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CYCLING: Bernal shines in final stages to win Tour de Suisse; now a Tour de France favorite?

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

During his debut in the Tour de France in 2018, you heard over and over again about Colombia’s young star Egan Bernal, as in “he’s going to win this race some day.”

That day might have come.

Bernal, still just 22, rode brilliantly in the final, mountainous stages of the 83rd Tour de Suisse, taking over the lead position by finishing second in the sixth stage, then winning the seventh stage – both uphill finishes – and then finishing third in the final ride on Sunday, with its three major climbs.

With the Tour de France starting in a couple of weeks, Bernal is as hot as any rider out there; consider his World Tour finishes in 2019:

● 03-17 March: Paris-Nice ~ Winner
● 25-31 March: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya ~ Third
● 15-23 June: Tour de Suisse ~ Winner

Even so, he beat Australia’s World Time Trial Champion Rohan Dennis by just 19 seconds for the overall title; that’s Dennis’s best finish in a multi-stage race since his second in Tirreno-Adriatico in 2017!

After a slow start to his 2019 campaign, Slovakia’s three-time World Road Race Champion Peter Sagan also rode well, winning one stage and leading the race after stages 3-4-5 and winning the Points classification. He now has a remarkable 17 career stage wins in the Tour de Suisse.

Summaries:

UCI World Tour/Tour de Suisse
Switzerland ~ 15-23 June 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (9.5 km time trial): 1. Rohan Dennis (AUS), 10:50; 2. Maciej Bodnar (POL), 10:50; 3. Michael Matthews (AUS), 10:51; 4. Soren Kragh Andersen (DEN), 10:52; 5. Kasper Asgreen (DEN), 10:52. Also in the top 25: 6. Lawson Craddock (USA), 10:55.

Stage 2 (159.6 km): 1. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP), 4:01:21; 2. Peter Sagan (SVK), 4:01:27; 3. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 4:01:27; 4. Asgreen (DEN), 4:01:27; 5. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 4:01:27.

Stage 3 (162,3 km): 1. Sagan (SVK), 3:39:25; 2. Elia Viviani (ITA), 3:39:25; 3. John Degenkolb (GER), 3:39:25; 4. Ivan Garcia Cortina (ESP), 3:39:25; 5. Ben Swift (GBR), 3:39:25. Also in the top 25: 25. Robin Carpenter (USA), 3:39:25.

Stage 4 (163.9 km): 1. Viviani (ITA), 3:46:02; 2. Matthews (AUS), 3:46:02; 3. Sagan (SVK), 3:46:02; 4. Trentin (ITA), 3:46:02; 5. Jasper Stuyven (BEL), 3:46:02. Also in the top 25: 18. Ben King (USA), 3:46:02.

Stage 5 (177.0 km): 1. Viviani (ITA), 4:18:26; 2. Sagan (SVK), 4:18:26; 3. Stuyven (BEL), 4:18:26; 4. Trentin (ITA), 4:18:26; 5. Matthews (AUS), 4:18:26.

Stage 6 (120.2 km): 1. Antwan Tolhoek (NED), 2:43:34; 2. Egan Bernal (COL), 2:43:51; 3. Francois Bidard (FRA), 2:43:58; 4. Jan Hirt (CZE), 2:44:03; 5. Domenico Pizzovivo (ITA), 2:44:05. Also in the top 25: 21. Brandon McNulty (USA), 2:45:12.

Stage 7 (216.6 km): 1. Bernal (COL), 5:37:40; 2. Pozzovivo (ITA), 5:38:03; 3. Dennis (AUS), 5:38:03; 4. Patrick Konrad (AUT), 5:38:14; 5. Hirt (CZE), 5:38:14.

Stage 8 (19.2 km time trial): 1. Yves Lampaert (BEL), 21:58; 2. Asgreen (DEN), 22:03; 3. Kragh Andersen (DEN), 22:08; 4. Tom Scully (NZL), 22:11; 5. Patrick Bevan (NZL), 22:11. Also in the top 25: 13. Craddock (USA), 22:37.

Stage 9 (144.4 km): 1. Hugh Carthy (GBR), 3:01:49; 2. Dennis (AUS), 3:02:51; 3. Bernal (COL), 3:02:51; 4. Mathias Frank (SUI), 3:03:41; 5. Simon Spilak (SLO), 3:03:41. Also in the top 25: 24. Gavin Mannion (USA), 3:07:15.

Final Standings: 1. Egan Bernal (COL), 27:43:10; 2. Rohan Dennis (AUS), +0:19; 3. Patrick Konrad (AUT), +3:04; 4. Tiesj Benoot (BEL), +3:12; 5. Jan Hirt (CZE), +3:13; 6. Simon Spilak (SLO), +3:48; 7. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA), +4:14; 8. Carlos Betancur (COL), +4:35; 9. Enric Mas (ESP), +4:53; 10. Nicholas Roche (IRL), +

VOLLEYBALL: U.S. women ready to defend Nations League title with 12-3 mark in round-robin

By
Rich Perelman
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Top U.S. scorer Andrea Drews on the block vs. the Netherlands last week (Photo: FIVB)

The United States women’s National Team completed a sparkling 12-3 round-robin season in the FIVB Women’s Nations League, tying for the best record and ranking second on the sets-won criteria. The final round-robin standings leaders, with the top six advancing to the finals in China in two weeks:

1. 35 points China (12-3)
2. 35 points United States (12-3)
3. 35 points Brazil (11-4)
4. 34 points Italy (11-4)
5. 32 points Turkey (11-4)
6. 26 points Poland (9-6)

On its final weekend of round-robin play, in Ekaterinburg (RUS), the American women swept Russia (3-0), squeezed past the Netherlands, 3-2 and beat Thailand, 3-0.

Heading into the finals, to be played in Nanjing (CHN) beginning on 3 July, the six teams will play in two pools:

● Pool A: China, Turkey, Italy
● Pool B: United States, Poland, Brazil

The top two in each pool will advance to the semifinals. In its games against the other five finalists, the U.S. defeated Italy, Poland and China, and lost to Brazil and Turkey.

The top scorer in the preliminary round was Poland’s unstoppable Malwina Smarzek, who scored 365 points, way ahead of Brayelin Martinez (DOM: 258 points) and Gabi Guimares (BRA: 247). The top U.S. scorer was Outside Hitter Andrea Drews with 158 (17th overall).

Full scores and schedules are here.

FOOTBALL: U.S. men rout Trinidad & Tobago, 6-0, to clinch spot in Gold Cup knock-out round

By
Rich Perelman
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U.S. striker Gyasi Zardes

Revenge? Hardly; a World Cup berth was not at stake for the U.S. as it played Trinidad & Tobago for the first time since infamous 2-1 loss at Couva in October 2017 that kept the American men out of the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1986.

But the stunning slowness and ineptitude that marked U.S. play in that game was happily not on display on Saturday in its second game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The U.S. looked awake and alert, and intent on attacking rather than defending, right from the start.

Trinidad & Tobago had one good chance on a counterattack that was rejected by U.S. keeper Zack Steffen, but as the half wore on, the game was increasingly played on the visitor’s side of the field.

The pressure continued, with good midfield play keeping the ball and more and more balls to players through the box. In the 41st minute, a Christian Pulisic free kick flew to the far end of the T&T goal and defender Aaron Long headed a bouncer that flew off the knee of keeper Marvin Phillip and into the net for a 1-0 U.S. lead.

The second half got testy in the 57th minute, with some pushing and shoving, and Levi Garcia got a strong chance at the U.S. goal, but sailed overhead. Steffen had to knock away another challenge two minutes later from Kevin Molino, but then the game changed.

In the 66th minute, it was Nick Lima’s cross in front of the goal that set up a powerful goal from Gyasi Zardes that made it 2-0, his second in two games in the Gold Cup.

Suddenly, the flood gates opened. Three minutes later, Pulisic dropped off the ball just outside the box and Zardes ripped a laser into the far right corner of the goal for a 3-0 lead and the rout was on.

The U.S. pressure was unrelenting and Zardes hit the post in the 71st minute, and Phillip saved a sure goal by Zardes on a return pass. Two minutes later, it was Pulisic who got a pass across the box from Jordan Morris and whistled the ball past Philip for a 4-0 margin.

In the 78th minute, Morris sent another cross in front of the box and Paul Arriola pounded the ball into the net for a 5-0 rout. Long chested in a second score in the 90th minute off a rebound of a Wes McKennie shot for the 6-0 final.

After two games against Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. has won by a combined score of 10-0. That’s good – and satisfying – but not their goal in this tournament. But the U.S. men looked as good as they have all year under new coach Gregg Berhalter.

With the victory, the U.S. clinches its spot in the knock-out round of the Gold Cup (yawn), along with Mexico (Group A), Costa Rica and Haiti (Group B) and Panama from Group D and three more to be determined. The U.S. will play Panama (2-0) to determine the winner of the group, on Wednesday in Kansas City.

Gold Cup summary through Saturday’s games (top two teams qualify from each group; records shown as W-L-T):

● Group A: 1. Mexico, 6 points (2-0); 2. Canada, 3 (1-1-0); 3. Martinique, 3 (1-1-0); 4. Cuba, 0 (0-2-0).

● Group B: 1. Costa Rica, 6 (2-0-0); 2. Haiti, 6 (2-0-0); 3. Bermuda, 0 (0-2-0); 4. Nicaragua, 0 (0-2-0).

● Group C: 1. Jamaica, 4 (1-0-1); 2. El Salvador, 4 (1-0-1); 3. Curacao, 3 (1-1-0); 4. Honduras, 0 (0-2-0).

● Group D: 1. United States, 6 (2-0-0); 2. Panama, 6 (2-0-0); 3. Trinidad & Tobago, 0 (0-2-0); 4. Guyana, 0 (0-2-0).

The group stage ends on 24 June. More details on the CONCACAF site here.

HEARD AFTER HALFTIME: Sensational 10.73s for Thompson and Fraser-Pryce in Jamaican Trials!

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

● Athletics ● True, Usain Bolt is retired, but Jamaica’s women’s 100 m Olympic gold medalists are back on track after one of the great races ever in the Jamaican national championships in Kingston on Friday night. The results speak for themselves:

1. 10.73, Elaine Thompson (10.726)
2. 10.73, Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.729)
3. 10.94, Briana Williams, age 17!

Wow! American Sha’Carri Richardson’s brilliant 10.75 to win at the NCAA Championships was the world leader for all of 14 days.

The 2008-12 Olympic 100 m champ, Fraser-Pryce, got out to her usual rocket start, but 2016 Olympic 100 m winner Thompson started gaining midway through the race and just managed to edge Fraser-Pryce at the tape as both were given 10.73 with an aiding wind of +0.6 m/s (you can watch the race here).

It was clear that the final was going to be special when Fraser-Pryce and Thompson won their semifinals in 10.93 and 10.89, respectively, with no one else under 11 seconds.

The two 10.73s are now the co-world leaders and equal the sixth-fastest time in history; both have faster bests (both 10.70). Williams’ mark of 10.94 is a World U-18 Record (commonly known as a “World Youth” record), removing Candace Hill (USA) and her 10.98 from 2015.

In the men’s 100 m final, Yohan Blake claimed another national title at 9.96, followed by Tyquendo Tracy at 10.00 (wind: +0.4 m/s). The other top results from Friday were the 400 m hurdles wins for Kemar Mowatt (48.70) and Rushell Clayton (54.73: no. 6 on the 2019 list)

They are hardly done racing down in Jamaica; look for more results here.

● Athletics ● The independent Athletics Integrity Unit confirmed receipt of the Moscow Lab data concerning Russian track & field athletes from 2012-15 from the World Anti-Doping Agency. According to the statement:

“The data package handed over to AIU representatives on 18 June contains approximately
110,000 files in total including all underlying raw data generated from analysis of the samples.

“The AIU will start analysing the LIMS data immediately with a view to reporting its findings to the IAAF Council in due course.”

WADA also has possession of more than 2,600 doping samples relating to the data, so that once the AIU determines which samples it wishes to re-test, it will be able to obtain them quickly.

● United States Olympic (and Paralympic) Committee ● If a House member and Senator from Colorado have their way, a committee will be formed to study the United States Olympic Committee and report back to the Congress.

Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colorado) introduced a bill in the House of Representatives this week that mirrored the one filed by Colorado Senator Cory Gardner (R) in January, to create a “Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics.”

As the Denver Post noted cynically, “Despite lofty goals voiced Monday, the new commission, if it comes to be, will simply study the U.S. Olympic Committee. It will be a committee looking at a committee, unable to write legislation or disband the agency or reform it or fire its leadership. Its only task will be to write a government report that will join a list of existing reports about the U.S. Olympic Committee and [Larry] Nassar.”

In the meantime, the USOC became the USOPC – the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee – effective immediately. The announcement noted that “The nonprofit USOPC is one of only four organizations in the world to manage both Olympic and Paralympic sport at the national level – and the first to include the distinction in its official name and marks.”

≡ REAX ≡ There was plenty of high-minded language in the USOPC statement, but the real issue here – as always – is money. What is true is that every dollar given to support Paralympic athletes is not available to support Olympic athletes, and vice versa. The USOPC needs more money, a situation clearly understood by Chief Executive Sarah Hirshland. The hope, of course, is that having the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles will be the catalyst to unprecedented levels of corporate support for American athletes, but it hasn’t happened yet.

● International Olympic Committee ● India’s hopes for future events such as the 2032 Olympic Games got back on track this week as the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board lifted the country’s suspension for discussions of future events.

India got into hot water by refusing visas for two Pakistani shooters who wanted to compete in an ISSF World Cup event in New Delhi earlier this year, that also served as an Olympic qualifier. With the refusal, the IOC eliminated the 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol event – in which the two Pakistanis were entered – as a qualifier, and asked other International Federations not to award events to India..

But, “The IOC has been given written guarantees by the Indian government ensuring the entry of all participants to sports and Olympic-related events in the country in full compliance with the rules of the Olympic Charter.” So the matter is settled, for now.

● Doping ● Yuri Ganus, the head of the reformed Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) said earlier this week that doping cases would be filed against 33 athletes suspected of receiving “banned intravenous infusions.”

The Associated Press reported that “The cases are all linked to a sports academy in central Russia’s Chuvashia region, a major center for track and field. RUSADA said many of the athletes were underage when they were given the infusions and some come from cycling, skiing and Paralympic sports.” He speculated that the total number of filings could approach 70.

Interestingly, Ganus essentially agreed with the IAAF’s decision to continue the suspension of the Russian Athletics Federation. “Over the course of four years we’ve spent a lot of time presenting athletics in a beautiful condition,” Ganus said. “We have enough material to say that RusAF cannot be reinstated in its current condition.”

● At the BuZZer ● The new Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon will cost $195 million, according to the latest report from the Eugene Register-Guard.

A 16 June story noted that “the $195 million project is on schedule and would finish in time for the Pac-12 track and field championships in mid-May, the first event at the new venue. The project is being privately funded, largely by Nike co-founder Phil Knight.

“The Register-Guard confirmed the stadium’s price tag with the city of Eugene based on the values listed on the building permits.”

Now you know.

FOOTBALL Panorama: Oddsmakers impressed by U.S. performance at Women’s World Cup

By
Rich Perelman
-

Going into the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the oddsmakers had the U.S. and France as co-favorites to win the tournament, but the American performance during the group stage – 3-0 and a 18-0 goal differential – made an impression.

The new odds to win the whole thing:

1. 7/4 ~ United States
2. 4/1 ~ France
3. 6/1 ~ Germany
4. 8/1 ~ England
5. 12/1 ~ Netherlands
6. 20/1 ~ Australia
6. 20/1 ~ Canada
8. 25/1 ~ Japan

The longest odds are for the two African entries: 100/1 for Nigeria and 250/1 for Cameroon.

There are 19 players who scored two or more goals in the group stage; those with three or more:

5 ~ Alex Morgan (USA) and Sam Kerr (AUS)
4 ~ Christiane (BRA)
3 ~ Ellen White (ENG), Wendie Renard (FRA), Christiana Girelli (ITA), Carli Lloyd (USA)

Believe or not, there are odds on this too, with Morgan the overwhelming favorite:

1. 2/5 ~ Alex Morgan (USA)
2. 4/1 ~ Sam Kerr (AUS)
3. 20/1 ~ Christiane (BRA)
3. 20/1 ~ Carli Lloyd (USA)
5. 40/1 ~ Christiana Girelli (ITA)

There’s also defense in football, and only two teams got through the group stage without allowing a goal, and three allowed just one:

0 ~ United States (3-0-0) with Alyssa Naeher in goal
0 ~ Germany (3-0-0) with Almuth Schilt in goal

1 ~ France (3-0-0) with Sarah Bouhaddi in goal
1 ~ England (3-0-0) with Karen Bardsley (2) and Carly Telford (1) in goal
1 ~ China (1-1-1) with Shimeng Peng in goal

China’s group stage play was about as close as you can get: 1-0 loss to Germany, 1-0 win vs. South Africa and 0-0 vs. Spain!

Attendance for the first 36 games of the Women’s World Cup in France has been good, but no sell-out. The reported crowd count totals 665,916, for an average of 18,498 per match.

The biggest crowds:

1, 45,594 on 16 June for United States vs. Chile in Paris
2. 45,261 on 07 June for France vs. Korea in Paris (World Cup opener)
3. 34,872 on 12 June for France vs. Norway in Nice
4. 28,267 on 17 June for France vs. Nigeria in Rennes
5. 28,205 on 19 June for Scotland vs. Argentina in Paris
6. 25,055 on 10 June for Argentina vs. Japan in Paris

The smallest crowd was 8,009 on 20 June for Cameroon vs. New Zealand in Montpellier.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the U.S. women’s team has “tentatively” agreed to mediation with the U.S. Soccer Federation on the equal-pay and other issues raised in their suit.

The women, as a group, filed suit in March, alleging a variety of issues, but principally asking for equal pay, although their compensation model is much different than the U.S. men’s team.

SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Friday, 21 June 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

Friday: The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board announced the new qualification process for boxing for the 2020 Tokyo Games, effectively sealing the fate of AIBA as the no-long-governing body for the sport. But what does this mean for the future of boxing? And what about takeovers of other federations? They’re already happening!

THE BIG PICTURE

Tuesday: Russia’s Mariya Lasitskene may not say much during a track meet, but is she suddenly the catalyst who will change Russian athletics from doping-infested to doping-averse?

ATHLETICS

Thursday: A world best for 300 m for Shaunae Miller-Uibo of The Bahamas, a world leader in the men’s javelin by Magnus Kirt (EST) and the women’s high jump by Mariya Lasitskene (RUS) at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, plus World Champions Kevin Mayer (FRA) and Nafi Thiam (BEL) in the dec and hep at Decastar in Talence this weekend!

