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BASKETBALL: Argentina eliminates Serbia in FIBA World Cup; Spain advances to semis

By
Rich Perelman
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Argentina celebrates a quarterfinal win vs. Serbia at the FIBA World Cup

Four days ago, the Serbian men’s basketball team was undefeated at the 2019 FIBA World Cup and had beaten its four opponents by an average score of 103-63.

Now they’re out.

The Serbs lost to Spain in their final second-round game, 89-81, and faced undefeated Argentina in the first quarterfinal in Dongguan, China. The game was close, with Argentina taking a 25-23 lead at the quarter and 54-49 at the half.

But the Serbs came back to close the gap to just 68-67 at the end of three. A three-pointer by Marko Guduric gave Serbia a 70-68 lead, but Patricio Garino matched that triple to put Argentina up 71-70, and the teams went back and forth.

Garino made another jumper with 6:59 left to extend the Argentine lead to 76-72, then Luis Scola made a fadeaway jumper, then a layup, had a shot blocked, but Facundo Campazzo put in a floater in the lane and the lead was suddenly 82-73 with 4:39 to play.

Scola made two more layins to stretch the lead to 89-78 and a couple of free throws down the stretch and Argentina finished with a 97-87 win. In the all-important final quarter, Argentina shot 11-18 from the field and had five layins, while Serbia went 6-16, with 11 three-point tries, but with only three makes.

Scola led Argentina with 20 points, followed by Campazzo with 18 and Garino with 15; the team shot 53.7% from the field. Serbia was led, as usual, by guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who scored 21, with 18 from Nemanja Bjelica and 16 from Nikola Jokic. Even with a 42-29 rebounding edge, Serbia shot only 41.8% from the field.

Said Garino, “We believed it. It wasn’t impossible. We have a great team and we have great energy. The way we played today is an example of what we want to do over the years. We weren’t afraid. We played hard. We have terrific players. It wasn’t impossible and we figured it out.”

Argentina will now move on to play the winner of the U.S. and France quarterfinal, coming tomorrow at 7 a.m. Eastern time (televised on ESPNNews).

In the other quarter, Spain continued its run after its big win vs. Serbia. After taking a 46-41 lead into halftime, the Spanish turned up the pressure and held the Poles to just 37 points in the second half. Spain’s lead grew to 12 points in the third quarter and they cruised in with a 90-78 victory, holding Poland to 48.3% from the field, while shooting 50.0% themselves.

Guard Ricky Rubio led Spain with 19 points and nine assists, followed by Willy Hernangomez Geuer with 18 and Rudy Fernandez for 16. Poland was led by A.J. Slaughter with 19.

The Spanish will play the winner of the Australia-Czech Republic quarterfinal on 13 September in Beijing.

TSX DAILY: U.S. qualifies for Tokyo, advances to FIBA World Cup quarters; Americans trail Europe in “The Match”; world record for “The Flying Moustache”

By
Rich Perelman
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Jaylen Brown of the U.S. driving against Brazil (Photo: FIBA)

≡ TSX DAILY ~ 10 September 2019 ≡

| 1. |  LEADING OFF: U.S. beats Brazil in FIBA World Cup, headed to quarterfinals vs. France

There were some nightmare scenarios that could even have eliminated the U.S. from the championship quarterfinals at the FIBA men’s World Cup, but none of them happened as the U.S. defeated Brazil, 89-73, in Shenzhen, China to remain unbeaten.

The win sends the U.S. to the quarters to play France, which lost a tense game to Australia, 100-98, to end up second in Group L. The schedule:

● 10 September: Argentina vs. Serbia in Dongguan
● 11 September: United States vs. France in Dongguan (ESPNNews at 7 a.m. Eastern)

● 10 September: Spain vs. Poland in Shanghai
● 11 September: Australia vs. Czech Republic in Shanghai

Monday’s final group games did not produce a shocker like Spain’s win over Serbia on Sunday, but there was still plenty of interesting action.

The U.S. slowly strangled Brazil with defense, rebounding and some improved shooting. After leading by just 43-39 at half, the American squad had a 67-56 lead after three quarters and extended that to as much as 19 in the fourth. Kemba Walker and Myles Turner each had 16 points for the U.S. and Jaylen Brown (pictured above) had 11. Defense was again crucial, as Brazil was held to just 43.1% shooting from the floor.

As the U.S. and Argentina were the only two teams from the Americas to make it to the quarters, they are now qualified for the Olympic tournament in 2020, regardless of what else happens in the World Cup. That was the primary mission – above all others – for this team, but there is more to do, as the Americans have a 24-game World Cup winning streak still alive, as well as a 58-game streak in international tournament with NBA players.

The other game in the U.S.’s group was a showdown between the Czech Republic and Greece for the right to advance to the quarters. Coming in, it was well known that Greece had to not only win the game, but win by more than 12 points to win the tiebreaker.

Nicholas Catathes scored 27 for the Greeks and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 12 and nine rebounds, but the Czechs hung tough and lost by only 84-77 and will play on, although as a heavy underdog to Australia.

The game of the day was the tug-of-war between undefeateds France and Australia. The game was tied at the half, France had a four-point lead going into the fourth quarter, but a 14-5 run to start the fourth gave Oz an 85-80 lead. The French responded with a 9-2 of their own and had an 89-87 lead with 3:11 to play.

The game was tied at 98 with 16 seconds to play, then Matthew Dellevedova’s free throw gave Australia a one-point lead. France inbounded, but Australia’s star guard Patty Mills stole the ball with four seconds remaining. The French had to foul and Mitch Creek made one of three foul shots for the 100-98 final. Not too much defense in this game: the Aussies shot 57.2% from the field, just better than the 56.9% by France. Mills led Australia with 30 points and Evan Fournier had 31 for France. More here.

| 2. | ATHLETICS: World leader in the high jump for Nedasekau in The Match: U.S. v. Europe

The international dual match concept, almost dead, showed some life on Monday as a mid-level United States team faced off against a European squad at Dinamo Stadium in Minsk (BLR) in “The Match.”

For the most part, the marks weren’t spectacular, but the event was great fun to watch. The U.S. won 12 of the 18 events on Monday, but trailed in the team scoring (9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1) by 328-312 as the Europeans were stronger in the field events. Key moments:

● Belarus’s Maksim Nedasekau scored a lifetime best – and became the world leader in the men’s high jump – at 2.35 m (7-8 1/2), displacing Russia’s Ilya Ivanyuk, who hugged him nonetheless for winning the event!

● American Darrell Hill claimed a season best in the shot put, reaching 22.35 m (73-4), and moved to no. 4 on the world list for 2019. Jot him down as a medal contender for the World Championships in Doha now.

● The women’s 400 m was won by NCAA champ Wadeline Jonathas in 51.01, with a season’s best by Allyson Felix in second (51.36), who charged down the straight after being way behind at the 300 m mark. It’s progress of a sort for Felix, who will run on the relays in Doha.

Oh yes, the athletes aren’t competing for country alone. There is prize money of €7,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,000-500-500 for the individual events and €6,000-4,000-2,000 for the relays.

More here. The meet concludes on Tuesday and will be shown on NBCSN beginning at noon Eastern time.

Athletes are encouraged to be expressive, right? But U.S. 4×100 m anchor Christopher Belcher – (pictured) second in the 100 m to teammate Mike Rodgers – went a little crazy, spreading his arms wide and celebrating the last 15 m as he finished the race in 38.26.

Maybe a little too much fun? Belcher tweeted later, “Just wanna take the time to apologize to @usatf, the coaching staff, and my USA teammates for showboating tonight. That’s not my style of running and i understand i ruined a chance for us to have a top time in the world for the 4×100. I am truly sorry and will never do it again.”

Most of the replies were encouraging; Belcher will be under a lot more pressure in Doha than he was in Minsk.

The Athletics Integrity Unit announced a provisional suspension for doping for Pan American Games discus silver medalist Andressa de Morais of Brazil. Also the Brazilian national champion for 2019, he threw a lifetime best of 65.98 m at the Pan Ams (216-6), standing no. 16 on the world list for 2019.

| 3. | CYCLING: Roglic extends lead in brutal Stage 16 of La Vuelta

Monday was one of the most difficult stages of the 2019 Vuelta a Espana, with two huge climbs in the middle of the 144.4 km route and then an uphill climb over the last 34 km to the Alto de la Cubilla.

A 21-rider breakaway early in the stage narrowed to six men with 9 km remaining on the final climb. That narrowed to just two men with 6 km remaining, Denmark’s Jakob Fuglsang and Italian Gianluca Brambila. Fuglsang shook him off with 4 km left and continued to the finish with a 22-second win over Tao Geoghegan Hart of Great Britain as Brambila faded to fifth.

Behind the two of them was a strong effort from race leader Primoz Roglic (SLO), who finished with two other contenders almost six minutes behind Fuglsang. But Roglic was able to put another 23 seconds on second-place Alejandro Valverde of Spain and now leads the race – with five stages left – by 2:48. Third-place Tadej Pogacar (SLO) is 3:42 back.

There is a rest day on Tuesday and then the longest stage of 2019, a hilly 219.6 km ride from Aranda de Duero to Guadalajara.

The Pan American Track Cycling Championships took place in the thin air of Cochabamba, Bolivia, some 2,558 m (8,392 ft.) above sea level. That’s good for fast times and six world records (in three events) were set over the five days of competition:

● Men/Sprint: 9.249 by Jair Tjon En Fa (SUR), then 9.100 by Nicholas Paul (TTO).

● Men/4,000 m Pursuit: 4:06.407 and 4:05.423 by Ashton Lambie (pictured/USA)

● Women/Sprint: 10.360, Martha Bayona (COL), then 10.154 by Kelsey Mitchell (CAN)

Lambie – “the Flying Moustache” – broke his own world mark from 2018 and won the Pursuit, plus a silver medal in the Team Pursuit. The big winner was American Jennifer Valente, who continued to dominate this event, winning the Points Race, Scratch Race and Omnium for the third year in a row. She added a fourth in 2018 in the Team Pursuit and this year teamed with Kendall Ryan to win the Madison. That’s 11 gold medals for Valente in three years! more here.

| 4. | SCOREBOARD: Verniaiev stars in World Challenge Cup; U.S. dominates Pan Am Table Tennis champs

Lots and lots of action over the weekend, with some complete results finally posted on Monday:

● In the FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup in Szombathely (HUN), Ukraine’s Oleg Verniaiev – the 2016 Olympic All-Around silver medalist and Parallel Bars winner – claimed three medals and finished in the top five in all six apparatus finals. He won the Parallel Bars, of course and was runner-up on Floor and Pommel Horse. More here.

● The U.S. had never had much success at the ITTF Pan American Championships … until this year. Playing in Asuncion (PAR), the American women scored wins in Singles (Lily Zhang), Doubles (Zhang and Yue Wu), plus the team title, and the Mixed Doubles, with Zhang and Kai Zhang. The U.S. men also won two bronze medals for an overall total of six. More here.

| 5. | FLASHBACK: Remembering the day the Olympic Games almost ended

The 47th anniversary of the grimmest day in the history of the Olympic Movement came last Thursday. The murder of 11 Israeli athletes and officials by Palestinian terrorists during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich (FRG)  put the entire Olympic Movement at risk and changed the way the Games – and all other major events – are staged.

A memorial service was held on 6 September 1972 in Munich’s Olympiastadion, where IOC President Avery Brundage (pictured) declared:

“The Games must go on and we must continue our efforts to keep them clear, pure and honest and try to extend sportsmanship of the athletic field to other areas.

“We declare today a day of mourning and will continue all the events one day later than scheduled.” A report from the memorial service is here.

CYCLING: Six world records in Pan American Track Cycling Champs in high-altitude Bolivia!

By
Rich Perelman
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World-record setter Ashton Lambie of the U.S.

The 2019 edition of the Pan American Track Cycling Championships in Bolivia was one for the ages, with six world records set, thanks in great part to the 2,558 m (8,392 feet) altitude of the Cochabamba Velodrome.

But records they are:

● Men/Sprint: 9.249, Jair Tjon En Fa (SUR) in qualifying
● Men/Sprint: 9.100, Nicholas Paul (TTO) in qualifying
● Men/4,000 m Pursuit: 4:06.407, Ashton Lambie (USA) in qualifying
● Men/4,000 m Pursuit: 4:05.423, Lambie (USA)
● Women/Sprint: 10.360, Martha Bayona (COL) in qualifying
● Women/Sprint: 10.154, Kelsey Mitchell (CAN) in qualifying

Lambie, popularly known as the “Flying Moustache,” broke his own mark from 2018, also set at altitude in Aguascalientes (MEX) in the heats and then again in the final.

The big winner in Cochabamba was American star Jennifer Valente, who left with four gold medals, taking the Points Race, Scratch Race, Omnium, and teamed with Kendall Ryan for the Madison title. She won four golds last year – the same three individual events last year, but was part of the Team Pursuit winners instead of the Madison – and three in 2017, in the same three individual events. That’s 11 golds in three years!

Besides Valente, the only defending champs to win again in 2019 were Lambie in the Individual Pursuit and Jessica Salazar (MEX) in the women’s 500 m Time Trial.

Canada topped the medal table with 15 total (8-2-5), with Colombia second (14: 2-6-6) and the U.S. third (12: 6-3-3). Summaries:

Pan American Track Championships
Cochabamba (BOL) ~ 4-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Sprint/Final: 1. Nicholas Paul (TTO), 2. Jair Tjon En Fa (SUR); Third: Kevin Quintero (COL); 4. Hersony Canelon (VEN). In qualifying: Tjon En Fa, 9.249 (World Record; old, 9.347, Francois Pervis (MEX), 2013), later improved by Paul, 9.100.

Team Sprint/Final: 1. Trinidad & Tobago (Bramble, Phillip, Paul), 41.938; 2. Argentina, 44.474; Third: 3. Ecuador, 45.260; 4. Chile, 46.062.

1,000 m Time Trial: 1. Kevin Quintero (COL), 57.508; 2. Santiago Ramirez (COL), 58.452; 3. Vincent de Haitre (CAN), 58.951. Also: 5. Eric Young (USA), 59.563; … 9. John Croom (USA), 1:01.034.

4,000 m Individual Pursuit/Final: 1. Ashton Lambie (USA), 4:05.423 (World Record; old, 4:06.407, Lambie in heats; old, 4:07.251, Lambie, 2018); 2. Brayan Sanchez (COL), lapped; Third: 3. Jay Lamoreaux (CAN), 4:12:413; 4. Croom (USA), lapped.

Team Pursuit/Final: 1. Canada (Gee, Foley, De Haitre, Lamoreaux), 3:49.974; 2. United States (Daniel Holloway, John Croom, Eric Young, Ashton Lambie), 3:52.747. Third: Colombia, 4:02.282; 4. Mexico, 4:02.376.

Keirin: 1. Kevin Quintero (COL); 2. Santiago Ramirez (COL); 3. Keron Bramble (TTO).

Points Race: 1. Michael Foley (CAN), 40; 2. Ignacio Sarabia (MEX), 33; 3. Sanchez (COL), 31. Also: 5. Daniel Holloway (USA), 20.

Scratch Race: 1. Eric Young (USA); 2. Ignacio Prado (MEX); 3. Aidan Caves (CAN).

Omnium: 1. Derek Gee (CAN), 186; 2. Prado (MEX), 159; 3. Gavin Hoover (USA), 144.

Madison: 1. Ignacio Sarabia/Ignacio Prado (MEX), 61; 2. Adrian Hegyvary/Daniel Holloway (USA), 47; 3. Antonio Cabrera/Matias Arriagada (CHI), 32.

Women

Sprint/Final: 1. Kelsey Mitchell (CAN); 2. Martha Bayona (COL); Third: 3. Mandy Marquardt (USA); 4. Luz Gaxiola (MEX). In qualifying: Bayona, 10.360 (World Record; old, 10.384, Kristina Vogel (GER), 2013); later improved by Mitchell, 10.154.

Team Sprint/Final: 1. Kelsey Mitchell/Lauriane Genest (CAN), 32.267; 2. Jessica Salazar/Yuli Verdugo (MEX), 32.455. Third: 3. Juliana Gaviria/Diana Garcia (COL), 33.708; 4. Lisandra Guerra/Thalia Diaz (CUB), 34.523.

500 m Time Trial: 1. Jessica Salazar (MEX), 32.842; 2. Bayona (COL), 33.083; 3. Gaxiola (MEX), 33.134.

3,000 m Individual Pursuit/Final: 1. Georgia Simmerling (CAN), 3:22.091; 2. Annie Foreman-Mackey (CAN), 3:24.449; Third: 3. Emma White (USA), 3:28.331; 4. Christina Birch (USA), 3:31.716.

Team Pursuit/Final: 1. Canada (Beveridge, Foreman-Mackey, Bonhomme, Simmerling), 4:13.488; 2. United States (Christina Birch, Emma White, Kendall Ryan, Lily Williams), 4:16.928; Third: 3. Mexico, 4:27.474; 4. Colombia, 4:32.888.

Keirin: 1. Lauriane Genest (CAN); 2. Bayona (COL); 3. Mitchell (CAN). Also: 6. Marquardt (USA).

Points Race: 1. Jennifer Valente (USA), 79; 2. Sofia Arreola (MEX), 35; 3. Lina Hernandez (COL), 33.

Scratch Race: 1. Valente (USA); 2. Lizbeth Salazar (MEX); 3. Kinley Gibson (CAN).

Madison: 1. Jennifer Valente/Kendall Ryan (USA), 33; Jessica Bonilla/Lizbeth Salazar (MEX), 29; 3. Wellyda dos Santos/Daniela Christine (BRA), 20.

Omnium: 1. Valente (USA), 201; 2. Allison Beveridge (CAN), 123; 3. Maribel Aguirre (ARG), 109.

TABLE TENNIS: Best-ever U.S. performance in Pan Am Championships with four golds

By
Rich Perelman
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U.S. table tennis star Lily Zhang

The third edition of the ITTF Pan American Championships, held in Asuncion, Paraguay, was a showcase for the United States, with four gold medals and six total, its best performance ever in this tournament.

Lily Zhang was the main star for the U.S., winning the women’s Singles and playing on the winning women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles teams. The U.S. women also took the team title, so Zhang left with a full suitcase of medals.

The men won two bronzes: Kanak Jha in Singles and in the Team competition. Summaries:

ITTF Pan American Championships
Asuncion (PAR) ~ 3-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Singles: 1. Vitor Ishiy (BRA); 2. Gaston Alto (ARG); 3. Kanak Jha (USA) and Gustavo Tsuboi (BRA). Final: Ishiy d. Alto, 4-1.

Men/Doubles: 1. Gaston Alto/Horacio Cifuentes (ARG); 2. Eric Jouti/Gustavo Tsuboi (BRA); 3. Gustavo Gomez/Juan Lamadrid (CHI) and Marcus Madrid/Ricardo Villa (MEX). Final: Alto/Cifuentes d. Jouti/Tsuboi, 3-1.

Men/Team: 1. Brazil; 2. Puerto Rico; 3. United States and Canada. Final: Brazil d. Puerto Rico, 3-1.

Women/Singles: 1. Lily Zhang (USA); 2. Bruna Takahashi (BRA); 3. Mo Zhang (CAN) and Yue Wu (USA). Final: Zhang d. Takahasi, 4-0.

Women/Doubles: 1. Yue Wu/Lily Zhang (USA); 2. Daniela Ortega/Paulina Vega (CHI); 3. Melanie Diaz/Daniely Rios (PUR) and Joyce Xu/Mo Zhang (CAN). Final: Wu/Zhang d. Ortega/Vega, 3-0.

Women/Team: 1. United States; 2. Brazil; 3. Puerto Rico and Chile. Final: U.S. d. Brazil, 3-2.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Kai Zhang/Lily Zhang (USA); 2. Nikhil Kumar/Amy Wang (USA); 3. Daniel Gonzalez/Melanie Diaz (PUR) and Horacio Cifuentes/Camila Arguelles (ARG). Final: Zhang/Zhang d. Kumar/Wang, 3-1.

VOLLEYBALL: Cuba upsets U.S. in final of men’s NORCECA Championship

By
Rich Perelman
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Cuba celebrates another NORCECA men's title! (Photo: NORCECA)

Cuba won its 16th NORCECA men’s championship on Sunday, defeating the United States by three sets to one in Winnipeg, Canada after losing to the Americans in group play.

The U.S. won the first set, but then lost three straight – 18-25, 25-21, 25-20,. 25-20 – to finish second, after winning the title in 2017. Cuba, the most successful team in this tournament, hadn’t won since 2011.

The U.S. – playing with a development team – went 3-0 in its group, winning in straight sets over the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Cuba. Canada won its group, also winnings its matches in straight sets. Those two teams advanced directly to the semis, where the U.S. swept 3-0 but Canada was upset by Cuba, 3-1. Canada won the bronze-medal match vs. Mexico, 3-0.

The Cubans were led by Osniel Mergarejo and Miguel Angel Lopez with 15 points each, followed by Robertlandy Simon with 14 and Marlon Yant with 12. T.J. Defalco and Kyle Ensing had 12 points apiece for the U.S.

Said American coach John Hawks, “They served really well, as we expected, and I think offensively they were just a little sharper than they were the other night. We didn’t pass as well as we did, we lost the serve/pass game; our guys are trying to prove ourselves to our senior teams, to be on the roster.

“Leaving here with the silver medal is great, but we want gold. We’re proud of the effort, but in the end we just weren’t sharp enough, so credit to Cuba, they played great.” Summary:

NORCECA Men’s Championship
Winnipeg (CAN) ~ 31 August-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings: 1. Cuba; 2. United States; 3. Canada; 4. Mexico; 5. Puerto Rico; 6. Dominican Republic; 7. Guatemala; 8. Suriname. Third: Canada d. Mexico, 3-0; Final: Cuba d. U.S., 3-1.

ATHLETICS: World leader for high jumper Nedasekau at The Match: USA vs. Europe in Minsk

By
Rich Perelman
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New world leader in the high jump: Maksim Nedasekau (BLR)

The marks weren’t the best and the Dinamo Stadium in Minsk was maybe half full. But “The Match: USA vs. Europe” was fun to watch. And that’s the whole point.

Dual meets are good for the sport – for just about any sport – and the team scoring creates a dynamic that is not present in the Diamond League, World Championships or the Olympic Games.

The meet was scored 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 for all eight places and although the U.S. won 12 of the 18 events held on Monday, they trailed 328-312 thanks to good field performances by the European athletes.

The best performance came from 21-year-old Maksim Nedasekau (BLR), performing at home and clearing 2.35 m (7-8 1/2), the top mark in the world this year. He missed three times at 2.37 m (7-9 1/4), but is suddenly a medal contender for Doha. His prior best was two years ago at 2.33 m (7-7 3/4); he had done 2.29 m (7-6) this year. He impressively beat incoming co-world leader Ilya Ivanyuk (RUS), who cleared 2.31 m (7-7), and American Jeron Robinson (USA: 2.29 m/7-6).

Also worth noting was the season-best 22.35 m (73-4) explosion from American shot giant Darrell Hill, moving him to no. 4 on the world list for 2019! He out-distanced Poland’s Konrad Bukowiecki, who reached 21.92 m (71-11).

The women’s 400 m was noteworthy, but not for who won. That was South Carolina’s NCAA champ Wadeline Jonathas, who ran 51.01. But second-place Allyson Felix set a season best of 51.36 in an odd run where she came from way back at 300 m to steam down the straightaway. She said afterwards, “The atmosphere here in Minsk is great. I´m very happy with getting a season´s best today. I devoted this race to my daughter. I´m preparing for Doha, where I´ll be participating in the relay.”

Also of note:

● Men/3,000 m Steeple: The U.S. went 1-2 with Hillary Bor (8:32.64) and Stanley Kebenei (8:33.65), then Bor was inexplicably disqualified. The U.S. protested and he was reinstated.

● Men/4×100 m: The U.S. first team of Demek Kemp, Mike Rodgers, Isiah Young and Chris Belcher passed well and won convincingly in 38.26, beating a Dutch team anchored by Churandy Martina in 38.45.

● Men/Long Jump: Unusual finish with Damarcus Simpson of the U.S., Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou and Spain’s Eusebio Caceres all reaching 8.17 m (26-9 3/4), but with Simpson winning on his second-best jump, another 8.17 m in the sixth round. The distance was a lifetime best for Simpson, a year out of Oregon.

● Women/Javelin: American Kara Winger scored an impressive win, throwing 64.63 m (212-0) on her final toss to pass Belarus star (and no. 4 on the world list for 2019) Tatsiana Khaladovich (64.41 m/211-4).

● Women/Pole Vault: Russia’s Anzhelika Sidorova won at 4.85 m (15-11), ahead of Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi (4.70 m/15-5) and Katie Nageotte (USA: 4.70 m).

By the way, the athletes aren’t competing for country alone. There is prize money of €7,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,000-500-500 for the individual events and €6,000-4,000-2,000 for the relays.

NBCSN has coverage of Tuesday’s final day, beginning at noon Eastern time. Look for results here.

GYMNASTICS: Three medals for Ukraine’s Verniaiev in World Challenge Cup in Hungary

By
Rich Perelman
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Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev (Photo: Pierre-Yves Beaudouin via Wikimedia Commons)

The star of the Parallel Bars was all over the podium in Szombathely, Hungary at the FIG World Challenge Cup (apparatus only), as Ukraine’s Oleg Verniaiev starred over the two-day event.

The 2016 Olympic gold medalist on the Parallel Bars and silver medalist in the All-Around, he tuned up for the forthcoming FIG World Championships with three medals:

● Silver on Floor, silver on Pommel Horse and won the Parallel Bars, plus
● Fifth in Rings, fourth in Vault and fourth in the high Bar.

The 2017 Worlds Floor silver medalist, Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat, won his specialty; Ukraine’s Igor Radivilov, the 2014-17 Worlds Vault silver medalist, won the Rings. Summaries:

FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup
Szombathely (HUN) ~ 6-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Floor: 1. Artem Dolgopyat (ISR), 14.866; 2. Oleg Verniaiev (UKR), 14.300; 3. Petro Pakhniuk (UKR), 14.233.

Pommel Horse: 1. Joshua Nathan (GBR), 14.800; 2. Verniaiev (UKR), 14.766; 3. Saso Bertoncelj (SLO), 14.566.

Rings: 1. Igor Radivilov (UKR), 14.733; 2. Ali Zahran (EGY), 14.700; 3. Vinzenz Hoeck (AUT), 14.566.

Vault: 1. Hidenobu Yonekura (JPN), 15.049; 2. Keitaro Okubo (JPN), 14.416; 3. Sofus Heggemsnes (NOR), 14.266.

Parallel Bars: 1. Verniaiev (UKR), 15.200; 2. Pakhniuk (UKR), 15.066; 3. Yordan Aleksandrov (BUL), 14.166.

High Bar: 1. David Vecsemyes (HUN), 13.966; 2. Pakhniuk (UKR), 13.933; 3. Alexander Myakinin ( (ISR), 13.766.

Women

Vault: 1. Marina Nekrasova (AZE), 14.183; 2. Teja Belak (SLO), 14.166; 3. Angelina Radivilova (UKR), 13.916.

Uneven Bars: 1. Rooskrantz Caitlin (RSA), 13.333; 2. Phoebe Jakubczyk (GBR), 13.000; 3. Roxana Popa (ESP), 12.966.

Beam: 1. Makra Noemi (HUN), 13.200; 2. Belak (SLO), 12.466; 3. Emma Spence (CAN), 12.433.

Floor: 1. Marina Gonzalez (ESP), 12.866; 2. Emily Thomas (GBR), 12.833; 3. Radivilova (UKR), 12.833.

BADMINTON: World no. 2 Chou thrills the home crowd in Taipei Open

By
Rich Perelman
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Chinese Taipei's Tien Chen Chou (Photo: BWF)

The biggest star in the Chinese Taipei Open was the no. 2-ranked Tien Chen Chou from the home country and he did not disappoint them.

He won his third BWF tournament title this season, defeating Korea’s Kwang Hee Heo, 21-12, 21-13 in just 37 minutes.

The women’s Singles title went to Ji Hyun Sung of Korea, who won her first tournament in three years, whipping past Michelle Li of Canada by 21-11, 21-9. Summaries:

Yonex BWF World Tour/Chinese Taipei Open
Taipei City (TPE) ~ 3-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Singles: 1. Tien Chen Chou (TPE); 2. Kwang Hee Heo (KOR); 3. Shesar Hiren Rhustavito (INA) and Koki Watanabe (JPN). Final: Chou d. Heo, 21-12, 21-13.

Men/Doubles: 1. V. Shem Goh/Wee Kiong Tan (MAS); 2. SolGyu Choi/Seung Jae Seo (KOR); 3. Mathias Boe/Mads Conrad-Petersen (DEN) and Yang Lee/Chi-Lin Wang (TPE). Final: Goh/Tan d. Choi/Seo, 21-19, 15-21, 23-21.

Women/Singles: 1. Ji Hyun Sung (KOR); 2. Michelle Li (CAN); 3. Se Young An (KOR) and Supanida Katethong (THA). Final: Sung d. Li, 21-11, 21-9.

Women/Doubles: 1. Jongkolphan Kititharakul/Rawinda Prajongjai (THA); 2. So Yeong Kim/Hee Yong Kong (KOR); 3. Greysia Polii/Apriyani Rahayu (INA) and Siti Fadia Ramadhanti/Ribka Sugiarto (INA). Final: Kititharakul/Prajongjai d. Kim/Kong, 21-19, 18-21, 28-26.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Chun Man Tang/Ying Suet Tse (HKG); 2. Seung Jae Seo/YuJung Chae (KOR); 3. Peng Soon Chan/Liu Ying Goh (MAS) and Hafiz Faisal/Gloria Widjaja (INA). Final: Tang/Tse d. Seo/Chae, 21-18, 21-10.

BASKETBALL: U.S. swamps Brazil, Australia stomps France and Czechs advance in World Cup

By
Rich Perelman
-
Australian star Patty Mills

None of the crazy possible scenarios came to pass on Monday in the FIBA men’s World Cup in China and a great elimination tournament is about to begin.

The most insane possibility was that the U.S. could be eliminated with a loss to Brazil and a wild result in the Czech-Greece game, but the Americans were easily better, winning 89-73. The U.S. moved on, and even though Greece defeated the Czechs by 84-77, there was a three-way tie for second in the group and the tiebreakers were in favor of the Czechs and they move on to the quarterfinals!

The best game of the day was in Group L, where Australia managed to get past France, 100-98. That places the French against the U.S. in the quarters and Australia in the lower bracket. The quarterfinal match-ups:

● 10 September: Argentina vs. Serbia
● 11 September: United States vs. France

● 10 September: Spain vs. Poland
● 11 September: Australia vs. Czech Republic

In the U.S.-Brazil game, the American squad built up throughout the game, leading 21-18 at the quarter and 43-39 at half. But the third quarter gave the U.S. a bigger edge, 67-56 and the lead expanded to as much as 19 in the fourth quarter with a final of 89-73.

Myles Turner and Kemba Walker led the U.S. with 16 points each, with Jaylen Brown adding 11. Turner had a team-high eight rebounds. Vitor Benite had 21 for Brazil, but the U.S. defense came to the fore again, as Brazil shot only 43.1%.

Even though Greece defeated the Czech Republic, the Brazil loss meant there was a three-way tie for second in the group at 3-2 (with the U.S. at 5-0). So the tiebreaker measured the results against each of the tied teams (all 1-1), and then it came down to point differential in those games. The Czechs were nine points better than the Greeks. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 12 for Greece, but it was not enough.

The France-Australia game was sensational, with the game tied at 46-46 at half and France ahead, 75-71 after three quarters. But an Aron Baynes hook shot gave the Aussies an 80-79 lead and eventually stretched to 85-80. But the French went on a 9-2 run and got the lead back at 89-87 with 3:11 to go. The game was tied, 94-94 with 1:18 to go and 98-98 with 16 seconds left.

But a free throw by Matthew Dellavedova gave Oz a 99-98 lead, and Patty Mills stole the ball from France’s Andrew Albicy with four seconds left. France had to foul and Mitch Creek made one more foul shots for the 100-98 final.

