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LANE ONE: Hey, ESPN (and others), could you educate yourselves on the Olympic world before you talk about it?

By
Rich Perelman
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John Banner as Sgt. Schultz in the 1960s sitcom classic "Hogan's Heroes"

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One of the genres in which ESPN has been unsurpassed is the sports talk show. Whether in the morning, mid-day or late afternoon, you can find all kinds of people talking in depth about all kinds of sports.

Except Olympic sports, of course.

This was demonstrated once more on Wednesday (7th) during ESPN’s popular “Pardon the Interruption” show, as former Washington Post reporters Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon moved from subjects they know well – the NBA and golf – to why Sha’Carri Richardson was left off the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team.

After Wilbon started the show by noting that this was “National Tell the Truth Week,” the two descended into a discussion about Richardson, her suspension for marijuana during the U.S. Olympic Trials and why USA Track & Field didn’t name her to the Olympic team for the women’s 4×100 m relay.

Asked by Kornheiser if USATF made a mistake, Wilbon did tell the truth:

“Tony, I don’t know.”

But it got worse from there. Both criticized the World Anti-Doping Code rule about marijuana – which continues to be widely debated – then Wilbon went into dreamland:

“We know the rule, should the rule still be there – no – because the country has spoken, and continues to speak about this, state by state, saying ‘we’re not having this any more, it’s not going to be illegal.’ And so once the United States of America, state by state, says this, then you know, [U.S. Anti-Doping Agency] and [World Anti-Doping Agency] and all these agencies and they need to get with the program.”

What? The U.S. does not speak with one voice on marijuana: it is illegal at the Federal level across the country and is allowed for recreational use without penalty in just 18 states out of 50 (13 other states have decriminalized it, so you would get a fine, but no jail time).

In Japan, where the Olympic Games will be held, marijuana is illegal and punishable by prison terms of up to five years. So WADA is supposed to get with whose program?

Kornheiser commended Richardson for taking responsibility for the violation, but then doubled down on misinformation, making this astounding legal observation:

“My problem overall is that it is a rule and it is not the law. OK, the law – as you point out – varies from state to state, including the state in which she consumed marijuana, Oregon, where it is legal for her to do it. But she cannot seek redress from the courts because it’s not a law. It’s a rule, there’s no due process that she can ask for.”

Maybe Kornheiser should be drug tested. For someone who has been a decorated journalist for a lifetime, Kornheiser simply ignored the widely-available facts about the worldwide anti-doping program:

● The rules under which Richardson was penalized are law. The U.S. Congress specifically said so in 2006 at 21 U.S. Code §2001 titled “Designation of the United States Anti-Doping Agency” and which states that USADA shall:

“serve as the independent anti-doping organization for the amateur athletic competitions recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and be recognized worldwide as the independent national anti-doping organization for the United States” and

“ensure that athletes participating in amateur athletic activities recognized by the United States Olympic Committee are prevented from using performance-enhancing drugs or prohibited performance-enhancing methods adopted by the Agency”

As USADA is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, it is bound to uphold its rules, with the force of law.

● State laws have nothing to do with competitions in Olympic sports, organized by a U.S. National Governing Body, as the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials were. It doesn’t matter if the Trials were in Oregon or Oklahoma.

● Richardson had clear due process options, including an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which hears such cases routinely. But she accepted a one-month suspension – the third handed out this year by USADA for marijuana – because (1) there was no chance of her being exonerated and (2) there are five Wanda Diamond League meets coming up in August and September at which she could earn up to $10,000 for winning an event, starting with a return to Eugene on 21 August, where the women’s 100 m is a featured event.

Is the “PTI” show so bereft of resources that it has no one it can contact for information about Olympic sports when the need arises? ESPN’s talented Olympic writer for 13 years, Bonnie D. Ford, left last December and – so far as can be observed – has not been replaced.

Despite ESPN’s disinterest, there are people in the U.S. who know something about the Olympic Movement. ESPN is not the only media outlet which has made these mistakes, but it does stick out.

Kornheiser was partly right when he said of Richardson, “She’s a star. You know it the moment you see her, she’s a star, and this is a television show.”

Richardson is a star and on the rise. But saying that the Olympics is a television show ignores a few other facts:

(1) In television, people get paid for appearing as performers. That doesn’t happen with the U.S. Olympic Team. There are bonuses for medals, but no money for just making the team.

(2) Don’t tell English Gardner and Aleia Hobbs, who made the team as “relay pool” athletes, to run in the prelims or in case of injuries, that it’s just a TV show. It isn’t for them. Gardner ripped her anterior cruciate ligament in 2017 and was out 13 months, then tore a hamstring at the 2019 Worlds in Doha and three months ago, went through a brutal battle with Covid-19. Should she give up her spot?

Hobbs was thrown out for a false start in the 100 m heats, collapsed in tears, but protested that she made no aiding movement and was reinstated for the final! She’s no. 9 on the world list for 2021 at 10.91.

Making the Olympic team is a zero-sum game, but for some it’s just a TV show. And for them, it’s no wonder that rules, laws, international anti-doping efforts and a strategic view of future fame and fortune make no difference.

Speaking of TV shows, one of the endearing characters in the 1960s sitcom Hogan’s Heroes was the bumbling guard Sgt. Schultz, played by John Banner. In the face of obvious espionage activity by Hogan and his crew, Schultz’s standard reaction was “I see nothing! I hear nothing! I know nothing!”

Banner has long passed, but perhaps Schultz could make a comeback? As a sports TV talk show host?

Rich Perelman
Editor

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THE BIG PICTURE: Japan extends state of emergency to 22 August, so Tokyo Games will be mostly without spectators

By
Rich Perelman
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Will there be any fans at Tokyo 2020's Olympic Stadium for the Games? NOPE. (Photo: Tokyo 2020)

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“In response to the state of emergency, stricter measures with regard to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 have also been decided by the three Japanese parties. No spectators will be allowed into any venues in Tokyo during the Olympic Games.

“Under this policy, in areas where emergency measures are not in force, local government authorities will meet and decide specific measures in consultation with the local governors based on the situation in each area.”

The first Olympic Games to be postponed will likely be the first Olympic Games with few or no spectators.

A five-party meeting of the Japanese national government, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo 2020 organizing committee and the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee held this morning (Thursday) noted that the new declaration of a state of emergency in the Tokyo area through 22 August makes having spectators at venues in the Tokyo area impractical. A short, joint statement was issued, but there will be more details to come.

Japan’s Kyodo News Service reported that 920 Covid-19 infections in the Tokyo prefecture were recorded on Wednesday and another 896 on Thursday, continuing a high level that has worried the government. So:

“In addition to Tokyo, the Olympics will be held behind closed doors at venues in Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama, three prefectures near Tokyo, Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa said at a press conference. Some other venues of the Olympics are located outside the metropolitan area.”

Said Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto:

“It is extremely regrettable that the games will be staged in a very limited manner in the face of the spread of novel coronavirus infections. I am very sorry for ticket holders and local residents who were looking forward to the games.”

A decision on whether to allow spectators for the Paralympic Games will be made after the Olympics conclude on 8 August.

The government action also impacts many other elements of life in the Tokyo area:

“Major commercial facilities including department stores will also be asked to close by 8 p.m. Attendance at large events such as sports games and concerts will be capped at 5,000 people or 50 percent of the venue’s capacity, whichever is fewer.”

Observed: That the Tokyo Games have become a political issue rather than strictly a medical one is demonstrated by allowing up to 5,000 spectators at sporting events such as Nippon Professional Baseball games or J-League football matches, but banning all Olympic spectators in the prefectures in and around Tokyo.

The worriers won the day and the Games will go on without spectators other than possibly at some outlying venues. Japan’s infection rate is low compared with other countries, but too high for a country which prides itself on being well organized.

These will be issues to be resolved in the national elections coming in the fall in Japan. But for the athletes coming to Japan to compete, the experience will be difficult. Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov told TASS:

“Our vanguard is already there and has informed us about the strict measures regarding personal movement. Almost all of the safety measures are already in place and all surveillance cameras are operating.

“Any person leaving the territory of the so-called ‘bubble’ is immediately approached by a special service staff requesting that he or she return back to the original premises. I want to call on everyone and all athletes to follow all of the previously issued directives.”

Or else.

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MILLER TIME: As the Olympic Family gathers in Tokyo, will unity yield to protests?

By
David Miller
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The U.S. team at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony in PyeongChang. (Photo: Jon Gaede)

/It’s a pleasure to present this guest column by one of the most knowledgeable observers of the Olympic Movement, Britain’s David Miller. For more than 50 years, the former English footballer has covered the Olympic Games and the sports within it, including 15 years as the Chief Sports Correspondent of The Times of London, with stints at the Daily Express and the Daily Telegraph. Author of books on athletics, football and the Olympics, he was Official Historian of the IOC from 1997-2018. His opinions are, of course, his own alone./

With the International Olympic Committee inexorably negotiated into a partial concession – acceptance of athletes’ protest by “expression” – it must be hoped that Tokyo’s reluctantly re-scheduled Olympic Games do not become a circus cavalcade of demonstrations, whether vocal, physical, banners or flags, ominously likely to be led by rampant elements in USA.

Admittedly, there is little political or social innocence throughout the world today, even beyond the new, four-century headline-hugging “introspection” now being promoted by campaigners in America. Yet there are twenty or more nations, from China, Hong Kong and Russia, to much of Africa and South and Central America where thousands of lives are daily in jeopardy. In Britain, the fifty-year-old “Windrush” scandal – the immigrant West Indies boat bringing post-war Caribbeans to bolster UK labour recovery, many of whom despite decades of contribution, now deemed illegal residents.

However, the IOC is remaining loyal to the ancient sacrosanct Greek idealism of the Olympic Games: an integrated festival of peaceful sport, at which, in the modern context, ninety percent of the 10,000 participants have no prospect of a medal but the humanitarian ambition of integrating with all other creeds, races and philosophies. The Games, distinct from all other sport, must never be allowed to become an ad-hoc social courtroom.

And tell me: do marriage couples ever contemplate momentarily corrupting their wedding ceremony to confront family and guests with raised glove fists, banners and slogans? The Olympic Games are likewise a celebration of joyous unity: cause for legitimate domestic or international protest at the Games should be conducted in conventional manner, scheduled conferences within the appointed city, yet in no manner directly associated with the sporting arena, where all are mutually respectful.

Most Olympians should recognise that, while talent has lifted them to an elite status, their passage has usually been dependent on extensive taxpayer public funding: a precious bonus unavailable to, say, the average worker daily grinding by public transport to anonymous, repetitive yet responsible duty. Olympic athletes are simultaneously admired yet beneficiaries.

In Tokyo, maybe some women hammer-throwers will have pink hair in solidarity with gender equality or gay rights, or springboard divers will take the knee on the platform – if they all feel they must. Yet will the IOC accept “silent” expression?

Thomas Bach, ninth President of the IOC, Olympic fencing champion from 1976, is committed to upholding the ethic of Rule 50, excluding tangible protests on a medal podium or the competition arena. This principle has the approval of a majority of the Athletes Commission. Without this steadfast ethic, the Olympic Games, unique social festival, descends to be no more than bear-baiting.

I was a member of Britain’s football training squad for Melbourne ’56, though unselected for the fifteen to travel. Three or four of us in the squad were genuine amateurs – as then still vainly required by the IOC when many in track and field or football were clandestine professionals within “amateur” clubs. A known “professional amateur” was preferred to me for Melbourne. I didn’t protest.

Comments are welcome here and or direct to David Miller here.

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Tokyo 2020 could reduce spectator capacities or just ban everyone; Russian Lysenko banned four years; gymnastics bankruptcy case slowing?

By
Rich Perelman
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The Olympic Flame inside the new Olympic Stadium in Tokyo (Photo: Tokyo 2020)

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News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The Tokyo 2020 organizers are postponing the decision on spectators at the Games as far as possible after announcing that the results of a new ticket lottery to select domestic spectators will be released on 10 July instead of 4 July as expected.

Continuing concern over the coronavirus in Japan continues to pressure the organizing committee, with the governor of the Hokkaido prefecture – which includes Sapporo – asking to ban outdoor spectators for the marathons and race walks.

Further consideration is being given to reducing the latest spectator allowance of 50% of venue capacity with a cap of 10,000, to a maximum of 5,000. Another proposal, for a ban on spectators for events ending after 9 p.m. would result in about 40% of the sessions being without fans. A meeting on this could be held on Thursday.

Athlete delegations continue to arrive in Japan; so far, two Ugandan delegation members and a Serbian rower have tested positive for Covid-19 in testing made upon arrival. All were immediately isolated.

The athlete delegations and other organizations at the Games will be overseen by a corps of some 3,000 CLOs – Covid Liaison Officers – who are expected to ensure compliance and coordinate responses to the coronavirus control measures.

Responding to the need for flexibility at the Games, the International Olympic Committee announced a change in roster management for football, handball, hockey, rugby sevens and water polo. Team “alternates” were previously allowed to participate only a permanent replacements for another athlete, but will now be able to be used on a match-by-match basis.

The announcement did not say if these added athletes will also receive medals, but this is the procedure for athletes in swimming and track & field – for example – who participate in the preliminaries of relay events.

The Russian Olympic Committee announced that it expects to send a 335-member team to Tokyo, significantly bigger than at Rio in 2016, but still not of the size it had in 2008 or 2012.

Still under sanction by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the “Neutral Athletes from Russia” squad is larger than the 282 allowed to compete in Rio under the shadow of the exploding state-sponsored doping program from the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. But even with 335 athletes, the total is far smaller than the 455 sent to Beijing in 2008 or the 436 for London in 2012.

How tough will it be in Tokyo? Russian Olympic Committee chief Stanislav Pozdnyakov told TASS:

“Our vanguard is already there and has informed us about the strict measures regarding personal movement. Almost all of the safety measures are already in place and all surveillance cameras are operating.

“Any person leaving the territory of the so-called ‘bubble’ is immediately approached by a special service staff requesting that he or she return back to the original premises. I want to call on everyone and all athletes to follow all of the previously issued directives.”

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin “promised to pay special attention to legal support for Russian athletes at the Tokyo Olympics, because the issue of politicization in sports is still high on the agenda.”

This is a barely-veiled reference to the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019, which was signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump in December 2020 and which gives U.S. authorities extra-territorial jurisdiction to go after doping violations in events in which American athletes compete.

Said Putin, “The interests of our athletes must be protected from any arbitrariness, including decisions that some countries try to impose on the whole world far beyond the bounds of their national jurisdictions.”

In contrast, Japan will have its largest-ever team at the Games, with an expected 582 athletes in all.

Canadian boxer Mandy Bujold won a reprieve from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to compete in Tokyo after she missed part of the qualifying period due to pregnancy.

Bujold competes in the 51 kg (Flyweight) division and was on her way to compete in Tokyo in 2020 when the Games was postponed. Due to the continuing effects of Covid-19, the Americas Qualifying Tournament in 2021 was canceled and the IOC’s Boxing Task Force used a ranking system based on 2018 and 2019 results … when she was off for maternity. Refused special entry by the Boxing Task Force, she appealed to the CAS and will be added to the field.

The Boxing Task Force has not indicated how it will handle a field of 26 entrants instead of 25.

The U.S. Equestrian Team announced its Jumping team for Tokyo, including veteran medal winners McLain Ward (2004-08 gold, 2016 silver), Kent Farrington (2016 silver), Laura Kraut (2008 gold) and Jessica Springsteen. The latter was an alternate in 2012 but will make her Olympic debut in Tokyo. Oh yes, she is also the 29-year-old daughter of rock & roll star Bruce Springsteen.

● European Championships ● The 2022 edition of the multi-sport European Championships has been finalized for Munich (GER) as a 50-year celebration of the 1972 Olympic Games there, which was overshadowed by the massacre of 11 members of the Israeli delegation.

A more joyous program is expected next year, with 4,700 athletes from 50 countries competing in 176 medal events over 11 days from 11-22 August. The sports include athletics, beach volleyball, sprint canoeing, cycling, gymnastics, rowing, sport climbing, table tennis and triathlon.

● World University Games ● The International University Sports Federation (FISU) announced that its bidding process for future events, starting with the 2027 World University Games would be an open competition.

FISU had adopted a more informal approach since 2016 “because of the high demand to host the events – previously known as Universiade – which led to many cities being rejected despite their strong efforts in producing a good bid.”

Now, any city or region which wishes to bid can do so, with a deadline of 31 January 2022 for the 2027 and 2029 World University Games and Winter World University Games. This directly impacts the North Carolina bid for the 2027 WUG, which is already well advanced and offers the FISU further access to the U.S. market after the 2023 Winter WUG will be held in Lake Placid, New York. A Korean bid for 2027 is being prepared; it is unknown whether other cities will jump in.

● Athletics ● The Athletics Integrity Unit won a four-year suspension of Russian high jumper Danil Lysenko, a former World Indoor Champion, for whereabouts failures and tampering with the “results management process” by submitting false documents.

The total suspension was six years from 3 August 2018, but was reduced by two years in a Court of Arbitration for Sport holding for his cooperation against other Russian officials. Lysenko will be banned from both the Tokyo Games and the 2022 Worlds in Eugene.

Lysenko and his late coach Evgeniy Zagorulko – who passed away in April – cooperated against five other officials of the Russian Athletics Federation, who received suspensions from four to eight years.

The AIU has also provisionally suspended Ecuadorian sprinter Alex Quinonez as of 25 June for “whereabouts” failures, with the case referred to the AIU Disciplinary Tribunal. The 2019 World Championships bronze medalist in the 200 m, with a best of 19.87, appears now to be ineligible for Tokyo.

U.S. sprint star Wallace Spearmon has retired at 36. Athletics International noted that he achieved lifetime bests of 9.96, 19.65 and 45.22 and won World Championships medals in the 200 m in 2005 (silver), 2007 (bronze) and 2009 (bronze).

The World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet, the Istvan Gyulai Memorial in Szekesfehervar (HUN) is on today; the live timing site is here.

The U.S. national 10 km championships were held in Atlanta on Sunday in conjunction with the famed Peachtree Road Race, with Sam Chelanga breaking away from a half-dozen others in the final 800 m, winning in 28:44 over Fred Huxham (28:45) and Clayton Young third in 28:48.

The women’s race belonged to Sara Hall – the 2019 champion – who dueled with Emily Durgin into the final 1,500 m, then surged away to win in 31:41. Durgin was second in 31:49 and Anne Frisbie was third in 32:06.

● Boxing ● The International Boxing Association (AIBA), suspended by the IOC, has announced that it is expanding its weight classifications from 10 to 13 for men and from 10 to 12 for women.

Said AIBA President Umar Kremlev (RUS): “I truly believe we must deliver more opportunities to our athletes; the new divisions will encourage more people from various countries to take up boxing, and allow more nations to win medals. The more medals we have, the more governments will pay attention to our sport and fund it around the globe.”

In the meantime, when the IOC stepped in to manage the Tokyo boxing program after suspending AIBA, the men’s weight classes for the Games were cut from 10 to eight and women’s classes were expanded from three to five. How do these match up?

● Cycling ● Dutch star Anna van der Breggen, 31, has said she will retire at the end of this season, but she is determined to go out on top. Already a two-time winner on the UCI Women’s World Tour, van der Breggen is dominating the 32nd Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile, winning her second stage in the first four on Monday.

This was the 11.2 km individual time trial on an uphill course ending at the Cascate Del Toce in Formazza in the Italian Alps. Van der Breggen aced it, crushing everyone and winning by 1:06 over countrywoman Demi Vollering and 1:17 over Australia’s Grace Brown. After four of the 10 stages, van der Breggen has a monstrous 2:51 lead over Ashleigh Moolman (RSA), 3:03 over Vollering and 5:53 over British star Lizzie Deignan. If she can hang on, van der Breggen would enjoy a fourth win at the “Giro Donne,” and tie for the most ever. But the race will continue through Sunday.

● Football ● The U.S. Women’s National Team posted a second straight 4-0 win over Mexico on Monday before 27,758 fans in East Hartford, Connecticut, with all of the scores coming in the first half.

Lindsay Horan scored in the sixth minute, Carli Lloyd scored in the 11th minute and the U.S. could have had two more goals before a Christen Press shot was blocked, but then ricocheted off Mexican defender Reyna Reyes for an own goal in the 37th minute. Tobin Heath concluded the scoring two minutes later with a twisting shot that made it 4-0. The U.S. ended with 72% of the possession and a 27-5 edge on shots.

The win gives the U.S. women a 44-game unbeaten streak heading into the Tokyo Games and “new” coach Vlatko Andonovski is 22-0-1 in his first 23 games as U.S. head coach since the end of 2019.

When the Copa America tournament was moved from expected hosts Argentina and Colombia to Brazil, the expectation was of course that the home team would make it to the championship match.

That has happened with Brazil’s 1-0 win over Peru in Rio de Janeiro on Monday (5th). Lucas Paqueta scored in the 35th minute on a volley from 10 meters, off an assist from Neymar for the only goal of the game, advancing Brazil to Saturday’s final in Rio.

It’s fitting that the original hosts – Argentina and Colombia – will meet in the second semifinal on Tuesday (6th) in Brasilia. The third-place game will also be in Brasilia, on Friday (9th).

The legal fight over sanctions from the implosion of the European Super League continues, as the Madrid Commercial Court/17th Chamber ordered UEFA to cancel all sanctions against the unrepentant Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Juventus clubs.

The court further ruled that UEFA cannot force the dissolution of the Super League and ordered sanctions by the English and Italian leagues against the participating clubs dropped.

The next stop is the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

● Gymnastics ● USA Gymnastics filed its report of operations for May, as its proceeding at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana drags on. Thus far, the case has resulted in $14.116 million in legal fees, of which $8.485 million (60.1%) has been paid. Unpaid invoices go as far back as February of 2019.

The case has slowed precipitously in the last four months, with total legal billings of “just” $378,605 during that time. The parties – USA Gymnastics, its insurers, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the Survivors’ Committee – have been engaged in court-ordered settlement discussions with Judge James W. Carr since last year, but without resolution.

● Swimming ● Eddie Reese, the famed head coach of the University of Texas, announced last Friday that he would not be retiring and will return to coach the Longhorns for a 44th season in 2021-22.

He had announced his retirement in March, after coaching his team to a 15th NCAA team title, but changed his mind and will stay. Wyatt Collins, who was going to take over, will remain as Reese’s assistant at Texas, no doubt with a pay raise.

Three of Reese’s swimmers – Townley Haas, Drew Kibler and Gunnar Bentz – made the U.S. team for Tokyo. Reese has coached 22 Olympic gold medalists to date.

● Weightlifting ● The IOC released an unhappy statement on Monday noting the results of the International Testing Authority report about doping cover-ups at the International Weightlifting Federation and the inability of the IWF Constitutional Congress to agree on a new governing document.

“The IOC EB expressed its concern on both issues and decided that these developments, along with other concerns previously noted, would be addressed during a meeting planned for after the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. A letter to this effect was sent to the IWF.”

At stake is weightlifting’s place on the program for Paris 2024. And the stake is being sharpened.

More doping positives mean more sanctions and the IWF announced Tuesday that an independent disciplinary panel has issued decisions against the national federations of Vietnam and Colombia.

Regarding Vietnam, four athletes tested positive and received four-year suspensions and because of this, Vietnam’s Tokyo Games entries were reduced from eight to two (one male, one female).

Regarding Colombia, three athletes registered positives in January 2020 and received four-year bans. So, Colombia’s Tokyo entries were reduced from eight to three (two male, one female).

In addition, the national federation of Turkey was also reduced to two entries for Tokyo as a result of the International Testing Agency report on cover-up activities alleged against federation chief Hassan Akkus. This action is ongoing.

The IWF has re-allocated the quota places left open by these penalties here.

● At the BuZZer ● The Commonwealth Games Archery and Shooting Championships, to be held in India next January, separately from the main Commonwealth Games program in Birmingham (GBR), has been canceled due to the “uncertainty” of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is unfortunate, but ironic in that India threatened to boycott the Birmingham event if shooting was not included. Shooting is an optional sport for organizers and not included by Birmingham in its program proposal.

India withdrew its threat by agreeing to stage the shooting events at its own expense, so long as the medal tally was included as if the competitions were being held in Birmingham. The archery events were added later. But they’re gone now.

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LANE ONE: Why marijuana is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list, and Sha’Carri Richardson’s future looks even brighter

By
Rich Perelman
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The disqualification and suspension of Sha’Carri Richardson after winning the women’s 100 m at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials last month for marijuana use has brought wide confusion among those who support its recreational use.

Maybe the facts would help?

Marijuana has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list since it first appeared in 2004. The question of whether it should be listed has been hotly debated since then, as detailed in “Cannabis in Sport: Anti-Doping Perspective” in the 1 November 2011 issue of Sports Medicine.

Written by Marilyn Huestis of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse and Irene Mazzoni and Oliver Rabin of the World Anti-Doping Agency, the article details the reasons for listing marijuana. The highlights:

● “Cannabis is often portrayed as a substance that has detrimental effects on performance.”

● However: “Smoked cannabis can decrease anxiety, fear, depression and tension. THC [the main psychoactive drug in cannabis] is anxiolytic [used to reduce anxiety] at low doses, the doses reportedly consumed by athletes.”

● “In human volunteers, THC and cannabis also increased impulsive responses leading to more risk-taking behaviour but without affecting decision making. In this regard, and from a sports perspective, Martinez suggested that cannabis smoking reduces anxiety, allowing athletes to better perform under pressure and to alleviate stress experienced before and during competition.

“Furthermore, cannabinoids play a major role in the extinction of fear memories by interfering with learned aversive behaviours. Athletes who experienced traumatic events in their sports career could benefit from such an effect. For these reasons, Wagner described cannabis as ergogenic [enhances performance]. The endocannabinoid system is also involved in the modulation of mood. … In adolescents and young adults, cannabis also helps in coping with negative mood and emotional distress.”

This is why marijuana is on the WADA Prohibited List.

This is supported by the real-life example of Canadian snowboard star Ross Rebagliati. He won the Snowboard Giant Slalom at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano (JPN), but was disqualified after testing positive for marijuana use (which he blamed on secondhand smoke). He was reinstated because marijuana was not on the prohibited-substances list at the time – WADA was formed the next year – and Rebagliati has continuously touted its positive effects. In a 2015 news story, he maintained “that cannabis is a performance enhancer, and that usage can be helpful for some activities such as extreme sports, as it improves muscle relaxation, reduces anxiety, and extincts fear memories (e.g., negative experiences) leading to enhanced performance. It may also improve sleep time and recovery, which may favour performance when an athlete is facing multiple competitions in a short period of time.”

The Sports Medicine article also noted the potential health risks due to marijuana’s “negative influences on coordination, movement and time estimation” and that in many countries, its use is prohibited. But:

“Although some anti-doping officials proposed also banning cannabis for out-of-competition testing, this appeared beyond the anti-doping mandate and it was believed to violate athletes’ privacy. For these reasons, cannabis use is prohibited only in-competition.”

This is what happened to Richardson. Her post-competition sample on 19 June – after she won the 100 m – was found to contain a THC level higher than 180 ng/mL, the threshold level for a positive test and so she was disqualified and accepted a net suspension of one month.

And to Richardson’s credit, she took responsibility. In an interview on NBC’s Today Show, she said “I want to take responsibility for my actions. I know what I did, I know what I’m supposed to do … and I still made that decision.”

She explained that the news of her biological mother dying a week before the Olympic Trials was hard on her, as was the stress of the event. And she went further:

“As much as I’m disappointed, I know that when I step on the track, I don’t represent myself. I represent a community that has shown me great support, great love, and I failed you all. So I apologize for the fact that I didn’t know how to control my emotions or deal with my emotions.

“I greatly apologize if I let you guys down, and I did.”

This is pretty remarkable for a 21-year-old, but it is an important step on her road as a professional athlete. She knows the anti-doping rules, which are part of the pain of competing in Olympic-focused sports like track & field. And unlike some critics who rarely even look at track, swimming, gymnastics and the other sports on the Tokyo program other than in an Olympic year, she is already looking ahead. She tweeted:

“I’m sorry, I can’t be y’all Olympic Champ this year but I promise I’ll be your World Champ next year”

and

“2022-2025 undefeated,” playing off a tweet by Trials shot put runner-up Raven Saunders that Tokyo starts an unprecedented five-year run of major track & field competitions, with the World Championships in Eugene in 2022, World Championships in Budapest in 2023, the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and World Championships in 2025, perhaps in Kenya. Opportunity indeed.

Richardson may yet be in Tokyo, if USA Track & Field selects her for the 4×100 m relay, for which she is eligible as her suspension will be over. But her eyes are on the future, not the past. Too bad the critics of her suspension aren’t as professional and forward-looking as she is.

For WADA, the debate over cannabis will continue and the Agency chides the U.S. continually about how its NCAA programs and professional leagues refuse to accept the World Anti-Doping Code as is done in many other countries. But, as the NBA and WNBA stars who are part of the U.S. squad for the Games are being told right now, WADA rules apply to them in Tokyo and they must comply … or risk being disqualified.

By the way, the Wikipedia entry for “Cannabis in Japan” begins with:

“Cannabis is illegal in Japan. The drug was outlawed in 1948. Use and possession are punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine.”

The debate over the benefits and pitfalls of marijuana will continue for years. Richardson has perhaps another 15 years of good sprinting in her; Olympic favorite Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica is 34 now. The question is whether those jumping up and down about Richardson’s suspension this year will even be aware that the World Championships will be in the U.S. next year.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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HIGHLIGHTS: Pogacar takes over the Tour de France, Mahuchikh takes world HJ lead and Bol threatens McLaughlin in Diamond League Stockholm

By
Rich Perelman
-
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar on his way into Paris to win the 2020 Tour de France (Photo: Chabe1 via Wikipedia)

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Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Athletics ● The Wanda Diamond League continued in Scandinavia, this time at the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm for the annual Bauhaus Galan, with a world-leading performance by Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh in the women’s high jump.

The all-conditions world leader in 2021 with her indoor clearance of 2.06 m (6-9), Mahuchikh cleared four straight heights with one try, then took two to master 2.01 m (6-7) and three to get over 2.03 m and take the world lead from American Vashti Cunningham (2.02 m/6-7 1/2). She needed it to fend off Australian Nicola McDermott, who also cleared 2.01 m for a lifetime best and a national record! Mahuchikh, Cunningham and McDermott now stand 1-2-3 on the 2021 world list.

Other major statements were made:

● Women’s 400 m hurdles: Dutch star Femke Bol set her third national record in a month, winning in 52.37 over American star Shamier Little (lifetime best 52.39) and moving to no. 2 on the 2021 world list. Bol is also no. 4 all-time (Little is no. 5) and is a clear threat to American stars Sydney McLaughlin (51.90 world record) and Dalilah Muhammad (52.42 in 2021).

● Women’s 800 m: Cuba’s Rose Almanza out-dueled Jamaican star Natoya Goule in 1:56.28-1:56.44, close behind the world-leading 1:56.07 by American Athing Mu at the U.S. Trials. It was a lifetime best for Almanza, 28, and Goule is now no. 3. American Kate Grace, coming off a lifetime best in Oslo, got another at 1:57.36, but had to settle for third.

● Women’s Steeplechase: Kenyan Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi, the 2015 World Champion, showed she is going to be in the mix in Tokyo, winning in 9:04.34 to move to fourth on the world list for 2021. She won by almost five seconds over German Gesa Krause (9:09.13), with world-record holder Beatrice Chepkoech third (9:10.52). American Leah Falland, who fell at the Trials, got a lifetime best of 9:16.96.

● Men’s 400 m hurdles: Sure, Karsten Warholm (NOR) and Rai Benjamin of the U.S, get the headlines, but Brazil’s Alison dos Santos is now clearly no. 3, claiming a fourth national record in his last four races, winning in 47.34, making him no. 14 all-time. Rio Olympic bronze medalist Yasmani Copello (TUR) was well back in second at 48.19, a season’s best.

● Men’s 800 m: Kenya’s Ferguson Rotich underlined his status as a medal contender for Tokyo, winning in 1:43.84 and moving to equal-5th on the 2021 world list. He beat a good field that included Canada’s Marco Arop (1:44.00) and Britain’s Elliot Giles (1:44.05), with Isaiah Harris of the U.S. fifth (1:44.51).

● Men’s Long Jump: Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle won at 8.55 mw (28-0 3/4w) with just a 2.3 m/s aiding wind, beating Cuban star Juan Miguel Echavarria (8.29 m (27-2 1/2) and Swede Thobias Montler, who got a lifetime best of 8.23 m (27-0). Gayle also had a legal jump of 8.27 m (27-1 3/4), showing he has to be accounted for in Tokyo.

In other events, American Ronnie Baker – second at the Trials – won the men’s 100 m in 10.03, ahead of Italy’s Marcell Jacobs (10.05), with American Isiah Young fourth (10.13). Kirani James (GRN), the 2012 Olympic Champion, won the 400 m in 44.63 ahead of Deon Lendore (TTO: 44.73) with Americans Vernon Norwood and Wil London fourth and fifth (44.83-44.86).

Kenyan star Timothy Cherioyot, inexplicably fourth at the Kenyan Trials, won the men’s 1,500 m in 3:32.30, beating Ignacio Fontes (ESP: 3:33.27) and Ronald Kwemoi (KEN: 3:33.53).

It’s not right to say that a 6.02 m (19-9) win for Mondo Duplantis (SWE) is routine, but he makes it look that way. He beat American Sam Kendricks, who got a season’s best of 5.92 m 919-5) in second, with French star Renaud Lavillenie equaling his season’s best (5.92 m) in third.

In the men’s discus, Sweden’s Daniel Stahl won again, this time at 68.64 m (225-2), ahead of Slovenian Kristjian Ceh (66.62 m (218-7).

Jamaica’s new sprint star, former quartermiler Shericka Jackson, won the women’s 200 m in 22.10, ahead of Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV: 22.36) and a lifetime best from Beatrice Masilingi (NAM: 22.65). Remember, Masilingi is allowed to run the 200 m, but not the 400 m, for having extra-high testosterone levels as regulated by World Athletics.

The women’s long jump saw a 7.02 mw (23-0 1/2w) jump by Malaika Mihambo (GER), but Ivana Spanovic (SRB) won on the sixth-round shoot-out with her best of the day at 6.88 m (22-7). New Zealand’s Valerie Adams, the 2008-12 Olympic champ, won the shot at 19.26 m (63-2 1/4).

● Basketball ● Four different FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments were on this weekend to fill the field in the men’s tournament in Tokyo.

In Kaunas (LTU), Slovenia punched its ticket for the Games by defeating the host team, 96-85 thanks to 31 points (plus 11 rebounds and 13 assists) from NBA superstar Luka Doncic and 18 from forward Vlatko Cancar.

In Split (CRO), Brazil had a 17-14 first-quarter lead over Germany, but 28 points from Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner was too much and the Germans pulled away with a 75-64 victory. Coming off the bench, Wagner hit 9-12 from the field and 7-11 on free throws in just 28 minutes to key the German surge. Forward Robin Benzing added 13 points and center Johannes Voightmann had 11 rebounds for the winners. Former NBA star Anderson Varejao led Brazil with 14 points.

/Updated/In Belgrade (SRB), host Serbia pounded Puerto Rico, 102-84 and Italy beat the Dominican Republic, 79-59, to reach the final. The Italians used 58% shooting in the first half to craft a 57-45 halftime lead, and extended it to 80-63 after three quarters. But the Serbs made a game of it with a 32-22 final quarter for a 102-95 final. Forwards Achille Polonara had 22 and Simone Fontecchio had 21 points for the winners. Serb forward Danilo Andjusic had 27 to lead all scorers.

/Updated/In Victoria (CAN), the Czech Republic crushed Greece, which had the third of the four Antetokounmpo brothers – Kostas – but was overrun in the first quarter by 32-22 and the third quarter, by 31-11 and lost, 97-72. The Czechs had five players scoring in double figures, led by center Patrick Auda (20), along with center Jan Vesely (16), forward Jaromir Bohacik (15), center Ondrej Balvin (14) and guard Tomas Satoransky (12). The Czechs shot 52.7% from the floor to just 45% for Greece.

● Cycling ● Tour de France defending champ Tadej Pogacar (SLO) is not going to be easy to take down in his effort for back-to-back titles, as he showed during the bruising, eight-climb, 150.8 km Stage 8, the first day in the Alps for the 2021 race.

Standing fifth and 3:43 behind leader Mathieu van der Poel (NED) entering Saturday’s first day in the Alps, Pogacar dropped his main rivals one-by-one over the two final climbs, up the Col de Romme and Col de Colombiere. Canada’s Michael Woods had control of the race in the final 18 km on the Col de Colombiere, with Dylan Teuns (BEL) joining him with 17 km to go, with Spain’s Ion Izagirre not far behind. Pogacar was gaining on them and had shredded the contenders behind him.

At the finish, it was Teuns with the win in 3:54:41, followed by Izagirre, Woods and Pogacar, 44-47-49 seconds behind. But van der Poel finished 21:47 behind the winner, Kasper Asgreen (DEN) was 27:56 back, Matej Mohoric (SLO) was 28:41 back. French hero Julian Alaphilippe did better, finishing “just” 18:55 behind the leaders. That left Pogacar up by 1:48 over Wout van Aert (BEL) and 4:38 ahead of Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ).

On Sunday, the course was cold and rainy, with a miserable, five-climb, 144.9 km route up to the ski resort of Tignes. A mass breakaway was organized just 30 km into the stage, but after 65 km, four riders – Nairo Quintana (COL), Ben O’Connor (AUS), Woods and Wout Poels (NED) – far ahead of everyone else.

One by one the lead group narrowed until O’Connor dropped Quintana with about 20 km left and ascended to the finish by himself, winning in 4:26:43 in his first Tour de France. Italy’s Mattia Cattaneo was second (+5:07) and countryman Sonny Colbrelli (+5:34) was third. O’Connor was so far ahead on the final climb that it looked like he might take the yellow jersey from Pogacar, but the Slovenian mounted a charge in the final 3.5 km to move up to sixth and retain a 2:01 margin over O’Connor, now in second place. The next closest is Rigoberto Uran (COL) at 5:18 back, heading into Monday’s rest day.

Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic, one of the pre-race favorites but who was badly injured in earlier crashes, withdrew before the start of today’s stage.

The biggest race of the year of the UCI Women’s World Tour, the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile – the “Giro Donne” – is underway in Italy, with a Team Time Trial on Friday and the first individual stage on Saturday, a 100.1 km flat ride with a massive uphill finish to Prato Nevoso.

Dutch star – and three-time champion – Anna van der Breggen took control of the race with a brilliant 5 km ride to the crest of the Colle del Prel that saw her win by 1:22 over Ashleigh Moolman (RSA).

Demi Vollering (NED) won a duel with Italy’s Marta Cavalli for third, finishing 1:51 and 1:53 behind van der Breggen. The win gave van der Breggen a 1:26 lead over Moolman, 1:57 over Vollering and 3:31 ahead of Britain’s Lizzie Deignan.

Sunday’s hilly, 135 km race into Ovada was another Dutch win, this time for Marianne Vos, a three-time winner of this event, who out-lasted countrywoman Lucinda Brand and German Liane Lippert at the finish. Van der Breggen was in a huge chase group that finished 3:18 back and maintained a lead of 1:21 over Moolman and 1:57 over Vollering.

Monday will be a 11.2 km individual time trial on a rising course; the 10-stage race finishes on 11 July.

The fourth stage of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup was at the familiar course at Les Gets (FRA), with stars Mathias Flueckiger (SUI) and Loana Lecomte (FRA) maintaining their places at the top of the podium.

Flueckiger won his second straight men’s Cross Country title by a 25-second margin over Ondrej Cink (CZE) and 35 seconds over Jordan Sarrou (FRA), building most of his margin on the first two laps and then cruising home. Flueckiger is the only men’s rider to medal in all four races this season. Flueckiger also won the Short Track race on Saturday, barely beating Sarrou, 19:34 to 19:35, with Cink (CZE) third in 19:37.

The women’s race was a fourth straight win for French star Lecomte, who also ran away from the start, forging a 12-second lead after the first lap! She won in 1:27:23, 51 seconds ahead of 2016 Olympic gold medalist Jenny Rissveds (SWE) and 1:10 up on Britain’s Evie Richards. Two-time defending World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot was fourth.

However, Ferrand-Prevot did take the women’s Short Track race decisively, timing 20:28 to 20:32 to Sina Frei (SUI) and 20:41 for Rissveds.

/Updated/In the Downhills, France’s Thibaut Daprela won from Germany’s Max Hartenstein in the men’s race by 3:33.424-3:35.840, while Britain’s 2018 Worlds silver winner Tahnee Seagrave just barely fought off France’s 2019 World Champion, Myriam Nicole, 4:10.556-4:10.818.

The Pan American Track Cycling Championships concluded in Lima (PER) during the week, with Colombia dominating the action for both men and women.

Sprinter Kevin Quintero ended up winning the Individual Sprint, Keirin, the 1,000 m Time Trial and anchoring the Team Sprint. Bryan Gomez won the Points Race and Brayan Sanchez won the Individual Pursuit (with Gomez second). Mexico’s Ricardo Pena took the Omnium, but in all, Colombians won eight of the 10 events.

The women’s events saw Juliana Gaviria win the Sprint, Martha Bayona win the 500 m Time Trial and Lina Hernandez take the Individual Pursuit and the Omnium. Mexico scored wins in the Keirin (Yuli Verdugo), Points Race (Yareli Acevedo) and in the Madison. The gold medal count was six for Colombia, three for Mexico and one for Barbados.

● Diving ● FINA Diving Grand Prix in Bolzano (ITA) was the first in-person event in the series in 2021, with limited entries, but good results for the hosts.

Italy claimed wins in three synchronized events: the men’s Synchro 3 m with Giovanni Tocci and Lorenzo Marsaglia, the Synchro 10 m, with Andreas Larsen and Eduard Timbretti Gugiu and the women’s Synchro 3 m, with Elena Bertocchi and Chiara Pellacani.

The Mixed 3 m Synchro title went to the Swiss pair of Guillaume Dutoit and Madeline Coquoz.

Brazil captured both 10 m Platform events, with Isaac Souza taking the men’s event and Ingrid Oliveira winning the women’s. Spain’s Alberto Arevalo Alcon won the men’s 3m Springboard and Inge Jansen (NED) won the women’s 3 m title.

● Fencing ● The USA Fencing National Championships are on in Philadelphia, with competition through the 12th, but with the elite division this weekend.

Most of the U.S. team prepping for Tokyo were not competing, so the door was open for new champions. The women’s championships were held on Saturday, with 17-year-old Hadley Husisian winning in Epee over Michaela Joyce in the final by 15-8. World Junior Champion May Tieu won the women’s Foil division with a 15-11 defeat of Maia Weintraub in the final, and 2018 World Juniors silver medalist Chloe Fox-Gitomer won the women’s Sabre over 2016 national champion Kamali Thompson, in a tight, 15-14 final.

/Updated/The men’s Division I finals saw a remarkable finish in Epee, as 54th-ranked Matthew Comes edged Skyler Liverant – ranked 124th coming – in the title match, 15-14. Two-time U.S. champ Nick Itkin – headed to Tokyo – won his third Foil title with a 15-7 defeat of 2019 National Champion Adam Mathieu, and in Sabre, 10th-ranked Colby Harley won the Sabre title with a 15-10 win over no. 17 Noah Te Velde.

● Football ● The UEFA Euro 2020 tournament has reached the semifinal stage, with Denmark’s tournament starting with the near-death of star midfielder Christian Eriksen but now headed to Wembley Stadium in London on 7 July after a 2-1 win in Baku (AZE) over the Czech Republic in Baku on Saturday. A header by Thomas Delaney in the ninth minute and a laser shot by Kasper Dolberg in the 42nd minute were enough to get a match-up with England.

The English continued their streak of not conceding a goal in the tournament with a 4-0 thrashing of Ukraine in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico in Saturday’s second game, increasing its scoring edge for the tournament to 8-0. Harry Kane scored in the fourth minute and again in the 50th to give him three goals for the tournament.

The Denmark-England semi will be played in front of 60,000 delirious fans in London; England last reached the semis in 1996 (when it finished third); Denmark won the tournament in 1992, its last appearance in the semis.

The first semifinal on 6 July, will pit traditional powers Italy and Spain. The Spanish played Switzerland to a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes (with the Swiss giving up an own goal), then won on penalty kicks, 3-1. Spain’s wins in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals both required extra time or longer.

Italy out-lasted Belgium, 2-1, in a hard-fought quarterfinal in Munich, with all of the goals in the first half. Nicolo Barella scored in the 31st minute, followed by Lorenzo Insigne in the 44th minute and that was enough. Belgian pressure throughout the second half could not produce a goal and the FIFA no. 1-ranked team was eliminated. Going into the game, Belgium was 4-0 and had out-scored its opponents 8-1. But Italy, which did not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, is back as a force in world football.

The Copa America continues in Brazil, with the reports of Covid positives now receding as the knock-out stage eliminates teams. The last report showed 166 positives related to teams and officials, but on the field, only four teams are left from the original 10: Brazil, Peru, Argentina and Colombia.

In the quarter-finals, Brazil got a goal from Lucas Paqueta in the first minute of the second half and held on for a 1-0 win over Chile in Rio de Janeiro. Peru and Paraguay played to a 3-3 result before going to penalties, with Peru winning, 4-3.

On Saturday, Uruguay and Colombia played to a scoreless tie with Colombia advancing on penalties, 4-2. Argentina had a difficult time breaking down the Ecuadorian defense in the first half, but finally got a goal from Rodrigo De Paul in the 40th minute and late scores from Lautaro Martinez in the 94th minute and Lionel Messi at 90+3 to win, 3-0.

Brazil and Peru will meet on Monday in Rio and Argentina and Colombia will play in Brasilia on Tuesday.

● Gymnastics ● The FIG Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Minsk (BLR) was a showcase for seven-time European Championships medalist Alina Harnasko of Belarus.

She won the All-Around at 103.700, ahead of Russian Lala Kramarenko (103.300) and Anastasiia Salos (BLR: 102.500). Harnasko won in Hoop (27.700), Ball (28.600) and Clubs (27.500), while Kramarenko was the winner in Ribbon (24.500) and was runner-up to Harnasko in Ball (27.100) and Clubs (26.800) and third in Hoop. Salos was the runner-up in Hoop (27.400) and in Ribbon (23.550).

● Shooting ● The massive ISSF World Cup in Osijek (CRO) finished on Saturday, with Russia ending the 10 days of competition atop the medals table with 18 and seven wins, ahead of Italy and Germany with 10 each; Italy had six wins in all.

Lots of team events during the final week, with Russia defeating France in the men’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions, and the Russian women sailing past Austria’s in the women’s final. Poland had an easy win in the final of the Mixed 50 m Rifle/3 Positions over Croatia.

In the 25 m Pistol program, the husband-and-wife duo of Christian and Sandra Reitz won the 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol Mixed Team title and Reitz led the German men’s team to a win over the Czech Republic in the men’s team final. The Czech women won the 25 m Pistol team event over Ukraine.

In Trap, France won the men’s event over the Czechs, the British won the women’s team event by beating Russia, and the Mixed Team title went to Italy, over Russia.

The individual events went to Russia’s Yulia Karimova in the women’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions over teammate Yulia Zykova; France’s Olympic silver medalist Jean Quiquampoix won the men’s 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol over Olympic champ Reitz, 35-34, and India’s Rahi Sarnobat took the women’s 25 m Pistol title.

Italy swept the Trap events, with 2019 Worlds silver winner Mauro De Filippis taking the men’s event and 2018 Worlds bronze medalist Silvana Stanco leading a 1-2 finish with Jessica Rossi, 46-44, in the women’s final.

● Sport Climbing ● The IFSC World Cup in Villars (SUI) offered events in Lead and Speed, with Olympic favorite Janja Garnbret (SLO) continuing her march to Tokyo.

She won the Lead event convincingly, reaching the top in both the semifinal and final, finishing ahead of Laura Rogora (ITA: Top) and American Natalia Grossman (42+). It’s Garnbret’s fourth World Cup win this season.

Garnbret was 13th in Speed, her worst event, with a Russian 1-2 in the final, as Ekaterina Barashchuk (7.30) outpaced Iullia Kaplina (8.39).

American Sean Bailey took the men’s Lead title with 38 holds in the final, ahead of Alexander Megos (GER: 35+) with Colin Duffy of the U.S. in third. It’s Bailey’s second World Cup win in five weeks; he also took the Bouldering title in Salt Lake City at the end of May, making him a potential medal threat for Tokyo, but he isn’t on the U.S. team! Duffy is, and Megos has also been selected.

Indonesia’s Veddriq Leonardo, the world-record holder, won the Speed title at 5.32 in the final, beating Dmitrii Timofeev (RUS: 7.35).

● Weightlifting ● /Updated/The USA Weightlifting National Championships continued in Detroit with five Tokyo-bound Olympians all winning their classes.

In the men’s classes, U.S. Olympians won at 73 kg, 81 kg and 109+ kg. Clarence Cummings, Jr. repeated as national champion at 73 kg, making all six of his lifts and totaled 315.0 kg for the win, with Mohamed Omar second at 284 kg. Harrison Maurus won at 81 kg, also defending his title from 2020, lifting a combined total of 350 kg, to 319 kg for Matt Rattray. Veteran Caine Wilkes scored his sixth national championship with a total of 394 kg, ahead of Alejandro Medina (363 kg).

In the lighter classes, Howard Roche Cintron won at 55 kg (211 kg), Hampton Morris took the 61 kg class at 271 kg, and Ryan Grimsland won a tight battle at 67 kg, totaling 296 kg to edge Jordan Wissinger (293 kg) and Jacob Horst (292 kg).

Beau Brown was the winner at 334 kg at 89 kg; Jason Bonnick won at 96 kg with a 343 kg total (over 2010 champion Phil Sabbatini with 342!) and Ryan Sester took the 102 kg crown, lifting 352 kg. Ian Wilson was an impressive winner at 109 kg, lifting 380 kg combined to win by 28 kg for his second national title, but first since 2012!

Tokyo-bound stars Katie Nye and Mattie Rogers headlined the women’s champions. Nye won her second national title – and first since 2018 – with a combined 240 kg total at 76 kg, well ahead of Allee Tallman (227 kg). Rogers won her fifth national crown across three weight classes with a 255 kg total at 81 kg, just ahead of Jessie Stemo with 250 kg.

Katie Grob won the lightest class, 45 kg, lifting 130 kg; Hayley Reichardt took the 49 kg division with 183 kg, just ahead of Maddison Pannell, who lifted 182 kg, and Janyce Okamoto won at 55 kg with 177 kg while runner-up Maria Hayden claimed 176 kg.

Kelly Wild defended her 2020 title at 59 kg, just edging Shayla Moore by 200 kg to 199, by completing her third Clean & Jerk try at 115 kg, after missing twice at 112 kg! The 64 kg class was just as tight, as Jaclyn Long managed 205 kg for a second national title, making four of six lifts, while Lydia Scott claimed 204 kg (2 of 6) and Taylor Lumpp totaled 203 kg (3 of 6).

Meredith Alwine defended her 2020 title at 71 kg, lifting 239 kg to win by 15 kg; Laura Alexander took the 87 kg class with 237 kg and Mary Theisen-Lappen won at 87+, lifting a combined 267 kg for a 50-kg margin of victory.

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THE TICKER: IOC allows “expressions” during athlete intros; Richardson suspended a month for marijuana; IWF can’t agree on a constitution

By
Rich Perelman
-
Sha'Carri Richardson in happier times, before her one-month suspension for marijuana from the U.S. Olympic Trials (Photo: Adam Eberhardt for TrackTown USA)

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The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board adopted a five-page set of guidelines to Olympic Charter rule 50.2 concerning protests and demonstrations at the Tokyo Games that maintains most restrictions, but opens a new opportunity.

What’s clear is that most of the old restrictions still apply. “Expressions are not permitted in the following instances:

● “During official ceremonies (including Olympic medal ceremonies, opening and closing ceremonies)

● “During competition on the field of play

● ”In the Olympic Village.”

What is new is “expression” in a new forum:

“On the field of play prior to the start of the competition (i.e. after leaving the ‘call room’ (or similar area) or during the introduction of the individual athlete or team) provided that the expression (for example, gesture) is:

“I. consistent with the Fundamental Principles of Olympism;

“II. not targeted, directly or indirectly, against people, countries, organisations and/or their dignity;

“III. not disruptive (by way of example only, the following expressions are considered disruptive: expressions during another athlete’s or team’s national anthem and/or introduction, as this may interfere with such other athlete’s or team’s concentration on and/or preparation for the competition; physical interference with the introduction of another athlete or team or the protocol itself (for example by unfurling a flag, a banner etc.); causing (or assuming the risk of causing) physical harm to persons or property, etc.); and

“IV. not prohibited or otherwise limited by the rules of the relevant National Olympic Committee (NOC) and/or the competition regulations of the relevant International Federation (IF).”