FOOTBALL

Thursday: The U.S. women finished the FIFA Women’s World Cup’s group stage undefeated by beating Sweden, 2-0, and set a record for goals in group play. But Europe qualified eight of the 16 elimination-round teams; the real tournament starts Saturday.

SHOOTING

Thursday: Surprise new national champions in Skeet: 21-year-old Nic Moschetti and 17-year-old Austen Smith, both of whom had to out-shoot World Champions to claim their first national titles!

VOLLEYBALL

Tuesday: The defending champion U.S. women have locked up a spot in the 2019 FIVB Nations League final round, and are one of five teams with 10-3 records at the top of the standings. The U.S. men? Well, not so good, but they’re the host country for the finals, so they’re in too.

PREVIEWS

Canoe-Kayak: 10 Olympic or World Champs at second Slalom World Cup in Bratislava
Rowing: Good fields, including U.S. women’s eights, at second World Cup in Poznan

UPCOMING

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

● IOC: Selection of the host for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

● Athletics: Coming to Stanford … the 2019 IAAF Diamond League’s Pre Classic!

And more on the real start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup: the knock-out round.

SHOOTING: Surprising new U.S. champions in Skeet: Nic Moschetti and Austen Smith

By
Rich Perelman
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New U.S. National SkeetChampions: Nic Moschetti and Austen Smith (Photo: USA Shooting)

The United States is the top Skeet power in the world today, but the familiar names were not on the top step of the podium at the USA Shooting National Shotgun Championships that concluded Wednesday in Colorado Springs.

Nic Moschetti was hardly unknown as the World Junior Championships silver medalist in 2018. But to defeat two-time Olympic gold medalist Vince Hancock in the men’s Skeet final?

It happened.

Hancock led the qualifying at 246/250, with Moschetti second at 244 and Zach McBee third at 241. In the finals, however, Moschetti hit 56/60 targets to 54-60 for Hancock and won his first national title at the senior level.

“Winning Nationals has been something that I have dreamt of ever since I began competing in international skeet many years ago,” Moschetti said. “I was so fortunate to compete against many of my good friends this week, making this victory even more special to me. I would like to congratulate all the other medalists on their excellent shooting. I look forward to carrying this momentum into the first part of Olympic Team Trials later this year.”

In the women’s division, the qualifying leader was Sam Simonton (239), ahead of Haley Dunn and Katie Jacob (238). In the final, it was fifth-placer Austen Smith who moved up, hitting 51 targets to 50 for Dunn to win her first nationals crown.

Third at last year’s Nationals and the World Junior bronze medalist, the 17-year-old Smith triumphed over a field which included World Championships medalists Amber English and Dania Vizzi.

“It’s an honor to be the national champion and to be able to shoot with the amazing competitors on our team,” Smith stated. “I consider our women’s skeet group to be the best in the world and to be named alongside previous champions like them is a dream come true.”

USA Shooting’s Pistol and Rifle Nationals will start Friday at Ft. Benning, Georgia and continue through the 29th. You can follow the results here.

USA Shooting Shotgun National Championships
Colorado Springs, Colorado (USA) ~ 16-19 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Skeet: 1. Nic Moschetti, 56 (244 in qualifying); 2. Vincent Hancock 54 (246); 3. Eli Christman, 43 (239); 4. Robert Johnson, 35 (239); 5. Zach McBee, 24 (241); 6. Joseph Witty, 17 (238).

Women/Skeet: 1. Austen Smith, 51 (235); 2. Haley Dunn, 50 (238); 3. Katie Jacob, 43 (228); 4. Jacenta Jacob, 33 (234); 5. Amber English, 24 (237); 6. Sam Simonton, 14 (239).

LANE ONE: The death of AIBA is upon us, but what happens after the Tokyo Games?

By
Rich Perelman
-
Is college football digging the graves of all other collegiate sports programs?

The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board is meeting in Lausanne (SUI), just ahead of the IOC Session next week, which will include the selection – on Monday – of the host for the 2026 Winter Games.

High on the agenda this week was the disclosure of the program for boxing qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Games, with the formal suspension of the International Boxing Association (known as “AIBA”) to be confirmed next week by the full IOC Session.

The Executive Board ratified the new qualification program for Tokyo, with a few modifications to make boxing in Tokyo more compliant with the IOC’s view of the world than AIBA’s:

● The weight classes will remain at eight for men and five for women as previously approved, but the 286-athlete quota will get closer to even between men and women, with 186 men and 100 women in the tournament (250 vs. 36 in Rio 2016).

● Tokyo qualification will be decided at five tournaments held between January and May of 2020. Four continental qualifiers will be held for Africa, the Americas, Asia (with Oceania), and Europe, plus a World Qualification tournament to fill the remaining places, to be held in May.

● The IOC appointed an interesting Boxing Task Force to assist International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe (JPN) with the oversight of the qualifying process and the Olympic tournament, including IOC members William Blick (UGA) and Willi Kaltschmitt Lujan (GUA), IOC Athletes Commission member Aya Mahmoud Medancy (EGY) and Marius Vizer (FRA), head of the International Judo Federation).

The competition information and process are no surprise; what they do not include are any results from the 2019 World Championships, scheduled to be held in Russia in September (men) and October (women).

Further, the naming of a group that includes two International Federation presidents to oversee not only the qualifying, but the Tokyo tournament itself is remarkable. Wonder what the gymnastics and judo folks think about having the head of their federation responsible for another sport?

And the stunner was the naming of Vizer, who ripped Bach and the IOC back in 2015 at the SportAccord Conference, saying that the IOC was in charge of an institution that was “expired, outdated, wrong, unfair and not at all transparent.” Vizer predicted that the IOC could be “headed for destruction” if the International Federations were restricted from organizing their own events, even if they competed in some way with the IOC’s own programs. But here he is on the panel, helping the IOC run the boxing tournament in 2020, in place of one of the federations who listened to his 2015 speech.

The IOC also noted in its statement that “In order to ensure the delivery of qualification events and the boxing tournament at Tokyo 2020, a boxing technical group will also assist on an administrative level to help guide the decision-making of the Task Force, while no professional boxing leagues or members of the former leadership of AIBA will be represented in the Task Force.”

This is important because it ends any idea that the professional boxing federations such as the World Boxing Association or World Boxing Council or others will be involved. If the IOC objected to AIBA, it was hard to imagine that it would approve of any of these organizations. And it didn’t.

Left out to dry in all of this, of course, is AIBA, still $16 million in debt, although there have been reports of continuing interest from the Secretary General of the Russian Boxing Federation paying this off (and possibly running for the presidency himself).

However, the AIBA Secretary General, American Tom Virgets, told reporters that if the IOC Session confirms AIBA’s suspension – as expected – next week, the federation is facing bankruptcy. The Associated Press reported that Virgets wrote in a letter to the AIBA Executive Committee that “In my opinion, the decisions made by the IOC were clearly designed to bankrupt AIBA” and that “Every source of income that AIBA had going forward was taken away.”

The AP story also noted that “He says AIBA has less than $400,000 in the bank, is releasing all but three staff, and cannot afford to challenge the IOC at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.” Virgets himself will resign as well.

While the IOC is only suspending AIBA, left open the possibility that it could be reinstated after the 2020 Games, it appears that the action will kill the federation off entirely. That raises the question of what happens to boxing going forward:

● Will the Russian federation respect its agreement to stage the men’s and women’s Worlds in Yekaterinburg and Ulan Ude later this year?

● Who maintains the rules and sanctioning responsibilities that AIBA has been responsible for?

● What about the organization of international boxing events after the Tokyo Games are over?

While AIBA appears to be going away, the 203 national boxing federations around the world are not. They may wish to reorganize a new International Federation and apply to the IOC to take over where AIBA left off. They have to do something.

What is the IOC’s responsibility in all this?

This question is important, not specifically because of boxing, but because the “federation takeover” business is spreading. On Wednesday, the scandal-hit Confederation of African Football (CAF) agreed to essentially a takeover by FIFA, with FIFA Secretary-General Fatma Samoura (SEN) becoming “FIFA High Commissioner for Africa.”

CAF President Ahmad Ahmad (MAD), already being investigated by FIFA for corruption (among other things) was detained and questioned by the French police of the Central Office for the Fight against Corruption and Financial and Fiscal Crimes on Thursday.

All of this comes against the background of the African Cup of Nations kicking off on Friday night in Egypt!

That competence and integrity are being more strictly required of sports governing bodies is a good thing. The IOC and FIFA didn’t start these messes, but they may find that they may have to be the ones to clean them up, not just for now, but for the long-term.

Rich Perelman
Editor

ATHLETICS Panorama: De Grasse beats Coleman 19.91-19.97; Mayer and Thiam in Decastar Talence

By
Rich Perelman
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Shaunae Miller-Uibo on her way to a world best in the 300 m in Ostrava (Photo: Golden Spike Meeting/Ostrava)

A terrific 58th edition of the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava (CZE), despite a late rainstorm that dampened the later events on the program:

● Sprints: Michael Rodgers of the U.S. out-lasted Canada’s Andre De Grasse, 10.04-10.05 in the final into a -1.1 m/s headwind, just ahead of Zhenye Xie (CHN: 10.06) and South Africa’s Akani Simbine (10.08).

But De Grasse looked like his old self in the 200 m, winning in 19.91 – no. 6 in the world for 2019 – just ahead of Christian Coleman (19.97) into 0.3 m/s headwind. That’s De Grasse’s third-fastest time ever and best since 2017!

Coleman was hardly disappointed:

● 300/400/800 m: Big day for The Bahamas!

Shaunae Miller-Uibo ran a world best for the 300 m, finishing with a huge lead in 34.41, erasing the prior mark of 35.30 by Mexico’s Ana Guevara in 2003.

In the men’s 400 m, Steven Gardiner of The Bahamas won the 400 m in 44.95 with no one else close. Amel Tuka (BIH) continued his outstanding outdoor season with his fifth win in a row in the 800 m, this time in 1:4495, ahead of master tactician Adam Kszczot (POL: 1:45.63).

● Field: Russia’s Mariya Lasitskene is on a roll, jumping her second world-leading performance in five says. She cleared 2.02 m (6-7 1/2) at the Kusocinski Memorial in Chorzow (POL) , five days after 2012 Olympic champ Anna Chicherova (RUS) – who is not allowed to compete outside of Russia – became the first this season to clear 2.00 m (6-6 3/4). But Lasitskene took over in Ostrava, equaling her lifetime best of 2.06 m (6-9) and strengthening her grip at no. 5 on the all-time list.

Sam Kendricks of the U.S. won the vault at 5.93 m (19-5 1/2), his best this season and no. 3 on the world list. Cuba’s inconsistent Juan Miguel Echevarria was on in Ostrava, winning the long jump at 8.32 m (27-3 3/4).

New Zealand’s Tom Walsh won a sensational shot put at 22.27 m (73-0 1/4) ahead of Poland’s Michal Haratyk (21.77 m/71-5 1/4). And Estonia’s Magnus Kirt joined the 90 m club with a fabulous win in the javelin at 90.34 m (296-5), a national record and a new world leader! He’s the 19th man to throw over 90 m with the “new” javelin (introduced in 1986).

The annual Decastar multi-event meet in Talence (FRA) comes this weekend and it could be a blockbuster with both of the 2017 World Champions – Kevin Mayer and Nafi Thiam – on the field! The top expected entries:

Men:
● 9,126 ‘18 Kevin Mayer (FRA) ~ World-record holder; 2017 World Champion
● 8,601 ‘17 Ilya Shkurenov (RUS) ~ Fourth at 2015 World Championships
● 8,413 ‘16 Zach Ziemek (USA) ~ Seventh at 2016 Olympic Games
● 8,290 ‘18 Vitaly Zhuk (BLR) ~ 2018 European Champs bronze medalist
● 8,171 ‘18 Pierce LePage (CAN) ~ 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist

Women:
● 7,013 ‘17 Nafi Thiam (BEL) ~ 2016 Olympic & 2017 World Champ; no. 3 all-time
● 6,815 ‘17 Laura Ikauniece (LAT) ~ Fourth at 2016 Olympic Games
● 6,742 ‘18 Yorgelis Rodriguez (CUB) ~ Fourth at 2017 World Championships
● 6,469 ‘19 Xenia Krizsan (HUN) ~ 11-time national champion
● 6,636 ‘17 Anouk Vetter (NED) ~ 2017 World Champs bronze medalists
● 6,400 ‘18 Katerina Cachova (CZE) ~ 10-time national champion

Mayer set his world record at this meet last year, his first win in Talence. Vetter won the women’s hep in 2017; this will be Thiam’s first appearance at Decastar. She’s working on a streak of five hep wins in a row.

Look for results here.

The USA Track & Field U-20 (formerly Junior) Championships are this weekend in Miramar, Florida. The top attraction is sprinter Matthew Boling, who ran 10.13 for the 100 m (9.98w), 20.58 for the 200 and long-jumped 8.01 m (26-3 1/2) at Houston’s Strake Jesuit High School.

Look for results here.

ROWING Preview: Good fields, including U.S. women’s eights, at second World Cup in Poland

By
Rich Perelman
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The USA's 2018 World Champions in the women's eights!

The second of three stages of the World Rowing World Cup is in Poznan (POL) this week for a full program of events beginning on Friday and concluding on Sunday.

The program has drawn some top stars, including:

Men:
● Oliver Zeidler (GER) ~ 2019 European Single Sculls Champion
● Robert Manson (NZL) ~ Two World Cup wins in 2018; owns world-best time
● Kjetil Borch (NOR) ~ 2019 World Single Sculls Champion
● Angel Fournier Rodriguez (CUB) ~ 2013-17 Worlds Single Sculls silver medalist
● John Storey/Christopher Harris.(NZL) ~ 2018 Worlds Double Sculls bronze medalists
● Martin Sinkovic/Valent Sinkovic (CRO) ~ 2018 World Pairs Champions
● Theophile Onfroy/Valentin Onfroy (FRA) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalists

Women:
● Magdalena Lobnig (AUT) ~ 2019 Worlds Single Sculls bronze medalist
● Milda Valciukaite/Ieva Adomaviciute (LTU) ~ 2018 World Double Sculls Champions
● Brooke Donoghue/Olivia Loe (NZL) ~ 2018 Worlds Double Sculls silver medalists
● Ellen Tomek/Meghan O’Leary (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds Double Sculls bronze medalists
● Grace Pendergast/Kerri Gowler ~ 2018 Worlds Pairs silver medalists

The larger boats will also be interesting. After rebuilding its crew following the 2016 Olympics in Rio, the U.S. again stormed to the gold medal at the 2018 World Championships. Their new line-up will be in Poznan and will face the silver medalists, Canada, which finished just two seconds back.

Germany has been dominant in the men’s eights, but will be pushed by last year’s bronze medalists from Britain. There is much interest in the New Zealand team, which has added Olympic gold medalists Mahe Drysdale and Hamish Bond to the crew. Can they contend?

Look for results from Poznan here.

CANOE-KAYAK Preview: 10 Olympic or World Champs in second Slalom World Cup in Bratislava

By
Rich Perelman
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Australia's Slalom star Jessica Fox

There will be new winners in every Slalom World Cup race this weekend, as all of the winners from the Lee Valley (GBR) opener will be skipping the second stage, being held in Bratislava (SVK).

That means more medals for a very good field which has assembled to tackle a very difficult course at the Bratislava Whitwater Channel. The headline entries include 10 Olympic and/or World Champions:

Men:
● Michal Martikan (SVK) ~ 1996-2008 Olympic C-1 gold; 2017 Worlds C-1 bronze
● Franz Anton (GER) ~ 2018 C-1 World Champion
● Benjamin Savsek (SLO) ~ 2017 C-1 World Champion
● Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK) ~ 2017 C-1 Worlds silver medalist
● Matej Benus (CZE) ~ 2016 Olympic C-1 silver medalist
● Denis Gargaud Chanut (FRA) ~ 2016 Olympic C-1 gold medalist
● Boris Neveu (FRA) ~ 2014 Worlds K-1 Champion
● Hannes Aigner (GER) ~ 2012 Olympic K-1 bronze; 2018 World Champion
● Peter Kauzer (SLO) ~ 2016 Olympic K-1 silver; 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
● Jiri Prskevic (CZE) ~ 2016 Olympic K-1 bronze; 2018 Worlds silver medalist
● Vit Prindis (CZE) ~ 2017 World K-1 Championships silver medalist
● Vavrinec Hradilek (CZE) ~ 2012 Olympic K-1 silver medalist

Women:
● Jessica Fox (AUS) ~ 2018 World C-1 Champion; 2012 Olympic K-1 silver; ‘16 K-1 bronze
● Ricarda Funk (GER) ~ 2015 Worlds K-1 silver; 2017 Worlds K-1 bronze
● Corinna Kuhnle (AUT) ~ 2010-11 Worlds K-1 gold medalist
● Maialen Chourraut (FRA) ~ 2016 Olympic K-1 gold; 2012 Olympic K-1 bronze
● Luka Jones (NZL) ~ 2016 Olympic K-1 silver medalist
● Jana Dukatova (SVK) ~ 2006 Worlds K-1 Champion; 2010 Worlds C-1 Champion
● Nuria Villarrubla (ESP) ~ 2015 World C-1 Championships bronze
● Nadine Weratschnig (AUT) ~ 2017 European C-1 Champion
● Ana Satila (BRA) ~ 2017 Worlds C-1 bronze medalist
● Tereza Fiserova (CZE) ~ 2017 Worlds C-1 silver; 2018 Worlds C-1 bronze

Australia’s Fox, who doubled in the C-1 and K-1 in the first three World Cups last year, will be looking to get back on top after penalties hurt her in Lee Valley. She finished third in both the C-1 and K-1.

The competition begins with heats on Friday and finals concluding on Sunday. Look for results here.