Mills had 30 points, Joe Ingles had 23 and Baynes had 21 for Australia, while Evan Fournier had 31 and Nando De Colo had 26 for the French. France lost while shooting 56.9% from the field, as Australia shot 57.2%. Wow!

TSX DAILY: Triple jump stars say, “We have to thank Willie Banks for everything” + history for Noah Lyles; Serbia upset at FIBA World Cup and more

By
Rich Perelman
-

≡ TSX DAILY ~ 9 September 2019 ≡

| 1. |  LANE ONE: Willie Banks recalled the start of rhythmic clapping in track & field

In advance of the AG Van Damme Memorial in Brussels, Belgium last Friday, the third meet Hall of Fame class was inducted, including British superstar (and current IAAF President) Sebastian Coe and American sprinter Gail Devers and triple jumper Willie Banks.

Banks, who held the TJ world record for 10 years, shared the famous story of how the tradition of rhythmic clapping for jumper started, way back in 1981.

In Stockholm (SWE) to compete in the DN Galan, he was livid that the triple jump was only going to be held once on the first-line European circuit meet and went to ask why. He was told by the head of the meet directors group – the pugnacious Andy Norman – that “you’re not bringing anybody to these meets and you’re not putting butts in the seats. No one is paying me [to see the triple jump] … so why in the hell am I going to have you in my meet?”

So he went out and tried to fire up the other jumpers to do something special, but to no avail. But when he got ready to jump, he was whistled at by some inebriated Swedish fans, who then mimicked his trademark three hand-claps before he started his run.

Banks jumped into the lead and as the rounds progressed, the drunks were clapping with him and so was increasing portions of the crowd. By his fourth jump, the whole place was clapping with him and he won with a meet record. He thought that was it.

A week later, he was in Lausanne (SUI) to long jump, and the crowd – perhaps mimicking what they saw in Stockholm on television – began clapping for him. Although the long jump was not his specialty, he was excited enough to reach a lifetime best of 8.11 m (26-7 1/4) and the tradition was born.

Banks is traveling everywhere these days, campaigning to be elected to the IAAF Council on 25 September, in advance of the IAAF World Championships in Doha (QAT). He wants to find new ways to bring more excitement back to the sport, and if anyone has that experience, it’s him. No less than today’s TJ stars said so; said American Will Claye, “We have to thank Willie Banks for everything.”

| 2. | ATHLETICS: Lyles makes history at Diamond League Final, as does Simpson on Fifth Avenue

The IAAF Diamond League came to a close at the AG Van Damme Memorial in Brussels and the focus from the start was on American sprinter Noah Lyles.

Despite some stomach troubles that followed him right to the starting blocks of the 200 m, he managed a good turn and was slightly in front onto the straight. From there, no one could catch him as he won in 19.74, with season-best performances by Ramil Guliyev (TUR: 19.86) and Andre De Grasse (CAN: 19.87) in second and third.

Lyles became the first man to achieve the 100/200 m double in the 10-year history of the Diamond League, and at just age 22. There were lots of other highlights, as six of the 13 defending champions managed to win in 2019 as well:

● Men/400 m: Americans Michael Norman and Fred Kerley battled once again; this time, Norman was a little stronger down the straight and won in 44.26-44.46.

● Men/1500 m: Kenya’s Tim Cheruiyot left no doubt that he is the best in the world, defending his 2018 title with a convincing 3:30.22 win, with the Jakob Ingebrigtsen  (3:31.62) and Filip Ingebrigtsen (3:33.33) sprinting to the line for second and third.

● Men/Triple Jump: Taylor and Claye put on a show, with Taylor unloading a tremendous – even if wind-aided – 17.85 m (58-6 3/4) mark in the second round. Claye managed to get out to 17.22 m (56-6), but had to settle for second. For Taylor, it was his seventh Diamond League title, equaling the record of French vault star Renaud Lavillenie.

● Men/Shot Put: New Zealand’s Tom Walsh was superb in this event, held in downtown Brussels on Thursday. His 22.30 m (73-2) performance bested Brazil’s Darlan Romani (22.15 m/72-8) and American Ryan Crouser (22.08 m/72-5 1/4).

● Women/100 m: Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith hadn’t had much luck against Jamaica’s double Olympic champ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce … until they met in Brussels. Asher-Smith’s top-end speed was outstanding and she maintained a small lead to the finish, winning in 10.88 to 10.95.

● Women/800 m: American Ajee Wilson looked very much the part of the World Champs favorite, taking control on the final back straight and winning impressively in 2:00.24, with fellow American Raevyn Rogers flying over the last 60 m to grab second in 2:00.67.

● Women/5,000 m: Dutch star Sifan Hassan desperately wanted to beat this field, which included reigning World Champion Hellen Obiri (KEN), and she did, storming ahead on the final lap to win by more than four seconds in 14:26.26.

● Women/100 m hurdles: No doubt about it, the favorite for the World Championships in Jamaica’s Danielle Williams. She outclassed this field in 12.46 and no one was close; American Keni Harrison ran 12.73 for second.

All of the favorites in the women’s field events came through, including Mariya Lasitskene (RUS: 1.99 m/6-6 1/4) in the high jump; Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi in the vault (4.83 m (15-10), German Malaika Mihambo in the long jump (7.03 m/23-0 3/4) and Cuba’s Jaime Perez in the discus (68.27 m/223-11).

Prize money for the final was $50,000-20,000-10,000-6,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000 for the top eight placers. More here.

The 39th edition of the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York was the closest ever, with both the men’s and women’s races decided right at the finish line:

● The women’s mile came first and favorite Jenny Simpson stayed at the front and continued to push the pace, finally losing everyone except fellow American Elinor Purrier. In the final quarter, Simpson would push and Purrier would stay close, then Purrier took a small lead, but Simpson came back. In the final 35 m, Simpson sprinted hard to the tape and just managed to cross the line first in a race record 4:16.1.

Purrier finished second in 4:16.2, with Rebecca Mehra third in 4:22.0 and Nikki Hiltz fourth (4:25.4). Simpson won her eighth Fifth Avenue Mile and an amazing seventh in a row.

● New Zealand’s Nick Willis was the big name in the men’s race, but it looked like Britain’s Chris O’Hare was going to win as he strode out to a big lead in the third quarter. Sam Prakel of the U.S. closed the gap, but Willis suddenly appeared in the final 50 m and passed Prakel and came side-by-side with O’Hare. Willis’s lean at the tape was the difference as both were timed in 3:51.7. Prakel was third in 3:51.8 and Morgan McDonald (AUS) was fourth (3:52.8). For Willis, it was his fourth Fifth Avenue Mile title after wins in 2008-13-15-17.

While she waits for the final decision of the Swiss Federal Tribunal on her appeal of the IAAF female eligibility regulations, South Africa’s Caster Semenya signed a deal to play football for the JVW team in her home country, to begin play in 2020.

She’s not done with track, however. She tweeted that “Being a footballer doesn’t mean I’m no longer a track and field athlete. Just making things clear.”

The much-anticipated USA vs. Europe match in Minsk (BLR) takes place on Monday and Tuesday, but the U.S. team has had multiple withdrawals. Still, this should be entertaining, with sprinter Mike Rodgers, hurdler Jarret Eaton and shot putter Darrell Hill leading the U.S. men and Allyson Felix, hurdler Nia Ali, long jumper Brittney Reese and shot star Michelle Carter among the U.S. women.

This is a really good idea, but undercut in part due to the looming World Championships still to come in Doha. NBCSN has coverage from Minsk beginning at noon Eastern time on Monday. Look for results here.

The 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials time schedule was released and single-day tickets are being placed on sale for the meet in Eugene, Oregon. The program begins on Friday, 19 June, has one rest day on Tuesday (22nd) and then continues through Sunday (28th).

| 3. | BASKETBALL: Favored Serbia stunned by Spain; U.S. plays Brazil on Monday

Based on the first round of play, Serbia was the dominant team in the FIBA men’s World Cup being played in China. But they still had to play Spain.

A swarming Spanish defense held the Serbs to just 40% shooting from the field, and Ricky Rubio scored 19 points as Spain won, 81-69, to clinch its second-round group title and move on to the quarterfinals. Bogdan Bogdanovic had 26 for Serbia, but Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic argued a call in the third quarter and was ejected, leading to a Spanish 12-3 run that sealed the game.

That result will have Spain playing Poland in the quarterfinals, while Serbia will face Argentina. More on the game and the future match-ups here.

The U.S. also used its defense to hold Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his teammates to just 53 points in a 69-53 win in its fourth game of the tournament. Antetokounmpo had 15 points and 13 rebounds, but the U.S. took control of the game with a 19-8 second quarter and was never headed. Kemba Walker led the U.S. with 15 points.

The Americans will play Brazil on Monday and need to win to assure their place in the quarterfinals, as Greece and the surprising Czech Republic will play for a quarterfinal spot as well. More here.

| 4. | CYCLING: Roglic has a hold on La Vuelta; Courtney wins Mountain Bike Cross Country title

It’s a busy time in cycling and the main event is the final Grand Tour of the year, the 74th La Vuelta a Espana. After a wild series of stages in which the lead changed hands for six straight days, Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic took command – as expected during the Individual Time Trial in stage 10. But when the climbing came in the mountains of north Spain in stages 13 and 15, Roglic was ready and extended his lead over all of his competitors. With six stages left (out of 21):

1. 58:10:32 ~ Primoz Roglic (SLO)
2. +2:25 ~ Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
3. +3:42 ~ Tadej Pogacar (SLO)
4. +3:59 ~ Miguel Angel Lopez (COL)
5. +5:09 ~ Nairo Quintana (COL)

This isn’t over, and there are three more pain-inducing climbing stages, but Roglic – who was the favorite in the Giro d’Italia, but had to abandon the race – is in an enviable position. More here.

Christine Majerus of Luxembourg won the critical fourth stage of the Boels Ladies Tour and that allowed her to claim the overall title at the race, her first Women’s World Tour multi-stage-race victory.

With a sixth-place finish, Dutch star Annemiek van Vleuten retook the season lead from fellow Dutch rider Marianne Vos, with just two races left in the season.

The final stage of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup was held in Snowshoe, West Virginia, with American Kate Courtney (pictured) trying to chase down seasonal points leader Jolanda Neff (SUI).

Courtney had looked unbeatable early in the season, but Neff had come on strong to be in position to take the 2019 title. But Courtney was strong during the Short race on Friday, placing third to 16th for Neff and then fifth in the Cross Country Olympic race while Neff was 11th. That was enough to give Courtney her first World Cup crown by a tight 1,772 to 1,742 over Neff.

Swiss star Nino Schurter had no trouble winning his ninth World Cup title and sixth in a row. He won the Short Race and was second in the XCO race to finish with 1,995 points to 1,649 for runner-up Mathieu van der Poel (NED).

| 5. | FOOTBALL: Mexico trashes U.S. men, 3-0, in East Rutherford friendly

In the 70th meeting between the United States and Mexico, it was like old times for the visitors, as Mexico broke down the American defense for a 3-0 win in front of 47,960 at MetLife Stadium.

Jesus Corona went right by two U.S. defenders in the 21st minute and his cross was headed in by Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez for the only goal of the first half. The second goal came off a sloppy U.S. clearance in front of goal and Erick Gutierrez scored in the 78th minute to essentially ice the game.

Mexico counter-attacked in the 82nd minute and Uriel Antunes sent a shot into the left corner of the goal for the final score. The U.S. had a penalty in the 88th minute, but Josh Sargent failed to convert. More here.

The American squad will try to do better on Tuesday vs. Uruguay in St. Louis.

CONCACAF adopted new rules for men’s World Cup qualifying for 2022, sending the top six teams from the confederation in the FIFA World Rankings directly into the final round of its qualifying program.

This means that Mexico, the U.S. and Costa Rica are heavy favorites to qualify directly for the “Hex” as the final tournament is known, with the top three to advance to the World Cup. The teams ranked from 7-35 will play a separate tournament to nominate one team to play against the fourth-place team in the Hex for a spot in the FIFA intercontinental playoff.

| 6. | GYMNASTICS: U.S. men’s World Championships team named

USA Gymnastics named its men’s World Championships team, following its two-day Selection Camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado. National Champion Sam Mikulak heads the squad, which will also include Yul Moldauer, Akash Modi, Trevor Howard and Shane Wiskus, with Allan Bower as alternate. The World Championships will be in Stuttgart (GER) from 4-13 October.

In the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Portimao (POR), Russia’s Aleksandra Soldatova won the All-Around, but Italy’s Milena Baldassarri and Alexandra Agiurgiuculese won all of the individual Apparatus events. American Camilla Feeley won her first World Challenge Cup medal with a bronze in Ribbon. More here.

| 7. | ARCHERY: Ellison does it again, sweeps World Cup Final to complete career year

The favorite for the Olympic gold medal in men’s archery is American Brady Ellison (pictured).

At the World Cup Final in Moscow (RUS), he dispatched Italy’s surprise finalist, Mauro Nespoli, by 6-2 and finished the year as World Champion and World Cup Final champion (for the fifth time, a record) and won three U.S. titles.

Korea’s Chae-Young Kang won the World Cup Final in the women’s Recurve division, extending the country’s streak of wins in the event to five in a row. She beat Chinese Taipei’s Ya-Ting Tan, 7-1 in the final. More here.

| 8. | BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Russians confirm World Championship status; Laura Ludwig back on top

The FIVB World Tour Final in Rome (ITA) was a fascinating reflection of the men’s season in which all of the attention went to Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum, but Russians Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy won the Worlds in Hamburg (GER).

In Rome, the two teams faced off in the semifinals and it was the Russians winning and then taking the final in a World Champs re-match over Germany’s Julius Thole and Clemens Wickler. No one can say the Russians aren’t prime medal contenders for Tokyo now.

German fans didn’t leave too disappointed, however, as 2016 Rio gold medalist Laura Ludwig (pictured) came back from maternity with renewed drive and a new partner and she and Margareta Kozuch won the World Cup Final over Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk and Duda Lisboa. It’s the third World Cup Final title for Ludwig. More here.

| 9. | CANOE-KAYAK: Double the pleasure for Jessica Fox and two Czechs win title in Prague

The ICF Slalom World Cup Final was a good one for the home fans in Prague (CZE), as home favorites Matej Benus (C-1) and Jiri Prskavec (K-1) won both the races and the seasonal titles. It’s the third career title for Benus and Prskavec – who hadn’t won a race on the World Cup circuit in three years – defended his seasonal title from 2018.

The women’s races belonged, as usual, to Australian star Jessica Fox. She won both the C-1 and K-1 races and the seasonal titles for the second straight year and she now has seven World Cup titles in all, the most ever for an individual paddler.

American teen Evy Leibfarth had a rough time in Prague, but made the C-1 final and finished sixth in the seasonal standings in her first year on the circuit. More here.

| 10. | MODERN PENTATHLON: Stunning win for Belarus’s Silkina, but Belaud wins second title for France

It’s almost inconceivable that someone who has not been a high placer in even a World Cup could come out and dominate the World Championships. But that is exactly what Volha Silkina did for Belarus, piling up a big lead in the fencing and riding sections and then cruising home during the Laser Run. It’s the second straight year that Belarus has won the women’s title; last year’s winner, Anastasia Prokopenko, was fourth.

The men’s title went to a familiar competitor, France’s Valentin Belaud (pictured), the 2016 World Champion. He was solid in fencing and perfect in riding and carried a tight, two-second lead into the Laser Run over Joseph Choong  (GBR). But Prades was much better and won easily and Choong hung onto the silver.

Belaud won a second medal, teaming with Elodie Clouvel for silver in the Mixed Relay, won by Egypt. More here.

MODERN PENTATHLON: France’s Belaud wins second world title, while Silkina scores upset women’s gold

By
Rich Perelman
-
Second world title in four years for France's Valentin Belaud (Photo: UIPM)

With five different skills involved, it’s hard to imagine someone winning a world title out of nowhere, but that’s what happened at the Modern Pentathlon Worlds in Budapest, Hungary.

Belarus’s Volha Silkina had never finished higher than fourth in a UIPM World Cup and was just sixth at the 2019 European Championships. But she won the fencing, placed a respectable 12th in swimming and was third in riding and had a huge 31-second lead going into the Laser Run!

She had no trouble with her shooting and finished comfortably, with the 19th-fastest time, but won with 1,368 points to 1,357 for another surprise medal winner, Elena Micheli of Italy, who out-leaned Kate French (GBR) at the tape.

It’s the second straight women’s world title for Belarus, following Anastasia Prokopenko from 2018, who finished fourth. One of the expected contenders, Laura Asadauskaite of Lithuania, had to retire after an injury in the fencing competition.

The 2016 World Champion, Valentin Belaud of France, had a good plan entering the meet and started beautifully, standing second after the fencing with 23 wins. But after a 17th-place finish in swimming, he needed a strong riding performance to set him up for the Laser Run.

While the formidable Korean duo of Jihun Lee and Woongtae Jun faltered badly and fell back into the pack, Belaud came back into the lead with a perfect score of 300 in riding, giving him a two-second lead over Joseph Choong of Great Britain into the Laser Run.

Choong challenged early, but Belaud ran away and finished almost 13 seconds ahead of his rival to win his second world title in four years. Choong managed to overtake Jun late for the silver as the Korean posted the fourth-fastest Laser Run in the field.

In the Mixed Relay, the Egyptian duo of Salma Abdelmaksoud and Eslam Hadad stormed through the fencing competition and placed third in riding and cruised home to the gold medal after starting the Laser Run with a 41-second advantage. Belaud won a second medal, with Elodie Clouvel, in second. Summaries:

UIPM World Championships
Budapest (HUN) ~ 1-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Individual: 1. Valentin Belaud (FRA), 1,468; 2. Joseph Choong (GBR), 1,453; 3. Woongtae Jun (KOR), 1.452; 4. Jihun Lee (KOR), 1,439; 5. Robert Kasza (HUN), 1,436; 6. Pavlo Tymoshchenko (UKR), 1,434; 7. Ilya Palazkov (BLR), 1,429; 8. Eslam Hamad (EGY), 1,426.

Team: 1. Korea (Jun, Lee, Jung), 4,309; 2. Hungary, 4,272; 3. Great Britain, 4,258; 4. Germany, 4,092; 5. France, 4,002; 6. Belarus, 3,928; 7. China, 3,917; 8. Ukraine, 3,913.

Team Relay: 1. Alexander Nobis/Patrick Dogue (GER), 1,506; 2. Jinhwa Jung/Woongtae Jun (KOR), 1,482; 3. Alexander Lesun/Danil Kalimullin (RUS), 1,475; 4. Yaraslau Radziuk/Kirill Kasyanik (BLR), 1,465; 5. Alexandre Henrard/Jean Baptiste Mourcia (FRA), 1,459; 6. Mohanad Shaban/Ahmed Hamid (EGY), 1,449; 7. Illes Szabo/Bence Kardos (HUN), 1,439; 8. Lukasz Gutkowski/Daniel Lawrynowicz (POL), 1,432. Also: 18. Tyler Evans/Amro Elgeziry (USA), 1,156.

Women

Individual: 1. Volha Silkina (BLR), 1,368; 2. Elena Micheli (ITA), 1,357; 3. Kate French (GBR), 1,357; 4. Anastasiya Prokopenko (BLR); 5. Annika Schleu (GER), 1,340; 6. Elodie Clouvel (FRA), 1,340; 7. Sun-Woo Kim (KOR), 1,337; 8. Gintare Venckauskaite (LTU), 1,330.

Team: 1. Belarus (Silkina, Prokopenko, Prasiantsova), 4,007; 2. Great Britain, 3,991; 3. Germany, 3.933; 4. Italy, 3,833; 5. Hungary, 3,815; 6. Korea, 3,813; 7. France, 3,540; 8. Mexico, 3,491.

Team Relay: 1. Mayan Oliver/Mariana Arceo (MEX), 1,338; 2. Luca Barta/Kamilla Reti (HUN), 1,329; 3. Unju Kim/Mina Jeong (KOR), 1,326; 4. Kate Coleman/Eilidh Prise (IRL), 1,305; 5. Sarolta Simon/Blanka Guzi (HUN), 1,303; 6. Barbora Ciprova/Karolina Krenkova (CZE), 1,285; 7. Adelina Ibatullina/Kseniia Fraltsova (RUS), 1,281; 8. Mingyu Zhang/Yewen Gu (CHN), 1,271. Also: 11. Sam Achtenberg/Heidi Hendrick (USA), 1,177.

Mixed

Team Relay: 1. Salma Abdelmaksoud/Eslam Hadad (EGY), 1,463; 2. Elodie Clouvel/Valentin Belaud (FRA), 1,454; 3. Anastasiya Prokopenko/Ilya Palazkov (BLR), 1,448; 4. Annika Schleu/Fabien Liebig (GER), 1,441; 5. Anna Maliszewska/Sebastian Stasiak (POL), 1,428; 6. Sunwoo Kim/Jihun Lee (KOR), 1,420; 7. Gulnaz Gubaydullina/Alexander Lifanov (RUS), 1,419; 8. Shuhuan Li/Xiuting Zhong (CHN), 1,415. Also: 20. Sam Ruddock/Heidi Hendrick (USA), 1,044.

GYMNASTICS: Soldatova wins All-Around, but Italy wins six at Portimao Challenge Cup

By
Rich Perelman
-
Italy's Rhythmic star Milena Baldassarri

Russia’s Aleksandra Soldatova won the All-Around title, but Italy’s Milena Baldassarri and Alexandra Agiurgiuculese otherwise dominated the FIG Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Portimao (POR).

Soltatova won a tight All-Around battle with Baldassarri, winning thanks to a full-point edge on Clubs, but the Italians took all four apparatus titles. Agiuegiuculese won on Hoop and Clubs and Baldassarri won Ball and Ribbon.

American Camilla Feeley, 19, won a bronze on Ribbon, her first World Challenge Cup medal. Laura Zeng made the finals in three apparatus, but finished seventh in each. Summaries:

FIG Rhythmic World Challenge Cup
Portimao (POR) ~ 6-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

All-Around: 1. Aleksandra Soltatova (RUS), 85,150; 2. Milena Baldassarri (ITA), 84.250; 3. Alina Harnasko (BUL), 81.150. Also: 6. Laura Zeng (USA), 78.100; … 8. Camilla Feeley (USA), 74.850.

Hoop: 1. Alexandra Agiurgiuculese (ITA), 22.650; 2. Anastassia Salos (BLR), 21.500; 3. Harnasko (BLR), 21.400. Also: 7. Zeng (USA), 20.650.

Ball: 1. Baldassarri (ITA), 22.300; 2. Agiurgiuculese (ITA), 22.000; 3. Soldatova (RUS), 21.900. Also: 7. Zeng (USA), 20.300.

Clubs: 1. Agiurgiuculese (ITA), 22.500; 2. Baldassarri (ITA), 22.400; 3. Salos (BLR), 21.850. Also: 7. Zeng (USA), 19.800.

Ribbon: 1. Baldassarri (ITA), 20.250; 2. Yeva Meleshchuk (UKR), 18.750; 3. Feeley (USA), 18.300.

Group All-Around: 1. Italy, 58.050; 2. Japan, 56.150; 3. Belarus, 55.100. Also: 6. United States, 48.700.

Group/5 Balls: 1. Italy, 29.500; 2. Japan, 28.950; 3. Belarus, 28.900. Also: 7. United States, 23.250.

Group/3 Hoops + 2 Clubs: 1. Belarus, 28.950; 2. Italy, 28.550; 3. Japan, 28.400. Also: 8. United States, 22.400.

LANE ONE: “We have to thank Willie Banks for everything”

By
Rich Perelman
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World-class triple jumpers (l-r) Christian Taylor, Willie Banks and Will Claye (Photo: AG Van Damme Memorial)

That was the headline on a feature story from the pre-meet news conference before last Friday’s AG Van Damme Memorial in Brussels, Belgium, the second of the two IAAF Diamond League finals.

The session with reporters included Banks — one of three stars inducted into the meet’s Hall of Fame, along with IAAF President Sebastian Coe (GBR) and sprint and hurdles star Gail Devers of the U.S. — and current triple jump stars Christian Taylor and Will Claye of the U.S.

Said Claye, the world leader in 2019 at 18.14 m (59-6 1/4), “We have you to thank for our careers. You paved the way for us, also as the inventor of rhythmic clapping.”

Banks has told the story before, but he enthralled Taylor and Claye – as well as the reporters – with what he called an “abridged” version of the origin of the rhythmic clapping for long jumpers and triple jumpers that is so common today.

“So in Stockholm in 1981, I went to compete in the DN Galan, and at that time, I was expecting to have a lot of competitions throughout Europe, because I had just set an American Record and I jumped 17.58, I think it was [actually 17.56 m/57-7 1/2]. …

“So I went to the DN Galan and I had that one competition and my manager said, ‘Well, you’ve only got one competition because they are not having any more triple jumps.’”

Banks was furious and went to a meeting of the European meet organizers and asked the head of the group, a brusque British meet director named Andy Norman, “I understand you’ve got six meets and you’re not having the triple jump? What’s going on here?”

What came next was important.

“And he said – and this just changed my life – he said, ‘Listen here young man, you’re not bringing anybody to these meets and you’re not putting butts in the seats. No one is paying me [to see the triple jump] … so why in the hell am I going to have you in my meet? Get the hell out of here.’ And I said [to myself], ‘Whoa. I thought this was fun’”

No, track & field – at the professional level – is a business. Willie had learned a valuable lesson, but he also had to compete that evening in Stockholm. Just before the triple jump started, he told the other jumpers to make the event special. Well, it didn’t start that way.

“The first eight guys foul. I thought I was going to die, it was so boring. So, then — foul, foul, foul – it was my turn. I took my sweats off, and there was five guys who must have been drinking too much, because they whistled at me. …

“And I waved to them. When I start, I usually start by clapping three times, shaking my fist and go. And so I clapped my hands three times, and these five drunk guys, they did the same thing. And I said to myself – ‘what the?’ – looked down and like, really? But I composed myself, clapped three times – they clapped three times – I ran, jumped, about 16.88 [55-4 3/4].

“And I was leading, but everybody else sucked at the time. So I came back, those guys were, like, excited, everybody fouled and it was my turn. These guys started clapping.

“They started clapping, and I said, ‘thank you,’ ran down and [jumped] 17 meters [55-9 1/4]. Came back; these guys were excited. Then this whole section started clapping for me next time.

“And then the whole half of the stadium started clapping for me. And it just grew. And on the … fourth jump, I put flags out near the world record and what-not. And then the whole stadium started to clap. And it was actually the fifth jump that I got ready to go, I ran down with all this clapping going on, and I jumped right near the world record.

“And I jumped up like I set the world record, and it was the greatest thing and everybody was cheering. Now I knew I had fouled – big time, I knew it, you could see it from Mars: the plasticine was everywhere – but I didn’t care, I was going to take it.

“So the guy is shaking like this, raised the red flag, and I’m like ‘no way!’ I got down on my hands and knees, looking, of course I look up – ‘you got me’ – jumped up, waved, ran down. And I thought, ‘you know what, distance runners always get to do a victory lap, right?’ Jumpers don’t get a victory lap. I’m like, ‘Ha, this jumper is going to have a victory lap.’

“So before my sixth jump, I decided I was going to take a victory lap; I don’t know why. I out my headphones on, I started jogging around the track, and every section I came to, they would clap, and then they sit down. It was like a wave, all the way around the track. And at the end, it was my turn. And I took my sweats off, and everybody in the stands stood up.

“And I stood at the top of the runway, and I just went [clap] and everybody just went boom! [clap] Boom! And I was like, standing on my toenails, just so excited! I ran down, took a hop, a skip and a jump and I jumped 17.57 [actually 17.55 m/57-7], right, which was [better than] the Swedish record … and the European record at the time, and I stood up and people came out of the stands, they’re taking me around, they gave me the microphone – can you imagine? – … I’m talking crazy, and after that, everything kind of settled down.

“And I walked over to [Van Damme meet director] Wilfried [Meert] and all the other guys, and I was like ’So what do you think about the triple jump now?’ And then we had a few more triple jumps in Europe. It was awesome.

“And I thought that was it, right? But right after that competition, I went down to Lausanne to do a long jump, because originally there wasn’t going to be a triple jump … and I’m a horrible long jumper. Horrible. But, I did it. And I was jumping about – oh, I don’t know – about 7 meters 60 [24-11 1/4], you know, just barely making it.

“And on my third jump, someone in the crowd said, ‘Well, come on Willie,’ and I turned and I was like ‘what the heck?’ And all of a sudden, the crowd goes boom! [clap] boom! And I’m like ‘aahhh!’… zoom. I just ran as fast as I could, I jumped 8.11 [26-7 1/4], personal best, broke the Swiss record and, you know, from that meet on, everywhere I went – and I don’t know where they got this from, must have been on TV – everywhere I went, this clapping followed me.”

That’s how it started, 38 years ago. Said Banks, now 63, a little later, “My jumps didn’t make me famous, but my personality did. That didn’t bother me, quite the opposite. The discipline is more than a triple jump. It’s also the show around it. I lost a lot of competitions, but nobody remembers that.”

Banks went on to set the world record in 1985 at 17.97 m (58-11 1/2), a mark which lasted for 10 years and still ranks no. 7 on the all-time list.

He’s been a contributor to the sport and the Olympic Movement since then, serving with distinction with the Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1996 Games in Atlanta, as well as on the board of USA Track & Field.

Banks has been very visible in the last few months, including as a medal presenter at the recent Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. He’s campaigning for a spot on the IAAF Council, with the elections coming up on 25-26 September in Doha, Qatar just prior to the World Championships.

Wherever he has gone, his infectious enthusiasm has made things better and he wants to bring the same inspiring presence to the IAAF, which needs it badly. He’s part of a crowded field, with 44 candidates vying for 18 total positions. But for a sport which is desperate for more attention, he is someone who naturally attracts it, even from the inebriated!

Rich Perelman
Editor

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CANOE-KAYAK: Fox sweeps Slalom tirles as Czechs take men’s C-1 and K-1 Slalom titles

By
Rich Perelman
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Czech Jiri Prskavec defended his Slalom World Cup title in Prague! (Photo: ICF)

The Slalom World Cup Final in Prague (CZE) gave the home fans a lot to cheer about, with a large crowd out to see defending men’s K-1 champ Jiri Prskavec and two-time winner Matej Benus.

Having won the Slalom World Cup title in 2010 and 2015, Benus was ready for the C-1 final and steered through the course in a quick 100.26 seconds and with no penalties, one of only three finalists with a clean run. The closest was Russia’s Kirill Setkin at 102.43 and the win gave Benus a third World Cup title by just two points over Slovenia’s Luka Bozic.

On Sunday, the cheers were equally loud for defending World Cup K-1 champ Jiri Prskavec. He as even better than Benus, sailing through the course penalty-free and recording an impressive 90.67 mark. No one else was within two seconds and teammate Vit Prindis won the silver at 93.20.

The race victory was the overjoyed Prskavec’s first in three years on the Slalom World Cup circuit and gave him enough points for a 319-266 win over Peter Kauzer (SLO).

The women’s races were another triumph for Australian superstar Jessica Fox, who won both the C-1 and K-1, as she did in 2018. She now has five C-1 titles in 2013-15-17-18-19 and two K-1 titles from the past two years.

It hadn’t been the easiest of seasons for Fox, who struggled in the early races, but came on strongly in the final month. Her seven total individual titles is the most all-time for single-seat racers in the World Cup.

American teen Evy Leibfarth qualified for the C-1 final, but missed a gate and ended up 10th. But for the season, she finished in sixth place, only a point out of the top five. Summaries:

ICF Slalom World Cup Fina
Prague (CZE) ~ 6-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men/C-1: 1. Matej Benus (CZE), 100.26 (0 penalties); 2. Kirill Setkin (RUS), 102.43 (0); 3. Luka Bozic (SLO), 103.42 (2); 4. Grzegorz Hedwig (POL), 103.83 (2); 5. Michal Martikan (SVK), 104.04 (2).