The regulations further explain that “It should be recognised that any behaviour and/or expression that constitutes or signals discrimination, hatred, hostility or the potential for violence on any basis whatsoever is contrary to the Fundamental Principles of Olympism.”

There is a procedure for discipline, which includes the right to a hearing, but with sanctions to be handled by the IOC itself, not by another party, such as a National Olympic Committee or International Federation.

Today’s posting of these guidelines was a surprise is that it did not come from the IOC’s Legal Affairs Commission as had been indicated earlier, but from the IOC and its Athletes’ Commission, chaired by swimming gold medalist Kirsty Coventry (ZIM).

Observed: This is really clever and allows the IOC to claim, correctly, that it has loosened its rules, but in such a narrow forum as to limit the impact of any demonstrations or protests in most of its sports.

The time for on-field egress and introductions is short and for those interested in protesting, the attention of the television cameras is what’s important. Introductions on television in the most popular sports – swimming, gymnastics and athletics – are usually just a few seconds long and are at a time when the athletes are most concerned about their competitions. Maybe a few gloves with embroidered slogans will be worn. There may be more opportunities in team sports, but this will also depend on how the teams will actually be introduced in Tokyo.

This is a much more compact forum than the two-plus minutes of a national anthem on the awards podium, or during the hour-plus march into the stadium during the Opening Ceremonies.

Rest assured, however, there will be those who will challenge these guidelines, but the IOC has set up a fairly clear process and promises a proportionate response to any violations. Whether this works or not is yet to be seen, but once again, the IOC has shown it is not to be underestimated in creating an innovative solution to a difficult issue that allows more flexibility but also limits its exposure to difficulties.

The question of spectators and Tokyo is up for grabs again, as reports surfaced of another review next week about whether spectators should be allowed.

The coronavirus infection rate is the prime issue and Tokyo continues under a state of “quasi-emergency” that will expire on 11 July. A new lottery for ticket holder has been completed, which will reduce total attendance to 2.72 million at the Games, or about 35% of capacity.

Kyodo News reported that 10 U.S. news organizations have protested restrictions on interviews of spectators and other regulations as a “clear overreach” since Japanese domestic media will not have the same restrictions.

Their request is for “routine newsgathering” to be allowed as long as media observe masking and distancing requirements. The report noted that about 4,600 foreign media are expected for the Games now, about half of the original number.

Kyodo noted, “The committee later said it had sent a reply to the editors seeking their understanding over the restrictions.”

● Athletics ● “USADA announced today that Sha’Carri Richardson, of Clermont, Fla., an athlete in the sport of track and field, has accepted a one-month suspension – as permitted under the applicable international rules – for an anti-doping rule violation for testing positive for a substance of abuse.

“‘The rules are clear, but this is heartbreaking on many levels; hopefully, her acceptance of responsibility and apology will be an important example to us all that we can successfully overcome our regrettable decisions, despite the costly consequences of this one to her,’ said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart.”

Richardson tested positive for marijuana at the Trials on 19 June, after winning the women’s 100 m in sensational fashion in 10.86. The rules are quite clear:

“The 2021 World Anti-Doping Code newly classifies THC as a “Substance of Abuse” because it is frequently used in society outside the context of sport. If an athlete who tests positive for a Substance of Abuse establishes that their use of the substance occurred out of competition and was unrelated to sport performance, the athlete will receive a three-month sanction. However, if the athlete satisfactorily completes a Substance of Abuse treatment program approved by USADA, the sanction may be further reduced to one month.”

This is the third such sanction issued in 2021 for this kind of violation; Kahmari Montgomery, former U.S. champion in the men’s 400 m, received the same sanction from 30 April 2021.

For Richardson, her sanction began on 28 June, the date she was provisionally suspended. However, her results from the Trials “have been disqualified, and she forfeits any medals, points, and prizes. Beyond the one-month sanction, athlete eligibility for the Tokyo Games is determined by the USOPC and/or USA Track & Field eligibility rules.”

This means her win at the Trials in the 100 m is voided and Javianne Oliver is the winner (10.99), followed by Teahna Daniels (11.03) and now Jenna Prandini (11.03), who finished fourth. The USA Track & Field selection rules require that the top three finishers in each event at the Trials – if they have met the Olympic qualifying standard – go to the Games.

Interestingly, however, the women’s 100 m in Tokyo starts on 30 July … after her sanction is over! Richardson could be entered in the 4×100 m if desired; that’s up to USA Track & Field and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

Richardson said she used marijuana to cope with grief from the death of her biological mother.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport also knocked Rio Olympic 100 m hurdles Champion Brianna McNeal (USA) out of the Tokyo Games, finding that she “had committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) pursuant to Article 2.5 of the 2019 WA Anti-Doping Rules (‘Tampering or Attempted Tampering with any part of Doping Control’) and a five-year period of ineligibility beginning on 15 August 2020 was imposed on her.”

With her appeal of the World Athletics suspension continuing, McNeal was allowed to run at the U.S. Olympic Trials and finished second to Keni Harrison in 12.51. Fourth-placer Gabbi Cunningham (12.53) is the expected replacement.

The women’s 400 m in Tokyo also received a shock with the withdrawal of Namibian sensations Christine Mboma – the world leader and World U-20 record holder – and Beatrice Masilingi due to testosterone levels too high to all competing in the women’s division in races from 400 m to the mile.

This is the same issue which has sidelined 800 m stars Caster Semenya (RSA), Francine Niyonsaba (BDI) and Margaret Wambui (KEN) for “differences in sex development.”

Both are shown as eligible in the 200 m, which is not covered by the World Athletics regulations for DSD. Mboma ran a world-leading 48.54 time at the Szewinska Memorial in Poland on 30 June and Masilingi ran 49.53 in the Namibian Championships on 11 April, ranking no. 3 on the 2021 world list.

Defending Olympic champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) has indicated she will run only the 200 m in Tokyo since the 400 m heats and the 200 m final are on the same day. This leaves the 400 m field open with Jamaica’s Stephenie Ann McPherson (49.61) and American Quanera Hayes (49.78) the fastest eligible entries, with Allyson Felix (50.02) at no. 5.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has found Salwa Eid Naser (BRN), the 2019 World Championships women’s 400 m gold medalist guilty of an anti-doping violation and suspended her for two years effective 30 June 2021, but to conclude in about 14 months after counting her provisional suspension from June to October of 2020.

Naser, now 23, was penalized for whereabouts failures, including a comical situation in which she gave the wrong address to a doping control testing officer, who then almost found her, but failed to do so. A World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal finding that she was not responsible was overturned.

She could be eligible to return in time for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

Norwegian star Karsten Warholm was pretty happy with his world-record win at the Bislett Games in Oslo on Thursday:

“I knew that I had a fast time in my body; it feels like it as been there for a long time but you never know when it is right to do it. And it is one thing to know you have it in you and another to go out and do it.

“It is very special to do it here in Bislett in front of a great crowd including my friends and family. This is my first 400 m hurdles of the season so I really think there is more in the tank.

“It might take another world record to win the Olympics. There are such a lot of great guys out there at the moment who will all be aiming to do it and win gold. I am happy that there is such great competition.”

● Cycling ● The Tour de France has continued without significant incident this week, with a big move made during Stage 5 by defending champion Tadej Pogacar (SLO).

After falling behind race leader Mathieu van der Poel (NED) by 39 seconds after stage 4, Pogacar turned on the jets during the Stage 5 individual time trial and won the 27.2 km flat route, timing 32:00, 19 seconds ahead of everyone else. He ended the day second by just eight seconds.

Stage 6 was another sprinter’s course, a flat, 160.4 km route finishing in Chateauroux. Once again, it was Britain’s Marc Cavendish, 36, who got to the line first, winning his 32nd career stage at the Tour, two short of the all-time record by Eddy Merckx (BEL). Cavendish out-lasted Belgian Jasper Philipsen and Frenchmen Nacer Bouhanni and Arnaud Demare.

On Friday, the route from Vierzon to Le Creusot was a hilly, long, 249.1 km test with most of the action in the final third. Slovenia’s Matej Mohoric broke away from the peloton with 18 km left and got his first career Tour de France stage win in 5:28:20. He finished 1:20 up on Jasper Stuyven (BEL) and 1:40 up on Dane Magnus Cort, van der Poel and four others.

That left van der Poel still in the yellow jersey, now 30 seconds up on Belgian star Wout van Aert, 1:49 ahead of Kasper Asgreen (DEN), then 3:01 ahead of Mohoric and 3:43 up on Pogacar, who finished 5:15 back on the stage.

The female spectator who caused a massive crash on the first stage of the Tour by holding up a sign for the television cameras has been arrested and will be tried in October.

The 30-year-old French woman turned herself in on Wednesday and was arrested and placed in custody by the French authorities. The local prosecutor told reporters that she woman was contrite.

The Tour organizers had threatened to sue her, but withdrew the threat. Reports indicate that the criminal process could result in a fine of €1,500 (roughly $1,781) fine for involuntarily causing injury and putting the life of others at risk.

● Football ● The U.S. women’s National Team continued its prep for Tokyo with a convincing 4-0 victory over Mexico on Thursday evening in East Hartford, Connecticut.

Sam Mewis opened the scoring 21 minutes into the first half and Christen Press added a second goal at the 39-minute mark for a 2-0 halftime lead. Tobin Heath, returning from months of injuries, scored in the 74th minute and Press got a final goal in the 85th.

The U.S. had 58% of the possession in the game and enjoyed a 27-5 edge on shots; Alyssa Naeher and Adrianna Franch each played a half in goal for the American women. The U.S. extended its unbeaten streak to 43 games

The U.S. women have one more tune-up match against Mexico next Monday, also in East Hartford, before heading to Tokyo. The U.S. women are 38-1-1 all-time vs. Mexico.

● Water Polo ● The U.S. battled Montenegro to the end, but came up short, 9-8, in the FINA men’s World League Super Final in Georgia.

The two came out of the same group, with Montenegro beating the U.S., 10-6, in their opening match. But both moved smartly through the playoffs, with the U.S. edging France, 12-11, then beating Italy – the Group A winner – by 10-8 to reach the final.

Montenegro was 3-0 in group play, then crushed Kazakhstan, 18-6 and doubled by Greece, 8-4 in its semifinal. Greece later defeated Italy, 10-8, for the bronze medal.

In the championship match, Montenegro got off to a 2-0 lead and that proved to be enough. The second quarter was 2-2, the third quarter was 3-3 and a 3-2 edge in the fourth was not enough to force overtime.

The difference maker was Aleksandar Ivoviv, who scored five goals on seven shots for the winners, including two penalty shots. Hannes Daube scored three times for the U.S., aided by Ben Hallock with two and Johnny Hooper, Alex Bowen and Max Irving with one each.

Ivovic was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, with American Ben Holland named best keeper; the top scorer was Japan’s Yusuke Inaba.

It was the third men’s World League victory for Montenegro, which also won in 2018. The U.S. claimed its third silver, also in 2008 and 2016; the U.S. has never won the World League.

● Weightlifting ● The International Weightlifting Federation’s Constitutional Congress was contentious as expected, but did not achieve final approval of a new constitution for the federation.

A brief IWF statement indicated that a majority of the delegates from 119 countries (vs. 192 members of the federation) approved of the document, but the required two-thirds approval level was not met.

The amendments suggested by the World Anti-Doping Agency and International Testing Agency were approved, requiring a member federation to be suspended if three (or more) of its athletes or support personnel receive an “anti-doping rules violation” from international competition within a 12-month period. Disciplinary measures were removed from the IWF Executive Board and will be handled exclusively by an independent sanctions panel.

The IWF indicated it would reconvene the Congress again with the aim to approve a constitution prior to the start of the Tokyo Games on 23 July, with open questions on athlete representation, gender representation and more governance issues. The IOC will be watching with interest.

● The Last Word ● It’s a good time to be an Olympian! Lots more people are paying attention around this time with the Games coming in three weeks, so with many outdoor events again taking place in the U.S., former Olympians are suddenly showing up everywhere.

On Saturday, a 5 km Independence Day Run in Redondo Beach, California will salute 1984 Olympic medalist Innocent Egbunike (Nigeria), 1988 Olympic double gold medalist Steve Lewis, men’s long jump world-record holder and 1991 World Champion Mike Powell, plus 1968 Olympic high jumper Rey Brown, 1984 Olympic high jumper Doug Nordquist, 1988 Olympic sprinter Pam Marshall and 2021 Olympic Trials 400 m finalist Shae Anderson of UCLA.

More such events are coming; support a local Olympian near you!

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ATHLETICS: He did it! Warholm claims 400 m hurdles world record at 46.70 at Bislett Games!

By
Rich Perelman
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The official timing photo shows how far Karsten Warholm was in front on his way to a world record of 46.70 in the 400 m hurdles (Wanda Diamond League timing photo by Omega)

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The Wanda Diamond League resumed in Oslo (NOR) with the annual Bislett Games on Thursday, with three and a quarter hours of events leading up to the men’s 400 m hurdles and the seasonal debut of two-time World Champion – and national hero – Karsten Warholm.

Making his seasonal debut at this distance, Warholm sprinted out of the blocks from lane seven and ran smoothly over all 10 hurdles and was way out in front when he crossed the line at 46.70, bettering American Kevin Young’s winning time from the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona of 46.78.

That’s just five days after American Rai Benjamin won the U.S. Trials at 46.83, now the no. 3 performance of all time, and the two are scheduled to meet in Monaco on 9 July.

Behind Warholm, cheered lustily by a limited crowd of about 5,000, was Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, who set a national record of 47.38, closed hard and is now no. 3 on the world list.

It was the climax of an impassioned meet with other world-leading marks in the men’s Mile and 3,000 m, and sensational performances from American Kate Grace (women’s 800 m) and star Kenyan star Hellen Obiri (women’s 5,000 m):

● Men’s Mile: Australia’s Stewart McSweyn was the big favorite in the men’s mile and he delivered, taking over from the pacesetter running 57.70 for the penultimate lap and then finishing in 3:48.37, a new national record and the world leader for 2021. Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski passed Australia’s Jye Edwards in the final 10 m for second in 3:49.11, also a national record and Edwards was third at 3:49.27. Very, very impressive.

● Men’s 3,000 m: The race was a showcase for Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, the 2019 Worlds 10,000 silver medalist, who took over from the pacesetter with three laps to go and simply punished everyone else on the way to a solo victory in world-leading time.

Only Kenya’s Jacob Krop could run with him, as Kejelcha ran 58.44 and 58.20 to get to the bell and then dropped Krop on the final turn, winning by 30 m, in 7:26.25, not just the world leader for 2021, but now no. 7 ever. His final lap was 56.35!

● Women’s 800 m: The race looked good for 2019 World Champion Halimah Nakaayi (UGA), clearly in charge on the final lap, but American Grace – only seventh in the U.S. Trials final – stormed around the final turn and ran away to a lifetime best of 1:57.60: no. 5 on the 2021 world list and no. 9 on the all-time U.S. list. Oh, if she’d had this race a few days earlier …

● Women’s 5,000 m: World Champion Obiri wanted to show her fitness in the women’s 5,000 m and she led most of the race after the pacesetter retired. She broke the race open, with countrywomen Margaret Kipkemboi and Beatrice Chebet, Ethiopia’s Fantu Worku and Britain’s Eilish McColgan for company. After laps of 70 or a little less from 1,200 to go to the bell, Obiri took off on the backstraight and held on to beat Worku, 14:26.38 to 14:26.80, at the tape, after a 61.26 last lap. It was a season’s best for Obiri and moves her to no. 4 on the 2021 world list. Kipkemboi was third in 14:28.24 and McColgan got a national record of 14:28.55 in fourth. Those stand nos. 4-5-6-7 in 2021.

And there was more:

On Canada Day (!), it was Rio silver medalist Andre De Grasse and Aaron Brown going 1-2 in the men’s 200 m in 20.00 and 20.38 into a headwind of -1.0 m/s. American Vernon Norwood was fifth in 20.74.

The usual suspects were back on the men’s vault runway, with world-record holder Mondo Duplantis (SWE), World Champion Sam Kendricks of the U.S. and 2012 Olympic champ Renaud Lavillenie (FRA). Those three were the only ones to clear 5.81 m (19-0 3/4) and then Duplantis was way over on his first try at 5.91 m (19-4 3/4). Lavillenie missed three times, but Kendricks made it on his third for a season’s best. Duplantis finally won it at 6.01 m (19-8 1/2), then went for a new world mark at 6.19 m (20-3 3/4), but missed all three tries.

Algeria’s Yasser Triki had the best performance in the men’s triple jump through five rounds at 17.24 m (56-6 3/4), then saw Tiago Pereira (POR) and Andy Diaz (CUB) both foul and take his final jump as the winner! Triki did take his final jump and got to 17.23 m (56-06 1/2) to nearly match his best of the day.

Olympic favorite – and world leader – Daniel Stahl (SWE) led the men’s discus at 68.65 m (225-2), ahead of Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh (66.68 m/218-9) through five rounds. But in the winner-take-all sixth round, Ceh got out to 65.72 m (215-7) … and Stahl threw the same! So Stahl’s best throw was the decider!

The women’s 100 m was won by Marie-Josee Ta Lou in 10.91, a season’s best and now equal-8th on the 2021 world list. She ran away from Britain’s Daryll Neita (11.06) with American Javianne Oliver fourth in 11.18.

Dutch star Femke Bol won the 400 m hurdles won easily in 53.33, a lifetime best and national record, keeping her fourth on the world list for 2021. Germany’s Malaika Mihambo had the best mark in the first five rounds of the women’s long jump – 6.86 m (22-6 1/4) – and then won the sixth round at 6.83 m (22-5) to actually win the event.

Germany’s Christin Hussong won the women’s javelin at 62.62 m (205-5) and by throwing 60.95 m (199-11) in the final-three face-off in the sixth round.

The Diamond League show moves to Stockholm (SWE) on Sunday for the annual Bauhaus-Galan and then to Monaco on the 9th and Gateshead (GBR) on the 13th.

At the Irena Szewinska Memorial meet in Bydgoszcz (POL) on Wednesday, Namibia’s 18-year-old sensation Christine Mboma won the women’s 400 m in a world-leading 48.54, a World U-20 Record and underlining that she will be a medals contenders in Tokyo. She ran 49.24 and 49.22 at altitude, but now moved to no. 7 on the all-time list with her fourth world-leading time of the season. Poland’s Justyna Swiety-Ersetic was a not-very-close second in 51.91.

Spain’s Orlando Ortega won the men’s 100 m hurdles in 13.33 into a headwind, American Chris Nilsen cleared 5.92 m (19-5) for a season’s best in the men’s vault and New Zealand’s Tomas Walsh reached 21.46 m (70-5) in the shot. Poland’s Olympic hammer favorite – and world leader – Pawel Fajdek won at 82.77 m (271-6), the third-furthest throw of the year … all of which are his!

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LANE ONE: U.S. women’s gymnastics Olympic Trials beat every show on television, but Sha’Carri Richardson (11.8 million video views) is the new U.S. star!

By
Rich Perelman
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U.S. Olympic Trials women's 100 m champ Sha'Carri Richardson, one of the hottest women on YouTube! (Photo: Tim Healy for TrackTown USA)

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Two weeks of U.S. Olympic Team Trials concluded Sunday evening, with Simone Biles winning the All-Around title and the interest of television viewers nationwide, on NBC.

The final evening of gymnastics was the most-viewed show of the evening, drawing an average of 5.752 million views across three hours of competition and the naming of the U.S. team at the end. Viewership peaked at 6.6 million viewers during Biles’ floor exercise routine in the final rotation.

But Biles wasn’t the biggest star of the Trials. Not even close.

What’s true is that the women’s gymnastics coverage won all five of its hours on NBC against ABC, CBS and FOX, and track & field came on strong with more than half of its network hours drawing more than three million viewers. The final ratings averages for the four Trials sports programs showed (Nielsen ratings via SpoilerTV):

(1) 5.287 million viewers average for Gymnastics (5 hours)
(2) 3.183 million viewers average for Track & Field (8 hours)
(3) 2.713 million viewers average for Swimming (11 hours)
(4) 2.076 million viewers average for Diving (3 hours)

The final numbers showed even better viewership for track & field than the early reports; the top draws among the 27 hours of Trials television:

(1) 5.752 million viewers: Gymnastics on 27 June (Sunday)
(2) 4.590 million viewers: Gymnastics on 25 June (Friday)
(3) 3.972 million viewers: Track & Field on 21 June (Monday)
(4) 3.535 million viewers: Swimming on 20 June (Sunday)
(5) 3.526 million viewers: Track & Field on 20 June (Sunday)

The top diving show drew 2.446 million on 13 June, a Sunday. It’s worth noting that the top draws in track & field were for the sessions that included the men’s 100 m final on 21 June and the women’s 100 m final – with Sha’Carri Richardson – on 20 June.

However, there was a huge drop-off for events on NBC’s cable outlets vs. the over-the-air flagship:

(1) 573,500 viewers average for Track & Field (6 hours)
(2) 461,000 viewers for Gymnastics (1 hour)
(3) 287,250 viewers average for Swimming (8 hours)

(There was no audience information available for two hours of men’s gymnastics coverage on NBC’s Olympic Channel or the early-morning coverage of the men’s 10,000 m or women’s 5,000 m on the Olympic Channel.)

The track & field cable audience on NBCSN peaked at 842,000 viewers on 24 June and even the heat-delayed final night that began at 11:30 p.m. Eastern time drew 379,000 viewers, ranking no. 59 on the day.

Swimming’s top audiences on cable came on 17 June with 436,000 viewers and 19 June, with 424,000 viewers.

What do all these numbers tell us? Perhaps:

● There is latent interest in these Olympic-focused sports for events which are directly related to the Games – that is – they were important and meant something. That might be good news for the future, if those responsible can figure out how to capitalize on this in non-Olympic years.

● The postponed Tokyo Games could draw a very significant audience on NBC when it begins on 23 July. NBC’s average primetime audience in 2016 from the Rio Games averaged 25.4 million viewers; that will be hard to duplicate with today’s viewers spread out over even more cable channels and streaming services. But U.S. viewers will have live coverage of events available not just on NBC, but also NBCSN, NBC’s Olympic Channel, CNBC, USA Network, the Golf Channel, plus Telemundo and Universo in Spanish and streaming at NBCOlympics.com and on the Peacock subscription service.

There are even more numbers to contemplate. NALAthletics.com founder George Perry collected data on the track & field video clips posted and viewed on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel, so let’s go a step further and check out all 127 clips posted from the Trials. There were 12 that got more than one million views as of Wednesday evening (30th):

● 7,924,697: “Sha’Carri Richardson, now America’s fastest woman, scorches her Olympic Trials final”

● 2,495,640: “Simone Biles nails double double dismount, wows with Trials Day 1 beam routine”

● 2,154,306: “14 year old Joshua Hedberg makes Olympic trials finals with terrific performance”

● 2,050,119: “Simone Biles COMMANDS U.S. Olympic Trials on Day 1 with dominating performance”

● 1,936,120: “A Usain Bolt record falls as high schooler Knighton beats Noah Lyles AGAIN in 200m trials semi”

● 1,606,745: “DeAnna Price demolishes U.S. hammer record to make Tokyo team”

● 1,457,342: “Sha’Carri Richardson runs away with 100m semifinal at Olympic Trials”

● 1,439,994: “Sha’Carri Richardson makes a STATEMENT with dominant 100m heat at trials”

● 1,200,513: “Noah Lyles posts world’s fastest 200m of 2021, clinches first Olympic spot”

● 1,136,587: “Teenager Hailey Hernandez locks up surprise Olympic spot”

● 1,078,981: “51.90!! Sydney McLaughlin vs. Dalilah Muhammad epic results in ANOTHER world record”

● 1,010,422: “Sha’Carri Richardson’s unforgettable, show-stopping 100m win at Olympic trials”

Richardson got four of the top 12 with a combined 11,832,455 views (and counting!). Biles had two million-plus clips and was in five clips in all with a combined 5,955,184 views.

Of the clips with more than a million views, eight were from track & field, and two each from gymnastics and diving. The top swimming clip wasn’t a winning performance from superstars Caeleb Dressel or Katie Ledecky, or even Simone Manuel’s emotional win in the 50 m Freestyle (495,227 views). Instead, it was the 948,787 views of “13 year old Kayla Han’s INCREDIBLE comeback win at US Swimming Trials.” This was from Wave I, the qualifying meet for the actual Olympic Trials and showed Han winning the B-Final of the women’s 400 m Medley and setting a national age-group record with a sensational last 50 m swim.

Ryan Crouser’s world record in the men’s shot put got 916,548 views for 16th place, after a Trayvon Bromell win in a 100 m heat (982,086), Han’s comeback, and the women’s 400 m final, won by Quanera Hayes with Allyson Felix second (936,033).

Of the 127 clips, NBC posted 53 from track & field, 41 from swimming, 18 from gymnastics and 14 from diving.

Richardson, with her flowing colored hair – orange at the Trials, blue earlier in the season – is set to be the breakout U.S. star of the Games, based on the video viewing numbers, which continue to climb. She is the U.S.’s only medal contender in the women’s 100 m against Jamaican stars Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah and Nigerian Blessing Okagbare. And she has promised to “represent my people” at the Games, although exactly what this means isn’t clear.

These were two good weeks of viewing for Olympic-sport fans, who will be joined by many more for the Games. And these are good times for NBC, which is reporting ad sales right at its highest level ever for an Olympic Games. But it might be the best of times for Biles and Richardson, the stars of the U.S. Trials.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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HEARD AT HALFTIME: AP updated Gwen Berry protest story; Tokyo virus controls tightened further; NHL unsure about ‘22; more Tour de France crashes

By
Rich Perelman
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World 400 m hurdles leader Rai Benjamin (USA) (Photo: Paul Merca for Tracktown USA)

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News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

● Lane One update ● Monday’s Lane One column on press coverage of protests over performance noted that The Associated Press story titled “Message sent: Berry turns away from flag during anthem” sent Saturday afternoon (26th) could have been updated later to feature more of the competition results.

It was. Eagle-eyed reader Alan Mazursky noted that the link to the original AP story went inactive, and the story was updated later in the day. Where the original story included “[Gwen] Berry’s reaction to the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ was as notable as anything on the track on a blazing-hot Saturday,” the updated version read, “Berry’s reaction to the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ took its fair share of the spotlight on a blazing-hot second-to-last day at trials that also featured some blazing-fast times.”

This was followed by four paragraphs of competition highlights – up from two in the original – which did expand on Gabby Thomas’s 21.61 win in the women’s 200 m, and added Grant Holloway’s 12.81 semifinal win, just 0.01 off the world record, and Erriyon Knighton’s win over Noah Lyles in the men’s 200 m semis, in a World U-20 Record of 19.88.

The updated story was 25 paragraphs instead of 24, with the same 18 paragraphs about Berry’s protest, the circumstances and reaction, two about hammer winner DeAnna Price and five about the other seven events in the afternoon and evening session.

Rewrites and updates of this kind are normal for wire services, but the story’s overall emphasis on Berry confirmed the interest in protests over performances.

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The presence of two Ugandan team members who arrived in Japan with the coronavirus is causing even tighter controls on teams who will come to the Games over the next month.

Tokyo 2020 “Games Delivery Officer” Hidemasa Nakamura said during an interview that everyone traveling with an infected person – for example, on an airplane – will be isolated and tested before being allowed to enter the country.

In addition, Japanese authorities said Monday that delegations from countries hit with the Delta variant will be required to have Covid-19 tests every day for a week prior to coming to Japan and will be quarantined in the country for three days upon arrival. This is a significant tightening of the rules and adds to the burden of coming to compete in Tokyo.

The Japanese government and the Japan Post mail service, inspired by the 110 mail boxes painted gold in 2012 to honor British Olympic and Paralympic champions, announced that it will do the same for Japanese winners from this summer’s events. Kyodo News reported:

“Every time a Japanese athlete wins a gold medal at the Olympics or Paralympics, a mailbox will be replaced by a golden one in a location linked to them such as their hometown or training base.”

A report in Japan noted that bonuses of ¥5,000,000-2,000,000-1,000,000 (~ $45,227-18,091-9,045 U.S.) will be paid for gold, silver and bronze medals at the Olympic Games and that the Japanese baseball team will receive twice as much for gold, with the additional prize coming from a “business unit of the national baseball team.”

Kyodo News reported that the Japanese Olympic Committee announced that it is creating “a special team tasked with patrolling social media accounts of athletes to shield them from any potential hateful comments during the Tokyo Games …

“If realized, it will be the first time that the JOC has created such a unit for Japanese Olympians. The envisioned team is expected to consult with investigative authorities if it finds online comments are especially malicious, according to the official, who declined to be named as a formal announcement has not yet been made.”

Observed: If this concept is implemented successfully, look for it to be another legacy of the Tokyo Games in our digital times that will spread not only to National Olympic Committees, but also national federations and could be a new – and popular – sponsorship category for companies specializing in social-media “editing” in the future.

The Brazilian Olympic Committee announced its bonuses for Olympic medal winners in Tokyo (5 Brazilian Reals = $1 U.S.):

“Olympic champions in individual modalities will be awarded R$ 250,000. The reward for the silver medal will be R$150,000 and the bronze R$100,000. Teams with up to six athletes will have the following amounts to be divided: R$500,000 (gold), R$300,000 (silver), and R$200,000 (bronze). The athletes in team sports will receive R$750,000 (gold), R$450,000 (silver), and R$300,000 (bronze), also to be divided.”

Brazil expects to take not less than 272 athletes to the Games, and the total might increase slightly with entries to be finalized in the next week.

● XXIV Olympic Winter Games: Beijing 2022 ● National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman (USA) said during a Monday news conference that “We have real concerns about whether or not its sensible to have our players participating and us shutting down for an Olympic break.”

The NHL skipped the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games after participating from 1998-2014. Issued with the coronavirus are at the top of the list of concerns, after the league and its players agreed to allow participation as part of an extension of their collective bargaining agreement.

Said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly: “We agreed that if the conditions were right and we could reach an agreement on all the material issues that we would commit and support going to the Olympics. That remains our position.”

● Athletics ● It took 58 years, but American Phil Shinnick finally had his 1963 California Relays long jump mark of 8.33 m (27-4) recognized as a world record by World Athletics.

The mark was never ratified as there were no wind readings taken of Shinnick’s jumps; the official responsible had been told only to measure jumps taken by Olympic champion Ralph Boston (USA). But Shinnick stunned everyone that day and felt the wind was slight. USA Track & Field recognized his jump as an American Record in 2003 and Shinnick won his case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in May to become an official world-record holder. He later represented the U.S. at the 1964 Tokyo Games.

World Athletics has decided to “relocate” the 23-24 April 2022 World Race Walking Team Championships awarded to Minsk, Belarus, in view of the continuing political protests there:

“The Council decision comes as a result of a report prepared by the World Athletics Risk Committee, which concluded that uncertainties around diplomatic relations and international travel restrictions with regard to Belarus would impact significantly on the staging of the championships in Minsk next year.”

A new venue is expected to be agreed to and approved by the end of July.

On Saturday, World Athletics announced that 61 additional Russian athletes have been approved as neutral competitors in international competitions. This brings the total to 121 Russians approved in all, with five rejections.

The cap on the Olympic Games of 10 athletes from Russia remains in place.

Now that the U.S. Olympic Trials have been completed, it’s worthwhile to take a snapshot of the world leaders for 2021 in Olympic events. After a stunning eight days of competition, the U.S. now has the leading marks in 14 individual events:

● Men (7): 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 110 m hurdles, 400 m hurdles and shot put.

● Women: (7): 200 m, 800 m, 400 m hurdles, high jump, pole vault, hammer and heptathlon.

In addition, the U.S. will be favored in the men’s 4×100 m and 4×400 m, the women’s 4×400 m and the Mixed 4×400 m in Tokyo. Amazing.

More from the Jamaican Nationals, where superstar sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce followed up on her 10.71 100 m win with a 21.79 lifetime best to take the 200 m, followed by a lifetime best 21.82 from Shericka Jackson and 22.02 from reigning Olympic champ Elaine Thompson-Herah. They are now nos. 2-3-7 on the world list for 2021, intermingled with four Americans.

Stephenie Ann McPherson won the 400 m in a PR 49.61, ahead of Candice McLeod (49.91 PR) and Roneisha McGregor (50.02 PR), nos. 5-7-10 on the 2021 list, and ex-LSU star Natoya Goule won the women’s 800 m in 1:57.84 a season’s best and no. 6 on the world list.

Tragedy from Qatar, where Sudan-born sprinter Abdalelah Haroun passed away at age 24. He was the 2017 World Championships bronze medalist, but the Qatar Olympic Committee announced on Saturday (26th) that he had died, reportedly in an auto accident.

● Basketball ● USA Basketball announced the 12-member U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team, which includes all-NBA players: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets), Jerami Grant (Detroit Pistons), Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks), Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers), Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).

The U.S. coaching staff is led by head coach Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) with assistant coaches Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors), Lloyd Pierce (formerly Atlanta Hawks) and Jay Wright (Villanova).

The U.S. men are overwhelming favorites to capture a fourth straight Olympic gold, with Durant coming back for his third Olympic team. Green and Love were also previous Olympic team members in 2016 and 2012, respectively.

Controversy erupted immediately, with former 13-season NBA player Jalen Rose, now an ESPN commentator, stating on a podcast that Love was selected “because of tokenism” and:

“Don’t be scared to make an all-black team representing the United States of America. I’m disappointed by that. Anybody that watched the league this year knows Kevin Love did not have a stellar season, was not the best player on his team, and did not necessarily deserve to be on this squad.”

Rose apologized on Monday, saying “you know why I’m apologizing right now? To the game. Because I’m what the game made me … like Katt Williams said, ‘Sometimes, playas mess up,’ so I apologize to the game. That’s who I apologize to.”

● Boxing ● As the Tokyo Games get closer, so does the decision day for the International Boxing Association (AIBA), which has been on suspension from the International Olympic Committee since 2019.

AIBA President Umar Kremlev (RUS) held an online news conference on Monday, announcing that an in-depth financial audit by a “major accounting firm” is to be conducted and that Professor Ulrich Haas (GER) – already leading the governance reform of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – will chair an independent Governance Reform Group including legal and governance experts.

A study by McLaren Global Sports Solutions into the refereeing and judging problems which have plagued the sport is underway.

Kremlev struck a major partnership agreement with the Russian energy giant Gazprom which he says has eliminated the federation’s $16-plus million debt. Now he is working to show the IOC that AIBA can be a reliable partner going forward.

● Cycling ● The crashes continued in the 2021 Tour de France on Monday, leading to a mild protest at the start of Tuesday’s stage.

Monday’s 182.9 km race from Lorient to Pontivy should have been a typical final sprint, but ended up more like the demolition derby, with three major crashes. Race contender Geraint Thomas (GBR) was involved in a mix-up just 37 km into the race and suffered a dislocated shoulder, but was able to continue and finished 26th. Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic, one of the race favorites, went down hard on his left side in the final 10 km, but finished despite considerable bleeding from his left shoulder. He finished 92nd. Defending champion Tadej Pogacar fell too, with about 3.9 km remaining and slipped to 35th. Even on the final sprint, Slovakian star Peter Sagan and Caleb Ewen (AUS) touched wheels and went down, with Sagan getting up to finish 80th. Ewan, however, had a broken collarbone and finished last, later withdrawing.

Belgian Tim Merlier won the stage over countryman Jasper Philipsen and France’s Nacer Bouhanni, but that was hardly the story of the day.

On Tuesday, a minor protest was organized by German Andre Greipel, who “weaved through to force the protest after a kilometre of racing.

“After a minute’s pause, and no clear message from those on the road, the race resumed with Alaphilippe quickly appearing on his own at the front in the green jersey.”

The Tuesday stage of 150.4 km from Redon to Fougeres was fairly flat and a sprinter’s special, with a historic finish as Britain’s Marc Cavendish – now 36 – got to the line first for his 31st career Tour de France stage win, three behind all-time leader Eddy Merckx (BEL). Cavendish won the final sprint from Bouhanni and Philipsen. The race’s overall leader remains Mathieu van der Poel, now eight seconds ahead of Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), then 31 seconds up on Richard Carapaz (ECU: +0:31) and Wout van Aert (BEL: +0:31).

Meanwhile, the fan who moved onto the course to get seen on television during the first stage and caused a massive pile-up is being looked for, but has not yet been found.

The race organizers announced plans to sue the fan, but without identification, nothing can be done.

● Football ● The Copa America tournament in Brazil and UEFA’s Euro 2020 are now into elimination matches. The Copa America finally completed its group stage, with Argentina and Brazil both winning their groups with 3-0-1 records. The playoffs will see Argentina vs. Ecuador and Uruguay vs. Colombia in the top half of the bracket and Brazil and Chile and Peru and Paraguay in the lower half. The title game will be on 10 July.

The Euro quarterfinals are now set, with Belgium and Italy to meet in Munich on 2 July and Switzerland vs. Spain on 2 July in St. Petersburg in the top half of the bracket. Ukraine and England will face off on 3 July in Rome and Denmark vs. the Czech Republic in Baku on 3 July.

The final will be on London on 11 July.

● Gymnastics ● While the U.S. Olympic Trials in Artistic Gymnastics dominated coverage over the weekend, USA Gymnastics also held the U.S. National Championships in St. Louis for Rhythmic and Trampoline and Tumbling.

In Rhythmic, established stars Laura Zeng and Evita Griskenas went 1-2 in Clubs and Ribbon, and Griskenas won in Ball with Zeng second. Zeng won a third title in Hoop, with Lennox Hopkins-Wilkins second. In the All-Around, Zeng won at 95.900 and earned a trip to Tokyo, along with Griskenas, second at 95.650.

In Trampoline, Nicole Ahsinger won the qualifying round with a 102.18 total and that earned her a second Olympic berth in Tokyo on a quota place from the 2019-20 World Cup series. She also won the Trampoline final at 155.830, ahead of Charlotte Drury (155.245). Jeffrey Gluckstein won the men’s trampoline with a 170.365, topping Cody Gesuelli’s 162.895, but Aliaksei Shostak had already been selected based on his performance at the 2019 World Championships on a re-allocation of available places.

● Swimming ● FINA issued new rules on harassment designed to make all of its sports safer and more equitable. The “harassment and abuse” regulations cover 14 pages and specifically define harassment to include “Any acts of hazing, neglect, psychological abuse, physical abuse, and sexual harassment.” The regulations also prohibit sexual abuse, which is separately defined.

Sanctions can include a warning, probation, ineligibility and “other loss of privileges, no contact directives, requirement to complete educational or other programs, return of FINA awards, or any other restrictions or conditions as deemed necessary or appropriate.”

On doping, FINA reported that “it expects to surpass a total number of 2’000 out-of-competition anti-doping tests [in 2021] prior to the start of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.”

● Water Polo ● In the FINA World League Super Final in Tbilisi (GEO), the U.S. has advanced to the semifinals, along with Italy, Greece and Montenegro.

The U.S. finished second to Montenegro (3-0) in Group B with a 2-1 record while Italy won its three games in Group A, with Greece (2-1) second. In the quarterfinals, Greece eliminated Georgia by 20-8, and Montenegro outscored Kazakhstan, 18-6.

The U.S. scratched by France, 12-11, overcoming a 5-2 first quarter deficit with five unanswered scores in the second period. Italy edged Japan, 15-12, piling up a 12-7 lead after three quarters.

The semis will be held on Wednesday, with Greece challenging Montenegro (4-0) and the U.S. against undefeated Italy (4-0).

● Weightlifting ● The International Weightlifting Federation issued a statement on Tuesday that after allegations of anti-doping violations by the International Testing Agency, both Nico Vlad (ROU) and Hassan Akkus (TUR) have “stepped aside” from their positions on the IWF Executive Board, and will not attend the Tokyo Games.

The IWF will meet in a Constitutional Congress on Wednesday, looking to approve a new governing document that will lead the federation out of its issues on doping, discipline, finances, athlete and female representation and more. If a new Constitution is approved, elections will follow, possibly in October.

The IOC has warned the IWF repeatedly that its place in the 2024 Paris Games and beyond is at stake depending on its actions on governance and all other matters.

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LANE ONE: Coverage of U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials shows protests are perceived as more important than performances

By
Rich Perelman
-
Sydney McLaughlin's world record in the 400 m hurdles was barely noticed by news media (Photo: Tim Healy for TrackTown USA)

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/Updated 6/29/2021: see below/If you are a track & field fan who thinks the sport has a chance to once again raise its profile and popularity in the U.S., guess again.

Last Saturday (26th) was a brilliant day for the sport at the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, despite temperatures of up to 101 degrees. Consider:

● World Champion DeAnna Price set two American Records in the women’s hammer;

● World Champion Grant Holloway (12.81) and Worlds runner-up Rai Benjamin (46.83) ran the second-fastest times ever in the men’s 110 m and 400 m hurdles;

● Gabby Thomas ran the fastest women’s 200 m in 33 years and the third-fastest time in history in 21.61, and

● Teenager Erriyon Knighton won his semi in the men’s 200 m in 19.88, beating World Champion Noah Lyles and erasing Jamaican legend Usain Bolt’s World U-20 Record of 19.93 from 2004.

But Eddie Pells of The Associated Press – the world’s largest and most important news agency – wrote a widely-distributed review of the day mostly about hammer throw third-placer Gwen Berry turning away from the U.S. flag when the national anthem was played at its scheduled time, which coincided with the women’s hammer awards ceremony. Wrote Pells:

“Berry’s reaction to the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ was as notable as anything on the track on a blazing-hot Saturday, the second-to-last day at trials.”

Headlined “Message sent: Berry turns away from flag during anthem,” 18 of the 24 paragraphs in the story were about Berry’s protest, the circumstances and reaction. Price got two paragraphs for winning the hammer, Thomas one, and everybody else was noted in another paragraph. The story had no mention of Holloway, but may have been expanded later /see update below/.

Embed from Getty Images

A companion story provided 3-6 paragraph summaries of each event, updated during the day.

On Sunday, more of the same, with Pells sending short reports of each event on a day when Sydney McLaughlin broke the world record in the women’s 400 m hurdles and world-leading marks were made by heptathlete Annie Kunz, women’s 800 m winner Athing Mu and men’s 200m winner Lyles.

This is where track & field, and almost all of the other Olympic-program sports are in the U.S. today. The sports themselves – with some exceptions, such as Simone Biles in gymnastics, the U.S. men’s and women’s basketball teams and the U.S. women’s football team – are irrelevant, and the focus is on which athletes protest, when and how and what the reactions are or will be.

Berry won the women’s hammer at the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru and raised her fist during the playing of the national anthem, drawing a sanction from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee for violating the terms of the agreement she signed prior to the event to obey its rules. Later, the sanction was withdrawn and an apology was made and the USOPC now allows “non-divisive” demonstrations at the Trials and the Olympic Games.

American fencer Race Imboden took a knee during the victory ceremony for the men’s Team Foil at the Pan Am Games and received the same treatment. Since then, that’s where the attention has gone, regardless of the performances on the field.

The AP reported on 20 June of Lyles raising a partially-gloved fist when he was introduced for the final of the 100 meters, with reporter Pat Graham writing:

“In what went down as the first notable demonstration of the track trials, Lyles made a subtle gesture, wearing a black glove — minus the fingers — on his left hand, and raising his fist when he was introduced before the race.”

On 24 June, the AP’s Pells wrote a 20-paragraph story titled, “Berry opens at Olympic Trials: ‘I want to impact the world.’” There was one paragraph about the women’s shot put final and a mention of Emma Coburn’s win in the women’s Steeplechase and Allyson Felix qualifying for the women’s 200 m final. Twelve paragraphs were about Berry.

Expect much more of the same once the Olympic Games begin in Tokyo next month.

Let’s be clear about two things:

● Protests in the style of Tommie Smith and John Carlos from 1968 are now allowed by the USOPC and Berry, Lyles and others can do so if they wish. For better or worse, it’s within the rules now.

● Pells, a 28-year veteran of The Associated Press, is not to be faulted for covering the U.S. Track & Field Trials as he sees fit. He describes himself as “Fast, flexible, fair and creative.” No argument.

But his coverage and the modest attendance of non-endemic news media at the Trials in Eugene show where track & field is today in the public’s eye. In the Los Angeles Times, a newspaper historically friendly to track & field, Saturday’s events received 15 short lines in Sunday’s print edition in “The Day in Sports” round-up section. Today’s paper covered Sunday’s heroics in all of 22 lines, plus nine lines noting the heat delay and that heptathlete Taliyah Brooks was “carted off the field in a wheelchair,” with an accompanying photograph.

The final day of the U.S. Trials in women’s gymnastics received the entire top third of the same page, with a photograph of superstar Biles and a reported-on-site story from Hall of Fame writer Helene Elliott.

It’s worth noting that this “Olympic sport” coverage was on page seven of an eight-page section, following a front-page story on Tokyo Olympics-bound skateboarder (!) Nyjah Huston and heavy coverage of baseball’s Dodgers and Angels, the Clippers-Suns NBA playoff series, the NHL Stanley Cup final, golf and the Drew League summer basketball series.

The Olympic Trials did well on television, but look which sports did best on NBC on average viewers per hour:

● 4.990 million viewers avg.: Gymnastics (5 hours)
● 2.732 million viewers avg.: Swimming (11 hours)
● 2.545 million viewers avg.: Track & Field (8 hours)
● 2.076 million viewers avg.: Diving (3 hours)

Is it any wonder that NBC pushes women’s gymnastics – all of the viewers above are for the women’s Trials only, which won all of its hours against the other networks – and swimming harder than track & field? (Cable ratings will not be available for a few days, but will be shared later.)

The fall of track & field and the other Olympic-focused sports in the U.S. has been going on for a long time, despite their dominance at the once-a-quadrennial Olympic Games. There are high hopes of a revival, especially for track & field, in the run-up to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles and with the World Athletics Championships coming to Eugene a year from now.

But if so, there will have to be a reawakening around these sports, or even coverage (and interest) of the protests will disappear. And as for 2028, the third Los Angeles Games may have no more impact – or legacy – than as a summertime, pop-up Disneyland or Universal Studios: something to do to say you did it. And nothing more.

Berry told reporters at the Trials that track & field is only the stage for her activism. Where are the activists for her sport?

Rich Perelman
Editor

Update 6/29/2021: Eagle-eyed reader Alan Mazursky noted that the link to the original AP story went inactive, and the story was updated later in the day. Where the original story included “[Gwen] Berry’s reaction to the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ was as notable as anything on the track on a blazing-hot Saturday,” the updated version read, “Berry’s reaction to the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ took its fair share of the spotlight on a blazing-hot second-to-last day at trials that also featured some blazing-fast times.”

This was followed by four paragraphs of competition highlights – up from two in the original – which did expand on Thomas’s 21.61 win in the women’s 200 m, added Holloway’s 12.81 semifinal win, just 0.01 off the world record, and Knighton’s win over Lyles in the men’s 200 m semis, in a World U-20 Record of 19.88.

The updated story was 25 paragraphs instead of 24, with the same 18 paragraphs about Berry’s protest, the circumstances and reaction, two about hammer winner Price and five about the other seven events in the afternoon and evening session.

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GYMNASTICS: Biles wins again to wrap up Tokyo selection; Lee, Chiles, McCallum will accompany her, plus Skinner and Carey as individuals

By
Rich Perelman
-
On to Tokyo: gymnastics superstar Simone Biles (USA)

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The U.S. Olympic Trials in Artistic Gymnastics in St. Louis concluded on Sunday with the second All-Around for the women, starring– of course – Simone Biles. She, Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles were well in front on Friday, scoring 57-plus, and three others in the 56s:  Grace McCallum, Kayla DiCello and MyKayla Skinner.

First Rotation:
Biles and the other prime contenders for the U.S. team started on Vault, with Biles scoring 15.400, just slightly less than on Friday (15.466). She was followed by Lee at 14.600, 0.200 better than on Friday and Chiles, scoring 14.933, just 0.033 less than in the first All-Around.

The fight was behind these three leaders, with DiCello, a surprise fourth in the first All-Around, scoring 14.833 on Vault. McCallum followed with a 14.766, keeping her in the mix; she was fifth on Friday.

Meanwhile, Riley McCusker, who was so brilliant on the Uneven Bars on Friday in her only event, fell on her first movement and scored only 13.566 as compared to 14.800. Will this end her chances for Tokyo?

Skinner scored 13.500 on Uneven Bars, an improvement from 13.466 on Friday. Jade Carey, on the team as a specialist through the FIG Apparatus World Cup program, had a tough time on the Uneven Bars on Friday (11.300), but rebounded with a nice routine and a 13.733 score.

Second Rotation:
Chiles started the Uneven Bars and improved to 14.433 from 14.300 on Friday. DiCello had trouble with a bad release, and scored just 12.800 (vs. 13.966). McCallum improved on Bars from 13.833 to 14.000, a real help for her.

The Uneven Bars and Biles have not always been on the best terms, but she had the no. 2 score on Friday at 14.600. She had a gaffe on an early move on the low bar, and had a skip on the landing, and scored significantly lower at 13.833. Lee followed her brilliant Friday routine (15.300) with not quite as perfect a program, but still the high scorer at 14.900.

Skinner moved to Beam, and had some difficulties, but stayed on and scored 13.400, down from the 14.133 she scored previously. Carey improved from Friday, scoring 14.433.

Third Rotation:
McCallum had a slight wobble on Beam, but scored 13.800, just short of the 13.866 she got on Friday. Biles, the reigning Olympic bronze medalist, fell in mid-routine, and scored 13.700, well behind the 15.133 she scored on the first night. Lee was excellent with a triple somersault mid-routine and another on the dismount, and matched her 14.733 from Friday. Chiles was solid and stuck the dismount after a somersault and a full twist, scoring 13.900, down from 14.233.

Leanne Wong drew a lot of notice for her 14.233 on Floor, followed by Skinner, who executed a powerful tumbling routine on Floor, but stepped out on an early pass that cost her 0.300, resulting in a score of 13.500 vs. 13.866 on Friday.

Fourth Rotation:
McCallum flew out of bounds on an early tumbling run, suffering a significant deduction, earning 13.500 vs. 14.166 on Friday. Biles was sensational as always on Floor, developing sensational power on her patented double somersault with three twists tumbling run. But she stepped out with one foot on her first two tumbling runs, still scoring 14.600 vs. 15.366 previously. Lee followed with an elegant routine, with no major errors, earning 13.933, a bit step up from Friday’s 13.233.

Chiles was excellent on her Floor routine, hitting her tumbling passes and staying in control, bursting into tears as she walked off the podium. She shortly had reason to be happy, as she was rewarded with a score of 14.233, up 6/10ths from the first All-Around. DiCello skipped out of bounds on the first tumbling pass, scoring 13.500 vs. 13.966 from Friday.

Skinner was on Vault, displaying great speed and power, scoring 15.266 with just a step on the landing. That was better than her Friday score (15.133) and second only to Biles on Vault on the night. Wong was very good on her Vault, scoring 14.700, the same as on the first night.

Sunday’s All-Around scores actually showed Lee beating Biles (!), 58.166-57.533, with Chiles third at 57.499, a step above all others. The two-session scores had Biles the winner at 118.098, followed by Lee (115.832) and Chiles (114.631).

Then came the contenders for the final spots; McCallum was fourth at 112.564, Skinner fifth at 112.264 and DiCello in sixth at 111.231.

At the Trials, the two-Session event winners were Biles on Vault, Lee (30.200) on Bars, Lee on Beam (29.466) and Biles on Floor (29.966.)

The pressure of Sunday’s Trials was enormous and it showed on the competitors, but at the end, the Tokyo team was named with a view to the best scoring potential in the Team event. Biles, Lee and Chiles were obvious selections; the USA Gymnastics selection panel announced McCallum as the fourth member, plus Skinner as an individual competitor. The latter scored 30.399 on Vault on Sunday, second only to Biles’ 30.866.

Carey had already qualified as an individual. They’re on the plane, and the U.S. women will be favored to win a third straight Olympic Team gold in a little more than a month.

