to create alternative games.

“We have enough formats – these are the BRICS, [Shanghai Cooperation Organization], [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries to enable our athletes not to lose the feeling of a competitive environment. Time will tell, I hope that it will triumph reason in international federations, in the International Olympic Committee.

“Without Russia, the development of world sports is impossible, depriving athletes of the right to participate in the Olympic Games will be a crime and will only lead to greater discord within the Olympic Movement.”

Speaking at the opening of the new Friendship Games in Kazan, Matytsin explained:

“Friendship is not calculated in money, we have sufficient financial potential to hold the largest competitions in Russia. This is the position of both the President of Russia and the government. Financing is important, but happiness is not only in money.

“Today we see that Kazan has the potential, we are planning to host these games here. I see no obstacles for them to be held every year. We hope that this will not disrupt the international calendar and will become an additional incentive for athletes.”

The Friendship Games as held in 2022 will take place in three stages through December and include only aquatic sports: swimming, diving and artistic. TASS reported that “more than 1,300 athletes from 16 countries will perform in Kazan as part of the Friendship Games: Russia, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, Venezuela, Vietnam, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Syria, Sudan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ecuador, South Africa, [Donetsk People’s Republic] and [Luhansk People’s Republic].”

The Donetsk and Luhansk “republics” are territories taken from Ukraine in the current invasion.

3.
Vingegaard all but clinches Tour de France win

In the second straight day of one-on-one competition between the two contenders for the 109th Tour de France, it was Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard who – barring a disaster – essentially clinched victory on the final climbing stage on Thursday.

Stage 18 was the last day in the Pyrenees and the 143.2 km route included two major climbs and then an uphill finish on the Hautacam ski resort. Two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar (SLO) was all-out to break Vingegaard and wipe out most of the 2:18 deficit at the start of the day.

But despite attack after attack, Vingegaard was right on Pogacar’s wheel, and then, in a remarkable display of sportsmanship, slowed to allow Pogacar to catch up after he slid off the road on a graveled section on the furious descent after the second climb, on the Col de Spandelles. Once together again, they dueled together and finally caught the front-runner, Belgian star Wout van Aert, a teammate of Vingegaard on the Dutch Jumbo-Visma team.

Van Aert had been leading over the final climb, but was caught by Pogacar and Vingegaard with about 5 km left, on the final ascent. At this point, he was helping his teammate and with 4 km to go, Pogacar broke. Van Aert eased back into third (+2:10) and Vingegaard steamed to the finish with a 1:04 win over Pogacar in 3:59:50 and took a seemingly insurmountable 3:26 lead into the final three stages.

Pogacar is a solid second, with 2018 winner Geraint Thomas (GBR) third, but 8:00 back of the leader. Vingegaard was second last year and a win in 2022 would be the first for a Dane since 1996.

The remaining stages are fairly flat, but with a dangerous, 40.7 km time trial on Saturday. But Vingegaard would have to be injured now to lose, and he shows no signs of slowing.

4.
Devon Allen consistently the quickest starter

One of the discussion points of the 2022 World Athletics Championships will be the current rules for false starts. Three disqualifications stand out already as controversies:

● Women/100 m semifinals: Julien Alfred (LCA) in semi one, starting in 0.095 seconds.

● Women/100 m semifinals: Tynia Gaither (BAH) in semi three, starting in 0.093 seconds.

● Men/110 m Hurdles final: Devon Allen (USA), starting in 0.099 seconds.

The rules say that any start faster than 1/10th of a second (0.10 seconds) is suspect and subject to disqualification. And all three were; no discretion was shown to these three athletes.

NAL Athletics coach George Perry compiled some revealing data from 10 Diamond League meets from 2017-19, eight U.S. indoor and outdoor championship meets (as available) and four NCAA Championships between 2016-22 on sprinters and hurdlers who started fastest on average (minimum 10 races):

● 0.138 seconds: Devon Allen (USA/hurdles)
● 0.145 seconds: Tonea Marshall (USA/hurdles)
● 0.151 seconds: Mike Rodgers (USA/sprints)
● 0.151 seconds: English Gardner (USA/sprints)
● 0.153 seconds: Andrew Hudson (JAM/sprints)

Moreover, Allen’s super-fast start really stands out. Of the 1,044 athletes in Perry’s study, only 38 had reactions of less than 0.12; Allen had four, three others had two and 34 had one each.

Under 0.15? There were 361 athletes who did that at least once; Allen did it 22 times! Next best were Ronald Levy (JAM/hurdles), Orlando Ortega (ESP/hurdles), Dafne Schippers (NED/sprints) and Marshall, with seven each.

All of this bodes well for Allen in his NFL career as a wide receiver for Philadelphia, since speed off the snap is critical. But he was too good in Eugene and the starter offered no dispensation to those who crossed below the 1/10th of a second line on the computer read-out.

Long-time Los Angeles-area coach Ron Brumel makes the case that these kinds of disqualifications “cheats not only the athletes, but PAYING fans who travel long distances at great expense to see great athletes run, not get dq’d for what may (or probably was not) a false start by .001 seconds, undetectable by the ‘naked eye’. “

World Athletics issued a statement that the block sensors and timing system were “functioning as normal” for the race and:

“The 0.1 sec threshold to measure a false start was established based on the science on standard reaction times. It is standard procedure after each world championships for the World Athletics Competition Commission to review the championships and recommend any rule changes.”

The false start rule was changed from one allowed against the field to none in 2010 after some athletes tried to game the one-free option. That rule might come back.

Allen is off to training camp, which begins next week. World Athletics’ competition director, the very capable Jakob Larsen (DEN), has another issue to deal with once the shouting is over in Eugene.

5.
Rare insight into costs of elite sailing

It costs money to compete at the world-class level in sailing and the American duo of Lucy Wilmot, 23, and Erika Reineke, 27, are raising funds to be able to sail at the upcoming World 49erFX Championships off Halifax, Nova Scotia beginning 31 August.

SailingScuttlebutt.com reported on a letter sent by the sailors, who are trying to raise $22,000 to get to the Worlds:

● $9,000 for mast and sail upgrades
● $8,000 for coaching fees
● $2,400 for housing
● $1,800 for boat transportation
● $500 for registration and entry fees
● $300 for food and incidentals

The GoFundMe page appeal includes: “We appreciate your encouragement and support up to this point and are thankful to have so many of you rooting for us! Now more than ever, we are asking for your help so we can represent the United States of America at this year’s World Championship.”

They are making some progress, raising $4,250 in the first day of asking. The 49erFX class debuted at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as a women’s class for the two-person skiff and is a 16-foot-long, 207 lb., three-sail boat that can move at 25 miles an hour or more.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● The women’s vault at the World Championships in Eugene was won by Olympic gold medalist Katie Nageotte of the U.S., with fellow American Sandi Morris second, both with a world-leading clearance of 4.85 m (15-11) on the 17th.

But Russian Anzhelika Sidorova – the defending champ from 2019, but currently banned – competed just a couple of days later at the coincidentally-timed Moscow Championships and claimed the world lead at 4.86 m (15-11 1/4). So there.

● Fencing ● Big day for Korea at the FIE World Fencing Championships in Cairo (EGY) with wins in the men’s Team Sabre and women’s Team Epee.

The Koreans were the Tokyo gold winners in Team Sabre and the same team – Bon-gil Gu, Sang-uk Oh, Jun-ho Kim and Jung-hwan Kim – defeated Hungary in the final, 45-42. The women’s Epee team – silver medalists at Tokyo 2020 – was led by individual gold medalist Se-ra Song and out-pointed Italy, 45-37.

● Figure Skating ● The International Skating Union announced that the sixth Grand Prix event for the 2022 season will take place in Sheffield (GBR). This completes the schedule, with the events in Russia and China replaced by Espoo (FIN) and Sheffield. Of the six “regular” Grand Prix events, two will be in North America, one in Asia and three in Europe. The Grand Prix Final will be in Turin (ITA).

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TSX REPORT: Sensational Lyles (U.S. record 19.31) leads U.S. 200 m sweep, while Jamaica’s Jackson storms to 21.45 win in women’s 200 m in Eugene

By
Rich Perelman
-
American Noah Lyles silenced all doubters with a brilliant 19.31 victory in the men's 200 m at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 11 ~ Thursday, 21 July 2022

/Updated/A more comfortable setting on Thursday at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, with temperatures at 82 F at the start of the session, but plenty of hot running to come. And the 200 m finals were just as sensational as advertised. Better than that, they were historic.

Consider this: the 21.45 win by Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson and Noah Lyles’ 19.31 victory are the no. 2 and no. 4 performances in 200 m history, for women and men. Here’s what happened:

● Men/200 m ● The long-awaited rematch between defending champ Lyles and teen star  (and world leader) Erriyon Knighton started with Knighton in lane three and Lyles in six, with Olympic silver winner (and fellow American) Kenny Bednarek in four.

Off the gun, it was Lyles – the guy who always needed to run better turns – who stormed the curve and stunningly led into the straight and was gone. He was never challenged and ran hard through the tape and stopped the clock at a fabulous 19.31 (wind +0.4 m/s), an American Record and the no. 4 time in history. Lyles displaced, 26 years later, Michael Johnson’s Atlanta 1996 then-world record of 19.32 as the American Record in winning the gold medal.

And Johnson watched it all unfold in front of him, as a commentator in Eugene for the BBC!

Knighton did not run the turn as he did in the rounds, and Bednarek came into the straight in second and held on as Knighton closed, 19.77-19.80 for a U.S. sweep, the first in the event since the 2005 World Championships, when the U.S. went 1-2-3-4. The U.S. has now swept the 100 and 200 at the 2022 Worlds!

Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh, the NCAA champ for Florida, was fourth with his usual late rush in 19.84. The top six all broke 20 seconds.

● Women/200 m ● World leader and favorite Shericka Jackson started in lane four, ahead of defending champ Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) in three. But off the gun, it was Jamaican icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – in six – who zoomed to the lead and was in front through the turn.

But Jackson flew down the straight, overtook Fraser-Pryce and ran away with the race in the second-fastest time in history in 21.45 (+0.6; changed from the initial 21.46); only Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record of 21.34 from 1988 is faster. Wow.

Fraser-Pryce was a clear second in 21.81 (0.02 off her best ever) and Asher-Smith was strong down the straight for third in 22.02, with Niger’s Aminatou Seyni fourth (22.12). Americans Abby Steiner and Tamara Clark were fifth and sixth in 22.26 and 22.32. Double Olympic champ Elaine Thompson-Herah was seventh in 22.39.

● Women/800 m heats ● Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, 20, ran away from the pack and had a 5 m lead at the bell and was really never challenged on the way to a 1:58.83 win. Britain’s Jemma Reekie came on during the far turn and was second in 1:59.09. In heat two, six were in contention at the 600 m mark of heat two and then Catriona Bisset (AUS) had her heel clipped by Anita Horvat (SLO) on the turn and fell; Britain’s Olympic silver winner Kelly Hodgkinson rolled ahead and won easily in 2:00.88, with Horvat second. Bisset was advanced to the semis on a protest.

Olympic champ Athing Mu of the U.S. led heat three at the bell in 60.38, just ahead of 2019 World Champion Halimah Nakaayi (UGA). Mu nursed a small lead right through to the finish, winning in 2:01.30 with Nakaayi second (2:01.41). World Indoor Champion Ajee Wilson (USA) took the lead in the fourth heat, passing 400 m in 58.95, but fell to third on the final turn behind Renelle Lamote (FRA) and Freweyni Hailu (ETH), but that was good enough to advance, 2:00.71-2:00.93-2:01.02.

The crowd cheered Oregon icon Raevyn Rogers at the start of heat five, but it was Habitam Alemu (ETH) who came through in 60.73. The pack remained tight through 600 m, with Alemu and Prudence Sekgodiso (RSA) at the front and Rogers in fifth coming off the turn. Then came Rogers’ patented charge down the straight and she won at the tape in 2:01.36, with Alemu at 2:01.37. Kenya’s Mary Moraa rocketed out from the start in heat six, but was back with the pack by the 400 m, with Natoya Goule (JAM) leading at 58.97. Goule moved hard at 600 m and led into the turn, winning cleanly in 2:00.06 with Moraa second (2:00.42).

● Men/800 m semis ● The first heat was tight through 400 m (52.92) and then the sprinting started. Kenyan Wyclife Kinyamal took the lead with 200 m to go, with Australia’s Peter Bol close and they were 1-2 into the final straight. But Olympic champ Emmanuel Korir (KEN) flew over the last 60 m and got to the line first in 1:45.38 to 1:45.49 for Kinyamal and 1:45.58 for Bol, who qualified for the final on time.

Swede Andreas Kramer led through 400 m in semi two, but Kenyan Noah Kibet took charge down the backstraight, but there were seven in contention round the far turn. On the home straight, it was Djamel Sedjati (ALG) charged down the final straight and won going away in 1:45.44, with France’s Gabriel Tual also sprinting into second (1:45.53); Kibet faded to eighth in 1:47.15.

Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi led the third semi at 400 m (52.07), with Canada’s Marco Arop moving up to second at 500 m and then pushing hard at 600 m, moving smartly ahead of the field. He led into the straight and looked like the winner, but Algeria’s Slimane Moula sprinted to the line and won in 1:44.89, with Arop in 1:45.12. Wanyonyi was third in 1:45.42 and advanced as well.

● Men/5,000 m heats ● The first heat had Olympic champ Joshua Cheptegei, Olympic 10,000 m winner Selemon Barega (ETH) and American Grant Fisher, among others, with five to qualify automatically. From a slow pace, Barega went to the front at 1,200 m and started to quicken the race. At 3,000 m, it was Fisher in the lead at 8:18.47, but with a modest pace and 15 of the 21 starters still in contention. The lead group was down to nine by 4,200 m, with Barega and teammate Telahun Bekele in front and Fisher close. The sprinting started at the bell with Cheptegei moving up and turned into a mass finish of eight men for five auto-qualifying spots in the final 100 m. Uganda’s Oscar Chelimo won with a dash to the line in 13:24.24, with Fisher getting second with his own surge in 13:24.44. Barega and Cheptegei were 3-4 and then American Abdi Nur got in for fifth at 13:24.48.

Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva broke away at 2,000 m, while American Woody Kincaid fell at the back of the pack, then resumed contact within a lap. Grijalva was up by three seconds at with five laps to go and while his lead collapsed, he strung out the race, with Kenyan Daniel Ebenyo coming up to challenge. Ebenyo led with three laps left, with teammate Jacob Kirop and Canada’s Moh Ahmed close in a breakaway pack of six that were sure qualifiers. At the bell, Kirop led and in the final 200 m, it was Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen trailing Kirop down the straight and waving to the crowd for more cheers. Kirop won in 13:13.30, with Ingebrigtsen in 13:13.92 and Grijalva third – also waving – in 13:14.04. Kincaid could not hang with the lead pack and was a non-qualifying 11th in 13:25.02.

● Men/Triple Jump qualifying ● Olympic champ Pedro Pablo Picardo (POR) jumped 17.16 m (56-3 3/4) in the first round, exceeding the auto-qualifying distance of 17.05 m (55-11 1/4) and going home. Four others reached the required distance: Olympic bronze medalist Hugues Zango (BUR) 17.15 m (56-3 1/4), Emanuel Ihemeje (ITA) 17.13 m (56-2 1/2), Tokyo silver winner Yaming Zhu (CHN) at 17.08 m (56-0 1/2) and Lazaro Martinez (CUB) 17.06 m (55-11 3/4).

Four Americans were in the field, with Donald Scott reaching 16.84 m (55-3) for eighth and advancing to the final. World and Olympic medalist Will Claye got out to 16.70 m (54-9 1/2) and made the final in 10th. Chris Benard was 16th at 16.53 m (54-2 3/4), while defending champ Christian Taylor, still coming back from injury, jumped 16.48 m (54-1) and was 18th.

● Men/Javelin qualifying ● The auto-qualifying distance was 83.50 m (273-11) and Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra (IND) bombed away on the opening throw at 88.39 m (290-0), with Czech star Jakub Vadlejch reaching 85.23 m (279-7) on his first try to secure places in the final. American Curtis Thompson reached 81.73 m (268-1) and ended up eighth and advanced.

World leader Anderson Peters (GRN) exploded with an 89.91 m (294-11) bomb on his first try in Group B, best of the day. German Julian Weber also got an auto-qualifier at 87.28 m (286-4).

Americans Tim Glover and Ethan Dabbs managed 75.68 m (248-3) and 72.81 m (238-10), finishing 24th and 27th.

With the men’s 200 m sweep, the U.S. now has 22 medals (7-6-9) to eight for Ethiopia (3-4-1) and six each for Jamaica (2-3-1) and Kenya (1-3-2). On the placing table, scoring eight places, the U.S. now leads, 213-82 over Ethiopia, with Kenya at 63 and Jamaica up to 59.

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TSX REPORT: Modest attendance in Eugene, but lots of nonsense; Lake Placid inherits U.S. visa mess; figure skating star Hanyu retires

By
Rich Perelman
-
Eugene's Hayward Field has been about 80% full for the 2022 World Championships during the evening sessions; this was from Monday, 17 July.

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Eugene Worlds show modest attendance and lots of craziness
2. A Eugene legacy will be U.S. visa issues; Lake Placid is on the clock
3. Double Olympic gold medalist Hanyu retires
4. “Olymp’Arts” competition to be held in 2023?
5. Vingegaard maintains lead as Tour de France end nears

Halfway through the first World Athletics Championships to be held in the U.S., the competition has been sterling, with world-leading performances in 10 events, but the attendance has hardly been the sell-out that had been hoped for. And there has been some strange stuff going on, on and off the track. The issue of athletes being able to get U.S. visas to attend the Worlds will continue and the Winter World University Games in Lake Placid next January is next up. There is a strange “Olymp’Arts” event coming in 2023, and the International Olympic Committee is not involved. In the Tour de France, Dane Jonas Vingegaard is maintaining his lead and trying to become the first winner from his country in 56 years on Sunday. Plus, $3.05 million in grants made to 150 U.S. track & field athletes this week!