Men’s C-1 Final Standings: 1. Matej Benus (CZE), 289; 2. Luka Bozic (SLO), 287; 3. Michal Martikan (SVK), 248; 4. Benjamin Savsek (SLO), 238; 5. Alexander Slafkovsky (SLO), 229.

Men/K-1: 1. Jiri Prskavec (CZE), 90.67 (0); 2. Vit Prindis (CZE), 93.20 (0); 3. Boris Neveu (FRA), 94.18 (0); 4. Peter Kauzer (SLO), 94.82 (2); 5. Kazuya Adachi (JPN), 97.29 (2).

Men’s K-1 Final Standings: 1. Jiri Prskavec (CZE), 319; 2. Peter Kauzer (SLO), 266; 3. Vit Prindis (CZE), 262; 4. Boris Neveu (FRA), 219; 5. Giovanni de Gennaro (ITA), 214.

Women/C-1: 1. Jessica Fox (AUS), 113.95 (2); 2. Kimberley Woods (GBR), 113.99 (2); 3. Tereza Fiserova (CZE), 118.39 (2); 4. Lucie Baudu (FR), 124.83 (2); 5. Shi Chen (CHN), 124.95 (4). Also: 10. Evy Leibfarth (USA), 180.92 (56).

Women’s C-1 Final Standings: 1. Jessica Fox (AUS), 312; 2. Ana Satila (BRA), 225; 3. Tereza Fiserova (CZE), 222; 4. Lucie Baudu (FRA), 186; 5. Nadine Weratschnig (AUT), 172. Also: 6. Evy Leibfarth (USA), 171.

Women/K-1: 1. Jessica Fox (AUS), 101.11 (0); 2. Ana Satila (BRA), 103.98 (0); 3. Eva Tercelj (SLO), 104.30 (0); 4. Eliska Mintalova (SVK), 105.64 (0); 5. Kimberely Woods (GBR), 106.13.

Women/K-1 Final Standings: 1. Jessica Fox (AUS), 278; 2. Eva Tercelj (SLO), 265; 3. Corinna Kuhnle (AUT), 248; 4. Ana Satila (BRA), 240; 5. Stefanie Horn (ITA), 196.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Russians underscore world title with World Cup Final win

By
Rich Perelman
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World Cup Final winners Oleg Stoyanovskiy and Viacheslav Krasilnikov (RUS) (Photo: FIVB)

Despite winning the 2019 World Championship, the spotlight was not on Russia’s Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy going into the FIVB World Cup Final in Rome (ITA). Instead, it was on the Norwegian pair of Anders Mol and Christian Sorum, who were 61-4 together and won the Worlds bronze.

The duos did not face each other at the Worlds, but this time they did match up in the semifinals. And the Norwegians won the first set, 21-18. But the Russians came back in the second set with their own 21-18 victory and then ran through the third set to 15-9 and advance to the title match.

That turned out to be a rematch of the World Championships final, with Germany’s Julius Thole and Clemens Wickler. And as in Hamburg, the Russians triumphed, this time by 21-16 and 21-16.

“We have played them in two finals before and we knew they were a really good team,” said the 22-year-old Stoyanovskiy. “They are a great side out team, and they served really well in this tournament. We played really well overall but the key for us was to keep our side out solid.”

The Russians will split $40,000 for winning and the Germans will receive $32,000 as their consolation prize. Mol and Sorum won the bronze medal vs. Americans Jake Gibb and Taylor Crabb in straight sets.

The women’s final showed that Rio 2016 gold medalist Laura Ludwig is in the hunt for a repeat next year in Tokyo. After taking a year off for maternity, her partner – Kira Walkenhorst – retired due to injuries. So Ludwig found a new partner in Margareta Kozuch and the pair won the World Cup Final over the capable Brazilians, Agatha Bednarczuk and Duda Lisboa, 21-19, 21-17.

It’s the third World Cup Final title for Ludwig, who won previously in 2016 and 2017 before taking a year off. “Every victory is special on its own way,” said Ludwig. “This one, after a long break, it really feels like a comeback. And to be with Maggie for the first time in a big final and see her playing the way she did and trusting what we are doing, it’s unbelievable. She’s getting calmer on the court and it’s definitely great that she managed to do it in such an important match.”

Brazil took the bronze as well, with Ana Patricia and Rebecca edging Swiss Joana Heidrich and Anouk Verde-Depre in three sets. Summaries:

FIVB World Tour Final
Rome (ITA) ~ 4-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Oleg Stoyanovskiy (RUS); 2. Julius Thole/Clemens Wickler (GER); 3. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum (NOR); 4. Jacob Gibb/Taylor Crabb (USA). Third: Mol/Sorum d. Gibb/Crabb, 2-0. Final: Krasilnikov/Stoyanovskiy d. Thole/Wickler, 2-0 (21-16, 21-16).

Women: 1. Laura Ludwig/Margareta Kozuch (GER); 2. Agatha Bednarczuk/Duda Lisboa (BRA); 3. Ana Patricia Silva Ramos/Rebecca Cavalcanti (BRA); 4. Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre (SUI). Third: Ana Patricia/Rebacca d. Heidrich/Verge-Depre, 2-1. Final: Ludwig/Kozuch d. Agatha/Duda, 2-0 (21-19, 21-17).

CYCLING: Roglic grabs hold of big lead in La Vuelta; Majerus wins in Boels Ladies Tour; U.S.’s Courtney wins XCO World Cup crown

By
Rich Perelman
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American Sepp Kuss, winner of the 15th stage of the 2019 La Vuelta a Espana

It was a big weekend in cycling, including the Cross Country World Cup title for American Kate Courtney in Mountain Bike, but the decisive break may have been made in La Vuelta a Espana with six stages left to go.

Where the race had been seesawing, with new leaders on six straight days from stages 5-10, Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic took the lead – as expected – with a brilliant Individual Time Trial in stage 10. But he hasn’t let go since.

His brilliant Time Trial gave him a 1:52 lead as the race headed back into the mountains. While he stayed with the other contenders as the hilly stages 11 and 12 played out, he was ready for the brutal 13th stage, with seven major climbs and finishing with a ridiculous ride up to Los Machucos. Roglic and countryman Tadej Pogacar were equal to the challenge and Pogacar won the stage with Roglic close, but the other contenders fell back.

Roglic’s lead went from 1:52 to 2:25 over Spain’s Alejandro Valverde, 3:01 over Pogacar and 3:18 over Colombia’s Miguel Angel Lopez. Stage 14 was reserved for the sprinters, but Sunday’s 15th stage was another climbing test with four major ascents and another uphill finish. Roglic and Valverde finished together in eighth and ninth – American Sepp Kuss got his first World Tour win – but Roglic put more time ahead of all the other contenders. After 15 of 21 stages:

1. 58:10:32 ~ Primoz Roglic (SLO)
2. +2:25 ~ Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
3. +3:42 ~ Tadej Pogacar (SLO)
4. +3:59 ~ Miguel Angel Lopez (COL)
5. +5:09 ~ Nairo Quintana (COL)

The race is far from over, with more misery coming in climbing stages on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. But Roglic, who was favored to win the Giro d’Italia, but could not finish, is showing the climbing ability and speed that could well turn him into a Grand Tour winner at age 29.

In the Boels Ladies Tour in the Netherlands, stages 1, 2, 3 and 5 all ended in mass sprints, or close to it. It turned out that the fourth stage, a hilly 135.6 km ride from Arnhem to Nijmegen was the key day of the race and it was Luxembourg’s Christine Majerus who took advantage of it.

She was part of a three-rider breakaway with German Franziska Koch and Dutch rider Riejanne Markus, with Koch winning the stage just ahead of Majerus, with Markus two seconds behind. But the rest of the field finished 44 seconds or more behind the leaders, including a crash that felled Dutch star Kirsten Wild, plus sudden rains and heavy winds.

The first three spots in the stage appeared decided with 11 km to go, as they had dropped all challengers. It looked like Majerus would win, but was passed by Koch right before the line.

But with Majerus, 32, trailing leader Lisa Klein (GER) by just 23 seconds coming into the stage, her runner-up performance put her in front and she kept up on Sunday to seal her first Women’s World Tour multi-stage race win.

Anniemiek van Vleuten (NED) finished sixth and passed countrywoman Marianne Vos for the seasonal World Tour lead with 1,472.67 points to 1,467.0 for Vos. Next week’s Ceratizit Marrid Challenge by La Vuelta in Spain could be the decider.

In Snowshoe, West Virginia, the final stage of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup was completed and it was a good day for the home team. Kate Courtney, the 2018 World Champion, had started the season winning three of the first four races and looked unbeatable, but then faded. Coming into the final race, Swiss Jolanda Neff had the points lead and was looking for her fourth seasonal title.

But Courtney finished third in the Cross Country Short race while Neff was 16th, then came back with a fifth-place finish in the Cross Country Olympic race (with Neff in 11th) to pile up 220 points to 117 for Neff on the weekend. That was enough to make up the 73-point deficit and give Courtney her first World Cup title with 1,772 points to 1,742 for Neff. France’s Pauline Ferrand Prevot finished third with 1,575.

“I went out really hard knowing I wanted to make a statement, if I wanted to put some distance between me and Jolanda and that took its toll,” Courtney said. “The middle of the race was about collecting myself and finding the will to fight for ever single spot and every single point.”

She’s the first American winner of the XCO title since 2002.

The men’s World Cup racing led to a familiar sight: Swiss Nino Schurter won again for his ninth career seasonal title and sixth in a row. He won the Short race and was second in the XCO race to teammate Lars Forster, who finished five seconds up in 1:26:09.

Schurter won the seasonal crown with 1,995 points, well ahead of runner-up Mathieu van der Poel (NED), who skipped Snowshoe to concentrate on the upcoming World Road Race Championships. Summaries from the weekend:

UCI World Tour/La Vuelta a Espana
Spain ~ 24 August-15 September 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (13.4 km Team Time Trial): 1. Astana (KAZ), 14:51; 2. Deceuninck-Quick Step (BEL), 14.53; 3. Team Sunweb (GER), 14:56; 4. EF Education First (USA), 14:58; 5. Bora-hansgrohe (GER), 15:04.

Stage 2 (199.6 km): 1. Nairo Quintana (COL), 5:11:17; 2. Nicholas Roche (IRL), 5:11:22; 3. Primoz Roglic (SLO), 5:11:22; 4. Rigoberto Uran (COL), 5:11:22; 5. Fabio Aru (ITA), 5:11:22.

Stage 3 (188.0 km): 1. Sam Bennett (IRL), 4:25:02; 2. Edward Theuns (BEL), 4:25:02; 3. Luka Mezgec (SLO), 4:25:02; 4. Jon Aberasturi (ESP), 4:25:02; 5. Phil Bauhaus (GER), 4:25:02.

Stage 4 (175.5 km): 1. Fabio Jakobsen (NED), 4:04:16; 2. Bennett (IRL), 4:04;16; 3. Fernando Gaviria (COL), 4:04:16; 4. Mezgec (SLO), 4:04:16; 5. Marc Sarreau (FRA), 4:04:16.

Stage 5 (170.7 km): 1. Jose Madrazo (ESP), 4:58:31; 2. Jetse Bol (NED), 4:58:41; 3. Jose Herrada (ESP), 4:58:53; 4. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL), 4:59:18; 5. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), 4:59:30.

Stage 6 (198.9 km): 1. Jesus Herrada (ESP), 4:43:55; 2. Dylan Teuns (BEL), 4:44:02; 3. Dorian Godon (FRA), 4:44:16; 4. Robert Gesink (NED), 4:44:16; 5. Bruno Armirail (FRA), 4:44:32.

Stage 7 (183.2 km): 1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), 4:34:11; 2. Roglic (SLO), 4:34:11; 3. Lopez (COL), 4:34:17; 4. Quintana (COL), 4:34:17; 5. Rafal Majka (POL), 4:34:53. Also in the top 25: 21. Sepp Kuss (USA), 4:37:39; … 25. Peter Stetina (USA), 4:39:11.

Stage 8 (166.9 km): 1. Niklas Arndt (GER), 3:50:48; 2. Alex Aranburu (ESP), 3:50:48; 3. Tosh van der Sande (BEL), 3:50:48; 4. Ruben Guerreiro (POR), 3:50:48; 5. Jonas Koch (GER), 3:50:48. Also in the top 25: 12. Stetina (USA), 3:50:48.

Stage 9 (94.4 km): 1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO), 2:58:09; 2. Quintana (COL), 2:58:32; 3. Roglic (SLO), 2:58:57; 4. Valverde (ESP), 2:58:57; 5. Marc Soler (ESP), 2:59:06. Also in the top 25: 16. Kuss (USA), 3:00:57.

Stage 10 (36.2 km (Time Trial): 1. Roglic (SLO), 47:05; 2. Patrick Bevin (AUS), 47:30; 3. Remi Cavagna (FRA), 47:32; 4. Lawson Craddock (USA), 47:53; 5. Nelson Oliveira (POR), 48:07.

Stage 11 (180.0 km): 1. Mikel Iturria (ESP), 4:36:44; 2. Jonathan Lastra (ESP), 4:36:50; 3. Craddock (USA), 4:36:50; 4. Damien Howson (AUS), 4:36:50; 5. Francois Bidard (FRA), 4:36:50. Also in the top 25: 17. Nathan Powless (USA), 4:55:19; … 21. Sepp Kuss (USA), 4:55:19.

Stage 12 (171.4 km): 1. Philippe Gilbert (BEL), 3:48:18; 2. Alex Aranburu (ESP), 3:48:21; 3. Fernando Barcelo (ESP), 3:48:21; 4. Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP), 3:48:40; 5. Niklas Arndt (GER), 3:48:44.

Stage 13 (166.4 km): 1. Pogacar (SLO), 4:28:26; 2. Roglic (SLO), 4:28:26; 3. Pierre Latour (FRA), 4:28:53; 4. Valverde (ESP). 4:28:53; 5. Quintana (COL), 4:28:53. Also in the top 25: 21. Powless (USA), 4:31:25.

Stage 14 (188.0 km): 1. Bennett (IRL), 4:28:26; 2. Maximiliano Richeze (ARG), 4:28:26; 3. Tosh van der Sande (BEL), 4:28:26; 4. Marc Sarreau (FRA), 4:28:26; 5. Clement Venturini (FRA), 4:28:26.

Stage 15 (154.4 km): 1. Kuss (USA), 4:19:04; 2. Ruben Guerreiro (POR), 4:19:43; 3. Tao Geoghagen Hart (GBR), 4:19:44; 4. Oscar Rodiguez (ESP), 4:19:57; 5. Mark Padun (UKR), 4:20:53. Also in the top 25: 7. Craddock (USA), 4:21:15.

● 09 September ~ Stage 16 (144.4 km): Pravia to Alto de La Cubilla
● 10 September ~ Rest Day
● 11 September ~ Stage 17 (219.6 km): Aranda de Duero to Guadalajara
● 12 September ~ Stage 18 (177.5 km): Colmenar Viejo to Becerril de la Sierra
● 13 September ~ Stage 19 (165.2 km): Ávila to Toledo
● 14 September ~ Stage 20 (190.4 km): Arenas de San Pedro to Plataforma de Gredos
● 15 September ~ Stage 21 (106.6 km): Fuenlabrada to Madrid

UCI Women’s World Tour/Boels Ladies Tour
Norway ~ 3-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Prologue (3.8 km): 1. Anniemiek van Vleuten (NED), 5:04; 2. Lisa Klein (GER), 5:10; 3. Lucinda Brand (NED), 5:11. Also in the top 10: 10. Leah Thomas (USA), 5:15.

Stage 1 (123.0 km): 1. Lorena Wiebes (NED), 2:59:02. 2. Kirsten Wild (NED), 2:59:02; 3. Letizia Paternoster (ITA), 2:59:02.

Stage 2 (113.7 km): 1. Wiebes (NED), 2:45:09; 2. Wild (NED), 2:45:09; 3. Brand (NED), 2:59:02.

Stage 3 (156.8 km): 1. Klein (GER), 4:00:53; 2. Amy Pieters (NED), 4:00:53; 3. Lizzie Deignan (GBR), 4:00:53.

Stage 4 (135.6 km): 1. Franziska Koch (GER), 3:14:33; 2. Christine Majerus (LUX), 3:14:33; 3. Riejanne Markus (NED), 3:14:35. Also in the top 10: 9. Thomas (USA), 3:15:27.

Stage 5 (154.8 km): 1. Chiara Consonni (ITA), 3:56:26; 2. Wiebes (NED), 3:56:26; 3. Brand (NED), 3:56:26. Also in the top 25: 11. Thomas (USA), 3:56:26.

Final Standings: 1. Christine Majerus (LUX), 17:01:17; 2. Lorena Wiebes (NED), +0:26; 3. Lisa Klein (GER), +0:30; 4. Lucinda Brand (NED), +0:34; 5. Amy Pieters (NED), +0:35. Also in the top 25: 10. Leah Thomas (USA), +0:54

UCI Mountain Bike World Cup
Snowshoe, West Virginia (USA) ~ 6-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Cross Country Short (9.00 km): 1. Nino Schurter (SUI), 22:01; 2. Titouan Carod (FRA), 22:03; 3. Jordan Sarrou (FRA), 22:04; 4. Ondrej Cink (CZE), 22:05; 5. Luca Braidot (ITA), 22:08.

Cross Country (34.4 km): 1. Lars Forster (SUI), 1:26:09; 2. Schurter (SUI), 1:26:14; 3. Maxime Marotte (FRA), 1:26:16; 4. Henrique Avancini (BRA), 1:26:17; 5. Stephane Tempier (FRA), 1:26:19.

Final Standings: 1. Nino Schurter (SUI), 1,995; 2. Mathieu van der Poel (NED), 1,649; 3. Henrique Avancini (BRA), 1,565; 4. Mathias Flueckiger (SUI), 1,348; 5. Jordan Sarrou (FRA), 1,097.

Downhill (2.018 km): 1. Danny Hart (GBR), 3:03:627; 2. Amaury Pierron (FRA), 3:04.283; 3. Charlie Harrison (USA), 3:04.598; 4. Loic Bruni (FRA), 3:05.775; 5. Greg Minnaar (RSA), 3:06.22. Also in the top 10: 9. Dakotah Norton (USA), 3:09.350.

Final Standings: 1. Loic Bruni (FRA), 1,462; 2. Amaury Pierron (FRA), 1,422; 3. Troy Brosnan (AUS), 1,209; 4. Danny Hart (GBR), 1,133; 5. Loris Vergier (FRA), 943.

Women

Cross Country Short (9.00 km): 1. Jenny Rissveds (SWE), 25:07; 2. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA), 25:15; 3. Kate Courtney (USA), 25:18; 4. Rebecca McConnell (AUS), 25:22; 5. Anne Terpstra (NED), 25:25. Also in the top 10: 6. Chloe Woodruff (USA), 25:28; 7. Lea Davison (USA), 25:32.

Cross Country (26.8 km): 1. Ferrand Prevot (FRA), 1:17:51; 2. Terpstra (NED), 1:17:55; 3. Annie Last (GBR), 1:18:18; 4. Rebecca McConnell (AUS), 1:18:48; 5. Courtney (USA), 1:19:28. Also in the top 10: 6. Woodruff (USA), 1:20:08; … 8. Davison (USA), 1:20:32.

Final Standings: 1. Kate Courtney (USA), 1,772; 2. Jolanda Neff (SUI), 1,742; 3. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA), 1,575; 4. Anne Terpstra (NED), 1,480; 5. Rebecca McConnell (AUS), 1,217. Also in the top 10: 9. Chloe Woodruff (USA), 940.

Downhill (2.018 km): 1. Marine Cabirou (FRA), 3:43.032; 2. Myriam Nicole (FRA), 3:45.027; 3. Veronika Widmann (ITA), 3:46.514; 4. Tahnee Seagrave (GBR), 3:46.742; 5. Tracey Hannah (AUS), 3:47.857

Final Standings: 1. Tracey Hannah (AUS), 1,590; 2. Marine Cabirou (FRA), 1,560; 3. Veronika Widmann (ITA), 924; 4. Nina Hoffmann (GER), 819; 5. Rachel Atherton (GBR), 730.

BASKETBALL: Shocker as Spain takes down favored Serbia; U.S. plays Brazil on Monday

By
Rich Perelman
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Spain's Ricky Rubio shoots over Serbia during his team's 81-69 win at the FIBA World Cup (Photo: FIBA)

With the struggles of the U.S. team against Turkey in group play, it looked like Serbia was the team to beat in the FIBA World Cup in China. And then they got beat.

The Serbs cruised through their three group games and their first second-round match vs. Puerto Rico, 90-47 and was winning by an average score of 103-63. But against Spain, the Serb offense was no match for the Spanish defense.

Actually, Serbia came out strong in the first quarter and had a 20-13 lead. But Spain clamped down in the second quarter, taking the lead on a 13-2 run and leading 45-37 at halftime.

The third quarter was pivotal. Star Serb center Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) was ejected midway through the quarter after arguing a call and Spain went on a 12-3 run to stretch its lead to 18.

Serbia got within eight points in the fourth, but the Spanish had good answers and won the game by 81-69. Ricky Rubio had 19 points for the winners, Victor Claver had 14 (and seven rebounds) and Marc Gasol had 11 and six rebounds.

Serbia shot 40% from the field and had just 52 shot attempts, but guard Bogdan Bogdanovic had 26 points on 9-14 shooting and 6-6 from the foul line. But no one else had more than eight points and the Serbs suffered their first defeat.

That game changed the complexion of the tournament and made the U.S. path harder. With Argentina defeating Poland in the other key game, the quarterfinals are coming into focus:

● 10 September: Argentina vs. Serbia
● 11 September: United States/Czech Rep./Greece vs. France/Australia loser

● 10 September: Spain vs. Poland
● 11 September: France/Australia winner vs. U.S./Czech Rep./Greece

The U.S. (4-0) plays Brazil on Monday, while the Czechs play Greece. If the U.S. wins, it’s into the quarters as the winner of Group K and plays the loser of France vs. Australia. If the U.S. loses, it could get complicated, depending on who wins between the Czech Republic and Greece and by how much. It is possible that the U.S. could be eliminated with a loss (more here).

The situation in Group L is simple: the winner of France vs. Australia (both 4-0) moves on play in the lower bracket. So it’s possible that the U.S. could win on Monday against Brazil and then play Australia in the quarterfinals and with a win, could get Serbia in the semifinals.

No one said this would be easy. You can see the bracket here.

FREESTYLE SKIING: Irving claims second career win in Cardrona Halfpipe

By
Rich Perelman
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Cardona Freestyle Halfpipe winner Birk Irving of the U.S.

The U.S. fielded a big team in Cardrona, New Zealand for the Winter Games NZ Freestyle Halfpipe and 20-year-old Birk Irving came through with a win and two impressive runs for his second career World Cup medal.

Irving, the 2016 Youth Olympic Games champion, made it clear he was out to win with a brilliant first run, scoring 95.00. Through the first two runs, no one got closer than a first-round 92.40 from Brendan Mackay of Canada.

In the final round, American Aaron Blunck moved up to second at 92.80 and a 1-2 U.S. sweep was a possibility, But Canada’s Noah Bowman claimed the silver medal with his third-round score of 93.40. Irving, hardly standing pat, improved to 95.60 for his final, winning score.

“I’m just really excited to land that run, those are tricks I’ve wanted to do for such a long time,” said Irving, “It’s insane to put that run down today. I’m beyond words. The pipe was perfect, everything just lined up and ended up working in my favor, and I couldn’t be happier.”

It’s the second career World Cup medal for Irving, who won the Mammoth Mountain Halfpipe in March 2019.

China’s veteran Kexin Zhang claimed the women’s title, her third career World Cup gold, with her second-round jump of 91.00. She overtook newly-affiliated teammate Eileen Gu, 16 – formerly a U.S. jumper – who had the first-round lead at 88.80.

Gu improved in the second round to 89.00, but that’s as much as she could muster and she finished second. After competing for the U.S. as a 15-year-old in 2018-19, she announced in June on Instagram:

“I have decided to compete for China in the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics. This was an incredibly tough decision for me to make … The opportunity to help inspire millions of young people where my mom was born, during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games is a once-in-a-lifetime to help to promote the sport I love.”

Gu was born in San Francisco to an American father and Chinese mother. She won two World Cup medals in Slopestyle in January of this year. By the time of the 2022 Winter Games, she will be 18; it will be fascinating to see what her decision at age 15 means after the 2022 Games are over. Summaries:

FIS Freestyle World Cup
Cardrona (NZL) ~ 6-7 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Halfpipe: 1. Birk Irving (USA), 95.60; 2. Noah Bowman (CAN), 93.40; 3. Aaron Blunck (USA), 92.80; 4. Brendan Mackay (CAN), 92.40; 5. Taylor Seaton (USA), 88.80. Also in the top 10: 7. Jaxin Hoerter (USA), 83.60; 8. Lyman Currier (USA), 77.00.

Women/Halfpipe: 1. Kexin Zhang (CHN), 91.00; 2. Eileen Gu (CHN), 89.00; 3. Valeriya Demidova (RUS), 87.80; 4. Fanghui Li (CHN), 81.60; 5. Sabrina Cakmakli (GER), 76.60. Also in the top 10: 8. Svea Irving (USA), 55.40.

ARCHERY: Ellison caps career year with dominant World Cup Final win in Moscow

By
Rich Perelman
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Brady Ellison (USA, right) vs. Mauro Nespoli (ITA) in the World Cup Final (Photo: World Archery)

American archer Brady Ellison left no doubt whatsoever that he’s the best archer in the world for 2019 by winning the World Archery World Cup Final in Moscow (RUS).

The elimination format is always tricky, but Ellison had no trouble with Artem Makhnenko (RUS) in the quarterfinals, winning 7-1, then blew past Dutch star Sjef van den Berg, 6-2 in the semis. In the meantime, Italy’s Mauro Nespoli shut out Korea’s former World Champion Woo-Jin Kim, 6-0.

In the final, the two split the points, 29-29, then Ellison managed a 29-28 win (up 3-1) and the two split again in the third end, 28-28 (4-2). But Nespoli shot 10-9-9 in the fifth end and Ellison finished with 9-10-10 and won the end, 29-28 and the match, 6-2.

For Ellison, he added to his World Championships gold from earlier this year and his U.S. National title, U.S. Open win and U.S. Field Archery victory. It’s also his record fifth win in a World Cup Final, adding to his trophies from 2010-11-14-16.

“Yeah, I’m so excited and it’s my fifth win,” he said. “I won my first one and this is the 10th one I’ve been to, so to win the first and the 10th, I’m just super stoked right now.

“It was a hell of a year and I’ve just got to get back home and start training again and get back in the gym and really get ready to rock next year.”

In the women’s Recurve final, Korea’s Chae-Young Kang came back from an initial 3-1 deficit and defeated Chinese Taipei’s Ya-Ting Tan, 6-4. It looked like the match would to go a shoot-off, but one of Tan’s 10s was examined and marked a nine. It’s the fifth straight World Cup Final victory for a Korean woman.

In a match between former World Champions, Mike Schloesser (NED) defeated American Braden Gellenthien, 147-144 for the men’s Compound title and Sara Lopez (COL) defeated Russian Natalia Avdeeva, 149-139 for the women’s Compound title. It’s Schloesser’s second World Cup Final win (also in 2016) and the fifth for Lopez, who has now won in five of the last six years.

The Mixed Team finals are on Sunday. Summaries:

World Archery World Cup Final
Moscow (RUS) ~ 6-7 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Recurve: 1. Brady Ellison (USA); 2. Mauro Nespoli (ITA); 3. Sjef van den Berg (NED); 4. Woojin Kim (KOR). Third: van den Berg d. Kim, 7-1. Final: Ellison d. Nespoli, 6-2.

Men/Compound: 1. Mike Schloesser (NED); 2. Braden Gellenthien (USA); 3. Daniel Munoz (COL); 4. Anton Bulaev (RUS). Third: Munez d. Bulaev, 147-146. Final: Schloesser d. Gellenthien, 147-144.

Women/Recurve: 1. Chae-Young Kang (KOR); 2. Ya Ting Tan (TPE); 3. Yichai Zheng (CHN); 4. Qixuan An (CHN). Third: Zheng d. An, 6-4. Final: Kang d. Tan, 6-4.

Women/Compound: 1. Sara Lopez (COL); 2. Natalia Avdeeva (RUS); 3. Sophie Dodemont (FRA); 4. Tanja Jensen (DEN). Third: Dodemont d. Jensen, 143-141. Final: Lopez d. Avdeeva, 149-139.

BASKETBALL: Six clinch FIBA World Cup quarterfinal spots; U.S. throttles Greece, 69-53

By
Rich Perelman
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Kemba Walker led the U.S. with 15 points vs. Greece (Photo: FIBA)

We are finally coming to the moments of truth in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China. After the first two days of second-round play, we know:

● Six of the quarterfinal teams (all 4-0):

=> Group I: Argentina and Poland
=> Group J: Serbia and Spain
=> Group L: France and Australia

● In Group K, the U.S. shot just 36.4% from the field, but held Greece to only 31.4% and had a 50-40 rebounding edge on the way to a 69-53 victory that sent the U.S. to 4-0, but did not clinch a berth in the quarters yet.

● Possible quarterfinal match-ups include the U.S. vs. Australia or France and Serbia vs. Argentina or Poland.

In the opening second-round games, Serbia crushed Puerto Rico, 90-47 and Spain got by Italy, 67-60 in Group J; Australia edged the Dominican Republic, 82-76 and France got by Lithuania, 78-75 in Group L.

In Group K, the Czech Republic continued its surprising run with a 93-71 pounding of Brazil, which will play the U.S. next. Assuming the U.S. beats Brazil, the winner of the Czech-Greece game will go to the quarterfinals.

The much-anticipated U.S.-Greece match was a test for the American defense, playing against NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo. And the defense rose up, holding Antetokounmpo to just 15 points off 11 shots in 27 minutes of play. He also had 13 rebounds to lead both teams, but it was far from enough.

The U.S. had a small 19-17 lead at the quarter, but clamped down in the second quarter, outscoring Greece 19-8 for a 38-25 lead. After a 16-12 third quarter, the U.S. had a 54-37 edge after three and cruised in.

“The defense is ahead of the offense, for sure, but that’s expected with 12 guys who’ve never played with each other before,” said U.S. coach Gregg Popovich. “It’s pretty easy to figure out. Each day that we have, we work on our execution to get better and better, and these coaches will learn what’s best for this group of guys.”

As usual, Kemba Walker keyed the U.S. team with 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 10. Jaylen Brown had a team-high nine rebounds and Myles Turner and Harrison Barnes each had seven boards. Jayson Tatum did not play due to a sprained left ankle.

The alarm bells continued ringing concerning the U.S. three-point shooting. The Americans made only 7-30 vs. Greece and are now 45-137 for the tournament (32.8%).

But the U.S. is still undefeated and Saturday’s game was a good indication that Popovich and his coaching crew are finding ways to gradually increase the cohesion and toughness of this team as it continues through the tournament. It will need even a much better effort to beat Brazil and then in a possible match-up with Australia in the quarterfinals.

FOOTBALL: Mexico thrashes U.S., 3-0, in unfriendly friendly in front of 47,960 in New Jersey

By
Rich Perelman
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Mexico's Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez opened the scoring vs. the U.S. on Friday

The U.S. men’s National Team was thrashed by Mexico, 3-0, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and it could have been worse.

Although the Americans had the best of play for the first 20 minutes of the game, everything changed when Jesus Corona went right past two U.S. defenders and sent a cross in front of the U.S. goal that was headed in by Javier Hernandez for a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute.

The half ended that way and the goal was actually Mexico’s only shot-on-goal in the half. The second half saw Mexico control possession and mount some promising attacks, but the U.S. offense was simply missing in action.

At 1-0, the game was still in reach, but Mexico picked off a sloppy clearance in front of goal by U.S. keeper Zack Steffen. Erick Gutierrez took a pass and sent a low, left-footed shot that flew past Steffen to ice the game in the 78th minute.