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ATHLETICS: World record for McLaughlin, world leaders for Lyles, Mu and Kunz as Trials close in hot 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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The final day of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene took place in scorching, 100-plus degree temperatures, after the men’s 5,000 m final had been held in the morning. The highlights as they happened:

● Men’s High Jump: The jumping really began at 2.27 m (7-5 1/4), which left four men vying for three spots in Tokyo: 2012 Olympic champ Erik Kynard, NCAA champ JuVaughn Harrison, 2019 NCAA Indoor champ Shelby McEwen and Darryl Sullivan, with Kynard still needing the Olympic standard of 2.33 m (7-7 3/4).

Harrison, McEwen and Sullivan all cleared 2.30 m (7-6 1/2) on their first try, but Kynard missed. He missed a second try and then passed to 2.33 m (7-7 3/4), where he missed for a third time and was eliminated. Now Harrison, McEwen and Sullivan were jumping for fun.

Sullivan was “only” fourth at the NCAAs for Tennessee, but he and Harrison sailed over 2.33 m on their first tries, with Sullivan equaling his lifetime best. McEwen missed twice and passed, keeping his options open. The bar went up to 2.36 m (7-8 3/4) and Harrison still had the long jump ahead of him, but kept going, missing his first try. He and Sullivan both missed twice, then asked for the bar to go up to 2.39 m (7-10). Sullivan missed and was done, then McEwen came back for a final jump and missed as well. Harrison decided that after 90 minutes in the heat, he needed to get ready for the long jump, starting an hour later.

● Women’s Heptathlon: Only Kendell Williams, the 2017 national champion, and two-time champ Erica Bougard came into the meet with the Olympic Standard of 6,420, but veteran Annie Kunz, the 2020 U.S. Indoor Pentathlon champ, was determined to get there.

Kunz led after the first day at 4,042, and was second in the long jump at 6.50 m (21-4) and fifth in the javelin at 45.06 m (147-10). That wasn’t good enough to hold onto the lead, as Williams moved ahead by winning the long jump (6.73 m/22-1) and second in the jav (47.41 m/155-6). But Kunz could get to Tokyo with a 606-point 800 m, meaning she has to run 2:37.19 or faster in the heat. Her lifetime best of 2:14.90 is fine, but what about running in 105 degrees?

Bougard stands third at 5,716 and has almost a 300-point lead over Ashtin Mahler (5,419).

In the 800 m finale, Kunz ran brilliantly and finished ahead of Williams in 2:15.24 to not only get the Olympic standard, but won the event overall at 6,703, a huge lifetime best and the 2021 world leader! She scored lifetime bests in four of the seven individual events to finish ahead of Williams (6,683, a personal best) and Bougard (6,667) in third. Kunz is now no. 5 in U.S. history and Williams is now sixth.

● The Heat ● At 3:16 p.m., USA Track & Field announced that the record heat in Eugene required a delay in the competition, to 8:30 p.m. for the men’s Long Jump and 9:02 p.m. for the Heptathlon 800 m. The heat reached 111 degrees (F), but was 99 when the competition continued.

● Men’s Long Jump: The first event to start after the heat delay, LSU’s Harrison took the lead in the first round at 8.24 m (27-0 1/2), which might be good enough to make the team. But he didn’t stay in the lead for long as Marquis Dendy – the 2016 World Indoor Champion – boomed out to 8.38 m (27-6), his best mark since 2016!

Rio Olympic champ Jeff Henderson jumped 8.08 m (26-6 1/4) in the first round, a good opener, but then he was pushed to fourth by Damarcus Simpson, who jumped a lifetime best of 8.19 m (26-10 1/2).

Dendy reached 8.19 m (26-10 1/2) in round three, but then Harrison got most of the board this time and landed in the lead at 8.47 m (27-9 1/2) – a lifetime best – and no. 2 in the world for 2021. Then Steffin McCarter of Texas inserted himself into the race for Tokyo, equaling his lifetime best at 8.26 m (27-1 1/4), pushing Simpson to fourth and Henderson to fifth. Rio Olympian Jarrion Lawson passed on all three jumps and did not advance to the final.

The top three did not change in the last three rounds; Florida State’s Isaac Grimes moved ahead of Henderson in round five at 8.09 m (26-6 1/2) and finished fifth. And it ended with Harrison completing his NCAA-Olympic Trials double in the high jump and long jump and on his way to Tokyo. For Dendy, making the team this time is especially sweet: he made the U.S. Worlds team in 2013-15-17, but now he gets to go to the Games.

● Women’s 400 m hurdles: Shamier Little got lane 5, Sydney McLaughlin was in lane 6 and world-record holder Dalilah Muhammad was in seven, with temperatures at 94 degrees.

McLaughlin got out well, but McLaughlin was right with her through five hurdles. Around the turn, Little came into contention, but chopped over the eighth hurdle and fell back. Muhammad led to the ninth hurdle, but McLaughlin charged ahead and poured on the speed to run through the tape in world record 51.90, the third straight time the two have produced a world record.

Muhammad was second in 52.42, and Little slowed dramatically in the straight and was passed late by NCAA champion Anna Cockrell for third, 53.70 – a lifetime best – to 53.85.

McLaughlin now owns two of the four fastest times ever – Muhammad has the other two – and Muhammad’s 52.42 was the equal-sixth fastest of all time. They may go faster in Tokyo.

● Women’s 800 m: There was an early fall with Nia Akins going down and Chanelle Price, Athing Mu and Ajee Wilson at the front. Price led at the bell in 57.44 with Mu and Wilson right behind.

Then the race ended. Mu took over with 300 m, with Price second and Wilson third and was running easily away from the field. The 2016 trials winner, Kate Grace, came up for second on the final turn as Wilson faded and then Mu took off.

She stormed away from the field and was 20 m clear at the finish in 1:56.07, the world leader for 2021 and the no. 2 performance in U.S. history. All this at age 19.

Behind her, Raevyn Rogers came up for second in a lifetime best of 1:57.66 – now no. 9 all-time U.S. – and Wilson ran herself back onto the team from fifth to third in 1:58.39. Michaela Meyer ran a lifetime best 1:58.55 for fourth; Price was fifth (1:58.73) and Grace finished seventh (1:59.17).

● Men’s 1,500 m: Josh Thompson took the lead with Cole Hocker, with Matthew Centrowitz in lane two and running comfortably. Eric Avila and Sam Prakel led through 400 m, but the pack remained bunched right into the home straight for the bell.

Centowitz, trying to stay out of trouble for the sprint to come, took the lead just before the bell and was ahead of Prakel, Colby Alexander and Thompson when the running really started. With a half-lap remaining Centro was in control and still running easily, with Prakel and Thompson trailing. But off the turn came Oregon frosh Cole Hocker, the NCAA winner, who sprinted past all but Centrowitz … and then passed Centrowitz on the straight in 3:35.28 to 3:35.34. Hocker finished in 52.5.

Notre Dame’s Yared Nuguse used his closing speed to come from the middle of the pack to run past Craig Engels and get third in 3:36.19 to 3:36.69.

Hocker’s 3:35.28 is a lifetime best, but he does not have the Olympic standard of 3:35.00. He’s only 47th on the 2021 year list, so it will take some days to determine whether he goes to the Games. Centrowitz and Nuguse are on their way.

● Men’s 200 m: World Champion Noah Lyles was in the middle of the track in lane five and he blasted right from the gun and had the lead heading into the straight from Kenny Bednarek outside of him in seven.

Normally, it would be race over for Lyles, but he was losing his lead in the final 50 m as Bednarek closed and prep star Erriyon Knighton stormed from fifth to third as they crossed the line. The clock showed a new world leader for Lyles in 19.74, with Bednarek running a lifetime best of 19.78 for second and Knighton breaking his own World U-20 Record at 19.84. Fred Kerley, already on the team in the 100 m, ran a lifetime best of 19.90 for fourth; Isiah Young ran 20.03 and got fifth.

The meet concluded with stunning results and a powerful U.S. team named; the performances resulted in world-leading performances in 11 events, five American Records and two World Records:

World leaders:
● Men.200 m: 19.74, Noah Lyles
● Men/800 m: 1:43.17, Clayton Murphy
● Men/110 m hurdles: 12.81, Grant Holloway (in semis)
● Men/400 m hurdles: 46.83, Rai Benjamin
● Men/Shot Put: 23.37 m (76-8 1/4), Ryan Crouser (World Record)

● Women/200 m: 21.98, Gabby Thomas (in heats)
● Women/200 m: 21.94, Gabby Thomas (in semis)
● Women/200 m: 21.61, Gabby Thomas
● Women/800 m: 1:56.07, Athing Mu
● Women/400 m hurdles: 51.90, Sydney McLaughlin (World Record)
● Women/Pole Vault: 4.95 m (16-2 3/4), Katie Nageotte
● Women/Hammer: 79.98 m (262-5), DeAnna Price (American Record)
● Women/Hammer: 80.31 m (263-6), DeAnna Price (American Record)
● Women/Heptathlon: 6,703, Annie Kunz

American Records:
● Men/Shot Put: 23.37 m (76-8 1/4), Ryan Crouser (World Record)
● Men/Hammer: 82.71 m (271-4), Rudy Winkler

● Women/400 m hurdles: 51.90, Sydney McLaughlin (World Record)
● Women/Hammer: 79.98 m (262-5), DeAnna Price
● Women/Hammer: 80.31 m (263-6), DeAnna Price

Now, on to Tokyo, eventually. But between now and then, many of the Trials stars will be out to make a living at the Diamond League meets coming up in Oslo (1 July), Stockholm (4 July), Monaco (9 July) and Gateshead on 13 July before the Olympic break.

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HIGHLIGHTS: Fraser-Pryce wins Jamaican Champs in 10.71; crashes and Alaphilippe mark start of Tour de France; U.S. women take third straight FIVB Nations League title

By
Rich Perelman
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Three-peat: U.S. women celebrate a third straight FIVB Nations League title in Rimini, Italy. (Photo: USA Volleyball)

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Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world/updated/:

● Archery ● The third and final World Archery World Cup of 2021 was in Paris (FRA), in a last tune-up prior to Tokyo and the U.S. team continuing its hot shooting.

In the men’s Recurve (Olympic) division, the elimination rounds saw two U.S. shooters – World Champion Brady Ellison and Olympic team member Jack Williams – advance to the semifinals, facing Federico Musolesi (ITA) and Patrick Huston (GBR), respectively. Both Americans won by 6-2 scores and advanced to the final, where Ellison recorded a 6-2 win. Musolesi defeated Huston, also by 6-2, for the bronze medal.

The men’s team event ended with Belgium and Germany in the gold-medal match, won by the Germans, 6-2. In the bronze-medal match, France defeated Malaysia by 5-3.

In the women’s division, Olympic Trials winner Mackenzie Brown sailed into the semifinals as well, facing Elena Osipov of Russia. The match came down to an extra arrow and Osipov moved on with a 10-9 advantage. Mexico’s Ana Vasquez and India’s Deepika Kumari faced off in the other semi, with Kumari winning by 6-2.

Kumari continued her hot shooting and shut out Osipov, 6-0, in the final. Brown had another cliff-hanger, but this time won over Vasquez on the extra arrow, 10-9.

Mexico and India were not done, however, matched in the Recurve Team gold-medal event, with India winning by 5-1. France won the women’s Team bronze, 5-3, over Belarus.

The Mixed Team event saw India and the Netherlands reach the final, with another Indian win, by 5-3. Spain and Mexico shot for the bronze medal, with the Mexicans taking the win, 5-1.

Even without a medal, the U.S. teams made it to the quarterfinals in all three events.

● Athletics ● Hot sprinting was expected at the Jamaican Championships in Kingston, and Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce did not disappoint. On Friday, the two-time Olympic 100 m gold medalist won in a speedy 10.71 over surprising Shericka Jackson – better known as a 400 m star – in 10.82, with defending Olympic champ Elaine Thompson-Herah third in 10.84. Jackson set a lifetime best of 10.77 in the semis.

The men’s 100 m saw Tyquendo Tracy upset 2011 World Champion Yohan Blake, 10.00-10.01, with Oblique Seville logging a personal best of 10.04.

In the men’s 400 m hurdles, Jaheel Hyde impressed with a win in a lifetime best of 48.18, no. 6 on the world list for 2021. Janieve Russell won the women’s 400 m hurdles in 54.07, moving to no. 5 in the world this year.

Elsewhere during this national championships break in the international schedule was a world lead in the discus by Sweden’s World Champion Daniel Stahl at 70.55 m (232-5) in Kuortane (FIN). Stahl was pushed to the limit by Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh, who scored a national record of 70.35 m (230-9) in round three to briefly take the world lead, before Stahl reached 70.21 m (230-4) in the fourth and 70.55 m in the final round!

At the same meet, Germany’s Johannes Vetter demonstrated he is healed from a hip injury, winning with a monster 93.59 m (307-0) toss to win the men’s javelin. It was his ninth throw over 90 m this year and he is the only one to throw that far.

China’s Rio Olympic silver winner Lijiao Gong extended her world lead in the women’s shot to 20.39 m (66-10 3/4) at the Chinese Nationals in Chongqing; she now owns the top four throws of the year.

At the British Championships in Manchester, sprint star Dina Asher-Smith won the women’s 100 m in 10.97 and Holly Bradshaw won the women’s vault, jumping to no. 3 on the 2021 world list at 4.90 m (16-0 3/4) on her first attempt.

Reigning Olympic champion Mo Farah tried once again for the 27:28.00 Olympic qualifying standard in a specially-constructed 10,000 m race, and won in 27:47.04, meaning he will not be named to the British team for Tokyo.

In Osaka, Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya won the men’s 110 m hurdles in a speedy 13.06, moving him to no. 3 on the 2021 world list, behind Grant Holloway of the U.S. and reigning Olympic champ Omar McLeod (JAM).

● Cycling ● The opening of the 108th Tour de France in Brest was one to remember, but for all the wrong reasons.

There were two major crashes during the late stages of the hilly, 197.8 km route. With about 45 km remaining, a female fan stepped onto the course and held out a sign for the television cameras with German rider Tony Martin running right into it and falling, causing a mass crash for dozens of riders. The peloton stopped to allow them to catch up, but there were injuries and a loss of time for some of the race contenders, including Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic and Dutch star Wout van Aert. ASO, the race organizers, promised legal action against the spectator … if she can be found.

The second smash-up came from within the peloton with about 6 km remaining, with a touch of wheels sending riders flying off the road and towards the spectators. The riders recovered to finish, but four-time champion Chris Froome (GBR) ended the stage 14:37 behind the winner.

The race finally came down to the final climb up and over the Cote de la Fosse and French star Julian Alaphilippe attacked on the climb with 2.3 km left and no one could match him. He seized the yellow jersey for the third consecutive Tour, winning by eight seconds over Michael Matthews (AUS), Roglic and Jack Haig (AUS). After the finishes were finally sorted out, Alaphilippe had 12-second overall lead on Matthews, and major contenders lost time, including Richard Carapaz (ECU: +0:23) and Richie Porte (AUS: +2:23).

Sunday’s second stage was another hilly course in Brittany, this time 183.5 km with an uphill finish to the Mur-de-Bretagne. The final ascent, with just 2 km remaining, would be decisive and Australia’s Porte and Colombia’s Nairo Quintana both attacked but could not shake the front group. Italy’s Sonny Colbrelli tried go break away with 900 m left, but it was Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel who was best prepared, and his attack with about 500 m left was the winner.

Van der Poel won by six seconds, with defending champ Tadej Pogacar (SLO) and Roglic going 2-3, followed by Wilco Kelderman (NED) and then Alaphilippe (+0:08). With the time bonuses figured in, van der Poel took the race lead by eight seconds over Alaphilippe, 13 seconds over Pogacar and 14 seconds over Roglic.

Not as chaotic, but still dramatic was the eighth edition of La Course by Le Tour for women, which will turn into a full-blown multi-stage race in 2022. This was a hilly, 107.4 km race from Brest to Landerneau, that ended with a mass sprint of eight riders.

Multiple breakaways were retrieved by the peloton during the race, with the last one compressed just before the fourth and final climb of the Cote de la Fosse. On the way to the uphill finish, the eight leaders settled for a sprint with Dutch star Demi Vollering getting to the line just ahead of Cecile Uttrup Ludwig (DEN), Dutch legends Anna van der Breggen and Marianne Vos and Australia’s Grace Brown, all timed in 2:50:29.

After being delayed due to coronavirus conditions in Peru, the Pan American Track Cycling Championships started on Friday in Lima, continuing through Tuesday.

Powerhouse Colombia dominated the first two days, with Kevin Quintero winning the Keirin and leading the Team Sprint win. Jordan Parra won the Elimination race and anchored the Team Pursuit win as well. Trinidad & Tobago’s Akil Campbell won the Scratch Race.

The women’s racing saw Colombia win the Team Sprint and Team Pursuit and Ambar Joseph of Barbados take the Scratch Race.

● Football ● The Copa America continues to play and continues to suffer from coronavirus infections.

Through last Monday, the South American confederation – CONMEBOL – announced that 22,856 tests had been administered in total, with 166 positives so far, or 0.7% of those tested. That’s up from 140 the week before, so the infection rate is slowing.

A total of 17 players have tested positive since the tournament began; of that number, 15 were available to play following a quarantine period. The tournament is being played without spectators; half of the 10 teams have reported at least one positive test among their delegation.

On the field, the group stage will finish today (27th), with Argentina (7 points: 2-0-1 W-L-T) leading Group A, followed by Paraguay (2-1-0) and Chile (1-1-2). Host Brazil is 3-0-0 in Group B, ahead of Colombia (1-2-1) and Peru (1-1-1).

The quarterfinals begin on 3 July and the title match will be on 10 July in Rio.

UEFA’s Euro 2020 finally completed the group stage with Italy (3-0), Belgium (3-0), the Netherlands (3-0) all undefeated, and England (2-0-1), Sweden (2-0-1) and France (1-0-2) winning their groups.

In the Round of 16, Italy eliminated Austria in extra time, 2-1 and Denmark stomped on Wales, 4-0, in Saturday’s matches. On Sunday, the Czech Republic surprised the Netherlands, 2-0, in Budapest, after the Dutch had to play with 10 men – following a red card for a hand ball – for the final 38 minutes of the game. The Czechs move on to play the Danes.

Sunday’s marquee match was a high-profile clash of Belgium and Portugal in Seville; no. 1-ranked Belgium finally solved the Portuguese defense with a Thorgen Hazard strike in the 42nd minute that twisted away from keeper Rui Patricio for a 1-0 halftime lead. The second half was uneven and chippy, but Portugal almost evened it with a header by Ruben Dias in the 82nd minute and then Raphael Guerrero hit the right post on a strike a minute later. Portugal mounted attack after attack and Joao Felix shot wide of goal at 90+4 on its last chance. Defending champion Portugal ended with a 23-6 edge in shots, but with a 1-0 loss and elimination.

The quarterfinals begin on 2 July and the tournament will finish on 11 July.

● Golf ● The Women’s PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club saw Americans Lizette Salas and Nelly Korda tied for the lead entering the final round at -15, five shots clear of the field. But then Korda took off, with birdies on 3 and 14 and eagles on 5 and 12 to go to -6 for the day and -21 for the tournament with four holes remaining, and a five-shot lead.

Korda gave back two shots with a double-bogey on 15, but sailed home at -19 (269), with a 68 for the day and finishing three shots up on Salas (71 for 272 total), with Hyo Joo Kim (KOR) and Giulia Molinaro (ITA) tied for third.

Korda, still just 22, won her first major and her sixth win on the LPGA Tour.

● Gymnastics ● The FIG Trampoline World Cup in Coimbrs (POR) was a 1-2 finish for Belarus on the men’s side, with reigning Olympic champ Uladzislau Hancharou winning over Aleh Rabtsau by 62.505-61.380. France’s Allan Morante was third (60.500).

Hancharou and Rabtsau teamed up to win the Synchro event, 50.450-50.150, over Russia.

Russia went 1-2 in the women’s final, as Susana Kochesok won with 55.770 points to Iana Lebedeva (55.270), with Palina Shadzko (BLR) in third. France’s Lea Labrousse and Marine Jurbert won the women’s Synchro with 47.460 points, ahead of Australia (46.990).

● Shooting ● A full-program ISSF World Cup for pistol, rifle and shotgun is ongoing in Osijek (CRO), with events continuing through 2 July.

The U.S. highlight came from Will Shaner, who won the men’s 10 m Air Rifle with a 250.5-249.2 score against Russia’s 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, Vladimir Maslennikov. In the other men’s individual events, Iran’s Javad Foroughi won the 10 m Air Pistol, and Italy’s Tammaro Cassandro won in Skeet. Ukraine’s Rio Air Rifle silver medalist Serhiy Kulish won the 50 m Rifle/3 Positions by 460.0 to 458.6 over Russia’s Rio silver medalist Sergey Kamenskiy.

In the men’s team events, Italy won in 10 m Air Pistol, Russia took the 10 m Air Rifle, and Italy won in Skeet.

In the women’s competitions completed so far, Antoaneta Konstadinova (BUL) took the 10 m Air Pistol title, Hungary’s Eszter Meszaros won the 10 m Air Rifle, and Russian Zilia Batyrshina won the Skeet event.

The women’s team competitions saw Bulgaria win the 10 m Air Pistol, Iran take the 10 m Air Rifle and Russia win in Skeet.

In the Mixed Team events, Russia won in the 10 m Air Pistol, Hungary won the 10 m Air Rifle competition and Chile defeated Ukraine in the Mixed Team Skeet.

● Sport Climbing ● The IFSC World Cup in Innsbruck offered the fourth Bouldering competition of the season and the first in Lead, but suffered from rainy conditions that hindered some of the events.

In the men’s Bouldering, Japan swept the top places, with Yoshiyuki Ogata winning with two tops and two zones (2T2Z 7/7), over two-time World Champion Tomoa Narasaki (1T3Z 2/11) and Kokoro Fujii (1T1Z 2/2). It was Ogata’s second career World Cup win. American Nathaniel Coleman was sixth (0T1Z 0/2). Delayed by rain, local regulations for public events required the event to end after the third problem.

The women’s final was marred by rain that also shortened the event to three problems, but Olympic favorite Janja Garnbret (SLO) still won easily, solving all three problems to win (3T3Z 3/3). American Natalia Grossman, 20, was second (3T3Z 9/9), her fourth medal in four Bouldering event this season (2-1-1). The 2017 World Games champ, Serbia’s Stasa Gejo was third (1T3Z 2/6).

Austria’s Jakob Schubert, the 2018 World Champion, won the opening Lead event of 2021, but just barely, reaching 47+ holds to 47 for Italy’s Stefano Ghisolfi and 38+ for Swiss Sascha Lehmann. The women’s title went to Garnbret, who reached the top, ahead of American Brooke Raboutou (40) and Japan’s Akiyo Noguchi (33+).

There was a strange outage on the video coverage of the Bouldering semi-finals, with a Twitter posting that noted:

“The video of the men’s and women’s Boulder semi-finals in Innsbruck has been temporarily removed from our YouTube channel.

“It will be edited and re-uploaded as soon as possible.”

This was followed by a notice from ORF, the Austrian national broadcaster:

“We acknowledge that, for a brief moment, we chose to display the sport of climbing in the wrong way. We commit ourselves to keep working for a fair, equal and better representation of women’s sports.

“Our apology goes out to Ms. Johanna Farber, the International Federation of Sport Climbing, Austria Climbing, and all those who felt concern and discomfort for our actions.”

As one poster on Twitter put it, “There were close-up camera shots of a female competitors backside. This wasn’t just the a shot of chalk handprints on black shorts though, it did feel like the competitor was being sexualised. I’m pleased IFSC is editing this out.”

Farber, an Austrian climber, was seventh in the semi-finals and did not advance to the final. She posted on Instagram, “having this slowmotion clip shown on NATIONAL TV and youtube livestreaming is so disrespectful and upsetting. … we need to stop sexualizing women in sports and start to appreciate their performance.”

● Swimming ● The famed Sette Coli meet at the Foro Italico in Rome (ITA) produced noteworthy times just a month ahead of the Tokyo Games.

Of special interest was the comeback of Swedish superstar Sarah Sjostrom after her surgery to fix a broken elbow suffered in a fall last February. She won the 50 m Fly (a non-Olympic event), the 100 m Fly and was second to Femke Heemskerk (NED: 53.03, no. 8 in 2021) in the 100 m Free, all with encouraging performances:

● 50 m Free: 24.25 (2nd), close to 24.07 season’s best from February
● 100 m Free: 53.47 (2nd), no. 17 on the world rankings
● 50 m Fly: 25.42, no. 3 on the world rankings
● 100 m Fly: 57.65, only a little slower than her 57.34 in February

Sjostrom is the reigning Olympic champ in the 100 m Fly, and won silver in the 200 m Free and bronze in the 100 m Free in Rio.

Hungary’s Kristof Milak, the world-record holder in the 200 m Fly, won that event in 1:53.18, a time only he has bettered this season (1:51.10 at the European Championships). Countryman David Verraszto won the men’s 400 m Medley in a speedy 4:09.57, no. 3 on the 2021 world list, while Italian Nicolo Martinenghi won the men’s 100 m Breast in 58.29 to move to no. 4 on the year list and equal-fourth all-time!

Italy’s Arianna Castiglioni won the women’s 100 m Breast in a national record 1:05.67, now no. 4 on the year list, just behind Americans Lilly King, Lydia Jacoby and Annie Lazor. Italian Freestyle star Simona Quadarella moved to no. 3 on the women’s 1,500 m year list with a win in 15:48.31, behind Katie Ledecky of the U.S. and Australia Maddy Gough.

Two-time World Champion sprinter Therese Alshammer had hopes of making a seventh Swedish Olympic team, this time only in the 4×100 m Free relay, but her 57.99 second-place finish in heat nine was considered too slow. Now 43, she owns two Olympic silvers and a bronze from the 2000 Games in Sydney, in the 50-100 m Frees and the 4×100 m Free relay.

Results from the Uzbekistan Open in Tashkent (UZB) last April, at which multiple Olympic qualifying times were achieved have been annulled by FINA, according to reports from India.

Complaints about manipulation of the times given at the event surfaced quickly and Indian swimmer Likith Prema provided video evidence demonstrating “that timings were tampered with to suit home swimmers.”

Observed: Even in our high-tech age, nothing can be taken for granted.

● Volleyball ● The U.S. women’s team continued its perfect record in the FIVB Women’s Nations League: three titles in three seasons.

After finishing with a 14-1 record in round-robin play in a sequestered environment in Rimini, Italy, the U.S. sailed into the playoff rounds as the top seed. In the semifinals, the U.S. squeezed past Turkey in contested sets, winning 25-21, 25-23 and 25-20. Brazil defeated Japan, 3-1, in the other semi.

The championship match saw Brazil take the first set, 28-26, but the Americans rebounded to win the next three – and the title – by 25-23, 25-23 and 25-21. American star Michelle Bartsch-Hackley was named Most Valuable Player, just as she was in 2019.

The all-tournament designations went to Americans Jordyn Palmer (best setter), Justine Wong-Orantes (best libero) and Bartsch-Hackley as Best Outside Hitter, along with Brazil’s Gabriela Guimaraes. Brazil also had three selections, with Tandara Caixeta selected as Best Opposite and Carol Gattaz as Best Middle Blocker, along with Turk Eda Erdem Dundar.

Said U.S. captain Jordan Larson: “It’s a really hard tournament. I am really proud of our team that kept fighting and kept competing through this whole five weeks. It’s been fun but long.”

The men’s Nations League saw Brazil win the round-robin at 13-2, trailed by Poland and Slovenia at 12-3 and France at 11-4. The U.S. finished seventh at 8-7.

In the semifinals, Brazil and Poland both won in straight sets. Brazil cruised past France, 25-20, 25-18 and 25-19, while the Poles defeated Slovenia, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23.

Sunday’s medal matches saw Brazil win its first Nations League title by thrashing Poland: 22-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-14. France swept Slovenia for third, 3-0.

Co-Most Valuable Players were Wallace de Souza (BRA) and Bartosz Kurek (POL). The awards for positions went to Michal Kubiak and Yoandy Leal (outside hitter), Kurek and de Souza (opposite hitter), Fabian Drzyga (POL) for setter, Thales Hoss (BRA) for libero and Mateusz Bienek (POL) and Mauricio Souza (BRA) for middle blockers.

● Water Polo ● The FINA men’s World League Super Final in Tbilisi (GEO) began on 26 June and will continue to 1 July. Group A comprises Japan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Italy, with Group B including Montenegro, USA, Greece and France.

Italy won its first two matches to sit atop Group A, ahead of France and Greece (both 1-1). Montenegro beat the U.S., 10-6, in the opener of Group B and is 2-0, with the U.S. at 1-1 after defeating Japan, 15-7. Georgia is also 1-1 and plays the U.S. on Monday. Playoff matches will start on Tuesday.

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ATHLETICS: Chelimo’s 52.83 last lap wins men’s 5,000 m with Fisher and Kincaid doubling back from 10,000 m in hot conditions in Eugene

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympic Trials 5,000 m winner Paul Chelimo leading Emmanuel Bor and Hassan Mead in the heats (Photo: Paul Merca for TrackTown USA)

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The final morning of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene saw the men’s 5,000 m final begin in 88-degree (F) heat, with a slow start and a fast finish.

Garrett Heath, the 2019 Pan Am Games fourth-placer, led the field at the start, but gave way to Rio silver medalist Paul Chelimo after four laps, with 10,000 m winner Woody Kincaid close behind.

Chelimo ran easily with laps of 64.2 and 64.4, then Kincaid took over with 7 laps to go, then let Emmanuel Bor go in front with six laps left (again 64.1). Chelimo then went back into the lead, with Hassan Mead close, then Bor, Kincaid and NCAA champion Cooper Teare of Oregon.

The pack stayed close as the pace did not increase; Chelimo led at 8:07.49 through 3,000 m. Then the pace relaxed further, back to 67.6 and 69.3, bunching the field with three laps to go.

BYU’s Conner Mantz took over as 11 men were together with two laps to go after a 64.2 lap that did little to sort things out. Running to the front at the bell, it was Chelimo and 10,000 m runner-up Grant Fisher and Teare leading, taking off after a 63.7 lap.

On the backstraight, Chelimo and Fisher dueled together with Kincaid, Teare and Bor close and around the turn, Bor was dropped and the all-out sprint was on. On the straight, Chelimo was out in lane three to force Fisher and Kincaid wider, with Teare broken only in the final 40 m.

Chelimo ran the last lap in 52.83 to finish in 13:26.82, ahead of Fisher (13:27.01) and Kincaid (13:27.13) with Teare at 13:28.08 and Bor in 13:30.03. The top five were the only ones with the Olympic standard in this event and the race confirmed their class.

Chelimo is outstanding in hot conditions, winning in scorching heat in Sacramento in 2017 in 13:08.62 and considering his tactical acumen, will be a contender again in Tokyo. “I didn’t taper too much for this race, you know?” said Chelimo afterwards. Of Tokyo, he said, “Be ready to put it all out there.” Can’t wait.

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ATHLETICS: Price hammers two U.S. records, Holloway (12.81) and Benjamin (46.83) author no. 2 performances ever! Wow!

By
Rich Perelman
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History for DeAnna Price in the women's hammer throw in Eugene: two American Records!

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Day six of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene saw temperatures reach 100 degrees (F), with the 20 km race walks and the women’s 10,000 m held in the morning. But the results from the afternoon and evening matched the heat:

● Women’s hammer: World Champion DeAnna Price came in as the world leader and the American Record holder and underlined both with authority.

Throwing in the afternoon heat at 4 p.m., she opened at 77.82 m (255-4), the no. 6 throw in U.S. history, to take the lead, then improved to 78.61 m (257-7), the no. 2 throw ever by an American. Not far behind was Brooke Andersen, who got out to 77.72 m (255-0) in round two, now the no. 10 throw in U.S. annals.

That only fired up Price, who exploded in round three with an American Record throw of 79.98 m (262-5), also the world leader for 2021 and no. 2 all-time behind world-record holder Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) from 2016!

But Price wasn’t done. After a foul in the fourth round, the sent the ball-and-chain out to 80.31 m (263-6) for another American Record and the no. 7 throw of all time! She’s the second woman – after Wlodarczyk – to eclipse 80 m and she now owns the top five throws in U.S. history. Yowzah!

Andersen did not improve and stayed second, and will be a medal contender in Tokyo. Gwen Berry, no. 3 on the 2021 world list, reached 73.50 m (241-2) in the first round and no one else could throw that far. She made her second Olympic team and is also a medal contender at her best. Janee Kassanavoid was fourth at 73.45 m (240-11).

● Women’s javelin: Also in 100-degree heat, three-time Olympian Kara Winger took the lead right away at 61.47 m (201-8) in the first round, trailed by American Record holder Maggie Malone, who reached 60.74 m (199-3) in round two.

Avione Allgood-Whetstone got a lifetime best of 58.94 m (193-4) in the third round to move into third, but well short of the Olympic qualifying standard of 64.00 m (210-0).

Malone got hold of her fifth-round throw and sent the winning throw out to 63.50 m (208-4), while Winger stayed put and Allgood-Whetstone stayed in third. Malone was far off her best in tough conditions, but if right, will be a medal contender in Tokyo.

● Women’s pole vault: The jumping really started at 4.60 m (15-1), with contenders Sandi Morris, Katie Nageotte, Jenn Suhr, Olivia Gruver and Morgann LeLeux the only ones left. The team was decided at the next height – 4.70 m (15-5) – with Nageotte clearing on her first try and LeLeux making it on her third. They’re on their way to Tokyo.

Morris, the Rio silver medalist, missed her three times at 15-5, but ended up third and on the plane as Grover’s suffered from a miss at the opening height of 4.35 m (14-3 2/4). Suhr missed once at 15-1 and that left her in fifth place.

Nageotte continued on, clearing 4.80 m (15-9) on her first try, while the overjoyed LeLeux missed and then retired. Nageotte continued on to 4.95 m (16-2 3/4) to extend her existing world lead and sailed over on her second try for the no. 8 vault in U.S. history (she’s already third on the list) and equal-second outdoors!

She missed three times at a world-record height of 5.07 m (16-7 1/2).

● Women’s long jump: NCAA champion – and world no. 2 – Tara Davis of Texas took charge as the no. 7 jumper in the first round with a 6.92 m (22-8 1/2), but her lead didn’t last long.

There are those who believed 34-year-old Brittney Reese, the 2012 Olympic champion and 2016 silver medalist might not be ready to chase another medal in Tokyo, but as the next jumper in the order, she replied to Davis with a windy 6.94 m (22-9 1/4w) jump to take the lead. She added a legal mark of 6.91 m (22-8) in round three for emphasis and then went nuts.

In round four, Reese landed out at 7.11 m (23-4) and then to 7.13 m (23-4 3/4) to not only extend her lead, but get her best (legal) jumps since 2017! From 16th on the world list in 2021 entering the Trials, she’s now no. 3! She finished with 7.02 mw (23-0 1/2w).

Tiffany Flynn, who does not have the Olympic qualifying standard, moved to third in the fourth round at 6.75 m (22-1 3/4), a lifetime best (and no. 27 on the 2021 list). But in the fifth round, Quanesha Burks, the 2020 U.S. indoor champion, launched out to 6.96 m (22-10) for second, to which Davis responded immediately with 7.04 m (23-1 1/4) to regain second place. Flynn responded with another lifetime best of 6.80 m (22-3 3/4), but she remained in fourth.

Davis also finished at 7.02 m (23-1/2) and finished second with Burks third. All are on to Tokyo, with Reese once again in the mix for gold.

● Men’s 400 m hurdles: Khallifah Rosser ran hardest on the start in lane eight, but favored Rai Benjamin ran patiently to come even at the fifth hurdle. But then Benjamin exploded into the turn and ran away from the field, winning by an expanding margin in a staggering 46.83, the no. 2 time in history – and the 2021 world leader – just 0.05 from the world record!

“I knew I was going to run 46,” Benjamin said afterwards. He’ll have more chances to take Kevin Young’s world record of 46.78 from the 1992 Olympic Games.

Behind him was Kenny Selmon, who made his first Olympic team after an up-and-down year in a lifetime best of 48.08 and David Kendziera was third, also with a personal best of 48.38. Rosser ended up fifth with a season’s best of 48.81.

● Women’s 200 m: World leader Gabby Thomas started in lane six, with Allyson Felix outside her in seven. Off the gun, Thomas was on fire, passed Felix on the turn and was joined by Jenna Prandini off the turn into the straight.

But Thomas had all the strength on the straightaway and finished with her arms in the air, stopping the timer at 21.61, her third world-leader in three races and the no. 3 time in history! Only Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 21.34 and 21.56 in Seoul in 1988 have ever been faster!

Prandini was sensational with a lifetime best of 21.89 (no. 9 all-time U.S.) for second and the battle for third was won by Ohio State’s Anavia Battle, who was third at the NCAA Championships a couple of weeks ago! Now she’s on the Olympic team, with a lifetime best of 21.95, ahead of Alabama’s NCAA runner-up Tamara Clark (21.98) and Felix (22.11).

Thomas authored one of the greatest series of races in the event at 21.98, 21.94 and 21.61 and is one of the favorites for a medal in Tokyo.

● Men’s 110 m hurdles: In the first semi, World Champion Grant Holloway broke fast, hurdled perfectly and ran through the line in a sensational 12.81 with an aiding wind of +1.8 m/s, the no. 2 time in history behind only Aries Merritt’s 12.80 from 2012. He regained the world lead and a threat to the world record in the final!

Trey Cunningham was second (13.21) and Jamal Britt was third (13.27). Sam Bixley of Washington State, disqualified yesterday during the false-start festival, appealed and was advanced to the semis, but finished ninth in 13.99.

Devon Allen won semi two in 13.10 (+1.2), ahead of Daniel Roberts (13.25) and Michael Dickson (13.29). Jarret Eaton was fourth in 13.32, but made the final.

All eyes were on Holloway nearly two hours later for the final, but there was another recall, with no one disqualified. Off the gun, Holloway and Roberts were in front right away and Holloway raced away with a clear lead and won decisively in 12.96 (+0.4). Roberts was second through most of the race, but Allen came on late and got second at the tape at 13.10, with Roberts at 13.11. Cunningham was fourth in 13.21, equaling his personal best.

After the first day of the women’s heptathlon, veteran Annie Kunz is in the lead at 4,042 points, trailed by Taliyah Brooks (3,946) and favored Kendell Williams (3,924) and then Erica Bougard (3,912). Only Williams and Bougard have the Olympic standard (6,420), but Kunz and Brooks are capable if everything goes right tomorrow.

There was qualifying only in the men’s 200 m and women’s 400 m hurdles, with lots of noteworthy action.

The men’s 200 m semis started with a strong turn from Kenny Bednarek and he powered down the straight for a 19.90 win (+0.9 m/s), ahead of Isiah Young’s 19.99 seasonal best and a 20.02 lifetime best from Andrew Hudson. Fred Kerley – already on the team in the 100 m – started slowly, tending to a small injury, then turned it on in the final 100, but still ended up fourth in 20.08.

World Champion Noah Lyles headlined the second semi and started brilliantly in lane eight, taking control around the turn and leading into the straightaway. But he was run down by 17-year-old Erriyon Knighton in the final 60 m, who won in 19.88, erasing Usain Bolt’s 2004 mark of 19.93! And Knighton was pointing to the clock in the final 10 m!

Lyles was second in 19.91, with world leader Terrance Laird third in 20.22. Kerley did make it through on time for the final.

The semifinals in the women’s 400 m hurdles started with world leader Sydney McLaughlin running hard from the start and was even with the hard-charging Nnenya Hailey over the eighth hurdle, but then ran away down the straightaway. McLaughlin’s easy style still produced a 53.03 time, second this year only to her own 52.83 from earlier this month.

Hailey scored a lifetime best of 54.24 in second and Cassandra Tate was third in a seasonal best of 55.24.

Semi two had world-record holder Dalilah Muhammad (lane 6) and world no. 2 Shamier Little (lane 5) going head-to-head. It took three starts to get a fair gun, and Muhammad got out fast as expected, with the lead through the seventh hurdle. Little gained on the far turn and was even with Muhammad on the final straight, passing Muhammad on the run-in for a 53.71 win, with Muhammad at 53.86 for a season’s best. USC’s NCAA champ Anna Cockrell was third in 55.10. The final will be epic.

What a day! The Trials finish tomorrow, with the men’s 5,000 starting at 10 a.m. to beat the heat.

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GYMNASTICS: Malone storms to Trials win, with Wiskus, Mikulak, Moldauer and Yoder named to men’s Artistic team for Tokyo

By
Rich Perelman
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U.S. National All-Around and Olympic Trials All-Around champion Brody Malone (Photo: USA Gymnastics)

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The U.S. Olympic Trials in Artistic Gymnastics for men concluded Saturday in St. Louis, with Stanford’s Brody Malone now the clear leader of the American men’s team for Tokyo.

Malone won the first All-Around competition on Thursday and romped to a second win on Saturday, scoring 86.350 – 1.10 points better – for a two-day total of 171.600, exactly three points better than Yul Moldauer.

Malone won the High Bar with a two-day total of 29.250 and was second on Floor (29.100) and Rings (28.450) and third on Parallel Bars (28.500) to go along with sixth-place finishes on Pommel Horse and Vault. In 2021, he swept the NCAA, U.S. National Championships and now the Olympic Trials.

Muldauer won on Parallel Bars (28.500) and was second on Pommel Horse (28.350), but lost his chance at the title with a 13th-place total on High Bar. Shane Wiukus (168.150) and Sam Mikulak (166.750) followed in third and fourth overall and were named to the team. Both looked like locks, but Mikulak fell off the Pommel Horse on his last event to throw some drama into the selection process. He finished just 0.050 points ahead of Brandon Briones (also Stanford: 166.700).

Briones, Akash Modi (6th: 166.050), Allan Bower (7th: 165.450), and Cameron Bock (10th: 163.300) were named as alternates.

There was also an individual spot for a specialist and Alec Yoder was named for the Pommel Horse; he won the two-day competition scoring 29.600. Alex Diab, a Rings specialist, won that event at 29.400, and was named as alternate.

All are first-time Olympians except for Mikulak, now 28, who made his third Olympic squad.

The U.S. Trials will end tomorrow night with the second women’s All-Around, starring Simone Biles.

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ATHLETICS: Sisson crushes women’s 10,000 m field in 85-degree heat as Christie and Stevens win morning walks

By
Rich Perelman
-

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Saturday’s morning session of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon featured the men’s and women’s 20 km walk and the women’s 10,000 m, moved to 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. due to a heat wave that was expected to reach 101 degrees (F) in the afternoon.

In the men’s 20 km Walk, 2018 national champion Nick Christie led wire to wire, finishing I 1:30:48, trailed by Daniel Nehnevaj – who was second almost the entire race – in 1:31:59. Emmanuel Corvera was third (1:34:38).

The women’s 20 km Walk was also a clear victory, also from the start, for Robyn Stevens, in 1:35:13, followed by nine-time national outdoor champion Maria Michta-Coffey (1:39:25) and Miranda Melville (1:40:39).

No U.S. walker has met the Olympic qualifying standards of 1:21:00 for men or 1:31:00 for women, or is higher than 68th in the World Athletics World Rankings, making Olympic selection unlikely.

The women’s 10,000 m was held at 10 a.m. in about 85 degree heat, with 41 starters in a waterfall start, including a brand-new “American” in Weini Kelati, whose application for a change of allegiance from Eritrea was approved on Friday. She was the NCAA 10,000 m champ for New Mexico in 2019.

Lauren Hurley led the first four laps, then two-time World Championships finalist Emily Sisson took over and strung out the field with laps of 74-75 seconds instead of 78-79 for the first four. By 4,000 m, Sisson created a front group of 14, with five straight laps in the 75s (31:28 pace).

Sisson turned it up to 74.7-74.1-74.2 through 6,000 m and the lead pack was down to eight. She moved to 73.8 and 74.2 to 6,800 m and Sisson, Elise Cranny, Karissa Schweizer and Alicia Monson were breaking away from Natosha Rogers, Rachel Schneider and Sara Hall.

By 8,000 m, Sisson, Cranny, Schweizer and Monson were five seconds clear of Schneider and then Sisson started to break away with a 72.6 lap that Monson matched best with Cranny and Schweizer falling back. Sisson poured it on, running 72.4 to take control by 25 m with less than three laps to go. Cranny fell behind Monson and Schweizer, making it clear who was going to make the team.

Sisson increased to pace to 71.5, then 71.3 at the bell, with a 50 m lead over Monson and Schweizer, with Cranny well back in fourth. Sisson won in a stunning 31:03.82, a Trials record, and her second-fastest ever … amazing in the heat.

Schweizer – who was already on the team in the 5,000 m – came on for second with a 68.81 final lap and finished in 31:16.52 in only her fifth 10,000 m ever. Monson got third in 31:18.55 and Cranny was fourth in 31:35.22. All have the Olympic standard and are headed for Sapporo, where it is expected to be cooler than in Tokyo.

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GYMNASTICS: Biles dominates U.S. women’s Trials, wins three of four events to lead Lee and Chiles in first All-Around

By
Rich Perelman
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Simone Biles at the 2016 Olympic Games (by Agencia Brasil Fotografias via Wikipedia Commons)

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The U.S. Olympic Trials in Artistic Gymnastics for women got going on Friday in St. Louis, with all eyes on superstar Simone Biles trying for a second Olympic Games after winning four golds and a bronze in Rio five years ago.

In early June, the main contenders faced off at the U.S. Nationals, with Biles winning the combined All-Arounds at 119.650 over Sunisa Lee (114.950) and Jordan Chiles (114.450). In St. Louis, they started from scratch once again.

First Rotation:
Biles and Lee started on the Uneven Bars, with Lee compiling the high score at 15.300 and Biles (14.600) third after a 14.800 performance by Riley McCusker on her only event of the night. Chiles began on Beam, recording a 14.233 score for the early lead, while MyKayla Skinner lit up the Vault, scoring 15.133 to lead after the first rotation.

Second Rotation:
Biles moved to the Beam and confidently took the lead, scoring a 15.133. Lee was next at 14.733 and Chiles scored 14.233.

Third Rotation:
Chiles was on Floor, scoring 13.633, while Skinner collected a 14.133 on Beam to move into fourth on that apparatus. Jade Carey took the lead on the Vault, scoring 15.200 in one of the two events she hopes to compete as a specialist in Tokyo. Lee scored a modest 13.233 on Floor, followed shortly after by a sensational 15.366 for Biles that put her in the overall lead. Kayla DiCello’s 13.966 on Floor placed her third behind Biles in that event, as Grace McCallum scored 14.166 for second.

Fourth Rotation:
Chiles finished with a quality Vault, scoring 14.966 and finishing the night at 57.132. Lee scored 14.400 on her Vault, and totaled 57.666 for her first-day effort. Everyone was waiting for Biles on Vault, and she did not disappoint, scoring a sensational 15.466, the highest score on any apparatus in the session, for a total of 60.565 points to win the first All-Around.

Skinner finished on Floor, scoring 13.866 for a first-day total of 56.598 points, placing her fourth in the overall standings for the night, behind Biles, Lee and Chiles. McCallum finished with a 14.633 in the Vault to move into fifth place overall (56.498) and DiCello totaled 14.600 and stands sixth at 56.298.

For comparison, Biles led after the first day at the U.S. Nationals in early June with 59.550 points, trailed by Lee at 57.350, Chiles at 56.900 and Leanne Wong at 55.300.

The men will finish with a second All-Around on Saturday; the women will go once more on Sunday.

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ATHLETICS: Bor and Finley claim Steeple and discus titles; Thomas and Prandini scream to 21.94-21.99 women’s 200 m semis wins; Mu and McLaughlin scary

By
Rich Perelman
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Hillary Bor is headed back to the Olympic Games after winning the U.S. Olympic Trials Steeplechase! (U.S. Army photo by Tim Hipps, via Wikipedia)

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Day six of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene featured 90-degree heat and had two finals – in the men’s discus and the men’s Steeple – and a passel of qualifying events.

The discus was the first final and 2019 World Champs finalist Sam Mattis took the lead right away at 62.51 m (205-1). The 2017 Worlds bronze winner and two-time U.S. champ Mason Finley fouled his first throw – after fouling his first two throws in qualifying yesterday – but got a fair toss of 60.70 m (199-2) in round two, sitting in fifth.

Mattis’s first throw held up as the leader through three rounds, but then Finley got untracked and went to the lead on his fourth throw of 62.80 m (206-0). Feeling good, he then extended his lead to 63.07 m (206-11) in round five and it looked like no one would catch him.

The desperation of the sixth round produced the best throws of the day for Josh Stroychen in sixth and James Plummer in seventh, but a foul for Finley. Then 2018 national champ Reggie Jagers got the throw he was waiting for at 62.61 m (205-5) to move from fifth into second place and on the team with three throwers left. That’s the way it ended: of the 12 finalists, the only three with the Olympic qualifying standard made the team – Finley, Jagers and Mattis – are on to Tokyo.

The men’s Steeple ended the program, and two-time Olympian Donn Cabral led the pack through the first four laps with Rio Olympian Hillary Bor and Sean McGorty close. Benard Keter and Daniel Michalski came to the front with three laps remaining, but the pack was still together. Cabral and Bor led with two laps left, with Mason Ferlic now third, but Isaac Updike came up to lead Bor at the bell.

It was still anyone’s race, but six men separated themselves on the back straight and then Bor and Keter raced away with 200 m to go and into the final water jump. The two were together into the straight and when Keter made an awkward clearance on the last barrier, Bor raced away with an 8:21.34 win. It will be his second Olympic appearance after finishing seventh in Rio.

Keter was second in 8:21.81 and Ferlic used a great last water jump to separate from Michalski and Updike to claim third, 8:22.05-8:22.54-8:24.72. Cabral finished sixth in 8:25.95.

The healthy qualifying program included:

● Men’s 200 m: Things got hot immediately, as ex-prep star Erriyon Knighton ran hard from the gun in lane 4 and managed a remarkable win over World Champion Noah Lyles (in lane 7), and took away Lyles’s 2016 American Junior Record by 5/100ths, timing 20.04! Lyles was second in 20.19, ahead of ex-400 m star (and now 100 m Olympian) Fred Kerley (20.41).

The other heats weren’t nearly as fast, with Isiah Young beating Kenny Bednarek and Josephus Lyles in heat two, 20.21-20.22-20.39, and LSU star Terrance Laird – still the world leader – winning heat three in 20.44. The final heat was a win for Andrew Hudson in 20.40, with Georgia’s Matthew Boling (20.47) and 2008 Olympic 400 m champ LaShawn Merritt (20.53) third.

The semifinals and finals come Sunday.

● Men’s 1,500 m: The first semifinal was a wild dash into the final straight, with two-time U.S. champ Craig Engels moving out of a box and into lane two to break free and sprint to a win in 3:38.56. Notre Dame’s collegiate record holder Yared Nuguse was second in 3:35.60, as the top eight finished within 1.27 seconds.

In the second semi, the entire pack ran together almost to the bell and then Johnny Gregorek and reigning Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz took the lead as the running really started. Oregon frosh Cole Hocker, the NCAA champ, went to the lead with 250 m to go and he and Centrowitz raced together to the finish, with Centro winning in 3:42.96 – a 52-second last lap – and Hocker close at 3:43.00. Josh Thompson ran hard over the last 60 m to come up to third (3:43.61), as did Henry Wynne and Sam Prakel, leaving Gregorek in sixth and out of the final. Prep record holder Hobbs Kessler was eighth in 3:45.50.

● Men’s 110 m hurdles: The first three heats went as expected: World Champion Grant Holloway won the first race in 13.11, followed by Daniel Roberts in 13.22 and Devon Allen in a tight finish with Michael Dickson, with both in 13.26.

Then came the fourth heat with four recalls and resets, and then a disqualification of Sam Bixley of Washington State on the fifth recall for a slight flinch. On the sixth try, it was Iowa’s Jaylan McConico who looked best and edged Jarret Eaton, 13.35 to 13.51.

● Men’s 400 m hurdles: Khallifah Rosser led for the first nine hurdles in semi one, but Kenny Selmon came on in the home straight and won in 48.51, with Rosser at 49.04 and Isaiah Levingston third in 49.34. T.J. Holmes, a 48.20 man from 2019, did not have it and was last in 53.98. Amere Lattin, who won his heat yesterday, was disqualified after the meet ended last night for running on the lane line inside him.

Worlds silver medalist Rai Benjamin was the focus of semi two, and he ran away from the field right away. He had a 15 m lead over David Kendziera coming into the straight and then cruised him, literally jogging home in 48.51. Wow! USC’s Cameron Samuel passed Kendziera late for second, 49.01-49.05.

● Men’s High Jump: It took 2.19 m (7-2 1/4) to move to the final and 2012 Olympic champion Erik Kynard and LSU’s JuVaughn Harrison both advanced without incident.