FOOTBALL: U.S. beats Sweden, 2-0, but Europe takes eight of the 16 knock-out round spots

By
Rich Perelman
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A happy U.S. team celebrates Lindsey Horan's opening goal vs. Sweden (Photo: FIFA)

The 2019 Women’s World Cup group stage has finally ended after 14 days of play and the 16 contenders for the title are now known. The elimination round will start on Saturday (22nd) and now the tournament really starts:

Upper bracket:
● 22 June: Norway vs. Australia
● 23 June: England vs. Cameroon, France vs. Brazil
● 24 June: Spain vs. United States

Lower bracket:
● 22 June: Germany vs. Nigeria
● 24 June: Sweden vs. Canada
● 25 June: Italy vs. China, Netherlands vs. Japan

The group play ended with the following results (records shown as W-L-T):

● Group A: 1. France (3-0); 2. Norway(2-1), 3. Nigeria (1-2); 4. South Korea (0-3)

● Group B: 1. Germany (3-0); 2. Spain (1-1-1); 3. China (1-1-1); 4. South Africa (0-3)

● Group C: 1. Italy (2-1); 2. Australia (2-1); 3. Brazil (2-1); 4. Jamaica (0-3)

● Group D: 1. England (3-0); 2. Japan (1-1-1); 3. Argentina (0-1-2); 4. Scotland (0-2-1)

● Group E: 1. Netherlands (3-0); 2. Canada (2-1); 3. Cameroon (1-2); 4. New Zealand (0-3)

● Group F: 1. United States (3-0); 2. Sweden (2-1); 3. Chile (1-2); 3. Thailand (0-3).

The U.S. played its best half of football – maybe the best half played by any team in the tournament – in its first 45 minutes vs. Sweden on Thursday. Although it only had a 1-0 lead thanks to a Lindsey Horan tap-in from the third minute, the U.S. dominated play and had repeated attacks on goal. Sweden mounted very little offense against a high-pressure U.S. midfield and forward wall.

The second half also started well for the U.S. and Tobin Heath got a brilliant goal in the 50th minute, faking a defender and whistling a shot from a hard angle to the goal and past Swedish keeper Hedvig Lindahl for a 2-0 lead. The replays indicated the ball actually touched Swedish defender Jonna Andersson on its way to the net, so it was classified as an own goal.

The U.S. had 18 shots to six and controlled 58% of the possession, although Sweden proved more aggressive in the last half-hour. But the U.S. set a Women’s World Cup record with 18 goals in the group stage, mostly from its 13-0 pounding of Thailand in the opener.

But now that the group stage has finished and a third of the teams have been dismissed, the European domination of the group stage has been confirmed. The numbers:

Africa: 3 teams/9 games
● Record: 2-7-0
● Goals: 6-17
● Shots: 77-147
● Possession: 40-60%

Asia: 4 teams/12 games
● Record: 3-8-1
● Goals: 5-32
● Shots: 119-221
● Possession: 46-54%

North America: 3 teams/9 games
● Record: 5-4-0
● Goals: 23-14
● Shots: 169-68
● Possession: 57-43%

Oceania: 2 teams/6 games
● Record: 2-4-0
● Goals: 9-10
● Shots: 56-89
● Possession: 47.5-52.5%

South America: 3 teams/9 games
● Record: 3-4-2
● Goals: 11-12
● Shots: 98-130
● Possession: 45-55%

Europe: 9 teams/27 games
● Record: 16-3-2 vs. non-European teams
● Goals: 45-14 vs. non-European teams
● Shots: 338-202
● Possession: 57-43%

With half of the final 16 playing, the odds are excellent on one European team making the final, but that’s why the games are actually played on the field and not on paper. For scores and lots of details, FIFA’s Women’s World Cup site is here.

THE BIG PICTURE: Russia’s dour Lasitskene suddenly the new voice of Russian T&F

By
Rich Perelman
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Two-time World High Jump Champion Mariya Lasitskene (RUS)

Russia’s superstar high jumper Mariya Lasitskene is the two-time defending World Champion in her event, is no 5 on the all-time performers list at 2.06 m (6-9) and won 45 meets in a row from 2016-18. She’s working on an 11-meet streak right now.

Watching her jump, you see very little emotion and a lot of concentration. She rarely smiles and appears almost bored with most of her jumps.

But on her Instagram account, she has suddenly become one of the voices of what is hoped to be a new kind of Russian athlete, who fiercely opposes doping and the old-school attitude and coaching there.

She caused shock waves in the track & field community with her post on 9 June; the English version here is a combination of two different computerized translations of Russian:

“Over the past three and a half years, I have heard two hundred times that everything has been done and [Russia] about to be restored [by the IAAF]. But this is only a beautiful wrapper, which they are trying to impose. It seems to all these people that sportsmen see nothing, do not understand, and in general, their business is to jump and be silent. They forgot that without athletes, the existence of any sports organization or federation does not make sense. They’re just waving us off, covering for each other. We can engage in self-deception as much as we like, talking about how the West is afraid of our athletes, about the millions of points on the road map that were made on paper.

“But what we have done with our own hands with our athletics in these few years, no paper will endure. I hope the people involved in this never-ending shame still have the courage to leave. And do not think that I am talking only about the leadership; it is about the current coaches who are still confident that without doping, it is impossible to win. They should be retired by now. A new generation of our athletes should grow up with a different philosophy, and it [applies to] any athlete or coach. Talk about the whole world being doped is inappropriate. It is not necessary to save the whole world, it is necessary to save what is left of Russian athletics.”

She was right back at it on the 14th, ripping Russian Athletics Federation president Dmitriy Shlyakhtin’s comment on Match TV that her post might threaten the IAAF’s authorization of Russian athletes to compete even under the status of “Authorized Neutral Athletes.”

Her reply on Instagram:

“Surprised (actually not) by Mr. Shlyakhtin’s attempts to intimidate me. Gorgeous fantasy on the fact that they can withdraw my neutral status, since I do not support the actions of the head of [the Russian Athletics Federation] (apparently, especially I should support the main business of his team – the “Lysenko case”) … What awaits the head of [Russian Anti-Doping Agency] Yuri Ganus for criticism [of the Russian Athletics Federation]; Shlyakhtin quite reasonably preferred to keep silent …. We’ll break through! Keep going!”

Known in Russia by the nickname of “Masha,” she appears ready to pound away at the bureaucracy in Russia. Is she the catalyst for change?

VOLLEYBALL: Defending champ U.S women clinch berth in Nations League final round

By
Rich Perelman
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Poland's scoring ace Malwina Smarzek (Photo: Zorro2212 via Wikimedia Commons)

We’re through 13 of the 15 round-robin games – five weeks of play – in the FIVB Women’s Nations League and the final round has come into focus.

Along with host China (10-3) will be Brazil (10-3), Italy (10-3), the United States (10-3) and Turkey (10-3), with one more team to join the party. That will be decided this week in the final round of round-robin games. The current standings:

1. 31 points Brazil (10-3: 35-13 sets won/lost)
2. 31 points Italy (10-3: 34-16)
3. 30 points United States (10-3: 33-15)
4. 30 points China (10-3: 31-12)
5. 29 points Turkey (10-3: 31-12)
6. 24 points Poland (8-5: 29-24)
7. 21 points Japan (7-6: 25-21)
8. 20 points Belgium (7-6: 25-24)
(16 teams total)

Turkey swept the U.S. last week (3-0) in Jiangmen (CHN), but the U.S. rebounded to defeat Poland (3-1) and sweep host China (3-0). In Tuesday’s game played in Ekaterinburg (RUS), the American women flew past host Russia (3-0) and have games remaining against the Netherlands (5-8) and Thailand (4-9).

The U.S. losses have come to the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Turkey, and two of those three will be in the final round tournament in Nanjing (CHN) starting on 3 July. But the U.S. – defending champions – should finish 12-3 and be on their way back to China.

The tournament’s leading scorer continues to be the prolific Malwina Smarzek (POL), with 330 points, followed by Brayelin Martinez (DOM: 249) and Gabriela Braga Guimares (BRA: 212). The top American scorer, as she has been for the entire season, is hitter Andrea Drews with 134 (18th overall).

The complete schedule (and statistics) are here.

Through three of five weeks of play in the Men’s Nations League, Iran and Brazil continue as the top teams, having each lost only one match. The current standings:

1. 24 points Iran (8-1)
2. 22 points Brazil (8-1)
3. 21 points Italy (7-2)
4. 20 points Russia (7-2)
5. 19 points France (6-3)
6. 15 points United States (5-4)
7. 15 points Poland (5-4)
8. 13 points Serbia (5-4)
(16 teams total)

The U.S. is already assured of being in the finals since it will host the tournament in Chicago beginning 10 July. Last week in Cannes (FRA), the U.S. defeated Argentina, 3-1, and Germany, 3-1, but lost to France, 3-1. The U.S. men are in the Chicago area this week – actually Hoffman Estates – for matches vs. Japan (4-5), Canada (4-5) and China (1-8).

Three players are close at the top of the scoring table for the men’s tournament after nine games. Canada’s Sharone Vernon-Evans has 158 points for top honors, trailed by Gabriele Nelli (ITA: 157) and Amir Ghafour (IRI: 151).

Look for results and schedules here.

STAT PACK: Results for the week of 10-16 June 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 15 events in 12 sports:

● Archery: World Archery Championships in s-Hertogenbosch
● Artistic Swim: FINA Artistic World Series Super Final in Budapest
● Athletics: IAAF Diamond League 5: Bislett Games in Oslo
● Athletics: IAAF Diamond League 6: Meet Mohammed VI in Rabat
● Beach Volleyball: FIVB World Tour 4-star in Warsaw
● Canoe-Kayak: ICF Slalom World Cup I inLee Valley
● Cycling: UCI MWT: Criterium du Dauphine in France
● Cycling: UCI WWT: OVO Energy Women’s Tour in Great Britain
● Football: FIFA Men’s U-20 World Cup in Poland
● Golf: PGA: U.S. Open in Pebble Beach
● Rugby: World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series 6 in Biarritz
● Swimming: Tyr Pro Swim Series 5 in Clovis
● Swimming: FINA Marathon World Series 4 in Balatonfured
● Table Tennis: ITTF World Tour Platinum: Japan Open in Sapporo
● Wrestling: USA Wrestling Final X Freestyle Team Trials in Lincoln

plus our calendar of upcoming events through 15 July. Click below for the PDF:

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SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Monday, 17 June 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 International Olympic Committee will decide next week on the host region(s) for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games between Stockholm-Are in Sweden and Milan-Cortina in Italy. The Swedes, especially, seem to have forgotten that sports and athletes will be involved. Is that a good strategy?

HEARD AFTER HALFTIME

Saturday: IOC chief Thomas Bach slows down talk of awarding the 2032 Games next year … Caster Semenya’s attorneys complain she wasn’t invited to the Rabat Diamond League … Badminton superstar Chong Wei Lee (MAS) retires … An equestrian legend dies in a possible suicide after being suspended by the U.S. Center for SafeSport … World Beach Games are awarded to Qatar after being removed from San Diego, and more.

ARCHERY

Sunday: It had been 34 years since the U.S. had won the men’s World Archery Championship in the Recurve (Olympic) discipline, but Brady Ellison changed all that in Holland on Sunday. He was joined by fellow American Jimmy Lutz, who won the men’s Compound division world title in a championship week that was loaded with surprises.

ARTISTIC SWIMMING

Sunday: The FINA World Series Super Final had one constant theme: Marta Fiedina and her Ukrainian teammates, who won almost every event and took him the team title and $100,000!

ATHLETICS

Sunday: The IAAF Diamond League meet in Rabat (MAR) was headlined by a great 1,500 m from Ethiopian star Genzebe Dibaba, but might be remembered more for how Jamaica’s Fedrick Dacres won the men’s discus with the longest throw in a couple of years … after the meet ended and someone else was announced as the winner!

Sunday: Noah Lyles false-started, but was allowed to run – and win – the 200 m at the adidas Boost Boston Games. The best performance might have been the 9.92 100 m win by South Africa’s Akani Simbine on a wet, elevated track!

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Sunday: It looked like Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum were unstoppable, but then they ran into a Brazilian team that was one-half Olympic Champion and one-half World Champion … in Warsaw! Plus an unheralded U.S. women’s duo makes it all the way to the final!

CANOE-KAYAK

Sunday: The first Slalom World Cup was held at Lee Valley, site of the 2012 Olympic competition, so of course British paddlers won three of the four events! That included a rare C-1 and K-1 double from a delighted (and surprised) Mallory Franklin!

CYCLING

Sunday: Two important, multi-stage road races finished over the weekend. Denmark’s Jakob Fuglsang won his second Criterium du Dauphine in France, a major tune-up race for the Tour de France, with American Tejay van Garderen second. Britain’s Lizzie Deignan shows she’s fully recovered from injury with an inspiring win in the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in England and Wales.

FOOTBALL

Sunday: The U.S. women were again outstanding in defeating Chile, 3-0, to close the second of three round of group-play matches, with two goals from Carli Lloyd and one from Julie Ertz. But as the numbers show, this year’s tournament is still all about Europe.

RUGBY

Sunday: How about this! The U.S. women’s Eagles won their first-ever World Rugby Sevens Series stage with a 26-10 flattening of seasonal champion New Zealand in Biarritz (FRA)! Even better, the U.S. women finished a best-ever second on the season and qualified for the 2020 Tokyo tournament!

SWIMMING

Saturday: The final leg of the Tyr Pro Swim Series was held in Clovis, California, with impressive performances by 17-year-old Luca Urlando and emerging distance Freestyler Erica Sullivan. And Canada’s Sydney Pickrem won four events!

Friday: Urlando was sensational in the 200 m Fly, breaking a U.S. age-group record held since 2003 by someone named Michael Phelps …

Friday: The Australian World Championships Trials concluded in Brisbane with three world-leading marks and a powerful team nominated for the Worlds in Korea.

Saturday: The FINA Marathon Swim Series in Hungary provided a showcase for home favorite Kristof Rasovszky, who finally won in his home lake! And Brazil’s Ana Marcela Cunha won for the third time this season, again with a sprint to the final touch!

TABLE TENNIS

Sunday: China swept all five divisions in the important Japan Open tournament and star Xin Xu was everywhere, winning the men’s Singles, men’s Doubles and the Mixed Doubles. Wow!

WRESTLING

Saturday: USA Wrestling held its final Final X competition in Lincoln to select the last 15 members of its World Championships team. Most of the favorites – like Olympic gold medalists Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder got through – but the most impressive performers might have been women Freestylers Alli Ragan and Adeline Gray.

UPCOMING

Even The Sports Examiner needs a day off now and again, so we will be posting less frequently this week, but we’ll be keeping an eye out for breaking news. Look for new posts in the latter half of this week.

LANE ONE: The 2026 Winter Games host will be selected in seven days; did Sweden just swing and miss at its own pitch?

By
Rich Perelman
-

Despite all of the many stories written about the implosion of interest in the Olympic Winter Games, the International Olympic Committee will make exactly the choice it wanted for 2026, awarding the event to one of two European candidates.

It will be either Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, or Sweden’s Stockholm and Are (and Falun and Sigulda in Latvia).

After Turin (ITA) in 2006, the Winter Games have wandered off to Vancouver in 2010, a difficult Games in Sochi (RUS) in 2014 and then on an Asian adventure for 2018 (PyeongChang) and 2022 (Beijing). So the IOC really wanted to go back to a traditional, European winter venue for ‘26 and that’s what will happen.

This desired outcome will be despite the collapse of potential bids from cities or regions in Austria (Graz and Innsbruck), Canada (Calgary), and Switzerland (Sion) and the migration of bid interest from 2026 to 2030 for Sapporo (JPN) and Lillehammer (NOR).

Now the IOC membership has to decide what path to take.

Until fairly recently, the pitches from the candidates have been about the facilities that will be built and the commitment of the government to the success of the project. Now the reverse is true, and both the Italians and Swedes have boasted about how little they will build, how little they will spend and how unnecessary it is to have governmental backing since their projected costs are so low.

But the Swedes have gone a step further and even departed from this new orthodoxy in proclaiming that its version of the 2026 Games will “deliver the first ever climate-positive Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, with a transformational sustainability programme driven by Sweden’s global leadership in environmental protection and green innovation.”

Empty promise? Not for the Swedes – a country of barely 10 million people – who trumpeted on United Nations World Environment Day (5 June) that:

“Stockholm Are 2026’s vision is for Sweden’s first ever Winter Games – and all future Games – to contribute to a stronger, better and more sustainable world. This vision is underpinned by Sweden’s proven track record in environmental performance, sustainability and green living. Nationally, Sweden already has among the world’s most ambitious climate targets, aiming to cut emissions by 70% by 2030 and reach full climate neutrality by 2045.”

This is quite remarkable, especially for what this vision does not include.

No mention of athletes. Nothing about bringing the world together in a peaceful celebration of coexistence through the medium of sport. In essence, the athletes are a side show to the main goal of demonstrating how to offset carbon use. Stockholm Are’s sustainability release noted further that “any flights the Organising Committee charters between Games venues in Stockholm, Are and Riga will be double compensated at gold standard level for greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring the use of predominantly existing facilities yields maximum benefit. Overall, any unavoidable CO2 emissions will be offset by a minimum of 115%.”

A follow-up announcement trumpeting the cooperation pledged by three regional governments in Sweden to the 2026 Winter Games project in an open letter printed in Swedish newspapers on 10 June led with:

“An Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sweden would be delivered in a uniquely sustainable way – in terms of the environment, but also in terms of the economy and wider society… The focus around sustainability for 2026 is extremely good for Sweden, a nation leading in this area globally, thanks to long-standing systematic work on sustainable development.”

The word “athlete” never appears in either release.

The Milan-Cortina folks have been quieter about their bid and also tout the sustainability aspects, along with alignment of the bid with the IOC’s desires to meet the concepts of its Agenda 2020 reform program.

But how will the IOC members react to these campaigns?

Aren’t athletes at the center of what the IOC does? At the center of the Games?

Neither bid talks much about athletes in their promotion of their candidatures, but the Swedes have gone heavy for asking the IOC to reward their local and national commitment to a low-impact or no-impact Games.

If this is such a popular concept in Sweden, why did the IOC’s polling in February of this year show only 55% support for the Stockholm-Are bid, with 17% opposed and 28% with “no opinion”?

In Italy, polling support for the Milan-Cortina bid was 83%, with 4% opposed and 13% with “no opinion.”

Shouldn’t Sweden’s numbers be higher to reflect the commitment to sustainability which is so much a part of the country’s lifestyle and political will?

Both bids have also talked about impacting youth with an interest in sport and fitness as a possible legacy and Milan sees an opportunity to implement an existing plan to build more housing for university students into the Games plan to serve as an Olympic Village.

IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) has emphasized repeatedly that the reforms now in place have changed the paradigm for bidding for the Games permanently and for the better. That the Games are being made less costly to bid for and to stage is great, but is the goal now to have an event which costs nothing and leaves nothing but memories behind?

That’s Sweden’s vision for 2026, at least judging by its public pronouncements in the weeks leading up to the IOC’s decision on 24 June. I wonder if maybe something ought to be said by both bids about how important athletes are in their plans.

Maybe they’ll bring it up during their presentations. Then again, maybe not. Maybe a member of the IOC’s Athletes Commission will ask about the plans for the competitions. Maybe not.