But there were more embarrassments to come. Just four minutes later, a U.S. attack fizzled and Mexico’s counter attack saw Hirving Lozano run past two U.S. defenders and pass to Uriel Antunes who sent a shot from the right of the box diagonally to the left corner of the U.S. goal in the 82nd minute for a 3-0 lead.

The U.S. had a chance to score in the 88th minute as Jordan Morris was hauled down in the box for a penalty. Young striker Josh Sargent, who entered as a sub in the 67th minute, took the shot and sent a line drive to his left. But Mexican keeper Jonathan Orozco guessed correctly and stopped the shot to preserve the shut-out.

A huge crowd of 47,960 mostly Mexican fans turned out to see the match, the 70th all-time between the two countries. There was the usual pushing and shoving at times and each team was called for 17 fouls. Mexico out-shot the U.S. by 10-4 and extended its winning record to 36-19-15 over its northern neighbors.

The U.S. men have one more friendly coming up, on Tuesday vs. Uruguay in St. Louis.

ATHLETICS: More history as Lyles first to win 100/200 Diamond League double with Brussels victory

By
Rich Perelman
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Noah Lyles (USA) on his way to the 2019 Diamond League 200 m title in Brussels (Photo: IAAF)

It actually wasn’t a fun night for American sprint star Noah Lyles, running in the 200 m at the final Diamond League Final at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels, Belgium.

“When the official called: ‘Gentlemen, on your marks,’ it just starts raining. Also two pins to fix my race number were not fixed well and lost them while I was sitting down. And to be honest, I had to go to the toilet. My stomach was growling, although I went to the restroom before.”

Add in temperatures in the low 60s and these were hardly perfect conditions. Starting in lane seven, Lyles ran well on the turn, but had only a tiny lead over reigning World Champion Ramil Guliyev of Turkey. But Lyles was able to power down the straight and won in 19.74, with Guliyev second in a season-best 19.86 and Canada’s Andre De Grasse at 19.87.

Added Lyles, “What a chaotic race it was. Nearly everything that could happen, happened. But I’m glad I could handle this. That is where I train my mind and body for everyday. Now I could experience that this is worth the work. It gives me even more confidence for the World Championship.”

By winning the 200 m, Lyles completes the first-ever men’s 100-200 m Diamond League double in the same year. He also won $100,000 by taking both titles and has a wild-card into the World Championships in both events by virtue of being Diamond League champ. But he confirmed that he will run only the 200 m in Doha.

Along with Lyles, there were five other defending Diamond League champions who won again in Brussels:

● Men/200 m: Noah Lyles (USA), third in a row
● Men/1,500 m: Tim Cheruiyot (KEN), third in a row
● Men/Shot Put: Tom Walsh (NZL)

● Women/High Jump: Mariya Lasitskene (RUS), third in a row
● Women/Pole Vault: Katerina Stefanidi (GRE), fourth in a row
● Women/Discus: Yaime Perez (CUB)

Despite the rain, cold and some wind issues, the meet was highly entertaining and confirmed what to look for in several events at the upcoming World Championships in Doha (QAT):

● Men/400 m: After Fred Kerley won the U.S. title in Des Moines in late July over world leader Michael Norman, the rematch finally came in Brussels. But Jamaica’s Akeem Bloomfield actually had the lead heading into the final straight, but Norman had the best finish and won in 44.26 with Kerley also coming on late for second in 44.46. Bloomfield was third in 44.67. That might be the order of finish at the Worlds.

● Men/1,500 m: This event can be summed up in two words: Tim Cheruiyot. The Kenyan star stuck close to the pacesetter and then ran away from the field with a 55.8 final lap. Norway’s Jakob and Filip Ingebrigtsen came from well behind on the final turn to finish 2-3 with impressive times of 3:31.62 and 3:33.33, but well beyond Cheruiyot’s 3:30.22. American Craig Engels ran a lifetime best of 3:34.04 in fifth.

● Men/110 m hurdles: Daniel Roberts of the U.S. was a no-show, opening the door for Spain’s Orlando Ortega to win easily in 13.22, ahead of fast-closing Ronald Levy (JAM: 13.31). American Freddie Crittenden was fourth in 13.35.

● Men/Triple Jump: The U.S. went 1-2-3-4, with Christian Taylor taking advantage of a slight aiding wind for a 17.85 mw (58-6 3/4w) victory. World leader Will Claye managed 17.22 m (56-6) for second, with Omar Craddock third and Donald Scott fourth.

● Women/100 m: Surprise win for Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) over Jamaica’s double Olympic champ, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, 10.88-10.95. Good sign for Asher-Smith.

● Women/800 m: American Ajee Wilson confirmed her favorite’s status for the Worlds with a convincing 2:00.24 win as some of the runners were shivering at the start! American Raevyn Rogers ran down three others on the final stretch to take second.

● Women/5,000 m: The cool conditions were good for distance running and Dutch star Sifan Hassan took off with less than a lap remaining and torched the field in 14:26.28, with Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Giday second (14:29.54) and Germany’s Koko Klosterhalfen third (14:29.89). The surprise was reigning World Champion Hellen Obiri (KEN) in fourth.

● Women/100 m hurdles: Jamaica’s Danielle Williams dominated the race, as she has the rest of the Diamond League meets, winning in 12.46. American Keni Harrison was second 12.73 and Nia Ali third in 12.74.

● Women/Long Jump: Germany’s Malaika Mihambo made it clear that she’s the favorite for Doha, winning with 7.03 m (23-0 3/4), ahead of reigning World Champion Brittney Reese of the U.S. at 6.85 m (22-5 3/4).

In the other women’s jumps, Russia’s Mariya Lasitskene won the high jump and Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi won her fourth Diamond League pole vault in a row.

Prize money for the final was $50,000-20,000-10,000-6,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000 for the top eight placers. Summaries:

IAAF Diamond League Final/Van Damme Memorial
Brussels (BEL) ~ 5-6 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men

200 m (wind +0.8 m/s): 1. Noah Lyles (USA), 19.74; 2. Ramil Guliyev (TUR), 19.86; 3. Andre De Grasse (CAN), 19.87.

400 m: 1. Michael Norman (USA), 44.26; 2. Fred Kerley (USA), 44.46; 3. Akeem Bloomfield (JAM), 44.67. Also: 4. Obi Igbokwe (USA), 44.96; 5. Kahmari Montgomery (USA), 45.31; 6. Michael Cherry (USA), 45.55; … 9. Nathan Strother (USA), 47.04.

1,500 m: 1. Tim Cheruiyot (KEN), 3:30.22; 2. Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR), 3:31.62; 3. Filip Ingebrigtsen (NOR), 3:33.33. Also: 5. Craig Engels (USA), 3:34.04; … 8. John Gregorek (USA), 3:35.52.

3,000 m Steeple: 1. Getnet Wale (ETH), 8:06.92; 2. Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR), 8:07.08; 3. Lamecha Girma (ETH), 8:07.66. Also: 5. Hillary Bor (USA), 8:13.90.

5,000 m (non-Diamond League): 1. Isaac Kimeli (KEN), 13:13.02; 2. Ben True (USA), 13:16.75; 3. Soufiyan Bouqantar (MAR), 13:18.74.

110 m hurdles (0.0): 1. Orlando Ortega (ESP), 13.22; 2. Ronald Levy (JAM), 13.31; 3. Sergey Shubenkov (RUS), 13.33. Also: 4. Freddie Crittenden (USA), 13.35.

Triple Jump: 1. Christian Taylor (USA), 17.85 mw (58-6 3/4w); 2. Will Claye (USA), 17.22 m (56-6); 3. Omar Craddock (USA), 17.17 m (56-4). Also: 4. Donald Scott (USA), 17.14 m (56-2 3/4).

Shot Put (held in downtown Brussels):1. Tom Walsh (NZL), 22.30 m (73-2); 2. Darlan Romani (BRA), 22.15 m (72-8); 3. Ryan Crouser (USA), 22.08 m (72-5 1/4). Also: 5. Darrell Hill (USA), 21.13 m (69-4); … 8. Joe Kovacs (USA), 20.60 m (67-7).

Discus: 1. Daniel Stahl (SWE), 68.68 m (225-4); 2. Lukas Weisshaidinger (AUT), 66.03 m (216-7); 3. Fedrick Dacres (JAM), 65.27 m (214-1).

Women

100 m (-0.3): 1. Dina Asher-Smith (GBR), 10.88; 2. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM), 10.95; 3. Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV), 11.09. Also: 6. Aleia Hobbs (USA), 11.29.

800 m: 1. Ajee Wilson (USA), 2:00.24; 2. Raevyn Rogers (USA), 2:00.67; 3. Winnie Nanyondo (UGA), 2:00.69. Also: 7. Hanna Green (USA), 2:02.47.

5,000 m: 1. Sifan Hassan (NED), 14:26.26; 2. Letesenbet Giday (ETH), 14:29.54; 3. Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER), 14:29.89.

100 m hurdles (0.0); 1. Danielle Williams (JAM), 12.46; 2. Keni Harrison (USA), 12.73; 3. Nia Ali (USA), 12.74. Also: 4. Sharika Nelvis (USA), 12.83; 5. Christina Clemons (USA), 12.84.

400 m hurdles (non-Diamond League): 1. Sage Watson (CAN). 55,58; 2. 2. Paulien Couckuyt (BEL), 56.68; 3. Ayomide Folorunso (ITA), 56.80.

High Jump: 1. Mariya Lasitskene (RUS), 1.99 m (6-6 1/4); 2. Yuliya Levchenko (UKR), 1.97 m (6-5 1/2); 3. Nafi Thiam (BEL), 1.95 m (6-4 3/4).

Pole Vault: 1. Katerina Stefanidi (GRE), 4.83 m (15-10); 2. Anzhelika Sidorova (RUS), 4.83 m (15-10); 3. Alysha Newman (CAN), 4.77 m (15-7 3/4). Also: 4. Katie Nageotte (USA), 4.70 m (15-5); … 7. Jenn Suhr (USA), 4.70 m (15-5); 8. Sandi Morris (USA), 4.63 m (15-2 1/4).

Long Jump: 1. Malaika Mihambo (GER), 7.03 m (23-0 3/4); 2. Brittney Reese (USA), 6.85 m (22-5 3/4); 3. Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR), 6.73 m (22-1).

Discus: 1. Yaime Perez (CUB), 68.27 m (223-11); 2. Sandra Perkovic (CRO), 66.00 m (216-6); 3. Kristin Pudenz (GER), 63.73 m (209-1). Also: 6. Valarie Allman (USA), 61.70 m (202-5).

TSX DAILY: Walsh beats Crouser to start Brussels Diamond League final; Czechs eliminate Turkey in FIBA World Cup shocker & U.S. men vs. Mexico in 70th soccer meeting

By
Rich Perelman
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≡ TSX DAILY ~ 6 September 2019 ≡

| 1. | LEADING OFF: Walsh beats Crouser to start Brussels Diamond League final

[Due to a late scheduling conflict, Lane One does not appear today, but will be back on Monday.]

The first clash of the titans at the IAAF Diamond League final in Brussels (BEL) came on Thursday in downtown Brussels as New Zealand’s Tom Walsh defended his 2018 title with an impressive win in the shot put.

Walsh tossed the 16-lb. ball out to 22.30 m (73-2) on his first throw and no one could match him. Brazil’s Darlan Romani reached 22.15 m (72-8) in the third round and American Ryan Crouser, the world leader, managed 22.08 m (72-5 1/4), but had to settle for third.

Said the winner, “It gives me great confidence knowing that I can come out and perform all of the time. I treat training and competition the same. I go in with the same intentions and the same routine. It’s now paying off with regular 22 m throws.

“I’ve been on the tour for six years now but my team and I learn something new every year. My season is coming right at the right time of year.”

Walsh was the first of 13 defending champions from the 2018 Diamond League to compete in Brussels; the other 12 will get their chance on Friday evening. Our full preview is here, but some of the most tantalizing events include:

● Men/200 m: Noah Lyles of the U.S. is not only trying to defend his 2018 title, but could make history as the first man to win the Diamond League in both the 100 and 200 m; only Carmelita Jeter (USA: in 2011) has ever managed it.

● Men/400 m: The U.S. has owned the 400 m so far this year, but the top spot is hardly decided between Michael Norman (43.45 back in April!) and Fred Kerley, the defending Diamond League champ who won the U.S. title over Norman in late July. They will face off in Brussels for the first time since that race.

● Men/110 m hurdles: It’s been a long season for American star Daniel Roberts, no. 2 on the world list at 13.00 and winner of the Paris Diamond League meet at 13.08. He will face defending Diamond League champ Sergey Shubenkov (RUS), trying for his third straight title and Spanish star Orlando Ortega. A win for Roberts will confirm him as a medal favorite for Doha … and allow a fourth U.S. entry at the World Championships, which would be good news for Freddie Crittenden, who finished fourth at the U.S. Nationals by 0.01.

● Men/Triple Jump: American Christian Taylor has won six Diamond League titles and Portugal’s Pablo Pedro Pichardo won in 2018. But Will Claye – for so long in Taylor’s shadow – has owned the event this year and can confirm it again, ahead of the World Championships.

● Women/800 m: With the IAAF female eligibility rules in effect, American Ajee Wilson is now the favorite for Doha and can confirm her position with a win in Brussels, with most of the primary challengers in the race.

● Women/5,000 m: Sensational race in store with World Cross Country champ Hellen Obiri facing down Dutch star Sifan Hassan and emerging German threat Konstanze Klosterhalfen. This could be the race of the meet.

● Women/100 m hurdles: Jamaica’s Danielle Williams is the world leader and appears unbeatable. But she false-started out of the Jamaican nationals and a win in Brussels would confirm her place at the Doha Worlds. In the meantime, American Keni Harrison is trying to figure out how to beat her!

There is extra prize money for the finals: $50,000-20,000-10,000-6,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000 for the top eight placers. There’s no live cablecast of the meet on any NBC network; the meet will be shown delayed at 11 p.m. Friday evening (Eastern time).

The Athletics Integrity Unit, the doping watchdog for track & field, confirmed on Wednesday that it would not appeal the withdrawal of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s proposed sanction against sprinter Christian Coleman.

However, in a statement, AIU Chair David Howman said: “We note that the [International Standard for Testing & Investigations] is currently under review by [the World Anti-Doping Agency] and we would support a change in the wording to ensure that in the future, filing failures are recognised when they occur and never backdated.”

The withdrawal on a technical application of the WADA rules is certain to be included in the ongoing review; the Coleman situation will be the reference point for the change.

| 2. | BASKETBALL: U.S. crushes Japan, faces Greece next, while Czechs upset Turkey

The final day of first-round play at the FIBA World Cup in China was a wild one, and while the U.S. advanced as planned, Turkey made an unexpected exit from the championship bracket.

The game of the day was in Group E, but not for the U.S., which pummeled Japan, 98-45, to move on to the second round without incident after escaping from Tuesday’s game vs. Turkey with an overtime win. Turkey and the Czech Republic were in a play-in game and it turned out to be a shocker.

After playing the U.S. so tough, it was assumed that the Turks would move on, but the Czech defense was stout and built a 43-35 halftime lead. The Turks got within three points early in the fourth quarter, but an 8-0 run stopped the bleeding and the final was 91-76.

Forward Vojtech Hruban led the Czechs with 18 and rebounding was key as the Czechs had a 41-26 advantage. The Czechs progressed to the second round; the Turks will now play in the 17-32 bracket.

Greece, which was one of the tournament favorites coming in, had to struggle to beat New Zealand, 103-97, to qualify for the second round. The NBA’s Most Valuable Player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, was finally unleashed and scored 24 points, had 10 rebounds and six assists.

In the second round, the 16 remaining teams were advanced to four new pools, out of which the top two will advance to the quarterfinals. The scores and statistics from the first round are factored in and the overall records will be used for determining advancement.

The U.S. is in a pool with 3-0 Brazil, 2-1 Greece and the Czechs. Only two games are played in this round by each team and the American squad will face Greece on Saturday and Brazil on Tuesday. More here.

| 3. | CYCLING: Gilbert wins Stage 12 of La Vuelta, but no change on the leaderboard

Belgian star Philippe Gilbert broke away from the field on the final climb of Stage 12 of La Vuelta a Espana and won for the sixth time in this Grand Tour.

He attacked on the climb up the Alto de Arraiz, a short but challenging hill just 12 km from the finish. He raced to the front, then had to hold off a series of chasers on the descent to the finish line in Bilbao.

Local riders Alex Aranburu and Fernando Barcelo finished 2-3, just three seconds behind. But the main contenders were well back, saving their strength for the mountain stages coming on Friday and Sunday.

The contending group began with 15th-place Marc Soler (ESP), who finished 3:02 back and included the leader, Primoz Roglic (SLO) and second-place Alejandro Valverde (ESP), among others. With the race now past the midway point:

1. 44:52:08 Primoz Roglic (SLO)
2. +1:52 Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
3. +2:11 Miguel Angel Lopez (COL)
4. +3:00 Nairo Quintana (COL)
5. +3:05 Tadej Pogacar (SLO)

Friday’s 166.4 km stage includes seven significant climbs and finishes straight uphill at Los Machucos in the Pas Mountains. Saturday’s stage is tamer, with 13 smaller climbs along 188.0 km, but Sunday is more misery, with four Category-1 climbs, finishing straight uphill to the Santuario del Acebo with almost 800 m of elevation in the last 12 km.

In the Boels Ladies Tour in the Netherlands, Lorena Wiebes led a 1-2-3-4 Dutch sprint finish and took the race lead, with three stages remaining.

Thanks to the time bonus for winning the stage, Wiebes now has a seven-second lead over countrywoman Annemiek van Vleuten and eight seconds over Lucinda Brand (NED). The top 29 riders are all within 29 seconds of each other. The race finishes Sunday.

| 4. | FOOTBALL: U.S, men face Mexico for the 70th time, a friendly in New Jersey

The last time we saw the U.S. men’s national team, they lost by 1-0 against Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Chicago. On Friday, the U.S. will play Mexico again in the first of two friendlies before the CONCACAF Nations League gets started in October.

The game will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, and shown on FS1 and Univision.

The U.S. has a mix of veteran and (mostly) younger players, including forwards Christian Pulisic and Josh Sargent. The primary midfielders will be younger: Sebastian Lletget, Wes McKinnie and Wil Trapp.

The U.S.-Mexico series began all the way back in 1934 and Mexico has won 35 of the first 69, while losing 19 and tying 15. Since 2000, the U.S. has a 14-8-6 mark, however. More here.

| 5. | BOXING: AIBA Executive Committee confirms next Presidential election in 2020

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) Executive Committee met in Turkey on 31 August and the federation posted a summary of the actions taken, including the postponement of the selection of its next president until 2020. The federation has been suspended from its role in governing Olympic boxing by the International Olympic Committee until after Tokyo 2020.

The meeting summary confirmed that Interim President Mohamed Moustahsane (MAR) was asked to stay on, that an Extraordinary Congress will be held in December to vote on new regulations and another Extraordinary Congress will be held in March 2020 to elect a new president.

Executive Director Tom Virgets (USA) was let go and “The position will remain vacant until AIBA financial situation becomes better.” The Executive Committee also disbanded all of AIBA’s commissions, with new commissions to be elected “in the coming weeks.”

As regards AIBA’s finances, the announcement noted that “The report confirms AIBA’s current financial challenges. The EC unanimously agreed that bankruptcy is not an option.” They may not have another.

In the meantime, the men’s World Championships will begin next week in Russia, with 450 fighters expected. The event will be for prestige only; Olympic qualification will only be from events held next year and overseen by the International Olympic Committee’s working group on boxing.

| 6. | THE LAST WORD: “Snokyo” Games on the way for 2020?

The latest idea from the Tokyo 2020 organizers to keep everyone cool next summer is snow.

It was announced on Thursday that snow machines would be brought to the test event for canoeing in mid-September, to be used to “sprinkle spectators” in order to beat the expected high summer heat.

A spokeswoman said “We haven’t decided definitively that we will use this system next year for the Olympics, but we want to test it to see how effective it is. We’re open to trying all potentially useful ideas.”

= REAX = Good for the organizing committee for trying what would appear to be an odd idea. This is exactly what test events are for.

CANOE-KAYAK Preview: World Cup Final in Prague with all four titles up for grabs

By
Rich Perelman
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Australia's Slalom star Jessica Fox

This weekend’s fifth Slalom World Cup will be the season-ender and with double points being awarded, there is no way to tell who will become seasonal champions.

It’s literally a wide-open race, with 120-110-100 points being awarded for the top three places and fewer on down through the semifinals. The current standings:

● Men/C-1:
1. 187 ~ Luka Bozic (SLO)
2. 169 ~ Matej Benus (SVK) ~ 2010 World Cup Champion
3. 161 ~ Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK) ~ 2012-16-18 World Cup Champion
4. 160 ~ Michal Martikan (SVK) ~ 2006-14 World Cup Champion
5. 158 ~ Benjamin Savsek (SLO) ~ 2017 World Champion

● Men/K-1:
1. 199 ~ Jiri Prskavec (CZE) ~ 2018 World Cup Champion
2. 178 ~ Peter Kauzer (SLO) ~ 2009-11-15 World Cup Champion
3. 152 ~ Vit Prindis (CZE) ~ 2017 World Cup Champion
4. 137 ~ Michal Pasiut (POL)
5. 134 ~ Hannes Aigner (GER) ~ 2018 World Champion

● Women/C-1:
1. 192 ~ Jessica Fox (AUS) ~ 2013-15-17-18 World Cup Champion
2. 145 ~ Ana Satila (BRA) ~ 2017 World Championships bronze medalist
3. 136 ~ Viktoria Wolffhardt (AUT)
4. 134 ~ Andrea Herzog (GER)
5. 127 ~ Eva Alina Hocevar (SLO)

● Women/K-1:
1. 180 ~ Corinna Kuhnle (AUT) ~ 2014-15 World Cup Champion
2. 165 ~ Ricarda Funk (GER) ~ 2016-17 World Cup Champion
3. 165 ~ Eva Tercelj (SLO)
4. 158 ~ Jessica Fox (AUS) ~ 2018 World Cup Champion
5. 144 ~ Stefanie Horn (ITA)

American teen Evy Leibfarth stands eighth in the C-1 standings at 103 points and while a very longshot to win, a medal performance might get her into the top three in the seasonal standings in her first year on the World Cup circuit!

Qualifying will be on Friday, with the men’s C-1 and women’s K-1 finals on Saturday, and the men’s K-1 and women’s C-1 finals on Sunday. Look for results here.

FOOTBALL Preview: Young U.S. squad meets Mexico for 70th time, in New Jersey friendly

By
Rich Perelman
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U.S. striker Josh Sargent

The latest installment of the U.S.-Mexico series takes place on Friday (6th) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, and shown on FS1 and Univision.

The U.S. hasn’t played since a 1-0 loss to Mexico in the finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup back in July. The squad for Friday includes veterans like keeper Brad Guzan, defender John Brooks and strikers Jordan Morris, Gyasi Zardes and Christian Pulisic. But the majority are players with modest national-team experience, including defenders Aaron Long and Walker Zimmerman, midfielders Sebastian Lletget, Wes McKinnie and Wil Trapp and forwards Corey Baird and Josh Sargent.

Mexico has plenty of familiar faces on its roster, starting with Memo Ochoa in goal, defender Hector Moreno, midfielders Jonathan dos Santos and Andres Guardado and strikers Javier Hernandez and Raul Jimenez.

Dos Santos scored the lone goal in the Gold Cup final.

This is the 70th meeting between the U.S. and Mexico, going back to 1934. Mexico leads the all-time series by 35-19-15, but the U.S. has a 14-8-6 record since 2000. The American squad under Gregg Berhalter has an 8-3-1 mark so far in 2019.

The U.S. has another friendly coming up quickly, vs. Uruguay on 10 September in St. Louis, then will start CONCACAF Nations League play on 11 October.

GYMNASTICS Preview: Rhythmic Worlds medalist Soldatova headlines World Challenge Cup in Portimao

By
Rich Perelman
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2018 World Ribbon champ Aleksandra Soldatova (RUS)

The fourth FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup in four weeks will be held starting Friday in Portimao (POR). The field is not as good as last week, but there are some noteworthy competitors:

● Aleksandra Soldatova (RUS) ~ 2018 Worlds Ribbon gold medalist; All-Around bronze
● Alina Harnasko (BLR) ~ 2017-19 European Team silver medalist
● Alexandra Agiurgiuculese (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds Ball bronze medalist
● Milena Baldassarri (ITA) ~ 2018 World Ribbon silver medalist
● Laura Zeng (USA) ~ Five-time U.S. All-Around champ (2015-19)
● Camilla Feeley (USA) ~ 2019 Pan Am Games All-Around silver medalist

Qualifications will be held Friday and Saturday, with the Apparatus finals on Sunday.

Prize money will be CHF 700-500-450-300-250-200-150-100 for the top eight places in the All-Around and CHF 600-450-300-200-150-100-100-100 for the individual Apparatus finals. Look for results here.

The fifth stage of the FIG World Challenge Cup series is in Szombathely (HUN) this week, this time only for individual apparatus, with no All-Around. The field includes an Olympic gold medalist and two more World Championships medal winners:

● David Huddleston (BUL) ~ 2019 Mersin World Challenge Cup Vault silver
● Artem Dolgopyat (ISR) ~ 2017 Worlds Floor silver medalist
● Saso Bertoncelj (SLO) ~ 2018 European Pommel Horse silver medalist
● Oleg Verniaiev (UKR) ~ 2016 Olympic Parallel Bars Champion; All-Around silver
● Igor Radivilov (UKR) ~ 2014-17 Worlds Vault silver medalist
● Petro Pakhniuk (UKR) ~ 2019 European Parallel Bars silver medalist

Qualification will be on Friday and the event finals on Saturday and Sunday.

Prize money per event will be CHF 800-600-400-300-250-200-150-100 for the top eight places. Look for results here.

BASKETBALL: Czechs stun Turkey; U.S. to play Greece (and Giannis) on Saturday

By
Rich Perelman
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Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo at the line vs. New Zealand on Thursday (Photo: FIBA)

To paraphrase Richard Castellano as Clemenza in “The Godfather” (1972):

“Oh, Turkey … won’t see them no more.”

After having lost a game to the U.S. – that it should have won – in overtime on Tuesday, the Turks came out flat on Thursday in their final game in Group E and lost to the Czech Republic, 91-76.

That sends the Czechs to the second round and Turkey into the consolation bracket for places 17-32. What a turnaround. “We are really sorry right now. We wanted to win this game and go to the second round but it didn’t happen,” said forward James Birsen. “We had to win this game but it didn’t happen.”

The Czechs were led by forward Vojtech Hruban with 18 and they dominated Turkey with a 41-26 edge in rebounding. Turkey got within three points early in the fourth quarter, but an 8-0 Czech run ended the momentum and iced the game.

In the final game in Group F, Greece won its play-in game after Giannis Antetokounmpo was finally unleashed. Playing 30 minutes, he had 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. New Zealand got within 82-77 in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get much closer and Greece celebrated after a 103-97 victory.

The U.S. crushed Japan, 98-45, as expected, to finish undefeated in Group E. Leading 23-9 after a quarter, the American squad cruised to the win, with a 58-33 edge in rebounding and 48% shooting to 27% for Japan. Jaylen Brown led the U.S. with 20 points off the bench and Kemba Walker had 15 and Harrison Barnes, 14.

So now comes the second round, beginning on Friday. The top two teams from each of the eight first-round groups are now re-distributed in for new groups in which (1) the records from the first group carry forward and (2) each team plays only two games:

● Group I: in Foshan
1. Argentina (3-0), 2. Poland (3-0), 3. Venezuela (2-1), 4. Russia (2-1)

● Group J: in Wuhan
1. Serbia (3-0), 2. Spain (3-0), 3. Italy (2-1), 4. Puerto Rico (2-1)

● Group K: in Chenzhen
1. United States (3-0); 2. Brazil (3-0); 3. Greece (2-1); 4. Czech Rep. (2-1)

● Group L: in Nanjing
1. France (3-0); 2. Australia (3-0); 3. Lithuania (2-1); 4. Dominican Republic (2-1)

The top two teams in each group will move on to the quarterfinals. The U.S. will play Greece in a much-anticipated match on Saturday (7th) and Brazil on Monday (9th). Look for scores here.

ATHLETICS Preview: Final 16 events of the Diamond League with 13 defending champs in Brussels

By
Rich Perelman
-

The finale of the 2019 IAAF Diamond League season comes Thursday night and Friday in Brussels (BEL) at the annual AG Van Damme Memorial, and promises to be one of the best meets of the year.

The first final in Zurich (SUI) was tremendous, and the Van Damme should just as good if not better. American Noah Lyles will be going for a historic men’s 100/200 m double, never before done in the 10 years of the Diamond League (American Carmelita Jeter did it in the women’s 100/200 in 2011).

There will also be plenty of defending champions trying to extend their run:

● Men/200 m: Noah Lyles (USA), trying for three straight titles
● Men/400 m: Fred Kerley (USA)
● Men/1,500 m: Tim Cheruiyot (KEN), trying for three straight
● Men/Steeple: Conseslus Kipruto (KEN), trying for four straight
● Men/110 m hurdles: Sergey Shubenkov (RUS), trying for three straight
● Men/Triple Jump: Pedro Pablo Pichardo (POR)
● Men/Shot Put: Tom Walsh (NZL)
● Men/Discus: Fredrick Dacres (JAM)

● Women/5,000 m: Hellen Obiri (KEN), trying for three straight
● Women/High Jump: Mariya Lasitskene (RUS), trying for three straight
● Women/Pole Vault: Katerina Stefanidi (GRE), trying for four straight
● Women/Long Jump: Caterine Ibarguen (COL)
● Women/Discus: Yaime Perez (CUB)

A look at each of the 16 Diamond League finals and who to look for:

Men

● 200 m: Lyles has run 19.50 and no one else in the field has been faster than 19.87 (Ecuador’s Alex Quinonez). Lyles is a big favorite here and has been crowing about how good his training has been. The weather in Brussels is expected to be cool, in the low 60s in the evening, so perhaps just a win will suffice for Lyles. Can anyone really beat him?

● 400 m: Nine lanes and six Americans, including four of the top five on the world list: Michael Norman (43.45), Fred Kerley (43.64), Kahmari Montgomery (44.23) and Nathan Strother (44.29). Norman and Kerley haven’t been seen since the USATF Nationals, when Kerley was the upset winner. The question now is who is in the best shape with three weeks to go to Doha?

● 1,500 m: Kenya’s Tim Cheruiyot is the defending Diamond League champ, is the world leader at 3:28.77 and just won the Kenyan Nationals in the 800 m at 1:43.11. There are lots of challengers for him, like Ethiopia’s Sam Tefera (3:31.39), Uganda’s Ronald Musagala (3:30.58), Ayanleh Souleiman (DJI: 3:30.66), fellow Kenyan Bethwell Birgen (3:31.45) and the brothers Ingrebrigtsen from Norway: Jakob at 3:30.16 and Filip at 3:30.82. But no one has been able to match Cheruiyot’s finishing speed in the final 80 m this season.

● 3,000 m Steeple: Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali is the world leader at 8:04.82, but is coming off a loss to Benjamin Kigen (8:05.12) at the African Games in Rabat. Olympic champ Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) says he’ll be ready to run in championship form now and had a very credible 8:13.75 opener in the Meeting de Paris on 24 August. Or is this a statement opportunity for Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale (8:05.51) or Chala Beyo (8:06.48)?

● 110 m hurdles: Another milestone for NCAA runner-up Daniel Roberts, no. 2 on the world list at 13.00 and who won the Meeting de Paris in 13.08. True, Jamaica’s Olympic champ Omar McLeod is not in the field, but former World Champion Sergey Shubenkov (RUS) and Rio Olympic silver medalist Orlando Ortega (ESP) are. A win here would be a confirmation of Roberts as a medal favorite for Doha.

● Triple Jump: The four men who should contest for medals in Doha are in the field. There’s Portugal’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo (17.53 m/57-6 1/4) and three Americans: six-time Diamond League winner Christian Taylor (17.82 m/58-5 3/4), Omar Craddock (17.68 m/58-0 1/4) and world leader Will Claye (18.14 m/59-6 1/4). Is this finally Claye’s year?