However, Jeron Robinson, a three-time U.S. champion who has cleared 2.30 (7-6 1/2) this season, missed all three times at 2.14 m (7-0 1/4) and was eliminated.

● Men’s Long Jump: The top 12 included Rio fourth-placer Jarrion Lawson, who had to win a reversal of a drug suspension last year to be able to compete. He had two fouls, then unleashed the best jump of the day with a windy 8.12 mw (26-7 3/4 +3.2 m/s). He finished ahead of nine others over 26 feet, including Steffin McCarter (8.10 mw/26-7w), Marquis Dendy (8.09 mw/26-6 1/2w), LSU’s two-event star Harrison (8.06 m/26-5 1/2) and reigning Olympic champ Jeff Henderson in seventh (8.02 mw/26-3 3/4w).

Triple jump winner Will Claye was last at 7.18 m (23-6 3/4); 2012 Olympian Marquise Goodwin, now a Chicago Bears receiver, was 19th with 7.57 m (24-10).

● Women’s 200 m: Former Oregon star Jenna Prandini blew away the field from the start of semi one, with a huge lead off the turn and then striding home in 21.99 (-0.3 m/s), just 0.01 off the world leader from Gabby Thomas yesterday. Veteran Morolake Akinosun made up the stagger on Allyson Felix in lane eight through the turn, but Felix had plenty in reserve and moved confidently into second at 22.20 to assure a better lane for the final. Dezerea Bryant was third (22.37) ahead of Akinosun (22.44). Cam Sturgis of North Carolina A&T ended up seventh in 22.68.

Semi two had Thomas in lane six, and she stormed to the lead immediately and won easily in another lifetime best – and 2021 world-leading time – in 21.94 (+1.8)! Ohio State’s Anavia Battle was a distant second in 22.32 and Alabama’s Tamara Clark was third (22.35). Akinosun did qualify for the final on time.

● Women’s 800 m: All eyes were on Athing Mu, who let Chanelle Price lead the race for almost 700 m, with 2016 Trials winner Kate Grace just behind and Hanna Green in the mix. Into the final straight, Mu turned on a little speed and ran away from Grace to win in 1:59.31 to 1:59.43, with Price third in 1:59.90. Green got mixed up with Sage Hurta, who fell behind her, but still managed to get fourth in 2:10.19, but will miss the final. Mu looked so easy it was (and is) frightening.

The second semi saw Allie Wilson and Ajee Wilson running 1-2 at the bell and breaking away from the field with 300 m to go. Raevyn Rogers moved from the back into third with 200 m to go, but Ajee Wilson ran away from everyone down the straight and cruised home the winner in 1:59.49. Rogers came on strong for second at 1:59.66 and Allie Wilson was third (1:59.94). The final is Sunday.

● Women’s 400 m hurdles: Sydney McLaughlin was the star attraction of heat one – and the only one with the Olympic standard of 55.40. This race had three recalls, and the starter was holding quite a long time. On the fourth try, McLaughlin cruised around the track in 54.07, ahead of Nnenya Hailey – running hard all the way from lane eight – got an Olympic qualifier in 55.05!

World no. 2 Shamier Little was in lane seven in heat two, running just inside the Rio bronze medalist Ashley Spencer. The two ran together to hurdle eight, when Spencer chopped her step and Little cruised in at 55.22, with Spencer at 55.92. Cassandra Tate, the 2015 Worlds bronze medalist, was the class of heat three, winning decisively in 56.11, with NCAA champ Anna Cockrell second in 56.83. World-record holder and reigning Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad looked to be in perfect health – after months of injuries – in winning heat four in 55.51.

● Women’s Javelin: No surprise as the American Record holder, Maggie Malone, led the list at 59.62 m (195-7), followed by former American Record holder, Kara Winger, with 58.78 m (192-10. They are the only ones who have the Olympic qualifying standard of 64.00 (210-0).

Saturday’s program includes finals in 20 km walks and men’s 10,000 m in the morning, then the first day of the women’s heptathlon and then finals in the women’s hammer, women’s javelin, men’s vault, women’s long jump, men’s 400 m hurdles, women’s 200 m and the men’s 110 m hurdles.

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THE TICKER: Tokyo 2020 could still ban spectators; U.S. Soccer posts 17-tweet reply to HBOMax’s“LFG” film; Tour de France starts Saturday

By
Rich Perelman
-

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The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● A modest rise in coronavirus infections in the Tokyo area and reports of two infected members of the Ugandan delegation has resulted in further concerns about the Olympics as a spreader event.

Tokyo 2020 chief Seiko Hashimoto told reporters on Friday that further tightening of the counter-measures will be made and that the decision to allow some spectators into the venues could be revisited if the infection rate continues to rise.

On Wednesday, Tokyo 2020 announced a new ticket lottery for the Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony and eight sports across 97 sessions: Athletics (16 sessions), Baseball (16), Football (30), Golf (8)), Modern Pentathlon (2), Rugby (8), Softball (7) and Surfing (8), in order to accommodate the new spectator capacity limits. Ticket holders who are selected will be able to print their tickets out at home on 6 July.

On Thursday, the head of the Imperial Household Agency said that Emperor Naruhito is concerned that the Games may lead to a rise in infections, but Yasuhiko Nishimura also noted that he has “not heard such words directly from his majesty.”

NBCUniversal told reporters on Tuesday that its advertising sales effort for the postponed Tokyo Games has reached $1.2 billion so far, just shot of the $1.25 billion it had sold for the event in 2020.

Adweek reported “Currently, NBCUniversal has more than 120 advertisers lined up for Tokyo – roughly 20 more than the 100-plus it had in Rio – and more than 80 of those advertisers did not participate in the Rio Games. It has seem the biggest increase in technology, pharmaceutical and social categories, which are doubling or tripling the business from Rio.”

The total U.S. audience for the Games is expected to top 200 million.

● Athletics ● The 2021 Wanda Diamond League schedule is being revised, with the two meets due to be held in China now cancelled due to travel restrictions and coronavirus issues in China.

The meets were scheduled for Shanghai on 14 August and another location to be determined on 22 August. There might be exhibition events held after the Diamond League Final in Zurich on 8-9 September, but this will depend on the travel situation at that time. The events that were to be held in the two meets will be re-distributed to the remaining events.

There was more Diamond League news on Wednesday, as Hayward Field in Eugene was selected to host the 2023 Diamond League final, the first time the culminating event will be held outside of Europe.

Jamaica’s two-time Olympic 200 m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, 39, announced her retirement on Wednesday, finishing a brilliant career that saw her win a total of eight Olympic medals and five World Championships titles both indoor and out.

Campbell-Brown had been competing in U.S. meets in 2021, but managed bests of only 11.20 in the 100 m and 23.73 in the 200 m. She has lifetime bests of 10.76 – no. 11 all-time – from 2011 and a 200 m best of 21.74 – also no. 11 – from 2008.

She won the Olympic 200 m titles in 2004 and 2008 and won World Championships golds in the 100 m in 2007 and the 200 m in 2011. She also ran on Jamaica’s Olympic-winning 4×100 m in 2004 and on silver-medal teams in 2000–12-16.

It’s not well remembered that she was also the SEC champion in the 100 m and 200 m for Arkansas back in 2004, but her only scoring in the NCAA meet was on the fifth-place 4×100 m team in that year.

● Basketball ● USA Basketball formally announced its women’s national team for the Tokyo Games, which will try to win a seventh consecutive Olympic tournament.

The team includes enormous experience: two players who will be five-time Olympians (Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi), four-time Olympian Sylvia Fowles, three-time Olympians Tina Charles, second-time Olympians Brittney Griner and Breanna Stewart, plus six first-time Olympians. The U.S. women are 66-3 all-time in Olympic competition and have won 49 games in a row.

The women’s 3×3 team will include Stefanie Dolson (Chicago Sky), Allisha Gray (Dallas Wings), Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces) and Katie Lou Samuelson (Seattle Storm), who will enter the event as the favorites after going 6-0 at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament earlier this year. It’s worthwhile to note that all four are playing in the WNBA, while the U.S. men’s team – which did not qualify – had no current NBA players.

● Cycling ● It’s time for the 108th Tour de France, which will start on Saturday in Brest in the Brittany region, then head east to the Alps, south to the Pyrenees and finally back to Paris on 18 July.

The 21 stages include two time trials, eight flat stages, five hilly to medium mountain stages and six punishing mountain stages over a total distance of 3,417.5 km (2,123.5 miles). The race will be televised in the U.S., mostly on NBCSN, with some weekend stages on NBC.

The 139 registered riders include former winners Chris Froome (GBR: 4 wins), Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali (1), Britain’s Geraint Thomas (1) and last year’s winner, Tadej Pogacar (SLO).

Pogacar and countryman Primoz Roglic are among the favorites for 2021, along with Thomas, Richard Carapaz (ECU), Richie Porte of Australia and home favorite Julian Alaphilippe, who led for 14 stages in 2019 before yielding to eventual winner Egan Bernal (COL). Pogacar, Roglic and Porte went 1-2-3 last year.

Chelsea Wolfe of the U.S. is an alternate for the BMX Freestyle event in Tokyo, and may not compete. But her goal was to not just win, but make her feelings known on the podium.

Fox News reported earlier this week:

“‘My goal is to win the Olympics so I can burn a US flag on the podium. This is what they focus on during a pandemic. Hurting trans children,’ Wolfe wrote on Facebook on March 25, 2020, along with a link to a PinkNews story about the Trump administration’s stance on transgender girls in female athletics.”

The story noted that “Wolfe identifies as a transgender woman.” If she gets her chance, she will face sanctions from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, as its guidelines for prohibited behavior include the “Defacing, distorting, or causing physical harm to a national flag.”

● Football ● The latest chapter of Euro 2020’s “bottlegate” came Friday when tournament organizers UEFA announced that “teams, players and coaches will be asked in advance if they would object to having the bottles placed in front of them at press conferences on religious grounds.”

French star Paul Pogba, who is Muslim, removed a bottle of a non-alcoholic version of Heineken during his news conference last week.

The U.S. Soccer Federation posted a 17-tweet response to the HBOMax documentary film “LFG” about the U.S. women’s National Team’s win at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France that was available to see on Thursday (24th).

The federation started with “there is a concerning level of dishonesty about U.S. Soccer and the USWNT’s compensation that we feel must be addressed. Specifically, lawyer Jeffrey Kessler presents a misleading and inaccurate account of the facts.” And it continues (presented as posted):

● Kessler’s own admission in the movie that certain things he says are “a little bit of an exaggeration” pertains to a lot of the misleading information he presents, conveniently without context or specific details. So, we’d like to talk about real facts. 2/17

● Kessler claims that “merely for showing up and playing a game, the men get more per game than the women.”

The facts: The men’s and women’s teams are represented by different unions and knowingly requested and agreed to different compensation models. 3/17

● The USWNTPA asked for and agreed to a contract that provides a guaranteed salary of $100k and benefits, plus a bonus for matches. The men’s contract is pay-for-play – meaning they only get paid when they play. No guaranteed salary. No benefits. 4/17

● Are the bonuses smaller than the USMNT game bonuses? Yes, b/c the USWNTPA negotiated for a $100k salary and benefits. Kessler conveniently leaves out those 2 things and only compares bonuses. He also fails to mention the $90k+ salary U.S. Soccer pays for playing in the NWSL. 5/17

● This structure was preferred by the USWNT as it ensures security and stability. If a player gets hurt on Jan. 2, she still gets paid her full salary (and NWSL salary). During COVID when there were no games USWNT still got paid every 2 wks + benefits. USMNT got paid $0. 6/17

● While negotiating their last agreement signed in 2017, the USWNTPA turned down a pay-to-play structure, the exact same way the men’s team is paid. 7/17

● At the time, a player rep told http://SI.com that “equal isn’t the right word. It would be equitable, because we are asking for a different structure.” https://ussoc.cr/t7m4e 8/17

● Kessler also alleges differences in hotel accommodations for the USWNT and USMNT, joking the USWNT stays at Motel 6.

The facts: The USWNT consistently stays at some of the finest hotel properties in the world and has for 20 years. 9/17

● Kessler claims the WNT “almost never travel in charters” and “the last one they did was after the World Cup.”

The facts: The WNT & MNT have chartered the exact same amount of flights from ‘18 to now (18 each). 6 for WNT were post-WWC, including most recent in April 2021. 10/17

● Kessler says that FIFA doesn’t pay the players World Cup prize money directly and insinuates that since FIFA gives the money to the Federations, we haven’t provided it fairly to the players.

The facts: U.S. Soccer paid 100% of the WC prize money to the WNT. 11/17

● The amount of prize $$ for the Men’s WC and Women’s WC is set by FIFA, not U.S. Soccer. We agree it should be equalized. We are also open to the teams sharing their prize $$ with each other if they choose. 12/17

● USSF has pressed FIFA to eliminate the gap in prize money – which right now is $34m ($38m for MWC winner and $4m for WWC winner) – and will continue to do so. Kessler says we should pay the difference from past WCs and any future differences. A total of almost $100m. 13/17

● The facts: Asking us to pay the difference in FIFA prize money would take millions away from developing USYNT players, coaches & referees. We would have less money to develop the next generation and grow the sport, and it could even bankrupt USSF. 14/17

● Kessler also consistently distorts the facts on revenue generation and TV ratings in his commentary in the movie. 15/17

● Our USWNT and USMNT are among the highest paid in the world, with the USWNT making more than almost every men’s national team globally. We’re confident that working together we can reach an agreement that benefits everyone moving forward. 16/17

● We remain committed to building on the success of our teams and continuing to grow soccer here in the U.S. at every level of the game. 17/17

This is a remarkable – although not unprecedented – use of Twitter, and a corresponding news release is not shown on the USSF Web site, and will be a point of debate among public relations professionals for years to come.

As for the actual dispute between the women’s team and the federation, the equal-pay lawsuit was dismissed on summary judgement by U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner on 1 May 2020. Klausner wrote in part, “the WNT both played more games and made more money than the MNT per game” and “the reality [is] that the MNT and WNT bargained for different agreements which reflect different preferences, and that the WNT explicitly rejected the terms they now seek to retroactively impose on themselves.”

The decision has been appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

● Shooting ● On Wednesday, USA Shooting posted a news release which began with:

“USA Shooting was notified by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) today that Olympic Team Nominee Keith Sanderson has been excluded from the U.S. Delegation for Tokyo due to a suspension handed down by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. In accordance with the guidance provided by, and in cooperation with the USOPC, Tokyo Alternate Jack Leverett III has been promoted to fill this quota place in Men’s 25M Rapid Fire Pistol and will compete alongside his brother Henry Leverett.”

Matt Suggs, USA Shooting’s chief executive, added: “USA Shooting remains committed to the safety of our athletes, staff, and volunteers and SafeSport is an important part of that commitment. Since the launch of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, 20 cases have been filed in connection with USA Shooting, and this is the first suspension of any kind for a USAS staff member, volunteer, coach, or athlete.”

The U.S. Center for SafeSport site lists Sanderson as suspended as of 1 June 2021 for “Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Harassment.” A statement from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee noted that his suspension is for three months.

Sanderson, 46, competed in 2008, 2012 and 2016 in the 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol event, finishing with a best of fifth in Beijing.

● Swimming ● The 21 June notice of the Court of Arbitration for Sport decision to suspend Chinese star Yang Sun after a re-hearing imposed a suspension of four years and three months:

“The new Panel found Sun Yang to have acted recklessly in particular when he refused to allow the blood samples to leave with the Sample Collection Personnel, causing the abortion of the out-of-competition anti-doping control of 4-5 September 2018.”

That’s the same conclusion as the first panel reached, but Sun actually did quite a bit better due to an intervening change in the FINA rules. As a second-time violator of the anti-doping rules, he had been suspended for eight years as per the FINA rules in place at the time when the first decision was released, in December 2020.

Since then, FINA’s rules were amended so that sanctions for a second offense are more flexible and can reflect “the entirety of the circumstances.” Thus, the penalty was changed from a full eight years to 51 months. Sun’s sanction runs from 28 February 2020 and will finish at the end of May in 2024, leaving him eligible – at age 33 – to compete in Paris in 2024.

New FINA President Husain Al Musallam (KUW) struck a cordial note on Thursday about the future relationship between the federation and the International Swimming League during a conference call with reporters:

“For me as president of FINA, my door is open for ISL or any other commercial operation. We will work with ISL if ISL would like to work with FINA.”

This is a sea change from the initially-hostile relations between the two, and two lawsuits against FINA by ISL and by a group of its swimmers are still pending in Federal Court in California. However, ISL has held two seasons thus far without sanctions from FINA and is preparing to begin a third after the Tokyo Games.

ISL posted no reply to Al Musallam’s comments on its Web site or Twitter feed.

● The Last Word ● Legacy can be a tough part of Olympic hosting, as the folks in Korea are finding out.

The Alpensia Resort, which was the site for biathlon, cross-country skiing, nordic combined, ski jumping and bobsleigh, luge and skeleton at the 2018 Winter Games, was sold by its government-owned operator to a private-sector buyer for 710 billion won or about $628.93 million U.S.

The deal is slated to close in August, but there are doubts whether the buyer, a specially-created subsidiary of electronics parts maker KH Feelux, can conclude the deal. The property – which opened in 2009 – had been up for sale multiple times and condominiums in what had been the Olympic Village, did not sell as hoped.

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ATHLETICS: Coburn and Frerichs 1-2 in women’s Steeple; Ramsey and Saunders earn women’s shot berths; world-lead 21.98 for Gabby Thomas!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Emma Coburn, the 2017 World Champion in the 3,000 m Steeple (Photo: Tim Healy for TrackTown USA)

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The second half of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials started up on Thursday with lots of qualifying, but finals only in the women’s shot and the women’s 3,000 m steeplechase.

The women’s shot put was immediately thrown into chaos when Felisha Johnson – the U.S. leader and no. 4 on the world list at 19.45 m (63-9 3/4) – had three fouls and did not advance to the final. The qualifying leader was Raven Saunders, fifth in the 2016 Rio Games, with a season’s best of 19.16 m (62-10 1/2), now no. 10 on the 2021 world list.

In the final, the first-round leader was Jessica Ramsey, who reached an outdoor lifetime best at 19.45 m (63-9 3/4), just a couple of inches short of her all-time best. But everything changed in round three, when Saunders sent the 4 kg ball arcing past the last  chalk line to 19.96 m (65-6), a lifetime best and moving her to no. 4 on the all-time U.S.  list, with the seventh-best throw ever! She also moved to no. 2 on the 2021 year list.

But that only fired up Ramsey, whose fourth-round toss reached 20.12 m (66-0 1/4), a lifetime best and making her no. 4 in U.S. history with the equal-sixth-furthest throw in American history. Rio Olympic champ Michelle Carter is the only other American to throw that far (twice) in the last 10 years! Ramsey replaced Saunders as no. 2 for 2021.

Ohio State’s NCAA champ Adelaide Aquilla upset Maggie Ewen for the third ticket to Tokyo, 18.95 m-18.92 m (62-2 1/4 to 62-1).

In the Steeple, 2017 World Champion Emma Coburn was the favorite, along with American Record holder Courtney Frerichs, who was at or on the lead for the first four laps. Coburn, who usually hangs back, moved up to second with three laps to go and ready to pounce. With two laps left, Frerichs, Coburn and Leah Falland separated from the rest, but then Falland fell over the next barrier.

Coburn took the lead with a lap and a half left and she and Frerichs led at the bell, with Coburn in front by 3 m and expanding her edge. It was over on the backstraight and Coburn charged home in a Trials record 9:09.41, with Frerichs in 9:11.79.

Falland got up and ran with Marissa Howard on the last lap, but both faded and Val Constien came up to get third in a lifetime best of 9:18.34. Howard finished fifth and Falland was ninth.

In the early qualifying, the women’s hammer also had a surprise with UCLA junior Alyssa Wilson exploding to 73.75 m (241-11), now no. 12 on the 2021 list. It’s a lifetime best of more than 10 feet.

The qualifying was led by World Champion DeAnna Price at 77.10 m (252-11), followed by Wilson and Janee Kassanavoid at 72.89 m (238-6). Brooke Andersen and Gwen Price, nos. 2-3 on the world list, also qualified easily. The final is Saturday.

In the afternoon and evening events:

● Men’s 1,500 m: Prep sensation Hobbs Kessler (3:34.36) announced on Wednesday that he has turned professional and focused on trying to make it to Tokyo instead of competing at Northern Arizona in the fall. He ended up winning heat one in 3:45.63 with a well-timed move out of a box on the final straight, moving into lane two to edge Josh Thompson (3:45.67).

Reigning Olympic 1,500 champ Matthew Centrowitz was the focus of heat two, but Oregon’s NCAA champ Cole Hocker led from start to finish, winning in 3:39.72, with Waleed Suliman (3:39.92), Craig Engels (3:40.03) and Centrowitz (3:40.09) following easily. The third heat was a classic mass finish with Sam Prakel winning in 3:39.02 and Notre Dame’s Yared Nuguse jetting ahead of the rest in 3:39.09. Henry Wynne (3:39.10) was third and veterans Johnny Gregorek (6th: 3:39.36) and Ben Blankenship (9th: 3:42.46) also advanced to the semifinals.

● Men’s 5,000 m: The first heat turned into a final-lap sprint with six runners trying for five auto-qualifying spots. Down the final straight, Eric Jenkins had the best sprint and won in 13:43.18, followed by Grant Fisher (13:4341) and 10,000 m winner Woody Kincaid (13:43.81). Jenkins finished in 55.06.

Heat two had nine runners in contact at the bell, but Rio 5,000 m silver medalist Paul Chelimo had control of the race, with Emmanuel Bor on his right shoulder. The pace increased, but Chelimo was unchallenged, winning in 13:36.66, ahead of Nico Young (13:36.74) and Hassan Mead (13:36.80) with Bor fourth (13:36.84).

● Men’s 400 m hurdles: Some strange things going on in the heats, as Kenny Selmon won heat one in 49.03 ahead of Oklahoma’s Isaiah Livington (49.06), but with Quincy Downing clobbering the hurdle inside of him (!) as he came over the eighth flight, falling and finishing last. In heat two, superstar Rai Benjamin went out too casually and stutter-stepped hurdles two and three and didn’t get to the lead until the straightaway … and still ran 49.12, ahead of David Kenzeira (49.19).

World leader Sean Burrell of LSU was the headliner in heat three, but after Quincy Hall grabbed his leg after the second hurdle and fell to the track, Burrell fell over hurdle eight! Amere Lattin won the heat in 49.81, followed by T.J. Holmes (49.90). Heat four was a mad dash among collegians, with Cameron Samuel (USC) beat Jonathan Harvey (Oregon), Charles Brockman (Texas) and Trevor Bassitt (Ashland), 49.89-49.95-49.98-49.99.

● Men’s Discus: The qualifying leaders were Legend Boyesen-Hayes at 62.59 m (205-4), followed by 2018 U.S. national champion Reggie Jagers (62.55 m/205-2) and Sam Mattis (62.15 m/203-11). But 2017 Worlds bronze medalist Mason Finley was way off his game, reaching only 59.64 m (195-8) after two fouls, but qualifying as 10th out of 12.

● Women’s 200 m: Five heats to advance 16 to the semis, with Sha’Carri Richardson and Javianne Oliver – 1-2 in the women’s 100 m last Saturday – skipping this event. North Carolina A&T star Cam Sturgis flew down the straight to win in 22.37 (+1.7 m/s) over a season’s best from Teahna Daniels (22.54). Ohio State’s Anavia Battle, third at the NCAAs, won heat two in 22.37 (+1.2), over Dezerea Bryant in 22.71.

The revelation was Jenna Prandini in heat three, steaming around the turn and relaxing into the straight in a lifetime best of 22.14 (+1.9) – old, 22.16 from 2018 – and moving to sixth on the 2021 year list. Brittany Brown was second (22.49) and 400 m winner Quanera Hayes was third (22.58). Even faster was Gabby Thomas, running a world-leading 21.98 in heat four (+0.7)! She zoomed the turn and then pushed through the straight, blasting her old best of 22.17 from earlier this year. Thomas is now no. 10 in U.S. history and the 11th American woman to break 22 seconds.

Allyson Felix headlined the final heat, but NCAA runner-up Tamara Clark led off the turn and won in 22.54 (+1.0), with Morolake Akinosun (22.48) second and Felix finishing third (22.56, time qualifier).

● Women’s 800 m: In heat one, Chanelle Price, the 2014 World Indoor Champion, led through 400 m in 58.7, through 600 m and then worked the straight right to the wire in 1:59.86, her sixth-fastest race ever!

Athing Mu showed why she is the most feared athlete in this event, controlling her race and winning in 2:00.69 over Hanna Green (2:00.79). American Record holder Ajee Wilson won heat three in 2:00.55, winning a sprint finish over Allie Wilson (2:00.71, no relation) and Michaela Meyer (2:00.75). Favorites Sabrina Southerland (2:00.85) and Raevyn Rogers (2:00.75) won heats four and five.

● Women’s Pole Vault: Ten athletes cleared 4.50 m (14-9) to qualify, including stars Jenn Suhr, Sandi Morris and Katie Nageotte, plus contenders including Morgann LeLeux and Olivia Gruver. Three made it at 4.40 m (14-5 1/4), so there will be 13 in the final.

● Women’s Long Jump: Twelve advanced to the final, with no surprises. Four-time World Champion Brittney Reese led the qualifiers with a season’s best – right on time – at 6.86 m (22-6 1/4), followed by Quanesha Burks (6.81 m/22-4 1/4). Texas star Tara Davis reached 6.68 m (21-11) in the second round, and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Tianna Bartoletta was ninth with a seasonal best of 6.54 m (21-5 1/2). Triple jump winner Keturah Orji also made it in at eighth at 6.54 m (21-5 1/2).

The women’s 400 m hurdles qualifying will be held on Friday, but CeCe Telfer – a transgender runner with a best of 57.53 from 2019 – was removed from the Trials for not meeting the World Athletics standards for eligibility. The World Athletics rules require that transgender athletes competing in events from 400 m to the mile have a testosterone level of 5 nmol/L or less, maintained for at least 12 months. The Associated Press reported, “USATF said it had been notified last week that Telfer had not met the conditions and the federation passed along that information to the runner.”

Telfer ranked no. 130 on the 2019 world list and her 57.53 best would rank no. 123 in 2021.

Friday also has a lot of qualifying events, but finals in the men’s discus and men’s 3,000 m steeplechase. The weekend schedules are almost all finals.

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GYMNASTICS: Rising star Brody Malone leads first day of Olympic Trials ahead of Wiskus, Moldauer and Mikulak

By
Rich Perelman
-

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The U.S. Olympic Trials in Artistic Gymnastics got underway in St. Louis on Thursday with the first men’s All-Around program. Both the men’s and women’s programs will send four-person teams to Tokyo, with the U.S. earning an extra individual competitor in the men’s and women’s competitions. Jade Carey has also earned a place at the Games (still to be confirmed) by virtue of her performances at the FIG Apparatus World Cups over the past two seasons.

The USA Gymnastics selection procedures state that the top two athletes from the combined two days of All-Arounds will be named to the team (with some qualifications), with the remaining places and replacement athletes to be determined by the “Athlete Selection Committee.”

Thursday’s men’s first All-Around saw NCAA and national champion Brody Malone dominate once again, winning on Floor (14.600, tied with Sam Mikulak) and High Bar (14.450), on his way to a first-day winning total of 85.250, ahead of Shane Wiskus (84.300), Yul Moldauer (83.200), veteran Mikulak (83.200) and Malone’s Stanford teammate Brandon Briones (82.700).

Wiskus won the Parallel Bars at 14.500 and Donnell Whittenburg was especially impressive on Vault, winning at 15.050. The specialists who shined included Alex Diab on Rings, winning at 14.500, and Alec Yoder on Pommel Horse, winning at 15.050.

Malone’s score was down a bit from his spectacular National Championships performance, where he scored 86.250 on the first day, followed by 84.450 on the second day.

The men will go again on Saturday; the women – led by Simone Biles – will go tomorrow.

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THE LATEST: ITA report shows IWF mishandled, covered up or bungled 142 doping cases from more than a dozen countries from 2009-19

By
Rich Perelman
-
Former International Weightlifting Federation president Tamas Ajan (HUN). (Photo: IWF)

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A 50-page report released Thursday about doping and the International Weightlifting Federation from the International Testing Agency documented a years-long program of doping positives going unpunished due to “administrative oversight due to poor organisation skills, to jurisdictional mix-up, to passivity, and on to blatant cover-up.”

In addition to a lengthy review of some 146 cases from 2009-19 which required investigation, the report specifically alleges direct violations of the World Anti-Doping Code against:

● Former IWF President Tamas Ajan (HUN) for “Complicity and Tampering with multiple” doping violations;

● Current IWF Vice President Nico Vlad, also the current President of the Romanian Weightlifting Federation; and

● Hassan Akkus, President of the European Weightlifting Confederation and former President of the Turkish Weightlifting Federation.

The IWF issued a statement in which Interim President Dr. Michael Irani noted:

“While the IWF is thankful for the ITA’s clear acknowledgement that such craven acts could not be repeated under its independent results management process, thanks to the arrangements in place for some time now, today’s report shows just how dark the dark days of our sport were. To all those athletes who were cheated of the opportunity to compete fairly, I would like to offer the IWF’s unreserved apology.”

Astonishingly, however, the statement did not include resignations or suspensions of Vlad or Akkus, both listed as current members of the IWF Executive Board!

The ITA inquiry was commissioned in November 2020 and took eight months, as a reaction to the German ARD network documentary “Lord of the Lifters” from January 2020 and the subsequent investigation by McLaren Global Sport Solutions, filed in June 2020, which detailed numerous doping, financial and governance problems in the federation.

The ITA focused on 146 questionable doping cases identified by the World Anti-Doping Agency and was able to review some 75 GB of IWF data, conducted interviews with 15 people, reviewed 14 whistle-blower reports and “produced over 75 investigative, interview or human source intelligence reports.”

Of the 146 questionable cases, four were listed by WADA itself and 142 were positives in the WADA registry from weightlifting that had not been resolved. Of the 142:

● 67 were found to have been properly handled by the IWF, but WADA was never informed;

● 23 cases are being handled by the ITA currently, all from 2019;

● 12 cases were resuscitated by the ITA and are being reviewed;

● 6 cases were under the jurisdiction of anti-doping organizations other than the IWF; these have been handed over to the correct authority for further review;

● 5 cases were not doping violations at all;

● 29 cases cannot be reviewed since the 10-year statue of limitations has passed, and/or the applicable samples have been destroyed.

The report went into considerable detail on some of the methodologies used to work out positive doping results. This included:

“For the vast majority of samples on the WADA List, the [Doping Control Form], and hence the athlete’s identity, had not been matched in ADAMS [data reporting system] by the IWF or other responsible [testing authority]. The only information available to WADA (and the ITA) was the laboratory result contained in ADAMS, with limited information.

“The ITA’s investigation found evidence that in some instances the IWF deliberately avoided matching DCFs with sample codes so as to purposely omit to link the [adverse findings] to the athlete in ADAMS, with a view to circumvent WADA’s scrutiny.”

But the efforts went much further, including simply ignoring WADA’s requests for information, backdating test reports, substituting samples and other activities regarding multiple federations:

● Azerbaijan: 23 samples provided by 18 Azeri lifters in 2013 came back positive, but three of those athletes were permitted to compete in the IWF World Championships that year. Wrote Ajan in a December letter following the Worlds:

“What we have done for your athletes and Federation is something the IWF has never done before and not willing or able to do in the future. The knot tightens around my neck and my 45 years work could go down in a blink.”

● Egypt: 11 of the 29 “lost cases” took place between 2009-10, but when asked about this, the Egyptian federation “explained that the current EWF administration was not
involved back then and that archives were lost during the civil uprising that took place in
Egypt around the same period, so no conclusion could be drawn on those cases.”

● Thailand: “Between 2011 and 2012, it appears that 93 [Thai] athletes tested positive for anabolic steroids. TAWA [the Thai federation] stated that the athletes who tested positive belonged to provincial clubs and the large number of cases were a result of an initiative taken by TAWA and the Sports Authority of Thailand to ‘get rid of or to minimize positives cases of weightlifting in Thailand’.

“In 2015, upon inquiry by WADA, TAWA provided the IWF with an Excel spreadsheet
containing the names and sanctions imposed on 85 athletes (18 male, 67 female). This
document indicated that the athletes were sanctioned with a period of ineligibility of two
years each. Based on the IWF Records reviewed by the ITA, these numbers did not alarm the IWF, nor trigger any reaction. In hindsight, the ITA finds that the recurrence of waves of ADRVs in Thai weightlifting speaks to the nonchalance of the IWF to the systemic issue of the prevalence of doping in some regions.”

● Turkey: Akkus “colluded with the IWF to change the responsible authority (i.e. the Results Management Authority) for 17 Turkish athletes from the IWF to the [Turkish Weightlifting Federation]” in 2013.

“The purpose of this plot was to avoid the TWF being sanctioned by the IWF under the regime of sanctions imposed on Member Federations … Considering that, for [IWF] sanctions, only IWF cases are taken into account and not national [doping violations], the requalification of the sanctions to national-level allowed the TWF and its official to avoid being banned from participating in any IWF activities for a period of up to 4 years and allowed the TWF to avoid the payment of a fine of up to USD 500,000.”

● Ajan and Vlad were involved in a scheme in 2012 to allow Romanian lifter Roxana Cocos to compete in the women’s 69 kg class at the London 2012 Games, at which she won a silver medal. She had tested positive in April 2012 and had substituted samples in 2010 and 2012. She was disqualified in 2019 after re-tests of her samples were done, but Ajan and Vlad had allowed her to compete despite knowing she was ineligible due to her anti-doping rules violations.

● The report further notes that Ajan’s obstruction was responsible for delaying the processing 50 cases from 2014 and before, including the 29 which have been classified as irretrievable.

The report further noted:

“During its investigation, the ITA came across evidence of wrongdoing which was outside the scope of the ITA’s mandate. This included identified misconduct such as, but not limited to, contractual malfeasance, a fishy transfer market for athlete nationality, and indications of misappropriation and financial impropriety related to fines imposed in doping cases.”

It’s another black eye for the IWF and for Irani, who has been a member of the “IWF Medical Committee” since 1992. The federation has a Constitutional Congress and elections coming up prior to the Tokyo Games.

Weightlifting’s place on the Olympic program is at stake and what the IWF does about Vlad and Akkus will be placed in the balance when the International Olympic Committee decides what to do about this great sport and its continually-unscrupulous leadership.

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LANE ONE: NBC enjoying strong Olympic Trials ratings; could this be a preview of a Tokyo ratings bonanza to come?

By
Rich Perelman
-
Nearly 3.8 million U.S. fans watched races like Clayton Murphy's men's 800 m win at Monday's U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials! (Photo: Tim Healy for TrackTown USA)

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Less than a couple of weeks ago, the NCAA Track & Field Championships were held in the rebuilt Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon with the main portions of each session shown live on one of the ESPN networks. The ratings were modest:

● 09 June: 206,000 viewers on ESPN2 (no. 122-rated cable program that day)
● 10 June: 236,000 viewers on ESPN2 (no. 125)
● 11 June: 233,000 viewers on ESPN2 (no. 130)
● 12 June: 234,000 viewers on ESPNU (no. 96)

By comparison, ESPN was showing the final two games of the NCAA Women’s College World Series on the 9th (Wednesday) and 10th (Thursday), drawing 2,081,000 and 1,565,000 viewers.

A bad omen for the U.S. Olympic Trials? NBC worked with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the national governing bodies for diving, swimming, track and gymnastics to create two full weeks of programming, in part to highlight the selection process for these high-profile U.S. teams, but also to rev up viewers for the 17-day Olympic smorgasbord coming from Tokyo beginning on 23 July.

No reason to worry. It appears that American fans are getting ready for the Games. Check out the gaudy ratings results of the Olympic Trials programming so far:

Diving:
This was the most limited sport to be shown, with three hours on NBC over 12-13 June, showing the individual finals:

● 12 June (Sat): 8 p.m. = 1.757 million viewers (no. 3 vs. ABC/CBS/FOX)

● 13 June (Sun): 7 p.m. = 2.027 million viewers (no. 3)
● 13 June (Sun): 9 p.m. = 2.446 million viewers (no. 4)

True, the diving did not score well against the other over-the-air primetime programs, but it was competitive and averaged 2.076 million viewers per hour shown. A good opener.

One hour of diving from 12 June was shown on CNBC and drew 174,000 viewers, ranking no. 77 among all cable programs shown that day. Who knew that diving was on CNBC?

Swimming:
USA Swimming’s primetime Trials sessions from Omaha were staged from 13-20 June and held their own against other network programming:

● 13 June (Sun): 8 p.m. = 2.198 million viewers (no. 4)

● 14 June (Mon): 8 p.m. = 2.878 million viewers (no. 3)
● 14 June (Mon): 9 p.m. = 2.818 million viewers (no. 2)

● 15 June (Tue): 8 p.m. = 2.994 million viewers (no. 2)
● 15 June (Tue): 9 p.m. = 2.804 million viewers (no. 2)

● 16 June (Wed): 8 p.m. = 2.748 million viewers (no. 2)
● 16 June (Wed): 9 p.m. = 2.748 million viewers (no. 2)

● 17 June (Thu): 10 p.m. = 1.861 million viewers (no. 3)

● 18 June (Fri): 9 p.m.= 1.894 million viewers (no. 4)

● 19 June (Sat): 9 p.m. = 2.109 million viewers (no. 1)

● 20 June (Sun): 8 p.m. = 4.905 million viewers (no. 2)

Truth be told, the huge Sunday evening rating is due in part to the lead-in (and spillover) of the end of the U.S. Open in golf, which had 7.435 million viewers at 7 p.m. All of the finals were shown live in the Eastern and Central time zones, but delayed in the Mountain and Pacific zones on five of the eight nights.

All together, the swimming beat at least one other network on six of eight nights and two or more networks on five of eight and averaged 2.732 million viewers across 11 hours.

Preliminaries and early races of one evening session (17 June) were shown on NBC’s to-be-shuttered NBCSN and did not do nearly as well; all of the prelim sessions were shown delayed:

● 13 June (Sun) = 321,000 viewers (no. 80-rated cable program that day)
● 14 June (Mon) = 185,000 viewers (no. 120)
● 15 June (Tue) = 270,000 viewers (no. 75)
● 16 June (Wed) = 204,000 viewers (no. 95)
● 17 June (Thu) = 243,000 viewers (no. 122; heats)
● 17 June (Thu) = 436,000 viewers (no. 41; finals)
● 18 June (Fri) = 215,000 viewers (no. 125)
● 19 June (Sat) = 424,000 viewers (no. 45)

Still not bad for mostly preliminaries!

Track & Field:
The ongoing U.S. Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field began on 18 June and were either intermixed or followed the swimming trials on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The numbers so far:

● 18 June (Fri): 10 p.m. = 2.168 million viewers (no. 2 vs. ABC/CBS/FOX)

● 19 June (Sat): 10 p.m. = 2.373 million viewers (no. 1)

● 20 June (Sun): 9 p.m. = 2.969 million viewers (no. 2)
● 20 June (Sun): 10 p.m. = 2.918 million viewers (no. 2)

● 21 June (Mon): 8 p.m. = 3.786 million viewers (no. 1)

Pretty impressive numbers over the weekend to see the women’s and men’s 100 m finals and a stunning Monday audience that was the highest-viewed program on network television!

The cable numbers for track & field on NBCSN reflect the fact that the sessions were live and not delayed as with swimming, and a lot better than the NCAA meet:

● 18 June (Fri): 7 p.m. = 507,000 viewers (no. 33-rated cable program that day)
● 19 June (Sat): 8 p.m. = 715,000 viewers (no. 13)

Figures for Monday’s cable hour were not yet available. But across the first five hours of the track & field coverage, NBC has drawn an average of 2.843 million viewers, with four days of the Trials still to go beginning on Thursday.

Look for Thursday and Friday viewership to be down, since the broadcasts will only be on cable (NBCSN), but NBC will have Saturday and Sunday’s coverage (live in the east, delayed in the west).

Next up are the U.S. trials in gymnastics, to be held in St. Louis from 24-27 June. NBC will show all four days live, with the women’s competition – starring superstar Simone Biles – on Friday and Sunday, and the men’s program on Thursday (NBCSN) and Saturday (Olympic Channel and NBC). Will Biles and the women’s trials get U.S. Open numbers?

Even with 2-4 million viewers for these Trials events, this is a far cry from the Olympic audience that can be expected next month. For the Rio Games in 2016, NBC’s average primetime audience was a staggering 25.4 million average nightly, and the 2012 audience from London was even larger.

Whether this kind of viewership can be obtained for an Olympic Games in an Asian time zone is yet to be determined, but the ratings for the PyeongChang Winter Games in Korea in 2018 were 17.8 million per night on NBC only and 19.8 million average in primetime across all of its Olympic programmed networks. That was down from the ratings for prior Games in Europe or North America, but still far ahead of its competition.

For now, sports like diving, swimming and track are enjoying interest and viewership they do not normally see in the U.S. Hopefully, the leadership at USA Diving, USA Swimming and USA Track & Field are planning how to make these levels the norm instead of the once-every-four-years exception.

Rich Perelman
Editor

(Ratings data from Nielsen via SpoilerTV.com)

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THE BIG PICTURE: USOPC releases its Games-time protest rules, with hat or mask messages, raised fists, kneeling, advocating against police violence and more all approved

By
Rich Perelman
-

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“It is important for all U.S. delegation members at the Games to remember that the [International Olympic Committee] and [International Paralympic Committee] rules govern all Games participants, including U.S. delegation members. The USOPC’s new delegation rules do not replace those international rules, rather, they supplement them by better defining the USOPC’s own requirements and commitments.

“As it pertains to IOC Rule 50 and IPC Handbook section 1, paragraph 3, subsection 2.2, we support and respect each athlete’s right as an individual and as an American to make their own decision on this topic, though we can’t control the actions others may take in response. We have confidence that our athletes will make the best choice for themselves.”

That’s from an 11 June 2021 letter from Bahati VanPelt, the head of Athlete Services for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, introducing its delegation rules for demonstrations at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Across seven pages, the rules outline what is to be considered appropriate based on a
“collaborative effort between the Team USA Council on Racial and Social Justice and USOPC.” The rules specifically acknowledge and emphasize that the IOC and IPC’s rules may be much different and applied differently. But it does say what the USOPC’s views of demonstrations are.

● In the area of “Racial & Social Justice [R&S] Demonstrations,” permitted actions are defined as:

“A Demonstration, which does not include any Impermissible Elements, that is explicitly aimed at (1) advancing racial and social justice; or (2) promoting the human dignity of individuals or groups that have historically been underrepresented, minoritized, or marginalized in their respective societal context.”

This is followed by a list of six specific examples of approved actions:

“• Wearing a hat or face mask with phrases such as ‘Black Lives Matter’ or ‘Trans Lives Matter’ or words such ‘equality,’ ‘justice,’ ‘peace,’ ‘respect,’ ‘solidarity,’ or ‘inclusion.’

“• Orally advocating for equity/equal rights for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals,

“• Holding up one’s fist at the start line or on the podium.

“• Kneeling on the podium or at the start line during the national anthem.

“• Advocating for equal treatment of underrepresented, marginalized, or minoritized groups around the world, or against systemic barriers to such equal treatment.

“• Advocating for communities free from police violence, or against systemic police discrimination against Black individuals or other marginalized populations.”

In these instances, “The USOPC will not sanction Participants who engage in R&S Demonstrations at Games Venues.”

● There is also a detailed list of “impermissible” actions, which are specified to include:

“Any element of a Demonstration that (a) advocates specifically against other people, their dignity, or their rights, which may include Hate Speech, Racist Propaganda, or threatening, abusive, or Discriminatory Remarks; (b) physically impedes or discourages Games or medal ceremony participation by another Participant; (c) causes physical harm to others or to property; or (d) violates applicable laws.

“Impermissible Elements include, for example, the use of slurs, discriminatory remarks or gestures that denigrate, ridicule, or mock a person or persons based upon their race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, economic status, nationality, or country of origin.

“These are further examples of conduct that will be considered an Impermissible Element:

“• Wearing a hat or face mask with a hate symbol or hate speech on it. *A list of recognized hate symbols can be found at https://www.adl.org/hate-symbols.

“• Using language expressing hatred or Discriminatory Remarks towards a historically minoritized or marginalized group, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ individuals, and individuals with disabilities.

“• Making hand gestures affiliated with hate groups, like white supremacist or terrorist signs.

“• Violent protests or acts that damage property at the Games Venue or physically threaten or harm other people.

“• Actions/behaviors physically impeding athletes’ right to compete, such as blocking lanes by laying on a track or otherwise interfering with a competition.

“• Display of historically discriminatory signs or flags, such as the Confederate flag.

“• Defacing, distorting, or causing physical harm to a national flag.

“• Protests aimed explicitly against a specific country, organization, person, or group of people.”

In addition, the rules also state that “supporting or opposing a political group, environmental issue, or animal rights issue” is not part of the “R&S” demonstration definition and is subject to discipline. The sanctions protocol includes:

“If a Participant engages in a Demonstration that includes Impermissible Elements at a Games Venue, then the USOPC will determine a proportionate consequence for the violation of these Rules based on the severity of the violation.”

There are procedures in place for this, possibly including a hearing if requested by the protestor. The USOPC’s possible sanctions cover a wide range, specified as (1) a warning, (2) limits on access to the venues or Olympic Village, (3) expulsion from the Games; (4) a ban from participating on future USOPC programs; (5) loss of USOPC funding in the future and (6) requirement of a formal apology “or completion of training or education on diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

And then there is the IOC and IPC. The USOPC rules state no less than six times – in seven pages – that it is not the ultimate arbiter on protests at the Games; a typical example:

“Any sanctions under the International Rules will be determined by the IOC/IPC (and/or the IF), not the USOPC. The USOPC will not participate in imposing any sanctions on R&S Demonstrations. In imposing any sanctions itself, the USOPC will take into account any IOC/IPC/IF sanctions also being imposed.”

The rules also note, specifically, that there may be reactions to protests:

“Participants should be aware of the possibility that third parties may react to a R&S Demonstration themselves, that some of these reactions may be negative, that the USOPC will not be able to prevent those third parties from making statements or taking actions of their own, and that each Participant must make their own personal decision about the risks and benefits that may be involved. The USOPC has resources available through Athlete Services to support athletes (e.g., mental health, security).”

The USOPC has staked out its position, clearly in contradiction to the recommendations of the IOC Athletes’ Commission from April, which after months of discussions and quantitative surveys concluded to “Preserve the podium, [Field of Play] and official ceremonies from any kind of protests and demonstrations, or any acts perceived as such.”

The question of sanctions was handed over to the IOC’s Legal Affairs Commission, which has not yet released its regulations for how disciplinary measures will be handled in Tokyo. As the USOPC’s rules have acknowledged, whatever the USOPC might not do to a protesting athlete, the IOC might well decide to do.

And, it owns the Games.

In addition to the lists of medal winners and record-setters at next month’s Games in Tokyo, watch also for lists of protests and protestors, which will be kept with equal attention in what IOC chief Thomas Bach has lamented as our “aggressively divisive” world.

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HEARD AT HALFTIME: Tokyo Olympic Village toured; USOPC has at least three five-time Olympians; $2 million in Russian fines for T&F World Champs

By
Rich Perelman
-

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News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● News media were given a tour of the Olympic Village over the weekend, getting an introduction to the 21-building complex on the Tokyo waterfront. Kyodo News reported special attention has been paid to food service:

“The seats in the main dining and casual dining halls have been reduced by a third to around 3,000 and 280, respectively, to avoid crowds, while transparent acrylic panels will be installed at tables. …

“The main dining hall will provide about 700 options ranging from Japanese, Western and Asian to halal, vegetarian and gluten-free cuisine to cater to various preferences, cultures and religions, with nutritional information per serving displayed. It will offer 45,000 meals a day.

“The casual dining hall, meanwhile, will offer 3,000 meals a day of Japanese cuisine, using ingredients from all of the country’s 47 prefectures.”

Get ready for all kinds of minute details about the Olympics, reportedly breathlessly from Tokyo. On Sunday, it was reported that alcoholic beverages will be allowed to be brought into the Village, but only for in-room consumption. However, condoms will not be distributed as at past Games, but only on departure as an awareness-raising exercise against AIDS.

Whether alcoholic beverages will be sold at the sports venues is still under consideration. One important factor is whether such drinks will lead to behaviors inconsistent with the coronavirus restrictions.

On Saturday, a Ugandan team member arriving in Tokyo tested positive for the coronavirus, the first such case from an Olympic visitor. The rest of the delegation moved on to the host town in Izumisano and will undergo daily testing.

The infected team member had been vaccinated prior to coming to Tokyo, as had all of the other members of the arrival group.

The Ugandans were the second group to arrive for the Games, after the Australian softball team. A team of 14 Danish rowers was the third to arrive, on Sunday, and moved on to their host town of Ogata in Akita Prefecture.

The Indian Olympic Association is upset with the Tokyo organizers for extra precautions being taken for 10 delegations where specific variants, such as the Delta variant, are widespread. Tokyo 2020 has asked that India and nine other delegations not interface with any others for three days upon arrival.

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● Board chair Susanne Lyons and chief executive Sarah Hirshland briefed reporters on Monday on last week’s USOPC Board meeting, noting the organization’s focus on the Tokyo Games, as well as the 2022 Winter Games coming next February in China.

In addition, Lyons noted a significant effort being undertaken on oversight of the U.S. National Governing Bodies. A now-separate “NGB Oversight Committee” has begun a detailed certification renewal program that will review the actions and compliance activities of each National Governing Body; Lyons was happy to report that “We’re seeing significant progress in the area of NGB compliance and governance.”

That’s an area of major emphasis for the USOPC in the wake of the passage of the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic and Amateur Athletes Act in 2020 and in advance of the eventual operation of the Commission on the Study of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics in the fall.

Also on the agenda was fund-raising; Lyons explained:

“We talked about the long-term opportunities to grow the [U.S. Olympic and Paralympic] Foundation. We hope to leverage the lead-up to L.A. ‘28 – when we are hosting the Games on U.S. soil – and we hope to use that time to strengthen and grow philanthropic support of Team USA.”

This is another area of concern for the EOPAAA Commission, which will review not only how the USOPC’s money is spent, but what revenues it has and what can be done to increase funding. There are a lot of recommendations for spending USOPC money, but not many about how to raise more.

Lyons also touched on an important, but little-noticed element of Olympic Movement politics: Americans who serve on boards or commissions of International Federations and related organizations. There are more than 100 U.S. members of various bodies around the world, and support from the USOPC can help them not only be more effective, but can pave the way for upward movement within federations and to bring more U.S. reps on board. This is routinely done in many European NOCs, but has only intermittently been a U.S. priority. It’s crucial in today’s swirling context of international sports politics.

With the naming of women’s basketball stars Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, plus Sunday’s qualification of Allyson Felix in the women’s 400 m, the U.S. will have at least three five-time Olympians on its team.

How rare are five-time Olympians? According to Dr. Bill Mallon, a founder of the encyclopedic Olympedia.org results and research site, there have been only 418 five-time Olympians in summer Games history: 4.0%. Counting all Olympians with five or more Games – the record is 10 – there have been just 561 out of 114,887 summer Olympic participants through 2016, or 4.8%. That exclusive company indeed.

● Archery ● Monday saw the completion of the World Archery final qualification tournament for the Tokyo Games in Paris (FRA), with the individual matches for men and women.

The men’s winner was Russian Galsan Bazarzhapov, who defeated Moldova’s Dan Olaru, 6-2, in the final. Finland’s Antti Vikstrom won the bronze medal over Oleksii Hunbin (UKR), 6-4.

Romanian Madalina Amaistroaie defeated Sylwia Zyzanska (POL) by 6-4; Czech Marie Horackova won the bronze match over Evangelina Psarra (GRE), 7-3. The top seven men and five women won qualification to Tokyo.

● Athletics ● Here’s a positive outcome of the long-running suspension of the Russian Athletics Federation by World Athletics: $2 million of the fines paid by RusAF will be paid to athletes at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene and the 2023 Worlds in Budapest (HUN).

Some $1 million each will be added to the prize pool for each Worlds, expected to be in addition to the $7.53 million paid out at the 2019 World Championships in Doha (QAT).

Sergey Shubenkov, Russia’s 2015 men’s 100 m hurdles World Champion, was cleared by the Athletics Integrity Unit of doping resulting from a positive test from 15 December 2020. The AIU announcement included:

“AIU accepted that the positive finding resulted from his unintentional ingestion of residue from medication being used to treat a family member.