You can find out who the winner is by watching the Olympic Channel, but it would be best if the electricity that powers your computer or charged your phone was not provided by a utility that uses fossil fuels. Or you could be out exercising instead.

Yes, the Olympic bid process has changed. As the IOC has said, “Welcome to The New Norm.”

Rich Perelman
Editor

RUGBY: U.S. women sweep aside New Zealand in Biarritz final, win first-ever Sevens tourney title

By
Rich Perelman
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The U.S. women’s Eagles made history in Biarritz (FRA), winning their first-ever World Rugby Sevens Series championship by defeating the seasonal champions from New Zealand, 26-10.

By doing so, the U.S. women finished second overall and clinched a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic tournament. The Americans, Australia and New Zealand all won their groups with perfect 3-0 records, then the U.S. dispatched Russia, 27-12, in the quarterfinals.

In the meantime, Australia was upset by Spain, 15-14 and the U.S. followed up with a clear, 24-7 win over the Spanish to get to the final against New Zealand. Now winners of the season title for the fifth time in the seven-year history of the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, the Black Ferns might have relaxed a little and the U.S. took advantage and rolled to a 19-5 halftime lead. Thanks to tries from Alev Kelter (2) and Cheta Emba.

The final was 26-10 and the first-ever U.S. women’s win in the Women’s Sevens Series. It left the Eagles with 100 points on the season, second only to New Zealand (110) with Canada (94) third.

The season’s top scorer ended up being New Zealand star Tyla Nathan-Wong with 207 points, followed by Ghislaine Landry (CAN: 202) and Aimee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (IRL: 175). Murphy Crowe had the most tries with 35, one better than Canada’s Bianca Farella.

The seven-player HSBC “Dream Team” included are Sarah Hirini (NZL), Brittany Benn (CAN), Ruby Tui (NZL), Nathan-Wong, Landry, Murphy Crowe (Ireland) and Anne-Cecile Ciofani (FRA).

This season’s Capgemini Coach of the Series award was Chris Brown of the U.S., who in his first season led the Women’s Sevens Eagles to their best-ever season and first Cup title. Summaries:.

World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series
Biarritz (FRA) ~ 15-16 June 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings: 1. United States; 2. New Zealand; 3. Canada; 4. Spain; 5. Australia; 6. France; 7. China, 8. Russia. Semis: U.S. d. Spain, 24-7; New Zealand d. Canada, 21-12. Third: Canada d. Spain, 19-14. Final: U.S. d. New Zealand, 26-10.

Final season standings: 1. New Zealand, 110; 2. United States, 100; 3. Canada, 94; 4. Australia, 86; 5. France, 70; 6. England, 50; 7. Russia, 48; 8. Ireland, 41 (17 teams scored).

TABLE TENNIS: China sweeps all five titles at Japan Open, with Xu winning three!

By
Rich Perelman
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It was a good week for China’s Xin Xu, the 10-time World Champion in Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Team events, as he won the men’s Singles, men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles titles at the Japan Open in Hokkaido over the weekend.

He first teamed with Yuling Zhu to win the Mixed Doubles gold on Saturday over Japan’s Tomokazo Harimoto and Hina Hayata, then won the men’s Doubles on Sunday with Zhendong Fan and finally defeated Chinese Taipei’s Yun-Ju Lin in the singles final by four sets to one.

China dominated the tournament, sweeping all five divisions and had all-China finals in both women’s events. Summaries:

ITTF World Tour/Japan Open
Hokkaido (JPN) ~ 14-16 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Singles: 1. Xin Xu (CHN); 2. Yun-Ju Lin (TPE); 3. Zhendong Fan (CHN) and Wen Sun (CHN). Semis: Lin d. Sun, 4-1; Xu d. Fan, 4-3. Final: Xu d. Lin, 4-1.

Men/Doubles: 1. Zhendong Fan/Xin Xu (CHN); 2. Benedikt Duda/Dang Qiu (GER); 3. Jingkun Liang/Gaoyuan Lin (CHN) and Chien-An Chen/Chih-Yuan Chuan (TPE). Semis: Fan/Xu d. Liang/Lin, 3-0; Duda/Qiu d. Chen/Chuang, 3-1. Final: Fan/Xu d. Duda/Qiu, 3-0.

Women/Singles: 1. Yingsha Sun (CHN); 2. Shiwen Liu (CHN); 3. Miu Hirano (JPN) and Meng Chen (CHN). Semis: Liu d. Hirano, 4-1; Sun d. Chen, 4-1. Final: Sun d. Liu, 4-3.

Women/Doubles: 1. Meng Chen/Shiwen Liu (CHN); 2. Yingsha Sun/Manyu Wang (CHN); 3. Miyuu Kihara/Miyu Nagasaki (JPN) and Szu-Yu Chen/Hsien-Tzu Cheng (TPE). Semis: Sun/Wang d. Kihara/Nagasaki, 3-2; Chen/Liu d. Chen/Cheng, 3-1. Final: Chen/Liu d. Sun/Wang, 3-1.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Xin Xu/Yuling Zhu (CHN); 2. Tomokazu Harimoto/Hina Hayata (JPN); 3. Zhendong Fang/Ning Ding (CHN) and Yun-Ju Lin/I-Ching Cheng (TPE). Semis: Harimoto/Hayata d. Fan/Ding, 3-1; Xu/Zhu d. Lin/Cheng, 3-0. Final: Xu/Zhu d. Harimoto/Hayata, 3-0.

CYCLING: Fuglsang bags second Criterium du Dauphine; Deignan win the OVO Tour in Britain for first win in two years

By
Rich Perelman
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Back on top: OVO Energy Women's Tour champ Lizzie Deignan (GBR)

Along with the Tour de Suisse, the Criterium du Dauphine is one of the true warm-up races for the Tour de France and Denmark’s Jakob Fuglsang won it for the second time in three years, taking charge on the next-to-last stage with a second-place finish on the mountainous course.

Coupled with a third-place finish in the second stage, he managed to hold off American Tejay van Garderen for the victory by 20 seconds over more than 30 hours of riding.

Fuglsang now hopes his Tour de France experience is better than after he won the 2017 Criterium, where he was not able to finish. Van Garderen had his best finish in a multi-stage race since he was runner-up at last year’s Amgen Tour of California. He had also finished second in the 2015 Criterium du Dauphine.

(The Tour de Suisse is continuing; the leader after two of nine stages is Dane Kasper Asgreen and Slovakian star Peter Sagan, both one second ahead of Australians Rohan Dennis and Michael Matthews.)

British star Lizzie Deignan, the 2015 World Road Race Champion, showed she is fully recovered from he 2017 injuries with a terrific win at the six-stage OVO Energy Women’s Tour in England and Wales.

She moved from third to first on the difficult fifth stage, winning the stage against Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma and vaulting over her and Liane Lippert (GER) for the overall lead. She held on in the final stage, finishing eighth and just two seconds ahead of the Pole.

It was Deignan’s second win at the British stage race, also in 2016 and her first win in two years. If she is truly healthy now, she can be a dangerous challenger to the ruling Dutch stars of the UCI Women’s World Tour. Summaries:

UCI World Tour Criterium du Dauphine
France ~ 9-16 June 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (142.0 km): 1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR), 3:24:33; 2. Philippe Gilbert (BEL), 3:24:33; 3. Wout van Aert (BEL), 3:24:33; 4. Nils Politt (GER), 3:24:33; 5. Gregor Muhlberger (AUT), 3:24:33. Also in the top 25: 25. Tejay van Garderen (USA), 3:24:33.

Stage 2 (180.0 km): 1. Dylan Teuns (BEL), 4:12:41; 2. Guillaume Martin (FRA), 4:12:41; 3. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), 4:12:54; 4. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 4:12:54; 5. Michael Woods (CAN), 4:12:54. Also in the top 25: 17. Van Garderen (USA), 4:13:25.

Stage 3 (177.0 km): 1. Sam Bennett (IRL), 4:15:25; 2. Van Aert (BEL), 4:15:25; 3. Davide Ballerini (ITA), 4:15:25; 4. Clement Venturini (FRA), 4:15:25; 5. Edward Theuns (BEL), 4:15:25. Also in the top 25: 24. Neilson Powless (USA), 4:15:25.

Stage 4 (26.1 km Time Trial): 1. Van Aert (BEL), 33:38; 2. Van Garderen (USA), 34:09; 3. Tom Dumoulin (NED), 34:25; 4. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), 34:27; 5. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), 34:29. Also in the top 25: 16. Joey Rosskopf (USA), 35:04; … 25. Powless (USA), 35:23.

Stage 5 (201.0 km): 1. Van Aert (BEL), 5:00:34; 2. Bennett (IRL), 5:00:34; 3. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), 5:00:34; 4. Lorenzo Manzin (FRA), 5:00:34; 5. Venturini (FRA), 5:00:34.

Stage 6 (229.0 km): 1. Alaphilippe (FRA), 6:00:54; 2. Gregor Muhlberger (AUT), 6:00:54; 3. Alessandro de Marchi (ITA), 6:01:16; 4. Woet Poels (NED), 6:07:04; 5. Gorka Izagirre (ESP), 6:07:04. Also in the top 25: 21. Van Garderen (USA), 6:07:04.

Stage 7 (133.5 km): 1. Poels (NED), 4:01:34; 2. Fuglsang (DEN), 4:01:35; 3. Buchmann (GER), 4:01:35; 4. Pinot (FRA), 4:01:44; 5. Dan Martin (IRL), 4:01:44. Also in the top 25: 8. Van Garderen (USA), 4:01:50; … 15. Sepp Kuss (USA), 4:02:32; … 25. Powless (USA), 4:05:23.

Stage 8 (113.5 km): 1. Dylan van Baarle (NED), 3:05:48; 2. Jack Haig (AUS), 3:05:48; 3. Carl Fredrik Hagen (NOR), 3:06:38; 4. Warren Barguil (FRA), 3:07:00; 5. Sepp Kuss (USA), 3:07:00. Also in the top 25: 18. Van Garderen (USA), 3:07:47; … 23. Powless (USA), 3:08:26.

Final Standings: 1. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), 30:44:27; 2. Tejay van Garderen (USA), +0:20; 3. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), +0:21; 4. Wout Poels (NED), +0:28; 5. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), +0:33; 6. Dylan Teuns (BEL), +1:11; 7. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ), +1:12; 8. Dan Martin (IRL), +1:21; 9. Nairo Quintana (COL), +1:24; 10. Romain Bardet (FRA), +1:38. Also in the top 26: 24. Neilson Powless (USA), +14:59; 25. Joey Rosskopf (USA), +15:09; 26. Sepp Kuss (USA), +19:19.

UCI Women’s World Tour/OVO Energy Women’s Tour
Britain ~ 10-15 June 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (157.6 km): 1. Jolien D’Hoore (BEL), 4:09:12; 2. Amy Pieters (NED), 4:09:12; 3. Lisa Brennauer (GER), 4:09:12; 4. Roxane Founier (FRA), 4:09:12; 5. Marianne Vos (NED), 4:09:12. Also in the top 25: 16. Coryn Rivera (USA), 4:09:12; … 25. Leah Thomas (USA), 4:09:12.

Stage 2 (62.5 km): 1. Vos (NED), 1:34:17; 2. Lizzie Deignan (GBR), 1:34:17; 3. Sarah Roy (AUS), 1:34:17; 4. Elena Cecchini (ITA), 1:34:17; 5. Maria Giulia Confalonieri (ITA), 1:34:17. Also in the top 25: 7. Rivera (USA), 1:34:17; … 25. Thomas (USA), 1:34:24.

Stage 3 (145.1 km): 1. D’Hoore (BEL), 3:46:04; 2. Brennauer (GER), 3:46:04; 3. Demi Vollering (NED), 3:46:04; 4. Fournier (FRA), 3:46:04; 5. Roy (AUS), 3:46:04. Also in the top 25. 12. Rivera (USA), 3:46:04

Stage 4 (158.9 km): 1. Kasia Niewiadoma (POL), 4:18:29; 2. Liane Lippert (GER), 4:18:29; 3. Deignan (GBR), 4:18:36; 4. Pieters (NED), 4:18:38; 5. Vollering (NED), 4:18:40. Also in the top 25: 7. Thomas (USA), 4:18:40; … 23. Rivera (USA), 4:19:10.

Stage 5 (140.0 km): 1. Deignan (GBR), 3:54:35; 2. Niewiadoma (POL), 3:54:35; 3. Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA), 3:54:37; 4. Leah Kirchmann (CAN), 3:54:52; 5. Christine Majerus (LUX), 3:54:52. Also in the top 25: 16. Thomas (USA), 3:54:57.

Stage 6 (125.9 km): 1. Pieters (NED), 3:27:02; 2. Kirchmann (CAN), 3:27:02; 3. Fournier (FRA), 3:27:02; 4. Vollering (FRA), 3:27:02; 5. Majerus (LUX), 3:27:02. Also in the top 25: 13. Thomas (USA), 3:27:02.

Final Standings: 1. Lizzie Deignan (GBR), 21:09:25; 2. Kasia Niewiadoma (POL), +0:02; 3. Amy Pieters (NED), +0:23; 4. Christine Majerus (LUX), +0:49; 5. Demi Vollering (NED), +0:51; 6. Leah Kirchmann (CAN), +0:54; 7. Elizabeth Banks (GBR), +0:58; 8. Leah Thomas (USA), +0:58; 9. Malgorzata Jasinska (POL), +0:59; 10. Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA), +1:01. Also in the top 25: 25. Coryn Rivera (USA), +6:42.

CANOE-KAYAK: British shine at 2012 Olympic site in 2019 World Cup opener

By
Rich Perelman
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History: Mallory Franklin (GBR) sweeps the C-1 and K-1 at the Lee Valley World Cup (Photo: ICF)

It was a happy reunion for British canoeing and the famed Lee Valley site that was the venue for the 2012 Olympic Slalom races at the first ICF World Cup in 2019. And the hosts made history.

In a feat not done for many years other than by Australia’s Jessica Fox, 2017 C-1 World Champion and 2018 K-1 Worlds silver medalist Mallory Franklin won both events, taking Sunday’s C-1 by less than a second over teammate Kimberley Woods.

Woods had paddled into the lead with an excellent, penalty-free run of 107.45, leaving Franklin as the last to go. “It’s not my ideal, going off last in the final,” Franklin said.

“It’s hard for me to put to bed all the different results, and you see the kind of run that Kim put down, I’ve put quite a bit of work into trying to quiet that and focus on my own results. At the end of the day I paddle because I enjoy it, so that’s what I try and focus on.” She finished penalty-free and her time of 106.82 seconds gave her the win. Fox finished third in both the C-1 and K-1 events, but suffered from penalties in both.

The British fans celebrated another win from 2016 K-1 Olympic champ Joe Clarke, who took the men’s K-1 by less than a second over Czech Jiri Prskavec, the 2018 Worlds silver winner.

Germany’s Sideris Tasiadis, who won silver at Lee Valley in 2012, took the C-1 in the closest race of the meet in 94.63, just 0.07 better than Brit Adam Burgess. Summaries:

ICF Slalom World Cup
Lee Valley (GBR) ~ 14-16 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men/C-1: 1. Sideris Tasiadis (GER), 94.63 (0 penalties); 2. Adam Burgess (GBR), 94.70 (0); 3. Ryan Westley (GBR), 95.07 (0); 4. Luka Bozic (SLO), 96.02 (0); 5. Matej Benus (SVK), 96.32 (0).

Men/K-1: 1. Joseph Clarke (GBR), 90.35 (0); 2. Jiri Prskavec (CZE), 91.21 (0); 3. Hannes Aigner (GER), 92.04 (0); 4. Christopher Bowers (GBR), 92.65 (2); 5. Callum Gilbert (NZL), 94.26 (0).

Women/C-1: 1. Mallory Franklin (GBR), 106.82 (0); 2. Kimberley Woods (GBR), 107.45; 3. Jessica Fox (AUS), 113.62 (4); 4. Lucie Baudu (FRA), 113.97 (0); 5. Andrea Herzog (GER), 117.60 (4).

Women/K-1: 1. Franklin (GBR), 99.42 (0); 2. Ricarda Funk (GER), 101.86 (0); 3. Fox (AUS), 105.39 (2); 4. Woods (GBR), 105.87 (4); 5. Maialen Chourraut (ESP), 106.33 (2).

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Evandro and Bruno Schmnidt end Norwegian beach streak in Warsaw

By
Rich Perelman
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Brazil's Bruno Schmidt and Evandro celebrate their win in Warsaw! (Photo: FIVB)

With the World Championships coming up quickly at the end of the month, the Warsaw (POL) four-star was a good spot to show readiness.

And despite plenty of problems, the Brazilian pair of Evandro Goncalves and Oscar Bruno Schmidt showed grit and experience in winning over the red-hot Norwegian pair of Anders Mol and Christian Sorum.

The Norwegians had won three straight four-star tournaments and seemed invincible, as they rode through the main draw to the final. But the Brazilian duo – Bruno Schmidt an Olympic gold medalist from 2016 and Evandro half of the 2017 World Championships winners – came back from one set down to eke out a 15-12 win in the decisive third set.

“This tournament was important for us, because I came here not in my best condition,” Bruno Schmidt said afterwards. “I had stomach problems, I had to take IV therapy to recover, I called for medical time-outs in three matches, but it was important that I received support from Evandro in the hard moments, especially mentally.

“It was not easy, so to have a finish like that at such a high-level tournament is very satisfying. I also noticed that the Norwegians were also very tired after reaching the finals in so many tournaments, but we knew it was going to be a tough battle. Evandro and I tried to push each other as much as possible. He was a monster in this tournament and I give him all the credit. He serves with power from the beginning to the end, and especially in this final, in the second set. I was so close to giving up, but Evandro pushed me hard to keep going.”

Both pairs will need rest before the Worlds start on 28 June in Hamburg.

In the women’s division, Australians Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar won their fifth FIVB World Tour tournament together and first of the season against surprise American finalists Emily Stockman and Kelley Larsen.

Both defeated Brazilian pairs in the semis, but the Aussies were too experienced for the U.S. pair and overcame a 20-18 deficit in the first set to win by 22-20, then 21-17 in the second set. It was the second World Tour medal for Stockman and Larsen and bettered the bronze they won last season. Summaries:

FIVB World Tour/Poland Open
Warsaw (POL) ~ 12-16 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Evandro Goncalves/Oscar Bruno Schmidt (BRA); 2. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum (NOR); 3. Konstantin Semenov/Ilya Leshukov (RUS); 4. Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Oleg Stoyanovskiy (RUS). Semis: Evandro/Bruno Schmidt d. Semenov/Lushkov, 2-0; Mol/Sorum d. Krasilnikov/Stoyanovskiy, 2-1. Third: Semenov/Lushkov d. Krasilnikov/Stoyanovskiy, 2-1. Final: Evandro/Bruno Schmidt d. Mol/Sorum, 2-1 (11-21, 21-17, 15-12).