● Shot Put: These are the contenders for medals at the World Championships, the top five on the 2019 world list: Americans Ryan Crouser (22.74 m/74-7 1/4) and Joe Kovacs (22.31 m/73-2 1/2), New Zealand’s Tom Walsh (22.44 m/73-7 1/2), Brazil’s Darlan Romani (22.61 m/74-2 1/2) and Pole Michal Haratyk (22.32 m/73-2 3/4). It’s one of the best fields in history and the event will be held in downtown Brussels, with a close-in crowd. Maybe that will bring out something special?

● Discus: The field is excellent and includes the 2015 World Champion (Piotr Malachowski/POL), 2017 World Champion (Andrius Gudzius/LTU) and 2016 Olympic Champion (Christoph Harting/GER). But the only relevant question is how far will Daniel Stahl (SWE: 71.86 m/235-9) and Fedrick Dacres (JAM: 70.78 m/232-3) throw? Stahl has been hinting at something special; is this the time?

Women

● 100 m: Two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the co-world leader at 10.73 from the Jamaican Nationals and won the Lausanne Diamond League meet at 10.74. Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (10.91 this season) and Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV: 10.93) look like the only serious challengers.

● 800 m: No Caster Semenya or Francine Niyonsaba, so that means American Ajee Wilson is the favorite. She’s been in command in her races, winning five of her last six races and losing only to Semenya at the Pre Classic since 3 May. Who comes in behind her will be just as interesting: Natoya Goule (JAM: 1:57.90)? Americans Hanna Green (1:58.19) or Raevyn Rogers (1:58.65)? Britain’s Linsey Sharp (1:58.61)?

● 5,000 m: This might be the best event in the meet. Four women have run under 14:30 this year and they are all here: Kenyans Hellen Obiri (14:20.36) and Agnes Tirop (14:20.68), who went 1-2 over Dutch star Sifan Hassan (14:22.12) in the London Diamond League meet, and Germany’s 22-year-old Konstanze Klosterhalfen (14:26.76). The German isn’t afraid to lead, or set a hot pace; Hassan wants to win this badly. But Obiri has no intention of giving up her place as the top women’s distance runner in the world right now. This should be great.

● 100 m hurdles: Jamaica’s Danielle Williams has set this event on its head, running a world-leading 12.32 and following that with a 12.46 at the Birmingham Diamond League. The only ones even close on the clock are American Keni Harrison (12.43) and Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan (12.49). That could be the result here … and in Doha. But given the trouble that Williams has had with the Jamaican federation after false-starting at the national championships, she really needs to win to be assured of a spot at the Worlds.

● High Jump: Russia’s Mariya Lasitskene is the world leader at 2.06 m (6-9) and is the overwhelming favorite. Four others in the field have cleared 2.00 m (6-6 3/4), but the most interesting is heptathlon star Nafi Thiam of Belgium, who has cleared a lifetime best of 2.02 m (6-7 1/2) this season.

● Pole Vault: The usual suspects will line up, starting with Olympic and World Champion Katerina Stefanidi (GRE), Americans Jenn Suhr, Sandi Morris and Katie Nageotte, veterans Yarisley Silva (CUB) and Anzhelika Sidorova (RUS) and emerging star Alysha Newman (CAN). Somehow, when the stakes are highest, Stefanidi has found a way to win. Suhr is still the list leader at 4.91 m (16-1 1/4) from way back in March.

● Long Jump: The awaited showdown is here, with list leader Malaika Mihambo (GER: 7.16 m/23-6) vs. four-time World Champion Brittney Reese of the U.S., with a best of 77.00 (22-11 3/4) this season. If either falter, triple jump star Caterine Ibarguen (COL: 6.87 m/22-6 1/2 this year) or hep star Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR: 6.85 m/22-5 3/4) could step up.

● Discus: The top four on the world list are in, with list leader Yaime Perez (CUB: 69.39 m/227-8) the favorite but certainly not a lock. Teammate Denia Caballero (69.20 m/227-0) has also been terrific, but everyone wants to see if Croatian star Sandra Perkovic (68.58 m/225-0) has found her old form that earned her two world titles in 2015 and 2017. American Valarie Allman (67.15 m/220-3) has not been able to break through to medal level yet.

The Diamond League final pays well: $50,000-20,000-10,000-6,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000 for the top eight placers, and the winners get a wild-card entry into the World Championships if not already qualified.

NBC has no live television coverage of this meet (it’s available online for a fee); there is a tape-delayed show on at 11 p.m. Eastern time on Friday and a replay on NBC at 3 p.m. Eastern on Saturday. Look for live results here.

TSX DAILY: Skiing superstar Hirscher retires at 30; sprinter Gatlin escapes injury at Zagreb & ESPN’s Foudy clarifies USWNT pay demands

By
Rich Perelman
-
Austria's World Champion skier Marcel Hirscher

≡ TSX DAILY ~ 5 September 2019 ≡

| 1. |  LEADING OFF: Marcel Hirscher, one of the greatest skiers in history, retires at 30 

Although widely rumored, no one was quite sure if Austria’s Marcel Hirscher, winner of eight consecutive Alpine World Cup seasonal titles, was going to retire before the start of the 2019-2020 season. The answer is yes.

He announced the end of his competitive career at a news conference in Salzburg on Wednesday, summing up his decision thus:

“You know me. I either go all in, putting 150% effort or nothing. I can be very satisfied with my career, I was very lucky to never get serious injuries in all these years, and I slowly realized that I was not willing to pay the high price that it takes to always be at the top in this sport. Additionally, I wanted to leave as champion and I feel this is the best moment to retire.”

Hirscher is only 30 but in his 12 years on the FIS Alpine World Cup tour, he came to dominate the seasonal points race like none before him. For many years, the World Cup Champion was a star in the speed events, like the Downhill. Hirscher is a technical skier, and his success in the Slalom and Giant Slalom – six seasonal titles in each – and the occasional Combined, made him unbeatable.

His eight World Cup titles are the most ever; no one else has more than five. His 67 World Cup race wins over 12 seasons is second only to Swede Ingemar Stenmark’s 86 from 1973-89 (17 seasons); he retired at age 33. Stenmark also holds the record for most World Cup medals with 155; Hirscher is no. 2 at 138.

More: Hirscher won three Olympic medals, including two golds at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games and 11 World Championships medals from 2013-19, including seven golds in the Slalom (3), Giant Slalom (1), Combined (1) and Team Event (2).

Hirscher was married in 2018 and celebrated the birth of a son last October. He leaves on his own terms and as a champion with an unbroken streak of success right to the end. More here.

| 2. | ATHLETICS: Gatlin fine after hamstring scare slowed him at Zagreb

“Justin Gatlin should be back training within the week after tests were negative for a possible hamstring injury” was the lead in a Wednesday story from Reuters, explaining the odd race results for the reigning World Champion in the 100 meters.

Reporter Gene Cherry obtained details from Gatlin’s agent, former hurdles world-record holder Renaldo Nehemiah, that Gatlin felt “something grabbing” during Tuesday’s race at the Hanzekovic Memorial in Zagreb (CRO) and slowed, finishing fourth in 10.29. He was leading at the time, but didn’t want to risk injury with the IAAF World Championships coming on 28 September.

Gatlin (pictured) had finished poorly at the Diamond League final in Zurich, ending up in fourth place in 10.08 after being in the lead at 60 m. He had won a race in Bellinzona, Italy in 9.97 on Sunday, but then was fourth again in Zagreb on Tuesday.

Nehemiah said the Zagreb race was the last for Gatlin prior to the Worlds.

Both the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Athletics Integrity Unit stated that they would not be challenging the withdrawal of a complaint by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency against sprinter Christian Coleman.

USADA had filed a complaint against Coleman for missing three “whereabouts” filings over a 12-month period, but after consulting with WADA, it withdrew the filing due to a technical interpretation of the doping regulations that placed only two of the failures during 12 months. Coleman is now free to compete in the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

| 3. | BASKETBALL: Four prelim groups now complete, 14 teams confirmed for World Cup round 2

The final games in the 2019 FIBA men’s World Cup were completed on Wednesday morning, with the top two in each group moving on to the second round:

● Group A: 1. Poland (3-0); 2. Venezuela (2-1); 3. China (1-2); 4. Ivory Coast (0-3)

● Group B: 1. Argentina (3-0); 2. Russia (2-1); 3. Nigeria (1-2); 4. South Korea (0-3)

● Group C: 1. Spain (3-0); 2. Puerto Rico (2-1); 3. Tunisia (1-2); 3. Iran (0-3)

● Group D: 1. Serbia (3-0); 2. Italy (2-1); 3. Angola (1-2); 4. Philippines (0-3).

In Group B, Argentina defeated Russia, 69-61 to decide the group and Serbia stomped Italy, 92-77, in Group D in the final game of that group. Guard Bogdan Bogdanovic had 31 points for Serbia and Dario Gallinari had 26 for Italy as the high scorers on Wednesday.

Coming on Thursday are the final games in the last four groups. The situation:

● Group E: 1. United States (2-0); Turkey and Czech Rep. play to advance

● Group F: 1. Brazil (2-0); Greece and New Zealand play to advance

● Group G: France and Dominican Republic both 2-0; play for group title

● Group H: Australia and Lithuania both 2-0; play for group title.

The U.S. will advance to one of the four second-round groups and play Brazil and the second-place team from Group F, either Greece (!) or New Zealand. The American team will play Japan on Thursday; Jayson Tatum will be out for a couple of days after a leg injury in the Turkey game, but he won’t be needed until the second round opens on the weekend. Look for scores here.

| 4. | CYCLING: Spain’s Iturria wins Stage 11, but Roglic remains in La Roja in Vuelta a Espana

For the first time in a week, the leader’s jersey – La Roja – did not change hands at the end of the daily stage of the 74th La Vuelta a Espana.

The undulating 180.0 km course from Saint Palais (FRA) to Urdax-Dantxarinea was won by Spain’s 27-year-old Mikel Iturria for his first-ever pro victory. He broke away from the field in a solo attack with about 25 km left and no one followed.

The chase pack got within six seconds at the finish, with Spanish rider Jonathan Lastra second and American Lawson Craddock third. The first 12 finishers were within 20 seconds, but then came a huge gap back to the rest of the race. Leader Primoz Roglic (SLO) finished 18:35 back of the leader, but so did all of the other contenders and so the race remains intact for another day:

1. 41:00:48 Primoz Roglic (SLO)
2. +1:52 Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
3. +2:11 Miguel Angel Lopez (COL)
4. +3:00 Nairo Quintana (COL)
5. +3:05 Tadej Pogacar (SLO)

Another hilly stage is on for Thursday, with a downhill finish and then the climbing starts again on Friday with an uphill finish to Los Machucos in the Pas Mountains of northern Spain. Complete results here.

| 5. | FOOTBALL: Eight countries still interested in FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023

FIFA announced that eight associations have confirmed their interest as bidders for the expanded 2023 Women’s World Cup and now have until 13 December to compile their bid documents and submit them to FIFA. The bidders:

● Argentina
● Australia
● Brazil
● Colombia
● Japan
● Korea (possibly in combination with North Korea)
● New Zealand
● South Africa

Interestingly, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Korea and South Africa – five of the eight – are former hosts of the FIFA World Cup and should be well familiar with the requirements. The selection is due to be made in 2020.

At halftime of ESPN’s broadcast of Tuesday’s Victory Tour win over Portugal, analyst (and former U.S. star) Julie Foudy said that the discussions over “equal pay” surrounding the lawsuit filed by the U.S. players against the U.S. Soccer Federation are actually over two separate areas of “equal pay.”

Foudy said that she felt the issues between the players and the USSF in areas that the USSF controlled would be settled prior to the case going to trial next May. However, she indicated that the players are asking for prize money – which is issued by FIFA, not the USSF – for winning the Women’s World Cup to be equal to that paid to the men’s 2018 winner, France.

That’s a $34 million bill, the difference between the $4 million paid by FIFA to the 2019 Women’s World Cup winners (U.S.) and the $38 million paid to the 2018 World Cup winners (France). Foudy stated that the players would likely lose that argument in court, since FIFA is not a party to the suit and the USSF has no control over FIFA’s payouts, but she says that’s what the players are asking for. She added that on the latter point, the chances of player success are not very good.

| 6. | COMING ATTRACTIONS: Another world archery title for Brady Ellison?

The final stage of the World Archery World Cup comes in Moscow (RUS) this week, with direct-elimination tournaments for the top eight archers of the season in Recurve and Compound events.

The men’s Recurve favorite has to be American Brady Ellison, whose career year includes the World Archery World Championship, a world record in the 72-arrow Ranking Round (702) and U.S. titles in the National Target Championships, U.S. Open and U.S. Field Archery Championships.

The U.S. also has shooters in the men’s Compound division, with current and former World Champions James Lutz and Braden Gellenthien and the red-hot Alexis Ruiz in the women’s division. More here.

Also on this week:

● The final leg of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is on in Snowshoe, West Virginia, with Swiss stars Nino Schurter and Jolanda Neff trying to protect their seasonal points leads in the Cross Country division. American Kate Courtney is the only one who can overhaul Neff.

● The race for the UCI Women’s World Tour seasonal title may be on the line this week at the Boels Ladies Tour in the Netherlands, with Dutch star Annemiek van Vleuten (pictured) trying for her third win in a row in the six-stage event. More on both cycling previews here.

● The final FIS World Cup event at the Winter Games NZ is the Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe event in Cardrona this weekend. Defending Halfpipe seasonal champs Simon d’Artois and Cassie Sharpe of Canada are both entered, but so is two-time World Champion Aaron Blunck of the U.S. as part of a large U.S. delegation. Deeper previews here.

| 7. | DOPING: WADA Athlete Committee asks for worldwide “Ombudsperson” office

The Athlete Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency has been paying attention to the ongoing hearings and legislative discussion about the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

In a summary of its latest meeting, held last week in Lima, Peru, the group noted its support for the same kind of “athlete advocate” program requested by USOPC Athletes Advisory Council chair Han Xiao and included – at least in part – in the proposed Senate bill to reform the USOPC. The meeting summary shows:

“The WADA AC continues to support and progress the concept of an Ombudsperson Office at WADA for the purposes of supporting athletes with a channel through which to report issues, seek advice, ensure rules are applied as they should be and assist with navigating the increasingly complex world of anti-doping.”

That last phrase about the “increasingly complex world of anti-doping” is not to be underestimated, especially with case after case of positive tests caused by ingesting over-the-counter medications that include prohibited substances that are NOT disclosed in the list of ingredients.

| 8. | THE LAST WORD: Ready to bet on the IAAF Worlds in Doha? Head to Indiana!

Sports betting in Indiana opened on 1 September at three locations, with 11 more outlets set to start taking wagers this month. Among the sports listed are “Olympics” (including Olympic Trials events), sailing, soccer and track & field.

The track betting includes IAAF events – perfect for the forthcoming World Championships in Doha – and NCAA Division I events. In fact, college sports betting is allowed for baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and track.

What’s the line on Noah Lyles (pictured) to win the 200 m in Doha?

CYCLING Preview: Van Vleuten seeks season title at Boels Ladies Tour; Schurter & Neff try for MTB season titles

By
Rich Perelman
-
Swiss Jolanda Neff, the 2017 World XCO Champion

It’s a busy week in cycling, with the men’s Vuelta a Espana continuing, but also the important, six-stage Ladies Tour of Norway and the final World Cup race in Cross Country Olympic and Downhill, to be held in Snowshoe, West Virginia (USA).

(1) Boels Ladies Tour: Dutch star van Vleuten chasing Vos for season title

This is the 22nd edition of the Boels Ladies Tour in the Netherlands, one of the longest races in women’s cycling, but shorter than the 10-stage women’s Giro d’Italia. The stages are fairly flat, with some rises in the final two stages.

This year’s race has five returning winners and 11 prior medal winners:

● Ellen van Dijk (NED) ~ Winner in 2013; second in 2016-18, third in 2010-14-15-17
● Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) ~ Winner in 2017-18; second in 2013
● Lisa Brennauer (GER) ~ Winner in 2015; second in 2014
● Trixi Worrack (GER) ~ Second in 2006
● Kirsten Wild (NED) ~ Second in 2009-10; third in 2011
● Anna van der Breggen (NED) ~ Second in 2017; third in 2018
● Chantal Blaak (NED) ~ Winner in 2016
● Lucinda Brand (NED) ~ Second in 2015
● Charlotte Becker (GER) ~ Winner in 2008
● Lizzie Deignan (GBR) ~ Third in 2013
● Alena Amialiusik (BLR) ~ Third in 2016

Dutch star van Vleuten is out to re-take the seasonal World Tour points lead from countrywoman Marianne Vos, who is not riding here. With just two races after this one – and both much shorter – this could be the key to the seasonal crown. At present:

1. 1,467.00 ~ Marianne Vos (NED)
2. 1,367.67 ~ Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)
3. 1,220.17 ~ Kasia Niewiadoma (POL)
4. 1,049.33 ~ Lorena Wiebes (NED)
5. 1,043.00 ~ Anna van der Breggen (NED)

Van Vleuten’s win in this race last year helped propel her to the 2018 World Tour title.

The riding actually began with the 3.8 km Prologue on Tuesday. Van Vleuten won that in 5:06, ahead of Lisa Klein (GER: 5:10) and Brand (5:11). The first stage (123.0 km) was won by Wiebes in 2:59:02 in a mass finish that also included the contenders. So, van Vleuten continues in the lead, with Wiebes now three seconds back and Italy’s Letizia Paternoster just four seconds behind.

The race continues through Sunday. Look for results here.

(2) UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Final: Swiss stars Schurter and Neff looking for more season titles

Immediately following last week’s World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec, the season World Cup titles are on the line in Mountain Biking, with the final stage of this year’s circuit getting ready in Snowshoe, West Virginia (USA). The current situation:

● Men/Cross Country:
1. 1,670 ~ Nino Schurter (SUI) ~ 8x World Champion and five in a row (2015-19)
2. 1,649 ~ Mathieu van der Poel (NED)
3. 1,360 ~ Henrique Avancini (BRA)
4. 1,348 ~ Mathias Flueckiger (SUI) ~ 2019 Worlds silver medalist
5. 970 ~ Gerhard Kerschbaumer (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist

● Women/Cross Country:
1. 1,625 ~ Jolanda Neff (SUI) ~ 2017 World Champion
2. 1,552 ~ Kate Courtney (USA) ~ 2018 World Champion
3. 1,225 ~ Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (FRA) ~ 2015 & 2019 World Champion
4. 1,210 ~ Anne Terpstra (NED)
5. 992 ~ Rebecca McConnell (AUS)

Schurter is a six-time World Cup winner and is the clear favorite since van der Poel is prepping for the World Road Race Championships and is expected to skip Snowshoe. Avancini is the only one with a mathematical chance of catching Schurter, but the Swiss would essentially have to be injured and not compete to lose.

The women’s race is between Neff, a three-time winner and Courtney, who has emerged into world class in the last year. Neff was much better last week at the World Championships, winning the silver medal.

● Men/Downhill:
1. 1,312 ~ Loic Bruni (FRA) ~ 2017-18-19 World Champion
2. 1,222 ~ Amaury Pierron (FRA) ~ 2018 World Cup Champion
3. 1,094 ~ Troy Brosnan (AUS) ~ 2019 Worlds silver medalist
4. 883 ~ Danny Hart (GBR) ~ 2011 & 2016 World Champion
5. 859 ~ Loris Vergier (FRA)

● Women/Downhill:
1. 1,460 ~ Tracey Hannah (AUS) ~ 5x Worlds bronze medalist; 3x World Cup bronzes
2. 1,310 ~ Marine Cabirou (FRA) ~ 2019 Worlds bronze medalist
3. 819 ~ Nina Hoffmann (GER)
4. 754 ~ Veronika Widmann (ITA)
5. 730 ~ Rachel Atherton (GBR) ~ Five-time World Champion

With a maximum of 250 points awarded for the win, only Bruni – coming off a third straight world title – and Pierron can fight for the men’s World Cup trophy. Same for Hannah and Cabirou in the women’s division, with Hannah looking to finally win the seasonal trophy after three straight third-place finishes.

The World Cup Cross Country Short race will be on Friday; the Downhill finals will be on Saturday and the Cross Country Olympic finals on Sunday. You can find results here.

ARCHERY Preview: Another title for Brady Ellison at the World Cup Final in Moscow?

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Champion Brady Ellison (USA). (Photo: World Archery)

The climax of the World Archery World Cup season comes this week n Moscow (URS) with the World Cup Final, a unique program that pits the top eight archers from the season against each other in a direct-elimination tournament, with the bracket created from a random draw.

Here’s how it will play out:

Men/Recurve:
● Brady Ellison (USA) vs. Artem Makhnenko (RUS)
● Sjef van den Berg (NED) vs. Steve Wijler (NED)
● Mauro Nespoli (ITA) vs. Jae-Hyeon Bae (KOR)
● Mete Gazoz (TUR) vs. Woo-Jin Kim (KOR)

Ellison is the 2019 World Champion, has won the U.S. National Target Championships, U.S. Open and U.S. Field Archery title. He also two of the four World Cup tournaments and won a bronze in a third. He’s the favorite; look for the winner of the Gazoz vs. former World Champion Kim match at the bottom of the bracket to be the top challenger.

Women/Recurve:
● Ya-Ting Tan (TPE) vs. Tomomi Sugimoto (JPN)
● Melanie Gaubil (FRA) vs. Qixuan An (CHN)
● Yichai Zheng (CHN) vs. Ksenia Perova (RUS)
● Chae-Young Kang (KOR) vs. Sayana Lee (RUS)

Kang was the World Championships silver medalist and won the first two World Cup stages. Perova will be difficult to beat on home soil, and the winner of that semi will likely face the winner of Tan vs. Sugimoto; Tan has three medals in World Cups this season: all bronzes.

Men/Compound:
● Mike Schloesser (NED) vs. Jozef Bosansky (SVK)
● Anton Bulaev (RUS) vs. James Lutz (USA)
● Daniel Munoz (COL) vs. Sergio Pagni (ITA)
● Braden Gellenthien (USA) vs. Evren Cagiran (TUR)

Women/Compound:
● Alexis Ruiz (USA) vs. Natalia Avdeeva (RUS)
● Tanja Jensen (DEN) vs. Danelle Wentzel (RSA)
● Toja Ellison (SLO) vs. Sophie Dodemont (FRA)
● Sara Lopez (COL) vs. Chaewon So (KOR)

Litz and Avdeeva are the Compound World Champions in 2019, and Lutz won the World Cup stage at Antalya (TUR). But Schloesser, a former World Champion himself won three World Cup medals and Gellenthien won two. They’re the likely favorites.

In the women’s draw, Ruiz has been on fire and is the only shooter to medal in all four World Cup tournaments. She’s the favorite, even against World Champion Avdeeva. Lopez won two medals and So won a World Cup stage. Ellison is the wife of Brady Ellison and they will be trying to outdo each other on the range!

Competition is scheduled for Friday (Compound) and Saturday (Recurve) at the Luzhniki Sports Centre, adjacent to the main stadium for the 1980 Olympic Games. The top four finishers in each division will receive CHF 20,000-10,000-5,000-1,000. Look for results here.

COMING ATTRACTIONS: Previews in Badminton, Freestyle Skiing, Karate and Table Tennis

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. Badminton star Beiwen Zhang

Preview of notable events this week:

● BADMINTON: Medal possibility for American Beiwen Zhang at Chinese Taipei Open

Barely days following the close of the 2019 World Championships comes the Yonex Chinese Taipei Open at the Taipei Arena with a total prize purse of $500,000. The top seeds:

Men/Singles:
1. Tien-Chen Chou (TPE)
2. Ka Long Ng (HKG)
3. Zii Jia Lee (MAS)

Men/Doubles:
1. Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Ardianto (INA)
2. Yang Lee/Chi-Lin Wang (TPE)
3. Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik (MAS)

Women/Singles:
1. Saina Nehwal (IND)
2. Michelle Li (CAN)
3. Beiwen Zhang (USA)

Women/Doubles:
1. Greysia Polii/Apriyani Rahayu (INA)
2. So-Hee Lee/Seung-Chan Shin (KOR)
3. So-Yeong Kim/Hee-Yong Kong (KOR)

Mixed Doubles:
1. Peng Soon Chan/Liu Ying Goh (MAS)
2. Seung-Jae Seo/Yoo-Jung Chae (KOR)
3. Hafiz Faisal/Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja (INA)

In the women’s Singles, India’s top-seeded Nehwal withdrew, so this could be a rare chance for a medal for Zhang. She’s won three medals in World Tour events in 2018, with two silvers and a win at the India Open. Look for results here.

● FREESTYLE SKIING: Strong field for Freestyle Halfpipe World Cup at Winter Games NZ

The second half of the FIS World Cup programs at the Winter Games NZ in Cardrona comes this weekend with the Freeski Halfpipe, with an excellent field. Both of last year’s World Cup winners are in – Canadians Simon D’Artois and Cassie Sharpe, along with a big U.S. contingent that includes two-time World Champion Aaron Blunck. The 2018-19 World Cup final leaders:

Men/Freeski Halfpipe:
1. 256 Simon D’Artois (CAN)
2. 225 Nico Porteous (NZL) ~ 2018 Olympic bronze medalist
3. 210 David Wise (USA) ~ 2018 Olympic Champion
4. 178 Hunter Hess (USA)
5. 164 Thomas Krief (FRA)
+ Aaron Blunck (USA) ~ 2017-19 World Champion

Women/Freeski Halfpipe:
1. 280 Cassie Sharpe (CAN) ~ 2018 Olympic Champion; 2019 Worlds silver
2. 260 Rachael Karker (CAN)
3. 256 Kexin Zhang (CHN)
4. 180 Kelly Sildaru (EST) ~ 2019 World Champion
5. 156 Fanghui Li (CHN)

Look for results here. This is the end of the World Cup schedule in New Zealand; the season picks up again in November.

● KARATE: Fifth Karate1 Premier League tests Tokyo preparations

The fifth stop on the 2019 Karate1 Premier League schedule is also the test event for the sport, this weekend at Tokyo’s famed Nippon Budokan, which just finished hosting the 2019 World Judo Championships.

Competition will be held in 12 individual categories, with 649 total entries. The top seeds:

Men:
Kata: 1. Ryo Kiyuna (JPN); 2. Damian Quintero (ESP)
Kumite 60 kg: 1. Darkhan Assadilov (KAZ); 2. Angelo Crescenzo (ITA)
Kumite 67 kg: 1. Steven Dacosta (FRA); 2. Vinicius Figueira (BRA)
Kumite 75 kg: 1. Rafael Aghayev (AZE); 2. Bahman Asgari (IRI)
Kumite 84 kg: 1. Ugur Aktas (TUR); 2. Ivan Kvesic (CRO)
Kumite +84 kg: 1. Jonathan Horne (GER); 2. Sajad Ganjzadeh (IRI)

Women:
Kata: 1. Sandra Sanchez (ESP); 2. Kiyou Shimizu (JPN)
Kumite 50 kg: 1. Serap Ozcelik (TUR); 2. Miho Miyahara (JPN)
Kumite 55 kg: 1. Anzhelika Terliuga (UKR); 2. Tzu-Yun Wen (TPE)
Kumite 61 kg: 1. Xiaoyan Yin (CHN); 2. Merve Coban (TUR)
Kumite 68 kg: 1. Elena Quirici (SUI); 2. Kayo Someya (JPN)
Kumite +68 kg: 1. Ayumi Uekusa (JPN); 2. Titta Keinanen (FIN)

Prize money in each class will be € 750-500-250. Look for results here.

● TABLE TENNIS: Pan American Champs on in Paraguay

The ITTF Pan American Championships are underway in Asuncion (PAR), with competition through this weekend and the championship finals on Sunday (8th). The top seeds:

Men/Singles:
1. Kanak Jha (USA)
2. Gustavo Tsuboi (BRA)
3. Marcelo Aguirre (PAR)

Men/Doubles:
1. Eric Jouti/Gustavo Tsuboi (BRA)
2. Gaston Alto/Horacio Cifuentes (ARG)
3. Marcos Madrid/ricardo Villa (MEX)

Women/Singles:
1. Mo Zhang (CAN)
2. Yue Wu (USA)
3. Bruna Takahashi (BRA)

Women/Doubles:
1. Yue Wu/Lily Zhang (USA)
2. Joyce Xu/Mo Zhang (CAN)
3. Daniela Ortega/Paulina Vega (CHI)

Mixed Doubles:
1. Eric Jouti/Bruna Takahashi (BRA)
2. Horacio Cifuentes/Camila Arguelles (ARG)
3. Marcos Madrid/Yadira Silva (MEX)

Look for results here.

ALPINE SKIING Panorama: Brilliant Hirscher declares retirement after 8 straight World Cup titles

By
Rich Perelman
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Austria's Marcel Hirscher with yet another Crystal Globe

“You know me. I either go all in, putting 150% effort or nothing. I can be very satisfied with my career, I was very lucky to never get serious injuries in all these years, and I slowly realized that I was not willing to pay the high price that it takes to always be at the top in this sport. Additionally, I wanted to leave as champion and I feel this is the best moment to retire.”

With those words, the dominant player in men’s alpine skiing for the last eight years, Austria’s Marcel Hirscher, announced the end of his competitive career at a news conference in Salzburg, Austria.

The announcement was originally scheduled for 6 August, but was postponed so that Hirscher could be really sure that he was calling it a career.

He’s only 30, but has compiled a sterling record that is right there with the greatest athletes in the history of skiing:

● World Cup champion from 2012-19: eight straight seasons, out of 12 on tour from 2008-19;

● World Cup winner of 12 discipline titles: six each in Slalom and Giant Slalom;

● No. 2 on the all-time list for most World Cup victories with 67,with 32 in Slalom and 31 in Giant Slalom; only Ingemar Stenmark (SWE: 86 from 1973-89) has more;

● No. 2 all-time for most World Cup medals win with 138 (67-47-24); only Stenmark (155: 86-43-26) has more;

● Winner of seven World Championships gold medals and 11 total from 2013-19; he won three times in the Slalom, once in the Giant Slalom and once in the Combined, plus two in the Team Event;

● Three-time Olympic medalist, winning golds in the Combined and Giant Slalom in PyeongChang in 2018 and a silver in the Sochi Slalom in 2014.

Part of the reason for his retirement is no doubt his 2018 marriage to Laura Moisl and the birth of a son last October.

He leaves at the top of his game, having won the World Cup overall, Slalom and Giant Slalom titles last season, as well as a World Championships gold (Slalom) and silver (Giant Slalom).

His retirement could be good news for Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen, 25, who finished second to Hirscher in the 2016 and 2018 World Cup standings and third in 2017 and 2019. France’s Alexis Pintuarault, 28, was second last season and third in 2014-15-16.

Hirscher’s departure will also increase the focus on American star Mikaela Shiffrin, who now stands alone among the all-time skiing greats still active. With the retirements of Lindsey Vonn and Hirscher, Shiffrin – still just 24 – has won three straight World Cup women’s titles and stands third all-time among women with 60 career wins … and climbing.

For Hirscher, he left on his own timetable and after winning another championship; few get to do that and he will be remembered as one of the best ever.

There was also great sadness with the confirmation that Blanca Fernandez Ochoa of Spain, the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist in the Slalom, died during a hiking expedition in the mountains near Madrid. She was 56.

She had been missing since 23 August and her body was found by tracking dogs on Tuesday (3rd).

Fernandez Ochoa was a four-time Olympian for Spain in skiing, and won four World Cup events and 20 medals during her skiing career. She was the first Spanish women’s medal winner in skiing. Her brother, Francisco Fernandez Ochoa, was the gold medalist in Slalom at the 1972 Winter Games in Sapporo (JPN).

TSX DAILY: Sports participation in U.S. high schools shows surprise decline; U.S. squeaks by Turkey in FIBA World Cup; Gatlin & Felix slow in Zagreb

By
Rich Perelman
-

≡ TSX DAILY ~ 4 September 2019 ≡

| 1. |  LANE ONE: New high school participation numbers show first overall decline in 30 years

The National Federation of State High School Associations has been compiling statistics about the number of students who play on an interscholastic sports team since the 1971-72 academic year.