“The AIU charge was referred to a three-person panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal, which found that it was a ‘genuinely exceptional’ case, accepted the Athlete’s plea of No Fault or Negligence and rejected the AIU’s request that a period of ineligibility be imposed. Accordingly, no sanction has been imposed.”

Shubenkov, now 30, has not run outside of Russia since 2019; he won the Russian Cup in Sochi in 13.29 on 29 May. If fit, he could be a medal contender in Tokyo.

● Football ● A lot more Covid cases have popped up at the Copa America in Brazil. The South American confederation CONMEBOL reported on Monday that there are at least 140 positives found during the tournament, way up from 66 reported last Thursday.

In context, however, the incidence rate is still low. Some 15,235 tests have been conducted, so the infection rate is only 0.9%. The CONMEBOL report noted, “Most of the affected are workers, members of squads and outsourced staffers. In comparison with the previous figures, the incidence of the coronavirus is lower, which is a clear sign that preemptive measures and health protocols are working as expected.”

Group play will continue through the 28th, with elimination games starting on 2 July.

At Euro 2020, the best news came last Friday as Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen was released from the hospital after surgery to install implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to guard against further cardiac arrests. Eriksen suffered an attack during the 12 June match vs. Finland and had to be resuscitated on the field.

Eriksen actually visited the Danish team before heading home to recuperate. After losing its first two group-stage games by one goal each, Denmark advanced to the knock-out round by clubbing Russia, 4-1, on Monday in Copenhagen.

UEFA is looking into “potential discriminatory incidents” at games held in Budapest, Hungary, at which “Anti-LMBTQ” banners were apparently seen. An “ethics and disciplinary inspector” has been appointed to investigate the incident. Reuters noted that “Hungary’s parliament passed legislation last week that bans the dissemination in schools of content deemed to promote homosexuality and gender change, amid strong criticism from human rights groups and opposition parties.”

UEFA also announced that it would not sanction German keeper Manuel Neuer for wearing a rainbow armband, calling it “symbol of diversity and thus a good cause” and not a political symbol, which would normally draw a penalty.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) spoke out strongly against the European Super League concept, but is definitely behind a new “Super League” concept … in Africa.

With a goal of further raising the profile, attractiveness and finances of football in Africa, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is studying the options. Infantino apparently had the idea as far back as 2019, with 20 permanent members and others who could join via qualification.

New CAF chief Patrice Motsepe (RSA) has acknowledged the need for reforms, noting:

“There is a poor perception of CAF concerning its adherence to governance, auditing, ethical, financial and management good practices. These negative perceptions may, to some extent, be confirmed by the incriminating and damning audit which identified irregular, unethical and improper transactions and conduct.”

CAF has been beset by scandals of all kinds for many years, even with many outstanding players coming from African countries.

The infamous anti-gay chant used by Mexican fans has now led to sanctions from FIFA:

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Mexican Federation with a fine of 60,000 Swiss francs and the condition that they play their next two official home games behind closed doors as a consequence of the anti-gay chants heard in the matches against the Dominican Republic and the United States, played in Guadalajara on March 18 and 24, respectively.”

The penalty is in response to the chant being heard during a CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament game, not from the recent CONCACAF Nations League semifinals and finals in Denver. In those instances, the games were stopped and anti-discrimination messages from CONCACAF were shown on the scoreboard and announced publicly. Another inquiry over the same issue is being made into the Mexico-Iceland friendly on 29 May in Arlington, Texas.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani told reporters that only visitors who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be allowed to attend the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be held in that country.

The tournament is expected to be played in full stadiums.

● Gymnastics ● The USA Gymnastics operations report for May was filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana on Tuesday, showing legal fees in the ongoing proceedings have now reached $14.116 million, of which $8.485 million has been paid. Of that unpaid total, 90% is more than three months in arrears.

USA Gymnastics showed cash on hand of $6.953 million at 31 May, but is still in the midst of a fight with more than 500 plaintiffs from the Larry Nassar scandal, its insurers and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee since the 15 December 2018 filing with the Bankruptcy Court.

● Volleyball ● The FIVB Women’s Nations League completed round-robin play on Sunday, with the top four teams advancing to the playoffs in the sequestered environment in Rimini (ITA).

The U.S. finished on top at 14-1, but losing its final match to China, followed by Brazil (13-2), Japan (12-3) and Turkey (11-4). China was fifth at 10-5.

Brazil will play Japan in the first semi on 24 June, and the U.S. will play Turkey afterwards. During the round-robin, Brazil shut out Japan, 3-0 and the U.S. got past Turkey, 3-1 on 14 June.

● Weightlifting ● The New Zealand Olympic Committee confirmed on Monday that Laurel Hubbard, 43, has been selected for the Tokyo Games in the women’s 87+ kg class.

Hubbard is a transgender athlete and competed as Gavin Hubbard until transitioning to female in 2015, following the International Olympic Committee’s regulations that require such athletes regulate their testosterone levels to below 10 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months.

However, other federations – such as World Athletics – have championed 5 nmol/L as more appropriate, and there is an ongoing debate about the propriety of allowing athletes to transfer to the women’s division after having gone through puberty as a man. The “normal” healthy testosterone level is considered to be 9.2 to 31.8 nmol/L for men, but between 0.3 and 2.4 nmol/L for women.

Hubbard has followed the regulations, and ranked seventh in the International Weightlifting Federation’s final qualifying list for Tokyo. Regardless of what happens in Tokyo, this is another issue that the IWF – and the IOC – will have to confront after the Games.

● At the BuZZer ● The next big event to come to the United States might not be the 2030 Olympic Winter Games for Salt Lake City, but the Rugby World Cup.

USA Rugby is making a bid for the men’s 2027 or 2031 World Cup, or the women’s 2029 World Cup. It’s a massive event, as the 2019 edition in Japan saw 1.83 million tickets sold, 242,000 international visitors come matches in 12 cities across 44 days. A World Rugby-commissioned study indicated that the total economic impact of the tournament was £4.3 billion, or about $5.98 billion U.S. Bid documents are due in January.

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ATHLETICS: Murphy springs men’s 800 m stunner, Purrier St. Pierre wins women’s 1,500 and Nilsen takes men’s vault at hot Trials in Eugene

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic Trials winner and new world men's 800 m leader: Clayton Murphy (USA)

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Day four of the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene featured 91-degree temperatures once the competition began, but it did not dull the competitiveness of the six finals:

● Men’s 800 m: NCAA champ Isaiah Jewett, a notorious front runner, took the lead immediately and led through splits of 25.25, 50.60 and 1:15.66, with World Champion Donavan Brazier and Rio bronze medalist Clayton Murphy right behind.

But the race was all in the last 200, as Jewett slowed in the last 60 m and Murphy unleashed a withering kick, flying by and winning in a seasonal best and world-leading 1:43.17. Jewett held on for second, getting a lifetime best of 1:43.85, but Brazier did not have his usual overdrive gear and had faded off the final turn. Instead, it was former Kansas star Bryce Hoppel who made the team with a season’s best of 1:44.14, with Isaiah Harris fourth in 1:44.58. Brazier fell all the way back to eighth and last, jogging across in 1:47.88.

● Men’s pole vault: All 12 jumpers made the first two heights and 11 made 5.60 m (18-4 1/2). The real jumping started at 5.80 m (19-0 1/4) with Chris Nilsen, Matt Ludwig and K.C. Lightfoot clearing on their first trials. Jacob Wooten made it on his second try, but World Champion Sam Kendricks missed on his first try and since making the top three is all that matters, passed to the next height of 5.85 m (19-2 1/4).

Order was restored as Kendricks cleared on his first try, as did Nilsen and Lightfoot. Ludwig, Wooten and Kyle Pater, unable to make the team unless they cleared a higher height, passed to 5.90 m (19-4 1/4). No problem for Nilsen, but Kendricks missed, as did Wooten, Ludwig, Light and Pater, leaving Nilsen as the winner, with Kendricks and Lightfoot in a tie for second and on the team. Nilsen tried 6.00 m (19-8 1/4), but missed three times in the heat.

● Men’s triple jump: With London and Rio Olympic champion Christian Taylor sidelined by injury for the rest of 2021, his former Florida teammate – and 2012 and 2016 silver medalist – Will Claye has been expected to take over. And he was ready.

Claye took the lead on his first jump, reaching 16.95 m (55-7 1/2), almost a foot better than the rest of the field. No one challenged him until the third round, when Donald Scott bounded out to a season’s best of 16.98 m (55-8 1/2) to take the lead. No problem for Claye: he re-took the lead immediately at 17.10 m (56-1 1/4) heading into the finals.

Scott was unimpressed and struck back in round four, reaching 17.18 m (56-4 1/2) for the lead, and then Claye improved to 17.14 m (56-2 3/4) but was still second. No one else had jumped past 55 feet until Chris Benard got out to 16.84 m (55-3) in round five.

Those three made the team, but Claye sent a final message on the last jump of the competition, sailing out to 17.21 m (56-5 3/4) – a season’s best – to win with Scott second. Both will have to jump a lot farther for a medal in Tokyo.

● Men’s javelin: None of the entrants came in with the Olympic standard of 85.00 m (278-10), with Curtis Thompson the American leader in 2021 at 81.44 m (267-2). He put everyone on notice with a first-round throw of 80.34 m (263-7), and Michael Shuey responded best at 79.24 m (260-0) in the third round.

Two-time national champion Riley Dolezal saved his best for last and moved up to third in the sixth round at 77.07 m (252-10), and that’s the way they finished. Thompson wanted the Olympic standard on his last throw and improved to 82.78 m (271-7). That’s still short, but places him 17th on the world list for 2021; as the Olympic field is designated for 32 entries, he could be invited to complete the field in Tokyo.

● Women’s 1,500 m: Favorite Elle Purrier St. Pierre led a single-file pack through 400 m in 64.79, and then a 64.41 lap to reach 800 m in 2:09.19. She increased the pace to 62.21 to reach 1,200 m in front, running with Cory McGee and the rest of the pack strung out behind.

In the final 300 m, Purrier St. Pierre poured it on and moved away from everyone, finishing in a lifetime best of 3:58.03 – still no. 5 on the 2021 world list – with McGee staying second, also in a lifetime best of 4:00.67 (no. 10 in 2021)! Behind them was a charging Heather McLean, who not only grabbed third in a lifetime best of 4:02.09, but got the Olympic standard in the process and will go to Tokyo! She out-lasted Shannon Osika by 0.09 (4:02.18).

Former World Champion Jenny Simpson did not have her usual finishing magic and faded to 10th in 4:07.76.

● Women’s 5,000 m: Former Arkansas All-American Taylor Werner led a bunched field through the first 3,000 m, then gave way to Elise Cranny and Karissa Schweizer. The running finally started after 3,400 m, with Schweizer increasing the pace from 79 seconds a lap to 71, with Cranny and Rachel Schneider in close attendance.

With two laps to go, Schweizer increased the pace to 70, with Cranny, Schneider and Rio Olympian Abbey Cooper chasing, but separating from the rest. At the bell, Schweizer had upped the pressure with a 67.9 lap with the three others close, but the rest out of the chase. It was Cranny in the end, with a 63.73 last lap to Schweizer’s 64.12 for a 15:27.81-15:28.11 final. Schneider held off Cooper, 15:29.56 to 15:31.05, for third. Rio Olympic Triathlon champ Gwen Jorgensen finished ninth in 15:50.62.

Pretty impressive in the very hot conditions.

Heats were held in the men’s Steeple, missing Rio silver medalist Evan Jager due to injuries. Isaac Updike did much of the work as the race leader in the first heat, and won in 8:21.01, just ahead of 2019 U.S. champ Hillary Bor (8:21.09) and Daniel Michalski (8:22.03). Sean McGorty, one of the pleasant surprises of 2021 in the U.S. (8:20.77), had his right shoe come off on the second lap, lost contact, but then worked his way back and finished ninth in 8:25.95.

The second heat was slower, with Mason Ferlic leading for much of the race, with Benard Keter winning at the tape in 8:29.04-8:30.78. As a result, McGorty ended up being the final time qualifier.

Monday concluded the first half of the Trials. Competition resumes on Thursday with finals in women’s Steeple and women’s shot.

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LANE ONE: Tokyo Games will have spectators, as organizers and Japanese government hold true to promised reference to domestic sports

By
Rich Perelman
-
The "Gracias" pin sent, with a certificate of appreciation, to the tens of thousands of 1984 Olympic Games organizing committee staff and volunteers by IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch.

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(For Sunday’s Highlights of international competitions, click here. For our U.S. Olympic Trials coverage, click for swimming or track & field.)

On Sunday, 13,091 fans attended a Nippon Professional Baseball game in Sendai, while 7,726 saw a game in Tokorozawa and 7,636 were at Neiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo to see the Yakult Swallows defeat the Chunichi Dragons, 2-1.

In Japan’s first division football conference, the J-League, 9,312 saw the match in Kashima on Sunday, 4,810 attended the game in Saitama and 3,736 were in Sapporo on Saturday.

Thus, in what should have been a surprise to no one, the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee – in concert with the regional and national Japanese governments – approved a plan on Monday to allow domestic spectators to attend the Olympic Games in Tokyo next month:

“[T]he IOC, IPC, Tokyo 2020, Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Government of Japan agreed for the spectator limit for the Olympic Games to be set at ‘50 per cent of venue capacity, up to a maximum of 10,000 people’ at all venues, taking into consideration the government’s restrictions on public events.

“The IOC and IPC were informed about and support the policies the three Japanese parties have decided on.”

So, make no mistake, this was a decision by the Japanese organizers and the government to allow a limited number of spectators, not the International Olympic Committee or International Paralympic Committee. And it is exactly in line with organizing committee advice months ago that the decision on allowing (only) domestic spectators would closely follow what is being done for domestic sporting events, such as the NPB and the J-League.

Credit to Tokyo 2020 for saying what it expected to do and then doing it. Same for the Japanese government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee issued a joint statement of support for the plan.

There are conditions, of course, and if the Covid-19 situation changes in Japan, this policy will have to change as well. Spectators will be restricted:

“[M]asks should be worn in venues at all times; speaking in a loud voice or shouting will be prohibited; congestion should be avoided by means of appropriate announcements; and visitors should leave venues in a staggered manner. Spectators will be requested to travel directly to venues and return home directly, and to take all necessary precautions when moving between prefectures.”

At a follow-up news conference in Tokyo, organizing committee chief Seiko Hashimoto said that a new ticket lottery will have to be held as there are more tickets already sold than the capacity limits will allow for. Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto indicated that “the number of tickets will likely be reduced to about 2.72 million from 4.48 million sold before the pandemic, and the revenue from them will be less than half of the initially projected 90 billion yen ($820 million).”

Further, significant reductions were also made by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in concert with the national government, announcing on Saturday that all six “public viewing sites” for the Games in Tokyo have been canceled and some will be converted into mass vaccination sites.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Monday that if another state of emergency is declared – Tokyo’s current state of emergency ended on Sunday (20th) and a “quasi-state of emergency” continues for Tokyo and other prefectures through 11 July – no spectators will be allowed during the Games.

This comes amid continued concern in Japan about the virus, but also a modest rise in support for holding the Games. A Kyodo News poll over the weekend showed 86.4% were worried about a rise in infections because of the Games, only 30.8% said the Games should be canceled. Some 40.3% would prefer the Games be held without spectators. And, tellingly, if a state of emergency was to be declared again, only 35.8% supported canceling the Games and 55.7% said the Games should go on with added counter-measures such as no spectators.

All of this is against a backdrop of 59.9% who were unhappy with the government’s response to the pandemic. The support for the Games is much higher.

So, what is the actual impact of the spectator policy? Using the Wikipedia page for Tokyo 2020 as an easy reference, the only Tokyo venues which might get to the 10,000 limit would be the new Olympic Stadium (68,000 capacity), Tokyo Stadium (49,970) for football, Rugby Sevens and part of the Modern Pentathlon, and the temporary venue for rowing, canoeing and equestrian eventing at the Sea Forest Waterway, where bleachers for 20,000 were projected.

The other venues are all much smaller:

● 5,000 or less: 4 ~ meaning 2,500 spectators or less;

● 5,001-10,000: 9 ~ meaning 5,000 spectators or less;

● 10,001-15,000: 7 ~ meaning 7,500 spectators or less.

Muto said that the 10,000 spectator cap would apply to the Opening Ceremony, but would not include the teams or Olympic officials, meaning the total number of people inside the new National Stadium would be 20,000 or so.

It would have been easier for the Tokyo organizers and the Japanese government to simply ban all spectators and just move on. It would have been easier – and possibly financially advantageous – for the IOC to cancel the Games in 2020 amid the outbreak of the pandemic. Neither did so; they should get credit for that.

There is still a long way to go in the saga of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad and the 16th Paralympic Games to follow. But the Tokyo 2020 organizers have gone far beyond what has been asked of any Olympic Organizing Committee since perhaps the 1948 Games in a still-recovering London in putting on this massive event despite the historic challenges of the pandemic and the postponement.

After the astonishing success of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch commissioned a special “Gracias” pin with his initials “J.A.S.” that was distributed along with a certificate of appreciation to the entire Games workforce to recognize their achievement in reinvigorating the Olympic Movement. Perhaps the IOC should do the same for the Tokyo organizers, volunteers and all those in government who will make the Games work, but this time offer thanks before the Games begin!

Rich Perelman
Editor

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SWIMMING: Dressel finishes sensational U.S. Swimming Trials with third win and a possible seven medals in Tokyo; Manuel scores 50 m Free win

By
Rich Perelman
-
Five-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel (USA)

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The final day of the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha was all about Caeleb Dressel just 21.04 seconds into the race.

That’s how long it took for Dressel to win the men’s 50 m Freestyle, with the fastest time in the world this year and tying his own American Record swim from the 2017 World Championships. He equals the fourth-fastest performance in history.

He was chased home by Michael Andrew, who finished in 21.48 and remains the fourth-fastest swimmer at this distance in the world in 2021, and just 0.02 off his all-time best. Andrew is now headed to his first Olympic Games, in three events.

American sprint icon Nathan Adrian finished third in 21.73, ahead of Bowe Becker (21.78); Adrian equaled his season’s best, but won’t make it to Tokyo.

Dressel won the 50 m Free, 100 m Free and 100 m Fly, with world-leading marks in the 50 Free and 100 Fly, and will be a favorite in all three at the Games. In addition, he is positioned for medals in the men’s 4×100 m Freestyle, 4×200 m Freestyle and 4×100 m Medley and perhaps also the Mixed 4×100 m Medley. That’s a possible seven medals, but the U.S. will not be favored in all of the relays.

The women’s 50 m Free final was another emotional high as Rio 50 m Free silver medalist Simone Manuel touched first in 24.29 to make the Tokyo team, a seasonal best by a big 0.21 and now no. 11 in the world for 2021. She just out-touched 100 m Free winner Abbey Weitzeil by 0.01 (24.30), with Torri Huske third (24.46) and Linnea Mack fourth (24.49).

The men’s 1,500 m ended the program with the 800 m Free winner Bobby Finke swimming away to a huge win in 14:46.06, a lifetime best and no. 4 on the 2021 world list. Michael Brinegar, the 800 m runner-up, took over second place halfway through and finished a clear second in 15:00.87. Jordan Wilimovsky, already on the open-water team, was third in 15:05.29.

The U.S. Trials ended with outstanding results, including eight world-leading marks by six swimmers:

● Men/200 m Medley: 1:55.26, Michael Andrew
● Men/100 m Fly: 50.17, Caeleb Dressel
● Men/50 m Free: 21.29, Caeleb Dressel in semis
● Men/50 m Free: 21.04, Caeleb Dressel

● Women/400 m Medley: 4:33.81, Emma Weyant
● Women/100 m Fly: 55.66, Torri Huske (American Record)
● Women/100 m Breast: 1:04.72, Lilly King (in semifinals)
● Women/1,500 m Free: 15:40.50, Katie Ledecky

There were also four American Records and a tie:

● Men/50 m Free: 21.04 (=), Caeleb Dressel
● Men/100 m Breast: 58.19, Michael Andrew, in heats (old, 58.64, Kevin Cordes 2017)
● Men/100 m Breast: 58.14, Andrew, in semis

● Women/100 m Fly: 55.78, Torri Huske, in semis (old, 55.98, Dana Vollmer 2012)
● Women/100 m Fly: 55.66, Huske

The U.S. dominated the pool in Rio with 33 medals and 16 golds, but it will not be easy in Tokyo with outstanding competition from Australia, Canada and Europe. But Dressel and Katie Ledecky are going to be two of the brightest American stars in the first week of the Games.

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ATHLETICS: Winkler hammers American Record at U.S. Trials, while Bromell (9.80), Harrison (12.50), Norman (44.07), Hayes (49.78) and Felix (50.02) star

By
Rich Perelman
-
World record holder Keni Harrison is now on her way to Tokyo!

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Day three of the U.S. Olympic Trials at Eugene’s rebuilt Hayward Field was scheduled to last eight hours, from the decathlon 110 m hurdles through the final of the men’s 100 m, but it was worth it! The highlights, as they happened:

● Men’s hammer: The first final of the day saw the world’s no. 2 thrower, Rudy Winkler, set a meet record of 80.75 m (264-11) in the first round, his third-best throw ever and further than he ever threw prior to 2021!

He then unleashed his second throw further than anyone in American history: 82.71 m (271-4), erasing Lance Deal’s 1996 mark of 82.52 m (270-9)! It’s still no. 2 in 2021, but moves him to no. 20 on the all-time list. Wow!

Winkler came back to 80.98 m (265-8) in round three, a distance only he and world leader Pawel Fajdek (POL) have reached in 2021. Second and third were Daniel Haugh (76.93 m/252-4) and Alex Young (76.01 m/249-4), nos. 7 and 9 on the year list so far.

No let-up for Winkler, who reached 82.10 m (269-4) in round four, the no. 7 throw in U.S. history. Haugh improved in round five to 78.97 m (259-1) to strengthen his grip on second, Winkler finally showed he was human, throwing 79.61 m (261-2), a distance only four other American throwers have ever reached.

Young uncorked his best of the day in the final round at 78.32 (256-11) – a lifetime best – finishing third. That inspired Haugh, who got a lifetime best himself at 79.39 m (260-5), moving to no. 6 in U.S. history. Winkler then finished at 80.28 m (263-5), and will lead both Haugh and Young to Tokyo. Impressive.

● Women’s 100 m hurdles: The semifinals started with a non-false start, but on the re-start, LSU star Tonea Marshall stormed to the lead and never gave it back, winning in 12.50 (+1.2 m/s), holding off Christina Clemons (12.51), with Rio 2016 champ Brianna McNeal third in 12.56. Because McNeal is running under a stay of her doping suspension while her appeal is ongoing, a ninth runner will be added to the final.

Marshall, injured during the 4×100 m at the NCAA Championships last week, held out of the hurdles final and that looks like a good decision right now.

In semi two, world-record holder Keni Harrison was in front from the gun and ran away with the race in 12.50 (+1/3 m/s), same as Marshall. NCAA champ Anna Cockrell was second in 12.59 and Payton Chadwick was third in 12.64.

In the final, Harrison got a good start and took control of the race by hurdle three, winning by daylight in 12.47 (+0.8 m/s). Three lunged at the line for second, with McNeal getting there in 12.51, Clemons leaning perfectly for third (12.53) and Gabbi Cunningham fourth, also in 12.53 (actually, 12.521-12.526). Cockrell was fifth in 12.58 and Marshall was sixth in 12.63.

Cunningham – who missed by 5/1000ths – may yet be on the team pending McNeal’s appeal of her doping suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

● Men’s 100 m: World leader Trayvon Bromell and the legendary Justin Gatlin were in the same heat and in the same semi. Off the gun, Bromell got an excellent start and his small lead after 20 m got bigger and he won in 9.90 (-0.3 m/s), with Kenny Bednarek overtaking Gatlin in the final 10 m, as Gatlin leaned too early, 9.96-10.00. The 9.96 was a lifetime best for Bednarek.

Noah Lyles, Ronnie Baker and Fred Kerley were supposed to be the stars in semi two, and they finished 3-2-1 at the tape, with Kerley coming on in the final 10 m to win in 9.92 (+0.7 m/s), passing Lyles (9.97) and then Baker (9.94). Marvin Bracy-Williams, who had run 9.85 this year, pulled up after 30 m and had to talk across the line last in 17.82.

The final had Gatlin (at 39), Bednarek, Kerley, Bromell, Baker and Lyles in lanes 2-7 and Bromell got the best start and separated from the field in the final 10 m to win in 9.80 (+0.8 m/s). Baker and Kerley, on each side of Bromell, were right with him and finished 2-3 in 9.85 – lifetime best – and 9.86 – lifetime best – leaving the U.S. 1-2-3 on the 2021 world list.

Bednarek was fourth in 9.89, with Oregon’s Micah Williams fifth (possibly on the plane for relay duty) in 9.91. Lyles was slow off the start and was unable to mount his usual late charge, finishing seventh in 10.05. He’ll hope for better in the 200 m, Gatlin appeared to be hurt and jogged after 80 m, finishing in 10.87.

● Men’s 400 m: Michael Norman wanted to leave no doubt and he took off from the start, clearly in the lead heading into the far turn. He was challenged by Michael Cherry heading into the final straight, but Norman had the extra gear he’s famous for and ran away to win in 44.07, a seasonal best and still no. 2 in the world for 2021. Cherry had a lifetime best of 44.35, still no. 4 on the year in second.

Elija Godwin looked like a potential third-placer, but he faded badly in the final 75 m, while NCAA champ Randolph Ross stormed down the straight and passed Godwin (6th: 44.94), Vernon Norwood (5th: 44.92) and then North Carolina A&T teammate Trevor Stewart (44.74) to finish third in 44.74. With much more rest in Tokyo, Ross could challenge Norman for gold.

● Men’s decathlon: Former Georgia star Garrett Scantling, now 28, was fourth at the 2016 Trials, and dominated the field, piling up a 279-point lead going into the 1,500 m. He started the year with a lifetime best of 8,232 from 2015 and hadn’t competed in a decathlon since 2016 at the start of this year. But he scored 8,476 in April, and finished here in a startling 8,647, no. 2 in the world for 2021.

Former Big 10 champ Steven Bastien was third entering the 1,500 m and kept fourth-place Harrison Williams in his sights during the 1,500 m and ran away in the final 200 m to finish with the no. 2 time (4:22.21) and moved up to second with a lifetime best of 8,485, fourth on the year list. Williams finished fourth with 8,306; Rio seventh-placer Zach Ziemek, the 2018 national champion, scored a lifetime best of 8,471 (no. 5 in 2021) and ended up third.

● Women’s 400 m: All eyes were on Allyson Felix in lane eight and she charged from the start, taking the lead on the backstraight. But Quanera Hayes took control heading into the curve, passing Kendall Ellis for the lead. Wadeline Jonathas ran hard on the far turn and was even with Hayes heading into the straight, with Ellis third and Felix fading.

But while Hayes steamed home to win in a season’s best of 49.78, Felix charged from the back and passed Ellis in the final 20 m and then Jonathas at the line for second. Felix earned a season’s best 50.02, with Jonathas at 50.03 and Ellis at 50.10. Hayes moved from sixth to fifth on the 2021 world list and Felix – on her fifth Olympic team – is suddenly no. 8 in 2021, with her fastest time since 2017.

● Women’s high jump: The jumping really started at 1.90 m (6-2 3/4), with only five women left. Favorite Vashti Cunningham and Rio Olympian Inika McPherson both cleared 1.93 m (6-4) on their first try, joined by Nicole Greene on the second try, and Rachel McCoy on her third try, leaving four jumpers for three spots.

McCoy, Greene and McPherson all missed their tries at 1.96 m (6-5), but Cunningham sailed over, sending her to Tokyo. The other three all missed at 1.96, with McPherson second and Greene third; McCoy’s extra miss at 1.93 was the difference. Cunningham took three tries at 2.02 m (6-7 1/2), but missed all three times.

● Women’s triple jump: The three finalists with the Olympic standard were American Record holder Keturah Orji, former American Record holder Tori Franklin and Jasmine Moore. Orji took the lead right away at 14.40 m (47-3), then Franklin got a season’s best of 14.20 m (46-7 1/4) in round three, with Moore at 14.15 m (46-5 1/4) through three rounds.

That’s the way they finished, although Orji improved to 14.52 m (47-7 3/4) in round six and Franklin finished at 14.36 m (47-1 1/2).

The only qualifying-only event on the program is the women’s 3,000 m Steeple, with American Record holder Courtney Frerichs falling on the second lap of the first heat, but leading a couple of laps later in order to get out of trouble. She strung out the field and led a breakaway pack of five, with Marisa Howard and BYU’s Courtney Weymant closest. At the bell, Frerichs led by 5 m, but the pace clearly offered the chance for the Olympic qualifying standard of 9:30.00 and Grayson Murphy and Weymant surged off the last water jump to run 1-2 in 9:25.37 and 9:27.17 – getting the standard – with Frerichs jogging in third at 9:27.75. Howard was an auto-advancing fifth.

Former World Champion Emma Coburn had no interest in repeating Frerichs’s fall and she took off from the start and stayed out of trouble. She was joined by Leah Falland and Mel Lawrence in the breakaway after four laps and Coburn sailed home in 9:21.32, ahead of Falland (9:23.36) and Lawrence (9:29.30).

Worth noting: As this is the U.S. national championship meet for 2021, there is prize money at stake. The top eight places win $10,000-8,000-6,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,000-1,000 or $35,000 per event. Across 40 events, a total of $1.40 million is at stake.

The first half of the Trials concludes on Monday, with six finals, in the men’s 800 m, pole vault, triple jump and javelin, and the women’s 1,500 m and 5,000 m, before rest days on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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HIGHLIGHTS: U.S. women dominate FIBA AmeriCup and FINA Water Polo World League Super Final with title game wins

By
Rich Perelman
-
The U.S. women team of all collegiate stars celebrates another FIBA Women's AmeriCup title! (Photo: USA Basketball)

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Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world/updated/:

● Archery ● The World Archery final qualifier for the Tokyo Games was in Paris (FRA) this weekend, prior to the World Cup from the 21st to the 27th, with the United States looking for top-three finishes that would allow a full team of three shooters in Tokyo.

The men, with World Champion Brady Ellison, Jack Williams and Jacob Wukie, led the qualifying round at 2,031 and advanced to the second round of the team elimination matches. First was Slovenia and a 6-2 U.S. win, then another 6-2 win over Spain in the quarterfinals.

With three team slots available, winning the semifinal sent the U.S. to Tokyo and the American trio shut out France, 6-0. With a spot in the Games – and two individual spots for Wukie and Williams – the U.S. men won the qualifying tournament with a 5-3 score over Indonesia in the final.

Jeff Henckels of Luxembourg was the men’s individual leader after qualifying, ahead of Russian Galsan Bazarzhapov, 682-675, with the elimination matches coming on Monday.

The U.S. women’s team of Mackenzie Brown, Casey Kaufhold and Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez shot on Sunday, finishing third in the qualifying behind Mexico and India. In the elimination matches, the U.S. advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-2 win over the Czech Republic and then faced a powerful team from Turkey. The U.S. won the first end, 54-50, and the third end, 57-52. Turkey tied it by winning the fourth, 55-52, requiring an extra end. It couldn’t have been closer, as both teams scored 25 points, and the Americans squeezed out a victory with a closest-to-the-center measurement making the difference.

That brought the U.S. into the semifinals, with a win guaranteeing a full team in Tokyo. No problem, as the U.S. shut out Spain, 3-0, while Mexico advanced to the final (and to Tokyo) with a 5-1 win over Italy. In the final, the U.S. took the first end, 56-53, but then saw Mexico win the next two – 56-53 and 59-56 – and a 56-56 tie in end four to take the title, 5-3.

The women’s individual competition saw Poland’s Magdalena Smialkowska lead after the qualifying round at 653, ahead of Uzbek Ziyodakhon Abdusattorova (648). The elimination will be held on Monday.

● Athletics ● Although the U.S. Olympic Trials are center stage, meets are continuing around the world with excellent marks.

On Saturday in Madrid (ESP), Colombian World silver 400 m medalist Anthony Zambrano zoomed to a 44.51 win, now no. 6 on the world list. He edged reigning Olympic 400 m champ Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) who finally got his Tokyo qualifier at 44.56.

The triple jumps were outstanding, with Hugues Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso facing off with Portugal’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo in a memorable duel. Pichardo struck first, landing at 17.65 m (57-11) in the first round and then 17.59 m (57-8 1/2) in round two. But Zango got to 17.49 m (57-4 3/4) in round three, then exploded for 17.83 m wind-aided (58-6w) in round four to take the lead. Pichardo responded with a world-leading 17.69 m (58-0 1/2) with legal wind in round four, but could do no more and finished second.

Venezuela’s Olympic favorite Yulimar Rojas won the women’s TJ as expected, but had four jumps over 15 m (49-2 1/2) to dominate the event. She started with 15.19 m (49-10), then jumped 15.16 m (49-9), a foul, 15.19 m (49-9 3/4), 14.99 m (49-2 1/3) and finished with a wind-aided 15.34 m (50-4w) for the victory. She’s one of the near-locks for Olympic gold in Tokyo.

On Sunday in Chorzow (POL), the 2021 European men’s Indoor 800 m Champion Patryk Dobek (POL) won with a lifetime best and world-leading time of 1:43.73, all the more amazing because it’s his first year in the event! Britons Jamie Webb and Elliot Giles followed in 1:44.14 and 1:44.2, outdoor lifetime bests for both.

World men’s hammer leader Pawel Fajdek (POL) won at 82.14 m (269-6), a distance only he has reached this season and Isaac Makwala (BOT) won the men’s 400 m in 44.47, no. 6 in the world for 2021.

Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay was after the world record in the women’s 1,500 and won in 3:54.01, the no. 2 performance in 2021, with only teammate Hirut Meshesha anywhere close (3:59.43). It’s a lifetime best for Tsegay and moves her up to no. 12 on the all-time list.

Namibian 400 m sensation Beatrice Masilingi showed that her high-altitude times are for real, winning in 49.88, just short of her 49.53 mark from April. Freweyni Hailu (ETH) won the women’s 800 m in a speedy 1:57.57 – no. 2 for 2021 – ahead of Catriona Bisset of Australia (1:58.09: no. 4) and Renelle Lamote (FRA: 1:58.11: no. 5). It’s getting crazy out there.

● Basketball ● The all-collegiate U.S. women’s team won the 16th FIBA Women’s AmeriCup and defended its 2019 title with a 74-59 win over host Puerto Rico at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan on Saturday.

The U.S. steamed through the group stage with a 3-0 record, then stomped the U.S. Virgin Islands by 97-46 in the quarterfinals. Then things got tougher. In the semifinals against Brazil, the U.S. was down, 21-13, at the end of the first quarter and 31-18 with two minutes left in the first half.

But five points from Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard helped get the U.S. to 33-25 by halftime, before the Americans took over. They out-scored Brazil by 25-10 in the third quarter and 21-17 in the fourth for a convincing 71-60 victory and a place in the final. North Carolina State center Elissa Anne Cunane led the U.S. with 19 points and Rhyne and Michigan forward Naz Hillmon-Baker had 12 each.

Puerto Rico defeated Group A winner Canada, 65-61, in the other semi to set up a rematch from Group B, where the U.S. had won earlier, 87-65. But Puerto Rico led the final at halftime, 36-34, before the U.S. got going for good. A 10-0 run in the middle of the third quarter put the U.S. ahead by 51-40 and coach Dawn Staley’s team had a 55-47 lead at the end of the quarter. A 19-12 final quarter sewed up the victory, with Howard scoring 22 points and South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston adding 17 and 19 rebounds. Cunane added 12 points and Hillmon-Baker had 12 rebounds.

The game did not end without more drama, however; USA Basketball reported:

“The USA was on the verge of closing out the win as Boston stepped to the free throw line at 1:59, and then the overhead lights in the arena went out. As staff worked to get the lights back on, the USA and Puerto Rico had enough light to shoot around on the court, while fans treated it like a concert, waving the flashlights on their cell phones. After about 15 minutes of that, an impromptu dance battle broke out between the two teams at half court, delighting everyone in the arena.”

This was the fourth U.S. women’s AmeriCup title, now equal with Cuba for the second-most, behind Brazil’s five total wins. South Carolina coach Staley headed the U.S. squad and also coached the 2019 winners; she’s 12-0 lifetime in this tournament!

In the bronze medal game, Brazil beat Canada, 87-82, in double overtime. The top four teams – the U.S., Brazil, Canada and Puerto Rico – qualified for the 2022 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.

Howard was named as the Most Valuable Player in the tournament, with Cunane, Jennifer O’Neill of Puerto Rico, Manuela Rios of Colombia and Clarissa dos Santos of Brazil on the All-Star 5. O’Neill ended as the tournament’s leading scorer at 16.8 per game and Boston led all rebounders at 9.3 per game.

● Canoe-Kayak ● The ICF Slalom World Cup tour was in Markkleeburg (GER), a late tune-up for the forthcoming Tokyo Games. And the stars were out in force.

In the women’s K-1, three-time World Champion Jessica Fox (AUS) confirmed her Olympic favorite’s status with a decisive win in 96.76 seconds (2 penalties). Germany’s three-time Worlds medalist Ricarda Funk was second (100.28 and 2 penalties) and teammate Elena Apel (103.00 with 2 penalties) was third.

Germany’s Andrea Herzog, the reigning World Champion from 2019, won the women’s C-1 in 103.91 seconds with no penalties, beating two-time Worlds medalist Teresa Fiserova (CZE: 108.26 with 2 penalties) and 2019 Worlds bronze winner Nadine Weratschnig (AUT: 112.80 with 2 penalties). Fox, a four-time World Champion in this event, finished fourth (115.18 with 2 penalties).

The men’s K-1 final was a win for unheralded Jakub Grigar of Slovakia in 88.91 with no penalties, over Felix Oschmautz (AUT: 90.92 with 2 penalties). France’s 2014 World Champion Boris Neveu was third, at 91.86 with two penalties.

In the men’s C-1, France’s 2011 World Champion, Denis Gargaud Chanut, edged 2012 Olympic silver medalist Sideris Tasiadis, 94.75-96.87, with neither suffering penalties. Slovenia’s 2017 World Champion, Benjamin Savsek, had the fastest time through the course, but with six penalties, he ended up third at 99.59 seconds in third.

● Cycling ● /Updated/The USA Cycling Road Nationals returned once again to Knoxville, Tennessee for racing in three events each for men and women.

In the men’s 34.9 km Individual Time Trial, veteran star Lawson Craddock won his first national title, finishing well ahead of Chad Haga, 41:33.9 to 41:51.4, with Tejay van Garderen third in 42:03.2.

The 2019 World Time Trial Champion, Chloe Dygert, won her first U.S. road cycling title in the 23.2 km Individual Time Trial in 30:11.2 over 23.2 km, breaking free from five-time U.S. Time Trial champion Amber Neben (30:38.7) and Leah Thomas (31:01.6).

In Friday’s Criterium races, Luke Lamperti took the men’s title in 1:17:02.3 in a mass finish over Samuel Bassetti (1:17:02.5) and Eric Young (1:17:03.2). The women’s title was won by Kendall Ryan (1:09:20) in another mass sprint, beating Megan Jastrab, Coryn Rivera and Alexis Ryan (all 1:09:22).

Sunday’s road races started with the women contesting a 114.6 km (9 laps) on a hilly course in and around Knoxville. Lauren Stephens, the 11th placer in the 2020 World Road Champs, won her first national title on a breakaway, finishing in 3:11:19, 1:06 up on Coryn Rivera and Veronica Ewers (both 3:12:25), followed by Krista Doebel-Hickok (3:12:29) and Tayler Wiles (3:12:30).

The men’s race was a 15-lap, 190.9 km program on the same course, with Sam Boardman, Kyle Murphy and George Simpson breaking away in mid-race and sprinting to a 5:45 gap on the rest of the field. Inevitably, their advantage dwindled and with four laps to go, Chad Haga, Robin Carpenter and Nate Brown had narrowed the lead to just 15 seconds. The lead group was caught and a new pack expanded to nine with two laps to go, then two-time U.S. Time Trial champ Joey Rosskopf attacked and built a 15-second lead with a lap to go. There was lots of action on the final lap, with six in contention into the final kilometer, but it was Rosskopf who crossed the line first in 4:38:12, ahead of Brent Bookwalter (4:38:15), Murphy (4:38:17), Alexey Vermuelen (4:38:18) and Lawson Craddock (4:38:22).

● Modern Pentathlon ● The UIPM World Championships finished last Monday with the Mixed Relay, a triumph for Sehee Kim and Changwan Seo of South Korea. They finished with 1,432 points, ahead of Anastasiya Prokopenko and Ilya Palazhov of Belarus (1,422) and Germans Rebecca Langrehr and Patrick Dogue (1,415).

Seo and Kim won the Fencing, second in the Riding and seventh in Swimming and with a sixth-best time in the Laser Run held off the Belarusian team, which had the fastest time in the field.

● Swimming ● The Olympic Marathon Qualifier was held in Setubal (POR), with 15 individual spots available, and won by Hungary’s Anna Olasz in 2:01:55.5, just inches ahead of Spain’s Paola Ruiz Bravo (2:01:58.0) and Canada’s Kate Sanderson (2:01:58.4).

Sunday’s men’s race was a 1-3 finish for Great Britain, as Hector Pardoe won by daylight in 2:02:07.60, with Athanasios Kynigakis (GRE) and Tobias Robinson (GBR) third touching almost together in 2:02:13.10. The amazing Ous Mellouli of Tunisia, now 37 and the gold medalist in the 1,500 m in the pool in 2008 and the 10 km open-water in 2012, qualified for his sixth Olympic Games with a 10th-place finish in 2:02:55.60.

(The U.S. has already secured its spots for Tokyo and did not compete at Setubal.)

● Volleyball ● The FIVB Nations League is moving toward the end of the long round-robin schedule, with the playoffs looming for both men and women. All matches are being played in a sequestered environment in Rimini (ITA).

The women’s Nations League has been a showcase for the Karch Kiraly’s United States squad, which cruised to a 14-0 record before dropping its last match to China, 25-10, 25-20 and 25-17. OK, so 14-1 isn’t too bad; the U.S. won 42 of 49 sets in its 15 matches.

Behind the U.S. are Brazil (12-2 with one game to play), Japan at 12-3, Turkey at 11-3 (playing Brazil later today); China (10-5) finished fifth and out of the playoffs. The semifinals are scheduled for 24-25 June.

In the men’s Nations League, Brazil continues to lead after four of five weeks of play, with an 11-1 record, trailed by Poland (10-2), Slovenia (9-3) and Russia, France and Serbia (all 8-4).

The U.S. has moved up to 6-6 – with three other teams – but only the top four teams will participate in the playoffs, on 26-27 June.

● Water Polo ● The 17th edition of the FINA World League Super Final underlined the dominance of the U.S. women’s team – the Olympic favorites – winning its seventh straight title and 11th in the last 12. In all, the U.S. has won 14 of the 17 tournaments all-time, including the 2021 edition held in Athens (GRE).

In the group stage, Canada was 3-0 to take Group A and the U.S. zipped through Group B with a 3-0 record and a 54-20 goals-against total. In the quarterfinals, the U.S. cruised past Japan by 20-6 and 17-8 against Russia in the semis. Canada was surprised in its semi, 14-10, by Hungary and ended up playing for third against Russia.

In the final, the U.S. had some trouble with Hungary, taking a 4-2 lead after a quarter and 6-3 at half, but leading only 9-8 in the fourth period. But the American squad scored the last five goals of the match and won by 14-8. Maggie Steffens led the U.S. in scoring with four goals, and Rachel Fattal and Maddie Musselman had three each. Russia edged Canada, 10-8, to win the bronze medal.

The U.S. finished with a 51-22 goals-against edge in the playoffs and 105-42 overall in the tournament. Musselman led the U.S. scorers with 18 goals, followed by Steffens with 16, Fattal with 15 and Stephanie Haralabidis with 13. The U.S. also had some of the best goalkeeping in the tournament, as primary keeper Ashleigh Johnson had the fourth-best save percentage at 52.9% and Amanda Longan saved 72.0 percentage of her chances (18-25), the best in the tournament!

Japan’s Yuri Arima led all scorers in the tournament with 23 goals.

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SWIMMING: Dressel crushes 50 m Fly field for second U.S. Trials win; Ledecky gets fourth Trials win in 800 m Free

By
Rich Perelman
-

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The penultimate day of the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha showcased the two superstars of the American team for Tokyo: Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky.

Dressel left no doubt in his first event, the men’s 100 m Butterfly final, storming to a win by more than a second in 49.87 over Tom Shields (51.19) and Luca Urlando (51.19). Not quite as fast as his world-leading 49.76 in the semis, but still the no. 5 performance in history. Dressel now owns eight of the top 11 times in this event ever.

He then had the 50 m Freestyle semifinals 37 minutes later, and watched Michael Andrew dominate the first race, winning in 21.55 – no. 3 in the world for 2021 – trailed by Bowe Becker (21.83).

Dressel and 2012 Olympic 100 m Free champ Nathan Adrian – now 32 – were next to each other in semi two, with Dressel taking the lead at about 20 m and won by daylight in 21.51, making him no. 3 for 2021, with Adrian out-dueling Michael Chadwick for second, 21.78 to 22.01. Dressel is well positioned for win no. 3 tomorrow night, but can veteran Adrian out-swim newcomer Andrew for second?

There was no doubt that Katie Ledecky was going to win in the women’s 800 m Freestyle. And she delivered in 8:14.62 for her fourth win, with the second-fastest time of the season (she’s already the world leader). The race for the second spot was tight between open-water star Haley Anderson and 15-year-old Katie Grimes, who scored a huge lifetime best of 8:20.36 to get second, with Anderson at 8:20.51. Grimes is now no. 5 in the world for 2021.

Rhyan White finished second to Regan Smith in the women’s 100 m Backstroke, but got to the touch first in the women’s 200 m Backstroke final in 2:05.73, no. 3 in the world for 2021. Smith – the world-record holder in the event – got out in front and led at 150 m, but White passed her on the final lap as did Phoebe Bacon, who got second by 2:06.46-2:06.79, the nos. 4-5 performers on the year list. But Smith will not be swimming this event in Tokyo.

The winner of the men’s 800 m Freestyle – Bobby Finke – led the men’s 1,500 m Freestyle heats in the morning in 15:04.66, ahead of 400 m Free runner-up Michael Brinegar (15:07.93) and open-water star Jordan Wilimovsky (15:14.67). The final is Sunday.

In the women’s 50 m Freestyle, Rio co-100 m champ Simone Manuel had the second-fastest time in the morning heats, then won the first race, out-touching Erika Brown, 24.50-24.57 with Catie Deloof third in 24.68. Manuel will be the sentimental favorite for tomorrow.

Heats leader Abbey Weitzeil won the second semi in 24.27, no. 9 on the 2021 world list, just ahead of Torri Huske (24.45).

Only three events on the final night of the Trials tomorrow: the men’s and women’s 50 m Freestyles and the men’s 1,500 m Freestyle.

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ATHLETICS: Richardson sensational in 10.64w and 10.86 in women’s 100 m at U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials

By
Rich Perelman
-
Sprint star Sha'Carri Richardson (Photo: Paul Merca for Tracktown USA)

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The second day of the U.S. Olympic Trials for track & field was packed with drama, with the spotlight firmly on the women’s 100 meters, and deservedly so. The highlights:

● Women’s 100 m: It was showtime for Sha’Carri Richardson in the semis and she zoomed to the front by 30 m and ran away in semi one and started celebrating with 20 m left, finishing in a wind-aided 10.64 (+2.6 m/s). She told NBC afterward, “I’m that girl” and right now, she is! Teahna Daniels was second in 10.84w and Jenna Prandini was third (10.96w).

Semi two started with a false start for former U.S. champ Aleia Hobbs (more on this later). On the re-start, it was Javianne Oliver who took charge in mid-race in a wind-aided 10.83 (+2.5 m/s), followed by Gabby Thomas (10.95w) and the fast-closing former Oregon star English Gardner (10.96w).

Between the semis and the final, Hobbs’s false start was reviewed and discarded, and she was assigned lane nine! Richardson was right in the middle of the track in lane five, but it was Oliver who blew away the field at the start. Richardson was undaunted and took over in mid-race and ran away from the field in 10.86, into a headwind of 1.0 m/s. She ran almost as fast into the stands after the final to find her family and celebrate her ticket to Tokyo.

Oliver was second in 10.99 and Daniels finished third in 11.03, with Jenna Prandini fourth in 11.11 and Thomas fifth in 11.15.

● Women’s discus: Valarie Allman came in as the overwhelming favorite in the final and the American Record holder and she was hot right from the start. She spun out to 69.45 m (227-10) in the first round and then 69.92 m (229-5), the nos. 3-4 throws in U.S. history, behind her American Record of 70.15 m (230-2) in 2020 and her 70.01 m (229-8) toss in qualifying.

The rest of the throwing was ordinary, with Micaela Hazelwood second at 62.54 m (205-2) and Rachel Dincoff third at 60.21 m (197-6). Hazelwood has not met the Olympic qualifying standard of 63.50 m (208-4) and will not go to Tokyo.

In the qualifying-only events:

● Men’s 100 m: Isiah Young broke first in heat one and cruised home, edged in the final 10 m by Kenny Bednarek, 10.07-10.08; Cravon Gillespie got third in 10.20. There was plenty of buzz for heat two, with the ageless Justin Gatlin – now 39 – in lane one and world leader Trayvon Bromell in eight, and Bromell exploded out of the blocks and was challenged by Gatlin on the way to the finish. Bromell finished in 9.84 wind-aided (+2.7 m/s), with Gatlin in 9.93 and Oregon’s Micah Williams third in 9.95. Wow!

Heat three went sideways at 30 m as teen star Jaylen Slade’s right leg buckled and he fell to the track; Marvin Bracy-Williams won in 10.00 (+2.0 m/s), over Chris Belcher (10.01). Slade said afterwards that he took a bad step and was not badly hurt. Three contenders faced off in heat four, and Ronnie Baker blasted out best, with World 200 m Champion Noah Lyles chasing and sudden sprint (instead of 400 m) star Fred Kerley coming on in the final 15 m. Baker won in 9.88 (+1.9 m/s), with Kerley edging Lyles, 9.93 to 9.95. Good news for Lyles: it was a seasonal best, as he had run only 10.03 in 2021.

● Men’s 400 m: Michael Cherry is having a career year and looked in perfect form as he came off the final turn in semi one slightly in front and then extended his lead to win easily in 44.50, his second-fastest ever (!). Georgia’s Elija Godwin was strong down the straight as well and was second in 45.10 and Texas A&M Bryce Deadmon got third in 45.17. LSU’s Noah Williams, who was the world leader in the early season, faded to seventh (45.73).

All eyes were on superstar Michael Norman in semi two, but Vernon Norwood – twice a World Championships relay gold medalist – blasted to the lead around the second turn and came into the straight in the lead. But Norman surged as Norwood fell back and Norman passed Wil London and held off NCAA star Randolph Ross to win in 44.73. Ross was second in 44.85, just ahead of London (44.92) and Trevor Stewart (45.05), with Norwood fifth in 45.12. Both Stewart and Norman will advance to the final as time qualifiers.

● Men’s 800 m: World Champion Donavan Brazier and Rio medalist Clayton Murphy were both in semi one and playing a waiting game to get in position for the final straight. They came off the final turn in traffic, but ran away from everyone else in the last 50 m, with Murphy winning in 1:46.26, Brazier second in 1:46.57 and Brannon Kidder third in 1:46.97.Quanera Hayes,

Front-runner Isaiah Jewett led most of the second semi, but coming around the final bend, former Kansas star Bryce Hoppel accelerated down the straight and he and Isaiah Harris finished 1-2 with Jewett third: 1:46.00-1:46.16-1:46.18. All three are on to the final.

● Men’s pole vault: The 12 finalists all qualified at 5.65 m (18-6 1/2), with World Champion Sam Kendricks and new star Chris Nilsen clearing all four heights without a miss.

● Men’s triple jump: Will Claye came in as the favorite and he led the qualifying at 16.85 m (55-3 1/2), ahead of Donald Scott (16.81 m/55-2) and Chris Benard (16.55 m/54-3 3/4).

● Men’s javelin: The qualifying round was led by Marc Anthony Minichello at 76.63 m (251-5), with 2021 U.S. leader Curtis Thompson second at 76.23 m (250-1). It took just 68.04 m (223-3) to reach the final in one of the U.S.’s weakest events.

