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BEACH VOLLEYBALL Preview: Final 5-star tournament of the season is the Vienna Major, with a $750,000 payday!

By
Rich Perelman
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World no. 1s April Ross and Alix Klineman of the U.S. (Photo: FIVB)

Heading toward the World Tour Final in Rome in early September, the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour for 2018-19 will stage its last 5-star Major this weekend in Vienna (AUT). The top seeds are no surprise:

● Men:
1. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum (NOR)
2. Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Oleg Stoyanovskiy (RUS)
3. Evandro Oliveira/Bruce Oscar Schmidt (BRA)
4. Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen (NED)
5. Alison Cerutti/Alvaro Filho (BRA)

● Women:
1. Alix Klineman/April Ross (USA)
2. Saran Pavan/Melissa Humana-Paredes (CAN)
3. Ana Patricia Silva Ramos/Rebecca Cavalcanti (BRA)
4. Agatha Bednarczuk/Duda Lisboa (BRA)
5. Nadezhda Makroguzova/Svetlana Kholomina (RUS)

The U.S. also has one other top-10 seed in Brooke Sweat and Kerri Walsh Jennings at ninth.

To say that “everyone is here” is pretty accurate. All of the top 15 teams in the FIVB men’s world rankings are entered and 13 of the top 15 women’s teams. No. 1-ranked Mol and Sorum have five tournament wins in the last three months and six during the season, plus a bronze medal in the World Championships.

Top-ranked Americans Klineman and Ross won in Yangzhou (CHN) last October and then caught fire in May, winning in Itapema (BRA: 4-star), then in Gstaad (SUI: 5-star) and have silver medals at the World Championships and last week in Tokyo (JPN: 4-star).

Mol and Sorum won in Vienna in 2018, defeating Poland’s Grzegorz Fijalek and Michal Bryl in the final. Czechs Barbora Hermannova and Marketa Slukova won the women’s division over Barbara Seixas and Fernanda Alves (BRA).

As a 5-star Major, the Vienna tournament has the best payout short of the World Championships: $40,000-32,000-20,000-16,000 for the medal winners, then $12,000 for the losing quarterfinalists, $8,000 for the losers in the round of 16 and on down to $4,000 for losers in the Round of 32.

The women’s finals are scheduled for Saturday and the men’s for Sunday. Look for results here.

CYCLING Previews: Back to work for the men’s World Tour in Spain, Poland and London; there’s a ride for women, too

By
Rich Perelman
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Another win coming for Colombian star climber (and Tour de France winner) Egan Bernal?

One of the most engaging editions of the Tour de France in years is now in the record books, but after three weeks of one event dominating the UCI World Tour, the circuit has three events this week, headlined by the Clasica de San Sebastian:

● 39th Clasica Ciclista de San Sebastian in Spain

Want more Tour de France drama? The Clasica delivers this Saturday, with Tour winner Egan Bernal (COL) looking for his third World Tour win in a row – he took the Tour de Suisse and Tour de France – against his main protagonist, Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) who won last year. The returning medalists:

● Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) ~ winner in 2018
● Alejandro Valverde (ESP) ~ winner in 2008-14; second in 2013; third in 2015-16
● Bauke Mollema (NED) ~ winner in 2014-16
● Tony Gallopin (FRA) ~ winner in 2013; second in 2016-17
● Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP) ~ winner in 2010
● Roman Kreuziger (CZE) ~ second in 2009; third in 2013
● Adam Yates (GBR) ~ winner in 2015
● Greg Avermaet (BEL) ~ second in 2011 but disqualified
● Anthony Roux (FRA) ~ third in 2018

In addition to winner Bernal and fifth-placer Alaphilippe, Tour sixth-placer Mikel Landa (ESP) is in, along with Valverde, who finished ninth.

The route is made for climbers – like Bernal – with two category one climbs and three category two climbs, but Alaphilippe would point out that all of them have steep descents, at which he is the best in the world.

Look for results here.

● 8th Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic in Great Britain

This is a loop-course race in London on Sunday, with five modest climbs, so it should come down to a sprinter’s finish. There are nine returning medalists:

● Jempy Drucker (LUX) ~ winner in 2015
● Alexander Kristoff (NOR) ~ winner in 2017
● Adam Blythe (GBR) ~ winner in 2014
● Arnaud Demare (FRA) ~ winner in 2013
● Mike Teunissen (NED) ~ second in 2015
● Mark Renshaw (AUS) ~ second in 2016
● Elia Viviani (ITA) ~ second in 2018
● Michael Matthews (AUS) ~ third in 2016-17
● Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) ~ third in 2018

Teunissen and Viviani both won stages during the Tour de France. Look for results here.

● 76th Tour de Pologne

The Tour de France was 21 stages, now comes the venerable Tour of Poland, with seven stages – three flat stages and four hilly stages – starting Krakow and finishing in Bukowina Tatrzariska. The returning medal winners include:

● Rafal Majka (POL) ~ winner in 2014; second in 2017
● Ion Izaguirre (ESP) ~ winner in 2015; second in 2013-14
● Marek Rutkiweicz (POL) ~ third in 2002
● Robert Gesink (NED) ~ second in 2007

Look for results here.

● 4th Prudential RideLondon Classique

The UCI Women’s World Tour has been quiet, with one race in the last three weeks, but will have five races in the month of August. It starts in London on a flat, loop course made for sprinters. The amazing thing about this race is that all of the medal winners in its first three years are in for 2019:

● Kirsten Wild (NED) ~ winner in 2016-18
● Coryn Rivera (USA) ~ winner in 2017
● Nina Kessler (NED) ~ second in 2016
● Marianne Vos (NED) ~ second in 2018
● Leah Kirchmann (CAN) ~ third in 2016
● Lotta Lepisto (FIN) ~ second in 2017
● Lisa Brennauer (GER) ~ second in 2017
● Elisa Balsamo (ITA) ~ second in 2018

There are a lot of other sprinters lurking in the start list, including Chloe Hosking (AUS), Chantal Blaak (NED), Jolien D’Hoore (BEL), Amalie Dideriksen (DEN), Lotte Kopecky (BEL) and Marta Bastianelli (ITA).

Look for results here.

SWIMMING Preview: Worlds are over, so the World Cup begins and the Iron Lady is entered in 14 events!

By
Rich Perelman
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Triple Olympic gold medalist Katinka Hosszu (HUN, at left) chats with Japan's 400 m Medley Worlds bronze medalist Yui Ohashi (Photo: FINA)

The high point for swimming’s popularity in three out of every four years – the World Championships and the Olympic Games – has passed, but FINA’s swimming calendar has no break, with the first of seven stops on the FINA World Cup beginning on Thursday in Tokyo (JPN).

This week’s swims will be at the Tatsumi International Swimming Centre, in a 50 m pool, with FINA becoming ever more clever in the way it is organizing its meets. Olympic qualifying times can only be achieved in long-course (50 m) pools, so all seven of the World Cup meets will be in these pools, not the short-course (25 m) pools used regularly in prior years.

That’s also in contrast with the International Swimming League, which will begin its season in October in 25 m pools, with none of the marks applicable to Tokyo 2020.

The dominant figure in the FINA World Cup in the last decade has been Hungary’s triple Olympic champ Katinka Hosszu – the Iron Lady – who won the seasonal title five years in a row from 2012-16. She finished second to Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom in 2017 and 2018, but the Swede is not entered in Tokyo.

Instead, Hosszu appears ready to yet again demonstrate her amazing conditioning and has entered 14 of the 16 events on the women’s individual program! However, amazingly, she won’t be alone, as Russia’s Vitalina Simonova, the European silver medalist in the 200 m Breaststroke back in 2013, has also entered 14 events!

Russian sprinter Vladimir Morozov won the overall title in 2016 and 2018, and is entered in four events in Tokyo.

Japanese fans will be looking forward to the men’s Medley races, where Daiya Seto, Gwangju gold medalist in the 400 m Medley, will be swimming, with Kosuke Hagino, the Rio silver medalist in the 200 m Medley, will be in the pool.

With Gwangju and Tokyo so close, there’s an unusually high number of U.S. swimmers in this meet: nine men and one woman. Star sprinter Michael Andrew is entered in seven events and triple Olympic Backstroke gold medalist Ryan Murphy is in five. The top entries:

● Mitch Larkin (AUS) ~ 50-100-200 m Back, 200 m Medley
● Danas Rapsys (LTU) ~ 100-200-400 m Free, 50 m Back
● Ilya Shymanovich (BLR) ~ 50-100-200 m Breast
● Kosuke Hagino (JPN) ~ 200 m Free, 200 m Medley
● Daiya Seto (JPN) ~ 400 m Medley
● Vladimir Morozov (RUS) ~ 50-100 m Free, 50 m Back, 50 m Fly
● Andrii Govorov (UKR) ~ 50 m Free, 50 m Fly
● Michael Andrew (USA) ~ 50 m Free, 50-100 m Back, 50-100 m Breast, 50-100 m fly
● Zach Hartung (USA) ~ 50-200 m Fre; 50-100-200 m Fly
● Ryan Murphy (USA) ~ 50-100 m Free, 50-100-200 m Back
● Jacob Pebley (USA) ~ 50-100-200 m Back
● Blake Pieroni (USA) ~ 50-100-200-400 m Free; 50-100 m Fly
● Josh Prenot (USA) ~ 50-100-200 m Breast; 50-100-200 m Fly
● Andrew Seliskar (USA) ~ 50-100-200 m Free; 100-200 m Breast; 50-100-200 m Fly
● Andrew Wilson (USA) ~ 50-100-200 m Breast

● Cate Campbell (AUS) ~ 50-100 m Free; 50 m Back; 50 m Fly
● Kiah Melverton (AUS) ~ 400-800 m Free; 200-400 m Medley
● Emily Seebohm (AUS) ~ 50-100-200 m Back; 50 m Breast; 200 m Medley
● Brianna Throssell (AUS) ~ 100-200 m Free; 50-100-200 m Fly
● Federica Pellegrini (ITA) ~ 100-200-400 m Free
● Jeannette Ottesen (DEN) ~ 50 m Free; 50-100 m Fly
● Mireia Belmonte (ESP) ~ 200-400-800 m Free; 200 m Fly, 200-400 m Free
● Alia Atkinson (JAM) ~ 50-100-200 m Breast; 50-100 m Fly
● Yui Ohashi (JPN) ~ 200-400 m Medley
● Erica Sullivan (USA) ~ 200-400-800 m Free; 200 m Back; 200 m Fly; 400 m Medley
● Katinka Hosszu (HUN) ~ 100-200-400-800 m Free; 50-100-200 m Back; 100-200 m Breast; 50-100-200 m Fly; 200-400 m Medley
● Vitalina Simonova (RUS) ~ 50-100-200-400-800 m Free; 50-100 m Back; 50-100-200 m Breast; 50-100 m Fly; 200-400 m Medley

The 2019 rules allow swimmers to enter as many events as they wish, but only the top three will count for ranking points toward cluster and overall prize money. The individual-event prize money is $1,500-1,000-500-400-300-200 for the top six places and points are 12-9-6 for each event, with bonus points for the top performances according to the FINA points table. The total prize purse for the overall World Cup is about $2.5 million.

With Hosszu and Andrew in the meet, it has to be pointed out that both are named plaintiffs in the International Swimming League’s ongoing lawsuits against FINA, but the federation has not banned them or kept them from entering any event.

The World Cup is being shown in the fina.tv subscription service, but does not appear on U.S. channel listings. Look for results here.

THE BIG PICTURE: Swiss Court says Semenya’s appeal appears “not well founded”

By
Rich Perelman
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The Swiss Federal Tribunal, in Lausanne.

The Swiss Federal Tribunal issued a statement detailing its order of 30 July, reinstating the IAAF regulations on women with “differences in sex development.”

While the order itself only reinstates the IAAF’s rules until the court decides on the appeal of South Africa’s twice 800 m Olympic champ Caster Semenya, the statement indicates that her appeal has little chance of winning.

The statement explains that the Swiss court’s jurisdiction over arbitration cases is limited “and, as a general rule, only involves examining whether the contested decision is compatible with fundamental principles of public order.” Then came the active paragraph, broken up below for easier reading:

“On this basis, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court concludes, in a first summary examination, that Caster Semenya’s appeal does not appear with high probability to be well founded. The CAS, after thoroughly evaluating the expert evidence, found that the “46 XY DSD” characteristic has a direct impact on performance in sport, which could never be achieved by other women.

“Thus, with the participation of a female athlete with ‘46 XY DSD’ in the ‘protected class women’, a basic principle of top-class sports, namely fair competition, is disregarded from the outset. The Swiss Federal Supreme Court is bound by this finding regarding the impact of ‘46 XY DSD’ on performance. In the light of the arguments put forward by the CAS after extensive and thorough examination, namely the integrity of female athletics, neither the allegation of an infringement of the principle of non-discrimination, nor the alleged violation of “ordre public” due to an infringement of their personality and human dignity appears with high probability to be well founded. For the same reasons, [Athletics South Africa]’s request must also be dismissed.”

It must be stressed, this isn’t a final order, but the Court’s reaction after a close read of the Court of Arbitration for Sport decision.

The statement gave no indication of when Semenya’s appeal will actually be decided, so Semenya and others in her situation, including Rio silver medalist Francine Niyonsaba (BDI) and Kenya’s bronze medalist, Margaret Wambui, must comply with the IAAF’s regulations. That means all three are out of the upcoming IAAF World Championships in Doha starting on 28 September.

In terms of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, with the opening on 24 July, these athletes and any others in the same situation would have to be shown to be within the regulated testosterone range by 24 January of 2020, or about five months from now.

It is certainly possible that the Court could change its mind again, but it is now signaling, quite clearly, that this is not likely.

Semenya has been busy on Twitter and sent her own view of the developments:

https://twitter.com/caster800m/status/1156586635288559617

LANE TWO: Welcome to version 3.0 of The Sports Examiner and introducing the TSX Daily!

By
Rich Perelman
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Dear friends:

The concept for The Sports Examiner was to provide an all-in-one reference point from which readers could survey the entire Olympic Movement, especially the dozens of sports on the Olympic program.

You told us how to make it better, and so changes are on the way.

At first came our PDF-format newsletters, published three times a week, including observations in Lane One and comprehensive previews and reports on events and results. After about 18 months, however, this did not provide the reach desired and the switch was made to an easier-to-access Web format currently available.

That’s done much better, but even with an expanding readership of thousands – tens of thousands, actually – the impact is still insufficient.

Over the course of an exploratory marketing campaign during the sprint, it became obvious that the usefulness of The Sports Examiner was keyed to the e-mail sent to subscribers and friends three times a week.

So we’re turning that e-mail into our main focus.

You’ll soon receive the new “TSX Daily” e-mail five times a week, Monday through Friday, around midnight Pacific time, 3 a.m. Eastern time and 8 a.m. in London. It will be your daily briefing on what’s happening in the Olympic Movement, with links to longer features (like Lane One), in-depth previews of the most important events of the coming week, and results of key competitions.

With this format change, the e-mails and access to The Sports Examiner site will be free. Our paid subscribers either have already, or will shortly have the remaining months on their subscription payment refunded or have contributed the remainder – with much gratitude – to help underwrite the costs.

The underlying Web site you already know will continue, but with a different emphasis to further expand and detail the topics covered in the TSX Daily.

Many readers have asked how they can help. There are two ways:

(1) PLEASE tell your friends who enjoy Olympic sport about The Sports Examiner. It’s key to our growth. There are buttons for sharing TSX content – it’s all freely available now – on Facebook, Twitter or by e-mail. And signing couldn’t be easier: there’s a sign-up box on the right-hand column of the home page; it takes less than a minute to join in.

(2) We have changed the site to accept donations to support The Sports Examiner, in any amount. This is an approach which is being used more and more in journalistic circles and the response – for some publications – has been enough to sustain them. We are grateful for your support and the support of your friends.

We’re excited about the future of The Sports Examiner 3.0. We’re looking forward to providing even better, more impactful coverage of the 5-Ring Circus than ever before!

Rich Perelman
Editor

LANE ONE: Senators Moran and Blumenthal submit bill to strengthen oversight of USOPC, but it hasn’t reached the start line yet

By
Rich Perelman
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The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

The long Congressional inquiry into the Larry Nassar scandal, the history of athlete abuse in some sports and the lack of action by U.S. National Governing Bodies was addressed on the Senate side by the filing of a bill to overhaul aspects of the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act.

Introduced by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), the bill runs to 42 pages and is especially interesting in reflecting what was learned from the multiple hearings and interviews their subcommittee had on the issue.

The highlights:

● Called the “Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019,” the introduction finds that “the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics fundamentally failed to uphold their existing statutory purposes and duties to protect amateur athletes from sexual, emotional or physical abuse.”

● Upon a joint resolution of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, the Board of Directors of the USOPC may be “dissolved” or any National Governing Body may be de-recognized.

● National Governing Bodies and the USOPC are required to “immediately report to law enforcement any allegation of child abuse of an amateur athlete who is a minor” and the NGBs must “promote a safe environment is sports that is free from abuse of any amateur athlete, including emotional, physical and sexual abuse.”

● The bill specifies that the USOPC must undertake a review of each National Governing Body – there are 50 – within eight years after the bill is passed and within four years after that. Further, the selection criteria “for individuals and teams that represent the United States are as objective as possible.” This was a point stressed by USOPC Athletes Advisory Council head Han Xiao during his Congressional testimony last year.

● Athlete support was expanded in the “Office of the Ombudsman” which is required to have support staff in order to provide “independent advice” regarding the role of the Center for SafeSport and whether to engage a lawyer regarding claims of abuse, and protecting any communications with an athlete as confidential.

● Athlete representation elements of the Ted Stevens Act are also specified. The current rule that defines an “athlete” for the purposes of participating in the governing process of the USOPC and the NGBs requires the athlete have represented the U.S. within the prior 10 years; this time limitation is eliminated. Further, the current requirement for “athlete” representation on the USOPC Board of Directors and committees is 20%; this is increased to 33%

This is quite interesting, as Blumenthal pointedly asked a group of National Governing Body executives in one hearing if they would agree to 50% athlete representation on their Boards; all but one said no. But there will be no pushback against a rise from 20% to 33%.

The proposed language, however, continues to demonstrate the lack of understanding of today’s Olympic environment, repeatedly using the term “amateur athletes,” when most are professionals or some sort. In fact, the amateurism requirement hasn’t been in force in the Olympic Charter since 1981. Maybe this can get hammered out as the bill is amended.

● The USOPC will be required to file an annual report with the Congress, including a description of any lawsuits or grievance filed against it, and an annual audit will be carried out that will be submitted directly to the House and Senate committees which have jurisdiction over the USOPC.

● One of the main beneficiaries of this bill is to be the Center for SafeSport, which is tasked to (a) compile and provide an online list of individuals who have been banned by the USOPC or by an NGB, and (b) create procedures to eliminate retaliation by any NGB and anyone who makes a report of abuse.

The USOPC will be required to fund the Center for SafeSport at the rate of $20 million per year, starting as soon as the bill is passed. That’s a lot more than the $3.1 million contributed by the USOC to the Center in 2018.

● The final section of the bill gives the USOPC the power to replace a National Governing Body – this is clearly aimed at USA Gymnastics – even though that NGB may be involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, which would normally stay such a procedure.

The bill also includes the housekeeping measure of changing from “United States Olympic Committee” to “United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.”

As written, the bill has significant errors that need to be cleaned up, but it represents a very measured approach to changing the USOPC after the Nassar scandal.

Xiao pointedly asked for two new programs to be instituted by the Congress, neither of which is in the bill:

(1) An Inspector General for the USOPC, funded by it, but reporting directly to the Congress and to the Athletes Advisory Council. In his testimony in July 2018, he stated that “The role of this office would be to hear athlete concerns confidentially, without fear of retaliation, about the governance and operation of the USOC and NGBs, to independently investigate issues in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, and to determine necessary corrective actions.”

Much of this was included in the bill under the expanded “Office of the Ombudsman” within the USOPC, but an outside Inspector General was not created.

(2) Xiao asked for an “Athlete’s Advocate,” which he stated would be available to “provide confidential legal advice to athletes and actively advocate for their rights and interests on a full-time basis. In addition to directly representing athletes when necessary, with a client-attorney relationship, the Athlete Advocate would work with other athlete representatives in the Movement to raise repetitive issues with the USOC, NGBs and other organizations.”

Parts of this were also included in the bill, but not the request for an in-house law firm for athletes to use at no cost.

The Moran-Blumenthal bill is a first step, but the House’s own sub-committee working on this issue will also be heard from Headed by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colorado) its path forward is not clear and whether it adopts the Senate bill whole or with major changes is yet to be seen.

But Moran and Blumenthal promised action and they have a bill which will be the starting point for more discussions and possibly a shared bill with the House. It certainly does not make the loudest activists happy, but it is a place from which to start the legislative process. Let the Games begin.

Rich Perelman
Editor

ATHLETICS Panorama: Swiss Tribunal reinstates (for now) IAAF’s female eligibility rule vs. Semenya

By
Rich Perelman
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Caster Semenya (RSA) winning the 800 m at the Pre Classic (Photo: Screenshot of the NBC telecast)

The roller-coaster ride of an appeal by South Africa’s double Olympic 800 m champ Caster Semenya against the IAAF’s female eligibility regulations in specific events took another dive on Tuesday, as the Swiss Federal Tribunal reversed its stance and reinstated the IAAF’s rule after suspending it last month.

The court order was not made immediately available and the only reports of the decision came from statements from Semenya’s representatives. According to The Guardian, “Dorothee Schramm, the lawyer leading her appeal, said: ‘The judge’s procedural decision has no impact on the appeal itself. We will continue to pursue Caster’s appeal and fight for her fundamental human rights. A race is always decided at the finish line.’”

Schramm’s point is important. The case itself has apparently not been decided, but the IAAF’s regulations – which were upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport – are now back in place, meaning that athletes competing in events from 400 m to the mile in the women’s division must meet the requirements of testosterone levels of less than 5 nmol/L for at least six months.

If the court’s final decision does not change the IAAF’s rules, or comes after the World Championships in Doha (QAT) that start 28 September, only athletes who meet these specifications can compete.

That would eliminate Semenya, the 2019 world leader in the 800 m at 1:54.98, as well as Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba, the Rio silver medalist and 2017 Worlds silver medalist behind Semenya, who has same “differences in sex development” regulated by the IAAF’s rule.

It also makes American Ajee Wilson the gold-medal favorite; she ranks second on the 2019 year list at 1:57.72 from the USATF Nationals in Des Moines last weekend; Niyonsaba is third at 1:57.75.

The court is expected to release the decision on Wednesday.

Dalilah Muhammad’s world record in the 400 m hurdles in Des Moines was a shock, even to her, but it wasn’t as if she didn’t see it coming.

She said afterwards, “I’ve been kind of hitting that time at practice, consistently, and my coach [Lawrence Johnson] is just like… he said there’s no way you can’t do it, you just gotta execute off that last 40… and his words – to drop your arms – kind of hit me that last 40 and I was just trying to hold on.

“I was hoping for it this whole weekend. Funny enough, I got a little injured like two weeks ago. I had a crazy fall and so we’ve kind of been shutting down. It’s just one of those things that you’re just hoping for the best. I just trusted in what we had been working on at this point.

“I saw the time and I knew. I was shocked, but I knew.”

There were lots of stories from the USATF Nationals, but one of the best got buried with Muhammad’s world record, Allyson Felix in the 400 m and great sprinting from Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles. That would be the fourth-place finisher in the women’s 3,000 m Steeplechase, Allie Ostrander.

The three-time NCAA Steeple champ from Boise State ran 9:37.73 – a lifetime best – to win the NCAA title in Austin, Texas, then lowered her PR to 9:31.44 at the Prefontaine meet at Stanford and then made the U.S. Worlds team, running 9:38.52 in Des Moines.

“Wearing the U.S. uniform will be something special,” she said afterwards. “It is one of the hardest teams to make and I will take the Worlds very seriously and try to do my best. I’m happy to get the opportunity and thankful to be on Team USA.

“The plan today was if they (Emma Coburn, Courtney Frerichs and Colleen Quigley, who went 1-2-3) went out I wanted to try to go with them as long as I could and still have a little left in the tank.”

“I’m going to take some down time since I’ve been racing since December.

Interestingly, she also said, “I don’t want to stay a steeplechaser. I want to give the 10k another try as well as the 5,000 and 1,500. I want to explore other events.”

According to Tilastopaja.org, the USATF race was her 20th of the season,, beginning with an indoor 5,000 m back on 1 December 2018. She’s earned some rest, but at 23rd on the world list for the Steeple, she has a modest shot at making the final in Doha with another PR.

At 22, she has a lot of running ahead of her.

The U.S. wasn’t the only country with national championships taking place. After Russia’s Mikhail Akimenko equaled the world lead in the high jump to 2.33 m (7-7 3/4) on the 26th (Friday) at the Russian nationals in Cheboksary, Italy’s 21-year-old Stefano Sottile jumped the same height at the Italian nationals in Bressanone (ITA).

Akimenko does not appear on the lists of Approved Neutral Athletes from the IAAF and would not, unless something changes, be able to compete in Doha. The other world leader, Russia’s Ilya Ivanyuk, is cleared to compete internationally.

The 2012 Olympic silver medalist in the 1,500 m, Leo Manzano, announced his retirement at age 34. He was a star at Texas, winning two indoor and two outdoor 1,500 m/mile titles between 2005-08.

He had a fearsome finish and ended with outstanding lifetime bests of 1:44.56 (2010), 3:30.98 (2014) and 3:50.64 for the mile (2010). He retires ranked no. 6 on the all-time U.S. 1,500 m list.

SWIMMING Preview: Ryan Lochte and Madisyn Cox have something to prove at Nationals, but so does Caeleb Dressel?

By
Rich Perelman
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Say this for swimmers: they love to swim. So for many members of the U.S. team at the FINA World Championships, coming back from two-plus weeks in Korea, they’re not headed home, but to the USA Swimming World Championships a the Avery Aquatic Center at Stanford that begin on Wednesday.

Check out the workloads for these stars:

● Caeleb Dressel ~ 50-100-200 m Free, 100 m Breast, 100 m Fly, 200 m Medley
● Ryan Lochte ~ 200 m Free, 100 m Back, 100 m Fly, 200-400 m Medley
● Luca Urlando ~ 200-400 m Free, 100-200 m Fly, 200 m Medley
● Jack Conger ~ 50-100-200 m Free, 100-200 m Fly
● Tom Shields ~ 200 m Fly
● Zane Grothe ~ 100-200-400-800-1,500 m Free
● Abrahm DeVine ~ 200 m Free, 100 m Fly, 200 m Medley

● Mallory Comerford ~ 50-100-200 m Free, 100 m Fly
● Abbey Weitzeil ~ 100 m Free
● Kelsi Dahlia ~ 50-100 m Free, 100 m Fly
● Allison Schmitt ~ 100-200-400 m Free
● Olivia Smoliga ~ 50-100 m Free, 100 m Back
● Dana Vollmer ~ 100 m Fly
● Hali Flickinger ~ 200 m Free, 100-200 m Back, 200 m Fly, 400 m Medley
● Katie Drabot ~ 100-200-400 m Free, 100-200 m Fly, 200 m Medley
● Regan Smith ~ 200 m Free, 100-200 m Back, 100-200 m Fly
● Ella Eastin ~ 200 m Fly, 200-400 m Medley
● Ally McHugh ~ 800-1,500 m Free, 200-400 m Medley
● Haley Anderson ~ 400-800-1,500 m Free, 200 m Fly, 400 m Medley
● Ashley Twichell ~ 400-800-1,500 m Free
● Madisyn Cox ~ 200 m Free, 200 m Back, 100 m Breast, 200-400 m Medley

There are lots of storylines here, such as:

● The return of Lochte, now 34, to see if he can swim with the youngsters and realistically think about a shot at the Olympic Trials next year. He’s won 12 Olympic medals and 29 Worlds medals in the 200 m Free, 200 m Back and 200-400 m Medleys. The U.S. could use some help in the 200 m Free.

● Dressel knows the U.S. needs help on the 200 m Free also, and he’s entered in it for the Nationals. He’s said in the past he wants to swim this in order to make the 4×200 m Free relay team, and at Tokyo, he won’t be swimming the 50 m Fly, which is not on the program.

● Cox has something to prove, as she was held out of the 2018 Nationals – that picked the 2019 Worlds team – by a drug suspension, which she appealed and was commuted to time served. She’s entered in five events and is going to be a contender for the Tokyo team.

● Hard-luck Eastin has somehow lost out on a spot on the U.S. team in the Medleys, at which she was NCAA champ while at Stanford. Is she ready to step up now?

● Vollmer announced her retirement at the end of the meet. Now 31, she won seven Olympic medals, including five golds, from 2004-12. Five were on relays and she was the 100 m Fly gold medalist in London in 2012.

There are winners of more than two dozen Worlds medals in this meet, including new Backstroke superstar Regan Smith, who won the 200 m Back in Korea and set a world record in the semis, then set another world record on the lead-off of the women’s 4×100 m Medley.

Fellow 17-year-old Urlando didn’t make the 2019 Worlds team at the 2018 Nationals, but his 1:53.84 in the 200 m Fly at the Tyr Pro Swim Series in June ranks no. 3 on the world list for 2019! That time would have won him the silver medal in Gwangju.

The Nationals will also select the U.S. team for the FINA World Junior Championships, taking place in Budapest from 20-25 August. The men must be between 15-18 years old as of 31 December of this year, and the women must be 14-17, so both Smith and Urlando could go if they qualify and want a trip to Europe!

NBC’s networks have coverage from Stanford, with live broadcasts:

● 31 July: 8 p.m. Eastern time on NBCSN
● 1 August: 8 p.m. Eastern time on NBCSN
● 2 August: 8 p.m. Eastern time on NBCSN
● 3 August: 8 p.m. Eastern time in NBC’s Olympic Channel
● 4 August: 8 p.m. Eastern time on NBC’s Olympic Channel

There is also a live stream with natural sound (no announcers) at www.usaswimming.org.

Look for live timing results here.

THE BIG PICTURE: Future of U.S. Women’s National Team clouds with Ellis leaving and more anger about money

By
Rich Perelman
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U.S. women celebrate their 2019 Women's World Cup title (Photo: FIFA)

After developments on Monday and Tuesday, the U.S. women’s World Cup victory in France just 23 days ago already seems far behind in the past. And that’s before the team will play its first “Victory Tour” game this Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California against Ireland.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced that Jill Ellis, 52, will step down as head coach of the USWNT at the end of October, following the conclusion of its Victory Tour matches. She compiled a gaudy 102-7-18 record so far – that’s an 87.4% winning percentage – since she started in May of 2014.

“When I accepted the head coaching position this was the timeframe I envisioned,” Ellis said. “The timing is right to move on and the program is positioned to remain at the pinnacle of women’s soccer. Change is something I have always embraced in my life and for me and my family this is the right moment.”

Embed from Getty Images

This comes a day after USSF President Carlos Cordeiro posted an open letter in which he noted that the U.S. women’s team had been paid more than the men’s team members over the last 10 years. The accompanying fact sheet noted:

● “From 2010 through 2018, U.S. Soccer paid our women $34.1 million in salaries and game bonuses and we paid our men $26.4 million—not counting the significant additional value of various benefits that our women’s players receive but which our men do not.”

● The members of the USWNT receive a salary of $100,000 a year for being on the team and those that play in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) received additional salaries of $67,500-72,500: that $167,500-172.500 to start and “atop which they can earn game and tournament bonuses.”

● “Above and beyond the guaranteed salaries mentioned above, U.S. Soccer provides our women players with a robust package of benefits that are not provided to the men. These benefits include fully-paid health, dental and vision insurance; severance; a 401(k) retirement plan; paid maternity leave; guaranteed injury protection; and assistance with childcare.”

● What about the members of the men’s team? “[A]lthough players on our Men’s National Team can earn larger bonuses, they are guaranteed nothing; they have a different contract structure.”

Some of this could be inferred from examining the USSF’s Form 990 tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service:

● For fiscal year 2015, the list of the top five independent contractors paid more than $100,000 by the USSF itself included four people, all of whom received $225,450: women’s team players Lauren Holiday, Meghan Klingenberg, Ali Krieger and Tobin Health.

● There were none in fiscal year 2016, but In 2017, the independent contractor list of $100,000+ payees included Christen Press ($257,920), Becky Sauerbrunn ($256,720), Kelly O’Hara ($256.695) and Sam Mewis ($247.497).

That puts the players listed among roughly the top 7% of all wage earners in the United States.

That is a good reason why the women agreed to mediation with USSF rather than going straight to trial on their claim of unequal pay vs. the men’s team, where they would have to prove actual discrimination as the basis for damages against the federation.

The USSF’s notes also included a refutation of the claim that the women earned more than the men in actual game revenues:

“From 2009 through 2019 — a timeframe that includes two Women’s World Cup championships—the Women’s National Team has earned gross revenue of $101.3 million over 238 games, for an average of $425,446 per game, and the Men’s National Team has earned gross revenue of $185.7 million over 191 games, for an average of $972,147 per game. More specifically, WNT games have generated a net profit (ticket revenues minus event expenses) in only two years (2016 and 2017). Across the entire 11-year period, WNT games generated a net loss of $27.5 million.”

None of this matters to the representatives of the women’s team, but World Cup superstar Megan Rapinoe signaled in an interview with The New York Times that equal pay isn’t the issue any more.

“We realize our worth now, and in the past we haven’t quite known what our market value is. If we get to the next round of collective bargaining agreement negotiations, which I think is in two years, and we’re not getting what we want, then we’re going to need to take more serious action than we’ve taken before and not settle for crap.”

So now, it’s pay us what we’re worth and not whatever the men get. That’s a whole new discussion, but to Rapinoe’s credit, she is talking about negotiations when a new agreement comes up (the current one ends in 2021) and playing under the current agreement – subject to whatever happens in mediation – until it concludes.

That discussion could go on for a while. The women’s team now has the 2020 Olympic cycle to go through, but then won’t play a meaningful game until late 2022 at the earliest. By then, the mediation may solve these issues for some years into the future, but less than a month after the celebration in France, the clouds are beginning to gather for U.S. women’s football.

AQUATICS Panorama: Best line from the Gwangju Worlds came from Katie Ledecky

By
Rich Perelman
-
Comedian: American Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky

As the FINA World Aquatics Championships wrapped up in Gwangju (KOR), the best line of the meet might have been this tweet from American freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky:

https://twitter.com/katieledecky/status/1155141322220531712

It wasn’t supposed to be that way, and in Ledecky’s news conference following her sensational 800 m Free win, she gave a glimpse of what she actually expected at the 2019 Worlds:

“It wasn’t the checkpoint we wanted and wasn’t a full indication fo where I am right now but I think at the end of the day we didn’t really need this meet as a checkpoint. [Coach] Greg [Meehan] and I know that I’ve put in the best training since I’ve been at Stanford … this has been by far the best year.

“And it’s not like that training goes away. The results didn’t show this week but I can still take a lot from the training I’ve done this year. It doesn’t go away and I can take some confidence from that and move forward, take a short break and get back to training and get after it.”

That says she expected not just to win, but to dominate the 400-800-1,500 m Freestyles and contend for the gold in the 200 m Free as well. Looking ahead to Tokyo, she will again have her personal coach – Meehan – with her as the U.S. women’s team coach.

Given what transpired in Korea, it will be fascinating to see how Ledecky integrates her commitments to the inaugural season of the International Swimming League. As a member of the D.C. Tridents, her first meet is on 4-5 October and the season continues through early December.

With all of the ruckus caused by the awards ceremony actions of Mack Horton (AUS) and Duncan Scott (GBR), standing aside from China’s Yang Sun during and after the medal presentations in the 400 m Free and 200 m Free, respectively, in Gwangju, it came as a considerable shock that Australian sprinter Shayna Jack wasn’t at the Worlds because of her own failed doping test.

Jack, 20, was expected to swim on relays in Gwangju, but a test on 26 June turned up a positive result. Swimming Australia suspended her immediately, as did the International Swimming League.

Jack shared a Facebook post that noted:

“It is with great sadness and heartache that I had to leave due to allegations of having a prohibited substance in my system. I did NOT take this substance knowingly. Swimming has been my passion since I was 10 years old and I would never intentionally take a banned substance that would disrespect my sport and jeopardise my career. Now there is an ongoing investigation and my team and I are doing everything we can to find out when and how this substance has come into contact with my body.”

She further gave a play-by-play description of being told about the positives on Sunday, ending with “I did not and would not cheat and will continue to fight to clear my name.”

After Horton’s high-profile protest of Sun’s 400 m Free win, focused on his doping positive in 2014 and reports that he smashed a specimen vial last September, the Jack positive is embarrassing to say the least for Australia. But it has also been pointed out that Swimming Australia suspended her immediately, and the Chinese Swimming Association has been less aggressive with Sun.

There were 10 world records set in Gwangju, and three more records from the plastic-suit era of 2008-09 were erased. Those included Michael Phelps’ standards in the 100 m and 200 m Butterfly events, smashed by Caeleb Dressel of the U.S. (49.50) and Hungary’s Kristof Milak (1:50.73).

The women’s 4×200 m Free relay mark set by China in 2009 of 7:42.08 was lowered by Australia – without Jack – to 7:41.50.

After 10 years, we’re starting to see the 2008-09 plastic-suit records leave the books, but they are still prevalent in the men’s events:

● Men: Of 20 records, 10 still remain from 2008-09;

● Women: Of 20 records, just 2 remain from 2008-09.

Among the men’s records, the 50-100-200-400-800 m Freestyles and all three relays are from the slick-suit era. Today’s swimmers are getting closer, but not there yet.

As much as the new faces of Gwangju like Milak and Ariarne Titmus grabbed the headlines, more than half of the events in the meet had repeat champions:

Men (11):
● 50 m Freestyle: Caeleb Dressel (USA)
● 100 m Freestyle: Caeleb Dressel (USA)
● 200 m Freestyle: Yang Sun (CHN)
● 400 m Freestyle: Yang Sun (CHN) ~ fourth straight title
● 100 m Backstroke: Jiayu Xu (CHN)
● 200 m Backstroke: Evgeny Rylov (RUS)
● 50 m Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR) ~ third straight title
● 100 m Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR) ~ third straight title
● 200 m Breaststroke: Anton Chupkov (RUS)
● 100 m Butterfly: Caeleb Dressel (USA)
● 4×100 m Freestyle: United States

Women (11):
● 100 m Freestyle: Simone Manuel (USA)
● 200 m Freestyle: Federica Pellegrini (ITA) ~ fourth title (2011-13-17-19)
● 800 m Freestyle: Katie Ledecky (USA) ~ fourth straight title
● 100 m Backstroke: Kylie Masse (CAN)
● 50 m Breaststroke: Lilly King (USA)
● 100 m Breaststroke: Lilly King (USA)
● 200 m Breaststroke: Yuliya Efimova (RUS) ~ third title (2013-17-19)
● 50 m Butterfly: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) ~ third straight title
● 200 m Indiv. Medley: Katinka Hosszu (HUN) ~ fourth straight title
● 400 m Indiv. Medley: Katinka Hosszu (HUN) ~ fourth straight title
● 4×100 m Medley: United States

Mixed (1):
● 4×100 m Freestyle: United States

That’s 11 of 20 events for both genders and one Mixed relay, so 23 of the 42 swimming events had the same winners as two years ago in Budapest. Who would have won a bet on that?

STAT PACK: Results for the week of 22-28 July 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 13 events in 11 sports:

● Aquatics: FINA World Championships in Gwangju
● Athletics: USATF Championships in Des Moines
● Badminton: World Tour 750: Japan Open in Tokyo
● Basketball: FIBA Women’s U-19 World Cup in Bangkok
● Beach Volleyball: FIVB World Tour 4-star in Tokyo
● Cycling: UCI MWT: Tour de France
● Cycling: UCI BMX World Championships in Heusden-Zolder
● Cycling: USA Cycling Mountain Bike Championships in Winter Park
● Fencing: FIE World Championships in Budapest
● Golf: LPGA The Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains
● Judo: IJF World Tour Zagreb Grand Prix in Zagreb
● Sailing: Laser Standard Women’s World Championship in Sakaiminiati
● Volleyball: FIVB Men’s U-21 World Championship in Manama

plus our calendar of upcoming events through 25 August. Click below for the PDF:

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SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Monday, 29 July 2019

By
Rich Perelman
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Welcome to The Sports Examiner SPEED READ, a 100 mph (44.7 m/s) review of what happened over the last 72 hours in Olympic sport:

LANE ONE

Monday: The swimming World Championships are finally over and although three of the stars of the 2017 edition were major players again – Caeleb Dressel, Simone Manuel and Katie Ledecky – their lives will now change considerably, along with break-out star Regan Smith. Why? Because next year is an Olympic year and they will find their lives are a lot different. How they handle it may determine their success in Tokyo.

ATHLETICS

Friday: All eyes were on Allyson Felix in her return to competition after a year away, and she thrilled the crowd at Drake Stadium in Des Moines by qualifying on time for the semifinals in the 400 m. Christian Coleman and Teahna Daniels won the men’s and women’s 100 m and Ryan Crouser sent the shot over 74 feet to win another national title.

Saturday: The meet was delayed by a lightning warning, but there were multiple strikes on the track, including American Records from DeAnna Price in the women’s hammer and Sam Kendricks in the men’s pole vault. Fred Kerley defeated Michael Norman in the men’s 400 m, while Shakima Wimbley won the women’s 400 m and Allyson Felix finished sixth and could go to the World Championships in the relay pool.

Sunday: The showdown between Rio Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad and new star Sydney McLaughlin turned into a world-record performance for Muhammad on the final day of the USATF Champs in Des Moines. Muhammad ran 52.20 to break a 16-year-old mark, with McLaughlin not far behind at 52.88. Noah Lyles ran 19.78 in slick conditions to defend his 200 m and a lot more happened; you’ll have to read the report!

BADMINTON

Sunday: Joy for Japan as no. 1-ranked Kento Momota and to-be-no. 1 Akane Yamaguchi triumph in the Japan Open in Tokyo. It’s also the test event for next year’s Olympic Games.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Sunday: More confirmation that Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum deserve their worldwide no. 1 ranking, with a victory in the FIVB four-star stop in Tokyo that also served as a rehearsal for the 2020 Olympic tournament. Americans Alix Klineman and April Ross made the championship final for the third time in a row, but finished second to Brazil’s Agatha and Duda in two close sets.