Women: 1. Taliqua Clancy/Mariafe Artacho del Solar (AUS); 2. Emily Stockman/Kelley Larsen (USA); 3. Agatha Bednarczuk/Duda Lisboa (BRA) and Maria Antonelli/Carol Solberg (BRA). Semis: Clancy/Artacho del Solar d. Maria Antonelli/Carol, 2-0; Stockman/Larsen d. Agatha/Duda, 2-0. Third: Agatha/Duda d. Maria Antonelli/Carol, 2-0. Final: Clancy/Artacho del Solar d. Stockman/Larsen, 2-0 (22-20, 21-17).

ARTISTIC SWIMMING: Fiedina and Ukraine dominate World Series Super Final in Budapest

By
Rich Perelman
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You'd be as happy as the Ukrainians here if your team just won $100,000 for the Super Final title! (Photo: FINA/Istvan Derencsenyi)

There was one constant during the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series Super Final at the Duna Arena in Budapest: Marta Fiedina.

Still just 17, she won the Solo Free, was second in the Solo Technical behind Spanish star Ona Carbonell and the teamed with Anastasiya Savchuk to win both Duet events and helped her Ukrainian team to a sweep of the four team events!

The eight medals gave the Ukrainians the team title at the Super Final and with us a bonus of $100,000 from FINA. Spain finished second and earned $70,000 and Canada was third ($50,000); money was given to the top six teams. Summaries:

FINA Artistic Swimming World Series Super Final
Budapest (HUN) ~ 14-16 June 2019
(Full results here)

Solo Technical: 1. Ona Carbonell (ESP), 90.8142; 2. Marta Fiedina (UKR), 90.6254; 3. Jacqueline Simoneau (CAN), 83.5809.

Solo Free: 1. Marta Fiedina (UKR), 93.4667; 2. Simoneau (CAN), 90.2333; 3. Iris Tio (ESP), 87.4667.

Duet Technical: 1. Marta Fiedina/Anastasiya Savchuk (UKR), 92.0205; 2. Linda Cerruti/Constanza Ferro (ITA), 89.0333; 3. Claudia Holzner/Jacqueline Simoneau (CAN), 87.6666.

Duet Free: 1. Fiedina/Savchuk (UKR), 93.9000; 2. Cerruti/Ferro (ITA), 90.8333; 3. Ona Carbonell/Paula Ramirez (ESP), 90.4667.

Team Technical: 1. Ukraine, 92.8734; 2. Spain, 89.7990; 3. Canada, 87.8845.

Team Free: 1. Ukraine, 94.2667; 2. Spain, 92.0667; 3. Canada, 89.4000.

Team Highlights: 1. Ukraine, 94.4667; 2. Spain, 91.6333; 3. Canada, 89.7667.

Team Free Combination: 1. Ukraine, 94.2667; 2. Hungary, 78.5000; only placers.

Mixed Duet Technical: 1. Alexander Maltsev/Mayya Gurbanberdieva (RUS), 90.7902; 2. Atsushi Abe/Yumi Adachi (JPN), 87.3446; 3. Emma Garcia/Pau Ribes (ESP), 84.6330.

Mixed Duet Free: 1. Maltsev/Gurbanberdieva (RUS), 93.0667; 2. Manila Flamini/Giorgio Minisini (ITA), 90.8000; 3. Abe/Adachi (JPN), 88.9667.

ARCHERY: Ellison and Lutz sweep men’s titles at World Archery champs

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

Heading into the 2019 World Archery Championships in s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands, the United States had not won the men’s world title in Olympic (Recurve) archery since Rick McKinney doubled in 1983 and 1985.

It took 34 years, but Brady Ellison became the 10th American man to win the World Championships, and the first in the 21st Century!

It wasn’t easy, as he dueled with first-time finalist Khairul Anuar Mohamad of Malaysia, who was going to win the country’s first-ever World Championships medal regardless of the outcome. They shot evenly through three ends – 27-27, 29-29, 28-28 – then Ellison took the lead with a 29-28 win in end four. But Mohamad drew even, 28-26, in the fifth, requiring a shoot-off for the world title.

Ellison, now 30, shot 10, Mohamad shot eight, and Ellison had his first World Championship.

“I’m so excited. I’m really trying to hold it in. I’m trying really hard not to cry,” said Ellison. “It feels good, it really does. That match was a lot tougher inside the ring than I thought it was going to be, condition-wise. I shot the one good arrow that I needed in the shoot-off and that’s what it came down to.

“I knew I had to have it. And I knew if I hit it, I probably wasn’t going to go into a second shoot-off. If I could get that arrow and stick it good, that I was gonna win it. I was like, I know exactly where this is going to go. Just make a good shot, let it break low and hit X. As soon as it hit – I was like, that’s good enough.

“This is probably the biggest one I’ve won. It’s bigger than my Fields, it’s probably bigger than my bronze at the Games at this moment. Now I need that Olympic gold medal. I need a gold. Yes, I want that Olympic gold and I’m going to get it next year.”

Another first came for Ruman Shana, whose bronze medal is Bangladesh’s first at the Worlds as well.

A day earlier, 21-year-old American Jimmy Lutz completed his second international tournament in the men’s Compound Division … and walked away with not only his second win, but his first World Championship.

“It’s crazy,” said Lutz after winning the gold medal. “I don’t know [how I feel] yet. Still trying to let it sink in. But I’ve worked hard for it. I’m really happy,” said Lutz.

He also made history, as the last U.S. Compound champ was Reo Wilde, back in 2009.

“It’s just awesome to be up next to his name. It would be cool to be remembered as someone like Reo. It feels great to be able to share a title with him.”

Lutz shot an outstanding 148/150 to win the title over Norway’s Anders Faugstad (144). He’s the fifth American men to win the world title in Compound.

The U.S. almost won a third individual medal as Paige Pearce won the silver in women’s Compound, going down to the final arrow against Russian Natalia Avdeeva before falling, 142-141.

The women’s Recurve final was another shocker, as Chinese Taipei’s Chien-Ying Lei defeated Korea’s Chae-Young Kang. They split the four ends and went to a shoot-off, with Kang sending off her worst arrow of the day, a seven. Lei shot nine and became the first from her country to win the women’s title.

Kang, who has been the best women’s archer in the world this year, said afterwards, “I will use this experience for the future. It’s true that there is a lot of pressure from the nation, but we try to use that as motivation, rather than pressure.

“I had two goals here. The first goal was to get the Olympic quota, and the second one was to win. So we achieved one goal. My personal goal is still to get three gold medals at the Olympics.”

Korean women had been dominant, winning eight of nine world titles between 1989-2005, but since then have won only twice in the next seven events, including this year.

Taipei’s Lei also was a member of the winning Recurve women’s team, while China took the men’s Team Recurve event. Summaries:

World Archery Championships
s-Hertogenbosch (NED) ~ 10-16 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Recurve: 1. Brady Ellison (USA); 2. Khairul Anuar Mohamad (MAS); 3. Ruman Shana (BAN); 4. Mauro Nespoli (ITA). Semis: Mohamad d. Shana, 7-3; Ellison d. Nespoli, 7-1. Third: Shana d. Nespoli, 7-1. Final: Ellison d. Mohamad, 5-4 (shoot-off: 10-8).

Men/Team Recurve: 1. China (Wei, Feng, Ding); 2. India (Rai, Jadhav, Das); 3. Korea (W-S Lee, S-Y Lee, W. Kim); 4. Netherlands (Van den Berg, Van der Ven, Wijler). Semis: China d. Korea, 6-2; India d. Netherlands, 5-4 (29-28). Third: Korea d. Netherlands, 5-3. Final: China d. India, 6-2.

Men/Compound: 1. James Lutz (USA); 2. Anders Faugstad (NOR); 3. Jong-Ho Kim (KOR); 4. Braden Gellenthien (USA). Semis: Lutz d. Gellenthien, 148-145; Faugstad d. Kim, 147-146. Third: Kim d. Gellenthien, 150-146. Final: Lutz d. Faugstad, 148-144.

Men/Team Compound: 1. Korea (J-H Kim, Yang, Choi); 2. Turkey (Araz, Cagiran, Yetim); 3. Netherlands (Schloesser, Elzinga, Pater); 4. Colombia (Arenas, Cardona, Munoz). Semis: Korea d. Colombia, 238-230; Turkey d. Netherlands, 237-229. Third: Netherlands d. Colombia, 231-230. Final: Korea d. Turkey, 235-233.

Women/Recurve: 1. Chien-Ying Lei (TPE); 2. Chae Young Kang (KOR); 3. Mi-Sun Choi (KOR); 4. Michelle Kroppen (GER). Semis: Kang d. Kroppen, 6-2; Lei d. Choi, 6-0. Third: Choi d. Kroppen, 6-0. Final: Lei d. Kang, 6-5 (shoot-off: 9-7).

Women/Team Recurve: 1. Chinese Taipei (Lei, Tan, Peng); 2. Korea (Kang, Choi, Chang); 3. Great Britain (Bettles, Pitman, Folkard); 4. China (Zheng, Meng, An). Semis: Korea d. Great Britain, 5-1; Chinese Taipei d. China, 5-1. Third: Great Britain d. China, 5-4; Final: Chinese Taipei d. Korea, 6-2.

Women/Compound: 1. Natalia Avdeeva (RUS); 2. Paige Pearce (USA); 3. Jyothi Surekha Vennam (IND); 4. Yesim Bostan (TUR). Semis: Pearce d. Vennam, 143-140; Avdeeva d. Bostan, 149-145. Third: Vennam d. Bostan, 145-145 (shoot-off: 10-9). Final: Avdeeva d. Pearce, 142-141.

Women/Team Compound: 1. Chinese Taipei (Y-H Chen, L-J Chen, Huang); 2. United States (Paige Pearce, Alexis Ruiz, Cassidy Cox); 3. India (Kirar, Kaur, Vennam); 4. Turkey (Bostan, Elmaagacli, Tomruk). Semis: Chinese Taipei d. Turkey, 225-222; U.S. d. India, 227-226. Third: India d. Turkey, 229-226. Final: Chinese Taipei d. U.S., 229-224.

Mixed/Recurve Team: 1. Chae-Young Kang/Woo-Seok Lee (KOR); 2. Gabriela Bayardo/Sjef van den Berg (NED); 3. Vanessa Landi/Mauro Nespoli (ITA); 4. Chien-Ying Lei/Chih-Chun Tang (TPE). Semis: Kang/Lee d. Landi/Nespoli, 5-1; Bayardo/Van den Berg d. Lei/Tang, 5-1. Third: Landi/Nespoli d. Lei/Tang, 5-3. Final: Kang/Lee d. Bayardo/van den Berg, 6-0.

Mixed/Compound Team: 1. Chaewon So/Jongho Kim (KOR); 2. Sophie Dodemont/Pierre-Julien Deloche (FRA); 3. Yi-Hsuan Chen/Chieh-Lun Chen (TPE); 4. Sara Lopez/Daniel Munoz (COL). Semis: So/Kim d. Lopez/Munoz, 159-157; Dodemont/Deloche d. Chen/Chen, 156-154. Third: Chen/Chen d. Lopez/Munoz, 156-155. Final: So/Kim d. Dodemont/Deloche, 159-153.

ATHLETICS: Simbine braves the rain for 9.92 win at adidas Boost Boston

By
Rich Perelman
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South Africa's sprint star Akani Simbine (Photo: Fernando Frazao/Agencia Brasil via Wikimedia Commons)

The unique “street meet” held in Boston was on Boylstron Street for 2019 and the temporary track proved pretty fast despite enough rain to leave puddles on the track, as shown by South Africa’s Akani Simbine.

He showed excellent top-end speed to win the men’s 100 m in a season’s best of 9.92 (wind: +1.1 m/s), accelerating past Kendal Williams (USA: 10.03).

The men’s 200 was also speedy, as Britain’s Zharnel Hughes won on the straightaway in 20.00, ahead of Kyle Greaux (TTO: 20.09).

The women’s 100 m was won by Murielle Ahoure (CIV), who came on with a late rush in 11.09, ahead of Aleia Hobbs (USA: 11.11) and an encouraging return for Tori Bowie, third in 11.22.

American Sharika Nelvis got a seasonal best in the 100 m hurdles with her win in 12.65 to 12.69 for Christina Clemons (wind: +0.4 m/s).

The featured events were the 150 m races on the straightaway. Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) ran away with the women’s race in 16.38 and Noah Lyles won in 14.35, reportedly the fifth-fastest time ever run. Lyles false-started, but was not disqualified, then ran strongly in the final 70 m to break away from the field; Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (GBR) was second in 15.10.

Complete results are here.

ATHLETICS: Sensational 1,500 finds Dibaba ahead of Hassan once again in Rabat Diamond League

By
Rich Perelman
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Ethiopia's World 1,500 m Champion Genzebe Dibaba

/Updated with revised results of the men’s discus/ ~ Now 28, Genzebe Dibaba, Ethiopia’s world-record holder in the 1,500 m, shows no signs of slowing down.

The 2015 World Champion authored a special performance on Sunday, outsprinting Dutch star Sifan Hassan for a world-leading 3:55.47-3:55.93 victory to highlight the Rabat Diamond League meet.

Dibaba took over with about 600 m to go, chased by fellow Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay and Hassan. They were nearly together at the bell, then Hassan became the principal chaser as Dibaba led down the backstraight. Hassan finally pulled even on the final straightaway, but Dibaba had more finishing speed and managed to get to the line first. It was Dibaba’s sixth win in seven match-ups with Hassan over the metric mile.

“I am happy for my performance tonight,” said Dibaba afterwards. “It feels great running in Africa. I am proud for achieving the world leader. This is another special occasion because it is the third time I achieve a WL. Based on my level and performance, I feel ready for the World Championships.”

The 3:55.93 is pretty impressive. It’s the no. 21 performance in history, or more properly no. 10 if you jettison the chemically-questionable Chinese marks from their National Games in 1997. For Hassan, it keeps her as the no. 17 performer all-time, slightly improving on her 2015 best of 3:56.05.

American Jenny Simpson posted a season best of 3:59.83, finishing seventh.

Dibaba’s run was one of three world leads on the day, with one coming in the final race, with fellow Ethiopian Getnet Wale scoring a lifetime best of 8:06.01, shaving 12/100ths off of Kenya’s Ben Kigen’s mark from Rome on 6 June.

The discus was a showdown between Sweden’s world leader Daniel Stahl (SWE) and Jamaica’s Fedrick Dacres and when the meet ended, Stahl had the win, reaching 69.94 (229-5) to outlast Dacres’ 69.50 m (228-0). But Dacres protested that his long third throw was not a foul as called, but fair. His protest was upheld and the throw – which had been measured – was reinstated at 70.78 m (232-3), not only the world-leading throw, but a meet record, Diamond League record and national record for Dacres! It also moved him to no. 19 on the all-time list and is the longest throw in a couple of years!

Other highlights included a season best long jump from Cuba’s Juan Miguel Echevarria, who won with 8.34 m (27-4 1/2) over South Africa’s Luvo Manyonga, who reached 8.21 m (26-11 1/4) on his first jump, but suffered a left leg injury and had to be carried off the track. Summaries:

IAAF Diamond League/Meeting Mohamad VI
Rabat (MAR) ~ 16 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men

200 m (wind -0.5 m/s): 1. Andre De Grasse (CAN), 20.19; 2. Ramil Guliyev (TUR), 20.28; 3. Alex Quinonez (ECU), 20.30. Also: 4. Kenny Bednarek (USA), 20.51.

800 m: 1. Nijel Amos (BOT), 1:45.57; 2. Emmanuel Korir (KEN), 1:45.60; 3. Clayton Murphy (USA), 1:45.99.

1,500 m (non-Diamond League): 1. Vincent Kibet (KEN), 3:35.80; 2. Hicham Akankam (MAR), 3:35.85; 3. Alexis Meillet (FRA), 3:35.98.

3,000 m Steeple: 1. Getnet Wale (ETH), 8:06.01; 2. Chala Beyo (ETH), 8:06.48; 3. Benjamin Kigen (KEN), 8:07.25. Also: 5. Hillary Bor (USA), 8:12.08; … 9. Stanley Kebenei (USA), 8:21.25.

5,000 m (non-Diamond League): 1. Edward Pingua (KEN), 13:11.49; 2. Solomon Berihu (ETH), 13:16.08; 3. Soufiyan Bouqantar (MAR), 13:17.26.

110 m hurdles (+0.3): 1. Sergey Shubenkov (RUS), 13.12; 2. Andrew Pozzi (GBR), 13.30; 3. Gabriel Constantino (BRA), 13.41.

High Jump: Bohdan Bondarenko (UKR), 2.28 m (7-5 3/4); 2. Naoto Tobe (JPN), 2.28 m (7-5 3/4); 3. Ilya Ivanyuk (RUS), 2.28 m (7-5 3/4).

Long Jump: 1. Juan Miguel Echevarria (CUB), 8.34 m (27-4 1/2); 2. Luvo Manyonga (RSA), 8.21 m (26-11 1/4); 3. Ruswahl Samaai (RSA), 8.16 m (26-9 1/4). Also: 10. Jeff Henderson (USA), 6.10 m (20-0 1/4).

Discus: 1. Fedrick Dacres (JAM), 70.78 m (232-3); 2. Daniel Stahl (SWE), 69.94 (229-5); 3. Lukas Weisshaidinger (AUT), 68.14 m (223-7). Also: 5. Reggie Jaggers (USA), 64.59 m (211-11).

Women

100 m (-0.6): 1. Blessing Okagbare (NGR), 11.05; 2. Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV), 11.09; 3. Crystal Emmanuel (CAN), 11.30. Also: 9. Mikiah Brisco (USA), 11.47.

400 m: 1. Salwa Eid Naser (BRN), 50.13; 2. Aminatou Seyni (NIG), 50.24; 3. Christine Botlogetswe (BOT), 50.48. Also: 4. Phyllis Francis (USA), 50.76; 5. Jaide Stepter (USA), 51.44; … 7. Kendall Ellis (USA), 51.82.

800 m: 1. Nelly Jepkosgei (KEN), 1:59.50; 2. Habitam Alemu (ETH), 1:59.90; 3. Olha Lyakhova (UKR), 2:00.35. Also: 6. Ce’Aria Brown (USA), 2:01.19.