● Men’s decathlon: The first day concluded with Harrison Williams posting the fastest time of 48.21, but he was only in sixth overall with 4,291 points at the halfway mark. The leader is Garrett Scantling with 4,494, trailed by Georgia’s SEC champion Kyle Garland (4,424), who skipped the NCAA Championships to compete here. Veteran Zach Ziemek is third (4,409).

● Women’s 400 m: Kendall Ellis took the lead around the final turn of semifinal one, with Allyson Felix ready to strike down the straightaway. Felix got to the lead with 50 m to go, but Ellis pushed hard and won – as Felix backed off – in 50.83 to 51.01. UCLA’s Shae Anderson was third in 51.27 and advances to the final. Phyllis Francis, the 2017 World Champion, finished seventh in 52.12.

Lynna Irby went out hard in semi two, but Quanera Hayes caught Irby with 100 m to go and won in a much-faster 50.07. Former NCAA champ Wadeline Jonathas came up in the final 10 m to get second in 50.24, with Kaylin Whitney third (50.35) and Irby a time-qualifier for the final in fourth (50.58).

● Women’s 1,500 m: The first semi was slow, with Elle Purrier St. Pierre kicking best to finish in 4:09.18, just ahead of 2011 World Champion Jenny Simpson (4:09.92) and Dani Aragon (4:09.94). The second race was more honest, with Nikki Hiltz winning in 4:05.87, edging Cory McGee in the final meters in 4:05.96, with Sinclaire Johnson third in 4:06.04.

● Women’s 100 m hurdles: World-record holder Keni Harrison ran powerfully in the first heat to win in 12.49, only 0.01 off her seasonal best; only three others have run faster in 2021. Taliyah Brooks came on during the run-in to edge Christina Clemons in heat two, 12.61-12.64.

NCAA champion – and now a professional – Anna Cockrell won heat three in a blanket finish in 12.63, out-leaning Rayniah Jones of Central Florida (12.64) and Payton Chadwick (12.66). Rio Olympic champ Brianna McNeal, competing under a stay from the Court of Arbitration for Sport while she appeals a five-year suspension for tampering with doping protocols, was superb in winning heat four in 12.50, ahead of Gabbi Cunningham (12.67) and Tonea Marshall (12.76).

Sunday’s finals include the men’s hammer, women’s high jump, women’s triple jump, the men’s decathlon, women’s and men’s 400 m, the women’s 100 m hurdles and the men’s 100 m.

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: Dressel blasts to world lead and no. 3 time ever in 50 m Fly at 49.76, while Lazor shocks King in women’s 200 m Breast final!

By
Rich Perelman
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American sprint star Caeleb Dressel (Photo: FINA)

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There were four finals at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha on Friday, but the day and the night belonged to sprint superstar Caeleb Dressel.

His tight win in the men’s 100 m Freestyle on Thursday night seemed to relax him and he re-wrote the all-time list in the men’s 50 m Butterfly in the heats and semifinals!

In the morning, he blew away the field, winning in a world-leading 50.17, the no. 9 performance of all time, saying afterwards “We’ve still got to clean some stuff up.” especially on the finish.

He was more than ready in the semis, finishing the evening’s program with a dominant win in 49.76, the third fastest time ever, behind his world record of 49.50 from the 2019 World Championships semifinals in Korea and his 49.66 in the Worlds final. Dressel owns this event: he has seven of the top 10 times in history.

And there is still the final to go! Tom Shields was a distant second among the qualifiers at 51.20, followed by Coleman Stewart (51.54).

In the women’s 200 m Breaststroke, Annie Lazor just barely missed beating 100 m Breast winner (and Olympic champ) Lilly King in the semis, but got her in the final. King was out strongly and led at the 100 m mark, but Lazor took over on the third lap and never let up, splitting 35.97 and 36.20 over the last two laps to 37.02 and 36.55 for King. Their final times were 2:21.07 for Lazor (no. 3 on the 2021 world list) and 2:21.75 for King (still no. 5). Emily Escobedo was third in 2:22.64.

Rio double Olympic Backstroke champ Ryan Murphy showed he’s planning a double-double for Tokyo with a clear victory in the men’s 200 m Backstroke. Already the 100 m Back winner, he led wire-to-wire to win in 1:54.20, moving to no. 2 on the year list, ahead of Bryce Mefford, moving up from fourth in the 100 m Back final. Mefford’s time of 1:54.79 ranks him no. 5 in 2021; Austin Katz finished third in 1:55.86.

Michael Andrew claimed the world lead in the semis of the men’s 200 m Medley at 1:55.26 and was on world-record pace after the first three legs in both the heats and semis. Same in the final, with Andrew storming to the lead and winning by a second and a half over 2017 World Champion Chase Kalisz in 1:55.44 (but well of the record of 1:54.00). Kalisz used his brilliant Breaststroke leg to move from fifth to second and stayed there, finishing in 1:56.97, with Kieran Smith – who won the 200 m and 400 m frees – third in 1:57.23. World-record holder Ryan Lochte, trying for fifth Olympic team, was seventh in 1:59.67.

The women’s 100 m Freestyle was marked, of course, by the absence of 2016 Rio co-champion Simone Manuel, but former national champ Abbey Weitzeil led all the way and won in 53.53, a couple of 100ths better than her semifinal time. Erika Brown was a steady second and made the team at 53.59, beating veteran Olivia Smoliga, who will go to a second Olympic Games on at least relay duty in third (53.63). Natalie Hinds was fourth (53.64) and also on the plane for relays; 200 m Free runner-up Allison Schmidt finished sixth in 54.12.

In the women’s 200 m Backstroke semis, superstar Regan Smith had the fastest time, winning semi two in 2:07.23, ahead of Phoebe Bacon from semi one (2:07.46), Rhyan White (2:08.39 in heat two) and Kathleen Baker – remember her foot injury – was third in semi two in 2:08.58 and onto the final. Hali Flickinger, the winner of the 200 m Fly, was the final qualifier in 2:09.81.

The U.S. Trials continue though Sunday; Saturday’s finals include the men’s 100 m Fly, women’s 200 m Back and men’s 800 m Free.

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: He did it! Crouser explodes to world record 23.37 m (76-8 1/4) to mark U.S. Olympic Trials opening day!

By
Rich Perelman
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Shot Put superstar Ryan Crouser (USA)

Track & field’s U.S. Olympic Trials got going in Eugene, with a historic moment in the first five minutes of the meet:

In the shot qualifying, Rio Olympic champ Ryan Crouser got the Trials off to an explosive start, just after noon, when he stepped up as the fifth thrower and reaching a stunning 22.92 m or 75-2 1/2, the no. 5 throw of all time! Crouser wasn’t done either, throwing 22.64 m (74-3 1/2) in the second round, a distance only nine others – including Crouser – have ever reached. His opinion?

“I am really excited based on the fact that I was able to throw my second farthest throw ever. It was a static throw. I can add a chunk to that with a full throw. It was really easy. I was nervous hopping in that first round. Iron some stuff out this evening, and find some patience.”

He still had the final to go.

Crouser left no doubt that he was on the team with his first throw, reaching 22.61 m (74-21/4), followed two throwers later by World Champion Joe Kovacs, who sent the ball to 21.55 m (70-8 1/2). Crouser followed up with 22.55 m (73-11 3/4), while Kovacs improved slightly to 21.56 m (70-9).

In round three, Crouser was great again, out to 22.73 m (74-7), meaning all of his throws were better than everyone else’s best throw. Kovacs responded with an improvement to 22.06 m (72-4 1/2) to end any debate about second place.

Throwing now in reverse order in the finals, Kovacs threw 21.38 m (70-1 3/4), but then Crouser got the throw of his life on the final throw of the fourth round. He spun and yelled and the sphere landed further than ever before: a stunning world record of 23.37 m or 76-8 1/4!

Crouser didn’t get break the record, he annihilated the mark of 23.12 m (75-10 1/4) by Randy Barnes (USA) from 1990 at the Pepsi Invitational in Los Angeles. It’s a record Crouser was sure would come, but he didn’t know when. Here’s how dominant Crouser is: he owns five of the top 10 throws of all time.

Moreover: only 30 men in history have thrown the shot 22.00 m (72-2 1/4). Crouser has – by himself – 134 throws at 22.00 m or more. Astonishing, and the greatest of all time.

After foul in the fifth round, Crouser finished at 22.62 m (74-2 1/2) in perhaps the greatest series of all time: 22.61 m (74-2 1/4), 22.55 m (73-11 3/4), 22.73 m (74-7), 23.37 m (76-8 1/4 world record), foul, 22.62 m (74-2 1/2).

Behind him was Kovacs with his best throw coming on his last, at 22.34 m (73-3 1/2) and Payton Otterdahl, who made a late charge to 21.92 m (71-11) in the fifth round to finish ahead of Darrell Hill (21.89 m/71-10).

In the men’s 10,000 m, the starting field of 25 was barely dented through 8,000 m, with 16 men in contention. Georgetown All-American Robert Brandt was leading through 8,800 m, but the pace suddenly increased to 66.0 on the next lap as Reid Buchanan took over, trailed by Grant Fisher and Joe Klecker. Fisher then took charge with a 63.33 lap to reach the bell, and then it was a mass sprint with 10 men still in it on the final lap. It was Woody Kincaid who found a 53.47 final lap to win in 27:53.62, followed by Fisher (27:54.29), Klecker (27:54.90) and then Ben True in fourth (27:58.88) and BYU’s Connor Mantz in fifth (27:59.37). Marathon Trials winner Galen Rupp moved from seventh to sixth on the final lap and finished in 27:59.43. Brandt was 12th in 28:09.92.

In the qualifying:

● Men’s 400 m: The heats were insanely fast, with North Carolina A&T’s Trevor Stewart powering down the straight to win heat one in 44.75 over LSU’s Noah Williams (45.21). Michael Cherry, no. 4 on the 2021 world list, looked easy and won heat two in 44.86, ahead of Ryan Willie (45.34) and Texas A&M’s Bryce Deadmon (45.46). LaShawn Merritt was fifth in 45.81 – pretty good for a heat – and was the last qualifier to the semis (at age 34).

Tokyo favorite Michael Norman headlined heat three, but Georgia’s Elija Godwin – third in the SEC, but who didn’t make it to the NCAAs – started in lane eight and had a huge lead coming into the straight and held on to win in 44.61, with Norman at 45.18. In heat four, NCAA sensation (and world leader at 43.85) Randolph Ross had to run from lane seven, and looked to be in trouble off the last turn, but moved up to qualify third in 45.61. Wil London won at the line in 45.46, in the same time as Vernon Norwood (45.46).

● Men’s 800 m: Former BYU star Abraham Alvarado surprised 2019 NCAA champ Bryce Hoppel in heat one, 1:48.35-1:48.38, holding him off on the final straight. The second heat was fast, with World Champion Donavan Brazier charging past three others in lane one in the final 100 m to win in 1:45.00 – wow! – with Brannon Kidder second in 1:45.06 and Isaiah Harris third in 1:45.25, with Erik Sowinski at 1:45.47 in fourth!

Heat three was slow and another mass sprint, with Michael Rhoads of the U.S. Air Force winning in 1:48.64, ahead of Sean Dolan of Villanova (1:48.68) and Brandon Miller of Texas A&M (1:48.75). Rio medal winner Clayton Murphy and NCAA champ Isaiah Jewett were the expected leaders in heat four, and Jewett led at the bell and right through the finish (1:47.83), with Murphy right alongside (1:47.84).

● Men’s hammer: American leader and world no. 2 Rudy Winkler led the men’s hammer qualifying at 79.13 m (259-7), but the no. 2 American on the season, Sean Donnelly (79.27 m/260-1) – no. 5 on the world list – failed to record a valid mark and was eliminated.

● Women’s 100 m: The racing got crazy right away, as Gabby Thomas – known for the 200 m – won the first heat in a lifetime best of 11.00 (+0.8 m/s), beating former national champ Aleia Hobbs (11.04) and Dezerea Bryant (11.09). Cam Sturgis of North Carolina A&T then showed that her NCAA win was no fluke, beating big names like Jenna Prandini (11.22) and Tianna Bartoletta (11.27) in 11.15 into a 0.7 m/s headwind.

Javianne Oliver, an under-appreciated sprinter, won heat three in 10.96 (+1.1 m/s) ahead of Kayla White (10.99) and Teahna Daniels (11.02). Then came Sha’Carri Richardson – in flowing golden hair – in heat four, who blew away the field in a sensational 10.84 (+0.9 m/s), way ahead of Mikiah Brisco (11.15) and English Gardner (11.17). Impressive; very, very impressive.

● Women’s 400 m: The modest crowd at Hayward cheered hard for Allyson Felix in the first heat, winning in 50.99, ahead of veteran Jessica Beard (51.10). Quanera Hayes romped to a huge lead by 300 m in heat two, then cruised into the finish in 52.34, just ahead of Taylor Manson (52.37). A lot of questions were to be asked in heat three, but 2019 NCAA champion Wadeline Jonathas had the best answer with a strong finish to win in 50.64 – fastest of the day – over Lynna Irby, who had a huge lead at 300 m, then struggled a little down the straight. Former USC star Kendall Ellis controlled heat four and won in 51.02, with UCLA’s Shae Anderson second in 51.32. Four-time NCAA 400 m champ at Texas and Rio 4×400 m gold medalist Courtney Okolo was fourth in 52.37 and did not advance to the semis.

● Women’s 1,500 m: The 2011 World Champion and 2016 Olympic bronze winner, Jenny Simpson, won the first race on the track on Friday in the 1,500 m heats in 4:11.34. Dani Aragon won heat two in 4:13.34 and 2021 U.S. leader Elle Purrier St. Pierre took heat three in a bunch finish in 4:11.78, with a 62-second final lap.

● Women’s 5,000 m: Abbey Cooper, who made the Rio 2016 team as Abbey D’Agostino, ran away with the first heat, taking dead aim at the Olympic qualifying standard of 15:10.00 and gritting her teeth for the last four laps, finished in 15:07.80. That was way ahead of Rachel Schneider in second (15:23.45) and allows Cooper to simply try and finish in the top three in the final to make the U.S. team.

Seven runners ran together at the bell in the second heat and four separated with 120 m to go, with Josette Norris winning in 15:32.58, ahead of Karissa Schweizer (15:32.63), Elise Cranny (15:32.71) and Elly Henes (15:32.75), with a 57.7 final lap for the leaders.

● Women’s high jump: The 12 qualifiers to the final all cleared 1.87 m (6-1 1/2), including favored Vashti Cunningham and 2016 Olympian Inika McPherson.

● Women’s triple jump: Favorite Keturah Orji led all qualifiers at 14.29 m (46-10 3/4), ahead of Jasmine Moore (14.04 m/46-0 3/4) and former American Record holder Tori Franklin (13.84 m/45-5).

● Women’s discus: The star coming in was American Record holder Valarie Allman and she caught the wind on her second-round throw and got out to the no. 2 throw in the world in 2021 and the no. 2 throw in U.S. history at 70.01 m (229-8). That was the top mark, with Rachel Dincoff following at 61.63 m (202-2) and 2012 Olympian (and former American Record holder) Gia Lewis-Smallwood third (60.94 m/199-11).

The U.S. Trials continue through the 27th; Saturday’s finals include women’s discus and the women’s 100 m.

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE TICKER: Squabbling continues over Tokyo attendance, French government worried about Paris 2024 costs; Houlihan out of U.S. Trials

By
Rich Perelman
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Will there be any fans at Tokyo 2020's Olympic Stadium for the Games? NOPE. (Photo: Tokyo 2020)

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(For coverage of Thursday’s Olympic swimming trials in the U.S. and Australia, click here.)

The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● There is no let-up in the announcements, pronouncements and posturing about the Tokyo Games, especially now concerning whether spectators will be allowed and if so, how many. The recent headlines:

● 16 June: The state of emergency in Tokyo and eight other prefectures, including Hokkaido, in which Sapporo – site of the marathons and walks – is located, is scheduled to end on Sunday, 20 June. A “quasi-state of emergency” will remain in place until 11 July, 12 days prior to the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

Wednesday’s announcement also noted that up to 10,000 spectators would be allowed at sporting events in the “quasi-state,” but this does not apply to the Games.

● 17 June: Kyodo News reported that the “Japanese government is considering setting a cap of 10,000 spectators” at Olympic venues.

● 17 June: Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters he would like to see spectators at the Games.

● 18 June: Vaccinations for Olympic staff, volunteers and domestic news media started at multiple centers around Tokyo.

● 18 June: The Tokyo 2020 organizers said Friday that the number of “overseas-based staff and officials” allowed to come to Japan for the Games will be cut from 78,000 to 53,000, primarily through cuts to “Olympic family members.” If true, the originally-expected total of about 180,000 such visits will have been cut by an impressive by 70.5%.

Comment: This is a signal to future organizing committees of how many people are really needed to organize a Games vs. the usual demands for more and more accreditees.

● 18 June: An online meeting on Monday (21st) is expected to resolve the policy over spectator attendance at the Tokyo Games.

● 18 June: The head of the Japanese government committee on coronavirus control advised that holding the Games without spectators is the best way to prevent problems. Shigeru Omi included this recommendation in a set of proposals to the government on further virus control, as the infection rate has seen a recent decline.

Stay tuned.

The International Olympic Committee published the third-edition “playbooks” for both broadcasters and press on Wednesday (16th), outlining many of the same restrictions – and possible penalties – as in the third edition of the playbook for Athletes and Officials.

Media members will be required to observe a limited quarantine for three days after arrival, but can perform their Games-related duties if “You test negative for COVID-19 every day; and you operate under a higher level of supervision by Tokyo 2020, which may involve use of GPS data (subject to your consent) or direct supervision where necessary, to confirm your movements.”

A booking system is required to go to any venue and requests must be made in advance, for up to 10 sessions per day, offering some options for coverage, but not for any breaking news.

The World Anti-Doping Agency noted a significant rise in the number of anti-doping tests now being done as the pandemic recedes in some areas:

“The latest figures … show that 24,430 samples were collected in May 2021 by 152 ADOs, which is the highest number of samples collected since the pandemic started in March 2020.”

Out-of-competition testing is also up, even compared to 2019. Testing in April 2021 totaled 14,560 vs. 12,713 in 2019 and in May, the totals increased to 16,149 vs. 13,691 for the same month in 2019, the highest number of out-of-competition samples collected the prior 29 months.

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● The French government’s Court of Auditors released a summary of its review of the financial standing of the 2024 Games, noting caution over the agreed-to budgets of the Paris 2024 organizers (€3.9 billion, about $4.63 billion U.S.) and Solideo, the government-formed construction unit (€3.4 billion, about $4.04 billion).

It not surprisingly warned that (as translated) “respect for these envelopes is an essential stake, in itself and as one of the criteria for the success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in particular in the face of the expectations of public opinion.” The report also worried about ticket revenues and sponsorship sales if Covid-19 issues remain in France.

● XXV Olympic Winter Games: Milan Cortina 2026 ● The IOC announced that its Executive Board has endorsed a recommendation from the Milan Cortina organizers to include Ski Mountaineering in the Games, with five events and 48 total athletes within the overall athlete total of 2,900..

The IOC has noted that while the number of competitors in the Olympic Games must be controlled at 10,500, it feels there is room to expand the Winter Games. The proposal for Ski Mountaineering is for 2026 only, as the sport is quite popular in Italy, and must be approved by the IOC Session in Tokyo.

● Athletics ● It wouldn’t be the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials if there wasn’t some controversy and Thursday brought considerable drama around American 1,500 m and 5,000 m record-holder Shelby Houlihan.

She announced on an Instagram post that she had been suspended for doping due to a finding of nandrolone in her system – a prohibited substance – during a test last December, possibly from eating a burrito with tainted pork. She appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which informed her that her suspension was upheld, for four years from 14 January 2021.

Houlihan can appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, which has only limited jurisdiction to modify or overturn a decision and on this basis, USA Track & Field allowed her to run at the Olympic Trials, tweeting “Given there is an active appeal process, USATF will allow any athletes to continue competing until the process is completed.”

This brought a furious reply from the Athletics Integrity Unit, which included:

“[A] final and binding CAS decision confirmed that Ms Houlihan committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations… Ms Houlihan’s status during the period of ineligibility means that participation in any Competition or activity authorised or organised by a World Athletics Member Federation, such as USATF (i.e., the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field) is strictly prohibited.”

USA Today reported that the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee “stepped in Thursday evening” to assure adherence to the CAS decision. Houlihan was removed from the start list from Friday’s heats of the women’s 1,500 m.

It’s worth noting that this is different than the case of 2016 Rio women’s 100 m hurdles champ Brianna McNeal, who was also suspended for “Tampering with any part of Doping Control” back in April. In her case, the suspension was imposed by the AIU Disciplinary Tribunal and is under review by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Houlihan’s suspension was confirmed by CAS and is considered “final and binding,” even with the limited appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal available.

The Olympic Trials at the rebuilt Hayward Field at the University of Oregon will be allowed to host about 9,000 spectators according to announcements earlier in the week. Tickets are still available, running from a low of $52 to a high of $175 for the best seats on the final day.

On the track, Nigerian star Blessing Okagbare sizzled at the Nigerian Championships in Lagos, winning the women’s 100 m in a startling 10.63, but with a +2.7 m/s wind, over the allowable for record purposes.

That’s the same time as the wind-legal 10.63 for Jamaica’s Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce earlier in the year and the fastest time – under any conditions – since world-record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner back in 1988. Rosemary Chukwuma was second in 11.07 and Grace Nwokocha third in 11.11. Wow!

In Nairobi (KEN), Geoffrey Kamworer, the world record holder in the Half Marathon and 2015 Worlds 10,000 m silver medalist, won the Kenyan 10,000 m title in 27:01.06 to punch his ticket to Tokyo. It’s the fastest time ever run in the event in Kenya, and at 5,495 feet above sea level no less!

Rodgers Kwemoi was second in 27:05.51, his second-best time ever, and Weldon Kipkirui Langat was third in 27:24.73 and also qualified for Tokyo.

In the women’s 5,000 m, reigning World Champion Hellen Obiri qualified for Tokyo, but finished second to Lilian Rengeruk in another fast final, 14:52.18-14:52.51. Twice World Championships medalist Agnes Tirop was third in 14:53.91 as seven runners broke 15 minutes at high altitude.

Rio Olympic silver medalist and 2017 World Long Jump Champion Luvo Manyonga was suspended for four years from 23 December 2020 for “whereabouts” failures, his second such violation of the World Anti-Doping Code.

This is a decision of the AIU Disciplinary Tribunal and is appealable to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Manyonga had previously been suspended in 2012-13 for methamphetamine use and has battled drug addiction and depression. Even with these problems, he still finished fourth at the 2019 World Championships in the long jump and his seasonal best of 8.37 m (27-5 1/2) ranked sixth in the world. He has not jumped in a competition since the 2019 Worlds.

● Basketball ● The FIBA Women’s AmeriCup has rolled into the semifinal round, after disqualifying Argentina on Tuesday for multiple positive Covid-19 tests and cancelling its games against Venezuela and the U.S.

That left the U.S. – playing with an all-collegiate team – as the winner of Group B with a 3-0 record, trailed by Puerto Rico (2-1), Venezuela (1-2) and the Dominican Republic (0-3). Canada won Group A at 4-0, followed by Brazil (3-1), Colombia (2-2), the U.S. Virgin Islands (1-3) and El Salvador (0-4).

In the quarterfinals, Canada crushed the Dominicans, 90-53; Puerto Rico edged Colombia, 77-69, the U.S. stomped the Virgin Islands, 97-46 and Brazil defeated Venezuela, 90-59. That leaves Canada and Puerto Rico and the U.S. and Brazil in the semis to be played later today (Friday). The medal matches will be on Saturday.

● Boxing ● The crazy, uneven process of selecting boxers for the Tokyo Games reached the U.S. team, with three more athletes added last week … and all professionals.

A lengthy notice was posted by USA Boxing, explaining the process of selection which was thrown into disarray by the coronavirus.

After USA Boxing held its Olympic Trials in 2019, the winners were supposed to move on to an Americas Olympic Qualifying tournament in April 2020 that was canceled. A World Olympic Qualifier tournament was also canceled. So the IOC’s Boxing Task Force changed the qualification program to use ranking points based on past competition results.

This allowed only six of the 13 U.S. Olympic Trials winners to be eligible for selection, essentially those with international competition records prior to late 2019. An added quota was created to assign places to individual boxers – not countries – based on their ranking points from 2017-19.

USA Boxing asked to allow countries to name their fighter rather than using rankings from fighters no longer in Olympic boxing. The Boxing Task Force refused, a filing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport did not succeed and so USA Boxing accepted the naming of three current professionals to the U.S. team for Tokyo:

● Duke Ragan (57 kg/125 lbs., now 3-0); 2019 Pan American Games silver medalist

● Keyshawn Davis (63 kg/138 lbs., now 4-0); 2019 Worlds silver medalist

● Troy Isley (75 kg/165 lbs., now 1-0); 2017 Worlds bronze medalist

USA Boxing noted that while its rules do not allow professional boxers to be part of its national teams, the IOC’s rules prevail in this instance. But seven boxers – Anthony Herrera (men’s 52 kg), Andrea Medina (women’s 57 kg), Bruce Carrington (men’s 57 kg), Charlie Sheehy (men’s 63 kg), Joseph Hicks (men’s 75 kg), Rahim Gonzales (men’s 81 kg) and Darius Fulghum (men’s 91 kg) – never got the chance to get to Tokyo.

● Football ● The U.S. Women’s National Team finished up its “Summer Series” with a 2-0 win over an athletic Nigeria team in the new Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on Wednesday (16th).

The Americans dominated the game, with 72% of the possession, but had a hard time with the Nigerian defense and some athletic defending, especially by keeper Tochukwu Oluehi. The U.S. got 14 shots to seven for Nigeria, but could only score in extra time at the end of each half.

Christen Press sailed a shot in at the 45+2 minute mark for a 1-0 lead and Lynn Williams finally got around a tired Nigerian back line to line-drive a shot for the 2-0 final at 90+4, with an assist to Press.

Trying to get ready for Tokyo, the U.S. defeated Portugal, Jamaica and Nigeria from a combined 7-0 as coach Vlatko Andonovski considered the selection of the 18 members of the Olympic squad. The U.S. women will have two more tune-ups, both against Mexico, on 1 and 5 July, both in East Hartford, Connecticut.

U.S. Soccer Federation chief Cindy Parlow Cone, a former U.S. Women’s National Team member, told reporters during a Tuesday news conference:

“You all know that largest hurdle is the massive and frankly unfair difference in FIFA World Cup prize money for men and women, a funding source that U.S. Soccer does not control. It’s solely controlled by FIFA. As it stands, the women’s team wants U.S. Soccer to pay for past and future discrepancies in FIFA prize money. This is well over $50 million for the past two World Cups and an unknown amount for the future.”

She was clear that “to make up the difference in FIFA prize money is untenable, and would likely bankrupt the Federation.”

The women’s team sued in a class action filing under the U.S. Equal Pay Act, but the action was dismissed by summary judgement in May 2020 by U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner; this is now under appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

The U.S. women’s team’s collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of the year and the men’s national team has been playing without one since 2018 (which has continued in operation since). USSF chief executive Will Wilson indicated that good progress has been made on both agreements.

One of the most anticipated games at Euro 2020 was the Germany-France match in Munich (GER) on 15 June, won by the World Cup Champion French by 1-0 after an own goal by Mats Hummel in the 20th minute.

But the match almost got stopped before it started as a publicity stunt by Greenpeace went all wrong and a paraglider trying to fly over the stadium with an anti-oil message instead lost control and ended up flying into the stadium, hitting two camera guide wires, then falling towards the stands and finally on the field. Two stadium workers were slightly injured, but it could have been much worse.

The flyer was arrested and removed from the field and later released while charges are pending against him. Security measures for the tournament were beefed up. Greenpeace, in a rare action, apologized.

Meanwhile, a smaller uproar has been caused by the removal of bottles of sponsor drinks – Coca-Cola and Heineken – from the dais at post-match news conference. Last Tuesday, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo removed two bottles of Coke and held up a bottle of water instead. On Wednesday, French star Paul Pogba removed a Heineken bottle, noting that he does not drink as a practicing Muslim, and Italian midfielder Manuel Locatelli moved the Coke bottles aside and put his own water bottle on the table.

UEFA released a statement noting, “UEFA has reminded participating teams that partnerships are integral to the delivery of the tournament and to ensuring the development of football across Europe, including for youth and women.” Any sanctions against the players would be made by the national federations, not UEFA.

As of Thursday, the number of Covid-19 cases at the Copa America tournament in Brazil has risen to 66. The Brazilian health ministry stated that 6,521 tests had been made, with 27 team members (players and officials) and 39 tournament staff infected. Teams with positives apparently include five of the 10 teams: Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Chile. No matches have been canceled as yet.

● Weightlifting ● Doping continues to dog the International Weightlifting Federation, which announced actions against two national federations:

● 11 June: The International Testing Agency – which manages the IWF’s anti-doping program – asked the IWF’s Independent Sanctioning Panel for action on the national federation of Colombia, after three athletes tested positive for steroids on 20 January 2020. All three received four-year suspensions and Colombia could be banned from weightlifting at the Tokyo Games.

● 17 June: The Independent Sanctioning Panel suspended Romania for one year, which will keep it out of the Tokyo weightlifting competition. Five doping violations from 2012 were cited, uncovered only in 2019 as a result of the IOC’s re-testing program.

On a positive note, the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s suspension of Thai weightlifters was lifted, due to their compliance with a number of conditions. The Thai federation remains suspended into 2023 and cannot participate in the Tokyo Games.

● The Last Word ● It doesn’t have anything to do with the Olympic Games directly, but the International Olympic Committee announced details of its Olympic Forest project in Mali and Senegal:

“It will involve planting around 355,000 native trees across approximately 90 villages in Mali and Senegal – host of the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 – and will cover a combined area of around 2,120 hectares (~5,239 acres).”

This is part of the “Great Green Wall” initiative in the Sahel region, and is a key element of the IOC’s program to be “climate positive.” Its statement notes:

“The IOC has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2024, and by 45 per cent by 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement. By compensating for more than 100 per cent of the IOC’s residual emissions, the Olympic Forest will help the organisation become ‘climate positive’ by 2024. The Olympic Forest is expected to sequester 200,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (t CO2e), which is more than the IOC’s estimated emissions for the 2021-2024 period.”

It’s an important program and a worthwhile contribution to the often-less-attended African continent. But let’s not say that the IOC has “eliminated” its emissions, but is compensating for them by activities elsewhere.

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SWIMMING: Dressel storms to win in men’s 100 m Free, but Manuel fails to qualify; two more world leads as Oz Trials conclude

By
Rich Perelman
-
Three World Championships gold medals in two hours for Caeleb Dressel (USA).

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There were four finals at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha on Thursday, but all eyes were on Caeleb Dressel in his first final of the week in the men’s 100 m Freestyle. And he delivered.

Dressel powered to the lead right away and made the turn just ahead of Brooks Curry and Ryan Held in 22.46 and then held a small advantage to the wall to win in 47.39, second in the world for 2021.

He was pressed all the way, with Zach Apple (47.72: no. 5 in 2021), Blake Pieroni (48.16) and Curry (48.19) following for the top four places that will earn relay duty in Tokyo. Bowe Becker (48.22) and Held (48.46) may also be on the plane; the U.S. will be the favorite in the 4×100 m Free relay.

In the men’s 800 m Free, Bobby Finke – the no. 2 American in 2021, but the 800 m and 1,500 m national champion in 2019 – swam a steady pace to win in 7:48.22, the no. 8 performer on the world list. Behind him was a fight to the touch with Michael Brinegar overtaking Ross Dant in the final 20 m to grab second in 7:49.94, with Dant at 7:50.66 and open-water star Jordan Wilimovsky fourth in 7:53.07. It was Dant’s second third-place finish – also in the 400 m Free – missing a Tokyo spot by 0.13 and 0.72.

The men’s 200 m Breast final came down to the final 25 m, with five swimmers within a meter of each other. Nic Fink charged to the touch and got clear in the final 5 m to win in 2:07.55, now no. 6 in the world for 2021. A member of the U.S. World Championships team way back in 2013, Fink – at 27 – is a first-time Olympian.

Right behind him were Andrew Wilson, a member of the 2019 U.S. Worlds team, Will Licon – an 11-time NCAA champion at Texas from 2015-17 – and Rio fourth-placer Kevin Cordes. The first to break was Cordes with about 35 m left, then Wilson (in lane 2) and Licon (in lane 6) reached for the wall, with Wilson getting there first (2:08.32) and Licon just 0.18 later.

Hali Flickinger came in as the favorite in the women’s 200 m Fly final, sitting no. 3 on the world list for 2021, almost a second faster than Backstroke star Regan Smith and Charlotte Hook. Smith gave her an argument, and Flickinger grabbed the lead only at the final turn and then went back and forth on the final lap until the last 20 m, winning in 2:05.85, the no. 2 performer in 2021 and a lifetime best by 0.02. Smith was close at 2:06.99 and is now fourth on the 2021 list. Hook was third at 2:07.92, staying at no. 11.

The shocker in the women’s 100 m Free semifinals was that 2016 Olympic champ Simone Manuel qualified only sixth in the morning heats, and then failed to advance out of the semis, to the final. Swimming in semi one, Manuel was last off the start but was third at the turn, but didn’t have her normal surge in the final 20 m and faded to fourth in 54.17, well back of her seasonal best of 53.83 from late May.

The winners were veterans Olivia Smoliga and Natalie Hinds, who tied for the best mark at 53.55, a lifetime best for both; Smoliga had a prior best of 54.15 and Hinds, 54.29, and more can be expected in the final. Former national champ Abbey Weitzeil won heat two in 53.66, ahead of Catie Deloof (53.77). Allison Schmitt, already on the team from the 200 m Free, made the final at 54.08.

Olympic 100 m Breaststroke champ Lilly King was the top qualifier the women’s 200 m Breast semifinals, with only her training partner Annie Lazor close, just 0.09 behind at the final turn in the second semi. But King stayed steady and got to the wall first in 2:22.73, with Lazor at 2:22.80; both have faster seasonal bests. Emily Escobedo won the first semi and had the third-fastest time overall (2:23.87), ahead of Ella Nelson (2:24.80).

Reigning Olympic champion Ryan Murphy looked like he might have been in trouble in the men’s 200 m Back semis, only third at the final turn in semifinal two. But he rocketed his underwater and popped up in the lead and won in 1:55.60, a seasonal best and no. 4 on the world list for 2021. Austin Katz won the first semi in 1:56.26 (no. 10 in 2021), just ahead of Bryce Mefford (1:56.57), the second and third-best times on the evening.

The final race of the night was perhaps the most amazing, as sprint star Michael Andrew – the fastest in the heats at 1:56.25, no. 2 in 2021 – destroyed the field in the second semifinal. He blazed to the lead from the start and was ahead of world-record pace through 150 m, slowing slightly to finish in 1:55.26, fastest in the world for 2021 and moving him to no. 5 on the all-time list! Carson Foster was second in 1:57.77, two and a half seconds back.

Chase Kalisz, the 2017 World Champion in the men’s 200 m Medley, took care of business in the first semi, using his famed Breaststroke prowess to shoot to the lead on the third and win in 1:57.19, moving him to no. 9 in the world for 2021. He was trailed by 200 m Free and 400 m Free winner Kieran Smith (1:57.61) and then Ryan Lochte, trying for a fifth Olympic Games, in 1:58.66 (and making the final).

The U.S. Trials continue though Sunday; Friday’s finals include the women’s 200 m Breaststroke, men’s 200 m Backstroke, men’s 200 m Medley and the women’s 100 m Freestyle.

The Australian Swimming Trials concluded in Adelaide with six finals, and two more world leaders from stars Kaylee McKeown and Emma McKeon.

McKeown got her third world leader of the meet in the women’s 200 m Back, winning in 2:04.28, a slight improvement on her pre-Trials mark of 2:04.31. She was more than two seconds clear of Emily Seebohm in second – 2:06.38 – which still ranked no. 3 on the 2021 world list!

McKeon concluded her domination of the women’s sprints with a world-leading win in the 50 m Free, just out-touching two-time Olympic relay gold medalist Cate Campbell, 23.93 to 23.94. They’re now 1-2 on the year list and McKeon moves up to no. 7 on the all-time list. Cate’s younger sister Bronte Campbell was third in 24.46 (no. 13 in 2021).

Distance star Ariarne Titmus won the women’s 800 m Free in the fastest time in the world … outside of Katie Ledecky. She finished in 8:15.57 and ranks no. 2 worldwide, while runner-up Kiah Melverton timed 8:19.05 and is now no. 3 for 2021. It’s a lifetime best for both, and Titmus remains at no. 7 all-time (prior best: 8:15.70) while Melverton moved up to no. 21.

The men’s finals included the 50 m Free, won by veteran Cameron McEvoy in 22.07, no. 33 on the world list for 2021, and the men’s 1,500 m Free, won by Jack McLoughlin in 14:52.69 (no. 6 on the world list), with Samuel Short second in 14:57.22 (no. 12). The men’s 100 m Butterfly was taken by Matthew Temple – also the winner of the 100 m Fly – in 1:55.25, now no. 12 for 2021.

The meet finished with world-leading marks in nine events – two men’s and seven women’s – and a world record for McKeown in the women’s 100 m Backstroke. No doubt whatever that the Dolphins will be tough to beat in Tokyo.

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LANE ONE: LA28 picks up the pace on sponsorships, while 2019 financials show slowed spending

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

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/Updated/While the Olympic world has been focused on the drama in and around the oncoming Tokyo Games and the political implications of next February’s Winter Games in Beijing, there is promising marketing activity – as well as a welcome lack of other activity – around the 2028 Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles.

After announcing its first major sponsor – Delta Airlines – in March of 2020, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Properties (USOPP) group that combines the sales efforts of the LA28 organizing committee, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and U.S. broadcaster NBC was quiet during the pandemic.

Until now. The combined marketing entity has announced three significant sponsorship agreement in the last 90 days:

● 15 March: Comcast joins as a Founding Partner for communications services.

● 19 May: Deloitte joins as a Founding Partner for professional services.

● 16 June: Salesforce joins as a Founding Partner for its customer-relationship management software systems “to deliver an engaging fan and athlete digital experience.”

The Comcast and Deloitte agreements were extensions of existing sponsorship agreements with the USOPC, but the Salesforce announcement is highly significant as it brings a major new business technology player into the U.S. Olympic Movement.

Salesforce revenues exploded to $17.1 billion in fiscal 2020 and it has announced expected revenues of $25.5 billion for fiscal 2022. It has already been a key part of a mega-event in Los Angeles as it was used for volunteer registration and processing for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, managing the 29,616 volunteer applications and assignments for support for the eventual 8,560 volunteers who worked on that Games.

Its announced focus on “fan and athlete” experiences could signal an important shift for the company to direct-to-consumer programs in addition to its famed business-to-business applications.

These deals are welcome signs of progress for LA28, which has a domestic sponsorship target of $2.517 billion in its $6.884 billion budget (36.6%). Tokyo 2020 set all-time records with a domestic sponsorship program of more than $3.3 billion in cash, goods and services from 67 companies (15 Gold Partners, 32 Official Partners and 20 Official Supporters). Paris 2024, however, has a much lower target of €1.3 billion (~$1.55 billion U.S.) for its Games, of which about half has been raised so far.

At the same time, LA28 was fairly slow in hiring and spending in 2019, as the City of Los Angeles released the “2021 Annual Report from the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028” on 10 June.

LA28 does not post its financial statements or Form 990 tax returns on its Web site, as the USOPC does, but releases them through the City of Los Angeles in an “annual report” in mid-year. The 10 June 2021 package includes a review by the City’s Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Legislative Analyst and the financial statements and tax return for 2019 (2020 was reported as being in process).

The City staff’s review was positive:

“LA28 indicates the business operations were adjusted due to COVID-19 and transitioned to a fully remote workforce. Activities were focused on ensuring a solid financial foundation to minimize risk caused by near-term business disruption created by COVID-19. Operating reserves remain healthy due to a combination of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) quarterly payments ($9,000,000) as well as a substantial reduction or deferral of planned contractual, administrative, and travel spending.”

The report also noted that the LA28 commitment to youth sports support was not derailed by the pandemic:

“While [youth sports] programming was placed on hold due to COVID-19, LA28 continued to support youth sports through partnerships with various local entities, such as the LA84 Foundation’s Play Equity Fund, Los Angeles Unified School District’s Beyond the Bell Program, and Students Run L.A.. With support from Nike, LA28 donated approximately $600,000 in sports equipment to kids in Los Angeles. LA28 also donated outdoor safety equipment to facilitate safe outdoor play activities at [Recreation & Parks] facilities converted to outdoor childcare centers. LA28’s additional support and contributions for youth sports are provided outside of the [Youth Sports Partnership] Agreement and do not impact the available funding for future project plans.”

There’s little doubt that Nike will come on as an LA28 Founding Partner at some point.

The financial statements don’t reveal a lot because LA28 didn’t do that much during 2019. It received $36 million from the International Olympic Committee as contracted and $1.39 million in interest and some contracted revenues from its long-term sales partnership with Legends.

LA28 spent $12.9 million on staff in 2019 vs. $7.2 million in 2018, adding to both its own team and to the USOPP effort:

● LA28 staff: $8.09 million in 2019 vs. $5.31 million in 2018 (+52.3%)

● USOPP staff: $4.83 million in 2019 vs. $1.92 million in 2018 (+152%)

The employee counts shown on LA28’s Form 990 tax return were 34 in 2019 vs. 28 in 2018; this does not include the USOPP staff. The organization had $36.7 million in cash on hand at the end of 2019.

With the pandemic in 2020, the LA28 situation was likely more of the same, although Linkedin watchers noted a pick-up in hiring in some areas. The USOPP was busy hiring more folks to come up with more ideas for partnership programs.

The IOC Executive Board did not even receive a report on LA28 at last week’s meeting, and the focus continues to be on the sponsorship program. Happily, the recent news on that front is good.

Rich Perelman
Editor

(The text was updated to reflect the declaration of a pandemic in 2020, not in 2019. Thanks to reader Dr. Bill Mallon for noting this.)

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SWIMMING: Ledecky breezes to wins in 200 m and 1,500 m Free; London gold medalist Schmidt makes U.S. team at 31; Aussie McKeon swims world lead 52.19 in 100 Free

By
Rich Perelman
-
American swimming superstar Katie Ledecky: now a 17-time World Championships gold medalist!

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Katie Ledecky wrapped up her second and third spots in Tokyo at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, winning the 200 m Freestyle and the 1,500 m Free.

She took control of the 200 m Free by the 150 m mark and won by daylight in 1:55.11 over 31-year-old Allison Schmidt (1:56.79), Paige Madden (1:56.80) and Katie McLaughlin (1:57.16). However, with the 1,500 m Free final later, Ledecky didn’t even set a season’s best (1:54.40 in early April) and remains second on the year list.

Schmidt, the 2012 Olympic champion who took a break after Rio, returned to the pool in 2018, will be in Tokyo for her fourth Games: she’s won medals in Beijing, London (200 m Free gold!) and Rio. She’s still the American Record holder at the distance at 1:53.61 from 2012.

(The U.S. 4×200 m Free relay will have its work cut out for them in Tokyo, after finishing in 1:55.11-1:56.79-1:56.80-1:57.16. By comparison, the top four at the Australian Trials earlier this week timed 1:53.09-1:54.74-1:55.68-1:56.08.)

In the 1,500 m final, Ledecky came in with the fastest time in the world at 15:40.55 and led wire-to-wire, finishing in a world-leading 15:40.50. It’s the 14th-fastest performance in history and Ledecky owns the top 10 and 13 of the top 15.

Behind her was a three-way battle for second, with Erica Sullivan maintaining that position for most of the race and finishing in 15:51.18, but with company coming fast as Katie Grimes touched in 15:52.12, trailed by open-water star Haley Anderson, in 15:55.60. Sullivan is now no. 4 on the 2021 world list and Grimes is no. 5.

Madisyn Cox entered the women’s 200 m Medley with the second-fastest time in the world this season at 2:08.51, but it was Alex Walsh, 20, who took over on the third (breaststroke) leg and barely held on to come home the winner in 2:09.30, about a half-second behind her season’s best mark from the semis. Cox was second heading into the final lap, but was passed by a season’s best from Kate Douglass, 2:09.32-2:09.34, as all three touched within 0.04!

Semifinal co-leader Zach Harting won the men’s 200 m Fly in the final 50 m, overhauling Trenton Julian and Luca Orlando on the final lap, finishing in 1:55.06, moving to no. 7 on the 2021 world list. As Julian faded to fifth at the touch, Rio Olympian Gunnar Bentz moved up from fifth to second in 1:55.34 and Urlando got third (1:55.43).

In the men’s 100 m Free qualifying, Ryan Held led the morning heats at 48.07, with Caeleb Dressel a comfortable fifth in 48.25. But Dressel warmed up in the semis, racing to the no. 5 spot on the 2021 world list in 47.77, just 0.01 ahead of Zach Apple (47.78, now no. 6) in semi two. Blake Pieroni (48.13) won semi one. One sad note: 2012 Olympic champ Nathan Adrian did not qualify for the final, placing 13th in a creditable 48.13.

Will Gallant led the morning heats in the men’s 800 m Final in 7:53.76; that’s the best time by an American in 2021, but 26th on the year list (with the final to come).

No American had broken 2:09 this season in the men’s 200 m Breast, but Matt Fallon posted the fastest semi time in 2:08.91 to move to 15th in the world this year. Nic Fink won the first semi in 2:09.13 and Kevin Cordes (2:09.31) and Will Licon (2:09.39) went 2-3 in Fallon’s first semi.

Favored Hali Flickinger led the morning qualifying in the women’s 200 m Fly in 2:08.14, then dominated the semifinals impressively, winning the second semi in 2:06.73, just off her seasonal best of 2:06.68, which is third in the world for 2021. Backstroke star Regan Smith won the first semi in 2:07.89 and is well positioned to make the U.S. not only in a second event, but in a second stroke!

The U.S. Trials continue though Sunday; Thursday’s finals include the men’s 800 m, men’s 100 m Breaststroke, women’s 200 m Butterfly and the men’s 100 m Freestyle.

At the Australian Swimming Trials in Adelaide, sprinter Emma McKeon improved on her own world-leading mark in the women’s 100 m Free, racing to a 52.19 finish in the morning heats.

She won the final in 52.35, ahead of 2013 World Champion Cate Campbell (52.59, Madison Wilson (52.76) and Meg Harris (52.92), giving Australia positions 1-2-3-5 on the 2021 world list, and the favorite’s role in the 4×100 m Freestyle relay.

McKeon’s 52.19 is the eighth-fastest performance ever, and only Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), Cate Campbell, American Simone Manuel and German Britta Steffen have ever swum faster.

Jenna Strauch won the women’s 200 m Breast final in 2:23.17, slightly slower than her season’s best of 2:23.12, 12th on the 2021 world list.

Mitch Larkin, best known as a two-time World Champion in the Backstroke, sizzled in the men’s 200 m Medley, winning in 1:56.29 to move to no. 2 in the world for 2021. He finished well ahead of Brendon Smith in second (1:58.82).

Tristan Hollard took the men’s 200 m Back in 1:56.44, slower than his 1:56.40 in April; he remains at no. 11 for 2021.

The Australian Trials conclude on Thursday, with the women’s 200 m Back, men’s 100 m Fly, women’s 800 m Free, women’s 50 m Free, men’s 50 m Free and the men’s 1,500 m Free.

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SWIMMING: Rio Olympic stars Murphy and King on the way to Tokyo after Trials wins; Oz’s Stubblety-Cook scares men’s 200 m Breast record

By
Rich Perelman
-
Three more national titles for Olympic and World Breaststroke champ Lilly King (USA) (Photo: USA Swimming)

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It was a good night for defending champions at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, as Rio gold medalists Ryan Murphy and Lilly King will try to repeat in Tokyo in the men’s 100 m Backstroke and the women’s 100 m Breaststroke.

Murphy, the double gold medalist in the 100 and 200 m Back events in 2016, won as expected in the men’s 100 m Back final in 52.33, slower than his semifinal win in 52.22. He had to come from behind, as Shaine Casas zipped out to the lead at the turn, but won by daylight; Casas was then passed coming home by Hunter Armstrong (52.48, no. 4 on the 2021 world list) for second, with Casas finishing third in 52.76 (no. 5).

Matt Grevers, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the event – now 36 – finished sixth (53.27) and Michael Andrew, the 100 m Breast winner, finished eighth (53.59).

King, the dominant women’s Breaststroke swimmer since Rio, won the women’s 100 m Breast in 1:04.79, a little slower than her 1:04.72 in the semifinals, but still the no. 9 swim in history in the event. She led wire-to-wire, but the fight for second was a ferocious three-way battle between Bethany Galat, who turned second in 30.69, ahead of Annie Lazor (30.82). But on the final lap, it was Lydia Jacoby, 17, who charged from fifth all the way to second, touching in 1:05.28 – no. 2 in the world for 2021 – to 1:05.60 for Lazor and 1:05.75 for Galat. The top four in the final now rank 1-2-3-6 on the 2021 world list.

The reigning World Champion in the women’s 200 m Back and former world-record holder in the 100 m Back, Regan Smith won the women’s 100 m Back final as expected, in 58.35, well off of her season’s best of 57.92 in the semifinals. She won convincingly, but the battle behind her was epic, as Katherine Berkhoff was second at the turn, but was passed during the final 50 m by Rhyan White and 2016 Trials winner Olivia Smoliga. Although Smoliga had the fastest final lap in the field, she ended up short of White, 58.60-58.72, and finished third.

Kieran Smith doubled his pleasure and doubled his Trials win total with an impressive win in the men’s 200 m Free, clocking 1:45.29: no. 7 on the world list for 2021. He took the lead on the second lap and was never headed, touching ahead of 2016 Olympian Townley Haas (1:45.66), Drew Kibler (1:45.92) and Andrew Seliskar (1:46.34). With Haas and Kibler’s times, the U.S. now has three of the top 20 on the 2021 world list and with the possible addition of Caeleb Dressel (1:46.63 in heats), could make for a formidable 4×200 m Free Relay squad.

Superstar Katie Ledecky had a busy day, swimming in the women’s 200 m Free heats in the morning and then coming back to swim the 1,500 m Free heats just 51 minutes later. She won her 200 m Free heat in 1:57.58, the second-fastest time of the day behind heat five winner Leah Smith, the 2016 Olympic 400 m bronze medalist (1:57.52).

With only one race in the evening, Ledecky posted the fastest time in the 200m Free semis in 1:55.83, well ahead of Paige Madden’s 1:56.44. The 2012 Olympic champion, Allison Schmidt – now 31 – reached the final with the fourth-fastest time in the semis at 1:57.53. Both the 200 m and 1,500 m Free finals are tomorrow.

In the women’s 200 m Medley semifinals, Madisyn Cox came in with the no. 2 time in the world for 2021 at 2:08.51, but it was Alex Walsh who dominated race two, winning in the fastest time of the day in 2:08.87 (no. 3 in 2021). She finished ahead of Kate Douglass (2:09.99) in her race, with race one winner Meghan Small out-touching Cox, 2:10.09-2:10.22. Veteran Melanie Margalis and 100 m Butterfly winner Torri Huske qualified for the final in fifth and sixth place.

The men’s 200 m Butterfly semifinals produced a tie, as Luca Urlando and Zach Harting both won their heats in 1:55.21, moving to no. 10 on the 2021 world list. Trenton Julian was third in 1:55.35, ahead of Gunnar Bentz (1:55.42).

The U.S. Trials continue though Sunday; Wednesday’s finals include the women’s 200 m and 1,500 m Freestyles – both starring Ledecky – plus men’s 200 m Butterfly and women’s 200 m Medley.

At the Australian Swimming Trials in Adelaide, 22-year-old Zac Stubblety-Cook charged to a decisive win in the men’s 200 m Breast, finishing with the no. 2 performance of all time in 2:06.28, just 0.16 behind the world mark of Russian Anton Chupkov from 2019.

It was the sixth world-leading mark from the Australian Trials and one of four finals on Tuesday.

The men’s 100 m Free was all about Rio Olympic gold medalist Kyle Chalmers, who won in style in 47.59, placing him no. 3 on the world list for 2021 and way ahead of runner-up Matthew Wilson (48.32).