1.
Eugene Worlds show modest attendance and lots of craziness

The ongoing World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon is, as SFGATE.com sports editor Dennis Young points out, “really is the first fully normal track meet since covid (hilariously stupid [s—] happening all the time for no reason).”

He was specifically referring to the oblivious triple jump cameraman standing in lane two while the men’s Steeplechase finalists had to run around him on Monday, but things got crazier on Tuesday.

Britain’s Jake Wightman won a shocker in the men’s 1,500, defeating Olympic champ Jakob Ingebtigtsen (NOR), 3:29.23-3:29.47, while Wightman’s father and coach – Geoff Wightman – was the public address announcer! Per Reuters:

“Wightman’s father and coach, used to the combination by now but never previously seeing such a victory, somehow kept his emotion in check as he called his son home, though he did allow himself a moment to announce to the Hayward Field fans: ‘That’s my son and he’s world champion’.”

It was Britain’s first men’s 1,500 world title since Steve Cram – at Hayward Field as a BBC analyst – won at the inaugural Worlds in Helsinki in 1983. Said Jake Wightman afterwards:

“I had such a disappointing year in Tokyo last year. I don’t think people realize how crushing it was to go in with such high expectations and come away hoping for a medal but end up tenth. I had to take the pressure off and the only thing that could happen was that it was a better run than last year.”

Lots of emotions in a high-stake meet like the Worlds; American vault silver winner Sandi Morris won her third Worlds outdoor silver to go along with Olympic silver last year and wrote on Twitter:

“Over the last 15 or so hours I think I’ve experienced just about every emotion the human brain is capable of. Happiness, sadness, pride in what I’ve accomplished but also a lot of dissatisfaction. I went out there to fight for gold, and that’s what I did, but I have to walk away with silver yet again. The Outdoor title continues to elude me. When I missed by last attempt at 4.90m [16-0 3/4], I walked straight to my husband and hugged him, a little bit tearfully, and said ‘it’s ok. I’m ok.’ Because, I AM!”

World 110 m hurdles champ Grant Holloway is done for the meet … or is he? He wrote on Twitter:

“I firmly believe I can be one of the most decorated athletes in Track & Field if I was on relays. Respectfully.”

Holloway was a demon on relays at the University of Florida, but high hurdlers are rarely considered for either 4×100 or 4×400 m duty. But he’s asking.

Then there is NBC reporter Lewis Johnson, who does the mixed-zone interviews, getting ripped on Twitter for his interview with women’s 100 m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM):

“I think it disrespectful to ask woman about her hair in public let alone on national TV… Shelly may have answered your question with grace and class… but it is disrespectful…you went to far in asking how many [wigs she brought].”

Johnson replied with his typical grace and coolness:

“I typically don’t reply to criticism/praise, but as a husband w/2 sisters…I must. Please know I asked Shelly-Anne BEFORE the intv if she wanted to have a fun chat about her fashion/hair and she said, “sure!” Disrespecting women not in my DNA. Wishing you the best.”

In fact, Johnson was – without mentioning any names – helping Fraser-Pryce promote her hair products business, a remarkably supportive gesture by an American television reporter for the five-time World Champion.

Oh yes, and mascot Legend the Bigfoot had his “head” stolen and was using a replacement head on Tuesday. The original head has apparently been recovered, but showed up in multiple social-media feeds while at large. World Athletics statement: “We can confirm that an accredited photographer was removed from Hayward Field in connection to the investigation of a theft at the venue. This is now a police matter, and we won’t have further comments at this time.”

Folks, we’re only halfway through the meet.

The Oregonian reported on attendance at the Worlds through the first three days: “Ticketed attendance totaled 13,646 for the championships’ first day Friday, 19,543 on the second and 21,065 on Day 3, according to Oregon 22 organizers.”

That’s 54,254 in total, and with about 15,000 seats to sell per session, about 60% of capacity. However, assuming that twice as many people attended the evening sessions as came for the mornings – it sure looked that way – the three evening sessions averaged 80% full, which looked about right. Tuesday’s ticketed attendance was reported at 11,865, right around the 80% mark, with Wednesday less at 10,881 (73%).

Whether 12,000 fans in a 15,000-seat venue for the World Championships bodes well for the sport or not is a debate for next week.

2.
A Eugene legacy will be U.S. visa issues;
Lake Placid is on the clock

One of the enduring issues that will come out of the Eugene Worlds is the process of getting entry visas to the U.S. for foreign athletes, coaches and officials, not to mention fans.

A total of 374 visa cases required intervention, with 255 reported resolved, 20 denied and 99 others in process as of last week.

Those concerned that the issue will crop up again at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games should know that the entry process is different and that athletes and legitimate coaches and officials – not known terrorists on the State Department’s no-admit lists – will be able to get into the U.S. without too much difficulty. Spectators are another story, as are news media.

Same for the 2026 FIFA World Cup that will be held in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

But the immediate worry has to be for the folks in Lake Placid, New York, site of the January 2023 Winter World University Games. It’s a much smaller event, with most of the athletes and officials from Europe, but there will be questions about Chinese competitors and possibly Russians, if the International University Sports Federation (FISU) allows them to compete.

The Winter WUG is not a “National Special Security Event” as designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and therefore is on the clock to ensure its coordination with the U.S. Government is smoother than was seen for the World Athletics Championships in Eugene. This won’t be easy.

Also on the horizon, but a smaller event with some history and protocol behind it is the fifth World Baseball Classic, which will take place in Japan, Taiwan and the U.S. next March.

3.
Double Olympic gold medalist Hanyu retires

Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu thrilled crowds for more than a decade with his artistry, technical skills and emotive presence on the ice, winning Olympic Winter figure skating golds in 2014 and 2018, but after a series of injuries, announced his retirement from competitive skating on Tuesday.

Still just 27, he told a news conference in Tokyo, “I’ll no longer be able to be compared with other competitors. But I’ll keep fighting my weaknesses and my past self.

“In terms of results, I’ve achieved everything I could achieve. I stopped wanting to be evaluated. …

“There are plans in progress but I’m holding back from giving you details. … I think there are more ways to exhibit figure skating befitting this time and age. I hope to make the fans who never came to watch want to come.”

He does have one more goal, however:

“I carried on until [Winter Games in] Beijing in pursuit of the quad axel, but I feel I can do it, not necessarily in competitions.”

In addition to his two Olympic golds, and a fourth-place finish in Beijing despite a right ankle injury, he won World Championship titles in 2014 and 2017, plus three silvers and two bronzes. He won four straight Grand Prix finals from 2014-17.

Hanyu also leaves behind a unique cultural legacy. His fans, having seen him in 2010 with a tissue box that featured Winnie the Pooh, famously threw Pooh dolls on the ice at the end of his routines at both national and international championships, which were collected and given to charities.

4.
“Olymp’Arts” competition to be held in 2023?

To quote Stephen Stills, “there’s something happening here; what it is ain’t exactly clear …”

A group called the “International Olymp’Arts Committee” announced on 30 June that “it will launch the first Olympic Arts competition in Geneva, Switzerland, from 11-23 July 2023, hoping to provide an opportunity for talented artists worldwide to spread their message and become recognized global artists.

“With the theme of ‘Environment and Energy,’ ‘OLYMP’ARTS 2023′ plans to stage a ‘feast for the art’ that will gather the participants from all over the world in Geneva with their works of various forms, including dance, music, painting and photography, for exhibitions, Qin Wen [CHN], executive president of IOAC’s Executive Committee, told a press conference.

“She added that the Olympic Arts trophy will be awarded to the best works selected by the public.”

The “IOAC” was formed in 1995 as a French initiative through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by orchestra director Marc Verriere, but the 2023 event is apparently its first significant public program.

Asked about the IOAC, the International Olympic Committee’s press office replied: “This organisation and its current activities are not endorsed by the IOC.”

Arts competitions were held as part of the Olympic Games in 1912, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1948, but discontinued as artists were – or were trying to be – professionals, then against the Olympic code. This 2023 festival concept is clearly separate from the Olympic Games, but is it a shade too confusing?

5.
Vingegaard maintains lead as Tour de France end nears

Two-time defending Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar (SLO) was determined to make up time on race leader Jonas Vingegaard on Wednesday, but despite multiple attacks on the 129.7 km triple-climb-and-uphill-finish Stage 17, he gained just four seconds.

The two leaders battled together, one-on-one, on the final ascent up the Peyragudes in the Pyrenees Mountains with Pogacar getting the win in 3:25:51 and the Dane right behind. They both received the same time, but Pogacar received a 10-second time bonus for winning and Vingegaard a six-second bump for second. Net change: four seconds, with Pogacar now down 2:18 with four stages left.

He will attack again on Thursday, the last major mountain stage, with two major climbs and another uphill finish to Hautacam, over 143.2 km. Friday’s stage is fairly flat and then Pogacar will try for some magic in Saturday’s mostly-downhill Individual Time Trial (40.7 km). But he has a lot of time to make up before Sunday’s ride into Paris.

Third-place Geraint Thomas (GBR) is well back, now 4:56 behind Vingegaard and fourth-place Nairo Quintana (COL) is 7:53 behind.

Vingegaard – the 2021 runner-up – would be the first Dane to win since 1996, when Bjarne Riis won, Denmark’s only triumph in the first 108 editions of the race.

He and the other riders were relieved to hear from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) that through the first 15 stages, 712 checks on bikes revealed no technical cheating. The test program included scans prior to the start of the races and 119 post-race X-ray inspections.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2020: Tokyo ● Kyodo News reported that a former member of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee’s Executive Board was paid ¥45 million (~$326,000) by a Games commercial partner, clothing manufacturer Aoki Holdings, from 2017-21.

Hiroyuki Takahashi, a former senior managing director at Japan’s Dentsu advertising agency, was contracted by Aoki Holdings to work on new business plans for the company as a consultant. Takahashi claims there was no conflict of interest, but prosecutors are inquiring about the relationship between the agreement and Takahashi’s status as a member of the Tokyo 2020 Executive Board.

It never ends.

● Asian Games 2022: Hangzhou ● The massive 19th Asian Games, an event larger than the Olympic Games, was scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China this year, but has been delayed due to anti-Covid measures in the country until 2023.

Dates have been announced as 23 September to 8 October with more than 11,000 athletes expected to compete in 482 events in 40 sports. That compares to 10,500 athletes and 329 events in 32 sports for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

● Aquatics ● FINA announced its qualification program for the Paris 2024 Games, which will see 1,392 athletes qualify in swimming, diving, artistic swimming and water polo, across 49 events. The number of participants is second only to track & field on the Olympic program.

Swimming has the largest share at 852 athletes, followed by 264 in water polo, 136 in diving, 96 in artistic swimming and 44 in open-water swimming. As had been predicted, relay qualifications will primarily come – 13 of 16 qualifiers – from the February 2024 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Doha (QAT), rather than from the year-before FINA Worlds, which in 2023 will be held in Fukuoka (JPN) and qualify only the top three.

● Athletics ● At the World Athletics Council meeting prior to the Eugene Worlds, Olympic relay qualifications were also determined to be fed through a federation-controlled event, the World Athletics Relays:

“Fourteen of the 16 places in the relay fields for the Paris Olympic Games will be filled at the World Athletics Relays 2024, with the remaining two teams to be identified from the performance list during the qualification window.”

This again is to put pressure on national federations to send their best athletes to the Relays and increase interest and value in the event.

On the Russian Athletics Federation, which has been on suspension since 2015, “the Council approved the recommendation that an independent audit of RusAF’s processes and progress against the reinstatement plan and [key performance indicators] should be conducted mid to late October 2022.”

The USA Track & Field Foundation announced, over two days, a total of 150 grants totaling $3.05 million to athletes: 50 will receive an $8,000 grant, and 100 will receive either $30,000 (65) or $20,000 (35) as Stephen A. Schwartzman grantees. The announcement noted that “Mr. Schwarzman has donated over $14 million to the grant program and with this year’s grants has distributed $8.4 million to support 455 elite athletes over the last 10 years.”

● Fencing ● At the FIE World Championships in Cairo (EGY), France won three titles in two days, taking the men’s Epee and Foil and the women’s Foil golds.

Two-time Worlds individual medalist Ysaora Thibus took her first Worlds gold in the women’s Foil, edging two-time World Champion Arianna Errigo (ITA) in a 15-10 final. Errigo had defeated Olympic champ Lee Keifer of the U.S. in a taut, 15-14 thriller in the semis; Kiefer and Maria Boldor (ROU) shared the bronze.

The men’s Foil final was another France-Italy contest, with Enzo Lafort winning his second Worlds gold – also in 2019 – with a 15-14 win over Tammaso Marini, winning his first Worlds medal. Lafort had barely gotten by American Nick Itkin (a Tokyo Team bronze medalist) in the semis, 15-14, while Marini edged Olympic champ Ka Long Cheung (HKG), 15-12.

France’s third win came from Tokyo Olympic champ Romain Cannone, who won the men’s Epee with a 15-12 win over Japan’s Olympic team gold winner Kazuyasu Minobe. Romania’s Neisser Loyola and Ukraine’s Igor Reizlin shared the bronze.

Japan did get a gold in the women’s Sabre, with first-time Worlds medalist Misaki Emura taking out European champ Anna Bashta (AZE) in the final by 15-10. Araceli Navarro (ESP) and Despina Georgiadou (GRE) won the bronzes. The tournament continues through the 23rd.

● Hockey ● The Netherlands women continued on top of the field hockey world, winning their ninth FIH World Cup last Sunday in Terrassa (ESP) over Argentina, 3-1, in a re-match of the 2020 Olympic final. That was also won by the Dutch, extending their dominance: three World Cups in a row and four of the last six, making the finals in all six, but losing to Argentina twice. No one else has won the World Cup title this century.

Australia won the bronze over Germany, 2-1, with the Aussies claiming their seventh World Cup medal and third in the last five tournaments.

Off the field, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) saw second-term President Narinder Batra (IND) resign, following his resignation as head of the Indian Olympic Association and as a member of the International Olympic Committee. He listed “personal reasons,” but has been under investigation for potential misappropriation of public funds. Batra has been leading the charge in India for a possible bid for the 2036 or 2040 Olympic Games.

Egypt’s Seif Ahmed, a member of the FIH Executive Board, was approved as Acting President with elections to be held in November. Batra was an emerging force in the Olympic Movement, but not now.

● Upcoming ● As if the 2022 World Games and then the World Athletics Championships – both in the U.S. – were not enough, there’s a lot more action ahead next week, with the start of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (ENG) from 28 July to 8 August, the USA Swimming National Championships from 26-30 July in Irvine, California and the Modern Pentathlon World Championships from 24-31 July in Alexandria, Egypt.

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TSX REPORT: Jeruto wins fastest-ever women’s Steeple, but Feng shocks Allman for women’s disc win in Eugene

By
Rich Perelman
-
400 m hurdles star Sydney McLaughlin (USA)?

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 10 ~ Wednesday, 20 July 2022

Just two finals, but the conditions were now a challenge at the World Athletics Championships with temperatures over 90 F when the session began at Hayward Field. Both winners were outstanding, with Steeple winner Norah Jeruto winning as expected, but there was a shock in the women’s discus:

● Women/Steeple ● It was 87 F at the 7:45 p.m. start and the race started hot – on world-record pace – with Norah Jeruto (KAZ) leading at 1,000 m, ahead of Winfred Yavi (BRN) and American Emma Coburn. With three laps to go, Yavi, Jeruto and Werhuka Getachew (ETH) pushed hard and broke away from the rest of the field.

With two laps left, it was Jeruto in front, with 3 m on Yavi and Getachew, and Ethiopian Mekides Abebe trying to regain contact and get into the medal race. Abebe joined the leaders following the penultimate water jump and the four were together at the bell.

Yavi took the lead on the backstraight, but lost all momentum on the final water jump, while Jeruto blew past everyone and entered the straightaway with the lead, which she extended to the line. Her time of 8:53.02 is the no. 3 performance in history, and she celebrated with a bath in the water jump, where she took the lead for good.

Behind the winner, Getachew set a national record of 8:54.61, followed by Abebe at 8:56.08; Getachew is now the fourth-fastest in the event ever and Abebe is no. 5. It’s the first time that three women have run under 9:00 in the same race.

Yavi finished fourth in 9:01.81; the American finishers were Courtney Frerichs in sixth (9:10.59), Coburn in eighth (9:16.49) and Courtney Wayment in 12th (9:22.37).

● Women/Discus ● China’s Bin Feng, no. 4 on the year list, shook up the first round with a lifetime best of 69.12 m (226-9), moving to no. 2 for 2022 and putting enormous pressure on the rest of the field. As it turned out, no one could respond.

Two-time Olympic champ Sandra Perkovic (CRO) moved into second place with her first toss of 67.74 m (222-3) and Tokyo Olympic winner Valarie Allman of the U.S. took third at 67.62 m (221-10).

Perkovic gave chase in round two, improving to a seasonal best of 68.45 m (224-7), and Allman advanced to 68.30 m (224-1), but remained in third place in the third round. None of the top three could improve in the next two rounds, and in the sixth, none were close to their bests and Feng won a surprise gold.

For Perkovic, it was her fifth Worlds medal (2-2-1) and she beat Allman for the second time this year. Olympic champ Allman suffered only her second defeat of the year, but had the bronze medal to show for it.

American Laulauga Tausaga threw 56.47 m (185-3) and finished 12th.

● Men/400 m semis ● American Michael Norman ran easily in the first 200 m, but found himself behind Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) into the straight. Norman pushed and got to the line first in 44.30 to 44.38, but did not look convincing.

