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PANORAMA: Bach confident in Coventry as IOC chief; U.S. 800 star Murphy retires; Bird takes over U.S. women’s team; Giro d’Italia is here!

By
Rich Perelman
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Can Slovenia's Primoz Roglic win a second Giro d'Italia?

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● Seven people were found guilty of online abuse toward Olympic ceremonies director Thomas Jolly (FRA) and received suspended jail sentences, but were also fined up to €3,000 (~$3,369 U.S.).

The Monday verdicts followed a complaint made by Jolly shortly after the controversial opening ceremony, with the parade of nations held on the Seine River in Paris. All were also required to pay €1 to Jolly and to enroll in a five-day “civic training programme.”

A similar abuse case involving disc jockey and lesbian activist Barbara Butch (FRA) and five alleged abusers is to be heard in September.

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The Hellenic Olympic Committee announced that the torch relay for the 2026 Winter Games will begin on 26 November 2025 at ancient Olympia.

The lighting will be followed by a relay in Greece to 4 December, a nine-day route which will cover 1,367 miles and have 36 ceremonial stops, using 450 torchbearers, before the handover to the Italian 2026 Games organizers.

● Olympic Games: Future ● International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) told Japan’s Kyodo News Service that a bid for a future Olympic Games will be welcomed by the IOC “if we can be sure on the IOC side that these Japanese business practices, this kind of corruption, is over and has been addressed.”

He was referencing two Tokyo 2020 scandals, of rigged bids for test events and venue management, and of a bribery program to assure selections as sponsors. Bach added:

“We understand what happened there within Japan because of the business practices of some Japanese business people…We also hope that this leads to a clarification and adaptation of Japanese business practices.”

Bach also praised incoming IOC President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM):

“I know that she has this very clear compass of the Olympic values. She has been elected because she has the professional and the human qualities to be a very good president of the IOC and lead the Olympic movement in an even better future.”

“Therefore, I’m really very at ease and very, very confident.”

● Athletics ● U.S. 800 m star Clayton Murphy is done, posting on Instagram on Wednesday:

“Today, I’m officially retiring from professional track and field.

“I poured everything I had into this sport, and I’m walking away with pride, gratitude, and a heart full of memories.

“A decade on the global stage is more than most pros will ever get to experience and I’m so grateful for what every year has taught me.”

Murphy, now 30, won an Olympic men’s 800 m bronze in Rio in 2016, after taking the Pan American Games 800 gold in 2015 and then made the final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. He finished with brilliant lifetime bests of 1:42.93 for 800 m (2016), 3:36.23 in the 1,500 m (2016) and 3:51.99 in the mile (2017). He’s no. 5 on the all-time U.S. 800 m list.

● Basketball ● Five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird has been named USA Basketball’s first-ever Managing Director of the women’s National Team.

She retired in 2022, and USA Basketball explained:

“In this next chapter, it will mean assembling the U.S. Women’s National Team roster and coaching staff for international competitions, including the 2026 FIBA World Cup and the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.”

● Cycling ● The first of the annual Grand Tours, the 108th Giro d’Italia, will begin on Friday in Durres (ALB) and finish on 1 June in Rome. The 3,413 km route (2,121 miles) will include:

● 2 Individual Time Trials (stages 2, 10)
● 4 flat stages (4, 12, 14, 21)
● 8 hilly stages (1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 18)
● 7 mountain stages (7, 11, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)

The 2025 route is especially challenging with four of the mountain stages in the final six days of the race. The first three stages will be in Albania; the final stage on 1 June will begin at the Vatican Gardens as a tribute to the late Pope Francis.

The race favorite is Slovenian star Primoz Roglic, the 2023 champion, who was also third in 2019. Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz won this race in 2019 and Spain’s Mikel Landa was third in 2017 and in 2022. Expect to hear a lot from sprint stars Mads Pedersen (DEN) and Wout van Aert (BEL).

● Fencing ● Former U.S. Olympic Sabre fencer and one-time Chair of USA Fencing, Ivan Lee, was sanctioned by two New York courts over sex offenses committed against a female fencer in 2023.

Now 44, he pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts in Kings County, New York and saw one count for forcible touching vacated after he completed a court-ordered treatment program. The guilty plea to the second count of harassment in the second degree, which is a non-criminal offense, remains in force.

In the Nassau County case, Lee was sentenced to six years probation and must undertake a program for sex offenders after pleading guilty to one count of sexual abuse in the third degree and one count of forcible touching.

Lee was a two-time NCAA champion in Sabre, 2003 Pan American Games gold medalist and a 2004 Olympian in Sabre. He was elected as USA Fencing Chair in September 2023, but suspended in December 2023 when abuse allegations surfaced. He was arrested in Kings County in February 2024 and Nassau County in March 2024, after having been banned by the U.S. Center for SafeSport on 31 January 2024.

● Football ● During the White House Task Force meeting for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told attendees and reporters that while fans are welcome, immigration controls will be enforced:

“I think that you will see the very best of the United States of America, both in athletic competition, but also in hospitality. Something our boss knows quite a bit about, so we are excited to have you.

“We are excited for this event, and we will do everything at the government level to make this thing as successful as we can, and I will say before I turn it over to the next speaker, that of course, everybody is welcome to come and see this incredible event.

“I know we will have visitors, probably from close to 100 countries. We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the games. But when the time is up, they’ll have to go home. Otherwise, they’ll have to talk to Secretary [of Homeland Security Kristi] Noem, who I will turn it over to now.”

At the same event, FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) noted that Russia continues to be banned from international competition – including the World Cup – but added:

“We hope. We hope that something happens, and that peace will happen and then Russia can be re-admitted. So, that it what we hope.”

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been talking about trying to help end the Russian war against Ukraine, but did not know about the current ban, followed:

“That is possible. Hey, that could be a good incentive, right? We want to get them to stop. We want them to stop. … 5,000 young people a week are being killed; it’s not even believable.

“They are Russian soldiers and Ukrainian soldiers, mostly. Also people in towns, every once, every two weeks. Horrible things are going on over there. So we are going to get that war stopped, OK?”

The UEFA qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup have started, but will go on for months; Russia is not playing in any qualifiers due to its continuing ban. Ukraine is in Group D and will play its first match on 5 September.

● Gymnastics ● The summary of the FIG Executive Committee meeting in Malta on 7-8 May included a note indicating a name change looks to be coming to the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique:

“Branding, Marketing and TV Rights Commission: the EC agreed on the next steps of the rebranding project and approved the new master logo for World Gymnastics, which will be revealed in due course.”

No further information was provided, or any indication of a timetable.

● Weightlifting ● The International Weightlifting Federation made a change to the men’s weight classes due to the smaller number of classes to be available for Olympic competition in 2028:

“Following the recent decision of the IOC to include five (5) Women’s and five (5) Men’s Bodyweight Categories for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028, the Men’s 98kg BW Category has been adjusted to 94kg. This change is intended to prevent significant gaps between the (soon to be selected) five (5) Olympic Men’s Bodyweight Categories.

“With this adjustment, the five (5) categories will be more evenly distributed, ensuring a fairer and safer qualification for all athletes for LA28.”

The men’s classes for IWF championships now include 60 kg, 65 kg, 71 kg, 79 kg, 88 kg, 94 kg, 110 kg, +110 kg. The women’s classes are unchanged: 48 kg, 53 kg, 58 kg, 63 kg, 69 kg, 77 kg, 86 kg, +86 kg.

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MEMORABILIA: Ingrid O’Neil’s Auction 98 now open, with unique 1972 Winter Games badge collection starting at $240,000!

By
Rich Perelman
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Amazing complete set of Sapporo 1972 Winter Olympic badges, on action by Ingrid O’Neil (Photo: Ingrid O’Neil Auctions).

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≡ AUCTION 98 ≡

Ingrid O’Neil’s Auction 98 of unique Olympic and Olympic-sport memorabilia is now open and available for bidding, with 401 lots spanning the entire history of the modern Olympic Movement, from the first Games in Athens in 1896 to today.

As usual, most of the star attractions are Olympic medals and torches, but with a surprise item with the highest starting bid this time:

● $240,000: 1964 Sapporo Olympic Winter badge collection
● $180,000: 1968 Grenoble Olympic Winter torch
● $75,000: 1896 Athens Olympic winner’s medal, with case
● $55,000: 1992 Albertville Olympic Winter torch
● $45,000: 2012 London Olympic gold medal
● $35,000: 1896 Athens Olympic silver medal
● $35,000: 2012 London Olympic silver medal
● $30,000: 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medal, and pin
● $30,000: 2024 Paris Olympic bronze medal, with case
● $26,000: 1976 Montreal Olympic silver medal, with case

● $26,000: 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter gold medal, with case
● $25,000: 2012 London Olympic bronze medal
● $24,000: 1936 Berlin Int’l Olympic Committee Chain of Office
● $22,000: 1956 Melbourne Olympic torch
● $22,000: 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter silver medal, with case
● $20,000: 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympic Winter torch
● $20,000: 1956 Melbourne Olympic torch
● $20,000: 1964 Tokyo Imperial Family badge
● $20,000: 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter bronze medal, with case
● $20,000: 2016 Rio Olympic silver medal

● $20,000: 2024 Paris Olympic torch (2 available)
● $18,000: 1992 Albertville Olympic Winter silver medal
● $12,000: 1956 Stockholm Olympic equestrian bronze medal
● $12,000: 1988 Calgary Olympic Winter silver medal
● $11,000: 1964 Innsbruck Olympic Winter silver medal
● $10,000: 1904 St. Louis Olympic participation medal
● $10,000: 1964 Tokyo Olympic torch

The Sapporo badge collection is really unique, as described:

“Professionally displayed in a wooden glazed case, 110x97cm (43.3”x38.2”). The display also includes a full set of Official Badges, a full set of Team Official Badges and a full set of Competitor Badges. The collection comes from the Estate of the President of the Sapporo Games, and a metal plate with his title is included in the display. This is possibly the only full set of Sapporo 1972 badges worldwide. Perfect condition.”

Badges for the Imperial Family and the Japanese Prime Minister are included in the collection and although just medal and cloth, these items are desperately sought by collectors and such a complete, as-new set of an entire Games is exceptionally rare.

It would take some as stunning unique as the Sapporo badges to have a higher starting price than an ultra-rare 1968 Grenoble Winter Games torch, of which only 33 were made, and shared by runners along the route. A few samples of this torch have come up for auction and given the price, have sold only occasionally.

A Paris 2024 bronze medal and two Paris 2024 Olympic torches are also on auction.

Beyond the 28 star attractions with starting priced of $10,000 or more, there is an excellent selection of Olympic torched with starting prices of $5,000 or less from Berlin 1936 – the first torch relay – to Rome 1960, and then from 1968-72-76-80-84-88-92-96-2000-04 and 2016, all at $3,000 or less. Torches from 2008 and 2012 also have starting bids under $5,000.

And there are always some oddball items which bring a smile. Collectors of 1932 Los Angeles souvenirs might be interested in a pair of Tenth Olympiad fans, picturing the Los Angeles City Hall ($80 start), or a commemorative lighter ($130 start).

The canceled 1940 Games is also present, with the Tokyo bid book ($1,200 start) and then a log plaque and a pin set from the Helsinki organizers, given the Games after withdrawn from Tokyo, but ultimately not held due to World War II.

Two items from the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games are up: the commemorative medal presented to the U.S. team in 1980, and the Congressional Gold Medal later presented; each starts at $1,200.

Football fans can also bid on a participation medal from the first FIFA World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930, with the starting price at just $120.

A lot of fun stuff in this auction, which will close on Saturday, 17 May.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: Coliseum and SoFi Stadium confirmed for two-site Olympic opening ceremonies, and both for Paralympics ceremonies

By
Rich Perelman
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Opening ceremony concept from the LA2024 bid book, showing both the L.A. Coliseum and SoFi Stadium as ceremony sites.

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≡ CEREMONIES ≡

Confirming the plan originally presented in the Los Angeles bid for the 2024 Olympic Games, the LA28 organizing committee said Thursday that the Olympic opening will be held at both the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, on 14 July 2028.

No details of the ceremonies were provided, but the concept was described in the LA2024 bid documents, before SoFi Stadium – then called the “LA Stadium at Hollywood Park” was even completed:

“LA 2024’s proposed opening ceremony will begin with the Olympic Torch Relay down the peristyle of the LA Memorial Coliseum, home to the ceremonies of both the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games. This will be filled with 70,000 spectators for a Hollywood-produced program of live entertainment, top musical performances and a live viewing and virtual-reality experience of all ceremony events at the LA Stadium at Hollywood Park.

“The Olympic Torch Relay will proceed past iconic landmarks on the streets of Los Angeles, connecting the City’s diverse neighborhoods, until it reaches the new LA Stadium at Hollywood Park.

“Simultaneously, the LA Stadium at Hollywood Park will stage the formal opening ceremony elements, including the Parade of Nations, the Olympic oath, and the official opening of the Games. This new USD 2.6 billion, 85,000-seat stadium — the future home of the NFL’s LA Chargers and LA Rams — is already under construction and due for completion in 2019.

“Produced by Academy Award winning directors and storytellers, the LA 2024 Olympic
Games Opening Ceremony will be designed to celebrate the Olympic Movement’s historic contribution to building a better world, while using our city’s unique creativity to both broaden and strengthen the Olympic brand’s connection to a new generation of youth around the world.

“The LA 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony and the celebration will culminate with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron in the LA Stadium, then triggering a lighting of the Olympic cauldron at the Coliseum, where it will remain lit for the duration of the Games and the athletics competitions.”

The Thursday (8th) announcement also confirmed that the Olympic closing on 30 July 2028 would be in the Coliseum, which will be the only stadium in the world to have been the site for Olympic ceremonies in three Games: 1932, 1984 and 2028.

There was an announced change to the Paralympic ceremonies, with the opening on 15 August 2028, at SoFi Stadium, now termed the “Stadium in Inglewood” because the International Olympic Committee does not allow sponsor identification on facilities, unless a company is also a sponsor of the IOC (SoFi is not).

However, where the 2024 bid plan had specified that the Paralympic closing on 27 August would be at SoFi Stadium, it will now be at the Coliseum, which has a historical connection to the Paralympic Movement, as the first-ever wheelchair races held at the Olympic Games – exhibitions – were contested during the 1984 Olympic Games on 11 August.

The evolution of the Coliseum over more than 100 years can be seen in its Olympic roles, with the original seating plan for 76,000 when it opened in 1923.

It was expanded with seating in the Peristyle end to 101,022 for the opening of the Games of the Xth Olympiad in 1932, then saw the replacement of simple benches to individual seats for most sections by 1984, reducing the opening attendance on 28 July 1984 to 92,655.

That changed with multiple renovations, including in 1993 when the 1984 Olympic track was removed to install 14 rows of seats – about 8,000 – closer to the football field. From late 2017 to mid-2019, the University of Southern California, which operates the facility now, invested $315 million to remake the seating and install a Rose Bowl-like pavilion on the south side; those improvements reduced the seating capacity to 77,500 today.

For track & field at the 2028 Olympic Games, a new track will have to be installed on stilts, covering the 14 rows that were added in 1993. That will further bring the capacity down to perhaps 67,000 with the requirements for camera platforms and media seating.

SoFi Stadium’s listed capacity is 70,240, but was promoted during construction as being capable of expansion to 100,240 for major events, which would certainly be helpful for 2028.

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PANORAMA: Paris Olympic T&F gold up for auction; Maria Menounos named as Greek LA28 “ambassador”; FIS to promote Azerbaijan

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The Russian news agency TASS reported a message from the International Olympic Committee regarding accreditation for the 2026 Winter Games:

“We would like to inform you that we have decided to confirm press accreditations at this stage only to organizations from Russia that focus exclusively on sports specific coverage.

“However please note that we will place your request on a wait list and will reassess the situation in the fall of this year.”

At Paris 2024, the organizing committee revoked four accreditation of TASS staff, citing a request of the French government.

● Greece ● The Hellenic Olympic Committee announced that Maria Menounos, “the renowned actress and television presenter, has been appointed Ambassador of the Hellenic Olympic Committee for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.”

HOC President Isidoros Kouvelos explained, “Most notably, she will serve as Master of Ceremonies at the Flame Lighting and Handover Ceremonies in Ancient Olympia and at the Panathenaic Stadium. This is a deeply symbolic role, and Maria, I sincerely thank you for embracing it. We want the Greek community to rally behind our Olympic delegation, and Maria is the ideal person to unite and inspire them. She will also assist in raising financial support to strengthen Team Hellas’s presence at the Games.”

● Memorabilia ● Heritage Auctions’ Spring Sports Catalog Auction is ongoing and includes some interesting Olympic items, including a gold medal from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The medal, in its presentation case, was presented to Dutch runner Eugene Omalla, who ran the opening leg of the mixed 4×400 m relay, won by the Dutch off a fantastic anchor leg by women’s 400 m hurdlers star Femke Bol.

The projected sale price is expected to be $80,000 or more, with “normal” bidding ending on 17 May and “extended” bidding beginning 10 p.m. Central Time. Bidding reached $22,000 by Wednesday evening.

Also up is a Paris 2024 Olympic torch, projected to go for $40,000 and which has attracted a $10,000 bid so far.

● Athletics ● In case you’re considering getting up early this weekend to see the World Athletics Relays – a principal qualifier for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September – the meet will be on CNBC and Peacock beginning at 7 a.m. Eastern time on both Saturday and Sunday, from Guangzhou (CHN).

Worlds qualifying will attach to the heats of the men’s and women’s 4×100 m and 4×400 m and the mixed 4×400 m. The mixed 4×100 m will be run in a major meet for the first time.

More doping suspensions from the Athletics Integrity Unit, with marathoners Brian Kibiwott Kipsang (KEN) and Daniel Do Nascimento (BRA) both sanctioned.

Kibiwott Kipsang, 30, the Rome Marathon runner-up in 2024 (2:07:56 lifetime best) and 2025, was banned for two years from 1 May 2025 for the use of the corticosteroid Triamcinolone acetonide. His results from 16 March 2025, including his Rome runner-up finish, are nullified.

Do Nascimento, 26, a 2:04:51 marathoner who was eighth at the 2022 World Championships, took out-of-competition tests 4 and 7 July 2024 and tested positive for Nandrolone, Metenolone and Drostanolone, all classified as anabolic steroids and prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Code. So, the usual four-year penalty for a first offense was extended to five years as the triple use was considered to be an “aggravating circumstance.”

His sanction period began on 15 July 2024.

● Cycling ● The Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld a four-year ban imposed in 2022 on Colombian cyclist Miguel Angel Lopez, 31, a stage winner in both the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana.

He tested positive for the prohibited Menotropin fertility drug during the 2022 Giro d’Italia and his four-year ban which started on 25 July 2023, has been confirmed.

Australian sprint star Caleb Ewan, 30, announced his retirement on Instagram on Tuesday, writing:

“After much thought, I’ve decided to retire from professional cycling, effective immediately. This sport has been a major part of my life, shaping my path and offering experiences I’ll carry with me forever.”

He won 31 UCI World Tour races in a dramatic career, which included victories in all three Grand Tours: Giro d’Italia (5), Tour de France (5) and the Vuelta a Espana (1). He scored a final win on 8 April in the second stage of the Itzulia Basque Country, but did not start the remainder of the stages. He wrote that he’s fallen out of love with cycling:

“My experiences of the past two seasons, in particular the second half of 2024, has taken a significant toll on my relationship with the sport. I’m happy I didn’t let that period define the end of my career and I am proud of what I achieved in a short but successful time.”

● Football ● The White House Task Force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup met on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., with U.S. President Donald Trump noting, “This group will help plan the biggest, safest and most extraordinary soccer tournament in history.”

FIFA’s recap of the meeting added:

“FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, and Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, among other members of the U.S. Government and the FIFA Administration, also attended the meeting in Washington, D.C.

“The U.S. President confirmed Andrew Giuliani as the Executive Director of the Task Force, as well as the appointment of [former U.S. Soccer Federation President] Carlos Cordeiro, Senior Advisor to the FIFA President, as a Senior Advisor to the Task Force.”

Trump said, “I have directed my entire team to do everything within our power to make the World Cup an unprecedented success…It’s going to be very special. Together we will ensure that the 2026 World Cup will be the best-run soccer tournament the world has ever seen.”

U.S. Soccer and American Airlines announced a multi-year agreement “designed to enhance the travel experience for U.S. Soccer fans and member organizations across the country.”

A program of related benefits will be incorporated into the AAdvantage loyalty program, which may include access to players, hospitality experiences at the U.S. Soccer Insiders Lounge and match ball presentations.

● Skiing ● The International Ski & Snowboard Federation announced an agreement with the Azerbaijan State Tourism Agency “that positions the country as snow sports’ Global Destination Partner.” So:

“As of the 2025/26 season, Azerbaijan will be the premium partner of all FIS World Championships, as well as a title partner of the FIS World Cup in Moguls, Aerials, Ski Cross, and Snowboard Cross, and a presenting partner in Nordic Combined.”

This is the first FIS Global Partner, across all disciplines, with the goal of better promoting Azerbaijan as a winter sports destination.

● Wrestling ● Iakobi Kajaia (GEO), the Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist in the Greco-Roman 130 kg class, has been banned for two years due to a “whereabouts” violation of three missed tests within a 12-month period.

The ban runs from 4 April 2025 and his results were nullified from 6 January 2024 onwards. Now 31, Kajaia’s last major result as a bronze at the 2023 European Championships, again in the Greco 130 kg class.

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TRANSGENDER: Acrimonious House sub-committee hearing on transgenders in sport mostly ignored affected women witnesses; one promise of legislative action

By
Rich Perelman
-
Fencer Stephanie Turner, testifying at the 7 May 2025 House sub-committee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (Photo: House video screen shot).

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≡ POLITICS & IGNORANCE ≡

As might have been expected in these aggressively divisive times, a hearing of the Delivering on Government Efficiency sub-committee of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on the place of transgender men in to women’s sports degenerated into a three-hour name-calling exercise.

The Democrats in the hearing essentially held a campaign rally, with each rep calling the hearing a waste of time and railing against President Donald Trump, his policies and accusing Republicans of targeting all transgender people in the country.

Republicans snapped back in kind, but were a bit more interested in fencing, questioning USA Fencing Chair Damien Lehfeldt at some length about the federation’s policies and some of his own social-media posts, but also cracking back against what they viewed as Democratic support for biological men participating in the women’s division in sports.

The tone was set by Chair Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), who noted in her opening remarks:

“USA Fencing makes a mockery out of women’s fencing, by allowing biological males to compete in its women’s fencing competitions.”

It got hotter from there, with Ranking Member Melanie Stansbury (D-New Mexico) stating that the hearing was simply “about spreading hate,” and then forced a roll-call vote on adjourning the hearing immediately (which lost on a party-line vote, 8-7). More pertinent to the actual issue were the statements of three of the four witnesses:

● Stephanie Turner, who was disqualified at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland in April for refusing to compete against transgender competitor Redmond Sullivan, spoke about her experience:

“The [U.S. Fencing Association, now USA Fencing] has over 200 self-declared members who identify as ‘transgender.’ Each time a man competes in the women’s category, with USFA’s support, it removes fair sport and takes opportunities from women. …

“Athleticism is powerful in fencing and works in equal parts with strategy and technique. It’s unbelievably demeaning to female fencers to put down the differences between men and women and any woman’s loss to a man as a ‘skill issue’ or that a woman simply needs to work harder.

“Within the USFA authoritative body, there is a culture of intimidation toward women which demands that we be silent when men enter our tournaments. A culture that includes public humiliation, doxxing, social ostracism, dismissal, and even threats. I went from avoiding tournaments with known male athletes to reaching out to news outlets to get this story known. The USFA up until my protest has been unresponsive to women’s demands for fair fencing and instead doubled down on efforts to promote male inclusion in the female category.”

She added that since her protest:

“Speaking out on this issue has made me a target for harassment and violence, as well as cost me friends. I have decided to step away from the sport I love, at least for now as well because the USFA has fostered an environment where I am unwelcome in my own category.

“It is culturally acceptable to bully and shame women who speak up for women. I should not have had to make this sacrifice. Women deserve to be treated fairly in sport. We deserve opportunities to train, compete and win in a women’s category set aside for women. We deserve this at the lowest levels of sport all the way through elite Olympic competition. I hope that by taking a stand and raising awareness of the misogyny in our sport, I can help ensure other women and girls do not have to take such risks to receive the most basic protections in sports.”

● Payton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player in North Carolina, received a brain injury in September 2022 while playing volleyball from a spike by a transgender male hitter that knocked her unconscious. She no longer plays sports and said she suffers from “severe headaches, balance issues, vision impairment” and more. She noted:

“It is completely aggravating because the injury I suffered was 100% avoidable — if only my rights as a female athlete had been more important than a man’s feelings.”

● USA Fencing Chair Lehfeldt’s testimony walked a fine line on the question of where the responsibility for its transgender policies lie:

“Although it was adopted before I joined the Board, USA Fencing’s transgender participation policy had that same goal. At the same time, USA Fencing recognizes that the subject of transgender participation is complex and requires consideration of the viewpoints of numerous stakeholders. At all times, considerations of safety and fairness are paramount.

“I understand that, in developing its transgender participation policy, USA Fencing took stock of those diverse viewpoints and considerations and that it examined the scientific research and literature. It drew on its long experience with mixed-gender competition, where men and women have safely and fairly competed against each other for decades. And it consulted the practices and policies of other [National Governing Bodies] as well as those of the International Olympic Committee (‘IOC’), the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (‘USOPC’), and fencing’s international federation (‘FIE’).

“The polices of the IOC, the USOPC, and the FIE were particularly important. As an NGB, USA Fencing is governed by the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act. That law includes provisions that forbid NGBs like USA Fencing from adopting participation requirements that are more strict than the requirements of their sport’s international federation. Fencing’s international federation, the FIE, permits transgender participation, consistent with the IOC framework. As a result, USA Fencing understands that it cannot ban transgender participation without the risk of
violating the Ted Stevens Act.”

He also spoke directly to the issue of male physical advantages over women, saying there aren’t any:

“Ultimately, fencing is a sport of strategy and technique. More than anything else, those elements will most frequently determine who prevails. And when it comes to strategy and technique, neither sex has any inherent advantage. For that reason, among others, transgender status does not confer any inherent advantage over a cisgender fencer.

“Indeed, cisgender women have beaten transgender women in 55% of the bouts for which USA Fencing has data.”

As for the future:

“USA Fencing recognizes that transgender participation has been the subject of great debate in recent years. USA Fencing welcomes that discussion. There can never be too much conversation about how to make our sport better.

“And so, I want to be crystal clear—with both the Subcommittee and with our fencing community – that if the research or the international consensus concerning transgender participation changes, USA Fencing is prepared to amend its participation requirements to reflect those new realities. Similarly, USA Fencing will always abide by its governing statute, the Ted Stevens Act. If Congress amends that statute in ways that affect USA Fencing’s transgender participation policy, USA Fencing will of course amend its policies to ensure compliance.

“Indeed, USA Fencing has been proactive in this area. After months of discussion, USA Fencing recently adopted a contingent transgender participation policy that will go into effect if Congress amends the Ted Stevens Act to ban transgender participation. It will also take effect if the bodies that regulate fencing and Olympic-Paralympic competition – such as the FIE, the IOC, or the USOPC – amend their regulations to ban transgender participation.”

The fourth witness, National Women’s Law Center President Fatima Goss Graves, was added to the panel at the request of the Democrats, and provided testimony which came down to this:

“Anti-trans extremists who claim trans women and girls have an overwhelming advantage in women’s sports, or must be banned from sports to protect cis women from injury, are regurgitating tired, sexist tropes.”

The questions and answers which followed for a ponderous two hours and 25 minutes were mostly political posturing and shouting. However, Rep. William Timmons (R-South Carolina) told Lehfeldt:

“We’re going to fix this. You’re lagging behind us fixing it and what’s going to happen is we’re going to amend the Ted Stevens Act … you’re going to lose your Federal Charter, and I appreciate that you did adopt a contingent policy, but why do we have to do this?

“You’re really creating a problem where no problem should exist.”

Turner was asked later about the response of USA Fencing to complaints from members about its transgender policies:

“I have known of other members of USA Fencing, a mother and a daughter who came to USA Fencing, saying that they did not approve of the transgender policy and they were told that they would be sanctioned.”

As for her own future in the sport, Turner said:

“I don’t think I’ll ever get a fair bout again, from a referee, or that I’ll be welcomed without harassment.”

Observed: This was pathetic from many sides. No one knew the real details of what was being discussed, most notably that the FIE – the international federation – has no transgender policy, and that the IOC has none either, only recommendations to the IFs. So USA Fencing can do as it pleases, but no one knew enough to point to that.

Further, the USA Fencing rules on transgenders (reviewed on 7 May 2025) specify:

● “To participate in a USA Fencing-sanctioned event, athletes are to register with USA Fencing as the gender in which they identify and wish to compete during registration/renewal. Please note, this selection will be logistically binding and athletes will not be permitted to modify their gender during the season. If the athlete registers as a gender other than their gender associated with the sex assigned at birth, they should adhere to the the following requirements.”

● “Transgender female (MTF) athletes: Athletes being treated with testosterone suppression medication, for the purposes of USA Fencing-sanctioned competitions may continue to compete in men’s events, but may only compete in women’s events after completing one calendar year (12 months) of testosterone suppression treatment. Proof of compliant hormone therapy must be provided prior to competition.”

There is no language stating that transgender women – male to female – are required to be undergoing testosterone suppression, so in fact, any male fencer can – under the current rules – simply register to compete in women’s competitions.

Lehfeldt’s written testimony stated:

“In October 2022, USA Fencing ultimately adopted a transgender participation policy that closely tracked those of other NGBs. That policy allows transgender female fencers to compete in the division that corresponds with their gender identity assuming certain conditions are met.

“Chief among these conditions is that the transgender athlete has undergone hormone therapy for at least a year. USA Fencing requests medical documentation of such therapy and reviews that documentation before allowing transgender fencers to fence in a division that does not correspond to their sex assigned at birth.”

That’s nowhere in their posted transgender policy statement currently in force.

All of this may become moot if the IOC acts under new President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), who has pledged to convene a panel after she takes office on 24 June to “protect the women’s category.”

In the meantime, the positions of U.S. National Governing Bodies are all over the place, with the larger federations such as athletics, aquatics, cycling and others adopting a very strict policy which essentially eliminates all transgender women who have entered male puberty. That is not where fencing is, but the studies on the subject are moving that way.

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ATHLETICS: Tinch knew he was going to run fast at the Shanghai Diamond League; stars Warholm and Duplantis were unimpressed with world-leading marks

By
Rich Perelman
-
American Cordell Tinch with a brilliant 12.87 high hurdles win at the Shanghai Diamond League (Photo: Diamond League AG).

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≡ WHAT THEY SAID ≡

The Wanda Diamond League meet in Shanghai (CHN), the second stop on the schedule, as a good one, with world-leading performances in five events, especially American Cordell Tinch’s eye-popping 12.87 win in the men’s 110 m hurdles, moving him to equal-fourth all-time.

Naturally, Tinch was thrilled; asked how it felt to be no. 4 all-time:

“It sounds pretty good.

“I felt like I was going to run something fast, but it is matter of trying to finish those races when I get out well. Because I get out well and I get a little relaxed towards the end. I didn’t know it would be 12.8 fast, but I thought it would be at least faster than 13.06 [from the Xiamen Diamond League].

“I just want to go out there and compete after winning last week. As I continue to go through the season I try and get better each week. I’ve changed a lot [over the winter] in my everyday life and the training.

“It takes a while in your first year as a pro, it is a learning process. Technically, last year was my first full season as a pro. I’ve learned a lot from the older people that I’ve been around and sometimes the younger people. There is a lot of things that I’ve added to be the best athlete I can.”

Norwegian star Karsten Warholm took the 400 m hurdles in a world-leading 47.28, but was hardly ecstatic:

“It was a very messy race. I hit a couple of hurdles, so actually 47.28 with such a messy race shows potential. I don’t think I learned anything from today I almost stopped and lost quite a bit of time. Still a win is a win and 47.28 is not too shabby.

“Now it is going back home to training and prepare for Oslo [12 June]. You always want to use every occasion to send a message, the message I sent is my potential is very good, once I clean up my races, which I’m sure I will.”

Similarly, Swedish vault superstar Mondo Duplantis wasn’t too pleased, even with an outdoor world leader of 6.11 m (20-0 1/2):

“The [6.11] jump did not feel that great, and the run did not feel that great either. So to have a good attempt while not feeling my best is actually a really good thing.

“I will keep working on my speed. I am going to take another month with no competitions; just train hard and make sure I can build up to a really good, healthy, and strong season leading into Tokyo [World Championships] in September.”

He did take three tries at a world record 6.28 m (20-7 1/4), but missed all three times.

A lot of attention was focused on Jamaican sprint star Kishane Thompson, in his first outdoor race since his Paris Olympic men’s 100 m silver, and barely finished second to Akani Simbine (RSA) by 9.98 to 9.99:

“I came to win in the beginning of the season and I am happy with the result. I have not been racing since Paris last year and I need the competition to positioning for the season.

“I know what I need to work on after this race and I just need to move on quickly. Just focusing on executing perfectly and same for the rest of the season. I would not say too much at this moment for the target, too early for the season, but after the race I can easily tell what I need to further work on and definitely we can do better and better.”

The U.S. got five more wins in Shanghai:

● Chris Bailey/men’s 400 m in a lifetime best of 44.17:

“I am happy about refreshing my personal best [44.17] after last week, it felt great. It was not my best race, but I cannot complain about the result. Everything has worked out pretty well right now.

“I have a lot of faith in my coach. Every time we step on the track together, there is always great competition. I expect everyone to run their best. For the rest of the season, my main goal is to stay healthy and maintain my momentum.”

● Anavia Battle/women’s 200 m, in 22.38:

“I am getting used to winning at the Diamond League. It is such a good feeling. I wouldn’t say that was the best execution for a race that I have had, I had to work today and I need to put some pieces together when I get back. It is a really good place to be in May.

“I really enjoy the Diamond Leagues in China. I hope to do the Rome Diamond League [6 June] and then work some things out with the [Los Angeles] Grand Slam meet. I’m willing to do both the 100 m and the 200 m at the U.S. Championships and hopefully make the team for the World Championships.”

● Chase Jackson/women’s shot, in a world-leading 20.54 m (67-4 3/4), the no. 5 performance in American history:

“I felt really good tonight. On Tuesday, I had a breakthrough in my training so I kind of knew either I could throw really far or I will not be able to hold the breakthrough, but I was able to hold it in, so I am happy with that.

“I have been working on using my left arm more, and I felt what I needed to feel during my training, and I was able to carry it over to the competition. I think I just got a little to excited, so I did not really get hold of the change that I wanted, but I was happy about where I went. I was hoping I could throw a little bit further to get a national record, but I know it will come soon though.”

● Valarie Allman/women’s discus, at 70.08 m (229-11) for her 20th win in a row:

“I feel so excited about this competition tonight. In my first meet in Xiamen last week my nerves got the better of me and today I just knew I was going to go for it. To see 70 meters pop up gives me a lot of confidence and momentum, so I’m leaving China happy and excited to go home.

“I go with a lot of good perspective of what these next few months need. I try not to think about the winning streak. I face my own nerves and worries whether it is time zones or travel and I try to take it just one meet at a time.

Unfortunately, no comments were shared from Grace Stark after her win in the women’s 100 m hurdles. The next Diamond League meet is in Doha (QAT) on 16 May.

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U.S. OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE: USOPC Hall of Fame to add 14 in July, including Felix, Walsh Jennings, DeFrantz, Krzyzewski, Knight

By
Rich Perelman
-
Now a Hall of Famer: 11-time Olympic track & field medal winner Allyson Felix (Photo: Adam Eberhardt for Tracktown USA).

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≡ HALL OF FAME ≡

The Olympic and Paralympic Games produce unforgettable moments, by athletes, teams and those who coach and support them, and on Tuesday (6th), the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced 12 individuals and two teams that will join the immortals in the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame on 12 July in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

From an initial field of 119 nominees, a panel narrowed the finalists down to 42, which 14 were voted in by multiple groups, including U.S. Olympians and Paralympians, members of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic family and an online vote open to fans, with 300,000 votes cast across all platforms.

The 14 inductees were voted in across six groups:

Olympians (5):
● Gabby Douglas (artistic gymnastics)
● Allyson Felix (track and field)
● Bode Miller (alpine skiing)
● Kerri Walsh Jennings (beach volleyball)
● Serena Williams (tennis)

Douglas was a two-time Olympian and won three golds, taking the All-Around in 2012 and Team golds in 2012 and 2026. Felix won seven golds, three silvers and a bronze from 2008 to Tokyo 2020, including the London 2012 women’s 200 m; her 11 Olympic medals are the most by any American track & field athlete in history.

Miller competed in five Winter Games, winning six medals, including a gold in the Vancouver 2010 Super Combined. Walsh Jennings made the Sydney 2000 indoor team that finished fourth, then won 2004-08-12 beach golds with Misty May-Treanor and then a Rio 2016 bronze with April Ross. Williams was very much an Olympian, competing in four Games and winning four Olympic golds: Singles at London 2012 and three in Doubles with older sister Venus in 2000-08-12.

Olympic Team:
● 2010 Four-man Bobsled Team

This was the famous “Night Train” sled driven by Steven Holcomb which won Olympic gold in Vancouver, with brakemen Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curt Tomasevicz. It was the first U.S. gold in the event in 62 years. That followed their 2009 Worlds gold, the first for the U.S. in the event in 50 years.

Paralympians (3):
● Steve Cash (sled hockey)
● Susan Hagel (Para archery-track and field-wheelchair basketball)
● Marla Runyan (Para track and field)

Cash was a three-time gold medalist as the U.S. goalkeeper in four Paralympic, as his teams won bronze in 2006 and then golds in 2010-14-18; he was also a member of five World Championship teams. The amazing Hagel competed in six Paralympic Games from 1976-96 in three different sports, winning three archery golds, a basketball gold and a basketball bronze during her career.

Runyan was the first-ever visually-impaired athlete to compete in the Olympic Games, making the U.S. team in the women’s 1,500 m in 2000 and then again in 2004. She was the 1999 Pan American Games champion at 1,500 m as well. In Paralympic competition, she won five golds in 1992 (4) and 1996 (1) and a 1996 silver, all in track & field.

Paralympic Team:
● 2004 Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team

This was the first U.S. women’s wheelchair team to win in 16 years, and a six-player core continued to dominate, coming back to win gold again in 2008.

Legends (2):
● Anita DeFrantz (rowing)
● Flo Hyman (volleyball)

DeFrantz won an Olympic bronze in the women’s Eights in 1976, then made the team for Moscow 1980, but could not compete due to the U.S. boycott, against which she filed an unsuccessful lawsuit. She became a key member of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the pivotal 1984 Games, then was elected to the International Olympic Committee in 1986 and has served with great distinction, especially in the promotion of athlete rights.

Hyman was a brilliant, charismatic 6-5 outside hitter and made the 1980 U.S. team that was thwarted by the American boycott. She was one of the stars of the 1984 U.S. silver-medal team, playing an important role in the development of women’s volleyball in the U.S.

Coach:
● Mike Krzyzewski (coach: basketball)

When USA Basketball needed a coach who could turn a squad of ultra-talented NBA players into a cohesive Olympic team after a disappointing bronze finish in 2004, Krzyzewski proved to be the perfect selection. The already-legendary coach at Duke, he led the 2008, 2012 and 2016 American teams to a 24-0 combined record, outscoring their opponents by a combined 660 points!

Special Contributor:
● Phil Knight (Nike founder)

Much more than simply a corporate sponsor of major events, Knight’s insistence on supporting athletes made Nike one of the most important companies in the world in terms of apparel, shoes, promotion and payments to individual athletes in more than a dozen sports in countries around the world. Knight himself competed in track & field and he and his company have been key in bringing American track & field back to prominence after difficult times at the turn of the 21st Century.