CYCLING

Saturday: Upsets marked the UCI BMX World Champion in Belgium, as American Alise Willoughby got off to a fast start and that was enough to allow her edge defending champ (and favorite) Laura Smulders (NED). A Dutch rider did win the men’s race, but it was Twan van Ghent who crushed the field ahead of favored countryman Niek Kimmann.

Sunday: After taking the lead on Friday after the second Alps stage was shortened, Colombia’s Egan Bernal – just 22 – became the third-youngest winner of the Tour, and youngest in 84 years. He and defending champion Geraint Thomas went 1-2, but the hero of the Tour was France’s Julian Alaphilippe, who led for 14 of the 21 stages.

JUDO

Sunday: Japan scores again with the most gold medals in the last Grand Prix prior to the IJF World Championships in August, the Zagreb Open in Croatia. Georgia impresses with two wins and three medals in the heavier men’s weight classes.

SWIMMING

Saturday: Magical night for the U.S., with five golds in six event, including three wins on a single session for Caeleb Dressel for the second consecutive World Championships. Katie Ledecky came from behind to win a gut-wrenching 800 m Freestyle and teenager Regan Smith won the 200 m Back and scared her own world record and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom won yet another title in the 50 m Fly.

Sunday: A sensational close to the FINA World Championships for the U.S. swim team, as Regan Smith, Lilly King, Kelsi Dahlia and Simone Manuel smashed the world record in the 4×100 m Medley Relay. The men won the silver in that event, giving Caeleb Dressel a record total of eight medals during the week, and Manuel and King also tool golds in the 50 m events on the final day and teenager Smith set another world record!

WATER POLO

Saturday: Tragedy in Gwangju, where an interior balcony at a popular nightclub collapsed, killing two and injuring more than a dozen. Four American Water Polo players – celebrating the women’s world title – were hurt, and one required minor surgery.

Saturday: Italy upset Spain to win its fourth World Championships in men’s water polo and finishes with a perfect record in the tournament.

UPCOMING

Highlights of the coming week, with previews in the coming days on TheSportsExaminer.com:

● Pan American Games: Competition gets going in earnest in Lima, Peru …

● Swimming: Believe it or not, the USA Swimming National Champs start Wednesday!

● Swimming: The FINA Worlds just ended, but the first FINA World Cup starts in Tokyo!

And a new look for The Sports Examiner coming this week!

LANE ONE: How the Gwangju Worlds will change the lives of Caeleb Dressel, Regan Smith, Simone Manuel and Katie Ledecky

By
Rich Perelman
-
American sprint star Caeleb Dressel (Photo: FINA)

The two weeks of the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, Korea and its two distinct parts have concluded. The first week domination of China in diving and Russia in what is now known as “artistic swimming” gave way to a wild week of swimming, with most of the focus on the United States and Australia, with many other excellent performances by athletes from Canada, China, Great Britain, Hungary, South Africa and elsewhere.

The U.S. won the swimming medal count, with 27 total medals (14-8-5) ahead of Australia (19: 5-9-5) and Russia (16: 3-7-6). It was not as dominant a performance as in 2017, when the United States team was selected from a national championships meet just weeks before the Worlds. Instead, following recent tradition, the U.S. selection meet was the 2018 Nationals and the team roster was known for more than a year.

However, the 2019 Worlds in Gwangju were much more impactful on the American athletes who competed in them. Why? Because the Olympic Games are coming in 2020 and as we have heard before, “the World Championships aren’t important. The Olympics are important. Only people in swimming even know this event is even going on, and everybody else knows when the Olympics go on.”

And it is the coming of the Olympics that is going to change the lives of many athletes, and in particular, four swimmers who were the American stars in Gwangju: Caeleb Dressel, Simone Manuel, Regan Smith and Katie Ledecky. A look ahead:

● Caeleb Dressel (Freestyle and Butterfly sprinter)

Dressel was on the 2016 Olympic team and won two relay golds, and then won seven gold medals at the 2017 World Championships … and still very few people had ever heard of him.

He crashed his motorcycle a few weeks before the 2018 Nationals and almost couldn’t swim, which means he would have missed making the team.

In Gwangju, he sucked up medals and records like a whale swallows schools of plankton, winning the 50-100 m Frees, 50-100 m Butterflys and was on two gold-winning relays and two that won silver (and were passed on the anchor leg). He won eight medals, which no one had ever done before at a Worlds – he and Michael Phelps had both won seven – and smashed Phelps’s 2009 world mark in the 100 m Fly (49.50).

He set five American records by himself (in four different events) and was part of a world-record swim in the Mixed 4×100 m Freestyle.

With NBC’s promotion machine revving up for Tokyo, he is going to be much better known now. He has the tools to be popular: he is humble and speaks well and has a broad smile (and a giant tattoo which covers his entire left shoulder). He also has a laser focus on what comes next that will make his interviews at the Games pretty bland, but keep his performances great.

● Simone Manuel (Freestyle sprinter)

Manuel was the surprise co-winner of the Rio 100 m Freestyle and has since faded from the spotlight, outside of the swimming community. That will certainly change.

She was great in 2017, winning the 100 m Free again and taking a bronze in the 50 m Free, but did anyone outside of swimming care? In Gwangju, she came up golden in the 50 m Free and 100 m Free, both in shockers over Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom and Australian Cate Campbell, both heavy favorites. She also won two relay golds and three relay silvers for a total of seven medals.

Manuel has a higher profile than Dressel thanks to a lot of public-service work for USA Swimming and was seen endlessly in commercials during the World Championships. She makes an excellent presentation, speaks beautifully in interviews, but doesn’t have much to say, usually commenting that her performances are the result of a lot of hard training.

● Regan Smith (Backstroke)

The break-out star of the Worlds was this 17-year-old from North High School in Lakeville, Minnesota. She arrived as a star a year ahead of schedule, winning the Worlds gold in the 200 m Backstroke after setting the world record (2:03.35) in the semifinals and then not only swam a brilliant first leg on the world-record-setting women’s 4×100 m Medley, but set a 100 m Back world mark of 57.57, allowed only on lead-off legs in relays.

Now she will certainly be the favorite in the 100-200 m Backstrokes and on the women’s 4×100 Medley relay and possibly on the Mixed 4×100 m Medley, although tactics may dictate having a man swim that leg.

She showed significant poise in her brief NBC interviews from Gwangju, a big smile and a patient attitude. But the Olympic Games is a much larger stage then the World Championships.

● Katie Ledecky (distance Freestyler)

The amazing Ledecky was desperately ill in Korea, but no one knew that when she failed to hold the lead in the 400 m Free and lost on the final lap to Australia’s Ariarne Titmus. Ledecky dropped two events – spending time in a hospital – to recover, then came back and swam the fastest leg on the silver-winning U.S. 4×200 m team (1:54.61) and gutted out a win on the final lap of the 800 m Free.

This was a new side of Ledecky, no longer swimming all alone against the clock with no one near her, but struggling against her body to do what she wanted it to.

She told reporters after the 800 m Free win, “Each swim … is unique and has its own story. This one definitely has one that I’ll be telling for a while and I have a lot of stories from this week, stories that I didn’t want to have. It’s special to be able to pull out a swim like that – and just trust that I could do it.”

About the illness, she said “They’re pretty sure it was some kind of viral thing or other illness. I have a lot of different symptoms. Headaches, irregular pulse and elevated heart beat, abnormal rate heart, for me. Stomach bug, lack of sleep and insomnia. We spent seven hours in the hospital on Tuesday. Dr [Jim Lynch] was great. He stayed there with me the whole time at the hospital and went through a battery of tests.”

One of the most polished, articulate and approachable Olympic stars ever, Ledecky’s adventures in Gwangju have changed her story. Now she is on the “comeback” trail after “just” winning a gold and two silvers … instead of the possible five golds envisioned before the Worlds.

That’s a whole new narrative and one which will be played hard – regardless of what Ledecky’s view is on the subject – right through to the 2020 Olympic Trials in Omaha next June.

After the 2017 Worlds in Budapest (HUN), Dressel, Manuel and Ledecky went back to being swimmers in college, and Smith was starting high school. Now, they are on the verge of Olympic stardom (again), sharing time with the American gymnasts each day during the first week of the Tokyo Games. And they can look forward to:

● Endless requests for media interviews, not only from American media, but from outlets around the world;

● Endless requests for appearances, autographs, endorsements and – hopefully – sponsorships;

● A much higher public profile when they travel to competitions, or for training. Ledecky already gets this; Dressel, Manuel and especially Smith will get more of it than ever before.

Each will have to answer, in consultation with their coaches, family and friends, how they are going to handle this increased, non-swimming workload. It can be a real challenge.

In the nine months leading up to the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Carl Lewis faced similar issues. He had won the 100 m and the long jump, and anchored the U.S. 4×100 m relay to a world record at the 1983 IAAF World Championships in Finland and was favored to match Jesse Owens’ four golds from 1936 the following year.

Lewis worked with his coach, Tom Tellez, and manager, Joe Douglas, to try and minimize his distractions. He gave interviews, but only as part of his pre-planned schedule at meets. Same for public appearances, which were reduced as the 1984 season started.

Once the Olympic Trials and then the Games came, he was hardly seen. “People have no idea how hard it is to do what Carl is trying to do,” Tellez told me. “He needs rest as much or more than anything else. And he has to think about that first.”

In coordination with Douglas, Lewis gave one news conference prior to the Olympic Games, drawing the largest audience of any athlete at the Main Press Center. During the Games, he skipped the usual post-event media sessions after the preliminary rounds and gave very limited access until he finished his last individual event, the 200 m. Then he was happy to talk.

The program worked and Lewis won four golds. Many media weren’t happy, but Lewis is in the history books and they aren’t.

Time management, rest and calm will be keys for all four of these swimmers as the Olympic Trials, and possibly Tokyo, approach. It will be fascinating to see how each of them handles the pressure of an Olympic year now that much is expected.

Rich Perelman
Editor

ATHLETICS: Muhammad shatters world 400 m hurdles record while Lyles dances to 19.78 national title in 200 m

By
Rich Perelman
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Hi, I'm Dalilah Muhammad, and I'm the world-record holder in the 400 m hurdles!

Midwestern weather looked to play a major role on the final day of the USA Track & Field National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, but the storm came from the stars on the track instead of the skies.

The rain which cooled the women’s 5,000 m runners stopped in time for the women’s 400 m hurdles and the highly anticipated showdown between Rio Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad and new star Sydney McLaughlin. They stood 1-2 on the 2019 world list, with McLaughlin at 53.22 from her Diamond League win in Monaco and Muhammad at 53.61 from her Doha Diamond League victory. And McLaughlin had beaten Muhammad at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway in June.

But for the final, McLaughlin had a disadvantage being in lane six, with Muhammad in four and the highly-capable Shamier Little between them in lane five. And Little rocketed out at the start, flying down the backstraight with the lead and Muhammad chasing. They both passed McLaughlin by hurdle five, then Little edging ahead of Muhammad over the sixth hurdle.

Then it all changed. Muhammad shifted into a gear no one has seen from her before and took off, establishing a clear lead over the seventh hurdle and then into the clear over the eighth hurdle and into the final straight. Little faded, McLaughlin moved up, especially on the run-in, while Ashley Spencer, the Olympic bronze medalist in 2016, moved up for third.

Muhammad dominated the race and then the time came up: 52.20, a world record and a goal that Muhammad said she would be chasing this season. She destroyed the 52.34 mark set by Russian Yulia Pechonkina back in 2003 and brushed aside the American Record of Lashinda Demus (52.47) from 2011.

McLaughlin was hardly slow. She finished second in 52.88 and is the only other person besides Muhammad to under 53 seconds this year. Spencer’s 53.11 equaled her lifetime best and is no. 3 on the world list this year; yes, a sweep in Doha is possible.

No one was quite ready for that, but everyone was looking forward to the men’s 200 m, with Noah Lyles defending his 2018 national title, this time against Christian Coleman, the winner of the 100 m. The conditions were still wet and was the case for almost the entire meet, the sprinters ran into a headwind. But off the start, Coleman ran hard on the turn, knowing he needed to build a lead on Lyles to hold off his better top-end speed.

It didn’t work. Lyles stayed close and shifted into passing gear on the straight and into overdrive in the final 35 m to cross in 19.78 against a 0.7 m/s wind (about a 0.04 impact against no wind). Only Lyles, Michael Norman (19.70) and Nigeria Divine Oduduru (19.73 to win the NCAA Champs for Texas Tech) have run faster this year, and all did under much better conditions.

Those two stunners were the clear headlines amongst the clouds at Drake Stadium, but the final day had plenty of other highlights:

● The men’s 110 m hurdles turned out to be one of the most dramatic events of the day. In the semis, NCAA runner-up Daniel Roberts won the first race in 13.30, just ahead of Freddie Crittenden (13.31), but defending champion Devon Allen barely made it in as the last qualifier. In the second race, world leader Grant Holloway was only third, well behind Aaron Mallett, 13.46-13.56.

In the final, no one was sure of what to expect, but Roberts ran smoothly over the first five hurdles and was leading Crittenden when Holloway mounted a charge for the lead. The two SEC rivals were 1-2 and even though Roberts hit the last two hurdles, he was moving best and won in 13.23 (again with a headwind).

Holloway was off-balance, straining toward the finish and dove across the line to ensure a second-place finish over Crittenden, but it was Allen who came up hard on the run-in to grab the third plane ticket to Qatar in 13.38 to 13.39 for Crittenden.

● The men’s 1,500 m was one of the meet’s question marks, with no one actually sure about the condition of 2016 Olympic champ Matthew Centrowitz. He ran smoothly and controlled the race, moving to the front at the bell, shadowed by Craig Engels.

The two ran side-by-side at the front with 250 m to go, then Engels took the lead on the turn. Down the final straight, Engels and Centrowitz broke clear, but it was Engels with the most speed and he completed an indoor mile/outdoor 1,500 m USATF double in 3:44.93, making his first U.S. national team.. Centrowitz, who has had continuing leg problems for more than a year, finished second in 3:44.97 and now has two months to get ready to be a surprise in Doha.

● The women’s 800 m was supposed to be a showcase for Ajee Wilson, a medal contender for Doha, running for her third straight national title and fourth overall. Everyone in the race knew she was the best and she led as she pleased, then turned on the jets with about 180 m to go to win cleanly in 1:57.72. No one in the world outside of Caster Semenya (RSA) has run faster.

Behind her was surprising Hanna Green, who hadn’t broken 2:00 coming into the season, passing Raevyn Rogers for second in the final 60 m and finishing in a lifetime best of 1:58.19, and now – suddenly – no. 5 on the world list for 2019. Rogers finished well for third in 1:58.84.

● The men’s 800 demonstrated the maturity of Donavan Brazier. Formerly a front runner, he now seems able to run off of any pace and controlled the race cleanly and easily, winning with a home-straight sprint in 1:45.62. Clayton Murphy had to get out of a box to find room to run, but moved outside on the home stretch and his speed carried him home second in 1:46.01, with NCAA champ Bryce Hoppel a clear third at 1:46.31.

● Both of the 5,000 m finals were compelling races. Paul Chelimo entered as the two-time defending U.S. champion, but after breaking the race open early, allowed the pace to settle down and a large pack caught up. With a lap to go, there were eight in contention, with Chelimo leading, but with a half-lap remaining, Lopez Lomong – the 10,000 m winner from Friday – had taken charge, with Hassan Mead and Woody Kincaid trying to stay close. Lomong and Chelimo were clear into the straightaway and Lomong had more on the finish to win by 13:25.53-13:25.80.

It was the first time for a U.S. Nationals 5-10 double since Galen Rupp did it in 2012. Lomong does not have the qualifying standard for Doha (13:22.50); Chelimo, Kincaid (third in 13:26.84) and Mead (fourth in 13:28.04) do have the standard.

● In the women’s 5,000 m, the race settled into a final-lap race among four contenders, with Rachel Schneider taking the down down the back straight, shadowed by two-time defending champ Shelby Houlihan. Off the final turn, Houlihan turned on the jets and sprinted to the finish at win in 15:15.50, with Karissa Schweizer (15:17.03) and Elinor Purrier (15:17.46) passing Schneider on the straightaway to finish 2-3. However, Schneider (15:17.91) is also likely to go to Doha, as the finals of 1,500 m and 5,000 m are on the same day, so Houlihan can’t do both. All four have the required qualifying time.

● The women’s 200 m was beset by injuries and withdrawls, but that created opportunities, especially for 5-2 powerhouse Dezerea Bryant. She flew out of the starting blocks and was never challenge on the way to a 22.47 victory and a trip to Doha, ahead of Brittany Brown (22.61) and NCAA champ Angie Annelus (22.71).

● In the women’s Heptathlon, the two U.S. qualifiers for Doha went 1-2 with impressive performances, with Erica Bougard getting a season’s best of 6,663 and Kendell Williams scoring a personal best of 6,610, moving them to positions 3-5 on the 2019 world list.

● The women’s vault suffered from the wet conditions, but Sandi Morris – still recovering from leg injuries – collected her third straight national title at 4.85 m (15-11), a season’s best and now equal-third on the 2019 year list. Katie Nageotte (4.80 m/15-9) and Jenn Suhr (4.70 m (15-5) will join her in Doha.

● Valarie Allman won the women’s discus for the second consecutive year, at 64.34 m (211-1), but Kelsey Card (63.33 m/207-9) and Laulauga Tausaga (62.08 m/203-8) finished 2-3 to earn the trip to Doha, ahead of 2017 champ Whitley Ashley (61.52 m/201-10).

● Never underestimate Rio shot put champ Michelle Carter. While Chase Ealey was winning the event easily at 19.56 m (64-2 1/4), Carter improved her seasonal best from 18.28 m (59-11 3/4) to 18.69 m (61-4) and booked a trip to Doha in second. Maggie Ewen got out to 18.44 m (60-6) for third.

● The men’s long jump was confusing at best. Rio Olympic champ Jeff Henderson had trouble throughout and could manage only 8.00 m (26-3) for fifth, despite being the world leader ay 8.38 m (27-6) coming. Into the void stepped Missouri soph (and SEC champ) Ja’Mari Ward, who won with a seasonal best of 8.12 m (26-7 3/4), but is short of the 8.17 m (26-9 3/4) qualifying standard for Doha. Will Claye was second at 8.06 m (26-5 1/2) and does have the standard, as does third-placer Trumaine Jefferson (8.02 m/26-3 3/4).

The meet had a world record and three American Records and selected what could be a formidable Worlds team. As good (and as late) as these USATF Championships were, there are still two months until the IAAF World Championships commence in Doha on 28 September; some of the U.S. team is ready right now, but there are plenty of others who either need a lot of rest or a lot of work. Summaries:

USATF National Championships
Des Moines, Iowa (USA) ~ 25-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men

100 m (wind -1.0 m/s): 1. Christian Coleman, 9.99; 2. Michael Rodgers, 10.12; 3. Chris Belcher, 10.12; 4. Cravon Gillespie, 10.19; 5. Ronnie Baker, 10.20; 6. Isiah Young, 10.21; 7. Ameer Webb, 10.23; did not start – Justin Gatlin.

200 m (-0.7): 1. Noah Lyles, 19.78; 2. Christian Coleman, 20.02; 3. Ameer Webb, 20.45; 4. Jamiel Trimble, 20.46; 5. Kyree King, 20.49; 6. Remontay McClain, 20.51; 7. Rodney Rowe, 20.75; 8. Kenny Bednarek, 45.34.

400 m: 1. Fred Kerley, 43.64; 2. Michael Norman, 43.79; 3. Nathan Strother, 44.29; 4. Vernon Norwood, 44.40; 5. Blake Leeper, 44.48; 6. Michael Cherry, 44.69; 7. Trevor Stewart, 44.94; 8. Tyrell Richard, 45.07.

800 m: 1. Donavan Brazier, 1:45.62; 2. Clayton Murphy, 1:46.01; 3. Bryce Hoppel, 1:46.31; 4. Isaiah Harris, 1:46.45; 5. Isaiah Jewett, 1:46.66; 6. Brannon Kidder, 1:46.98; 7. Harun Abda, 1:46.98; 8. Robert Downs, 1:48.35.

1,500 m: 1. Craig Engels, 3:44.93; 2. Matthew Centowitz, 3:44.97; 3. Josh Thompson, 3:45.25; 4. Ben Blankenship, 3:45.60; 5. Eric Avila, 3:45.93; 6. Sam Prakel, 3:46.09; 7. Isaic Yorks, 3:46.10; 8. Henry Wynne, 3:46.16.

3,000 m Steeple: 1. Hillary Bor, 8:18.05; 2. Stanley Kebenei, 8:19.12; 3. Andrew Bayer, 8:23.23; 4. Benard Keter, 8:37.62; 5. Mason Ferlic, 8:37.99; 6. Obsa Ali, 8:42.00; 7. Frankline Tonui, 8:43.14; 8. Isaac Updike, 9:43.47.

5,000 m: 1. Lopez Lomong, 13:25.53; 2. Paul Chelimo, 13:25.80; 3. Woody Kincaid, 13:26.84; 4. Hassan Mead, 13:28.04; 5. Drew Hunter, 13:29.19; 6. Riley Masters, 13:31.39; 7. Ben True, 13:33.13; 8. Hillary Bor, 13:44.44.

10,000 m: 1. Lomong, 27:30.06; 2. Shadrack Kipchirchir, 27:47.71; 3. Leonard Korir, 28:01.43; 4. Connor McMillan, 28:20.18; 5. Kirubel Erassa, 28:20.20; 6. Connor Winter, 28:21.81; 7. Reid Buchanan, 28:22.80; 8. Reed Fischer, 28:23.30.

110 m hurdles (-0.8): 1. Daniel Roberts, 13.23; 2. Grant Holloway, 13.36; 3. Devon Allen, 13.38; 4. Freddie Crittenden, 13.39; 5. Michael Dickson, 13.45; 6. Jarret Eaton, 13.51; 7. Aaron Mallett, 13.51; 8. Trey Cunningham, 13.72.

400 m hurdles: 1. Rai Benjamin, 47.23; 2. T.J. Holmes, 48.58; 3. Amere Lattin, 48.66; 4. Norman Grimes, 48.68; 5. David Kendzeira, 48.69; 6. Byron Robinson, 49.09; 7. Khallifah Rosser, 49.14; 8. Kerron Clement, 50.08.

10,000 m Walk: 1. Nick Christie, 41:56.61; 2. Emmanuel Corvera, 43:10.87; 3. John Cody Risch, 43:36.43; 4. Anthony Peters, 45:53.41; 5. Steven Smith, 47:11.86; 6. Samuel Allen, 47:47.30; 7. Joel Phahler, 48:54.99; 8. David Swarts, 51:26.90.

High Jump: 1. Jeron Robinson, 2.30 m (7-6 1/2); 2. Shelby McEwen, 2.30 m (7-6 1/2); 3. Jonathan Wells, 2.24 m (7-4 1/4); 4. JaCorian Duffield, 2.24 m (7-4 1/4); 5. Jordan Wesner, 2.21 m (7-3); 6. Ricky Robertson and Keenon Laine, 2.21 m (7-3); 8. Earnie Sears, 2.21 m (7-3).

Pole Vault: 1. Sam Kendricks, 6.06 m (19-10 3/4; American Record; old, 6.05 m (19-10 1/4), Mondo Duplantis, 2018); 2. Cole Walsh, 5.76 m (18-10 3/4); 3. K.C. Lightfoot, 5.76 m (18-10 3/4); 4. Zach Bradford, 5.71 m (18-8 3/4); 5. Scott Houston, 5.66 m (18-6 3/4); 6. Carson Waters, 5.56 m (18-3); 7. tie, Devin King, Tray Oates, Kyle Pater, Chris Nilsen, Audie Wyatt, Clayton Fritsch, 5.46 m (17-11).

Long Jump: 1. Ja’Mari Ward, 8.12 m (26-7 3/4); 2. Will Claye, 8.06 m (26-5 1/2); 3. Trumaine Jefferson, 8.02 m (26-3 3/4); 4. Jarvis Gotch, 8.02 m (26-3 3/4); 5. Jeff Henderson, 8.00 m (26-3); 6. Steffen Mccarter, 7.89 mw (25-10 3/4w); 7. Justin Hall, 7.88 m (25-10 1/4); 8. Damarcus Simpson, 7.87 m (25-10).

Triple Jump: 1. Donald Scott, 17.74 mw (58-2 1/2w); 2. Will Claye, 17.70 mw (58-1w); 3. Omar Craddock, 17.55 m (57-7); 4. Chris Benard, 17.33 mw (56-10 1/4w); 5. KeAndre Bates, 16.85mw (55-3 1/2); 6. Chris Carter, 16.74 m (54-11 1/4); 7. John Warren, 16.34 m (53-7 1/2); 8. Matthew O’Neal, 16.31 m (53-6 1/4).

Shot Put: 1. Ryan Crouser, 22.62 m (74-2 1/2); 2. Joe Kovacs, 22.31 m (73-2 1/2); 3. Darrell Hill, 22.11 m (72-6 1/2); 4. Jon Jones, 21.40 m (70-2 1/2); 5. Josh Awotunde, 20.97 m (68-9 3./4); 6. Payton Otterdahl, 20.67 m (67-9 3/4); 7. Curt Jensen, 20.64 m (67-8 3/4); 8. David Pless, 20.54 m (67-4 3/4).

Discus: 1. Sam Mattis, 66.69 m (218-9); 2. Brian Williams, 65.76 m (215-9); 3. Kord Ferguson, 63.25 m (207-6); 4. Luke Vaughn, 61.78 m (202-5); 5. Jared Schuurmans, 61.37 m (201-4); 6. Eric Kicinski, 61.28 m (201-0); 7. Mason Finley, 61.05 m (200-3); 8. Jordan Roach, 60.47 m (198-4); 9. Reggie Jagers, 59.78 m (196-1).

Hammer: 1. Conor McCullough, 78.14 m (256-4); 2. Rudy Winkler, 76.51 m (251-0); 3. Daniel Haugh, 76.44 m (250-9); 4. Sean Donnelly, 76.38 m (250-7); 5. Michael Shanahan, 74.80 m (245-5); 6. Alex Young, 74.80 m (245-5); 7. Morgan Shigo, 72.64 m (238-4); 8. Colin Dunbar, 70.93 m (232-8).

Javelin: 1. Michael Shuey, 82.85 m (271-10); 2. Riley Dolezal, 82.84 m (271-9); 3. Tim Glover, 77.47 m (254-2); 4. Curtis Thompson, 76.56 m (251-2); 5. Sam Hardin, 73.82 m (242-2); 6. Tzuriel Pedigo, 73.44 m (240-11); 7. Aaron True, 72.05 m (236-4); 8. Chris Mirabelli, 71.37 m (234-2).

Decathlon: 1. Devon Williams, 8,295; 2. Solomon Simmons, 8,227; 3. Harrison Williams, 8,188; 4. Steven Bastien, 8,023; 5. Scott Filip, 7.993; 6. Daniel Golubovic, 7,824; 7. Kurt Brondyke, 7,785; 8. Jack Flood, 7,711.

Women

100 m (-1.7): 1. Teahna Daniels, 11.20; 2. English Gardner, 11.25; 3. Morolake Akinosun, 11.28; 4. Dezerea Bryant, 11.29; 5. Twanisha Terry, 11.32; 6. Aleia Hobbs, 11.33; 7. Caitland Smith, 11.46; 8. Sha’Carri Richardson, 11.72.

200 m (-1.2): 1. Bryant, 22.47; 2. Brittany Brown, 22.61; 3. Angie Annelus, 22.71; 4. Daniels, 22.73; 5. Phyllis Francis, 22.74; 6. Lynna Irby, 23.06; 7. Kyra Jefferson, 23.22; did not finish – Gabby Thomas.

400 m: 1. Shakima Wimbley, 50.21; 2. Kendall Ellis, 50.38; 3. Wadeline Jonathas, 50.44; 4. Courtney Okolo, 50.86; 5. Jessica Beard, 51.28; 6. Allyson Felix, 51.94; 7. Briyahna Desrosiers, 52.36; 8. Jasmine Blocker, 52.53.

800 m: 1. Ajee Wilson, 1:57.72; 2. Hanna Green, 1:58.19; 3. Raevyn Rogers, 1:58.84; 4. Olivia Baker, 2:00.94; 5. Athing Mu, 2:01.17; 6. Samantha Watson, 2:01.70; 7. Rebecca Mehra, 2:03.05; 8. Nia Akins, 2:04.39.

1,500 m: 1. Shelby Houlihan, 4:03.18; 2. Jenny Simpson, 4:03.41; 3. Nikki Hiltz, 4:03.55; 4. Sinclaire Johnson, 4:03.72; 5. Kate Grace, 4:03.82; 6. Shannon Osika, 4:04.80; 7. Heather MacLean, 4:05.27; 8. Karisa Nelson, 4:06.14.

3,000 m Steeple: 1. Emma Coburn, 9:26.63; 2. Courtney Frerichs, 9:26.61; 3. Colleen Quigley, 9:30.97; 4. Allie Ostrander, 9:38.52; 5. Marisa Howard, 9:51.37; 6. Mel Lawrence, 9:53.48; 7. Paige Stoner, 9:55.01; 8. Courtney Barnes, 10:01.17.

5,000 m: 1. Houlihan, 15:15.50; 2. Karissa Schweizer, 15:17.03; 3. Elinor Purrier, 15:17.46; 4. Rachel Schneider, 15:17.91; 5. Marielle Hall, 15:20.69; 6. Shannon Rowbury, 15:25.40; 7. Elise Cranny, 15:25.66; 8. Vanessa Fraser, 15:31.25.

10,000 m: 1. Molly Huddle, 31:58.47; 2. Emily Sisson, 32:02.19; 3. Kellyn Taylor, 32:02.74; 4. Stephanie Bruce, 32:09.99; 5. Marielle Hall, 32:14.41; 6. Sarah Pagano, 32:48.58; 7. Hannah Everson, 32:54.47; 8. Jessica Tonn, 33:01.84.

100 m hurdles (-1.2): 1. Keni Harrison, 12.44; 2. Nia Ali, 12.55; 3. Brianna McNeal, 12.61; 4. Sharika Nelvis, 12.66; 5. Queen Claye, 12.68; 6. Tonea Marshall, 12.81; 7. Kristi Castlin, 12.86; 8. Christina Clemons, 13.01.

400 m hurdles: 1. Dalilah Muhammad, 52.20 (World Record; old, 52.34, Yulia Pechonkina (RUS), 2003; American Record; old, 52.47, Lashinda Demus, 2011); 2. Sydney McLaughlin, 52.88; 3. Ashley Spencer, 53.11; 4. Shamier Little, 53.91; 5. Cassandra Tate, 54.91; 6. Anna Cockrell, 56.14; 7. Kiah Seymour, 56.24; 8. Deonca Bookman, 57.37.

10,000 m Walk: 1. Katie Burnett, 46:12.45; 2. Miranda Melville, 46:49.90; 3. Robyn Stevens, 47:22.54; 4. Anali Cisneros, 50:33.63; 5. Stephanie Casey, 50:59.85; 6. Lydia McGranahan, 51:45.24; 7. Celina Lepe, 52:36.62; 8. Jennifer Lopez, 53:28.27.

High Jump: 1. Vashti Cunningham, 1.96 m (6-5); 2. Inika McPherson, 1.94 m (6-4 1/4); 3. Ty Butts, 1.92 m (6-3 1/2); 4. Jelena Rowe, 1.86 m 96-1 1/4); 5. tie, Amina Smith and Nicole Greene. 1.83 m (6-0); 7. Elizabeth Evans, 1.83 m (6-0); 8. Michelle Spires, 1.83 m (6-0).

Pole Vault: 1. Sandi Morris, 4.85 m (15-11); 2. Katie Nageotte, 4.80 m (15-9); 3. Jenn Suhr, 3.70 m (15-5); 4. Emily Grove, 4.65 m (15-3); 5. Daylis Caballero Vega, 4.60 m (15-1); 6. tie, Annie Rhodes-Johnigan and Kristen Brown, 4.55 m (14-11); 8. Olivia Gruver, 4.55 m (14-11).

Long Jump: 1. Brittney Reese, 7.00 m (22-11 3/4); 2. Jasmine Todd, 6.79 m (22-3 1/2); 3. Shakeela Saunders, 6.78 m (22-3); 4. Tori Bowie, 6.78 m (22-3); 5. Quanesha Burks, 6.70 mw (21-11 3.4w); 6. Keturah Orji, 6.68 m (21-11); 7. Malaina Payton, 6.59 mw (21-7 1/2w); 8. Alexis Faulknor, 6.58 mw (21-7 1/4w).

Triple Jump: 1. Keturah Orji, 14.56 m (47-9 1/4); 2. Tori Franklin, 14.36 m (47-1 1/2); 3. Imani Oliver, 13.86 m (45-5 3/4); 4. Lynnika Pitts, 13.50 m (44-3 1/2); 5. Tiffany Flynn, 13.35 m (43-9 3/4); 6. Ciynamon Stevenson, 13.24 m (43-5 1/4); 7. Crystal Manning, 13.11 m (43-0 1/4); 8. LaChyna Roe, 13.10 m (42-5 1/2).

Shot Put: 1. Chase Ealey, 19.56 m (64-2 1/4); 2. Michelle Carter, 18.69 m (61-4); 3. Maggie Ewen, 18.44 m (60-6); 4. Jeneva Stevens, 18.36 m (60-3); 5. Daniella Hill, 17.71 m (58-1 1/4); 6. Jessica Woodard, 17.65 m (57-11); 7. Lena Giger, 17.35 m (56-11 1/4); 8. Khayla Dawson, 17.32 m (56-10).

Discus: 1. Valarie Allman, 64.34 m (211-1); 2. Kelsey Card, 63.33 m (207-9); 3. Laulauga Tausaga, 62.08 m (203-8); 4. Whitley Ashley, 61.52 m (201-10); 5. Gia Lewis-Smallwood, 61.51 m (201-9); 6. Jere Summers, 59.66 m (195-9); 7. Alex Collatz Sellens, 58.30 m (191-3); 8. Summer Pierson, 57.19 m (187-7).

Hammer: 1. Deanna Price, 78.24 m (256-8; American Record; old, 78.12 m (256-3), Price, 2018); 2. Gwen Berry, 76.46 m (250-10); 3. Brooke Andersen, 75.30 m (247-0); 4. Maggie Ewen, 75.04 m (246-2); 5. Janee Kassanavoid, 72.02 m (236-3); 6. Janeah Stewart, 69.96 m (229-6); 7. Madison Malone, 66.75 m (219-0); 8. Alyssa Wilson, 65.36 m (214-5).

Javelin: 1. Ariana Ince, 61.06 m (200-4); 2. Kara Winger, 59.73 m (195-11); 3. Jenna Gray, 57.29 m (187-11); 4. Avione Allgood, 55.29 m (181-4); 5. Maggie Malone, 54.47 m (178-8); 6. Kylee Carter, 54.27 m (178-0); 7. Seri Geisler, 54.11 m (177-6); 8. Katie Reichert, 53.53 m (175-7).

Heptathlon: 1. Erica Bougard, 6,663; 2. Kendell Williams, 6,610; 3. Chari Hawkins, 6,230; 4. Annie Kunz, 6,153; 5. Emilyn Dearman, 5,945; 6. Riley Cooks, 5,932; 7. Michelle Atherley, 5,931; 8. Lindsay Schwartz, 5,921.

JUDO: Georgia puts in a heavyweight performance in Croatia, but Japan leads the medal table

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympic champ Tina Trstenjak (SLO) won the 63 kg class at the Zagreb Open (Photo: IJF/Marina Mayorova)

A large field of 552 judoka from 86 countries gathered for the last IJF World Tour event before next month’s World Championships in Tokyo, with good results for Georgia’s heavyweights and Japan’s women.

At the Zagreb Open in Croatia, Beka Gvinishvili won at 90 kg and Gela Zaalishvili and Levani Matishvili went 1-3 in the +110 kg class and Georgia won four medals in all to lead the men’s division.

Among the women, Japan had three gold medalists from Natsumi Tsunoda at 53 kg and on Sunday from Mami Umeki at 78 kg and Akira Sone at +78 kg. Combined with two silver medalists and Takanori Nagase’s win at 81 kg for the men, the Japanese led the medal table with eight total medals. Georgia had five for second-best. Summaries:

IJF World Tour/Zagreb Open
Zagreb (CRO) ~ 26-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men

-60 kg: 1. Sharafuddin Lutfillaev (UZB); 2. Ashley McKenzie (GBR); 3. Ariunbold Enkhtaivan (MGL) and Tomer Golomb (POL).

-66 kg: 1. Alberto Gaitero Martin (ESP); 2. Denis Vieru (MDA); 3. Tumurkheleg Davaadorj (MGL) and Kilian Le Blouch (FRA).

-73 kg: 1. Tohar Butbul (ISR); 2. Arthur Margelidon (CAN); 3. Denis Iartcev (RUS) and Musa Mogushkov (RUS).

-81 kg: 1. Takanori Nagase (JPN); 2. Antoine Valois-Fortier (CAN); 3. Tato Grigalashvili (GEO) and Saeid Mollaei (IRI).

-90 kg: 1. Beka Gvinishvili (GEO); 2. Sanshiro Murao (JPN); 3. Noel Van’t End (NED) and Krisztian Toth (HUN).

-100 kg: 1. Shady Elnahas (CAN); 2. Alexandre Iddir (FRA); 3. Peter Paltchik (ISR) and Miklos Cirjenics (HUN).

+100 kg: 1. Gela Zaalishvili (GEO); 2. Hisayoshi Harasawa (JPN); 2. Alisher Yusupov (UZB) and Levani Matishvili (GEO).

Women

-48 kg: 1. Otgonsetseg Galbadrakh (KAZ); 2. Melanie Clement (FRA); 3. Yanan Li (CHN) and Gulkader Senturk (TUR).

-53 kg: 1. Natsumi Tsunoda (JPN); 2. Da Sol Park (KOR); 3. Charline van Snick (BEL) and Chelsie Giles (GBR).

-57 kg: 1. Jessica Klimkait (CAN); 2. Momo Tamaoki (JPN); 3. Eteri Liparteliani (GEO) and Nekoda Smythe-Davis (GBR).

-63 kg: 1. Tina Trstenjak (SLO); 2. Nami Nabekura (JPN); 3. Mokhee Cho (KOR) and Sanne Vermeer (NED).

-70 kg: 1. Gemma Howell (GBR); 2. Kim Polling (NED); 3. Michaela Polleres (AUT) and Sanne van Dijke (NED).

-78 kg: 1. Mami Umeki (JPN); 2. Fanny Estelle Posvite (FRA); 3. Karla Prodan (CRO) and Marhinde Verkerk (NED).

+78 kg: 1. Akira Sone (JPN); 2. Larisa Ceric (BIH); 3. Iryna Kindzerska (AZE) and Anamari Velensek (SLO).

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: No. 1s Mol and Sorum win in Tokyo, but Klineman and Ross finish at no. 2

By
Rich Perelman
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Fifth FIVB World Tour win of the year for Brazil's Duda Lisboa (l) and Agatha Bednarczuk (Photo: FIVB)

In Tokyo, the penultimate stop on the FIVB World Tour for 2018-19 was also the test event for the 2020 Olympic beach volleyball tournament and it was a perfect rehearsal for Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum.

They came away with their sixth win of the season by defeating Germans Nils Ehlers and Lars Fluggen in the final, 21-17, 21-18. And after just 26 starts together in FIVB tournaments, they already have their ninth victory. The pair are just 22 (Mol) and 23 (Sorum) years old.

Although they won the bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships, they will – barring injury – roll into 2020 as the Olympic favorites.

The other no. 1-ranked team was also in action Sunday in Tokyo, American women Alix Klineman and April Ross. Their rehearsal went well, but not quite as well, with a tense, 21-19, 21-18 loss to the Brazilian duo of Agatha Bednarczuk (36) and Duda Lisboa (20).

“After losing twice in the pool [matches], we had to do something,” said Agatha. “We had good discussions with our coaches, and we came back and played smarter. You saw the worst of us early, and the best of us in the last four matches. This is a big win for us as we are battling the other good teams in Brazil for a spot in Tokyo 2020.”

It will not be easy for whichever Brazilian duos make it to Tokyo next year, but Agatha and Duda was clear favorites and among the most consistent players on tour. They started playing together in 2017 and in 28 World Tour entries, they have won 13 medals, including five golds.

It was hardly a wasted week for Klineman and Ross, who continued to play at a high level, making the championship final in their third tournament in a row, including the World Championships in Hamburg in July.

There is one more tournament left, the Vienna 5-star Major, which begins on Wednesday. Summaries from Tokyo:

FIVB World Tour
Tokyo (JPN) ~ 24-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum (NOR); 2. Nils Ehlers/Lars Fluggen (GER); 3. Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen (NED); 4. Alison Cerutti/Alvaro Filho (BRA). Semis: Mol/Sorum d. Brouwer/Meeuwsen, 2-0; Ehlers/Fluggen d. Alison/Alvaro Filho, 2-1. Third: Brouwer/Meeuwsen d. Alison/Alvaro Filho, 2-0. Final: Mol/Sorum d. Ehlers/Fluggen, 2-0 (21-17, 21-18).

Women: 1. Agatha Bednarczuk/Duda Lisboa (BRA); 2. Alix Klineman/April Ross (USA); 3. Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson (CAN); 4. Karla Borger/Julia Sude (GER). Semis: Klineman/Ross d. Borger/Sude, 2-0; Agatha/Duda d. Bansley/Wilkerson, 2-0. Third: Bansley/Wilkerson d. Borger/Sude, 2-0. Final: Agatha/Duda d. Klineman/Ross, 2-0 (21-19, 21-18).

BADMINTON: No. 1s Momota and Yamaguchi claim Singles titles at Japan Open

By
Rich Perelman
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The joy of victory for Japan's Kento Momota

“Everyone has studied my game, and sometimes even when I play well, things don’t work out. That’s the difficulty I faced this year.”