London 2008 Olympic champ Kirani James looked smooth and confident and won in 44.74, with Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori second in 44.94. Michael Cherry of the U.S. faded in the final 50 m to fourth in 45.28.

Two-time World Champion Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) blew away the field in the first 200 m and was leading Jonathan Jones (BAR) into the home straightaway. But van Niekerk faded slightly in the last 70 m, as Jones came up, but then American Champion Allison was pushing hard and somehow got to the line first in 44.71 to 44.75 for van Niekerk and 44.78 for Jones. Wow!

● Men/800 m heats ● Britain’s Max Burgin, the world leader at 1:43.52, did not start in heat one, and the race was slow – really slow – with Kenya’s Olympic champ Emmanuel Korir coming on over the final 100 m to win in 1:49.05. Defending World Champion Donavan Brazier (USA) headlined heat two, and was third in a bunched pack at the bell in 52.3, but Peter Bol (AUS) took over with 200 m and was never headed and won in 1:45.50, ahead of Kyle Langford (GBR: 1:45.68); Brazier – with foot surgery coming next week – faded to seventh in 1:46.72.

Heat three nearly had a mass fall and Canada’s Brandon McBride did go down, but it was NCAA champion Mouad Zahafi (MAR and Texas Tech) who had the lead with 200 m to go and won decisively in 1:46.15. France’s Gabriel Tual was second in 1:46.34 and American Bryce Hoppel was third into the straight, but faded to fifth in 1:46.98. The fourth heat saw the pack run together through 600 m, but Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati sprinted down the straight to win in 1:46.39; American Brandon Miller faded in the final 120 m and was fifth in 1:47.29.

Again, the pack was bunched in heat five, with 400 m crossed in 51.4, led by Andreas Kramer (SWE). Canadian star Marco Arop got to the lead with 150 m left and held the lead and won in a quick 1:44.56, while USATF runner-up Jonah Koech was only fourth around the turn and sprinted to second at the line in a lifetime best 1:44.62. He was later disqualified for some pushing on the final backstraight.

The final heat saw Daniel Rowden (GBR) crossed 400 m in 50.8, with Kenyan Wyclife Kinyamal second, but on the final straight, it was Slimane Moula (ALG) sprinted from fifth to first in 1:44.90, with Kinyamal second (1:45.08) and Rowden fading to fourth (1:45.53).

● Women/400 m semis ● Double Olympic champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) ran away with semi one in 49.56, ahead of Jamaica’s Candice McLeod (50.05). American Lynna Irby faded to sixth in 51.00 and did not advance.

Dominican star Fiordaliza Cofil, who ran down everyone to win the Mixed 4×400 m, held off surprising Lieke Klaver (NED) and Jamaican Stephenie Ann McPherson to win semi two in 50.14 – a lifetime best – with a national record 50.18 for Klaver. McPherson finished in 50.56 and advanced on time.

World leader Marileidy Paulino (DOM) took the lead by the 200 m mark, and cruised home in 49.98, with Sada Williams (BAR) second in 50.12. Talitha Diggs of the U.S. was third in 50.84, but did not advance.

● Women/400 m Hurdles semis ● Defending champ Dalilah Muhammad of the U.S. was out like a shot – as she usually is – and ran away with semi one with a seasonal best of 53.28, now fourth on the 2022 world list. She said afterwards that she needs to run two seconds faster in the final; that would be a world-record 51.28!

The second semi had Dutch star Femke Bol run hard from the gun, but was challenged by Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton, even over the eighth hurdle. Bol was strongest down the straight and won in 52.84, but American Shamier Little – the 2015 Worlds silver medalist – surged hard to get second, 53.61-53.63, over Clayton. American Britton Wilson was fourth in 53.72, but made it to the final on time.

World-record holder Sydney McLaughlin got out hard in the third semi, ran down the two runners outside of her by the 200 m mark, and cruised home in 52.17, the no. 8 performance of all-time! She now owns five of the top eight times in history. Wow.

The final is Friday; McLaughlin’s 51.41 world record is definitely under siege.

● Women/5,000 m heats ● It was hot for the heats, with 92 F temps when the first race started at 4:30 p.m., so the pace was happily modest. Japan’s Ririka Hironaka led through 3,000 m in 8:59.90, with Karissa Schweizer (USA) and Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER) leading a lead group of nine. With two laps to go, Schweizer had the lead, ahead of 1,500 m runner-up Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) and 10,000 m bronze winner Margaret Kipkemboi (KEN), and then Tsegay took the lead with 600 m to go, leading at the bell. Five qualified automatically, and five moved away, with Tsegay sprinting home ahead of teammate Dawit Seyaum in 14:52.64 to 14:53.06. Kenyans Beatrice Chebet and Kipkemboi went 3-4, with Schweizer fifth (14:53.69). Fellow American Emily Infeld was sixth in 15:00.98

The second heat had Britain’s Eilish McColgan at the front at 3,000 m in 8:58.00, ahead of Caroline Kipkirui (KAZ) and Norway’s Karoline Grovdal, leading a group of nine. McColgan still had the lead with two laps to go, then Jessica Judd (GBR) took over with 600 m to go and at the bell. Grovdal had the lead with 200 m to go, followed by Gidey and Kipkirui and then on the final straight, 10,000 m winner Letsenbet Gidey sprinted home in 14:52.27, with Kipkirui second and Olympic champ Sifan Hassan (NED) flying past Grovdal to get third. American Elise Cranny was fifth (14:53.20) and will make the final on time.

● Women/Javelin qualifying ● The automatic qualifying mark was 62.50 m (205-1) and only Lithuania’s Liveta Jasiunate surpassed it in the first group at 63.80 m (209-4). China’s Tokyo Olympic winner Shiying Liu threw 63.86 m (209-6) on her first toss in Group B to qualify, but ended up second overall as Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi unloaded a seasonal best of 64.32 m (211-0) to lead all qualifiers.

The Americans: Kara Winger threw 61.30 m (201-1), ended up forth overall and advanced; Ariana Ince threw 57.24 m (187-9) for 18th and Maggie Malone, the world leader, managed only 54.19 m (177-9) and was 22nd.

American sprint star Fred Kerley, the World 100 m champ, strained a quad during the 200 m semifinals and is out for the 4×100 m for the U.S. The American team has lots of options, but won’t have its top sprinter.

The medal table shows the U.S. with 19 medals total (6-5-8) and continuing to lead, with Ethiopia second with eight (3-4-1) and Kenya still third (1-3-2). China’s win in the discus makes them the third country to have won at least two golds.

In the placing table, using the top eight places to measure overall strength, the U.S. now leads Ethiopia by 185-82, with Kenya at 63, Jamaica at 42 and Poland at 41.

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TSX REPORT: Dos Santos beats Benjamin, 46.29-46.89 in 400H, while Wightman scores sensational upset over Ingebrigtsen in men’s 1,500 at Eugene Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
-
Brazil's Alison Dos Santos won the 400 m hurdles at the Pre Classic in Eugene in May and the Worlds gold in July! (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 9 ~ Tuesday, 19 July 2022

Day five of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene had a short program of seven events, but had no lack of drama.

Tense competitions in the women’s high jump and men’s discus saw Eleanor Patterson of Australia and Kristjian Ceh of Slovenia victorious ahead of their better-known competitors, but no one was ready for the shock of the men’s 1,500 m and then what happened in the second-fastest 400 m hurdles race of all time:

● Men/400 m Hurdles ● The titanic showdown between Olympic champ Karsten Warholm (NOR), American silver winner Rai Benjamin and Tokyo bronze medalist Alison Dos Santos delivered again. Benjamin drew lane three, with Warholm in front of him in four and Dos Santos in six.

As expected, Warholm blasted off from the start, taking the lead, but with Dos Santos close and Benjamin trailing. Warholm and Dos Santos were clear of the field at 200 m, but Benjamin poured it on around the turn and got into contention at the eighth hurdle and entering the straight.

Warholm, however, blew up, betrayed by his lack of training and racing due to injury and faded badly on the straight, ending up seventh in 48.42. Meanwhile, Benjamin was chasing Dos Santos, who did not fade and maintained a steady rhythm right to the line to win in the third-fastest time in history, 46.29. Benjamin was second – as in Tokyo – in 46.89, the no. 10 performance ever. This was not an upset; Dos Santos had been the best all year and proved it when given the chance. This isn’t over: there’s the Budapest Worlds in 2023 and Paris in 2024.

With Warholm out of the picture, American Trevor Bassitt dueled with France’s Wilfried Happio for the bronze and won it at 47.39 to 47.41, a massive personal best. American Khallifah Rosser finished fifth in 47.88.

● Men/1,500 m ● Olympic champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway and defending champ Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya were expected to face off in another epic battle and it looked that way from the start.

World leader Abel Kipsang (KEN) took the lead and set a fast pace at 55.5 for the first 400 m, and Ingebrigtsen did not dawdle at the back as he often does, moving to the lead with two laps to go. Cheruiyot and Kipsang were close by, as were Britain’s Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman.

At the bell, Ingebrigtsen, Cheruiyot, Wightman, Kipsang and Kerr were close and pushing the pace. But it was Wightman pushing hardest on the backstraight, passing Cheruiyot and then challenging Ingebrigtsen on the far turn and getting to the lead into the straight. The Norwegian was game, but Wightman was not to be denied and won in the shock of the meet – so far – in a world-leading and personal best of 3:29.23. Ingebrightsen was disappointed in second in 3:29.47, with Spain’s Mohamed Katir passing the Kenyans on the straight for the bronze in 3:29.90 and teammate Mario Garcia fourth in 3:30.20.

Cheruiyot faded to sixth (3:30.69) and Kipsang was seventh in 3:31.21. American Josh Thompson was 12th in 3:35.57.

This was a shock, make no mistake. Wightman was the 2018 European bronze medalist and fifth at the 2019 Worlds, but Ingebrigtsen was considered almost unbeatable. Not in Eugene in 2022.

● Men/Discus ● After an uneventful first round, co-favorite Ceh unloaded, reaching 69.02 m (226-5) to take the lead and then exploded to a World Championships meet record of 71.13 m (233-4) in round three. Could anyone match him?

Through three rounds, Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna and Andrius Gudzius – the 2017 World Champion – were 2-3 at 67.87 m (222-8)) and 67.31 m (220-10). Olympic champ Daniel Stahl of Sweden was fifth at 66.59 m (218-5).

Gudzius improved in round four to 67.55 m (221-7) and then Alekna erupted to 69.27 m (227-3) to strengthen his grip on second. Stahl moved up to fourth at 67.10 m (220-2), but could do no better. Ceh, just 23, put an exclamation point on his world title with a 70.51 m (231-4) bomb in round five, finishing with four of the top five throws in the competition.

Alekna, just 19, was the NCAA runner-up for Cal in June and is now the Worlds silver medalist in July. Gudzius won his second career Worlds medal and Lithuania celebrated an unexpected 2-3. American Sam Mattis managed only 63.19 m (207-3) and finished 11th.

● Women/High Jump ● Ten got over 1.93 m (6-4) and eight cleared 1.96 m (6-5), but the sorting started at 1.98 m (6-6), when the Ukrainian stars Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Iryna Gerashchenko sailed over on their first tries, as did Italy’s Elena Vallortigara. It took three tries for Patterson, the World Indoor runner-up, to join them.

At 2.00 m (6-6 3/4), Vallortigara took the lead with a first-time clearance, but the other three all cleared on their second tries. Patterson then took over, clearing 2.02 m (6-7 1/2), matched by Mahuchikh on her second try, but Vallortigara and Gerashchenko missed three times. Vallortigara took the bronze thanks to her perfect record through 2.00 m.

The bar was raised to 2.04 m (6-8 1/4), but neither Patterson or Mahuchikh could clear, leaving Patterson moving up from silver at the World Indoors to the top of the podium, and Mahuchikh winning the silver, as she did in Doha in 2019.

● Men/200 m semis ● Dominican star Alexander Ogando – already a gold medalist on the Mixed 4×400 m – held off the late-finishing Joseph Fahnbulleh (LBA), 19.91-19.92 (wind: -0.1 m/s). World 100 m champ Fred Kerley of the U.S. was gritting his teeth on the straight and said he suffered a cramp on the turn, finishing sixth in 20.68. He said he will be fine for the 4×100 m.

Semi two saw defending champion Noah Lyles of the U.S. run an excellent turn – especially for him – and came into the straight on the lead and held it to win in 19.63 (+1.1), the equal-third-fastest time of the year. Teammate (and Olympic silver winner) Kenny Bednarek held off Jereem Richards (TTO), 19.84-19.86 for second.

Teen star Erriyon Knighton (USA) blasted the turn and won easily in 19.77 (+0.3), with Canada’s Aaron Brown second in 20.10. The Lyles-Knighton showdown is on and an American sweep is a possibility on Thursday night.

● Women/200 m semis ● World leader Shericka Jackson (JAM) cruised home after leading off the turn and won in a sizzling – frightening, really – 21.67 (+2.0), a time no one else has run this year and the no. 12 performance ever! Niger’s Aminatou Seyni, who made a late charge in the heats, did it again, coming from fourth to second in the last 40 m in 22.04, followed by Mujinga Kambundji (SUI: 22.05 national record) and American Jenna Prandini (22.08).

Rio and Tokyo Olympic champ Elaine Thompson-Herah and defending champ Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) were in semi two, and Thompson-Herah led off the turn, with Asher-Smith challenging down the straight, but American Tamara Clark powered to the tape and passed both in the final 10 m, in 21.95, to season’s bests of 21.96 for Asher-Smith and 21.97 for Thompson-Herah (+1.4). Wow!

Five-time World 100 m Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce stormed the turn and ran away with heat three over American Abby Steiner, 21.82 (season’s best, no. 3 in 2022) to 22.15 (-0.1). All three Jamaicans made the final, as did Clark and Steiner. Prandini missed by 0.03.

● Women/400 m Hurdles heats ● World-record holder Sydney McLaughlin of the U.S. ran a controlled 53.95 to win the first heat, trailed by Ukraine’s Anna Ryzhykova (54.93), who got a warm welcome from the crowd. American Shamier Little, like McLaughlin, had lane eight in the first round and ran hard from the start, leading after 300 m, but was passed by Tokyo fourth-placer Janieve Russell (JAM), who won in 54.52. Little was a clear second in 54.77.

Dutch star Femke Bol, the Tokyo bronze medalist, was also in lane eight for heat three and won easily in 53.90. Rio 2016 gold medalist and former world-record holder Dalilah Muhammad (USA) won heat four in 54.45, challenged on the home straight by Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon (54.91). The fourth American, NCAA champ Britton Wilson, came on over the final turn and down the straight to win heat five in 54.54. The semis are on Wednesday.

After five days, the U.S. now has 18 medals (6-5-7) to six each for Ethiopia (3-3-0) and Kenya (1-3-2). On the placing table, a points-scoring program for places 1-8, the U.S. dominance is now 175-69 over Ethiopia, with Kenya at 63, Jamaica at 42 and Poland at 41.

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LANE ONE: Track & field worlds draw 1.97 million average audience on NBC; excellent World Games close in Birmingham; LA28 dates fixed

By
Rich Perelman
-

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Yes, the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon has drawn more interest from U.S. television viewers. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that it’s not even the Olympic Trials.

Television ratings figures released by Nielsen this morning show that the four Saturday and Sunday showings of the first weekend of the Worlds on NBC drew an average of 1.966 million viewers, very good by track & field standards:

World Champs on NBC:
● Jul. 16 (Sat.): 2,129,000 (3:00 p.m. Eastern)
● Jul. 16 (Sat.): 1,575,000 (9:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 17 (Sun.): 2,235,000 (2:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 17 (Sun.): 1,925,000 (10:00 p.m.)

The afternoon shows did better than the evening finals, but the average is nearly double of NBC-aired track meets from the late spring and early summer:

● May 28 (Sat.): 977,000 for Prefontaine Classic on NBC
● Jun. 12 (Sun.): 835,000 for NYC Grand Prix on NBC
● Jun. 25 (Sat.): 1,050,000 for USATF Champs on NBC
● Jun. 26 (Sun.): 1,052,000 for USATF Champs on NBC

However, 1.966 million viewers on average is well short of the ratings for the Tokyo Olympic Track & Field Trials, also held in Eugene, in 2021. The eight hours of coverage on NBC last year averaged 3.183 million viewers average across eight hours, so the 2022 Worlds – so far – is down 38%.

The Worlds on cable is a mixed picture:

● Jul. 15 (Fri.): 430,000 on USA Network (8:00 p.m. Eastern)
● Jul. 16 (Sat.): 160,000 on CNBC (1:30 p.m.)
● Jul. 16 (Sat.): 247,000 on CNBC (8:00 p.m.)
● Jul. 17 (Sun.): no data (<200,000) on CNBC (9:00 a.m.)
● Jul. 17 (Sun.): 368,000 on CNBC (8:00 p.m.)

So, the opening program on USA Network did well, drawing almost double what the USATF Championships drew last month:

● Jun. 24 (Fri.): 214,000 for USATF Champs on CNBC
● Jun. 26 (Sun.): 208,000 for USATF Champs on USA Network

But the three CNBC shows that drew a rating – the men’s marathon on Sunday had less than 200,000 viewers and was not shown in the data release – averaged 258,333, just marginally better than the USATF Championships and not as good as the last two days of the NCAA Championships in June, which drew 263,000 (Friday: ESPN2) and 603,000 (Saturday: ESPN).

And these early cable figures, averaging 301,000 across four shows, are down 47% to the 2021 Olympic Trials cable average of 573,500 across six hours on the now-defunct NBCSN.

How did the NBC viewership compare with other sports on television? Fifth for the week, behind the British Open (4.55 million on Sunday and 3.31 million on Saturday), The NASCAR Cup in New Hampshire (2.40 million on Sunday) and FOX Saturday Baseball, which drew 2.38 million on Saturday. Two of the NBC Worlds broadcasts beat the WWE Friday Night Smackdown on FOX (2.08 million).