Back then, there were 3.96 million boys and girls on teams and, with a couple of exceptions, the total has always risen – even if slightly – from year to year. But for the first time in 30 years, since the 1988-89 term, the total declines in the latest report on the 2018-19 academic year.

Where some 7.98 million had participated in 2017-18, the total was down by 0.54% to 7.94 million this last year, an exact decline of 43,395. The details were both surprising and expected:

● The number of students in sports declined for both boys and girls, also for the first time since 1988-89. The number of boys dropped by 0.68% and the number of girls dropped by 0.35%.

● Among boys, the biggest decrease – and the driver for the overall totals – was in 11-man football, with 30,829 fewer players. However, the number of schools playing football was up nationally, so is this a reaction to athlete safety … or are football team sizes shrinking either due to regulations or costs?

Also worth noting was the decrease in basketball players, down 10,604 over the prior year, once again with the number of schools fielding teams increasing. The player-safety issues are far fewer in basketball, so there has to be another explanation.

Track & field, soccer, wrestling and tennis were all up slightly; baseball, golf and swimming & diving were down slightly.

● The decline in sports participation by girls had to come as a surprise, against the current narrative that more girls want to play if given the opportunity. Basketball, the no. 3 sport for girls, saw a decline – just as with boys – by 13,340, at the same time that the no. of schools offering the sport increased again.

The most popular sport for girls, track & field, had 488,267 girls involved, down by 325 from 2017-18, while volleyball – no. 2 – was up by 6,225 players. Softball, tennis, swimming & diving and competitive spirit were all down slightly; soccer and lacrosse were up slightly.

● Football accounted for 71% of the total decline, so that has to be studied further. Even so, the importance of interscholastic sports to high school students is hard to over-estimate.

Based on the NFSHS and National Center for Education Statistics data, 47.2% of all U.S. high school students – 7.94 million out of 16.81 million – played interscholastic sports at the high school level in the 2018-19 school year.

That nearly half of all students are involved in sports is remarkable and a testament to the value of sports to the students themselves. One year is hardly a trend; let’s see what next year brings.

| 2. | ATHLETICS: Big throw by Ryan Crouser in Bellinzona, Gatlin and Felix slow in Zagreb

The extremely late date for the 2019 IAAF World Championships, beginning 28 September in Doha, has pushed athletes into meets they would not usually contest this late in the calendar. A couple of those were Sunday’s Gala dei Castelli in Bellinzona (ITA) and Tuesday’s Hanzekovic Memorial in Zagreb (CRO).

In Bellinzona, reigning Olympic Champion Ryan Crouser of the U.S. was sharp in the shot, winning with an impressive throw of 22.28 m (73-1 1/4), and World 100 m Champion Justin Gatlin (pictured) rebounded from his fourth at the Diamond League final in Zurich with a win in 9.97, ahead of fellow American Mike Rodgers (10.00). Also, 2008 Olympic 400 m Champion LaShawn Merritt ran his first 400 m race in two years and won in a respectable 45.82.

In the IAAF World Challenge meet in Zagreb, Rodgers won in 10.04, but Gatlin was fourth in 10.29, hardly a confidence-builder.

In the women’s 400 m, reigning World Champion Phyllis Francis of the U.S. won in 51.02, with Allyson Felix second in 51.67, neither of which was a seasonal best. Sharika Nelvis led a 1-2-4 U.S. finish in the women’s 100 m hurdles (12.73), and the biggest cheers came for Croatia’s great throwers. Olympic champions Sandra Perkovic (discus: 67.78 m/222-4) and Sara Kolak (javelin: 66.42 m/217-11) both won easily. More details here.

The last major meet before Doha comes this week with the second stage of the Diamond League finals, this time at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels (BEL). We’ll have a preview late on  Wednesday.

| 3. | BASKETBALL: U.S. men eke out a FIBA World Cup win over Turkey, clinch Group E

It wasn’t pretty, and it could very well be called lucky. But it was – somehow – a win for the U.S. men at the FIBA World Cup in overtime by 93-92 over Turkey in Shanghai (CHN).

Turkey very nearly won the game twice. After the U.S. ran out to a 41-26 lead in the second quarter, the Turks scored 12 straight points to get back into it and played the U.S. tough from then on.

In the final minute of regulation time, Turkey’s Ersan Ilyasova (NBA/Milwaukee Bucks) had a tipin to give his team an 81-79 lead with 12.3 seconds to play. The U.S. missed a three-pointer, but grabbed the rebound and Jayson Tatum (pictured) was fouled on a three-point attempt with 0.1 on the clock. Tatum had two of the three to send the game into overtime.

The Turks had an 89-84 lead in the extra period, but the U.S. rallied for a 91-89 lead. But a Cedi Osman three-point play gave the Turks a 92-91 lead with 50 seconds left. Joe Harris missed a jumper for the U.S. and Myles Turner turned the ball over and the Americans had to foul and Dogus Balbay had two shots with nine seconds left. He missed both.

Because the foul on Balbay was called for “unsportsmanlike conduct” under international rules, Turkey had the ball and Osman was immediately fouled … and missed two more free throws!

The U.S.’s Tatum rebounded the second miss, fell with an ankle injury and was replaced by Khris Middleton. He drove the lane for a layin but was fouled. His two foul shots gave the American squad a 93-92 victory and clinched the top spot in Group E. More here.

Turkey will play the Czech Republic for the second spot in Group E on Thursday. In the other groups playing on Tuesday, Brazil upset Greece, 79-78, to take control of Group F; Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) was held to 13 points on 3-7 shooting. The Greeks now play New Zealand to determine which will advance.

| 4. | CYCLING: Speedy Roglic takes lead in La Vuelta after sterling time trial

After a first week of wild, unexpected swings on the leaderboard, the results of Tuesday’s Individual Time Trial went to form.

Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic (pictured) is a known time-trial ace and he showed his ability once again with a decisive Stage 10 victory over the hilly, 36.2 km course from Jurancon to Pau (FRA) in 47:05 and became the fifth different race leader over the last five stages.

He won by 25 seconds over Australia’s Patrick Bevin, but more importantly had advantages of 1:22 over Spaniard Marc Soler, 1:27 over Dylan Teuns (BEL), 1:38 over Alejandro Valverde (ESP), 2:00 vs. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL) and 3:06 over incoming race leader Nairo Quintana (COL).

That leaves Roglic wearing La Roja – the red leader’s jersey – with a 1:53 edge over Valverde, +2:11 over Lopez and +3:00 vs. Quintana. But now we go back to climbing, with hilly stages on Wednesday and Thursday and uphill finishes on tough climbing stages on Friday and Sunday.

After the first week of riding was on the eastern coast of Spain, the second week is up at the northern border, leading west. The final week will be in the center of the country, heading to the finish in Madrid on the 15th.

| 5. | FOOTBALL: U.S. women cruise to 3-0 win in Victory Tour III over Portugal

In front of a capacity-plus crowd of 19,600 at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota, the U.S. comfortably won its third Victory Tour game, 3-0, over Portugal.

The game was lopsided from the start and the score would have been much higher if not for good work by Portuguese keeper Ines Pereira. But Carli Lloyd (pictured) broke through to score in the 18th minute on a rebound from back-to-back saves by Pereira, and Lloyd then converted a questionably-called penalty kick in the 32nd minute for a 2-0 lead at the half.

Almost the entire game was played in Portugal half of the field and the U.S. ended with 68% possession on the game and a 21-1 edge in shots.

The second half was continuous U.S. pressure, but no goals until Lindsey Horan ran onto a perfect Christen Press corner kick about six yards in front of the Portugal goal and headed a rocket past Pereira for the 3-0 final. The U.S. has outscored Ireland and Portugal by 10-0 in its three Victory Tour wins so far. More here.

With the final whistle, U.S. coach Jill Ellis recorded her 105th win with the U.S. team, equaling the record of the late Tony DiCicco, who managed the squad from 1994-99. Ellis will no doubt have the record to herself when she finishes her coaching stint with the final two Victory Tour games on 3 and 6 October vs. South Korea.

| 6. | PREVIEWS: Beach Volleyball World Tour Final and the Modern Pentathlon World Championships

Lots of action this week and we have previews coming daily. First up:

● FIVB World Tour Final in Rome: The top beach duos will face off this week in Italy, with the biggest question being whether anyone can beat the Norwegian stars Anders Mol and Christian Sorum. In their 11 World Tour tournaments together, they are 61-4 and have won seven, tied for the second-most in history. They did finish third at the recent World Championships and the Russian winners – Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy – and silver medalists Julius Thole and Clemens Wickler (who beat Mol & Sorum) also in the field.

The women’s favorites are World Champions Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes of Canada, and the American silver medalists Alix Klineman and April Ross. More here.

● UIPM World Championships in Budapest: A huge field of nearly 1,000 athletes are in Hungary for the Pentathlon Worlds as well as a concurrent event just for the Laser Run. Lithuania’s 35-year-old Laura Asadauskaite – the 2012 Olympic Champion – already won the World Cup Final earlier this year and just won the European Championship; she’s the women’s favorite.

The men’s field is evenly matched, with Britain’s James Cooke trying to defend his title against multiple former winners and last year’s silver medalist, Valentin Prades of France. More here.

| 7. | THE LAST WORD: ESPN’s Max Kellerman showed how difficult it is for him to fill two hours during Tuesday’s “First Take” show, where he insulted track & field – and the Olympic Games for that matter – by saying that “It’s only a sport by a very broad definition” and “The best athletes — because that’s where the money is — go to basketball and football and the others fall down to track & field.”

Oblivious even to the athletic and financial firepower of Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (pictured), Kellerman’s comments got lots of reaction from the track & field community of course. But it’s easy to understand now why he’s one of ESPN’s boxing analysts … because he’s obviously been hit too many times.

By the way, when’s the last time Kellerman was drug tested?

MODERN PENTATHLON Preview: Another World title for Asadauskaite?

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Cup Final winner Laura Asadauskaite (LTU)

One of the largest World Championships ever is underway in Budapest, Hungary for the combined 2019 World Championships in Modern Pentathlon and a concurrent World Championships for the Laser Run component by itself.

The top three finishers in the men’s and women’s Modern Pentathlon final will qualify for the Tokyo 2020 tournament, if not already qualified. The top pentathletes by their UIPM world rankings:

● Men:
1. Valentin Prades (FRA) ~ 2018 Worlds silver, 2013-17 World Cup Champion
2. James Cooke (GBR) ~ 2018 World Champion
3. Joseph Choong (GBR) ~ 2018 World Cup Champion
4. Pavlo Timoshchenko (UKR) ~ 2016 Olympic silver; 2015 World Champ; 2018 bronze
5. Marvin Faly Dogue (GER)
6. Jan Kuf (CZE) ~ 2014 Worlds bronze
7. Patrick Dogue (GER)
8. Esteban Bustos (CHI)
9. Ahmed Elgendy (EGY)
10. Justinas Kinderis (LTU) ~ 2013 World Champion; 2010-17 Worlds bronze

● Women:
1. Laura Asadauskaite (LTU) ~ 2012 Olympic Champion; 2013 World Champion
2. Annika Schleu (GER) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
3. Marie Oteiza (FRA) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze
4. Kate French (FRA)
5. Uliana Batashova (RUS)
6. Elodie Clouvel (FRA) ~ 2016 Olympic silver, 2016 Worlds silver
7. Sarolta Kovacs (HUN) ~ 2016 World Champion
8. Anastasiya Prokopenko (BLR) ~ 2018 World Champion; 2017 Worlds bronze
9. Gulnaz Gubaydullina (RUS) ~ 2017 World Champion
10. Iryna Prasiantsova (BLR)

Asadauskaite is a remarkable story. Now 35, she won in London, but failed in the riding competition in Rio and finished 30th. She’s come back stronger than ever and – nearly invincible on the Laser Run – won the seasonal World Cup in June and the European Championship in August.

Following the new protocol in the sport, a pentathlon “arena” has been arranged in Kincsem Park with the installation of a temporary swimming pool.

Qualification for the men’s and women’s final will be held during the week, with the finals from Friday through Sunday, including the Mixed Relay on Sunday.

The (non-Olympic) team relays for men and women were held on Monday and Tuesday. Summaries:

UIPM World Championships
Budapest (HUN) ~ 1-8 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Team Relay: 1. Alexander Nobis/Patrick Dogue (GER), 1,506; 2. Jinhwa Jung/Woongtae Jun (KOR), 1,482; 3. Alexander Lesun/Danil Kalimullin (RUS), 1,475; 4. Yaraslau Radziuk/Kirill Kasyanik (BLR), 1,465; 5. Alexandre Henrard/Jean Baptiste Mourcia (FRA), 1,459; 6. Mohanad Shaban/Ahmed Hamid (EGY), 1,449; 7. Illes Szabo/Bence Kardos (HUN), 1,439; 8. Lukasz Gutkowski/Daniel Lawrynowicz (POL), 1,432. Also: 18. Tyler Evans/Amro Elgeziry (USA), 1,156.

Women

Team Relay: 1. Mayan Oliver/Mariana Arceo (MEX), 1,338; 2. Luca Barta/Kamilla Reti (HUN), 1,329; 3. Unju Kim/Mina Jeong (KOR), 1,326; 4. Kate Coleman/Eilidh Prise (IRL), 1,305; 5. Sarolta Simon/Blanka Guzi (HUN), 1,303; 6. Barbora Ciprova/Karolina Krenkova (CZE), 1,285; 7. Adelina Ibatullina/Kseniia Fraltsova (RUS), 1,281; 8. Mingyu Zhang/Yewen Gu (CHN), 1,271. Also: 11. Sam Achtenberg/Heidi Hendrick (USA), 1,177.

LANE ONE: New high school participation numbers show first overall decline in 30 years

By
Rich Perelman
-

It finally happened.

The U.S. National Federation of State High School Associations published its annual participation numbers for American high school sports for the 2018-19 academic year and for the first time in 30 years, the total number of athletes went down.

Not by a lot, but it went down:

● 2017-18: 7,980,886
● 2018-19: 7,937,491 (-0.54%)

The last time this happened was back in 1988-89, when the total number of participants slid from 5.275 million to 5.256 million. It stalled there for a couple of years, then moved up slowly from that level to almost eight million now.

Beyond the oddity of the change, there were some interesting aspects of these numbers to consider:

(1) Decreases in the total number of participants were seen in both boys and girls sports, also for the first time since 1988-89:

Boys:
● 2017-18: 4.566 million
● 2018-19: 4.535 million (-0.68%)

Girls:
● 2017-18: 3.415 million
● 2018-19: 3.403 million (-0.35%)

(2) Of the top 10 sports for boys, none changed between 2018 and 2019 and six of the 10 had small declines, except for 11-man football, which saw 30,829 less players.

● 1,006,013 ~ Football: DOWN 30,829
● 605,354 ~ Track & Field: UP 5,257
● 540,769 ~ Basketball: DOWN 10,604
● 482,740 ~ Baseball: DOWN 4,357
● 459,077 ~ Soccer: UP 2,715
● 269,295 ~ Cross Country: DOWN 800
● 247,441 ~ Wrestling: UP 1,877
● 159,314 ~ Tennis: UP 1,163
● 143,200 ~ Golf: DOWN 824
● 136,638 ~ Swimming & Diving: DOWN 2,297

Looking a little more deeply at football and basketball, the number of schools offering the sport still increased in 2018-19. Basketball is the leading sport in terms of the number of schools offering it and the number increased from 18,510 to 18,617 so only the number of players are down. In football, schools playing increased from 14,079 to 14,247, so again, only the number of players is down.

(3) In the girls division, seven of the top 10 sports showed decreases, with a big reduction in basketball:

● 488,267 ~ Track & Field: DOWN 325
● 452,808 ~ Volleyball: UP 6,225
● 399,067 ~ Basketball: DOWN 13,340
● 391,105 ~ Soccer: UP 623
● 362.038 ~ Softball: DOWN 5,823
● 219,345 ~ Cross Country: DOWN 4,173
● 189,436 ~ Tennis: DOWN 1,332
● 173,088 ~ Swimming & Diving: DOWN 2,506
● 161,358 ~ Competitive Spirit: DOWN 1,311
● 99,750 ~ Lacrosse: UP 2,846

Checking the schools numbers, those offering basketball went up from 18,171 to 18,210, track & field went up from 17,012 from 16,951 and volleyball went up from 16,434 to 16,572. So again, the number of players went down, not the number of schools participating.

(Those wondering about gymnastics for girls, this is a minor sport at the high school level, with competition in just 27 states and 18,658 athletes; the action in this sport is in clubs rather than in schools.)

If you care to look for it, there is plenty of “analysis” about the decrease shown in these numbers, but it’s only one year, after 30 straight years of increases for the overall total and for both boys and girls. But there are some observations worth making:

● The most striking decrease was in the overall total in girls sports, after the enormous expansion in the Title IX era. Seeing basketball participation recede by 13,340 is surprising, but the continued increase in volleyball is not. Track & field was about the same and at close to a half-million athletes, has been the leader in girls sports for a long time.

● The boys numbers showed a decrease in football of 2.9% from 2017-18 and that’s significant. The question of why is not answered in the statistics and to pin the change on one area is foolish. What is not well understood is that at the high school level, football is an expensive sport to fund and squad sizes may be limited in some districts, which would make an impact. There is no doubt that player safety is playing a role, but a lot more data is needed to understand how that is impacting playing across 14,247 schools nationwide.

● This is the most important number of all: an astonishing 47.2% of all U.S. high school students – 7.94 million out of 16.81 million – played interscholastic sports at the high school level in the 2018-19 school year.

That nearly half of all students are involved in sports is remarkable and a testament to the value of sports to the students themselves.

There is more work needed to understand what the 2018-19 participation statistics mean, and we won’t really know much for another couple of years. Certainly, there are questions about football for boys and basketball for both boys and girls, but with so many young people in sports, it’s place in our society is looking good.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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BEACH VOLLEYBALL Preview: Vikings Mol & Sorum try to repeat in World Tour Final in Rome

By
Rich Perelman
-
Beach superstars Christian Sorum (left) and Anders Mol of Norway (Photo: FIVB)

The longest season in the history of FIVB beach volleyball finally comes to a close this weekend with the World Tour Finals at the Foto Italico in Rome, Italy. Started way back in August of 2018 (!), the top teams in the world will face each other one more time … before starting the 2019-20 season.

The top seeds:

● Men:
1. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum (NOR) ~ Defending champions; seven titles this season
2. Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Oleg Stoyanovskiy (RUS) ~ 2019 World Champions
3. Alison Cerutti/Alvaro Filho (BRA) ~ Two wins, four medals this season
4. Evandro Goncalves Oliveira/Bruno Oscar Schmidt (BRA) ~ One win, three medals
5. Grzegorz Fijalek/Michal Bryl (POL) ~ Two silvers, two bronzes this season

Also seeded in the top 10 are Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser of the U.S. at seventh.

Mol and Sorum confirmed their world-class status by winning the World Tour Final in 2018, defeating Fijalek and Bryl in the final. The Norwegians have been sensational this season, winning the Las Vegas Open, Itapema Open, Jinjiang Open, Ostrava Open, Gstaad Major, the Tokyo Open and the Vienna Major (7) in addition to a bronze medal at the World Championships. In their 11 World Tour events as a pair together, Mol and Sorum are 61-4.

They were defeated by Germans Julius Thole and Clemens Wickler in the World Championships in Hamburg (seeded ninth in Rome) and had to settle for the silver medal. But they are clearly the favorites.

● Women:
1. Sarah Pavan/Melissa Humana-Paredes (CAN) ~ 2019 World Champions
2. Alix Klineman/April Ross (USA) ~ 2019 Worlds silver medalists
3. Maria Antonelli/Carol Salgado (BRA) ~ Two silvers, one bronze this season
4. Agatha Bednarczuk/Duda Lisboa (BRA) ~ Two wins, four medals this season
5. Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli (SUI) ~ Moscow Open winners in mid-August

The U.S. has two more seeded teams in the top 10: Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil at no. 8 and Kelley Larsen and Emily Stockman at no. 9.

Pavan and Humana-Paredes scored two major victories at the World Championships and the Vienna Major in about a month. Klineman and Ross won three tournaments and won five total medals so far. At the Worlds final, the Canadians squeezed out a two-set victory, both by 23-21 scores and Klineman and Ross want to reverse that.

The quarterfinals and semifinals will be on Saturday (7th) and the medal matches on Sunday (8th). Look for results here.

FOOTBALL: Lloyd scores twice as U.S. women cruise to 3-0 win over Portugal in Victory Tour friendly

By
Rich Perelman
-
Two goals for U.S. star Carli Lloyd in the U.S.'s 3-0 win over Portugal in St. Paul (Photo: Agencia Brasilia via Wikimedia Commons)

The Victory Tour is now 60% complete and the U.S. – the FIFA Women’s World Cup champs – has won all three and outscored its opponents by a combined 10-0. The latest was a 3-0 win over an overmatched Portugal team on Tuesday evening.

The capacity crowd of 19,600 at Allianz Field in St. Paul was noisy from the start, but while the U.S. dominated possession, the shots did not come easily. In the 18th minute, U.S. striker Carli Lloyd missed a volley to the right side of goal off an Abby Dahlkemper pass that could easily have been the opening score.

In the 22nd minute, a terrible Portuguese clearance led to a Lloyd shot and a save by Ines Pereira, but the ball came loose in front of the goal and Pereira had to come out and save another shot from Jessica McDonald. The ball squirted to the side and with Pereira out in front after the second save, Lloyd buried it for a 1-0 lead, her 116th goal for the U.S.

As with the 4-0 loss in Philadelphia, Portugal could not keep possession even into the midfield and the game was essentially played with the U.S. on constant offense. Pereira, however, was impressive, notably in the 29th minute, where she made back-to-back saves vs. Sam Mewis and Tobin Heath.

Heath then ran into the box in the 30th minute and was tripped by defender Ana Borges, resulting in a (not very clear) penalty, which Lloyd converted with ease for a 2-0 advantage.

The half ended that way, with the U.S. controlling 63% of the possession and out-shooting Portugal, 14-1.

The U.S. continued pressing in the second half, even with multiple substitutions and Pereira was up to the challenge of a rocket from Christen Press from right in front of goal in the 52nd minute and a subsequent header from McDonald hit the crossbar.

Despite the pressure, the U.S. didn’t add another goal until the 83rd minute. A Christen Press corner kick sailed right into the middle of the field and Lindsey Horan ran toward the box right in front of goal and headed the ball in, high and away from Pereira.

The final numbers showed a 62-38% possession edge for the U.S. and a 21-1 shots advantage. Pereira ended with seven saves and U.S. keeper Alyssa Naeher probably had to stifle a yawn at times.

With the victory, U.S. coach Jill Ellis equaled the records for coaching wins by the late Tony DiCicco with her 105th victory. DiCicco, the coach of the famed 1999 World Cup winners, had a U.S. national team record of 105-8-8 from 1995-99; Ellis has compiled a 105-7-18 mark from 2014-19, with two World Cup titles.

The Victory Tour has two more legs, on 3 and 6 October against South Korea.

ATHLETICS: More trouble for Gatlin, slow times for Francis and Felix in Zagreb World Challenge

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

/Updated with results from Sunday’s Gala dei Castelli/The 69th edition of the Hanzekovic Memorial in Zagreb (CRO) was selected as a measuring-stick meet by several American stars looking to gauge their fitness with less than four weeks remaining before the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha.

There’s good reason to worry.

In the men’s 100 m that concluded the meet, reigning World Champion Justin Gatlin registered his second bad race out of three, finishing fourth in 10.29, while fellow American Mike Rodgers cruised to a clear win in 10.04. With a slight headwind of 0.1 m/s against him, Rodgers won by 0.14 against Canada’s Aaron Brown (10.18) with Demek Kemp of the U.S. third (10.28).

This follows up Gatlin’s disappointing showing at the Weltklasse Zurich meet last week in the first Diamond League final. He looked great for 75 m, but then gave ground as Noah Lyles of the U.S. won in 9.98 and Gatlin was fourth in 10.08 (and Rodgers eighth in 10.16). Gatlin did win on Sunday in Bellinzona (ITA) in 9.97, with Rodgers at 10.00.

The expected clash between Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, undefeated over the past year in the women’s 400 m, and Americans Phyllis Francis and Allyson Felix never materialized as Naser skipped the race. But the Americans ran and Francis, the reigning World Champion, won in an uninspiring 51.02 with Felix second at 51.67. Neither time is a season’s best. American Jaide Stepter was fourth in 52.03.

Other highlights:

● Nijel Amos (BOT) was a no-show in the men’s 800 m, won by Amel Tuka (BIH) in 1:44.78 over Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski (1:45.28), with Americans Isaiah Harris (1:45.65) and Brandon Kidder (1:45.91) in fifth and sixth.

● Kate Grace scored a nice win in the women’s 1,500 in 4:07.91, beating Ethiopia’s Axumawit Embaye – who has run 3:59.02 this year – in second at 4:08.99.

● U.S. hurdlers went 1-2-4 in the women’s 100 m hurdles, with Sharika Nelvis getting her first win in 2 1/2 months in 12.73 over Christina Clemons (12.82) with Queen Claye fourth (12.88).

● The home fans cheered for both of Croatia’s stars in the long throws. Two-time World Champion Sandra Perkovic won the discus with a good throw of 67.78 m (222-4) in the fifth round and 2016 Olympic javelin champ Sara Kolak had a season best by more than six feet at 66.42 m (217-11), setting a meet record and moving to no. 6 on the 2019 world list.

The U.S. had another field event win, with Chris Benard taking the triple jump at 16.97 m (55-8 1/4). Complete results are here.

The late dates for the 2019 World Championships in Qatar have athletes looking for more late-season competitions than usual and one of the beneficiaries was the Gala dei Castelli in Bellinzona (ITA) on Sunday (1st). Among the highlights were four American wins:

• Gatlin won the 100 m in a good 9.97 from Mike Rodgers (10.00) with zero wind;

• LaShawn Merritt, who hadn’t been seen in a 400 m since 2017, won the 400 m in a modest 45.82;

• Ryan Crouser showed that he’s in great shape, winning the shot put at 22.28 m (73-1 1/4), ahead of Chuk Enekwechi (NGR), who reached out to 21.44 (71-4 1/4).

• Vaulter Katie Nageotte won at 4.77 m (15-7 3/4), ahead of Sandi Morris (4.70 m/15-7) and Emily Grove, who cleared 4.63 m (15-2 1/4).

BASKETBALL: U.S. somehow survives, beats Turkey, 93-92, to clinch second-round berth

By
Rich Perelman
-
Myles Turner celebrates while Semih Erden of Turkey can't believe the U.S. defeated Turkey, 92-93 in overtime (Photo: FIBA)

“The game was in our hands; we gave them the game.”

That comment from Turkish forward Furkan Korkmaz summed up the monumental struggle that was the game of the tournament thus far in the 2019 FIBA World Cuo.

The favored U.S. team shot out to a 15-point lead at 41-26 in the second quarter and was on the edge of deciding the game in the first half. But the Turks scored 12 in a row to close to 41-38 and the American lead at halftime was only 47-42.

Trouble for the U.S.? Yes.

A steady lead in the third quarter evaporated and the U.S. was up only 65-61 after three quarters. In the fourth, Turkey tied it at 71-71 with 6:01 to go on a Melih Mahmutoglu layup. The game was tied again at 74-74 and then at 79-79 with 57 seconds to go as both sides found it difficult to score.

Then a Donovan Mitchell pass was intercepted by Turkey’s Ersan Ilyasova and although Cedi Osman missed a jumper, Ilyasova tipped in the loose rebound for an 81-79 lead with 12.3 seconds to go.

A Khris Middleton try from three-point range missed, but Kemba Walker grabbed the rebound and Jason Tatum was then fouled by Osman – body contact as his shot was being taken – on a desperation three-point try with 0.1 seconds to go. Tatum made the first, missed the second and made the third to tie to game at 81-81.

In the overtime, Turkey ran out to an 89-84 lead with 3:20 to go, but Walker scored five straight points and Tatum added a layup for a 91-89 U.S. lead. Walker missed a three-point try that would have iced the game, then Osman drove for a layin and was fouled; he made the free throw for a 92-91 lead with 50 seconds left.

The U.S.’s Joe Harris missed a layin try off a drive with 35 seconds to go, but then Turkey’s Scott Wilbekin gave the U.S. another chance with an offensive foul with 14 seconds to play. But Myles Turner mishandled a pass and Dogus Balbay stole the ball and Harris fouled him, giving Balbay two free throws with nine seconds left.

He missed both.

Turkey had the ball and Marcus Smart fouled Osman immediately, sending him to the line for two more foul shots. He missed both and Tatum took the rebound, but fell with an injured ankle and had to leave the game, replaced by Middleton.

Middleton then drove to the basket and was fouled. He made both for a 92-93 U.S. lead with 2.1 seconds to go. Ilyasova missed a fallaway three-pointer at the buzzer and the U.S. escaped, 93-92.

Wow.

“It was anybody’s game,” said U.S. coach Gregg Popovich. “We will accept the win, but it was anybody’s to win. The team that we played tonight again showed its experience and the improvement we have to make execution-wise. We’re not there yet. We’re still trying to get better at that. But, playing a fine team like that gives us another good example of how we can be when everybody knows what they’re supposed to be doing on the court. So, I give them a lot of praise for what I saw.”

Middleton led the U.S. with 15 points in 20 minutes of play; Walker had 14 and Turner, Tatum and Harris each had 11. The U.S. shot just 35% from the floor, but did convert 25-32 free throws.

The Turks got 23 points from Milwaukee Bucks forward Ilyasova, 18 from guard Mahmutoglu and 16 from Philadelphia 76ers guard Korkmaz. Turkey shot 44% from the floor, but the U.S. had a slight rebounding edge at 51-48.

The win sends the U.S. on to the second round at 2-0 in Group E. Turkey will now play the Czech Republic on Thursday for the right to advance.

In the other games, Brazil upset Greece, 79-78, in Group F to advance as Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to 13 points on 3-7 shooting while Anderson Varejo had 23 points for the Brazilians. France and the Dominican Republic both won in Group G for 2-0 records and both will advance to the second round; same for Lithuania and Australia in Group H as Canada fell to 0-2 and will not advance.

TSX DAILY: Iran’s Mollaei not seeking German asylum (yet); Coleman cleared of doping issue and six teams on to FIBA World Cup second round

By
Rich Perelman
-
International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer (AUT)

≡ TSX DAILY ~ 3 September 2019 ≡

| 1. |  LEADING OFF: Judo chief Vizer in public Q&A while Mollaei is in own German apartment, not seeking asylum

The drama over Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei continued on Monday, with comments from all sides in the aftermath of the end of the 2019 World Judo Championships in Tokyo, Japan:

● Mollaei spoke over the weekend with a London-based Iranian media agency and The Jerusalem Post reported:

“While declaring his love for Iran, Mollaei also expressed regret that he may not be able to compete for Iran. Mollaei also noted that he has had a visa and a residence in Germany and was not seeking asylum, saying that reports to that effect were fabricated.

“‘I’m not moving to Germany,’ said Mollaei. ‘I did not ask for asylum, and I’m not a refugee. I own an apartment in Germany.’”

● International Judo Federation president Marius Vizer (AUT: pictured above) answered questions for an hour over Twitter using the hashtag #AskVizer and gave some remarkable answers. On the subject of Iran, he promised – as he did previously – “Soon the procedure against Iranian Judo Federation will start and we will act accordingly to our rules, judo principles and Olympic Charter.”

There were also complaints about anti-Israel behavior by Algeria’s Fethi Nourine, who didn’t show up for the fight against Israel’s Tohar Butbul in the third round of the ‘73 kg class. Vizer promised that this and allegations of bad behavior vs. 2018 World Champion Guram Tushishvili (GEO) in his losing bronze-medal bout with Roy Meyer (NED) would be heard by the IJF’s Ethics Commission.

● In Iran, the head of the National Olympic Committee, Reza Salehi Amiri, said “Saeid Mollaei can go back to Iran without any problems and we welcome him with open arms.”