Japan’s Kento Momota feels the pressure of being ranked no. 1 in the world, but for all the worry, he’s hardly shown it this season, and won his fourth BWF World Tour tournament before his home fans with a 21-16, 21-13 straight-set victory over Indonesia’s seventh-ranked Jonathan Christie at the Japan Open in Tokyo.

“I wasn’t in form, and that made me nervous, coming into the Japan Open,” said Momota, whose last win was in April. “Winning under these conditions is something different from last year. After my [second-round] loss in Indonesia, I came with the mindset to win in Japan. I haven’t done well at other tournaments, but I was determined not to lose here at my home event.”

He didn’t and will continue at no. 1 in the BWF World Rankings. He will be joined by countrywoman Akane Yamaguchi at no. 1, following the latter’s 21-13, 21-15 win over fellow Japanese star Nozomi Okuhara, 21-13, 21-15.

“I was worried I wouldn’t be able to win the long rallies, but I was patient, and whenever there was a chance to make a decisive shot, I was able to make the sharp shots,” said the winner.

It’s the second Japan Open title for Yamaguchi, who also won in 2013, and with the victory, will ascend to the top spot in the world rankings. For Japanese fans, it’s a hopeful sign ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games; the Japan Open served as the test event.

In the men’s Doubles, Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (INA) confirmed their no. 1 world ranking with their third straight Japan Open title over countrymen Mohamad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan. A third title was also won by China’s no. 2-ranked Yi Lyu Wang and Dongping Huang, who had previously triumphed in 2016 and 2018. Summaries:

BWF World Tour/Japan Open
Tokyo (JPN) ~ 23-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Singles: 1. Kento Momota (JPN); 2. Jonatan Christie (INA); 3. Jan O. Jorgensen (DEN) and B. Sai Praneeth (IND). Semis: Christie d. Jorgensen, 21-14, 21-14; Momota d. Praneeth, 21-18, 21-12. Final: Momota d. Christie, 21-16, 21-13.

Men/Doubles: 1. Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (INA); 2. Mohamad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan (INA); 3. Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda (JPN) and Junhui Li/Yuchen Liu (CHN). Semis: Ahsan/Setiawan d. Kamura/Sonoda, 22-20, 21-10; Gideon/Sukamuljo d. Li/Liu, 16-21, 21-11, 21-18. Final: Gideon/Sukamuljo d. Ahsan/Setiawan, 21-18, 23-21.

Women/Singles: 1. Akane Yamaguchi (JPN); 2. Nozomi Okuhara (JPN); 3. Michelle Li (CAN) and Yufei Chen (CHN). Semis: Okuhara d. Li, 21-12, 21-18; Yamaguchi d. Chen, 21-15, 21-15. Final: Yamaguchi d. Okuhara, 21-13, 21-15.

Women/Doubles: 1. So Yeong Kim/Hee Yon Kong (KOR); 2. Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara (JPN); 3. Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) and Wenmei Li/Yu Zheng (CHN). Semis: Matsumoto/Nagahara d. Matsutomo/Takahashi, 21-16, 21-19; Kim/Long d. Li/Zheng, 21-16, 21-11. Final: Kim/Kong d. Matsumoto/Nagahara, 21-12, 21-12.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Yi Lyu Wang/Dongping Huang (CHN); 2. Praveen Jordan/Melati Daeva Oktavianti (INA); 3. Peng Soon Chan/Liu Ying Goh (MAS) and Hafiz Faizal/Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja (INA). Semis: Wang/Huang d. Chan/Goh, 21-10, 21-6; Jordan/Oktaviati d. Faizal/Widjaya, 21-15, 21-18. Final: Wang/Huang d. Jordan/Oktavianti, 21-17, 21-16.

CYCLING: Bernal cruises into Paris as first Colombian rider to win the Tour de France

By
Rich Perelman
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Colombia's Egan Bernal, winner of Paris-Nice and the Tour de France in the same year!

The final ride into Paris was only a formality for Colombia’s Egan Bernal – just 22 – to become the winner of the 106th Tour de France, one of the most exciting in its history.

Widely expected to contend for the title, he finally took control of the race on the 19th stage after a freak hailstorm stopped the event and gave Bernal the lead after he led the ascent on the Col de l’Iseran in the Alps. With Saturday’s stage shortened due to mudslides, he win was assured and he became the first-ever Colombian rider to take cycling’s greatest prize.

What made Bernal’s victory so remarkable is that he is the third-youngest winner of the Tour, and youngest in 84 years:

1. 19 + 352 days ~ Henri Cornet (FRA) in 1904
2. 21 + 344 days ~ Romain Maes (BEL) in 1935
3. 21 + 176 days ~ Egan Bernal (COL) in 2019
4. 21 + 187 days ~ Francois Faber (FRA) in 1909
5. 21 + 280 days ~ Octave Lapize (FRA) in 1910

He finished ahead of his Team INEOS stablemate, defending champion Geraint Thomas (GBR), who was himself in contention up to Friday’s stage. Also:

● Bernal’s win extended the Team INEOS (formerly Team Sky) winning streak to five years in a row, but ended the streak of British winners at four straight.

● Bernal won the Tour without winning an individual stage, which is a rarity. He’s the eighth to do it; the last was Britain’s Chris Froome, in 2017.

● It was his third UCI World Tour win of the year, after taking Paris-Nice in March, and the Tour de Suisse in June. He is the 11th rider to win both Paris-Nice and the Tour; the last do it in the same year was Bradley Wiggins (GBR) in 2012.

Bernal will be long remembered as the winner, but the hero of the 2019 Tour was France’s Julian Alaphilippe. Never mentioned as even a contender, he held the yellow jersey after 14 stages (3-5 and 8-18). He won two stages – no. 3 and the Time Trial (13) – and who knows what would have happened on that 19th stage, as he was making up ground on Bernal on the descent when the stage was called. Certainly, he will be watched more closely in the future.

Sunday’s final stage, always a dramatic ride into Paris, was won by Australia’s Caleb Ewan, who won his third stage of the Tour with a wild sprint, just ahead of Dylan Groenewegen (NED), who won Stage 7.

Ewan (3)was one of three riders to win multiple stages, along with Alaphilippe (2) and Simon Yates (GBR: 12 and 16).

The secondary prizes also made history:

● The Points (Green jersey) standings for the sprinters was once again a showcase for Slovakia’s Peter Sagan, who won with 316 points, ahead of Ewan (248) and Elia Viviani (ITA: 224). It’s a historic win for Sagan, who collected his seventh Tour de France points title, breaking a tie with Germany’s Erik Zabel, who won six straight from 1996-2001.

● The King of the Mountains (Polka Dot jersey) race was won by France’s Romain Bardet, who totaled 86 points, just ahead of Bernal (78) and Tim Wellens (BEL: 75). It’s Bardet’s first KOM title, but the third in a row for a French rider; Alaphilippe won it last year and Warren Barguil in 2017.

This was a memorable Tour and much will be expected of Bernal into the future. Believe it or not, he’s scheduled to ride in the Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian in Spain next week! Summaries:

UCI World Tour/Tour de France
France ~ 6-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (194.5 km): 1. Mike Teunissen (NED), 4:22:47; 2. Peter Sagan (SVK), 4:22:47; 3. Caleb Ewan (AUS), 4:22:47; 4. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA), 4:22:47; 5. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA), 4:22:47.

Stage 2 (27.6 km Team Time Trial): 1. Jumbo-Visma (NED), 28:57; 2. Team Ineos (GBR), 29:17; 3. Deceuninck-Quick Step (GER), 29:18; 4. Team Sunweb (GER), 29:23; 5. Team Katusha Alpecin (SUI), 29:23.

Stage 3 (215.0 km): 1. Julien Alaphilippe (FRA), 4:40:29; 2. Michael Matthews (AUS), 4:40:55; 3. Jasper Stuyven (BEL), 4:40:55; 4. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 4:40:55; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:40:55.

Stage 4 (213.5 km): 1. Elia Viviani (ITA), 5:09:20; 2. Alexander Kristoff (NOR), 5:09:20; 3. Ewan (AUS), 5:09:20; 4. Sagan (SVk), 5:09:20; 5. Dylan Groenewegen (NED), 5:09:20.

Stage 5 (175.5 km): 1. Sagan (SVK), 4:02:33; 2. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:02:33; 3. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:02:33; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 4:02:33; 5. van Avermaet (BEL), 4:02:33.

Stage 6 (160.5 km): 1. Dylan Teuns (BEL), 4:29:03; 2. Giulio Ciccone (ITA), 4:29:14; 3. Xandro Meurisse (BEL), 4:30:08; 4. Geraint Thomas (GBR), 4:30:47; 5. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 4:30:49.

Stage 7 (230.0 km): 1. Groenewegen (NED), 6:02:44; 2. Ewan (AUS), 6:02:44; 3. Sagan (SVK), 6:02:44; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 6:02:44; 5. Jasper Philipsen (BEL), 6:02:44.

Stage 8 (200.0 km): 1. Thomas de Gendt (BEL), 5:00:17; 2. Pinot (FRA), 5:00:23; 3. Alaphilippe (FRA), 5:00:23; 4. Matthews (AUS), 5:00:43; 5. Sagan (SVK), 5:00:43.

Stage 9 (170.5 km): 1. Daryl Impey (RSA), 4:03:12; 2. Tiesj Benoot (BEL), 4:03:12; 3. Jan Tratnik (SLO), 4:03:22; 4. Oliver Naesen (BEL), 4:03:22; 5. Stuyven (BEL), 4:03:22.

Stage 10 (217.5 km): 1. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:49:39; 2. Viviani (ITA), 4:49:39; 3. Ewan (AUS), 4:49:39; 4. Matthews (AUS), 4:49:39; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:49:39.

Stage 11 (167.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:51:26; 2. Groenewegen (NED), 3:51:26; 3. Viviani (ITA), 3:51:26; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:51:26; 5. Jens Debusschere (GER), 3:51:26.

Stage 12 (209.5 km): 1. Simon Yates (GBR), 4:57:53; 3. Pello Bilbao (ESP), 4:57:53; 3. Gregor Muhlberger (AUT), 4:57:53; 4. Tiesj Benott (BEL), 4:59:21; 5. Febio Felline (ITA), 4:59:21.

Stage 13 (27.2 km Indiv. Time Trial): 1. Alaphilippe (FRA), 35:00; 2. Thomas (GBR), 35:14; 3. De Gendt (BEL), 35:36; 4. Rigoberto Uran (COL), 35:36; 5. Richie Porte (AUS), 36:45. Also in the top 25: 9. Joey Rosskopf (USA), 36:01; … 17. Chad Haga (USA), 36:22.

Stage 14 (117.5 km): 1. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 3:10:20; 2. Alaphilippe (FRA), 3:10:26; 3. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), 3:10:26; 4. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), 3:10:28; 5. Egan Bernal (COL), 3:10:28.

Stage 15 (185.0 km): 1. S. Yates (GBR), 4:47:04; 2. Pinot (FRA), 4:47:37; 3. Mikel Landa (ESP), 4:47:37; 4. Buchmann (GER), 4:47:55; 5. Bernal (COL), 4:47:55.

Stage 16 (177.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:57:08; 2. Viviani (ITA), 3:57:08; 3. Groenewegen (NED), 3:57:08; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:57:08; 5. Niccolo Bonifazio (ITA), 3:57:08.

Stage 17 (200.0 km): 1. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:21.36; 2. Kasper Asgreen (DEN), 4:21:13; 3. Van Avermaet (BEL), 4:21:17; 4. Bauke Mollema (NED), 4:21:17; 5. Teuns (BEL), 4:21:17.

Stage 18 (208.0 km): 1. Nairo Quintana (COL), 5:34:15; 2. Romain Bardet (FRA), 5:35:50; 3. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ), 5:36:53; 4. Lennard Kamna (GER), 5:37:23; 5. Damiano Caruso (ITA), 5:37:15.

Stage 19 (126.5 km; stopped due to weather; no official stage results): 1. Egan Bernal (COL); 2:40:31; 2. Simon Yates, 2:40:44; 3. Warren Barguil (FRA), 2:41:11; 4. Laurens De Plus (BEL), 2:41:29; 5. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), 2:41:29.

Stage 20 (59.5 km; shortened due to mudslides): 1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), 1:51:53; 2. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), 1:52:03; 3. Landa (ESP), 1:52:07; 4. Bernal (COL), 1:52:10; 5. Thomas (GBR), 1:52:10.

Stage 21 (128.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:04:08; 2. Groenewegen (NED), 3:04:08; 3. Binofazio (ITA), 3:04:08; 4. Maximiliano Richeze (ARG), 3:04:08; 5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR), 3:04:08.

Final Standings: 1. Egan Bernal (COL), 82:57:00; 2. Geraint Thomas (GBR), +1:11; 3. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), +1:31; 4. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), +1:56; 5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), +4:05; 6. Mikel Landa (ESP), +4:23; 7. Rigoberto Uran (COL), +5:15; 8. Nairo Quintana (COL), 5:30; 9. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), +6:12; 10. Warren Barguil (FRA), +7:32.

AQUATICS: U.S. finishes World Champs with two world records and three more golds, but Dressel & Co. earn silver

By
Rich Perelman
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The world-record-setting 4x100 m Medley team from the U.S. (l-r): Regan Smith, Lilly King, Kelsi Dahlia, Simone Manuel (Photo: FINA)

One of the oldest lines in show business is “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish” and the U.S. women put on a show for the ages in the final event of the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju (KOR) with two world records in one race.

Already the top qualifier in the morning, the U.S. trotted out a team of Regan Smith, Lilly King, Kelsi Dahlia and Simone Manuel, who between them had already won five individual gold medals during the meet. Smith, the world-record setter in the 200 m Backstroke, led off and not only handed King an amazing second-and-a-half lead, but clocked 57.57, a world record for the 100 m Back, since records can be set on the opening legs of relays.

The Minnesota teenager took the record away from fellow American Kathleen Baker, who swam 58.00 at the 2018 U.S. Nationals. The race continued, but the outcome was no longer an issue. King swam 1:04.81, more than a second faster than anyone else and handed Dahlia nearly a three-second lead. On the anchor, Manuel finished in 51.86, the fastest split in American history and the clock stopped at 3:50.40, shattering the world mark of 3:51.55 by the 2017 World Championships team of Baker, King, Dahlia (then Worrell) and Manuel. Australia finished second in 3:53.42.

Just before, the men’s 4×100 m Medley was expected to be a showcase for Caeleb Dressel and his seventh gold medal, but it didn’t turn out that way. Ryan Murphy had the U.S. second after the Backstroke leg, but Andrew Wilson was fourth after the Breaststroke, with Great Britain leading after a big leg from Adam Peaty.

Then came Dressel in Butterfly, and his 49.28 split – the fastest ever recorded; remember, he set the world record of 49.50 earlier in the meet – put the U.S. in front of Russia and Britain. With Nathan Adrian on anchor, the race looked safe and he led Russia’s Vladimir Morozov at the turn for home. But Britain’s Duncan Scott, the co-bronze medalist in the 200 m, swam the lap of his life, passed Morozov and then Adrian to touch the wall in 3:28.10, with the U.S. stunned in second at 3:28.45.

Adrian’s 47.60 anchor was solid, but only fifth-fastest on the day. Scott came home in a screaming 46.14, the second-fastest 100 m Free relay split of all time; only Jason Lezak’s miracle 46.06 anchor on the 2008 Olympic 4×100 m Free was faster. On the same lap, Australia’s Kyle Chalmers swam 46.60, the equal-sixth-fastest split ever. The final times showed the race to produce the nos. 4-5-7 performances in history in the event.

Dressel, then, finished with six golds, winning the 50-100 m Freestyles and 50-100 m Butterfly events, two relay golds and two relay silvers, with two world records and six American record performances. In the last two World Championships, he has won 15 total medals … and is very tired. But he established a Worlds record for the most medals won by one person – eight – breaking the prior high of seven he won in 2017 and that Michael Phelps won in 2007.

The U.S. women claimed two more gold medals during the session, including another shocker from Manuel, who took the 50 m Freestyle in 24.05, out-touching Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom (24.07) and Australia’s Cate Campbell (24.11). At 22, Manuel owns 14 World Championships medals – nine gold – and packed six medals (3-3-0) into her suitcase for the trip home from Korea.

She didn’t have the fastest reaction time, in fact she was next-to-last at 0.70 seconds, but she churned hardest and got to the wall first (again). The race was another disappointment for Sjostrom, who looked unbeatable in the Freestyle and Butterfly sprints coming in; while she finished with five medals (1-2-2), this was not the Worlds she has envisioned.

Less surprising was King’s victory in the 50 m Freestyle for her second individual gold at the Worlds. In the final, she was the only one to break 30 seconds, finishing in 29.84 to edge Italy’s 14-year-old sensation, Benedetta Pilato (30.00) with Russia’s Yuliya Efimova third in 30.15.

In the 400 m Medley, the shock came in the morning, as defending champ Chase Kalisz (USA) was eliminated in the heats. That left the door open for Japan’s Daiya Seto to complete his first Worlds double after winning the 200 m Medley earlier. He led from the start and piled up a 2.04-second lead over American Jay Litherland by the end of the Breaststroke leg, then gave back quite a bit of it on the Freestyle, winning by only 0.27 in 4:08.95-4:09.22, a lifetime best for Litherland. It was Seto’s third Worlds gold in the event in the last four, and Litherland’s first individual Worlds medal.

Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu completed her fourth straight Medley double, winning the 400 m Medley as expected and taking the two races for the fourth straight Worlds. She got to the lead by the end of the Backstroke leg and maintained it the rest of the way, finishing 1.68 seconds clear of China’s Shiwen Ye, who also won the silver in the 200 m Medley.

Germany’s Florian Wellbrock completed a remarkable double by winning the 1,500 m Freestyle, to go with his Open Water victory in the 10 km race. He was in a duel with two-time defending champion Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) and 2017 silver winner Mykhallo Romanchuk (UKR), the finally took the lead for good at the 1,400 m mark and maintaining just a small edge to the finish. After 30 laps, he touched in 14:36.54, the ninth-fastest swim ever and just 1.09 seconds ahead of Romanchuk, who collected his second Worlds silver in a row. Paltrinieri finished 2.21 seconds behind for third.

There was one more head-scratcher, as South Africa’s Zane Waddell, only the fifth-fastest qualifier in the men’s 50 m Backstroke, sailed past favored Russians Evgeny Rylov and Kliment Kolesnikov and touched first in 24.43. It was a lifetime best for Waddell, but Rylov had won his semi in 24.35, but managed just 24.49 in the final.

The meet finished with the U.S. once again the leading medal winner at 27, with 14 golds, eight silvers and five bronzes. Australia, which won only 10 medals total in 2017, claimed 19 this time (5-9-5) and Russia had 16 (3-7-6). A total of 21 nations won medals and 12 countries won at least one event.

There were 10 world records either set or tied:

● Men/100 m Breaststroke: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) in semifinals
(Old, 57.10, Peaty, 2018)

● Men/200 m Breaststroke: 2:06.67 (equaled), Matthew Wilson (AUS) in semifinals
(Ties Ippei Watanabe (JPN), 2017)

● Men/200 m Breaststroke: 2:06.12, Anton Chupkov (RUS)
(Old, 2:06.67, Ippei Watanabe (JPN), 2017 and Matthew Wilson (AUS), in semis)

● Men/100 m Butterfly: 49.50, Caeleb Dressel (USA) in semifinals
(Old, 49.82, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009)

● Men/200 m Butterfly: 1:50.73, Kristof Milak (HUN)
(Old, 1:51.51, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009)

● Women/100 m Backstroke: 57.57, Regan Smith on relay lead-off
(Old, 58.00, Kathleen Baker (USA), 2018)

● Women/200 m Backstroke: 2:03.05, Regan Smith (USA) in semifinals
(Old, 2:04.06, Missy Franklin (USA), 2012)

● Women/4×200 m Freestyle: 7:41.50, Australia
(Old, 7:42.08, China, 2009)

● Women/4×100 m Medley: 3:50.40, United States (R. Smith, King, Dahlia, Manuel)
(Old, 3:51.55, United States, 2017)

● Mixed/4×100 m Freestyle: 3:19.40, United States (Dressel, Apple, Comerford, Manuel)
(Old, 3:19.60, United States, 2017)

In addition, the U.S. record book was considerably re-written, with 14 marks in 13 events:

● Men/50 m Freestyle: 21.04, Caeleb Dressel
(Old, 21.15, Dressel, 2017)

● Men/100 m Freestyle: 46.96, Caeleb Dressel
(Old, 47.17, Dressel, 2017)

● Men/50 m Butterfly: 22.57, Caeleb Dressel
(Old, 22.76, Dressel, 2017)

● Men/50 m Butterfly: 22.35, Caeleb Dressel
(Old, 22.57, Dressel, in semis)

● Men/100 m Butterfly: 49.50, Caeleb Dressel
(Old, 49.82, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009)

● Women/100 m Freestyle: 52.04, Simone Manuel
(Old, 52.27, Manuel, 2017)

● Women/50 m Backstroke: 27.33, Olivia Smoliga
(Old, 27.43, Smoliga, 2018)

● Women/100 m Backstroke: 57.57, Regan Smith (relay)
(Old, 58.00, Kathleen Baker, 2018)

● Women/200 m Backstroke: 2:03.05, Regan Smith
(Old, 2:04.06, Missy Franklin (USA), 2012)

● Women/50 m Butterfly: 25.48, Kelsi Worrell
(Equals Dahlia in 2017 and 2018)

● Women/4×100 m Freestyle: 3:31.02, Comerford, Weitzeil, Dahlia, Manuel
(Old, 3:31.72, Comerford-Worrell-Ledecky-Manuel, 2017)

● Women/4×200 m Freestyle: 7:41.87, Manuel, Ledecky, Margalis, McLaughlin
(Old, 7:42.56, Vollmer-Nymeyer-Kukors-Schmitt, 2009)

● Women/4×100 m Medley: 3:50.40, R. Smith, King, Dahlia, Manuel
(Old, 3:51.55, Baker-King-Worrell-Manuel, 2017)

● Mixed/4×100 m Freestyle: 3:19.40, United States (Dressel, Apple, Comerford, Manuel)
(Old, 3:19.60, United States, 2017)

There was a lot to digest at this meet, but the constant was the dominance of the American team, even though it was selected from its national championships held the year before. Summaries:

FINA World Aquatics Championships
Gwangju (KOR) ~ 12-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

SWIMMING

Men

50 m Freestyle: 1. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 21.04 (American Record; old, 21.15, Dressel, 2017); 2. tie, Bruno Fratus (BRA) and Kristian Gkolomeev (GRE), 21.45; 4. Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 21.53; 5. Ben Proud (GBR), 21.55; 6. Michael Andrew (USA), 21.62; 7. Pawel Juraszek (POL), 21.67; 8. Shinri Shioura (JPN), 21.81.

100 m Freestyle: 1. Dressel (USA), 46.96 (American Record; old, 47.17, Dressel, 2017); 2. Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 47.08; 3. Vladislav Grinev (RUS), 47.82; 4. Blake Pieroni (USA), 47.86; 5. Marcelo Chierighini (ITA), 47.93; 6. Nandor Nemeth (HUN), 48.10; 7. Clement Mignon (FRA), 48.43; 8. Breno Correia (BRA), 48.90.

200 m Freestyle: 1. Yang Sun (CHN), 1:44.93; 2. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN), 1:45.22; 3. tie, Martin Malyutin (RUS) and Duncan Scott (GBR), 1:45.63; 5. Filippo Megli (ITA), 1:45.67; 6. Clyde Lewis (AUS), 1:45.78; 7. Dominik Kozma (HUN), 1:45.90; disqualified – Danas Rapsys (LTU).

400 m Freestyle: 1. Sun (CHN), 3:42.44; 2. Mack Horton (AUS), 3:43.17; 3. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 3:43.23; 4. Danas Rapsys (LTU), 3:43.50; 5. Marco de Tullio (ITA), 3:44.86; 6. Xinjie Ji (CHN), 3:45.64; 8. Zane Grothe (USA), 3:45.78.

800 m Freestyle: 1. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 7:39.27; 2. Henrik Christiansen (DEN), 7:41.28; 3. David Aubry (FRA), 7:42.08; 4. Jack McLoughlin (AUS), 7:42.64; 5. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 7:43.89; 6. Sun (CHN), 7:45.01; 7. Sergii Frolov (RUS), 7:47.32; 8. Mykhallo Romanchuk (UKR), 7:49.32.

1,500 m Freestyle: 1. Florian Wellbrock (GER), 14:36.54; 2. Romanchuk (UKR), 14:37.63; 3. Paltrinieri (ITA), 14:38.75; 4. Aubry (FRA), 14:44.72; 5. Christiansen (NOR), 14:45.35; 6. Domenico Acerenza (ITA), 14:52.05; 7. Frolov (UKR), 15:01.04; 8. Alexander Norgaard (DEN), 15:20.47.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Zane Waddell (RSA), 24.43; 2. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 24.49; 3. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 24.51; 4. Ryan Murphy (USA), 24.53; 5. Andrew (USA), 24.58; 6. Jiayu Xu (CHN), 24.64; 7. Robert Glinta (ROU), 24.67; 8. Apostolos Christou (GRE), 24.75.

100 m Backstroke: 1. Xu (CHN), 52.43; 2. Rylov (RUS), 52.67; 3. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 52.77; 4. Murphy (USA), 52.78; 5. Matt Grevers (USA), 52.82; 6. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 53.22; 7. Guilherme Guido (BRA), 53.26; 8. Glinta (ROU), 54.22.

200 m Backstroke: 1. Rylov (RUS), 1:53.40; 2. Murphy (USA), 1:54.12; 3. Luke Greenbank (GBR), 1:55.85; 4. Radoslaw Kawecki (POL), 1:56.37; 5. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 1:56.52; 6. Jacob Pebley (USA), 1:56.72; 7. Adam Telegdy (HUN), 1:56.86; 8. Markus Thornmeyer (CAN), 1:58.50.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.06; 2. Felipe Lima (BRA), 26.66; 3. Joao Gomes Jr. (BRA), 26.69; 4. Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 26.72; 5. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 26.85; 6. Zibei Yan (CHN), 26.86; 7. Andrew (USA), 26.93; disqualified – Fabio Scozzoli (ITA).

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Peaty (GBR), 57.14; 2. James Wilby (GBR), 58.46; 3. Zibei Yan (CHN), 58.63; 4. Yashuhiro Koseki (JPN), 58.93; 5. Prigoda (RUS), 59.09; 6. Andrew Wilson (USA), 59.11; 7. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ), 59.14; 8. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 59.19. (In semifinals: Peaty, 56.88, World Record; old, 57.10, Peaty, 2018).

200 m Breaststroke: 1. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:06.12 (World Record; old, 2:06.67, Ippei Watanabe (JPN), 2017, and Matthew Wilson (AUS), in semifinals); 2. Matthew Wilson (AUS), 2:06.68; 3. Ippei Watanabe (JPN), 2:06.73; 4. Zac Stubblety-Cook (RSA), 2:07.36; 5. Marco Koch (GER), 2:07.60; 6. Wilson (USA), 2:08.10; 7. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ), 2:08.25; 8. Erik Persson (SWE), 2:08.39.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Dressel (USA), 22.35 (American Record; old, 22.57, Dressel, in semifinals); 2. Oleg Kostin (RUS), 22.70; 3. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 22.79; 4. Andrew (USA), 22.80; 5. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 22.90; 6. Andrii Govorov (UKR), 22.91; 7. Benjamin Proud (GBR), 23.01; 8. Andrey Zhilkin (RUS), 23.11.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Dressel (USA), 49.66; 2. Andrei Minakov (RUS), 50.83; 3. Chad le Clos (RSA), 51.16; 4. Kristof Milak (HUN), 51.26; 5. Mehdy Metella (FRA), 51.38; 6. Matthew Temple (AUS), 51.51; 7. James Guy (GBR), 51.62; 8. Marius Kusch (GER), 51.66. (In semifinals: Dressel, 49.50, World Record; old, 49.82, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009).

200 m Butterfly: 1. Milak (HUN), 1:50.73 (World Record; old, 1:51.51, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009); 2. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:53.86; 3. le Clos (RSA), 1:54.15; 4. Federico Burdisso (ITA), 1:54.39; 5. Denys Kesyl (UKR), 1:54.79; 6. Zach Hartung (USA), 1:55.69; 7. Leonardo de Deus (FRA), 1:55.96; 8. Tamas Kenderesi (HUN), 1:57.10.

200 m Indiv. Medley: 1. Seto (JPN), 1:56.14; 2. Jeremy Desplanches (SUI), 1:56.56; 3. Chase Kalisz (USA), 1:56.78; 4. Philip Heintz (GER), 1:56.86; 5. Scott (GBR), 1:56.91; 6. Shun Wang (CHN), 1:56.97; 7. Larkin (AUS), 1:57.32; 8. Abrahm Devine (USA), 1:57.66.

400 m Indiv. Medley: 1. Seto (JPN), 4:08.95; 2. Jay Litherland (USA), 4:09.22; 3. Lewis Clareburt (NZL), 4:12.07; 4. Joanllu Pons (ESP), 4:13.30; 5. Peter Bernek (HUN), 4:13.83; 6. Maksym Shemberev (AZE), 4:14.10; 7. Max Litchfield (GBR), 4:14.75; 8. Arjan Knipping (NED), 4:17.06.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. United States (Caeleb Dressel, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Nathan Adrian), 3:09.06; 2. Russia (Grinev, Morozov, Kolesnikov, Rylov), 3:09.97; 3. Australia (McEvoy, Lewis, Graham, Chalmers), 3:11.22; 4. Italy, 3:11.39; 5. Great Britain, 3:11.81; 6. Brazil, 3:11.99; 7. Hungary, 3:12.85; 8. France, 3:13.34.

4×200 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Clyde Lewis, Kyle Chalmers, Alexander Graham, Mack Horton), 7:00.85; 2. Russia (Dovgalyuk, Vekovishchev, Krasnykh, Malyutin), 7:01.81; 3. United States (Andrew Seliskar, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Townley Haas), 7:01.98; 4. Italy, 7:02.01; 5. Great Britain, 7:02.04; 6. China 7:04.74; 7. Brazil, 7:07.64; 8. Germany, 7:07.65.

4×100 m Medley: 1. Great Britain (Greenbank, Peaty, Guy, Scott), 3:28.10; 2. United States (Ryan Murphy, Andrew Wilson, Caeleb Dressel, Nathan Adrian), 3:28.45; 3. Russia (Rylov, Prigoda, Minakov, Morozov), 3:28.81; 4. Japan, 3:30.35; 5. Australia, 3:30.42; 6. Brazil, 3:30.86; 7. China, 3:31.61; 8. Germany, 3:32.86.

Women

50 m Freestyle: 1. Simone Manuel (USA), 24.05; 2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 24.07; 3. Cate Campbell (AUS), 24.11; 4. Pernille Blume (DEN), 24.12; 5. Mariia Kemeneva (RUS), 24.31; 6. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.35; 7. Anna Hopkin (GBR), 24.40; 8. Bronte Campbell (AUS), 24.48.

100 m Freestyle: 1. Manuel (USA), 52.04 (American Record; old, 52.27, Manuel, 2017); 2. C. Campbell (AUS), 52.43; 3. Sjostrom (SWE), 52.46; 4. Emma McKeon (AUS), 52.75; 5. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 53.03; 6. Femke Heemskerk (NED), 53.05; 7. Mallory Comerford (USA), 53.22; 8. Freya Anderson (GBR), 53.44.

200 m Freestyle: 1. Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 1:54.22; 2. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:54.66; 3. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 1:54.78; 4. Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 1:54.98; 5. Junxuan Yang (CHN), 1:55.43 (World Junior Record); 6. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 1:56.59; 7. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA), 1:56.95; 8. Rio Shirai (JPN), 1:57.14.

400 m Freestyle: 1. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:58.76; 2. Katie Ledecky (USA), 3:59.97; 3. Leah Smith (USA), 4:01.29; 4. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 4:01.31; 5. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 4:03.67; 6. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 4:05.36; 7. Anna Egorova (RUS), 4:06.16; 8. Veronika Andrusenko (RUS), 4:08.60.

800 m Freestyle: 1. Ledecky (USA), 8:13.58; 2. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 8:14.99; 3. Titmus (AUS), 8:15.70; 4. Sarah Kohler (GER), 8:16.43; 5. L. Smith (USA), 8:17.10; 6. J. Wang (CHN), 8:18.57; 7. Kiah Melverton (AUS), 8:25.07; 8. Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 8:25.51.

1,500 m Freestyle: 1. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 15:40.89; 2. Kohler (GER), 15:48.83; 3. J. Wang (CHN), 15:51.00; 4. Ashley Twichell (USA), 15:54.19; 5. Maddy Gough (AUS), 15:59.40; 6. Kesely (HUN), 16:01.35; 7. Melverton (AUS), 16:01.38; 8. Belmonte (ESP), 16:02.10.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Olivia Smoliga (USA), 27.33 (American Record; old, 27.43, Smoliga, 2018); 2. Etiene Medeiros (BRA), 27.44; 3. Daria Vaskina (RUS), 27.51; 4. tie, Georgia Davies (GBR) and Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 27.65; 6. Kathleen Baker (USA), 27.69; 7. Caroline Pilhatsch (AUT), 27.78; 8. Kira Toussaint (FRA), 27.85.

100 m Backstroke: 1. Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.60; 2. Minna Atherton (AUS), 58.85; 3. Smoliga (USA), 58.91; 4. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 58.96; 5. McKeown (AUS), 59.10; 6. tie, Baker (USA) and Natsumi Sakai (JPN), 59.56; 8. Vaskina (RUS), 59.74.

200 m Backstroke: 1. Regan Smith (USA), 2:03.69; 2. McKeown (AUS), 2:06.26; 3. Kylie Masse (CAN), 2:06.62; 4. Margherita Panziera (ITA), 2:06.67; 5. Ruck (CAN), 2:07.50; 6. Atherton (AUS), 2:08.26; 7. Katalin Burian (HUN), 2:08.65; 8. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:10.08. (In semifinals: Smith, 2:03.35, World Record; old, 2:04.06, Missy Franklin (USA), 2012).

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Lilly King (USA), 29.84; 2. Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 30.00; 3. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 30.15; 4. Alia Atkinson (JAM), 30.34; 5. Martina Carraro (ITA), 30.49; 6. Jessica Hansen (AUS), 30.84; 7. Anna Elendt (GER), 31.06; 8. Ida Hulkko (FIN), 31.23.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. King (USA), 1:04.93; 2. Efimova (RUS), 1:05.49; 3. Martina Carraro (ITA), 1:06.36; 4. Reona Aoki (JPN), 1:06.40; 5. Jingyao Yu (CHN), 1:06.56; 6. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 1:06.60; 7. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 1:06.96; 8. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA), 1:07.06.

200 m Breaststroke: 1. Efimova (RUS), 2:20.17; 2. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 2:22.52; 3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:22.90; 4. Shiwen Ye (CHN), 2:23.15; 5. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 2:23.78; 6. Kelsey Lauren Wog (CAN), 2:25.14; 7. Fanny Lecluyse (BEL), 2:25.23; 8. Kaylene Corbett (RSA), 2:26.62.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Sjostrom (SWE), 25.02; 2. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 25.35; 3. Farida Osman (EGY), 25.47; 4. Kelsi Dahlia (USA), 25.48 (equals American Record, Dahlia [twice], 2017 and 2018); 5. Marie Wattel (FRA), 25.50; 6. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 25.69; 7. Jeanette Ottesen (DEN), 25.76; 8. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 26.11.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Margaret MacNeil (CAN), 55.83; 2. Sjostrom (SWE), 56.22; 3. Emma McKeon (AUS), 56.61; 4. Elena di Liddo (ITA), 57.07; 5. Throssell (AUS), 57.09; 6. Dahlia (USA), 57.11; 7. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.16; 8. Wattel (FRA), 57.29.

200 m Butterfly: 1. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 2:06.78; 2. Hali Flickinger (USA), 2:06.95; 3. Katie Drabot (USA), 2:07.04; 4. Franziska Hentke (GER), 2:07.30; 5. Alys Thomas (GBR), 2:07.48; 6. Liliana Szilagyi (HUN), 2:07.68; 7. Svetlana Chimrova (RUS), 2:08.70; 8. Laura Stephens (GBR), 2:09.35.

200 m Individual Medley: 1. Hosszu (HUN), 2:07.53; 2. Shiwen Ye (CHN), 2:08.60; 3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:08.70; 4. Melanie Margalis (USA), 2:08.91; 5. Rika Omoto (JPN), 2:09.32; 6. Seoyeong Kim (KOR), 2:10.12; 7. Siobhan O’Connor (GBR), 2:10.43; disqualified – Yui Ohashi (JPN).

400 m Individual Medley: 1. Hosszu, 4:30.39; 2. Ye (CHN), 4:32.07; 3. Ohashi (JPN), 4:32.33; 4. Pickrem (CAN), 4:36.72; 5. Emily Overholt (CAN), 4:37.42; 6. Ally McHugh (USA), 4:38.34; 7. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN), 4:39.15; 8. Fantine Lesaffre (FRA), 4:39.68.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Bronte Campbell, Throssell, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:30.21; 2. United States (Mallory Comerford, Abbey Weitzeil, Kelsi Dahlia, Simone Manuel), 3:31.02 (American Record; old, 3:31.72, National Team, 2017); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Oleksiak, MacNeil), 3:31.78; 4. Netherlands, 3:35.32; 5. China, 3:35.83; 6. Sweden, 3:36.33; 7. Japan, 3:36.79; 8. Germany, 3:39.07.

4×200 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Ariarne Titmus, Madison Wilson, Brianna Throssell, Emma McKeon), 7:41.50 (World Record; old, 7:42.08, China, 2009); 2. United States (Simone Manuel, Katie Ledecky, Melanie Margalis, Katie McLoughlin), 7:41.87 (American Record; old, 7:42.56, National Team, 2009); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Overholt, Oleksiak), 7:44.35; 4. China, 7:46.22; 5. Russia, 7:48.25; 6. Hungary, 7:54.57; 7. Germany, 7:55.63; 8. Japan, 7:56.31.

4×100 m Medley: 1. United States (Regan Smith, Lilly King, Kelsi Dahlia, Simone Manuel), 3:50.40 (World Record; old, 3:51.55, USA, 2017; Smith led off in 57.57, also a World Record; old, 58.00, Kathleen Baker (USA), 2018); 2. Australia (Atherton, Hansen, McKeon, C. Campbell), 3:53.42; 3. Canada (Masse, Pickrem, MacNeil, Oleksiak), 3:53.58; 4. Italy, 3:56.50; 5. China, 3:57.11; 6. Japan, 3:58.14; 7. Sweden, 3:58.39; 8. Great Britain, 3:59.38.

Mixed

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. United States (Caeleb Dressel, Zach Apple, Mallory Comerford, Simone Manuel), 3:19.40 (World Record; old, 3:19.60, United States, 2017); 2. Australia (Chalmers, Lewis, McKeon, Bronte Campbell), 3:19.97; 3. France (Mignon, Metella, Bonnet, Wattel), 3:22:11; 4. Canada, 3:22.54; 5. Russia, 3:22.72; 6. Netherlands 3:23.48; 7. Japan, 3:24.67; 8. Italy, 3:25.58.

4×100 m Medley: 1. Australia (Larkin, Wilson, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:39.08; 2. United States (Ryan Murphy, Lilly King, Caeleb Dressel, Simone Manuel), 3:39.10; 3. Great Britain (Davies, Peaty, Guy, Anderson), 3:40.68; 4. Russia, 3:40.78; 5. Canada, 3:43.06; 6. Italy, 3:43.27; 7. Germany, 3:45.07; disqualified – Netherlands.

ATHLETICS: Lightning strikes for Price, Kerley and Kendricks at USATF in Des Moines, as Felix finishes sixth in women’s 400 m

By
Rich Perelman
-
American vault star Sam Kendricks

The third day of the USA Track & Field Nationals in Des Moines, Iowa was re-arranged after a delay of an hour and 40 minutes for a lightning warning, but that didn’t stop three flashes of brilliance at the beginning and end of the program.

No. 1: First came the women’s hammer throw, scheduled to start just after noon, but got going about 2 p.m. This event was already shattering expectations, as the U.S. has long been an also-ran and has never won a World Championships medal – ever – in this event. But the world list showed Americans DeAnna Price, Brooke Andersen and Gwen Berry as 1-2-4 on the year list and now fighting for the national title.

Price grabbed control early at 75.66 m (248-3) and then improved to 77.51 m (254-3) in the second round. Berry passed Andersen for second in the fourth round with 76.46 m (250-10) and they finished that way, bringing Price up for her final throw.

She had excellent speed in the ring and a near-perfect release position that sent the ball-and-chain flying past her prior mark and – possibly powered by one of the best screams in American hammer throw history – landed way out in the sector, an obvious super throw. The distance was a world-leading 78.24 m (256-8), a new American Record distance for Price and her second national title in a row.

She fell to the ground sobbing with the emotion of the throw; she consolidated her position as the no. 4 hammer throw in world history, and with Poland’s four-time World Champion Anita Wlodarczyk out of the Worlds after surgery on her left knee, Price will enter the Worlds as the favorite and all three Americans – amazingly – will have shots at a medal!

Said Price afterwards, “This year has been hard. My right upper body was going forward and it also affected my hip flexor and right leg. There were times when I couldn’t walk. My physical therapist was holding me together with duct tape and wires.” And yet she set another American Record; what if she’s finally healthy by Doha?

No. 2: About 100 minutes later, the men’s 400 m final was lined up and ready to go, with Michael Norman, the world leader at 43.45 – no. 4 all-time – expected to do something special from lane five with former Texas A&M star Fred Kerley pushing him from lane seven. Behind them in lane four was Paralympian Blake Leeper, who ran an astounding 44.38 in the semifinals.

Kerley got out well and had a clear race plan, important since he couldn’t see Norman behind him. Through the 200, he led Norman and then the race tightened until they were almost together coming into the straightaway. Norman looked ready to take the lead, but Kerley wouldn’t budge and nursed a slight lead at 50 m left to a little bigger edge at 35 m to go and even a little more at the finish line. His reward was a lifetime best of 43.64 and a move up to no. 7 on all-time list and no. 6 on the all-time U.S. list.