There are things to cheer about in these numbers and you can make the case that track & field is a slumbering giant, waiting – for decades now – to be awakened. But let’s wait; we’ll know more when the figures for the rest of the Worlds come in, seven days from now.

Rich Perelman
Editor

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The dates of the LA28 Games were officially announced as 14-30 July, with the Paralympic Games from 15-27 August.

This is earlier than the prior Los Angeles Games, held from 30 July to 14 August in 1932 and 28 July-12 August in 1984. The earlier dates will be a help for the conversion back to normal use of the student residences and venues at UCLA and USC, especially, as well as for football venues such as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Rose Bowl.

● World Games 2022: Birmingham ● Lionel Ritchie capped a musical serenade for about 1,000 athletes and staff of the 2022 World Games with “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “You Are” and “All Night Long” at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium on Sunday evening at the closing of the 2022 World Games.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin told the athletes, volunteers and the audience of about 20,000, “The past 11 days have brought us all a little closer. Tonight may be the closing of a historic event, but it’s far from the finale. Know that like every good Southerner, we don’t see strangers, we only see family. You are family now.”

International World Games Association President Jose Perurena (ESP) celebrated the return of the event – the 11th World Games – after a year’s postponement:

“The athletes all got Back on Stage, after such a long wait in the wings, and performed brilliantly. Well done, Birmingham!

“The World Games 2022 was a great festival of sport and also a demonstration of the ability of human beings to compete hard, while still living together in peace and harmony.”

Jefferson County Commission and organizing committee Board member Joe Knight told reporters during the closing news conference, “The athletes have put on a first-class show. … The athletes tell us this is the best city in which they have participated.”

World Games chief executive Nick Sellers:

“The World Games 2022 will go down in history as a big gold medal success. The athletes went for gold in this moment, and so did our city, our county, our region, all of our people. And we won. We won, y’all, by any measure.

“I believe we’ve helped to change the trajectory of this area forever, and for the better, because we built some new confidence in who we are.

He reported that 375,000 tickets were sold or distributed through sponsors, and that a half-dozen venues were sold out, with others near capacity, noting especially the crowds at Mixed Ultimate Flying Disc, Gymnastics and Breaking. The organizing committee had 3,300 volunteers involved in supporting the Games. Sellers remembered a special moment at the Games:

“When I walked into that Breaking competition, and I saw venue that was overflowing its capacity, in a sport that many of us had never seen before – so many of these sports we’ve never seen before – and it gave us a new way of seeing the world.

“And in that moment, in Sloss Furnaces, when I looked around at an incredibly diverse crowd of people, and that music was playing and everyone was together, I think it was a moment where we started to see each other differently, too, in the community. And that’s what this was all about: making it a once-in-a-lifetime moment for these athletes, but also a moment where we start to realize that it is from our diversity that our strength comes from in this community. And I think it’s going to set us up for many big things in the future.”

Perurena also offered a special thanks and commendation for the repair and rearrangement of the venues after a bad storm hit the Birmingham area on the third day. “The storm destroyed the majority of the venues. … When we arrive the [next] day in the morning, the venues [were] ready. This is my congratulations … the Plan B went perfect, all the venues [ready] in time.”

On the field, Italy collected the most medals with 49 (13-24-12), followed by Germany (47: 24-7-16), Ukraine (45:16-12-17), the United States (44:16-18-10) and France (42: 11-15-16). Three athletes won four golds: Johana Viveros (COL: road and track speed skating), Nina Holt (GER: Life Saving) and Belgian Bart Swings in road and track speed skating (to go along with his Winter Olympic speed skating gold in February!). Those three all won a fifth medal and two others won five total medals: Petra Senanszky (HUN: 3-2-0 in Finswimming and Life Saving) and Italy’s Duccio Marsili (3-1-1) in road and track speed skating.

In the much-anticipated finals in Tug of War, Great Britain won the Mixed 580 kg final by 3:0 over Germany, and the U.S. won a tightly-contested Flying Disc final against Australia by 13-11, with Jack Williams throwing for four goals and catching two.

● Cycling ● The 109th Tour de France has moved from the Alps to the Pyrenees, with Stage 16 the first of three mountain stages that will likely determine the overall winner. On Tuesday, the leaderboard remained the same as Canadian Hugo Houle attacked with 45 km remaining on the 178.5 km, twin-peak stage from Carcassonne to Foix, to win in 4:23:47. That was 1:10 better than Valentin Madouas (FRA) and Michael Woods (CAN) and 1:12 up on American Matteo Jorgenson in fourth (+1:12).

Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard continues to lead defending champ Tadej Pogacar (SLO) by 2:22 and 2018 winner Geraint Thomas (GBR) by 2:43.

● Fencing ● The FIE World Championships are ongoing in Cairo (EGY), with the men’s Sabre and women’s Epee decided on Monday, with a three-time Olympic champion getting his first Worlds gold.

Hungary’s Aron Szilagyi, 32, defeated surprise finalist Maxime Pianfetti (FRA) in a tight, 15-14 final to win his first-ever World Championship title, itself a surprise since he is the 2012-16-20 Olympic Champion. He had won a bronze in 2013, but had to earn his first Worlds in a difficult battle with a fencer who won his first career international medal!

Both semis ended in 15-11 scores: Pianfetti won his semifinal against another first-time international medalist in Iulian Teodosiu (ROU), while Szilagyi overcame Sandro Bazadze (GEO), a four-time medalist in World Cup action; they shared the bronze.

Korea’s Sera Song, 28, won her first World Championships medal with an 11-10 victory over Alexandra Ndolo (GER), 35, in the women’s Epee final.

Neither had any prior major medals; Song had won a couple of World Cup and Grand Prix medals previously and Ndolo had a World Cup silver from 2017. But Song got past Hong Kong’s 2019 Worlds bronze winner Man Wai Vivian Kong, 14-9, and Ndolo dispatched Italy’s two-time World Champion Rossella Fiamingo, 15-10.

● Football ● The final of the CONCACAF W Championship in Guadalupe (MEX) saw another taut battle between the U.S. and Canada, with plenty of chances for the Americans, but neither side able to score until the 78th minute.

American midfielder Rose Lavelle was fouled by Allysha Chapman in the box, resulting in a penalty that was converted by Alex Morgan for a 1-0 lead, and that’s how it ended.

As usual, the U.S. had the edge in possession (55%) and shots (17-10), but defense prevailed and Alyssa Naeher got another shutout in goal. With the victory, the U.S. won its third straight CONCACAF W title and, with it, a place in the Paris 2024 women’s football tournament. The U.S. out-scored its five opponents by 13-0 in the tournament.

Canada will get another shot at Paris 2024 and will play third-place Jamaica – a 1-0 winner over Costa Rica – for an Olympic slot.

Fans can be forgiven for missing the game; it was shown only on steaming channels Paramount+ and the Spanish-language ViX.

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TSX REPORT: Defenders Barshim and Rojas win again, as do Olympic champs El Bakkali, Kipyegon and Thiam at Athletics Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
-
The best ever: another Worlds gold for triple jump star Yulimar Rojas (VEN). (Photo: Getty Images for World Athletics)

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 8 ~ Monday, 18 July 2022

Champions shined on the fourth night of the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene. From the 2019 Worlds in Doha, men’s high jump superstar Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar was supreme again as was Venezuelan triple jumper Yulimar Rojas, both with world-leading performances.

Similarly brilliant were Tokyo Olympic gold-medal winners who took the honors Monday: men’s Steeple star Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, Faith Kipyegon (KEN) in the women’s 1,500 m and heptathlon star Nafi Thiam of Belgium. Five finals and five winners who know what victory is about. The evening in review:

● Women/1,500 m ● The pace was hot from the gun, with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay – the 2022 World Indoor Champion – moving hard and double Olympic champion Kipyegon, Ethiopian Hirut Meshesha and British Olympic silver medalist Laura Muir staying with her through a 58.9 opening lap.

This was too much for the rest of the field, which could only watch as these four dueled for the medals. Kipyegon and Tsegay exchanged the lead a couple of times, with Tsegay leading at the bell, with Kipyegon and Muir close and Meshesha falling back.

The race was decided with 250 m to go, as Kipgeyon attacked and forged a clear lead into the final turn and ran away on the home straight to finish in 3:52.96, no. 2 on the year and the no. 10 performance in history.

Tsegay took the silver in 3:54.52 and Muir the bronze (3:55.28), with Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu coming up for fourth in a distant 4:01.28. American Sinclaire Johnson was sixth (4:01.63) and Cory McGee was 10th in 4:03.70.

Kipyegon won her second Worlds (also 2017) in addition to two silvers, to add to her 2016 and 2020 Olympic triumphs; she now owns five of the top 12 performances ever and at 28, shows no signs of slowing.

● Men/Steeple ● The field just jogged through the first four laps, with Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma leading rather reluctantly. No one moved hard and fellow Ethiopian Getnet Wale had the lead over a bunched field with two laps to go, but then Eritrea’s Yemane Haileselassie stormed to the lead with 500 m to go and took the bell in front.

Now this was a sprint, with Girma and Wale chasing and taking the lead, with Kenya’s two-time World Champion Conseslus Kipruto in the hunt for a third straight title with 200 m to go. But Olympic champ El Bakkali moved smartly into contention and then burst by the three ahead of him on the final water jump and into the lead into the home straight.

Girma was chasing hardest, but could not match El Bakkali’s speed and had to settle for second, 8:25.13-8:26.01. Kipruto came back from injuries and legal trouble to win a remarkable bronze in 8:27.92 with Wale fourth in 8:28.68.

Americans Evan Jager was sixth in 8:29.08 and Hillary Bor finished eighth in 8:29.77.

There was a bad incident on the first lap, when the pack had to split to run around an oblivious cameraman, shooting the women’s triple jump from lane two. No one fell or was hurt, but this was stupid and unforgivable.

● Men/High Jump ● The serious jumping came at 2.30 m (7-6 1/2), with defending champion Barshim, Korea’s Sanghyeok Woo, Andriy Protsenko (UKR) and American Shelby McEwen clearing on their first tries and Olympic co-champ Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA) on his third.

At 2.33 m (7-7 3/4), Barshim and Protsenko cleared right away, then Tamberi made it on his second try and Woo on his third. McEwen missed twice, then passed to 2.35 m (7-8 1/2). Barshim cleared right away, and only Woo could also clear, on his second try. Protsenko won the bronze over Tamberi based on earlier misses and McEwen ended up fifth.

But Barshim was supreme, clearing a world-leading 2.37 m (7-9 1/4), with Woo missing once and then retired, settling for silver. It’s Barshim’s third straight world title to go along with his Olympic co-gold in Tokyo. He jumped six times during the competition and cleared all six.

American JuVaughn Harrison cleared 2.27 m (7-5 1/4) and finished ninth.

(Thanks for sharp-eyed reader Brian Russell for the correction on place.)

● Women/Triple Jump ● Olympic champ and prohibitive favorite Rojas jumped to the lead at 14.60 m (47-10 3/4) in the first round, but was passed by Jamaica’s 2019 Worlds silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts, who claimed an outdoor world-leading 14.89 m (48-10 1/4). American Tori Franklin popped out to 14.53 mw (47-8w) to stand third after round one.

Unfazed, Rojas bounded out to 15.47 m (50-9 1/4) on her second jump to re-take the world lead for 2022 – the no. 6 jump of all time – and move Ricketts to second. Cuba’s Leyanis Perez displaced Franklin from the top three, jumping 14.70 m (48-2 3/4) in the second round to take third. American Keturah Orji moved up to fifth in round three, with 14.49 mw (47-6 1/2).

The order did not change until the fifth round, when Franklin got a seasonal best of 14.72 m (48-3 1/2), the equal-6th best jump in U.S. history. That moved her into third by 2 cm and Perez could not respond. It’s the first-ever Worlds triple jump medal for the U.S.

Rojas and Ricketts stayed 1-2 and Rojas now has three straight world outdoor titles to go along with three World Indoor titles and her Olympic gold in Tokyo and both the indoor and outdoor world records. The best ever.

Orji did not improve and finished sixth.

● Women/Heptathlon ● Olympic silver medalist Anouk Vetter (NED) entered with a 6,045 to 6,026 lead on two-time Olympic champ Thiam, with American Anna Hall third with 5,741.

And as the best 800 m runner in the field, Hall outlasted Noor Vidts (BEL) and Adrianna Sulek (POL) on the home straight to win in 2:06.67, scoring 1,014 points to finish with 6,755, now no. 3 all-time U.S. and the bronze medalist.

Thiam finished fifth in a lifetime best of 2:13.00 and Vetter was 11th (2:20.09), so Thiam won the gold with a massive world-leader 6,947 to 6,867 for Vetter, repeating their 1-2 from Tokyo. Sulek finished fourth with 6,672. Americans Ashtin Zamzow-Mahler and Michelle Atherley finished 11th and 12th at 5,974 and 5,959. Kendell Williams had to retire with an injury.

● Men/200 m heats ● Florida’s NCAA champ Joseph Fahnbulleh (of Liberia) came on on the straightaway and won the first heat in 20.12 (wind +1.0 m/s); Jereem Richards (TTO) cruised to a 20.35 win (0.0) in heat two and then co-favorite Erriyon Knighton of the U.S. stormed the turn and jogged home in 20.01w (+2.1) in heat three.

Alexander Ogando (DOM) won heat four, in a national record 20.01 (+0.5), well ahead of Olympic silver winner Kenny Bednarek of the U.S. (20.35), who jogged the last 50 m. World 10 m champ Fred Kerley (USA) powered down the straight and won heat five in 20.17 (+0.4), then Filippo Tortu of Italy won heat six in 20.18 (+1.0). World Champion Noah Lyles celebrated his 25th birthday with an easy win in heat seven and posting the fastest time of the day in 19.98 (-0.3). The semis are on Tuesday.

● Women/200 m heats ● World leader Shericka Jackson (JAM) ran away with heat one in 22.34w (+2.5), then teammate Elaine Thompson-Herah – twice Olympic champ – cruised to a second-place finish behind Beatrice Masilingi (NAM), 22.27-22.41 (-0.2) in heat two. Next was Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, fresh from her 100 m triumph, running an easy second to Aminatou Seyni (NIG), 21.98-22.26 (+1.1) in heat three.

American Tamara Clark won heat four over defending champion Dina Asher-Smith (GBR), 22.27-22.56 (+1.1), then U.S. champ Abby Steiner flew around the curve and won the fifth heat in 22.26 (+0.9). Heat six featured American Jenna Prandini, but she let Favour Ofili (NGR and LSU) go by for the win in 22.24-22.38 (+1.9).

● Women/Discus qualifying ● Lots of drama in the first group, as co-favorite Valarie Allman of the U.S. – the Olympic champ – fouled her first two throws, but then bombed her third throw, reaching 68.36 m (224-3) and celebrating with the crowd. The auto-qualifying standard of 64.00 m (210-0) was reached by two others in Group A and five in Group B, led by Jorinde van Klinken (NED and Arizona State) at 65.66 m (215-5).

American Laulauga Tausaga qualified at 62.85 m (206-2) in 10th place overall, but Veronica Fraley was a non-qualifier at 58.32 m (191-4).

Now at the halfway mark of the Championships – eight sessions out of 16 – the U.S. team is, as expected, running away with the medal count and the team scoring.

Americans have won 16 medals (6-4-6), placing the all-time record of 31 by East Germany from 1987 within some jeopardy. Next up are Ethiopia (3-3-) and Kenya (1-3-2) with six each and 26 nations have won medals so far.

On the placing table, scoring 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 for the top places, the U.S. has a staggering 168 points to 68 for Ethiopia, 58 for Kenya, 41 for Poland and 39 for Jamaica. Wow.

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TSX REPORT: Gebreslase completes Ethiopian Worlds marathon sweep in record 2:18:11; three Americans in the top eight!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich was the favorite at the start of the women's marathon, but Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia won it, in Eugene this morning.

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 7 ~ Monday, 18 July 2022

● Women/Marathon ● Los Angeles 1984 Olympic winner and road-running icon Joan Benoit Samuelson (USA) was the starter for the 40 women who began World Championships marathon from Oregon’s Autzen Stadium at 6:15 a.m. on Monday.

The race broke apart from the start, with defending champion Ruth Chepngetich and her Kenyan teammates pushing a hot, 2:17 pace that saw a lead group of 11 at 3 km and just eight by the 5 km mark. They maintained a lead of 30 seconds through the first 10 km, but eased off the pace and a chase pack of six that included all three Americans – Keira D’Amato, Sara Hall and Emma Bates – closed to 11 seconds back by the 14 km point, the end of the first loop.

The leaders pushed again and was ahead by 33 seconds by 17 km and then the race broke apart after 18 km, with Angela Tanui (KEN: 2021 Amsterdam Marathon winner), Judith Korir (KEN: 2022 Paris winner), Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH: 2022 Boston runner-up) and Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH: 2021 Berlin winner) moving ahead, with Chepngetich leaving the course and dropping out, and Nazret Weldu (ERI), Lonah Salpeter (ISR) and Ashete Bekere (ETH) dropping back.

Tanui fell back a bit and was down three seconds at 20 km, and the top three charged ahead; the second chase group with the three Americans and Britain’s Sara Piasecki 66 seconds further behind.

The lead trio passed the half at 69:01, with the second group 20 seconds behind and the Americans and Piasecki 1:16 behind. The leaders backed off slightly and Tanui joined the group at 23 km. Korir pushed the pace again and dropped Tanui after 26 km, and Korir and Gebreslase dropped Yeshaneh – gritting her teeth and rubbing her right side – at 27 km. At the end of the second loop, Korir and Gebreslase had a six-second lead on Yeshaneh, with Tanui 12 seconds back. Hall was the top American, running alone, 1:45 behind the leaders, in eighth.