The women’s winners were Brianna Throssell, who won the 200 m Fly in 2:07.63, and Madeleine Gough in the 1,500 m Free. Gough, a 2019 Worlds finalist in the event, won in 15:46.13, no. 2 on the world list in 2021 to Ledecky.

The Australian Trials continue through Thursday.

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HEARD AT HALFTIME: Final athlete’s Playbook includes sanctions; LA28 events list in December; U.S. 15/5 star Houlihan suspended for bad burritos

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ Friends: The new bill for server and support costs has arrived. If you would like to support our coverage, please donate here. Your enthusiasm is why this site continues. Thank you. ★)

(For coverage of Monday’s Australian and U.S. swimming trials, click here.)

News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The third edition of the International Olympic Committee’s “playbook” for athletes and team officials was published on Tuesday, with expanded details on the procedures for Tokyo, and the penalties for non-compliance.

The basic tenet of the 70-page document is expressed in its “Principles” statement on page 5:

“The COVID-19 countermeasures described in the Playbook are designed to create a safe
Games environment for all Games participants. Equally, they offer an additional layer of
protection for our hosts, the residents of Japan. You must fully adhere to the Playbook in the 14 days before you travel, throughout your journey and throughout your time in Japan – keeping your interaction with non-Games participants to a minimum.”

In terms of instructions:

● “Wear a face mask at all times to protect you and everyone around you. … By wearing a face mask at all times – except when eating, drinking, training, competing or sleeping – you’ll help keep the Games safe for everyone.”

● Remember this acronym: CLO. It stands for “Covid-19 Liaison Officer” and will be part of every delegation and at every Olympic venue. It’s not much of a stretch to say that the CLOs are in charge of the Tokyo Games.

● The pre-departure protocols have not changed: health must be monitored for 14 days prior to leaving for Japan, two Covid tests are required within 96 hours of leaving for Japan, a quantitative saliva antigen COVID-19 test will be taken on arrival, and quarantine for three days, with access allowed during that time – under Tokyo 2020 supervision – for access to training and team facilities.

● During the Games, a daily temperature check will be required and most be reported on a smartphone app, saliva testing will be required daily, and if you test positive, you will be moved to a hotel for quarantine according to Japanese health regulations.

Making new friends over a leisurely meal in the Olympic Village? Forget it: “Diners should keep mealtimes as short as possible and leave as soon as they have finished eating.”

A new section, “Compliance and Consequences” has been added. An IOC Disciplinary Commission will be formed and will issue notifications of charges of violating the Playbook rules, will conduct a hearing and determine whether sanctions are merited. The sanctions menu includes five levels: (1) warning; (2) withdrawal of accreditation; (3) temporary or permanent ineligibility or exclusion from the Games; (4) disqualification; (5) financial sanctions.

The decision of this Disciplinary Commission “shall constitute the decision of the IOC,” except where the IOC Executive Board has retained jurisdiction and then the Disciplinary Commission report will be a recommendation only. Decisions may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Further Playbooks for other groups will be issued shortly. But the motto for Tokyo 2020 can be summarized as “Come, compete and leave.”

The debate within Japan and especially Tokyo, about whether spectators will be allowed at the Games continues unabated. The issue is, of course, political as well as safety-related.

There is a Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election on 4 July and the Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites First party) – currently holding the largest delegation – has asked for a no-spectator Games as part of its platform.

Kyodo News reported last Friday (11th) that the Tokyo organizers have sold tickets to the Games for up to 42% of each venue’s capacity, meaning about 225,000 domestic spectators could attend the Games daily. About 70% of the tickets have been sold to people living in the same prefecture as the venue, indicating reduced local travel for attendees. Shigeru Omi, Japan’s primary Covid-19 adviser, said the spectator question was still under study.

Worth noting: Attendance at recent Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) games included 8,588 at Hiroshima on Monday; 9,960 in Chiba on Saurday; 9,914 in Sapporo on Saturday and 13,060 in Tokorozawa – near Tokyo – for Seibu’s 4-3 win over the Chunichi Dragons.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government agreed to receive a total of 40,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, allowing vaccination – if they desire it – of athletes, officials, volunteers in the Olympic Village, Tokyo 2020 staff and domestic news media.

There was a small protest in front of the Japanese Olympic Committee office on Monday against the Games, with about 30 people standing in the rain, chanting and showing off anti-Games banners.

NBCUniversal chief executive Jeff Shell told attendees at the online Credit Suisse Communications Conference on Monday that he sees Tokyo 2020 as a success in the making, including making a profit on the event.

“I think we’re pretty optimistic about both the ratings and the economics of the Olympics and advertisers have embraced it.

“I lived in London: everybody was worried about the traffic. And last time [2016] it was Zika, and then once the Opening Ceremony happens, everybody forgets all that and enjoys the 17 days. And I think this is going to be the same thing.”

NBCUniversal reported selling $1.25 billion in advertising for the Games in 2020, but has not reported an updated figure for the postponed event.

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● Barely noticed alongside last week’s announcement that Brisbane, Australia will be offered for confirmation as the site of the 2032 Olympic Games were some important announcement concerning the Paris event program.

In Athletics, the men’s 50 km Walk – part of the Games since 1932 – will be dropped in Paris in favor of a mixed-gender team walking event. The 50 km race has been for men only in the Games and the mixed team event will provide better gender equity in the sport, an obsession of the IOC. The format will be determined in December.

In Sailing, the revolutionary (and expensive) mixed offshore event was dropped in favor of a Kiteboard event for men and women. This leaves the sport with its existing total of 10 events.

● Games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Los Angeles 2028 ● It’s not too early to consider the Los Angeles event program as well, as the IOC also announced:

“The IOC EB today decided that the LA28 initial sports programme will be determined at the IOC Session in February 2022. The IOC EB will carry on its discussions around the sports programme at its next meeting in December 2021 upon the sport-specific recommendations of the [Olympic Program Commission].”

The City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department submitted a revised plan for fiscal year 2021-22 for use of funds from the LA28 organizing committee in view of the relaxed Covid-19 restrictions in force as of today (15th) in the State of California.

The new plan will use $7,708,922 from LA28 – part of its commitment to youth sports in the City through 2028 – in addition to $1,925,992 left over from the prior fiscal year for recreational leagues and classes at 81 sites, aquatics swim classes at up to 53 sites, track & field programs at 15 sites, a new judo program conceived in cooperation with USA Judo and smaller programs in golf, tennis, marathon training adaptive sports and $500,000 for the U.S. Center for SafeSport “to provide training and tools to ensure the safety of all youth participants in RAP sports and fitness programs.”

The goals remain “to remove barriers to youth sports and fitness participation and grow enrollment in programs Citywide … specifically in low-income communities of color.”

The Recreation & Parks Department had 92,938 registrants in affiliated programs in 2018-19; this receded during the pandemic and now forecasts 83,426 in these programs for 2021-22, a decrease of 10.2% overall. The report notes “The decreased forecast is due to RAP slowly transitioning back into sports leagues and programming that meets post pandemic health and safety guidelines.”

● International Olympic Committee ● The IOC Executive Board also added six International Federation to its list of “recognized” affiliates. These are sports have “a minimum of 50 affiliated national federations for summer IFs and 25 affiliated national federations for winter IFs, from at least three continents, that exercise a specific, tangible and ongoing sports activity in the one or several sports (or disciplines) the IF administers.” The newly recognized federations include:

● International Cheerleading Union (ICU)
● International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA)
● International Sambo Federation (FIAS)
● International Federation Icestocksport (IFI)
● World Association of Kickboxing Organisations (WAKO)
● World Lacrosse (WL)

This step does not mean that any of the sports will be added to the Olympic program any time soon, but it is helpful in demonstrating a willingness to comply with the IOC’s requirements when the discussions for Los Angeles 2028 and beyond come up.

● Athletics ● A complete shock to the U.S. distance community came Monday afternoon, as Shelby Houlihan, the American Record holder in the 1,500 m and 5,000 m – announced that she has been suspended for four years by the Athletics Integrity Unit, and confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Her Instagram post included in part:

“On January 14th, 2021, I received an email from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), informing me a drug testing sample that I provided on December 15th, 2020 has returned as an Adverse Analytical Finding for an anabolic steroid called Nandrolone and that I am therefore subject to an immediate Provisional Suspension. When I got that email, I had to read it over about ten times and google what it was that I had just tested positive for. I had never even heard of nandrolone. I have since learned that it has long been understood by WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) that eating pork can lead to a false positive for nandrolone, since certain types of pigs produce it naturally in high amounts. Pig organ meat (offal) has the highest levels of nandrolone.

“In the following 5 days after being notified, I put together a food log of everything that I consumed the week of that December 15th test. We concluded that the most likely explanation was a burrito purchased and consumed approximately 10 hours before that drug test from an authentic Mexican food truck that serves pig offal near my house in Beaverton, Oregon. I notified the AIU that I believed this was the source.”

The AIU posted her on its disciplinary list only on Tuesday, and Houlihan, now 28, also noted that she was informed only last Friday (11th) that the Court of Arbitration for Sport “did not accept my explanation of what had occurred and has subsequently banned me from the sport for four years.”

Houlihan’s appeal options are only to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, where her chances of success are extremely low. CAS posted a news release today, including:

“The CAS Panel (by majority) found that the athlete neither rebutted the presumption that the [adverse finding] was properly reported pursuant to the ISL, nor rebutted the presumption that the [doping violation] was properly managed, asserted and notified pursuant to the International Standard for Results Management (ISRM).

“Finally, the CAS Panel unanimously determined that Shelby Houlihan had failed, on the balance of probability, to establish the source of the prohibited substance.”

The penalty is four years ineligibility from 14 January 2021 and a nullification of results from 15 December 2020. This will eliminate her from both the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games, the 2022 World Championships to be held in Eugene as well as 2023 in Budapest (HUN).

U.S. Anti-Doping Agency head Travis Tygart has campaigned against these kinds of circumstances. He told ABC News Australia last March in the wake of swimmer Shayna Jack being sanctioned for four years after a low level of ligandrol indicated inadvertent ingestion rather than a planned doping program:

“We’ve had dozens of cases where athletes are dealing with low-level positives caused by meat contamination or intimacy with a partner, multivitamin, mineral or supplement contamination. The rules then demand that an athlete who has a positive is automatically assumed to be an intentional cheater that deserves a four-year sanction.

“The only question is going to be how many innocent athletes are railroaded before the rules finally change?”

Injuries have caused Olympic Trials withdrawals by Molly Huddle, the American Record holder in the women’s 10,000 m, Shannon Rowbury, the former American Record holder in the women’s 1,500 m and men’s Steeple American Record holder Evan Jager.

Huddle reported left ankle and hip trouble since the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and Rowbury noted a stress fracture which will keep her from running until July. Huddle was a U.S. Olympian in 2012 (5,000 m 11th) and 2016 (10,000 m: 6th) and Rowbury was trying for her fourth Games after making the 1,500 m final in 2008 (7th), 2012 (4th) and 2016 (4th).

Jager, 32, sixth in the 2012 Olympic Steeple and the Olympic silver medalist in Rio in 2016, is still having problems with muscle tears and cannot compete. He tried to race, but did not finish in a Steeple on 9 May in Walnut, California.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport also handed down a decision last Friday (11th) against Paralympic star Blake Leeper, dismissing his appeal from the holding by the World Athletics Mechanical Aids Review Board that he cannot use a new set of Running Specific Prostheses in open competition.

Leeper was disallowed from using his original set of prostheses and now a revised set on the basis of the International Paralympic Committee’s “Maximum Allowable Standing Height” regulations. Adopted in 2018, the “MASH” rules allow an athlete to use prosthetics that make him no taller than he would be if had biological legs.

In October 2020, Leeper’s application to use prosthetics that gave him a standing height of 189.20 cm (6-2 1/4) was rejected, so he had a new set made with a standing height of 185.42 cm (6-1), and this was also rejected in April of this year.

The CAS news release noted that the MASH calculation “is based on an equation that adds
together the lengths of his/her thigh, upper arm, forearm, and sitting height, after weighting each metric by an empirically determined coefficient. MASH also includes a pure error factor of 1.91 cm to account for normal variation. Thus, the MASH formula adds 1.91 cm to the predicted height.”

World Athletics calculated that Leeper’s allowable height in prosthetics should be 174.44 cm (5-8 1/2). Leeper’s counsel argued that the MASH equation is racist, since it was calculated using Caucasian athletes and not Blacks. The CAS release noted:

“Before being adopted by the IPC, the MASH formula was validated through studies of small groups in Japan and Australia. This validation was on the explicit scientific premise that geographic distance, not race, is the main driver of differences in relative bodily proportions from one population to another. The scientific validity of this premise has not been challenged by affirmative evidence in these proceedings. Further, there is some evidence in the record which lends a degree of support to the proposition that the MASH methodology accurately predicts the lower-leg length of Black athletes of African descent. This evidence is however limited. In the Panel’s view, the key point about this body of evidence, limited as it is, is that it does not cast doubt on the MASH methodology, especially given the pure error factor of 1.91 cm.”

The CAS panel advised that it would be helpful for research on MASH be undertaken with Black athletes as soon as practical, “[i]n the interest of avoiding future disputes.”

● Basketball ● “It is alleged that the FIBA President knew or should have known about the sexual abuses in the Mali Basketball Federation particularly during his time at the helm of that Federation from 1999 until 2007. The FIBA President, who strongly denies the allegations, has taken the decision to temporarily step aside while the investigation is conducted. He has also offered his full collaboration to the investigation.”

The International Basketball Federation announced on Monday that federation chief Hamane Niang of Mali – elected in 2019 after a long career in corporate and governmental financial posts – has stepped down during the investigation, created in response to a story in The New York Times. The federation also noted:

“The following Malian individuals have been suspended from all FIBA activities while the investigation is conducted: coach Amadou Bamba, coach Oumar Sissoko and official Hario Maiga.”

The allegations have been turned over to the federation’s independent Integrity Officer, Canadian law professor Richard McLaren, well-known from his work on the Russian doping scandal and International Weightlifting Federation. His reported is expected shortly after the Tokyo Games conclude.

The FIBA women’s AmeriCup is ongoing in Puerto Rico, with the U.S. fielding an all-collegiate team that is 3-0 in its group stage games and headed to the quarterfinals. It opened with a 102-39 won over the Dominican Republic on 12 June, then defeated Puerto Rico, 87-65, and hammered Venezuela, 102-53 on Monday. Forward Aliyah Boston (South Carolina) leads the U.S. in scoring at 13.3 a game.

Canada is 3-0 in the five-team Group A and plays Columbia (2-1) today in its final group game. The quarters, semis and finals will be played on the 17th, 18th and 19th.

● Boxing ● In the latest in a long line of inquiries into horrifying refereeing and judging, the International Boxing Federation (AIBA) has engaged McLaren Global Sport Solutions – headed by Canadian law professor Richard McLaren – “to conduct a two-phase independent investigation, starting with the refereeing and judging of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games boxing tournament.”

This report is due at the end of August 2021, when a second phase will begin:

“Upon completing the first phase of the mandate, Professor McLaren together with his team will work to identify the presence of any acts of corruption carried out by the individuals involved in past administrations of AIBA. A number of loans and questionable business decisions were previously entered into. While AIBA’s financial integrity and continued solvency have now been addressed, here too there may be lessons to be learned.”

This is all part of the AIBA’s effort to try and regain the support of the IOC to manage boxing at future Olympic Games, if the sport is maintained on the program. McLaren’s group is the current gold standard and its findings will be critical to AIBA’s Olympic future (or not).

AIBA is supposed to be out of the Olympic boxing business, but it announced on Monday that it is organizing a pre-Tokyo training camp from 3-23 July.

“AIBA received several requests from various National Federations from Africa, the Americas and Asia with a plea to organize a training camp for their athletes, as they prepare for competitions, in the light of the impossibility of arranging such an event in their countries due to multiple restrictions caused by the pandemic. The training camp will be held in Khabarovsk, Russia.”

National federations had one day to apply to attend the camp (due today); this is another step in AIBA’s charm offensive from new President Umar Kremlev (RUS), the former Secretary-General of the Russian Boxing Federation.

● Football ● The 47th Copa America is indeed under way in Brazil after the Brazilian Supreme Court dismissed three suits asking that the tournament not be held in the country, citing danger from the Covid-19 virus.

The tournament was originally to be held in 2020 and was postponed to 2021, but both Colombia and Argentina resigned in late May as hosts due to Covid problems in their own countries. Brazil agreed to host, holding the matches in four stadiums, all without spectators.

The virus has not left the tournament alone, however. At least eight Venezuelan players and four coaches tested positive on Friday, a day before the tournament’s opening match with Brazil (a 3-0 loss) and were being quarantined. Three Bolivian players and a staff member tested positive on Saturday, ahead of its 3-1 loss to Paraguay on Monday.

Two member of the Colombian delegation tested positive on Sunday and were quarantined. Colombia defeated Ecuador, 1-0, on Sunday in its opening game.

On Tuesday, Brazilian officials announced that 52 virus cases had been identified: 33 players or team officials and 19 tournament workers. The elimination round begins on 2 July, if the tournament makes it that far.

Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen, who collapsed on the field last Saturday during a Euro 2020 game with Finland due to a cardiac arrest, shared a positive comment on the team’s Twitter account on Tuesday:

“Big thanks for your sweet and amazing greetings and messages from all around the world. It means a lot to me and my family. I’m fine – under the circumstances. I still have to go through some examinations at the hospital, but I feel okay. Now, I will cheer on the boys on the Denmark team in the next matches.”

● Gymnastics ● USA Gymnastics announced its 2021 Hall of Fame class last Friday, with four athletes and two coaches to be inducted on 26 June.

The athletes includes Dianne Durham, the 1983 U.S. All-Around Champion and the first Black gymnast to win at the nationals (she passed away in February 2021); Rebecca Bross, a six-time World Championships medalist, including Team silvers, an All-Around silver in 2009 and bronze in 2010; four-time national Trampoline champion and 2008 Olympian, Chris Estrada, and the 2004 U.S. Olympic men’s team, which won a silver in Athens, the first medal by a U.S. men’s team since 1984, and included Jason Gatson, Morgan Hamm, Paul Hamm, Brett McClure, Blaine Wilson and Guard Young.

Coaches included Jim Aamodt in Trampoline and Tumbling, and Gene Watson in Artistic Gymnastics, who passed away in April.

● Swimming ● Please check TheSportsExaminer.com daily for ongoing coverage of the U.S. Olympic Trials and the Australian Olympic Trials; these posts are not send to our e-mail subscribers, but are announced on our Twitter feed.

Rio Olympic medal winner Maddie Groves (AUS) pulled out of the Australian Trials for Tokyo last Thursday, announcing on Twitter:

“Let this be a lesson to all misogynistic perverts in sport and their boot lickers – You can no longer exploit young women and girls, body shame or medically gaslight them and then expect them to represent you so you can earn your annual bonus. Time’s UP.”

Swimming Australia President Alex Baumann has created a panel to look into the sport’s “culture” issues, and has asked for more information from Groves, who has not responded to him. She won silvers in Rio in the women’s 200 m Fly and 4×100 m Medley.

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SWIMMING: Titmus scares another world record in Adelaide, while Ledecky, Huske and Andrew claim wins at U.S. Trials

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympics-bound American Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky (Photo: USA Swimming)

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Katie Ledecky breezed to her first win at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, winning the women’s 400 m Free in 4:01.27 in the first of four events she expects to win on the way to the Tokyo Games in July.

Ledecky led from start to finish and posted only her third-fastest time of the season, unchallenged all the way. Behind her, there was a fierce fight for second with 22-year-old Paige Madden taking over second place with two laps to go to finish in 4:04.86, a seasonal best by nearly five seconds. That was enough to move 2017 Worlds silver medalist Leah Smith to third (4:06.27), with open-water star Haley Anderson fourth (4:07.42).

As is so often the case in swimming, youth will be served and 18-year-old Torri Huske followed up on her American Record in the women’s 100 m Fly in Sunday’s semifinals with an even faster swim in the final, lowering her record from 55.78 to 55.66, leading from start to finish. It’s not only the world leader in 2021, but the no. 5 performance in history (she’s still the no. 3 performer). Second in 56.43 was 16-year-old Claire Curzan, who has timed 56.20 earlier this year. The 2016 Trials winner, Kelsi Dahlia – now 26 – was fourth (56.80).

The men’s 100 m Breast final was a win for Michael Andrew as expected; he had set American Records in the heats and semis. But the final was almost too close, as the top three places were separated by just 0.07. Andrew blasted to the lead and was clear of the field at the turn, but Nic Fink was chasing him down on the final lap, only to be passed by Andrew Wilson, who came from fourth to second, out-touching Fink by 58.74-57.80. Andrew remains at no. 3 on the world list for 2021 and Wilson and Fink are now nos. 8-9.

In the men’s 200 m Free, Kieran Smith – already the 400 m Free winner – led the heats at 1:46.54 with sprint superstar Caeleb Dressel second-fastest at 1:46.63. Dressel dropped out of the semifinals, but has made a case for being on the 4×200 m Free Relay in Tokyo. Smith continued with a win in the semifinals in 1:45.74, fastest by an American this year, ahead of Zach Apple (1:46.22) and Townley Haas (1:46.30), finishing 1-2-3 in the second semi. The final is Tuesday.

Defending men’s Olympic 100 m Backstroke champ Ryan Murphy made a statement in the semifinals, winning the first race in 52.22, making him the no. 3 performer in the world for 2021, with the final still to come. Hunter Armstrong, 20, won the second heat in 52.67, making him the fourth-fastest of 2021. London 2012 Olympic champ Matt Grevers, now 36, was sixth overall (53.18) and earned a spot in the final.

The women’s 100 m Back semifinals proved that former world-record holder Regan Smith isn’t conceding anything to Australian star Kaylee McKeown. Smith won the second semi in 57.92, the no. 4 time in history and second this season only to McKeown’s mark of 57.45 at the Aussie Trials on Sunday. Veteran Olivia Smoliga won the first semi in 58.50. Former world-record holder Kathleen Baker (58.00 in 2018) suffered a fractured foot in early May and finished a non-qualifying 11th in 1:00.51.

Reigning Olympic gold medalist in the 100 m Breaststroke, Lilly King, is serving notice she is going to be hard to handle in Tokyo. She already had the world lead at 1:05.32 from a meet in March, but zoomed to the fastest heat time in 1:05.67 and then re-set her world lead in the semifinals, winning in 1:04.72, the no. 8 performance ever. Her world record of 1:04.13 from 2017 is in jeopardy in the final. Annie Lazor was second-fastest at 1:05.37, now no. 2 in the world for 2021 and a lifetime best, moving her to no. 10 all-time!

The U.S. Trials continue though next Sunday; Tuesday’s finals include the men’s 200 m Free, women’s 100 m Back and the women’s 100 m Breaststroke.

There were plenty more fireworks at the Australian Olympic Trials in Adelaide on Monday, with Ariarne Titmus scaring another world record.

Fresh off the no. 2 performance in history in the 400 m Free, Titmus roared to victory in the women’s 200 m Free in 1:53.09, again the second-fastest swim in history, just 0.11 off of the world mark of 1:52.98 by Italy’s Federica Pellegrini in 2009. Worth noting: Pellegrini’s performance was made in a non-textile suit, making Titmus’s mark worthy of world-record appreciation.

Also claiming a second world lead was McKeown, already the new world-record-setter in the women’s 100 m Backstroke. This time, she grabbed the 2021 lead in the women’s 200 m Medley, finishing in 2:08.19, replacing American Madisyn Cox’s 2:08.51 from May.

Jack McLoughlin won the men’s 800 m Free in 7:42.51 to take the no. 2 spot on the year list.

The Australian Trials continue through Thursday.

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LANE ONE: NBC warms up the country before Tokyo: two weeks of U.S. Olympic trials, so set your viewing schedule now

By
Rich Perelman
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/Updated/While the whining continues over whether the Tokyo Games should be held or will be held, the time for talk has ended over picking the U.S. team in the three biggest medal sports for the American delegation: swimming, track & field and gymnastics.

Consider this: in these three sports alone, the U.S. won 77 medals in Rio in 2016 – 33 in swimming, 32 in track and 12 in gymnastics. That’s more – in just three sports – than any other nation won in the entire Games, as China was second with 70 total medals. The U.S. won another 44 medals for a total of 121.

The U.S. diving trials concluded on Sunday, when plenty of surprises (see the links to Sunday’s coverage above) and the swimming trials started Sunday night from Omaha. The track & field trials start on Friday (18th) from Eugene and the gymnastics trials start the 24th, from St. Louis.

All of this action is on NBC, of course – over the air, on cable and online – hoping to get you primed to spend two full weeks watching the Tokyo Games. In many ways, the trials are just as compelling as the Games; in swimming, for example, there are three medals to be handed out in Tokyo, but only the top two make the U.S. team at the Trials and even that is not assured given the squad-size limitations.

So here’s a day-by-day roster of what to expect, and who to expect to see in live finals broadcasts (see the link above for the entire TV schedule, including prelims, and delayed broadcasts):

● 14 June (Monday: 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC): Swimming, with women’s 100 m Fly (Torri Huske), men’s 100 m Breast (Michael Andrew), women’s 400 m Free (Katie Ledecky).

● 15 June (Tuesday: 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC): Swimming, with men’s 200 m Free (Kieran Smith), women’s 100 m Back (Regan Smith), men’s 100 m Back (Ryan Murphy), women’s 100 m Breast (Lilly King).

● 16 June (Wednesday: 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC): Swimming, with women’s 200 m Free (Ledecky), men’s 200 m Fly (Chase Kalisz), women’s 200 m Medley (Madisyn Cox), women’s 1,500 m Free (Ledecky).

● 17 June (Thursday: 8 p.m. Eastern on NBCSN): Swimming, with men’s 800 m Free (Jordan Wilimovsky), men’s 200 m Breast (Nic Fink), women’s 200 m Fly (Hali Flickinger), men’s 100 m Free (Caleb Dressel).

● 18 June (Friday: 9 p.m. Eastern on NBC): Swimming, with women’s 200 m Breast (King), men’s 200 m Back (Murphy), men’s 200 m Medley (Andrew), women’s 100 m Free (Simone Manuel).

+ Track & Field (10 p.m. Eastern on NBC): men’s 10,000 m (Grant Fisher) men’s Shot (Ryan Crouser).

● 19 June (Saturday: 9 p.m. Eastern on NBC): Swimming, with men’s 100 m Fly (Dressel), women’s 200 m Back (Smith), women’s 800 m Free (Ledecky).

+ Track & Field (10 p.m. Eastern on NBC): women’s 100 m (Sha’Carri Richardson), women’s Discus (Valarie Allman).

● 20 June (Sunday: 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC): Swimming, with men’s 50 m Free (Dressel), women’s 50 m Free (Manuel), men’s 1,500 m Free (Wilimovsky).

+ Track & Field (9 p.m. Eastern on NBC): women’s 400 m (Allyson Felix), men’s 400 m (Michael Norman), women’s 100 m hurdles (Keni Harrison), men’s 100 m (Trayvon Bromell), men’s decathlon (Harrison Williams) plus men’s Hammer (Rudy Winkler), women’s High Jump (Vashti Cunningham) and women’s Triple Jump (Keturah Orji).

● 21 June (Monday: 8 p.m. on NBC): Track & Field, with women’s 1,500 m (Shelby Houlihan), women’s 5,000 m (Karissa Schweizer), men’s 800 m (Donavan Brazier) plus men’s Pole Vault (Sam Kendricks), men’s Javelin (Curtis Thompson), men’s Triple Jump (Will Claye).

● 22-23 June: rest days

● 24 June (Thursday: 6:30 p.m. on NBCSN): Gymnastics, with the men’s first day (Sam Mikulak).

+ Track & Field (9 p.m. Eastern on NBCSN): women’s 3,000 m Steeple (Emma Coburn), women’s Shot (Felisha Johnson).

● 25 June (Friday: 5 p.m. Eastern on NBCN): Track & Field, with men’s 3,000 m Steeple (Hillary Bor), men’s Discus (Mason Finley).

+ Gymnastics (8 p.m. Eastern on NBC): women’s first day (Simone Biles).

● 26 June (Saturday: 4 p.m. Eastern on NBC): Gymnastics: men’s second day (Mikulak).

+ Track & Field (9 p.m. Eastern on NBC): men’s 110 m hurdles (Grant Holloway), 400 m hurdles (Rai Benjamin), women’s 200 m (Richardson), women’s 10,000 m (Emily Sisson), plus women’s Hammer (DeAnna Price), women’s Javelin (Maggie Malone), women’s Pole Vault (Sandi Morris), women’s Long Jump (Brittney Reese).

● 27 June (Sunday: 7 p.m. Eastern on NBC): Track & Field, with women’s 400 m hurdles (Dalilah Muhammad), women’s 800 m (Ajee Wilson), men’s 1,500 m (Matthew Centrowitz), men’s 200 m (Noah Lyles), men’s 5,000 m (Paul Chelimo), women’s heptathlon (Kendell Williams), plus men’s High Jump (JuVaughn Harrison), men’s Long Jump (Jeff Henderson).

+ Gymnastics (8:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC): women’s second day (Biles).

Check your local listings, as NBC is slotting these events in primetime, so those of us in the western states won’t see the events live, but only on delay.

(TSX readers: please note that although there will be daily posts on these Trials, not all of these will be sent by e-mail. The best way to be sure you’re informed of new posts is to follow TSX on Twitter here).

Those wondering if the Trials could be scheduled even closer to the Games should note that the qualification deadline set by the Tokyo organizers is Tuesday, 29 June, and the final entry deadline is 5 July, so this is cutting it about as close as you can get. Rest assured, lawyers and arbitration panels are standing by.

(Thanks to sharp-eyed reader Duffy Mahoney of USA Track & Field for updating the qualification vs. entry deadlines.)

Crazy things happen in sports and especially under the pressure of the U.S. Trials, as well as the Olympic Games. Check the schedule above, and from your local stations, as well as the steaming opportunities, mostly on NBCOlympics.com.

I have extra popcorn ready to go. This is going to be epic.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS II: U.S. Swim Trials open with American records for Andrew and Huske, shocking world leader for Weyant; Downs stuns with 3 m diving win

By
Rich Perelman
-
Two American Records on the first day of the U.S. Olympic Trials for Michael Andrew

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Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world/updated/:

● Diving ● The men’s 3 m Springboard and women’s 10 m Platform concluded the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, proving once again that nothing is sure in an all-or-nothing trials format.

Tyler Downs, 18, won the men’s 3 m final, scoring 1,333.75 and moving up from 2019 U.S. Junior Champion to 2021 Olympian. Downs was only a quarterfinalist at the 2019 senior Nationals, but finished ahead of Andrew Capobianco (1,319.40) as well as David Boudia, the two-time Olympic Platform medalist in 2012 (gold) and 2016 (bronze), who scored 1,314.95 for third and will not go to Tokyo. Michael Hixon, the 2016 3 m Synchro silver medalist, was fourth with 1,309.65.

Capobianco and Hixon were already on the team via their win in the 3 m Synchro event. Downs is a first-time Olympian and was fifth in the Trials 10 m Platform final.

The women’s 10 m Platform final came down to the fifth and final round with Delaney Schnell – already on the team from her 10 m Synchro win with Jessica Parratto – and Murphy Bromberg battling for the lead, with Schnell at 945.10 and Bromberg at 938.55, trailed by Katrina Young at 911.10.

Schnell stayed strong and extended her lead in the final round, finishing at 1,021.90, but Young scored 73.60 on a back 2 1/2 somersault with 1 1/2 twists to just 43.20 for Bromberg on the same dive. That put Young into second and onto the Olympic team, scoring 984.70 to 981.75 for Bromberg. Parratto finished fourth with 973.75.

Laura Wilkinson, the 2000 Olympic Champion in Platform and 2005 World Champion, now 43, finished a creditable 10th in the final (804.30) after returning to competition in 2017 to try for her fourth Olympic team.

● Football ● /updated/The U.S. Women’s National Team continued tuning up for Tokyo against Jamaica on Sunday evening at the BBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas with a decisive 4-0 win.

The American squad scored in just 24 seconds, with Rose Lavelle sending a cross to captain Carli Lloyd at the far post, who popped it in for a 1-0 lead. It was Lloyd’s 125th career goal for the U.S., now 38 and looking for another Olympic medal chance in Tokyo.

The U.S. got another goal in the seventh minute on a penalty by Lindsey Horan, after a foul in the box against Christina Press. Fifteen minutes later, Press sent a cross from left to right toward the far post, right to the feet of Midge Purce, who scored easily for 3-0 lead. The half ended at 3-0 with the U.S. holding 67% of the possession and ahead by 9-1 on shots.

The U.S. substituted liberally in the second half, but didn’t get a fourth goal until stoppage time when Sam Mewis sent a cross to the head of Alex Morgan, who scored her 110th goal for the national team. Adrianna Franch got the shutout for the U.S., which ended with 73% possession and a 19-3 edge in shots. The U.S. is now 23-0 all-time vs. Jamaica.

The U.S. women will finish their three-match “Summer Series” tour on Wednesday (16th) vs. Nigeria at the new Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, at 9 p.m. Eastern time.

● Swimming ● The first night of finals at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha produced two American Records and a flurry of fast times and a new world leader in the women’s 400 m Medley. The records:

● Men/100 m Breast: 58.19, Michael Andrew in the heats (old: 58.64, Kevin Cordes, 2017)
● Men/100 m Breast: 58.14, Andrew in the semifinals

● Women/100 m Fly: 55.78, Torri Huske in the semifinals (old: 55.98, Dana Vollmer, 2012)

Andrew, who turned professional at age 14 and is now 22, moved to no. 3 all-time and no. 3 on the 2021 year list behind Olympic Champion Adam Peaty (GBR: 56.88 in 2019 and 57.39 this year) and Dutch star Arno Kamminga (57.90 in 2021). Nic Fink was second to Andrew in 58.50, now no. 6 on the 2021 world list. The final is tomorrow.

Huske shattered her prior best of 56.69 from earlier this year and is now no. 2 for 2021 and the no. 3 performer in history behind only Sarah Sjostrom (SWE: 55.48 ‘16) and Yufei Zhang (CHN: 55.62 ‘20). Zhang is the year leader at 55.73. The final is on Monday.

The finals weren’t bad either:

● In the men’s 400 m Medley, Carson Foster claimed the fastest qualifying time at 4:10.50, trailed by 2017 World Champion Chase Kalisz. In the final, Foster led early, but Kalisz took over after the Breaststroke leg and built his final edge on the final (Freestyle) leg. Jay Litherland had to come from third to pass Foster only on the final lap, making it to Tokyo by just 0.53 seconds in 4:10.33.

Kalisz’s winning time of 4:09.09 moves him to no. 2 on the 2021 world list, just 0.07 behind Japan’s Daiya Seto. However, it’s well behind Kalisz’s lifetime best of 4:05.90 – no. 3 all-time – from the 2017 World Championships. Kalisz and Litherland represented the U.S. in this event at Rio in 2016.

● The men’s 400 m Free has not been a strong event for the U.S. in 2021, with Kiernan Smith the fastest coming in at 3:47.71, no. 27 in the world. Smith led the qualifying, then won going away in 3:44.86, moving to equal-8th in 2021 among eligible swimmers for Tokyo. Jake Mitchell finished second in 3:48.17.

● The women’s 400 m Medley again saw the qualifying leader – Hali Flickinger – fade in the final, but she held on to get a ticket to Tokyo. She led for the first 300 m of the final, but was passed going into the final lap by Melanie Margalis, a Rio Olympic relay gold medalist and no. 3 on the world list for 2021. But Emma Weyant, 19, had the fastest lap coming home at 30.35 and moved from third to first, touching in a world-leading 4:33.81!

Flickinger stayed in second, finishing in 4:33.96 (no. 2 in 2021) with Margalis fading to third in 4:34.08, still faster than any swimmer from any other country. That was also true for Leah Smith in fourth (4:34.55).

The U.S. Trials continue though next Sunday.

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Ross takes world 400 m lead at NCAAs, Mu sets 400 m record; Australia’s McKeown sets 100 Back world record

By
Rich Perelman
-
Another collegiate record for the unstoppable Athing Mu at the NCAA Championships! (Photo: Texas A&M)

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Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Archery ● USA Archery completed its selection process for the U.S. team to compete at the 2021 World Archery Championships last Monday (7th) on the final day of the SoCal Showdown in Chula Vista, California.

World Champion Brady Ellison won six of seven round-robin matches to finish with a three-stage Trials total of 36.00 points and will lead the team that will compete in September in Yankton, South Dakota.

As at the Olympic Trials, Jack Williams finished second with 28.00 points, ahead of Matthew Nofel (17.00) and Matthew Requa (17.00).

The women’s Recurve winner was Rio 2016 Olympian Mackenzie Brown, who topped Olympic Trials winner Casey Kaufhold, 30.00 to 29.00, with both winning six of seven round-robin matches. Third was 15-year-old Gabrielle Sasai (19.00), too young to compete in the Olympic Trials, but who will be on the Worlds team in Yankton. Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez, third at the Olympic Trials, finished fourth (16.00).

● Artistic Swimming ● The combined FINA World Series Super Final and Olympic Qualification Tournament in Barcelona was the portal to Tokyo for eight teams and three Duets.

In the Olympic Qualification Duets final, Austrian sisters Anna-Maria and Eirini Alexandri won with a combined total of 182.8053, over Vasilina Khandoshka and Daria Kulagina (BLR: 176.6593) and French sisters Charlotte and Laura Tremble (176.4061). The American pair of Ruby Remati and Lindi Schroeder finished fifth (174.6085).

The Olympic Qualification Team final was won by Italy with a combined (Technical + Free) score of 184.0249, well ahead of Spain (182.8506) and Greece (175.9990). The U.S. was fourth at 175.7882, with France, Korea and Hungary also finishing.

In the Super Final, Canadian star Jacqueline Simoneau won the Solo Technical (90.4573) over Lara Mechnig (LIE: 84.1573) and American Nicole Dzurko (82.0876), then won the Solo Free (92.1000) ahead of American Anita Alvarez (88.1332) and Mireia Hernandez (ESP: 86.3668).

Simoneau and Claudia Holzner won the Duet Technical (90.5040), easily on top of Khandoshka and Kulagina (BLR: 87.6593) and the Dutch sisters Bregje and Noortje de Brouwer (87.5620). Alvarez and Schroeder of the U.S. were fourth (87.2417).

Simoneau and Holzner won the Duet Free with 91.8332 points, well in front of Khandoshka and and Kulagina (89.0000) and the de Brouwer sisters (88.4668). Remati and Schroeder were fifth (87.3668).

In the Team Technical, Italy won with 90.7917 points, beating Spain (90.5506) and Canada (88.9380) with the U.S. in fourth (86.8550). The Team Free standings were in the same order,: Italy (93.2332), Spain (92.3000), Canada (90.4668) and the U.S. (88.9332).

Russia’s Aleksandr Maltsev won the men’s Solo Technical (90.9322), while Italian Giorgio Minisini took the men’s Solo Free (88.8668). Maltsev and Olesia Platonova won the Mixed Duet Technical (92.2651), and Maltsev and Mayya Gurbanberdieva won the Mixed Duet Free easily at 94.0000.

Canada won the Mixed Team Highlight event (89.8000), while Hungary was the only entrant in the Mixed Team Free Combination (77.7668).

● Athletics ● The NCAA Track & Field Championships closed in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday, with another startling meet that has re-shaped the upcoming Olympic Trials in several events. The meet produced one world-leading mark (athletes are Americans unless otherwise noted):

● Men/400 m: 43.85, Randolph Ross (USA/North Carolina A&T)

Randolph had control of the 400 m final from start to finish and pulled in the final 60 m from Bryce Deadmon (Texas A&M: 44.44), Noah Williams (LSU: 44.93) and teammate Trevor Stewart (44.96). Randolph, coached by his father, Duane Ross, is now no. 13 on the all-time list and no. 9 all-time U.S. On the 2021 world list, Ross, Williams, Deadmon and Stewart’s season bests rank 1-3-5-6.

Despite overcast and cool weather, the sprints were impressive, with LSU’s Terrance Laird winning the men’s 100 m in 10.05 and a new star, Florida freshman Joseph Fahnbulleh, beating Laird in the 200 m, 19.91-19.94, coming from way behind on the home straight with giant strides.

USC senior Isaiah Jewett won the men’s 800 m in a lifetime best of 1:44.68, ahead of Texas A&M freshman Brandon Miller (1:44.97). Oregon freshman Cole Hocker won the 3:35.35 to the delight of the home crowd and Oregon junior Cooper Tease (13:12.27) did the same in the 5,000 m, as 13 of the top 14 finishers posted lifetime bests.

LSU’s Sean Burrell – a freshman – won the 400 m hurdles in an electrifying 47.85, lowering his lifetime best of 48.86 set at the East Regional and setting a World U-20 Record, as well as moving to no. 4 on the 2021 world list.

In the field, LSU junior JuVaughn Harrison completed his historic double in the high jump (2.33 m/7-7 3/4) and long jump (8.27 m/27-1 3/4). Italy’s Emmanuel Ihemeje, an Oregon freshman, won the triple jump at 17.14 m (56-2 3/4) – his outdoor best – and moved to no. 9 on the year list. Arizona State’s Turner Washington took the men’s shot (21.10 m/69-2 3/4) and discus (63.42 m/208-1).

The women’s finals were mostly on Saturday and Texas A&M frosh Athing Mu put on a show, winning the 400 m in a collegiate record 49.57 (no. 9 all-time U.S.) and then anchoring A&M 4×400 m to another collegiate record of 3:22.34, the world leader in 2021. In fact, that time would rank equal-14th among all nations, all-time! Mu’s split was reported at 48.85, clearly positioning her for a spot on the U.S. 4×400 m team for Tokyo, assuming she makes the team in the 800 m. She’s 19.

The unexpected star was the 5-4 sophomore Cam Sturgis of North Carolina A&T, who stunned herself as well as everyone else by doubling in the 100 m (10.74w: +2.2 m/s) and 200 m (22.12). She ran away from USC’s Twanisha Terry (10.79w) in the 100 and then stormed down the straight in the 200 m to outlast Tamara Clark (USA/Alabama), who finished in 22.17.

USC’s Anna Cockrell won both the 100 m hurdles (12.58) and the 400 m hurdles in 54.66, moving her to no. 8 in the world in the longer race.

Texas A&M’s Tyra Gittens (TTO) might have been the busiest athlete in the meet, winning the heptathlon (6,285), taking second in the long jump (6.68 m/21-11) and third in the high jump (1.87 m/6-1 1/2).

World leader Jorinde van Klinken (NED/Arizona State) was trailing Iowa’s Laulauga Tausaga (63.53 m/208-5) in the discus into the final round, but unloaded a 65.01 m (213-3) final throw to win. The women’s hammer was a showcase for Canadian Camryn Rogers (Cal), who won at 75.52 m (247-9) – a collegiate record – and is now no. 4 on the world list for 2021.

A great meet, with an even better one – the U.S. Olympic Trials – starting on the 18th.

The final Wanda Diamond League meet for three weeks was a barnburner in Florence (ITA) on 10 June, with four world-leading marks:

● Men/Steeple: 8:08.54, Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR)
● Men/5,000 m: 12:48.45, Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR)
● Men/110 m hurdles: 13.01, Omar McLeod (JAM)
● Women/1,500 m: 3:53.63, Sifan Hassan (NED)

El Bakkali was in a group of six at the bell, but finished strongly to win the Steeple from Bikila Tadese (ETH: 8:10.56) and fellow Moroccan Mohamed Tindouft (8:11.65 PR), with the top nine all under 8:20. Ingebrigtsen’s win was a European Record and he ran away down the straightaway from Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH: 12:49.02), Mo Ahmed (CAN: 12:50.12) and Mohamed Katir (ESP: 12:50.79). Now one of the favorites for Tokyo, Ingebrigtsen was ecstatic:

“Today it was like winning a gold medal. It is pretty crazy. I was expecting a PB, because it has been two years since my last PB. I was most likely to run under 13 minutes, but this European record is incredible. Now I have to able to win a medal, too. If I am able to win against the best runners, then I can also win at the Olympics.”

The women’s 1,500 m was a sensational win for Hassan, just four days after her 10,000 m world record, running away on the final lap from reigning Olympic 1,500 m champ Faith Kipyegon (KEN), 3:53.63 – the sixth-fastest race in history – to 3:53.91 (no. 7), with Laura Muir (GBR: 3:55.59) chasing. Hassan won the 1,500 m and the 10,000 m at the 2019 World Championships and appears well positioned to do so in Tokyo.

Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith dominated the women’s 200 m, winning in 22.06, way ahead of Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) in 22.56. Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the world leader, ran away with the 100 m hurdles in 12.38, the second-best mark of 2021. Dutch star Femke Bol set a national record in the women’s 400 m hurdles and moved to no. 3 on the 2021 world list in 53.44; have no doubt, she is a medal threat in Tokyo.

In the field, Russian Anzhelika Sidorova moved to no. 2 on the 2021 world list, winning the women’s vault at 4.91 m (16-1 1/4); she’s already the reigning World Champion. Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic got a season’s best in the discus, reaching 68.31 m (224-1), now no. 3 on the world list and in a position to defend her Olympic titles in 2012 and 2016.

New world leaders elsewhere came in Nice (FRA) on Saturday as Britain’s Oliver Dustin won the 800 m in a lifetime best 1:43.82 and on Sunday in Shaoxing (CHN), where Lijiao Gong threw the shot 20.31 m (66-7 3/4).

Dustin, age 20, improved from 1:45.71 in May to win over France’s Gabriel Tual, who also scored a lifetime best of 1:44.44. Australia’s Jye Edwards won the men’s 1,500 in an impressive 3:34.74 and American Mike Rodgers ran in all three races of the men’s 100 m, winning race one (10.38), placing second in race two (10.25) and winning race three (10.09)!

Two-time World Champion Gong wasn’t the only highlight at the Chinese nationals in Shaoxing, as Bingtian Su won the men’s 100 m in 9.98, and Yaming Zhu won the men’s triple jump at 17.39 m (57-0 3/4).

● Canoe-Kayak ● The first ICF Slalom World Cup was in Prague (CZE), with a couple of upsets and some expected results by Olympic favorites.

In the men’s C-1 on Sunday, Czech Lukas Rohan scored a surprise victory in 97.20 seconds (with two penalties), finishing ahead of two-time World Champion David Florence (GBR: 97.44, 0 penalties) and 2017 World Champion Benjamin Savsek (SLO: 99.80, 2 penalties). Two-time World Champion Jiri Prskavec (CZE) won the K-1 in 90.42 seconds (0), ahead of Italy’s Giovanni de Gennaro (90,87) and France’s Mathieu Biazizzo (92.01). American Michal Smolen was fifth (93.62).

The women’s C-1 final was another triumph for four-time World Champion Jessica Fox of Australia, finishing in 105.15 (0 penalties). She was easily the best on the course, with 2019 World Champion Andrea Herzog second (GER: 109.98, 2 penalties) and two-time Worlds medal winner Tereza Fiserova (CZE) third in 110.76 (0).

The shocker came in the K-1 women’s final for Poland’s Klaudia Zwolinska, who took her first World Cup title in 100.58 (0), ahead of Natalia Pacierpnik (POL), timed in 102.49 (0) and then Fox, who had four penalties on the way to a final time of 102.82.

● Cycling ● Mountain stages are almost always the deciders in multi-stage races on the UCI World Tour and Stage 5 of the Tour de Suisse turned the race around.

Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz, the 2019 Giro d’Italia winner, won the 175.2 km stage that featured a starting climb, then a huge descent and finishing with a triple climb and an uphill final run into Leukerbad. He dueled to the finish with Danish star Jakob Fuglsang, but got there first, leaving the rest of the field at least 39 seconds behind.

Carapaz took over the race lead by 26 seconds over Fuglsang and maintained it through Stage 6, another triple-climb stage, won by Dane Andreas Kron over Rui Costa (POR) in an eight-man sprint to the finish.

But the 23.2 km time trial in stage 7 shook up the field again, with Colombia’s Rigoberto Uran winning in 36:02, ahead of France’s Julian Alaphilippe (+0:40) and Swiss Gino Mader (+0:54) with Carapaz fourth (also +0:54). That left Carapaz in the lead, but now by 17 seconds over Uran and 39 seconds over Alaphilippe with one stage left.

Sunday’s final stage of 159.5 km in and around Andermatt included three major climbs, but a mostly downhill finish. But Carapaz was careful to stay with the lead pack of nine riders and while Mader and Canada’s Michael Woods escaped to finish 1-2 in 4:06:25, Carapaz and Uran finished 5-7 and ended up 1-2 in the final standings, with Uran 17 seconds back.

Alaphilippe left the event early to go home to attend to the birth of his first child, so Fuglsang moved from fifth to third on Sunday (+1:15), ahead of German Maximilian Schachmann (+1:19), with Woods fifth (+2:55).

The UCI Mountain Bike Cross Country World Cup resumed after a month off in Leogang (AUT), with Swiss Mathias Flueckiger winning the men’s race after two third-place finishes in the first two legs.

A three-time Worlds medalist. Flueckiger finished the 23.85 km race in 1:15:50, posting the fastest circuit of the race on lap five (11:23.5) to build his lead and finish 14 seconds up on Czech Ondrej Cink (1:16:04) and 45 seconds ahead of third-place Anton Cooper (GBR). Flueckiger is now the only man to medal in all three races this season.

Flueckiger also won the eight-lap short-track race in 20:43, also ahead of Cink (20:48) and Milan Vader (FRA: 20:59).

France’s Loana Lecomte continued her domination of the women’s racing, winning her third race in a row, storming to victory in 1:17:03 over reigning Olympic champ Jenny Rissveds (SWE: +1:45) and Austria’s Laura Stigger (+1:50). Lecomte was in front from the start and never let up. Lecomte won the seven-lap short-track event by four seconds over Rebecca McConnell (AUS), 21:10-21:14, with Swiss Jolanda Neff third (21:21).

● Diving ● The U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis confirmed the American divers for Tokyo, with the last session to be held on Sunday evening (look for a later post for those results).

The women’s 3 m Springboard was all about Krysta Palmer, 29, who ran away with the victory, scoring 1,011.95 points to best 18-year-old Hailey Hernandez (926.55), with Sarah Bacon third (912.10) as the second spot came down to the final dive. Palmer and Hernandez will both be first-time Olympians.

The men’s 10 m Platform was all about Brandon Loschiavo and Jordan Windle, who scored 1,421.00 and 1,401.40 to finish more than 120 points clear of the rest of the field. David Dinsmore was third at 1,278.50. Loschiavo and Windle – who was born in Cambodia, but adopted at 18 months – are also first-time Olympians.

The men’s 3 m Springboard and women’s 10 m Platform will be held on Sunday evening.

The synchronized events had (very) clear winners. The men’s 3 m Synchro ended with Andrew Capobianco and Michael Hixon winning, 1,289.37 to 1,168.80 over Gregory Duncan and Grayson Campbell. The U.S. did not qualify a team for the men’s 10 m Synchro.

In the women’s 3 m Synchro, Alison Gibson and Palmer outscored Bacon and Kassidy Cook by 899.82 to 871.50, and Delaney Schnell and Jessica Parratto won the 10 m Synchro by 930.00 to 888.54 over Katrina Young and Murphy Bromberg.

Hixon was a 2016 Olympic silver medalist in the 3 m Synchro event with Sam Dorman; Parratto was also a 2016 Olympian; Capobianco, Gibson and Schnell will be first-time Olympians in Tokyo.

● Football ● The U.S. women’s National Team continued its warm-up matches prior to Tokyo with a surprisingly close 1-0 win over Portugal on Wednesday (10th) before facing Jamaica on Sunday night (13th), with both games at BBVA Stadium in Houston.

Against Portugal, the U.S. had chance after chance, but could not finish, ending the first half 0-0, but with 69% of the possession and a 14-2 edge in shots. It took until the 76th minute for Sam Mewis to score on a header off a corner from Christina Press, to take a 1-0 lead and that’s how it finished. The American squad ended with 65% of the possession, but a monstrous 26-4 edge on shots; all credit to Portuguese keeper Ines Pereira, who was outstanding. Alyssa Naeher recorded her 41st career shutout for the national team. The U.S. moved to 10-0 all-time vs. Portugal.

On Sunday, the U.S. plays Jamaica at 10 p.m. Eastern time in Houston. The American women have a 22-0 all-time record vs. the Reggae Girlz and are on a 40-match unbeaten streak (36-0-4) since January of 2019. The USWNT is 7-0-1 in 2021, with a 23-1 scoring edge. Coach Vlatko Andonovski is 18-0-1 as the U.S. women’s coach since taking over from Jill Ellis after the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Victory Tour.