Norman hadn’t lost a 400 m race since 2017, winning 10 finals in a row, but finished second this time in 43.79, his third-fastest race ever. Both are on the way to Doha, along with two break-out runs from Nathan Strother (44.29) and Vernon Norwood (44.40), who both scored lifetime bests to become possible medal contenders in Doha. Americans now stand 1-2-3-4-6-7th (tie) on the world list for 2019, and the world record in the 4×400 m could be in sight.

Leeper finished fifth in 44.48 and could run at the Worlds on the relay if the IAAF allows him to do so. While the 400 m is run in lanes, there could be more concern about allowing a runner with prosthetics to run on a relay with multiple runners vying for position on the exchanges, or while trying to pass.

No. 3: The men’s vault continued after the excitement of the running events had subsided, but yet another strike was coming, this time from reigning World Champion Sam Kendricks. He won the competition for his sixth straight national title at 5.86 m (19-2 3/4) over Cole Walsh (5.76 m/18-10 3/4) and Baylor frosh K.C. Lightfoot (5.76 m/18-10 3/4), but the day was sunny and he was 7-for-7 on his jumps so far.

He cleared his eighth straight height at 5.91 m (19-4 3/4) and then went for broke, to an American Record height of 6.06 m (19-10 1/2), trying to erase dual-citizen Mondo Duplantis’s mark of 6.05 m (19-10 1/4) from the 2018 European Championships (Duplantis’s father is American and his mother is Swedish).

Kendricks missed on his first try, but sailed over his second to grab the American Record and the world leader status from Duplantis. Improvements of just a single centimeter are a big deal in pole vaulting, but Kendricks’s clearance shot him from no. 15 all-time (6.00 m/19-8 1/4) to no. 3 on the all-time list! Only France’s Renaud Lavillenie (6.16 m indoors/20-2 1/2 in 2014) and Sergey Bubka (UKR: 6.14 m/20-1 3/4 outdoors in 1994 and 6.15 m/20-2 1/4 indoors in 1993) have ever gone higher. Wow!

And: The other event consuming the crowd at Drake Stadiium was the women’s 400 m final, with Shakima Wimbley trying to retain her national title and Allyson Felix trying to get onto the World Championships team.

Wimbley started in lane six and ran well off the start, but coming around the final turn, it was Kendall Ellis flying in lane four to challenge her down the straight. Wimbley showed her strength over the final 50 m and won in 50.21, while Ellis’s 50.38 was a season’s best. Felix, running in lane three, was well positioned through 180 m, but faded badly on the turn and then sped up in the final 50 m to finish sixth in 51.94. That should put her on the Doha team in the 4×400 m relay pool, and allow her to keep training with purpose through the summer. NCAA champ Wadeline Jonathas scored a lifetime best of 50.44 to finish third.

That was only the start of the action on Saturday:

● No one was quite sure what Rai Benjamin was going to do in the 400 m hurdles, but it was going to be fast. He ran confidently and smoothly through the first 200 m, shook loose from everyone on the turn and rocketed to a huge lead over the final two hurdles to win his first national title in 47.23, the third-fastest performance of the year behind Norway’s Karsten Warholm’s 47.12 last week and his own 47.16 from the Prefontaine Classic. T.J. Holmes had a welcome season best of 48.58 for second and Houston’s Amere Lattin scored a lifetime best of 48.66 for third and a ticket to Doha.

● The women’s 1,500 m was a much-anticipated showdown between defending champion Shelby Houlihan and 2011 World Champion Jenny Simpson, who won the prior four years. Both knew exactly what to expect from the other and while Simpson pushed hard from the front at the bell, Houlihan eschewed her usual tactics of waiting in the back of the pack and shadowed Simpson closely. Instead of waiting until the final straight, Houlihan began her charge on the final turn and burst past Simpson on the straight to win in a very fast 4:03.18, with Simpson second in 4:03.41 and Nikki Hiltz surprising for third in a lifetime best of 4:03.55. How fast was this race? Five of the top eight – starting with Hiltz – recorded lifetime bests.

● World-record holder Keni Harrison and 2016 Olympic champ Brianna McNeal both had questions to answer in the women’s 100 m hurdles. Harrison was the two-time defending national champion, but has had her problems when pressed in races. McNeal just hasn’t been fast this season, but is showing better form. In the final, run into a headwind of 1.7 m/s, the two were close for about four hurdles, but then Harrison jetted away and won impressively in 12.44, the no. 5 performance of the season. With still wind, that race might have been about 12.32, equal to the world leader from Danielle Williams (JAM).

McNeal got a season’s best of 12.61, but finished third behind a season’s best for Nia Ali, the 2016 Rio silver winner and all three will be in Doha. For Ali, it’s the fastest she has run in two years.

● Evan Jager had won the last seven U.S. titles in the men’s 3,000 m Steeple, but a stress fracture kept him out of Des Moines and Hillary Bor did not waste his opportunity to step up. He, Stanley Kebenei and Andy Bayer broke away from the field after four laps and ran together until the last half-lap, when Bor and Kebenei broke away. Bor had the best finish and won his first U.S. title in 8:18.05-8:19.12, with Bayer third in 8:23.23.

● The men’s Javelin came down to the final two throws with Michael Shuey leading Riley Dolezal, with a very pedestrian mark of 77.32 m (253-8). But then Dolezal exploded into the lead at 82.84 m (271-9) and looked like the winner. But Shuey had one more try and sailed the spear to a personal best of 82.85 m (271-10) to win her first national title. Neither has the World Championships qualifying standard of 83.00 m (272-4), but could be invited by the IAAF as they are just short.

The meet continues tomorrow, with coverage on NBC. Summaries so far:

USATF National Championships
Des Moines, Iowa (USA) ~ 25-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men

100 m (wind -1.0 m/s): 1. Christian Coleman, 9.99; 2. Michael Rodgers, 10.12; 3. Chris Belcher, 10.12; 4. Cravon Gillespie, 10.19; 5. Ronnie Baker, 10.20; 6. Isiah Young, 10.21; 7. Ameer Webb, 10.23; did not start – Justin Gatlin.

400 m: 1. Fred Kerley, 43.64; 2. Michael Norman, 43.79; 3. Nathan Strother, 44.29; 4. Vernon Norwood, 44.40; 5. Blake Leeper, 44.48; 6. Michael Cherry, 44.69; 7. Trevor Stewart, 44.94; 8. Tyrell Richard, 45.07.

3,000 m Steeple: 1. Hillary Bor, 8:18.05; 2. Stanley Kebenei, 8:19.12; 3. Andrew Bayer, 8:23.23; 4. Benard Keter, 8:37.62; 5. Mason Ferlic, 8:37.99; 6. Obsa Ali, 8:42.00; 7. Frankline Tonui, 8:43.14; 8. Isaac Updike, 9:43.47.

10,000 m: 1. Lopez Lomong, 27:30.06; 2. Shadrack Kipchirchir, 27:47.71; 3. Leonard Korir, 28:01.43; 4. Connor McMillan, 28:20.18; 5. Kirubel Erassa, 28:20.20; 6. Connor Winter, 28:21.81; 7. Reid Buchanan, 28:22.80; 8. Reed Fischer, 28:23.30.

400 m hurdles: 1. Rai Benjamin, 47.23; 2. T.J. Holmes, 48.58; 3. Amere Lattin, 48.66; 4. Norman Grimes, 48.68; 5. David Kendzeira, 48.69; 6. Byron Robinson, 49.09; 7. Khallifah Rosser, 49.14; 8. Kerron Clement, 50.08.

Pole Vault: 1. Sam Kendricks, 6.06 m (19-10 3/4; American Record; old, 6.05 m (19-10 1/4), Mondu Duplantis, 2018); 2. Cole Walsh, 5.76 m (18-10 3/4); 3. K.C. Lightfoot, 5.76 m (18-10 3/4); 4. Zach Bradford, 5.71 m (18-8 3/4); 5. Scott Houston, 5.66 m (18-6 3/4); 6. Carson Waters, 5.56 m (18-3); 7. tie, Devin King, Tray Oates, Kyle Pater, Chris Nilsen, Audie Wyatt, Clayton Fritsch, 5.46 m (17-11).

Triple Jump: 1. Donald Scott, 17.74 mw (58-2 1/2w); 2. Will Claye, 17.70 mw (58-1w); 3. Omar Craddock, 17.55 m (57-7); 4. Chris Benard, 17.33 mw (56-10 1/4w); 5. KeAndre Bates, 16.85mw (55-3 1/2); 6. Chris Carter, 16.74 m (54-11 1/4); 7. John Warren, 16.34 m (53-7 1/2); 8. Matthew O’Neal, 16.31 m (53-6 1/4).

Shot Put: 1. Ryan Crouser, 22.62 m (74-2 1/2); 2. Joe Kovacs, 22.31 m (73-2 1/2); 3. Darrell Hill, 22.11 m (72-6 1/2); 4. Jon Jones, 21.40 m (70-2 1/2); 5. Josh Awotunde, 20.97 m (68-9 3./4); 6. Payton Otterdahl, 20.67 m (67-9 3/4); 7. Curt Jensen, 20.64 m (67-8 3/4); 8. David Pless, 20.54 m (67-4 3/4).

Discus: 1. Sam Mattis, 66.69 m (218-9); 2. Brian Williams, 65.76 m (215-9); 3. Kord Ferguson, 63.25 m (207-6); 4. Luke Vaughn, 61.78 m (202-5); 5. Jared Schuurmans, 61.37 m (201-4); 6. Eric Kicinski, 61.28 m (201-0); 7. Mason Finley, 61.05 m (200-3); 8. Jordan Roach, 60.47 m (198-4); 9. Reggie Jagers, 59.78 m (196-1).

Hammer: 1. Conor McCullough, 78.14 m (256-4); 2. Rudy Winkler, 76.51 m (251-0); 3. Daniel Haugh, 76.44 m (250-9); 4. Sean Donnelly, 76.38 m (250-7); 5. Michael Shanahan, 74.80 m (245-5); 6. Alex Young, 74.80 m (245-5); 7. Morgan Shigo, 72.64 m (238-4); 8. Colin Dunbar, 70.93 m (232-8).

Javelin: 1. Michael Shuey, 82.85 m (271-10); 2. Riley Dolezal, 82.84 m (271-9); 3. Tim Glover, 77.47 m (254-2); 4. Curtis Thompson, 76.56 m (251-2); 5. Sam Hardin, 73.82 m (242-2); 6. Tzuriel Pedigo, 73.44 m (240-11); 7. Aaron True, 72.05 m (236-4); 8. Chris Mirabelli, 71.37 m (234-2).

Decathlon: 1. Devon Williams, 8,295; 2. Solomon Simmons, 8,227; 3. Harrison Williams, 8,188; 4. Steven Bastien, 8,023; 5. Scott Filip, 7.993; 6. Daniel Golubovic, 7,824; 7. Kurt Brondyke, 7,785; 8. Jack Flood, 7,711.

Women

100 m (-1.7): 1. Teahna Daniels, 11.20; 2. English Gardner, 11.25; 3. Morolake Akinosun, 11.28; 4. Dezerea Bryant, 11.29; 5. Twanisha Terry, 11.32; 6. Aleia Hobbs, 11.33; 7. Caitland Smith, 11.46; 8. Sha’Carri Richardson, 11.72.

400 m: 1. Shakima Wimbley, 50.21; 2. Kendall Ellis, 50.38; 3. Wadeline Jonathas, 50.44; 4. Courtney Okolo, 50.86; 5. Jessica Beard, 51.28; 6. Allyson Felix, 51.94; 7. Briyahna Desrosiers, 52.36; 8. Jasmine Blocker, 52.53.

1,500 m: 1. Shelby Houlihan, 4:03.18; 2. Jenny Simpson, 4:03.41; 3. Nikki Hiltz, 4:03.55; 4. Sinclaire Johnson, 4:03.72; 5. Kate Grace, 4:03.82; 6. Shannon Osika, 4:04.80; 7. Heather MacLean, 4:05.27; 8. Karisa Nelson, 4:06.14.

10,000 m: 1. Molly Huddle, 31:58.47; 2. Emily Sisson, 32:02.19; 3. Kellyn Taylor, 32:02.74; 4. Stephanie Bruce, 32:09.99; 5. Marielle Hall, 32:14.41; 6. Sarah Pagano, 32:48.58; 7. Hannah Everson, 32:54.47; 8. Jessica Tonn, 33:01.84.

100 m hurdles (-1.2): 1. Keni Harrison, 12.44; 2. Nia Ali, 12.55; 3. Brianna McNeal, 12.61; 4. Sharika Nelvis, 12.66; 5. Queen Claye, 12.68; 6. Tonea Marshall, 12.81; 7. Kristi Castlin, 12.86; 8. Christina Clemons, 13.01.

High Jump: 1. Vashti Cunningham, 1.96 m (6-5); 2. Inika McPherson, 1.94 m (6-4 1/4); 3. Ty Butts, 1.92 m (6-3 1/2); 4. Jelena Rowe, 1.86 m 96-1 1/4); 5. tie, Amina Smith and Nicole Greene. 1.83 m (6-0); 7. Elizabeth Evans, 1.83 m (6-0); 8. Michelle Spires, 1.83 m (6-0).

Long Jump: 1. Brittney Reese, 7.00 m (22-11 3/4); 2. Jasmine Todd, 6.79 m (22-3 1/2); 3. Shakeela Saunders, 6.78 m (22-3); 4. Tori Bowie, 6.78 m (22-3); 5. Quanesha Burks, 6.70 mw (21-11 3.4w); 6. Keturah Orji, 6.68 m (21-11); 7. Malaina Payton, 6.59 mw (21-7 1/2w); 8. Alexis Faulknor, 6.58 mw (21-7 1/4w).

Triple Jump: 1. Keturah Orji, 14.56 m (47-9 1/4); 2. Tori Franklin, 14.36 m (47-1 1/2); 3. Imani Oliver, 13.86 m (45-5 3/4); 4. Lynnika Pitts, 13.50 m (44-3 1/2); 5. Tiffany Flynn, 13.35 m (43-9 3/4); 6. Ciynamon Stevenson, 13.24 m (43-5 1/4); 7. Crystal Manning, 13.11 m (43-0 1/4); 8. LaChyna Roe, 13.10 m (42-5 1/2).

Hammer: 1. Deanna Price, 78.24 m (256-8; American Record; old, 78.12 m (256-3), Price, 2018); 2. Gwen Berry, 76.46 m (250-10); 3. Brooke Andersen, 75.30 m (247-0); 4. Maggie Ewen, 75.04 m (246-2); 5. Janee Kassanavoid, 72.02 m (236-3); 6. Janeah Stewart, 69.96 m (229-6); 7. Madison Malone, 66.75 m (219-0); 8. Alyssa Wilson, 65.36 m (214-5).

Javelin: 1. Ariana Ince, 61.06 m (200-4); 2. Kara Winger, 59.73 m (195-11); 3. Jenna Gray, 57.29 m (187-11); 4. Avione Allgood, 55.29 m (181-4); 5. Maggie Malone, 54.47 m (178-8); 6. Kylee Carter, 54.27 m (178-0); 7. Seri Geisler, 54.11 m (177-6); 8. Katie Reichert, 53.53 m (175-7).

CYCLING: Willoughby claims second World title, while van Gendt runs away from favored Kimmann in BMX Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
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The look of a World Champion: American Alise Willoughby

BMX races are short and often decided by tiny margins, so the timing is out to 1,000ths of a second. But 2017 World Champion Alise Willoughby left no doubt about the winner in the 2019 Worlds, as she claimed her second title in decisive fashion in Heusden-Zolder (BEL) on Saturday.

Reigning World Champion Laura Smulders of the Netherlands was the favorite, racing so close to home. But Willoughy jumper everyone at the start – crucial in BMX in order to stay clear of crashes – and ran away from Smulders to finish the final in 34.701, well up on Smulders’ 35.146.

There was no reserve for Willoughby, she jumped just off the end of the run and screamed, put her hands on both sides of her face and had the astonished look of “I did that?” She did indeed and is now a favorite for the Tokyo BMX title.

The men’s final was even more stunning. Dutch rider Niek Kimmann looked very much the favorite and a big crowd of supporters was in the stands. But countryman Twan van Gendt, a 2012 BMX Olympian, escaped at the start and just shredded the field, winning over Kiemann and everyone else with an astonishing gap of more than four-and-a-half seconds.

He was also wild with joy after winning, coming over to the loud Dutch crowd, raising his arms in victory and throwing his riding his riding gloves into the crowd. It was the first BMX world title for the Dutch since 2015, when Kimmann won it.

Willoughby’s victory is her second and ties her in her own household with husband Sam Willoughby (AUS), who won world titles in 2012 and 2014! Summaries:

UCI BMX World Championships
Heusden-Zolder (BEL) ~ 23-27 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Twan van Gendt (NED), 31.345; 2. Niek Kimmann (NED), 35.454; 3. Sylvain Andre (FRA), 38.482; 4. Jeremy Rencurrel (FRA), 40.949; 5. Kye Whyte (GBR), 41.021; 6. Anthony Dean (AUS), 1:06.031; 7. David Graf (SUI), 3:15.557; Joris Daudet (FRA), did not finish.

Junior Men: 1. Tatyan Lui Hin Lui (FRA), 32.254; 2. Oliver Moran (AUS), 33.209; 3. Nathanael Dieuaide (FRA), 33.335.

Women: 1. Alise Willoughby (USA), 34.701; 2. Laura Smulders (NED), 35.146; 3. Axelle Etienne (FRA), 35.165; 4. Judy Baauw (NED), 35.751; 5. Camille Maire (FRA), 36.063; 6. Felicia Stancil (USA), 36.771; 7. Saya Sakakibara (AUS), 2:13.634; 8. Mariana Pajon (COL), 2:52.206.

Junior Women: 1. Jessie Smith (NZL), 35.653; 2. Agustina Cavalli (ARG), 35.862; 3. Zoe Claessens (SUI), 36.589. Also: 4. Payton Ridenour (USA), 36.923; … 6. McKenzie Gayheart (USA), 38.882.

WATER POLO: Italy completes perfect tournament and captures fourth World Champs title over Spain, 10-5

By
Rich Perelman
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Italy celebrates another world title in the men's water polo Worlds (Photo: FINA/Istvan Ferencsenyi)

The big powers in men’s water polo this century have been Serbia, Croatia and Hungary, but the men’s gold-medal match pitted two of the traditional star teams in the sport: Italy and Spain. The Italians had won the world title in 1978, 1994 and an overtime win over Croatia in 2011, while Spain had gold medals from 1998 and 2001.

Italy won the weakest group with a 3-0 record and then squeezed past Greece, 7-6, in the quarterfinal and then Hungary, 12-10 in the semi. Spain was 2-1 in its group, losing to Hungary (13-11), but then beat Serbia, 12-9, and Croatia, 6-5, to reach the final.

With wins over the two Balkans powers, did that make Spain the favorite?

It didn’t matter, as Italy led 5-3 at halftime and 8-4 after three quarters, on the way to a 10-5 victory and the gold medal. Vincenzo Dolce scored twice for the Italians, who maintained pressure throughout the match and won decisively.

Amazingly, Italy when defeated Spain for the 1994 world title, the score was also 10-5.

Croatia defeated Hungary, 10-7, for the bronze medal. The tournament honors included.

● Most Valuable Player: Francesco Di Fulvio (ITA)
● Most Valuable Goalkeeper: Daniel Lopez (ESP)

The tournament All-Stars:
● Daniel Lopez (ESP) ~ Goalkeeper
● Roger Tahull (ESP)
● Francesco Di Fulvio (ITA)
● Aleksandar Ivovic (MNE)
● Maro Jokovic (CRO)
● Dusan Mandic (SRB)
● Gergo Zalanki (HUN)

The leading scorers included Ivovic with 21, followed by Jokovic (19) and Zalanki (18). Summary:

FINA World Aquatics Championships
Gwangju (KOR) ~ 12-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Final Standings: 1. Italy; 2. Spain; 3. Croatia; 4. Hungary; 5. Serbia; 6. Australia; 7. Greece; 8. Germany; 9. United States; 10. Montenegro; 11. Japan; 12. South Africa; 13. Brazil; 14. Kazakhstan; 15. Korea; 16. New Zealand. Semis: Spain d. Croatia, 6-5; Italy d. Hungary, 12-10. Third: Croatia d. Hungary, 10-7. Final: Italy d. Spain, 10-5.

WATER POLO: Eight athletes injured in Gwangju nightclub tragedy, including four Americans

By
Rich Perelman
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The Coyote Ugly Lounge in Gwangju, where an interior balcony collapsed

The water polo community is a close one and the 2019 World Championships will long be remembered for the tragic collapse of an interior balcony at the Coyote Ugly nightclub in Gwangju (KOR) at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning that killed two people and injured at least 17 more, including multiple water polo players.

Members of the U.S. men’s and women’s water polo team were in the club at the time, following the victory of the women’s team at the FINA World Championships. It was reported that eight athletes were injured, including three Americans, two from New Zealand, a Dutch athlete and a Brazilian.

USA Water Polo’s statement included: “[A] handful of USA Water Polo athletes suffered non-life-threatening injuries. All USA Water Polo athletes are safe and accounted for. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy.

“Kaleigh Gilchrist suffered a deep left leg laceration and underwent surgery today at a hospital in Gwangju.

“Paige Hauschild (right arm) and Johnny Hooper (left hand) suffered lacerations that required stitches.

“Ben Hallock suffered minor scrapes (legs).”

New Zealand’s water polo team captain Matt Small said “We were just dancing and then the next minute we dropped five or six meters and everyone started rushing out of the club after that.”

The two fatalities were both Koreans, one who died at the scene and another who passed away at a local hospital.

The head of the local fire station, Young-don Kim,  told reporters that there were around 370 inside the club at the time of the collapse. “We deem that the second level… seems to have collapsed because there were too many people on it. The second level is a small space, it’s not a space where a lot of people can be.”

CYCLING: Nibali wins emotional, shortened Stage 20 as Bernal set to win Tour de France tomorrow

By
Rich Perelman
-
A satisfying Stage 20 win for 34-year-old Vincenzo Nibali (ITA)

More difficult weather re-arranged the Tour de France again, but a shortened Stage 20 confirmed that Colombia’s Egan Bernal is set to win the 106th Tour de France.

After the hailstorm cut short the second climbing stage in the Alps and gave Bernal the lead on Friday, the resulting mudslides cut short today’s stage to just 59.5 km with one major climb to the finish at Val Thorens.

A group of 29 riders (out of 155 starters) charged away and had a two-minute lead after 19 km, but that would shrink as the climb started. With 30 km to go and the climbing underway, four riders were at the front: Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali, Ilnur Zakarin (RUS), Michael Woods (CAN) and Tony Gallopin (FRA). Two more riders joined, but with 13 km left, Nibali attacked and no one could follow.

The five who were with Nibali all fell back and the main group caught up. France’s Julian Alaphilippe, who lost the race lead when Friday’s stage was cut short by the weather, finally fell off the pace with 13 km to go and ended in 26th place and will likely finish fifth at the Tour.

Nibali was not to be caught, but the peloton got within 10 seconds at the end, as Alejandro Valverde (ESP) finished second, Bernal fourth and teammate (and defending champ) Geraint Thomas (GBR) was fifth. With Alaphilippe dropping, the standards heading into Sunday’s flat stage are:

1. 79:52:52 ~ Egan Bernal (COL)
2. +1:11 ~ Geraint Thomas (GBR)
3. +1:31 ~ Steven Kruijswijk (NED)
4. +1:56 ~ Emanuel Buchmann (GER)
5. +3:45 ~ Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)

For Nibali, now 34, it was his sixth career stage win at the Tour de France, and his first since 2015.

Bernal will become the first Colombian rider to win the Tour, and at 22, it will likely not be his last. Summaries so far:

UCI World Tour/Tour de France
France ~ 6-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (194.5 km): 1. Mike Teunissen (NED), 4:22:47; 2. Peter Sagan (SVK), 4:22:47; 3. Caleb Ewan (AUS), 4:22:47; 4. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA), 4:22:47; 5. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA), 4:22:47.

Stage 2 (27.6 km Team Time Trial): 1. Jumbo-Visma (NED), 28:57; 2. Team Ineos (GBR), 29:17; 3. Deceuninck-Quick Step (GER), 29:18; 4. Team Sunweb (GER), 29:23; 5. Team Katusha Alpecin (SUI), 29:23.

Stage 3 (215.0 km): 1. Julien Alaphilippe (FRA), 4:40:29; 2. Michael Matthews (AUS), 4:40:55; 3. Jasper Stuyven (BEL), 4:40:55; 4. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 4:40:55; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:40:55.

Stage 4 (213.5 km): 1. Elia Viviani (ITA), 5:09:20; 2. Alexander Kristoff (NOR), 5:09:20; 3. Ewan (AUS), 5:09:20; 4. Sagan (SVk), 5:09:20; 5. Dylan Groenewegen (NED), 5:09:20.

Stage 5 (175.5 km): 1. Sagan (SVK), 4:02:33; 2. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:02:33; 3. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:02:33; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 4:02:33; 5. van Avermaet (BEL), 4:02:33.

Stage 6 (160.5 km): 1. Dylan Teuns (BEL), 4:29:03; 2. Giulio Ciccone (ITA), 4:29:14; 3. Xandro Meurisse (BEL), 4:30:08; 4. Geraint Thomas (GBR), 4:30:47; 5. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 4:30:49.

Stage 7 (230.0 km): 1. Groenewegen (NED), 6:02:44; 2. Ewan (AUS), 6:02:44; 3. Sagan (SVK), 6:02:44; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 6:02:44; 5. Jasper Philipsen (BEL), 6:02:44.

Stage 8 (200.0 km): 1. Thomas de Gendt (BEL), 5:00:17; 2. Pinot (FRA), 5:00:23; 3. Alaphilippe (FRA), 5:00:23; 4. Matthews (AUS), 5:00:43; 5. Sagan (SVK), 5:00:43.

Stage 9 (170.5 km): 1. Daryl Impey (RSA), 4:03:12; 2. Tiesj Benoot (BEL), 4:03:12; 3. Jan Tratnik (SLO), 4:03:22; 4. Oliver Naesen (BEL), 4:03:22; 5. Stuyven (BEL), 4:03:22.

Stage 10 (217.5 km): 1. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:49:39; 2. Viviani (ITA), 4:49:39; 3. Ewan (AUS), 4:49:39; 4. Matthews (AUS), 4:49:39; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:49:39.

Stage 11 (167.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:51:26; 2. Groenewegen (NED), 3:51:26; 3. Viviani (ITA), 3:51:26; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:51:26; 5. Jens Debusschere (GER), 3:51:26.

Stage 12 (209.5 km): 1. Simon Yates (GBR), 4:57:53; 3. Pello Bilbao (ESP), 4:57:53; 3. Gregor Muhlberger (AUT), 4:57:53; 4. Tiesj Benott (BEL), 4:59:21; 5. Febio Felline (ITA), 4:59:21.

Stage 13 (27.2 km Indiv. Time Trial): 1. Alaphilippe (FRA), 35:00; 2. Thomas (GBR), 35:14; 3. De Gendt (BEL), 35:36; 4. Rigoberto Uran (COL), 35:36; 5. Richie Porte (AUS), 36:45. Also in the top 25: 9. Joey Rosskopf (USA), 36:01; … 17. Chad Haga (USA), 36:22.

Stage 14 (117.5 km): 1. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 3:10:20; 2. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), 3:10:26; 3. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), 3:10:26; 4. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), 3:10:28; 5. Egan Bernal (COL), 3:10:28.

Stage 15 (185.0 km): 1. S. Yates (GBR), 4:47:04; 2. Pinot (FRA), 4:47:37; 3. Mikel Landa (ESP), 4:47:37; 4. Buchmann (GER), 4:47:55; 5. Bernal (COL), 4:47:55.

Stage 16 (177.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:57:08; 2. Viviani (ITA), 3:57:08; 3. Groenewegen (NED), 3:57:08; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:57:08; 5. Niccolo Bonifazio (ITA), 3:57:08.

Stage 17 (200.0 km): 1. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:21.36; 2. Kasper Asgreen (DEN), 4:21:13; 3. Van Avermaet (BEL), 4:21:17; 4. Bauke Mollema (NED), 4:21:17; 5. Teuns (BEL), 4:21:17.

Stage 18 (208.0 km): 1. Nairo Quintana (COL), 5:34:15; 2. Romain Bardet (FRA), 5:35:50; 3. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ), 5:36:53; 4. Lennard Kamna (GER), 5:37:23; 5. Damiano Caruso (ITA), 5:37:15.

Stage 19 (126.5 km; stopped due to weather; no official stage results): 1. Bernal (COL); 2:40:31; 2. S. Yates, 2:40:44; 3. Warren Barguil (FRA), 2:41:11; 4. Laurens De Plus (BEL), 2:41:29; 5. Kruijswijk (NED), 2:41:29.

Stage 20 (59.5 km; shortened due to mudslides): 1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), 1:51:53; 2. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), 1:52:03; 3. Landa (ESP), 1:52:07; 4. Bernal (COL), 1:52:10; 5. Thomas (GBR), 1:52:10.

28 July: Stage 21 (128.0 km): Rambouillet to Paris (flat)

SWIMMING: Five golds in six events for U.S. on Saturday, including three for Dressel and one for Ledecky

By
Rich Perelman
-
Three World Championships gold medals in two hours for Caeleb Dressel (USA).

There are days when it becomes absolutely clear that the United States is the world’s undisputed power in swimming and Saturday’s evening session at the 2019 FINA World Championships was one of those.

Six events and five American victories, including a second consecutive World Championships for Caeleb Dressel with three gold medals in one night. Event-by-event:

● Dressel won the 50 m Freestyle, as expected, with his now-familiar rocket start, coming up out of the water first and building his advantage to the wall. He finished in 21.04, busting his own American Record of 21.15 from the 2017 Worlds and the fourth-fastest time in history. The other three – two by Cesar Cielo Filho (BRA) and one by Fred Bousquet (FRA) – came in the plastic suit era in 2009.

● He came back 34 minutes later in the 100 m Butterfly, in which he had set the world record (49.50) in the semifinals, and won again, with the second-fastest time in history in 49.66. Dressel was superb from the start, getting into the water first and charging to a 41/100ths lead after the first length of the pool (!), then coming home faster than everyone else by 76/100ths! Behind him was Russia’s Andrei Minakov (50.83) and the third career medal in the event for South Africa’s Chad le Clos (51.16).

● The women’s 200 m Backstroke final was a confirmation that Regan Smith’s world-record time of 2:03.35 in the semis was no fluke. She destroyed the field, swimming the second-fastest time in history in 2:03.69, winning by more than 2.5 seconds over Australia’s Kaylee McKeown (2:06.26). Prior to Gwangju, no one had ever swum this event in less than 2:04; Smith has now done it twice in two days.

● Katie Ledecky swam an unusual race in the 800 m Free. It started our normally for her, leading the field from the start, but barely in front through 400 m, timing 4:04.90 to 4:05.38 for Italy’s Simona Quadarella. Then Quadarella turned up the pressure, putting in a hard third 200 m segment and taking the lead from Ledecky with four laps to go, 6:10.15-6:10.99. It stayed just that close, with the Italian winner of the 1,500 m taking the final turn first in 7:44.21, 18/100ths faster than Ledecky, but then it was over. Ledecky summoned her reserve strength and powered home in 29.19 to 30.78 for Quadrella, finishing her fourth straight Worlds 800 m title in 8:13.58 to 8:14.99 for the Italian.

It’s not the dominant Ledecky of prior Worlds, but the determination to see this fourth 800 m Free title through, given her circumstances, has to be one of her most satisfying. She now owns the top 22 times in the history of the event.

Embed from Getty Images

● The U.S. quartet of Dressel (47.34), Zach Apple (47.34), Mallory Comerford (52.72) and Simone Manuel (52.00) finished off the session with a world record of 3:19.40 in the Mixed 4×100 m Free, shaving 0.20 off the U.S. team’s 2017 winning time. Australia was a close second in 3:19.97, with Bronte Campbell on anchor.

Wow! Dressel now has six golds at this Worlds and could tie his 2017 total of seven golds with the 4×100 m Medley Relay remaining.

The one event the U.S. didn’t win was the opening event of the program, the third straight World Championships victory in the 50 m Butterfly for Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom. Already the world-record holder at 24.43, she won in 25.02, a time still faster than anyone else in history. American Kelsi Dahlia equaled her American Record of 25.48, but missed the bronze medal by 0.01 to Egypt’s Farida Osman.

In the women’s 50 m Free semis, Sjostrom led all qualifiers, including Cate Campbell (AUS) and Manuel of the U.S., and Lilly King led all qualifiers in the women’s 50 m Breaststroke semifinals.

The five wins shoots the U.S. to 22 medals overall at this Worlds (11-6-5), ahead of Australia (17:5-8-4) and Russia (3-6-3). Eight events remain on the program for Sunday. Summaries so far:

FINA World Aquatics Championships
Gwangju (KOR) ~ 12-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

SWIMMING

Men

50 m Freestyle: 1. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 21.04 (American Record; old, 21.15, Dressel, 2017); 2. tie, Bruno Fratus (BRA) and Kristian Gkolomeev (GRE), 21.45; 4. Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 21.53; 5. Ben Proud (GBR), 21.55; 6. Michael Andrew (USA), 21.62; 7. Pawel Juraszek (POL), 21.67; 8. Shinri Shioura (JPN), 21.81.

100 m Freestyle: 1. Dressel (USA), 46.96 (American Record; old, 47.17, Dressel, 2018); 2. Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 47.08; 3. Vladislav Grinev (RUS), 47.82; 4. Blake Pieroni (USA), 47.86; 5. Marcelo Chierighini (ITA), 47.93; 6. Nandor Nemeth (HUN), 48.10; 7. Clement Mignon (FRA), 48.43; 8. Breno Correia (BRA), 48.90.

200 m Freestyle: 1. Yang Sun (CHN), 1:44.93; 2. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN), 1:45.22; 3. tie, Martin Malyutin (RUS) and Duncan Scott (GBR), 1:45.63; 5. Filippo Megli (ITA), 1:45.67; 6. Clyde Lewis (AUS), 1:45.78; 7. Dominik Kozma (HUN), 1:45.90; disqualified – Danas Rapsys (LTU).

400 m Freestyle: 1. Sun (CHN), 3:42.44; 2. Mack Horton (AUS), 3:43.17; 3. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 3:43.23; 4. Danas Rapsys (LTU), 3:43.50; 5. Marco de Tullio (ITA), 3:44.86; 6. Xinjie Ji (CHN), 3:45.64; 8. Zane Grothe (USA), 3:45.78.

800 m Freestyle: 1. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 7:39.27; 2. Henrik Christiansen (DEN), 7:41.28; 3. David Aubry (FRA), 7:42.08; 4. Jack McLoughlin (AUS), 7:42.64; 5. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 7:43.89; 6. Sun (CHN), 7:45.01; 7. Sergii Frolov (RUS), 7:47.32; 8. Mykhallo Romanchuk (UKR), 7:49.32.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. United States (Caeleb Dressel, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Nathan Adrian), 3:09.06; 2. Russia (Grinev, Morozov, Kolesnikov, Rylov), 3:09.97; 3. Australia (McEvoy, Lewis, Graham, Chalmers), 3:11.22; 4. Italy, 3:11.39; 5. Great Britain, 3:11.81; 6. Brazil, 3:11.99; 7. Hungary, 3:12.85; 8. France, 3:13.34.

4×200 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Clyde Lewis, Kyle Chalmers, Alexander Graham, Mack Horton), 7:00.85; 2. Russia (Dovgalyuk, Vekovishchev, Krasnykh, Malyutin), 7:01.81; 3. United States (Andrew Seliskar, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Townley Haas), 7:01.98; 4. Italy, 7:02.01; 5. Great Britain, 7:02.04; 6. China 7:04.74; 7. Brazil, 7:07.64; 8. Germany, 7:07.65.

100 m Backstroke: 1. Jiayu Xu (CHN), 52.43; 2. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 52.67; 3. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 52.77; 4. Ryan Murphy (USA), 52.78; 5. Matt Grevers (USA), 52.82; 6. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 53.22; 7. Guilherme Guido (BRA), 53.26; 8. Robert Glinta (ROU), 54.22.

200 m Backstroke: 1. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 1:53.40; 2. Murphy (USA), 1:54.12; 3. Luke Greenbank (GBR), 1:55.85; 4. Radoslaw Kawecki (POL), 1:56.37; 5. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 1:56.52; 6. Jacob Pebley (USA), 1:56.72; 7. Adam Telegdy (HUN), 1:56.86; 8. Markus Thornmeyer (CAN), 1:58.50.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.06; 2. Felipe Lima (BRA), 26.66; 3. Joao Gomes Jr. (BRA), 26.69; 4. Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 26.72; 5. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 26.85; 6. Zibei Yan (CHN), 26.86; 7. Andrew (USA), 26.93; disqualified – Fabio Scozzoli (ITA).

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Peaty (GBR), 57.14; 2. James Wilby (GBR), 58.46; 3. Zibei Yan (CHN), 58.63; 4. Yashuhiro Koseki (JPN), 58.93; 5. Prigoda (RUS), 59.09; 6. Andrew Wilson (USA), 59.11; 7. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ), 59.14; 8. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 59.19. (In semifinals: Peaty, 56.88, World Record; old, 57.10, Peaty, 2018).

200 m Breaststroke: 1. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:06.12 (World Record; old, 2:06.67, Ippei Watanabe (JPN), 2017, and Matthew Wilson (AUS), in semifinals); 2. Matthew Wilson (AUS), 2:06.68; 3. Ippei Watanabe (JPN), 2:06.73; 4. Zac Stubblety-Cook (RSA), 2:07.36; 5. Marco Koch (GER), 2:07.60; 6. Wilson (USA), 2:08.10; 7. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ), 2:08.25; 8. Erik Persson (SWE), 2:08.39.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Dressel (USA), 22.35 (American Record; old, 22.57, Dressel, in semifinals); 2. Oleg Kostin (RUS), 22.70; 3. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 22.79; 4. Michael Andrew (USA), 22.80; 5. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 22.90; 6. Andrii Govorov (UKR), 22.91; 7. Benjamin Proud (GBR), 23.01; 8. Andrey Zhilkin (RUS), 23.11.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Dressel (USA), 49.66; 2. Andrei Minakov (RUS), 50.83; 3. Chad le Clos (RSA), 51.16; 4. Kristof Milak (HUN), 51.26; 5. Mehdy Metella (FRA), 51.38; 6. Matthew Temple (AUS), 51.51; 7. James Guy (GBR), 51.62; 8. Marius Kusch (GER), 51.66. (In semifinals: Dressel, 49.50, World Record; old, 49.82, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009).

200 m Butterfly: 1. Milak (HUN), 1:50.73 (World Record; old, 1:51.51, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009); 2. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:53.86; 3. le Clos (RSA), 1:54.15; 4. Federico Burdisso (ITA), 1:54.39; 5. Denys Kesyl (UKR), 1:54.79; 6. Zach Hartung (USA), 1:55.69; 7. Leonardo de Deus (FRA), 1:55.96; 8. Tamas Kenderesi (HUN), 1:57.10.

Women

100 m Freestyle: 1. Simone Manuel (USA), 52.04 (American Record; old, 52.27, Manuel, 2017); 2. Cate Campbell (AUS), 52.43; 3. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 52.46; 4. Emma McKeon (AUS), 52.75; 5. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 53.03; 6. Femke Heemskerk (NED), 53.05; 7. Mallory Comerford (USA), 53.22; 8. Freya Anderson (GBR), 53.44.

200 m Freestyle: 1. Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 1:54.22; 2. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:54.66; 3. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 1:54.78; 4. Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 1:54.98; 5. Junxuan Yang (CHN), 1:55.43 (World Junior Record); 6. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 1:56.59; 7. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA), 1:56.95; 8. Rio Shirai (JPN), 1:57.14.

400 m Freestyle: 1. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:58.76; 2. Katie Ledecky (USA), 3:59.97; 3. Leah Smith (USA), 4:01.29; 4. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 4:01.31; 5. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 4:03.67; 6. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 4:05.36; 7. Anna Egorova (RUS), 4:06.16; 8. Veronika Andrusenko (RUS), 4:08.60.

800 m Freestyle: 1. Ledecky, 8:13.58; 2. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 8:14.99; 3. Titmus (AUS), 8:15.70; 4. Sarah Kohler (GER), 8:16.43; 5. L. Smith (USA), 8:17.10; 6. J. Wang (CHN), 8:18.57; 7. Kiah Melverton (AUS), 8:25.07; 8. Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 8:25.51.

1,500 m Freestyle: 1. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 15:40.89; 2. Kohler (GER), 15:48.83; 3. J. Wang (CHN), 15:51.00; 4. Ashley Twichell (USA), 15:54.19; 5. Maddy Gough (AUS), 15:59.40; 6. Kesely (HUN), 16:01.35; 7. Melverton (AUS), 16:01.38; 8. Belmonte (ESP), 16:02.10.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Bronte Campbell, Throssell, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:30.21; 2. United States (Mallory Comerford, Abbey Weitzeil, Kelsi Dahlia, Simone Manuel), 3:31.02 (American Record; old, 3:31.72, National Team, 2017); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Oleksiak, MacNeil), 3:31.78; 4. Netherlands, 3:35.32; 5. China, 3:35.83; 6. Sweden, 3:36.33; 7. Japan, 3:36.79; 8. Germany, 3:39.07.

4×200 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Ariarne Titmus, Madison Wilson, Brianna Throssell, Emma McKeon), 7:41.50 (World Record; old, 7:42.08, China, 2009); 2. United States (Simone Manuel, Katie Ledecky, Melanie Margalis, Katie McLoughlin), 7:41.87 (American Record; old, 7:42.56, National Team, 2009); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Overholt, Oleksiak), 7:44.35; 4. China, 7:46.22; 5. Russia, 7:48.25; 6. Hungary, 7:54.57; 7. Germany, 7:55.63; 8. Japan, 7:56.31.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Olivia Smoliga (USA), 27.33 (American Record; old, 27.43, Smoliga, 2018); 2. Etiene Medeiros (BRA), 27.44; 3. Daria Vaskina (RUS), 27.51; 4. tie, Georgia Davies (GBR) and Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 27.65; 6. Kathleen Baker (USA), 27.69; 7. Caroline Pilhatsch (AUT), 27.78; 8. Kira Toussaint (FRA), 27.85.