Tanui caught Yeshaneh by 30 km in the race for the bronze, but still 37 seconds behind the leaders. The conditions were good: although sunny, the temperature was only 53 degrees on the final loop. Salpeter and Weldu were 21 seconds behind Tanui and Yeshaneh in fifth and sixth, but caught both by 35 km, with Tanui falling back and Yeshaneh dropping out with cramps.

Salpeter pushed ahead of Weldu after 39 km and ran away in the race for third, then Gebreslase made her move at the front to drop Korir just before 40 km. The surge was decisive and the race for gold was determined with Gebreslase, 27, winning her second marathon in three career races in 2:18:11, destroying the Championships record of 2:20:57 by British legend Paula Radcliffe from 2005.

Korir was a clear second in a lifetime best of 2:18:20, and Salpeter won Israel’s second-ever World Championships medal (in any event) in 2:20:18, with Weldu fourth in 2:20:29. Hall caught Tanui for fifth in 2:22:10, then Bates and D’Amato finished in 2:23:18 (lifetime best) and 2:23:34 in seventh and eighth; three in the top eight is an outstanding showing for the U.S.

Ethiopia swept the Worlds marathons with Tamirat Tola and Gebreslase; Gebreslase is the first Ethiopian Worlds women’s winner since Mare Dibaba in 2015 and only the second ever.

● Women/Heptathlon ● Day two began with the long jump, with Olympic champ Nafi Thiam (BEL) extending her lead, jumping 6.59 m (21-7 1/2) to lead the field. Dutch star Anouk Vetter, second overall, got a lifetime best of 6.52 m (21-4 3/4) in third and American Anna Hall was fifth at 6.39 m (20-11 3/4). Poland’s Adrianna Sulek passed Hall for third overall, 4,967-4,963.

The first javelin group saw Hall get a lifetime best of 45.75 m (150-1) to pass Sulek (41.63 m/136-7) for third going into the 800 m. Vetter led the second group and took the overall lead with a 58.29 m (191-3) toss, with Thiam reaching 53.01 m (173-11). Thus, Vetter stands with 6,045 points to 6,026 for Thiam with the 800 m remaining; Hall has 5,741 to 5,666 for Sulek and 5,606 for Swiss Annik Kalin.

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TSX REPORT: Crouser leads U.S. shot sweep, Fraser-Pryce leads Jamaican 100 sweep; Nageotte-Morris and Holloway-Cunningham both 1-2 for U.S.!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Twice Olympic Shot Champion and World Champion: Ryan Crouser of the U.S. (Photo: Adam Eberhardt for Tracktown USA)

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 6 ~ Sunday, 17 July 2022

An emotional night of finals saw wins for the home team in the men’s shot, women’s vault and men’s 110 m hurdles, and a historic Jamaican sweep in the women’s 100 m, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce winning an astonishing fifth World Championships gold at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

It was an astonishing night for U.S. fans at Hayward Field in Eugene, as the U.S. won seven medals and qualified a bunch of athletes for future finals. The crowd was loud and the scene was electric:

● Men/110 m Hurdles ● Defending World Champion Grant Holloway (USA) blew out of the blocks in semi one and went unchallenged to win in 13.01 (wind: -0.6 m/s), with Britain’s Josh Zeller second in 13.31. Semi two was another blow-out, this time for NCAA champ Trey Cunningham of the U.S., finishing all alone in 13.07 (+0.3), ahead of Spain’s Asier Martinez (13.26). Olympic champ Hansle Parchment (JAM) got control of the third semi in mid-race and won in 13.02w (+2.5), with American Devon Allen at 13.09w.

Parchment was hurt during warm-ups for the final and had to withdraw, with the Americans arrayed in lanes 3 (Allen), 4 (Holloway) and 6 (Cunningham). Then, Allen was called for a false start, just 1/1000th faster than the allowed 1/10th of a second, leaving only six to run.

Off the gun, Holloway reacted slowly, but got to the lead quickly and was never headed, in 13.03 (+1.2). Cunningham was strong in the middle of the race, then held off Martinez, 1308-13.17 for the silver. Poland’s Damian Czykier was fourth in 13.32.

● Women/100 m ● The semis were tense, starting with St. Lucia’s (and NCAA champ for Texas) Julien Alfred being disqualified for a false start in semi one. On the re-start, Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson had the lead in mid-race, but Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) led at 90 m, but Jackson surged again in the final 10 m to win in 10.84 vs. 10.89 (-0.2), with TeeTee Terry of the U.S. third in 11.04. Jamaican star Elaine Thompson-Herah was challenged by Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) right to the tape, but won 10.82-10.87 (-0.2), with American Melissa Jefferson getting third with a lunge at the line in 10.92. Former USC sprinter Tynia Gaither (BAH) suffered a false start in semi three; four-time champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce started well and zipped through in 10.93, with American Aleia Hobbs charged from fourth to second in 10.95. Jefferson advanced to the final, but Terry did not.

In the final, it was Fraser-Pryce got out with Asher-Smith, but the Jamaican was unmatched in the middle of the race, storming to a fifth Worlds gold in 10.67 (+0.8), ahead of teammates Jackson (lifetime best 10.73) and Thompson-Herah (10.81), with Jackson getting and staying ahead by mid-race. Asher-Smith was fourth in 10.83, equaling her lifetime best; Hobbs ran 10.92 for sixth and Jefferson was eighth in 11.03.

Jamaica celebrated a sweep, just as in Tokyo, but with Fraser-Pryce winning instead of Thompson-Herah.

● Women/Pole Vault ● The real jumping started at 4.60 m (15-1), with eight clearing, and then only Sandi Morris (USA), Nina Kennedy (AUS) and Tina Sutej (SLO) clearing 4.70 m (15-5) on their first try. Olympic champ Katie Nageotte of the U.S. cleared on her second try, and Rio 2016 gold medalist Katerina Stefanidi (GRE) made on her third. Those five moved to 4.80 m (15-9) with Morris and Kennedy clearing on their first try and Nageotte on the second.

But Nageotte got a world-leading, first-try clearance at 4.85 m (15-11), but then Kennedy missed twice, but Morris cleared on her second try. Stefanidi missed twice and after an earlier miss, was eliminated. So the medalists were set and Kennedy passed to 4.90 m (16-0 3/4).

Nageotte missed, then Kennedy had her third try (but first at 4.90) and missed, clinching the bronze. Morris missed twice, Nageotte missed all three and on her final try, Morris fell short and the U.S. 1-2 had Nageotte adding a world title to her Olympic gold and Morris won a third straight Worlds silver after 2017 and 2019.

The third American, NCAA champ Gabriela Leon cleared 4.30 m (14-1 1/4) and finished 12th.

● Men/Shot Put ● World-record holder Ryan Crouser was fifth in the order in the first round and methodically reached 22.21 m (72-10 1/2) to take the lead, but only for a few minutes as defending champ Joe Kovacs (USA) reached 22.63 m (74-3) to take over. Then the no. 3 American, Josh Awotunde, shoved Crouser into third with a lifetime best of 22.24 m (72-11 3/4) to move into second place!

What would Crouser do? Into the lead at 22.71 m (74-6 1/4), with the order maintained into the fifth round. Then New Zealand’s Tom Walsh, the 2017 champion, moved into fourth at 22.08 m (72-5 1/4) and started a chain reaction. Awotunde got another lifetime best at 22.29 m (73-1 3/4), then Kovacs took the lead at 22.89 m (75-1 3/4)!

Crouser was game and exploded with another huge throw, measured at 22.94 m (75-3 1/4)!

In the final round, Kovacs managed 22.42 m (73-6 3/4), leaving Crouser with the Worlds gold, his first after his silver in Doha in 2019. Awotunde’s third place completed the American sweep; the fourth American, Tripp Piperi, was eighth at 20.93 m (68-8).

● Men/Discus qualifying ● In Group A, Slovenian star Kristjian Ceh got his auto-qualifier on his first throw at 68.23 m (223-10) and Simon Pettersson got it on his second (68.11 m/223-5), as did Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna (68.91 m/226-1) and Matthew Denny of Australia (66.98 m/219-9).

In Group B, 2017 World Champion Andrius Gudzius (LTU) qualified at 66.60 m (218-6) and Lukas Weisshaidinger (AUT) reached 66.51 m (218-2).

Olympic champ Daniel Stahl (SWE) didn’t make the auto-qualifier, but advanced at 65.95 (216-4). American Sam Mattis reached 65.59 m (215-2) and qualified eighth; the other Americans did not advance: Andrew Evans in 18th (62.20 m/204-1) and Brian Williams in 28th (58.25 m/191-1).

● Men/400 m Hurdles semis ● Olympic silver medalist Rai Benjamin moved strongly on the second turn and led into the straight, loafing on the run-in but winning in 48.44, with Jaheel Hyde (JAM: 49.09) second. Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos cruised through the second semi in 47.85, with Trevor Bassitt of the U.S. a solid second in 48.17. In semi three, Norway’s world-record holder Karsten Warholm ran hard for eight hurdles and cruised home in 48.00, with France’s Wilfried Happio second with a lifetime best of 48.14 and American Khallifah Rosser qualifying for the final in third in 48.34.

● Men/1,500 m semis ● All three Tokyo medalists – Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR), Tim Cheruiyot (KEN) and Britain’s Josh Kerr – were in semi one and Ingebrigtsen had the lead at the bell, running with World Indoor Champion Samuel Tefera (ETH). Cheruiyot came up to challenge for the lead on the final turn, and he and Ingebrigtsen led into the straight and then Kerr surged to take the win in 3:36.92, with Mario Garcia (ESP: 3:37.01) also flying to the line and Ingebrigtsen and Cheruiyot in 3-4 (3:37.02-3:37.04). American Johnny Gregorek finished eighth in 3:37.35.

Semi two saw Stewart McSweyn (AUS) taking it out, with world leader Abel Kipsang following closely and they led at the bell. Britain’s Jake Wightman fought his way into second with 200 m left and Kipsang took the lead. Spain’s Mohamed Katir charged past McSweyn and ended up second, edging Wightman, with Kipsang winning, 3:33.68-3:34.45-3:34.48. McSweyn qualified in fifth in 3:35.07; American Josh Thompson was seventh in 3:35.55, but qualified for the final on time.

● Women/Heptathlon ● Things heated up in the shot, where world leader Anouk Vetter (NED) got a lifetime best of 16.25 m (53-3 3/4), but with Belgium’s twice Olympic champ Nafi Thiam got a season’s best of 15.03 m (49-3 3/4). American Anna Hall got a lifetime best of 13.67 m (44-10 1/4). After three events, Thiam had 3,127 points to 3,003 for Vetter.

In the 200 m, Hall dominated with a win in 23.08, a lifetime best, moving her to third overall at 3,991. Thiam is the leader at 4,071 and Vetter stands second at 4,010. Defending champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR) stands sixth at 3,798.

The meet continues Monday at 6:15 a.m. with the women’s marathon.

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TSX REPORT: Tola surges to marathon gold, Andersen hammers U.S. gold and Cheptegei wins 10,000 m in Worlds morning session

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Champion: Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola!

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 5 ~ Sunday, 17 July 2022

Sunday’s program began with the men’s marathon at 6:15 a.m., then will continue at 10:35 a.m. with the 100 m hurdles of the women’s heptathlon. This post will be added to later …

● Men/Marathon ● The flat, three-loop course started in 57 F temperatures and overcast skies just after 6:15 a.m. with 62 men on the line at Autzen Stadium, with Olympic marathon legend Frank Shorter the actual starter.

Kenya’s Lawrence Cherono, the 2019 Boston and Chicago Marathon winner, did not start as he was suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit as he “tested positive for trimetazidine, a substance that is prohibited under the 2022 WADA Prohibited List as a metabolic modulator. Substances in this category modify how the body metabolizes fat.” He tested positive during a 23 May 2022 out-of-competition test, but the result was received 47 days later from the lab in Lausanne (SUI) instead of the usual 20 days: “The AIU has made a formal complaint to the laboratory in relation to this unacceptable delay, which has denied the opportunity for another Kenyan athlete to take the place of Mr Cherono in the marathon.”

(Remember that a long delay in the result for Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva from the Stockholm lab caused the still-unresolved issues with the Beijing 2022 Team Event. This is a problem.)

In the race, the contenders ran together in a lead pack of 30, passing the half in 64:08 with Shumi Dechasa (BRN) leading most of the time. At the end of the second loop – 28 km – Dechasa had the lead at 1:25:11, but with 31 others still in contact.

The pace began to grind on the pack, with Dechasa and Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola – the 2017 Worlds runner-up – leading after 31 km, with 22 still in contention. The group was down to 14 by 32 km, with Tola pushing and Kenya’s three-time World Half Marathon champ Geoffrey Kamworor and Belgium’s Olympic bronze medalist Bashir Abdi closest.

Tola attacked after 32 km and broke away, with six chasing but seven seconds behind by 34 km after Tola threw in a 2:43 kilometer and found no challengers to his surge. Abdi, Mosinet Geremew (ETH), Kamworor and Cam Levins (CAN) were closest, but Tola was moving away smartly, up 12 seconds by 35 km and 17 seconds at 36 km, running kilometers in about 2:46.

Abdi and Geremew moved ahead of Kamworor and Levins with 6 km left, but the four were together by 38 km. Abdi and Geremew forged an expanding lead by 40 km and then fought each other for the silver and bronze.

Tola was 39 seconds up by 38 km and cruised to the win – accompanied by a group of bike riders on the other side of the road – in a brilliant 2:05:36, shattering the World Championships meet record of 2:06:54 by Kenyan Abel Kirui from 2009. Tola won by 1:08!

Geremew moved ahead of Abdi after 40 km and won his second consecutive Worlds silver (2:06:44) and Abdi got third in 2:06:48. Levins was sensational, taking more than two minutes off his lifetime best and set the Canadian record at 2:07:09. Kamworor was fifth in 2:07:14.

It was the second straight 1-2 for Ethiopia after Lelisa Desisa and Geremew went gold-silver in Doha in 2019. The Americans: Galen Rupp, suffering from back pains during the race, finished 18th in 2:09:36; Elkanah Kibet was 24th in 2:11:20 and and Colin Mickow was 46th in 2:16:37.

● Men/400 m heats ● South Africa’s Rio 2016 gold medalist Wayde van Niekerk is back from injury and won the first heat impressively in 45.18. In heat two, world leader Michael Norman of the U.S. worked the far turn and came into the home straight with a lead and cruised in at 45.37. Fellow American Michael Cherry ran hard early and won heat three in 45.81.

The third American, Champion Allison, took over the fourth heat in the final 75 m and won in 45.56. Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori won heat five in 44.87 over Grenada’s London 2012 gold medalist Kirani James (45.29). The final heat went to Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) in 45.49. The semis are on Wednesday.

● Women/400 m heats ● Olympic champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) had no trouble in heat one, winning easily in 51.10, but American Kendall Ellis was sixth (52.55) and was eliminated. Jamaica’s Stephenie Ann McPherson was a comfortable winner in the second heat in a seasonal best of 50.15, moving to no. 6 on the 2022 world list. Sada Williams (BAR) won heat three in 51.05.

Olympic silver winner Marileidy Paulino (DOM) dominated heat four (50.76), with American Lynna Irby third in 51.78. Fiordaliza Cofil – the Dominican anchor on the Mixed 4×400 m team – won heat five in 51.19, with Talitha Diggs (USA) second in 51.54. The final heat went to Poland’s Anna Kielbasinka in 50.63. The semis are on Wednesday.

● Women/Hammer ● American Brooke Andersen entered as the world leader and favorite and took command immediately at 74.81 m (245-5) in the first round, only to lose the lead to fellow American – and world no. 2 – Janee’ Kassanvoid in the second round at 74.86 m (245-7).

Canada’s Cam Rogers, the collegiate record holder at Cal, got into her third-round throw and took the lead at 75.52 m (247-9). But then Andersen got unstuck and sent the ball-and-chain to 77.42 m (254-0) in the fourth round and re-took the lead. And Andersen was hot, extending her lead to 77.56 m (254-5) in the fifth round.

No one could challenge the top three and Kassanavoid did not improve in round six, clinching the bronze. Rogers also did not improve on her sixth throw, settling for silver and Andersen won the second straight World title for the U.S. by bombing her final throw out to 78.96 m (259-1), a third straight improvement, the no. 2 throw in the world this season and the no. 4 in U.S. history!

American Annette Echikunwoke managed only 68.12 m (223-6) and finished 12th.

● Men/10,000 m ● It was 75 F for the 24 starters at 1 p.m. with Olympic champ Selemon Barega (ETH), world-record holder Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) and world leader Grant Fisher (USA) on the line.

The first half saw the runners strung out in a line, but with a dozen in contact with the leaders. Nothing changed until two laps to go, with Barega pushing the pace against seven others, and being challenged by Stanley Mburu (KEN), Olympic fourth-placer Berihu Aregawi (ETH) and Cheptegei. Barega had the lead at the bell, but Cheptegei got the lead heading into the backstretch and was working hard to maintain it against Barega, Aregawi and Mburu with Canada’s Moh Ahmed and Fisher both closing.

The all-out sprint from 200 m out saw Cheptegei maintaining the lead and no one could catch him, winning in 27:27.43 and moving up from silver in Tokyo. Mburu, who fell on the first lap and was shoved a few laps later, got the silver in 27:27.90 and Jacob Kiplimo (UGA), one of the early leaders, sprinted up for the bronze (27:27.97). Fisher surged in the final 75 m and passed two, but ended up fourth in 27:28.14, ahead of Barega (27:28.39) and Ahmed (27:30.27).

Cheptegei defended his 2019 Worlds gold in this event and will now go for the double in the 5,000 m, where he is Olympic champ from Tokyo.