So far, Mollaei is staying put in Germany; more details here.

While the ultimate resolution of all of the issues raised by the drama surrounding Mollaei is in the future, Vizer’s public and forthright approach to Iran’s treatment of its 2018 World Champion was astonishing. He and his federation rushed to Mollaei’s assistance; if you haven’t done so already, please see this IJF-produced recap of what happened to the Iranian in Tokyo.

If there ever was a demonstration – taking the IJF at its word – of “athlete-centric” behavior by an international federation, this was it. And the drama is continuing …

| 2. | ATHLETICS: USADA drops complaint vs. Coleman on technical grounds; big meet in Croatia Tuesday

The United States Anti-Doping Agency withdrew its proposed anti-doping violation against U.S. 100 m champion Christian Coleman on Monday on technical grounds after conferring with the World Anti-Doping Agency on a section of its World Anti-Doping Code procedures.

In the simplest terms, Coleman (pictured) was charged with three failures to properly update his “whereabouts” within a 12-month period, on 6 June 2018, 16 January 2019 and 26 April 2019. However, according to the WADA procedures for such violations, a missing “whereabouts” filing is charged as of the first day of the calendar in which it happened, since the violation is against the plan filed for that quarter.

So, Coleman’s 6 June 2018 filing failure is charged as a failure on 1 April 2018 and therefore only two filing failures took place within any 12-month period which would create an anti-doping violation (by one day!). So, Coleman is free and clear unless the Athletics Integrity Unit or WADA itself wants to follow up with its own complaint against Coleman.

The USADA noted for the record that it tested Coleman 20 times in the 20 months in the 2018-19 period thus far; this does not count additional tests Coleman would have had at foreign competitions such as Diamond League meets during this time. More details here.

While the proposed violation was technical – no one has accused Coleman of taking performance-enhancing drugs – and the resolution was on technical grounds, the shrieking over favoritism started immediately. Renee Anne Shirley, the former head of the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission wrote on Twitter:

“I’m like a broken record: The global AD system led by WADA is broken! A sham! Throw the book @ small fry. Stretch the definition of ‘athlete’ to ridiculous lengths to pad +ves but allow creative lawyering/move goalposts/don’t make damning info public re ‘stars’!

“Tired of it all!”

The next move is actually up to WADA, as to whether it will change its procedures concerning this interpretation of its own regulations.

Although not a Diamond League meet, a pretty good meet is coming Tuesday at the Hanzekovic Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia, an IAAF World Challenge meet. Among the highlights:

● Men’s 100 m with Americans Justin Gatlin (2017 World Champion) and Michael Rodgers (2019 Pan American Games gold medalist);

● Men’s 800 m, with world leader Nijel Amos (BOT) vs. Rio Olympic silver winner Taoufik Makhloufi (ALG) and Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski;

● Women’s 400 m, with all three medalists back from the 2017 Worlds: winner Phyllis Francis (USA), silver winner Salwa Eid Naser (BRN), who has a 12-meet unbeaten streak in the event and American Allyson Felix, in her first race since the U.S. Nationals in late July.

The biggest cheers will likely be for two-time World Champion Sandra Perkovic (CRO: pictured), trying to work back into shape to challenge for another world title in Doha.

In the shot put held in the city center on Monday – in rainy conditions – New Zealand’s Tom Walsh was a clear winner at 21.98 m (72-1 1/2), ahead of Americans Darrell Hill (21.50 m/70-6 1/2) and Joe Kovacs (2.22 m/69-7 1/2). Look for results here.

South Africa’s 2016 Olympic and 2017 World Champion in the 400 m, Wayde van Niekirk declared himself out of the forthcoming World Championships in Doha as he continues to recover from surgery on his right knee following an injury suffered in a celebrity touch-rugby game in 2017.

| 3. | BASKETBALL: Six teams clinch second-round berths in FIBA men’s World Cup

Through the first two games in the four groups, Poland, Argentina, Russia, Spain, Serbia and Italy are through to the second round. The key game on Monday was in Group C, with Spain’s 73-63 win over Puerto Rico (guard Sergio Liull pictured); the Puerto Ricans and Tunisia will play on the 4th for the right to go to the second round. The standings through two games in groups A-D:

● Group A: 1. Poland (2-0); 2. China (1-1); 3. Venezuela (1-1); 4. Ivory Coast (0-2)

● Group B: 1. Argentina (2-0); 2. Russia (2-0); 3. Nigeria (0-2); 4. South Korea (0-2)

● Group C: 1. Spain (2-0); 2. Puerto Rico (1-1); 3. Tunisia (1-1); 4. Iran (0-2)

● Group D: 1. Serbia (2-0); 2. Italy (2-0); 3. Angola (0-2); 4. Philippines (0-2)

The U.S. plays Turkey in Group E on Tuesday morning with both teams at 1-0.The toughest group, Group H, has first-game winners Australia playing Senegal and Lithuania playing Canada.  Look for scores here.

| 4. | BOXING: IOC sets qualifying competitions, while AIBA continues to implode

The International Olympic Committee announced the four continental qualifying competitions for the 2020 Olympic tournament last week and the final qualifying event. The schedule:

● Asia/Oceania: 3-14 February in Wuhan (CHN)
● Africa: 20-29 February in Dakar (SEN)
● Europe: 13-23 March in London (GBR)
● Americas: 26 March-3 April in Buenos Aires (ARG)
● Final Qualifier: 13-24 May 2020 in Paris (FRA)

While the qualifiers were being announced, the suspended International Boxing Association (AIBA) is readying its own 2019 World Championships for men that starts Saturday and runs through the 21st in Yekaterinburg (RUS).

The AIBA Executive Committee met in Istanbul (TUR) last Wednesday (28th). Interim President Mohamed Moustahsane (MAR) wrote in a Web post that “we hear a lot of speculations toward potential bankruptcy of AIBA and on this I would like to state that this is not an option to consider, we are working on restructuring AIBA and we have options on the table to make AIBA sustainable. The Executive Committee remain to work as a united team to overcome the problem that AIBA is facing.”

The Around the Rings Web site reported that the meeting didn’t go smoothly. Expected to resign, Moustahsane remained in office and while the election of a new president was supposed to be at a November Congress, that has been put off for some months. Executive Director Tom Virgets (USA) was terminated – he had offered to do so after AIBA was suspended, but was asked to stay on – and the AIBA office may have no staff left.

The World Championships is being run by the Russian boxing federation.

| 5. | ICE HOCKEY: NHL signals it will continue with current labor agreement to 2021-22

The National Hockey League passed on its opportunity to cut the current labor agreement with the NHL Players Association short and will let it continue through to the end of the 2021-22 season.

The league’s option passed on 1 September; the players now have the right to do the same, with a deadline of 15 September.

Allowing the current labor agreement to continue in its existing format will cover the period of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing (CHN). The NHL famously skipped allowing its players to participate in the 2018 Winter Games in Korea, but with China an important future market for the league, the attitude might be different. NHL officials said no decision has been made on Olympic participation as yet.

| 6. | SCOREBOARD: Brady Ellison wins again; Italy takes men’s volleyball U-19 title

More highlights from this past weekend included yet another title for World Champion Brady Ellison, (pictured) this time a successful defense of his USA Archery National Field Championship. Held in Ashland, Ohio, he won easily, scoring 777 points to 684 for Josef Scarboro. The women’s Recurve title was won by Tatyana Muntyan, with 654 points.

In volleyball, Italy won the men’s FIVB World U-19 Championships, defeating Russia, 3-1, in the final in Tunisia. Argentina won the bronze medal and Italian Outside Hitter Tommaso Rinaldi was named Most Valuable Player. The U.S. finished second in its group (2-2), then lost in the Round of 16 and finished in 15th place.

| 7. | COMING ATTRACTIONS: Six World Cup and World Champs finals this week

It’s the championship season for summer sports and this week’s program includes
major events:

● Archery: World Archery World Cup Final in Moscow (RUS);
● Athletics: IAAF Diamond League finals in Brussels (BEL);
● Beach Volleyball: FIVB World Tour Finals in Rome (ITA);
● Boxing: AIBA men’s World Championships in Yekaterinburg (RUS);
● Canoe-Kayak: ICF Slalom World Cup Final in Prague (CZE);
● Surfing: World Surfing Games in Miyazaki (JPN).

There is also the third leg of the U.S. women’s football team’s “Victory Tour” coming Tuesday evening vs. Korea in St. Paul, Minnesota, a men’s “friendly” vs. Mexico in New Jersey, and many more events.

STAT PACK: Results for the week of 26 August-2 September 2019

By
Rich Perelman
-

The Stat Pack: a summary of results of international Grand Prix, World Cup and World Championships events, plus U.S. domestic events and Pan American championships events of note.

In this week’s issue are reports on 12 events in nine sports:

● Archery: USA Archery National Field Championships in Ashland
● Athletics: IAAF Diamond League 13: Weltklasse Zurich
● Cycling: MWT: Bretagne Classic-Ouest-France in France
● Cycling: WWT: Grand Prix de Plouay in France
● Cycling: UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne
● Gymnastics: FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup 4 in Mersin
● Gymnastics: FIG Rhythmic World Challenge Cup 3 in Kazan
● Judo: IJF World Championships in Tokyo
● Rowing: FISA World Championships in Linz-Ottensheim
● Sailing: World Sailing World Cup 2020 Series I in Enoshima
● Swimming: FINA Marathon World Series in Ohrid
● Triathlon: ITU World Series Grand Final in Lausanne

plus our calendar of upcoming events through 6 October. Click below for the PDF:

[wpdm_package id=16474 template=”link-template-button-popup.php”]

 

ATHLETICS Panorama: Coleman cleared of doping violation; “alarm bells” on transgender athlete

By
Rich Perelman
-
2019 World 100 m Champion Christian Coleman (USA)

“USADA announced today that its has withdrawn its charge that USA Track & Field athlete Christian Coleman committed a violation of the whereabouts rules after receiving guidance from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) …”

With that statement, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency removed the cloud hanging over world 100 m leader Coleman of the U.S. and has cleared his way to competing in the IAAF World Championships at the end of this month.

What happened? It’s technical, but here it is:

● Coleman was charged with “whereabouts failure” – not reporting where he was if different from his quarterly filing – on 6 June 2018, 16 January 2019 and 26 April 2019.

● That’s three filing failures within 11 months, grounds for reporting an anti-doping violations, suitable for a suspension. The USADA made such a report and Coleman asked for an expedited hearing on 4 September.

● Coleman’s contention was that the missed 6 June 2018 filing – where a Doping Control Officer was present to take a sample, but Coleman was not where he was supposed to be – had to be charged as a failure on 1 April 2018, based on the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency. That would stretch his three “whereabouts failures” beyond the 12-month period used for assessing penalties.

● “USADA consulted with WADA to receive an official interpretation of the relevant Comment in the [International Standard for Testing and Investigations]. This interpretation was received on Friday, August 30, 2019, and was that the Filing Failure which USADA had recorded in June 2018, should relate back to April 1, 2018, the first day of the quarter in which the failure to update occurred.”

● Thus, USADA has withdrawn its complaint, but the case could be taken up by the IAAF’s Athletics Integrity Unit or WADA itself.

The USADA also noted that “In 2018-19, Coleman he has provided his Whereabouts information by the start of each quarter and has been tested by USADA on 20 separate occasions.”

That’s a lot of testing, but Coleman escaped his sloppy filing practices on a technicality. But rules are rules and USADA hardly decided to let the case slip, having asked WADA for its view on the rule involved.

It’s also noteworthy that Coleman has been tested 20 times by USADA in 20 months, and certainly more by others in international competitions. And he will be tested again – multiple times, no doubt – before and during the Worlds on Doha.

The African Games have concluded in Rabat (MAR), and while no new world-leading marks were reported, there was some important action there:

● Nigeria’s Raymond Ekevwo runs for the University of Florida and started the year with a 100 m best of 10.35. He ran 10.28 at the Florida Relays and then suddenly improved to 10.02 for second at the SEC Championships, but failed to get out of the NCAA East Regional.

Now he shows up at the African Games and runs 10.20, 10.26 and 9.96 (!) to win the 100 m and is suddenly (?) a contender for honors at the World Championships. He beat Arthur Cisse (CIV), who ran 9.97 and fellow Nigerian Usheoritse Itsekiri (10.02).

● In the women’s sprints, Cote d’Ivoire’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou won the 100 m in 11.09 as expected, but what about Gina Bass from Gambia in second in 11.13 (national record)? Bass then won the 200 m in 22.58, with Ta Lou third! Another one to watch on Doha.

Steeplechase fans will note that Kenya’s Ben Kigen won in 8:12.39 over Getnet Wale (ETH: 8:14.06) and Morocco’s own Soufiane El Bakkali (8:19.45).

The outstanding Athletics International newsletter (inquiries here) carried this note, reprinted in its entirety:

“A final year student at the University of Montana has pbs of 1:55.23 for 800m, 3:50.19 for 1500m and 14:38.80 for 5000m. What’s so significant about that? Because the runner in question, now going under the name of June Eastwood, is transgender who has recently transitioned to female and undergone testosterone suppression treatment. If she, formerly a member of the university men’s team, reproduces times anything like those it will rock the sport to its foundations. From being an unexceptional male runner she would instantly become one of the world’s elite. That 1500m mark is just 0.12 outside Genzene Dibaba’s world record while the 800m time is less than a second away from Caster Semenya’s best. Alarm bells are ringing.”

As Jonathan Eastwood, he placed seventh in the 2018 Big Sky 1,500 m and 12th in 2017. He had a best of 4:22.66 for the mile indoors in 2016, when he placed ninth in the Big Sky Indoor Championships.

The conventional thinking is that the IAAF’s female-eligibility regulations would be about Semenya and Francine Niyonsaba (BDI). But this may be the real test, especially at 5,000 m, where the IAAF’s regulations do not apply – only from 400 m to the mile – and the question of transgender performance is largely unknown.

Eastwood – now a redshirt senior at Montana – competed last Saturday in women’s cross country at the Clash of the Inland Northwest meet, finishing seventh in 14:33.0 over 4 km. So let’s hold back on the bells right now, but stay tuned.

JUDO Panorama: Amazing #AskVizer session, Mollaei not asking for asylum in Germany

By
Rich Perelman
-
International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer (AUT)

A day following the close of the 2019 World Judo Championships in Tokyo, Japan, International Judo Federation chief Marius Vizer (AUT) took questions for an hour in an open session on Twitter under the hashtag #AskVizer.

It was a pretty remarkable, if somewhat chaotic session; here are some of the highlights, stripped down to inquiries and replies without all of the Twitter trappings (you can go to the linked discussion for the actual Tweets; some obvious typos have been cleaned up for readability):

● On the status of the Iranian federation in light of the threats made against 2018 World Champion Saeid Mollaei and his subsequent losses in the 81 kg division, Vizer’s answers to essentially the same question included:

“We are starting the procedures after #JudoWorlds and we will act accordingly but it’s as well a legal procedure that has to be followed.”

“Soon the procedure against Iranian Judo Federation will start and we will act accordingly to our rules, judo principles and Olympic Charter.”

“We will start the procedure and for the time being direct you to our release on the subject: https://ijf.org/news/show/the-true-story-of-a-fight-for-life. And we will apply the rules.”

“First we will solve the situation of Mollaei, after we will deal case-by-case. Our top priority is always to protect our athletes.”

● Concerning Mollaei personally, Vizer noted:

“At the moment he is in Germany and he is following the respective procedures.”

“The IJF and the full community are supporting him. The IJF publishing his interview is aimed at protecting him and his family.”

Another comment noted that “More Iranian athletes will suffer the same if you don’t take action against this hostage taking..I hope other sports federations act on this too, because it’s not just about judo.”

● On a side note concerning Iran, another plea came for help not only with judo, but also with football:

“Thank you sir, but we also have another problem which is women can not watch any men’s matches and can not enter any stadium. Please be our voice. We are really appreciated. #AskVizer”

Vizer’s reply was “We will soon solve the problem with Iran.”

● Iran wasn’t the only country to keep its athletes from competing with Israelis. A couple of Tweets commented like this:

“We have been reading a lot about the drama around Saeid Mollaei, but there was no comment from IJF about Fethi Nourine, the Algerian Judoka who didn’t show up for the fight against Tohar Butbul [73 kg]. Are you going to sanction the Algerian federation for political boycott?

Answer from Vizer: “The Algerian case will be as well a case of the ethics commission.”

● Asked if the IJF isn’t – in fact – powerless since Iran committed to non-discrimination in May and then pressured Mollaei to withdraw or lose, Vizer answered:

“We are not powerless at all because we were first IF to sign such an agreement. We give them the chance to follow it. It’s not happened & we’ll act accordingly.”

● Bad behavior was not confined to Iran and Algeria. Consider this inquiry:

“We all saw very shameful fact when World Champ [Guram] Tushishvili [GEO] said ‘f*** your mother’ during the match (Mayer-Tushishvili 3:41). An appropriate sanction is for it. What will be IJF’s answer? Are you going to hide the fact? or you’ll follow [the IJF] charter?”

Answer: “We will turn to our IJF Ethics Commission and follow the charter of judo.”

● Vizer was also asked about support for judo in Nigeria and gave a fairly amazing answer:

Question: “[H]ave the IJF supported Nigeria Judo Federation with cash or equipments in the last 6 years?”

Answer: “We have supported them but the problem of the Nigerian Judo is that they are sending visa applications to different sports events for a lot of people which are not at the level of the IJF tour & not necessarily traveling with sporting intentions.”

This was a remarkable session, not only for its timing, but also for 60-year-old Vizer’s candor. It’s hard to see any of the IF chiefs for Athletics (Sebastian Coe), Aquatics (Julio Maglione) or Gymnastics (Morinari Watanabe) doing anything like this, let along with such forthrightness.

A Sunday story in The Jerusalem Post noted that Mollaei is not seeking asylum in Germany.

Quoting an interview Mollaei gave to a London-based Iranian media agency, the story explained:

“While declaring his love for Iran, Mollaei also expressed regret that he may not be able to compete for Iran. Mollaei also noted that he has had a visa and a residence in Germany and was not seeking asylum, saying that reports to that effect were fabricated.

“‘I’m not moving to Germany,’ said Mollaei. ‘I did not ask for asylum, and I’m not a refugee. I own an apartment in Germany.’”

The story also quoted Muki, reached in Tokyo at the end of the World Championships. The new World Champion was optimistic about the future:

“I think that we are living in a time where there are many changes that are going on in the Middle East. Back in 2014, everyone thought that we wouldn’t be able to go to Abu Dhabi and compete. But the following year, in 2015, we were there, and I won a bronze medal, although we didn’t have our flag represented. In 2018, when we returned to Abu Dhabi and we not only were able to display the Israeli flag, but I won the gold medal and Hatikvah was played.

“Judo is not only a sport that can bring about the normalization of relations with Iran, as we saw in Abu Dhabi, but we also saw that they really like us and they don’t hate us. The Iranian government is extreme.

“I want to be an ambassador of peace between Israel and Iran. I have two dreams. One is to win the gold medal at the Olympics. But I also dream to face Mollaei, and it doesn’t matter who wins. I want to shake his hand, give him a hug. This way, we will not only show honor for each other, but together we can show that sport is above everything else.”

TSX DAILY: Iranian hatred of Israel sends its judo world champ to Germany; U.S. wins FIBA World Cup opener & U.S.’s Katie Zaferes is triathlon world champ!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Iran's 2018 World Judo Champion Saeid Mollaei in happier days (Photo: IJF)

≡ TSX DAILY ~ 2 September 2019 ≡

| 1. |  LANE ONE:  Iran’s policy vs. Israel costs it a World Champion as Mollaei heads to Germany

Far from being a refuge from society, sport reflects it. On the local, national and international level, sporting events demonstrate culture, interests and values in both the competitors and fans. For the Islamic Republic of Iran, nothing is more important that its 40-year campaign of hate against the state of Israel.

That became a central force in the amazing drama at the World Judo Championships taking place in Tokyo, Japan, the site of the 2020 Olympic Games. Iran had sent small delegations of four jukoda to the 2017 Worlds and three last year, but sent only one in 2019: 81 kg World Champion Saeid Mollaei.

He was seeded first, just ahead of rising star Sagi Muki of Israel. And as the tournament progressed, it became clear that the two were headed for a meeting in the championship final.

The International Judo Federation had been pressuring Iran to stop its recurrent pattern of having its judoka either forfeit their matches against Israeli opponents, or worse, lose matches so that they would not face an Israeli. In May, a letter from the national judo federation in Iran and the country’s National Olympic Committee committed to respecting the non-discrimination requirements of the IJF and the International Olympic Committee. When news reports that Iran’s policy had not changed appeared in July, the IJF re-posted the letter on its Web site.

At the Worlds, Mollaei was in fact pressured to withdraw from the tournament, but refused. He lost in the semifinals to Matthias Casse of Belgium, with a much more lethargic performance that he normally shows and then lost his bronze-medal match and did not have to stand on the awards podium with Muki – who won the world title – and be present for the raising of the Israeli flag and the playing of its national anthem.

Rumors flew and the head of the Israeli Judo Association told an Israeli radio station that the team had heard of the pressure being applied to Mollaei and of threats to his family.

As the story came out, it became known that Mollaei had left Tokyo for Berlin, Germany and has apparently asked for asylum there. The head of the IJF, Austrian Marius Vizer – who had been pressuring Iran to comply with the IJF and IOC requirements on non-discrimination – met with Mollaei during the competition and promised to find a path for him to compete in the 2020 Games as a refugee rather than as an entry from Iran.

We have the full background, more details and link to an astonishing video interview (with English sub-titles) posted by the IJF here. Vizer has promised an “emergency meeting” of the IJF Executive Committee this week to determine all of the facts of the case and then what to do about Iran’s status as a member of the IJF.

This impacts the IOC and other international federations as well, and early tests of the impact of what happened in Tokyo and Tehran will play out later this month. At present, all 206 of the National Olympic Committee around the world are in proper standing with the IOC; how long will that remain the case?

| 2. | BASKETBALL: Favorites prevail in the first round of FIBA World Cup games in China

All 32 teams were in action over the first two days of the FIBA World Cup in China, with all of the favored teams prevailing in their games.

The United States team used a 15-4 spurt to start the second quarter to break open a close game with the Czech Republic on the way to a 88-67 victory in Shanghai. Donovan Mitchell led the U.S. with 16 points, followed by Harrison Barnes with 14 and Kemba Walker (pictured) with 13. The U.S. shot 49.3% from the floor to 40.6% for the Czechs and had a 40-38 rebounding edge.

The expected top teams had little trouble in their debuts:

● Serbia 105, Angola 59, with Bogdan Bogdanovic scoring 24 points;

● Spain 101, Tunisia 62, as Ricky Rubio scored 17 for the winners;

● Australia 108, Canada 92, with Matthew Dellevedova leading Australia with 24;

● Greece 85, Montenegro 60, as Georgios Printezis led the Greeks with 16 points; Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in just 16 minutes.

The top scorers in the first round of games were Jordan’s 6-11 center Ahmad Al-Dwairi with 34 points, and guard David Huertas of Puerto Rico had 32. Scores and more here. The U.S. plays Turkey – a winner over Japan, 86-67 – next on 3 September.

| 3. | CYCLING: Crazy first week for La Vuelta, and world XCO titles for Schurter and Ferrand Prevot

The last of the Grand Tour for 2019, the 74th La Vuelta a Espana, finished its first week of racing with its fifth lead change in as many days, finally ending with 2016 winner Nairo Quintana (COL) wearing La Roja – the red jersey – of the race leader.

This year’s route is especially punishing and Sunday’s short stage (94.4 km) had the fourth uphill finish in the last five days. The sprinter’s stage on Saturday ended with a victory in the rain for Germany’s Niklas Arndt, with the main contenders finishing more than nine minutes back and handing the race lead to unheralded Nicolas Edet of France.

That wasn’t going to last long, as the race favorites like Quintana, Primoz Roglic (SLO), Alejandro Valverde (ESP) and Miguel Angel Lopez (COL) battled at or near the front of the pack on the five climbs of Sunday’s stage. Eventually, Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar (pictured) sprinted away from the field near the end of the final climb and won the stage. But Quintana, Roglic and Valderde were within 48 seconds of the lead and are back at the front of the race.

Monday is a rest day, with a time trial – at which Roglic is superb – on Tuesday. Quintana has the lead by a slim six seconds over Roglic, 17 over Lopez and 20 over Valverde. More coverage here.

At the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, Canada, the amazing Nino Schurter of Switzerland won his fourth consecutive world title and seventh of his career. He took control of the race on the fifth lap and sprinted away from fellow Swiss Mathias Flueckiger, 1:27:05-1:27:35.

France’s Pauline Ferrand Pervot, who famously once held the world titles – simultaneously – in road cycling, mountain bike cross country and cyclo-cross in the 2014-15 time frame, won her fourth individual title in the women’s Cross Country Olympic (XCO) division. She also broke open her race on the fifth lap and finished with a 1:28:51-1:29:34 lead over 2017 World Champion Jolanda Neff, with Rebecca McConnell third. Defending champ Kate Courtney of the U.S. finished fifth. More here.

| 4. | JUDO: Japan won the most medals, but France made a big impression in Tokyo

While the drama surrounding the 81 kg division took the headlines (see Lane One above), the World Judo Championships was once again a showcase for the host nation of Japan.

As it has done each and every time at the combined World Championships – stretching back to 1987 – Japan led the medal table. This time, however, the Japanese won only four individual goals, with Joshiro Maruyama (men/66 kg),Shohei Ono (men/73 kg ~pictured), Uta Abe (women/52 kg) and Akira Sone (women/+78 kg) taking top honors. Ono won his third world title and Abe defended her 2018 crown, while Sone, 19, became the youngest World Champion in history!

France’s women were most impressive, winning three titles: Clarisse Agbegnenou won her fourth World Championships gold at 63 kg and Marie-Eve Gahie (70 kg) and Madeleine Malonga (70 kg) both won for the first time. Along with Abe and Agbegnenou, only Ukraine’s Daria Bilodid (48 kg) also repeated as champion from 2018. More here.

| 5. | ROWING: Highly competitive World Champs see nine new gold medalists for 2019

It was a tough week for the reigning gold medalists at the World Rowing Championships in Linz-Ottensheim, Austria, as only three of the 12 open-weight classes saw successful title defenses.

Two were in the men’s division, with Czech brothers Martin and Valent Sinkovic winning their second Pairs title in a row, as did Germany in the men’s eights. Among the women, the only defender to win was Ireland’s Sanita Puspure in the Single Sculls.

New Zealand led all countries with three wins in the open-weight events, including two double gold medalists. The duo of Grace Pendergast and Kerri Gowler won their second world title (also in 2017) in Pairs and then added an additional gold as members of the winning women’s Eights. Kiwis Brooke Donoghue and Olivia Loe won in Double Sculls; they had also done so in 2017.

The 2019 Worlds was the largest qualifying event for the 2020 Olympic Games and Great Britain and the Netherlands both earned 10 entries out of the 14 available classes. New Zealand qualified nine and Australia and the U.S. had eight qualifiers. More here.

| 6. | TRIATHLON: World titles for Zaferes and Luis in ITU World Series Grand Final in Lausanne

American Katie Zaferes lost the 2018 ITU World Series title on the final day of the season last year and even though she only had to finish 12th or better to secure victory in 2019, she was taking no chances.

So when she got out of the water in seventh place, she was unfazed. She rode smoothly and caught the leaders at the end of the 40 km route and if she’s close on the run, she’s going to win. She wore down her competitors and with 200 m to go, sprinted ahead of Britain’s Jessica Learmonth – also second in the seasonal standings – and earned her first World Series seasonal title with an emphatic race victory, her fifth of the season.

“I don’t even know if its hit me yet, I had a lot of emotions and doubts coming in to this race but I’m just really happy right now,” said Zaferes.

The men’s race was tighter and France’s Vincent Luis – also seeking his first seasonal title – had to finish fifth or higher. Chasing him was three-time defending champion Mario Mola of Spain, who also knew exactly what he had to do to win.

They were both part of a large group that started the run phase essentially together and when Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt made a strong move for the lead with 8 km left, Mola and Luis followed. Mola finally broke Luis, but the Frenchman was counting the places and despite being passed by two more runners, finished fifth and also won his first World Series crown. More here.

| 7. | ATHLETICS: Wow! ISTAF Berlin draws 40,500 with good marks in the 78th edition

Track & field is still strong in Germany as a sensational crowd of 40,500 attended Sunday’s 78th Internationales StadionFest in Berlin’s Olympiastadion, better known as “ISTAF.” How can this meet – among the world’s elite for decades – be kept out of the Diamond League?

With the emergence of German Gesa Krause as a world-class steeplechaser, the rarely-seen 2,000 m Steeplechase was set up and she obliged with a world-best time of 5:52.80, well ahead of the 6:02.16 by Virginia Nganga (KEN) at ISTAF in 2015. Despite windy and sometimes rainy conditions, there were a host of other good marks, noteworthy ahead of the World Championships in Qatar at the end of the month:

● Men/100 m: Andre DeGrasse (CAN) won over Akani Simbine (RSA), 9.97-9.99;

● Men/110 m hurdles: Omar McLeod (JAM) won in a season’s best of 13.07;

● Men/Pole Vault: Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis managed a win over American Sam Kendricks, with both clearing 5.80 m (19-0 1/4) in the difficult conditions;

● Women/100 m: Poland’s Ewa Swoboda ran an encouraging 11.07 to beat Asha Philip (GBR: 11.10);

● Women/100 m hurdles: Tobi Amusan (NGR) ran 12.51 to beat Americans Christina Clemons (2nd: 12.69) and Nia Ali (4th: 12.76);

● Women/Long Jump: Germany Malaika Mihambo confirmed her favorite’s status with a win at 6.99 m (22-11 1/4).

More details from the IAAF here.

Jamaica’s double World Junior sprint champ Briana Williams tested positive for a banned diuretic and is asking for an expedited hearing on the matter in hopes of receiving only a warning and not a suspension.

Her representative, Canadian attorney Emir Crowne, told RJR Sports that the substance was found in the over-the-counter medication Pharma Cold and Flu, was not disclosed on the ingredients list and which was declared on her doping control form.

Said Crowne, “I can confirm that we have done an independent test on an over-the-counter cold medication that the athlete took and the independent test confirmed the presence of a diuretic and the diuretic was not listed among the ingredients in that cold medicine that the athlete took.”

Williams had qualified to be part of the Jamaican team at the IAAF World Championships; the Jamaican federation is expected to name its team on 6 September.

| 8. | SCOREBOARD: Averinas dominate Rhythmic World Challenge Cup; three double winners in Sailing

A busy weekend around the world included:

● Canoe-Kayak: The fourth World slalom Cup saw a rebound for veterans, starting with Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK), who won his first World Cup race since 2016 in the men’s C-1. Czech Vit Prindis won the men’s K-1 and Nuria Vilarrubla (ESP) took the women’s C-1, both scoring their first World Cup wins since 2017. More here.

● Rhythmic Gymnastics: The FIG World Challenge Cup in Kazan (RUS) was dominated by the Averina sisters, who went 1-2 in all five individual events, with Dina winning four and Arina winning in Hoop. More here.

● Sailing: The back-to-back Tokyo 2020 test event and World Sailing World Cup regatta at Enoshima Bay was a unique test of endurance and skill and three entries passed with perfect results after winning both: Mat Belcher and Will Ryan (NZL) in the men’s 470 class; China’s Yunxiu Lu in women’s RS:X and Belgium’s Emma Plaeschaert in women’s Laser Radial. Count all three as early favorites for 2020. More here.

SAILING: Three clear Olympic favorites after wins in test event and World Cup I in Enoshima

By
Rich Perelman
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Belgium's Emma Plaeschaert, winner of the Ready Steady Tokyo and World Cup Laser class

A unique opportunity for sailors was arranged by the Tokyo 2020 organizers and the folks at World Sailing, creating a back-to-back program of the Ready Steady Tokyo test event and then the first World Cup of the 2019-2020 season at the Olympic venue at Enoshima Bay in Japan.