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame was established in 1979, with the first class inducted in 1983. The 2025 inductees will be the 18th such class, with the last in 2023.

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SWIMMING: If you don’t know who she is already, remember this name: Gretchen Walsh!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Unstoppable: American star Gretchen Walsh (Photo: USA Swimming).

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≡ THE NEWEST SWIM STAR ≡

“What a crazy time, I honestly shocked myself.”

That’s American sprint swim star Gretchen Walsh, after she lowered her own world 50 m Butterfly record for a second time on the same day last Saturday (3rd) on the final day of the Tyr Pro Swim Series meet in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

The 22-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee, who starred at the University of Virginia with 25 NCAA titles in her four seasons, had a meet for the ages. In order:

● 100 m Free: won in 52.90, world leader in 2025.

● 50 m Fly: led all qualifiers at 25.15 in heats, world leader in 2025. Won the final in 24.93, world leader in 2025, American Record, no. 2 performance in history, second woman ever under 25 seconds.

● 100 m Fly: led all qualifiers at 55.09 in heats, world leader in 2025, world record, breaking her own mark (55.18) from the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. Won the final in 54.60 for another world record!

● 50 m Free: won in 24.33, world leader in 2025.

Observers all knew Walsh was special. While still 21 she had already:

● Won four Paris 2024 Olympic medals, with golds in the women’s 4×100 m Medley relay and mixed 4×100 Medley relay and silvers in the 100 m Fly and women’s 4×100 m Freestyle relay. She was also fourth in the 50 m Free and eighth in the 100 m Free finals.

● Won seven – yes, seven – World Short-Course golds last December in Budapest (HUN), taking the 50-100 m Freestyles, 50-100 m Butterflys, 100 m Medley and the 4×100 m Freestyle and 4×100 m Medley relays!

Now she’s set three world marks in the 100 m Fly and is closing in on the 50 m Fly record as well. After breaking her own record in the morning heats, she was asked if she changed her approach for the finals in the evening:

“To be honest with you, I didn’t change any part of my race strategy going into tonight. It was still going to be the goal to take 17 strokes on the way out, hopefully one less stroke coming back home. I have found that taking one less stroke has given me that extra energy, so I just did the same exact thing tonight.

“I was long in my turn and my finish as well, which I’m kind of happy about because I can go faster. I look forward to perfecting that race. If it was perfect, I wouldn’t feel the confidence that I could go faster, so I’m excited for more, but definitely did not expect to drop that much in the race tonight.

“It has been a trend for me at this meet to go faster at night – every race I was able to do that. There’s something that happens with finals, maybe it’s the day of rest, maybe it’s the nap, but there’s just extra energy I find, and I just continue off the momentum of the morning. I was slightly nervous, but I think I’ve learned how to handle that pressure and look at the race as another opportunity to execute and do the plan that I talk about every day with [Virginia coach] Todd [Desorbo].”

Walsh also shared considerable surprise at her record performances exactly a month ahead of the USA Swimming nationals in Indianapolis in June:

“I need to set some new goals. It was shocking, I did not expect to be here doing this.

“I knew I was going to be having fun out here. I love swimming outside and getting to see my friends again. It’s been a long NCAA season where you don’t see everyone that is a pro, so I’ve had a great time, and it has helped that I’m going really fast.

“I think this bodes really well for everything to come this summer. I definitely need to keep working and finding new motivation because I have surpassed so many barriers I talked about prior to the season.

“I might have to get creative with goals, not make them time-based, I think that helps me see it more as an opportunity to execute, versus having to go by a time. I’m really happy with where I’m at. I’m looking forward to getting back to Charlottesville, graduating, and beginning this pro journey. It started on such a high note; this is going to be awesome.”

Walsh made a modest impact at her first World Aquatics Championships, in 2023, winning a 50 m Butterfly bronze, a Medley relay gold and Free relay silver. But if she is this dominant at the U.S. nationals, she will be a star to watch at the 2025 Worlds in Singapore from 11 July to 3 August.

She’s not really thinking about that now, however. After all, she had a great time in Ft. Lauderdale. After breaking her own record in the heats, she took time to relax:

“I’ve been going to the beach every day. I love the ocean. I’ve grown up by the ocean my whole life. I find a lot of comfort and peace when I’m by the beach, so I have been out there enjoying it every day. I love being here in Florida. I do that, then I get back to my room, take a two-hour nap, and then back to the pool. I have gotten the best sleep of my life; I have been so happy here.

“The overarching theme that a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer. I’ve always believed that, but at times it has been hard for me to do that. When I’m having fun, everything seems to be going my way, so I want to carry that throughout the rest of the summer and look at every race as an opportunity.”

Walsh and her one-year-older sister, Alex – the 2022 Worlds 200 m Medley gold medalist and 2024 Olympic runner-up – are going to be U.S. stars for quite a while. And while the debate over college athletes receiving name-image-likeness money continues, the sisters used some of their earnings at Virginia to start the Sporti x Alex + Gretchen Walsh swim apparel line – for men and women!

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PANORAMA: Asian Games ‘26 has 4,600 on a cruise ship; USADA says ‘21 China doping incident impacted 96 medals? Kerley says arrest not criminal!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Joy for the American men’s Foil team (l-r) of Alexander Massialas, Bryce Louie, Gerek Meinhardt and Nick Itkin for their win at the FIE World Cup in Vancouver! (Photo: FIE).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2032: Brisbane ● With the International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission chair for the 2032 Olympic Games, Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), elected to become the 10th IOC President in June, a new head for the Brisbane Coordination Commission needed to be appointed.

That came Monday as Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski (PHI), an IOC member since 2013 and an IOC Vice President since 2020, as named as the new head of the Brisbane CoComm. She formerly trained as an equestrian in Australia, and has long experience with the work of Coordination Commissions, for Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 and Brisbane 2032.

● Asian Games 2026: Aichi-Nagoya ● The Asian Games 2026 organizing committee briefed technical delegates in Nagoya last week on preparations, including the use of a giant cruise ship to house 4,600 athletes from 20 sports at the Port of Nagoya: archery, basketball/3×3, canoe/sprint, cycling/mountain bike, cycling/BMX Racing, men’s football, gymnastics, handball, judo, kabaddi, kurash, mixed martial arts, rowing, rugby, sepaktakraw, sport climbing, squash, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.

Of the total of 15,000 athletes and officials expected for the 2026 Asian Games, 8,200 will be accommodated in the Nagoya area: 4,600 on ship, 2,400 in Asian Games Villas – temporary container homes – at Garden Pier, and 1,200 in hotels.

Four other housing areas will be set up within the Aichi Prefecture and a final four in other cities: Tokyo, Shizuoka, Gifu and Osaka.

● Anti-Doping ● With its budget hurting from the continuing non-payment of dues from the United States government, the World Anti-Doping Agency welcomed an added payment from the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) and the Japanese government of ¥27,997,742 (about $194,570 U.S.) To support further anti-doping activities in Asia and Oceania.

This is in addition to the $1.5 million annual dues payment from Japan.

A new salvo in the continuing war of words over the 2021 Chinese swimming mass-doping incident from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which posted on X:

“Failure in the global anti-doping system has real and tragic consequences. As a result of the TMZ 23 cases, an unacceptable 96 medal results were potentially impacted across the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games.

“Clean athletes’ livelihoods depend on a level playing field where talent and hard work alone determine podium moments. When they are held accountable to the rules and others aren’t, clean athletes lose income and opportunities, as well as once-in-a-lifetime moments to celebrate their hard work and sacrifice alongside the family, fans, and community who supported their journey.

“Clean athletes deserve better and that’s why we will continue to fight for justice and accountability.”

An accompanying graphic stated, “96 medal results were potentially impacted across the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games, with 42 of those medals coming from the Americas, 25 from Australia and 21 from the EU.”

● Athletics ● U.S. sprint star Fred Kerley, the 2022 World men’s 100 m champion, was arrested last Thursday in Dania Beach, Florida and charged with one count of “battery-touch or strike” by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office against ex-girlfriend, hurdler Alaysha Johnson. He was later released on $1,000 bond after a Friday hearing.

Kerley posted on X on Sunday:

“I would like to take a moment to directly address the recent situation that has garnered public attention and impacted my ability to compete in this weekend’s scheduled track meet.

“While there was a physical alteration, my arrest was not due to any criminal act. Rather, it resulted from my decision to exercise [my right to] remain silent until legal counsel was present. I chose not to speak to law enforcement without my attorney, and for that reason alone, I was booked. This experience caught me off guard, but I remain fully committed to clearing my name and cooperating with appropriate parties to resolve it. I take full accountability for placing myself in a situation that allowed for this misunderstanding, and I am taking active steps to ensure nothing like this happens again.

“To my fans, especially those who came out to support me this weekend, I sincerely apologize. I am deeply grateful for your continued support and understanding. I also extend my apologies to Grand Slam Track for bringing the wrong kind of attention to the event, and to those who believe in me and had to see the headlines.

“Thank you for your patience and trust as I work through this process.”

Kerley was arrested in another incident with police in January, in the company of another woman, trying to get to his car in Miami Beach and was tasered after ignoring police instructions to go around an active crime scene. Kerley is also facing a charge of domestic violence against his wife from a May 2024 strangling incident.

ASICS put together a special set of road races on a special loop course in Tokyo (JPN) on Saturday (3rd) for its Tokyo : Speed : Race, with excellent results, including an American Record.

In the men’s 5 km, Uganda’s Harbert Kibet was a runaway winner in 13:00, ahead of Mohamed Ismail (DJI: 13:10). Andrew Hunter was the top American in ninth (13:28). The 10 km a three-way race to the line for Jamel Yimer (ETH), Victor Kipruto (KEN) and Vincent Langat (KEN), with Yimer, twice fourth at the World Half Marathon Champs, winning in 27:10 to 27:11 for the Kenyans.

In fifth was American Biya Simbassa, who finished in 27:32, better than the ratified American Record of 27:48 by Mark Nenow back in 1985! Nenow also ran an unratified 27:22 in 1984.

Kenyan Caroline Nyaga took the women’s 5 km in a speedy 14:19, the 2025 world leader and moving her to equal-third on the all-time list! Behind her was Italian Nadia Battoclietti, who got a European Record 14:32 in second, now equal-10th all-time.

Uganda’s Joy Chepotek was a runaway winner in the women’s 10 km at 30:22, followed by Samia Hassan Nour (DJI: 30:40), with Makenna Mylar the top U.S. finisher in 17th (33:25).

● Swimming ● The incredible Tyr Pro Swim Series in Ft. Lauderdale, in an outdoor pool, produced astonishing performances from two historic American swimmers, Katie Ledecky and Gretchen Walsh.

Ledecky, who won the inaugural women’s Olympic 800 m Free in London in 2012 to start her Olympic career at age 15, contested four events and was sensational in all four (in order):

● 1,500 m Free: 1st in 15:24.51, world leader in 2025, no. 2 performance all-time, her fastest since 2018.

● 400 m Free: 1st in 3:56.81, world leader in 2025, no. 7 performance all-time, fastest since 2016.

● 200 m Free: 2nd in 1:55.51, no. 3 performer in 2025

● 800 m Free: 1st in 8:04.12, world leader in 2025, world record, breaking her own mark from 2016!

Ledecky, now 28, was overwhelmed by her own time-travel magic, especially in the 800 Free, saying afterwards:

“I can’t stop smiling, it’s been like that all week though, so it’s not really new.

“It’s been so many years in the making to do it tonight. It’s been an incredible night. There is always a story to each world record that I set. I think tonight is the first one I’ve done when another American has done it [also]. Hats off to Gretchen for getting us rolling this morning and starting a world record party.

“The crowd was amazing tonight; I couldn’t have done it without that. I flipped at the 750, and it was loud in here, and I just told myself I’m not letting this opportunity go to waste and started sprinting.”

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LANE ONE: Improvements for Grand Slam Track in second meet, and the performances remained terrific

By
Rich Perelman
-
Grand Slam Track hosts (l-r) John Anderson, Sanya Richards-Ross and Chris Chavez at the Miramar meet on 2 May 2025 (Image: GST broadcast screen shot).

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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK II ≡

The debut season of Olympic icon Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track is at the halfway mark, with meets in Kingston (JAM) and Miramar, Florida and excellent performances at both.

There were nine world-leading performances in Kingston and six more in Miramar, with Grand Slam Track marks accounting for eight current world leaders:

● Men/200 m: 19.84, Kenny Bednarek (USA)
● Men/400 m: 43.98, Jacory Patterson (USA)
● Men/800 m: 1:43.69, Marco Arop (CAN)

● Women/400 m: 48.67, Salwa Eid Naser (BRN)
● Women/3,000 m: 8:22.72, Hirut Meshesha (ETH)
● Women/5,000 m: 14:25.80, Agnes Ngetich (KEN)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.17, Masai Russell (USA)
● Women/400 m hurdles: 52.07, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

Grand Slam Track performances also account for the no. 2 marks in the men’s 110 and 400 m hurdles and the women’s 200 m, plus the fastest all-conditions 100 m with American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s 10.75 (+2.4) in Miramar.

So the competition has been great. Unlike in recent seasons, American stars like Bednarek, Grant Fisher, Gabby Thomas, McLaughlin-Levrone and more are racing twice in a weekend and once a month right through their training blocks and producing interesting, quality performances when they would normally not be seen or all, or might only drop in for one of the early Diamond League meets.

That’s good.

And it hasn’t been easy, especially for Director of Athletes and Racing Kyle Merber, who was working overtime in Miramar. The circuit is designed to have 48 seasonally-contracted “Racers” and 48 invited “Challengers” in each meet. But due to injuries and other issues, the Miramar meet – by my count – had only 42 “Racers” and 54 “Challengers.” That included having to replace U.S. star Fred Kerley, who was arrested on Thursday, with fellow American Brandon Hicklin in the men’s short sprints, on very short notice.

The circuit is being promoted hard on social media, although there is also a modest Web presence, and there has been interest. As of 5 May 2025, the follower counts show:

● 118,000+ on Instagram
● 39,000+ on Facebook
● 24,800 on TikTok
● 16,000+ on YouTube
● 15,540 on X

As Nielsen no longer makes its television audience measurements public, there’s no data on viewership on The CW, or on the NBC streaming service Peacock.

Attendance has been modest. Although no official figures have been given, crowds looked to range between 4-10,000 in the 35,000-capacity National Stadium in Kingston and the stands at the 5,000-capacity Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar appeared to have 3-4,000 each day over the 2-4 May weekend.

But the fans have been noisy, which the athletes have enjoyed and commended.

As a commercial entity, the question of whether the response to the circuit is doing well or poorly is really between Johnson and his investors, and the various broadcasters carrying the meets to 189 countries. Those discussions will happen after the schedule concludes on 27-29 June at UCLA’s Drake Stadium in Los Angeles.

But there was significant improvement in the “show” from Kingston to Miramar:

● Johnson promised that athletes could wear their own uniforms and would not have to worry about “bibs” – the numbers or names – worn on the front for identification. Kingston showed that if an athlete didn’t have a bib, no one knew who they were. This improved for Miramar and the bibs stayed on and everyone had one. Good.

● The broadcast concept got better as expected with more experience. Former ESPN anchor John Anderson and Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross were equal parts hosts and promoters of the league – that’s their job – and Citius Magazine founder Chris Chavez was much more engaged in Miramar than Olympic 1,500 m gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz was in Kingston.

Coordination between the host desk and the race calls with Steve Cram (GBR), Anson Henry (CAN) and American Carrie Tollefson needs to improve, and as Grant Slam Track has a relationship with StatsPeform, it’s a surprise that betting information is not more prevalent.

It’s also a little strange that as the circuit loves fan support that the host position is away from the spectators, in contrast to ESPN and FOX college football programming which has the fans close (but not too close to upset the show).

● With the exception of the always dressed-to-impress Richards-Ross, the rest of the broadcast crew is ultra-casual, giving the meets an ultra-informal air that belies the quality of the competitors and the stakes they are running for.

Is Grand Slam Track important enough to dress up its announcers in a way which demonstrates its importance?

● The very slow results posting from the Kingston meet on the GST Web site was dramatically improved for Miramar, although it’s still hard to read on the Web site with small white numerals and letters against the black background. Expect this to better still in Philadelphia at the end of May.

The television graphics have the same issues and the split times are inconsistently shown, but can also be improved with more experience. The overhead replay shots, however, especially for the lane races, show acceleration beautifully, and are great!

● Although some on social media complain about the time between races, this is also a benefit when there are technical problems like the speaker feedback from the (electronic) starting gun in Miramar. The issue was solved without any panic over running out of time at the end of the telecast.

One very good element of the Kingston and Miramar events, and expected to continue for Philadelphia, was keeping the show times the same for each day: 5-8 p.m. Eastern time on Friday and Saturday and 3-6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday.

That would mean show times for Los Angeles from 2-5 p.m. Pacific on Friday and Saturday and 12-3 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, which will affect the crowd. But it’s much better for meets at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, which has lighting designed for football on the infield and not for the track.

Johnson’s goal was to present compelling track & field to primarily American audiences in a compact schedule, showcasing as many of the brightest stars that he could get, who are being paid significant money, especially for meets in North America. For a first-year project, there was the needed improvement in the “show” from the first to second meet, and an expectation that Philadelphia will be better yet.

But a crowd of even 10,000 each day will look fairly lost in 52,593-seat Franklin Field, so the promotional effort will have to be in high gear throughout the rest of the month.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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LOS ANGELES 2028: L.A. deputy mayor says city’s budget crisis risks not having “workforce that we need to deliver on those Games” in 2028

By
Rich Perelman
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Los Angeles City Council member Katy Yaroslavsky and Deputy Mayor Matt Hale at the 29 April 2025 budget hearings (Image: L.A. City video screen shot).

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≡ L.A. BUDGET HEARINGS ≡

In March, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass explained that the City’s finances were in trouble:

“Downward economic trends make it so revenues to the City’s budget in 2025-26 are now projected to be hundreds of millions of dollars less than previously projected.”

The $13.95 billion budget plan for 2025-26 submitted by the City showed a nearly $1 billion gap between revenues and expenses that had to be closed, most urgently $315 million less in revenues than were expected and $275 million in restoration of reserves to meet the City’s reserves policy of 5% of its general fund.

And the City has paid $504 million in liability claims in fiscal 2022 ($91 million), 2023 ($147 million) and 2024 ($247 million), primarily from issues dealing with police ($222 million), public works and street services ($74.8 million) and sanitation ($74.3 million). So, an additional $100 million was added to the budget to handle a continuing increase in lawsuit losses and settlements.

All of this has lead to the City’s budget proposal to save $282 million via1,647 position layoffs and the cancellation of 1,076 vacant positions, and another reduction of $154 million in overtime and as-needed hires. Another $86 million in capital projects will be deferred and so on.

The impact of these proposed cuts are being discussed at City Hall with the City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, which heard about choices that City executives and department managers are having to make that impact planning for City services for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games:

● On 29 April, Council member Katy Yaroslavsky asked Deputy Mayor Matt Hale:

“Some resources are provided for work associated with the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. What’s the overall plan, and what are the resource needs so we can be ready for the ‘28 Games? Is there an official strategic plan? Can you talk a little bit about that?”

Hale’s reply: “I think the investments we’re making this year are headed in the direction of developing that plan. I’m not going to speak to a plan that I have not seen, but I think what we are trying to accomplish is laying at least a foundation and a groundwork to begin having the totality of that.

“I think one of the risks in this budget and especially with as many proposed position cuts is just having the workforce that we need to deliver on those Games. And it sort of reinforces the need for us to have a very robust volunteer program, and a very robust strategic plan that decides where we need to go outside for help and where we need to bring in restorations in between now and the implementation of the Games.”

Replied Yaroslavsky:

“Query whether reducing all these positions will allow us to be ready for the ‘28 Games. Volunteers are going to be great, but they’re not going to design projects and do the planning and engineering.”

● On 30 April, Emergency Management Department General Manager Carol P. Parks was asked by Council member Eunisses Hernandez:

“Is the department’s proposed budget able to maintain operational readiness for both routine emergencies and high-profile international events on the horizon?”

Parks, who had already stated that her department was desperately understaffed, replied, “The answer is no” and added later:

“Here in Los Angeles, we just don’t do one thing at a time. So we can’t ‘rain today’ and tomorrow, ‘don’t rain,’ because we have another event. But the past few weeks, and months have shown us that we need to respond to planned events, we need to be ready for no-notice events and then we need to ensure that we are ready for anything that comes up unexpectedly.”

She said that her department has 31 staff now, compared to about 200 for a similar office in New York City.

● On 2 May, Department of Transportation General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo explained that 150 filled and vacant traffic officer positions are proposed to be eliminated in the budget, with additional cuts in dispatch center positions (61%) and a 24% cut in engineering staff, noting:

“Taken together, this budget will make it impossible for us to deliver on the city’s 2028 Games Mobility Objectives, whether that is achieving a car-free event or facilitating safe and orderly vehicle access through planned road closures and traffic-control services.”

She proposed a series of changes, then was asked by Council member Bob Blumenfield:

“Exhibit H includes an instruction to have DOT and every department prioritize projects near the venues for the 2028 Games. If this instruction is included and this budget is adopted, what capacity will DOT have to implement safety projects in the Third District or in every other part of the City that is not actually near a venue?”

Rubio-Cornejo explained:

“What I will note is what is helpful about that direction, what would be helpful about that direction is ensuring that every single department is prioritizing whatever resources they have towards delivering for the Games.

“And while every Council district does not have a Games venue in their district, there’s two components of this.

“There’s the Games venues, the first-last mile, the assets and infrastructure that should be addressed around the Games venues.

“Then there’s also the regional aspect, that these are regional Games that go well beyond even Los Angeles County. And from that perspective, and working closely with Metro, we are delivering and supporting them on delivering bus-only lanes and they are working towards delivering rail projects.

“And so in essence, when we look at the map, every single Council district does receive some mobility improvement as part of the Games, whether it’s being built and delivered by the City of Los Angeles or by Metro’s own regional agency.”

Blumenfield, whose Third District does not have a 2028 venue:

“I understand that we all get a benefit from the Olympics, they’re regional and all that’s great. But in terms of telling my constituents that this budget, some of the critical transportation projects in their district, can I say that any of them will get funded, or does this prioritization mean that none of them get funded?”

Rubio-Cornejo:

“What I would say is that at reduced staffing levels as proposed within the budget, if we were directed only to focus on Games delivery, that is likely the only thing we would be able to do.”

Blumenfield:

“That’s my fear, is that doing this is telling my constituents that there will be no projects within the district, they just have to enjoy the benefits of this regional everything, but forget the streets that are broken in their area.”

Budget hearings are continuing; the L.A. City budget is required to be voted on by 1 June.

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OLYMPIC GAMES: IOC replaces Gary Hall Jr.’s 10 Olympic medals in emotional ceremony in Lausanne

By
Rich Perelman
-
IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) presenting replacement Olympic medals to U.S. swim star Gary Hall Jr. (Photo: IOC/Greg Martin).

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≡ A 10-MEDAL CEREMONY ≡

It had to be the biggest one-person awards ceremony in history, as a 6-6 former American swimmer received 10 Olympic medals at one time.

It was Gary Hall Jr., whose medals across three Games in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens, were destroyed when his home – along with many others – was burned to the ground in the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles in early January.

The International Olympic Committee promised to replace his medals and on Monday, at Olympic House, Hall Jr. received a full set of medals from IOC President Thomas Bach (GER):

● Atlanta 1996 (4): 4×100 m Free relay gold, 4×100 m Medley relay gold, 50 m Free silver, 100 m Free silver.

● Sydney 2000 (4): 50 m Free gold, 4×100 m Medley relay gold, 4×100 m Free relay silver, 100 m Free bronze.

● Athens 2004 (2): 50 m Free gold, 4×100 m Free relay bronze.

That’s five golds, three silvers and two bronzes. After each Games, the IOC is given all of the unawarded medals made by the organizing committee, which it keeps for circumstances just like this one, although never before to award 10 medals to one athlete at one time!

Hall Jr. is one of 43 athletes who have won 10 or more career Olympic medals, 14 of which have been in swimming, tied for the most with gymnastics.

Said Bach:

“We really appreciate your presence here. I cannot tell you how much we admire you, not only because of the medals, but because when we were reading your tragic story of losing your house, your possessions and all your worldly properties, this went straight to our heart.

“But even more so, when we learned how you overcame this tragedy in the style of a true Olympic champion, showing all the resilience, courage and confidence that you were known for as an athlete at the time, but you displayed under very different circumstances once more.”

Hall Jr. commented:

“I’m emotional, it’s hard for me to put words together in this time. I would like to express my gratitude first and foremost.

“I cannot thank the Olympic Movement enough for their support through this very difficult time. Their realizations through this process that outweigh the sense of loss and that is this word of solidarity and what it means: the value of friends outweighs the value of objects, and character cannot be taken away, it cannot be burned, it cannot be lost and what is inside of us, our spirit, our being, our soul – that is important.

“We live in a time of capitalism, consumerism and you realize when you lose everything how little of it you truly need.”

Hall Jr. also displayed a brutal, poignant souvenir of his former home, a scrap of metal which was two medals – from Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004 – which had been melted together during the fire.

American swim star Gary Hall Jr. with his replacement Olympic medals and two of his original medals which melted together during the Palisades Fire (Photo: IOC/Greg Martin).

A GoFundMe effort has raised $94,650 to help as he starts again; he has the idea to try and introduce sports betting to swimming, with the intention “to use a percentage of revenue from sports betting to fund the rebuilding of youth sport programming in Los Angeles and relaunch Sea Monkeys Swimming.” He found a new place to live and wrote on Instagram last month:

“And lose, and start again at your beginnings
“And never breathe a word about your loss

“Striving for stoicism, I’ll post this and punt the recent tragedy towards the past. What a topsy turvy time since the Palisades Fire took my home, business and all worldly possessions. Tough hit.”

Thanks to the IOC, it may hurt a little less now.

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PANORAMA: New Zealand eyes Culver City for LA28 team hub; Fred Richard gets world back-flip record; Taylor gets prep 100 record: 9.92!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Proposed site plan for New Zealand to mount its 2028 Games headquarters and fan zone in Culver City (Image: City of Culver City).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering (BOE) is beginning the effort to create a construction “moratorium” within the City during the time of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In a report filed on 30 April, City Engineer Ted Allen asks for City Council approval so that:

● “BOE will work with partner agencies to define 2028 Games impact zones where restrictions are necessary and appropriate, including a perimeter around each event venue, as well as the Games Route Network and other critical venue access routes. BOE may also include other areas with high visitation or visibility, such as major tourist destinations, hospitality locations, Cultural Olympiad sites, or remote fan zone locations.”

● The report “initiates an ordinance to regulate additional private property  construction activity that may impair the Games operations and visitor experience. It also authorizes the Bureau of Street Services to implement a special events  moratorium during the same period. The report further directs all City permitting and construction agencies to implement restrictions consistent with the moratorium.”

● The moratorium will include “a perimeter around each event venue, as well as the Games Route Network and other critical venue access routes. BOE may also include other areas with high visitation or visibility, such as major tourist destinations, hospitality locations, Cultural Olympiad sites, or remote fan zone locations” and will be in effect no later than 13 June 2028 “when the event venues become operational.”

The report was referred for review to the Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Public Works Committee. The proposal is similar to measures usually taken for the year-end holiday period.

Culver City announced a memorandum of understanding with the New Zealand Olympic Committee to host the New Zealand “Fan Zone” in 2028 with the historic Culver Hotel to serve as the “New Zealand House” for the Games period.

The hotel will be used for hospitality as well as for some athlete and staff housing in 2028. The Culver Steps corridor behind the hotel will be renamed “New Zealand Boulevard” during the Games period and host the fan zone, complete with giant television screens to view the Games.

A more detailed, formal agreement is still needed and police and fire support and other expenses are estimated at $527,763; the New Zealand Olympic Committee is expected to spend more than $1 million on the program.

The next step is for the City Council’s Ad Hoc 2025 and 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics Preparation Subcommittee to review the proposed agreement.

A bill to allow better law enforcement coordination for the 2028 Olympic period in Oklahoma City passed the Oklahoma House by 81-0 and the Oklahoma Senate by 43-3 and is expected to be signed by Governor Kevin Stitt.

S.B. 523 “authorizes sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, and reserve deputy sheriffs, when
assigned to perform duties in counties outside of their jurisdiction, to have the same powers and duties as they do in their original jurisdiction. Liability for the conduct of any sheriff, deputy sheriff, and reserve sheriff remains with the county of original jurisdiction.”

Senate bill author Darrell Weaver explained:

“As Oklahoma prepares to host Olympic events in 2028, this legislation will ensure we can effectively utilize interagency partnerships to uphold public safety during these large-scale gatherings. I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law, giving Oklahoma law enforcement agencies the necessary tools to provide seamless, unified coverage for the Olympic events and beyond.”

Oklahoma City will host canoe slalom events and softball in 2028.

● Anti-Doping ● Fascinating cooperative agreement announced between the International Testing Agency and the Swiss sportswear brand On, with the ITA declaring, “This collaboration marks the first-ever partnership between the ITA and a commercial sportswear brand, underscoring On’s commitment to the protection, health, and integrity of its athletes.”

Moreover:

“[T]he ITA will oversee anti-doping efforts for On’s triathlon athletes, leveraging its existing collaboration with World Triathlon to provide a seamless extension of its programs in the sport and within the framework of the World Triathlon Anti-Doping Rules, as well as the World Anti-Doping Code and all relevant International Standards. For On athletes competing in other disciplines, additional anti-doping measures will be implemented in close cooperation with the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).”

The goal: “ensuring that On’s roster benefits from the most professional and independent anti-doping measures available today.”

● Gymnastics ● Fred Richard, the 2023 Worlds All-Around bronze medalist and a member of the U.S. Olympic men’s Team bronze medalists from Paris, was all-out on Friday to raise money for gymnastics equipment and facilities for African youth.

Richard was in a contest to set a Guinness World Record for the most backflips in a 24-hour period, at Premier Gymnastics in Stoughton, Massachusetts, starting at 8:30 a.m. The record was 1,001 in 24 hours by Austrian Nico Scheicher, but Richard shattered the mark in about 15 hours, finishing past midnight with 1,111!

By Sunday, he had raised almost $42,000 in donations, with more coming in. Richard just finished his junior year at Michigan, but is originally from Boston.

The Russian news agency TASS reported that the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique has granted “neutral status” to 43 Russian gymnasts and 30 Belarusians.

The Russian approvals include 14 artistic, 17 rhythmic and 13 trampoline athletes; another 44 coaches, trainers and staff were also approved by the FIG.

● Rugby ● World Rugby announced a new format for the HSBC SVNS Series beginning next season, with three divisions: Division I with eight teams each for men and women (six tournaments), Division II with six teams each for men and women (three tournaments) and Division III with eight men’s and women’s teams as a “challenger” division (one tournament).

The SVNS title tournament would be contested with 12 men’s and women’s teams, with the eight from Division I and the top four from Division II. The total calendar for the sport will expand to 13 tournaments, allowing for more exposure.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Artistic Swimming ● Spain collected five wins to highlight the World Aquatics World Cup III in Markham (CAN), with China also strong with three golds.

China’s 2024 Worlds women’s Solo Tech bronze medalist Huiyan Xu won both the women’s Solo Technical (252.311) and Solo Free (218.8438), with Spain’s Paris Olympic Team bronzer Iris Tio Casas second in the Solo Tech at 246.4850. In the Solo Free, a noteworthy third was Aruba’s Kyra Hoevertsz (192.9276), the daughter of IOC member Nicole Hoevertsz.

In the Duet Technical, sisters Anna-Maria and Eirini-Marina Alexandri (AUT) won at 290.3009, followed by Spain’s Txell Ferre Gaset and Lilou Lluis Valette (284.2959). Lluis Vallete and Tio Casas teamed up to win the Duet Free at 257.9868, beating China’s Yanhan Lin and Yanjun Lin (253.0640).

In the Mixed Duet Technical, Spain scored with Worlds silver medalists Dennis Gonzalez and Mireia Hernandez (212.3391), ahead of China’s Sitong Guo and Haoyue Shi (209.6841), and Gonzalez and Tio Casas took the Mixed Duet Free at 294.6284, with Muye Guo and Jinhan Lin (CHN) second at 276.9909.

Ranjuo Tomblin (GBR) won the Men’s Technical (218.1667) over Diego Villalobos (MEX: 214. 8667), but China’s Guo took the Men’s Free title at 192.7988, with Villalobos second at 190.9475.

Italy won the Team Acro over Spain (199.4300 to 181.6612), but the Spanish took the Team Technical event at 279.4640, with the U.S. in third at 266.6599, and Spain scored 312.9363 to win the Team Free, with the U.S. again third (291.1363).

● Athletics ● Olin Hacker and Josette Andrews scored their first career national titles at the USATF 5 km National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana on Saturday.

Hacker, 27, the 2022 NCAA 5,000 m champ for Wisconsin, had to push late to get away from Casey Clinger and 2024 winner Ahmed Muhumed to win in 13:31.93 (to 13:33.04 and 13:36.08).

Andrews, the world outdoor lead at 1,500 m in 4:01.76 from the Penn Relays, ran away from Bailey Hertenstein and a comebacking Courtney Frerichs to win the women’s title in 15:05.55, to 15:15.52 and 15:17.28. Defending champ Annie Rodenfels was seventh (15:32.24).

The wins would have qualified the top two for the World Athletics Road Running Championships, but the event was removed from San Diego for financial reasons and then canceled altogether.

The U.S. high school record was lowered to 9.92 on Saturday, as San Antonio Harlan junior Tate Taylor (17) won the boys’ Texas UIL Class 6A State Championships in Austin, with legal 1.1 m/s wind, pulling ahead of favored Brayden Williams (Duncanville HS: 10.01) with 40 m to go.

The old best was 9.93 for Christian Miller of St. Johns Creekside (Florida) in April 2024. Taylor had run 10.23 in 2024 as a sophomore and a windy 10.08 in April, coming on strongly this season. Now, at age 17, he’s no. 2 on the world list for 2025. Williams moved to equal-fourth all-time at 10.01 with Jeff Demps from 2008.

Taylor wasn’t done, either, winning the 200 m in 20.14, moving to equal-third on the all-time high school list with Tyreek Hill (2012) and Michael Norman (2014), and the fastest ever by a junior. And no. 3 on the U.S. list for 2025!

At the World Race Walk Tour Gold in Warsaw (POL), Japan’s two-time World 20 km Champion and world-record holder Toshikazu Yamanishi scored a clear win over Brazil’s Olympic silver winner Caio Bonfim, 1:20:50 to 1:21:34, with Kazuki Takahashi (JPN: 1:22:55) in third.

The women’s race was a duel between Paula Torres (ECU), ninth in Paris, and Peru’s two-time World Champion Kimberly Garcia, racing each other for the third time in 2025. As in Dudince (35 km in March) and Rio Maior (20 km in April), it was Torres who got to the line first, in 1:28:29 to 1:28:30 for Garcia. They’re now 13th and equal-14th on the world list for 2025. Viviane Lyra (BRA) was third in 1:28:54.

The Athletics Integrity Unit banned Ugandan women’s distance Olympian Belinda Chemutai for three years and 11 months from 11 April 2025 for the use of the steroid testosterone. Her results are nullified from 1 October 2023, which includes her appearance at the Paris Olympic Games in the heats of the 5,000 m.

● Badminton ● In the last 17 editions of the BWF Sudirman Cup Finals, only two countries have won the trophy: China with 13 wins and South Korea with four. And they faced off in the final once again, for the seventh time, this year in Xiamen (CHN).

China had won four of the prior six finals between the two, and they qualified to meet again, as China swept aside Malaysia (3-0) and Japan (3-0) in their playoff matches, and the Koreans sailed past Denmark, 3-1, and edged Indonesia, 3-2.

In the final, China won by 3-1, for its 14th title. Yu Qi Shi taking the men’s Singles, Yan Zhe Feng and Dong Ping Huang took the men’s Doubles, and Sheng Shu Liu and Ning Tan won the women’s Doubles. Korea’s win came from Se Young An in the women’s Singles.

● Curling ● At the World Curling Mixed Doubles Championship in Fredricton, Canada, Italy and Scotland, which finished 1-2 in Group A, met for the title on Sunday, the first time Italy played for a medal in this event, but the third final in the last five for the Scots.

Italy’s Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner slid past Estonia, 7-6 in its semifinal while Scots Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds – the 2021 World Champions – had to defeat Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin of the U.S. by 7-5 in a play-in match and then got past Australia, 9-6 in their semi. The U.S. ended up fifth overall and qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The final saw Italy go up 2-1 after three ends, then score two in the fourth and one in the fifth for a 5-1 lead. Dodds and Mouat struck back with three in the sixth to close to 5-4, but Constantini and Mosaner completed an undefeated, 11-0 title run with four in the seventh for a 9-4 victory.

In their 11 wins, Constantini and Mosaner outscored their opponents by 89-45! Australia took the bronze medal match by 9-6 over Estonia.

● Cycling ● The six-stage Tour de Romandie in Switzerland finished Sunday, with a 17.1 km Individual Time Trial to decide the race winner.

The Prologue and the first four stages all had different winners, and France’s Lenny Martinez won the uphill-finishing Stage 4 over Portugal’s Joao Almeida in 3:43:46 to upset the standings and take the lead by two seconds overall, ahead of stage two winner Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA) and three seconds up on Almeida. Australia’s Jay Vine was 32 seconds back.

On Sunday, two-time World Time Trial champ Remco Evenepoel (BEL) won in 20:33.22, with Almeida second (+0:12) and Martinez 13th (+0:41). That gave Almeida the race crown at 16:50:44, ahead of Martinez (+0:26) and Australian Jay Vine (+0:41). It’s Almeida’s second important win of the year; he took the Itzulia Basque Country six-stager in April.

The 62nd Eschborn-Frankfurt race last Thursday (1st) saw Australian star Michael Matthews score his 30th career UCI World Tour win, executing a patented finishing sprint to complete the 198.7 km course in 4:38:33, ahead of Magnus Cort (SUI), Jon Barrenetvea (ESP) and American Neilson Powless. The top 24 riders received the same time.

It was the first Australian win in this race since 1985! It also completed a medal sets for Mathews, who had been third in 2001 and second in 2018.

● Diving ● The World Aquatics World Cup Super Final was in Beijing (CHN), with the team events held in traditional style, but the individual events held in an experimental knock-out-style bracket to narrow from 12 entrants to four finalists.

In the team events, China’s Yukang Wu and Jiyuan Zheng won the men’s 3 m Synchro with 448.65 points, in a close decision over Britain’s Anthony Harding and Jack Laugher (434.88). The men’s 10 m Synchro was a clear win for China’s Zilong Cheng and Zifeng Zhu (460.92) over Russians Nikita Shleikher and Ruslan Ternovoi (426.69).

China’s Olympic champs Yani Chang and Yiwen Chen won the women’s 3 m Synchro at 323.13, beating Maddison Keeney and Alysha Koloi (AUS: 297.75), with Americans Anna Kwong and Sophie Verzyl in seventh (262.05). In the 10 m Synchro, Olympic champs Yuxi Chen and Hongchan Quan won at 350.88, well ahead of Russians Aleksandra Kendrina and Anna Konanykhina (302.94).

And China won the Mixed Team for a five-event sweep, 507.20 to 423.70 for Ukraine.

In the individual finals, Olympic silver man Zongyuan Wong won the men’s 3 m with 519.25 to 505.05 for teammate Jiuyuan Zheng; Sunday’s 10 m Platform results had Zifeng Zhu at 571.90, a clear winner over teammate Zilong Cheng (542.30).