● Women/Heptathlon ● American Michelle Atherley led the 100 m hurdles, running 13.12 in the second section, ahead of a 13.17 lifetime best from Annik Kalin (SUI). Double Olympic champ Nafi Thiam (BEL) scored a lifetime best of 13.21 in the first section, smashing her 2017 mark of 13.34.

Thiam was sensational in the high jump, winning at 1.95 m (6-4 3/4), ahead of Adrianna Sulek (POL: 1.89 m/6-2 1/4) and American Anna Hall (1.86 m/6-1 1/4). The shot put and 200 m will follow this afternoon.

American 400 m star – and two-time NCAA champ – Randolph Ross was also tossed from the World Championships by the Athletics Integrity Unit. He received a Notice of Allegation – and a provisional suspension – “for tampering with the doping control process. The allegation arises out of the athlete’s conduct during the course of an investigation into a potential whereabouts violation. There was an unsuccessful attempt by the AIU to test Mr Ross on 18 June 2022 and the investigation into this matter concluded when Mr Ross was interviewed by the AIU in Eugene on 14 July.”

This not only eliminates Ross from the men’s 400 m, but impacts the U.S.’s 4×400 m relay plans.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Cycling ● Stage 15 of the Tour de France was decided by an all-out sprint at the end of a 202.5 km ride in 100 F heat with Belgium’s Jasper Philipsen edging countryman Wout van Aert for his first career Tour stage win in 4:27:27. Dane Mads Pedersen was just behind in third.

The route from Rodez to Carcassonne included a couple of crashes – one of which involved race leader Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) – more protesters on the road and other antics, but after breakaway attacker Benjamin Thomas (FRA) was caught with 800 m to go, it was a flat-out sprint for the line.

The leaderboard remained unchanged as Vingegaard rejoined the race after his fall and finished 23rd. He retained his 2:22 lead on two-time defending champ Tadej Pogacar (SLO) and 2:43 on Britain’s Geraint Thomas. Monday is a rest day, followed by three straight mountain stages in the Pyrenees that may well decide the race.

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TSX REPORT: Kerley leads U.S. men’s 100 m sweep, plus Ealey takes shot and Wang scores a shock gold at Eugene Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley is now 2022 World Champion! (Photo: jenaragon94 via Wikipedia)

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 4 ~ Saturday, 16 July 2022

The “world’s fastest man” title went to American Fred Kerley as part of a U.S. sweep in the final of the men’s 100 m at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene. The U.S. got a second gold from women’s shot star Chase Ealey and China took a shocking long jump gold on the second day.

Attendance was much better on Saturday evening, although not completely full, but the crowd at the new Hayward Field was loud and appreciative. Here’s what happened:

● Women/100 m heats ● Seven heats, with the all-Jamaica Tokyo podium sweeping the first three.

Tokyo bronze medalist Shericka Jackson won heat one in 11.02 (wind: +0.7), four-time World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce cruised – now 35 – to a 10.87 win in heat two (-0.2) and double Olympic champ Elaine Thompson-Herah took heat three in a very relaxed 11.15 (+0.2).

Lots of stories in heat four, as Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) came on late to edge American TeeTee Terry 10.92-10.95 (+0.8), with the fourth Jamaican, Oregon star Kemba Nelson, third in 11.10. South Africa’s Carina Horn was one of those with visa trouble, but got to Eugene and was fourth in 11.29.

Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith ran away with heat five in an impressive 10.84 (+1.2), just 0.01 from her lifetime best! Aleia Hobbs of the U.S. won heat six easily in 11.04 (+0.1) and Swiss star Mujinga Kambundji won heat seven in 10.97 (-0.1), with American Melissa Jefferson second in 11.03. Four Jamaicans and three Americans all advanced.

It didn’t impact the semifinals, but there was an important subtext to heat three, as Saudi sprinter Yasmeen Aldabbagh lined up next to, and ran against, Israeli Diana Vaisman. It wasn’t close, as Vaisman was fifth in 11.29 and Aldabbagh was seventh in 13.21, but there was a time not long ago where Saudi authorities would never have permitted one of their athletes to compete head-to-head with an Israeli. The Iranians still don’t. So a small, but noteworthy, show of co-existence on the track in 2022.

● Women/Shot Put ● World leader Ealey of the U.S. threw first and put the field on notice with the no. 2 throw of the year at 20.49 m (67-2 3/4), with defending World and Olympic champ Lijiao Gong (CHN) responding with a 19.58 m (64-3) to move up to second.

Ealey reached 19.82 m (65-0 1/2) to start the second round, but Gong got closer at 19.84 m (65-1 1/4) and hunted Easley with a third-round 20.23 m (66-4 1/2) in round three. Neither improved in round four, then Gong got into her fifth round toss at 20.39 m (66-10 3/4), closer, but still second.

But Gong could not improve in the sixth round and after Ealey’s foul, the American celebrated a world title based on her first-round throw. It’s Gong’s seventh Worlds medal, after two golds in 2017 and 2019 (now 2-2-3) across 13 years.

Jessica Schilder (NED) moved to third with a national record of 19.77 m (64-10 1/2) in the second and fifth rounds. Canada’s Sarah Mitton also got out to 19.77 m in the sixth round, but was fourth since Schilder did it twice.

American Jessica Woodard was eighth at 18.67 m (61-2) and teammate Maggie Ewen finished ninth at 18.64 m (61-2).

● Men/Long Jump ● Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) stomped on the field in the second round at 8.30 m (27-2 3/4), and appeared to be cruising in the lead. World leader Simon Ehammer – the Swiss decathlete – jumped up to second at 8.16 m (26-9 1/4) and then Cuba’s Maykel Masso reached 8.15 m (26-9) for third. Tentoglou stretched to 8.29 m (27-2 1/2) in round three to consolidate his lead, with American Steffin McCarter fourth (8.04 m/26-4 1/2) and teammate Marquis Dendy (8.02 m/26-3 3/4) fifth.

Tentoglou got to 8.24 m (27-0 1/2) in round four and then extended his lead at 8.32 m (27-3 3/4) in round five. But then China’s Jianan Wang dropped a bomb with a season’s best of 8.36 m (27-5 1/4) finale, improving from 8.03 m (26-4 1/4) in the third and fifth rounds.

Tentoglou was strong on his final jump, but got only to 8.20 m (26-11) and had to settle for silver, with Ehammer third. Masso, McCarter and Dendy finished 4-5-6.

● Men/1,500 m heats ● Three heats with the top six to go through and six more on time, with Ethiopia’s two-time World Indoor Champion Sam Tefera leading at the bell and passing Charles Grethen (LUX) on the home straight to take the lead before being passed late by Ollie Hoare (AUS), 3:36.17-3:36.35. Defending champ Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) qualified in fourth, but American Cooper Teare was 13th (3:41.15).

Norway’s Olympic champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen was the headliner in heat two, and he settled in behind Stewart McSweyn (AUS) in the early going. McSweyn towed the field through the bell and won just ahead of Charles Philbert-Thiboutot (CAN) and Ingebrigtsen, 3:34.91-3:35.02-3:35.12. American Johnny Gregorek was a qualifying sixth in 3:35.65.

World leader Abel Kipsang (KEN) was the focus of the final heat, but the race was controlled by Britain’s Josh Kerr, who took the bell and then led all the way around to win in 3:38.94. Kipsang, New Zealand’s Sam Tanner and Spain’s Mohamed Katir were 2-3-4 coming into the final straight, but American Josh Thompson stormed up on the inside to get second at 3:39.10, then Kipsang (3:39.21) in the mass finish with William Paulson (CAN: 3:39.21), Tanner (3:39.33) and Katir (3:39.45).

● Women/1,500 m semis ● World Indoor Champion Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) tired of the slow pace in the first half of semi one, then moved to the lead and was never headed on the way to a 4:01.28. Behind her, Britain’s Olympic silver medalist Laura Muir and Australia’s Jessica Hull cruised home 2-3 in 4:01.78-4:01.81. American Cory McGee ran into an auto-qualifying fifth on the final straight in 4:02.74, but Elle St. Pierre was 11th in 4:09.84.

All eyes were on Olympic champ Faith Kipyegon (KEN) in semi two, and she went to the front right away, only to be passed from frontrunner Nozomi Tanaka (JPN). Kipyegon got serious with 500 m to go, with American Sinclaire Johnson and Ethiopia’s Hirut Meshesha trailing. Kipyegon led at the bell and was unchallenged, winning in 4:03.98, with Meshesha and Johnson qualifying comfortably in 4:04.05 and 4:04.51.

● Men/100 m ● The semifinals saw South Africa’s Akani Simbine just edge American Trayvon Bromell, with both in 9.97 (+0.3) in the first race, then a U.S. 1-2 in semi two with Christian Coleman starting well, but then passed by Kerley in the last 40 m, 10.02-10.05 (+0.1). Olympic champ Lamont Marcell Jacobs (ITA) withdrew from semi three due to injuries; Jamaica’s Oblique Seville won in 9.90 to 9.93 for Marvin Bracy (USA; wind -0.1), placing all four U.S. entries in the final.

Bracy was in lane three, Kerley in four, Coleman in seven and Bromell in eight, with Simbine in five and Seville in six. Off the gun, Coleman got the best start – as expected – but Kerley and Bracy moved best in mid-race and Bracy had the lead at 70 m and 80 m. But Kerley closed and then moved hardest in the final 5 m and just edged Bracy at the line, timing 9.86 to 9.88.

Meanwhile, Bromell was revving in lane eight and moving toward the lead at the tape and got third (9.88) by 0.002 to Bracy. Seville was fourth in 9.97; Coleman finished sixth in 10.01.

It’s the first U.S. sweep at the Worlds since 1991, when Carl Lewis, Leroy Burrell and Dennis Mitchell took the medals in Tokyo. Wow!

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TSX REPORT: Fajdek hammers down fifth Worlds gold, and Gidey wins three-way sprint in women’s 10,000 at Eugene World Champs

By
Rich Perelman
-
Just THIS CLOSE in the women's 10,000 m World Championship, with Ethiopia's Letsenbet Gidey winning ... barely (Official Seiko Photofinish)

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 3 ~ Saturday, 16 July 2022

Friday’s bright sunshine gave way to clouds and 65 F temperatures on Saturday morning and early afternoon at a half-filled Hayward Field in Eugene for the second day of the 2022 World Athletics Championships. There were two finals, with brilliant wins by Ethiopian star Letsenbet Gidey at 10,000 m and a Polish 1-2 in the men’s hammer. Event by event:

● Women/Triple Jump qualifying ● Venezuela’s world-record holder Yulimar Rojas was the first jumper in the order and auto-qualified even with a take-off way behind the board at 14.73 m (48-4). One and done.

Four others reached the 14.40 m qualifying mark: Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (UKR: 14.54 m/47-8 1/2), Dominican Ana Jose Tima (14.52 m/47-7 3/4), Finland’s Kristiina Makela (14.49 m/47-6 1/2) and Shanieka Ricketts (JAM: 14.46 m/47-5 1/4). Americans Keturah Orji (14.37 m/47-1 3/4) and Tori Franklin (14.36 m/47-1 1/2) qualified seventh and ninth and Jasmine Moore reached 14.24 m (46-8 3/4) and missed out in 13th.

● Women/High Jump qualifying ● It took only 1.90 m (6-2 3/4) to qualify with world leader Yaroslava Manuchikh (UKR) as one of nine to clear 1.93 m (6-4) and move on to the final. Teammate Iryna Gerashchenko and Australia’s Eleanor Patterson also cleared 1.93 m, but no Americans qualified. Vashti Cunningham cleared 1.86 m (6-1 1/4); Rachel Glenn only 1.80 m (5-11 1/4) and Rachel McCoy managed 1.90 m, but finished 17th.

● Women/Steeple heats ● Ex-Kenyan Norah Jeruto, now running for Kazakhstan, ran away with heat one, taking charge from the start and creating a huge lead, winning by almost 10 seconds in stunning 9:01.54, the no. 4 performance of 2022! Ethiopia’s Werkuha Getachew and Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani (lifetime best) ran away from American star Emma Coburn, 9:11.25-9:12.14-9:15.19, for the auto-qualifying spots.

The second heat was led by Olympic champ Peruth Chemutai (UGA) for most of the race, but Britain’s Aimee Pratt took the lead at the bell, with NCAA champ Courtney Wayment (USA) on her shoulder into the backstraight. Chemutai drove hard to get to the lead, followed by Mekides Abebe (ETH), then Abebe took the lead into the far turn, with six running for the three auto-qualifying spots. Abebe had the lead into the final straight, but could not hold off France’s Alice Finot, who won in 9:14.34, with Abebe second (9:14.83) and a mad dash for third won by Albanian Luiza Gega over Wayment, 9:14.91 to 9:14.95. Chemutai faded to a stunning fifth in 9:16.66 and Pratt was sixth in 9:18.91, a national record.

The final heat had six women together at the bell, with Kenya’s Celliphine Chespol and Slovenian Marusa Zrimsek leading on the backstraight, with Winfred Yavi (BRN) and American Courtney Frerichs separating from the rest of the field. The final sprint had Chespol winning in 9:16.78, Zrimsek a surprise second in 9:17.14, then Yavi (9:17.32) and Frerichs (9:17.91)

All three Americans finished fourth, but all advanced to the final on time.

● Men/110 m Hurdles heats ● NCAA champ Trey Cunningham of the U.S. took the first heat in 13.28 despite hitting hurdles six and 10 (wind: -0.5 m/s). Defending champ Grant Holloway of the U.S. drew lane one, but blew away the field in heat two, winning in 13.14 (+0.4).

U.S. champ Daniel Roberts had control of heat three, but hit hurdle seven and then crashed into the eighth hurdle and did not finish. Spain’s Asier Martinez won in 13.37 (-0.3). Olympic champ Hansle Parchment (JAM) came on in mid-race to win heat four in 13.17 (+0.2) and American Devon Allen labored through the fifth heat, hitting most of the hurdles, but managed to win in 13.47 (+0.4).

● Men/Hammer ● Olympic champ Wojciech Nowicki of Poland got the ball rolling – so to speak – at 80.07 m (262-8) in the second round and was joined by teammate and four-time World Champion Pawel Fajdek, who took the lead at 80.58 m (264-4), only to be passed by Norway’s Elvind Henriksen at 80.87 m (265-4).

Nowicki upped the ante in round three, reaching 81.03 m (265-10), but Fajdek would have none of it, spinning out to a world-leading 81.98 m (268-11) to take the lead. But that was it. Fajdek won his fifth Worlds gold leading a Polish 1-2, with Nowicki taking a fourth Worlds medal, but first silver after bronzes in 2015-17-19. Henriksen stayed third, with Quentin Bigot (FRA) fourth at 80.24 m (263-3).

Among men’s field eventers at the Worlds, only Sergey Bubka (UKR/vault) has more golds than Fajdek, with six from 1983-97; Germany’s Lars Reidel also has five, in the discus, from 1991-2001.

American Rudy Winkler was sixth at 78.99 m (259-2), with Daniel Haugh in eighth (78.10 m/256-3) and Alex Young 12th in 73.60 m (241-6).

● Women/10,000 m ● Japan’s Ririka Hironaka, Britain’s Eilish McColgan and Kenyan Olympic 5,000 m winner Hellen Obiri towed the field through the half in 15:19.31, but gave way to Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu Taye and Letsenbet Gidey by 7,000 m, with Obiri going nowhere.

Those three were at the head of a lead pack of nine which slowly shrank to seven with two laps to go and included defending champ and the Tokyo Olympic winner, Dutch superstar Sifan Hassan. After injuries and a lack of training, did she have the devastating kick that won two golds last year?

At the bell, it was Gidey and Obiri in the lead, but any of the top six could win it. Gidey and Obiri led into the far turn, but now Hassan was coming, and coming hard. She moved into third with 100 m to go, but her sprint gave way to Kenyan Margaret Kipkemboi in the last 20 m, who got third.

At the front, Gidey had the lead, but only by a step on the charging Obiri. Gidey, the world-record holder, gritted her teeth and looked behind at Obiri three times in the final 50 m, but held on to win in a world-leading 30:09.94, to Obiri’s lifetime best of 30:10.02. Kipkemboi was third in 3:10.07, a lifetime best, with Hassan at 30:10.56.

American Karissa Schweizer, with the lead pack for most of the race, was ninth in 30:18.05 – a huge lifetime best and now no. 3 all-time U.S. – ahead of McColgan (30:34.60). Americans Alicia Monson and Natosha Rogers were 13th and 15th in 30:59.85 and 31:10.57.

● Men/400 m Hurdles heats ● American Rai Benjamin led off with a win in heat one in 49.07 with a surge on the far turn, despite an NBC report that he has right-leg hamstring issues.

World leader Alison Dos Santos (BRA) toyed with the field in heat two, jogging home in 49.41. World-record holder Karsten Warholm (NOR) blew away the field from the start as usual, winning heat three in 49.34. Estonia’s Rasmus Magi won heat four in 48.78, with American Trevor Bassitt fading to a qualifying fourth in 49.17. American Khallifah Rosser dominated the fifth heat – from lane two – winning by a full second in 48.62, the fastest of the day!

Splits from Friday’s Mixed 4×400 m final showed that Americans Elija Godwin and Vernon Norwood had the fastest splits on the first and third legs – 44.71 and 44.40 – but that Allyson Felix (50.15) was nearly caught by Dominican star Marileidy Paulino (48.47) and anchor Kennedy Simon (50.90) was passed by Fiordaliza Cofil (49.92) and Dutch star Femke Bol, who timed 48.95 on her leg, fastest of the anchor runners.

On the visa saga, Athletics Kenya said that all of its athletes received a U.S. entry visa within a week except for sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala, whose application was incomplete. He arrived just hours before his heat in the 100 m and qualified to today’s semifinals. A criminal investigation is being opened concerning the alleged inclusion of 32 non-athlete “joyriders” on the visa request list submitted by Athletics Kenya, which the federation says it has no knowledge of.