100 m Backstroke: 1. Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.60; 2. Minna Atherton (AUS), 58.85; 3. Smoliga (USA), 58.91; 4. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 58.96; 5. McKeown (AUS), 59.10; 6. tie, Baker (USA) and Natsumi Sakai (JPN), 59.56; 8. Vaskina (RUS), 59.74.

200 m Backstroke: 1. Regan Smith (USA), 2:03.69; 2. McKeown (AUS), 2:06.26; 3. Kylie Masse (CAN), 2:06.62; 4. Margherita Panziera (ITA), 2:06.67; 5. Ruck (CAN), 2:07.50; 6. Atherton (AUS), 2:08.26; 7. Katalin Burian (HUN), 2:08.65; 8. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:10.08. (In semifinals: Smith, 2:03.35, World Record; old, 2:04.06, Missy Franklin (USA), 2012).

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Lilly King (USA), 1:04.93; 2. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:05.49; 3. Martina Carraro (ITA), 1:06.36; 4. Reona Aoki (JPN), 1:06.40; 5. Jingyao Yu (CHN), 1:06.56; 6. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 1:06.60; 7. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 1:06.96; 8. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA), 1:07.06.

200 m Breaststroke: 1. Efimova (RUS), 2:20.17; 2. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 2:22.52; 3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:22.90; 4. Shiwen Ye (CHN), 2:23.15; 5. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 2:23.78; 6. Kelsey Lauren Wog (CAN), 2:25.14; 7. Fanny Lecluyse (BEL), 2:25.23; 8. Kaylene Corbett (RSA), 2:26.62.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 25.02; 2. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 25.35; 3. Farida Osman (EGY), 25.47; 4. Kelsi Dahlia (USA), 25.48 (equals American Record, Dahlia [twice], 2017 and 2018); 5. Marie Wattel (FRA), 25.50; 6. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 25.69; 7. Jeanette Ottesen (DEN), 25.76; 8. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 26.11.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Margaret MacNeil (CAN), 55.83; 2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 56.22; 3. Emma McKeon (AUS), 56.61; 4. Elena di Liddo (ITA), 57.07; 5. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 57.09; 6. Kelsi Dahlia (USA), 57.11; 7. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.16; 8. Marie Wattel (FRA), 57.29.

200 m Butterfly: 1. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 2:06.78; 2. Hali Flickinger (USA), 2:06.95; 3. Katie Drabot (USA), 2:07.04; 4. Franziska Hentke (GER), 2:07.30; 5. Alys Thomas (GBR), 2:07.48; 6. Liliana Szilagyi (HUN), 2:07.68; 7. Svetlana Chimrova (RUS), 2:08.70; 8. Laura Stephens (GBR), 2:09.35.

200 m Individual Medley: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:07.53; 2. Shiwen Ye (CHN), 2:08.60; 3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:08.70; 4. Melanie Margalis (USA), 2:08.91; 5. Rika Omoto (JPN), 2:09.32; 6. Seoyeong Kim (KOR), 2:10.12; 7. Siobhan O’Connor (GBR), 2:10.43; disqualified – Yui Ohashi (JPN).

Mixed

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. United States (Caeleb Dressel, Zach Apple, Mallory Comerford, Simone Manuel), 3:19.40 (World Record; old, 3:19.60, United States, 2017); 2. Australia (Chalmers, Lewis, McKeon, Bronte Campbell), 3:19.97; 3. France (Mignon, Metella, Bonnet, Wattel), 3:22:11; 4. Canada, 3:22.54; 5. Russia, 3:22.72; 6. Netherlands 3:23.48; 7. Japan, 3:24.67; 8. Italy, 3:25.58.

4×100 m Medley: 1. Australia (Larkin, Wilson, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:39.08; 2. United States (Ryan Murphy, Lilly King, Caeleb Dressel, Simone Manuel), 3:39.10; 3. Great Britain (Davies, Peaty, Guy, Anderson), 3:40.68; 4. Russia, 3:40.78; 5. Canada, 3:43.06; 6. Italy, 3:43.27; 7. Germany, 3:45.07; disqualified – Netherlands.

ATHLETICS: Coleman and Crouser dominate the sprints and shot put, and Felix makes it to the 400 m final

By
Rich Perelman
-
Shot put superstar Ryan Crouser (USA)

There were plenty of underdog and comeback stories at the USA Track & Field Championships at Drake Stadium on Friday evening, but the world’s no. 1 sprinter wasn’t one of them. He came to dominate and he did.

After defeating his friend and rival Justin Gatlin – the reigning World Champion – in the semis in 9.96 (to 10.16), Christian Coleman got his usual brilliant start in the final and ran away from everyone to win easily in 9.99 into a headwind.

He left no doubt about his status, despite the modest times, but behind him were unlikely World Championships teammates in Michael Rodgers, now 34, and comebacking Chris Belcher, who finished second and third, both in 10.12. All three will go to Doha, along with Gatlin, who skipped the final as he get a wild-card entry into the Worlds as the 2017 winner.

Coleman will be on his second Worlds team, as will Belcher, but it will be the fifth for Rodgers, who made the 2009-13-15-17 Worlds, with a best of fifth in the 100 m final in 2015.

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There was another dominator on the infield in Des Moines in Olympic shot put champ Ryan Crouser. But he had to come from behind to win. Joe Kovacs, the 2015 World Champion, had his best throw in two years with a third-round 22.31 m (73-2 1/2) that looked like it might be the winner; it moved him to third on the 2019 world list.

But Crouser’s speed in the circle improved on his fifth throw and sent the 16-pound ball to 22.62 m (74-2 1/2), another stupendous throw that’s his fourth-best of the year … but better than anyone else has thrown!

The other highlight final on Friday was the women’s 100 m, with surprises galore at the finish line. Teahna Daniels, who was a disappointing fourth at the NCAA Championships run on her home track at the University of Texas, showed controlled power and speed in the middle of the race to win in 11.20 into a 1.7 m/s headwind. She had command of the finish, but just behind was English Gardner, whose injury problems have hobbled her for most of the last three years. She said afterwards that her second-place finish in 11.25 was off of just four weeks of training. Could she be the surprise in Doha?

Sha’Carri Richardson, who ran 10.75 to win the NCAA title, started poorly and was never a contender, finishing eighth and last in 11.72. She’ll try to do better in the 200 m starting tomorrow.

Some of the loudest cheers of the day came in the 400 m semis, especially for the stretch run of Allyson Felix in the second semi. A time qualifier in the first round (52.20), she turned on the speed down the home straight to finish in third in 51.45 and qualify for the final. That semi was won by defending national champion Shakima Wimbley in 50.20, followed by Courtney Okolo in 50.94. The first semi was won by Kendall Ellis in 50.81.

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The first men’s 400 m semi was a stunning win for Paralympic star Blake Leeper, who stormed down the straight to win in 44.38, a Paralympic World Record! He was born without legs and runs on prosthetics and has been a great ambassador for Paralympic sport. Michael Cherry was second in 44.85.

If he finishes in the top three in the final, Leeper’s status to run in Doha is not clear. He said afterwards, “I’m just taking this opportunity to be able to compete at the national championships. I got a really good team working on this right now to get me into the World Championships. I’m just really trying to do my job and try to show the world that I belong here.”

The second semi was a heavyweight battle between world leader Michael Norman (43.45) and Fred Kerley, the 2017 national titlist. Norman got out best, but Kerley closed the gap on the straight and they together to the line in 44.04 for Norman and a seasonal-best 44.09 for Kerley. It’s an impressive race for Kerley, who moved to no. 2 on the world list for 2019.

Reigning World Champion Christian Taylor just ran through once in the triple jump to confirm his place on Doha, but in the real jumping, it was defending champion Donald Scott who got out to a wind-aided 17.74 m (58-2 1/2w) to put a lot of pressure on the field. Will Claye got closest, at 17.70 mw (58-1) in the third round, but he had to settle for second. He appeared to be fully recovered from his recent Diamond League injury and had the best series, jumping 17.18 mw (56-4 1/2w), 17.64 mw (57-10 1/2w), 17.70 mw (58-1w), 17.68 m (58-0 1/4), 17.52 m (57-5 3/4) and 17.68 m (58-0 1/4).

In the men’s hammer, the top three all cleared the Doha qualifying standard, with Conor McCullough winning his first national title with his sixth-round throw of 78.14 m (256-4). He led from the first round on, but claimed a lifetime best on the last toss. He now stands no. 8 on the 2019 world list.

Zach Ziemek, the U.S. leader at 8,344, exited the Decathlon during the high jump, falling to the ground with a right knee injury. That left the event to Devon Williams, who scored 8,295 to not only win the event, but score the Doha qualifying standard of 8,200 points. Solomon Simmons got a lifetime best of 8,227 for second – and a trip to Doha – but Harrison Williams, who won the 1,500 m in 4:29.71, scored 8,188 and missed the standard. That leaves an opening for Ziemek to ask for a medical waiver to be placed on the team; she’s currently eighth on the 2019 world list.

Rai Benjamin looked awesome in the semis of the 400 m hurdles, cruising to a 48.30 win that suggests something special in the final.

One of those who skipped Friday’s events was 10,000 m winner Lopez Lomong, who was scheduled to run the heats of the 1,500 m, but wisely decided to pass, as he is also entered in the 5,000 m.

The meet continues through Sunday; NBC has coverage on Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern and on Sunday on NBC from 8 p.m. Eastern time.

USATF National Championships
Des Moines, Iowa (USA) ~ 25-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men

100 m (wind -1.0 m/s): 1. Christian Coleman, 9.99; 2. Michael Rodgers, 10.12; 3. Chris Belcher, 10.12; 4. Cravon Gillespie, 10.19; 5. Ronnie Baker, 10.20; 6. Isiah Young, 10.21; 7. Ameer Webb, 10.23; did not start – Justin Gatlin.

10,000 m: 1. Lopez Lomong, 27:30.06; 2. Shadrack Kipchirchir, 27:47.71; 3. Leonard Korir, 28:01.43; 4. Connor McMillan, 28:20.18; 5. Kirubel Erassa, 28:20.20; 6. Connor Winter, 28:21.81; 7. Reid Buchanan, 28:22.80; 8. Reed Fischer, 28:23.30.

Triple Jump: 1. Donald Scott, 17.74 mw (58-2 1/2w); 2. Will Claye, 17.70 mw (58-1w); 3. Omar Craddock, 17.55 m (57-7); 4. Chris Benard, 17.33 mw (56-10 1/4w); 5. KeAndre Bates, 16.85mw (55-3 1/2); 6. Chris Carter, 16.74 m (54-11 1/4); 7. John Warren, 16.34 m (53-7 1/2); 8. Matthew O’Neal, 16.31 m (53-6 1/4).

Shot Put: 1. Ryan Crouser, 22.62 m (74-2 1/2); 2. Joe Kovacs, 22.31 m (73-2 1/2); 3. Darrell Hill, 22.11 m (72-6 1/2); 4. Jon Jones, 21.40 m (70-2 1/2); 5. Josh Awotunde, 20.97 m (68-9 3./4); 6. Payton Otterdahl, 20.67 m (67-9 3/4); 7. Curt Jensen, 20.64 m (67-8 3/4); 8. David Pless, 20.54 m (67-4 3/4).

Discus: 1. Sam Mattis, 66.69 m (218-9); 2. Brian Williams, 65.76 m (215-9); 3. Kord Ferguson, 63.25 m (207-6); 4. Luke Vaughn, 61.78 m (202-5); 5. Jared Schuurmans, 61.37 m (201-4); 6. Eric Kicinski, 61.28 m (201-0); 7. Mason Finley, 61.05 m (200-3); 8. Jordan Roach, 60.47 m (198-4); 9. Reggie Jagers, 59.78 m (196-1).

Hammer: 1. Conor McCullough, 78.14 m (256-4); 2. Rudy Winkler, 76.51 m (251-0); 3. Daniel Haugh, 76.44 m (250-9); 4. Sean Donnelly, 76.38 m (250-7); 5. Michael Shanahan, 74.80 m (245-5); 6. Alex Young, 74.80 m (245-5); 7. Morgan Shigo, 72.64 m (238-4); 8. Colin Dunbar, 70.93 m (232-8).

Decathlon: 1. Devon Williams, 8,295; 2. Solomon Simmons, 8,227; 3. Harrison Williams, 8,188; 4. Steven Bastien, 8,023; 5. Scott Filip, 7.993; 6. Daniel Golubovic, 7,824; 7. Kurt Brondyke, 7,785; 8. Jack Flood, 7,711.

Women

100 m (-1.7): 1. Teahna Daniels, 11.20; 2. English Gardner, 11.25; 3. Morolake Akinosun, 11.28; 4. Dezerea Bryant, 11.29; 5. Twanisha Terry, 11.32; 6. Aleia Hobbs, 11.33; 7. Caitland Smith, 11.46; 8. Sha’Carri Richardson, 11.72.

10,000 m: 1. Molly Huddle, 31:58.47; 2. Emily Sisson, 32:02.19; 3. Kellyn Taylor, 32:02.74; 4. Stephanie Bruce, 32:09.99; 5. Marielle Hall, 32:14.41; 6. Sarah Pagano, 32:48.58; 7. Hannah Everson, 32:54.47; 8. Jessica Tonn, 33:01.84.

Triple Jump: 1. Keturah Orji, 14.56 m (47-9 1/4); 2. Tori Franklin, 14.36 m (47-1 1/2); 3. Imani Oliver, 13.86 m (45-5 3/4); 4. Lynnika Pitts, 13.50 m (44-3 1/2); 5. Tiffany Flynn, 13.35 m (43-9 3/4); 6. Ciynamon Stevenson, 13.24 m (43-5 1/4); 7. Crystal Manning, 13.11 m (43-0 1/4); 8. LaChyna Roe, 13.10 m (42-5 1/2).

Javelin: 1. Ariana Ince, 61.06 m (200-4); 2. Kara Winger, 59.73 m (195-11); 3. Jenna Gray, 57.29 m (187-11); 4. Avione Allgood, 55.29 m (181-4); 5. Maggie Malone, 54.47 m (178-8); 6. Kylee Carter, 54.27 m (178-0); 7. Seri Geisler, 54.11 m (177-6); 8. Katie Reichert, 53.53 m (175-7).

SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Friday, 26 July 2019

By
Rich Perelman
-

Welcome to The Sports Examiner SPEED READ, a 100 mph (44.7 m/s) review of what happened this week in Olympic sport:

LANE ONE

Wednesday: Two athletes who won medals and then stood at attention as their awards ceremonies have caused a sensation at the FINA World Championships in Gwangju, Korea. Both were sending a message against doping, what FINA is or isn’t doing about it and about China’s lightning-rod Freestyle star, Yang Sun. We have all the details … through Wednesday morning, Korean time.

Friday: In discussing whether Katie Ledecky should swim in the 800 m Free, ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser belittled the FINA World Aquatics Championships – and all Olympic-sport world championships as unimportant. That’s a hard one to swallow, but there could be solutions available if someone will take advantage of the opportunities.

HEARD AFTER HALFTIME

Wednesday: A three-time wrestling gold medalist becomes a two-time loser when he was disqualified for doping at the London Games… the Tokyo 2020 medals are unveiled, made from metals recycled from donated electronics … updating Katie Ledecky’s conditions, in her own words … remembering the first “10″ in Olympic gymnastics, 43 years ago … will multi-country bids become the norm for the FIFA World Cup? There is one country which won’t want any partners.

PAN AMERICAN GAMES

Friday: The 18th Pan American Games start tonight in Lima, Peru and it’s the largest ever. The true attraction of the 2019 edition is 100 Olympic medal winners expected to compete and 2020 Olympic qualifying opportunities in 21 disciplines.

ATHLETICS

Previews: An event-by-event look at the USATF National Championships that started Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa. with places on the U.S. World Championships team on the line: Men and Women.

Wednesday: USA Track & Field names a new Pan American Games team, and helps U.S. marathoners with an IAAF designation that will really help. Plus, tickets for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene could cost you $900!

Thursday: Opening night of the USATF Champs, with Lopez Lomong needing to run faster than he ever has at 10,000 m … and he did! Plus a shocker in the discus and Allyson Felix returns to the 400 m and advances to the second round.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Tuesday: Many of the top teams in the world are in Tokyo for an FIVB World Tour event that doubles as the test event for the 2020 Games. Both of the world’s no. 1-ranked pairs are entered: Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum and Americans Alix Klineman and April Ross.

CYCLING

Tuesday: The UCI BMX World Championships are on in Belgium, with 21 men’s and women’s Olympic and Worlds medal winners vying for hardware, including four U.S. medal winners, including prior champions Corben Sharrah and Alise Willoughby, and Olympic gold medalist Connor Fields.

Thursday: Brilliant riding by France’s downhill madman Julian Alaphilippe keeps him in the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, with three stages left to go. But the next two are still in the Alps and contenders are ready to pounce.

Friday: Egan Bernal takes the yellow jersey from France’s Julian Alaphilippe as stage 19 is cut short due to dangerous conditions at the bottom of the biggest climb of the entire Tour de France.

FENCING

Tuesday: The 2019 FIE World Championships have concluded, with Russia heading the medal table with three golds. The U.S. looked like it might get shut out altogether, then won a women’s Team Foil bronze and the U.S. men’s Foil squad made history with the first-ever men’s Team gold in a full World Championships!

SWIMMING

Monday: Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky withdraws from the 200 m Freestyle heats due to illness, and then withdraws from the final of the 1,500 m Freestyle at the FINA Worlds.

Tuesday: American world-record holder Lilly King continued her mastery of the 100 m Breaststroke with another win over arch-rival Yuliya Efimova of Russia at the FINA World Championships.

Wednesday: A Michael Phelps world record in the 200 m Butterfly is erased by Hungarian teenager Kristof Milak in a FINA World Championships stunner, plus a good day for Italy with two golds, including Federica Pellegrini defeating Father Time (and the rest of the field) in the 200 m Free!

Thursday: Sensational 100 m Freestyle win by Caeleb Dressel in the third-fastest time in history as U.S. wins six medals in five events, including a splendid 200 m Free relay split from Katie Ledecky.

Friday: Fabulous Friday night in Gwangju, with world records from Americans Caeleb Dressel in the 100 m Fly and Regan Smith in the 200 m Back in the semifinals (!), and a gold-medal and world-record performance by Russia’s Anton Chupkov in the 200 m Back. Just as impressive: Simone Manuel’s repeat Worlds gold in the women’s 100 m Free … from lane one!

WATER POLO

Friday: The amazing United States women’s team won their third straight World Championships gold medal, this time with an 11-6 win over Spain. The Americans worked as a true team, and got terrific goaltending, especially from Ashleigh Johnson.

PREVIEWS

● Badminton: BWF World Tour Tokyo Open has both no. 1-ranked Singles players entered!

UPCOMING

Highlights of the coming days, with coverage on TheSportsExaminer.com:

● Athletics: the USA Track & Field Nationals in Des Moines, Iowa;

● Cycling: Climax of one of the wildest Tour de France races in years!

● Swimming: Finish of the FINA World Championships in Gwangju!

And the Pan American Games finally gets started in Peru.

WATER POLO: Dynastic U.S. women three-peat at FINA Worlds off 11-6 win over Spain

By
Rich Perelman
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Thrice as nice for the U.S. women's water polo team after a third consecutive World Championships gold medal (Photo: FINA)

When American Olympic fans think about U.S. teams that simply don’t lose, the men’s and women’s basketball teams immediately come to mind. But let’s add the women’s Water Polo squad to the list after a third consecutive World Championships gold medal in Gwangju, Korea.

The U.S. demolished its group foes by a combined 60-13 score and then stomped Greece, 15-5, Australia – in the toughest match of the tournament – by 7-2 and then Spain in the final, 11-6.

The Americans, coached by Adam Krikorian, once again won as a team. The leading scorer, Maddie Musselman, had just 13 goals during the tournament, but five players scored 10 or more, including Stephanie Haralabidis (12), Kiley Neushul (10), Aria Fischer (10) and older sister Makenzie Fischer (10). All told, the U.S. outscored its opponents, 95-26.

Further, the U.S. defense and goaltending by Amanda Longan and Ashleigh Johnson was superb. In a tournament in which 1,078 goals were scored, the U.S. gave up only 26 in six goals and allowed only 20% of the shots against them into the net. By contrast, the American attack scored on 49% of its 189 shots over six games.

The way the brackets worked out, the “real final” came in the semis against Australia, which has played the U.S. tougher than any other team. Thus the U.S. was aggressive from the start and scored first, with 3:21 to play in the first period on a shot from Alys Williams. Haralabidis scored on a power-play with 1:01 to go and Rachel Fattal ripped in a shot from the center of the pool with just nine seconds left for a 3-0 lead at the end of a period.

Makenzie Fischer scored on a counter-attack in the second period and Haralabidis got a second score with 1:46 before the half and the issued was essentially decided as the Americans took a 5-0 lead to the break. Both teams got two goals in the second half for the final totals of 7-2, with Johnson making 14 saves in goal for the U.S.

In the final, the U.S. was up, 3-1, after one period and 5-3 at half. The third period was the decider, as Aria Fischer, Fattal, and two strikes from Neushul left Spain reeling at 9-3 with a quarter to go. The Spanish outscored the U.S., 3-2, in the final period, but the gold medal was again destined for the U.S. women. Neushul led the U.S. scorers with three goals.

The tournament awards included:

● Most Valuable Player: Roser Tarrago (ESP)
● Most Valuable Goalkeeper: Laura Ester (ESP)
● Highest Goal Scorer: Rita Keszthelyi (HUN: 24)

The tournament All-Stars:

● Laura Estes (ESP: Goalkeeper)
● Aria Fischer (USA)
● Stephanie Haralabidis (USA)
● Rita Keszthelyi (HUN)
● Maud Megens (NED)
● Alena Serzhantova (RUS)
● Rosa Tarrago (ESP)

The American dominance has coincided with the appointment of Krikorian as the head coach in 2009. The astonishing record since:

● 2009: World Champions; FINA World League Champions
● 2010: FINA World League Champions
● 2011: FINA World League Champions; World Championships sixth
● 2012: Olympic Champions; FINA World League Champions
● 2013: FINA World League bronze medalists; World Championships fifth
● 2014: FINA World League Champions
● 2015: World Champions; FINA World League Champions
● 2016: Olympic Champions; FINA World League Champions
● 2017: World Champions; FINA World League Champions
● 2018: FINA World League Champions
● 2019: World Champions; FINA World League Champions

Along with the 2003 world title, the U.S. women now own six World Championships, more than any other squad and have won three in a row. They will go for their third consecutive Olympic gold in 2020. Summary:

FINA World Aquatics Championships
Gwangju (KOR) ~ 12-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Women/Final Standings: 1. United States; 2. Spain; 3. Australia; 4. Hungary; 5. Russia; 6. Italy; 7. Netherlands; 8. Greece; 9. Canada; 10. Kazakhstan; 11. China; 12. New Zealand; 13. Japan; 14. South Africa; 15. Cuba; 16. Korea. Semis: U.S. d. Australia, 7-2; Spain d. Hungary, 16-10. Third: Australia d. Hungary, 10-9. Final: U.S. d. Spain, 11-6.

PAN AMERICAN GAMES: Largest-ever Pan Ams start in Lima with Olympic qualifications on the line in 21 disciplines

By
Rich Perelman
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The 18th Pan American Games – the largest ever – are actually underway in Lima, Peru, with the Opening Ceremony tonight at the Estadio Nacional and the competition continuing through 11 August.

There was some concern about whether all of the construction would get done, but the venues and the 1,700-unit Villa El Salvador athlete-village facility are open and operating. But the Games are big and have been expanding relentlessly:

● 2003: 5,223 athletes in 338 events in 35 sports in Santo Domingo (DOM)
● 2007: 5,633 athletes in 334 events in 34 sports in Rio de Janeiro (BRA)
● 2011: 5,996 athletes in 361 events in 36 sports in Guadalajara (MEX)
● 2015: 6,132 athletes in 364 events in 36 sports in Toronto (CAN)
● 2019: ~6,700 athletes in 419 events in 39 sports in Lima (PER)

The organizers have noted that more than 100 Olympic medal winners will be in Lima, but the key to the 2019 edition is the Olympic qualifying opportunities. Of the 39 sports, 21 will offer some form of qualification for Tokyo 2020, including archery, artistic swimming, athletics, badminton, diving, equestrian (dressage, eventing and jumping), handball, hockey, karate (kate and kumite), modern pentathlon, sailing, shooting, surfing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, water polo and weightlifting.

All 41 countries which are members of the Pan Am Sports confederation will participate, with the U.S. sending the largest team at over 600. The sports and events:

● Aquatics (50)
. Artistic Swimming (2)
. Diving (10)
. Open Water Swimming (2)
. Swimming (34)
. Water Polo (2)
● Archery (8)
● Athletics (48)
● Badminton (5)
● Baseball (1)
● Basketball (4)
● Basque Pelota (10)
● Bodybuilding (2)
● Bowling (4)
● Boxing (15)
● Canoeing (18)
. Sprint (12)
. Slalom (6)
● Cycling (22)
. BMX (4)
. Mountain Bike (2)
. Road (4)
. Track (12)
● Equestrian (6)
● Fencing (12)
● Field Hockey (2)
● Football (5)
● Golf (3)
● Gymnastics (24)
. Artistic (14)
. Rhythmic (8)
. Trampoline (2)
● Handball (2)
● Judo (14)
● Karate (14)
● Modern Pentathlon (5)
● Racquetball (6)
● Roller Sports (8)
. Figure Skating (2)
. Speed Skating (6)
● Rowing (14)
● Rugby Sevens (2)
● Sailing (11)
● Shooting (15)
● Softball (2)
● Squash (7)
● Surfing (8)
● Table Tennis (7)
● Taekwondo (12)
● Tennis (5)
● Triathlon (3)
● Volleyball (4)
. Beach (2)
. Indoor (2)
● Water Skiing (10)
● Weightlifting (14)
● Wrestling (18)
. Freestyle (12)
. Greco-Roman (6)

The program is so massive that the governing Pan Am Sports board has already signaled that it has to be trimmed in the future.

The Games will be shown on ESPN channels in the United States, with about 200 hours scheduled across ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN Deportes. Look for results here.

CYCLING: Stage 19 cut short thanks to a hailstorm that gives Colombia’s Egan Bernal the lead

By
Rich Perelman
-
Another win coming for Colombian star climber (and Tour de France winner) Egan Bernal?

It was happening all over again. A fabulous climb by 22-year-old Egan Bernal of Colombia over the highest peak of the 2019 Tour de France had him well in front, but race leader Julian Alaphilippe of France was cutting into the lead quickly on the descent, and getting ready for the final climb up to the finish line in Tignes.

But we’ll never know how the strategies would work out, because a bad hailstorm at the bottom of the descent caused the organizers to stop the stage on the way down, one of the few times this has happened in the Tour history.

So the decision was made to (a) stop the race to keep the racers from severe danger in riding through the snowy, flooded conditions on the way to Val d’Isere and (b) calculate the race standings at the crest of the Col de l’Iseran – the highest point on the Tour – and pick it up tomorrow.

That leaves Bernal, who rode brilliantly to the top of the Col de l’Iseran and forged a two-minute advantage, ended up with the race lead and with another climbing stage on Saturday, is now the overwhelming favorite to win the Tour.

Alaphilippe will rightly say that he was cheated out of a chance to catch up on the ride down the Col de l’Iseran, but there were no timing stops past the summit that would allow accurate placements and times.

The man expected to challenge Bernal in the Alps, France’s Thibaut Pinot, had to abandon the race early on with a left leg injury that simply was too painful for him to continue.

On the descent, Bernal was joined by Simon Yates (GBR), already the winner of two stages and with thoughts of a third, but this was wiped out by the stoppage of the race and reversion to the standings at the top of the Col de l’Iseran.

The jury issued the final standings, taking into account the time bonus for the top of the Col de l’Iseran, but no bonuses for the stage win:

1. 78:00:42 Egan Bernal (COL)
2. +0:48 ~ Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)
3. +1:16 ~ Geraint Thomas (GBR)
4. +1:28 ~ Steven Kruijswijk (NED)
5. +1:55 ~ Emanuel Buchmann (GER)

Said Bernal afterwards, “To be honest, I didn’t know what was happening. I’ve been told in the radio that the race was finished and I said ‘no I want to keep going’. There were talking to me in English and I was not sure. Only after I stopped and my director told me that I was in yellow, I felt relieved. It’s incredible. I can’t believe it. I want to ride full gas tomorrow and then arrive to Paris and once I cross the line, I’ll start believing this is true. There’s one hard stage remaining. It’s a short one. I’ll give it all on the road. To become the first Colombian winner of the Tour de France would be amazing.”

Bernal will be expected to pad his lead tomorrow in the final Alps stage and then cruise in to Paris on Sunday. Alaphilippe, after leading for so long, will have to fight to stay on the podium, as Thomas, Kruijswijk and Buchmann are all expected to be better climbers on Saturday. That would be a cruel end to a brilliant Tour de France for Alaphilippe.

Summaries so far:

UCI World Tour/Tour de France
France ~ 6-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (194.5 km): 1. Mike Teunissen (NED), 4:22:47; 2. Peter Sagan (SVK), 4:22:47; 3. Caleb Ewan (AUS), 4:22:47; 4. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA), 4:22:47; 5. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA), 4:22:47.

Stage 2 (27.6 km Team Time Trial): 1. Jumbo-Visma (NED), 28:57; 2. Team Ineos (GBR), 29:17; 3. Deceuninck-Quick Step (GER), 29:18; 4. Team Sunweb (GER), 29:23; 5. Team Katusha Alpecin (SUI), 29:23.

Stage 3 (215.0 km): 1. Julien Alaphilippe (FRA), 4:40:29; 2. Michael Matthews (AUS), 4:40:55; 3. Jasper Stuyven (BEL), 4:40:55; 4. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 4:40:55; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:40:55.

Stage 4 (213.5 km): 1. Elia Viviani (ITA), 5:09:20; 2. Alexander Kristoff (NOR), 5:09:20; 3. Ewan (AUS), 5:09:20; 4. Sagan (SVk), 5:09:20; 5. Dylan Groenewegen (NED), 5:09:20.

Stage 5 (175.5 km): 1. Sagan (SVK), 4:02:33; 2. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:02:33; 3. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:02:33; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 4:02:33; 5. van Avermaet (BEL), 4:02:33.

Stage 6 (160.5 km): 1. Dylan Teuns (BEL), 4:29:03; 2. Giulio Ciccone (ITA), 4:29:14; 3. Xandro Meurisse (BEL), 4:30:08; 4. Geraint Thomas (GBR), 4:30:47; 5. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 4:30:49.

Stage 7 (230.0 km): 1. Groenewegen (NED), 6:02:44; 2. Ewan (AUS), 6:02:44; 3. Sagan (SVK), 6:02:44; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 6:02:44; 5. Jasper Philipsen (BEL), 6:02:44.

Stage 8 (200.0 km): 1. Thomas de Gendt (BEL), 5:00:17; 2. Pinot (FRA), 5:00:23; 3. Alaphilippe (FRA), 5:00:23; 4. Matthews (AUS), 5:00:43; 5. Sagan (SVK), 5:00:43.

Stage 9 (170.5 km): 1. Daryl Impey (RSA), 4:03:12; 2. Tiesj Benoot (BEL), 4:03:12; 3. Jan Tratnik (SLO), 4:03:22; 4. Oliver Naesen (BEL), 4:03:22; 5. Stuyven (BEL), 4:03:22.

Stage 10 (217.5 km): 1. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:49:39; 2. Viviani (ITA), 4:49:39; 3. Ewan (AUS), 4:49:39; 4. Matthews (AUS), 4:49:39; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:49:39.

Stage 11 (167.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:51:26; 2. Groenewegen (NED), 3:51:26; 3. Viviani (ITA), 3:51:26; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:51:26; 5. Jens Debusschere (GER), 3:51:26.

Stage 12 (209.5 km): 1. Simon Yates (GBR), 4:57:53; 3. Pello Bilbao (ESP), 4:57:53; 3. Gregor Muhlberger (AUT), 4:57:53; 4. Tiesj Benott (BEL), 4:59:21; 5. Febio Felline (ITA), 4:59:21.

Stage 13 (27.2 km Indiv. Time Trial): 1. Alaphilippe (FRA), 35:00; 2. Thomas (GBR), 35:14; 3. De Gendt (BEL), 35:36; 4. Rigoberto Uran (COL), 35:36; 5. Richie Porte (AUS), 36:45. Also in the top 25: 9. Joey Rosskopf (USA), 36:01; … 17. Chad Haga (USA), 36:22.

Stage 14 (117.5 km): 1. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 3:10:20; 2. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), 3:10:26; 3. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), 3:10:26; 4. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), 3:10:28; 5. Egan Bernal (COL), 3:10:28.

Stage 15 (185.0 km): 1. S. Yates (GBR), 4:47:04; 2. Pinot (FRA), 4:47:37; 3. Mikel Landa (ESP), 4:47:37; 4. Buchmann (GER), 4:47:55; 5. Bernal (COL), 4:47:55.

Stage 16 (177.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:57:08; 2. Viviani (ITA), 3:57:08; 3. Groenewegen (NED), 3:57:08; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:57:08; 5. Niccolo Bonifazio (ITA), 3:57:08.

Stage 17 (200.0 km): 1. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:21.36; 2. Kasper Asgreen (DEN), 4:21:13; 3. Van Avermaet (BEL), 4:21:17; 4. Bauke Mollema (NED), 4:21:17; 5. Teuns (BEL), 4:21:17.

Stage 18 (208.0 km): 1. Nairo Quintana (COL), 5:34:15; 2. Romain Bardet (FRA), 5:35:50; 3. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ), 5:36:53; 4. Lennard Kamna (GER), 5:37:23; 5. Damiano Caruso (ITA), 5:37:15.

Stage 19 (126.5 km; stopped due to weather; no official stage results): 1. Bernal (COL); no time; 2. S. Yates, +0:05; 3. Warren Barguil (FRA), +0:41; 4. Laurens De Plus (BEL), +0:50; 5. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), +0:50.

27 July: Stage 20 (130.0 km): Albertville to Val Thorens (high mountains)
28 July: Stage 21 (128.0 km): Rambouillet to Paris (flat)

SWIMMING: World records for Caeleb Dressel and Regan Smith; Manuel stuns Campbell in 100 Free!

By
Rich Perelman
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Sure she's happy: Regan Smith is the new world-record holder in the women's 200 m Backstroke!

At the 2003 World Championships, an 18-year-old Michael Phelps announced that he was someone who had to be watched at the Athens Olympics the following year by winning four gold medals, two silvers and setting five world records.

Caeleb Dressel already did more than that at the 2017 Worlds, winning seven gold medals, but without an Olympics to follow it up, he’s hardly a household name. But people are going to be hearing a lot more about him as he set his first world record with a sensational 49.50 semifinal win in the 100 m Butterfly at the Nambu University Aquatic Center in Gwangju (KOR) during the 2019 FINA World Championships. .

Dressel had shown that Phelps’s mark was under siege in the morning heats at 50.28 and in semi two, he had a significant lead as soon as he came out of the water off the start. He made the turn in 22.83, way ahead of Russia’s Andrey Minakov, and charged home with perfect form to finish a superb 32/100ths faster than Phelps’s 49.82 from the 2009 Worlds in Rome, during the plastic-suit era.

And he wasn’t done, swimming the 10th-fastest 50 m Free in history in 21.18 to secure the top seed in that event. No one was close; Brazil’s Bruno Fratus was second-fastest at 21.53. And both finals are still to come!

After the 50, Dressel said “Both those races hurt pretty bad. It doesn’t matter: you just have to go in with your strategy and stick to it. There is a lot that I need to clean up going into tomorrow: these times mean nothing.” Wow.

He wasn’t the only record-setter, either. American Regan Smith, 17, erased Missy Franklin from the record list for the 200 m Backstroke, winning her semifinal in 2:03.05, more than three seconds ahead of Canada’s Kylie Masse.

Smith was on fire from the start, taking a huge lead in the second semifinal on the first lap, that was well under world-record pace. At the halfway mark, Smith had more than a full-second lead on Masse and was 37/100ths ahead of Franklin’s WR pace. She poured it on and massacred Franklin’s mark of 2:04.06 from the 2012 London Games to set the World Record, the American Record and another World Junior Record. But she still has the final to go on Saturday!

“I’m in shock,” said Smith. “I really don’t believe it. I didn’t think I’d ever do that. It’s crazy but I am very happy with what I was able to do. I really just wanted to get myself in a good lane for tomorrow night’s final and I just hoping to slip under 2:06, that was my goal. If I [did] 2:05-mid or something, that would [have been] amazing. I exceeded my expectations and I’m super, super happy.”

Equally impressive was U.S. teammate Simone Manuel, the defending champion in the 100 m Freestyle, but who had flopped badly in her semifinal, finishing third. She started in lane one, far from the action in the middle of the pool with favorites Cate Campbell (AUS) and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom.

But she was ready, starting equal-fastest into the pool with Sjostrom and sprinting to the lead, taking almost a body-length on the Swede at the turn in a blistering 24.81, trailed by Sjostrom in lane four at 25.23 and Campbell in lane five at 25.29. The two swimmers in the middle lanes couldn’t see Manuel and as Campbell charged home and just passed Sjostrom to clock 52.43, Manuel had already touched in 52.04 to win once again. Sjostrom was third in 52.46.

Manuel didn’t just win, she showed that at her best, she’s as good as anyone in history. Her time of 52.04 is the third-fastest ever swum, behind only Sjostrom world record of 51.71 in 2017 and Campbell’s 52.03 from the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships. And, of course, it shattered Manuel’s own American mark of 52.27 from the 2017 World Championships.

More history: Manuel became only the second ever to repeat as World Champion in this event; East Germany’s Kornelia Ender did it in the first two Worlds, back in 1973 and 1975. Said Manuel afterwards, “I train really hard and that’s simply it. I had a rough race in the semifinal, but I got a lane and took advantage of the opportunity. I always feel like I have more to bring and can continue to improve. It’s about the love I have for the sport.”

Going into the race, there was little doubt that Campbell would win and possibly set the world record. She had chased down Manuel on the anchor of the Mixed 4×100 m Freestyle and looked all but invincible in the semis. But Manuel’s performance now brings her into the conversation as one of the best ever, going into Tokyo and a defense of her Olympic co-title from Rio.

And there was more from the best night of the Worlds so far, including two more world records:

● Defending champion Anton Chupkov (RUS) won the 200 m Breaststroke ahead of co-world record holders Matthew Wilson of Australia and Ippei Watanabe (JPN) by setting the world record himself in 2:06.12. Wilson led for most of the race and was on pace for another world record – he equaled it in the semifinals – but then Chupkov turned on the jets on the final lap to move from fifth to first in 2:06.10. Wilson swam 2:06.68, 1/100th off his semifinal WR time for second and Watanabe won the bronze in 2:06.73. Those three marks and Wilson’s semi are now four of the five fastest times in history.

● Russia’s Evgeny Rylov, clearly the favorite, swam the 10th-fastest 200 m Backstroke in history to win his second straight World Championship in 1:53.40, ahead of repeat silver medalist Ryan Murphy of the U.S. (1:54.12). The Russian was in front from the start and was shook off a Murphy challenge on the third lap.

● Australia, as expected, won the 4×200 m Freestyle relay in 7:00.85, the sixth-fastest performance ever, with Mack Horton anchoring in 1:44.85, the fastest split of the race. Russia was second and the U.S. finished third.

● Without a challenge from American Lilly King, Russia’s Yuliya Efimova won her third Worlds in the 200 m Breast in 2:20.17, more than two seconds ahead of Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa (2:20.17). She’s now won more titles in this event than anyone else.

It was quite a day, but there is more to come. Summaries so far:

FINA World Aquatics Championships
Gwangju (KOR) ~ 12-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

SWIMMING

Men

100 m Freestyle: 1. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 46.96 (American Record; old, 47.17, Dressel, 2018); 2. Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 47.08; 3. Vladislav Grinev (RUS), 47.82; 4. Blake Pieroni (USA), 47.86; 5. Marcelo Chierighini (ITA), 47.93; 6. Nandor Nemeth (HUN), 48.10; 7. Clement Mignon (FRA), 48.43; 8. Breno Correia (BRA), 48.90.

200 m Freestyle: 1. Yang Sun (CHN), 1:44.93; 2. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN), 1:45.22; 3. tie, Martin Malyutin (RUS) and Duncan Scott (GBR), 1:45.63; 5. Filippo Megli (ITA), 1:45.67; 6. Clyde Lewis (AUS), 1:45.78; 7. Dominik Kozma (HUN), 1:45.90; disqualified – Danas Rapsys (LTU).

400 m Freestyle: 1. Sun (CHN), 3:42.44; 2. Mack Horton (AUS), 3:43.17; 3. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 3:43.23; 4. Danas Rapsys (LTU), 3:43.50; 5. Marco de Tullio (ITA), 3:44.86; 6. Xinjie Ji (CHN), 3:45.64; 8. Zane Grothe (USA), 3:45.78.

800 m Freestyle: 1. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 7:39.27; 2. Henrik Christiansen (DEN), 7:41.28; 3. David Aubry (FRA), 7:42.08; 4. Jack McLoughlin (AUS), 7:42.64; 5. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 7:43.89; 6. Sun (CHN), 7:45.01; 7. Sergii Frolov (RUS), 7:47.32; 8. Mykhallo Romanchuk (UKR), 7:49.32.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. United States (Caeleb Dressel, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Nathan Adrian), 3:09.06; 2. Russia (Grinev, Morozov, Kolesnikov, Rylov), 3:09.97; 3. Australia (McEvoy, Lewis, Graham, Chalmers), 3:11.22; 4. Italy, 3:11.39; 5. Great Britain, 3:11.81; 6. Brazil, 3:11.99; 7. Hungary, 3:12.85; 8. France, 3:13.34.