The women’s 10 m title went to Paris silver winner Yuxi Chen (431.25) over teammate (and Olympic champ) Hongchan Quan (409.80); the 3 m Springboard final on Sunday had Jia Chen winning at 382.05 and Paris Olympic champ Yiwen Chen second (368.40).

Nine events, nine wins for China.

● Fencing ● American star Alexander Massialas, now 31, scored a big win at the FIE Foil World Cup in Vancouver (CAN), taking the men’s title with a 15-8 victory in the final over Davide Filippi (ITA). For Massialas, the 2016 Olympic silver winner, it was his ninth career World Cup gold and 19th medal.

The women’s Foil title went to no. 1-ranked Martina Favaretto (ITA), who defeated Olympic champ Lee Keifer of the U.S. by 15-11 in the final. It’s Favaretto’s fifth career World Cup gold, all in the last three years. For Keifer, it was her 24th (!) career World Cup medal.

Both of the team events came down to Italy vs. U.S. finals, with Italy taking the women’s title, 45-42, over the American trio of Kiefer, Lauren Scruggs and Jaelyn Liu. The men’s match came down to the final face-off, with Massialas winning his bout to give the U.S. – also Nick Itkin and Bryce Louie – a 43-41 win. 

At the Sabre Grand Prix in Seoul (KOR), Hungary’s Krisztian Rabb won his first major international gold with a 15-14 victory over France’s Jean-Philippe Patrice in the men’s final. The all-Korean women’s final had Ha-young Jeon winning over Jeong-mi Kim, 15-13. It was Jeon’s second career Grand Prix win and the first international medal for Kim.

● Ice Hockey ● Defending champion Canada reached the final of the IIHF men’s U-18 World Championship in Frisco, Texas for the seventh time, but faced a new opponent: Sweden.

While the Canadians whizzed by Slovakia, 4-0, in its Friday semifinal, the U.S. and Sweden were locked in a tight battle in the second semi. After a scoreless first period, both teams scored twice in the second and then the Swedes got goals from Viggo Bjorck (7.27) and Torkel Jennersjo (13:22) for a 4-3 lead and a late U.S. score only made the final closer at 4-3. The U.S. out-shot the Swedes by 41-23, but it didn’t help.

In the final, Canada swamped Sweden by 7-0, up 2-0 after the first period and 5-0 after the second. It’s the sixth win in this tournament for Canada; Sweden finished second for the seventh time.

The third-place game went to the U.S. in overtime by 4-3, with Slovakia up 2-1 after two periods, but the game tied at 3-3 after regulation time. Ben Kevan scored the medal-winner for the Americans at 5:37 of the overtime period.

Sweden’s Filip Ekberg finished as the top scorer with 18 points and had the most goals with 10.

● Judo ● The Dushanbe Grand Slam in Tajikistan attracted 226 judoka from 27 nations, with the hosts enjoying great success, including four wins by Nurali Emomali in the men’s 66 kg class, Muhiddin Asadulloev at 73 kg, Somon Makhmadbekov at 81 kg and Olympic bronzer Temur Rakhimov at +100 kg.

Azerbaijan got two men’s wins, from Balabay Aghayev at 60 kg and Eljan Hajiyev at 90 kg.

France had two women’s champions, with Amandine Buchard, the Tokyo silver medalist, winning at 52 kg and fellow Tokyo runner-up Sarah Leonie Cysique taking the 57 kg class. So did Mongolia, with Anudari Jamsran taking the 48 kg class and Gankhaich Bold winning at 63 kg.

● Rugby Sevens ● The HSBC SVNS Series Grand Final was in Carson, California, at the same venue which will host the 2028 Olympic tournaments, Argentina (men) and New Zealand (women) having won the seasonal points titles.

South Africa (3-0) and Spain (2-1) won the men’s championship pools, with New Zealand and Australia both 3-0 in the women’s pools.

On Sunday, the women’s semis were easily won by New Zealand (34-7 over the U.S.) and Australia (33-7 over Canada), with Canada defeating the U.S., 27-7 for the bronze medal.

In the final, the New Zealanders had no trouble, breezing past Australia, 31-7 to win their third straight title and ninth in the 13 seasons of the league.

The men’s semis had Spain spanking Argentina, 29-5 and South Africa running past New Zealand, 31-5. The third-place match went to the Kiwis by 38-17.

The men’s final had South Africa up 7-0 at halftime and clamping down on the Spanish offense to finish with a 19-5 victory and their fifth seasonal SVNS title.

● Sport Climbing ● A sensational double world record for American Sam Watson at the IFSC World Cup in Bali (INA), giving him four world marks in a row.

Watson set two world marks of 4.75 and 4.74 on his way to the bronze medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, but lowered the time to 4.67 in his semifinal. Japan’s Ryo Omasa false-started out of the final, so Watson was unchallenged, but topped the 15 m wall in another world record of 4.64! He said later:

“The qualifiers and practice were boiling. I came back and put an ice pack on my head. But I am a competitor and the conditions affect everybody. I was lucky we got a bit of overcast so there was a little bit of shade, and I am really happy now. I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

The women’s final had world-record holder Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) as an easy winner over China’s Yafei Zhou in the final, 6.37 to 8.12.

The Lead finals on Sunday saw Japan’s Satone Yoshida, 20, on a mission. He led the qualifying round, led the semifinal round and won the final for his first career Lead World Cup gold with a 42-41 win over first-time World Cup medalist Max Bertone (FRA), with Alberto Gines Lopez (ESP: 39+) in third.

Britain’s Erin McNeice got her second win of the season in the women’s Lead final, getting to the top, along with Korean Chae-hyun Seo, but the tie was broken by McNeice’s better qualifying score and earned the victory. Japan’s Ai Mori was third at 45.

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ATHLETICS: World leads for Bednarek and Meshesha in Miramar as five repeat as Grand Slam Track winners from Kingston

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. star Grant Fisher taking the 5,000 m at Grand Slam Track II (Photo: Grand Slam Track).

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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK II ≡

A very good second stanza of the new Grand Slam Track project that concluded in Miramar, Florida, with two more world-leading performances:

● Men/200 m: 19.84, Kenny Bednarek (USA)
● Women/3,000 m: 8:22.72, Hirut Meshesha (ETH)

Conditions were generally good at 80 F, but with some cloud cover and high humidity at 68%, and the crowd was loud. In a 5,000-seat facility, attendance was a little more spotty on the home straight than on Saturday and better on the backstraight, perhaps 3,500 or so after about 4,000 on Saturday.

The competition was good once again, with some surprises:

● Women/800 m (short distances):
American Nikki Hiltz won in Kingston with a then-world-leading 1:58.23, but 2024 World Indoor 1,500 m champ Freweyni Hailu won the 1,500 m on Saturday and Diribe Welteji (ETH) was third and won the Kingston Slam.

World Champion Mary Moraa (KEN) went to the lead, but wasn’t pressing the pace. Moraa took the bell, and led into the turn, but with Hailu coming up on the turn. Into the straight, Moraa and Hailu were side-by-side, but Moraa wanted the win and got to the line first in a seasonal best of 1:59.51.

Hiltz made another finishing charge from fourth and got second past Hailu, 1:59.85 to 1:59.84 and Welteji fourth (1:59.94).

Hailu took the Slam with 18 points, with Hiltz at 16 and Moraa at 13; Welteji was fourth with 11.

● Men/100 m (short hurdles):
Trey Cunningham won the 110 hurdles race at 13.00, no. 2 in the world for 2025, and was looking to improve on his 10.27 lifetime best in the 100 m from last year. France’s Sasha Zhoya stole the Slam in Kingston with a 10.55 100, but into a 2.0 m/s headwind.

Cunningham was off well in lane three, but Olympic hurdles silver winner Daniel Roberts and Zhoya were off best by 10 m. But Cunningham took the lead by 25 m and it was Jamal Britt in lane one who was the primary challenger. Cunningham broke the tape in a personal best 10.17 (+0.7 m/s wind), followed closely by Britt, who equaled his lifetime best at 10.20. Zhoya and Roberts were 3-4, both with lifetime bests of 10.36 and 10.40.

Cunningham swept the Slam with 24 points, with Zhoya second at 14, followed by Britt (13); Crittenden and Roberts were 4-5 with eight each.

● Women/3,000 m (long distances):
Agnes Ngetich (KEN) and Medina Eisa (ETH) had a memorable battle on Friday in the 5,000 m with world-leading times of 14:25.80 and 14:25.92, and Ngetich was second in the Kingston Slam. What would they have left?

Kenyan Janeth Chepngetich took it out at 62.98, with Ngetich taking over by 600 m, followed by Eisa. The pace was strong with six in contention by 1,500 m, down to four by 2,000 m (6:27.79), with Ngetich continuing to push, with Eisa still her shadow.

At the bell, it was still four, with Ngetich, Eisa, two-time 10,000 m Olympian Tsige Gebreselama (ETH) and 2022 World Indoor 1,500 m bronzer Hirut Meshesha (ETH). On the backstraight, Gebreselama attacked first but fell back, Meshesha took the lead into the turn, with Ngetich trying to keep up.

Into the straight, Meshesha and Eisa were 1-2 with Ngetich in a full sprint but Meshesha had the best speed to the line and won in a lifetime best of 8:22.72, with Eisa at 8:23.08 and Ngetich at 8:23.14, all lifetime bests and 1-2-3 on the 2025 world outdoor list. Gebreselama got a seasonal best at 8:24.47, no. 4 in the world this season.

It came down to combined times, but Ngetich won the Slam with 18 points, with Meshesha second (also 18) and Eisa third with 16.

● Men/400 m (long hurdles):
Brazil’s 2022 World 400 m hurdles champ Alison dos Santos won the Kingston Slam and took the hurdles over former NCAA champ Chris Robinson by 0.95, and with Robinson having run a then-world-leading 44.15, dos Santos had to stay close.

But dos Santos in lane five could see Robinson ahead of him in seven, and tracked him down the back straight. Robinson could not get away and dos Santos was the leader into the final straight and pulled away to win in a lifetime best of 44.53!

Robinson was a solid second in 44.86, NCAA champion Caleb Dean was third in 45.18 and then American Trevor Bassitt in 45.31.

Dos Santos won the Slam, as in Kingston, with 24, ahead of Robinson (16) and then Dean (10), with a better combined time than Malik James-King (JAM: 8).

● Women/200 m (long sprints):
Olympic champ Marileidy Paulino (DOM) and 2019 World Champion Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) were 1-2 in the 400 m and looked to be the favorites.

This wasn’t close, as Paulino started slowly out of the blocks, but she was much better than everyone else and stormed into the straight in the lead and won easily in 22.30, a national record and no. 6 in the world for 2025 (wind: +1.0 m/s).

Naser and American Alexis Holmes dueled for second down the straight and Holmes faded, and Naser finished in a solid 22.53. American Bella Whittaker was third in 22.76; Holmes was fifth in 22.83, a lifetime best.

Paulino won the Slam with 24, with Naser second at 16, then Whittaker (11) and Holmes fourth (10).

● Men/5,000 m (long distances):
Double Olympic bronze winner Grant Fisher of the U.S. won the Kingston Slam (barely) and was second in the 3,000 m, so he was the man to watch, but would the race devolve into another jog-and-kick affair?

Dawit Seare (ERI) was in front early, but the pace was slow, with Cooper Teare of the U.S. taking over by the 800 m mark, and George Mills (GBR) by 1,400 m. Fisher was steady in third or fourth, waiting. The 2,000 m mark was passed in 5:51.72 for Mills, with Sam Atkin (GBR) just behind, still slow.

Atkin took a turn in the lead and passed 3,000 m in 8:36.38. Mills took back the lead but Fisher got in front by 3,500 m and started to surge. With three laps to go, he moved away and ran a 58.6 lap to break up the race. He passed 4,200 m with an enormous lead (59.6 lap) and took the bell with a 50 m edge (5 1/2 seconds, off a 60.3 lap).

Fisher cruised home to win, waving to the crowd in 13:40.32, finishing his final four laps (1,600 m) in 3:57.57!

Behind him, there was a fight for second down the final straight with Teare winning the sprint (13:46.25) ahead of 3,000 m winner Andrew Coscoran (IRL: 13:46.30) and Ronald Kwemoi (KEN: 13:46.35).

Fisher took his second straight Slam with 20 points, Coscoran was second with 18, then Teare (13) and Mills and Kwemoi (8 each for fourth and fifth).

● Women/400 m (long hurdles):
No doubt about the favorite with U.S. star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in the race, winner of the first Slam and who took the 400 m hurdles in a world-leading 52.07. She started in lane five, with fellow American Shamier Little just outside of her, a 49.68 performer at her best from 2023.

McLaughlin-Levrone moved well, as did Little, on the backstraight. McLaughlin-Levrone came on around the turn and was in front by 5 m and ran away to win in 49.69, now no. 5 in the world for 2025 and her sixth-fastest ever.

Behind her, it was a three-way battle in lanes 6-7-8 with Little, Andrenette Knight (JAM) and U.S. heptathlete Anna Hall, and Hall got to the line in 51.68, then Knight in 51.80 and Little in 51.84.

McLaughlin-Levrone won the Slam with 24 points, ahead of Knight (14) and Hall (14), with Knight getting second on combined time. Hall ran her two races out of lanes one (400H) and eight (400)!

● Men/200 m (short sprints):
“Kung Fu Kenny” Bednarek won her first three Grand Slam Track races and was the overwhelming favorite in this race given his two Olympic 200 m silvers. He started in lane six, with Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ Andre De Grasse (CAN) right ahead of him.

It wasn’t close. Bednarek pulled up on De Grasse by the middle of the turn, had a 2 m lead onto the straight and stormed home in a world-leading 19.84 (+0.2). He looked very relaxed and there is a lot more to come from him.

The race for second was between Britain’s Zharnel Hughes in lane eight and Oblique Seville (JAM) in six, with Hughes getting second as both were timed in 20.13. De Grasse was fourth in 20.23.

Bednarek had 24 points to win the Slam, with Seville second (14), Hughes third (13) and Brandon Hicklin of the U.S. was fourth overall (8) as the late replacement for Fred Kerley, earning $25,000 for the weekend!

Scoring in each event group (two races) was 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 and the placers in each group will win $100,000-50,000-30,000-25,000-20,000-15,000-12,500-10,000.

Repeaters from Kingston included Bednarek (short sprints), dos Santos (long hurdles) and Fisher (long distances) for the men; Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (short sprints) and McLaughlin-Levrone (long hurdles) doubled for the women.

Next up is the third Grand Slam Track weekend, at historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia, on 30-31 May and 1 June.

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TABLE TENNIS: Sorling running for re-election as ITTF chief to continue the sport’s expansion, especially in the U.S.!

By
Rich Perelman
-
International Table Tennis Federation President Petra Sorling (SWE) (Photo: ITTF).

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≡ ITTF ELECTIONS ≡

The International Table Tennis Federation will have elections at its Annual General Meeting on 27 May 2025, with three candidates for President confirmed:

● Mohamed El Hacen Ahmed Salem (MTN), the former Secretary General of the Mauritanian federation and its current President.

● Khalil Al-Mohannadi (QAT), a member of the ITTF Board since 1997, having served as Deputy President twice, Executive Vice President twice and Senior Executive Vice President since 2022.

● Incumbent Petra Sorling (SWE), a Board member of the Swedish member association since 2000 and President of the association from 2013-22, leaving after she was elected ITTF President in 2021. The first ITTF officer ever to be elected to the International Olympic Committee (in 2023), she has had a long career in real estate management and urban planning, but is now concentrating on table tennis.

Sorling took time out last week to participate in a forum with reporters, explaining her enthusiasm for continuing as the ITTF President.

Like many other sports, table tennis enjoyed a brilliant 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, with big crowds at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. During her tenure, a separate commercial arm has been set up – World Table Tennis – to run the high-end tournaments, which are showing strong interest in multiple European countries and in Asia.

Even better, says Sorling, “when we look at our spectators – we have data on that – it is mainly young fans, 18 to 24 years, females. … I think we are unique in that, in table tennis.”

She noted that the sport has been granted a sixth event for the 2028 Olympic Games – a Mixed Team event – with the Mixed Doubles added for Paris 2024, which will increase the sport’s footprint and visibility at the Games:

“I believe table tennis can be a top-8 sport in LA2028. It’s not something that is impossible if we continue to move in the speed that we have in the moment.”

The ITTF, like at least half of the Olympic-sport federations, is deeply dependent on a share of the IOC’s television revenue from the Games. It received $16 million from the IOC related to Paris 2024, in the third tier of payouts; the top two tiers consist of eight sports – aquatics, athletics and gymnastics in tier one and basketball, cycling, football, tennis and volleyball in the second – thus the reference to “top eight” … and more of the IOC’s television money.

The federation’s 2022 financial statements showed assets of $36.8 million with reserves of $14.2 million; 2022 revenue was $36.8 million with $39.8 million in spending for an annual loss of $2.95 million.

The new events are also helping the federation grow, as both the Mixed Doubles and Mixed Team results count for ranking points, putting pressure on member associations to increase the number of female players in order to field competitive teams in these events (and score points).

The ITTF is also involved in artificial intelligence in judging and for player performance and has undertaken e-sports action using virtual-reality glasses, “to meet the new generation where they are” and to get involved in the Olympic Esports Games to debut in 2027.

Asked how the federation can improve its finances to lessen reliance on the IOC, Sorling noted that the formation of the for-profit World Table Tennis entity came only in 2019, 85% owned by the federation and 15% by investors:

“Up ‘til now it has been a start-up phase, but already in 2024 we have done the turnaround. We have reached beyond break-even and I am looking forward to the next years that can also be profitable for the federation itself.”

She explained her view that the ITTF is poised for growth now:

“When I go back one year before the Olympic Games in Paris, I was more thinking on what will be the next term program and so on, but now that I have seen the result of what we have done in the first term and having seen, more or less, a full four years, I feel that we are on track, we have momentum, we have to keep table tennis ahead, so we have to do a little bit more of everything, but we also to show the member associations what it brings back on them.

“We were starting everything after the pandemic, that is what I did when I took office. We started a for-profit company, we were coming into a period of time [where] there was no events, we have to beg the organizers to come up and organize. Now we have the other [way] as a problem: it’s a full calendar, we still only have 52 weeks.

“So it’s a positive problem, but it’s also for the member associations; 227 have to understand ‘what‘s in it for me.’ It’s good that they have these events, it’s good that they were sold out, but if I’m sitting as a president in Uruguay, what does it bring me? So that is what I have now … for them to feel that they are part of this journey.”

Beyond the annual ITTF World Championships, World Table Tennis has created a series of ultra-high-level tournaments to focus more attention on the sport called the “Smash.” And, in 2025, the first United States Smash will arrive in Las Vegas, Nevada from 3-13 July at the Orleans Arena.

Sorling noted that this event is not strictly about building momentum just for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles:

“We are coming there because of a strategy.

“First of all, during the pandemic, every table tennis table in the U.S. market was sold out. So table tennis a popular sport in the U.S., on the leisure level. So how can we make table tennis also more interesting on the elite level?

“From my perspective, we need to have table tennis in the schools and that is where we are working, and we elected to have in 2016, we came for the first time with a women’s World Cup to Philadelphia. When I was there, I had the privilege of giving some medals at the end of this Women’s World Cup and the CEO of [U.S.] table tennis at that time, he said something like ‘this is the one who took this event to here.’ So actually, when I got out to my transport, I got some fans coming after me, saying ‘thank you, you are the one!’ I mean I was not the one, there were many bringing it there.

“However, they were telling me, ‘oh, I have traveled from San Francisco to watch this event.’ That is when I realized that, wow, even if table tennis is not the biggest sport here, there is an appetite, because if you go from San Francisco to Philadelphia, you go across a big country.

“So, with that said, we went back to the drawing board and said, what can we do in the U.S.? So when the U.S. and China actually went together and were bidding for the world championships, back-to-back as an anniversary of the ‘ping-pong diplomacy’ 50 years [after], so we had Chengdu 2022 and Houston 2021, they were actually bidding, let’s say, together.

“So we said at that time that’s a perfect event to have there and we convinced the [ITTF Annual General Meeting] to vote them forward … But in 2021, luckily in Texas, during the pandemic, we could have spectators, so we had actually a very good [event] – spectators and the atmosphere – they really got it. It was a show and it was really very good.

“We had taken also learnings from the world championships in Houston, so the main table and how it is presented now in our high-level Smash events is actually inspired from the Houston event.”

So the U.S. has been a springboard of sports out of the pandemic for the ITTF, and Sorling added:

“In the last two years, in December, I have been to U.S. Open, [2023] in L.A. and [last] year in Las Vegas and it’s very crowded. There is, I can see, a big push and that there is also better results from the players, so we are actually investing in U.S. as one of our most important markets with big potential.

“We are happy that LA2028 takes place; but it’s not, let’s say, the reason [for the U.S. Smash]. We saw already in ‘16 when we went to Philadelphia, we have also very big Asian communities. Around L.A. there is a lot of China associations, but not only about China, but let’s say the platform, we know that we will have spectators there. We know that table tennis is a sport that is for everyone and we are also now trying to build up, to have events. Because what we do now with the Smash, it’s every year. It’s not coming there once, like the world championships, or the World Cup, but with the Smash we go back.

“So the plan is to go, we will have the Smash in Las Vegas and the only one challenge we have is we wanted to stay in Vegas or go to L.A.? That’s what we are discussing and we will try now and see how in July it is in Vegas, but it’s a priority market … it’s a market where we have a lot of potential.”

Sorling knows she has more campaigning ahead and will release her campaign manifesto in the coming week. But she is confident: “I think we have done a lot, but there is much more to do.”

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SWIMMING: U.S. stars Gretchen Walsh (100 Fly twice!) and Katie Ledecky (800 Free) crush world records at Tyr Pro Swim Series!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Another big splash for world-record holder Gretchen Walsh of the U.S.! (Photo: University of Virginia).

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≡ TYR PRO SWIM SERIES ≡

After a brilliant Friday session that saw an American Record from ascending superstar Gretchen Walsh in the women’s 50 m Butterfly, it was a record Saturday on the final day of the Tyr Pro Swim Series in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida as the meet finished on Friday and Saturday with seven world-leading performances and three world records:

● Women/50 m Free: 24.33, Gretchen Walsh (USA) ~ World Leader
● Women/200 m Free: 1:54.93, Claire Weinstein (USA) ~ World Leader
● Women/800 m Free: 8:04.12, Katie Ledecky (USA) ~ World Record
● Women/100 m Back: 57.46, Regan Smith (USA) ~ World Leader
● Women/50 m Fly: 24.93, Gretchen Walsh (USA) ~ American Record
● Women/100 m Fly: 55.09, Walsh ~ World Record (heats)
● Women/100 m Fly: 54.60, Walsh ~ World Record

Walsh, 22, got a world record in 2024 at the U.S. Trials in the women’s 100 m Butterfly, then finished second at the Olympic Games to teammate Torri Huske. Then she won seven golds at the 2024 World 25 m Championships in Budapest, but headed into history in Ft. Lauderdale:

● On Friday, she won the women’s 50 m Fly final in 24.93, an American Record and the no. 2 performance of all time. She said afterwards:

“I think that going into the season I have been really close to a lot of different barriers. There’s the 55 mark in the 100 Fly, the 53 mark in the 100 Free, and the 25 mark in the 50 Fly. It’s been cool to surpass two of those here, and I am really happy about that.

“I love following in the footsteps of Sarah Sjoestrom [SWE: 24.43 world record in the 50 m Fly]. She’s such an idol to me, and it’s cool to be in the same sentence as her. She’s an incredible person to race and follow in her footsteps.”

Behind Walsh in the race were Olympic stars Kate Douglass (25.39, no. 2 in 2025) and Regan Smith (25.63, no. 4).

● On Saturday, Walsh went wild. In the morning heats, she blew up her own world record in the 100 m Fly in 55.09, shaving 0.09 from her 2024 world mark at the Trials.

● In the final, Walsh did it again, winning in 54.60 (!), and the first sub-55, giving her the top five swims in history at the distance! Huske, the Olympic gold medalist, was second in 56.59, now no. 3 in the world this year.

● Walsh finished the day with a win in the 50 m Free in 24.33, the 2025 world leader, ahead of Kasia Wasick (POL) and Huske at 24.47, tied for world no. 5 now. She had already won the 100 m Free on Thursday in 52.90, also the world leader in 2025 and finished with four world leads in the 50-100 Frees and 50-100 Flys.

Ledecky had already had a brilliant meet, swimming the no. 2 women’s 1,500 m Free ever on Wednesday (15:24.51) behind only her own world record, then beating Canadian star Summer McIntosh in the women’s 400 m Free in a world-leading 3:56.81 on Thursday. Ledecky said afterwards, “I didn’t know if I ever was going to be 3:56 again. All the credit to Summer, it’s always a great race when we’re next to each other. I’m just really happy with all the work I’ve put in to get to this point. I just have to thank all my coaches and teammates at Florida.”

On Friday, it took a world-leading 1:54.93 from 18-year-old Paris relay silver medalist Claire Weinstein to beat Ledecky in the 200 m Free, with Ledecky’s 1:55.51 now no. 3 in 2025.

Saturday was another Ledecky special, in the 800 m Free in which she is the four-time Olympic champion. And she turned back the clock again, taking down her own 8:04.79 world record from 2016, finishing in 8:04.12! She now has the top 10 performances ever in the event and 32 of the top 36! All this at age 28!

Let’s not forget eight-time Olympic medalist Smith, who won the 200 Fly on Thursday (2:05.38: no. 2 in 2025), the 200 Back on Friday in 2:06.32, no. 2 in 2025 and won the 100 Back on Saturday in 57.46, the world leader, ahead of Katharine Berkoff in 58.79 (no. 3) and Canadian star Kylie Masse (no. 4).

A little lost among all the glitter were Friday wins by Americans Skyler Smith in the 50 m Breast (30.49, no. 3 in 2025) and Emma Weyant in the 400 m Medley (4:33.95, no. 2 in 2025).

On Saturday, Paris 200 m Breast gold medalist Douglass won that race in 2:20.78 to move to no. 2 in 2025, ahead of Alex Walsh (Gretchen’s sister) in 2:22.91. Tokyo silver medalist Alex Walsh then won the 200 m Medley in 2:08.84 for no. 3 in 2025, just ahead of Smith (2:10.25, no. 9).

What about the men? They swam too, with strong results, but less spectacular than the women.

Olympic 800-1,500 gold medalist Bobby Finke tripled, adding to his 1,500 m Free win on Wednesday with the 400 m Medley on Friday in 4:13.67, ahead of Olympic winner Leon Marchand (FRA: 4:13.86), who made his first return to the pool since Paris. Finke was an easy winner in the 800 m Free on Saturday at 7:50.79.

Breaststroke star Denis Petrashov (KGZ) took the 50 m win in 26.94 on Friday (no. 5 in 2025) ahead of Michael Andrew of the U.S. (27.01, no. 6), and then the 200 m Breast on Saturday in 2:10.29, giving him a sweep.

Versatile American star Shaine Casas added to his 100 m Free win on Thursday with the 200 Medley title in 1:56.52, no. 4 in 2025, beating Marchand (1:57.27) and two-time Worlds silver winner Carson Foster of the U.S. (1:58.78). Foster won the men’s 200 m Free in 1:46.46, with Casas winning the B final in 1:46.49, the second-fastest time of the meet!

Canada’s Ilya Kharun won the 50 m Fly (23.09) and 100 m Fly (50.42) to move to no. 3 and no. 2 in the world in those events. Hungary’s Hubert Kos, the Paris Olympic 200 m Back winner, took the 100 Back (53.14) and 200 Back (1:56.45).

Noticed, but a little lost in all the excitement was the return of nine-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel in the sprints. He skipped the 100s, but finished fifth in the 50 m Free in 22.21 (Andrej Barna/SRB won in 21.83) and fourth in the 50 m Fly (23.32), won by Kharun.

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ATHLETICS: World leads for McLaughlin-Levrone and Jacory Patterson at Grand Slam Track II in Miramar

By
Rich Perelman
-
Another win and another world-leading performance from U.S. superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in Miramar (Photo: Grand Slam Track).

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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK II ≡

Day two of the second Grand Slam Track meet at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida, with warm weather once again at 84 F and 60% humidity, good once again for the sprinters.

Concerning a high-profile off-the-track incident, Grand Slam Track issued a short statement on its Friday broadcast about sprint star Fred Kerley of the U.S. – a Racer for Grand Slam Track – who was arrested on Thursday evening in an altercation with hurdler and ex-girlfriend Alaysha Johnson, explaining “Fred Kerley was arrested last night. The matter is under investigation, and all inquiries should be directed to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Fred will not compete this weekend.”

Johnson ran the women’s 100 m hurdles on Friday (sixth), but did not start in the women’s 100 m on Saturday.

On the track, there were world leaders in three events on Friday; and two more on Saturday:

● Men/400 m: 43.98, Jacory Patterson (USA)
● Women/400 m hurdles: 52.07, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA)

Race-by-race:

● Women/400 m hurdles (long hurdles):
The program started with U.S. superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on the track in lane six, already the world leader at 52.76.

McLaughlin-Levrone was out well and steamed down the backstraight, coming up so quickly on a couple of hurdles that she had to chop her step, and running away from the field. She was all alone off the second turn and stormed home in a world-leading 52.07.

Jamaican Andrenette Knight was a distant second in 54.08 and U.S. heptathlon star Anna Hall, the 2022 NCAA runner-up, was third in 54.43, just 0.01 from her best in 2023.

● Men/400 m (long sprints):
Olympic and World Champion Steven Gardiner (BAH) is a new Racer, but was chasing Jereem Richards (TTO) and Alexander Ogando (DOM) from the 200 m on Friday.

Richards started off well, with Gardiner appearing to be hurt and did not finish. Into the turn, Richards had a slight lead, with Britain’s Olympic 400 m silver man Matthew Hudson-Smith challenging. But off the turn, ex-Florida star Jacory Patterson – in lane eight – came back on Richards in seven and got past in the final 50 m and won in a lifetime best and world-leading 43.98!

Patterson’s prior best was 44.27; Richards, better known in the 200, was second in his fourth-fastest lap ever in 44.32, with Hudson-Smith at 44.37 in third. They’re now 1-7-8 in the world for 2025.

In the Slam, Richards scored 20 for the win, with Patterson at 15, and Ogando (who was fifth in 44.78) at 12. Patterson won $50,000 for second and said in his interview, he’s now thinking about quitting his UPS overnight job and just concentrate on track!

● Women/100 m (short hurdles):
After Masai Russell’s American Record of 12.17 on Friday, what could she do in the 100 m? Her best coming in was 11.54 from 2022 and Saturday was only her fourth career race at the distance.

Off the gun, however, it didn’t take long for Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent to take charge and by mid-race, she was gone and won, equaling her lifetime best of 11.09 (+0.9 m/s).

Fellow Jamaican Megan Tapper was a clear second in a lifetime best of 11.33, then Keni Harrison of the U.S. in 11.35. Russell was fourth in a lifetime best 11.40. That all meant that Nugent won the Slam with 18, followed by Russell with 17, and Tapper third at 12.

● Women/1,500 m (short distance):
Olympic 1,500 m seventh-placer Nikki Hiltz of the U.S. dominated this group in Kingston, and started off in the lead, but with a very slow pace of 73.97 at 400 m.

Kenya’s Mary Moraa, the 2023 World 800 m champ, took over at 800 m and the 1,500 specialists figured out they needed to pick up the pace. Freweyni Hailu (ETH) and Hiltz took over at the bell and there were four in contention with 200 m to go, with Diribe Welteji (ETH) and Olympic silver winner Jess Hull (AUS) in attendance.

Haliu came into the straight in front of Welteji, and a Hiltz surge in the final 50 m from fourth came up just short, in 4:06.96 and 4:07.08. Welteji and Hull were 3-4 in 4:07.46 and 4:07.87. Moraa, in her first 1,500 ever, paid for her early effort and was eighth in 4:24.44.

● Men/110 m hurdles (short hurdles):
Five Americans in this race, with 2022 Worlds silver winner Trey Cunningham as a new Challenger and Paris Olympic silver winner Daniel Roberts looking for better results than in Kingston (fourth).

Cunningham was sharp and got to the front quickly and stayed calm and consistent, holding on off the 10th hurdle and leaning for the win at a fast 13.00 (+1.4), equaling his lifetime best! France’s Sasha Zhoya, who won the Slam in Kingston, got a lifetime best of 13.06 in second and was pressed by Crittenden at 13.09 in third. American Jamal Britt was fourth in 13.10.

The top three are now 2-3 and equal-4th in the world for 2025.

● Men/100 m (short sprints):
American Brandon Hicklin, who ran a lifetime best of 9.93 in April, replaced Kerley in this race, with Olympic 100 seventh-placer Kenny Bednarek looking to win again after Kingston.

Off the gun, it was Jamaicans Ackeem Blake and Oblique Seville and Bednarek at the front, but by mid-race, Bednarek took over and flew to the line in a brilliant 9.79, with just-over-the-allowable 2.4 m/s wind! A major statement and his fastest ever under all conditions.

Seville was second in 9.84w, Blake in 9.85w and then Zharnel Hughes (GBR) in 9.87w. Wow!

● Men/800 m (short distances):
The 1,500 m men asserted their authority over their own distance on Friday, with Josh Kerr (GBR) and Yared Nuguse and Cole Hocker of the U.S. going 1-2-3. Dealing with 2023 World Champion Marco Arop (CAN) and world leader Peter Bol (AUS) was the challenge.

Arop got to the lead first and took the bell at 51.63, with Nuguse following. Arop pushed hard down the backstraight and had 2 m with 200 m to go. Arop was smooth and barely got to the line first in 1:43.69, barely ahead of 2024 African Champs silver winner Kethobogile Haingura (BOT: 1:43.75 lifetime best) and Bol (1:44.13).

Behind them was Nuguse with a lifetime best of 1:44.77, then Kerr with a PR of 1:45.01. That gave Kerr the Slam with 16 points, with Arop second (14) and then Haingura (13) winning on combined time with Nuguse (also 13).

● Women/200 m (short sprints):
Olympic 100 m bronzer Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the 100 on Friday in a windy 10.75, now facing Olympic champion Gabby Thomas in her prime event, who was fourth in the 100.

Off the start, Thomas was terrific, making up the stagger on lane five outside of her, but Jefferson-Wooden was right there with her into the straight! Outside of Jefferson-Wooden in lane eight was Tamari Davis, who was right there with 50 m to go.

Thomas surged again in the final 10 m and won in 21.95, with a legal 1.1 m/s wind, just ahead of Davis, who got a lifetime best of 22.05, then Jefferson-Wooden with a major lifetime best of 22.15. Thomas moved up to no. 2 in the world in 2025, with Davis and Jefferson-Wooden now 3-4.

The third place gave Jefferson-Wooden 18 points to defend her Slam from Kingston, with Thomas at 17 and Davis at 16.

Scoring in each event group (two races) is 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 and the placers in each group will win $100,000-50,000-30,000-25,000-20,000-15,000-12,500-10,000.

Sunday’s finale in Miramar will be from 3-6 p.m., on The CW and Peacock.

Around the track, Saturday’s crowd at the 5,000-capacity facility looked full on the home straight again, with much better coverage on the backstraight, perhaps 4,000 in the house.

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ATHLETICS: Sensational 12.87 hurdles win for Tinch at Shanghai Diamond League, among five world leaders!

By
Rich Perelman
-
On fire: hurdler Cordell Tinch of the U.S. (Photo: Diamond League AG).

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≡ SHANGHAI DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

Shanghai was the second stop for the 2025 Wanda Diamond League, in an exciting meet that included world-leading (outdoor) marks in five events:

● Men/5,000 m: 12:50.45, Berihu Aregawi (ETH)
● Men/110 m hurdles: 12.87, Cordell Tinch (USA)
● Men/400 m hurdles: 47.28, Karsten Warholm (NOR)
● Men/Vault: 6.11 m (20-0 1/2), Mondo Duplantis (SWE)
● Women/800 m: 1:56.64, Tsige Duguma (ETH)

Tinch, who had a disappointing 2024 after making the American team for the 2023 World Championships, already had a windy sub-13 this season at 12.97 (+3.4) in April and won in Xiamen. This time he was in front by the second hurdle and poured it on to finish in 12.87, not only improving his world-leading mark from 13.06, but moving him all the way up to equal-fourth all-time! The wind was only +0.6 m/s. The all-time list:

● 12.80, Aries Merritt (USA), 2012
● 12.81, Grant Holloway (USA), 2021
● 12.84, Devon Allen (USA), 2022
● 12.87, Dayton Robles (CUB), 2008
● 12.87, Cordell Tinch (USA), 2025

The race wasn’t close, with Japan’s Rachid Muratake second in 13.10 and Olympic bronze winner Rasheed Broadbell third in 13.24. Eric Edwards of the U.S. was ninth in 13.90. Wow.

In the men’s 5,000 m, the Ethiopian trio of Paris Olympic silver winner Berihu Aregawi and 19-year-olds Kuma Girma and Mezgebu Sime broke away with 500 m to go and ran away to a fast 1-2-3 finish, with Aregawi getting an outdoor world leader at 12:50.45, with Girma second (12:50.69) and Sime third (12:51.86). Kenyan Nicholas Kipkorir was fourth in 12:56.81.

Warholm, fresh off of his 300 m hurdles world best in Xiamen, scored an easy win in Shanghai, rocketing out of the blocks from his preferred lane seven and running a world-leading 47.28, ahead of Matheus Lima (BRA: 48.08). American CJ Allen finished sixth at 49.24.

After some difficult wind conditions in Xiamen kept his winning height down, vault superstar Duplantis increased his world outdoor lead to 6.11 m (20-0 1/2), clearing 5.62 m (18-5 1/4), then 5.92 m (19-5) and 6.01 m (19-8 1/2) on his first tries. But Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis also cleared 6.01, but failed three times at 6.11, while Duplantis sailed over on his first attempt. He did not try a higher height. Two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks of the U.S. was sixth, clearing 5.72 m (18-9 1/4).

Olympic silver winner and 2024 World Indoor champ Tsige Duguma was only fifth at the bell in the women’s 800 m, but was a close third heading into the final turn and then blasted past countrywoman Nigist Getachew and Addy Wiley of the U.S. into the straight to win in a world-leading 1:56.64, also a lifetime best and national record! Australian Sarah Billings came up for second (1:57.83), while Wiley faded to fifth (1:58.59). Fellow American Sage Hurta-Klecker was seventh (1:59.11).

There was a lot more:

South Africa’s Akani Simbine won his third men’s 100 m this season without a loss, edging Olympic silver winner Kishane Thompson (JAM), 9.98 to 9.99 (+0.5), with Olympic 200 m champ Letsile Tebogo (BOT) in third (10.03). Thompson had the lead for most of the race, but was caught in the final steps. American Christian Coleman, the 2019 World Champion, started poorly and finished fifth in 10.13.

American Chris Bailey, the World Indoor 400 m champion, was only sixth at 200 m, then moved hard around the turn for second behind Bayapo Ndori (BOT) coming into the straight, and then moved away for a lifetime best of 44.17, now no. 2 for 2025. Ndori, passed only in the final 40 m, was second in 44.32; Olympic relay gold medalist Vernon Norwood of the U.S. was fourth in 44.93 and Olympic champion Quincy Hall, coming off of an injury, opened his season at 45.99, finishing eighth.

Ethiopia’s Abrham Sime had the lead by 2,000 m in the 3,000 m Steeple and would not let go, winning in 8:07.92, now no. 4 for 2025, ahead of Kenyans Edmund Serem (8:08.68) and Simon Koech (8:09.05).

In the non-Diamond League long jump, China went 1-2 with 2023 Asian Games bronzer Yuhao Shi and Heng Shu, at 8.21 m (26-11 1/4) and 8.18 m (26-10), with Olympic silver winner Wayne Pinnock (JAM: 8.10 m/26-7) in third. Americans Marquis Dendy and Jeremiah Davis were 8-9 at 7.79 m (25-6 3/4) and 7.49 m (24-7).