Good news from the Athletics Integrity Unit, reporting that no positives were found from testing of athletes in “high-risk” countries for doping, including Belarus, Bahrain, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Ukraine. Belarus is banned, of course, for collusion with Russia on its invasion of Ukraine, but 1,206 out-of-competition tests were carried out on athletes from the six other countries, including 378 for Kenya, 267 for Morocco and 241 for Ethiopia.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 1912: Stockholm ● The International Olympic Committee’s announcement that Jim Thorpe has been recognized as the sole winner of the pentathlon and decathlon events acknowledged the efforts made on Thorpe’s behalf:

“This development has been made possible by the engagement of the Bright Path Strong organisation, supported by IOC Member Anita DeFrantz [USA]. They contacted the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOC) and the surviving family members of Hugo K. Wieslander, who was named as the gold medallist in decathlon when Thorpe was stripped of his medals in 1913. They confirmed that Wieslander himself had never accepted the Olympic gold medal allocated to him, and had always been of the opinion that Jim Thorpe was the sole legitimate Olympic gold medallist. When contacted by the IOC, the SOC also declared that Thorpe should be acknowledged as the sole Olympic champion in decathlon at the Olympic Games Stockholm 1912.

“The same declaration was received from the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports, whose athlete, Ferdinand Bie, was named as the gold medallist when Thorpe was stripped of the pentathlon title.”

As to the rest of the results of the two events:

“With this decision, Thorpe’s name will now be displayed as the sole gold medallist in pentathlon and decathlon, with the silver going to Bie in the pentathlon and Wieslander in the decathlon. However, James Donahue, from the US, and Frank Lukeman, from Canada, will keep the silver and bronze medals in pentathlon that they were awarded when the results were amended in 1913. The same applies to Charles Lomberg (silver) and Gosta Holmer (bronze), both from Sweden, in the decathlon.”

● Cycling ● Australia’s Michael Matthews won his fourth career Tour de France stage on Saturday with an attack in the final 2 km of the hilly, 192.5 Stage 14 ride from Saint Etienne to Mende. He finished 15 seconds up on Alberto Bettiol (ITA) and 34 seconds ahead of Thibaut Pinot (FRA). There was a modest change in the overall leaderboard, with Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) continuing with a 2:22 lead over two-time defending champ Tadej Pogacar (SLO), but now 2:43 over 2018 winner Geraint Thomas (GBR).

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TSX REPORT: U.S., Felix score bronze on Mixed 4×4 to close World Athletics Champs opening day in Eugene

By
Rich Perelman
-
This is what a 9.79 win in a 100 m HEAT looks like for American Fred Kerley (Official Seiko Finish Photo)

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 2 ~ Friday, 15 July 2022

Just three finals on the first day of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, finishing with the Mixed 4×400 m and a 19th career Worlds medal for Allyson Felix, but it was bronze and not gold.

A formal, but quick Opening Ceremony was held at 4:50 p.m., with Oregon Governor Kate Brown welcoming the event, along with Douglas Imhoff, husband of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR). Plus a stirring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Duane Reno.

After the women’s 20 km Walk in the morning, the men’s 20 km Walk started at 3:13 p.m. on a 1 km course adjacent to Autzen Stadium, with the Mixed 4×400 m to end the program. Here’s what happened:

● Men/20 km Walk ● The race went off at 81 F temperatures, with Japan’s Toshikazu Yamanishi – the defending World Champion – leading from the start, but the walkers were bunched at 5 km, with 2019 Worlds bronze medalist Perseus Karlstrom (SWE) leading at 20:11. Yamanishi led a group of 20+ across the 10 km split in 40:34, then picked up the pace and strung out the field, with 10 in the lead pack by 12 km. By the 15 km mark. Yamanishi pulled Kenya’s Samuel Gathimba and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Koki Ikeda (JPN) to a three-second lead over the rest at 59:57.

Karlstrom pushed back and got to the lead before 16 km, bringing the lead pack down to four. But he fell back at 17 km as Yamanishi pushed the pace again, with Ikeda and Gathimba close. The two Japanese walked together and had a nine-second lead over Hathimba and Kallstrom at the bell, but Yamanishi then stormed away and opened an enormous lead right after 19 km, leaving the silver to Ikeda, and winning his second straight world title in 1:19:07 with a final km of 3:40! Ikeda was at 1:19:14 and Karlstrom – third in 2019 – passed Gathimba for third on the final turn, 1:19:18 to 1:19:25.

The temperature at the finish was 83 F. Yamanishi is the third to win multiple Worlds gold in this event after Maurizio Damiliano (ITA: 1987-91) and Jefferson Perez (ECU: 2003-05-07).

Nick Christie was the top American finisher in 31st in 1:28:28.

● Women/Shot Put qualifying ● Two-time World Champion and Tokyo Olympic winner Lijiao Gong (CHN) led the qualifying with a seasonal best of 19.51 m (64-0 1/4), with world leader Chase Ealey an automatic qualifier at 18.96 m (62-2 1/2). Americans Jessica Woodard (19.08 m/62-7 1/4) and Maggie Ewen (also 18.96 m) also scored auto qualifiers on their third tries.

Adelaide Aquilla of the U.S. got out to 18.33 m (60-1 3/4) on her final try, finishing 14th.

● Men/3,000 m Steeple heats ● Tokyo Olympic champ Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) took control in the final 300 m of the first heat to win in 8:16.65, with Kenyans Leonard Bett and Abraham Kibiwot passing Getnet Wale (ETH) on the final straight, 8:16.94-8:17.04-8:17.49. American Benard Keter passed on the final half-lap, was seventh in 8:21.94 and did not qualify.

Ethiopia’s Olympic silver winner Lamecha Girma led at the bell of the second heat and into the final straight and ran away to win in 8:19.64. Comebacking Rio 2016 gold medalist Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) moved from fourth to second in the final 50 m to edge American Hillary Bor, 8:20.12-8:20.18, with Mehdi Belhadj (FRA) fourth in 8:20.47.

The final water jump was decisive in the final heat, with Haile Amare of Ethiopia taking it cleanly and American star Evan Jager moving from third to second ahead of Olympic bronze medalist Ben Kigen (KEN), who was flailing in the deep end of the water and fell back. Amare won in 8:18.34 with Jager at 8:18.44 and Avinash Sable (IND) third in 8:18.75; Kigen was seventh in 8:22.52.

● Women/Pole Vault qualifying ● The auto qualifying height was 4.65 m (15-3), but the bar didn’t get past 4.50 m (14-9), as 11 cleared, including Olympic champ Kate Nageotte and World Indoor Champion Sandi Morris of the U.S. The third American vaulter, Gabriela Leon, cleared 4.35 m (14-3 1/4) and tied for 12th and made the final as well.

● Men/Long Jump qualifying ● Japan’s Yuki Hashioka was the first to get an auto-qualifier with his second-round leap of 8.18 m (26-10) and was joined by American Marquis Dendy at 8.16 m (26-9 1/4). Sweden’s Thobias Montler was third in Group A at 8.10 m (26-7). Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglu (GRE) led the second group at 8.03 m (26-4 1/4) and tied for fifth overall; American Steffin McCarter reached 7.93 m (26-0 1/4), finishing 11th and advancing to the final.

● Women/1,500 m heats ● The top six in each of three heats made it to the semis, plus the next six fastest on time. Ethiopia’s Hirut Meshesha and Britain’s Tokyo silver medalist Laura Muir led at the bell of heat one and controlled the race from the front. Five runners separated on the home straight, with Meshesha winning in 4:07.05, Muir second at 4:07.53 and American Sinclaire Johnson a clear fourth in 4:07.68.

Olympic champ Faith Kipyegon (KEN) had no trouble winning heat two, maintaining control of the race throughout and winning in 4:04.53. But behind her, it was a sprint down the final straight with Australian Jessica Hull crossing second (4:04.68), Freweyni Hailu (ETH: 4:04.85) third and American Elle St. Pierre fourth (4:04.94).

Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay – the 2019 Worlds bronze medalist – took charge of the third heat at the 800 m mark and cruised home in an impressive 4:02.67. Kenya’s Winny Chebet charged down the straight to get second in 4:03.12, with Linden Hall (AUS: 4:03.21) third. American Cory McGee got the last auto qualifier in sixth (4:03.61).

● Men/100 m heats ● Seven heats, with the top three moving through, plus the next three fastest on time. American Marvin Bracy looked easy in winning heat one in 10.05. But Fred Kerley breezed to the win in heat two, winning in 9.79 (wind: +0.1), the no. 3 performance of 2022 … all of which are his! His last four races have been wins in 9.83, 9.76, 9.77 and 9.79. Wow!

Trayvon Bromell easily won heat three, moving away at the finish in 9.89 (+0.6), then Jamaica’s Oblique Seville won heat four in 9.93, ahead of a comebacking Lamont Marcell Jacobs (ITA: 10.04). Letsile Tebogo (BOT) won heat five over 2011 World Champion Yohan Blake (JAM) in a World U-20 Record of 9.94 to 10.04.

Defending World Champion Christian Coleman of the U.S. exploded out of the blocks and shut it down with 10 m to go and won in 10.08 (+0.5), and Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala – who barely got to Eugene after a visa hassle – made it through the final heat, third in 10.10, with Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown winning in 9.98.

● Men/Shot Put qualifying ● Olympic champ and world-record holder Ryan Crouser of the U.S. qualified easily with his opening throw of 22.28 m (73-1 3/4) and teammate Josh Awotunde threw 21.18 m (69-6), close enough to the auto-qualifying distance of 21.20 m (69-6 3/4) to assure getting to the final. In Group B, defending champion Joe Kovacs of the U.S. got his auto-qualifier in the first round at 21.50 m (70-6 1/2), as did former American Nick Ponzio (ITA: 21.35 m/70-0 1/2).

The fourth American, Adrian Piperi, got to 21.03 m (69-0) and also advanced in eighth, so all four Americans will be in the final.

● Mixed/4×400 m ● The U.S. led the qualifying by almost a second at 3:11.75, the no. 9 performance of all time and added Felix on the second leg for the final.

Elija Godwin got the U.S. off to a strong start, handing to Felix with the lead and Felix moved out smartly to a big lead on the backstraight. But Dominican Olympic 400 m silver medalist Marileidy Paulino finished like a rocket and essentially ran Felix (50.1) down on the home straight.

Alexander Ogando had the lead for the Dominicans on the third leg, but was passed by American Vernon Norwood on the home straight and Kennedy Simon had the lead on the final lap. She looked strong through 200 m, but was losing the lead to Dominican anchor Fiordaliza Cofil on the turn and faded to third as Dutch 400 hurdles star Femke Bol got the silver, 3:09.82-3:09.90-3:10.16.

It’s the no. 2 time in history for the Dominicans and no. 4 for the Netherlands. For Felix, she extends her record total of World Championships medals to 19 (13-3-3) in what was likely her final race in a major championships.

The crowd at Hayward Field was disappointing, with plenty of open seats; a full house is expected for the evening sessions for the rest of the week.

The meet is being televised in the U.S. by NBCUniversal, mostly on USA Network, but also on NBC and CNBC on the weekends and on the Peacock streaming service.

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TSX REPORT: Peru’s Garcia Leon upsets China in women’s 20 km Walk for opening gold in World Athletics Champs in Eugene

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Session 1 ~ Friday, 15 July 2022

The first World Athletics Championships to be held in the United States opened at 9:06 a.m. Pacific time on Friday in front of a few hundred fans at the new Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Canada’s Adam Keenan was the first competitor, in the men’s hammer qualifying, reaching 74.38 m (244-0), but he did not qualify for the final. Poland’s Olympic champ Wojciech Nowicki reached the automatic qualifying distance on his first try of 79.22 m (259-11) and American Daniel Haugh led the first group at 79.34 m (260-4).

We’re underway.

The “opening ceremony” appeared to be a 10-minute march of 200 school children around the track at 10 a.m., waving flags of the 192 participating countries.

In the first session:

● Men/Hammer qualifying: Four-time World Champion Pawel Fajdek led all qualifiers at 80.09 m (262-9), ahead of Haugh and Nowcki. Americans Rudy Winkler qualified fifth at 78.61 m (257-11) and Alex Young was the final qualifier at 74.67 m (244-11).

● Men/High Jump qualifying: Eleven jumpers cleared 2.28 m (7-5 3/4), including Olympic co-champs Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA) and Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT). Americans JuVaughn Harrison and Shelby McEwen both qualified, as did Korea’s Sanghyeok Woo, who – with McEwen – have the best seasonal best in the field at 2.33 m (7-7 3/4).

● Mixed/4×400 m heats: The U.S. team of Elija Godwin (44.89), Kennedy Simon (50.64), Vernon Norwood (44.74) and Wadeline Jonathas (51.48) won heat one with a world-leading 3:11.75, easily ahead of the Dutch (3:12.63) and Poland (3:13.70). The Dominican Republic won heat two in 3:13.22, beating Ireland (3:13.88) and Jamaica (3:13.95). The U.S. is the defending champ from the 2019 Worlds, but was third to Poland in Tokyo in 2021.

● Men/100 m prelims: The “run-in” races were led by Emanuel Archibald (GUY) at 10.31, ahead of Ebrahima Camara (GAM: 10.37).

● Women/Hammer qualifying: American Janee Kassanavoid led the first group with an auto qualifier of 74.46 m (244-3), and teammate Brooke Andersen – the world leader – also got the automatic qualifier at 74.37 m (244-0) to lead the second group. They were 1-2 overall, with fellow American Annette Echikunwoke qualifying fifth at 72.60 m (238-2).

● Women/20 km Walk: The first final of Oregon22 started in 80 F temps, with China’s London 2012 gold medalist Shijie Qieyang and Peru’s Kimberly Garcia Leon sprinting to the lead and dumping the field after 3 km, forging an 11-second lead after 4 km and 14 seconds after 5 km (21:42) on the 1 km loop outside of Oregon’s Autzen Stadium. The pair passed 10 km in 43:41 with a 20-second edge on the field, walking about 4:22 per kilometer. Poland’s Katarzyna Zdzieblo, 10th in Tokyo, was all alone in third, with a 36-second lead by 12 km.

At 14 km, Garcia Leon moved ahead and had a two-second edge at 15 km, but then six at 16 km and 18 at 17 km, with Zdzieblo passing a slowing Qieyang at the 17.5 km mark. Garcia Leon won easily in a national record 1:26:58, followed by Zdzieblo, also in a national mark of 1:27:31. Qieyang won the bronze in 1:27:56, her third career Worlds medal (0-1-2). Americans Robyn Stevens finished 24th (1:36:16) and Miranda Melville was 35th (1:39:58).

Garcia Leon – whose best finish was a third at the 2022 World Team Championships – won Peru’s first-ever medal at the World Championships and stopped a five-Worlds winning streak for the Chinese. She also won $70,000 for the victory.

The men’s 20 km Walk follows at 3:10 p.m.

More visa issues, as Britain’s Curtis Thompson “will not compete in the World Athletics Championships men’s marathon this weekend after significant delays in the processing of his US visa.

“UKA had been in close liaison with World Athletics and enlisted help of the UK Government to solve a last minute hold up, however, due to the close proximity to the marathon on Sunday 17 July, Thompson is now unable to travel and compete.”

The BBC reported:

“The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), Oregon22 organisers and World Athletics have dealt with 374 cases, with 255 resolved and 20 refused [99 unresolved].

“In some cases, athletes have had delays in getting interviews, or applications have either been late or contained incorrect information.”

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Basketball ● Two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner appeared in a Moscow court again on Thursday and Friday, but with no verdict announced in her trial for “drug smuggling.”

Griner has pled guilty with hopes to obtain a reduced sentence. During Thursday’s hearing, she was praised by members of her Russian club, UMMC Ekaterinburg. Griner’s attorneys expect the proceedings to continue into August; she has been detained since mid-February. U.S. authorities consider Griner to be unlawfully detained.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● The International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation elected Italian Ivo Ferriani, 62, for a fourth term as President, which he says will be his last. He ran unopposed. Also:

“The delegates of the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton (IBSF) 2022 Congress in Lausanne (SUI) have voted to suspend all athletes of the Bobsleigh Federation of Russia (BFR) or otherwise affiliated to the BFR from participating in IBSF bobsleigh or skeleton competitions until further notice.”

The Congress also made a change that multiple federations are adopting, allowing its Executive Board to take “protective measures” in case of unforeseen events, allowing the suspension of “federations or persons for the necessary time or cancelling/relocating events.”

● Cycling ● Stage 12 of the Tour de France, on a hilly, 192.6 km route ending in Saint-Etienne, saw a final sprint won by Dane Mads Pedersen from Fred Wright (GBR) and Hugo Houle (CAN) in 4:13:03. American Matteo Jorgenson was fifth (+0:30). The overall leader finished in a pack, 5:45 behind; Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) continues to lead two-time defending champ Tadej Pogacar (SLO) by 2:22 and Geraint Thomas (GBR) by 2:26.

● Football ● Six appeals made by Russian football clubs against decisions by FIFA and UEFA which suspended the clubs indefinitely were rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Football Union of Russia and clubs FC Zenit, FC Sochi, PFC CSKA Moscow and FC Dynamo Moscow appealed and lost:

“[T]he Panel determined that the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the public and government responses worldwide, created unforeseen and unprecedented circumstances to which FIFA and UEFA had to respond. In determining that Russian teams and clubs should not participate in competitions under their aegis while such circumstances persisted, the Panel held that both parties acted within the scope of the discretion granted to them under their respective statutes and regulations. …

“The Panel finds it unfortunate that the current military operations in Ukraine, for which Russian football teams, clubs, and players have themselves no responsibility, had, by reason of the decisions of FIFA and UEFA, such an adverse effect on them and Russian football generally, but those effects were, in the Panel’s view, offset by the need for the secure and orderly conduct of football events for the rest of the world.”