4×200 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Clyde Lewis, Kyle Chalmers, Alexander Graham, Mack Horton), 7:00.85; 2. Russia (Dovgalyuk, Vekovishchev, Krasnykh, Malyutin), 7:01.81; 3. United States (Andrew Seliskar, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Townley Haas), 7:01.98; 4. Italy, 7:02.01; 5. Great Britain, 7:02.04; 6. China 7:04.74; 7. Brazil, 7:07.64; 8. Germany, 7:07.65.

100 m Backstroke: 1. Jiayu Xu (CHN), 52.43; 2. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 52.67; 3. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 52.77; 4. Ryan Murphy (USA), 52.78; 5. Matt Grevers (USA), 52.82; 6. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 53.22; 7. Guilherme Guido (BRA), 53.26; 8. Robert Glinta (ROU), 54.22.

200 m Backstroke: 1. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 1:53.40; 2. Murphy (USA), 1:54.12; 3. Luke Greenbank (GBR), 1:55.85; 4. Radoslaw Kawecki (POL), 1:56.37; 5. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 1:56.52; 6. Jacob Pebley (USA), 1:56.72; 7. Adam Telegdy (HUN), 1:56.86; 8. Markus Thornmeyer (CAN), 1:58.50.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.06; 2. Felipe Lima (BRA), 26.66; 3. Joao Gomes Junior (BRA), 26.69; 4. Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 26.72; 5. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 26.85; 6. Zibei Yan (CHN), 26.86; 7. Michael Andrew (USA), 26.93; disqualified – Fabio Scozzoli (ITA).

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Peaty (GBR), 57.14; 2. James Wilby (GBR), 58.46; 3. Zibei Yan (CHN), 58.63; 4. Yashuhiro Koseki (JPN), 58.93; 5. Prigoda (RUS), 59.09; 6. Andrew Wilson (USA), 59.11; 7. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ), 59.14; 8. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 59.19. (In semifinals: Peaty, 56.88, World Record; old, 57.10, Peaty, 2018).

200 m Breaststroke: 1. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:06.12 (World Record; old, 2:06.67, Ippei Watanabe (JPN), 2017, and Matthew Wilson (AUS), in semifinals); 2. Matthew Wilson (AUS), 2:06.68; 3. Ippei Watanabe (JPN), 2:06.73; 4. Zac Stubblety-Cook (RSA), 2:07.36; 5. Marco Koch (GER), 2:07.60; 6. Andrew Wilson (USA), 2:08.10; 7. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ), 2:08.25; 8. Erik Persson (SWE), 2:08.39.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 22.35 (American Record; old, 22.57, Dressel, in semifinals); 2. Oleg Kostin (RUS), 22.70; 3. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 22.79; 4. Michael Andrew (USA), 22.80; 5. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 22.90; 6. Andrii Govorov (UKR), 22.91; 7. Benjamin Proud (GBR), 23.01; 8. Andrey Zhilkin (RUS), 23.11.

200 m Butterfly: 1. Kristof Milak (HUN), 1:50.73 (World Record; old, 1:51.51, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009); 2. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:53.86; 3. Chad le Clos (RSA), 1:54.15; 4. Federico Burdisso (ITA), 1:54.39; 5. Denys Kesyl (UKR), 1:54.79; 6. Zach Hartung (USA), 1:55.69; 7. Leonardo de Deus (FRA), 1:55.96; 8. Tamas Kenderesi (HUN), 1:57.10.

Women

100 m Freestyle: 1. Simone Manuel (USA), 52.04 (American Record; old, 52.27, Manuel, 2017); 2. Cate Campbell (AUS), 52.43; 3. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 52.46; 4. Emma McKeon (AUS), 52.75; 5. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 53.03; 6. Femke Heemskerk (NED), 53.05; 7. Mallory Comerford (USA), 53.22; 8. Freya Anderson (GBR), 53.44.

200 m Freestyle: 1. Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 1:54.22; 2. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:54.66; 3. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 1:54.78; 4. Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 1:54.98; 5. Junxuan Yang (CHN), 1:55.43 (World Junior Record); 6. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 1:56.59; 7. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA), 1:56.95; 8. Rio Shirai (JPN), 1:57.14.

400 m Freestyle: 1. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:58.76; 2. Katie Ledecky (USA), 3:59.97; 3. Leah Smith (USA), 4:01.29; 4. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 4:01.31; 5. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 4:03.67; 6. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 4:05.36; 7. Anna Egorova (RUS), 4:06.16; 8. Veronika Andrusenko (RUS), 4:08.60.

1,500 m Freestyle: 1. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 15:40.89; 2. Sarah Kohler (GER), 15:48.83; 3. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 15:51.00; 4. Ashley Twichell (USA), 15:54.19; 5. Maddy Gough (AUS), 15:59.40; 6. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 16:01.35; 7. Kiah Melverton (AUS), 16:01.38; 8. Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 16:02.10.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Bronte Campbell, Throssell, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:30.21; 2. United States (Mallory Comerford, Abbey Weitzeil, Kelsi Dahlia, Simone Manuel), 3:31.02 (American Record; old, 3:31.72, National Team, 2017); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Oleksiak, MacNeil), 3:31.78; 4. Netherlands, 3:35.32; 5. China, 3:35.83; 6. Sweden, 3:36.33; 7. Japan, 3:36.79; 8. Germany, 3:39.07.

4×200 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Ariarne Titmus, Madison Wilson, Brianna Throssell, Emma McKeon), 7:41.50 (World Record; old, 7:42.08, China, 2009); 2. United States (Simone Manuel, Katie Ledecky, Melanie Margalis, Katie McLoughlin), 7:41.87 (American Record; old, 7:42.56, National Team, 2009); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Overholt, Oleksiak), 7:44.35; 4. China, 7:46.22; 5. Russia, 7:48.25; 6. Hungary, 7:54.57; 7. Germany, 7:55.63; 8. Japan, 7:56.31.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Olivia Smoliga (USA), 27.33 (American Record; old, 27.43, Smoliga, 2018); 2. Etiene Medeiros (BRA), 27.44; 3. Daria Vaskina (RUS), 27.51; 4. tie, Georgia Davies (GBR) and Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 27.65; 6. Kathleen Baker (USA), 27.69; 7. Caroline Pilhatsch (AUT), 27.78; 8. Kira Toussaint (FRA), 27.85.

100 m Backstroke: 1. Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.60; 2. Minna Atherton (AUS), 58.85; 3. Smoliga (USA), 58.91; 4. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 58.96; 5. McKeown (AUS), 59.10; 6. tie, Baker (USA) and Natsumi Sakai (JPN), 59.56; 8. Vaskina (RUS), 59.74.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Lilly King (USA), 1:04.93; 2. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:05.49; 3. Martina Carraro (ITA), 1:06.36; 4. Reona Aoki (JPN), 1:06.40; 5. Jingyao Yu (CHN), 1:06.56; 6. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 1:06.60; 7. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 1:06.96; 8. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA), 1:07.06.

200 m Breaststroke: 1. Efimova (RUS), 2:20.17; 2. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 2:22.52; 3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:22.90; 4. Shiwen Ye (CHN), 2:23.15; 5. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 2:23.78; 6. Kelsey Lauren Wog (CAN), 2:25.14; 7. Fanny Lecluyse (BEL), 2:25.23; 8. Kaylene Corbett (RSA), 2:26.62.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Margaret MacNeil (CAN), 55.83; 2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 56.22; 3. Emma McKeon (AUS), 56.61; 4. Elena di Liddo (ITA), 57.07; 5. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 57.09; 6. Kelsi Dahlia (USA), 57.11; 7. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.16; 8. Marie Wattel (FRA), 57.29.

200 m Butterfly: 1. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 2:06.78; 2. Hali Flickinger (USA), 2:06.95; 3. Katie Drabot (USA), 2:07.04; 4. Franziska Hentke (GER), 2:07.30; 5. Alys Thomas (GBR), 2:07.48; 6. Liliana Szilagyi (HUN), 2:07.68; 7. Svetlana Chimrova (RUS), 2:08.70; 8. Laura Stephens (GBR), 2:09.35.

200 m Individual Medley: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:07.53; 2. Shiwen Ye (CHN), 2:08.60; 3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:08.70; 4. Melanie Margalis (USA), 2:08.91; 5. Rika Omoto (JPN), 2:09.32; 6. Seoyeong Kim (KOR), 2:10.12; 7. Siobhan O’Connor (GBR), 2:10.43; disqualified – Yui Ohashi (JPN).

Mixed

4×100 m Medley: 1. Australia (Larkin, Wilson, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:39.08; 2. United States (Ryan Murphy, Lilly King, Caeleb Dressel, Simone Manuel), 3:39.10; 3. Great Britain (Davies, Peaty, Guy, Anderson), 3:40.68; 4. Russia, 3:40.78; 5. Canada, 3:43.06; 6. Italy, 3:43.27; 7. Germany, 3:45.07; disqualified – Netherlands.

LANE ONE: “The World Championships aren’t important. The Olympics are important.”

By
Rich Perelman
-
Tony Kornheiser (;) and Keith Olbermann on the set of ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption"

Olympic sport is often ignored in the U.S., even at the level of the World Championships, when the same athletes who will be in the Olympic Games the following year are competing.

There are many people for whom this makes very little sense, and I am one of them. But I got a first-hand exposition on this view from ESPN’s “Pardon The Interruption” talk show that airs from Monday through Friday at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.

The show features long-time friends and one-time sports columnists for The Washington Post, Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon discussing the major sports topics of the day. In a half-hour of chatter, they cover about 20 stories and it’s a good way to get a rapid read on what two very experienced journalists see as the most important items of the day.

On Thursday, Kornheiser was teamed with guest-host Keith Olbermann, and one of the topics – amazingly – was about American Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky. Said Kornheiser in introducing the topic:

“Ledecky had come to these championships seeking five gold medals, but a mysterious illness, characterized by dehydration has caused her miss two races and under-perform in two others. Her last event is tomorrow; it is her signature event, the 800 meters [Freestyle]. Keith, how important is it that Ledecky swim in that?”

Olbermann opined that it was not important for her to swim, as her health is more important and added, “This seems like not just a question of ‘how is she going to do?,’ ‘is she going to improve on her world record?,’ ‘is she going to win?,’ ‘how is she going to prepare for the Olympics?,’ this sounds like a health crisis in the making that could be averted by some rest at this time.”

Kornheiser’s response was partly about Ledecky and a lot about the place of the Olympic sports in he United States today:

“I am going to agree and disagree to certain points. It’s not important because the World Championships aren’t important. The Olympics are important. Only people in swimming even know this event is even going on, and everybody else knows when the Olympics go on.” (Emphasis added)

Before you get mad at Kornheiser, now 71, he’s been writing and talking about sports for almost a half-century, having started at Newsday in New York in 1970, joining The Post in 1979 for a nearly 30-year run. He’s no stranger to the Olympic Games and American Olympic athletes.

But his comment cuts to the heart of the problem of the vast majority of Olympic sports in the United States. Basketball and football (soccer) have domestic professional leagues that are widely popular and the sports are popular in schools. Golf and tennis have professional tours that are also highly popular and do not depend on Olympic exposure (or money) for promotion, or survival.

The rest are in more difficulty in the U.S., although some sports – alpine skiing and cycling, for example – have significant followings and revenue from events and television in other countries.

That Kornheiser deflated the FINA World Championships is especially galling since the United States has been the absolute global power in the sport for decades. Same for track & field; the U.S. is unquestionably the world’s no. 1 nation, but there is little appreciation in this country.

There are many people who have strong feelings about the Olympic Movement and Olympic sports in the U.S. who simply shake their heads and sign, “that’s the way it is, and that’s the way it will be.”

There are others who want to change the situation, but haven’t found a solution. International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach (GER) now says the IOC has to take sport “to where the people are,” and waxes enthusiastic about the opening of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in the center of Buenos Aires (ARG) at the famed Obelisco, with an estimated 200,000 in attendance.

Bach is on the right track, but is using the wrong medium. The acceleration of the popularity of the four large professional sports in the U.S. coincided with the expansion of cable television in the U.S. after the 1984 Cable Act relaxed restrictions on the expansion of this technology. With the growth of the Internet and broadband speeds, the need for a television set and a set-top box was eliminated and mobile phones and tablets could host almost any kind of signal from anyone who wanted to act as a broadcaster and provide content on free-to-view platforms such as YouTube.

In the 20th Century, if an event was not sold out, then it didn’t appear on television. Now, an event simply isn’t important if it isn’t available for viewing online, whether there are any spectators or not. The NBC Sports Gold program offers large numbers of cycling races, for example (among many sports), on a subscription basis, almost all of which are held outside the U.S., and which are not even shown on cable television.

In its early years, ESPN became a must-see television network because of its sports news show – “SportsCenter” – which gave fans constant coverage of sports beyond the live event. As it has grown and become a provider of live events – for which it pays billions to the big professional leagues – it has tried to support those programs with what is essentially promotional programming.

There is “The Jump” covering the NBA, “NFL Live” on professional football, “College Football Live” about the NCAA teams and “ESPN FC” covering soccer. All of these are broadcast on an ESPN network and also available on-demand and some as podcasts.

Where are these shows for Olympic sports and for the Olympic Games?

The IOC’s Olympic Channel, which is a video-on-demand service which also provides some live event coverage, has no such shows. This makes sense, since it would have produce different shows in every different language in the Olympic world, and even country-by-country for most areas of the world.

NBC’s Olympic Channel is on cable, but is primarily concerned with live events and re-runs of live events; same for NBCSN, but it also has “Pro Football Talk” to support its “Football Night in America” game on Sunday evenings.

For better or worse, U.S. audiences are widely accepting of being told what is important and what is not by news media of various kinds and types. What appears to be important and what apparently isn’t is sometimes little more than what television or online or newspaper folks tell us is or isn’t important.

In this battle of bullhorns, the Olympic Movement in the U.S. is silent. Although production costs have never been lower, there is no daily or weekly show about Olympic sport and the new heroes who will light up NBC’s screens from Tokyo in 2020.

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee already has too much on its plate, but could use another outlet to support its existing sponsors and attract new ones. USA Swimming has the right idea with its fairly-new “Deck Pass” programming and USA Track & Field has also done some original post-meet online programs, but even these National Governing Bodies are too small on their own to command the audiences needed.

NBCSN? ESPN? TBS? Facebook? YouTube? Hulu? Amazon?

Olympic sport needs to be more important and media support is the key. An outside agency could step in and develop this, much as IMG and the West Nally Group helped expand corporate sponsorship as a major-league marketing tool in the aftermath of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

But it needs to happen, and soon.

As for Kornheiser, he felt Ledecky should swim in the 800 m Free:

“But I will say this as someone who has followed her career; she’s local for me, I know her. This feels like the first crisis in her life. She has won everything to this point. This feels like mortality for swimmers. She’s 22 years old, which used to be ancient, but she’s a professional swimmer now so she’s going to keep swimming. I think if she gets in the water and she wins, it feels like vindication and a reprieve, and if she gets in the water and she loses, she says, ‘you know what, I was sick and I’ll be better for the Olympics.’ I’m wondering if it’s not important to her, actually, to get in this time and see how she does.”

Ledecky swam in the heats on Friday morning (Korea time) and finished with the second-fastest qualifying time for the final on Saturday night. Unlike Kornheiser, for Ledecky, the World Championships are important. Good for her.

Rich Perelman
Editor

ATHLETICS: Lomong defends 10,000 m title with blistering last lap, while Felix advances at USATF Nationals

By
Rich Perelman
-
Another U.S. national title for Lopez Lomong!

The USA Track & Field National Championships got busy on Thursday and Lopez Lomong knew he would have to do something special to be competing at the IAAF World Championships in Doha (QAT) later this year.

Although the defending U.S. champion, the former Sudanese refugee had to not only win, but run faster than the Worlds qualifying standard of 27:40.00 to get on the team. Considering he entered with a best of 28:21.37 from last year, that was going to be a challenge.

But Lomong hooked up with fellow ex-Africans Shadrack Kipchirchir and Leonard Korir and set a strong pace, passing 5,000 m in about 13:46. Korir fell back, but Kirchirchir and Lomong continued together until three laps to go and then Lomong let loose. He finished with laps of 64.1, 64.3 and 55.6, shattering his lifetime best and easily finishing ahead of the qualifying standard in 27:30.06, the fastest time this season by any athlete not from east Africa.

Kipchirchir was second in 27:47.71 and Korir was third in 28:01.43, and as all three are qualified, all can go to Doha.

That race wrapped up a fairly eventful first day, in which Allyson Felix made her return to the track and was fast enough to advance to run another day. She finished fourth in the first heat of the 400 m in 52.20 and was a time qualifier in a race won by Lynna Irby in a season’s best of 51.14. Felix’s time was 11th-best overall and she advanced to tomorrow’s semifinals.

“I felt rusty which was to be expected,” she said afterwards. “I’ve known for a while that I was going to run in the championships; it was always my goal. It was just a matter of what type of form I would be in and it’s not up to my standard. I’ve been at this a long time so it’s always nice to feel the support of the crowd.”

The 2017 World Champion in the women’s 100 m, Tori Bowie, did not start in the heats of the women’s 100; she is also entered in the long jump and 200 m. The other qualifying events were fairly uneventful.

The major shock of the day came in the men’s discus, where Worlds medalist Mason Finley and defending champion Reggie Jagers were both awful and finished seventh and ninth! Sam Mattis won his first national title at 66.69 m (218-9), ahead of Brian Williams (65.76 m/215-9) and Kord Ferguson (63.25 m/207-6). While Ferguson had a lifetime best, he has not met the Worlds qualifying standard; while the USATF procedures do not allow do not allow selection of Finley (who has the qualifying standard and is the U.S. leader in the event this season), he could be invited by the IAAF based on his world ranking.

Asked if anyone could have predicted the discus results, Mattis deadpanned, “If you could bet on track, you could have made a lot of money.

“I was trying to focus on just one thing and let the throw come to me. It’s been a tough season for most of it. However far I was going to throw today was how far I was going to throw and I just wanted to let it come to me.”

Molly Huddle won the women’s 10,000 m for her fifth consecutive national title, finishing just ahead of Emily Sisson, 31:58.47-32:02.19, with Kellyn Taylor third. Both Huddle and Sisson have the qualifying standard and will go to the Worlds.

As expected, the U.S. had two qualifiers for the Worlds in the women’s triple jump and javelin. Year leaders Keturah Orji (14.56 m/47-9 1/4) and Ariana Ince (61.06 m/200-4) won the events, with Tori Franklin (TJ) and Kara Winger (JT) second. For Orji, it was her fourth U.S. national title in a row, while Ince won her first.

The meet continues through Sunday; NBCSN has coverage on Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern time, on NBC on Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern and on Sunday on NBC from 8 p.m. Eastern time.

USATF National Championships
Des Moines, Iowa (USA) ~ 25-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men

10,000 m: 1. Lopez Lomong, 27:30.06; 2. Shadrack Kipchirchir, 27:47.71; 3. Leonard Korir, 28:01.43; 4. Connor McMillan, 28:20.18; 5. Kirubel Erassa, 28:20.20; 6. Connor Winter, 28:21.81; 7. Reid Buchanan, 28:22.80; 8. Reed Fischer, 28:23.30.

Discus: 1. Sam Mattis, 66.69 m (218-9); 2. Brian Williams, 65.76 m (215-9); 3. Kord Ferguson, 63.25 m (207-6); 4. Luke Vaughn, 61.78 m (202-5); 5. Jared Schuurmans, 61.37 m (201-4); 6. Eric Kicinski, 61.28 m (201-0); 7. Mason Finley, 61.05 m (200-3); 8. Jordan Roach, 60.47 m (198-4); 9. Reggie Jagers, 59.78 m (196-1).

Women

10,000 m: 1. Molly Huddle, 31:58.47; 2. Emily Sisson, 32:02.19; 3. Kellyn Taylor, 32:02.74; 4. Stephanie Bruce, 32:09.99; 5. Marielle Hall, 32:14.41; 6. Sarah Pagano, 32:48.58; 7. Hannah Everson, 32:54.47; 8. Jessica Tonn, 33:01.84.

Triple Jump: 1. Keturah Orji, 14.56 m (47-9 1/4); 2. Tori Franklin, 14.36 m (47-1 1/2); 3. Imani Oliver, 13.86 m (45-5 3/4); 4. Lynnika Pitts, 13.50 m (44-3 1/2); 5. Tiffany Flynn, 13.35 m (43-9 3/4); 6. Ciynamon Stevenson, 13.24 m (43-5 1/4); 7. Crystal Manning, 13.11 m (43-0 1/4); 8. LaChyna Roe, 13.10 m (42-5 1/2).

Javelin: 1. Ariana Ince, 61.06 m (200-4); 2. Kara Winger, 59.73 m (195-11); 3. Jenna Gray, 57.29 m (187-11); 4. Avione Allgood, 55.29 m (181-4); 5. Maggie Malone, 54.47 m (178-8); 6. Kylee Carter, 54.27 m (178-0); 7. Seri Geisler, 54.11 m (177-6); 8. Katie Reichert, 53.53 m (175-7).

HEARD AFTER HALFTIME: Another 2012 gold medalist caught for doping; Katie Ledecky speaks and remembering the first “perfect 10″

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

● Games of the XXX Olympiad: London 2012 ● The International Olympic Committee sent out another of its now-familiar notices that included the details:

“Artur Taymazov, 40, of Uzbekistan, competing in the men’s freestyle 120kg wrestling event (qualifications and finals), in which he ranked 1st and was awarded the gold medal, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games London 2012. Re-analysis of Taymazov’s samples from London 2012 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substance Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (oral turinabol).”

This is an especially problematic case, as Taymazov was a three-time gold medalist in the 120 kg Freestyle class, winning in Athens in 2004, then in Beijing in 2008 and at London, But he was disqualified for doping in the IOC’s re-testing of the 2008 samples, and now in 2012 as a result of the latest re-test.

He still has the 2004 gold and a silver medal from Sydney in 2000.

The 2012 results were already marred by a doping positive for the silver medalist, Davit Modzmanashvili of Georgia. That means Iran’s Komeil Ghasemi and Russian Bilyal Makhov could end up as co-gold medalists, since wrestling awards two bronze medals. And the new co-bronze medalists for London would be American Tervel Dlagnev and Daulet Shabanbay (KAZ).

The IOC also updated its statistical report, showing that 60 doping positives have been identified from the London Games in 2012, to go along with the nine found during the Games. The Beijing Games in 2008 had the most ever: seven announced during the Games and 65 more found after the Games (72 total).

Although Taymazov wrestling for Uzbekistan, he is now a Russian politician, elected to the Duma in 2016.

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The Tokyo organizers unveiled the medal designs for next year’s Olympic Games, based on an open, nationwide submission contest won by Junichi Kawanishi, Director of the Japan Sign Design Association and the Osaka Design Society.

The medals themselves are being made with metals donated by Japanese citizens through the recycling of mobile telephones. According to the announcement, more than 1,300 schools and 2,100 electronics retailers were involved in the recycling program. It was impressive:

“With more than 90 per cent of Japan’s local authorities participating, a total of 78,985 tons of discarded devices were collected, a haul which included approximately 6.21 million used mobile phones, along with digital cameras, handheld games and laptops, all of which were then classified, dismantled and melted down by highly trained contractors.

“This meant that the final goals of 30.3kg [66.8 lbs.] of gold, 4,100kg [9,039 lbs.] of silver and 2,700kg [5,952 lbs.] of bronze were reached by the time the collection cycle closed on 31 March 2019.”

About 5,000 medals will be produced.

● Gymnastics ● It was a week ago, but worth commemorating the 43rd anniversary of the first score of “10.00″ in the Olympic Games, achieved by then-14-year-old Nadia Comaneci of Romania at the Montreal Games in 1976.

She received the mark for her routine in the Team compulsory phase on 18 July 1976 and the scoreboard only had room to show three digits – a 10.00 was considered impossible – so the display read “1.00.”

Embed from Getty Images

That opened the floodgates. Comaneci went on to score seven 10s, with four on the Uneven Bars and the other three on Beam. Russia’s Nelli Kim also received a 10.00 on the Vault.

Comaneci won five medals in Montreal, with golds in the All-Around, Uneven Bars and Beam; silver in the Team competition, and a bronze on Floor. She won two more golds in 1980 (Beam, Floor) and two silvers (Team, All-Around).

Comaneci retired in 1984 and was not allowed to participate in the Los Angeles Games. She left the country in 1989, just before the fall of the Communist government in Romania, eventually landing in the U.S. She eventually married American gymnast Bart Conner in 1996.

But she will always be remembered as the first “perfect 10″ in Olympic history.

● Swimming ● A Katie Ledecky update, after her excellent performance in the 4×200 m Freestyle, taking the U.S. into the lead on the second leg and posting the third-fastest split in the race.

After the relay, she told USA Swimming:

“I don’t know what caused this all, but I was feeling the effects of dehydration, loss of appetite, light headedness – just a bunch of different things. It kind of created the perfect storm to pull me out. It’s one of those things where you have to put your health first, and I just put my trust in our great medical staff, and they did a tremendous job of doing everything they could to help me.

“I didn’t get back into the water until last night, and we kept it really easy. We checked my heart rate nearly every 50, and doctors and the coaches felt that I was good to go if I felt that way. I slept on it and woke up and felt I was ready to race.”

In the women’s 800 m heats, Ledecky was in the final race and swam easily, charging only on the final lap, but came up slightly short of teammate Leah Smith, who beat her for the first time ever in 8:17.23-8:17.42, with Australia’s Ariane Titmus third in 8:19.43. Those three had the fastest times in the qualifying; we’ll know a lot more about how recovered Ledecky is when the final comes on Saturday.

Also in the Friday morning heats, American Regan Smith, now 17, won her heat in 2:06.01, a World Junior Record, a lifetime best and moving to no. 9 in history and no. 3 in U.S. all-time, behind only world-record holder Missy Franklin (2:04.06 ‘12) and Maya DiRado, who swam 2:05.99 to win at Rio in 2016!

● At the BuZZer ● Until the shared Japan-Korea World Cup in 2002, the idea that an event like the FIFA World Cup could be held in more than one country was rarely considered. After the 2022 event in Qatar, however, it might become the norm.

The 2026 program will be a combined Canada-Mexico-U.S. production, although most of the games will be in the U.S. For 2030, however, the concept is in overdrive with multi-country bids being discussed from:

● Africa: Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia
● Europe: Great Britain and Ireland
● South America: Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay (and maybe Bolivia)

Of course, there is also expected to be a bid from China, the world’s largest country by population and which has never hosted a World Cup previously. The selection will likely be made in 2024.

CYCLING: Alaphilippe flies down the Alps to keep the yellow jersey while Quintana steals stage 18

By
Rich Perelman
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Colombia's star climber Nairo Quintana (Photo: Filip Bossuyt via Wikimedia Commons)

The experts predicted, yet again, that France’s Julian Alaphilippe would lose his lead on the brutal 18th stage of the 2019 Tour de France on the first day of climbing in the Alps.

In fact, the race did change on Thursday, but Alaphilippe is still in the yellow jersey after a brilliant tactical comeback on the final descent. But he and many of the other leaders were way back of Colombia’s brilliant Nairo Quintana.

Part of a big breakaway group going up the second peak, the Col d’Izoard, Quintana attacked hard at the start of the final climb up the Col du Galibier and ran away from the rest of the field, dominating the climb to the 2,622 m peak and then cruising home with an impressive win over France’s Romain Bardet in 5:34:15, some 1:35 ahead.

In fact, Quintana was so far in front at one point in the race that it looked possible that he could take the race lead, despite starting the day some 9:30 behind Alaphilippe. But the Frenchman had his own plan.

As expected, the climbs broke up the front of the race and while Quintana and Bardet raced for the stage win, Colombia’s Egan Bernal was part of a chase group of four riders in places 6-9. If Alaphilippe faded behind him, Bernal could easily take the lead, starting just 2:02 behind him.

Bernal finished eighth, 4:46 behind countryman Quintana, but the real drama was taking place behind him.

Another pack, with Alaphilippe and defending champion Geraint Thomas, was struggling up the Galibier, with Thomas attacking and trying to break the Frenchman. Thomas forged a solid lead over the top of the mountain, but there was still 19 km left on a hard descent … and Alaphilippe may be the best descender in the world.

Looking more like a motorcycle racer than a cyclist, Alaphilippe tore down the mountain towards the finish, flying through the racers ahead of him and came right back into contact with Thomas, Steven Kruijswijk (NED), France’s Thibaut Pinot and German Emanuel Buchmann. Amazing.

Alaphilippe lost nothing to the others in his group, but Bernal group gained 32 seconds on the leader and is now second, 1:30 behind. There are two more tough mountain stages in a row; Friday’s race is much shorter: 126.5 km compared to 208.0 km on Thursday. The course rises continuously from the start through the first 88.5 km to the highest point in the Tour de France this year, the 2,751 m Col de l’Iseran. There is a long descent, then an uphill finish on a fairly steep route to Tignes.

The current standings:

1. 75:18:49 Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)
2. +1:30 Egan Bernal (COL)
3. +1:35 Geraint Thomas (GBR)
4. +1:47 Steven Kruijswijk (NED)
5. +1:50 Thibaut Pinot (FRA)
6. +2:14 Emanuel Buchmann (GER)
7. +3:54 Nairo Quintana (COL)

Saturday’s stage is even more trying, with a major climb from the start, a short climb in the middle and a massive final climb over 36 km to Val Thorens. That last ascent might decide the Tour. Summaries so far:

UCI World Tour/Tour de France
France ~ 6-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (194.5 km): 1. Mike Teunissen (NED), 4:22:47; 2. Peter Sagan (SVK), 4:22:47; 3. Caleb Ewan (AUS), 4:22:47; 4. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA), 4:22:47; 5. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA), 4:22:47.

Stage 2 (27.6 km Team Time Trial): 1. Jumbo-Visma (NED), 28:57; 2. Team Ineos (GBR), 29:17; 3. Deceuninck-Quick Step (GER), 29:18; 4. Team Sunweb (GER), 29:23; 5. Team Katusha Alpecin (SUI), 29:23.

Stage 3 (215.0 km): 1. Julien Alaphilippe (FRA), 4:40:29; 2. Michael Matthews (AUS), 4:40:55; 3. Jasper Stuyven (BEL), 4:40:55; 4. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 4:40:55; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:40:55.

Stage 4 (213.5 km): 1. Elia Viviani (ITA), 5:09:20; 2. Alexander Kristoff (NOR), 5:09:20; 3. Ewan (AUS), 5:09:20; 4. Sagan (SVk), 5:09:20; 5. Dylan Groenewegen (NED), 5:09:20.

Stage 5 (175.5 km): 1. Sagan (SVK), 4:02:33; 2. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:02:33; 3. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:02:33; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 4:02:33; 5. van Avermaet (BEL), 4:02:33.

Stage 6 (160.5 km): 1. Dylan Teuns (BEL), 4:29:03; 2. Giulio Ciccone (ITA), 4:29:14; 3. Xandro Meurisse (BEL), 4:30:08; 4. Geraint Thomas (GBR), 4:30:47; 5. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 4:30:49.

Stage 7 (230.0 km): 1. Groenewegen (NED), 6:02:44; 2. Ewan (AUS), 6:02:44; 3. Sagan (SVK), 6:02:44; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 6:02:44; 5. Jasper Philipsen (BEL), 6:02:44.

Stage 8 (200.0 km): 1. Thomas de Gendt (BEL), 5:00:17; 2. Pinot (FRA), 5:00:23; 3. Alaphilippe (FRA), 5:00:23; 4. Matthews (AUS), 5:00:43; 5. Sagan (SVK), 5:00:43.

Stage 9 (170.5 km): 1. Daryl Impey (RSA), 4:03:12; 2. Tiesj Benoot (BEL), 4:03:12; 3. Jan Tratnik (SLO), 4:03:22; 4. Oliver Naesen (BEL), 4:03:22; 5. Stuyven (BEL), 4:03:22.

Stage 10 (217.5 km): 1. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:49:39; 2. Viviani (ITA), 4:49:39; 3. Ewan (AUS), 4:49:39; 4. Matthews (AUS), 4:49:39; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:49:39.

Stage 11 (167.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:51:26; 2. Groenewegen (NED), 3:51:26; 3. Viviani (ITA), 3:51:26; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:51:26; 5. Jens Debusschere (GER), 3:51:26.

Stage 12 (209.5 km): 1. Simon Yates (GBR), 4:57:53; 3. Pello Bilbao (ESP), 4:57:53; 3. Gregor Muhlberger (AUT), 4:57:53; 4. Tiesj Benott (BEL), 4:59:21; 5. Febio Felline (ITA), 4:59:21.

Stage 13 (27.2 km Indiv. Time Trial): 1. Alaphilippe (FRA), 35:00; 2. Thomas (GBR), 35:14; 3. De Gendt (BEL), 35:36; 4. Rigoberto Uran (COL), 35:36; 5. Richie Porte (AUS), 36:45. Also in the top 25: 9. Joey Rosskopf (USA), 36:01; … 17. Chad Haga (USA), 36:22.

Stage 14 (117.5 km): 1. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 3:10:20; 2. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), 3:10:26; 3. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), 3:10:26; 4. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), 3:10:28; 5. Egan Bernal (COL), 3:10:28.

Stage 15 (185.0 km): 1. S. Yates (GBR), 4:47:04; 2. Pinot (FRA), 4:47:37; 3. Mikel Landa (ESP), 4:47:37; 4. Buchmann (GER), 4:47:55; 5. Bernal (COL), 4:47:55.

Stage 16 (177.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:57:08; 2. Viviani (ITA), 3:57:08; 3. Groenewegen (NED), 3:57:08; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:57:08; 5. Niccolo Bonifazio (ITA), 3:57:08.

Stage 17 (200.0 km): 1. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:21.36; 2. Kasper Asgreen (DEN), 4:21:13; 3. Van Avermaet (BEL), 4:21:17; 4. Bauke Mollema (NED), 4:21:17; 5. Teuns (BEL), 4:21:17.

Stage 18 (208.0 km): 1. Nairo Quintana (COL), 5:34:15; 2. Romain Bardet (FRA), 5:35:50; 3. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ), 5:36:53; 4. Lennard Kamna (GER), 5:37:23; 5. Damiano Caruso (ITA), 5:37:15.

26 July: Stage 19 (126.5 km): Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Tignes (high mountains)
27 July: Stage 20 (130.0 km): Albertville to Val Thorens (high mountains)
28 July: Stage 21 (128.0 km): Rambouillet to Paris (flat)

SWIMMING: Dressel wins 100 m Free in fastest race in 10 years, Ledecky returns, but Australia sets 4×2 WR

By
Rich Perelman
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Five-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel (USA)

It seems to happen at least once in each World Championships, where the United States collects a bushel of medals in a single session, and it happened on Thursday, with two wins and six total medals … including the return of Katie Ledecky.

The showdown between the reigning Olympic Champion and World Champion was no contest, with American Caeleb Dressel overpowering the field on the way to a historic 46.96 victory in the 100 m Frestyle at the FINA World Championships in Gwangju, Korea.

Dressel, the defending champion in the event, had been dominant in the qualifying, now he pushed hard from the start, racing through the first 50 m in 22.25, building a lead of almost 3/10ths of a second over Brazil’s Marcelo Chierighini and Rio champ Kyle Chalmers (AUS).

He was almost as good coming home, as Chalmers closed hard and challenged for the lead while Chierighini faded to fifth. But Dressel touched first and stopped the clock in 46.96, moving to no. 3 all-time with the best mark ever in a textile suit. In fact, at 0.05 off the 46.91 world record by Cesar Filho (BRA) in the plastic suit era, this was likely the fastest two laps ever swum. The mark breaks Dressel’s own American Record of 47.17, set in winning the 2017 title in Budapest. “That’s a pretty quick time,” said Dressel afterwards.

Chalmers moved to sixth all-time at 47.08, and Russia’s Vladislav Grinev claimed the bronze with 47.82. American Blake Pieroni started the season with a best of 48.08, but finished fourth in 47.88, just behind his qualifying time of 47.87 from the semis. In Gwangju, he became the ninth American to swim under 48 seconds.

The U.S. got a second victory on the evening from Olivia Smoliga, 24, in the 50 m Backstroke. She had been sharp in the qualifying and followed up on her bronze medal in the 100 m Back by out-touching Brazil’s defending champion, Etiene Medeiros, 27.33-27.44, and breaking her own American Record from 2018.

Smoliga swam in lane two, away from the action in the middle of the pool, and charged hard over the last 20 meters to get to the wall first. At the finish, it might have helped that Smoliga is 6-2, compared to 5-6 for Medeiros!

In the women’s 200 m Butterfly, Katie Drabot of the U.S. took over the race after the first lap and had a tiny lead over qualifying leader Hali Flickinger at 150 m. But Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas – always in the shadow of Katinka Hosszu – rolled through the final lap to over take them both and win in 2:06.78. Flickinger and Drabot collected the silver and bronze medals, 0.17 and 0.26 behind. It was the first individual World Championships medals for both.

Defending champion Chase Kalisz won the bronze in the 200 m Medley, with Daiya Seto (JPN) winning his first gold in the event to go along with two World golds in the 400 m Medley. Seto took the lead on the Backstroke leg and maintained it to the touch over qualifying leader Jeremy Desplanches (SUI). Kalisz was way back after two legs, but charged to third on the Breaststroke leg and gained ground on the Freestyle, but still finished 0.22 behind the Swiss.

Ledecky returned to the pool after illness and immediately made an impact, bringing the U.S. into the lead in the 4×200 m Free relay. But Australia had too much remaining and Emma McKeon took the lead on the anchor, finishing with a world record of 7:41.50, erasing another 2009 plastic-suit record by China (7:42.08). The U.S. team of Simone Manuel, Ledecky, Melanie Margalis and Katie McLoughlin smashed the American Record of 7:42.56 from 2009.

Ledecky’s split of 1:54.61 was the third-fastest in the race. Australia’s Ariarne Titmus led off in 1:54.27 – fastest of the day – then came Canada’s Penny Oleksiak’s 1:54.36 anchor and then Ledecky. Remember that Federico Pellegrini (ITA) won the 200 m Free gold in 1:54.22. Ledecky will, it is assumed, compete in the 800 m prelims on Friday morning.

There was more excitement in the evening semifinals, as Australia’s Matthew Wilson won the second semi in 2:06.67, tying Ippei Watanabe’s world record from 2017. He had company on the scoreboard, as defending champ Anton Chupkov swam the then-no. 3 time ever in the first semi at 2:06.83. American Andrew Wilson finished behind Chupkov in 2:07.86, becoming no. 4 all-time in U.S. history. And the final is still to come!

With Lilly King have been disqualified for a touch infraction in the morning heats, Russia’s Yuliya Efimova easily led the semifinals in the 200 m Breast in 2:21.20. Americans Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley were the second- and fourth-fastest qualifiers in the semis of the 200 m Back.

Quite a day for the U.S., which now has pushed into the lead in the swimming medal standings with 14 (5-5-4) to 11 for Australia (4-4-3) with Russia third (0-4-3). Summaries so far:

FINA World Aquatics Championships
Gwangju (KOR) ~ 12-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

SWIMMING

Men

100 m Freestyle: 1. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 46.96 (American Record; old, 47.17, Dressel, 2018); 2. Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 47.08; 3. Vladislav Grinev (RUS), 47.82; 4. Blake Pieroni (USA), 47.86; 5. Marcelo Chierighini (ITA), 47.93; 6. Nandor Nemeth (HUN), 48.10; 7. Clement Mignon (FRA), 48.43; 8. Breno Correia (BRA), 48.90.

200 m Freestyle: 1. Yang Sun (CHN), 1:44.93; 2. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN), 1:45.22; 3. tie, Martin Malyutin (RUS) and Duncan Scott (GBR), 1:45.63; 5. Filippo Megli (ITA), 1:45.67; 6. Clyde Lewis (AUS), 1:45.78; 7. Dominik Kozma (HUN), 1:45.90; disqualified – Danas Rapsys (LTU).

400 m Freestyle: 1. Yang Sun (CHN), 3:42.44; 2. Mack Horton (AUS), 3:43.17; 3. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 3:43.23; 4. Danas Rapsys (LTU), 3:43.50; 5. Marco de Tullio (ITA), 3:44.86; 6. Xinjie Ji (CHN), 3:45.64; 8. Zane Grothe (USA), 3:45.78.

800 m Freestyle: 1. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 7:39.27; 2. Henrik Christiansen (DEN), 7:41.28; 3. David Aubry (FRA), 7:42.08; 4. Jack McLoughlin (AUS), 7:42.64; 5. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 7:43.89; 6. Sun (CHN), 7:45.01; 7. Sergii Frolov (RUS), 7:47.32; 8. Mykhallo Romanchuk (UKR), 7:49.32.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. United States (Caeleb Dressel, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Nathan Adrian), 3:09.06; 2. Russia (Grinev, Morozov, Kolesnikov, Rylov), 3:09.97; 3. Australia (McEvoy, Lewis, Graham, Chalmers), 3:11.22; 4. Italy, 3:11.39; 5. Great Britain, 3:11.81; 6. Brazil, 3:11.99; 7. Hungary, 3:12.85; 8. France, 3:13.34.

100 m Backstoke: 1. Jiayu Xu (CHN), 52.43; 2. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 52.67; 3. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 52.77; 4. Ryan Murphy (USA), 52.78; 5. Matt Grevers (USA), 52.82; 6. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 53.22; 7. Guilherme Guido (BRA), 53.26; 8. Robert Glinta (ROU), 54.22.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.06; 2. Felipe Lima (BRA), 26.66; 3. Joao Gomes Jr. (BRA), 26.69; 4. Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 26.72; 5. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 26.85; 6. Zibei Yan (CHN), 26.86; 7. Michael Andrew (USA), 26.93; disqualified – Fabio Scozzoli (ITA).

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Peaty (GBR), 57.14; 2. James Wilby (GBR), 58.46; 3. Zibei Yan (CHN), 58.63; 4. Yashuhiro Koseki (JPN), 58.93; 5. Prigoda (RUS), 59.09; 6. Andrew Wilson (USA), 59.11; 7. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ), 59.14; 8. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 59.19. (In semifinals: Peaty, 56.88, World Record; old, 57.10, Peaty, 2018).