Tokyo Olympic champ Pedro Pichardo (POR) got out to 17.03 m (55-10 1/2) in the first round of the men’s triple jump and no one could catch him. Jamaica’s Jordan Scott got closest at 17.00 m (55-9 1/4) in the third round; Americans Donald Scott (16.88 m/55-4 3/4) and Salif Mane (16.42 m/53-10 1/2) finished fourth and eighth.

American Anavia Battle, a Tokyo Olympian, got a second straight Diamond League win with a runaway 22.38 victory in the women’s 200 m (+0.5), over Rhasidat Adeleke (IRL: 22.72). U.S. Olympic relay gold medalist Jenna Prandini was fifth at 22.88 and fellow relay star TeeTee Terry finished ninth (23.49).

Paris Olympic fifth-placer Grace Stark of the U.S. continued her busy 2025 with a win in the women’s 100 m hurdles in 12.42 (+0.3), ahead of two-time World Champion Danielle Williams (12.55). Fellow American Tonea Marshall was fifth (12.70) and 2019 World Champion Nia Ali was ninth (13.01).

Ukraine’s Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh scored another win over her Australian challengers, Olympic runner-up Nicola Olyslagers and 2022 World Champion Eleanor Patterson. Mahuchikh cleared 2.00 m (6-6 3/4), while Olyslagers managed 1.98 m (6-6) and Patterson cleared 1.95 m (6-4 3/4).

Two-time World Champion Chase Jackson of the U.S. dominated the women’s shot, getting a seasonal best of 20.54 m (67-4 3/4) and moving to no. 2 on the 2025 world list. She had four throws that would have won, all ahead of world leader Jessica Schilder (NED) at 19.77 m (64-10 1/2). Americans Maggie Ewen and Jaida Ross finished fifth and sixth at 19.28 m (63-3 1/4) and 18.80 m (61-8 3/4).

Olympic champ and world leader Valarie Allman of the U.S. won her 20th straight final in the non-Diamond League women’s discus, reaching 70.08 m (229-11) in the fifth round, well ahead of Jorinde van Klinken (NED: 66.22 m/217-3). American Lagi Tausaga-Collins, the 2023 World Champion, was sixth at 61.34 m (201-3).

Greece’s Elina Tzenggo, the Xiamen meet winner, scored again, sending the javelin out to 64.90 m (212-11) on her fourth throw, good enough for the victory. China’s Qianqian Dai got close in the sixth at 64.38 m (211-3), a lifetime best. American Maggie Malone-Hardin finished eighth at 58.38 m (191-6).

Next up on the Diamond League slate is the Jetour Doha meet on 16 May; there is one more important meet in China as the World Athletics Relays are in Guangzhou on 10-11 May.

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ATHLETICS: Hot temps and hot racing at Grand Slam II in Miramar, as Russell gets U.S. 100 hurdles record in 12.17! Yes!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Masai Russell broke the American Record at Grand Slam Track II in Miramar (Photo: Grand Slam Track).

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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK II ≡

The second of four legs of the debut season of Grand Slam Track was at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida, with warm, 82-degree (F) temperatures and the racing was predictably fast … really fast, with three world leads:

● Men/200 m: 19.86, Jereem Richards (TTO) and Alexander Ogando (DOM)
● Women/5,000 m: 14:25.80, Agnes Ngetich (KEN)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.17, Masai Russell (USA) ~ American Record

Here’s what happened in the races:

● Women/100 m hurdles (short hurdles):
The weather was warm at 82 F at the start, but this race was historically hot!

The Olympic silver medalist, Cyrena Samba-Mayela (FRA) couldn’t go, so Olympic champ Masai Russell of the U.S. had an open lane to her right. Off the gun, Russell in four and fellow American Tia Jones in lane one – the world leader at 12.49 – were both terrific and in rhythm.

They edged ahead of the field and were clear of all others by the eighth hurdle, but kept close and Russell only gained a definitive edge off the final hurdle and crossed in a brilliant 12.17, with legal wind of 2.0 m/s!

It’s the no. 2 performance of all time and an American Record, taking down Keni Harrison’s 12.20 from 2016; Harrison was in the race as a Challenger and was fourth in 12.40.

Jones was a sensational second in 12.19, the no. 3 performance all-time and now no. 2 all-time U.S. Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent was third in 12.34. Wow.

● Men/1,500 m (short distance):
The 800 m runners embarrassed the milers in the first Slam in Kingston, but made sure they were going to be at or near the front in Miramar.

Olympic 1,500 m bronze medalist Yared Nuguse of the U.S. had the lead, with Britain’s 2023 World Champion Josh Kerr on his shoulder and Canadian Olympic 800 m silver winner Marco Arop and Olympic 1,500 m champ Cole Hocker (USA) in fourth. The pace was reasonable – 60.96 and 1:58.03 – but no one was getting away.

At the bell, Nuguse still led with Kerr close, but Arop came hard on the outside to challenge for the lead with 200 m to go. Coming into the final straight, Nuguse barely had a lead over Hocker coming on hard the inside, but Kerr was flying in lane two with Arop chasing.

Finally, Kerr had too much for everyone else and got to the line in 3:34.51, ahead of Nuguse (3:34.65), who held off Hocker (3:34.79). Arop faded to seventh in 3:35.95.

● Men/400 m hurdles (long hurdles):
Everyone expected Brazil’s 2022 World Champion, Alison dos Santos, to win and he did.

But he was behind NCAA champ Caleb Dean of the U.S., who was rolling in the lead through hurdle seven, but then clubbed the eighth hurdle and dos Santos took a clear lead and won in 47.97, just behind his 47.61 in the Kingston Slam.

Dean clobbered the 10th hurdle and veered into an adjacent and Chris Robinson – the 400 m world leader at 44.15 and the 2023 NCAA winner – came up for second at 48.92, with Malik James-King (JAM: 49.43) in third. Dean lost stride and ended up fifth in 49.90.

That’s two in a row for dos Santos, who won the Slam in Kingston

● Women/5,000 m (long distances):
Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich, the 10 km road world-record holder, had the lead through the first 1,000 m, ahead of Medina Eisa (ETH), and after 1,400 m, Ngetich and Eisa had broken away with a 25 m lead by seven laps left.

Ethiopia’s Hirut Meshesha moved up to within 15 m as the pace slowed at 3,000 m. With three laps left, Ngetich and Eisa were comfortably ahead and although Ngetich asked Eisa to share some of the leading effort, but Eisa was completely uninterested.

They were 1-2 right into the final straight and Eisa went to a full sprint, but Ngetich was having none of it, pumping her arms furiously and getting to the line a well-deserved win in a lifetime best of 14:25.80, the world leader in 2025.

Eisa, the 2024 Olympic finalist, was second in 14:25.92, then Meshesha well back in third (14:40.46); American Elise Cranny was eighth in 15:15.31.

● Men/200 m (long sprints):
Off the gun, it was Dominican star Alexander Ogando who stormed to the lead on the turn, but was challenged on the straight by Jereem Richards (TTO), and they were rolling to the line together.

Maybe Richards had a tiny edge in the final 3 m, but Ogando came back and they were both timed in a world-leading 19.86 (+1.7), with Ogando equaling his national record. Richards was awarded the win.

Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga came up for third in 20.23 and Tokyo Olympic 400 m champ Steven Gardiner, a new Racer, got fourth at 20.37.

● Women/100 m (short sprints):
A strong field, with Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, the Kingston Slam winner, and she was out well with Tamari Davis, the 2023 Worlds finalist, following close. Jefferson-Wooden was exceptional in the middle of the race and got away from everyone except Davis by 70 m.

Jefferson-Wooden got to the line is a sizzling in 10.75, with an over-the-allowable 2.4 m/s wind, with Davis at 10.79w, then Favour Ofili (NGR) at 10.94w.

Olympic 200 m champ Gabby Thomas of the U.S. came down to the short sprints and had a poor start, but came up for fourth in 10.97w, ahead of Jacious Sears (USA: 10.98w).

● Men/3,000 m (long distance):
Kenyan Ronald Kwemoi went right to the front, with George Mills (GBR) close, but the pace slowed that kept everyone in contention with three laps to go.

Sam Atkin (GBR) got going with two laps to go to try and break the race up, with Mills and American star Grant Fisher moving up. Mills took the bell with Fisher chasing now and fellow American Cooper Teare third.

Fisher pulled past Mills in a dead sprint on the final straight, but it was Ireland’s Paris 1,500 m Olympian Andrew Coscoran who had the most speed and got to the line first in a slow 8:17.56 (25.78 last 200 m), moving up from fourth with 80 m left. Fisher got second in 8:17.60, Mills ended up third in 8:17.77 and Teare was fourth in 8:18.08.

● Women/400 m (long sprints):
The field was strong, with world leader Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) and Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino (DOM) back and World Indoor Champion Amber Anning (GBR) and NCAA champ Bella Whittaker of the U.S.

Off the gun, Naser was out like a shot and had a definite lead at 200 m in lane seven. But Paulino had her in full view in lane six and was marking Naser on the final turn. Into the straight, they were even and Paulino had the momentum and got to the tape with the win in 49.21, with Naser in 49.33.

American Alexis Holmes was a solid third in 50.36 with Whittaker fourth at 50.38.

An exciting end to a strong first day, with two more to go.

Unfortunately, 2022 men’s 100 m champion Fred Kerley, a Racer, was arrested on Thursday in Dania Beach, Florida, on battery charges against U.S. hurdles star Alaysha Johnson; he was released on bond. Johnson ran Friday and was sixth in the women’s 100 m hurdles. Kerley will now not be running in the Miramar Slam in the short sprints. 

Scoring in each event group (two races) is 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 and the placers in each group will win $100,000-50,000-30,000-25,000-20,000-15,000-12,500-10,000.

Saturday’s meet is also from 5-8 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday (on The CW and Peacock) and earlier on Sunday, 3-6 p.m., also on The CW and Peacock.

Off the track, the crowd at the 5,000-capacity facility was mostly full on the home straight and maybe 1,000 folks on the backstraight.

The broadcast changed analysts with Citius Magazine founder Chris Chavez replacing Matthew Centrowitz, with Chavez having plenty to say on everything, where Centrowitz limited his comments to the distance races.

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PANORAMA: Brazil and Paraguay vying for 2031 Pan Ams; FIE tabs Egypt’s El Husseiny as interim chief; fab Ledecky win in Tyr Pro Swim 400 Free!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Back on ice: U.S. Ice Dance stars Maia and Alex Shibutani!

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Pan American Games ● Panam Sports happily confirmed two candidates for the 2031 Pan American Games: Asuncion (PAR) and Rio de Janeiro-Nitroi in Brazil.

Paraguay has been on a mission to land important continental events and lost a close, 28-24 vote last year to Lima (PER) to host the re-awarded 2027 Pan American Games. Rio, of course, was the 2007 Pan American Games site, hosted the 2016 Olympic Games, and is now partnering with Nitroi for a third major multi-sport event in 24 years!

Asuncion will host the II Junior Pan American Games — 333 events, 4,000 athletes – in August of this year.

Panam Sports has yet to form an evaluation committee or specify the dates in the process to select a host, but is expected to do both quickly.

● Curling ● At the World Curling Mixed Doubles World Championship in Fredericton, Canada, Italy and Australia led the groups through the round-robin pools, heading into the playoffs on Friday.

In Group A, Italy’s Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner finished a perfect 9-0 by a combined score of 73-35! Scotland (7-2) and Canada (7-2) followed and qualified for the playoffs.

In Group B, Australia’s Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt won at 8-1, ahead of Estonia (6-3) and the U.S. team of Corey Thiesse and Korey Dropkin (also 6-3). The Americans needed to beat Spain in their final pool match to qualify, and did, 10-2.

In the playoffs, Canada and Estonia will face off for the right to meet Italy in the semis, while the U.S. and Scotland will play, with the winner to play Australia. Thiesse and Dropkin won this title in 2023.

● Fencing ● The International Fencing Federation (FIE) posted minutes of its Executive Committee meeting of 30 April, including the leadership change:

“In accordance with article 5.1 of the FIE Statutes, under which the management of the FIE is entrusted to the Executive Committee between Congresses, and in order to ensure the smooth running of the FIE, the Executive Committee has appointed Mr Abdel Moneim El Husseiny (EGY) as interim President.

“Mr El Husseiny has accepted and will therefore assume all the functions of the President of the FIE as provided for in the Statutes of the FIE and other regulations.

“The Executive Committee’s decision will be submitted to the FIE Congress for ratification at its next meeting.”

A banker by trade, El Husseiny, 58, is a former Foil fencer who represented Egypt at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games and became a referee following his competitive career.

He joined the FIE marketing commission in 2004 and was elected to the Executive Committee in 2021 and re-elected in 2024. The question now is how much leeway he will be given by the elected – but silent – FIE President, Russian Alisher Usmanov. The FIE Congress is not until November.

● Figure Skating ● The brilliant U.S. Ice Dance siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani announced their return to competitive skating.

She’s 30 and he’s 34 now, but are coming back for the Olympic season, to be coached by Russian Marina Zoueva and Italian Massimo Scali.

The Shibutanis last competed in 2018 and have twice been Olympic bronze medalists in 2014 and 2018 and three-time Worlds medal winners, in 2011 (bronze), 2016 (silver) and 2017 (bronze). They won eight straight medals in the senior division of the U.S. championships, with victories in 2016 and 2017 and four more silvers and two bronzes.

They haven’t been off the ice entirely, busy with ice shows and exhibitions. They will have to compete with World Champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates, but can certainly contend for a second U.S. spot in Milan Cortina vs. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, Christina Carrera and Anthony Ponomarenko and Emily Bratti and Michael Somerville.

● Football ● FIFA announced a fund-raising program with the anti-poverty Global Citizen group, to collect $100 million over four years for the new FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, with the goal of providing access to education and football for children.

For openers, FIFA has pledged $1 from every ticket sold for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, to kick off on 14 June and including 63 matches in the U.S. over the following month. Global Citizen was founded in Australia in 2008 and is now headquartered in New York. According to the announcement:

“The new fund, announced by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino [SUI] and Global Citizen CEO, Hugh Evans [AUS], will provide targeted support to organisations across the globe dedicated to improving education for children.”

● Swimming ● More star performances on the second day of the Tyr Pro Swim Series in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with two world-leading swims on Thursday:

● Women/100 m Free: 52.90, Gretchen Walsh (USA)
● Women/400 m Free: 3:56.81, Katie Ledecky (USA)

Walsh, who won seven golds at the World Aquatics 25 m Championships late last year, started off strong with a world-leading 52.90 in the women’s 100 m, barely holding on from a late charge by five-time Olympic medal winner Torri Huske (52.95), now world no. 2.

Ledecky, coming off the no. 2 performance in history in the women’s 1,500 m Free, out-dueled Canadian star Summer McIntosh, 3:56.81 to 3:58.28 in the 400 m Free, the top two performances of 2025. Unusually, it was McIntosh who led for most of the race with Ledecky turning in a 29.50 last lap to 31.15 for McIntosh for the win.

It’s the no. 7 performance in history for Ledecky, and no. 14 for McIntosh; Ledecky now has three of the top nine ever. Claire Weinstein of the U.S. got a lifetime best of 4:01.26 in third, now no. 3 performer in 2025 and no. 12 all-time.

Olympic relay gold medalist Emma Weber took the women’s 100 m Breast, out-fighting star Lilly King, 1:06.63 to 1:06.67, with Olympic 200 m Breast gold medalist Kate Douglass third in 1:06.76.

Canada’s four-time Olympic Backstroke medalist Kylie Masse was fastest in the heats of the women’s 50 m Backstroke, moving to no. 3 in the world for 2025 at 27.13, but was only third in the final at 27.53. Instead, it was American Katharine Berkoff who won at 27.38, after moving up to world no. 4 in the morning heats at 27.34. Regan Smith of the U.S., the two-time Backstroke silver winner in Paris, was second in the final at 27.43, now world no. 5.

Smith came back quickly to win the 200 m Butterfly in 2:05.38, now no. 2 in 2025, easily ahead of fellow U.S. Olympian Alex Shackell (2:06.13).

In the men’s 100 m Free, Shaine Casas led from wire-to-wire in 48.47, just ahead of Olympic relay gold medalist Chris Giuliano (48.49), and came back to win the 50 m Back in 24.41, just behind his world-leading 24.23 in March. Hungary’s 200 m Back Olympic champ Hubert Kos was third at 24.81.

Tokyo Olympic 400 m Free bronze medalist Kieran Smith won that event in 3:47.01, ahead of Florida prep Ryan Erisman (3:48.57). Triple Olympic champ Leon Marchand of France (3:48.97) and Tokyo 800-1,500 m Free champion Bobby Finke (USA: 3:49.01), not swimming their primary events, finished 3-4.

Kyrgyzstan’s three-time Olympian Denis Petrashov won the men’s 100 m Breaststroke in 59.23, moving to no. 5 in the world for 2025. Lithuanian Aleksas Savickas was a close second at 59.72, now 14th in 2025. Austria’s Martin Espernberger – who swims at Tennessee – the 2024 Worlds bronze winner in 200 m Fly, won that event in 1:55.71, now no. 10 worldwide this year. Two-time Olympic medalist Carson Foster of the U.S. was second in 1:55.84.

The meet continues through Saturday.

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MODERN PENTATHLON: UIPM Secretary General explains pentathlon loss of eight quota places (11%) for Los Angeles 2028

By
Rich Perelman
-
Is this the future of pentathlon? The awards ceremony at the T1 Indoor World Cup triathlon on 21 March 2025 in Lievin (FRA) (Photo: World Triathlon).

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≡ THE LA28 QUOTA LOSSES ≡

While modern pentathlon survived once again and continues on the Olympic program for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the sport saw the number of athletes allowed to compete in 2028 shaved from 72 to 64.

Among the 31 sports on the continuing Olympic program for 2028, only surfing (48) is smaller, and pentathlon has been on the program since 1912.

Why?

Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) Secretary General Shiny Fang (CHN) offered an explanation in a Web post on Thursday, providing a unique look into the calculus of the International Olympic Committee that ended up with the loss of eight athletes for the sport.

In pertinent part:

● “How do we feel?

“Shocked, yes – we did everything that the IOC wished us to do in reforming our sport to be more compatible with the future direction of the Olympic Games, and even went beyond expectations – although we do understand that the numbers that will provide a full justification for the change take time to achieve.

“Sad, yes – because the decision will have a negative impact on our development programme for new countries, with only 64 pentathletes able to compete in LA28 (although we hope for many more in future Games).

“Unfairly treated, yes – Pentathlon was already the sport with the least medals and the lowest athlete quota based on Paris 2024 numbers.”

● “But why did this happen?

“It is necessary to disclose the reasons, and we urge the whole community to work with us to enhance the position of Pentathlon within the Olympic Games!

“The IOC conducts an evaluation entitled ‘Games Time Data Collection’ for each edition of the Olympic Games, and then uses the data to make decisions about future programmes. The list of indicators for Paris 24 comprised:

“1. Viewer hours
“2. Total maximum audience
“3. Average audience
“4. Digital viewership
“5. Number of internet searches
“6. Page views on most popular websites
“7. Unique visitors on most popular websites
“8. Social media sharing of articles
“9. Social media conversations
“10. IF-owned social media performance
”11. Page views on IOC website and mobile app
“12. Favorite sports among general public and youth
“13. Percentage of available tickets sold
“14. Number of press articles”

This may be the first time that all of the evaluation categories used by the IOC have been publicly disclosed.

● Fang noted that the small size of the sport has worked against it in the IOC’s metrics:

“With the exception of four indicators (3, 10, 12 and 13), all the results are highly reliant on the number of days and hours allocated to each sport during the Olympic period, as well as the number of medals. The four mentioned indicators provided a fairer assessment of performance, in some cases looking at averages, and in other cases with metrics applied to the relative size of the sport and federation.

“Unfortunately, with only two medals across four days of the Games, and only three broadcasting days, Pentathlon is not able to compete with the vast majority of sports across the other 10 indicators.”

So, how did pentathlon do? Fang explained:

● “For No.3, the average TV audience, our Women’s Final day had a little more than the median (34.016 million), reaching 34.347 million, with the Men’s Final achieving 22.330 million, which was also way above the minimum (5.355 million).”

● “For No.10, IF-owned social media performance, we reached exactly the median level metric of 218 across our own platforms, while the minimum was 84.”

● “For No.12, favorite sport among public and youth, we scored slightly higher (5.48) than the minimum (5.26). It clearly tells that we need to attract more youth and create more public awareness, while we know that we are going in the correct direction with our innovations.”

● “For No.13, percentage of available tickets sold, this was the best result for our sport, since we reached almost the top performance with 98.13%. The maximum was 99.28% and the minimum was 72.92%.”

Fang asked for help from athletes, coaches and fans to help the sport improve its standing.

Observed: It should first be noted that this kind of disclosure is helpful, as it offers much more detail than has been seen previously into the IOC’s review of sports on the program.

There is no magic bullet, and while the UIPM has promoted the inclusion of obstacle racing in place of equestrian, part of its appeal in Paris was being paired with equestrian, held at the picturesque gardens of Versailles. That’s over.

However, new UIPM President Rob Stull (USA) posted a story on Tuesday (29th), praising the work of the Budapest organizers of the last UIPM World Cup, noting:

“In case you missed it, UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest was an extraordinary spectacle. Having looked at venue options to accommodate the new format, and considered the reliability of the weather in Hungary in April, they took a chance on a primarily indoor competition and it paid off spectacularly. …

“I’ve always felt that our sport has the potential to be more appealing to audiences, and in turn to broadcasters and sponsors. This competition marked the beginning of a new chapter of commercial potential in Modern Pentathlon.”

In a parallel with a sport on the rise in the Olympic Movement, triathlon is also noodling with indoor competitions, with a temporary pool and cycling and running on an indoor, 200 m track, most recently a T1 Indoor Triathlon World Cup at the Arena Stade Couvert in Lievin (FRA) that drew 5,000 spectators!

The format was short: 200 m swim, 2.8 km bike and 1,000 m run, with Henry Graf (GER) winning the men’s race in 9:36 and Olympic champ Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) winning the women’s final in 10:19.

Is this the future for pentathlon, which is really a four-event program of fencing, obstacle, swimming and the Laser Run?

An indoor competition would create almost infinite possibilities for the sport to be held in arenas anywhere, especially where an indoor track exists. Bring in a temporary pool – probably 25 m – and there should be room for everything. A convention center would also work.

And like triathlon, an indoor format can coexist with an outdoor format: triathlon has Sprint, Olympic, 70.3, T100, Ironman and other competition events, all of which seem to coexist reasonably well.

Stull, Fang and the UIPM are going to have to get creative and re-think the sport of it is going to have any Olympic future. Perhaps their Budapest experience and seeing what triathlon has done might be a way forward.

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ATHLETICS: Circuits clash as Grand Slam Track II arrives in Miramar, while Diamond League Shanghai comes on Saturday only

By
Rich Perelman
-
Practice time in Miramar as Grand Slam Track readies for its second meet (Photo: Grand Slam Track).

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≡ HEAVY WEEKEND AHEAD ≡

The new Grand Slam Track circuit of four meets in the spring was arranged to mostly avoid the Diamond League calendar in 2025, but this is the one weekend with both will be going, with the second Slam in Miramar, Florida and the second Diamond League stop in Shanghai, China.

Both meets have quite a lot going for them, with the Grand Slam over three days, with seven world leaders competing, including four challengers brought in for this weekend:

Racers:
● Men/400 m hurdles: 47.61, Alison dos Santos (BRA)
● Women/400 m: 48.67, Salwa Eid Naser (BRN)
● Women/800 m: 1:58.23, Nikki Hiltz (USA)
● Women/400 m hurdles: 52.76, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA)

Challengers:
● Men/400 m: 44.15, Chris Robinson (USA)
● Men/800 m: 1:43.79, Peter Bol (AUS)
● Men/3,000 m: 7:45.14, Tshepo Tshite (RSA)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.49, Tia Jones (USA)

Robinson will be running in the long hurdles group, in his better-known 400 m hurdles event and then the 400 m; he said, “The Grand Slam, when I saw it, I was like ‘This is literally made for me.’ I think I’m one of the best people who can do both events [400H/400] and I thought it could give me the opportunity to train and show that.”

Tshite will be in the short distances, running the 800 m and 1,500 m.

In the men’s six event groups, five Kingston winners will be back: Kenny Bednarek (USA/short sprints), Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR/long sprints), Grant Fisher (USA/long distances), Sasha Zhoya (FRA/short hurdles) and Alison dos Santos (BRA/long hurdles).

Four of the women’s group winners return: Gabby Thomas (USA/long sprints), Salwa Eid Naser (BRN/long sprints), Diribe Welteji (ETH/short distances) and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA/long hurdles). Thomas will be moving down to the short sprints for this week’s Slam.

Scoring in each event group (two races) is 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 and the placers in each group will win $100,000-50,000-30,000-25,000-20,000-15,000-12,500-10,000.

The meet runs three days, with events from 5-8 p.m. Eastern time on Friday (shown on Peacock only) and 5-8 p.m. on Saturday (The CW and Peacock) and earlier on Sunday, 3-6 p.m., also on The CW and Peacock.

The Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, about 22 miles north of Miami, seats about 5,000 and the three-day ticket packages for the finish line (one section) and grand stand (two sections) are shown as sold out; single-day tickets in all categories (all 14 sections) are shown as available. Clouds are expected on Friday and Saturday and possible drizzles on Sunday.

In Shanghai, the one-day line-up includes field events – which Grand Slam Track does not – and has six outdoor world leaders expected to compete:

● Men/100 m: 9.90, Akani Simbine (RSA)
● Men/3,000 m Steeple: 8:05.61, Samuel Firewu (ETH)
● Men/110 m hurdles: 13.06, Cordell Tinch (USA)
● Men/Pole Vault: 5.92 m (19-5), Mondo Duplantis (SWE)
● Women/High Jump: 2.01 m (6-7), Nicola Olyslagers (AUS)
● Women/Shot Put: 20.47 m (67-2), Jessica Schilder (NED)

Danielle Williams (JAM), a two-time World Champion in the women’s 100 m hurdles and the Slam winner as a Challenger in the women’s short hurdles, will line up in Shanghai in the 100 m hurdles race.

Norway’s men’s 400 m hurdles world-record holder Karsten Warholm, who set a world best for the 300 m hurdles in Xiamen last week, is in the field for the 400 m hurdles. World Indoor 400 m champ Chris Bailey and Olympic champ Quincy Hall of the U.S. are in the 400 m field; Hall left Grand Slam Track and was replaced by Tokyo Olympic champ Steven Gardiner.

The men’s 100 m has 2019 World Champion Christian Coleman of the U.S., fourth last week in Xiamen, Paris 200 m gold medalist Letsile Tebogo (BOT), seventh last week, and Paris 100 m silver medalist Kishane Thompson (JAM) in his season opener, all challenging world leader Simbine.

This should be an interesting meet: it’s still early in the season, but the main players who are not part of Grand Slam Track are starting to get going.

Excellent reporting from Jonathan Gault of LetsRun.com, speaking with agent John Regis (GBR), who explained that Hall withdrew from Grand Slam Track as the long-sprint format of running the 400 m and 200 m over three days didn’t work well for him.

The format has also been an issue for hurdles stars Grant Holloway and Rai Benjamin, both of whom have passed on Grand Slam Track, for this year anyway.

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PANORAMA: Ledecky screams Tyr Pro Swim 1,500 m Free win in no. 2 time ever! France protests Russian cyber-espionage, including vs. Paris 2024

By
Rich Perelman
-
Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky (USA)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The French Foreign Ministry condemned Tuesday years of cyberattacks made by the Russian military intelligence service (GRU) against French interests:

“Since 2021, this attack group has been used to target or compromise a dozen French entities. These entities are working in the daily lives of French people and include public services, private enterprises as well as a sport organization involved in the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In the past, this group was also used by GRU in the sabotage of the TV5Monde broadcasting station in 2015, as well as in attempts to destabilize the French elections in 2017. …

“These destabilizing activities are not acceptable or worthy of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Moreover, they are contrary to the UN norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, to which Russia has adhered.”

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The International Olympic Committee profiled some of its Olympic scholarship holders for the upcoming Winter Games, and noted:

“The first scholarships for Milano Cortina 2026 were awarded in autumn 2023, and there are currently 423 athletes (245 men, 178 women) from 87 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) benefitting from the programme. …

“The aim of Olympic Solidarity is to provide assistance to all NOCs for athlete development programmes, in particular those with the greatest need of it. Ahead of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, a total of 429 scholarships were awarded to athletes from 80 NOCs. Over 50 per cent of those scholarship-holders, 236, qualified for the Games, winning 10 medals.”

● Olympic Winter Games 2034: Salt Lake City ● The Salt Lake City-Utah organizers for the 2034 Winter Games made some money Wednesday, while not doing a thing.

Smith Entertainment Group, owners of the NHL Utah Hockey Club and NBA Utah Jazz announced a renovation of the Delta Center floor area, which will expand the capacity for hockey from about 16,000 fans to about 17,000, to take place over the next three seasons.

The Delta Center is slated to host ice hockey for the 2034 Winter Games.

● International Olympic Committee ● With the election of Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) as the next President of the IOC, a new head for the IOC’s Coordination Commission for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games is needed, with Kenyan IOC member Humphrey Kayange announced as her replacement on Wednesday.

Kayange has been an IOC member as an elected member of the Athletes’ Commission since 2021, and on the Dakar Coordination Commission since 2022.

● Athletics ● The emergence of Grand Slam Track, with its second meet coming this weekend in Miramar, Florida, and the new, 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship with more than $10 million in prize money, has raised plenty of interest in the track & field community.

But not all of it is wholly commendatory. From long-time Los Angeles-area high school track coach Ron Brumel:

“As Ronald Reagan would have said, ‘There you go again.’

“While I commend any efforts to improve Athletics (a/k/a Track & Field) interest and viewership, I think that the powers-that-be that move-or-shake (mostly move) the sport into view on the Webisphere, miss the point entirely by emphasizing individual greatness over team aspects.

“The Grand Slam approach may have some appeal, such as mandating that each of the Slammers compete in two events for points, which may also be the case for the ‘Ultimate’ idea.

“So, my point of view is that people (fans) like cheering for TEAMS, whether they be collegiate, or international.

“Listen to the cheering at high school meets, even these days. For that matter, attend an age group club event, where the cheering is even louder.

“Consider an ‘Athletics’ league, composed of teams from around the country, where distinctive uniforms and regular competitions take place. Keep track of standings, as well as the individual results, you know, like other sports. Would baseball be as popular if all the comps were individualized? Home run derbies, and the like? I don’t think so, not in the long run.

“Remember when the UCLA-USC meet was a huge event? … How much fun was it when it came down to the 4×400 relay? Did we worry about times, although back then (‘70s through the ‘90s) it was not uncommon to hear results announced as ‘the fastest in the world this year’ – thank you Ato Boldon, Andre Phillips and Steve Lewis.”

“Just a thought. I know I’m shouting into the wind (cleaning up that analogy) but still…yeah.”

Speaking of Grand Slam Track, the start lists for all three days of this weekend’s Slam in Miramar, Florida have been posted here.

● Basketball ● Having seen the success of the NHL’s Four Nations Face-Off during its All-Star break in 2025, the NBA is now discussing a U.S. vs. the world or similar format for the 2026 All-Star Game to be played at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told The Athletic:

“Our All-Star Game will return to NBC next season in the middle of their coverage of the Winter Olympics.

“Given the strong interest we’ve seen in international basketball competitions, most recently in last summer’s Olympics in Paris, we’re discussing concepts with the players association that focus on NBA players representing their countries or regions instead of the more traditional formats that we’ve used in the past.”

● Cycling ● The French-language site FrancsJeux.com noted that the organizing committee for the multi-discipline UCI “Super World Championships” in the Haute-Savoie region in France is gearing up with 281 World Championship titles to settled between 24 August and 5 September 2027.

Some 20 disciplines are to be included, with organizing committee head Florian Vuillaume explaining that the budget is €43 million (about $48.7 million U.S.), with two-thirds from public funds and one-third from sponsorships and tickets. Ticket sales are expected to start in September.

● Football ● FIFA confirmed that Women’s World Cup bid agreements were submitted by the U.S. Soccer Federation for 2031 and a combined 2035 bid from The Football Association (England), the Irish Football Association, The Scottish Football Association and The Football Association of Wales.

Both bids are expected to be formally approved in the second quarter of 2026.

● Ice Hockey ● The National Hockey League said Tuesday it will not hold an All-Star Game in 2026, but will instead have a “kick-off” event prior to the Winter Olympic hockey tournament taking place.

UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders in Elmont, New York will be the site.

At the IIHF men’s U-18 World Championship, being played in Frisco and Allen, Texas, the quarterfinals were held on Wednesday, with Canada edging the Czech Republic in overtime, 3-2, and Sweden clubbing Finland, 7-2, in the lower bracket.

In the upper bracket, Slovakia defeated Germany, 3-2 and the U.S. sailed past Latvia, 6-3, in the final quarter.

With re-seeding after the quarterfinals, the semis on Saturday will have the U.S. playing Sweden and Canada facing Slovakia. The medal matches are Sunday.

● Swimming ● What is expected to be a spicy edition of the Tyr Pro Swim Series is on in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with the men’s and women’s 1,500 m races completed Wednesday and the meet continuing through Saturday.

Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky rang the bell early, taking the first event – the women’s 1,500 m – in a sensational 15:24.41, the second-fastest swim in history, behind only her world record of 15:20.48, way back in 2018!

Ledecky passed 800 m en route in 8:12.76 (!), no. 2 in the world for 2025 and a time that only Ledecky, Canadian star Summer McIntosh and Ariarne Titmus (AUS) have ever bettered. Moreover, Ledecky also passed 400 m in 4:04.75, which ranks fifth on the world list for 2025! Wow.

Said the winner:

“I’m pretty fired up. I’ve been training really well and feeling good going into this meet, but you never know. It’s not like it’s the biggest meet of the year or anything, I just wanted [my time] to be a season best, which would have been 15:36. I’m pretty ecstatic.”

Jillian Cox was a distant second in 16:04.13, still no. 5 in the world this year!

Two-time Olympic champion Bobby Finke of the U.S. won the men’s 1,500 m on Wednesday by almost 26 seconds in 14:54.49, moving up to no. 9 on the 2025 world list.

With the U.S. nationals coming from 3-7 June, this is the final high-level warm-up event, and has attracted many American and international stars, including 13 Paris 2024 gold medalists (with their Paris events, including relay wins):

● Finke: men’s 1,500 m Freestyle
● Ledecky: women’s 800-1,500 m Freestyle
● Hunter Armstrong (USA): men’s 4×100 m Free Relay
● Kate Douglass (USA): women’s 200 m Breaststroke
● Caeleb Dressel (USA): men’s 4×100 m Free Relay
● Chris Giuliano (USA): men’s 4×100 m Free Relay
● Torri Huske (USA): women’s 100 m Butterfly, mixed 4×100 m Medley
● Lilly King (USA): women’s 4×100 m Medley Relay
● Hubert Kos (HUN): men’s 200 m 200 m Backstroke
● Leon Marchand (FRA): men’s 200 m Butterfly, 200-400 m Medley
● Summer McIntosh (CAN): 200 m Butterfly, 200-400 m Medley
● Regan Smith (USA): women’s 4×100 m Medley Relay
● Gretchen Walsh (USA): women’s and mixed 4×100 m Medley Relay

What will Walsh do, after winning seven World Short-Course golds last December? She’s entered in the 50 and 100 m Freestyles and Butterflys.

The meet will be shown on NBC’s Peacock streaming service (some sessions), and on the USA Swimming Network (all).

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FENCING: Interim FIE President Emmanuel Katsiadakis reportedly resigned; FIE now adrift with Secretary General Saidova as interim

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ FENCING ADRIFT ≡

The International Fencing Federation (FIE) has been dominated by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, first elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, 2016, 2021 and 2024 and who has donated at least $98.5 million directly to the FIE to support its finances.

But he was sanctioned by the European Union in 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and has been fighting the issue ever since, recusing himself from his FIE responsibilities in 2022 and handing his duties over to Greek Emmanuel Katsiadakis in his place.

Usmanov came back into the spotlight last year just briefly, to secure election for a fifth term by 120-26, and then immediately suspended his duties as FIE chief and handed them back to Katsiadakis, a three-time Olympian in Epee and Foil in 1984-88-92.

But now, Katsiadakis, 78, is out, reportedly for health reasons. According to the German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung:

“The national federations were informed of the move on April 28 by a letter from FIE Secretary General Gulnora Saidova of Uzbekistan. According to the letter, Katsiadakis had already resigned on April 24.

“Saidova wrote: ‘The Executive Committee will meet to review the circumstances. The Executive Committee and I will follow the statutes.’”

But it’s more complicated than that. The FIE statutes, as of December 2024, specify the process in chapter 5.3:

● “5.3.2 The Executive Committee, at the time of the election, continues to exercise its functions until the new President takes office.

● “5.3.3 In the event of death or resignation of the President, the Secretary General performs the President’s duties provisionally, until the next Congress, during which the elections of a new President will be organised.”

The FIE is governed by six-member “Bureau,” which includes the President, Secretary General, Treasurer and three Vice-President, and an Executive Committee of 22 members, which was scheduled to meet on 24 April. Its next meeting, to be held online, is slated for 28 May.

The next FIE Congress is not due until 22 November 2025, but its President – Usmanov – has neither died nor resigned. The announcement of his recusal from his duties after the 2024 elections stated that under chapter 5.1, “The management of the FIE in between Congresses is entrusted to an Executive Committee,” and it was the Executive Committee which accepted Usmanov’s decision to suspend his duties as President and appointed Katsiadakis.

So, now, the Executive Committee – no doubt with input from Usmanov – will have to figure out who comes next. There is one American on the Executive Committee, Donald Anthony Jr., an FIE Vice President.

The insider whisper that the most likely scenario is for Usmanov, who was born in Uzbekistan, will direct that fellow Uzbek Saidova serve as the interim President, as Katsiadakis has been.

The FIE has been largely adrift under Katsiadakis, including the high-profile incident in which Ukrainian star Olha Kharlan refused to shake hands with Russian Anna Smirnova after defeating her at the 2023 World Championships and was disqualified, possibly under Russian influence. Embarrassed, the FIE later changed the rule and Kharlan eventually did qualify to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, winning the women’s Sabre bronze and a Team gold.

Now, a U.S. incident in an adult fencing tournament in Maryland on 30 March over a match between a woman and a transgender athlete, in which the female fencer – Stephanie Turner – refused to fight and was disqualified, has turned into a Congressional hearing on 7 May, involving the Trump Administration’s Executive Order 14201, “Keeping Women Out of Men’s Sports.”

The FIE has no transgender policy at all. And, for now, absentee leadership.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: Anaheim’s Honda Center getting $1.1 billion makeover prior to 2028 Olympic Games, with “easy parking” (but not free)

By
Rich Perelman
-
The reimagined five-story entry of the Honda Center, to be completed by the end of 2027 (Photo: OC Sports & Entertainment).

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≡ NEW PARKING CONCEPT ≡

Any Southern California resident who has attended an event at any of the major arenas or stadiums in Los Angeles or Orange County can only dream of entering the parking area without having to pull out a credit card, parking pass or show a QR code on your phone.

But that is what is planned for the Honda Center in Anaheim, which will also host indoor volleyball during the 2028 Olympic Games.

On Wednesday, OC Sports and Entertainment announced a privately-funded $1.1 billion renovation of the arena and the surrounding area which will add multiple amenities while the arena continued to operate, to be completed by the end of 2027, including:

● “A new five-story South Entrance with a grand arrival experience and future plans for a high-impact digital display for outdoor viewing and community events.”