1,500 m: 1. Genzebe Dibaba (ETH), 3:55.47; 2. Sifan Hassan (NED), 3:55.93; 3. Gudaf Tsegay (ETH), 3:57.40. Also: 7. Jenny Simpson (USA), 3:59.83.

Pole Vault: 1. Sandi Morris (USA), 4.82 m (15-9 3/4); 2. Anzhelika Sidorova (RUS), 4.77 m (15-7 3/4); 3. Katie Nageotte (USA), 4.67 m (15-3 3/4).

Discus: 1. Yaime Perez (CUB), 68.28 m (224-0); 2. Denia Caballero (CUB), 65.94 m (216-4); 3. Sandra Perkovic (CRO), 64.77 m (212-6). Also: 4. Valarie Allman (USA), 64.58 m (211-10).

FOOTBALL: U.S. steams into Round of 16 with 3-0 win over Chile; nine teams through to second round

By
Rich Perelman
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Carli Loyd leads the U.S. front line vs. Sweden (Photo: FIFA)

The U.S. women’s National Team scored a workmanlike 3-0 victory over Chile in Paris to keep its record perfect in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and advance to the second phase of the tournament.

Using a much different line-up than in the first match against Thailand, the U.S. got immediate dividends from Carli Lloyd, who scored twice in the first half, as well as a brilliant header from Julie Ertz off a corner kick from Tierna Davidson.

The 3-0 edge at halftime was the same for the Americans as against Thailand, but the U.S. was held scoreless in the second half, primarily due to sensational goalkeeping by Chile’s Christiane Endler, who stopped six shots, including two astonishing saves against Christen Press.

The game was played at the Parc des Princes in Paris and drew the largest crowd of the tournament so far, with 45,594 on hand.

The U.S. now has a 16-0 edge in scoring in its two matches and will play Sweden on Thursday for the group title. The Swedes beat Thailand, 5-1, in the first game on Sunday.

Along with the U.S. and Sweden, seven other teams have qualified for the playoff round: France, Germany, Italy, England, Japan, the Netherlands and Canada. If the U.S. wins its group, it could see Spain or China in the Round of 16. If the U.S. loses to Sweden, it would play the Netherlands or Canada.

Seven of the nine teams assured of playing in the second round are from Europe, which continues to dominate the tournament. Through two of the three rounds of group play, look at these comparative statistics (records shown as W-L-T):

Africa: 3 teams/6 games
● Record: 1-5-0
● Goals: 4-11
● Shots: 46-93
● Possession: 40-60%

Asia: 4 teams/8 games
● Record: 2-5-1
● Goals: 4-26
● Shots: 73-146
● Possession: 45-55%

North America: 3 teams/6 games
● Record: 4-2-0
● Goals: 19-8
● Shots: 128-41
● Possession: 61-39%

Oceania: 2 teams/4 games
● Record: 1-3-0
● Goals: 4-7
● Shots: 34-56
● Possession: 42-58%

South America: 3 teams/6 games
● Record: 1-4-1
● Goals: 5-9
● Shots: 45-100
● Possession: 42-58%

Europe: 9 teams/18 games
(3 games between European sides not counted)
● Record: 11-1-0 vs. non-European teams
● Goals: 31-6 vs. non-European teams
● Shots: 209-99
● Possession: 60-40%

It is quite possible that all nine European teams will make it into the playoff round; Scotland must defeat Argentina in its final game to try to qualify as a third-place team.

For more data and match scores, click here.

Ukraine won the FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Poland with a 3-1 victory over Korea on Saturday.

The game opened perfectly for Korea, as Ukraine was assessed a penalty in the first five minutes and Kangin Lee scored for a 1-0 lead. But Vladyslav Supriaha tied it in the 34th minute and the game was even at the half.

Supriaha scored again in the 53rd minute and then Heorhii Tsitaishvili sealed the title with a goal in the 89th minute for the 3-1 final.

Ukraine had never progressed past the Round of 16 previously in this tournament and keeper Andriy Lunin won the Golden Glove award.

The Golden Ball award went to Lee of Korea and the Silver Ball to Serhiy Buletsa (UKR). The top scorer was Norway’s Erling Haland, who scored nine times in the silly 12-0 win over Honduras and didn’t get another goal in the tournament. Ukraine’s Danylo Sikan and Sebastian Soto of the U.S. were two of the four players who had four goals in the tournament. Summary:

FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup
Poland ~ 23 May-15 June 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings: 1. Ukraine; 2. South Korea; 3. Ecuador; 4. Italy; 5. Senegal; 6. United States; 7. Colombia; 8. Mali; 9. France; 10. Uruguay; 11. New Zealand; 12. Argentina; 13. Japan; 14. Poland; 15. Nigeria; 16. Panama (24 teams competed). Semis: Ukraine 1, Italy 0; South Korea 1, Ecuador 0. Third: Ecuador 1, Italy 0 (extra time). Final: Ukraine 3, South Korea 1.

SWIMMING: Rasovszky finally wins at Lake Balaton; so does Cunha, again!

By
Rich Perelman
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Brazil's open-water star Ana Marcela Cunha (Photo: FINA/Istvan Derencsenyi)

Local fans who came out to see Hungary’s open-water star Kristof Rasovszky finally got to see him realize a long-held goal: to win a FINA Marathon World Series race on his home course at Lake Balaton.

He went out hard on the 2,500 m loop course, then eased back to among the leaders before unleashing a fearsome final kick that left him more than six second clear on the final, 400 m finish straight. He finished in 1:50.12.7, leaving 2016 Olympic champ Ferry Weertman well back in 1:50:19.2. It’s Rasovszky’s third medal in four World Series races this year.

“Everything went according to my plans, even the other guys helped somewhat” Rasovszky said. “I swam ahead at the beginning to set the pace and found out the others tried to follow me which was good news since my race tactics were tailored for me and actually no one wanted to challenge this. So when I geared up for the finish no one could come with me.”

In the women’s race, Brazil’s unstoppable Ana Marcela Cunha was again at Lake Balaton, defending her 2018 victory, but by less than a second over perennial rival Arianna Bridi of Italy with German Leonie Beck a close third.

No one was able to build much of a lead, so the race came down to the final sprint, and Cunha got to the tough first for her third win in the four races held so far this year.

“This was all good once more, I’m happy” Cunha said afterwards. “I tried to set the pace but stay patient at the end. I’m more used to swim 25 km, but as we say with our coach, in the 10 km, towards the finish you need to be more European. In South America, it’s in your blood to go with emotions in the finish, but in the 10 km you need to be cool and professional and I just managed to do that.”

The Marathon World Series takes a break now until July and will resume after the FINA World Championships. Summaries:

FINA Marathon Swimming World Series
Balatonfured (HUN) ~ 15 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men/10 km: 1. Kristof Rasovszky (HUN), 1:50:12.7; 2. Ferry Weertman (NED), 1:50:19.2; 3. Soren Meissner (GER), 1:50:22.5.

Women/10 km: 1. Ana Marcela Cunha, (BRA) 1:58:45.4; 2. Arianna Bridi (ITA), 1:58:46.2;
3. Leonie Beck (GER), 1:58:46.8.

WRESTLING: Ragan and Gray dominate; Burroughs and Snyder win at Final X Lincoln to make U.S. Worlds team

By
Rich Perelman
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Jordan Burroughs had to go to the limit to defeat Isaiah Martinez at Final X (Photo: USA Wrestling)

Four-time World Champion Adeline Gray made it clear that she’s the best in the U.S. and will be hard to beat at the 2019 UWW World Championships after an impressive sweep at the second set of Final X matches, held in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Gray faced off against U.S. Open winner Precious Bell, but the issue was decided quickly. Gray scored a pinfall in 1:57, then won the second match by technical fall at 10-0 to earn her seventh U.S. team berth. She has four Worlds golds and two bronzes in her brilliant career.

The only other wrestler to score two technical falls or better was Alli Ragan, a two-time Worlds silver medalist, at 59 kg. Ragan won the U.S. Open title in 2019 with a 10-0 technical fall over Abigail Nette and dispatched Lauren Louive by 10-0 and 10-0 scores to sweep her way to another U.S. Worlds team.

The men’s Freestyle saw three of the four 2018 Worlds medalists qualify for the 2019 U.S. team. Rio Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder won straight matches against Kyven Gadson by 4-0 and 12-1, and 2017 Worlds silver winner James Green swept Ryan Deakin, 11-0 and 4-3. But the final match of the evening was a titanic struggle between former Nebraska star Jordan Burroughs – the 2012 London gold medalist – and Isaiah Martinez, the U.S. Open winner. Burroughs won the opener, 5-4, but then Martinez evened the score at 6-5, forcing a decisive third bout. Burroughs managed to win comfortably, by 7-1 and head to his seventh World Championships.

In Greco-Roman, the lone 2018 Worlds medal winner, Adam Coon, swept Cohlton Schultz by 8-0 and 5-1 to earn his return trip to the World Championships.

In the other women’s matches, 2018 Worlds silver medalist Sarah Hildebrandt easily overcame Katherine Shai in straight matches at 53 kg; two-time U.S. Open winner Jacarra Winchester swept Dominique Parrish by 10-0 and 8-3, and three-time U.. Open champ Kayla Miracle reversed last year’s Final X result and defeated 2018 Worlds bronze medalist Mallory Velte by 12-2 and 5-4.

More on what promises to be a formidable U.S. team at the 2019 Worlds, which will start on 14 September in Kazakhstan. Summaries from Lincoln:

USA Wrestling Final X II
Lincoln, Nebraska (USA) ~ 15 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Freestyle

● 57 kg: Daton Fix d. Tom Gilman, 2-1 (9-1, 2-3, 6-3)
● 61 kg: Tyler Graff d, Joe Colon, 2-1 (4-6, 9-2, 12-2)
● 70 kg: James Green d. Ryan Deakin, 2-0 (11-0, 4-3).
● 74 kg: Jordan Burroughs d. Isaiah Martinez, 2-1 (5-4, 5-6, 7-1).
● 97 kg: Kyle Snyder d. Kyven Gadson, 2-0 (4-0, 12-1).

Men/Greco-Roman

● 60 kg: Ildar Hafizov d. Mike Fuenffinger, 2-0 (7-5, 9-0).
● 63 kg: Ryan Mango d. Xavier Johnson, 2-0 (13-2, 6-5).
● 72 kg. Raymond Bunker d. Alex Mossing, 2-0 (3-1, 7-0).
● 97 kg: G’Angelo Hancock d. Lucas Sheridan, 2-0 (8-0, 5-3).
● 130 kg: Adam Coon d. Cohlton Schultz, 2-0 (8-0, 5-1).

Women/Freestyle

● 53 kg: Sarah Hildebrandt d. Katherine Shai, 2-0 (3-0, 8-0).
● 55 kg: Jacarra Winchester d. Dominique Parrish, 2-0 (10-0, 8-3).
● 59 kg: Alli Ragan d. Lauren Louive, 2-0 (10-0, 10-0).
● 62 kg: Kayla Miracle d. Mallory Velte, 2-0 (12-2, 5-4).
● 76 kg: Adeline Gray d. Precious Bell, 2-0 (fall 1:57, 10-0).

SWIMMING: Urlando closes Tyr Pro Swim Clovis with third win, but Pickrem wins four; World Junior Record for Regan Smith in Indy

By
Rich Perelman
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Why not smile? You're American Record holder Regan Smith!

The final day of the final leg of the 2019 Tyr Pro Swim Series saw 17-year-old star Luca Urlando score a dominant win in the 200 m Medley to finish with three wins and four medals, the best among the men.

But Canada’s Sydney Pickrem finished with four wins, also taking the 200 m Medley to go along with the victories in the 200 m Medley and 100 and 200 m Breaststroke events.

A total of eight swimmers picked two or more victories in the meet:

Men:
● Trey Freeman ~ 200-400 m Freestyles
● Arakam Mahmoud (EGY) ~ 800-1,500 m Freestyles
● Brandon Fischer ~ 50-100 m Breaststrokes
● Gianluca Urlando ~ 100-200 m Butterfly; 200 m Medley

Women:
● Sydney Pickrem (CAN) ~ 100-200 m Breaststrokes; 200-400 m Medley
● Leah Smith ~ 200-800 m Freestyles
● Erica Sullivan ~ 400-1,500 m Freestyles
● Isabelle Stadden ~ 100-200 m Backstrokes

Sullivan had the highlight of the final day, smashing her lifetime best in the 1,500 m Free at 15:55.25 and moving her to no. 4 on the 2019 world list. Her prior best had been 16:02.88 from the U.S. nationals in 2018.

At the first day of the final Mare Nostrum series meet, in Barcelona (ESP), Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu lowered her own world-leading mark in the women’s 400 m Medley to 4:32.52 from the 4:32.87 she swam in Monaco in the first leg of the series. She also won the 100 m Fly in a season best of 57.80.

Argentina’s Delfina Pignatiello won the women’s 1,500 m Free and moved to no. 3 on the year list at 15:51.68.

Two Americans scored wins in Barcelona: Michael Andrew took the 50 m Back in 24.67, and Carson Foster won the 200 m Back in 1:58.88.

At the Doc Counsilman Classic in Indianapolis (USA), 17-year-old Regan Smith of the U.S. won the 100 m Back in a World Junior Record of 58.55, tying her with Taylor Ruck of Canada as the second-fastest performer of 2019 and no. 8 all-time. The mark also moved Smith to no. 3 on the all-time U.S. list, behind only world-record holder Kathleen Baker (58.00) and 2012 Olympic champ Missy Franklin (58.33). Wow!

Summaries from Clovis:

USA Swimming/Tyr Pro Swim Series
Clovis, California (USA) ~ 12-15 June 2019
(Full results here; all U.S. unless otherwise indicated)

Men

50 m Freestyle: 1. Bradley Tandy (RSA), 22.17; 2. Michael Chadwick, 22.28; 3. Gabe Castano (MEX), 22.35.

100 m Free: 1. Chadwick, 48.70; 2. Cristian Quintero (VEN), 49.43; 3. Peter Holoda (HUN), 49.46.

200 m Free: 1. Trey Freeman, 1:47.86; 2. Townley Haas, 1:48.02; 3. Gianluca Urlando, 1:48.58.

400 m Free: 1. Freeman, 3:49.16; 2. Akaram Mahmoud (EGY), 3:53.94; 3. Chris Wieser, 3:54.81.

800 m Free: 1. Mahmoud (EGY), 8:00.86; 2. Wieser, 8:01.98; 3. Ricardo Vargas Jacobo (MEX), 8:09.75.

1,500 m Free: 1. Mahmoud (EGY), 15:26.12; 2. Wieser, 15:29.67; 3. Sawyer Grimes, 15:38.38.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Justin Ress, 25.05; 2. Matt Grevers, 25.21; 3. Chris Staka, 25.57.

100 m Back: 1. Grevers, 53.59; 2. Ress, 54.25; 3. Markus Thormeyer (CAN), 54.50.

200 m Back: 1. Thormeyer (CAN), 1:59.24; 2. Andy Song (MEX), 2:02.73; 3. Harrison Lierz, 2:02.95.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Brandon Fischer, 27.26; 2. Pavel Romanov (RUS), 27.71; 3. Youssef Elkamash (EGY), 27.89.

100 m Breast: 1. Fischer, 59.86; 2. Devon Nowicki, 1:00.97; 3. Miguel de Lara Ojeda (MEX), 1:01.15.

200 m Breast: 1. Daniel Roy, 2:10.43; 2. A.J. Pouch, 2:11.06; 3. Fischer, 2:11.91.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Holoda (HUN), 23.78; 2. Giles Smith, 23.95; 3. Ryan Coetzee (RSA), 24.14.

100 m Fly: 1. Urlando, 52.20; 2. G. Smith, 52.63; 3. Coetzee (RSA), 53.57.

200 m Fly: 1. Urlando, 1:53.84; 2. Justin Wright, 1:58.61; 3. Ben Miller, 2:00.41.

200 m Medley: 1. Urlando, 2:00.12; 2. Jarod Arroyo, 2:03.29; 3. Erick Gordillo (GUA), 2:05.22.

400 m Medley: 1. Arroyo, 4:21.65; 2. Gordillo (GUA), 4:27.00; 3. Brodie Young (CAN), 4:28.18.

Women

50 m Freestyle: 1. Catie DeLoof, 24.99; 2. Julie Meynen (LUX), 25.08; 3. Mallory Comerford, 25.21.

100 m Free: 1. Comerford, 53.90; 2. Kelsi Dahlia, 54.56; 3. Meynen (LUX), 54.63.

200 m Free: 1. Leah Smith, 1:57.40; 2. Comerford, 1:57.93; 3. Emily Overholt (CAN), 1:57.97.

400 m Free: 1. Erica Sullivan, 4:10.36; 2. Evie Pfeifer, 4:11.77; 3. Claire Tuggle, 3:14.37.

800 m Free: 1. L. Smith, 8:22.87; 2. Sullivan, 8:27.06; 3. Megan Dalke (CAN), 8:56.43.

1,500 m Free: 1. Sullivan, 15:55.25; 2. Mackenzie Paddington (CAN), 16:56.58; 3. Ayumi Macias (MEX), 16:56.76.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Ali DeLoof, 28.05; 2. Amy Bilquist, 28.44; 3. Isabelle Stadden, 28.64.

100 m Back: 1. Stadden, 59.71; 2. A. DeLoof, 1:00.59; 3. C. DeLoof, 1:01.60.

200 m Back: 1. Stadden, 2:08.67; 2. Pickrem (CAN), 2:13.17; 3. Taylor McCoy, 2:14.46.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Alia Atkinson (JAM), 30.69; 2. Danielle Herrmann, 31.55; 3. Melissa Rodriguez (MEX), 31.86.

100 m Breast: 1. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 1:07.20; 2. Rodriguez (MEX), 1:07.32; 3. Atkinson (JAM), 1:08.00.

200 m Breast: 1. Pickrem (CAN), 2:25.52; 2. Rodriguez (MEX), 2:25.54; 3. Esther Gonzalez (MEX), 2:29.44.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Kendyl Stewart, 26.35; 2. Dahlia, 26.38; 3. Hansson (SWE), 26.54.

100 m Fly: 1. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.36; 2. Dahlia, 57.45; 3. Stewart, 58.35.

200 m Fly: 1. Dahlia, 2:10.69; 2. Remedy Rule, 2:11.56; 3. Lauren Case, 2:12.13.

200 m Medley: 1. Pickrem (CAN), 2:11.78; 2. Overholt (CAN), 2:13.45; 3. Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo (MEX), 2:14.54.