● Skating ● The International Skating Union announced the figure skating Grand Prix schedule – at least most of it – for 2022 on Thursday, with four events set in the U.S., Canada, France and Japan, plus the final in Italy. However, the stops in Russian and China will have to be replaced, with the ban on Russian events and China withdrawing in view of continuing Covid uncertainties. One of the events has been replaced and will be held in Espoo (FIN), with one still to be determined.

The schedule will open, as usual, in the U.S. with Skate America, to be held in Norwood, Massachusetts on 21-23 October, followed by Skate Canada International on 28-30 October in Mississauga, Ontario.

● Weightlifting ● The newly-elected International Weightlifting Federation Executive Board met for the first time on Thursday, in Lausanne (SUI). Despite reports of legal challenges to the elections, the Board considered actions to try and retrieve its place on the Los Angeles 2028 program:

“[C]oncrete steps were agreed including commissioning the International Testing Agency (ITA) to increase the number of out-of-competitions tests. Additionally, an international auditing firm will now be appointed to perform a detailed financial, governance and operational due diligence of the IWF covering the past ten years.”

This is yet another report on the IWF’s sordid past, adding to the 2020 report by McLaren Global Sport Solutions and the ITA’s 2021 report of doping issues from 2009-19. Whether this will help satisfy the International Olympic Committee’s concerns is open to question.

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TSX REPORT: Eugene World T&F Champs open today; Thorpe declared sole 1912 winner!; U.S. women vs. Canada in CONCACAF W final

By
Rich Perelman
-
Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Stockholm Games, where he won (then and now) the pentathlon and decathlon (Photo Agence Rol - Gallica, via Wikipedia)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. World Athletics Champs open Friday, plagued by visa issues
2. IOC recognizes Thorpe as sole winner of 1912 multi-events
3. British Olympic stars pan pre-Paris 2024 FINA Worlds
4. Paralympic control ceded to IFs for biathlon and skiing
5. U.S. women top Costa Rica, 3-0, on to CONCACAF W final

The long-awaited first World Athletics Championships in the United States starts today in Eugene, Oregon, amid controversy over visa issues to enter the U.S. and in the smallest venue to ever host the Worlds, the new Hayward Field. But the competition is expected to be great. The International Olympic Committee has, after 110 years, recognized American icon Jim Thorpe as the “winner” – and not co-champ – of the 1912 Olympic pentathlon and decathlon. Three of Britain’s swimming stars are criticizing the dates of the just-announced 2024 FINA Worlds just months before the Paris Games and may not compete. In a sign of the continuing evolution of Paralympic sport, biathlon and skiing are now under the control of the IBU and FIS and no longer managed by the International Paralympic Committee. And the U.S. and Canada will face off next Monday for the CONCACAF W Championship and a berth in the Paris 2024 Games.

1.
World Athletics Champs open Friday, plagued by visa issues

“The Oregon22 organising committee and World Athletics are working closely with the USOPC to follow up on Visa applications, the majority of which have been successfully resolved.

“We continue to follow up with those outstanding visa issues.

“International travel in general has become more challenging due to the pandemic and we are extremely grateful for the help and experience of the USOPC in helping to resolve issues that have come up in the last few weeks.”

That’s the statement coming from the Oregon22 organizers of the first-ever World Athletics Championships in the United States after waves of stories and tweets on Tuesday and Wednesday by athletes unable to obtain entry visas in time to compete.

Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, no. 3 on the men’s world 100 m list for 2022, finally got his travel permit on Thursday and will be traveling overnight to Eugene, where the heats of the men’s 100 m begin at 6:50 p.m. Pacific time; he’s expected to arrive just a few hours prior. No heat sheets were posted for the men’s 100 m by 10 p.m. Pacific time Thursday; watch for Omanyala to somehow be in a later race.

And the complaints have started about the athlete housing at the University of Oregon. Belgian 400 m star Kevin Borlee, who ran for Florida State and is competing in his sixth Worlds, told RTBF Belgium:

“Frankly, it’s disrespectful and unworthy of an event like this, world championships that are still aimed at top athletes. All year round, we make efforts to take care of recovery, sleep, these important little things that make the difference in the life of an athlete. And there, we land in the United States, we expect everything is big and on top and we find ourselves in a tiny room with really uncomfortable mattresses. Fortunately, we are all housed in the same boat, except the team from the United States who live elsewhere.”

All the noise takes away from the action on and inside the track, which is expected to be sensational:

● The weather is expected to be good but warm: 84 F high for Friday and only one day projected at 90 F, on Tuesday; otherwise, highs of 81-87 F and very little chance of rain. Wind could be an issue, projected at 8-10 miles per hour (3.6 to 4.5 m/s).

● NBC has strong coverage on its Peacock streaming service and weekday coverage on USA Network and weekend broadcasts on CNBC and NBC.

● Track & Field News has posted its formcharts for men and women, projecting 33 total medals for the U.S. and 14 wins, which would be far more than any other country. The all-time medals record is 31 by the doped-up East German team in 1987, followed by 30 for the U.S. in London in 2017.

The award of the Worlds to be U.S. and to the smallest facility it has ever been held in – the rebuilt Hayward Field in Eugene – was based on the belief that it would be a catalyst for the sport in the United States, but that is yet to be seen. What is true is that you will see a lot of carping in the press about the conditions, but brilliance on the field.

(Long-time British journalist Pat Butcher has already complained, “Doha [2019] was bad enough, ridiculously high temperatures and pathetically low crowds; following that with Eugene, aka Nowheresville, Oregon is compounding a felony, and is a further measure of the decline in interest and importance of Track & Field Athletics, whose heyday is getting increasingly distant.”)

The Sports Examiner will post session-by-session coverage of the Worlds; sign up here to receive our reports by e-mail shortly after each session concludes.

2.
IOC recognizes Thorpe as sole winner of 1912 multi-events

Completing a process which took 110 years, the International Olympic Committee has declared American Jim Thorpe as the formal winner – again – of the 1912 Olympic decathlon and pentathlon in Stockholm.

Thorpe won both events and was saluted as the “greatest athlete in the world,” but was disqualified in 1913 by the Amateur Athletic Union of the U.S. and the IOC for having played minor league baseball in 1909 and 1910, making him a professional athlete. Thorpe passed in 1953, but his family continued the effort to have him reinstated. The IOC, under Juan Antonio Samaranch, reinstated Thorpe in January 1983 and his family was presented with replica medals at a colorful ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

However, he was only declared a “co-champion” with Ferdinand Reinhardt Bie (NOR) in the pentathlon and Hugo Weislander (SWE) in the decathlon. The IOC’s new decision, first reported by the Phoenix-based IndianCountryToday.com, now shows Thorpe as the winner in both events, with Bie and Weislander as the silver medalists, as they were in 1912.

ESPN quoted IOC President Thomas Bach (GER): “This is a most exceptional and unique situation. It is addressed by an extraordinary gesture of fair play from the concerned National Olympic Committees.”

Thorpe, a Sac and Fox, was one of the greatest athletes in history. He was a legendary All-American college football player at Carlisle Academy and went on to careers in the National Football League (a 1923 All-Pro) and in Major League Baseball from 1913-19. He was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame.

3.
British Olympic stars pan pre-Paris 2024 FINA Worlds

“I ain’t going.”

“It’ll be interesting to see what athletes thought having a World Championships after 3 years in a row of them that it would be a good idea with the Olympics that year too. January just isn’t the right time [in my opinion].”

“I’d love to which (if any) athletes were asked about this decision: July 2023 Worlds … 6 months later … Jan 2024 Worlds and then July 2024 Olympics. A totally bizarre decision and one I hope gets reconsidered! Surely just move it to 2025?”

Those were the reactions of British Olympic swimming medalists (1) James Guy (two relay golds), (2) Adam Peaty (100 m Breaststroke gold) and (3) Duncan Scott (200 m Free, 200 m Medley silvers) to the FINA announcement that a 2024 World Championships would be held in Doha (QAT) from 2-18 February, six months ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Due to chaos caused by the Covid pandemic, the regular cycle of FINA Worlds for 2019-21-23-25 has been completely disrupted, with Worlds in 2022 (Budapest as a replacement), Fukuoka (2023), now Doha in early 2024 and, supposedly, Kazan (RUS) in 2025, although with the war in Ukraine, the latter event is in doubt.

The tug-of-war over athlete schedules and preferences will continue, with wide reporting of a FINA plan to qualify relay teams for Paris via the Doha Worlds except for the top three placers in the relays at the 2023 Worlds in Fukuoka. In contrast, for Tokyo, the 12 top teams from the 2019 Worlds qualified and the next-fastest four countries also qualified on time.

Swimming is a sport which has traditionally not raced that much, although the experience of the International Swimming League has changed some attitudes. But when it comes to training for the Olympic Games, nothing – not even World Championships – has stood in the way. And what of the ISL is able to re-start its program in 2023, which runs in the late fall and into January?

4.
Paralympic control ceded to IFs for biathlon and skiing

Demonstrating the continuing integration of Paralympic sport, governance of four of the 10 sports now managed by the International Paralympic Committee have been handed over to the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS).

This is a sea-change for the IBU and FIS, which will oversee Para Biathlon (IBU and FIS jointly) and Para Alpine Skiing, Para-Cross Country Skiing and Para Snowboard (FIS), with transition meetings now underway. The FIS Congress approved the move with 94% in favor at its May Congress.

A 2019 governance report, agreed to by the IPC’s General Assembly, determined that the sports currently under IPC control – Alpine Skiing, Athletics, Biathlon, Cross Country Skiing, Dance Sport, Ice Hockey, Powerlifting, Shooting, Snowboard and Swimming – should be either handed over to the International Federation for the able-bodied section of the sport, or a separate governing body should be created. Said IPC President Andrew Parsons (BRA):

“At the 2021 IPC General Assembly, IPC members provided a strong mandate for the IPC to cease acting as the international federation for 10 sports by the end of 2026. Para alpine skiing, Para cross-country and Para snowboard will be the first sports to depart the IPC, alongside Para biathlon, while good progress is being made on the remaining six.”

The remaining six include the summer Olympic sports of Athletics, Shooting and Swimming, the winter sport of Ice Hockey, and Powerlifting and Dance Sport.

5.
U.S. women top Costa Rica, 3-0, on to CONCACAF W final

It was a struggle early in 95 F heat in San Nicolas de la Garza (MEX), but the U.S. Women’s National Team struck twice in the first half and stopped Costa Rica, 3-0, in the first semifinal of the CONCACAF W Championship.

Although the Americans had the best of the play in the first half, and almost completely controlled the last 25 minutes, it was 0-0 after multiple missed chances for most of the half. But the ball possession and the pressure paid off; after a corner in the 34th minute, an Andi Sullivan shot was blocked, rolled on the ground and was popped into the goal by Emily Sonnett for a 1-0 lead and Sonnett’s first international goal.

The U.S. continued looking for chances and in the third minute of stoppage time, a brilliant backheel pass by Rose Lavelle in the box found Mallory Pugh for a left-footed score for a 2-0 halftime lead. The Americans had 61% of the possession – it looked like more – and a 8-0 edge in shots.

The second half was more U.S. offense, but better Costa Rican defense and offense (thanks to subbing in some of its better players) that actually made U.S. keeper Casey Murphy handle the ball a couple of times under pressure. The U.S. had some chances, but didn’t score until 90+4 when a Kristie Mewis lead pass was brought down by Alex Morgan, who couldn’t get a shot, but Ashley Sanchez was in position for a right-footed laser for the 3-0 final. The Americans ended with 64% possession and a 15-2 final total on shots.

In the second semi, Canada outclassed Jamaica, 3-0, on goals by Jessie Fleming (18th minute), Allysha Chapman (64th) and Adriana Leon in the 76th.

That brings up a rematch of Canada’s iconic 1-0 win over U.S. in the Tokyo Olympic semifinals on a Fleming penalty in the 75th minute, on the way to the gold medal in 2021; the U.S. took the bronze.

The medal matches will come on Monday (18th) in Guadalupe, with the winner qualifying for the Paris 2024 Games and the runner-up and third-place team playing at a later date for the second Olympic berth from CONCACAF.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● World Games 2022: Birmingham ● The 11th World Games is heading toward the close this weekend in Birmingham, Alabama, with champions crowned in several sports that have featured as standard or “added” events at the Tokyo Games.

The U.S. women won the Softball title, defeating Japan, 3-2, in the final, with two-time Olympic silver winner Monica Abbott, 36, getting the win, and Veddriq Leonardo (INA) and American Emma Hunt winning the Sport Climbing Speed titles.

In Rhythmic Gymnastics, individual events were featured – only the All-Around is an Olympic event – with Daria Atamanov of Israel winning Ball and Ribbon. Bulgaria’s Boryana Kaleyn won on Hoop and Italy’s Sofia Raffaeli won on Clubs.

With 143 of 223 events complete, Italy leads all medal-winners with 42 (10-20-12), followed by Ukraine (32: 9-9-14) and Germany (30: 18-2-10). The U.S. is seventh with 21 (8-9-4).

Still to come are the much-anticipated Flying Disc Mixed Ultimate tournament, and the three divisions of Tug of War, at one time an Olympic event itself.

A highlight was the debut of Flag Football in the World Games as an invitational sport, under the direction of the International Federation of American Football, supported by the National Football League. The U.S. won the men’s final, played with five-a-side teams, by 46-36 over Italy, while Mexico won the women’s gold over the U.S., 39-6.

The IFAF announced a “Vision28″ program to lobby for inclusion as an added sport at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games; the pitch:

“Flag football is a short, non-contact format of American football, which is the United States’ most popular sport. Flag is played by teams of five and prioritizes speed, creativity and athleticism – qualities that align with modern sports consumption habits and are popular with Gen Z audiences. It is also adaptable to a wide range of venues – stadiums, indoor arenas and temporary urban sports parks – making it a flexible and low-cost proposition for multi-sport event organizers.”

The IFAF claims active federations in 72 countries, and promotes flag football as an effective way to extend the game to women without the violence of the 11×11 tackle format.

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● A follow-up to Tuesday’s story on the finances of the USOPC, that even with $898.6 million in total assets, it isn’t enough.

The USA Deaf Sports Foundation announced Tuesday that Boston-area designer Jeff Mansfield, a three-time Deaflympian in ice hockey, was elected as the organization’s new president. He had previously served two terms on the USADSF Board and been the liaison with the USOPC.

Mansfield left no doubt of one of his top priorities:

“Deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes deserve more. Today, we are seeing widening disparities between the Olympics and Paralympics on one side and Deaflympics on the other. The time to build a broad movement to invest in Deaf sports is now. Such a movement is necessary to champion the rights, justice, and dignity of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people everywhere.”

No matter how much money the USOPC apparently has, it’s not enough. Not even close.

● Athletics I ● There was lots of talk about taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa and especially Nairobi in Kenya, but the lure of a celebration in front of a full house in Tokyo’s new, 68,000-seat National Stadium was too much to pass up as Tokyo was awarded the 2025 Worlds by the World Athletics Council on Thursday. Per the announcement:

“The other candidates for the event were Nairobi, Silesia [POL] and Singapore, all of which were deemed strong enough and experienced enough to host the event. Tokyo scored the highest of the four candidates in the bid evaluation across the four focused areas: the potential for a powerful narrative; revenue generating opportunities for World Athletics; a destination that will enhance the international profile of the sport; and appropriate climate.”

It will be the second time in Tokyo after the 1991 Worlds, immortalized by the men’s long jump final in which American Mike Powell set a world record of 8.95 m (29-4 1/2) to edge countryman Carl Lewis (8.91 mw/29-2 3/4w), with Lewis winning the men’s 100 m in a world record of 9.86.

The U.S. was also recognized with another Worlds award, this time for cross country. The 2024 cross-country Worlds will be in Medulin and Pula in Croatia and the 2026 Worlds in Tallahassee, Florida. It will be the first cross country Worlds in the U.S. since Boston hosted in 1992.

● Athletics II ● World Athletics confirmed that a total prize purse of $8.498 million will be available for the 2022 Worlds in Eugene, with a $100,000 world-record bonus sponsored by TDK and World Athletics.

The prizes for each event have been upgraded thanks to the use of $2 million in fines paid by the Russian Athletics Federation for anti-doping violations. The top eight finishers will receive $70,000-35,000-22,000-16,000-11,000-7,000-6,000-5,000, with $80,000-40,000-20,000-16,000-12,000-8,000-6.,000-4,000 for relays.

Another award to be decided at the Worlds – as has been the case since 2003 in Paris – will be from the International Fair Play Committee. Its award for an action or moment which epitomizes fair play will be chosen from a list of five nominated by an eight-member jury. Fans will be able to vote for their favorite on World Athletics social media channels in the week following the Worlds to help determine the winner.

● Cycling ● Only a minor change at the top of the 109th Tour de France from Thursday’s 12th stage, a misery-inducing, 165.1 km, triple climb with an uphill finish to the Alpe d’Huez. Five riders ascended the Alpe d’Huez with six minutes on the rest of the peloton, then Britain’s Tom Pidcock moved away with 10 km remaining – all uphill – and won the stage by 48 seconds over Louis Meintjes (RSA), 2:06 over four-time Tour winner Chris Froome (GBR) and 2:29 ahead of American Neilson Powless.

Leader Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) stuck like glue to two-time defending champ Tadej Pogacar (SLO) and they finished 6-5, with Geraint Thomas (GBR) seventh. After 12 stages, Vingegaard still leads by 2:22 over Pogacar, 2:26 over Thomas and 2:35 over Romain Bardet (FRA), who fell from second to fourth. The next three stages are hilly, but challenging, through Sunday.

The 2022 Tour de France has made only a modest impression on the U.S. TV audience, with last week’s stages topping out at 411,000 viewers last Saturday and averaging 350,000 viewers across six shows on USA Network from Tuesday through Sunday (5th-10th).

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