● “Three new parking garages with over 6,000 stalls.”

● “Four new entry plazas, each with a unique aesthetic and gathering vibe.”

Escalators will be installed for the first time in the building and new food and beverage stands – including self-service – will be added, along with renovations of the club and suite levels.

The parking concept is part of a larger plan for the 100-plus acres around the arena, being redeveloped at a cost of $4 billion into “OCVibe,” a mixed-use development of housing, hotels, restaurants, performance venues, offices, parkland and a transit hub, with the first elements scheduled to open in 2026.

Bill Foltz, chief executive officer of OC Sports and Entertainment, explained:

“What we’re trying to do is eliminate that transaction that everybody has when you’re pulling into a parking lot. You are just going to pull in. …

“We think this will get people in 20 to 30 minutes faster.

“Parking is the first thing you see when you are coming to a concert or a sporting event, and getting out of there is the last thing you remember. So we are working really hard to make sure both of those things are great experiences.”

It was noted that parking revenue will not simply evaporate, but Foltz said that the parking fee will end up as part of an “all-inclusive” ticket price. But the theory is that if you come for a game or a concert, you’ll come early or stay late for meals or a drink. And for those using public transit, a full-service transit hub is planned to serve the entire OC Vibe campus.

Whether this applies specifically to the 2028 Olympic Games is not clear, as the LA28 organizers will have a lot to say about how tickets and parking are handled. But the future for all other events at the Honda Center appears set.

Related to the 2028 Olympic Games, the Honda Center is the only major Orange County venue in the plan at present; the surfing site at the Tresles Beach might end up in Orange County or San Diego County depending on the exact site chosen, with seating for perhaps 4,000 or so.

As the only OrCo site, it is not part of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s ride-first program for the 2028 Games. But both Metro and OC Vibe are looking forward to attaching transit funding to tickets.

That brings us back to the State of California and Assembly Bill 1237, introduced in February to impact only Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties and their public transit operators – including L.A. Metro – as follows (identical language for Santa Clara also included):

“This bill would authorize LA Metro to impose a charge of up to $5 on the purchaser of a ticket from a ticket vendor to a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles held as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as specified.

“The bill would require LA Metro to use any revenues collected from the charge to support its transit operations. The bill would require LA Metro, if it imposes the charge, to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day a match is held as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup if the person presents a ticket to the match at the location where LA Metro collects fares for transit services.

“The bill would require LA Metro, if it imposes the charge, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2027, that includes specified information regarding implementation of the bill.”

For now, this only applies to the FIFA World Cup, but if successful, can easily be amended to also include the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. At present, the bill has passed the Assembly Transportation Committee, 12-3 (one did not vote) on 7 April, and the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism Committee by 6-1 (two did not vote) on 22 April. It is scheduled for its third reading in the Assembly on 30 April.

No companion bill has been concurrently introduced in the State Senate.

For reference, at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Rapid Transit District – forerunner of today’s Metro – organized special service to nine sites, including Exposition Park, Dodger Stadium, the Forum, Long Beach Convention Center, Loyola Marymount University, the Rose Bowl, Santa Anita Park, UCLA and even to the Anaheim Convention Center, with varying styles of service: shuttles ($2 each way), express ($4 or $6 each way) and park-and-ride ($6 each way).

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SPOTLIGHT: American Para Swimmers Shine With World Para Championships Spots On The Line In Indianapolis

By
Karen Price
-
Paralympic world-record setter Leanne Smith of the U.S. (Photo: Justin Casterline/USOPC).

★ The Sports Examiner is delighted to present this important contribution from our patron, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, with a focus on American Paralympic stars. Opinions expressed are those of the USOPC. ★

Paralympian Leanne Smith won all five events she entered in the lone Para World Series Stop to take place on U.S. soil this year.

By Karen Price
Red Line Editorial

Leanne Smith and Katie Kubiak are on two ends of the spectrum when it comes to experience in the Paralympic world.

Smith, 36, is a two-time Paralympian who admittedly was ready to be done with her swimming career last year after Paris. Kubiak, 22, is just starting her Para career, having made her international debut this past weekend at the Para Swim World Series stop in Indianapolis.

But one thing the swimmers have very much in common is that they both turned in remarkable performances in Indianapolis to punctuate a strong showing by Team USA.

Smith won all five events she entered, setting three class S3 world records in the process, while Kubiak medaled in all four of her events – all on day one – including two golds, and set two S4 world records.

Those were just a few highlights from the lone World Series stop on U.S. soil, which also served as the lone selection event for the 2025 world championships team.

“It’s super surreal, totally was not the expectation at all, but I’m really proud because I think it’s a testament to all the hard work that my coach and I have been putting in,” said Kubiak, an NYU student who took home gold in the 150-meter individual medley and the 50-meter butterfly. “It was my first international meet, and I’ve never been on a stage quite this big so I just wanted to come in and put in the best times that I possibly could, and I’m really happy with the times I ended up swimming, especially considering the schedule I had. That’s all I could ask.”

The weekend featured three days of competition and included athletes from Brazil, Italy, Australia, Mexico and Uganda, to name a few. As the selection event for the U.S. world championships team, only athletes whose times were at least as good as the no. 3 ranking in the world in their respective classes and events would be eligible to make the team that will travel to Singapore in the fall. And with the Paralympic Games being last year, those world rankings are tough to match.

The world championships team roster will be announced in May.

Hoping to return to world championships and defend her gold medals in the 100-meter and 400-meter freestyle S7 is Morgan Stickney. The two-time Paralympian had a very difficult fall, including three weeks in the intensive-care unit with major leg surgeries and an emergency surgery, and had to spend five months out of her prosthetic legs. But she was golden again in Indianapolis, winning the 400-meter – she’s also the defending Paralympic champion in the event – after earning bronze in the 100-meter.

“I’m in my happy place,” Stickney said. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. I put no pressure on myself and had no idea what my times would be. I just came in and wanted to have fun and keep it low key. When I have fun I swim fast, so that’s the secret there.”

Other Paralympians who won gold over the weekend were Olivia Chambers (100-meter breaststroke SB4-9, 11-14), Morgan Ray (100-meter breaststroke SB4-9, 11-14), Gia Pergolini (100-meter backstroke S1-2, 6-14), and Julia Gaffney (200-meter medley SM5-14).

A number of young, up-and-coming swimmers navigating the first year of the quad leading up to Los Angeles 2028 also performed well, including Koehn Boyd. He won six national titles at nationals last December to be named swimmer of the meet, and the 16-year-old’s rapid rise continued in Indianapolis when he won the 100-meter butterfly S8-14 and added two other medals in senior events.

Boyd joined Cara Pennington, Kenley Teller, Lucas Culotta and Noah Busch among U.S. swimmers winning medals in the youth divisions as well.

After winning the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle on day one, Smith returned to win the 50-meter backstroke and breaststroke on day two, and the 50-meter freestyle on day three.

“It’s something I didn’t expect, but switching up my training and taking a solid four months off from swimming was refreshing and much-needed,” Smith said. “(These records) are emotional for me, but they reinforce that you don’t have to be doing what the person next to you is doing, and that working within your limits is OK and it’s enough.“

Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic and Paralympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to USParaSwimming.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.

For more, please visit the USOPC Paralympic Educational Hub.

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PANORAMA: U.S.-Russia wrestling dual in discussion; wild Red Bull integration with Giro d’Italia; Athlos NYC adds Davis-Woodhall for ‘25

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

● Wrestling ● The head of the Russian Wrestling Federation is optimistic about a dual meet with the U.S. in July, but not held in Russia or the U.S. Per Mikhail Mamiashvili, speaking to the Russian news agency TASS:

“We are leaning towards Uzbekistan. There are reasons for this, no politics, purely technical advantages.”

“Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are also in the running. Wrestling is a national sport there, they have huge traditions, friendly relations. There are no obstacles between us and they are also ready to host it.

“Late July suits everyone, considering domestic qualifiers. Meets have always been brilliant events in boxing and wrestling. Such team meets have attracted huge audiences going back to Soviet times. The competition will be anything but weak and a considerable purse is envisaged.”

He added:

“The tentative slogan is ‘Struggle for Peace.’ It would be very symbolic if this event takes place.”

USA Wrestling chief Rich Bender told The Sports Examiner such a meet is in the works, and for specific reasons, but without any agreement as yet:

“We’re definitely having a conversation about the idea of having a dual meet with that team and ours at some point in the future, [but] not in Russia. …

“We think it’s an opportunity for us to get our hands on athletes that we’ll face in world and Olympic competition in the future. … It’s good for wrestling and it’s good for our team.”

Russia does not compete under its own flag in international competitions at present, but under the flag of United World Wrestling. The U.S. and the USSR and later Russia have met in duals before, but not since at least 2013.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Association of National Olympic Committees ● ANOC announced a new program, its “Digital Content Hub” to share news, images and video from International Federations with the National Olympic Committees to help expand interest in lesser-known sports and pump up recognition and interest in the NOCs.

A key to this program is the ANOC.tv channel, which can be used to offer events not otherwise covered by national broadcasters.

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● The USOPC named its coaches and support staff award winners for 2024, nominated by the National Governing Bodies and selected by a USOPC panel:

● Olympic Coach of the Year: Ralf Bissdorf, USA Fencing
● Paralympic Coach of the Year: Bill Hamiter, USA Volleyball
● College Coach of the Year: Patty Gasso, USA Softball
● Coach Educator of the Year: Heather Mannix, USA Hockey
● Developmental Coach of the Year: Tom Anderson, U.S. Speedskating
● Volunteer Coach of the Year: Phil “Chad” Jones, USA Archery
● Service Provider of the Year: Linda “Dee” Mahoney, USA Softball

U.S. Figure Skating’s Steffany Hanlen was recognized as the Doc Counsilman Science and Technology Award winner.

● Athletics ● The Athlos NYC meet confirmed its second edition for Friday, 10 October 2025 at Icahn Stadium in New York once again, adding the women’s long jump and Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall to the program.

The meet Web site showcases some stars for 2025, including Olympic medal winners Davis-Woodhall, Gabby Thomas, Masai Russell, Jasmine Camahco-Quinn (PUR), Brittany Brown and Marileidy Paulino (DOM).

● Badminton ● Thailand’s Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul was elected unopposed as the new President of the Badminton World Federation at its 86th Annual General Meeting last Saturday in Xiamen (CHN). She succeeded Denmark’s Poul-Erik Hoyer, who served for three terms.

A member of the International Olympic Committee since 2017, Leeswadtrakul has business interests in the hospitality and steel industries and has been deeply involved in badminton for decades.

Longtime BWF Council member and Paris 2024 chief executive Etienne Thobois (FRA) was confirmed – also unopposed – as Deputy President.

The federation also published its 2024 financial statements, showing $43.596 million in revenue, including $16.000 million from the IOC from its 2024 television revenues. Expenses were $37.356 million and after adding in investment and royalties, the BWF ended the year with a surplus of $8.771 million, down slightly from 2023 ($9.966 million).

The BWF, registered in Malaysia, showed assets of $74.153 million and reserves of $67.0656 million, quite healthy and stable.

● Cycling ● The first of the 2025 Grand Tours, the 108th Giro d’Italia will start in Albania on 9 May, but will feature a new time-bonus structure, with 19 of the 21 stages to include an intermediate sprint, sponsored by Red Bull.

The “Red Bull KM” will award time bonuses of 6-4-2 seconds to the top three in each stage except for the two individual time trials. This is different from the usual finishing times bonuses of 10-6-4 seconds for the top three and could impact the racing in a close competition for the “maglia rosa” jersey.

It’s an interesting and powerful sponsor integration with the race itself, sure to be examined closely for impact for its applications to other events and other sports.

The race announced that the final stage in Rome – on 1 June – will salute the late Pope Francis by riding through the Vatican Gardens behind St. Peter’s Basilica and close to the Casa Santa Maria, where Francis lived.

Race director Mauro Vegni (ITA) told The Associated Press, “The original idea was to have Francis signal the start of the last stage to promote the Vatican and the Eternal City in the 2025 Holy Year.

“We wanted to go right up to Casa Santa Marta because we knew the Pope was aging, so we thought he could come down and offer a blessing to start the final stage. Then unfortunately things turned out differently. But it will remain an homage to Francis.”

● Figure Skating ● U.S. Figure Skating announced veteran sports executive Matt Farrell as its next chief executive, who will take over on 19 May.

Farrell was most notably the Chief Marketing Officer at USA Swimming from 2005-18, after five years with the U.S. Olympic Committee in business development and marketing.

USFS had great stability with David Raith as Executive Director from 2005-21, then leaving for health reasons. He was replaced by marketing head Ramsey Baker, with Tracy Marek selected as chief executive, serving from from January 2023 to October 2024. Board Chair Sam Auxier had been the interim chief executive and will return to his Board role.

● Ice Hockey ● Canada and the U.S. finished undefeated in pool play at the IIHF men’s U-18 World Championship in Frisco and Allen, Texas and are moving on to the playoffs.

Defending champion Canada was 4-0 in Group A, clubbing Norway by 8-1 to finish pool play and had a 29-5 goals-against total. The U.S. was 4-0 in Group B, beating Germany by 5-3 on Monday and ending up 25-8 on goals.

In the quarterfinals on Wednesday, the U.S. will play 1-3 Latvia in Frisco, with the winner to face the survivor of Slovakia (3-1) and Germany (2-2) in Allen. Canada will play the Czech Republic (1-3) in Allen, while Sweden (3-1) faces Finland (2-2) in Frisco. The semis are on Friday and the medal matches on Sunday, all in Frisco.

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ATHLETICS: More details on 2026 three-day “Ultimate Championship” with the first 26 qualifiers

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S.’s Rai Benjamin wins the Paris Olympic men’s 400 m hurdles over Tokyo champ Karsten Warholm (Photo: Dan Vernon for World Athletics)

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≡ ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIP ≡

The first World Athletics “Ultimate Championship” season-ending meet for 2026 will be held from 11-13 September 2026 in Budapest (HUN), with more specifics on the meet announced on Tuesday:

● There will be 28 events with individual men’s and women’s 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1,500 m, 5,000 m, 100/110 m hurdles, 400 m hurdles, high jump, pole vault, long jump and javelin.

● Individual additions include the men’s hammer, women’s triple jump, plus mixed 4×100 m and 4×400 m relays.

● The meet will be three hours per session across three days, similar to the timing now used by Grand Slam Track. There will be semis in the 100-200-400-800-hurdles with the top four in each to advance to a final and straight finals in the 1,500 m and 5,000 m and field events and relays. Nine events will be held on Friday and Saturday and 10 on Sunday.

The first qualifiers were announced, with the 26 Paris Olympic champions from 2024 advanced to the event. Added in will be the 26 winners of these events at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN) in September, 25 Diamond League winners from the 2026 season and top performers from 2026 to fill in the fields. About 360 athletes will be involved all together.

Heavy prize money will be available; for the individual events:

● 1. $150,000
● 2. $75,000
● 3. $40,000
● 4. $25,000
● 5. $16,000
● 6. $14,000
● 7. $12,000
● 8. $10,000
● 9. $9,000
● 10. $8,000
● 11. $7,000
● 12. $6,000
● 13. $5,000
● 14. $4,000
● 15. $3,000
● 16. $2,000

That’s $386,000 per event or $10.036 million across 26 events. The relays pay less, at $80,000-40,000-24,000-20,000-16,000-14,000-10,000-8,000 per team for places 1-8, or $212,000 each for two relays for a $424,000 total.

That brings the total prize purse to $10,248,000.

From their Olympic wins in Paris, nine Americans are already guaranteed a spot in Budapest:

● Men: Noah Lyles (100 m), Quincy Hall (400 m), Cole Hocker (1,500 m), Grant Holloway (110 m hurdles), Rai Benjamin (400 m hurdles).

● Women: Gabby Thomas (200 m), Masai Russell (100 m hurdles), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (400 m hurdles) and Tara Davis-Woodhall (long jump).

The 2025 World Champions will get a double bonus: entry into the 2026 Ultimate Championship and a wild-card entry into the 2027 World Championships as well.

No information on timing or event schedule, but an evening meet in Hungary should allow U.S. viewers to see the meet in mid-day in the Eastern time zone and morning on the West Coast. U.S. rights to World Athletics events through 2030 are held by NBC.

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TRANSGENDER: U.S. Department of Education declares finding that Penn violated Title IX in Lia Thomas swimming case

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ PENN “VIOLATED TITLE IX” ≡

“Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced its finding that the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. OCR notified UPenn President J. Larry Jameson that the University’s policies and practices violated Title IX by denying women equal opportunities by permitting males to compete in women’s intercollegiate athletics and to occupy women-only intimate facilities.”

That’s from a Monday announcement, in which the Education Department – in the midst of being dissolved by the Trump Administration – in which a “resolution agreement” was offered to the university:

“(i) Issue a statement to the University community stating that the University will comply with Title IX in all of its athletic programs;

“(ii) Restore to all female athletes all individual athletic records, titles, honors, awards or similar recognition for Division I swimming competitions misappropriated by male athletes competing in female categories; and

“(iii) Send a letter to each female athlete whose individual recognition is restored expressing an apology on behalf of the University for allowing her educational experience in athletics to be marred by sex discrimination.”

And:

“UPenn has 10 days to voluntarily resolve these violations or risk a referral to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for enforcement proceedings.”

The Education Department is following up on President Donald Trump’s 5 February Executive Order no. 14201, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which stated:

“Therefore, it is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy. It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth.”

The action against Penn is aimed at the one-year female swimming career of Lia Thomas, who was a men’s swimmer as Will Thomas for three seasons, transitioned to female via hormone therapy beginning in May 2019, and competed on the Penn women’s team in 2021-22. He was second team All-Ivy League in 2018-19, reaching the conference finals in the 500, 1,000 and 1,650-yard Freestyles.

But in women’s competition, Thomas was one of the best swimmers in the nation and became the first transgender to win an NCAA title, in the 2022 500-yard Freestyle, and tied for fifth in the 200 Free and was eighth in the 100 Free.

Thomas fifth-place tie in the 200-yard Free was with Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who said that Thomas was given the fifth-place trophy for the awards photograph while Gaines was given the sixth-place award, later to be replaced with a duplicate fifth-place trophy. Gaines has become a high-profile activist for women’s athletic and privacy rights in sports following that incident.

In March, the Trump Administration was reported to “pause” $175 million in Federal funding, with the university responding in a statement:

“We are aware of media reports suggesting a suspension of $175 million in federal funding to Penn, but have not yet received any official notification or any details. It is important to note, however, that Penn has always followed NCAA and Ivy League policies regarding student participation on athletic teams. We have been in the past, and remain today, in full compliance with the regulations that apply to not only Penn, but all of our NCAA and Ivy League peer institutions.”

Former Penn swimmer and Thomas teammate Grace Estabrook is one of three plaintiffs in a civil suit against the university over Thomas’ inclusion on the women’s team, and told Fox News Digital:

“I am grateful the federal government has found Penn to have violated Title IX, just as we told Penn in the 2021-2022 season when they required us to shower with, and compete against, a man.

“The government’s finding of sex discrimination by Penn is an important first step, but the protection of female athletes cannot stop here. Women must be protected by a bulletproof policy that completely removes men from our sports and from entering our locker rooms.”

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LANE ONE: Possible game-changer for collegiate athletics as University of Kentucky to establish its athletic department as a separate company

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ CHAMPIONS BLUE, LLC ≡

A fascinating and potentially revolutionary approach to managing a university’s intercollegiate athletics program was adopted on Friday, when the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approved the formation of “Champions Blue, LLC”:

“Today, the UK Board of Trustees approved @UKAthletics be shifted to a limited liability or holding company – Champions Blue, LLC. This move will provide the department with the flexibility to unlock new revenue streams through public-private partnerships and potentially other transactions, such as real estate.”

This concept follows the path that Kentucky took with “Beyond Blue,” a holding company affiliated with the university, but with its own leadership. This structure was used by UK HealthCare to acquire two hospitals, which are now owned by the Beyond Blue corporation, but:

● “These two hospitals have their own leadership teams, local boards of directors, distinctive employee and community cultures, significant infrastructure needs and large employee bases – now, roughly 1,000 people collectively – with different compensation and benefit packages from the University.”

● “This management structure framework also maintains the essential oversight and policy-making role of the UK Board of Trustees, which appoints the Beyond Blue Board of Directors, and the directors of any of its subsidiary companies.”

In fact, Champions Blue would be a subsidiary of Beyond Blue, but with significant differences. The brief prepared for the Board of Trustees noted specifically that Beyond Blue will create Champions Blue, LLC and:

“Declares that any future employees of Champions Blue, LLC are public employees. However, unless otherwise named by the President, any future employees of Champions Blue, LLC are not employees of the University of Kentucky. Rather, any future employees of Champions Blue, LLC are employees of an affiliated corporation of the University of Kentucky.”

Yes, Kentucky state laws will apply, of course. But not the university’s own internal regulations or processes. The two acquired hospitals have continued with their own management structure and rules and now athletics – Champions Blue – can do the same.

In fact, Champions Blue will have its own Board of Directors, with the existing senior administrators – led by athletics director Mitch Barnhart – to form a majority of that Board. But outside directors can be brought in, with new ideas, especially on revenue generation, cost control and possibly outside investment.

So, you could have future Kentucky athletes – who will still be required to enroll and maintain their academic status at the University of Kentucky – possibly be employees of Champions Blue, LLC, removing the tangled mess of rights that would be involved with being university employees.

The Board’s brief does not mention this, noting only the possibilities to add services for “financial management, including for name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities, brand management and counseling and catastrophic health insurance offerings.”

However, the potential for this as a true revolution for collegiate athletics is significant:

● The current College Football Playoff operation has almost nothing to do with the NCAA, but is operated by CFP Administration, LLC:

“The College Football Playoff is administered by the FBS conferences and the University of Notre Dame which are members of CFP Administration, LLC. The conferences manage the College Football Playoff National Championship and identify certain policies for the bowl games that host the Playoff Quarterfinals and Playoff Semifinals.”

● There are 134 Football Bowl Subdivision schools, playing in 10 conferences, of which four – the Atlantic Coast, Big 10, Big XII, and Southeastern – have the major teams (plus Notre Dame as an independent), currently 68 in all.

If those schools – and any others, for that matter – were to follow Kentucky’s lead and create LLCs for their athletic programs, why stop there?

● Once Kentucky has formed Champions Blue, LLC as an independent, although affiliated entity, with the university, there is no reason that it could further split its 23 teams into individual LLCs.

For Kentucky, this would likely create 12 combined-gender sport groups: baseball-softball, basketball, cross country-track & field, golf, rifle, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, gymnastics, volleyball and cheer-dance-STUNT, plus football.

● If adopted nationally, each of these combined-gender sport groups could be managed nationally by a sport-group entity, ending the need for a national oversight body for big-time collegiate sports, currently the NCAA, which could remain in place for Division II and III athletics, which do not suffer from the professionalism issues now breaking the Division I programs apart.

● So, there would be a national association of the LLCs for football and basketball and all the other sport groups, with men and women combined. In some cases, the U.S. National Governing Bodies might be involved – in ice hockey, as a possibility – if the fit is right.

Each sport would govern itself for the schools involved, a structure which has worked at the U.S. Olympic sport level since the 1978 Amateur Sports Act, which gave the then-U.S. Olympic Committee the administrative lead over all sports, but left the operation of each sport to designated National Governing Bodies.

● This would allow a separation of football and basketball from all other sports, but create new possibilities for investment, sponsorship and broadcast and television exposure for the other sports.

Moreover, LLCs for football and basketball at individual schools would be able to invest in the other sport LLCs on behalf of their athletes; for football, baseball and track & field are player favorites for second sports.

What about a private, national investment fund to support multiple national group-sport associations to sponsor – nationally – swimming or track or tennis or wrestling, and so on? Or the ability for private equity and sponsors to invest directly in a single sport, such as gymnastics: primarily for the women, but you get the men, too. A university may decide it wants to support specific sports which need funding and with which it has historic ties or marketing uses.

The requirements, as seen so far, of the House vs. NCAA settlement can be met as well, but on a more equitable, sport-by-sport basis.

Fantasy?

Maybe.

But the sophistication of private equity today and the ability to reach people directly through direct communications on a dizzying array of platforms allows the construction of new structures not being considered now with university-operated athletic departments.

These conceptual entities would be different from the U.S. National Governing Bodies as they would all be affiliated companies of a university, where the NGBs are for grass-roots development, elite sport and masters, and not – for the most part – for high school or collegiate teams (there are some exceptions).

The future is going to look different than the confused mess of the present. Kentucky may have shown a way forward.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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PANORAMA: London Mayor wants 4th Olympics in 2040; London confirmed as biggest marathon ever; Fredette heads USA 3×3 men’s teams

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic champion April Ross tabbed by USA Volleyball as head of coaching for national beach teams (Photo: USA Volleyball).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The Official Report of the 2024 Paris Games was published and is available for download, providing a summary of the efforts of the highly-successful organizing committee.

At 275 pages, it is quite brief compared to older reports and does not go deeply into the development and staging of the Games, but offers a comprehensive overview of the elements which made the Games work.

● Olympic Games 2040 ● London Mayor Sadiq Khan told The Times that London should bid to bring the Olympic Games back in 2040:

“I would like to see London become the first city to host the Games four times.

“And if we have the World [Athletics] Championships in 2029, it means in the lead-up there’s energy, enthusiasm and investment in track and field, which means you will have the future Mo Farahs, the future Paula Radcliffes.

“Globally, everyone loves coming to London. And we’ve managed to stage a good event every year in the London Diamond League. I’m in favour of this. I was in Paris last summer and I saw the transformation of their city.

“But we could knock it out of the park in relation to the Olympics, using the assets we already have in the aquatics centre, the stadium, the velodrome. And we could have some events outside of London too. London could be a hub.”

London staged the Games in 1908, 1948, in 2012 and now wants 2040, also coveted by Germany, which will select a candidate city later this year, and others. Great Britain will host the UEFA men’s championship in 2028 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2035.

● Russia ● The man who clubbed figure skating judge Mikhail Slobodchikov in the head after he disagreed with the scores he gave to his daughter at a regional competition has been arrested and detained. According to the filing at the Oktyabrsky District Court of Yekaterinburg:

“The preliminary investigation bodies have accused the man of a crime under paragraph ‘a’ of Part 1 of Article 213 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the preliminary investigation bodies, [Adonis] Miroev, disagreeing with the grades given to his daughter at a figure skating competition, hit the coach. The court chose a preventive measure for Adonis Miroev in the form of detention until June 23.”

● Archery ● Texas A&M shooters won the Recurve titles at the USA Archery Team Qualifier at the Easton Foundations Gator Cup in Newberry, Florida.

Paris Olympian Catalina GNoriega took the women’s Recurve final with a 6-4 win over Alexandria Zuleta-Visser, moving up from second in this event last year. The men’s title went to Trenton Cowles, who overcome 2-0 and 5-3 deficits to Christian Stoddard in the final to come back and win in a shoot-out, 6-5. All four finalists will be part of the U.S. squad for the next World Archery World Cup from 6-11 May in Shanghai (CHN).

In the Compound finals, Dutch 2013 World Champion Mike Schloesser won a shoot-off in the men’s final after a 148-148 tie to edge Mathias Fullerton (DEN), and third-seed Olivia Dean won a shoot-off with top seed Liko Arreola to take the women’s gold after a 145-145 tie.

● Athletics ● The London Marathon reached another goal on Sunday, with Guinness World Records confirming the race as the largest ever, with 56,640 finishers.

That eclipsed the mark of 55,646 set at the November 2024 New York City marathon. The race organizers noted:

“The 2025 TCS London Marathon is already the most popular marathon on the planet, achieving the title for the most ballot entries for a marathon event thanks to an astonishing 840,318 people who applied via the public ballot for the 2025 edition, and it is also the world’s largest annual one-day fundraising event with more than £1.3 billion raised for charity since 1981.”

The second-ever U.S. high schooler under 10 seconds in the 100 m is Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Georgia) High’s Maurice Gleaton, Jr.

He ran – with 0.0 m/s wind – 9.98 to win the Georgia State 5A Region 3 meet in Hampton, winning by 0.67 seconds! Next up will be the Georgia 5A Sectional B in Villa Rica this weekend. He committed to play football – he’s a receiver – and run track for Georgia.

● Basketball ● Star guard Jimmer Fredette, 36, announced his retirement from basketball last Wednesday (23rd). He didn’t have to wait long for his next job.

On Monday, USA Basketball announced Fredette as its new managing director for the men’s 3×3 national teams. According to the federation:

“Fredette will be responsible for identifying the USA 3×3 Men’s National Team coaching staff and players for major international competitions, including the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028, FIBA 3×3 World Cup, FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup, FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup, Pan American Games and the FIBA 3×3 pro circuit, as well as the program’s training camp participants over the next three years.”

Said Fredette:

“When USA Basketball approached me about this role, I jumped at it. I’m determined to help build a sustainable program for years to come and, ultimately, the best 3×3 program in the world. I’m so grateful for the USA Basketball Board of Directors for trusting me with this responsibility and I’m ready for the challenge.”

● Cycling ● At the Pan American Mountain Bike Championships in San Jose (CRC), Canadian Jennifer Jackson, the 2023 Pan American Games gold medalist, doubled with two wins in the women’s elite division.

First, she won the Cross Country Short race in 18:40, just ahead of former World Champion Kate Courtney of the U.S. (18:44). Then she took the Cross Country Olympic title, again over Courtney, but this time by a comfortable 1:27:45 to 1:28:51 margin.

Mexico’s Jose Ulloa won the men’s Cross Country Olympic race in 1:32:40, in a close battle with Brazil’s Ulan Galinski (1:32:46). Brazil went 1-2 in the men’s Short, with Gustavo Pereira taking the win over Alex Malacarne, 20:30 to 20:31.

● Gymnastics ● The sixth and final FIG Apparatus World Cup for 2025 was in Cairo (EGY), with two wins each for 2023 Worlds Floor bronze winner Milad Karimi (AZE) and 2024 Paris Olympic Uneven Bars champ Kaylia Nemour (ALG).

Karimi led off the men’s competition with a win on Floor at 14.133, ahead of Bulgaria’s Eddie Penev (13.966) and came back in the final event of the meet to win on Horizontal Bar at 14.466. Karimi won the seasonal title in both events.

Armenia scored three wins in Cairo, with 17-year-old Hamlet Manukyan taking the Pommel Horse final at 14.800, his third victory in the series; he was the seasonal champion as well. Americans Patrick Hoopes (14.700) and Brandon Dang (14.533) finished 3-4.

The second Armenian win was by Artur Avetisyan on Rings at 14.466, with Nikita Simonov (AZE) second at 14.433, but taking the seasonal crown. American Alex Diab (13.733) was fourth. On Vault, Armenia’s two-time Olympic medalist Artur Davtyan won at 14.700 for his fourth gold in the six meets, giving him the seasonal win.

On Parallel Bars, Egypt’s Omar Mohamed won at 14.033, on criteria over Noe Siefert (SUI: 14.033), but Ukraine’s Nazar Chepurnyi took the series title.

Nemour won, of course, on Uneven Bars at 14.533, over Lucija Hribar (SLO: 13.133), with Hribar winning the series crown. Nemour also won on Beam at 13.333, but Greta Mayer (HUN) got the seasonal trophy.

Canadian star Ellie Black, the 2017 Worlds All-Around silver winner, took the Vault at 13.616, with two-meet winner Teja Belak (SLO) getting the seasonal title. On Floor, Egypt’s Jana Mahmoud scored a 13.033 win over Nemour (12.966); American Jayla Hang won the seasonal title.

● Swimming ● In line with its unique circumstance as a sport as well as a life-saving activity, the USA Swimming Foundation announced $865,000 in grants to 114 organizations nationwide that will provide swimming lessons for 13,500 individuals across 36 states.

The 114 swim-learning providers receiving grants were selected from more than 470 applicants, including 81 youth-swimming providers, who will receive the bulk of the funding: $725,000. Adult learn-to-swim grants were designated for 33 providers, who will receive a total of $140,000.

● Volleyball ● USA Volleyball has tapped one of the finest women’s beach players in history to help shape future American teams, announcing three-time Olympic medalist April Ross as Head of Coaching for the Beach National Teams, “responsible for supporting the professional development of Beach National Team coaches, enhancing their training, competition preparedness, and the performance of our top American athletes on the international stage.”

Now 42, Ross won Olympic silver in 2012 with Jen Kessy, Olympic bronze with Kerri Walsh-Jennings in 2016 and gold with Alix Klineman at the Tokyo 2020 Games. According to the statement:

“Ross will be based at the Beach National Team Training Center in Torrance, California, and report to Sean Scott, the director of beach national teams. In this role, she will work closely with the USAV Performance Team and U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee members to significantly advance the professional capabilities of national team coaches and elevate the quality of coaching and training across all levels of the Beach National Team program.”

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FENCING: Swiss apologize after U-23 Epee team turns its back on Israel during European Champs awards ceremony

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Swiss team turned its back on the winning Israeli team at the European Fencing Championships men’s U-23 Epee awards ceremony (Photo: ILTV News on X)

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≡ POLITICS IN SPORT ≡

So much for Swiss neutrality.

At the European Fencing U-23 Championships in Tallinn (EST), the Israeli men’s Epee team of Yehonathan Lambrey Messika, Fedor Khaperskiy, Alon Sarid and Itamar Tavor defeated Switzerland, 45-29 in the final to earn the gold medal.

At the victory ceremony, both teams and the third-placed Italian team received medals and the Italians and the Israelis turned to their left to face the flags of the medal-winning nations while the Israeli anthem was played.

The Swiss team – Jonathan Furhimann, Ian Hauri, Sven Vineis and Theo Brochard – did not turn and stood still, with their backs to the other two teams, in an obvious, silent snub toward Israel.

The gesture did not go unnoticed, was widely reported, and on Sunday, the Swiss Fencing Federation posted a statement in French and English:

“The Swiss Fencing Federation has been informed about the actions of our U23 men’s team in Tallinn, Estonia, during the night of Saturday to Sunday. Swiss Fencing has no understanding for the fact that the team misused the award ceremony of the European U23 Team Championships for political means. However, it should be noted that the Swiss athletes congratulated the Israeli winners after the final in a sporting manner.

“As a matter of principle, Swiss Fencing is of the opinion that sporting competitions are not suitable for the expression of political opinions, even if athletes are of course allowed to have their own personal viewpoint on current world affairs.

“Swiss Fencing will discuss this important matter with the U23 men’s team after the athletes return from Estonia and then decide on any actions to be taken.

“We deeply regret that this behavior hurt the feelings of the Israeli delegation and demeaned the sporting success of the Swiss team with three medals at this U23 European Championships. We congratulate the Israeli team on their gold medal in the team competition.”

On Monday, the Swiss federation posted a public letter of apology signed by the four fencers (computer translation from the original French):

“Dear fencing family,

“After winning the silver medal at the U23 European Championships in Tallinn, much has been written about us. But not because of our excellent performance. We are responsible for that: we now wish to clarify our approach and express our regrets.

“We played a final against the Israeli team without any tension – we shook their hands and congratulated them before and after the podium, with great respect for them and their performance. During the ceremony, we did not turn toward the flag during the national anthem. This had no political significance and did not reflect any rejection of Israel. It was a personal gesture, born of our discomfort and empathy with the current context of great human suffering affecting all parties in this conflict. At the time of the ceremony, we were swept away by our emotions and by the situation that is overwhelming us all.

“We acknowledge that our behavior caused confusion and that it was a mistake on our part. As mentioned, we did not intend to express a political opinion.

“We sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt, especially our opponents on the Israeli team and the Israeli Fencing Federation.

“We have learned from this situation and will act with greater clarity and discernment in the future.

“With all due respect.”

The Swiss ambassador to Israel, Simon Geissbuhler, also apologized, writing in a letter, “Personally, but also on behalf of Swiss Fencing, I deplore the behavior of our athletes,” and adding, “an award ceremony must under no circumstances be misused for political statements – despite every athlete’s right to have their own opinion on political conflicts and wars.

“This action was not discussed with anyone in advance. We will confront the athletes upon their return and then decide on the next steps.”

Israel Olympic Committee Chair and International Olympic Committee member Yael Arad was outraged and wrote on Facebook:

“The Swiss under-23 team chose to cope with the loss on the podium as the anthem was being played with provocative losing chutzpah that utterly contravenes not only Olympic values, but also the fact that Switzerland declared Hamas an illegal murderous terrorist organization after [its attack on Israel on] October 7 [2023].”

Israel has long been a target of political protests in sports for decades. It competed in its own geographic region – Asia – from 1954 to 1974 and participated in the Asian Games, but was voted out of the Olympic Council of Asia in 1981, later joining the European Olympic Committees in 1994.

Israel has been repeatedly boycotted in sports, especially by Iran and especially in judo and wrestling. In fencing, Iraq withdrew from the 2023 FIE World Championships after one of its fencers was drawn to compete against an Israeli opponent. Indonesia was scheduled to host the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games, but canceled the event with a month to go, blaming a hold-up in government funding, but actually because Israeli athletes were scheduled to participate.

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PANORAMA: World Road Running Champs axed for 2025; NCAA women’s gym final near-10x men’s TV audience; doping warning on Chinese meat!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Big win for Krissy Gear over Shelby Houlihan and Karissa Schweizer in the women’s mile at the Drake Relays! (Photo: Drake Relays).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● China ● Reuters reported that the Norwegian Olympiatoppen training organization, a unit of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee responsible for elite athlete coaching and support, has informed its athletes not to eat meat in China, stating in its guidelines:

“Studies have shown that athletes have inadvertently ingested clenbuterol when eating meat in China, as some animals are fed hormones to promote growth.

“If a meat-based meal is consumed before a doping test, the athlete may test positive.

“Therefore, Olympiatoppen advises athletes to avoid all types of meat while in China.”

Track & Field athletes were told to be on alter, as the Diamond League openers are in China, in Xiamen last Saturday (26th) and in Shanghai on 3 May, plus the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou on 10-11 May.

Doping positives from contaminated meat have been seen for many years and avoiding this issue has been difficult for many athletes, even in their own countries.

● Russia ● Bad behavior by parents of young athletes is a worldwide phenomenon, unfortunately also in Russia, where the father of three figure-skating daughters sought out and injured a judge from a regional competition in Yekaterinburg.

The Russian news agency TASS reported:

“Mikhail Slobodchikov, a judge at a regional figure skating competition in Yekaterinburg, was hospitalized after being attacked by the father of one of the tournament participants. This was reported to TASS by Vladislav Utkin, President of the Figure Skating Federation of the Sverdlovsk Region. …

“‘[Adonis] Miroev has a criminal record, including for causing serious bodily harm,’ Utkin explained. ‘It never came to assault on the ice before, but we always interacted with him with caution: the cameras recorded how he tried to break through to the judges, insulted them, called them ‘monkeys,’ shouted from the stands. The children are afraid of him.

“‘Now it came to beating up a judge; Slobodchikov was taken away by ambulance. This happened five days after the competition. Now Slobodchikov is already at work, although his head hurts. A statement has been filed with the police.’”

● Athletics ● The World Athletics Road Running Championships will not happen in 2025:

“Following the decision last month to move the 2025 World Athletics Road Running Championships from San Diego, World Athletics has held discussions with a number of alternative hosts, some with great potential.

“While some of these discussions will continue for other editions of the event, the World Athletics Council has decided not to award the Championships to an alternative host this year due to lack of essential planning and preparation time required to cater for both elite and mass participation race elements.

“The focus instead will be on next year’s World Road Running Championships which will be held in Copenhagen from 19-20 September 2026 and is shaping up to be a great event. Already 100,000 people have shown interest in the 35,000 spots available for the half marathon distance.”