100 m Butterfly: 1. Dressel (USA), 22.35 (American Record; old, 22.57, Dressel, in semifinals); 2. Oleg Kostin (RUS), 22.70; 3. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 22.79; 4. Michael Andrew (USA), 22.80; 5. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 22.90; 6. Andrii Govorov (UKR), 22.91; 7. Benjamin Proud (GBR), 23.01; 8. Andrey Zhilkin (RUS), 23.11.

200 m Butterfly: 1. Kristof Milak (HUN), 1:50.73 (World Record; old, 1:51.51, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009); 2. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:53.86; 3. Chad le Clos (RSA), 1:54.15; 4. Federico Burdisso (ITA), 1:54.39; 5. Denys Kesyl (UKR), 1:54.79; 6. Zach Hartung (USA), 1:55.69; 7. Leonardo de Deus (FRA), 1:55.96; 8. Tamas Kenderesi (HUN), 1:57.10.

Women

200 m Freestyle: 1. Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 1:54.22; 2. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:54.66; 3. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 1:54.78; 4. Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 1:54.98; 5. Junxuan Yang (CHN), 1:55.43 (World Junior Record); 6. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 1:56.59; 7. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA), 1:56.95; 8. Rio Shirai (JPN), 1:57.14.

400 m Freestyle: 1. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:58.76; 2. Katie Ledecky (USA), 3:59.97; 3. Leah Smith (USA), 4:01.29; 4. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 4:01.31; 5. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 4:03.67; 6. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 4:05.36; 7. Anna Egorova (RUS), 4:06.16; 8. Veronika Andrusenko (RUS), 4:08.60.

1,500 m Freestyle: 1. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 15:40.89; 2. Sarah Kohler (GER), 15:48.83; 3. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 15:51.00; 4. Ashley Twichell (USA), 15:54.19; 5. Maddy Gough (AUS), 15:59.40; 6. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 16:01.35; 7. Kiah Melverton (AUS), 16:01.38; 8. Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 16:02.10.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Bronte Campbell, Throssell, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:30.21; 2. United States (Mallory Comerford, Abbey Weitzeil, Kelsi Dahlia, Simone Manuel), 3:31.02 (American Record; old, 3:31.72, National Team, 2017); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Oleksiak, MacNeil), 3:31.78; 4. Netherlands, 3:35.32; 5. China, 3:35.83; 6. Sweden, 3:36.33; 7. Japan, 3:36.79; 8. Germany, 3:39.07.

4×200 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Ariarne Titmus, Madison Wilson, Brianna Throssell, Emma McKeon), 7:41.50 (World Record; old, 7:42.08, China, 2009); 2. United States (Simone Manuel, Katie Ledecky, Melanie Margalis, Katie McLoughlin), 7:41.87 (American Record; old, 7:42.56, National Team, 2009); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Overholt, Oleksiak), 7:44.35; 4. China, 7:46.22; 5. Russia, 7:48.25; 6. Hungary, 7:54.57; 7. Germany, 7:55.63; 8. Japan, 7:56.31.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Olivia Smoliga (USA), 27.33 (American Record; old, 27.43, Smoliga, 2018); 2. Etiene Medeiros (BRA), 27.44; 3. Daria Vaskina (RUS), 27.51; 4. tie, Georgia Davies (GBR) and Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 27.65; 6. Kathleen Baker (USA), 27.69; 7. Caroline Pilhatsch (AUT), 27.78; 8. Kira Toussaint (FRA), 27.85.

100 m Backstroke: 1. Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.60; 2. Minna Atherton (AUS), 58.85; 3. Smoliga (USA), 58.91; 4. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 58.96; 5. McKeown (AUS), 59.10; 6. tie, Baker (USA) and Natsumi Sakai (JPN), 59.56; 8. Vaskina (RUS), 59.74.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Lilly King (USA), 1:04.93; 2. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:05.49; 3. Martina Carraro (ITA), 1:06.36; 4. Reona Aoki (JPN), 1:06.40; 5. Jingyao Yu (CHN), 1:06.56; 6. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 1:06.60; 7. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 1:06.96; 8. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA), 1:07.06.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Margaret MacNeil (CAN), 55.83; 2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 56.22; 3. Emma McKeon (AUS), 56.61; 4. Elena di Liddo (ITA), 57.07; 5. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 57.09; 6. Kelsi Dahlia (USA), 57.11; 7. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.16; 8. Marie Wattel (FRA), 57.29.

200 m Butterfly: 1. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 2:06.78; 2. Hali Flickinger (USA), 2:06.95; 3. Katie Drabot (USA), 2:07.04; 4. Franziska Hentke (GER), 2:07.30; 5. Alys Thomas (GBR), 2:07.48; 6. Liliana Szilagyi (HUN), 2:07.68; 7. Svetlana Chimrova (RUS), 2:08.70; 8. Laura Stephens (GBR), 2:09.35.

200 m Individual Medley: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:07.53; 2. Shiwen Ye (CHN), 2:08.60; 3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:08.70; 4. Melanie Margalis (USA), 2:08.91; 5. Rika Omoto (JPN), 2:09.32; 6. Seoyeong Kim (KOR), 2:10.12; 7. Siobhan O’Connor (GBR), 2:10.43; disqualified – Yui Ohashi (JPN).

Mixed

4×100 m Medley: 1. Australia (Larkin, Wilson, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:39.08; 2. United States (Ryan Murphy, Lilly King, Caeleb Dressel, Simone Manuel), 3:39.10; 3. Great Britain (Davies, Peaty, Guy, Anderson), 3:40.68; 4. Russia, 3:40.78; 5. Canada, 3:43.06; 6. Italy, 3:43.27; 7. Germany, 3:45.07; disqualified – Netherlands.

ATHLETICS Panorama: USATF names “new” Pan Am Games team, and best Olympic Trials tickets will cost $900 for 2020

By
Rich Perelman
-

USA Track & Field followed through on the arbitrator’s ruling from last week and released a new roster for its Pan American Games team on Wednesday, two days ahead of the Opening Ceremony in Lima, Peru on Friday.

In the 19 July arbitrator’s decision which held that USATF wrongly selected the Pan Am team based on an error in the selection procedures document, the federation was required to name the top two athletes on the 2019 year list (from 1 January to 10 June) if they wished to participate and if an athlete declined, go to the next person on the list. This did allow most – but not all – of those filing a complaint to get on the Pan Am team.

Those complaintants who are now on the team include:

● Benard Keter (men’s 3,000 m Steeple)
● Lawi Lalang (men’s 10,000 m)
● Josef Tessema (men’s 5,000 m)
● Josh Awotunde (men’s Shot Put)
● Marisa Howard (3,000 m Steeple)
● Kelly McKee (women’s Triple Jump)
● Annie Kunz (women’s Heptathlon)

But two of those who were part of the filings didn’t make the team because two athletes ahead of them on the year list accepted the required invitation:

● Frankline Tonui (men 3,000 m Steeple)
● Ty Townsend (women’s High Jump)

Unfortunately, Tonui and Townsend won their appeals, but the ruling placed other athletes on the team for Lima.

The new team changed quite a bit – 36.8% according to LetsRun.com – but is pretty good, including 2016 Olympic long jump champ Jeff Henderson on the men’s and reigning World 400 m hurdles Champion Kori Carter among the women. There was some good work by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee staff in Lima to get the new entries processed well after the deadline, and considerable goodwill by the Lima organizers as well.

Good news for U.S. marathoners, as the IAAF granted a request by USA Track & Field to grant “Gold Label” status to the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials to be held in Atlanta, Georgia next 29 February on “an exceptional basis.”

The impact of this designation is significant: it means that “athletes who finish in the top 5 of the event are considered to have achieved the qualifying standard for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. As such, in Atlanta, the top three men and women place finishers over the 26.2 mile course will be nominated to the Team USATF Olympic roster.”

The IAAF introduced tough qualifying standards for all events for the 2020 Games, including 2:11:30 for the men’s marathon and 2:29:30 for the women, to be achieved between January 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020.

Using those standards, the U.S. would have had two men’s qualifiers in 2016 (Galen Rupp and Bobby Curtis) and just one in 2017 and 2018 (Rupp), and none so far this year. The women would have had five qualifiers in 2016, eight in 2017, eight in 2018 and six so far this year. That’s better than the men, but not very many people to run in an Olympic Trials!

Well done by USATF to ask for special help from the IAAF. Among all the criticism it gets, this is the kind of effort which is truly “athlete-centric.”

Tickets for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon go on sale on 25 July (Thursday) with only all-session tickets available in three price ranges:

● Tier 1: $795 + $40 in fees + $65 processing = $900 total cost
● Tier 2: $680 + $40 in fees + $65 processing = $795 total cost
● Tier 3: $440 + $40 in fees + $65 processing = $545 total cost

That’s for eight daily sessions across the 10 days of the Trials (19-28 June), so the average cost per day is $112.50 ~ $99.38 ~ $68.13.

For comparison, the 2020 Olympic Trials for swimming in Omaha, Nebraska – that will take place from 21-28 June, overlapping with track – are priced at $575/$475/$375 (+ $71 in fees for each order) for the eight days of competition. This includes 15 sessions, with seven morning programs and eight evening events, so the average daily prices are $80.75 ~ $68.25 ~ $55.75.

There is also a “Victory Row” package on the deck, limited to 100 seats, for $1,300 per all-session pass.

There has been considerable hand-wringing on social media about the T&F pricing, but there was a response from one Carl Lewis:

Let’s try another comparison. Tickets for an unattractive Thursday evening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium next Thursday (1 August) cost between $14-102 in a 56,000-seat facility. Now for the sure-to-be-sold out series against the New York Yankees on 23-25 August, the prices rise to $52-1,500 (that’s right, you can buy a $1,500 ticket to see one baseball game at Dodger Stadium next month). There are fees on top of those prices, too.

It’s a simple matter of supply and (perceived) demand. And you can be sure that the Trials ticket sales will be closely watched by the Oregon21 organizers, now considering what to charge for the World Championships in 2021.

ATHLETICS Preview: Is the changing of the guard complete, or do the veterans still have something to say?

By
Rich Perelman
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More Worlds medal than anyone else: American sprint icon Allyson Felix (Photo: Wikipedia)

Will this year’s USATF National Championships could be the last hurrah for some of the greats we have enjoyed seeing for so long?

Medalists and stars like Tori Bowie, Allyson Felix, Brianna McNeal, Tianna Bartoletta and Michelle Carter are all looking up at youngsters on the lists of the top performers in 2019, but are all entered to compete at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa for an opportunity to make the U.S. team for the 2019 World Championships in Doha (QAT).

The young stars, like sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, hurdler Sydney McLaughlin and shot star Chase Ealey are ready to go in what should be one of the most interesting Nationals in several years.

A lot of eyes will be watching the great Felix, now 33, and winner of nine Olympic medals (six golds) and 11 World Championships in her marvelous career. But she is now married, a mom and increasingly active in causes she promotes, recently helping Nike revise its health insurance programs for sponsored athletes to allow for pregnancy coverage. Does she have anything left to show on the track?

Our preview looks at each event, starting with the leading declared performers based on 2019 marks:

● 100 m:
1. 10.75 ~ Sha’Carri Richardson
2. 10.95 ~ Kayla White
3. 10.98 ~ Twanisha Terry
4. 10.99 ~ Teahna Daniels
5. 11.02 ~ Kiara Parker

Changing of the guard? The top three ran their sensational times at the NCAA Championships and haven’t done much since. The stars of yesterday are recovering from injuries: Bowie has run 11.22 and English Gardner, 11.24, in very limited action. Will either be ready? Is someone else coming?

● 200 m:
1. 22.16 ~ Angie Annelus
2. 22.17 ~ Sha’Carri Richardson
3. 22.51 ~ Teahna Daniels
4. 22.52 ~ Kayla White
5. 22.53 ~ Jenna Prandini

Same story as the 100 m; Annelus and Richardson were 1-2 at the NCAA meet. Last year’s stars have been quite, with defending champion Prandini and Gabby Thomas running on the Diamond League circuit, but with middling results. Bowie is entered, but hasn’t run a 200 since April of 2018.

● 400 m:
1. 50.81 ~ Courtney Okolo
2. 50.98 ~ Chloe Abbott
3. 51.17 ~ Kayla Davis
4. 51.25 ~ Kaelin Roberts
5. 51.32 ~ Shakima Wimbley

Defending World Champion Phyllis Francis has a wild-card entry into the Worlds and has signed up for the 200 m to show fitness. This event has been awful in the U.S. so far this season, but perhaps last year’s stars – Wimbley, Lynna Irby, Jessica Beard and Kendall Ellis – have been waiting for the Nationals. And what about Felix? He last 400 m was a 52.01 for third in Marseille (FRA) last June … while pregnant. And now?

● 800 m:
1. 1:57.73 ~ Ajee Wilson
2. 1:58.65 ~ Raevyn Rogers
3. 1:58.75 ~ Hanna Green
4. 1:59.98 ~ Kate Grace
5. 2:00.43 ~ Sinclaire Johnson

Wilson has been the best 800 m runner in the world this year except for South Africa’s Caster Semenya. Rogers is moving along nicely and Hanna Green has improved from 2:00.09 in 2018 to 1:58.75 this year. An improving event for the U.S.

● 1,500 m:
1. 3:59.64 ~ Shelby Houlihan
2. 3:59.83 ~ Jenny Simpson
3. 4:02.99 ~ Kate Grace
4. 4:04.06 ~ Alexa Efraimson
5. 4:05.49 ~ Helen Schlachtenhaufen

Houlihan has run one race outdoors and Simpson has run two. They have been waiting for the Nationals and will be huge favorites to move through to Doha. Grace’s 4:02.99 is already a PR; does she have more to give?

● 3,000 m Steeple:
1. 9:04.90 ~ Emma Coburn
2. 9:09.75 ~ Courtney Frerichs
3. 9:11.41 ~ Colleen Quigley
4. 9:29.81 ~ Mel Lawrence
5. 9:31.44 ~ Allie Ostrander

Defending World Champion Coburn has a wild-card entry to Doha, so the U.S. can get four into the Worlds. Coburn has won the last five U.S. titles in the Steeple and seven of the last eight; is this the time for Frerichs to catch her? And is Quigley ready to reach the level of the top two?

● 5,000 m:
1. 15:01.63 ~ Karissa Schweizer
2. 15:02.27 ~ Marielle Hall
3. 15:05.20 ~ Kim Conley
4. 15:06.71 ~ Rachel Schneider
5. 15:07.58 ~ Vanessa Fraser

● 10,000 m:
1. 30:49.57 ~ Emily Sisson
2. 30:58.46 ~ Molly Huddle
3. 31:51.66 ~ Sarah Pagano
4. 31:55.72 ~ Elaina Tabb
5. 32:06.19 ~ Jessica Tonn

The 1,500 m final is on Saturday, and the 5,000 m final is on Sunday, so Houlihan (the American Record holder at 14:34.45) and Simpson (15:21.12 this year) could hop out if they make the 1,500 m team, but as of now, they are entered. The field also includes Elinor Purrier (15:08.61) and Shannon Rowbury (15:19.14 in 2019) and should be one of the most intriguing races on the track.

The 10,000 would appear to belong to Sisson and Huddle, the American Record holder. The qualifying standard of 31:50.00 could be a barrier to a third U.S. entrant in Doha. Huddle is the four-time defending champion.

● 100 m hurdles:
1. 12.43 ~ Keni Harrison
2. 12.52 ~ Chanel Brissett
3. 12.57 ~ Tonea Marshall
3. 12.57 ~ Nia Ali
5. 12.58 ~ Christina Clemons

The resurgence of the Jamaicans – Danielle Williams (12.32) and Janeek Brown (12.40) are 1-2 on the year list – put some more pressure on the U.S. to perform better. Brissett, still 19, has improved rapidly this year and Ali and Clemons have been solid of late. But what about 2016 Olympic champ Brianna McNeal (12.71), Sharika Nelvis (12.65) and Queen Claye (12.63)? Are they contenders any more?

● 400 m hurdles:
1. 53.32 ~ Sydney McLaughlin
2. 53.61 ~ Dalilah Muhammad
3. 53.73 ~ Shamier Little
4. 54.11 ~ Ashley Spencer
5. 55.09 ~ Kori Carter

Carter was World Champion in 2019, so she has a pass for the Worlds. In front of her, McLaughlin and Muhammad are by far the best in the world in 2019. When right, Little is close too, but no one knows what will happen with her in any given race. If Little falters, Spencer should be on the spot to get a ticket to Qatar.

● High Jump:
1. 2.00 m ~ Vashti Cunningham (6-6 3/4)
2. 1.90 m ~ Jelena Rowe (6-2 3/4)
3. 1.88 m ~ Amina Smith (6-2)
4. 1.88 m ~ Nicole Greene (6-2)
5. 1.88 m ~ Zarriea Willis (6-2)

Cunningham has been terrific this season and finally crested over 2 m at the Pre meet; she stands third on the 2019 world list. The Worlds qualifying standard of 1.94 m (6-4 3/4) means she might be the only one going to Doha.

● Pole Vault:
1. 4.91 m ~ Jenn Suhr (16-1 1/4)
2. 4.82 m ~ Sandi Morris (15-9 3/4)
3. 4.82 m ~ Katie Nageotte (15-9 3/4)
4. 4.73 m ~ Olivia Gruber (15-6 1/4)
5. 4.61 m ~ Emily Grove (15-1 1/2)

Morris has won the last two USATF titles, but Suhr won the previous five and 10 of the prior 11. If Suhr is healthy, the top three should be set.

● Long Jump:
1. 6.95 m ~ Brittney Reese (22-9 3/4)
2. 6.92 m ~ Kenyattia Hackworth (22-8 1/2)
3. 6.80 m ~ Keturah Orji (22-3 3/4)
4. 6.78 m ~ Tori Bowie (22-3)
5. 6.78 m ~ Kate Hall (22-3)

Reese has her entry into the Worlds from her 2017 victory, so four Americans could go (note the qualifying standard of 6.72 m/22-0 3/4). Hackworth jumped her PR in Chula Vista in June and Bowie is suddenly long-jumping again after a five-year hiatus. Rio Olympic champ Tiana Bartoletta is entered and has been jumping, but very poorly with a seasonal best of just 6.32 m (20-9).

● Triple Jump:
1. 14.66 m ~ Keturah Orji (48-1 1/4)
2. 13.77 m ~ Bria Matthews (45-2 1/4)
3. 13.72 m ~ Chaquinn Cook (45-0 1/4)
4. 13.70 m ~ Kelly McKee (44-11 1/2)
5. 13.68 m ~ Crystal Manning and Tori Franklin (44-10 3/4)

Orji is now a professional, having dominated the collegiate TJ scene while at Georgia. But with the Worlds qualifying standard at 14.20 m (46-7 1/4), she might be the only one on the U.S. team. American Record holder Franklin (14.84 m/48-8 1/4 in 2018) has not been the same in 2019, at least not yet.

● Shot Put:
1. 19.67 m ~ Chase Ealey (64-6 1/2)
2. 18.90 m ~ Jessica Ramsey (62-0 1/4)
3. 18.82 m ~ Dani Hill (61-9)
4. 18.72 m ~ Jeneva Stevens (61-5)
5. 18.58 m ~ Maggie Ewen (60-11 1/2)

Ealey is no. 2 on the year list and a contender for medals in Doha. Rio Olympic champ Michelle Carter is only at 18.28 m (59-11 3/4) this season, but has she just been waiting for the Nationals?

● Discus:
1. 67.15 m ~ Valarie Allman (220-3)
2. 63.64 m ~ Whitley Ashley (208-9)
3. 63.32 m ~ Kelsey Card (207-9)
4. 63.26 m ~ Laulauga Tausaga-Collins (207-6)
5. 61.77 m ~ Gia Lewis-Smallwood (202-8)

Allman stands third on the 2019 world list and is the defending champion. Ashley won in 2016 and Lewis-Smallwood was the USATF winner in 2013-14-15-17. This is a resurgent event in the U.S., but Allman has not always been at her best in the biggest meets. Is anyone ready to challenge her?

● Hammer:
1. 77.43 m ~ Deanna Price (254-0)
2. 76.75 m ~ Brooke Andersen (251-9)
3. 76.23 m ~ Gwen Berry (250-1)
4. 75.43 m ~ Janeah Stewart (247-5)
5. 73.00 m ~ Janee Kassanavoid (239-6)

Long-time observers can barely believe that U.S. throwers in this event – a backwater for decades – are sitting 1-2-4-6 on the world list for 2019, so someone good isn’t going to make it to Doha. Price threw her American Record of 78.12 m (256-3) in Des Moines last year and a new mark could very well be set this year. Andersen has been a revelation, improving from 68.62 m (225-1) in 2017 to 74.20 m (243-5) last year to 76.75 m (251-9) this year.

● Javelin:
1. 63.54 m ~ Ariana Ince (208-5)
2. 63.11 m ~ Kara Winger (207-0)
3. 57.45 m ~ Kylee Carter (188-6)
4. 56.13 m ~ Skylar Ciccolini (184-2)
5. 56.09 m ~ Jenna Gray (184-0)

Winger has won two USATF titles in a row and eight of the last 11. She’s been all over the Diamond League, with a best this season of fourth in Rome, with her seasonal best. Ince made one Diamond League appearance (a seventh in Shanghai), but has been warming up of late, with her season best two weeks ago. The Doha qualifying standard is 61.00 m (200-1), so it looks like only two can go.

● Heptathlon:
1. 6,412 ~ Kendell Williams
2. 6,374 ~ Erica Bougard
3. 6,222 ~ Astin Zamxow
4. 6,111 ~ Riley Cooks
5. 6,098 ~ Annie Kunz

The Doha qualifying standard of 6,300 comes into play here, with only Williams and Bougard currently set to compete there. They are 8-9 on the year list and are the last two U.S. champs: Bougard in 2018 and Williams in 2017.

As with the men, there is prize money in this meet of $8,000-6,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,000-1,000 for the top seven placers.

NBCSN has coverage on Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern time, on NBC on Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern and on Sunday on NBC from 8 p.m. Eastern time. Look for results link here.

CYCLING: Trentin breaks away to win Tour de France stage 17, but the Alps loom tomorrow

By
Rich Perelman
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Brutal is the only way to describe Thursday's stage 18 at the Tour de France!

One of the most compelling editions of the Tour de France in recent memory is now at the decisive stage, with Thursday’s brutal triple climb in the Alps starting three consecutive days of mountain riding that will decide the eventual winner. The standings:

1. 69:39:16 Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)
2. +1:35 Geraint Thomas (GBR)
3. +1:47 Steven Kruijswijk (NED)
4. +1:50 Thibaut Pinot (FRA)
5. +2:02 Egan Bernal (COL)
6. +2:14 Emanuel Buchmann (GER)
7. +4:54 Mikel Landa (ESP)

Nothing has changed among the leaders since Sunday’s stage, but that will not be the case on Thursday (pictured above), as the riders deal with the thin air and:

● 1: Col de Vars, a long 51 km climb that starts at 898 m and finishes at 2,104 m;
● 2: Col d’Izoard, a miserable 30.5 km rise from 1,043 m to 2,354 m;
● 3: Col du Galibier, a 36 km climb from 1,214 m to 2,622 m at the top!

The last 19.5 km are going to be tricky; a steep, ripping descent down to the finish at Valloire, following the three high-mountain climbs in the Alps.

The conventional thinking has favored defending champ Thomas, and Bernal is a fearsome climber, but the oddsmakers have a different favorite right now:

● 11/8 ~ Thibaut Pinot (FRA)
● 13/4 ~ Geraint Thomas (GBR)
● 15/4 ~ Egan Bernal (COL)
● 11/2 ~ Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)
● 8/1 ~ Steven Kruijswijk (NED)

On Wednesday, a hilly stage had major rainfall early on, but then turned into hot weather at the end, won by Italy’s Matteo Trentin, who rode with a large breakaway early, then attacked on the single major climb of the day and maintained his edge, winning by 37 seconds over Kasper Asgreen (DEN). Now 29, Trentin won his third career Tour de France stage, and his first in five years.

Embed from Getty Images

That followed a major sprint finish in the 16th stage, won by Caleb Ewan (AUS) – his second stage win of the Tour – from Italy’s Elia Viviani, Dylan Groenewegen (NED) and Slovakia’s Peter Sagan.

Summaries so far:

UCI World Tour/Tour de France
France ~ 6-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (194.5 km): 1. Mike Teunissen (NED), 4:22:47; 2. Peter Sagan (SVK), 4:22:47; 3. Caleb Ewan (AUS), 4:22:47; 4. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA), 4:22:47; 5. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA), 4:22:47.

Stage 2 (27.6 km Team Time Trial): 1. Jumbo-Visma (NED), 28:57; 2. Team Ineos (GBR), 29:17; 3. Deceuninck-Quick Step (GER), 29:18; 4. Team Sunweb (GER), 29:23; 5. Team Katusha Alpecin (SUI), 29:23.

Stage 3 (215.0 km): 1. Julien Alaphilippe (FRA), 4:40:29; 2. Michael Matthews (AUS), 4:40:55; 3. Jasper Stuyven (BEL), 4:40:55; 4. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 4:40:55; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:40:55.

Stage 4 (213.5 km): 1. Elia Viviani (ITA), 5:09:20; 2. Alexander Kristoff (NOR), 5:09:20; 3. Ewan (AUS), 5:09:20; 4. Sagan (SVk), 5:09:20; 5. Dylan Groenewegen (NED), 5:09:20.

Stage 5 (175.5 km): 1. Sagan (SVK), 4:02:33; 2. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:02:33; 3. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:02:33; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 4:02:33; 5. van Avermaet (BEL), 4:02:33.

Stage 6 (160.5 km): 1. Dylan Teuns (BEL), 4:29:03; 2. Giulio Ciccone (ITA), 4:29:14; 3. Xandro Meurisse (BEL), 4:30:08; 4. Geraint Thomas (GBR), 4:30:47; 5. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 4:30:49.

Stage 7 (230.0 km): 1. Groenewegen (NED), 6:02:44; 2. Ewan (AUS), 6:02:44; 3. Sagan (SVK), 6:02:44; 4. Colbrelli (ITA), 6:02:44; 5. Jasper Philipsen (BEL), 6:02:44.

Stage 8 (200.0 km): 1. Thomas de Gendt (BEL), 5:00:17; 2. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 5:00:23; 3. Alaphilippe (FRA), 5:00:23; 4. Matthews (AUS), 5:00:43; 5. Sagan (SVK), 5:00:43.

Stage 9 (170.5 km): 1. Daryl Impey (RSA), 4:03:12; 2. Tiesj Benoot (BEL), 4:03:12; 3. Jan Tratnik (SLO), 4:03:22; 4. Oliver Naesen (BEL), 4:03:22; 5. Stuyven (BEL), 4:03:22.

Stage 10 (217.5 km): 1. Wout van Aert (BEL), 4:49:39; 2. Viviani (ITA), 4:49:39; 3. Ewan (AUS), 4:49:39; 4. Matthews (AUS), 4:49:39; 5. Sagan (SVK), 4:49:39.

Stage 11 (167.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:51:26; 2. Groenewegen (NED), 3:51:26; 3. Viviani (ITA), 3:51:26; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:51:26; 5. Jens Debusschere (GER), 3:51:26.

Stage 12 (209.5 km): 1. Simon Yates (GBR), 4:57:53; 3. Pello Bilbao (ESP), 4:57:53; 3. Gregor Muhlberger (AUT), 4:57:53; 4. Tiesj Benott (BEL), 4:59:21; 5. Febio Felline (ITA), 4:59:21.

Stage 13 (27.2 km Indiv. Time Trial): 1. Alaphilippe (FRA), 35:00; 2. Thomas (GBR), 35:14; 3. De Gendt (BEL), 35:36; 4. Rigoberto Uran (COL), 35:36; 5. Richie Porte (AUS), 36:45. Also in the top 25: 9. Joey Rosskopf (USA), 36:01; … 17. Chad Haga (USA), 36:22.

Stage 14 (117.5 km): 1. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 3:10:20; 2. Alaphilippe (FRA), 3:10:26; 3. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), 3:10:26; 4. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), 3:10:28; 5. Egan Bernal (COL), 3:10:28.

Stage 15 (185.0 km): 1. S. Yates (GBR), 4:47:04; 2. Pinot (FRA), 4:47:37; 3. Mikel Landa (ESP), 4:47:37; 4. Buchmann (GER), 4:47:55; 5. Bernal (COL), 4:47:55.

Stage 16 (177.0 km): 1. Ewan (AUS), 3:57:08; 2. Viviani (ITA), 3:57:08; 3. Groenewegen (NED), 3:57:08; 4. Sagan (SVK), 3:57:08; 5. Niccolo Bonifazio (ITA), 3:57:08.

Stage 17 (200.0 km): 1. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:21.36; 2. Kasper Asgreen (DEN), 4:21:13; 3. Van Avermaet (BEL), 4:21:17; 4. Bauke Mollema (NED), 4:21:17; 5. Teuns (BEL), 4:21:17.

25 July: Stage 18 (208.0 km): Embrun to Valloire (high mountains)
26 July: Stage 19 (126.5 km): Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Tignes (high mountains)
27 July: Stage 20 (130.0 km): Albertville to Val Thorens (high mountains)
28 July: Stage 21 (128.0 km): Rambouillet to Paris (flat)

SWIMMING: Hungary’s Milak erases Phelps’s world record, while Pellegrini defeats Father Time in FINA Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
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Hungary's Kristof Milak on the way to World Championships victory (and a world record) in the men's 200 m Butterfly.

There was a time warp at the FINA World Championships in Gwangju (KOR) on Wednesday, with the calendar spinning back to 2009 when Michael Phelps and Federica Pellegrini were winning World Championships gold medals in the era of the plastic suit.

But this was, actually, 2019, and a Phelps’ world record from the Worlds in Rome was finally broken by Hungary’s 19-year-old Kristof Milak, and Pellegrini – amazingly – won another gold ten years later!

Milak actually had to come from well behind to win the 200 m Butterfly, as South Africa’s defending champion Chad le Clos sprinted from the start and had the lead after 100 m, .03 under Phelps’s world-record pace from 2009. But Milak, who was easily the fastest qualifier in the semifinals (1:52.96) charged home with a 28.69 third lap – well ahead of Phelps’s pace – and closed in 29.16 to shatter the world record of 1:51.51 with his own 1:50.73. Japan’s Daiya Seto was a distant second at 1:53.86, and le Clos held on for third in 1:54.15.

That stole the headlines from Pellegrini, now 30, who led off the program with her fourth World Championships gold medal in the 200 m Freestyle. She had upset Katie Ledecky in the 2017 Worlds, but had to contend with the new star of the moment in Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, winner of the 400 m Free over Ledecky. But Pellegrini started slow – seventh after the first lap – and ramped up slowly, moving to fourth after 100 m and second behind Titmus at 150 m. But the Italian had the most speed coming home, and was the only one to swim under 29 seconds for the final lap, coming from 0.17 down to pass Titmus and win going away in 1:54.22, the no. 6 performance in history and Pellegrini’s fastest since 2009. Titmus was second in 1:54.66 and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom was relegated to third in 1:54.78. The latter’s effort required medical attention and oxygen on the pool deck after the race.

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Fast forward to 2019 and we have the hokey mixed-gender relays, with the 4×100 m Medley closing the program. The U.S. was favored, but no one really knows how these events work out. Nevertheless, with a line-up of four Olympic gold medalists in Ryan Murphy (Back), Lilly King (Breast), Caeleb Dressel (Fly) and Simone Manuel (Free), the only question was whether Australia’s Cate Campbell would be close enough to overhaul Manuel on the anchor.

She was.

Murphy touched second and King kept the U.S. competitive, touching fifth, with Dressel flying through the pool in 49.33 to give Manuel a lead of 1.25 seconds over Campbell. The Australian moved up on Manuel on the first lap, then sprinted hard to touch first by 0.02 in 3:39.08 to 3:39.10 for the U.S. Campbell’s leg was timed in 51.10 to 52.37 for Manuel.

That’s a signal to watch for what Campbell might do in the 100 m Free, and ends Dressel’s shot at eight golds in this World Championships.

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Wednesday was a good night for Italy, as Gregorio Paltrinieri took control on the fifth lap and swam away from everyone to win the 800 m Freestyle in 7:39.27, a European Record and the sixth-fastest time in history. He adds the 800 m win to his 2017 victory in the 1,500 m and cements his status as the finest pool distance swimmer in the world today.

Britain’s Adam Peaty had no trouble defending his 2017 title in the 50 m Breaststroke, winning in 26.06; only he has swum faster, ever. It’s his third straight world title in the event and his sixth career individual Worlds golds.

In the evening semifinals, Dressel confirmed his favorite’s status in the 100 m Free, posting the best mark of 47.35, and American Kathleen Baker led all qualifiers in the 50 m Back (27.62). Hali Flickinger and Katie Drabot of the U.S. were the fastest qualifiers in the 200 m Fly in 2:06.25 and 2:06..59.

No shenanigans on the awards podium on Wednesday, so the focus was all on the swimming. Summaries so far:

FINA World Aquatics Championships
Gwangju (KOR) ~ 12-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

SWIMMING

Men

200 m Freestyle: 1. Yang Sun (CHN), 1:44.93; 2. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN), 1:45.22; 3. tie, Martin Malyutin (RUS) and Duncan Scott (GBR), 1:45.63; 5. Filippo Megli (ITA), 1:45.67; 6. Clyde Lewis (AUS), 1:45.78; 7. Dominik Kozma (HUN), 1:45.90; disqualified – Danas Rapsys (LTU).

400 m Freestyle: 1. Sun (CHN), 3:42.44; 2. Mack Horton (AUS), 3:43.17; 3. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 3:43.23; 4. Rapsys (LTU), 3:43.50; 5. Marco de Tullio (ITA), 3:44.86; 6. Xinjie Ji (CHN), 3:45.64; 8. Zane Grothe (USA), 3:45.78.

800 m Freestyle: 1. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 7:39.27; 2. Henrik Christiansen (DEN), 7:41.28; 3. David Aubry (FRA), 7:42.08; 4. Jack McLoughlin (AUS), 7:42.64; 5. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 7:43.89; 6. Sun (CHN), 7:45.01; 7. Sergii Frolov (RUS), 7:47.32; 8. Mykhallo Romanchuk (UKR), 7:49.32.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. United States (Caeleb Dressel, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Nathan Adrian), 3:09.06; 2. Russia (Grinev, Morozov, Kolesnikov, Rylov), 3:09.97; 3. Australia (McEvoy, Lewis, Graham, Chalmers), 3:11.22; 4. Italy, 3:11.39; 5. Great Britain, 3:11.81; 6. Brazil, 3:11.99; 7. Hungary, 3:12.85; 8. France, 3:13.34.

100 m Backstoke: 1. Jiayu Xu (CHN), 52.43; 2. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 52.67; 3. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 52.77; 4. Ryan Murphy (USA), 52.78; 5. Matt Grevers (USA), 52.82; 6. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 53.22; 7. Guilherme Guido (BRA), 53.26; 8. Robert Glinta (ROU), 54.22.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.06; 2. Felipe Lima (BRA), 26.66; 3. Joao Gomes Jr. (BRA), 26.69; 4. Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 26.72; 5. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 26.85; 6. Zibei Yan (CHN), 26.86; 7. Michael Andrew (USA), 26.93; disqualified – Fabio Scozzoli (ITA).

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Peaty (GBR), 57.14; 2. James Wilby (GBR), 58.46; 3. Zibei Yan (CHN), 58.63; 4. Yashuhiro Koseki (JPN), 58.93; 5. Prigoda (RUS), 59.09; 6. Andrew Wilson (USA), 59.11; 7. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ), 59.14; 8. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 59.19. (In semifinals: Peaty, 56.88, World Record; old, 57.10, Peaty, 2018).

100 m Butterfly: 1. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 22.35 (American Record; old, 22.57, Dressel, in semifinals); 2. Oleg Kostin (RUS), 22.70; 3. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 22.79; 4. Michael Andrew (USA), 22.80; 5. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 22.90; 6. Andrii Govorov (UKR), 22.91; 7. Benjamin Proud (GBR), 23.01; 8. Andrey Zhilkin (RUS), 23.11.

200 m Butterfly: 1. Kristof Milak (HUN), 1:50.73 (World Record; old, 1:51.51, Michael Phelps (USA), 2009); 2. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:53.86; 3. Chad le Clos (RSA), 1:54.15; 4. Federico Burdisso (ITA), 1:54.39; 5. Denys Kesyl (UKR), 1:54.79; 6. Zach Hartung (USA), 1:55.69; 7. Leonardo de Deus (FRA), 1:55.96; 8. Tamas Kenderesi (HUN), 1:57.10.

Women

200 m Freestyle: 1. Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 1:54.22; 2. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:54.66; 3. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 1:54.78; 4. Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 1:54.98; 5. Junxuan Yang (CHN), 1:55.43 (World Junior Record); 6. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 1:56.59; 7. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA), 1:56.95; 8. Rio Shirai (JPN), 1:57.14.

400 m Freestyle: 1. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:58.76; 2. Katie Ledecky (USA), 3:59.97; 3. Leah Smith (USA), 4:01.29; 4. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 4:01.31; 5. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 4:03.67; 6. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 4:05.36; 7. Anna Egorova (RUS), 4:06.16; 8. Veronika Andrusenko (RUS), 4:08.60.

1,500 m Freestyle: 1. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 15:40.89; 2. Sarah Kohler (GER), 15:48.83; 3. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 15:51.00; 4. Ashley Twichell (USA), 15:54.19; 5. Maddy Gough (AUS), 15:59.40; 6. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 16:01.35; 7. Kiah Melverton (AUS), 16:01.38; 8. Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 16:02.10.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Bronte Campbell, Throssell, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:30.21; 2. United States (Mallory Comerford, Abbey Weitzeil, Kelsi Dahlia, Simone Manuel), 3:31.02 (American Record; old, 3:31.72, National Team, 2017); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Oleksiak, MacNeil), 3:31.78; 4. Netherlands, 3:35.32; 5. China, 3:35.83; 6. Sweden, 3:36.33; 7. Japan, 3:36.79; 8. Germany, 3:39.07.

100 m Backstroke: 1. Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.60; 2. Minna Atherton (AUS), 58.85; 3. Olivia Smoliga (USA), 58.91; 4. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 58.96; 5. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 59.10; 6. tie, Katheen Baker (USA) and Natsumi Sakai (JPN), 59.56; 8. Daria Vaskina (RUS), 59.74.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Lilly King (USA), 1:04.93; 2. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:05.49; 3. Martina Carraro (ITA), 1:06.36; 4. Reona Aoki (JPN), 1:06.40; 5. Jingyao Yu (CHN), 1:06.56; 6. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 1:06.60; 7. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 1:06.96; 8. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA), 1:07.06.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Margaret MacNeil (CAN), 55.83; 2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 56.22; 3. Emma McKeon (AUS), 56.61; 4. Elena di Liddo (ITA), 57.07; 5. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 57.09; 6. Kelsi Dahlia (USA), 57.11; 7. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.16; 8. Marie Wattel (FRA), 57.29.

200 m Individual Medley: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:07.53; 2. Shiwen Ye (CHN), 2:08.60; 3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:08.70; 4. Melanie Margalis (USA), 2:08.91; 5. Rika Omoto (JPN), 2:09.32; 6. Seoyeong Kim (KOR), 2:10.12; 7. Siobhan O’Connor (GBR), 2:10.43; disqualified – Yui Ohashi (JPN).

Mixed

4×100 m Medley: 1. Australia (Larkin, Wilson, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:39.08; 2. United States (Ryan Murphy, Lilly King, Caeleb Dressel, Simone Manuel), 3:39.10; 3. Great Britain (Davies, Peaty, Guy, Anderson), 3:40.68; 4. Russia, 3:40.78; 5. Canada, 3:43.06; 6. Italy, 3:43.27; 7. Germany, 3:45.07; disqualified – Netherlands.

LANE ONE: Suddenly, the awards ceremonies are the most interesting part of the FINA World Championships!

By
Rich Perelman
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Mack Horton standing behind the podium during the 400 m Freestyle awards ceremony, as Yang Sun receives the gold medal (Photo: Host Broadcast screen grab)

It’s pretty hard for Americans to follow the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, Korea thanks to the time zone differences, but the swimming there has been about as crazy as sport gets in 2019. In the first three days:

● Katie Ledecky got sick, lost to Australia’s 18-year-old star Ariarne Titmus in the 400 m Freestyle and withdrew from the 200 m Free and 1,500 m Free and no one knows if she’s compete any more this week.

● Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, a dead solid lock to win the women’s 100 m Butterfly, lost to 19-year-old Maggie MacNeil of Canada, who just finished her freshman year at the University of Michigan. What?

● American sprinter Caeleb Dressel, fully recovered from his motorcycle accident in 2018, has won two golds already and could be in a position to win eight events – including relays – and surpass Michael Phelps for the most golds in a single World Championships.

But that’s not what most people are talking about. These results are important in swimming, but the buzz has been about the silent protest two swimmers have taken against Yang Sun of China.

The background is that Sun, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in distance Freestyle (200-400-1,500 m golds), tested positive for a recently-banned supplement in mid-2014 and was given a three-month suspension. Many swimmers considered the penalty light, but the World Anti-Doping Agency did not appeal the case.

A sensational report in the British newspaper The Sunday Times in 2018 stated that Sun and others destroyed doping specimens collected from him during an out-of-competition test in early September of that year. FINA investigated the incident and determined that since certain procedures were not followed properly, the samples were to be considered invalid and there was no doping violation.

The World Anti-Doping Agency did not agree with FINA’s findings and has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which is scheduled to be heard in September. In the meantime, Sun is swimming – and winning – in Gwangju and some of his fellow swimmers are not happy about it:

● After Sun won the 400 m Freestyle, 3:42.44-3:43.17, on Sunday over Australia’s Mack Horton – who beat him at the 2016 Rio Games – Horton staged a protest against him by standing at attention behind the podium while Sun received his gold medal and the Chinese anthem was played. Horton further stood apart from Sun and bronze medalist Gabriele Detti (ITA) when the traditional post-awards pictures were taken.

The Associated Press reported that Horton called Sun a “drug cheat” during the post-event news conference and said later, “I don’t think I need to say anything. His actions and how it has been handled speaks louder than anything I could say.”

Sun’s view, expressed through a interpreter, was “Disrespecting me was OK, but disrespecting China was unfortunate. I feel sorry about that.”