Many countries took advantage of the possibilities, with only three winners of the same event in both weeks:

● Men/470: Mat Belcher/Will Ryan (NZL)
● Women/RS:X: Yunxiu Lu (CHN)
● Women/Laser Radial: Emma Plaeschaert (BEL)

Pretty impressive! In addition, Nicholas Heiner (NED: Finn) moved up from silver at the test event to win at the World Cup.

Only France managed to win two events at the World Cup, with Louis Giard taking the men’s RS:X and Quentin Delapierre and Manon Audinet (FRA) winning the mixed-crew Nacra 17 class. The only reigning World Champions to win at the World Cup were Pavlos Kontides (CYP: men’s Laser) and Plaeschaert in the women’s Laser Radial. Summaries:

World Sailing World Cup I
Enoshima (JPN) ~ 26 August-1 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men

RS:X: 1. Louis Giard (FRA), 48.0 net points; 2. Kun Bi (CHN), 49.0; 3. Pierre Le Coq (FRA), 53.0.

Laser: 1. Pavlos Kontides (CYP), 36.0; 2. Matt Wearn (AUS), 57.0; 3. Jean Baptiste Bernaz (FRA), 62.0.

470: 1. Mat Belcher/Will Ryan (NZL), 27.0; 2. Jordi Xammar Hernandez/Nicolas Rodriguez Garcia-Paz (ESP), 37.0; 3. Kazuto Doi/Naoya Kimura (JPN), 47.0.

Finn: 1. Nicholas Heiner (NED), 19.0; 2. Josip Olujic (CRO), 44.0; 3. Ioannis Mitakis (GRE), 47.0. Also in the top 10: 10. Luke Miller (USA), 82.0.

49er: 1. James Peters/Fynn Sterritt (GBR), 49.0; 2. Benjamin Bildstein/David Hussl (AUT), 49.0; 3. Tim Fischer/Fabian Graf (GER), 52.0. Also in the top 10: 8. Andrew Mollerus/Ian Macdiarmid (USA), 66.0.

Women

RS:X: 1. Yunxiu Lu (CHN), 37.0; 2. Katy Spychakov (ISR), 42.0; 3. Zofia Noceti-Klepacka (POL), 49.0.

Laser Radial: 1. Emma Plaeschaert (BEL), 54.0; 2. Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN), 57.0; 3. Alison Young (GBR), 64.0.

470: 1. Silvia Mas Depares/Patricia Cantero Reina (ESP), 44.0; 2. Nia Jerwood/Monique de Vries (AUS), 45.0; 3. Frederike Loewe/Anna Markfort (GER), 58.0. Also in the top 10: 10. Atlantic Brugman Cabot/Nora Brugman (USA), 104.0.

49erFX: 1. Annemiek Bekkering/Annette Duetz (NED), 27.0; 2. Alexandra Maloney/Molly Meech (NZL), 36.0; 3. Julie Bossard/Aude Compan (FRA), 37.0.

Mixed

Nacra 17: 1. Quentin Delapierre/Manon Audinet (FRA), 21.0; 2. Ben Saxton/Nicola Boniface (GBR), 22.0; 3. Ruggero Tita/Caterina Banti (ITA), 23.0.

ROWING: Nine new open-weight champions at World Rowing Champs

By
Rich Perelman
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World Pairs Champions Martin & Valent Sinkovic (CRO)

The primary lesson of the 2019 World Rowing World Championships was this: with few exceptions, there are no favorites any more.

The competition in Linz-Ottensheim, Austria, showed the parity among the top rowers with just three of their 2018 champions able to defend their titles this year in the open-weight categories:

● Men/Pairs: Martin Sinkovic/Valent Sinkovic (CZE)
● Men/Eights: Germany
● Women/Single Sculls: Sanita Puspure (IRL)

New champions were everywhere and the medals were distributed as well. In the 12 open-weight classes, New Zealand won three and China and Germany two each, and five other countries won one.

The New Zealand triumphs did showcase athletes who are likely the favorites for Tokyo in 2020. In the women’s Double Sculls, Brooke Donoghue and Olivia Loe won their second Worlds golds – from 2017 – after being second in 2018. In the women’s Pairs, Grace Pendergast and Kerri Gowler also moved up from second last year and won a second title (also in 2017). The Kiwis also won in the women’s Eights, which included Pendergast and Gowler winning their seconds golds of the regatta.

The 2019 Worlds was also the primary qualification vehicle for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. According to World Rowing, “The Netherlands and Great Britain proved to be the most successful in Olympic qualification with both countries securing ten boat classes out of 14 for Tokyo 2020. Italy and New Zealand also did well with nine boats qualified, followed by Australia and the United States with eight qualified boats.”

The American squad won two medals, both in women’s racing, with Kara Kohler in Single Sculls and the Eights both taking bronze medals. For Kohler, it was her first Worlds medal since her bronze in the Quadruple Sculls back in 2012! Summaries:

World Rowing World Championships
Linz-Ottensheim (GER) ~ 25 August-1 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Single Sculls: 1. Oliver Zeidler (GER), 6:44.55; 2. Sverri Nielsen (DEN), 6:44.58; 3. Kjetil Borch (NOR), 6:44.84; 4. Mindaugas Griskonis (LTU), 6:45.24; 5. Stef Broenink (NED), 6:45.58; 6. Ondrej Synek (CZE), 6:47.93.

Double Sculls: 1. Zhiyu Liu/Liang Zhang (CHN), 6:05.68; 2. Philip Doyle/Ronan Byrne (IRL), 6:06.25; 3. Miroslaw Zietarski/Mateusz Biskup (POL), 6:07.87; 4. John Collins/Graeme Thomas (GBR), 6:10.35; 5. Barnabe Delarze/Roman Roeoesli (SUI), 6:11.11; 6. Ioan Prundeanu/Marian-Florian Enache (ROU), 6:12.31.

Quadruple Sculls: 1. Netherlands, 5:51.75; 2. Poland, 5:55.59; 3. Italy, 5:56.11; 4. Australia, 6:01.03; 5. Germany, 6:04.31; 6. China, 6:19.05.

Pairs: 1. Martin Sinkovic/Valent Sinkovic (CZE), 6:42.28; 2. Thomas Murray/Michael Brake (NZL), 6:45.47; 3. Sam Hardy/Joshua Hicks (AUS), 6:51.81; 4. Matteo Lodo/Giuseppe Vicino (ITA), 6:55.34; 5. Jaime Canalejo Pazos/Javier Garcia Ordonez (ESP), 6:57.40; 6. Valentin Onfroy/Theophile Onfroy (FRA), 7:02.05.

Fours: 1. Poland (Wilangowski, Burda, Brzezinski, Szpakowski), 6:09.86; 2. Romania, 6:11.41; 3. Great Britain, 6:11.71; 4. Italy, 6:13.39; 5. United States (Thomas Peszek, Thomas Dethlefs, Andrew Reed, Clark Dean), 6:13.40; 6. Australia, 6:15.98.

Eights: 1. Germany, 5:19.41; 2. Netherlands, 5:19.96; 3. Great Britain, 5:22.35; 4. Australia, 5:22.88; 5. United States, 5:23.92; 6. New Zealand, 5:24.47.

Lightweight Single Sculls: 1. Martino Goretti (ITA), 6:59.48; 2. Peter Galambos (HUN), 7:02.37; 3. Sean Murphy (AUS), 7:04.55; 4. Alexis Lopez Garcia (MEX), 7:05.22; 5. Samuel Mottram (GBR), 7:05.39; 6. Aaron Lattimer (CAN), 7:13.81.

Lightweight Doubles Sculls: 1. Fintan McCarthy/Paul O’Donovan (IRL), 6:37.28; 2. Stefano Oppo/Pietro Ruta (ITA), 6:39.71; 3. Jonathan Rommelmann/Jason Osborne (GER), 6:41.07; 4. Kristoffer Brun/Are Strandli (NOR), 6:44.07; 5. Rodrigo Conde Romero/Manel Balastegui (ESP), 6:48.75; 6. Jerzy Kowalski/Artur Mikolajczewski (POL), 6:49.86.

Lightweight Quadruple Sculls: 1. China, 5:53.630; 2. Italy, 5:55.010; 3. Netherlands, 5:56.060; 4. Denmark, 5:58.680; 5. Austria, 5:58.790; 6. France, 6:03.130.

Lightweight Pairs: 1. Giuseppe di Mare/Raffaele Serio (ITA), 6:37.75; 3. Nikita Bolozin/Maksim Telitcyn (RUS), 6:42.07; 3. Vangelys Reinke Pereira/Emanuel Dantas Borges (BRA), 6:45.28; 4. Bence Szabo/Kalman Furko (HUN), 6:49.50; 5. Jiri Kopac/Jan Hajek (CZE), 6:55.34; 6. Markus Lemp/Anton Sigl (AUT), 7:03.70.

Women

Single Sculls: 1. Sanita Puspure (IRL), 7:17.14; 2. Emma Twigg (NZL), 7:20.56; 3. Kara Kohler (USA), 7:22.21; 4. Victoria Thornley (GBR), 7:25.48; 5. Jeannine Gmelin (SUI), 7:26.93; 6. Carling Zeeman (CAN), 7:29.70.

Double Sculls: 1. Brooke Donoghue/Olivia Loe (NZL), 6:47.17; 2. Nicoleta-Ancuta Bodnar/Simona Radis (ROU), 6:48.55; 3. Roos de Jong/Lisa Scheenaard (NED), 6:49.22; 4. Gabrielle Smith/Andrea Proske (CAN), 6:49.85; 5. Cicely Madden/Genevra Stone (USA), 6:49.86; 6. Helena Lefebvre/Elodie Ravera-Scaramozzino (FRA), 6:52.09.

Quadruple Sculls: 1. China, 6:34.65; 2. Poland, 6:36.59; 3. Netherlands, 6:36.62; 4. Germany, 6:45.11; 5. New Zealand, 6:46.55; 6. Great Britain, 6:46.84.

Pairs: 1. Grace Pendergast/Kerri Gowler (NZL), 7:21.35; 2. Jessica Morrison/Annabelle McIntyre (AUS), 7:23.62; 3. Caileigh Filmer/Hillary Janssens (CAN), 7:26.52; 4. Megan Kalmoe/Tracy Eisser (USA), 7:32.25; 5. Aina Cid/Virginia Diaz Rivas (ESP), 7:38.14; 6. Kiri Tontodonati/Aisha Rocek (ITA), 7:40.35.

Fours: 1. Australia (Aldersey, Werry, Hawe, Stephan), 6:43.45; 2. Netherlands, 6:45.55; 3. Denmark, 6:47.84; 4. Poland, 6:51.43; 5. Romania, 6:53.83; 6. United States (Molly Bruggeman, Victoria Opitz, Madeleine Wanamaker, Caryn Davies), 6:55.98.

Eights: 1. New Zealand, 5:56.910; 2. Australia, 5:59.630; 3. United States, 6:01.930; 4. Canada, 6:03.040; 5. Great Britain, 6:06.960; 6. Romania, 6:08.490.

Lightweight Single Sculls: 1. Marie-Louise Draeger (GER), 7:43.98; 2. Chiaki Tomita (JPN), 7:47.28; 3. Madeleine Arlett (GBR), 7:49.82; 4. Nicole van Wyk (RSA), 7:53.19; 5. Ellen Gleadow (CAN), 7:53.83; 6. Martine Veldhuis (NED), 7:57.74.

Lightweight Double Sculls: 1. Zoe McBride/Jackie Kiddle (NZL), 7:15.32; 2. Marieke Keijser/Ilse Paulis (NED), 7:19.51; 3. Emily Craig/Imogen Grant (GBR), 7:21.38; 4. Ionela-Livia Cozmiuc/Gianina-Elena Beleaga (ROU), 7:21.73; 5. Laura Tarantola/Claire Bove (FRA), 7:23.20; 6. Anastasiia Ianina/Alena Furman (BLR), 7:31.53.

Lightweight Quadruple Sculls: 1. Italy, 6:34.00; 2. China, 6:36.31; 3. Germany, 6:37.72; 4. United States (Jessica Hyne-Dolan, Michaela Copenhaver, Rosa Kemp, Mary Reckford), 6:38.36; 5. Vietnam, 6:55.71.

Lightweight Pairs: 1. Margaret Bertasi/Cara Stawicki (USA), 7:32.64; 2. Sofia Tanghetti/Maria Costa (ITA), 7:34.20; 3. Janika Koelblin/Marie-Christine Gerhardt (GER), 7:37.72; 4. Tatjana Grigorjeva/Ludmila Ivanova (LAT), 8:03.78.

CYCLING: Crazy week at La Vuelta ends with Quintana now on top and Roglic close

By
Rich Perelman
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Nairo Quintana (COL) now in the lead of La Vuelta a Espana (Photo: La Vuelta)

The 74th edition of the Vuelta a Espana is turning out to be one of the wildest, with almost daily changes in the leader board, but at the end of the first week, two of the biggest favorites – Nairo Quintana (COL) and Primoz Roglic (SLO) are at the top.

Saturday’s stage was a showcase for German sprinter Niklas Arndt, who powered away in the final meters to take the stage in a rainy mass finish that left the race leaders far back. In fact, after the first 18 riders crossed within a minute, there was a 1:34 gap to 19th, then three more minutes for two riders to finish and then the race leaders showed up almost four minutes later!

That’s spread from the leader – 9:24 in all – gave the race lead to France’s Nicolas Edet, by 2:21 over Belgium’s Dylan Teuns. That was not going to last long.

Sunday’s stage was a short 94.4 km, but include five climbs and finished uphill for the fourth time in five stages, this time at the Cortals d’Encamp. The stage was hit by rain and then by hail late in the ride, but the race continued.

The last 22 km were almost one long climb, with two short intervals in the middle and three riders had broken away from the peloton on the way up. The main contenders, including Roglic, Miguel Angel Lopez (COL), Quintana (COL) and Alejandro Valverde (ESP) were moving back and forth as well, just behind the breakaway.

With 5 km left, Valverde and Quintana pushed ahead of Roglic, who had been slightly hit by a race motorcycle in the poor visibility, and joined Lopez and Marc Soler (ESP). Lopez then crashed and Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar then attacked and moved up, and past the leaders.

He flew into the lead and continued right to the finish for his first career Grand Tour victory. Solar dropped off the lead, Quintana pushed toward Pogacar and Roglic moved up to finish third with Valverde, with Solar fifth.

After all that and heading into a rest day on Monday, Quintana was in the lead with a modest, six-second edge over Roglic, 17 seconds over Lopez and 20 seconds up on Valverde.

Look for Roglic to try for the lead on Tuesday, a 36.2 km individual time trial from Jurancon to Pau. Can the second week be any wilder?

In the one-day races in Plouay (FRA), Dutch star Anna van der Breggen took the lead for good in the Grand Prix de Plouay with a surge on the on the final lap, passing France’s Laura Asencio over the top of the Cote du Moulin. Van der Breggen broke away from the field and managed to keep her lead over the final two climbs over 9 km on the way to an 11-second win. The peloton closed in, creating a mass sprint in the final 1,000 m, won by American Coryn Rivera for her second straight medal in this race (bronze last year), ahead of Dutch star Amy Pieters.

Dutch riders have captured 13 of the 20 races on the women’s tour this season; this was the third win for van der Breggen.

On Sunday, the lengthy (248.1 km) Grande Bretagne-Ouest France race was won by Belgian Sep Vanmarcke who attacked with Tiesj Benoot (BEL) and Jack Haig (AUS) with 21 km to go and then pounced with a sprint to the finish with just more than a kilometer to go.

Summaries:

UCI World Tour/La Vuelta a Espana
Spain ~ 24 August-15 September 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (13.4 km Team Time Trial): 1. Astana (KAZ), 14:51; 2. Deceuninck-Quick Step (BEL), 14.53; 3. Team Sunweb (GER), 14:56; 4. EF Education First (USA), 14:58; 5. Bora-hansgrohe (GER), 15:04.

Stage 2 (199.6 km): 1. Nairo Quintana (COL), 5:11:17; 2. Nicholas Roche (IRL), 5:11:22; 3. Primoz Roglic (SLO), 5:11:22; 4. Rigoberto Uran (COL), 5:11:22; 5. Fabio Aru (ITA), 5:11:22.

Stage 3 (188.0 km): 1. Sam Bennett (IRL), 4:25:02; 2. Edward Theuns (BEL), 4:25:02; 3. Luka Mezgec (SLO), 4:25:02; 4. Jon Aberasturi (ESP), 4:25:02; 5. Phil Bauhaus (GER), 4:25:02.

Stage 4 (175.5 km): 1. Fabio Jakobsen (NED), 4:04:16; 2. Bennett (IRL), 4:04;16; 3. Fernando Gaviria (COL), 4:04:16; 4. Mezgec (SLO), 4:04:16; 5. Marc Sarreau (FRA), 4:04:16.

Stage 5 (170.7 km): 1. Jose Madrazo (ESP), 4:58:31; 2. Jetse Bol (NED), 4:58:41; 3. Jose Herrada (ESP), 4:58:53; 4. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL), 4:59:18; 5. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), 4:59:30.

Stage 6 (198.9 km): 1. Jesus Herrada (ESP), 4:43:55; 2. Dylan Teuns (BEL), 4:44:02; 3. Dorian Godon (FRA), 4:44:16; 4. Robert Gesink (NED), 4:44:16; 5. Bruno Armirail (FRA), 4:44:32.

Stage 7 (183.2 km): 1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), 4:34:11; 2. Roglic (SLO), 4:34:11; 3. Lopez (COL), 4:34:17; 4. Quintana (COL), 4:34:17; 5. Rafal Majka (POL), 4:34:53. Also in the top 25: 21. Sepp Kuss (USA), 4:37:39; … 25. Peter Stetina (USA), 4:39:11.

Stage 8 (166.9 km): 1. Niklas Arndt (GER), 3:50:48; 2. Alex Aranburu (ESP), 3:50:48; 3. Tosh van der Sande (BEL), 3:50:48; 4. Ruben Guerreiro (POR), 3:50:48; 5. Jonas Koch (GER), 3:50:48. Also in the top 25: 12. Stetina (USA), 3:50:48.

Stage 9 (94.4 km): 1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO), 2:58:09; 2. Quintana (COL), 2:58:32; 3. Roglic (SLO), 2:58:57; 4. Valverde (ESP), 2:58:57; 5. Marc Soler (ESP), 2:59:06. Also in the top 25: 16. Kuss (USA), 3:00:57.

● 3 September ~ Stage 10 (36.2 km (Time Trial) – Jurancon to Pau
● 4 September ~ Stage 11 (180.0 km): Saint-Palais to Urdax-Dantxarinea
● 5 September ~ Stage 12 (171.4 km): Circuito de Navarra to Bilbao
● 6 September ~ Stage 13 (166.4 km): Bilbao to Los Machucos. Monumento Vaca Pasiega
● 7 September ~ Stage 14 (188.0 km): San Vicente de la Barquer to Oviedo
● 8 September ~ Stage 15 (154.4 km): Tineo to Santuario del Acebo
● 9 September ~ Stage 16 (144.4 km): Pravia to Alto de La Cubilla. Lena
● 10 September ~ Rest day
● 11 September ~ Stage 17 (219.6 km): Aranda de Duero to Guadalajara
● 12 September ~ Stage 18 (177.5 km): Colmenar Viejo to Becerril de la Sierra
● 13 September ~ Stage 19 (165.2 km): Ávila to Toledo
● 14 September ~ Stage 20 (190.4 km): Arenas de San Pedro to Plataforma de Gredos
● 15 September ~ Stage 21 (106.6 km): Fuenlabrada to Madrid

UCI Women’s World Tour/Grand Prix de Plouay
Plouay (FRA) ~ 31 August 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings (128.6 km): 1. Anna van der Breggen (NED), 3:21:54; 2. Coryn Rivera (USA), 3:22:05; 3. Amy Pieters (NED), 3:22:05; 4. Marta Cavalli (ITA), 3:22:05; 5. Demi Vollering (NED), 3:22:05; 6. Stine Borgli (NOR), 3:22:05; 7. Sofie de Vuyst (BEL), 3:22:05; 8. Flavia Oliveira (BRA), 3:22:05; 9. Ruth Winder (USA), 3:22:06; 10. Elena Cecchini, (ITA), 3:22:05.

UCI World Tour/Bretagne Classic-Ouest France
Plouay (FRA) ~ 1 September 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings (248.1 km): 1. Sep Vanmarcke (BEL), 6:12:23; 2. Tiesj Benoot (BEL), 6:12:26; 3. Jack Haig (AUS), 6:12:26; 4. Michael Valgren (DEN), 6:12:43; 5. Amund Jansen (NOR), 6:12:43; 6. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 6:12:43; 7. Benoit Cosnefroy (FRA), 6:12:43; 8. Tim Wellens (BEL), 6:12:45; 9. Florian Senechal (FRA), 6:12:51; 10. Eduard Prades (ESP), 6:12:51.

GYMNASTICS: Averinas sweep all 10 gold and silver medals in Rhythmic World Challenge Cup

By
Rich Perelman
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World Champion Dina Averina (RUS)

With Russia the dominant force in Rhythmic Gymnastics and the FIG World Challenge Cup being held in Kazan (RUS), there was little doubt who would be at the top of the podium.

The Averina sisters, Dina and Arina, came through as expected, winning gold and silver in all five events. Dina won the All-Around, Ball, Clubs and Ribbon, and a silver on hoop. Arina was second in all of the above, except for a win with Hoop.

The Russian team also won the Group All-Around and 5-Balls performance, but Bulgaria won the Group exercise for 3 Hoops and 2 Clubs.

At the Artistic World Challenge Cup in Mersin (TUR), Ahmet Onder won three medals and the hosts scored wins in three men’s events and two women’s events for top honors. Summaries:

FIG Rhythmic World Challenge Cup
Kazan (RUS) ~ 30 August-1 September 2019
(Full results here)

All-Around: 1. Dina Averina (RUS), 90.45; 2. Arina Averina (RUS), 86.80; 3. Katrin Taseva (BUL), 80.90. Also in the top 10: 8. Evita Griskenas (USA), 75.75.

Hoop: 1. A. Averina (RUS), 23.20; 2. D. Avernina (RUS), 22.75; 3. Alina Harnasko (BLR), 20.80.

Ball: 1. D. Averina (RUS), 23.45; 2. A. Averina (RUS), 23.40; 3. Boryana Kaleyn (BUL), 21.95.

Clubs: 1. D. Averina (RUS), 23.35; 2. A. Averina (RUS), 22.30; 3. Harnasko (BLR), 21.80.

Ribbon: 1. D. Averina (RUS), 21.85; 2. A. Averina (RUS), 20.55; 3. Katsiaryna Halkina (BLR), 19.10. Also: 5. Griskenas (USA), 17.20.

Group All-Around: 1. Russia, 58.45; 2. Bulgaria, 57.50; 3. Italy, 56.90. Also: 11. United States, 49.30.

Group/5 Balls: 1. Russia, 29.15; 2. Bulgaria, 28.50; 2. Japan, 27.55.

Group/3 Hoops+2 Clubs: 1. Bulgaria, 28.10; 2. Russia, 27.15; 3. Israel, 26.75.

FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup
Mersin (TUR) ~ 30 August-1 September 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Floor: 1. Aurel Benovic (CRO), 14.500; 2. Mustafa Arca (TUR), 14.050; 3. Rok Klavora (SLO), 13.800.

Pommel Horse: 1. Saso Bertoncelj (SLO), 13.650; 2. Ferhat Arican (TUR), 13.550; 3. Ahmet Onder (TUR), 13.450.

Rings: 1. Ibrahim Colak (TUR), 15.000; 2. Yunus Gundogdu (TUR), 14.350; 3. Javidan Babayev (AZE), 13.750.

Vault: 1. Murad Agharzayev (AZE), 14.175; 2. David Huddleston (BUL), 13.475; 3. Neofytos Kyriakou (CYP), 13.150.

Parallel Bars: 1. Arican (TUR), 15.150; 2. Onder (TUR), 14.450; 3. Yordan Aleksandrov (BUL), 14.100.

High Bar: 1. Umit Samiloglu (TUR), 14.000; 2. Onder (TUR), 13.650; 3. Aleksandrov (BUL), 13.350.

Women

Vault: 1. Belak Teja (SLO), 14.100; 2. Kysselef Tjasa (SLO), 13.425; 3. Tkalcec Tijana (CRO), 13.350.

Uneven Bars: 1. Nazli Savranbasi (TUR), 12.250; 2. Megan Ryan (IRL), 10.850; 3. Jane Heffernan (IRL), 10.850.

Beam: 1. Audrey Rousseau (CAN), 12.500; 2. Belak (SLO), 11.800; 3. Katelyn Nguyen (VIE), 11.400.

Floor: 1. Goksu Uctas Sanli (TUR), 12.400; 2. Tutya Yilmaz (TUR), 12.100; 3. Doan Tran (VIE), 12.100.

LANE ONE: Iranian hatred of Israel sends its own World Champion fleeing to Germany

By
Rich Perelman
-
Iran's 2018 World Judo Champion Saeid Mollaei in happier days (Photo: IJF)

If this story was offered as a movie concept, it would be rejected as too wild, too fanciful to be believed. But truth is stranger than fiction. Follow along the sad and almost unbelievable path that has led an Iranian World Judo Champion to ask for asylum in Germany.

The judoka in question is Saeid Mollaei, 27, a graduate of Islamic Shahri University who stands 1.75 m tall (5-9) and competes in the 81 kg weight class (~ 179 lbs.). He’s been an international-class fighter since 2015, competed in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and won the 2018 world title in his division.

The opening scene in this story is in the office of the International Judo Federation (IJF) in Lausanne, Switzerland, where a letter was received from the Iranian Judo Federation, addressed to Marius Vizer, the Austrian head of the IJF.

● 11 May 2019: The IJF posted a bulletin on its Web site, noting:

“After having witnessed on several occasions in recent history a disturbing phenomenon, which involves the sudden ‘injury’ or failure of weigh-in of Iranian athletes, phenomenon which is linked by many observers to the possible obligation of the given athletes to compete against certain countries, the International Judo Federation decided to step up in order to protect the right of athletes to fair competition.”

What followed was a letter which showed a “commitment” from Iran to “confirm that the I.R. Iran NOC shall fully respect the Olympic Charter and its non-discrimination principle, and the I.R. Iran Judo Federation shall fully comply with the Olympic Charter and the IJF statutes. In the meantime, in collaboration with the I.R. Iran Ministry of Sport and Youth, we are sparing no efforts in negotiating with the Parliament so that we could identify the proper legal resolutions.”

Vizer’s outreach to the Iranians to stop their practice of either forfeiting matches against Israeli opponents, or losing prior matches so that its athletes would not have to fight Israelis apparently had worked. While the letter was hailed as a breakthrough, that last sentence – concerning negotiations with the Iranian government – was concerning.

● 9 July 2019: Media reports started showing up indicating that the Iranian government had no intention of honoring the commitment of its judo federation or National Olympic Committee in that 9 May letter. The IJF re-posted the letter and added:

“According to various recent press articles, quoting Iranian authorities about their national stance with regards to participation in competitions without discrimination, the International Judo Federation would like to re-publish the official letter of the Iranian Olympic Committee.”

● 25 August 2019: On the eve of the 2019 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, the entries showed that with six Israeli judokas seeded in the top eight in their weight classes, the Iranians had withdrawn their team from the event, save for defending 81 kg World Champion Mollaei. He was top-seeded in his class, just above Israel’s Sagi Muki, meaning they could not meet until the finals, if both got that far.

● 28 August 2019: The 81 kg class started, with Mollaei winning his four Pool A matches without incident. Same for Muki in Pool C. That sent both to the semifinals, with a showdown likely in the final.

After whipping through his pool matches, Mollaei showed up for his semifinal against Matthias Casse of Belgium. Casse, the World Junior Champion in 2017, and Mollaei battled without scoring for more than six minutes, but then a Mollaei attack ended badly and Casse was able to pin his arm and Mollaei slapped the mat in submission in 6:27.

Muki won his semi against Egyptian Mohamed Abdelaal, who refused to shake his hand after the bout as is traditional in judo. But it was on to the final, where Muki defeated Casse to win the world title, Israel’s first by a male judoka.

Meanwhile, Mollaei lost his third-place match against Georgia’s Luka Maisuradze and Abdelaal lost his bronze-medal bout vs. Canada’s Antoine Valois-Fortier. That meant that neither the Egyptian or Iranian fighter would have to stand with Muki on the awards podium and watch the Israel flag being raised and anthem being played. This was widely noticed at the time, and the rumors started immediately about Mollaei’s matches being thrown.

● 29 August 2019: Moshe Ponti, the head of the Israel Judo Association, told Israeli Army Radio that Mollaei had, in fact, been ordered to lose to Casse. Ponti said that:

“an hour before Wednesday’s semifinals, the Israeli team heard that Mollaei, ranked No. 1 in the world, ‘intended to continue the contest, even if he had to face Sagi Muki at the final. We heard he’d asked the head of the Iranian judo association to ensure his family was kept safe. …

“‘From what we understand, within a short time Iranian intelligence officials came both to his home in Iran and to the judo arena and warned him,’ Ponti said. …

“Ponti did not blame Mollaei for his actions, saying that though he ‘had promised the head of the International Judo Federation he would compete… there were people at his family’s home in Iran. You can’t judge an athlete in such a situation.’”

The IJF, remarkably and to its credit, has posted a moment-by-moment recap of what happened to Mollaei in Tokyo entitled “The True Story of a Fight for life” by Nicholas Messner (including a video interview) and it’s required reading here.

● 31 August 2019: The Times of Israel reported that Mollaei had asked for asylum in Germany.

● 1 September 2019: Agence France Presse reported extensive comments from Vizer, including that Mollaei (1) that “pressure was being exerted on his family in Iran, prompting him to lose” in the semis, and (2) that he flew to Berlin, Germany, where he is seeking asylum.

Vizer was quoted by AFP, “First of all we will do everything to support the athlete so he can continue his career and participate in the Olympic Games” and that “Everything has to happen according to the statutes of the international federation and the Olympic Charter. Some countries have different rules; they can apply those rules in their country, but not at international level in an international sports event.”

Vizer said that Mollaei might compete in the 2020 Games in Tokyo as part of a refugee team. The IJF had its own refugee team participating in the team event on Sunday, which includes athletes from Iran and Syria, among others. The AFP also noted:

“Iran’s Fars news agency accused Mollaei of preplanning his defection, quoting Iran’s judo head coach Majed Zarian as saying: ‘Everything was set in advance — someone in Iran must have helped him.’”

So Mollaei is apparently in Germany, Iran has ignored its promises to the IJF and the International Olympic Committee and while the Germans ponder Mollaei’s future, the IJF – and others – now have a new problem.

Vizer indicated that an “emergency meeting” of the IJF Executive Committee would be held this week to determine exactly what happened and determine if sanctions will be imposed against the Iranian federation.

Iran’s actions at the Judo Worlds are not simply an issue for the IJF. The International Olympic Committee has been resolute about this kind of discrimination in sporting events and once the IJF determines its course of action, the IOC – if it maintains its stance – must take up the question of Iran’s continued standing within the Olympic Movement. Its Executive Board next meets from 2-4 October.

That timing is good for the IOC, in part because the United World Wrestling World Championships will take place from 14-22 September in Kazakhstan. UWW chief Nenad Lalovic (SRB), an important IOC member, has been a leading critic of anti-Israel and anti-Kosovo behavior in sporting events and has suggested having such countries banned from hosting future events in any sport as well as being penalized. Wrestling is essentially Iran’s national sport and any sanctions against it by the UWW would be deeply felt. Moreover, the UWW Greco-Roman World Cup is scheduled to be held in Tehran at the end of November; let’s see if Lalovic takes any action based on what the IJF does.

Sport and politics have been pulling and tugging at each other – as in judo – for centuries. Anti-Semitism has been around a lot longer, and despite their best efforts to solve the issues posed by Iran, the IJF, IOC and others now have to face the question of what to do about a country which prizes hate above any Olympic values.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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