● Football ● U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) sent an angry letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday, complaining about travel procedures for visitors to the U.S., including:

“Over the past couple months, there have been numerous troubling reports of due process violations, mistreatment, prolonged questioning and detention, lengthy visa interview wait times, visa revocations, and arbitrary denials of entry of visitors and returning residents of the United States. This has turned ordinary travel into a needlessly grueling ordeal for tourists, business travelers, lawfully permanent residents, and U.S. citizens. In fact, I have received significant outreach from my constituents, wrecked with panic, about how difficult it is to travel to and from the United States. They are seeking greater reassurance from the U.S. Government that their rights will be upheld and have requested that I work with your Departments to facilitate timely improvements. …

“The United States is slated to host three major international sporting events in the coming years. These events should be a boon for local economies and the broader U.S. economy, but your actions toward travelers will jeopardize their success. The 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup is expected to be the largest sporting event in U.S. history, likely bringing five million international visitors and generating $5 billion in expected economic activity. Similarly, the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic games are expected to generate an additional $5 billion in economic activity for the United States.

“Ahead of these events, your Departments will experience a significant increase in travelers seeking entry to the United States, to include extraordinary athletes, support staff, government officials, journalists, business owners, and spectators. If your harsh and unnecessary approaches to travelers continue, foreign-born athletes who have spent their whole lives training for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity may be unable to travel to the United States to participate in these games. Even foreign-born athletes who proudly and lawfully compete for the United States are hesitant to travel for these events, as they are afraid of how they will be treated by your Departments. If these remarkable athletes cannot compete, their enthusiastic fans, including U.S. citizens, will be deeply disappointed and unwilling to attend these games. All of this will once again lead to a loss in revenue for U.S. businesses and further damage the reputation of the United States.”

Congressional hearings have already been held this year on travel bottlenecks, including significant attention to declining efficiency in visa processing and customs over the past several years.

● Gymnastics ● A stark reminder of how much more popular women’s gymnastics is than men’s came with a ratings report on the NCAA Championships held the same weekend of 17-19 April.

Sports Media Watch noted that the women’s NCAA final drew1.0 million on ABC, then was followed by the men’s nationals on ESPN2, which had … an average of 107,000.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Athletics ● After the wild debut of the indoor World Shot Put Series on Wednesday, the Drake Relays got down to some more traditional track & field over the weekend, with two world-leading performances:

● Men/Decathlon: 8,265, Till Steinforth (GER-Nebraskia)
● Women/Mile: 4:23.69, Krissy Gear (USA)

Gear’s race was noteworthy as it was the first time the women’s mile had been run at Drake in exactly 50 years. Gear had won the Grand Blue Mile – also the USATF national women’s road championship – and had to come from behind to run down comebacking Shelby Houlihan on the final straight to win in 4:23.69 to 4:23.84. Two-time Olympian Karissa Schweizer moved into third in the final 50 m in 4:25.27.

Olympic champ Masai Russell won the women’s 100 m hurdles in 12.74 (-1.4 m/s), taking over in mid-race and fellow Paris gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall won the long jump at 6.75 m (22 3/4) on her first attempt, moving to no. 4 on the world outdoor list in her season opener. Brooke Andersen, the 2022 World Champion in the women’s hammer, raised her seasonal best to 75.28 m (247-0) and remained at no. 5 in 2025.

In the men’s 1,500 m, Vincent Ciattei – like Gear – completed a road-track mile/1,500 double, taking over on the final turn to win in 3:39.49, ahead of Damien Dilcher (3:39.99) and Craig Engels (3:40.13). Chris Robinson, the world leader in the 400 m (44.15) won his usual specialty, the 400 m hurdles, in 48.92, now no. 12 on the world list.

The men’s shot was another re-run of the earlier World Shot Put Series, with Roger Steen winning again with his sixth-round throw of 21.62 m (70-11 1/4), this time over Tripp Piperi (21.52 m/70-7 1/4). Olympic champion Ryan Crouser did not throw, but offered some entertaining live commentary on the CBS Sports Network broadcast; Steen moved to no. 2 on the 2025 outdoor world list with the win.

Three-time Olympian Rudy Winkler moved up to no. 2 in the world for 2025 in the men’s hammer, winning at 81.08 m (266-0), his longest since 2021 and his sixth-longest throw ever.

Steinforth, a Paris Olympian for Germany and the defending Drake Relays champ, won the 100 m, long jump, shot, 400 m and 110 m hurdles on the way to his 8,265 world leader and no. 2 score ever.

At the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, a world outdoor lead in the women’s 1,500 m for American Josette Andrews, who won the Olympic Development race in 4:01.76, ahead of Dani Jones (USA: 4:03.21) and Nozomi Tanaka (JPN: 4:05.44).

One of the dazzling relay races was in the boys Championship of America 4×400 m, won by Kingston College of Jamaica, anchored by Marcinho Rose in 45.04. But behind Kingston was a phenomenal anchor leg by Paris 2024 men’s 4×400 relay gold medalist – from the heats – Quincy Wilson of The Bullis School of Potomac, Maryland. He took the stick in fifth place, passing three Jamaican teams by the time he got to the home straight, but unable to get home first, but splitting a sensational 43.99!

Bullis, in second, finished in 3:06.31, a U.S. high school record, ahead of Hawthorne (California)’s famed 1985 mark of 3:07.40.

Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich, the world-record holder in the women’s 10 km road race, got the mark for a women-only 10 km, winning the Adizero Road To Records event in Herzogenaurach (GER) on Saturday (26th) in 29:27.

She was well ahead of Fentaye Belayneh (30:30); Ngetich’s mark is the no. 7 performance all-time, including mixed races, and she has three of the seven.

Two-time World Indoor 3,000 m champ Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) won the men’s 5 km in 12:54, the no. 6 performance ever and he has three of the six! He was also comfortably up on Andrew Alamisi (KEN: 13:03).

Kenya’s Paris 800 m winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the mile in 3:52.45, moving to no. 3 all-time for the road mile. He beat Americans Hobbs Kessler (3:54.34) and Nico Young (3:54.50). Fellow Kenyan Nelly Chepchirchir won the women’s mile in 4:23.98, with American Addy Wiley third in 4:30.90 and Taryn Rawlings fifth in 4:40.09.

U.S. Half Marathon champ Alex Maier won the Dusseldorf Marathon in 2:08:33 on Sunday, smashing his own best of 2:11:24 from Chicago in 2024 and moving to 10th on the all-time U.S. list for record-eligible courses.

Counting the net-downhill Boston Marathon, the U.S. suddenly has five at 2:08:33 or faster this year with Maier joining Conner Mantz (2:05:08), Clayton Young (2:07:04) and Ryan Ford (2:08:00) in Boston and Matthew Richtman’s surprise 2:07:57 at the Los Angeles Marathon.

● Cycling ● The fourth of the five “Monument” races for 2025 came Sunday with the 111th Liege-Bastogne-Liege, with all eyes once again on Slovenian star – and defending champion – Tadej Pogacar.

He started his “Monument” spring with a third at Milan-Sanremo, he won the Ronde van Vlaanderen, was second at Paris-Roubaix and on Sunday, dominated at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, taking off with 35 km remaining on the hilly, 252 km course and won in 6:00:09.

At 26, Pogacar has won the Tour de France three times, the Giro d’Italia in 2024, the 2024 World Road Championship and now nine Monuments: four at Il Lombardia, twice in the Ronde van Vlaanderen and this was his third Liege-Bastogne-Liege, also in 2021. He’s still chasing wins in Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix.

Pogacar was 1:03 clear of Guilio Ciccone (ITA) in second and Ben Healy (IRL) in third, ahead of the following pack of 39. Neilson Powless was the top American, in 10th (+1:10).

The last Monument of 2025 comes on 11 October with Il Lombardia in Italy.

The women’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege came down to a four-way sprint after 152.9 km, with Kimberley Le Court Pienaar of Mauritius getting her first major race win at age 29 in 4:15:42.

Dutch star – and two-time winner of this race – Demi Vollering was the first to try a final attack, but Le Court and Puck Pieterse (NED) passed her and finished 1-2, with Vollering third and Cedrine Kerbaol (FRA) in fourth. Vollering has now made the podium for five straight years (2-1-2) and six times in all.

Kristen Faulkner was the top American finisher, in 25th.

At the Pan American Road Championships in Punta del Este (URU), Colombia’s Juliana Londono won a final mass sprint on the flat, 104.8 km course in 2:42:37, just ahead of American Skylar Schneider and Teniel Campbell (TTO) as the first 42 riders received the same time.

Sunday’s men’s road race went to Colombia’s Alvaro Hodeg in 4:56:44 in a six-man sprint at the end of the flat, 209.6 km course, beating Sebastian Brenes and Jason Huertas, both from Costa Rica, to the line.

The U.S. went 1-2 in the women’s Time Trial, with Ruth Edwards covering the 26.2 km route in 34:44 with teammate Emily Ehrlich at 34:54 and Campbell at 35:28. The men’s Time Trial was won by Walter Vargas in a Colombian 1-2; Vargas routed the field in 46:48 over 39.3 km, with Rodrigo Contreras a distant second, 1:57 back.

● Gymnastics ● At the FIG Rhythmic World Cup in Tashkent (UZB), home favorite Takhmina Ikromova took the All-Around at 112.25, winning a tie-break with Olympic champion Darya Varfolomeev (GER), with Liliana Lewinska (POL: 108.30) in third.

Ikromova won the Hoop final over teammate Anastasiya Sarantseva, 28.50 to 28.15, but Varfolomeev won on Ball (29.35) with Ikromova second (28.70), on Clubs at 30.00 with Sarantseva second (28.30) and on Ribbon at 29.05, with Ikromova at 28.50.

American Evita Griskenas was fourth in Ball (27.00) and Ribbon (27.30).

● Ice Hockey ● The IIHF men’s U-18 Championship is ongoing in Frisco and Allen, Texas, with Canada and the U.S. moving along undefeated.

Defending champ Canada defeated Slovakia, 9-2, in its opener; Latvia, 7-1 on Friday, and Finland by 5-1 on Sunday. The U.S., runners-up in 2024, started with a 4-2 victory against the Czech Republic and then 10-0 over Switzerland and 6-3 over Sweden on Saturday.

Pool play continues through the 28th.

● Judo ● Brazil dominated the Pan American Championships, held in Santiago (CHI), winning nine of 14 classes and taking 16 medals overall. The Brazilian winners included Michel Augusto in the men’s 60 kg, Ronald Lima (66 kg), Gabriel Falcao (81 kg), Rafael Macedo (90 kg), and Leonardo Goncalves (100 kg) in the men’s classes.

Cuba’s Andy Granda, the 2022 World Champion at +100 kg, won his class, and American Jack Yonezuka, 21, took the men’s 73 kg gold, for his first Pan Am title.

Brazil took four women’s classes, with Natasha Ferreira beating Maria Celia Laborde of the U.S. at 48 kg; Shirlen Nascimento won at 57 kg over American Mariah Holguin, Nauana Silva took the 63 kg title, and Olympic champ Beatriz Souza won the +78 kg gold.

The U.S. also won two bronzes, from Jonathan Yang in the men’s 60 kg, and John Jayne in the men’s 90 kg.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The second UIPM World Cup of the season was in Budapest (HUN), and became a showcase for 2024 World Junior Champion Mohamed Moutaz (EGY), who scored 1,576 points to edge home favorite Mihaly Koleszar (HUN) and France’s Ugo Fleurot, both at 1,570.

Moutaz, 20, was only 14th in fencing and 10th in the Obstacle, but won the swimming, to enter the Laser Run in ninth place, 49 seconds behind teammate Mohamed El Ashqar (EGY). But Moutaz dominated the field, rolling through the race in 9:51.74 to claim the fastest time by almost seven seconds! That gave him the win – his first World Cup gold – with Koleszar holding on for second and Fleurot moving up from sixth to race to the line for silver, and coming up just short.

Hungarian fans cheered Michelle Gulyas, the Paris Olympic champion, who was third in fencing, fourth in Obstacle and second in swimming, so she was a close third going into the final event. She started just four seconds behind, but had more than enough to get to the line first in 11:14.56, with prior leader, the 14-year-old Farifa Khalil (EGY) finishing in 11:32.95 to hang on to second.

France’s Coline Flavin moved from fourth to third (1,455) on the Laser Run.

● Sailing ● China and Italy both scored two wins at the Semaine Olympique Francaise regatta off Hyeres (FRA) for the Olympic classes.

● IQ Foil: Kun Bi (CHN) won the men’s medal race with Grae Morris (AUS) and Louis Pignolet (FRA) classified as second and third. Israel’s Tamar Steinberg won the women’s medal race, ahead of China’s Paris fifth-placer Zheng Yan and teammate and Olympic silver winner Sharon Kantor.

● Formula Kite: Italy’s Riccardo Paniosi, fourth in Paris last year and the 2024 Worlds runner-up, won the final after taking six races during the qualifying and finals series. Singapore’s Maximilian Maeder, the 2023 World Champion, also with six wins, was classified second and Gian Stragiotti (SUI) was third overall. The women’s winner was China’s Wan Li, ahead of teammate Jingyue Chen and France’s Paris silver medalist Lauriane Nolot.

● 49er/49erFX: Americans Nevin Snow and Ian MacDiarmid scored a tight win with 101 net points, with six top-three finishes, to edge Richard Schultheis and Fabian Rieger (GER: 104) and Hernan Umpierre and Fernando Diz (URU: 108). Belgians Isaura Maenhaut and Anouk Geurts took the women’s 49erFX class, over Paris Henken and Helena Scutt of the U.S., 149-151, making the final tally close with a ninth-place finish in the medal race.

● Laser/Laser Radial: Hong Kong’s Nicholas Halliday was a clear winner in Laser, with 48 net points and six top-three finishes; New Zealand’s Thomas Saunders was second with 71. Italy’s Chiara Benini Floriani won the women’s Laser Radial class in a four-way fight with 34 net points, to 36 for two-time World Champion Emma Plasschaert (NED), 39 for Dane Anna Munch and 39 for American Charlotte Rose. Plasschaert and Munch went 1-2 in the medal race to close on Benini Floriani, who was fourth.

● Mixed Crew: In the 470, Paris 14th-placers Simon Diesch and Anna Markfort (GER) had six top-three finishes and 43 net points to win, against veteran star Jordi Xammar and Marta Cardona (ESP: 56). In the Nacra 17, Tokyo silver medalists and two-time World Champions John Gimson and Anna Burnet (GBR) won with 49 net points to 52 for Italy’s Gianluigi Ugilini and Maria Giubilei.

The next major Olympic classes regatta comes on 24 May with the Allianz Regatta in Almere (NED).

● Sport Climbing ● At the IFSC World Cup in Wujiang (CHN), the crowd saw a  home win for Jianguo Long in the men’s Speed final over Hryhorii Ilchyshyn (UKR), 4.88 to 4.98, with former world-record holder Kiromal Katibin (INA) taking the bronze over Paris 2024 bronze medalist, 19-year-old Sam Watson of the U.S.

The women’s Speed final completed a Chinese sweep, with Shaoqin Zhang over Korea’s Jimin Jeong, 6.32 to 6.37, as Zhang got her second career World Cup win. Her teammate, Olympic runner-up Lijuan Deng, got the bronze, 6.34 to 6.39 over American Emma Hunt, the 2023 Worlds runner-up.

The Lead finals on Sunday saw Japan’s 18-year-old phenom, Sorato Anraku – the Paris Olympic silver winner in the Lead-Boulder combined – win again, getting to the top in the final, ahead of countryman Neo Suzuki (40+) and Spain’s Alberto Gines Lopez (39+). Suzuki, in his first World Cup final, had to re-climb after an appeal on his first final run, but managed to replicate his original second-place finish.

The women’s Lead final had a tie for the win between Erin McNeice (GBR) and 2021 World Champion Chae-hyun Seo (KOR), both at 41 (and 4:26!). American Annie Sanders, who won the season opener, was third at 39+.

● Swimming ● At the second leg of the World Aquatics Open Water World Cup, in Ibiza (ESP), Spain’s Olympic 10th-placer Angela Martinez emerged on the final lap to claim a clear win in the women’s 10 km in 1:58:41.4, beating German Celine Rider (1:58:43.3) and Bettina Fabian (HUN: 1:58:45.2).

Italy enjoyed a sweep in the men’s 10 km, with Andrea Filadelli with a decisive win in 1:50:30.9, beating 2022 World 25 km champ Dario Verani (1:50:33.2) and Giuseppe Ilario (1:50:34.9). It was Filadelli’s first World Cup gold.

French 2016 Olympic bronze winner Marc-Antoine Olivier was fourth (1:50:37.7) and American Joey Tepper was fifth (1:50:37.8). Olympic champ Kristof Rasovszky (HUN) was eighth and Dylan Gravley of the U.S. finished 11th.

In the new 3 km Sprints, featuring two rounds of eliminations over 2,500 m, then 1,500 m and a final round of 500 m, Olympic men’s 10 km silver winner Oliver Klemet won the men’s final in 4:50.5, over David Betlehem (ITA: 4:51.6) and Olivier (4:53.5), with Rasovszky fourth. Germany’s Lea Boy won the women’s final (500 m) in 5:18.5, with Fabian second (5:22.1) and Ichika Kajimoto (JPN: 5:22.2) in third.

● Wrestling ● Four veteran stars earned U.S. Open titles in Las Vegas, Nevada, topped by Rio 2016 Olympic champion Kyle Snyder at 97 kg, who won his second U.S. Open gold with an 11-0 technical fall over Jonathan Aiello.

Four-time World Champion Kyle Dake was beaten in the 86 kg final by 2023 Worlds bronze winner Zahid Valencia, who won the final by 8-4 and also won his second career U.S. Open. Valencia was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

Yianni Diakomihalis, the 2022 Worlds runner-up, won at 70 kg with an 8-2 victory over two-time Worlds medal winner James Green, and 2018 U.S. Open winner Joey McKenna took the 65 kg gold over Jesse Mendez by 3-1 in the final.

That left the other six crowns to first-time winners at the Open: top seeds Luke Lilledahl (57 kg), Evan Wick (79 kg), and Trent Hidlay (92 kg), second seeds Mitchell Mesenbrink (74 kg), and Wyatt Hendrickson (125 kg) and sixth-seed Jax Forrest (61 kg).

Hendrickson, famed for his NCAA title win over Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Gable Steveson, won his final by 14-3 over Demetrius Thomas.

All 10 women’s Freestyle winners were determined in Friday, with Paris Olympic silver winner Kennedy Blades taking the 68 kg division with a 10-0 technical fall against Solin Piearcy, and 2024 Worlds 72 kg bronze medalist Kylie Welker dominating the 76 kg final with an 11-0 win over Yelena Makoyed. Welker was named as the outstanding wrestler of the tournament.

Two-time Worlds silver winner Kayla Miracle won her fifth U.S. Open title with a 4-0 win over Adaugo Nwachukwu in the 62 kg final, and former World U-23 team member Amanda Martinez won at 57 kg when 2019 World Champion Jacarra Winchester could not compete in the final.

There were lots of other surprises. Seventh-seeded Brianna Gonzalez won at 53 kg, World U-20 champ Cristelle Rodriguez took the title at 55 kg, third-seed Abigail Nette triumphed at 59 kg, Aine Drury (no. 3) at 65 kg and no. 2 Alexandria Glaude at 72 kg.

In the men’s Greco-Roman finals that also served as the U.S. World Team Trials, London 2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman defeated Tokyo Olympian Ildar Hafizov, two matches to none at 63 kg; Tokyo Olympian Alejandro Sancho won the 72 kg class over Aliaksandr Kikiniou Jr., 2-0, and at 77 kg, Paris 2024 Olympian Kamal Bey took the 77kg class, 2-0, over Aliaksandr Kikiniou, the father!

Jayden Ramsey took the 55 kg title by forfeit to make his first national team; Max Black won two close matches to take the 60 kg crown over Zane Richards, and Alston Nutter won at 67 kg via two pins of Otto Black.

On Saturday, the four remaining World Team Trials matches were completed, with Paris Olympian Payton Jacobsen defeating Spencer Woods, two matches to one at 87 kg; sixth-seed Michial Foy won the 97 kg class by 2-1 over Olympian Josef Rau, and second-seed Cohlton Schultz won the 130 kg class after no. 1 Adam Coon was injured during the first match and had to retire. At 82 kg, second-seed Bela Melelashvili also won as no. 1 Jesse Porter could not continue after the first match.

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ATHLETICS: Assefa powers to women-only record of 2:15:50 at London Marathon; Sawe smokes men’s field in 2:02:27

By
Rich Perelman
-
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa finishes her 2:15:50 women-only world record London Marathon win (Photo: World Athletics).

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≡ LONDON MARATHON ≡

Beyond the prize money for the top 10 places, the bonus structure for the 45th London Marathon had extra money for course record and world-record performances. For the women, who started a half-hour ahead of the men – at 9:05 a.m. – that meant the women-only best of 2:16:16 by Tokyo Olympic champ Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) from the 2024 London Marathon.

Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, the 2024 Olympic silver medalist and former (mixed race) world-record holder was happy to take advantage, running away from the field to win in 2:15:50.

The women’s race was a breakaway almost from the start, as four stars crossed the 5 km (3.1 miles) in 15:34, 50 seconds up on the rest of the field: 2021 London winner Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN), Assefa, 2023 London runner-up Megertu Alemu (ETH) and Olympic champ Sifan Hassan (NED).

By 20 km (12.4M), Assefa and Jepkosgei had broken free and they passed the halfway mark in a sizzling 1:06:40, 10 seconds up on Hassan. The margin was 26 seconds by 25 km (15.5M) and 1:10 by 30 km (18.6M).

Past 35 km (21.7M), Assefa surged and broke away, running alone to the finish in 2:15:50, smashing Jepchirchir’s 2:16:16 women-only record from 2024 and the world leader in 2025. It’s the second-fastest time in London Marathon history, behind only British legend Paula Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 mixed-race, then-world record from 2003. All-time, it’s the no. 10 performance in history and Assefa, 28, now has three of the 10.

In her career, Assefa has run six marathons and after a seventh in her debut in Riyadh (KSA) in 2022, she won Berlin twice, was second in London last year, won the Olympic silver and now won London in 2025. That’s five straight races in major marathons, finishing first or second.

Jepkosgei was an easy second in 2:18:44, Hassan was third in 2:19:00 and Haven Hailu Desse (ETH) ran 2:19:17 for fourth; they were the only ones to break 2:20. Britain’s Eilish McColgan, the 2022 European 10,000 m winner made her debut in the marathon a good one, in eighth in 2:24:25.

Susanna Sullivan was the top American, in 10th, matching her finish in this race from 2023, in 2:29:30.

Assefa’s victory and time were worth $55,000 for the win, $125,000 for the women’s-only world mark, $25,000 for the women-only course and another $100,000 for a sub-2:16 performance, or $305,000 in all.

Yes, there was a men’s race, with a front pack of 12 passing 5 km in 14:25, shaved down to 10 by the 10 km mark (28:57) and moving through the half in 1:01:30. The stars – two-time Olympic champ Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), Paris Olympic champ Tamirat Tola (ETH) and half-marathon world-record holder Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) – making his marathon debut – were all in the group.

Nine were still running together by the 30 km mark when Kenyan Sabastian Sawe, who debuted last December in Valencia (ESP) with a 2:02:05 (!) win, powered away and only Kiplimo could try and stay with him.

By 35 km (21.7M), Sawe was all alone with a 22-second lead on Kiplimo, who was 15 seconds up on everyone else. At the finish, Sawe won his second career marathon in as many races at 2:02:27, the 2025 world leader and second-fastest London Marathon ever, worth $55,000 plus a $100,000 bonus for a sub-2:03 finish.

Kiplimo, in his debut, was an impressive second, in 2:03:37, now equal-29th all-time, worth $30,000 for place and another $50,000 for running under 2:04.

Behind him was defending champion Alexander Mutiso (KEN) and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Abdi Nageeye (NED), both in 2:04:20, then Tola in fifth in 2:04:42.

Kipchoge finished sixth in 2:05:25 – at age 40! – his best performance since his Berlin Marathon win in September 2023.

Paris Olympic triathlon winner Alex Yee (GBR) made a noteworthy debut as well, finishing 14th in 2:11:08; Kevin Salvano was the top American, in 18th in 2:13:03.

Placement prize money was available to the top 12: $55,000-30,000-22,500-15,000-10,000-7,500-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,500-1,000, a total of $156,500 per gender.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: L.A. Metro chief expects $3.2 billion Federal funding request to be “favorably received”

By
Rich Perelman
-
The famed Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority headquarters building in downtown Los Angeles (Photo: Basil D. Soufi via Creative Commons).

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≡ METRO FUNDING REQUEST ≡

Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority chief executive Stephanie Wiggins told Public Radio KCRW she’s optimistic about the $3.2 billion request for Federal funding for public transportation support for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Speaking with host Danielle Chiriguayo, Wiggins was asked about the status of the agency’s request for 2028 support, and explained:

“What we know is for ticketed spectators, for now, you will not be able to drive your car to a venue as a ticketed spectator. For security reasons, you have to take transit, walk, bicycle, or get dropped off.

“Given the tickets that are projected to be sold and the amount of visitors that are anticipated for those games, we can expect a million additional people a day.

“Well, we’re carrying a million people a day today on the Metro system with 2,000+ buses. So essentially, to handle the level of demand for the Olympics and Paralympics, that’s like a whole other system.

“The $3.2 billion ask is largely driven by the need to borrow about 2,700 buses from across the country. That means you’re paying for their mechanics, the bus operators, their wages, and all the supporting infrastructure; as well as making some improvements on mobility hubs that doesn’t degrade the experience of the million essential riders that we’re carrying today. Our ask has been submitted, and we expect it to be favorably received.

“These are America’s Games. We want to make sure they’re spectacular for everyone. Fundamentally, I’m sure no one wants a degraded experience for the existing folks who ride our system. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The whole world will be watching. Given the $17 billion that we’re already investing in our rail revolution, this is definitely something that the federal government will have a return on investment on. Yes, we will be ready. With the support of the federal government and our local and state partners, yes, we will be ready.”

With the announcement of most of the remaining venues for the 2028 Olympic Games, all or part of 35 of the 36 sports in the Games will be in Los Angeles County, with a heavy concentration in the downtown Los Angeles area, with eight sites and 13 sports.

LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman was equally optimistic about transportation and traffic for 2028, saying at the 144th International Olympic Committee Session in Greece in March:

“For 17 days, we can fix any problem in the world. And for 17 days, we can manage traffic and movement of people in a way that you can’t every day, normally. So, whether it’s the things they did in ‘84, removing trucks from the streets, deliveries from the streets except between midnight and 5 [a.m.], obviously, creating remote work now is a very practical solution. There is tens of billions of dollars of infrastructure in terms of transportation – not for the Olympics, not related to the Olympics – but they will be done by the Olympics, will be meaningfully different than 1984.

“In 1984, we were building freeways, literally, today we’re building, I think, the second-largest metro construction project on earth. And so we are very confident in our ability to deliver, and let’s not get confused. Our venues are designed, and our city is designed, for people to drive their cars to events.

“They won’t drive them in the same quantities, at the same scale they do today, but that will also be a part of our delivery, because it would be a mistake not to take advantage of the venues that are designed and the use case they are designed for.”

So, people driving cars is definitely part of the LA28 plan, moving along with its “public transit first” concept for the last mile to the Olympic and Paralympic venues, which is already in wide use for special events of all kinds, such as the annual Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Games in Pasadena.

Wasserman referred to freeway building, which was actually not going on in 1984, but picked up later with the last new freeway to be opened, the I-105, in 1993.

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ATHLETICS: Diamond League opens with seven world leads in Xiamen, including 300 m hurdles world best for Warholm

By
Rich Perelman
-
A Diamond League win and world 300 m hurdles best for Norway’s Karsten Warholm (Photo: Diamond League AG).

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≡ XIAMEN DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

The Diamond League season opened with a bang in Xiamen (CHN), with seven world-leading (outdoor) performances, including a world best for hurdles star Karsten Warholm:

● Men/3,000 m Steeple: 8:05.61, Samuel Firewu (ETH)
● Men/110 m hurdles: 13.06, Cordell Tinch (USA)
● Men/300 m hurdles: 33.05, Karsten Warholm (NOR)
● Men/Vault: 5.92 m (19-5), Mondo Duplantis (SWE)

● Women/1,000 m: 2:29.21, Faith Kipyegon (KEN)
● Women/5,000 m: 14:27.12, Beatrice Chebet (KEN)
● Women/Shot: 20.47 m (67-2), Jessica Schilder (NED)

World Athletics has added – for reasons still unspecified – the 300 m hurdles as an official event and while there is no world record in place, the all-time best was 33.26 by Warholm in 2021 in the Covid year of 2021 in a home race in Oslo.

Fully healthy to start the season, he roared out of his preferred lane seven and led from the start, winning in 33.05, well ahead of Matheus Lima (BRA: 33.98) and Ken Toyoda (JPN: 34.22). American CJ Allen was eighth in 34.96, believed to be the best in U.S. history.

The other world leaders were in more conventional events:

● The men’s Steeple had Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) towering over the field, and he had the lead at the bell, but Paris sixth-placer Samuel Firewu (ETH) took over with a half-lap left, cleared the final water jump well and flew into the straight, winning in 8:05.61, with El Bakkali suffering a rare defeat in 8:06.66 and Kenyan Simon Koech in third in 8:07.12.

El Bakkali had won 14 straight finals from 2021 to August 2024, but has now lost two straight, having been edged by Amos Serem (KEN) at the Diamond League Final in Brussels last September.

● Olympic 110 m hurdles champ Grant Holloway of the U.S. got his usual rock start and was in front until he clubbed the seventh hurdle, lost his stride and then faded over the last two hurdles, and finished 10th in 13.72. Meanwhile, countryman Cordell Tinch had been second and moved up to win in 13.06 (wind +0.3 m/s), his fourth-fastest time ever and the world leader for 2025. Japan’s Rachid Muratake was second (13.14) with American Olympic stars Freddie Crittenden (13.28) and Daniel Roberts (13.35) in fourth and fifth.

● Swedish superstar Duplantis needed only three vaults – all makes – to win the vault at 5.92 m (19-5), with Olympic bronze winner Emmanouil Karalis (GRE) second at 5.82 m (19-1). Duplantis continued to 6.01 m (19-8 1/2), but missed three times.

● The women’s 1,000 m was a world-record shot by three-time Olympic 1,500 m champ Kipyegon, who took the lead from the pacesetters at the 800 m mark, already way ahead of everyone else. She pushed hard to the finish, running 29.5 for her last 200 m, but had to settle for the no. 3 performance in history at 2:29:21. Only Russian Svetlana Masterkova’s 1996 record of 2:28.98 and Kipyegon’s 2:29.15 from 2020 are faster.

Australia’s Abbey Caldwell was a distant second (2:32.94); American Sage Hurta-Klecker was fourth in 2:33.45, now no. 3 all-time U.S.

● Chebet, the brilliant Olympic 5,000-10,000 m winner, was battling a group of six Ethiopians in the women’s 5,000 m, with Hirut Meshesha leading at the bell. Inevitably, it came down to Chebet and two-time World Champion Gudaf Tsegay, with Chebet finally in front for good with 200 m to go and breaking away in the final straight to win, 14:27.12 to 14:28.18, with Birke Haylom third (14:28.80) and Meshesha fourth (14:29.29).

● In the women’s shot, World Indoor silver winner Schilder got off a national record throw of 20.47 m (67-2) in the first round and no one could catch her. Two-time World Champion Chase Jackson of the U.S. got closest, reaching 20.31 m (66-7 3/4) in round two; Maggie Ewen of the U.S. was sixth (19.04 m/62-5 3/4) and Jaida Ross was 10th (17.65 m/57-11).

The U.S. had two other winners, with Tokyo women’s 200 m Olympian Anavia Battle scoring a 22.41 (+0.4) to 22.79 win over Jamaica’s two-time World Champion Shericka Jackson (22.79), with Jenna Prandini of the U.S. in third (22.97) and TeeTee Terry eighth (23.50).

Olympic discus champ Valarie Allman continued her brilliant throwing with her 19th straight win, reaching 68.95 m (226-2) on her third throw, enough to win over Yaime Perez (CUB: 66.26 m/217-5) and 2023 World Champion Lagi Tausaga-Collins of the U.S. (64.91 m/212-11).

South Africa’s Akani Simbine got to the front of fast-starting 2019 World Champion Christian Coleman of the U.S. by mid-race and won the men’s 100 m in 9.99 (+0.2), with Ferdinand Omanyala (KEN: 10.13) coming up for second and Coleman fourth (10.18).

A terrific men’s 400 m saw Olympic semifinalist Bayapo Ndori (BOT) edge World Indoor champ Chris Bailey of the U.S., 44.25 to 44.27, with Bailey getting a lifetime best! London 2012 Olympic champ Kirani James (GRN: 44.89) was fourth and American Vernon Norwood was sixth (45.03).

China’s Mingkun Chang won the long jump with a lifetime best of 8.18 m (26-10), just ahead of Liam Adcock (AUS: 8.15 m/26-9) and Marquis Dendy of the U.S. (8.10 m/26-7). Fellow American Isaac Grimes was fifth (7.96 m/26-1 1/2).

Jamaica’s Jordan Scott, fourth at the World Indoors, took the men’s triple jump at 17.27 m (56-8), a lifetime best, ahead of Tokyo Olympic silver winner Yaming Zhu (CHN: 17.03 m/.55-10 1/2) and Donald Scott of the U.S. (16.85 m/55-3 1/2). Olympic sixth-placer Salif Mane of the U.S. was seventh (16.44 m/53-11 1/4).

Jamaica scored again with two-time World Champion Danielle Williams in the 100 m hurdles, winning over Olympic fifth-placer Grace Stark of the U.S., 12.53 to 12.58 (-0.2). Americans Tonea Marshall (12.92) and 2019 World Champion Nia Ali (13.23) placed sixth and ninth.

Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) won another showdown with Australian stars Eleanor Patterson and Nicola Olyslagers, clearing 1.97 m (6-5 1/2) to 1.94 m (6-4 1/4) for both. Greece’s Elina Tzenggo, the 2022 European champ, won the women’s javelin at 64.75 m (212-5).

The Diamond League remains in China, with the next meet on 3 May in Shanghai.

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PANORAMA: Judge wants fix in House vs. NCAA settlement; new curling league coming in 2026; Steen wins first “World Shot Put Series”

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Shot Put Series winner Roger Steen (Photo: Luke Lu for Drake University Athletics)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● NCAA ● A bump in the road for the proposed settlement of the House vs. NCAA suit, as U.S. District judge Claudia Wilken said Wednesday that she will not approve it unless current athletes on collegiate rosters are not subject to the new sport roster limits set to be imposed.

“We are closely reviewing Judge Wilken’s order,” an NCAA spokesperson said in a statement. “Our focus continues to be on securing approval of this significant agreement, which aims to create more opportunities than ever before for student-athletes while fostering much-needed stability and fairness in college sports.”

It appears that the roster limits, per se, are not an issue for Wilken, but she sees an issue of “fairness” that the settlement should not cost existing athletes or those who have received roster spot offers for the future, their places on teams.

The parties were given two weeks to modify the settlement agreement before Wilken will review it again and possibly approve it.

● Athletics ● The Ryan Crouser-designed “World Shot Put Series” debuted indoors at the Drake Fieldhouse in Des Moines, with a unique format on Wednesday.

There were six collegiate and nine elite competitors, with the college athletes trying to get past the 40-foot mark in order to get to the next round. The field included world-record holder Crouser, 2025 World Indoor silver medalist Roger Steen, 2025 World Indoor bronze medalist Tripp Piperi, Jamaican Olympic bronzer Rajindra Campbell and Olympic fourth-placer Payton Otterdahl.

The idea was to through past the required line within two tries, or you didn’t advance to the next distance. So it went like this:

● 40 ft.: 5 collegians advanced
● 50 ft.: 5 collegians advanced
● 60 ft.: 1 collegian, 9 elites advanced
● 65 ft.: 9 elites advanced
● 68 ft.: 7 elites advanced
● 70 ft.: 5 elites advanced (Crouser, Steen, Piperi, Campbell, Otterdahl)
● 71 ft.: 4 elites advanced (Steen, Piperi, Campbell, Otterdahl)
● 72 ft.: 2 elites advanced (Steen, Otterdahl)
● 73 ft.: 2 elites advanced
● 74 ft.: neither reached

The throws were not measured – you either cleared the line or you didn’t – and Steen threw past 73 ft. on his first try and Ottderdahl on his second. Steen won by having less “failures” (4) than Otterdahl (6). Steen threw 11 times to get the victory.

The crowd in the fieldhouse loved it and both Steen and Otterdahl threw past their official lifetime bests. They’ll get a shot at measured results on Saturday.

USA Track & Field named its teams for the World Athletics Relays next month in China, with multiple Olympic performers included, but many of the biggest names missing.

The last two legs of the men’s Olympic 4×100 m team that won its heat in 37.47 – a time good enough to have won the final – are back in Kyree King and Courtney Lindsey. Also available are Olympic 200 m runner-up Kenny Bednarek (also seventh in the 100 final) and 2023 Worlds 200 m silver winner Erriyon Knighton.

For the men’s 4×400 m, current 400 m world leader Chris Robinson (44.15) leads the squad, with Justin Robinson from the 2023 Worlds 4×400 gold-medal team and Elija Godwin, who led off the 2022 Worlds gold-medal team. Johnnie Blockburger, fourth at the NCAAs last year for USC, brings a 44.51 lifetime best to the team.

The women’s 4×100 m possibilities include Paris relay member TeeTee Terry and sprint stars Mikiah Brisco (10.96 lifetime best), Cambrea Sturgis (10.87) and Kayla White (10.95). Olympic 400 m veterans Kendall Ellis, Lynna Irby-Jackson and Courtney Okolo will be joined by Bailey Lear, a member of the 2025 World Indoor Championships 4×400 m winners.

USA Track & Field released the schedule for the first combined national championships incorporating Paralympic athletes, to be held in Eugene, Oregon beginning on 31 July. These will be long days:

Thursday, 31 July:
● 8:30 a.m. first event: Mixed Paralympic club event
● 8:30 p.m.: last event: men’s 10,000 m

Friday, 1 August:
● 10:00 a.m.: men’s Paralympic long jump
● 6:25 p.m.: women’s Paralympic 400 m

Saturday, 2 August:
● 6:30 a.m.: women’s 20,000 m walk
● 5:38 p.m.: men’s Paralympic 100 m

Sunday, 3 August:
● 12:00 p.m.: women’s Vault, women’s discus
● 2:54 p.m.: men’s 110 m hurdles

No Paralympic events are scheduled for Sunday.

● Curling ● In terms of a “regular season” for the world’s best curling teams, it’s the annual, five-stop Grand Slam of Curling, held in five Canadian venues from September to January.

Now, the company which owns that circuit, The Curling Group, is developing a new concept – “Rock League” – for the post-Milan Cortina Olympic period, in April 2026, with a six-week program with six mix-gender teams.

Two teams each will be set up from Canada and Europe with one each from the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific, with star captains including World Champion Rachel Homan, and Olympic winner Brad Jacobs (Canada), Korey Dropkin (USA), Bruce Mouat (SCO), Alina Paetz (SUI) and Chinami Yoshida (JPN).

More details are to come in the fall, but this appears to be the first shot at a fully-professionalized curling league. No announcement yet on venues.

● Swimming ● If you haven’t heard of Brazilian sprinter Gui Caribe – an All-American at Tennessee for the last three seasons – you have now. He won the Brazilian nationals in the men’s 100 m Freestyle in a world-leading 47.10, moving to equal-10th on the all-time list and no. 2 in Brazilian history.

His prior best was 47.82 from 2022 and now figures in the mix for this summer’s World Aquatics Championships, where everyone will be chasing Paris 2024 winner and world-record holder Zhanle Pan of China (46.80 in 2024).