FINA wasn’t happy either, and posted a statement that it “has decided to send a warning letter to Swimming Australia Ltd and to athlete Mack Horton (AUS).

“While FINA respects the principle of freedom of speech, it has to be conducted in the right context.

“As in all major sports organisations, our athletes and their entourages are aware of their responsibilities to respect FINA regulations and not use FINA events to make personal statements or gestures.”

But Horton received applause when he entered the athlete’s dining room, reflecting a distrust of FINA as much as any animus against Sun. American Ryan Murphy, a three-time Backstroke gold-medal winner from Rio, told the AP that athlete sentiment was “more so standing against FINA and WADA for their response to these things.”

Breaststroke star Lilly King told the news service, “It was pretty great to see the athletes united on his stance and supporting him as well. I don’t think anyone at FINA is going to stand up for the athletes, so the athletes have to stand up for themselves.”

She added, in an interview with Swimming World, “FINA has currently done more to reprimand Mack Horton than they have done to reprimand Sun Yang. So think about that. Pretty crazy.”

Then it happened again.

● Sun lost the 200 m Freestyle on Tuesday to Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys, who was subsequently disqualified for moving while in the starting blocks prior to the race. So Sun was awarded the win, his second consecutive World Championships gold medal in the event. Japan’s Katsuhiro Matsumoto was advanced to the silver medal and there was a tie for third between Martin Malyutin of Russia and Duncan Scott of Great Britain.

During the awards ceremony, Scott mounted the podium, but did not shake Sun’s hand and stared straight ahead. He did not take the usual photograph with the other medal winners, but stood to the side. Sun was furious and reportedly shouted, “You loser … I am [the] winner” at Scott on the podium and then as they left the stand.

Embed from Getty Images

Chinese fans booed, but much of the rest of the crowd cheered Scott. But FINA had to get busy again and issued another statement that it “has decided to send a warning letter to athletes Duncan Scott (GBR) and Sun Yang (CHN).

“Both competitors had an inadequate behaviour on this occasion, which is not acceptable in accordance with the FINA Constitution Rule C 12.1.3.” That section refers to possible sanctions “ for bringing the sport into disrepute.”

This still isn’t over, as Sun made the final in the men’s 800 m Freestyle, but he isn’t expected to medal this time. But what is important is the stand being made by athletes against doping and what they consider to be a laissez-faire stance by FINA on doping.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport will have the last word on the Sun matter, but in the meantime, the actions of Horton and Scott have increased the intensity on doping and on FINA.

Awards ceremonies have been famous as protest platforms, but usually concerning domestic politics of the winners, such as the Tommie Smith-John Carlos raised-fists protest after the 200 m final in track & field in 1968 and the Vince Matthews-Wayne Collett casual-stance protest after the 400 m in Munich in 1972.

Horton and Scott, in contrast, did nothing, standing at attention at all times. And in doing so, they may have started a lot of things in motion.

Rich Perelman
Editor

CYCLING Preview: Dutch stars Kimmann and Smulders favored in World BMX Championships in Belgium

By
Rich Perelman
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Dutch World Champion and 2012 Olympic BMX bronze winner Laura Smulders

The best in BMX are assembled at the famous racecourse in Heusden-Zolder (BEL) for the UCI World Championships, ongoing this week with the elite men’s and women’s racing on Saturday (27th).

The fields include 97 men and 48 women, with 11 prior men’s medalists in the Olympic Games or World Championships this decade, and 10 women:

Men:
● Sylvain Andre (FRA) ~ 2018 World Champion, 2017 Worlds silver
● Joris Daudet (FRA) ~ 2011-16 World Champion; 2012-18 silver; 2010-17 bronze
● Anderson de Souza Filho (BRA) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze
● Corben Sharrah (USA) ~ 2017 World Champion
● Nicholas Long (USA) ~ 2016 Worlds bronze
● Niek Kimmann (NED) ~ 2015 World Champion; 2016 Worlds silver
● David Graf (SUI) ~ 2015 Worlds bronze
● Tre Whyte (GBR) ~ 2014 Worlds bronze
● Connor Fields (USA) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion
● Carlos Ramirez (COL) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
● Carlos Oquendo (COL) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist

Women:
● Mariana Pajon (COL) ~ 2012-16 Olympic gold; 2011-14-16 World Champ; 2017 bronze
● Simone Christensen (DEN) ~ 2015 Worlds bronze
● Manon Valentino (FRA) ~ 2013 Worlds bronze
● Judy Baauw (NED) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze
● Laura Smulders (NED) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze; 2018 World Champ; 2014 Worlds bronze
● Merel Smulders (NED) ~ 2018 Worlds silver
● Alise Willoughby (USA) ~ 2017 World Champion; 2014 silver; 2016 Olympic silver
● Stephany Hernandez (VEN) ~ 2015 World Champion; 2016 Olympic silver
● Laura Reynolds (AUS) ~ 2013 Worlds silver
● Sarah Walker (NZL) ~ 2012 Olympic silver; 2007-10-11 Worlds silver; 2008 Worlds bronze

In terms of the 2019 World Cup, the leaders – and Worlds favorites – include:

● Men:
1. 800 Niek Kimmann (NED)
2. 680 Joris Daudet (FRA)
3. 550 David Graf (SUI)
4. 540 Jeremy Rencurrel (FRA)
5. 470 Alfredo Campo (ECU)

● Women:
1. 670 Laura Smulders (NED)
2. 645 Alise Willoughby (USA)
3. 600 Judy Baauw (NED)
4. 595 Manon Valentino (FRA)
5. 550 Simone Christensen (DEN)

Prize money of € 5,000-3,000-2,000-1,200-800-600-500-400 will be available to the top eight finishers. Look for results here.

The USA Cycling Mountain Bike Championships are on this week at the Trestle Bike Park in Winter Park, Colorado, with multiple divisions for ages from 6 to 87!

In terms of the elite Cross Country championship, Howard Grotts will be looking for his fourth U.S. title in a row, and try to reclaim the U.S. Short Course title he lost to Chris Blevins in 2018, after winning in 2016 and 2017.

World Champion Kate Courtney, who has dominated the Nationals the last two years, is not entered. Erin Huck, the Cross Country champion in 2016 – and second to Courtney last year – will look to add another title to her resume. In the Short Course, she will be looking for her fourth consecutive title.

In the Downhill, Aaron Gwin was the national champs in 2016-17, and Neko Mulally won the men’s division in 2018. Jill Kintner won the women’s race in 2015-16-17, but Samantha Soriano claimed it last season.

Look for results here.

FENCING: Russian women superb in FIE Worlds as Deriglazova wins twice; U.S. makes history with men’s Foil title

By
Rich Perelman
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History makers: The first U.S. men's Team gold medalists in a full World Championships: (l-r) Foil stars Gerek Meinhardt, Race Imboden, Alex Massialas, Miles Chamley-Watson (Photo: FIE)

Russia’s women’s squad won medals in five of six events to headline the FIE World Championships at the BOK Sports Hall in Budapest (HUN), with its Olympic Champion showing she is ready to defend her title in Tokyo.

There was little surprise when Foil star Inna Deriglazova, who has dominated the event since 2015, won her third World Championship, defeating France’s Pauline Ranvier, 15-11 in the final. But Deriglazova also helped her team to their first Worlds gold since 2016 and was the only fencer to win two events in 2019.

There were no repeat champions from 2018, but three from 2017: Deriglazova won in Foil, as did Ukraine’s Olga Kharlan in Sabre (her fourth), and Hungary’s Andras Szatmari, who won his second World Championship in mens Sabre.

In all there were 10 multi-medalists (shown G-S-B):

Men (5):
● 1-1-0 ~ Enzo Lafort (FRA): Men’s Foil gold and Team Foil silver
● 1-1-0 ~ Andras Szatmari (HUN): Men’s Sabre gold and Team Sabre silver
● 1-1-0 ~ Sang-Uk Oh (KOR): Men’s Sabre silver and Team Sabre gold
● 0-1-1 ~ Igor Reizlin (UKR): Men’s Epee bronze and Team Epee silver
● 0-0-2 ~ Luca Curatoli (ITA): Men’s Sabre bronze and Team Sabre bronze

Women (5):
● 2-0-0 ~ Inna Deriglazova (RUS): Women’s Foil gold and Team Foil gold
● 1-1-0 ~ Sheng Lin (CHN): Women’s Epee silver and Team Epee gold
● 1-1-0 ~ Sofya Velikaya (RUS): Women’s Sabre silver and Team Sabre gold
● 0-1-1 ~ Arianna Errigo (ITA): Women’s Foil bronze and Team Foil silver
● 0-1-1 ~ Elisa Di Francesca (ITA): Women’s Foil bronze and Team Foil silver

The U.S., expected to do well, was shut out of the individual medals and looked like it might be shut out entirely for the first time since 2007. But the women’s Foil team scored a bronze medal on the penultimate day, defeating France, 45-43, with team members Jackie Dubrovich, Lee Kiefer, Nzingha Prescod and Nicole Ross.

That was accompanied by a welcome victory in the men’s Team Foil event, in which the U.S. has a formidable quartet of Gerek Meinhardt, Alexander Massialas, Race Imboden and Miles Chamley-Watson. They clubbed Russia in the semifinals, 45-30 and made short work of France in the final by 45-32.

U.S. women won the Team Epee and Team Foil at the 2018 Worlds, but this was the first men’s title in a full World Championships ever! The U.S. men’s Epee team did win the world title in a special Worlds in 2012 that included on that event, because it was not on the Olympic program.

Summaries:

FIE World Championships
Budapest (HUN) ~ 15-23 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Epee: 1. Gergely Siklosi (HUN); 2. Sergey Bida (RUS); 3. Andrea Santarelli (ITA) and Igor Reizlin (UKR). Semis: Siklosi d. Santarelli, 15-9; Bida d. Reizlin, 15-10. Final: Siklosi d. Bida, 15-14.

Team Epee: 1. France (Bardenet, Bortel, Gustin, Jerent); 2. Ukraine (Herey, Nikishin, Reizlin, Svichkar); 3. Switzerland (Heinzer, Malcotti, Niggeler, Steffen); 4. China. Semis: Ukraine d. China, 38-24; France d. Switzerland, 45-27. Third: Switzerland d. Chianb, 45-35. Final: France d. Ukraine, 45-37.

Foil: 1. Enzo Lefort (FRA); 2. Marcus Mepstead (GBR); 3. Young Ki Son (KOR) and Dmitry Zherebchenko (RUS). Semis: Lefort d. Zherenchenko, 15-7; Mepstead d. Son, 15-12. Final: Lefort d. Mepstead, 15-6.

Team Foil: 1. United States (Miles Chamley-Watson, Race Imboden, Gerek Meinhardt, Alexander Massialas); 2. France (Le Pechoux, Lefort, Mertine, Pauty); 3. Italy (Avola, Cassara, Foconi, Garozzo); 4. Russia. Semis: U.S. d. Russia, 45-30; France d. Italy, 45-32. Third: Italy d. Russia, 45-32. Final: U.S. d. France, 45-32.

Sabre: 1. Andras Szatmari (HUN); 2. Sang-Uk Oh (KOR); 3. Luca Curatoli (ITA) and Majtaba Abedini (IRI). Semis: Szatmari d. Abedini, 15-8; Oh d. Curatoli, 15-11. Final: Szatmari d. Oh, 15-12.

Team Sabre: 1. Korea (Gu, Ha, Kim, Oh); 2. Hungary (Decsi Gemesi, Szatmari, Szilagyi); 3. Italy (Berre, Curatoli, Montano, Samele); 4. Germany. Semis: Korea d. Germany, 45-22; Hungary d. Italy, 45-38. Third: Italy d. Germany, 45-38. Final: Korea d. Hungary, 45-44.

Women

Epee: 1. Nathalie Moellhausen (BRA); 2. Sheng Lin (CHN); 3. Olena Krvytska (UKR) and Man Wai Vivian Kong (HKG). Semis: Moellhausen d. Kong, 15-11; Lin d. Krvytska, 15-14. Final: Moellhausen d. Lin, 13-12.

Team Epee: 1. China (Lin, Sun, Xu, Zhu); 2. Russia (Andryushina, Khrapina, Kolobova, Shutova); 3. Italy (Clerici, Fiamingo, Isola, Navarria); 4. Ukraine. Semis: China d. Italy, 44-31; Russia d. Ukraine, 42-40. Third: Italy d. Ukraine, 45-36. Final: China d. Russia, 29-28.

Foil: 1. Inna Deriglazova (RUS); 2. Pauline Ranvier (FRA); 3. Arianna Errigo (ITA) and Elisa Di Francesca (ITA). Semis: Deriglazova d. Di Francesca, 15-13; Ranvier d. Errigo, 15-13. Final: Deriglazova d. Ranvier, 15-11.

Team Foil: 1. Russia (Deriglazova, Ivanova, Korobeynikova, Zagidullina); 2. Italy (Di Francesca, Errigo, Palumbo, Volpi); 3. United States (Jackie Dubrovich, Lee Kiefer, Nzingha Prescod, Nicole Ross); 4. France. Semis: Italy d. France, 45-37; Russia d. U.S., 45-36. Third: U.S. d. France, 45-43. Final: Russia d. Italy, 43-42.

Sabre: 1. Olga Kharlan (UKR); 2. Sofya Velikaya (RUS); 3. Theodora Gkountoura (GRE) and Bianca Pascu (ROU). Semis: Kharlan d. Pascu, 15-5; Velikaya d. Gkountoura, 15-11. Final: Kharlan d. Velikaya, 15-14.

Team Sabre: 1. Russia (Egorian, Nikitina, Pozdniakova, Velikaya); 2. France (Berder, Brunet, Lembach, Queroli); 3. Korea (Choi, Hwang, J-Y Kim, Yoon)); 4. Italy. Semis: France d. Korea, 45-43; Russia d. Italy, 45-37. Third: Korea d. Italy, 45-35. Final: Russia d. France, 45-40.

ATHLETICS Preview: U.S. sprint sensations can only get to Doha through the USATF Nationals in Des Moines

By
Rich Perelman
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Wold 110 m hurdles leader Grant Holloway (Photo: jenaragon94 via Wikimedia)

One of the hallmarks of the U.S. qualifying system in track & field is earning your place. With few exceptions, if you want to be on the American team for the Olympic Games or World Championships, you have to beat essentially everyone else in the U.S.

For the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha (QAT), the USA Track & Field National Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa is the gateway. The competition in many of the events will be especially fierce; our preview of each men’s event – women’s preview on Wednesday – focuses on the leading declared performers based on 2019 marks:

● 100 m:
1. 9.81 ~ Christian Coleman
2. 9.87 ~ Justin Gatlin
3. 9.93 ~ Cravon Gillespie
4. 9.99 ~ Isaiah Young
5. 10.00 ~ Mike Rodgers

Noah Lyles (9.86) opted out of this event to concentrate on the 200 m, and Gatlin has a wild-card entry into the Worlds as defending champion, so third through fifth could be very meaningful here. Where’s Ronnie Baker? The world leader for much of 2018, who ran 9.87, hasn’t been seen so far in 2019, but is entered and declared. Gillespie has been the surprise of the season and has continued his NCAA heroics with solid running in Europe.

● 200 m:
1. 19.50 ~ Noah Lyles
2. 19.82 ~ Kenny Bednarek
3. 19.91 ~ Christian Coleman
4. 20.04 ~ Andrew Hudson
5. 20.09 ~ Micaiah Harris

Michael Norman (19.70) and Cravon Gillespie (19.93) are skipping this event, which is all about Lyles right now after his 19.50 screamer at the Lausanne Diamond League meet. As Lyles is odds-on to win the Diamond League this season, the U.S. could get four in the Worlds in Doha. Bednarek had that fabulous double at the NJCAA Nationals, but hasn’t been that good in his European races. So what about last season’s winner Ameer Webb? He’s only run the 200 m once this year, a 20.64 at the Mt. SAC Relays in April. Is he in shape?

● 400 m:
1. 43.45 ~ Michael Norman
2. 44.23 ~ Kahmari Montgomery
3. 44.25 ~ Trevor Stewart
4. 44.49 ~ Fred Kerley
5. 44.63 ~ Wil London II

With Olympic and World Champion Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) still recovering from surgery, Norman is the favorite for Doha and could also win the Diamond League, giving the U.S. a fourth entry. Montgomery has been OK in his post-NCAA meets, but will be well rested. Stewart won the NACAC title in 45.01 and Kerley and London are veterans. This will be a deep field in Des Moines, which means Norman might be juiced to do something special.

● 800 m:
1. 1:43.63 ~ Donavan Brazier
2. 1:44.41 ~ Bryce Hoppel
3. 1:44.47 ~ Clayton Murphy
4. 1:45.39 ~ Brandon Kidder
5. 1:45.58 ~ Quamel Prince

Brazier, at 22, is suddenly the veteran, along with Olympic bronze medalist Murphy, but what about NCAA champ Hoppel? Only five months younger than Brazier, he ran 1:44.48 at the Sunset Tour in Azusa, California two weeks ago, but has run 16 800 m races so far this season and is undefeated in 12 meets. Is he ready for national spotlight?

● 1,500 m:
1. 3:35.14 ~ Henry Wynne
2. 3:35.77 ~ Brannon Kidder
3. 3:35.32 ~ Craig Engels
4. 3:36.22 ~ Ben Blankenship
5. 3:36.49 ~ Johnny Gregorek

What kind of shape is Matthew Centrowitz in? He ran 3:52.26 for sixth in the Pre Classic mile, but did not finish in the Sunset Tour 5,000 m. He’s the key to this race; without him, it’s wide open for someone to steal in the last 200 m.

● 3,000 m Steeple:
1. 8:08.41 ~ Hillary Bor
2. 8:15.94 ~ Stanley Kebenei
3. 8:16.52 ~ Andy Bayer
4. 8:25.65 ~ Jordan Mann
5. 8:27.29 ~ Mason Ferlic

Evan Jager is out with a foot injury and hasn’t competed all year. That leaves the way open for Bor and Kebenei, both of whom have run well on the international circuit and have a rare chance for a national title, as Jager has won the last seven in a row.

● 5,000 m:
1. 13:05.70 ~ Paul Chelimo
2. 13:09.81 ~ Ben True
3. 13:17.23 ~ Kirubel Erassa
4. 13:21.18 ~ Drew Hunter
5. 13:22.28 ~ Josef Tessema

● 10,000 m:
1. 27:32.89 ~ Kirubel Erassa
2. 27:34.01 ~ Leonard Korir
3. 27:58.67 ~ Reid Buchanan
4. 28:09.88 ~ Jacob Thomson
5. 28:11.30 ~ Connor McMillan

Chelimo talked about doubling at the Worlds, but missed the 10,000 qualifying standard and will concentrate on the 5,000 m, where he is a medal contender thanks to being one of the best tacticians in the world. The Doha entry standards could be an issue depending on who finishes where: 13:22.50 and 27:40.00.

● 110 m hurdles:
1. 12.98 ~ Grant Holloway
2. 13.00 ~ Daniel Roberts
3. 13.33 ~ Devon Alen
4. 13.36 ~ Freddie Crittenden
5. 13.37 ~ Dashaun Jackson and Isaiah Moore

The new generation of American hurdlers are here and Holloway and Roberts are 1-2 on the world list from their titanic battle at the NCAA Championships. Holloway won his one European meet (13.16) earlier this summer and Roberts (13.11) was second in Lausanne. After their long collegiate seasons, the long rest before the USATF meet could be just what they need to be refreshed.

● 400 m hurdles:
1. 47.16 ~ Rai Benjamin
2. 48.48 ~ Quincy Hall
3. 48.71 ~ Norman Grimes
4. 48.72 ~ Amere Lattin
5. 48.99 ~ David Kendzeira

Benjamin has been one of the sensations of 2018 and 2019 and has his opportunity to win his first U.S. national title. Can any of the veterans, like 2016 Olympic champ Kerron Clement (51.47 in his only race this season), T.J. Holmes (49.25) or Johnny Dutch (49.26) get something going? Hall, Grimes and Lattin were 1-2-3 at the NCAAs.

● High Jump:
1. 2.28 m ~ Jeron Robinson (7-5 3/4)
2. 2.27 m ~ Jordan Wesner (7-5 1/4)
2. 2.27 m ~ Ernie Sears (7-5 1/4)
4. 2.25 m ~ Keenon Laine (7-4 1/2)
5. 2.24 m ~ Shelby McEwen and Zack Anderson (7-4 1/4)

Robinson has been the best American this season, but more importantly, the Doha qualifying standard is 2.30 m (7-6 1/2). That will shape the competition as much as the entrants.

● Pole Vault:
1. 5.95 m ~ San Kendricks (19-6 1/4)
1. 5.95 m ~ Chris Nilsen (19-6 1/4)
3. 5.81 m ~ Cole Walsh (19-0 3/4)
4. 5.77 m ~ Zach Bradford (18-11)
5. 5.75 m ~ Clayton Fritsch (18-10 1/4)

Kendricks has a pass into the Worlds as defending champ, so three more can go if they have achieved the 5.71 m (18-8 3/4) qualifying standard. Nilsen won the NCAA meet over Mondo Duplantis (SWE), but now needs to move up into the professional world. Walsh has been all over the Diamond League and holding his own; a Worlds appearance would help advance him considerably.

● Long Jump:
1. 8.38 m ~ Jeff Henderson (27-6)
2. 8.25 m ~ Steffin McCarter (27-0 3/4)
3. 8.21 m ~ Will Claye (26-11 1/4)
4. 8.18 m ~ Trumaine Jefferson (26-10)
5. 8.15 m ~ Damarcus Simpson (26-9)

Believe it or not, the Worlds qualifying standard is 8.17 m (26-9 3/4), so that will be an issue if someone lower on the list pops up into the top three. Rio Olympic winner Henderson has been wildly inconsistent all year, and is Will Claye physically OK after some issues at the Monaco Diamond League triple jump? McCarter was 10th at the NCAA meet for Texas, then jumped 8.25 m (27-0 3/4) at Chula Vista on 13 July. Really? His next-best jump ever is 7.96 mi (26-1 1/2) indoors in 2018.

● Triple Jump:
1. 18.14 m ~ Will Claye (59-6 1/4)
2. 17.82 m ~ Christian Taylor (58-5 3/4)
3. 17.68 m ~ Omar Craddock (58-0 1/4)
4. 17.43 m ~ Donald Scott (57-2 1/4)
5. 16.99 m ~ Armani Wallace (55-9)

Taylor is the reigning World Champion, so the U.S. can get Claye, Craddock and Scott to Doha if they finish in the top four with Taylor. U.S. triple jumping has never been this good or this competitive in depth, but how well in Claye after his Monaco injury?

● Shot Put:
1. 22.74 m ~ Ryan Crouser (74-7 1/4)
2. 21.85 m ~ Darrell Hill (71-8 1/4)
3. 21.63 m ~ Jon Jones (70-11 3/4)
4. 21.59 m ~ Jordan Geist (70-10)
5. 21.46 m ~ Joe Kovacs (70-5)

Crouser won the national title in 2016 and 2017, Hill won in 2018 and Kovacs was USATF champ in 2014 and 2015. Crouser and Hill appear to be locks for Doha if they are in health; it will be quite a struggle for the third spot!

● Discus:
1. 67.13 m ~ Mason Finley (220-3)
2. 66.67 m ~ Reggie Jggers (218-8)
3. 65.42 m ~ Brian Williams (214-7)
4. 65.29 m ~ Sam Mattis (214-2)
5. 64.60 m ~ Rodney Brown (211-11)

Finley won the 2016 and 2017 national titles, plus a bronze medal in London in 2017. Jagers was a surprise winner last year in Des Moines, but has been competitive on the international circuit. The qualifying standard for Doha is in play here, at 65.00 m (213-3)

● Hammer:
1. 77.59 m ~ Sean Donnelly (254-6)
2. 76.49 m ~ Alex Young (250-11)
3. 75.61 m ~ Rudy Winkler (248-0)
4. 75.55 m ~ Daniel Haugh (247-10)
5. 75.28 m ~ Conor McCullough (247-0)

The Doha qualifying standard of 76.00 m (249-4) could be a severe stumbling block for U.S. entries of Donnelly and Young don’t go 1-2, or the event proves to be better than expected. Donnelly ranks ninth on the world list for 2019; Young is 20th.

● Javelin:
1. 80.25 m ~ Michael Shuey (263-3)
2. 79.28 m ~ Riley Dolezal (260-1)
3. 78.82 m ~ Curtis Thompson (258-7)
4. 77.15 m ~ Mark Minichello (253-1)
5. 76.72 m ~ Nick Howe (25-18)

Dolezal was national champ in 2013 and 2017, but with a Worlds qualifying standard of 83.00 m (272-4) and Shuey standing 45th on the world list right now, it’s very possible that no one from the U.S. will be able to throw in Doha.

● Decathlon:
1. 8,344 ~ Zach Ziemek
2. 8,130 ~ Solomon Simmons
3. 8,112 ~ Harrison Williams
4. 8,094 ~ Scott Filip
5. 7,924 ~ Devon Williams

Ziemek compiled his best score since 2016 with his 8.344 runner-up at the Decastar meet in Talence earlier this year, so he’s on the rise once again. He’s the only one with the qualifying standard of 8,200 points, so look for Simmons, Williams and Filip to aim for that score more than worry about placements.

There is prize money in this meet of $8,000-6,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,000-1,000 for the top seven placers.

NBCSN has coverage on Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern time, on NBC on Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern and on Sunday on NBC from 8 p.m. Eastern time. Look for results link here.

SWIMMING: King continues mastery of Efimova and defends 100 m Breast world title

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympic and World breaststroke champ Lilly King

The most public feud in swimming today has to be between breaststroke stars American Lilly King and Russia’s Yuliya Efimova, who between them own seven World Championships titles in that stroke.

But the American is having it her way now. After sweeping all three distances from Efimova at the FINA Champions Series in Indianapolis earlier this year, she easily outdistanced Efimova in the 100 m Breaststroke final at the FINA World Championships in Gwangju (KOR).

King started off strong and never let up, scorching the first 50 m in 30.29 for a 41/100ths lead and while Efimova is known for her finishing speed – and she got close – King’s second lap was the fastest in the field at 34.64 to Efimova’s 34.79. The final time of 1:04.93 is exactly the same as King’s winning time at the 2016 Rio Games and is the co-11th-fastest ever.

The U.S. had high hopes in the women’s 100 m Backstroke, with world-record holder Kathleen Baker and Olivia Smoliga in the final. Baker got out brilliantly and made the turn as the co-leader with Canada’s Taylor Ruck (28.42), but it was defending champion Kylie Masse (CAN) who had the speed in the end and won (again) in 58.60. Baker faded to sixth, but Smoliga made a charge along with Minna Atherton (AUS) and the Australian touched for silver (58.85) and Smoliga got the bronze (58.91), her first World Championships individual medal.

In the men’s 100 m Backstroke, the U.S. had the last two Olympic Champions in the pool, and Rio champ Ryan Murphy took off from the start, racing to a solid lead at the turn, but he couldn’t hold on. China’s Jiayu Xu defended his 2017 world title – just as Masse did – with a quick 27.21 final lap to win in 52.43, ahead of Russia’s Evgeny Rylov (52.67) and Australia’s Mitch Larkin (52.77), who came from seventh at the turn to the bronze medal. Murphy ended up fourth, 1/100th from the bronze medal and 2012 Olympic winner Matt Grevers (52.82) was fifth.

The women’s 1,500 m was won by Italy’s Simona Quadarella in the absence of the ill Katie Ledecky. Bronze medalist in 2017, Quadarella was in front almost from the beginning and won easily in 15:40.89, almost eight seconds ahead of Germany’s Sarah Kohler. It was a lifetime best for Quadarella by almost eight seconds and is the 12th-fastest swim in the event ever and makes the Italian the no. 4 performer in history. Ledecky owns the top eight marks ever.

The wildest event of the night was the men’s 200 m final, won by Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys in 1:44.69. But he was disqualified after the race for “movement on the blocks” and that gave a repeat victory to China’s Yang Sun (1:44.93), with Japan’s Katsuhiro Matsumoto moving from bronze to silver and Duncan Scott (GBR) and Martin Malyutin (RUS) awarded the bronze medals in a tie for third.

Then came the awards ceremony and Scott – like Australia’s Mack Horton after the 400 m Free – refused to acknowledge Sun, did not shake hands with him, or take pictures with him after the ceremony, standing aside from the other medalists.

Sun isn’t done, by the way. He was the eighth and final qualifier in the 800 m Free, so he’ll be back. Summaries so far:

FINA World Aquatics Championships
Gwangju (KOR) ~ 12-28 July 2019
(Full results here)

SWIMMING

Men

200 m Freestyle: 1. Yang Sun (CHN), 1:44.93; 2. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN), 1:45.22; 3. tie, Martin Malyutin (RUS) and Duncan Scott (GBR), 1:45.63; 5. Filippo Megli (ITA), 1:45.67; 6. Clyde Lewis (AUS), 1:45.78; 7. Dominik Kozma (HUN), 1:45.90; disqualified – Danas Rapsys (LTU).

400 m Freestyle: 1. Sun (CHN), 3:42.44; 2. Mack Horton (AUS), 3:43.17; 3. Gabriele Detti (ITA), 3:43.23; 4. Rapsys (LTU), 3:43.50; 5. Marco de Tullio (ITA), 3:44.86; 6. Xinjie Ji (CHN), 3:45.64; 8. Zane Grothe (USA), 3:45.78.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. United States (Caeleb Dressel, Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Nathan Adrian), 3:09.06; 2. Russia (Grinev, Morozov, Kolesnikov, Rylov), 3:09.97; 3. Australia (McEvoy, Lewis, Graham, Chalmers), 3:11.22; 4. Italy, 3:11.39; 5. Great Britain, 3:11.81; 6. Brazil, 3:11.99; 7. Hungary, 3:12.85; 8. France, 3:13.34.

100 m Backstoke: 1. Jiayu Xu (CHN), 52.43; 2. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 52.67; 3. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 52.77; 4. Ryan Murphy (USA), 52.78; 5. Matt Grevers (USA), 52.82; 6. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 53.22; 7. Guilherme Guido (BRA), 53.26; 8. Robert Glinta (ROU), 54.22.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 57.14; 2. James Wilby (GBR), 58.46; 3. Zibei Yan (CHN), 58.63; 4. Yashuhiro Koseki (JPN), 58.93; 5. Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 59.09; 6. Andrew Wilson (USA), 59.11; 7. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ), 59.14; 8. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 59.19. (In semifinals: Peaty, 56.88, World Record; old, 57.10, Peaty, 2018).

100 m Butterfly: 1. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 22.35 (American Record; old, 22.57, Dressel, in semifinals); 2. Oleg Kostin (RUS), 22.70; 3. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 22.79; 4. Michael Andrew (USA), 22.80; 5. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 22.90; 6. Andrii Govorov (UKR), 22.91; 7. Benjamin Proud (GBR), 23.01; 8. Andrey Zhilkin (RUS), 23.11.

Women

400 m Freestyle: 1. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:58.76; 2. Katie Ledecky (USA), 3:59.97; 3. Leah Smith (USA), 4:01.29; 4. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 4:01.31; 5. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 4:03.67; 6. Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 4:05.36; 7. Anna Egorova (RUS), 4:06.16; 8. Veronika Andrusenko (RUS), 4:08.60.

1,500 m Freestyle: 1. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 15:40.89; 2. Sarah Kohler (GER), 15:48.83; 3. Jianjiahe Wang (CHN), 15:51.00; 4. Ashley Twichell (USA), 15:54.19; 5. Maddy Gough (AUS), 15:59.40; 6. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 16:01.35; 7. Kiah Melverton (AUS), 16:01.38; 8. Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 16:02.10.

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Bronte Campbell, Throssell, McKeon, Cate Campbell), 3:30.21; 2. United States (Mallory Comerford, Abbey Weitzeil, Kelsi Dahlia, Simone Manuel), 3:31.02 (American Record; old, 3:31.72, National Team, 2017); 3. Canada (Sanchez, Ruck, Oleksiak, MacNeil), 3:31.78; 4. Netherlands, 3:35.32; 5. China, 3:35.83; 6. Sweden, 3:36.33; 7. Japan, 3:36.79; 8. Germany, 3:39.07.

100 m Backstroke: 1. Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.60; 2. Minna Atherton (AUS), 58.85; 3. Olivia Smoliga (USA), 58.91; 4. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 58.96; 5. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 59.10; 6. tie, Katheen Baker (USA) and Natsumi Sakai (JPN), 59.56; 8. Daria Vaskina (RUS), 59.74.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Lilly King (USA), 1:04.93; 2. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:05.49; 3. Martina Carraro (ITA), 1:06.36; 4. Reona Aoki (JPN), 1:06.40; 5. Jingyao Yu (CHN), 1:06.56; 6. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 1:06.60; 7. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 1:06.96; 8. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA), 1:07.06.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Margaret MacNeil (CAN), 55.83; 2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 56.22; 3. Emma McKeon (AUS), 56.61; 4. Elena di Liddo (ITA), 57.07; 5. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 57.09; 6. Kelsi Dahlia (USA), 57.11; 7. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.16; 8. Marie Wattel (FRA), 57.29.

200 m Individual Medley: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:07.53; 2. Shiwen Ye (CHN), 2:08.60; 3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:08.70; 4. Melanie Margalis (USA), 2:08.91; 5. Rika Omoto (JPN), 2:09.32; 6. Seoyeong Kim (KOR), 2:10.12; 7. Siobhan O’Connor (GBR), 2:10.43; disqualified – Yui Ohashi (JPN).

SWIMMING: Rasovszky and Bruni leave Gwangju, win 10 km World Series races in Canada two days later!

By
Rich Perelman
-
World 5 km Open Water champ Kristof Rasovszky of Hungary (Photo: FINA)

Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky and Italy’s Rachele Bruni both had busy schedules at the 2019 Open Water Worlds in Korea. Rasovszky won the 5 km title on 13 July, was fourth in the 10 km on the 16th and started – but did not finish – the 25 km swim on the 19th.

Bruni won the bronze medal in the 10 km Worlds on the 14th, then finished fifth in the 5 km on the 17th.

Both packed their bags, got on a trans-Pacific flight and on the 21st (Sunday) were at Lac St. Jean in central Quebec to win the fifth leg of the FINA Open Water World Series!

Rasovszky won his race easily, more than 12 seconds ahead of runner-up Fares Zitouni of France, while Bruni won a tight finish from fellow Worlds competitor Anna Olasz (HUN), by less then four seconds. Olasz competed in the Worlds 25 km race and only arrived in Canada at 3 a.m. before the race! But she noted that “arriving on race day is nice because jet lag hasn’t hit me yet.”

All three should get a special medal for the most combined miles on water, land and air between two competitions in three days!

Zitouni won his first-ever World Series medal in the men’s race and Caroline Laure Jouisse (FRA) took the women’s bronze, also her first World Series podium. Summaries:

FINA Open Water Marathon World Series
Lac St. Jean (CAN) ~ 21 July 2019
(Full results here)

Men (10 km): 1. Kristof Rasovszky (HUN), 1:53:28.80; 2. Fares Zitouni (FRA), 1:53:41.30; 3. Dario Verani (ITA), 1:53:44.59; 4. Matteo Furlan (ITA), 1:53:47.00; 5. Marcel Schouten (NED), 1:53:47.01.

Women (10 km): 1. Rachele Bruni (ITA), 2:03:56.40; 2. Anna Olasz (HUN), 2:04:00.30; 3. Caroline Laure Jouisse (FRA), 2:04:03.20; 4. Stephanie Horner (CAN), 2:04:08.80; 5. Kenna Delaney Smallegange (CAN), 2:05:47.40.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL Preview: Tokyo World Tour test event has both no. 1-ranked pairs and women’s World Champions

By
Rich Perelman
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World no. 1s April Ross and Alix Klineman of the U.S. (Photo: FIVB)

The FIVB World Tour is in Japan for a 4-star tournament in Tokyo’s Shiokaze Park that is also the “dress rehearsal” for the 2020 Olympic Beach tournament. Combined with a $300,000 prize purse – and $20,000 to the winning teams – the field are outstanding. The top seeds:

● Men:
1. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum (NOR) ~ Gstaad 5-star Major winners
2. Grzegorz Fijalek/Michal Bryl (POL) ~ Ostrava Open bronze medalists
3. Nick Lucena/Phil Dalhausser (USA) ~ Doha Open runners-up
4. Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb (USA)
5. Evandro Goncalves/Bruno Oscar Schmidt (BRA) ~ Warsaw Open winners

● Women:
1. Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova (CZE) ~ Kuala Lumpur Open winners
2. Ana Patricia Silva Ramos/Rebecca Cavalcanti (BRA) ~ Xiamen Open winners
3. Agatha Bednarczuk/Duda Lisboa (BRA) ~ Ostrava Open winners
4. Alix Klineman/April Ross (USA) ~ World Championships silver medalists
5. Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson (CAN) ~ Las Vegas and Chemutai Open winners

Canada’s World Champions, Saran Pavan and Melissa Human-Paredes are also in the field, but seeded sixth!

The FIVB’s no. 1-ranked pairs are both entered: Norway’s Mol and Sorum for the men and American women Klineman and Ross. Look for results here.

BADMINTON Preview: Resurgent Japan looks for most wins ever in Japan Open in Tokyo

By
Rich Perelman
-
Defending Japan Open champ Kento Momota of Japan (Photo: BWF)

The Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open is one of the prestige tournament on the Badminton World Tour and the home team will have plenty of backing at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza in Tokyo for this week’s event.

The question is whether they can follow up on last year’s breakthrough and set a new standard in their own BWF tournament.

In fact, Japan has had few champions in this event for most of its history. Founded in 1977, the home team had an occasional winner, but finally got two victories in the same season only in 2018, with Kento Momota in the men’s Singles and Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota in the women’s Doubles.

For 2019, four of the five defending champions return and Momota is again the top seed. The top three seeds in the women’s Doubles are all Japanese and they have contenders in each of the other events. The top seeds:

● Men/Singles:
1. Kento Momota (JPN) ~ Defending Japan Open Champion
2. Tien Chen Chou (TPE)
3. Long Chen (CHN) ~ 2011 Champion

● Men/Doubles:
1. Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (INA) ~ 2017-18 Champions
2. Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda (JPN)
3. Junhui Li/Yuchen Liu (CHN) ~ 2016 Champions

● Women/Singles:
1. Tzu-Ying Tai (TPE) ~ 2012 Champion
2. Yufei Chen (CHN)
3. Nozomi Okuhara (JPN) ~ 2015 Champion

● Women/Doubles:
1. Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara (JPN)
2. Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota (JPN) ~ 2018 Champions
3. Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) ~ 2014-17 Champions

● Mixed Doubles:
1. Siwei Zheng/Yaqiong Huang (CHN) ~ 2016/18 Champions
2. Yilyu Wang/Dongping Huang (CHN) ~ 2017 Champions
3. Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino (JPN)

This is a $750,000 prize money tournament, with $52,500-25,500-10,500 for the top three places in Singles and $55,500-26,250-10,500 for the top three in Doubles.

Look for results here.

SWIMMING: Ledecky withdraws from Worlds 1,500 m Freestyle final

By
Rich Perelman
-
Comedian: American Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky

Whatever is bothering Katie Ledecky, it’s enough to keep her out of the pool entirely on Day 3 of the World Championships in Gwangju, Korea.

Withdrawn from the morning 200 m heats, Ledecky has further withdrawn from the evening 1,500 m final, in which she was the favorite and the fastest qualifier (as well as being the world-record holder).

USA Swimming did not elaborate on the statement released by National Team Managing Director Lindsay Mintenko:

“A decision has been made by Team USA in consultation with Katie, her coach and the team’s medical staff for her to withdraw from the 200-meter freestyle event (and 1500m free) on medical grounds.

“Katie has not been feeling well since arriving to Gwangju on July 17 and these precautionary measures are being taken to ensure her well-being and proper recovery, and to allow her to focus her energy on an abbreviated schedule.”

That would indicate that Ledecky could be available for the 800 m Freestyle, with heats on Friday morning (26th) and the final on Saturday evening (27th). Ledecky is the world-record holder in the event, but there is no indication when a decision will be made on whether she will swim on Friday.

Spain’s Mirelia Belmonte will swim in the 1,500 m final in Ledecky’s place. The U.S. does have Ashley Twichell in the race; although best known as an Open Water star, with Ledecky out, she could contend for a medal.

SWIMMING: Ledecky, McKeon and Ruck all withdraw from Worlds 200 m Freestyle

By
Rich Perelman
-
Trouble in Korea for American Freestyle star Katie Ledecky

The morning heats on the third day of the FINA World Championships brought three shocks in the same event, the women’s 200 m Freestyle:

● American Katie Ledecky withdrew, and USA Swimming National Team Managing Director Lindsay Mintenko issued a statement:

“A decision has been made by Team USA in consultation with Katie, her coach and the team’s medical staff for her to withdraw from the 200-meter freestyle event on medical grounds.

“The team will determine her participation in this evening’s 1500m final later in the day.

“Katie has not been feeling well since arriving to Gwangju on July 17 and these precautionary measures are being taken to ensure her well-being and proper recovery, and to allow her to focus her energy on an abbreviated schedule.”

● Australia’s Emma McKeon, the 2017 Worlds silver medalist in this race, also withdrew for medical reasons, according to the Australian team. She had already won a 4×100 m Free gold and a bronze in the 100 m Butterfly in Gwangju.

Swimming World reported that a Swimming Australia spokesman said, “Emma’s not feeling 100% so it was decided to pull her from the 200m. She’s got a big program and the hope is that she’ll be better placed for her other events as the week goes on.”

● Canada’s Taylor Ruck, the 2018 Short Course Worlds bronze medalist in the 200 m Free, withdraw as well, apparently to concentrate on the 100 m Backstroke final, in which she was the no. 3 qualifier.

In the absence of these three stars, Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom led the qualifying at 1:55.14, with Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey second at 1:56.02 and 400 m Free winner Ariarne Titmus (AUS) third-fastest at 1:56.34.

Wow!

As for Ledecky, the women’s 1,500 m final – in which she is the world-record holder – is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. on Korea, or 7:10 a.m. Eastern time in the U.S.

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