400 m Medley: 1. Pickrem (CAN), 4:40.64; 2. Overholt (CAN), 4:44.23; 3. Evie Pfeifer, 4:44.51.

ATHLETICS Preview: Which Juan of the stars will shine brightest in Rabat on Sunday? It won’t be Caster the ghost …

By
Rich Perelman
-

The confused IAAF Diamond League schedule started off with about one meet every two weeks, but now finished a stretch of three in 10 days, and then another two weeks off. Sunday’s meet is in Rabat (MAR) for the Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athletisme, the only Diamond League stop in Africa.

The event received some unwanted attention when South African star Caster Semenya’s lawyers accused the organizers of not allowing her to run since the IAAF’s female eligibility regulations have been suspended by the Swiss Federal Tribunal. Since then, she was invited to run in the women’s 800 m … and declined! So now we can get back to considering who will be running; some of the headline events:

● Men/200 m: Canada’s Andre De Grasse has been trying to get back on track, but has a best of 20.20 this season, Turkey’s World Champion Ramil Guliyev (19.99) has been good when healthy, but this race is a test for newcomer Kenny Bednarek, who ran 19.82 to win the National Junior College title in the U.S. We’ll know more about his possibilities after this race.

● Men/800 m: Botswana’s Nijel Amos has been terrific in 2019, standing no. 2 on the world list at 1:43.65. He’s the favorite, ahead of a good field that include Kenyans Ferguson Rotich (1:44.11 in 2019), Emmanuel Korir (1:44.50) and Jonathan Kitilit (1:44.97) and American Clayton Murphy (1:44.59), coming off a strong mile performance in Oslo.

● Men/3,000 m Steeple: Home favorite Soufiane El Bakkali was the world leader at 8:07.22 until the Rome Diamond League, when Benjamin Kigen (8:06.13) and Getnet Wale (ETH: 8:06.83) passed him. All three are racing Sunday, along with American Hillary Bor (8:08.41) and Leonard Bett (KEN: 8:08.61), who were 2-3 behind El Bakkali in Doha.

● Men/110 m hurdles: Jamaica’s Olympic Champion Omar McLeod sits third on the world list for 2019 (13.12), behind Americans Grant Holloway (12.98) and Daniel Roberts (13.000> he’s like to change that in Rabat and will be pushed by 2015 World Champion Sergey Shubenkov (RUS: 13.26 this season) and Britain’s Andrew Pozzi (13.29).

● Men/Long Jump: A very strong field with Olympic champ and 2019 world leader Jeff Henderson (USA: 8.38 m/27-6), World Champion Luvo Manyonga (RSA: 8.35 m/27-4 3/4 in 2019) and 2017 Worlds bronze medalist Ruswahl Samaai (RSA: 8.21 m/26-11 1/4) all in. But all eyes will be on the erratic Juan-Miguel Echevarria (CUB), whose three outdoor meets have been 8.92 mw/29-3 1/4w (!!!), 7.95 m/26-1 and 8.12mw/26-7 3/4w for second in Stockholm. Which Juan shows up?

● Men/Discus: An all-star field with 2015 World Champion Piotr Malachowski (POL), 2016 Olympic Champion Christoph Harting (GER), 2017 World Champion Andrius Gudzius (LTU) and the top three on the world list for 2019, but the question is how far will Daniel Stahl (SWE) throw? His first two meets this season were wins in 70.56 m (231-6) in Doha and 69.57 m (228-3) in Stockholm, with a foul at almost 73 m (239-6). But then he had three fouls at the Nurmi Games in Turku (FIN). Is this the day he unleashes one for the ages?

● Women/100 m: This event has suddenly exploded, with Sha’Carri Richardson at 10.75, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) at 10.88 and Elaine Thompson (JAM) at 10.89. Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV: 11.14 in 2019), Dafne Schippers (NED: 11.06) and Blessing Okagbare (11.07) know now is the time to start running a lot faster.

● Women/400 m: Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser sits no. 2 on the world list and is undefeated in four meets this season at 400 m. Reigning World Champion Phyllis Francis (50.85 in 2019) is the best bet to do something about that, along with former USC star Kendall Ellis (51.75 in 2019).

● Women/1,500 m: Eight runners who have finished under 4:02 this season are entered, headed by 2019 world leader Genzebe Dibaba (ETH: 3:56.28), who won the race of the year (so far) in Rome. Countrywoman Gudaf Tsegay won in Nanjing (CHN) in 3:59.57 and then there are Axumawit Embaye (ETH: 4:00.17), Sifan Hassan (NED: 4:00.53), home favorite Rabab Arafi (MAR), American Jenny Simpson (4:01.18) and more.

● Women/Pole Vault: World and Olympic champ Katerina Stefanidi (GRE) leads this field, with World Indoor champ Sandi Morris (USA) challenging and both trying to better the current world-leading mark of 4.91 m (16-1 1/4) by Jenn Suhr of the U.S. American Katie Nageotte moved up to third on the 2019 list on Thursday in Prague, clearing 4.81 m (15-9 1/4).

● Women/Discus: Even though the world leader (and 2015 World Champion) Denia Caballero of Cuba is in the field (68.46 m/224-7), much of the focus will be on Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic, who threw poorly at the Bauhaus Galan in Stockholm (SWE), finishing fifth. Bad day at the office, or something more? We’ll find out in Rabat.

U.S. TV coverage from Rabat is only available on the NBC Sports Gold online program; NBC will be showing the adidas Boost Boston Games on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. Look for Rabat results here.

The adidas Boost Boston Games will have some strong fields, especially in the oddball sprints scheduled to be run on an elevated track on Boylston Street in the downtown area. Look for record tries in:

● Men/150 m: (World best: 14.35, Usain Bolt (JAM), 2009) ~ Noah Lyles of the U.S., Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (GBR) and Jereem Richards (TTO).

● Women/150 m: (World best: 16.10, Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA), 1988) ~ Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH), Michelle-Lee Ahye (CIV) and Shania Collins (USA).

● Women/200 m hurdles: (World best: 24.8h, Yadisleidis Pedroso (ITA), 2013) ~ Shamier Little (USA) and Cassandra Tate (USA).

In the more traditional events, 2017 World Champion Tori Bowie is scheduled to run the women’s 100 m, an event she hasn’t run since winning the Pre Classic last May and suffering an injury. Now would be a good time to show some fitness and she will have Murielle Ahoure (CIV) and American Aleia Hobbs (11.03 in 2019) to push her.

In the men’s 200 m on the straight, Steven Gardiner (BAH) has already run 20.04 around the turn in 2019 and will be pushed by Britain’s Zharnel Hughes (9.97 for 100 m in 2019) and possibly 32-year-old LaShawn Merritt, who just opened his 2019 season with a second in 20.51 in a low-key meet in Florida on 8 June.

As noted above, the meet will be shown on NBC; look for results here.

HEARD AFTER HALFTIME: Not so fast on Australia for 2032, no racing at all for Caster Semenya and a Freddy Mercury look-alike?

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

● Games of the XXVth Olympiad ● International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach (GER) told reporters during a Friday teleconference that the possibility of an award of the 2032 Olympic Games next year – as suggested by Australian IOC member John Coates in Brisbane on Thursday – is premature.

“First of all we have to get approval from the IOC Session for these reforms and then we can start to get a clearer picture on the timing. Then it always takes two to tango,” Bach was quoted by the Around the Rings news site.

“We have not started any candidature procedure. We are many years ahead of 2032 … 13 years ahead. It’s too early to speak about favorites.

“Having said this, I was pretty impressed on my visit in Brisbane and Queensland. So if there would be a candidature from Brisbane and Queensland, given the hardware and infrastructure and the software, the love of the Aussies for sport and organizational skills, they would be a very strong candidate.”

Bach also noted that the reforms proposed do not indicate a plan to narrow the “election” of a host city/county to just a single candidate. “If the situation is coming that we see such a competition makes sense and the candidates appreciate this competition, then yes the door is open [to multiple candidates].

“On the other hand we have also the opportunity that the Executive Board upon recommendation of the [future host] commission then would propose only one candidate.”

● Athletics ● The IAAF Diamond League meet in Rabat (MAR) on Sunday has been drawn into controversy by denying South Africa’s Caster Semenya a spot in the women’s 800 m.

After the Swiss Federal Tribunal suspended the IAAF’s female eligibility regulations for events from the 400 m to the mile, Semenya applied to enter Sunday’s meet, but was refused. Her attorneys stated that “She was notified on June 11 that the president of the Moroccan Athletics Federation has denied her participation in the 800m in Rabat.

“Caster is currently seeking clarity on the specific reasons for that decision, and she urges the IAAF to ensure its member federations comply with the law and the Supreme Court’s orders of May 31 and June 12.”

In the meantime, the start lists for the meet are posted here.

● Athletics ● Not everyone was thrilled with the Bislett Games in Oslo on Thursday. Reader Ron Brumel of Los Angeles wrote in:

“To paraphrase Ronald Reagan: Here we go again.

“While the Oslo meet had many outstanding performances, one again the idiotic false start rule played a role in diminishing the overall quality of the event.

“Brianna Rollins’ false start, and the ensuing waste of time of the dramatic ‘presentation of the Red Card’ ceremony probably dismantled what should have been the most competitive event of the meet.

“As I’ve stated previously in this space, the one-and-out rule should be reserved for preliminary heats, dual meets, and the like. The high end events, such as championship finals on all levels, and major invitationals such as the Diamond League, should utilize the previous rule of one false start (flinch, twitch, imbalance, etc.) on the field and DQ on the second infraction.”

As you might guess, Brumel is a coach and not a television producer. Just sayin’ …

Winner Christina Clemons (12.69) said afterwards, “I’m pretty satisfied; the crowd was great and it’s amazing to come here to such great fans. Track and field is much bigger over here than in the States. It was really good fun.

“I had to focus after the false start, put it all out there and just be sharp. The start’s my strong point and execution is the most important thing, I felt good and I got the win. I’m definitely focused now on the USAs: making the team is no joke, so that’s all I can think about now, and then making sure I take a medal in Doha.”

● Badminton ● One of the finest badminton players in history, Malaysia’s Chong Wei Lee, announced his retirement on Thursday, ending a career that included three Olympic silver medals in men’s Singles from 2008-12-16 and four World Championships medals from 2005-15.

He tweeted, “I’m sorry that I couldn’t make it to Tokyo this time around. And I’m sorry I didn’t deliver an Olympic gold. But I know I’ve no regrets as I’ve tried my best. My very best. Thank you very much to all of you. Lee Chong Wei signing out.”

Lee, 36, was devastated by a diagnosis of nose cancer in 2018 and the condition was not revealed until last September. The treatment has been difficult and his physicians advised against his continuing to play.

In a sport dominated by Chinese stars, he was ranked no. 1 in the world for 199 consecutive weeks from 2008-12 and leaves the sport with 69 international titles.

● Biathlon ● The Russian TASS news agency reported that former Moscow Laboratory director and whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov has been a significant source of information for the International Biathlon Union’s External Review Commission with regard to doping and cover-ups.

“Rodchenkov passed the information over to WADA that former President of the Russian Biathlon Union, four-time Olympic gold medalist Alexander Tikhonov was aware of the fact that the Russian side had transferred a large amount of money to former IBU head Anders Besseberg and Secretary General Nicole Resch, who possibly covered up the positive doping samples of Russian biathletes. These testimonies formed the backbone of the anti-corruption investigation launched by the Austrian police in 2018. Tikhonov himself blasted the statements made by Rodchenkov as false in an interview with TASS.”

The Commission’s most recent report noted that it is working in cooperation with Austrian and other authorities who are continuing to investigate doping in biathlon and other winter sports.

● Equestrian ● Tragedy in San Diego, where Robert Gage, a long-time star as a rider, trainer, coach and judge, died on Wednesday (12th), possibly a suicide. Gage was accused of sexual misconduct and was sanctioned – effective 1 February of this year – by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, which has raised considerable ire within the sport.

One rider, Markie Morrison, posted a social-media notice that included, “[U.S. Equestrian Federation] and SafeSport, I hope you take a good long look at what you’ve done. SafeSport is turning the entire equestrian community into a witch hunt. I’ve never felt so lucky to be female before and so worried for the future of the sport. Now an innocent man is gone and they are to blame. I’m expecting a statement, although nothing they can say will fix this.”

There’s sentiment on the other side, of course, but this is the second death possibly linked to a suspensions from the Center for SafeSport. Former figure skater John Coughlin committed suicide in January, a day after being suspended by SafeSport, reportedly for sexual misconduct.

● World Beach Games ● The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) announced that the World Beach Games will be held in Qatar:

“The Qatar government has provided ANOC with financial guarantees and has a proven track-record in successfully hosting international events, including world championships in swimming, handball, gymnastics and cycling.”

The event, which ANOC removed from San Diego due to a lack of funding, will be held from 12-16 October.

● At the BuZZer ● Pretty sharp comment from @TrackSuperfan Jesse Squire:

I think he’s quite right about Henrik, the eldest of the three star Norwegian middle-distance runners. He’s coming off a pretty legendary performance of his own, setting a national record for 3,000 m (7:36.85) in fourth at Thursday’s Bislett Games.

SWIMMING: Urlando, 17, erases a Michael Phelps 200 m Fly record in Tyr Pro Swim in Clovis

By
Rich Perelman
-
Teen butterfly star Luca Urlando (USA)

He’s only 17, but it’s worth remembering this name: Luca Urlando.

The teen from Sacramento, California confirmed his world-class status by winning his second event of the Tyr Pro Swim Series meet in Clovis, California, posting a lifetime best in the 200 m Butterfly in 1:53.84. That improves on his 1:54.35 win at the Mel Zajac Invitational in Vancouver (CAN) a couple of weeks back, which moved him to no. 3 on the 2019 world list.

Moreover, the 1:53.84 clocking lowered the U.S. National Age-Group Record for the 17-18 crowd, replacing the venerable 2003 mark for Michael Phelps of 1:53.93. Not too bad; the time leaves him at no. 3 for 2019.

The women’s racing produced a triple winner – with one day to go – in Canada’s Sydney Pickem, who added the 200 m Breast to her Thursday wins in the 100 m Breast and 400 m Medley.

There was also a “family” double in the women’s 50 m Free and 50 m Back, as Catie DeLoof (22) set a lifetime best at 24.99 and older sister Ali (24) won the 50 m Back in 28.05.

One more day to go; summaries so far:

USA Swimming/Tyr Pro Swim Series
Clovis, California (USA) ~ 12-15 June 2019
(Full results here; all U.S. unless otherwise noted)

Men

50 m Freestyle: 1. Bradley Tandy (RSA), 22.17; 2. Michael Chadwick, 22.28; 3. Gabe Castano (MEX), 22.35.

200 m Free: 1. Trey Freeman, 1:47.86; 2. Townley Haas, 1:48.02; 3. Gianluca Urlando, 1:48.58.

400 m Free: 1. Freeman, 3:49.16; 2. Akaram Mahmoud (EGY), 3:53.94; 3. Chris Wieser, 3:54.81.

800 m Free: 1. Mahmoud (EGY), 8:00.86; 2. Wieser, 8:01.98; 3. Ricardo Vargas Jacobo (MEX), 8:09.75.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Justin Ress, 25.05; 2. Matt Grevers, 25.21; 3. Chris Staka, 25.57.

100 m Back: 1. Grevers, 53.59; 2. Ress, 54.25; 3. Markus Thormeyer (CAN), 54.50.

100 m Breast: 1. Brandon Fischer, 59.86; 2. Devon Nowicki, 1:00.97; 3. Miguel de Lara Ojeda (MEX), 1:01.15.

200 m Breast: 1. Daniel Roy, 2:10.43; 2. A.J. Pouch, 2:11.06; 3. Fischer, 2:11.91.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Peter Holoda (HUN), 23.78; 2. Giles Smith, 23.95; 3. Ryan Coetzee (RSA), 24.14.

100 m Fly: 1. Urlando, 52.20; 2. G. Smith, 52.63; 3. Coetzee (RSA), 53.57.

200 m Fly: 1. Urlando, 1:53.84; 2. Justin Wright, 1:58.61; 3. Ben Miller, 2:00.41.

400 m Medley: 1. Jarod Arroyo, 4:21.65; 2. Erick Gordillo (GUA), 4:27.00; 3. Brodie Young (CAN), 4:28.18.

Women

50 m Freestyle: 1. Catie DeLoof, 24.99; 2. Julie Meynen (LUX), 25.08; 3. Mallory Comerford, 25.21.

200 m Free: 1. Leah Smith, 1:57.40; 2. Comerford, 1:57.93; 3. Emily Overholt (CAN), 1:57.97.

400 m Free: 1. Erica Sullivan, 4:10.36; 2. Evie Pfeifer, 4:11.77; 3. Claire Tuggle, 3:14.37.

800 m Free: 1. L. Smith, 8:22.87; 2. Sullivan, 8:27.06; 3. Megan Dalke (CAN), 8:56.43.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Ali DeLoof, 28.05; 2. Amy Bilquist, 28.44; 3. Isabelle Stadden, 28.64.

100 m Back: 1. Stadden, 59.71; 2. A. DeLoof, 1:00.59; 3. C. DeLoof, 1:01.60.

100 m Breast: 1. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 1:07.20; 2. Melissa Rodroguez (MEX), 1:07.32; 3. Alia Atkinson (JAM), 1:08.00.

200 m Breast: 1. Pickrem (CAN), 2:25.52; 2. Rodriguez (MEX), 2:25.54; 3. Esther Gonzalez (MEX), 2:29.44.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Kendyl Stewart, 26.35; 2. Kelsi Dahlia, 26.38; 3. Hansson (SWE), 26.54.

100 m Fly: 1. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.36; 2. Dahlia, 57.45; 3. Stewart, 58.35.

200 m Fly: 1. Dahlia, 2:10.69; 2. Remedy Rule, 2:11.56; 3. Lauren Case, 2:12.13.

400 m Medley: 1. Pickrem (CAN), 4:40.64; 2. Overholt (CAN), 4:44.23; 3. Evie Pfeifer, 4:44.51.

WRESTLING Preview: Final Final X in Lincoln to select last 15 U.S. team members for 2019 Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
-
London 2012 Olympic wrestling champion Jordan Burroughs (USA)

The final chapter in the long process to select the U.S. team for the 2019 World Championships comes Saturday in the final Final X matches, at the Devaney Center at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. There are 15 matches scheduled, with five each in men’s and women’s Freestyle and men’s Greco-Roman. Thumbnail sketches on each match:

Men/Freestyle

● 57 kg: Daton Fix vs. Tom Gilman

These two faced off in the U.S. Open final, with Fix winning, 8-4. That reversed the results of the 2018 Final X bouts, where Gilman won and advanced to the World Championships, where he finished fifth. Fix was the 2017 World Junior Champion; Gilman won the World Junior bronze back in 2014. This figures to be close, very close.