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ATHLETICS: Tokyo Olympic champ Steven Gardiner joins Grand Slam Track; full list of entries revealed for Miramar Slam

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK ≡

One of the welcome approaches to fans by Grand Slam Track is to publish its entry lists two weeks ahead of the initial Slam in Jamaica at the start of April and now the second meet, in Miramar, Florida on 2-4 May.

The circuit announced that Paris 2024 Olympic men’s 400 m champion Quincy Hall is injured and has been replaced as a “Racer” by Tokyo Olympic champ Steven Gardiner (BAH), now back from his own injury issues.

The Thursday post of the Miramar entries showed:

Men’s Short Sprints (100/200 m):
● Racers: Kenny Bednarek (USA), Fred Kerley (USA), Oblique Seville (JAM), Zharnel Hughes (GBR).

● Challengers: Andre De Grasse (CAN), Ackeem Blake (JAM), Jerome Blake (CAN), Benji Richardson (RSA).

Bednarek swept both the 100 and 200 m in Kingston, with Hughes and Seville following.

Men’s Long Sprints (200/400 m):
● Racers: Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR), Muzala Samukonga (ZAM), Steven Gardiner (BAH), Jereem Richards (TTO).

● Challengers: Bryce Deadmon (USA), Alexander Ogando (DOM), Jacory Patterson (USA), Ryan Zeze (FRA).

Hudson-Smith won in Kingston, but now has Gardiner to deal with. Patterson and Deadmon are 2-3 in the world in 2025 at 44.27 and 44.30 in the past two weeks.

Men’s Short Distance (800/1,500 m):
● Racers: Cole Hocker (USA), Josh Kerr (GBR), Yared Nuguse (USA), Marco Arop (CAN).

● Challengers: Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN), Kethobogile Haingura (BOT), Tshepo Tshite (RSA), Peter Bol (AUS).

Kenyan Olympic 800 m winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi – a Challenger – and Arop went 1-2, embarrassing the milers, with Nuguse third. The 1,500 m comes first again on the schedule and will be key.

Men’s Long Distance (3,000/5,000 m):
● Racers: Grant Fisher (USA), Ronald Kwemoi (KEN), Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH).

● Challengers: Cooper Teare (USA), Andrew Coscoran (IRL), George Mills (GBR), Sam Atkin (GBR), Dawit Seare (ERI).

Fisher won the 5,000 m and Gebrhiwet won the 3,000 m, with Fisher having to sprint for home to get third in the 3,000 m and win the Slam.

Men’s Short Hurdles (110 m hurdles/100 m):
● Racers: Freddie Crittenden (USA), Sasha Zhoya (FRA), Daniel Roberts (USA).

● Challengers: Trey Cunningham (USA), Wilhelm Belocian (FRA), Jamal Britt (USA), Dylan Beard (USA), Michael Obasuyi (BEL).

Zhoya won the 100 m easily to take the Slam in Kingston, but now faces hurdles world leader Cunningham, who ran 13.09 last week in Gainesville, Florida to beat Olympic champ Grant Holloway.

Men’s Long Hurdles (400 m hurdles/400 m):
● Racers: Alison dos Santos (BRA), Caleb Dean (USA), Roshawn Clarke (JAM).

● Challengers: Trevor Bassitt (USA), Malik James-King (USA), Chris Robinson (USA), Ludvy Vaillant (FRA), Khallifah Rosser (USA).

Dos Santos was the clear winner in Kingston and maintains the world lead at 47.61 in the hurdles; Clarke was second. But it will be fascinating to see what happens now with 400 m world leader Chris Robinson (44.15 last week) suddenly emerging as a threat at both distances, after finishing fourth in the Kingston Slam.

Women’s Short Sprints (100/200 m):
● Racers: Gabby Thomas (USA), Brittany Brown (USA), Daryll Neita (GBR), Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA)

● Challengers: Tamari Davis (USA), Jacious Sears (USA), Favour Ofili (NGR), Kayla White (USA).

Thomas is moving down from the Long Sprints, which she won impressively in Kingston, taking the 200 and second in the 400. Jefferson-Wooden won the Kingston Slam in this group, with Sears third, but will have her hands full with Thomas.

Women’s Long Sprints (200/400 m):
● Racers: Nickisha Pryce (JAM), Alexis Holmes (USA), Marileidy Paulino (DOM), Salwa Eid Naser (BRN).

● Challengers: Amber Anning (GBR), Bella Whittaker (USA), Kendall Ellis (USA), Stacey Ann Williams (JAM).

Naser was sensational with a world-leading 48.67 in the 400 m and second to Thomas in Kingston, with Paulino third. Arkansas star Whittaker won the NCAA Indoor 400 m title and had the fastest indoor time of 2025 at 49.24. Interesting.

Women’s Short Distance (800/1,500 m):
● Racers: Jess Hull (AUS), Nikki Hiltz (USA), Diribe Welteji (ETH), Mary Moraa (KEN).

● Challengers: Shafiqua Maloney (VIN), Freweyni Hailu (ETH), Emily Mackay (USA), Lucia Stafford (CAN).

Hiltz got a lifetime best and the world 800 m lead at 1:58.23 in Kingston and Welteji got the 1,500 m world lead at 4:04.51 and won the Slam, 20-18 over Hiltz. Hull, the Paris Olympic 1,500 m runner-up, finished fourth overall and will be looking for better results.

Women’s Long Distance (3,000/5,000 m):
● Racers: Nozomi Tanaka (JPN), Tsige Gebreselama (ETH), Agnes Ngetich (KEN), Elise Cranny (USA).

● Challengers: Aynadis Mebratu (ETH), Janeth Chepngetich (KEN), Medina Eisa (ETH), Hirut Meshesha (ETH).

Ngetich and Gebreselama ran 2-3 in both races in Kingston and were 2-3 in the Slam behind winner Ejgayehu Taye (ETH). Look out for Meshesha, the 2024 All-African Games winner who has been more of a middle-distance runner, but now moving up.

Women’s Short Hurdles (100 m hurdles/100 m):
● Racers: Ackera Nugent (JAM), Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR), Masai Russell (USA), Cyrena Samba-Mayela (FRA).

● Challengers: Keni Harrison (USA), Tia Jones (USA), Maribel Vanessa Caicedo (ECU), Alaysha Johnson (USA).

Jones stole the Kingston hurdles over Olympic champs Camacho-Quinn and Russell, but Jamaica’s Danielle Williams won the Slam as a Challenger, with Nugent third. In the meantime, Russell tuned up with a 12.62 run for a heat win in Gainesville last week; is she more ready this time?

Women’s Long Hurdles (400 m hurdles/400 m):
● Racers: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA), Shamier Little (USA), Rushell Clayton (JAM).

● Challengers: Anna Hall (USA), Sarah Carli (AUS), Naomi Van den Broeck (NED), Shiann Salmon (JAM), Andrenette Knight (JAM).

McLaughlin-Levrone left no doubt with wins in both races in Kingston and a world-leading 52.76 in the hurdles. Knight got third in the Slam, but Miramar has the addition of 2023 Worlds heptathlon silver winner Hall, the 2022 NCAA runner-up in the hurdles, but who last ran it in 2023.

Scoring in each event group (two races) is 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 and the placers in each group will win $100,000-50,000-30,000-25,000-20,000-15,000-12,500-10,000.

The Kingston opener had world-leading marks in nine events, but modest attendance. Both totals are hoped to increase in Miramar.

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ATHLETICS: Hurdles star Holloway on the importance to him of the Diamond League: “it plays a huge role”

By
Rich Perelman
-
Hurdles superstar Grant Holloway (Photo: USA Track & Field).

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≡ GRANT HOLLOWAY SPEAKS ≡

At age 27, Grant Holloway has said he has achieved all of his track & field goals. Olympic champion. Three-time World Champion. Three-time World Indoor Champion. Three-time NCAA Indoor and Outdoor hurdles champion.

But he’s not going anywhere and getting ready to start the 2025 Diamond League season in Xiamen (CHN) on Saturday. In an interview posted on the Diamond League site, Holloway underscored the importance of the Diamond League itself:

“The Diamond League plays a huge role, because these meets are quite literally the building blocks to success.

“If you show up to these Diamond League races and you’re running quick times and taking out world-class fields – regardless if they’re Olympic medalists, world medalists, world semi-finalists, finalists – then you’re solidifying yourself. So when the biggest stage does come, you can just think of it as another Diamond League race.”

He also compared the status of the Diamond League to his many other championships:

“It’s nice to have a big old diamond sitting in your house and everybody asking if it’s real!

“Other than the major championship titles, the Diamond Trophy is the next best thing. Rory McIlroy just got his career grand slam in golf, and I always say I have my grand slam in track and field.

“I’m a multiple world champion indoors and outdoors, an Olympic gold medallist and a Diamond League champion. Not a lot of hurdlers are able to say that they have all of those.”

And he commended the quality of the fields he has to run against:

“I’ve been on the circuit six to seven years now and not once have I ever had an easy Diamond League race. I think for all the top hurdlers, male and female, there’s no ducking and dodging.

“We have to be able to do those high intensity reps and not make any mistakes. We have the Americans with me, Daniel [Roberts], Freddie Crittenden, Trey Cunningham and a new kid on the block, Ja’Kobe Tharp, who’s been making a little noise on the NCAA circuit.

“But I’m not going to exclude the Jamaicans either: [Hansle] Parchment is an Olympic champion, [Rasheed] Broadbell won bronze in Paris. That’s seven or eight people who always have a chance to win. So it’s anybody’s race, regardless of what lane you’re in. You’ve got to be able to show up against the best: day in, day out.”

Most fans don’t remember that Holloway won an NCAA Indoor title at 60 m at Florida in 2019, ranking no. 2 in the world that season at 6.50. So why not pull a Fred Kerley and switch to the sprints? Nope, he’s a hurdler, saying of he and his fellow hurdlers:

“I think we are all missing a few brain cells. To be going over those hurdles at full speed, we all have to be a tad bit crazy. My coach always says: ‘hurdlers are sprinters with an attitude.’ You have to have a bit of an attitude to go over 10 barriers as fast as you can and try not to fall on your face.”

Asked about what he values most, more championships – and Diamond League wins – or finally getting the world record, breaking fellow American Aries Merritt’s 12.80 from 2012; Holloway is no. 2 all-time at 12.81 in 2021:

“Definitely a World Championships gold. Later down the line, there’s going to be another Grant Holloway. Who knows what his name is going to be, but he’s going to run faster than 7.27 and 12.79.

“When my time is up and I hang up the spikes, I can look back at all the medals and titles I have won and that is what I’ll be remembered for. Records are there to be broken.”

Holloway is smarting a little after finishing second to Cunningham in the final of the 19 April final of the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida. Cunningham won’t be in Xiamen, but Paris silver winner Roberts, and Olympic finalists Enrique Llopis (ESP), Crittenden and Parchment will be.

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ATHLETICS: London Marathon comes Sunday, with Olympic winners Kipchoge, Tola and Hassan on the start line!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Joy for Kenyan great Eliud Kipchoge for a world-record win at the 2022 Berlin Marathon in 2:01:09! (Photo: courtesy SCC EVENTS/@robin_we1)

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≡ LONDON MARATHON ≡

Following on the heels of Monday’s exciting Boston Marathon, four former winners head the elite fields for the 45th London Marathon, coming up on Sunday, with the women’s race beginning at 9:05 a.m. local time, followed by the elite men at 9:35.

Good conditions, with temperatures in the 50s, are forecast with good fields, and all eyes on all-time great Eliud Kipchoge, now 40 and Olympic champ Tamirat Tola. The top men by lifetime best:

● 2:01:39 ‘22 ~ Eliud Kipchoge (KEN): 2x Olympic champ, London winner 2015-16-18-19
● 2:02:05 ‘24 ~ Sabastian Sawe (KEN): 2024 Valencia winner in debut!
● 2:02:55 ‘24 ~ Timothy Kiplagat (KEN): 2024 Tokyo runner-up
● 2:03:11 ‘23 ~ Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN): defending champion
● 2:03:17 ‘24 ~ Milkesa Mengesha (ETH): 2024 Berlin winner
● 2:03:39 ‘21 ~ Tamirat Tola (ETH): 2024 Olympic gold, 2022 Worlds gold
● 2:04:39 ‘24 ~ Mohamed Esa (ETH): 2023 Tokyo 2nd, 2024 Boston 2nd, Chicago 2nd
● 2:04:45 ‘24 ~ Abdi Nageeye (NED): Tokyo Olympic silver, 2024 New York winner
● 2:04:45 ‘24 ~ Hillary Kipkoech (KEN): Valencia 8th in 2024 in debut
● 2:05:48 ‘17 ~ Sondre Moen (NOR): 3x Olympian, 2017 Fukuoka winner

Kipchoge won the Worlds 5,000 m way back in 2003 but became a legend when he took to the roads, winning 11 of his first 12 marathons between 2013 and 2019. He suffered a rare eighth in London in 2020, but won his next four across 2021 and 2022 before a sixth in Boston in 2023 … followed by a Berlin win in 2:02:42.

But in 2024, he was10th at the Tokyo Marathon and did not finish in the Paris Olympic marathon, raising questions as to whether he would continue racing. But here he is; he hasn’t run a race other than a marathon since 2016!

Tola, 33, wins when it counts, at the 2022 Worlds and in Paris at the Olympic Games last year. This will be his 20th marathon and he’s won five, including the two golds, plus New York in 2023. At London, he was sixth in 2019 and 2020 and third in 2023.

Mutiso, last year’s winner, had finished in the top three in all four career marathons until he was 21st in Paris. The sleeper might be Nageeye, 36, who didn’t finish in Paris, but won at Rotterdam and New York; it’s his London debut.

The top women’s entries:

● 2:11:53 ‘23 ~ Tigst Assefa (ETH): ex-WR in Berlin 2023; London 2nd, Olympic 2nd 2024
● 2:13:44 ‘23 ~ Sifan Hassan (NED): Olympic champion; 2023 London, Chicago winner
● 2:16:24 ‘24 ~ Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN): 2021 London winner, 2nd 2022, 3rd 2024
● 2:16:34 ‘24 ~ Megertu Alemu (ETH): 2023 London 2nd, 2022 London 3rd
● 2:18:26 ‘24 ~ Stella Chesang (UGA): 2024 Valencia 2nd, Olympic 8th
● 2:19:29 ‘24 ~ Haven Hailu Desse (ETH): 2023 Osaka winner, 2022 Rotterdam winner
● 2:21:56 ‘24 ~ Susanna Sullivan (USA): 2023 London 10th, 2024 Chicago 7th

Hassan, 32, is absolutely amazing, winning the Tokyo Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 m golds and a 1,500 m, then turning around in Paris to win bronzes in the 5 and 10 and gold in the marathon! She won London in 2023 and is no. 3 on the all-time list with her 2023 Chicago time of 2:13:44, but has not run since the Olympic Games. She’s only run four career marathons, and won three.

Assefa, 28, is no. 2 with her Berlin world record of 2:11:53. As accomplished as she is, this is only her sixth career marathon, and she’s won two and finished second twice. Dangerous, very dangerous.

There are three stars making their marathon debuts who bear watching: Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, the 2020 World Half Marathon champ and world-record setter at 56:42 in Barcelona (ESP) on 16 February, Alex Yee (GBR), the 2024 Olympic men’s triathlon champ, and British distance star Eilish McColgan, the 2022 European women’s 10,000 m silver winner.

Prize money is available to the top 12 placers: $55,000-30,000-22,500-15,000-10,000-7,500-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,500-1,000, a total of $156,500 per gender. Course record bonuses of $25,000 are available (better than 2:01:25 and 2:16:16) and $125,000 for a world record (better than 2:00:35 and 2:16:16).

Beyond the elites, London is trying to get the record for the most finishers ever in a marathon, set in 2024 by the NYC Marathon at 55,646.

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PANORAMA: U.S. 3×3 star Fredette retires; UEFA says VAR increases correct decisions to 99.6%; “calm room” now part of figure skating

By
Rich Perelman
-
The therapy dogs were the stars of the “calm room” at the 2025 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Boston! (Photo: ISU).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Basketball ● Jimmer Fredette, a star at BYU who played with five NBA teams, in Greece and China and won a FIBA 3×3 World Cup silver medal, announced his retirement from basketball on Wednesday.

Now 36, Fredette was a Paris Olympian, but suffered a hip injury in the U.S. team’s second game and was unable to play in the remaining five games. His squad had made the final of the 2023 FIBA 3×3 World Cup and was considered a medal favorite, but lost its outside shooting game with the absence of Fredette.

He wrote on Instagram: “I owe a lot of who I am today to this game and it’s not easy to say goodbye as a player. But the time has come.”

● Cycling ● Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar climbed back up to the top of the podium, winning Wednesday’s 89th edition of La Fleche Wallonne – “The Flemish Arrow” – race from Ciney to Huy in Belgium over 205.1 km in 4:50:15.

He attacked in the final kilometer and finally got away from Kevin Vauquelin (FRA: +0:10) and two-time Olympic Mountain Bike champion Tom Pidcock (GBR: +0:12), with France’s Lenny Martinez in fourth (+0:13).

After winning the seven-stage UAE Tour in February, Pogacar has been all over the spring Classics circuit, now winning his third race in six tries – Strade Bianche, Ronde van Vlaanderen and now La Fleche Wallonne. He was second twice and third once in his other races and will race in the final springtime “Monument” race, Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday.

In the women’s race, at 140.7 km, four riders ended up racing for the line with 22-year-old Puck Pieterse, the 2024 UCI World Mountain Bike gold medalist, getting her first Women’s World Tour one-day race win. She crossed in 3:53:25, two seconds up on countrywoman Demi Vollering, the 2023 winner (+0:02), followed by 2024 bronze winner Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA: +0:06) and defending champ Kasia Niewiadoma (POL: +0:06).

Longo Borghini won her fifth medal in this race, held for the 28th time in 2025.

● Figure Skating ● If you’re organizing a future major skating event, better make space for a “calm room.”

International Skating Union chief Jae Youl Kim (KOR) picked up the idea from the Paris 2024 Olympic Village “mind zone” area, offering a respite from the hustle and bustle of the Games with a quiet space and activities.

In Boston for the 2025 World Championships, “125 skaters from 12 countries stepped into the ISU Calm Zone. It was a thoughtfully curated environment combining mindfulness tools, opportunities for creative expression, and moments of playful relaxation.”

As was the case with USA Gymnastics at its nationals, the on-site therapy dogs quickly became the stars of the project, and “skaters expressed a strong desire to see therapy dogs at every competition in the future.”

Activities which drew the most attention were messages of comfort shared among athletes, coloring and drawing programs, knitting and community projects, and, of course, Legos.

● Football ● Fascinating statistics on the impact of the Video Assistant Referee program from Roberto Rossetti (ITA), the UEFA Managing Director for Refereeing, ahead of the confederation’s first VAR Symposium, which opened Wednesday in London (ENG):

● “Referees make an average of 200 decisions in every game, one every 20-25 seconds. Without the use of VAR, 97.49% of decisions are correct. Using technology increases accuracy in decision-making to 99.60%.”

● “Without VAR, a game-changing mistake would occur every 2.4 matches. With VAR, that is reduced to every 16 matches.”

UEFA debuted VAR systems for the elimination rounds of the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League season; in 2024-25, 1,163 matches in UEFA competitions will use the technology.

Andrew Giuliani, a first-term Special Assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump and the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 39, has been tabbed to be the Executive Director of the White House Task Force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Trump is the Task Force Chair, with Vice President J.D. Vance as Vice Chair; the Task Force will be placed as part of the Department of Homeland Security.

● Swimming ● Another key hire for USA Swimming’s national team staff announced Wednesday and working with new National Team Director Greg Meehan:

“USA Swimming has announced Yuri Suguiyama as the organization’s new Senior Director and Coach of the National Team. In this key leadership role, Suguiyama will support all facets of the National Team program, guide performance strategies, and support the country’s top athletes and coaches through the Olympic quad.

“Suguiyama will assist in all aspects of USA Swimming’s National Team Division, including but not limited to strategic planning, international competitions, domestic racing schedules, athlete and coach services, and long-term programming development.”

He comes to the post from the University of Wisconsin, where he was head coach for seven seasons, and previously at Cal as associate head coach from 2012-18.

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ATHLETICS: Nike announces audacious “Breaking4″ women’s mile record attempt for Faith Kipyegon on 26 June in Paris

By
Rich Perelman
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Kenya's Faith Kipyegon, claiming the women's mile world record in Monaco in 2023! (Photo: Sona Maleter for Diamond League AG)

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≡ WOMEN’S 4:00 MILE? ≡

Kenyan star Faith Kipyegon has won three Olympic women’s 1,500 m golds in a row and in a dream sequence of 50 days in 2023, set world records in the 1,500 m (3:49.11), 5,000 m (14:05.20) and the mile, in 4:07.64 on 21 July at the Herculis meet in Monaco.

TSX speculated in a follow-up about the next question to be answered:

“Now, the discussion will inevitably turn to when a woman will break the 4:00 barrier for the mile. Looking at the men’s 4-minute mile, it took 21 years to go from New Zealand’s Jack Lovelock and his 4:07.6 mark in 1933 to 1954 for Roger Bannister (GBR) to run 3:59.4.

“That period was impacted by World War II, but Swedes Gunder Hagg and Arne Andersson did lower the mile record from 4:06.4 in 1937 to 4:01.4 in 1945.”

Applying the men’s experience – including the war – to the women and 21 years from 4:07.6 to 3:59.4 would take us from Kipyegon’s 2023 mark to sometime in 2044.

Nike doesn’t want to wait that long, announcing its “Breaking4″ attempt on Wednesday:

● “The longtime Nike athlete, already the world record holder in the mile, will attempt to become the first woman to break the 4-minute threshold in the distance, harnessing the full power of Nike to help make it happen.

“In the process, she’ll push the limits of sport beyond what’s long believed to be achievable, setting the stage for future generations to dream big.”

● “Kipyegon will make one attempt at the milestone on June 26 at the Stade Charléty in Paris, a time and location specifically selected to align with her training schedule and maximize her performance.”

● “Nike is obsessing every detail, spanning footwear, apparel, aerodynamics, physiology and mind science to enhance Kipyegon’s performance, underscoring the brand’s holistic approach and fundamental belief in pushing the limits of human potential.”

The Nike statement noted that 34 years was required for Kipyegon to run eight seconds faster than Paula Ivan (ROU) and her 4:15.61 in 1989:

● 4:15.61, Paula Ivan (ROU), 1989
● 4:12.56, Svetlana Masterkova (RUS), 1996
● 4:12.33, Sifan Hassan (NED), 2019
● 4:07.64, Faith Kipyegon (KEN), 2023
● Kipyegon splits: 62.6 (400 m), then 62.0, 62.2, 59.5, and 1.3 to 1,609 m

As audacious as this appears, this is hardly new territory for Nike, which teamed with men’s marathon world-record holder Eliud Kipchoge to create a time trial event (not eligible for world-record status) – the Ineos 1:59 Challenge – in which he ran the first sub-2:00 marathon, in 1:59:41 on a specially-adapted course in Vienna (AUT) on 12 October 2019.

That was the second try at a sub-2:00, after Kipchoge and Nike teamed for a 2:00:25 time trial in Monza (ITA) on 6 May 2017.

In each case, special conditions were installed to support Kipchoge, including a diamond-shaped set of pacemakers to remove wind hindrance, pace car, special nutritional support and for the 1:59:41 effort in 2019, Kipchoge used a prototype of Nike’s Air Zoom Alphafly Next% shoe.

However, Kipyegon’s attempt will be much harder:

● In 2019, Kipchoge was trying to break 2:00, compared to his then-world record of 2:01:39 from 2018. That required a 1.37% improvement in his world record to get to 1:59:59; he ran an aided-1:59:41 for a 1.62% improvement.

● Kipyegon will be trying to reduce her own mile world mark from 4:07.64 to 3:59.99, or a 3.09% improvement on her Monaco mile record.

Wow.

The 26 June race is not part of any existing track & field meet; the Diamond League’s Meeting de Paris in 2025 will be on 20 June, also at the Stade de Charlety, and no further details have been announced.

Kipyegon will already have the advantage of pacing lights on the track, now a standard part of Diamond League meets, and Nike will no doubt have many more ideas on how to squeeze some more time off.

Kipyegon has not run anywhere since winning the Athlos NYC 1,500 m on 26 September, and as defending World Champion in the women’s 1,500 m, she has a direct entry into the World Athletics Championships for 2025 in Tokyo in September and does not have to worry about qualifying. She plans to open her season in the women’s 1,000 m in the Diamond League Xiamen (CHN) meet on Saturday.

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U.S. CENTER FOR SAFESPORT: Colon out as chief executive, as head of investigations and a board member also leave

By
Rich Perelman
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U.S. Center for SafeSport chief executive Ju'Riese Colon at a 2024 U.S. Senate committee hearing (U.S. Senate Commerce Committee video screen shot)

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≡ SAFESPORT SHAKE-UP ≡

“The U.S. Center for SafeSport announced today that Ju’Riese Colón is no longer serving as Chief Executive Officer. The board of directors has initiated the search for new leadership.

“Board Chair and Paralympic gold medalist April Holmes will be leading an interim management committee composed of members of the board of directors and current leadership team to ensure the Center continues to execute its mission and serve athletes during this time of transition.”

This announcement, made late Tuesday (22nd), is the latest chapter in the tumult surrounding the U.S. Center for SafeSport, hit with concerns over its performance and a hire of an investigator who is now himself facing criminal charges.

In addition to Colon, sources have noted the departures of Board member Autumn Ascano and Director of Investigations Brian Tomlinson; these were not confirmed by SafeSport as of the time this story was posted.

Colon came to SafeSport as its second chief executive, hired in July 2019. During her tenure, the organization expanded and a 2020 law required the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to provide funding of $20 million per year to SafeSport on the first business day of each year.

However, SafeSport’s performance has lagged. At a March 2024 hearing of the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee, former NWSL soccer player Mana Shim, testifying as the Chair of the U.S. Soccer Federation Participant Safety Task Force, crystalized the criticisms of the Center thus:

● “First, we need increased transparency by SafeSport. The lack of information sharing is standing in the way of protecting athletes from abuse. If SafeSport does not share information about the allegations it receives, its investigative process, or any findings it might make, we cannot develop an understanding of what appropriate safety measures can and should be instituted.”

● “Second, we need to limit the number of SafeSport investigations that end in administrative closure. Administrative closure is when SafeSport closes a matter without any findings, resolution on the merits, sanctions, or public record of the allegations.

“The administrative closure process leaves parties in limbo indefinitely or, worse, allows sexual predators to fall through the cracks and remain in the sport without restriction. This problem is made worse by the sheer volume of cases SafeSport ‘resolves’ in this manner. In soccer, approximately 89% of all cases involving sexual misconduct with no criminal disposition are administratively closed.”

● “Third, we need to ensure that U.S. Soccer and other NGBs can take action when SafeSport does not. When SafeSport administratively closes a matter, it maintains exclusive jurisdiction. If an NGB like U.S. Soccer tries to take any sort of action to protect athletes, SafeSport will report them to Congress and initiate an investigation against the NGB. We believe that NGBs should be allowed to take some form of action in cases following an administrative closure so they can ensure abuse does not occur in the future.”

● “Finally, we need to rethink the appeals process. SafeSport’s appeals process gives respondents who are found to have engaged in harassment or abuse the right to an entirely new fact-finding process. Rather than rely on the record of the original investigation, victims of abuse who were brave enough to participate in an investigation are forced to go through the process all over again.

“In cases where the victim is unwilling to participate in a second proceeding, SafeSport has vacated its findings, or arbitrators have overturned SafeSport’s decisions, resulting in SafeSport lifting sanctions against abusers, even after they had been found by substantial evidence to have committed sexual misconduct.”

Concern over SafeSport expanded dramatically in January, when The Associated Press reported that investigator Jason Krasley, hired in 2021, had been charged with rape, sex trafficking and soliciting prostitution during his time as an Allentown, Pennsylvania police officer, and that SafeSport knew he was under investigation at the time it hired him. It dismissed Krasley in November 2024.

In February, a Seminole County (Florida) Court issued an order concerning a 2022 case involving female water polo players in the state, where SafeSport was instructed to produce evidence in its possession and refused; the order included:

“a) That the United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., perpetrated a fraud upon the Court, the People of the State of Florida, the Sheriff’s Office, the State’s Attorney Office, and defendant; b) that the United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., intentionally withheld exculpatory evidence; c) that the United States Center for SafeSport, Inc., acted in bad faith, intentionally, and with malice; and d) that the court finds the evidence of fraud, collusion, pretense, and similar wrongdoing to be clear, convincing, intentional, and beyond doubt.”

During the House sub-committee hearing, Colon said that SafeSport, which had 2023 revenues of about $24 million, needed $30 million a year to adequately process the caseload it was receiving.

Observed: SafeSport was created by the Congress in 2017 to deal with the mess left by the Larry Nassar gymnastics abuse scandal, along with issues in other sports such as swimming and taekwondo. The $20 million subsidy that the USOPC was ordered to pay by a later law helped expand the staff, but the performance of the Center for SafeSport has simply not met the expectations of athletes, parents, officials or the National Governing Bodies.

Colon was at the head of this organization and was under pressure, but issue after issue popped up, with the Krasley case and the Florida judge’s scolding the most publicly damaging.

SafeSport needs to be better funded, but also much better managed. There are also significant questions for the SafeSport Board and for Congress on SafeSport’s jurisdiction and how its purview exists alongside what are clearly – in some cases – crimes that should be prosecuted at the state or Federal level.

Simply hiring a new chief executive will not solve those questions.

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ATHLETICS: Gear and Ciattei win USATF Road Mile titles; Hunter Woodhall and Tara Davis-Woodhall to both compete at Drake Relays Saturday

By
Rich Perelman
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Vince Ciattei celebrates his third Grand Blue Mile win in the past four years and another USATF Road Mile title in Des Moines! (Photo: Drake Athletic Communications).

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≡ DRAKE RELAYS ≡

The 16th Grand Blue Mile, the featured road race of the Drake Relays, once again incorporated the USA Track & Field National Road Mile Championship, this year selecting the team for the World Athletics Running Championships later this year (somewhere).

The women started at 7:15 p.m. local time, with World Indoor 3,000 m silver winner Shelby Houlihan the headliner in the field, along with two-time 5,000-10,000 m Olympian Karissa Schweizer, the 2024 Fifth Avenue Mile winner.

Both were in contention, but a late surge by 2023 U.S. Steeple champ Krissy Gear got her to the line first in 4:23.98, way ahead of the American Record of 4:28 (4:27.97) by Nikki Hiltz in winning the 2023 title at the Grand Blue Mile.

It was close, with Schweizer right behind at 4:24.40, then Gracie Morris (4:24.73) and Houlihan (4:25.06). Both Gear and Schweizer qualified for the U.S. team for the World Running Champs.

The men’s race had two-time winner Vincent Ciattei, victorious in 2022 and 2024 and hunting for a spot on his first national team at age 30 after finishing a too-close fourth at the 2024 Olympic Trials 1,500 m, running a lifetime best of 3:31.78.

Knowing the course perfectly, Ciattei was at or near the front the entire way and stepped away in the final strides to get his third USATF title and a trip to the road Worlds in 3:54.55, the fastest of his Des Moines wins.

Road mile debutante Sam Ellis, the 2023 Pac-12 800 m winner for Washington, chased Ciattei home and also made the road Worlds team in 3:54.95, ahead of 2019 U.S. 1,500 m champ Craig Engels (3:55.09) and Josh Thompson (3:55.14).

Prize money for both races was $10,000-5,000-3,000-2,500-2,000-1,000-600-400-300-200 for the top 10 places, and Gear scored an additional $5,000 for the American Record.

Two of the highest-profile athletes who will complete at the Drake Relays will be the husband-and-wife team of Hunter Woodhall, the 2024 Paralympic gold medalist in the men’s T62 class and Tara Davis-Woodhall, the Paris women’s Olympic long jump champion.

Hunter Woodhall (left) and Tara Davis-Woodhall (Drake Relays video screen shot).

They chatted with reporters from their Manhattan, Kansas home on Monday before heading to Des Moines, excited about the opportunity to compete in the same meet on Saturday. Said Hunter:

“I feel like I’m in a really good spot and that’s the awesome part about a season opener. There’s not too much stress, just go out there and have a good time, break the dust off, it’s been a minute since we raced, so just have a good time, enjoy the environment.”

Hunter will be competing in the men’s open 400 m, not in a Paralympic race, something he relishes for the opportunity to face better competition.

Asked about how she is approaching the seasonal schedule with the U.S. Championships at the end of July and the World Athletics Championships in September, Tara explained:

“I trust Coach [Travis] Goepfert’s opinion on everything, so I allow him to create the schedule, based on our training, and, you know there’s a lot of meets and Diamond Leagues that are set really well for that late of a national championships. So we’ll be going off to Europe in June and compete on that little circuit and then be at Nationals.

“I think this year is a bit of a different type of year for us athletes to try to peak on the right timing. I think where we’re headed, we’re going to be just fine. … Nationals is way later than it’s ever been and I’m honestly OK with that, coming off the Olympics and how dedicated we were for this training, and allowed us to kind of take a mental break, do things, basically capitalize on our Olympic moment.”

Both were asked about the new opportunity to compete essentially together at what will be a combined USATF Championships that will now include Paralympic track & field. Davis-Woodhall exclaimed “It’s going to be epic,” and Hunter added:

“It’s going to be great. In contrast, last year, my nationals was in Miami and Tara was in Eugene, so we couldn’t have been farther from each other … and we compete better when we’re together.

“This is what we love to do and we don’t think that a physical disability or the cards that we were dealt should separate those two things. … [T]here’s room for everybody, and I think also as far as bringing money into the sport, the stories that come from the Paralympics, the adversity a lot of these athletes fight through is such a great opportunity for USATF and the athletes themselves to market that and share those stories, and really get people involved.

“I think that people outside of the die-hard track & field fans are looking for stories, are looking for a way to connect to people, they are looking for a way to motivate themselves through sport. They are not necessarily just the fastest times and the biggest jumps and everything in the world. I think it’s going to be great all around.”

Hunter was also asked about the continuous improvement of his prosthetics and the advancements he is seeing. It’s complex:

“We kind of look at the Paralympic side of things close to F1 than track & field. I’m the driver and we’re trying to build a set-up that helps me do what I need to do … prosthetics are improving and we’re finding new ways to improve set-ups.

“Last year, I actually changed my entire set-up. Started from the ground up, had to re-learn how to run, and change my gait and stride, which was a huge risk, but it’s working out in a positive way. And that comes from working with rule changes within the sport. Things are always changing and making new rules to keep things fair across the board and keep allowing us to compete on the able-bodied side.

“It’s kind of a balancing game, trying to work within the rules and still come up with the best set-up possible. But I think at the end of the day, the thing you have to realize that, just in any sport, there’s no secret answer, there’s no magic pill. So I could have the best set-up in the world, if I’m not doing the things I need to do and being disciplined in training, it’s not going to help me run faster.”

And all of these items are handmade, one at a time, as Hunter pointed out, “very small margins that make a really large difference.”

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PANORAMA: Duplantis, Biles win yearly Laureus World Sport honors; Biles not set to come back for 2028; remembering media ops star John Dakin

By
Rich Perelman
-
Laureus World Sports Awards winners Rafael Nadal (ESP), Simone Biles of the U.S. and Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis (Photo: Laureus).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Laureus Awards ● The 25th Laureus World Sports Awards were presented on Monday in Madrid (ESP), with Olympic stars Mondo Duplantis (SWE) and Simone Biles of the U.S. winning the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year awards. It was the fourth such award for Biles, who told attendees:

“I want to thank Laureus for this incredible honour. I’ve been dreaming of moments like this since I was a foster kid, so I have to say thank you to my parents for adopting me and my sister. To any foster kids – or kids in general – out there… go get ‘em, you got it. Never give up.”

Brazilian gymnastics star Rebeca Andrade won selected as the World Comeback of the Year winner, and British Olympic men’s Mountain Bike gold medalist Tom Pidcock was recognized as the World Action Sportsperson of the Year.

Spanish (and Barcelona FC) winger Yamine Lamel won the World Breakthrough Athlete of the Year award, and football’s Real Madrid won the World Team of the Year award.

Chinese Paralympic women’s swimmer Yuyan Jiang was saluted with the World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award, and surfing icon Kelly Slater of the U.S. was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tennis immortal Rafael Nadal (ESP) received the Laureus Sporting Icon award, honoring his amazing career.

This year’s Laureus Sport for Good Award went to Kick4Life, which uses football to reach at-risk children in Lesotho, promoting health education, life-skills development, gender rights and employability.

● Alpine Skiing ● Although he never won an Olympic, World Championship or World Cup medal, John Dakin was as much as part of American alpine skiing as snow.

He passed away at age 71 on 12 April (Saturday) at his home in Edwards, Colorado, after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Dakin got involved with skiing during his college years at Colorado in the 1970s, when he became the sports information contact for the sport as a freshman, beginning a life-long association. He earned degrees in Russian History and Journalism, but was quickly moved to Park City, Utah to become the lead press officer for the U.S. Ski Team in 1981.

He moved back to Colorado for a communications post with Vail Associates in 1986 and then took temporary position that turned into a long-term career with the Vail Valley Foundation, with whom he spent 28 years, finally as the Vice President of Communications, retiring in 2020.

Dakin’s initial role was to help get things ready for the 1989 FIS World Alpine Championships and it accelerated his ascendance to one of the most respected media operations experts in the sport (and others). As an announcer, statistician, writer, organizer and promoter, Dakin was an indispensable player as the media operations lead for the 1989, 1999 and 2015 Alpine Worlds and with the organizing committees for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and 2020 in Vancouver (CAN), plus many other local events.

He said at a retirement event in 2020, “I feel that I have been truly blessed in my professional life to find something I was passionate about – ski racing – and to be in the right place at the right time to start and expand my career. It’s been head and shoulders above anything that any kid coming out of Grand Junction, Colorado, could have ever thought possible.”

Noted for a sly, deadpan wit, he was elected to the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame in 2022 for his role as a sport builder.

Dakin might have retired, but was hardly retiring, expanding his enthusiasm for outdoor photography of the wildlife around Edwards. And in his favorite sport, he set standards which have succeeded him and will for many years. He was one of the best, ever.

He is survived by his brother Geo Miller, nephews, nieces and many, many friends around the world.

● Athletics ● USA Track & Field named its coaching and support staff for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN), with two-time hammer Olympian Kibwe Johnson to be the men’s head coach and Caryl Smith-Gilbert, head coach at Georgia, in charge of the women’s team.

Assistant men’s coaches include Rhan Sheffield for sprints and hurdles, Chris Lundstrom (distance), and Kevin Reid for jumps and multi-events, with Blake Boldon as the head manager. The women’s assistants are Megan Watson for distances, Connie Teaberry for jumps and multis, and Jillian Camarena Williams for throws, with Jess Riden as head manager.

USATF head relays coach Darryl Woodson will lead the U.S. team for the World Athletics Relays in China next month, with David Watkins and Simone Terry as the men’s and women’s head managers.

The Athletics Integrity Unit is now adding to its tool kit with this, announced on X:

“And as part of this evolution, we have also introduced the Steroidal Biological Passport, which is designed to track long-term patterns of steroid use, especially in power-based athletes. It’s another step in our strategy to fight doping.”

AIU chief Brett Clothier (AUS) explained the need, also on X:

● “The best athletes know how to avoid detection. Some substances stay in the body for as little as 6 to 12 hours, leaving a narrow window to catch cheats.

“‘It’s a game of cat and mouse,’ Brett says. ‘Testing has to happen at just the right time and not by chance.’

● “That’s why Whereabouts plays a critical role. It allows us to test when and where the chance of detection is highest, and that means smarter, more targeted testing.