The U.S. women will finish their three-match “Summer Series” tour on Wednesday (16th) vs. Nigeria at the new Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, at 9 p.m. Eastern time.

● Gymnastics ● The FIG World Challenge Cup in Osijek (CRO) was a strong warm-up meet for two-time World Uneven Bars champ Nina Derwael of Belgium, who won both her specialty and the Balance Beam.

Derwael scored 15.000 to win on Bars over Zsofia Kovacs (HUN: 14.266) and 13.933 to take the Beam title, with Diana Varinska (UKR) second with 13.366. Hungary’s Csenge Bacskay won on Vault (13.733) and home favorite Ana Derek (CRO) took the Floor Exercise (12.833).

On the men’s side, Croatia’s 2017 World High Bar Champion Tin Srbic won his specialty (14.900) and three-time Worlds Vault medalist Igor Radivilov (UKR) took that event, scoring 14.766. Milad Karimi (KAZ) won the Floor Exercise (14.866), Italy’s Salvatore Maresca and Vinzenz Hoeck (AUT) tied on Rings (14.900), Albania’s Matvei Petrov won on Pommel Horse (15.166) and the Parallel Bars title went to Ferhat Arican (TUR: 14.833).

● Judo ● The IJF World Championships concluded in Budapest (HUN), with Japan demonstrating that it will be a force at the Tokyo Games next month.

In the 14 individual classes, Japanese judoka won 11 total medals (5-4-2), with the Netherlands next at five (0-0-5) and then Georgia and Spain at four each (both 1-1-2).

Japanese winners included Joshiro Maruyama, who defended his 2019 title in the men’s 66 kg class, and Kokoro Kageura, who won at +100 kg for his first world title. The three winning Japanese women were Natsumi Tsunoda (48 kg), Ai Shishime at 52 kg (her second title) and Sarah Asahina at +78 kg, also her second world title.

Only Maruyama, Jorge Fonseca (POR: men’s 100 kg) and France’s Clarisse Agbegnenou (women’s 63 kg) repeated as champions from the 2019 Worlds. Nicoloz Sherazadashvili (ESP: men’s 90 kg) was also a second-time winner, after taking the title in 2018.

First-time winners were Yago Abuladze (RUS: men’s 60 kg), Lasha Shavdatuashvili (GEO: men’s 73 kg), Belgium’s Matthias Casse (men’s 81 kg) and Kageura. Women’s first-time winners included Tsunoda (48 kg), Jessica Klimkait (CAN: 57 kg), Barbara Matic (CRO: 70 kg) and Anna-Maria Wagner (GER: 78 kg).

The Mixed Team event was held on Sunday, with Japan defeating France for the gold, with Brazil and Uzbekistan sharing the bronze medal.

● Karate ● The final Olympic Qualifying Tournament was held in Paris, with the top three in each of the four competition categories for men and women earning a place in Tokyo.

The women’s class winners included Dilara Bozan (TUR) in Kata; Ivet Goranova (BUL) at 55 kg, Btissam Sadini (MAR) at 61 kg; and Swiss Elena Quirici at +61 kg.

The men’s winners were Ariel Torres Gutierrez of the U.S. in Kata (also the 2019 Pan American champion); Eray Samdan (TUR) at 67 kg; Nurkanat Azhikanov (KAZ) at 75 kg; and Tareg Hamedi (KSA) in the +75 kg class.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The UIPM World Championships for 2021 concluded in Cairo (EGY), showing that age is only a limited barrier to success.

Hungary’s Adam Marosi, the 2009 World Champion and now 36, claimed a second title by scoring 1,435 points to edge Russia’s Alexander Lifanov (1,426) and Egypt’s Ahmed Elgendy (1,417) and Ahmed Hamed (1,412).

Marosi was strong in the fencing (second) and riding (second) events and a respectable 11th in swimming, enough to enjoy an insurmountable lead into the Laser Run, where he finished 19th. Same for Lifanov, but El Gendy and Hamed were first and fourth in the Laser Run to rise in the standings from 15th and eighth!

The women’s title went to a familiar star: 2018 World Champion Anastasiya Prokopenko of Belarus – now 35 – who took the lead on the third lap of the Laser Run and posted the fastest time in the final of 11:59.80. Hungary’s Michelle Gulyas started the Laser Run in first place, but had only the 10th-fastest time and was passed by France’s Elodie Clouvel for second.

Prokopenko scored 1,353 points to 1,341 for Clouvel and 1,339 for Gulyas, with German Annika Schleu fourth (1,330). Prokopenko was the fencing and the Laser Run, but overcame 35th place in swimming and 30th in riding.

Russians Alexander Lifanov and Maxim Kuznetsov won the men’s team relay over Korea’s Jun Woongtae and Jinhwa Jung, 1,491-1,486. Belarus scored again in the women’s team relay, with Iryna Prasiantsova and Volha Silkina winning against Russians Gulnaz Gubaydullina and Uliana Batashova, 1,395-1,383.

Marosi led Hungary to the team gold in a tight race with Germany, 4,185-4,183, with Egypt third (4,171).

● Swimming ● The long-awaited U.S. Olympic Trials got underway on Sunday morning in Omaha, Nebraska at the CHI Health Center. Finals will begin at 7 p.m. local time; look for a separate update on this site.

The Australian Olympic Trials are also underway, finishing on the 17th. So far, the meet has already produced fireworks, including three world leaders and a world record:

● Men/400 m Free: 3:42.65, Eli Winnington
● Women/400 m Free: 3:56.90, Ariarne Titmus
● Women/100 m Back: 57.45, Kaylee McKeown (World Record)

McKeown was already the world leader coming in at 57.63, but smashed the 100 m Back world mark of 57.57 set by American Regan Smith at the 2019 World Championships in Korea (on a relay opener).

Titmus’s sensational 3:56.90 is the second-fastest swim of all-time in the women’s 400 m Free, just behind Katie Ledecky’s 3:56.46 from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Still just 20, she famously won the 2019 400 m Free world title over an ill Ledecky in the final 20 m.

Emma McKeon won the women’s 100 m Fly in 55.93 to move to no. 2 on the 2021 world list and Chelsea Hodges took the 100 m Breast in 1:05.99 to sit at no. 6 for this year.

Rio Olympic men’s 100 m Free champion Kyle Chalmers won the 200 m Free in 1:45.48 – no. 7 on the world list – to qualify for Tokyo. The 400 m Free win for Winnington also saw Rio gold medalist Mack Horton finish third, so he will not be able to defend his title. Brendon Smith won the 400 m Medley in 4:10.04 and is now no. 4 in the world for 2021.

● Tennis ● A topsy-turvy edition of the French Open concluded appropriately on Sunday, with Serbia’s Novak Djokovic coming back from two sets down to win his career second title by defeating Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas by 6–7(6–8), 2–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 in the final.

Djokovic, seeded no. 1, defeated four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal (ESP) in the semifinals, in four sets. Swiss star Roger Federer, the 2009 champion, was in line to play Djokovic in the quarterfinals, but had to withdraw from his fourth-round match due to injury.

The women’s division was much wilder, starting with the demand of second-seeded Naomi Osaka (JPN) to skip the mandatory post-match news conferences. She won her first-round match, but then withdrew, citing anxiety. Top-seeded Ash Barty (AUS) won her first-round match and then retired in her next match due to a left hip injury. In fact, none of the top seven seeds reached the quarterfinals.

Unseeded Czech Barbora Krejcikova won the final from Russia’s first-time finalist, 31st-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, in straight sets, 6–1, 2–6, 6–4. It was Krejcikova’s first Grand Slam title, but she made more history by teaming with Katerina Siniakova (CZE) to win the women’s Doubles title over Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) and Iga Swiatek (POL), 6-4, 6-2! Krejcikova became the first since Mary Pierce (FRA) in 2000 to win both the women’s single and doubles at the French Open.

France claimed the men’s Doubles title with Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut defeating Alexander Bublik and Andrey Golubev (KAZ), 4–6, 7–6 (7–1), 6–4, and the Mixed Doubles title went to Desirae Krawczyk (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR) over Russians Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev, 2–6, 6–4, 10–5.

● Volleyball ● The condensed FIVB Nations League continues in sequestered conditions in Rimini (ITA), with Brazil continuing to lead after three of the five weeks of pool play.

The gold medalists at Rio in 2016, Brazil is along after nine games with an 8-1 record, trailed by Poland, France, Slovenia and Serbia, all at 7-2. Iran, Russia and Japan all have 5-4 records and the U.S. is currently in 10th place at 4-5. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals in two weeks.

The FIVB Women’s Nations League is halfway through its fourth of five weeks of play, with the United States continuing undefeated at 11-0.

The American women are not only undefeated, but have a 33-2 won-loss record in sets, having yielded only to one set each to Brazil and Italy. With play continuing in week four matches, Turkey is 9-2, followed by Brazil (8-2 and playing Germany tonight), then The Netherlands and Japan at 8-3 and Russia at 7-4.

● Wrestling ● The Poland Open in Warsaw, a UWW Ranking event, had excellent fields and some good results for the U.S., with one notable exception for a reigning Olympic champion.

The U.S. men’s Freestylers won three titles and had a fourth finalist to lead all teams, with Yianni Diakomihalis defeating Poland’s Eduard Grigorev, 7-4, in the 65 kg final. Joe McKenna won the bronze medal for the U.S. over Vasyl Shuptar (UKR) on criteria after a 0-0 final. Alec Pantaleo won at 70 kg, overcoming fellow American James Green in the final, 5-3. Zahid Valencia won the 86 kg division, defeating Sandro Aminashvili (GEO), 10-0 in the final. Nick Gwiazdowski won silver at 125 kg, losing to Amir Zare (IRI), 6-1, in the final.

In addition to Zare, Iran took two other wins, with Mostafa Hossein defeating Italian vet Frank Chamizo on criteria after a 0-0 tie at 74 kg, and Mohammad Mohammadian at 97 kg, defeating teammate Ali Shabanibengar on criteria after a 1-1 tie.

In Greco-Roman, Uzbekistan, Poland and Iran each won two divisions:

● Islomjon Bakhramov (UZB: 63 kg) and Jalgasbay Berdimuratov (UZB: 82 kg)
● Michal Tracz (POL: 60 kg) and Gevorg Sahakyan (POL: 72 kg)
● Mohammad Saravi (IRI: 97 kg) and Amin Mirzazadeh (IRI: 130 kg)

The American women’s Freestyle squad scored two bronze medals, from Amy Fearnside at 53 kg and for Forrest Molinari at 68 kg, and had three fifth-place finishes their best at 50 kg (Erin Golston), 62 kg (Jennifer Page) and Dymond Guilford (76 kg).

Rio 2016 champion Helen Maroulis, set to compete in Tokyo at 57 kg, won her first match, but was defeated 13-0 by Nigeria’s Odunayo Adekuoroye (Nigeria) and then 8-2 by Ukraine’s Tetyana Kit and was eliminated. Trouble or a bad day at the office?

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THE BIG PICTURE: Salt Lake City Winter Games bid committee hints at proposal coming to LA28 and USOPC to allow a bid for the 2030 Games

By
Rich Perelman
-

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On the same day that Australia’s aggressive bid for the Games of the XXXV Olympiad was endorsed by the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board, Brisbane as the host city for 2032, the Salt Lake City-Utah Commission for the Games was smiling.

They are also well along with a detailed bid to return the Olympic Winter Games to Salt Lake City, Utah, site of the highly-successful 2002 Winter Games which was an athletic, aesthetic and financial success with a $76 million surplus that continues to fund the legacy venues of those Games.

Already the confirmed candidate of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, the sticking point has been about whether to bid for the 2030 Winter Games, or ask for 2034, in view of the 2028 Olympic Games being staged in Los Angeles.

At a Thursday meeting of the Commission’s Strategic Board at the Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah, the question was discussed publicly, and in detail by Fraser Bullock, not only the President and Chief Executive of the Commission, but the Chief Operating Officer of the 2002 Games organizing committee.

Bullock was candid:

“First and foremost, we need to choose 2030 vs. 2034 … that is our threshold issue. …

“It’s really a collaborative process with and between us and the USOPC. We’re in touch with them all the time, it’s like a couple of times a week, where we’re going through these concepts, and the big factors that we’re working through is safeguarding LA 2028. That is number one. They’ve got those Games, we’re fully supportive of them and anything we do needs to be additive to them.

“But then when we go through it, we say ‘OK, what are the big issues of 2030 vs. 2034?’ and one of the biggest ones is just economics. You have back-to-back Games that close together, that are 18 months apart. Is there a way to solve the domestic sponsorship revenue opportunity and challenge there? Are there enough sponsorship dollars to go around?

“So that has been a big part of our focus. We’ve had a lot of Zoom calls, and a lot of analysis, a lot of numbers going back and forth, and we have made significant progress on this that I’m optimistic in the not-too-distant future we can come up with a proposal of which Games edition we will be pursuing.

“And as part of that we looked at sales models, support models, we looked at how important that through all of this, we’ve prioritized our Games legacy. We have in our budget 300 million dollars that we want to leave behind as our Games legacy to build that winter sports capital of the world – or one of them – that we have that opportunity to continue to do that: hosting events and for our venues.”

Bullock was questioned further about the advantages of the two options. For 2030:

“The disadvantage is really just the economics of domestic sponsorship revenue, but we think there’s a strategy to address that. The advantages: number one is when they are 18 months apart, we can actually do some things jointly and we’ve already talked to this in one of our calls with LA 2028, where we said, ‘between assets that you have, whether its bleachers or technology or televisions or different things like that, there are assets that are very significant that we could purchase from them at a discount, that helps them in liquidation.’ There’s a lot of people we could hire from them; if fact, we did that back in 2002, we hired a lot of people from the Sydney Games, and so there’s people assets, there’s physical assets, but then there’s also planning and strategy and collaboration.

“I think NBC would be thrilled to have back-to-back Games because there’s going to be a lot of energy around Games that close together, and it really hasn’t happened before, and we’re in constant dialogue with NBC as well, so there are a lot of positive elements to that as well, and we just have to look at both to see, OK, can we make this work economically because there is a lot of energy around it on the other side.” (emphasis added)

And what about 2034?

“I think the advantages of going for 2034 is there’s more distance for the sponsors and so we can – for the USOPC it’s advantageous for them to have a Games further out … it’s just easier to raise sponsorship dollars around a Games so they can do that for that [quadrennial]. …

“When they look at [2029-32 quadrennial], they say, ‘OK, we can probably raise more money because it’s more distant and we could probably raise a lot of money in the quad intervening between L.A. and ‘34.’ So economically, it could be advantageous.

“On the negative side, our venues are well supported by the [2002] endowment, but the endowment is declining, and over time, it’s going to get smaller and smaller, and can we keep our venues active? It was never intended to go this long, so there is going to be financial hardship on keeping everything alive until 2034. Frankly, the numbers don’t add up. …

“I think the other thing is – very important – back to the athletes. ‘34 is a long time to wait to get Games back here, and if we want to re-energize Team USA in winter sport, I think ‘30 would be a lot stronger for us.”

Bullock noted that the likely competitors for 2030, as known so far, are Sapporo (JPN), Vancouver (CAN) and Barcelona (ESP).

Brett Hopkins, the Chief Financial Officer of the 2002 organizing committee, explained the continuing work being done already on a detailed budget for 2030 and 2034:

“We’ve been working on this for some time; we’re on version 35, if you can believe it. …

“I recognize that when we talk about budgets, you just want to know the number. We don’t have a number; we do have a picture, but it still is a work in process and we’re really focused right now in working with the USOPC to understand … how would it work with LA28 and Utah 2030 from a sponsorship standpoint. So to make sure we get our revenue targets accurate and complete and feasible. And so we’re doing a real deep dive on that process now. …

‘What I can tell you is that on an inflated basis, it will be less than 2002. Yeah, that’s for sure, because we have wonderful facilities like this that we won’t have to rebuild.”

The Strategy Board session was attended by reporters on Zoom, and the level of detail and frankness of Bullock, Hopkins and others was remarkable.

If they can create a financial framework that would not encumber LA28’s domestic sponsorship program – budgeted to bring in $2.5 billion – that would be much more remarkable. Game on!

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LANE ONE: IOC Executive Board recommends Brisbane for 2032, showing the IOC’s path forward for picking future hosts

By
Rich Perelman
-
Australia is now on track to host a third Olympic Games in 2032, with Brisbane recommended to follow Melbourne (1956) and Sydney (2000).

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“The IOC Executive Board has decided to propose Brisbane 2032 for election by the IOC Session Tokyo as the host of the Games of the XXXV Olympiad. In this decision, the Executive Board was following the recommendation of the Future Hosts Commission for the Games of the Olympiad, chaired by IOC member Kristen Kloster Aasen. And now it’s in the hands of the IOC members, who vote on this proposal on 21 of July in Tokyo.

“Brisbane 2032 is the first preferred host under the new approach to elections, which has been approved by the IOC Session in May 2019. This Commission looked in depth at all aspects of Brisbane 2032, the master venue plan, sustainability, feasibility, legacy, and highlighting the impressive public support, as well as the strong support across the entire political spectrum in Australia.”

That was International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER), announcing to reporters that the aggressive bid program by Australia and especially the state of Queensland paid off with a likely selection in July for 2032. It will be the second consecutive time that an Olympic host has been named 11 years in advance of the Games, as Los Angeles for 2028 was agreed in 2017.

Bach was asked why Brisbane was selected so early and his answers outlined the themes that are central to a winning bid in the future:

● “It was about Brisbane and Australia. It was about a sports-loving country, it was about the great support from the public and from all levels of government and across the entire political spectrum, it was a clear of a sustainable and feasible Olympic Games, fully aligned with Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5.

“And all this together, I think, made it somehow irresistible, for the Commission as well as for the Executive Board today. But we are not there yet; it’s in the hands of the IOC members now to vote on the 21st of July.”

● “This [Games] will go according to the development program for the region, which is in place anyway. There, the Games as such are not concerned. This development plan is there, the ‘10+10+’ [legacy concept] was also in Queensland, and the federal development program.

“And this will go its way and by 2032, the Olympic Games can benefit from being aligned with this long-term development plans, and this is exactly what we want with our reforms, that the Games fit into the overall development plans of the host.”

The IOC noted that 84% of the venues proposed for 2032 are extant (nine to be permanently upgraded) or temporary, with six facilities – four arenas, a swimming center, a canoe slalom course, plus the Olympic Village – identified as to be built regardless of the Games.

This is a major change in approach from what the IOC has done in some of its prior selections, handing the Olympic Games to a shaky host in Greece in 1997 (for 2004) and to Brazil in 2009 for the 2016 Games – when its economy was flying high – when both required very substantial construction work to create the sporting venues and the Olympic Village.

Moreover, Bach was determined to see the elimination of elections for multiple reasons. He explained how much better it would be for the Olympic Movement not have to “losers” in bid elections, where millions of dollars of work results in nothing, and which then creates hard feelings toward the IOC. But as President, he also went through the difficult 2022 Winter Games election in 2015, when potential European hosts Krakow (POL), Lviv (UKR), Oslo (NOR) and Stockholm (SWE) all withdrew, leaving only Almaty in Kazakhstan and Beijing. There was hardly wide enthusiasm to go back to China, as the IOC voted only by 44-40 to have Beijing as host.

While the reports concerning the organization of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games have been glowing, the problems of holding a Games – and the legacy of a Games – in a Communist country were demonstrated in 2008 and will again be front-and-center as soon as the Closing Ceremonies in Tokyo end in August.

Bach didn’t want bid losers and doesn’t want a process that forces votes that could result in more hosts in politically-problematic hosts like Beijing. And he has it.

Through a combination of some good luck and the creation of the Future Hosts Commission program in 2019, the naysayers who say the Games has no future have to be cringing at the future hosts line-up:

● 2024 Olympic Games: France (Paris)
● 2028 Olympic Games: United States (Los Angeles)
● 2032 Olympic Games: Australia (Brisbane), if approved

● 2026 Winter Games: Italy (Milan-Cortina)
● 2030 Winter Games: Possibly in Canada, Japan, Spain or U.S.

All are first-world democracies, spread over four continents. And the IOC is taking the Youth Olympic Games – an event it can control with its staff – to Africa (Dakar) in 2026.

Bach was also asked about the 2030 Winter Games, and why nothing has been heard from the Future Hosts Commission for the Winter Games. His explanation further underscores the new approach:

“They are working and are in dialogue with a number of interested parties. I trust that once they have to tell something to the IOC Executive Board, then they will come, and have a look then at the Olympic Winter Games 2030, where we are not in a hurry. We are still nine years ahead of these Winter Games, so it’s work in progress. Let’s see when they will come up with something.

“It’s not a question of urgency, it’s more a question of opportunity. And this is what this new procedure is about. And you also know that – I don’t know whether I should say this – organizing Winter Games is somehow more complex than organizing summer Games because swimming pools, Olympic size, are available almost all across the globe, but there are not so many mountains, where you can organize a downhill. So, some of this needs a closer study and having a look into it, and, you know, it’s diligence before speed.

“We are not in a hurry.”

The opportunity is now for the IOC to put the Olympic and Winter Games where it wants, rather than waiting for candidates to step forward and then be voted on … possibly after its members are bribed, seduced or both.

That multiple possible hosts in Germany, India, Indonesia, Korea, the Netherlands, Qatar and elsewhere were unhappy that Brisbane was selected so soon is a sign that Bach’s new approach is working perfectly. Watch for this to be expanded and for the IOC to work with continental associations and possible bids for Asian Games, African Games, Pan American Games and similar competitions.

Brisbane was all-in early and won. That won’t always be the case, but for the Olympic Games to follow up the mess in Rio in 2016 with hosts in Japan, France, the U.S. and now Australia is a tribute to the enduring attraction of the event and an inventive IOC leader who saw what the future could be and made it happen.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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THE TICKER: Tokyo will be “pretty exciting” even without fans; ‘22 Winter diplomatic boycott gains steam; U.S. men footballers shut down Costa Rica, 4-0

By
Rich Perelman
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The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus/updated/:

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The International Olympic Committee finished the second of three days of its Executive Board meeting, with Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi (SUI) promising a special experience for the competitors, even if attendance is limited or no fans are allowed:

“What we have done is the following. The moment we knew we had no spectators from any countries outside of Japan, we quickly reconvened and said, ‘OK, what does it mean in terms of atmosphere, and you know, this Olympic ambience that we’re all fond of?’

“And we came up with what I consider to be really good responses, and irrespective of whether we have spectators or not, I think we’re going to see one thing: it’s that the outside world will come into the stadium, although digitally.

“Do I prefer to have full stadiums, with all of us shouting. Yeah, but do we have a very good response in case it is not the fact? Absolutely, and what we’re doing will be pretty exciting for everyone. The audience outside, that will be able to contribute inside, but also from the stadium to the outside world, linking the athletes with their families friends, some really stunning pictures that are coming up. So I’m not worried … it’s going to be quite an experience for all of us.”

The IOC confirmed that approximately 8,500 or about 76% of all athletes expected at the Games have now qualified and that 17 sports or disciplines have concluded the qualification process. The entry deadline remains 29 June.

Covid-19 continues to shadow the Tokyo Games, with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga telling the Japanese Diet that more than 40 million vaccine shots will be competed in the country by the end of June and that vaccinations will be completed country-wide by November.

The IOC confirmed that North Korea will not attend the Tokyo Games and that its qualification places will be re-allocated to athletes from other countries.

Australia’s baseball team withdrew from the final Olympic qualifier in Mexico from 22-26 June because it would not have enough time to complete its quarantine in Australia and then compete in the Games. The Dominican Republic, the Netherlands and Venezuela will play for the final spot in the Tokyo tournament.

Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto told reporters that the plan to use GPS to monitor compliance by media and other officials with quarantine restrictions was not intended for real-time monitoring, but to confirm movements if a problem is reported.

There are also ongoing discussions of whether alcoholic beverages will be allowed in the Olympic Village. A decision on whether to allow Japanese spectators to attend the Games is expected about 20 June, with the third edition of the “Playbooks” for athletes, officials and others attending the Games to be published on or about 16 June.

● XXIV Olympic Winter Games: Beijing 2022 ● The verbal tug-of-war between China, the U.S. and other countries over China’s human rights record and the 2022 Winter Games continued this week as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified at a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Monday.

He was questioned by Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pennsylvania) about the U.S. stance on the Games, with Blinken explaining the current status:

“What we’re doing now is consulting with other concerned countries, and trying to make sure we understand their thoughts an perspectives on this, and then, as I said, developing a common approach which will be much more effective than doing something on our own.”

Reschenthaler asked if holding a successful Games, with international approval, would embolden China to do something aggressive, such as invading Taiwan? Blinken:

“Well, we have real concerns about the increased aggression that the government in Beijing has shown toward Taiwan. Whether there is any relationship or not to China hosting the Olympic Games, I couldn’t say. We’re focused on that, irrespective of the Olympics.”

Reschenthaler stated, “[President Joe] Biden has pressured sponsors of the 2020 [sic] Olympic Games to drop their sponsorship due to human rights concerns, so the Administration has actually taken steps on that.” Blinken did not respond to that assertion.

Also on Monday, the South China Morning Post reported that 11 European and North American countries called for a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games in China in reply to the country’s persecution of the Uyghur Muslims and aggressive actions in Hong Kong and threatening actions toward Taiwan.

As expected, the Chinese foreign ministry was irritated, with spokesman Lijian Zhao commenting on Tuesday:

“Politicizing sports is against the spirit of the Olympic Charter, and harms the interests of athletes … as well as the international Olympic cause. Relevant parties should immediately stop their use of the Olympic Games to engage in political manipulation.”

However, on Tuesday, the Indian Olympic Association announced that its Tokyo 2020 team would not be wearing apparel provided under sponsorship by the Li Ning sportswear company after receiving substantial public criticism. The team will wear “unbranded” apparel at the Games amid continuing tensions between Chinese and Indian military units.

Said IOA chief Narinder Batra in a statement, “We would like our athletes to be able to train and compete without having to answer questions about the apparel brand. As it is, they have all been challenged by the pandemic over the past year and a quarter and we want them to be not distracted.”

● Olympic Winter Games: future ● The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games announced a leadership change on Wednesday, with four-time speed skating Olympian Catherine Raney Norman assuming the role of Chair.

She replaces founding Chair Cindy Crane, who served as the head of the bid effort from its formation in February 2020. Raney Norman moves up from being the co-Chair of the bid committee’s Athletes Advisory Committee.

The Governing Board was expanded with the addition of four new members, including three athlete representatives, including Winter Olympic gold medalists Lindsey Vonn (skiing) and Apolo Ohno (short track).

The larger Strategic Board added seven additional athlete representatives, including figure skating World Champion Nathan Chen, Olympic gold medalists Meghan Duggan (ice hockey), Bill Demong (nordic combined) and Ted Ligety (skiing), Olympic luge medalist Chris Mazdzer and two Winter Paralympics gold medalists, Oksana Masters (biathlon and cross country) and Noah Elliott (snowboard).

Each of the bid committee boards now has 25% or more athlete representation.

The Salt Lake City bid for a Winter Games has been approved by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, but not for a specific Games as yet. It could compete for the 2030 Winter Games – the next available – but this could interfere with the marketing efforts of Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic Games. Asked whether any discussions had taken place on this topic with the LA28 organizers, Committee President and Chief Executive Fraser Bullock indicated that the group’s primary working relationship is with the USOPC, although some informal exchanges of information had been made with LA28.

More discussion of a 2030 bid vs. a very strong 2034 bid are to be discussed in a Thursday meeting of the Strategic Board.

● Athletics ● The NCAA Championships opened in Eugene, Oregon on Wednesday with rainy conditions holding down the marks during the men’s qualifying day, but with five field-event finals and the 10,000 m final.

The top mark may have been LSU long jumper JuVaughn Harrison, who rode a just-allowable +1.9 m/s wind in round two to 8.27 m (27-1 3/4) for the victory. He also jumped 8.19 m (26-10 1/2) in the first round.

The most interesting race was in the men’s 200 m semifinals, where Florida freshman Joseph Fahnbulleh (USA) got a bad start, but then roared down the straight to equal his lifetime best at 20.05, the fastest time of the day! If he gets a reasonable start, he could challenge world leader Terrance Laird of LSU (USA: 19.81), who won his heat in 20.14.

Britain’s Patrick Dever, running for Tulsa, sprinted past everyone on the inside of the final straightaway to win the 10,000 m in 27:41.87, breaking a 42-year-old meet record by Tanzanian great Suleiman Nyambui of UTEP (28:01.30) from 1979!

The next edition of the Wanda Diamond League comes Thursday (10th) in Florence for the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea. The fields are excellent; the live results are here. The meet will be shown live on NBCSN at 2 p.m. Eastern time.

The World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Meeting de Marseille in France on Wednesday featured a lifetime best by Abel Kipsang (KEN) in the men’s 1,500 m, winning in 3:32.68 and moving to no. 8 on the 2021 world list, ahead of strong runs by Elliot Giles (GBR: 3:33.80) and Ignacio Fontes (ESP: 3:33.84). Fellow Kenyan Collins Kipruto won the 800 m in 1:43.95, now no. 3 on the 2021 world list, followed by Benjamin Robert (FRA) in 1:44.53.

Britain’s Jemma Reekie ran away with the women’s 800 m in 1:58.41, her second-best performance ever, behind only her 1:58.27 run at Mt. SAC in May. She remains at no. 5 on the 2021 world list with that mark.

● Cycling ● Stage 4 of the Tour de Suisse was a 171 km romp on a hilly course until a significant climb to the finish in Gstaad. The home favorite, Stefan Bissegger, won the race in 3:46:21, out-sprinting Benjamin Thomas (FRA) and American Joey Rosskopf to the line.

Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel continues as the overall leader, one second up on France’s Julian Alaphilippe and four seconds up on Swiss Stefan Kung.

● Football ● The U.S. men’s National Team concluded its three-game test in seven days with a convincing 4-0 shutout of Costa Rica in a friendly in Sandy, Utah.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter started almost a completely different line-up that the one in the CONCACAF Nations League final against Mexico on Sunday, with only defenders Mark McKenzie and Tim Ream repeating.

No matter; the U.S. got on the scoreboard quickly with Brenden Aaronson scoring in the eighth minute for a 1-0 lead. While the U.S. dominated the game, it took until the 42nd minute for Daryl Dike to make it 2-0, in a half where the Americans had 72% of the possession.

More of the same in the second half, as Reggie Cannon scored in the 52nd minute and Gio Reyna converted a penalty in the 77th minute for the 4-0 final. Dike and Cannon both scored their first goals for the U.S.

Brazil’s Supreme Court agreed to hear an emergency appeal on Thursday against the country hosting the Copa America, set to begin on Sunday. Brazil’s Covid infection rate is high and prior co-hosts Colombia and Argentina both renounced the tournament due to Covid concerns; Brazil volunteered to host the event last week, to be held without spectators.

The appeal was made by the national metalworkers union (CNTM) and the Brazilian Socialist Party, with other appeals filed in other courts.

The fallout from the European Super League collapse continues, with the English Premier League agreeing with the breakaway clubs Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur on fines of about £20 million each and a penalty of 30 points in the standings if they join an unsanctioned program in the future.

Meanwhile, the European Football Union (UEFA) has suspended its sanctions process on the three unrepentant clubs – FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus – as a Spanish court ruled in April they FIFA and UEFA could not impose sanctions.

A UEFA statement included: “UEFA understands why the disciplinary proceedings needed to be suspended for the time being, but remains confident in and will continue to defend its position in all the relevant jurisdictions.”

● Judo ● The IJF World Championships continued in Budapest (HUN) in the middle weights, with Belgium’s Matthias Casse winning the men’s 81 kg final over Georgia’s Tato Grigalashvili. Casse moved up from silver-medal status in 2019; Grigalashvili won the 2020 European Championships at this weight, but took his first Worlds medal this year.

The women’s 63 kg class was the fifth Worlds gold for French star Clarissa Agbegnenou, who won her fourth consecutive world title over Slovenia’s Andreja Leski, also her first career Worlds medal. The competition continues through the weekend.

● Skateboarding ● “Olympic Statman” Hillary Evans (GBR) noted on Twitter that the average age of the British women’s skateboarding team in Tokyo will be 13: Sky Brown is 12 and Bombette Martin is 14.

Wow. Well, the IOC wants to appeal to youth …

(Update: Thanks to sharp-eyed reader Brian Springer for noting a missing word in the Athletics section above!)

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HEARD AT HALFTIME: IOC names Refugee team; U.S. IOC member Randall resigns; NBC to show 7,000 hours of Tokyo coverage

By
Rich Perelman
-

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News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

★ BULLETIN ★ Ethiopia’s Letsenbet Gidey smashed Dutch star Sifan Hassan’s two-day-old women’s 10,000 m world record by winning the Ethiopian Olympic Trials in 29:01.03 in Hengelo (NED). Gidey ran on the same track as Hassan and finished more than a minute up on second-place Tsigie Gebreselama (30:06.01).

Gidey, 23, had pacing help from the Wavelight system of flashing lights around the track and said afterwards, “I expected to run a world record.” And there was a lot more.

Unknown Werkwuha Getachew won the women’s 800 in a world-leading 1:56.67; Freweyni Hailu won the women’s 1,500 m in a world-leading 3:57.33 and Gudaf Tsegay won the women’s 5,000 in a world-leading 14:13.32, the no. 5 performer and performance in history. Men’s Steeple star Getnet Wale won the men’s 5,000 m in a world-leading 12:53.28 and Selemon Barega won the men’s 10,000 m in a world-leading 26:49.51, with Yomif Kejelcha second in 26:49.73. Wow!

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The International Olympic Committee’s second Refugee Olympic Team was named on Tuesday, confirmed by the IOC Executive Board during the first of a three-day online meeting.

The team includes 29 athletes, with 19 men and 10 women, competing across 12 sports, from 13 host National Olympic Committees. The originating countries from which these athletes have fled include Syria (9), South Sudan (4), Sudan (1), Iran (5), Eritrea (2), Congo (1), Democratic Republic of Congo (1), Venezuela (1), Afghanistan (3), Iraq (1) and Cameroon (1). Seven of the athletes will compete in athletics and six in judo.

The IOC support program for the Games includes assembly “at the Aspire Academy in Doha (Qatar) on 12 and 13 July for their Welcome Experience, before flying to Japan on 14 July. During the Games, the team will be hosted by Waseda University, which will provide accommodation and training facilities, before the athletes move to the Olympic Village for their respective competitions.”

This is almost triple the size of the 10-athlete team for Rio in 2016 and the IOC intends to continue expanding the program, also bringing sports programming directly to refugees worldwide in the coming years.

The United States lost an IOC member on Tuesday when Kikkan Randall’s resignation was accepted by the Executive Board.

Randall, a gold medalist with Jessie Diggins in the Cross Country Team Sprint at the 2018 Winter Games, was elected in PyeongChang as an athlete representative for an eight-year term into 2026. In her resignation letter to IOC President Thomas Bach (GER), she noted “unfortunate and unforeseen personal circumstances have made it difficult for me to contribute the energy and attention necessary to fulfill my IOC role at a level consistent with my values. I wish you and the IOC all the best in continuing to inmspire the world through the positive values of Olympism.”

Randall is a breast cancer survivor and asked to remain a member of the IOC’s Sustainability and Legacy Commission.

This leaves the U.S. with two IOC members: the long-serving Anita DeFrantz, the IOC’s First Vice President, and David Haggerty, the head of the International Tennis Federation. Randall’s replacement as an athlete member of the IOC will be discussed by the Executive Board on Thursday.

NBC announced its massive coverage program for Tokyo, with 7,000 hours available across a variety of networks and online. Coverage will include:

● 250 hours on NBC;

● 1,306 hours on cable, including USA Network (388.5 hours), CNBC (124.5), NBCSN (440), NBC’s Olympic Channel (242) and Golf Channel (111);

● 5,500+ hours online on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app;

● 300 hours on Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Universo.

Programming will begin two days before the Opening Ceremony with the USA-Sweden women’s football match on USA Network, at 4 a.m. Eastern time.

For more details on NBC’s coverage, including multiple announcements on its announcers, click here.

The Tokyo 2020 organizers refuted a report from the Financial Times that its sponsors had asked to have the Games postponed against until September or October.

“There is no such demand,” said the organizing committee in a statement last Saturday.

The NHK broadcast network reported Sunday that 3,500 city volunteers – assisting as city guides for the Games – have withdrawn from their positions in nine prefectures. This is out of a total of 40,000 volunteers who signed up for the positions.

On Tuesday, Japan Olympics Minister Tamayo Marukawa told reporters that the government is considering vaccinating all 70,000 members of the volunteer work force as a further measure against the coronavirus.

Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto also noted that news media entering Japan for the Games will be tracked by “GPS and other means” during their 14-day quarantine period to ensure they do not go anywhere not on their submitted agenda. Media will be required to stay in one of about 150 hotels authorized by the organizing committee and not in private accommodations or with friends.

● Games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Los Angeles 2028 ● Significant financial issues are facing the famed Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California, as disclosed at an informational meeting of the Pasadena City Council on Tuesday (8th).

A presentation by consultants CAAIcon noted that due to the pandemic, the Rose Bowl Operating Company suffered a loss of $3.13 million for fiscal year 2020 on revenues of just $7.82 million due to the lack of events and a ban on spectators. This is being covered by operating reserves, but the future is ominous.

Looking forward, the financial modeling assumes that the City will pick up $9.3 million of the debt payments in 2021 from the bonds sold to finance the $231.7 million renovation of the stadium in 2014, but even so, a loss of $3.33 million is projected for fiscal year 2022, and are projected – due to the debt service – through fiscal year 2026 and beyond.

This is despite increasing revenues, and the total projected losses grow to $5.44 million in fiscal year 2023 to $6.49 million-$6.76 million-$8.65 million through fiscal year 2026.

The Rose Bowl’s situation is further complicated by the opening of the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and the newly-renovated Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in downtown Los Angeles. The Rose Bowl’s future will depend on attracting more large-attendance events within its 15-event envelope agreed with the surrounding community.

The biggest help would be a revival of UCLA’s football fortunes; the projections assume paying attendance of only 22,000 a game for the 2021 season and then averages of just 35,000-35,000-40,000-35,000 through the 2025 schedule.

The Rose Bowl is targeted as a major venue for football matches for the 2028 Olympic Games.

● Games of the XXXV Olympiad: 2032 ● With the IOC Executive Board scheduled to meet from Tuesday through Thursday of this week, it is possible that the Future Host Commission could recommend that the Brisbane 2032 candidature be accepted by the Executive Board, to be confirmed by the IOC Session in Tokyo.

The Future Host Commission report is scheduled for Thursday, and the group has been working with the Brisbane bid group, led by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

IOC Vice President John Coates (AUS) said last month, “If this diligence yields a positive final report, the proposal to host the Games in 2032 will go to a vote of the full IOC membership.”

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● The Russian news agency TASS reported that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency has received a detailed plan from the World Anti-Doping Agency on the steps necessary to be considered compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code at the end of its two-year sanctions period.

The plan is designed to be active by 16 December 2022, at which point RUSADA could be free of sanctions. According to RUSADA’s acting director Mikhail Bukhanov, “The plan’s goal is to carefully monitor RUSADA in the two-year period to confirm with maximum certainty that RUSADA is following the conditions of reinstatement in accordance with the [Court of Arbitration for Sport] ruling and international standards.”

● Aquatics ● Kuwait’s Husain Al Musallam ran unopposed and was elected as the President of the International Federation for aquatic sports, FINA. In acceptance remarks, he told the delegates at the FINA Congress in Doha (QAT) and online:

“I am proud that FINA is the first International Federation to introduce a by-law that protects athletes’ rights. I am proud that 16 members of the new FINA Bureau are athletes who have competed in the Olympic Games, World or Continental Championships. I am proud that for the first time the FINA Executive has a female Vice-President, a great diving champion. Starting at the next year’s World Championships in Fukuoka, 20 active athletes will be elected to the Athletes Committee by the athletes themselves.”

There were 119 delegations in attendance in Doha and another 102 watching online; Al Musallam was elected by 302-7 and moved up from being First Vice President.

The 28-member FINA Bureau was also elected for 2021-25, including American Dale Neuburger as Treasurer, and Bill Hybl of the U.S. was elected as a member of the independent FINA Ethics Commission.

A short meeting of the Bureau included decisions to raise total prize money paid from FINA competitions to $2.4 million in 2021, creation of a Reform Committee, a memorandum of understanding with four universities to create programs for FINA athletes and formal procedures for Athlete Committee elections to take place in 2022.

Al Musallam also nominated American Brent Nowicki as the federation’s new Executive Director. Nowicki comes from eight years as an attorney in the anti-doping division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, a remarkable appointment for a federation which has been accused of lax doping oversight in the past. Strategically, it’s a good early move for FINA to show a new path forward.

The U.S. Olympic Trials in diving are underway in Indianapolis, with preliminaries and semifinals continuing through the week. Finals begin on Thursday (10th) and run through Sunday (13th).

The U.S. Olympic Trials in swimming begin on Sunday in Omaha, and will continue through the 20th (the following Sunday).

On Tuesday, the latest attempt to create a swimmer’s union was unveiled: the International Swimmers Alliance. Its stated goal is to “to improve personal and economic opportunities for all swimmers by elevating swimming into the era of modern sports.”

Its core team are familiar swimming stars – all Olympic gold medalists – who have been advocating for more money and attention for years: Chad LeClos (South Africa), Katinka Hosszu (Hungary), Ranomi Kromowidjojo (Netherlands) and American Matt Biondi, who serves as the Board Chair. Three other Board members were listed, including Tom Shields and Lia Neal of he U.S. and Brent Hayden (CAN). Three Board members were not listed (why?); the Web site states that 120 swimmers from 31 countries are involved.

Also: “All swimming members have either a top 20 individual [long-course meters] world ranking or are under contract with an [International Swimming League] team.”

Comment: The timing of the announcement is hardly coincidental, coming just after the FINA elections over the weekend. But the new FINA leadership has indicated interest in doing more with and for athletes and if the “Alliance” actually does represent the interests of most of the world’s elite swimmers – meaning it could meaningfully negotiate on their behalf – it could be a breakthrough moment for the sport.

In fact, the ultimate loser in all of this, after the FINA elections and formation of this new athlete group, could be the International Swimming League itself!

● Athletics ● At the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku (FIN), Ireland’s Thomas Barr signaled his intention to be a factor in the men’s 400 m hurdles in Tokyo, willing in 48.39, moving him to no. 5 on the world list for 2021. He was fourth in the event in Rio in 2016. He said afterwards:

“Normally I’m still only warming up at this time of year. Considering how compressed this season was, I didn’t have much room for error so I’m back on the horse just in time. Since Rio the 400m hurdles has gotten a lot harder, but in an Olympic final, or in any major championship final, anything can happen, so if I’m there or thereabouts, I’ll be ready to mop up the spillage.”

Kenya’s Cornelius Tuwei ran a season’s best of 1:44.42 to move to no. 5 on the world 800 m list for 2021, with Kenyans now in positions 1-2-5-6. Poland’s Wojciech Nowicki, the three-time Worlds bronze medalist in the men’s hammer, improved his seasonal best to 80.77 m (265-0) to move to no. 3 in the world this year.

France’s Morhad Amdouni won the European 10,000 m Cup in Birmingham (GBR) last Saturday, but the local headlines were about the eighth-place finish of British Olympic icon  Mo Farah in 27:50.64.

The time is short of the Olympic qualifying standard of 27:28.00 and Farah, the defending Olympic champion, needs to not only find another race to get the standard, but has to get over a series of injuries to show fitness. Qualifying marks must be made on or before 29 June.

Reigning Olympic women’s 100 m hurdles champ Brianna McNeal of the U.S. was handed a suspension of five years from 15 August 2020 by the Athletics Integrity Unit for “Tampering with any part of Doping Control” on 21 April, but not announced until 4 June.

McNeal immediately filed her notice of appeal and will be allowed to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials while the appeal is ongoing. This is once again a “whereabouts” case where McNeal is alleged to have missed three tests within a 12-month period.

She posted on her Instagram account in February, on the announcement of her provisional suspension, “As far as my situation goes, I am still me! very clean, very honest and transparent. Once all of this blows over I will provide more details of what’s actually going on. The system is pretty messed up if you ask me but that’s another topic for another day.”

World Athletics announced the approval of 35 additional Russian athletes to compete internationally as “Authorized Neutral Athletes,” bringing the total to 62. Four applications have been rejected.

The limit of 10 Russian athletes in the Tokyo Games continues in force.

An obituary notice for 1948 Olympic 110 m hurdles bronze medalist Craig Dixon was published this past weekend in the Los Angeles Times, noting that he died at age 94 on 25 February 2021.

Born in Los Angeles in 1926, Dixon was a star hurdler from his prep days at University High School, where he was City champion – and “intimidated” sitting in class next to Norma Jean Baker, later known as Marilyn Monroe – then at UCLA, where he won the 120-yard and 220-yard hurdles at the 1949 NCAA Championships, in the midst of a 59-race win streak.

He was part of a U.S. sweep at the London Games in 1948, behind Bill Porter (13.8) and Clyde Scott (14.1). He tried again for the 1952 Games, but fell in the final of the Olympic Trials.

Dixon became a coach, returning to UCLA to assist then-coach Ducky Drake, then went on to a very successful career in industrial publishing, finally retiring in 2004. He was much beloved at UCLA, where he was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985.

● Cycling ● Just as the Criterium du Dauphine concluded in France, the 85th Tour de Suisse – another warm-up for the Tour de France – got underway on Sunday. The eight-stage event will finish on Sunday and so far is a showcase for Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel.

After Swiss riders Stefan Kung and Stefan Bissegger went 1-2 in the opening 10.9 km time trial, van der Poel won the hilly, 178 km second stage by one second over Germany’s Maximilian Schachmann and by four seconds over seven more riders.

Van der Poel then triumphed again on Tuesday, winning a mass sprint at the end of another hilly, 182 km stage, crossing the line ahead of France’s Christophe Laporte and Julian Alaphilippe.

Heading into Wednesday’s uphill route from Sankt Urban to Gstaad, van der Poel holds a skinny one-second lead on Alaphilippe and four seconds on Kung; the top 18 riders are within 59 seconds of each other.

Giro d’Italia winner Egan Bernal (COL) didn’t get to take the trophy back home just yet, as he was diagnosed with Covid-19 last Friday (4th). He will have to quarantine in Monaco – his European base – for a couple of weeks before returning home.

American Hannah Roberts is once again the BMX Freestyle World Champion, defending her title at the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in Montpelier (FRA) on Monday.

She won her third world title by scoring 91.90 on her first run, good enough to out-score Swiss Nikita Ducarroz (90.30) and Charlotte Worthington (GBR: 88.90). Americans Perris Benegas (85.80), Chelsea Wolfe (80.00) and Angie Marino (78.10) went 4-5-6. It was the second bronze in a row for Worthington, also in 2019.

In the men’s division, Australia’s Logan Martin used a great first run to out-last American Daniel Sandoval, 94.70-92.96 in the final. Marin Rantis (CRO) was third at 90.90, ahead of Americans Justin Dowell (89.56) and Nick Bruce (89.42). Martin moved up from second at the 2019 Urban Worlds to grab the gold this time, his second world title after 2017.

● Football ● Now it’s uniforms that are being protested, as Russia filed a protest against the UEFA-approved uniforms for Ukraine for the upcoming European Championships. According to the TASS news service:

“The Ukrainian national team’s uniforms for the upcoming championship feature slogans chanted by Ukrainian nationalists, namely: ‘Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!’ The uniforms also demonstrate a blurred image outlining Ukraine’s state borders, which include the territories in Donbass and also the territory of Russia’s Crimea.”

Russia, of course, invaded and then annexed the Crimean Peninsula – which had been Ukrainian territory – in 2014 and the action has been the subject of international condemnation ever since. FIFA indicated that the decision on appropriate uniforms was up to the tournament organizer (UEFA).

Russia is in Group B and Ukraine in Group C for the tournament which begins 11 June.

The CONCACAF Nations League Final between the U.S. and Mexico was noteworthy for multiple reasons, not only for the 3-2 win in extra time by the U.S. Men’s National Team.

Spectators were out in force, although capacity was restricted due to the coronavirus. The official attendance was 37,648 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado.

Unfortunately, the game was marred by fans throwing plastic beverage cups at players, with American Gio Reyna being hit in the face by one cup and Mexican striker Henry Martin suffering a hit from another fan.

Play was also stopped for about two minutes in extra time due to the use of a banned, anti-gay chant by some Mexican fans. CONCACAF has specifically banned the chant and immediately condemned it on the scoreboard and public address system as part of its anti-racist programming.

The lesson? It’s great to have fans in the stands once again, but given incidents of fan violence at NBA games and now in soccer, security will have to ramp up as well.

● Gymnastics ● The USA Gymnastics National Championships showcased the great Simone Biles once again, and drew a reasonable audience on NBC.

Sunday’s women’s finals session drew a 0.4 Nielsen rating in the 18-49 demographic and about 1,932,000 total viewers in its 7-9 p.m. Eastern time slot. It was well behind CBS’s 60 Minutes and Kennedy Center Honors (6.68 + 5.05 million viewers) and America’s Funniest Home Videos and Celebrity Family Feud on ABC (4.45 + 5.46 million viewers).

Japan’s Kohei Uchimura, the 2012 and 2016 men’s Olympic All-Around champ, qualified for the Tokyo Games on the High Bar (only) last weekend at the Japanese national apparatus championships. He finished second, but had the most qualification points, despite a mistake in the finals. Uchimura, now 32, has struggled with injuries after winning in Rio.

● Judo ● The IJF World Championships are rolling in Budapest (HUN), with 664 judoka in action from 118 nations and Japan already dominating the competition.

A heavy program of controls against the coronavirus, including testing, has been implemented, with the competitors sequestered in hotels. But that has not stopped the Japanese.

Joshiro Maruyama defended his 2019 title in the men’s 66 kg final over Italy’s Manuel Lombardo and Natsumi Tsunoda led a 1-2 Japanese finish in the women’s 48 kg class, defeating Wakana Koga in the final. In the women’s 52 kg class, Ai Shishime was the winner, regaining the world title she won at this weight in 2017, this time against Ana Perez Box (ESP).

Yago Abuladze (RUS) won the men’s 60 kg division over Kazak Gusman Kyrgyzbayev, and Georgia’s 2012 Olympic champ Lasha Shavdatuashvili won his second world title – also in 2013 – over Swede Tommy Macias at 66 kg.

Canada won its second straight gold in the women’s 57 kg class, this time by Jessica Klimkait, who defeated Japan’s Momo Tamaoki in the final. Christa Deguchi had won the class in 2019.

The competition continues through Sunday. The event has €800,000 in total prize money, with €26,000 to the winners, €15,000 for the silver medalists and €8,000 for each bronze medalist. Another €200,000 in prize money is available for the Mixed Team event, with €90,000-€60,000-€25,000 for both bronze-medal teams.

● Skiing ● The Federation Internationale de Ski selected new leadership last Friday, with Head sports apparel company chief executive Johan Eliasch winning on the first ballot. Per the announcement:

“He earned 54.82 percent of the vote with 65 votes. Behind him was Urs Lehmann (SUI) with 26 votes (21.85%) followed by Sarah Lewis (BEL) with 15 votes (12.61%) and Mats Arjes (SWE) 13 votes (10.92%).”

He announced on Tuesday that he was resigning as Head chief executive, effective immediately, in order to concentrate on his new responsibilities as well as eliminate the obvious conflict of interest. His time at Head was marked by a significant turnaround of the company’s products, sales and profits; he promised to bring the same abilities to the FIS if elected.

● Triathlon ● Britain’s Alistair Brownlee, the two-time Olympic champion from 2012-16, was disqualified at last Sunday’s World Triathlon Series in Leeds (GBR) after pushing Chase McQueen (USA) underwater during the swim.

Brownlee said the push was accidental, but confirmed that he will skip Tokyo and not defend his titles. He tweeted that he will have needed ankle surgery and “then long distance triathlon in the future.”

● At the BuZZer ● The FIS made another splash last week, announcing an agreement to include ski jumping in the 2023 European Games, a summer event! The announcement noted:

“Although traditionally a winter sport, the International Ski Federation (FIS) already organises a Ski Jumping Summer Grand Prix and the addition of the European Games into the calendar will be a great opportunity for the best European ski jumpers to show off their sport to new audiences.”

The venue will be at the familiar jumping venue at Zakopane, Poland, with an artificial surface used instead of snow. The summer Grand Prix has been a part of the FIS program since 1994 and Poland is one of the top jumping nations in the world, so the attraction to see local stars could make this a surprise highlight of the summer European Games in two years.

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