● “At the AIU, this shift is already underway:

“– Testing plans are intelligence-led, not random
“– Whereabouts data helps time tests with precision
“– We’re focused on narrow detection windows”

● Gymnastics ●The iconic Biles spoke with the French all-sports daily L’Equipe, commenting on any possibility of a return to competition for a home Olympic Games in 2028:

“I’m really trying to enjoy life, to spend time with my husband [Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens], go support him at his games, live my life as a woman.

“I’ve accomplished so much in my sport. For me to come back, it would really have to excite me.”

Now 28, she expects to be in Los Angeles, but “whether on the apparatus or in the stands, I still don’t know that. But 2028 seems so far away, and my body is aging. I felt it in Paris.”

● Swimming ● With national championships continuing elsewhere in the world, new world-leading marks in multiple events in the last week:

● Men/50 m Free: 21.43, Egor Kornev (RUS) ~ Nationals
● Men/100 m Back: 52.04, Kliment Kolesinov (RUS) ~ Nationals
● Men/200 m Back: 1:55.55, Oliver Morgan (GBR) ~ Nationals
● Men/50 m Breast: 26.37, Ilya Shymanovich (BLR)

● Women/50 m Free: 24.42, Florine Gaspard (BEL)
● Women/100 m Back: 57.65, Kaylee McKeown (AUS)
● Women/100 m Breast: 1:05.37, Angharad Evans (GBR) ~ Nationals
● Women/200 m Breast: 2:20.36, Evgeniia Chikunova (RUS) ~ Nationals

Shymanovich’s fast 50 Breast time of 26.37 is the no. 7 swim ever, and no. 2 in Belarussian history behind his national record of 26.28 from 2023.

● Triathlon ● The World Triathlon presidential transition took place on Monday (21st), with Antonio F. Arimany (ESP) replacing fellow Spaniard Marisol Casado, who ended her 16-year effort as the head of the federation. Said Casado:

“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last 16 years. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the National Federations, athletes, and colleagues who have supported me throughout this journey. Together, we have accomplished remarkable things, and I am excited to see how our sport will continue to thrive in the future.”

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ATHLETICS: Moses says Olympic – especially track & field – athletes will be underpaid until they form a union

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic icon Edwin Moses of the U.S., speaking to the Press Trust of India (PTI video screenshot).

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≡ MOSES TALKS MONEY ≡

Speaking on the sidelines of the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid (ESP), two-time Olympic hurdles champion Edwin Moses of the U.S. gave a fascinating interview to the Press Trust of India, mostly dealing directly with the future of track & field.

Asked about what International Olympic Committee President-elect Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) needs to focus on, Moses went straight – with his usual clarity – straight to the money:

“I think the main concern for me would be compensation of athletes, because you have professional athletes from golf, tennis, basketball, soccer coming into the Olympic Movement and then you have your classical sports like track and field, gymnastics, swimming and these people are still uncompensated.

“So I think that’s what the IOC really needs to deal with to really make it fair for the athletes who have to spend their own money or really, really sacrifice just to go to the Olympic Games and win the same the same medal that someone who’s making $20 million a year in golf or basketball or even more, compete for the same medal.

“I think that they need to solve that problem. You know, World Athletics in Paris did it [paid $50,000 prize money to the winners], like it’s still not enough.

“You know, when I was running, in 1978, to win the men’s Wimbledon championship was $80,000. Tennis unionized, track and field didn’t.

“American basketball players in 1981-82; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was making $1.2 million a year and they thought that was blasphemy. They thought that that was vulgar, to pay a professional athlete that much. That was like $1.2, $1.5 million a year. Their union became strong, look at where their salaries are now.

“Track and field did nothing. Tennis unionized, football, baseball, all those sports that have really strong unions, they’re making millions of dollars a year. And Olympic sport has been consistently absent in that crew, in that endeavor.

“Every now and then you have a big star like a Usain Bolt, who’s really able to have a global package and whatnot. But in 1983-84, before the Olympic Games, that was me. I was making a lot of money during that time because they loosened up the amateur rules so track and field is going to continue to be behind until they unionize and I think there’s people that don’t want that to happen, because that would have implications for a lot of sports.

“That’s my personal opinion.”

Moses, now 69, was also asked about the transgender debate raging now and opined:

“I think that’s an issue for the women in sports to decide what kind of sport they want to have. I’m a man, I can’t say.”

He noted that there are separate issues of biology and dealing with transgenders in society, and added:

“I personally wouldn’t want my daughter to compete against someone who’s been a man, and some people say that there’s no difference – trans men, trans women – there’s no difference, but I don’t know if there’s a single case of women going to compete in men’s sports, the reverse way, so you have to ask your question why is that the case, because this is happening quite frequently
now. …

“I think that’s for women to decide at the end of the day – the women who compete in sports – they are the ones that need to make a decision on that issue, not men.

“That’s my personal feeling.”

Moses was also asked what it will take for India, now the world’s most populated country, to become a bigger medal-winner in sports:

“They have to spend the money on coaches and infrastructure.

“There’s a lot of other countries in the world, much smaller, much less the financial capabilities of India that produce good athletes. So, there the infrastructure is just not there to support athletes and take Olympic sports seriously.

“They have certain areas in which they’re really really good at, but in general it’s probably just the infrastructure, coaches, stadiums and dedication to athletes, to help athletes become better athletes.”

He asked, is there value in India to develop sports that people are not as familiar with? Or will interest just remain with the already-popular sports like cricket?

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LOS ANGELES: Mayor Bass touts progress against homelessness and crime in “State of the City” address, salutes upcoming 2028 Games

By
Rich Perelman
-
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (center) giving her State of the City address on 21 April 2025 (Image: L.A. City video screen shot).

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≡ “STATE OF THE CITY” ≡

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass gave a lengthy “State of the City” address to a packed Los Angeles City Council chamber on Monday afternoon, alternately celebrating progress against continuing challenges such as crime and homelessness, but also insisting on better management and service levels:

● “In preparing for today, I reflected on my predecessors who addressed our city during times of civil unrest, recession, earthquakes and pandemics. No matter what our city faces, LA never ever gives up. LA always rises. Always rises.”

● “Today, in reporting on the State of our City, I report to Los Angeles that the recovery in the Palisades is on track to be the fastest in California history. We’re not just moving fast to move fast. We know that the faster we can rebuild, the faster we can heal. We still have a long way to go, and for those who have lost a home, each and every day is a day too long. We want to be fast, we want to be safe and we want to be resilient.

“We have issued permits to rebuild twice as fast as after the Camp and Woolsey fires, we restored water nearly a year and a half faster than after the Camp Fire, and we restored power in just two months. Los Angeles, I assure you, rebuilding is underway.”

● “[L.A. Police] Chief [Jim] McDonnell and I stand together in reporting good news that both violent crime and property crime are down in Los Angeles.

“This is the result of a comprehensive approach to safety. Last year, homicides fell by 14%. Gang-related homicides in communities most impacted fell by 45%. The number of shooting victims fell 19%.”

● “So we are taking action and making change, and after years of increasing homelessness, we are finally reversing that trend – homelessness is down. That includes a 10 percent reduction in street homelessness – and a 38 percent reduction in makeshift structures and tents. We are moving thousands more people from the streets than before we took office, and more Angelenos are being moved into permanent housing than ever before.”

● “[T]he reality is that our city faces a more than 800 million dollar deficit. … my proposed budget unfortunately includes layoffs, which is a decision of absolute last resort. …

“[N]ow, it is time to work together again so we can balance this year’s budget and create a foundation for long-lasting and long-overdue fiscal stability. I will make sure the city does its part. I want to be clear – the departmental changes contained in this budget proposal must only be the beginning. Because we must have fundamental change – starting now and moving forward. … This is a broken system – and to turn L.A. around, we have to fix this.”

Bass backed the L.A. Convention Center expansion project, now to be built before and after the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and at the end, closed by looking ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Games:

“As the 2028 Games approach, I know Councilmember [Ysabel] Jurado is working hard to make Downtown ready for the Olympic games. Councilmember [Eunisses] Hernandez is working with the community to welcome Olympic baseball at Dodger Stadium. Councilmember [Imelda] Padilla is preparing for the pentathlon, which will be held at the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area. Councilmember [Curren] Price is working to welcome the USC Sports Center and Councilmember [Adrin] Nazarian will welcome Squash players to the East Valley. Thanks to Councilman [Tim] McOsker’s work and relationships, Team Croatia will be headquartered in San Pedro and maybe a few other things. We hope Councilwoman [Heather] Hutt will host Team South Korea in Koreatown. And you Councilwoman [Katy] Yaroslavsky, you will be gearing up for thousands of athletes to be housed at the Olympic Village in UCLA.

“Working to unite and prepare the City is our former Council President Paul Krekorian, now Executive Director for the Office of Major Events. And I want to thank you for ensuring the Olympic Flag and Paralympic Flag are here in Council chambers.

“When I think about these Games I think of icons like Anita DeFrantz. She is a trail-blazing Olympic medalist, who helped organize the 1984 Games for L.A., and she has been an IOC member since 1986 and thanks to Anita, and former Mayor Eric Garcetti and LA28’s Casey Wasserman, we will now be only the third city in history to host three Olympic Games.

“But most of all, most of all, the games are exemplified by people like Arelle Middleton.

“Arelle was introduced to sports at five years old … and since then she has participated in water polo, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, shot put and discus. She’s a PlayLA athlete: a City program that provides access to sports at our Rec centers, and it’s powered by the Olympic and Paralympic movements.

“She didn’t let her challenges get in her way. So at 16 years old, Arelle became one of the youngest members of the 2024 U.S. Paralympic Team – and she won a silver medal in Paris [F64 shot put]. She exemplifies the opportunity and inspiration to young people that city initiatives like PlayLA and the Olympic Games provide. She is what the L.A. Games are all about!

“Now 2028 is right around the corner. But we are 15 months away from welcoming the world for the [FIFA] World Cup.

“We want people not just to see our stadiums. We want them to see the real L.A.: our neighborhoods from East L.A., to Pico Union to South L.A. From Watts to Woodland Hills, from Eagle Rock to Encino, from San Pedro to Sylmar. And we want our city to be at its best.

“So this is why I am calling on all Angelenos to come together to prepare our city to welcome the world. Let’s come together and do this.

“This Saturday [26th], we will launch Shine LA, to show the spirit of our city coming together. Every single month, we will bring Angelenos together side-by-side to unify and beautify our neighborhoods. Improving communities and parks; planting trees, painting murals and so much more.

“I invite all Angelenos to join us on Saturday. So we’ll be in South L.A., Boyle Heights, Echo Park, West L.A., the Valley, the Harbor area — and we’ll kick it off with a community celebration in Hollywood with more than forty organizations there and thanks to the partnership with Councilman [Hugo] Soto-Martinez, we will all begin to show our love for L.A. We have one goal: love L.A. We will show our love for each other, just like the spirit that we all felt in October – remember October – when we celebrated the Dodgers winning the World Series just across the street. That’s the kind of spirit that we need.

“So join us – and to join this movement– you can visit LAMayor.org and sign up today. This coming Saturday and every month until we welcome the world next July for the World Cup.

“It’s about pride.

“It’s about choosing to believe in our city again – and proving it with action.

“Block by block, we will come together to be stronger, more unified than ever before— and that matters, especially in a world that seeks to divide us with each passing day.

“Angelenos – this is about you. This is about all of us. It’s about choosing to believe in each other again, and in the future of the city we love.

“Because this is the City of dreams. So let me tell you a story.

“Leading up to 1984, we were in the midst of the worst recession in 40 years, the world doubted us. And yes, maybe we doubted ourselves too. But Los Angeles delivered the most successful Olympic Games in history. We didn’t just host the world; we redefined what was possible. Because the Games, at its best, are more than sport. They are a stage for courage. For potential. For dreams.

“So, L.A., let’s go win. Let’s win on the world stage – yes – but let’s especially win here at home.

“We owe it to ourselves. We owe it to each other.

“But most of all, we owe it to the next generation of Angelenos.”

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PANORAMA: Biles had the “twisties” back in 2016, says former coach; world-record attendance at women’s hockey World Champs

By
Rich Perelman
-
The amazing, incomparable Simone Biles (Photo: Panam Sports)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Curling ● Apologies for a silly error in Sunday’s post, reporting the USA Curling Mixed Fours National Championships in Denver, where it was defending champion Dave Falco’s rink– from the host Denver Curling Club – that was a 7-3 winner over Nina Roth‘s team in the championship final.

Falco took a 4-1 lead after three ends and while Roth closed to 4-3 after five, three more points in ends 6-7 clinched the title for Falco’s home team. Jesus Barajas‘ rink defeated Greg Persinger’s squad, 8-2, for third. Many thanks to reader Beau Dure for being the first to point out the mix-up, now corrected.

● Gymnastics ● Aimee Boorman, the American gymnastics coach who worked with superstar Simone Biles from age seven through the 2016 Olympic Games, said Biles went through the same spatial awareness loss – “the twisties” – even before her break-out, four-gold performance in Rio.

In her new book, with writer Steve Cooper, “The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles,” Boorman wrote:

“Yep, before Simone introduced the world to the twisties in 2021, she had experienced this proprioception phenomenon in January of 2016.

“When this happens to a gymnast who is flipping ten-plus feet in the air and they lose body awareness in space and time – not knowing if they’re going to land on their back, feet or head – it’s much more dangerous [than the ‘yips’ in baseball or golf].”

There was no magic wand to wave to calm Biles, but a patient approach to work through the issues, and Biles eventually conquered the problem in time prior to the Olympic Trials.

It recurred in 2019 and, of course, at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. Biles came back to win three more golds and a silver at the Paris 2024 Games.

● Ice Hockey ● Canada’s star forward Marie-Philip Poulin was honored as the Most Valuable Player of the IIHF women’s World Championship that concluded Sunday with a 4-3 overtime win by the U.S. over Canada.

Poulin finished as the top scorer in the tournament with 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists), winning her second Worlds MVP trophy. She was selected as the top forward by the tournament directorate, with American defender Caroline Harvey and U.S. keeper Aerin Frankel.

The media-selected All-Star team included forwards Poulin, Kristyna Kaltounkova (CZE) and American Kelly Pannek; defenders Ronja Savolainen (FIN) and Renata Fast (CAN) and Klara Peslarova (CZE) in goal.

The tournament, played in Ceske Budojovice (CZE) set an all-time women’s Worlds attendance record of 122,331, besting the old mark of 119,231 in Winnipeg (CAN) in 2007.

● Shooting ● The ISSF World Cup in Lima, Peru finished up with China topping the medal table with 13 (4-3-6), followed by the U.S. with seven (4-2-1) and India with seven (2-4-1).

In the women’s 25 m Pistol final, 2024 World Junior 10 m Air Rifle bronze winner Yujie Sun (CHN) outlasting India’s Simranpreet Brar, 34-33.

The women’s Trap final went to Paris runner-up Silvana Stanco (ITA), beating Olympic fourth-placer Mar Molne Magrina (ESP), 45-44, despite missing two of her last six shots! Olympic champ Adriana Ruano (GUA) was third (33).

The Trap Mixed Team final was a win for Australia’s Mitchell Iles and Penny Smith, 25-18 over Guatemala’s Ruano and Jean Pierre Brol.

● Swimming ● Fascinating experiment in bringing more attention to collegiate dual meets announced for 17-18 October 2025 at Georgia Tech, with Army, Auburn, Florida Steve, George Washington, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Minnesota and North Carolina State facing off.

The details are all clear as yet, but these are to be scored as one vs. one dual meets: four in the first round, with the winners advancing to semifinals and then a final.

Dual meets used to be the basic format of the sport until scholarship limits made them more difficult; both swimming and track & field have looked at a return to school vs. school events to bring more popularity to their sports at a time when both are on the potential chopping block as money is now being shifted to pay (mostly) football and basketball players.

● Volleyball ● The Russian Volleyball Federation has had a long-running suit against the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) over the removal of the 2022 men’s World Championship in view of the invasion of Ukraine, asking $80 million in damages.

On Monday, the Russian news agency TASS reported that comments from RVF Secretary General Alexander Yaremenko:

“The only thing I can say is that there was an attempt to agree on a settlement agreement, but I can’t say yet how events will develop further.”

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ATHLETICS: Kenya’s Lokedi outlasts Obiri, crushes course record at 129th Boston Marathon; Korir breaks away for 2:04:45 men’s win

By
Rich Perelman
-
Kenyan star Sharon Lokedi, at the 2022 Boston Marathon

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≡ BOSTON MARATHON ≡

Excellent conditions produced two compelling races at the 129th Boston Marathon, with a Kenyan sweep by John Korir, and Sharon Lokedi, with a brilliant, course-record performance.

The men’s race settled into a lead pack of 16 through the Half in 1:01:54, led by Canada’s Rory Linkletter. By 25 km, it was American Conner Mantz, the Paris Olympic eighth-placer, in the lead, with 14 others still in contact. But Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, the defending champion, dropped off after another mile and 13 remained in contention, with Mantz and Australia’s Patrick Tiernan still in front at 30 km.

Then Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris, the two-time World 5,000 m champ in 2017 and 2019, took the lead, making his marathon debut. Kenya’s Korir, the 2024 Chicago winner, decided to open up and broke the race apart in Newton at the 20-mile mark and got away.

Only five were able to maintain any contact, with Kenyans Cybrian Kotut and Daniel Mateiko, Edris, two-time winner Evans Chebet (KEN) and Alphonce Simbu (TAN) all 20 yards back. Clayton Young of the U.S., ninth in Paris in 2024, moved up to seventh, but six seconds behind the chase pack.

By the 21-mile mark in Newton, Korir was away with an 18-second lead, ahead of Kotut, Mantz, Simbu and Edris. Korir, the younger brother of 2012 winner Wesley Korir, had 19 seconds on the pack by 35 km, on pace for the 2:04s, with the same four trailing.

Korir, 28, was running his third Boston, finishing ninth in 2023 and fourth in 2024 and broke the 2024 Chicago Marathon in the second half, winning by 1:55. He didn’t quite fracture the field as badly on Monday, but passed 24 miles in 1:53:22, 55 seconds up on Mantz, Kotut, Simbu and Edris.

Edris dropped off the back of the chase pack, so Kotut, Simbu and Mantz were battling for second. With a mile to go, Korir ‘s lead was down to 41 seconds, but he cruised home with his third career win in 11 marathons in 2:04:45.

It’s the third-fastest time in the race’s history; only the top two from the wind-assisted 2011 race was faster. Korir was embraced by Wesley at the finish line and John said afterwards that he told his brother he would win!

In the final 200 m, it turned into an all-out sprint for Simbu over Kotut – both in  2:05:04 – and Mantz fourth in 2:05:08, the second-fastest American marathon in history! Only Ryan Hall’s 2:04:58 from Boston in 2011 – also in fourth – is faster, under all conditions (Boston’s course is not eligible for record purposes). Simbu and Kotut had the no. 6 performances in race history and Mantz is no. 8.

Linkletter got sixth in 2:07:02 and then Young was seventh in 2:07:04. Ryan Ford was 10th in 2:08:00, making three U.S. finishers in the top 10. Conditions at the finish were excellent, at 54 F.

The women’s racers started 10 minutes after the men, but it broke up early. There were 15 running together by the 10 km mark, and 14 by 15 km, but then five broke away shortly after.

The group included two-time defending champ Hellen Obiri (KEN) and countrywomen Sharon Lokedi – the 2024 Boston runner-up – and Irene Cheptai, and Ethiopians Amane Beriso, the 2023 World Champion, and 2022 London champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw.

They passed the Half in 1:08:46, with Lokedi in front and the chase pack fully 49 seconds behind and with Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba’s 2:19:59 race record from 2014 in sight. Those five continued together through 25 km, then Cheptai dropped off and four remained together, on pace to run in the 2:17s.

The four stars continued together through 21 miles and then Beriso let go and dropped back, with Lokedi, Obiri and Yehualaw continuing. Lokedi and Obiri broke away from Yehualaw after 24 miles and Lokedi was pushing, but Obiri was not giving in.

Yehualaw was 14 seconds back at 40 km and 20 with a mile to go, but now Obiri was tracking Lokedi, and waiting. But Lokedi was pushing hard, daring Obiri to hold on … and she couldn’t.

Lokedi, who won the NCAA women’s 10,000 m in 2018 for Kansas, was 25 m up with 1,000 m to go and it was over. The New York City winner in her 2022 debut, she was fourth at the Paris Games last summer and won again in her sixth career marathon, with a sizzling course record of 2:17:22, falling into the arms of her mother after crossing the line.

Obiri was second in 2:17:31, just missing a three-peat, with Yehualaw third in 2:18:06. Those are the top three performances in race history.

It was a long wait, but Cheptai finally crossed in fourth in 2:21:32, then Beriso (2:21:58). The top Americans were in 7-8 with Jess Mcclain (2:22:43) and Annie Frisbie (2:23:21).

American legend Des Linden, the iconic 2018 bad-weather marathon winner, announced this would end her pro marathoning career in Boston, finishing 17th in 2:26:19, her sixth-fastest ever and best since 2017!

The prize money had $705,000 for both the men’s and women’s races for the top 10 placers, of $150,000-75,000-40,000-25,000-18,000-13,500-10,500-8,500-7,000-5,500. And Lokedi got a $50,000 bonus for shredding the course record.

Marathon fans don’t have long to wait for an encore; London is on Sunday the 27th!

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PANORAMA: U.S. women win hockey Worlds from Canada in overtime; U.S. takes ISU World Team Trophy; more U.S. gold in climbing, shooting

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. women celebrate their 4-3 overtime win against Canada in the gold-medal final of the IIHF World Championship (Photo: IIHF).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2030: French Alps ● The 2030 organizing committee named Cyril Linette as its chief executive. Now 54, he has been the head of the French Canal+ sports division and the Director General of the highly-respected French all-sports daily, L’Equipe.

● Mediterranean Games ● More worry from the International Committee for the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto (ITA), as the report of the Executive Committee meeting earlier in the month noted:

“The Executive Committee also extensively reviewed the progress of the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Tarant?. Concerns were raised regarding ongoing delays in the preparation schedule. The ICMG Coordination Commission presented a comprehensive report and expressed its concerns about the proper functioning of the Organising Committee.

“In response, ICMG President Mr. Davide Tizzano [ITA] will meet on Monday 14th of April, with Italy’s Minister of Sport, Mr. Andrea Abodi. The agenda includes the immediate formation of a joint oversight committee to monitor progress and guarantee compliance with the established deadlines. Furthermore, the ICMG is urging for the immediate reinforcement of the Organizing Committee’s workforce through the hiring of experienced, specialized professionals.”

Not good.

Also a fascinating change in schedule for the 2030 Med Games in Pristina (KOS), with the men’s U-21 football tournament eliminated and futsal – indoor 5-a-side with 20-minute halves – substituted for men and women:

“Following productive discussions with FIFA, the ICMG has confirmed the inclusion of both men’s and women’s futsal in the official sports program of the 21st Mediterranean Games, scheduled to take place in Pristina in 2030. Futsal will officially replace U21 football.

“This decision supports the continued growth of futsal—a fast-paced, increasingly popular sport—and aligns with the ICMG’s commitment to enhancing gender inclusivity in the Games. Additionally, the shift is expected to reduce the overall cost of organizing the football tournament.”

The beginning of more such substitutions for uninteresting men’s (and women’s) age-group football competitions at multi-sport Games?

● Russia ● Russian Anti-Doping Agency Director General Veronika Loginova told the Russian news agency TASS that she expects the remaining legal barriers to RUSADA’s reinstatement will be taken care of soon.

First, there are hearings in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport on claims by the World Anti-Doping Agency against RUSADA. Said Loginova:

“CAS has already set a preliminary date, the hearings will be held in September 2025. But we still hope that WADA’s critical comment will be eliminated before that time; work on amending the Law on Sports in the Russian Federation is underway. At the moment, the Russian Ministry of Sports and RUSADA are in contact, we have developed a draft federal law, which, in WADA’s opinion, will remove all questions.

“RUSADA continues to adhere to the position of disagreement with this critical remark that is made against the agency. But the Russian Anti-Doping Agency has done everything in its power within its competence. In particular, in close contact with the Ministry of Sports, RUSADA lawyers have developed the version of the federal law that could eliminate all contradictions.”

She added:

“With the help of interested organizations, we will soon achieve our restoration. I like the position of our Minister of Sports regarding the restoration of RUSADA and the return of domestic athletes to the international arena. I think that if we continue to interact and begin to move even more actively in this direction, then we will soon be able to do this.”

● Swimming ● Tunisian distance Freestyle star Ahmed Hafnaoui, 22, was given a 21-month suspension for “whereabouts” failures by the Aquatics Integrity Unit. The AQIU statement included:

“Tunisian swimmer Ahmed Ayoub Hafnaoui has accepted a suspension of 21 months, effective from 11 April 2024 until 10 January 2026, for a violation of the World Aquatics Anti-Doping Rules.

“Mr. Hafnaoui admitted that he committed three whereabouts failures within a twelve-month period, thereby breaching Article 2.4 of the World Aquatics Anti-Doping Rules, and accepted a 21-month sanction. His results have been disqualified from 11 April 2024 onwards.”

He was the Tokyo 2020 men’s 400 m Freestyle gold medalist and the 2023 Worlds winner in the men’s 800 m Freestyle and 1,500 m Free. His last meet was the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Qatar.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Athletics ● U.S. Indoor men’s triple jump champion James Carter Jr. has been disqualified after agreeing to a one-month sanction. Per the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency:

“Carter, 24, tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a urinary metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, marijuana, and hashish, above the urinary Decision Limit, as the result of a sample collected in-competition at the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships on February 22, 2025.”

His suspension was reduced to the one-month minimum since the substance use was out-of-competition and he completed a treatment program. His sanction period began on 12 March, but his results from the date of the test at the USATF Indoor Nationals were nullified. Thus, Russell Robinson will move up to become USATF Indoor champion at 16.67 m (54-8 1/4).

● Beach Volleyball ● The American pair of Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher scored another win on the Beach Pro Tour in the Elite 16 final in Brasilia (BRA), defeating Brazil’s Carol Solberg and Rebecca Cavalcante (BRA) in a tough match, 22-20, 21-19.

It’s the seventh Beach Pro Tour win for the U.S. pair, and third medal in the three Elite 16 events this season: bronze in Playa del Carmen (MEX), silver last week in Saquarema (BRA) and now a win in Brasilia!

Olympic champs Ana Patricia Ramos and Duda Lisboa (BRA) won the third-place match over the tournament’s surprise team, 23rd-seeds Emi van Driel and Wies Bekhuis (NED), 19-21, 21-15, 15-12.

The men’s final had Dutch stars Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot with their first Beach Pro Tour win since March of 2024, winning over 15th-seeds Evandro Oliveira and Arthur Lanci (BRA), 21-18, 21-23, 18-16. Tokyo Olympic champs Anders Mol and Christian Sorum (NOR) took the bronze with a marathon 21-16, 19-21, 20-18 win over 2023 Worlds bronzers Bartosz Losiak and Michal Bryl (POL).

● Curling ● /Updated/ At the USA Curling Mixed Fours National Championship in Denver, Colorado, David Falco’s rink – the host Denver Curling Club – was a 7-3 winner over Nina Roth‘s team, in the championship final, defending its 2024 title. Falco took a 4-1 lead after three ends and while Roth closed to 4-3 after five, three more points in ends 6-7 clinched the title for Falco’s home team. 

Jesus Barajas‘ rink defeated Greg Persinger’s squad, 8-2, for third. 

● Cycling ● The 59th Amstel Gold Race was a thriller down to the line in Berg en Terbiljt (NED), with three riders sprinting to the finish: Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogacar, comebacking star – returning from injury – Remco Evenepoel (BEL) and two-time Danish national champion Mattias Skjelmose.

In the end, it was Sjkelmose who got to the line first, barely ahead of Pogacar, the Slovenian’s second straight second-place finish, with all three timed in 5:49:58 for the 255.9 route.

It’s the biggest win ever for Skjelmose and an encouraging return for Evenepoel, who smashed into a postal truck last December during a training ride and broke much of his right shoulder and side.

But Pogacar has been amazing. In his six races this season, he won the seven-stage UAE Tour, then Strade-Bianche, was third at Milan-Sanremo, won the Ronde van Vlaanderen and now seconds at Paris-Roubaix and Amstel Gold, with five major races – including three “Monuments” in 43 days.

Brandon McNulty was the top American, in 11th (+0:34).

The women’s Amstel Gold – the 11th – was a clearer win for Mischa Bredewold (NED), in 4:03:03 for the 157.4 km course, finishing seven seconds up on countrywoman Ellen van Dijk and Puck Pieterse. It’s the first medal in this race for all three.

● Figure Skating ● The United States defended its 2024 win in the ninth ISU World Team Trophy in Tokyo (JPN), winning six of the eight segments.

World Champion Ilia Malinin won both the men’s Short Program (106.08) and Free Skate (183.88), despite a slip – scored as a fall – at the end of his Free Skate program. France’s Adam Siao Him Fa (96.16) and American Jason Brown (93.82) followed in the Short, then Brown moved up to a close second in the Free Skate (179.33).

World Champion Alysia Liu also doubled for the U.S. in the women’s Singles, taking the Short Program at 75.70, just ahead of three-time World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN: 75.54), with Amber Glenn of the U.S. in seventh (63.70). Liu scored 150.97 to go 1-2 with Glenn (148.93) in the Free Skate, with Sakamoto in third (145.00).

American Ice Dance World Champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates won the Rhythm Dance at 91.25 over Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (87.15) and took the Free Dance, scoring 133.51 to 131.91 for the Canadian Worlds runner-ups.

In Pairs, it was Japan’s World Champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara easily taking the Short Program with 80.99 points, with Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov of the U.S. in fifth (64.57). Miura and Kihara won the Free Skate in a closer contest with Worlds bronze medalists Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii (ITA: 142.26). Efimova and Mitrofanov were fifth again, scoring 117.67.

All together, the U.S. finished with 126 points to 110 for Japan and 86 for Italy, winning its sixth World Team Trophy in the nine editions.

● Gymnastics ● At the fifth of six legs of the FIG Artistic World Cup, this time in Doha (QAT), Kazakhstan’s Milad Karimi, the 2023 Worlds Floor bronze winner, was the only double winner.

He took the first event, the men’s Floor, at 14.466 and then won the final event of the meet, the Horizontal Bar, at 14.500, over Chia-Hung Tang (TPE: 14.400). In between, 2023 World Junior champ Hamlet Manukyan (ARM) won on Pommel Horse, just ahead of China’s Yanming Hong, 14.700 to 14.666, and Olympic silver medalist Hao You (CHN) won on Rings at 14.400.

On Saturday, Armenia’s two-time Olympic vault medalist Artur Davtyan won his specialty at 14.449 over Ukraine’s Nazar Chepurnyi, the 2023 Worlds bronze winner (14.383). Chepnuryi came right back to win on Parallel Bars, scoring 14.166 to 14.100 for Jesse Moore (AUS).

Slovenia went 1-2 in the women’s vault, with Teja Belak winning at 13.316 just ahead of teammate Tjasa Kysselef (13.216). Australia’s Commonwealth Games Beam champ Kate McDonald took the Uneven Bars, 13.100 to 13.033 over Lucija Hribar (SLO).

On Saturday, Hungary’s Greta Mayer was a big winner on Beam at 13.133 and Romanian star, the 2024 European Floor silver winner, Sabrina Maneca-Voinea won on Floor at 13.600.

The women’s NCAA Championships were in Ft. Worth, Texas, with plenty of U.S. Olympic star power. Tokyo 2020 Team silver medalist Grace McCallum of Utah was everywhere, placing second in the All-Around, Vault, Uneven Bars and Floor. Jordan Bowers of Oklahoma won the All-Around at 39.7125 to 39.6750 for McCallum.

UCLA’s Jordan Chiles, the Paris Team gold medalist and still embroiled in the controversy over the 2024 Paris Floor Exercise bronze, won the Uneven Bars, with 2021 Worlds All-Around silver winner Leanne Wong of Florida third.

Philippine Olympian Emma Malabuyo was second on the Balance Beam for UCLA and teammate Brooklyn Moors, a Canadian Olympian, won on Floor. Oklahoma won its seventh team title in a tight finish with UCLA, 198.0125 to 197.6125.

At the men’s NCAAs at Ann Arbor, Michigan, the home-team Wolverines snapped Stanford’s streak of five straight team titles with a 332.224 to 332.061 win over Stanford, with Oklahoma third (327.891).

Michigan’s Fred Richard, a member of the U.S. Olympic Team bronze medalists in Paris in 2024, won the All-Around at 84.264, for the second time (also 2023), ahead of teammate – and fellow Olympian – Paul Juda (82,164). Juda took the Parallel Bars title at 14.200, while Stanford’s Asher Hong – also a Paris Team bronze winner – won on Floor (14.600), and Rings (14.433).

Patrick Hoopes (Air Force) took the Pommel Horse title (14.833), Ohio State’s Kam Nelson beat Hong in the Vault, 14.633 to 14.566, and Oklahoma’s Emre Dodanli (TUR) won the Horizontal Bar final (13.833).

At the second leg of the FIG Rhythmic World Cup series, in Baku (AZE), 2022 World Champion Sofia Raffaeli (ITA) won the All-Around, scoring 113.400, ahead of Taisiia Onofriichuk (UKR: 113.250) and Bulgarian star Stiliana Nikolova (113.150). Rin Keys was the top American, at 107.900 for ninth.

Olympic champ Darya Varfolomeev won two apparatus titles, on Clubs (30.450) and Ribbon (28.450), and Onofriichuk took the Hoop title at 29.250), was second on Ball (28.100), third on Clubs (28.950) and second on Ribbon (28.200).

For the U.S., Keys finished fourth on Hoop (28.900) and seventh on Clubs (26.500), the only American finalist appearances.

● Ice Hockey ● The 24th IIHF Women’s World Championship, held in Ceske Budejovice (CZE), ended the same way that 22 of the prior 23 did, with the U.S. and Canada facing off in the final.

Coming in, Canada had won 13 of the 22 gold-medal matches with the U.S., including three of the last four and this was another classic. Scoreless after the first period, the U.S. got two goals in 29 seconds at 7:16 – by Caroline Harvey on a shot that ricocheted off the goalpost – and then Abbey Murphy on a loose rebound at 7:45, for a 2-0 lead.

That didn’t last long, as Canada came back with two to tie in the following two minutes. Danielle Serdachny scored at 8:37 and Jennifer Gardiner equaled at 9:32, then the Americans fought off two penalties in the final half of the period.

In the third, the U.S. got a power play and made it work for a 3-2 lead at the 5:27 mark, as Taylor Heise scored, and it looked like that might hold up. But after killing a penalty at the 10-minute mark, Sarah Fillier made it 3-3 at 14:12 off a contested shot in front of the net, and the game went into overtime. The Canadians had been the aggressors, with 37 shots to 23 for the U.S., but to no advantage.

A penalty against Canada’s Laura Stacey at 4:35 of the third sent U.S. keeper Aerin Frankel off with an injury, replaced by Gwyneth Philips for the remainder of the game. She saved 17 of 18 shots.

In the overtime, both sides pushed hard, but at 17:06, it was Tessa Janecke who scored the championship-winner. Janecke pressured the Canadian defense into a turnover and teammate Heise found Janecke with a cross-ice assist that earned the U.S. its first title in this tournament since 2023 and 11th all-time, with a 4-3 final.

In the semis, the U.S. fell behind against the home Czech Republic, 1-0, after the first period, but came back with goals by Laila Edwards on a power-play at 8:56 of the second to tie and by Kelly Pannek at 8:26 of the third to score a 2-1 victory. The Americans had a 45-11 shots edge, but found it tough to score.

The Canadians had an easier time with Finland, also falling behind 1-0 after 46 seconds, then scoring eight straight goals for an 8-1 victory. Erin Ambrose tied the game less than two minutes later and Daryl Watts had two goals in the second period, after which Canada had a 6-1 edge. The game ended with Canada enjoying a 34-20 shots edge.

The third-place match was another overtime affair, with Finland edging the Czechs, also 4-3, with a Jenniina Nylund score at 4:52.

● Shooting ● The U.S. scored another gold at the ISSF World Cup in Lima (PER), with Paris Olympic runner-up Sagen Maddalena taking the women’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions title over Norwegian Jeannette Duestad, the 2022 World Champion, 463.3 to 461.4.

The women’s 10 m Air Rifle was a Chinese sweep, with 2024 World Junior champ Zifei Wang scoring a world record 254.8 to best 2023 World Champion Jaiyu Han (250.4) and Xinyi Fan (229.6). Mary Tucker of the U.S. was eighth (124.7). Wang’s score edged countrywoman Yuting Huang’s mark of 254.5 from the 2024 World Cup Final.

In the men’s events, the 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol title went to Matej Rampula (CZE: 30), ahead of China’s newcomer, Lianbofan Su (27). Saturday’s 10 m Air Rifle final was won by China’s Olympic champ, Lihao Sheng, scoring 252.4 to win by 1/10th over Arjun Babuta (IND: 252.3). American Rylan Kissel finished seventh (144.5).

The 50 m Rifle/3 Positions title went to Czech Jiri Privratsky (462.8), the Olympic fourth-placer, ahead of Erik Larsen (NOR: 461.6).

American Will Hinton, fourth at the 2023 Worlds, won the men’s Trap final, 32-31 over Italy’s Mauro de Filippis, the 2019 Worlds runner-up. It’s Hinton’s first individual World Cup win.

The Mixed Team 10 m Air Rifle final went to Norway (Duestad and Jon-Hermann Hegg), by 17-11 over India. The tournament ends Monday with the Mixed Team Trap and the women’s 25 m Pistol final.

● Sport Climbing ● American Annie Sanders, 17, ended the 2024 IFSC World Cup season with her first win in the Bouldering competition in Seoul (KOR). On Saturday, she got win no. 2 in the seasonal opener in Boulder in Keqiao (CHN), reaching the top to score 54.7 points to 44.9 for France’s Oriane Bertone, the 2023 Worlds runner-up. Said the winner:

“I’m pretty excited honestly. I definitely wasn’t expecting it, especially after the first boulder where I was frustrated and pretty much not getting anywhere on the second boulder.

“I was in a bit of a bad headspace, but the third boulder lightened my mood and the fourth I just gave it everything to get to the zone.”

Sunday’s men’s final had two-time World Cup champ Sorato Anraku (JPN) with a tight win over Korea’s 2024 Worlds Bouldering bronzer, Do-hyun Lee, 99.7 to 99.3. Japan’s Meichi Narasaki for the bronze (83.9), his fifth career World Cup medal (0-4-1).

● Table Tennis ● There were surprise finalists at the ITTF World Cup in Macau, with Brazil’s fifth-seed Hugo Calderano – an Olympic semifinalst in Paris – coming on to score an upset win with a 4:1 (6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4. 11-5) thrashing of China’s 2024 Asian Championships runner-up, top-seeded Shidong Lin.

The all-China women’s final had defending champion and Paris Olympic silver winner Yingsha Sun vs. emerging star Man Kuai, the seventh seed. Here, there was no surprise ending as Sun was a convincing 4:0 winner by 11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6.

● Water Polo ● The World Aquatics women’s World Cup Super Final was in Chengdu (CHN), with a new champion as the U.S., the four-time defending champ, did not qualify.

Greece and Hungary faced off in the final, the first time for the Greeks, while the Hungarians were 1-1 and won the 2002 title. A tight, 6-4 game at half for the Greeks was opened up in the third period, as Greece piled up six goals and a 12-7 lead and held on for a 13-9 victory and the World Cup title.

Eleftheria Plevritou, Eleni Xenaki and Christina Siouti all scored three goals each for the winners.

The Netherlands, bronze-medal winners in Paris in 2024, won the third-place game from Olympic champ Spain, 10-8.

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