● 61 kg: Joe Colon vs. Tyler Graff

Colon won the 2018 Worlds bronze in this class and advanced directly to Final X . He won the 2018 national title and the 2018 and 2019 Pan American championship. Graff was only fourth at the U.S. Open, but rebounded to take the Team Trials Challenge Tournament

● 70 kg: Ryan Deakin vs. James Green

This is a re-match of the U.S. Open final, where Deaken surprised Green, 8-5. Green came in as the 2017 Worlds silver medalist and 2015 bronze medalist, but had to work his way back through the World Team Trials Challenge process. Deaken was the 2017 World Junior silver medalist; can he repeat his Open win?

● 74 kg: Jordan Burroughs vs. Isaiah Martinez

The final match of the night will feature the legendary Burroughs, a two-time NCAA champ for Nebraska, the 2012 Olympic champ and world champion in 2011-13-15-17. He won a Worlds bronze in 2018, so here he is in Final X against Martinez, who won the U.S. Open and the Team Trials Challenge tourney for the second straight year. But beating Burroughs would be a substantial upset.

● 97 kg: Kyle Snyder vs. Kyven Gadson

Snyder won the World title in 2015 and 2017 and the Olympic gold medal in 2016, but lost in the World Championships final in 2018. Gadson won the 2017 and 2019 U.S. Open titles but has not yet found a way around Snyder. Last year at Final X, Snyder defeated Gadson in two matches, 9-0 and 10-2.

Men/Greco-Roman

● 60 kg: Leslie Fuenffinger vs. Ildar Hafizov

Fuenffinger has worked his way up the ladder, from fifth at the 2012 U.S. Open to second in 2018 and to the top step in 2019, defeating Hafizov, 6-4, in the final. Hafizov, who was a 2008 Olympian for Uzbekistan, was a 2017 Worlds team member for the U.S. and won the World Team Trails Challenge to get another shot at representing the U.S.

● 63 kg: Ryan Mango vs. Xavier Johnson

Mango was second at the 2017 U.S. Open and national champion in 2018 and 2019. Johnson moved up from sixth at the U.S. Open this year to take the World Team Trials Challenge tournament.

● 72 kg: Raymond Bunker vs. Alex Mossing

Bunker won his first national title this year, with a surprising 4-3 win over RaVaughn Perkins. Mossing has been wrestling at the U-23 level, but won the World Team Trials Challenge tourney to get a shot at the U.S. team heading to Kazakhstan.

● 97 kg: G’Angelo Hancock vs. Lucas Sheridan

Hancock is a two-time U.S. champ in 2017 and 2019 and defeated Sheridan in the 2019 Open final, 9-0. Sheridan has been third and second at the 2018 and 2019 nationals; can he overcome Hancock to make the U.S. Worlds team?

● 130 kg: Adam Coon vs. Cohlton Schultz

Coon is exceptionally versatile, as the Worlds silver medalist in this event in 2018, but also winning the 2018 and 2019 U.S. Open titles at 125 kg in Freestyle. He ended up second in the World Team Trials Challenge event in Freestyle, but he’s defending his team spot in Greco against Schultz, the 2018 World Junior bronze medalist, who won the Trials Challenge event in his first as a senior.

Women/Freestyle

● 53 kg: Sarah Hildebrandt vs. Katherine Shai

The Worlds silver medalist in 2018, Hildebrandt was also the 2018 national champion. Shai lost to Tiare Ikei at the 2019 U.S. Open, 14-4, but came back to win the World Team Trials Challenge tourney. She’s been close to making the U.S. team: second at the World Team Trials in 2014 and third in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Trials. But beating Hildebrandt will be a tall order.

● 55 kg: Jacarra Winchester vs. Dominique Parrish

Winchester has won the last two U.S. Opens and was fifth at the 2018 World Champs. She won her 2019 title with a 10-0 technical fall over Arena Villaescusa, while Parrish finished third with her own technical fall over. Alisha Houk (10-0). Parrish has some international experience as well, as a three-time member of the U.S. U-23 Worlds team the last three years, so this should be interesting.

● 59 kg: Alli Ragan vs. Lauren Louive

Ragan is a two-time Worlds silver medalist from 2016 and 2017 and defeated Abigail Nette by 10-0 to win the U.S. Open in April, her third national title. Louive came back through the World Team Trials Challenge tournament to get to Final X; she was the U.S. Open runner-up in 2018.

● 62 kg: Mallory Velte vs. Kayla Miracle

Velte won a bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships and qualified directly to Final X. Miracle is the three-time defending U.S. Open champion and the two were head-to-head at Final X last year and went to three matches. Miracle won the first match, 4-2; Velte won the second by 4-2 and in the decider, Velte managed a 7-1 victory to make the U.S. team. This match should be just as close.

● 76 kg: Adeline Gray vs. Precious Bell

Gray is the dominant women’s heavyweight, winning four World titles in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018 (after taking a year off). Bell won the 2019 U.S. Open by pinfall and won the World Team Trials Challenge, but beating Gray would count as a stunner.

The matches are being shown only on FloWrestling, a subscription site. Look for results here.

SWIMMING Panorama: Australian trials finish with three world leaders and a powerful Worlds team

By
Rich Perelman
-

The Australian Trials for the 2019 FINA World Championships finished on Friday, with more excellent marks:

● Women/100 m Free: Cate Campbell continued her rampage with a win in 22.05, ahead of sister Bronte (24.17) and Emma McKeon (24.25).

Cate has been faster in 2019 (22.00), but her winning time in Brisbane would rank second otherwise. Bronte moves to no. 4 on the 2019 year list and McKeon to no. 5.

● Women/200 m Back: Kaylee McKeown won in 2:06.35, making her no. 3 on the year list and Minna Atherton was second in 2:06.82, now no. 6.

There was a lot of great swimming at the Aussie Trials, including three world-leading times:

● Men/100 m Free: 47.35, Kyle Chalmers (AUS)
● Men/200 m Medley: 1:55.72, Mitch Larkin (AUS)
● Women/100 m Free: 52.12, Cate Campbell (AUS)

Swimming Australia announced its Worlds team, with 27 athletes and eight coaches. It’s a superb team that will be looking to improve on its dismal showing at the 2017 Worlds, where Australia won just 10 medals, compared to 16 in 2015, 13 in 2013 and 13 in 2011.

SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Friday, 14 June 2019

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

LANE ONE

Wednesday: After some reversals in Federal court, the NCAA has formed a working group to figure out how to reform its rules to allow collegiate athletes to be paid for the use of their name and likeness. There’s a good idea here, but let’s not kid ourselves. This will likely create just as problems as it purports to solve.

Friday: Australian Olympic insider John Coates, a close advisor to International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach, says the Games of the XXV Olympiad could be awarded as early as 2020 (!) and that Australia is in a prime position to get the event!

THE BIG PICTURE

Monday: The IAAF Council decided to keep Russia on suspension and the federation’s task force is well aware of some shenanigans going on with a doping violation cover-up and some suspended coaches showing up in the wrong place. The head of the Russian Olympic Committee was not amused. The IAAF also decided to change its name and logo, both of which are dumb moves.

HEARD AFTER HALFTIME

Thursday: Another doping positive from the London 2012 Games, this time in canoeing … sad news of the passing of U.S. distance star Gabe Grunewald … LSU frosh Sha’Carri Richardson turns pro … Calgary’s 2026 Winter Games bid effort and vote cost half as much as expected … and more.

ARCHERY

Monday: The 50th World Archery World Championships are underway in the Netherlands and Brady Ellison leads a strong U.S. presence among 30 prior Olympic or Worlds medal winners in Recurve and Compound. And there is Olympic qualifying the line.

ATHLETICS

Thursday: Sold-out Bislett Games in Oslo saw six world-leading marks, including 9.85 for U.S. star Christian Coleman in the 100 m, but the race of the day was teen Sydney McLaughlin rocketing down the straight to fly by Rio Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad in the women’s 400 m hurdles! Wow!

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Tuesday: The last major tune-up for the World Championships is in Warsaw (POL), with many of the top teams in the world looking for medals. Can anyone stop Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum from winning their fourth major tourney is a row?

CYCLING

Thursday: The final tune-up for the Tour de France is the Tour de Suisse that starts this weekend, with an excellent field and the return of Colombian star Egon Bernal from a broken collarbone.

FOOTBALL

Tuesday: The United States women’s National Team pummeled Thailand by 13-0 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, a new record for the most goals in a World Cup game. Alex Morgan had five alone – tying the record – but our exclusive look at the first round of matches shows this tournament is all about Europe … so far.

Thursday: The 15th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup starts Saturday, with matches in the U.S., Costa Rica and Jamaica. Mexico is the hot favorite, and what about the U.S, losers of its last two friendlies, to Jamaica and Venezuela?

RUGBY

Thursday: New Zealand can win its fifth World Rugby Sevens Series title in the final leg of the season this weekend in France, while the U.S. women can clinch their highest finish ever and a spot in the Tokyo 2020 tournament!

SWIMMING

Wednesday: Modest fields for the final Tyr Pro Swim Series meet in Clovis this week, but perhaps a new star to look for in 2020?

Wednesday: Strong marks at the Australian World Championships Trials, as Emma McKeon and Ariarne Titmus going 1-2 in the 400 m Freestyle in the second and third-fastest times of the season. Plus American Michael Andrew moving to no. 3 for 2019 in the 50 m Back at the Mare Nostrum series in France, and the dozen swimmers who earned $50,000 or more at the FINA Champions Swim Series.

Thursday: Cate Campbell swam the sixth-fastest women’s 100 m Free in history at the Australian World Championships Trials, and three more Aussie stars weren’t far behind. Plus another win for Mitch Larkin, his third at the Trials.

PREVIEWS

Canoe-Kayak: Slalom World Cup season begins at the London 2012 venue.
Cycling: Tour de France warm-up, the Criterium du Dauphine in France.
Cycling: Another Tour de France warm-up, the Tour de Suisse in the Swiss Alps.
Table Tennis: Best in the world lined up for the Japan Open in Hokkaido!

UPCOMING

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

● Athletics: The IAAF Diamond League is in Rabat (MAR) for another meet on Sunday!

● Football: The Women’s World Cup continues and the CONCACAF Gold Cup begins!

● Wrestling: USA Wrestling’s final Final X showdown comes Saturday in Lincoln.

And, don’t look now, but the IOC will soon select the host for the 2026 Winter Games.

SWIMMING: Smith and Pickrem win two each in Tyr Pro Swim at Clovis

By
Rich Perelman
-
Canadian World Championships medal winner Sydney Pickrem

The final leg of the Tyr Pro Swim Series has started well for American distance star Leah Smith and Canada’s Sydney Pickrem, each of whom won two events on Thursday evening at the Clovis North Aquatic Center.

Smith won the 800 m Free easily on Wednesday and came back on Thursday at take the 200 m Free in a season’s best of 1:57.40, beating U.S. sprint star Mallory Comerford (1:57.93).

Pickrem, the 2017 Worlds bronze medalist in the 400 m Medley, won her specialty in 4:40.64 and took the 100 m Breast in 1:07.20.

The most impressive swim on Thursday may have been from Sweden’s Louise Hansson, who raced to a speedy win in the 100 m Butterfly in 57.36, just ahead of American star Kelsi Dahlia (57.45). Hansson has swum 57.35 this season and ranks fourth in the world list in 2019; her time on Thursday would also place her there. Dahlia’s mark was a season’s best by 0.10 and moves her to no. 5 on the world list.

The meet continues on Friday and Saturday. Summaries so far:

USA Swimming/Tyr Pro Swim Series
Clovis, California (USA) ~ 12-15 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men

200 m Free: 1. Trey Freeman, 1:47.86; 2. Townley Haas, 1:48.02; 3. Gianluca Urlando, 1:48.58.

800 m Free: 1. Akaram Mahmoud (EGY), 8:00.86; 2. Chris Wieser, 8:01.98; 3. Ricardo Vargas Jacobo (MEX), 8:09.75.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Justin Ress, 25.05; 2. Matt Grevers, 25.21; 3. Chris Staka, 25.57.

100 m Breast: 1. Brandon Fischer, 59.86; 2. Devon Nowicki, 1:00.97; 3. Miguel de Lara Ojeda (MEX), 1:01.15.

100 m Fly: 1. Urlando, 52.20; 2. Giles Smith, 52.63; 3. Ryan Coetzee (RSA), 53.57.

400 m Medley: 1. Jarod Arroyo, 4:21.65; 2. Erick Gordillo (GUA), 4:27.00; 3. Brodie Young (CAN), 4:28.18.

Women

200 m Free: 1. Leah Smith, 1:57.40; 2. Mallory Comerford, 1:57.93; 3. Emily Overholt (CAN), 1:57.97.

800 m Free: 1. L. Smith, 8:22.87; 2. Erica Sullivan, 8:27.06; 3. Megan Dalke (CAN), 8:56.43.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Ali Deloof, 28.05; 2. Amy Bilquist, 28.44; 3. Isabelle Stadden, 28.64.

100 m Breast: 1. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 1:07.20; 2. Melissa Rodroguez (MEX), 1:07.32; 3. Alia Atkinson (JAM), 1:08.00.

100 m Fly: 1. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.36; 2. Kelsi Dahlia, 57.45; 3. Kendyl Stewart, 58.35.

400 m Medley: 1. Pickrem (CAN), 4:40.64; 2. Overholt (CAN), 4:44.23; 3. Evie Pfeifer, 4:44.51.

LANE ONE: IOC heavyweight John Coates says the 2032 Olympic Games be awarded next year, and possibly to Australia

By
Rich Perelman
-
International Olympic Committee memberJohn Coates (AUS) addressing the Future Tourism Forum in Brisbane on Thursday (Photo: Australian Olympic Committee)

When Australia’s John Coates speaks about the Olympic Games, it’s worth the time to listen. A senior vice-president of the Sydney Olympic Organizing Committee for the 2000 Games, he was elected to membership in the International Olympic Committee in 2001, was a vice president from 20013-17 and has been a key advisor to current president Thomas Bach (GER).

In an address to a Thursday luncheon audience in Brisbane concerning tourism, Coates gripped the audience with these comments:

“The election by the IOC of the host for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games would normally be taken ‘seven years before’ that is, in 2025; however, if proposed changes to the Games host election process are approved in 12 days’ time and there is a candidate ready to put its hand up, this election could be as early as the IOC Session in Tokyo next year before the opening of the Games on 24 July.”

and

“The 2032 Olympic Games is there to win. I hope you will give it serious consideration.”

Coming from Coates, 69, this is a signal that he believes – as an ultimate insider – the Games of the XXXV Olympiad can be acquired quickly, inexpensively and before anyone else can get organized, as soon as next year. And his speech has already been making the rounds of Olympic news site and those in other cities and countries fantasizing about the 2032 Games.

Coates made a number of important points in his remarks worth further scrutiny:

● Costs

Coates said this; read it slowly (and the math does add up):

“The Tokyo 2020 Games has an operational budget of USD 5.6 billion and will pay for themselves, with USD 1.6 billion contributed by the IOC, USD 800 million revenue from ticketing, USD 100 million from licensing and USD 3.1 billion from national sponsors, to date.”

and

“We’re [the IOC] reducing the costs for cities to bid: the average budget for the 2026 Olympic Winter candidates is over 75% lower than for the 2018 and 2022 candidates, and when I shortly explain the proposed future election process, you will appreciate that the budget for bidding for 2032 could be minimal.”

● Modifications in the bidding process

Coates went on to explain that the IOC’s new working group – of which he is the chair, which was not disclosed in the speech – has proposed for approval later this month a plan for a “ permanent, ongoing dialogue to explore and create interest among cities/regions/countries and NOCs for Olympic Games” and that the IOC should be able to “react to various developments and opportunities” in naming future hosts, without any set time frame.

● Revenue assurance through 2032

He also was clear why it is possible to think of a 2032 award now instead of the future: money. This is important:

“The U.S. Broadcast Rightsholder, NBC has contracted to pay, for the territory of America alone, around USD 2.3 billion per Olympic quadrennium including the current, through to 2032.

“This is by far the largest of all Olympic broadcast rights payments and constitutes around 40% of total Olympic revenue. It is because of this revenue and the long-term contracts the IOC has with its worldwide Olympic sponsor partners, that President Bach was able to inform Councillor Adrian Shrinner, as Chair of the Council of Mayors of SEQ, and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk when he met with them here in Queensland early last month, that any candidature for 2032 can be assured of a USD 1.8 billion contribution from the IOC towards its operational budget.”

For anyone who thinks the IOC is somehow asleep, here is the proof to the contrary. NBC’s contract is the bedrock on which the Olympic Movement stands today. He did not mention the comparatively tiny agreements for broadcasters in Brazil and Korea; it’s the U.S. market that powers the Games and all of the surrounding programs.

In truth, the IOC should be contributing more than $1.8 billion for 2032, as that’s the amount it is contributing to Los Angeles for 2028.

As Coates noted, there has already been significant discussion in Australia and especially in South East Queensland (SEQ) about a future Olympic Games, propelled by the success of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. The SEQ area includes Brisbane – site of the luncheon – which hosted an excellent Commonwealth Games in 1982 and the Goodwill Games in 2001.

He also brought his own view – again, from someone who knows – that the area can meet the IOC’s base requirements to be a successful candidate:

“On the basis that SEQ is the only significant region, and Queensland the only State in Australia with all three of the requisite climate, population and sporting infrastructure to host a summer Games in July/August, the AOC gave its in-principle support for a Games in SEQ and for a feasibility study into hosting them.”

The July-August timing is key because that’s when NBC and the large European broadcasters want the Games to take place, away from the crowded national sports schedules of the fall and winter months in those countries.

To his credit, Coates was clear that his view that a 2032 Games in South East Queensland would be financially feasible extends to the “operational” budget of the Games, which does NOT include the construction of any new venues or supporting facilities (such as Olympic Villages) or the required governmental support for security and visa control at a minimum. That’s a different issue and not a small one for the country or region to consider.

Coates’s speech is being read and re-read with great interest in many countries which have talked publicly about a 2032 bid: China, Germany, India, Indonesia and a joint North-South Korea bid. The rush will now start in those countries to be ready with their own plans on the assumption that Australia will move ahead.

Will the IOC actually award the 2032 Games in 2020? It’s not likely today, but the idea will be widely discussed when the membership meets at the IOC Session from 24-26 June in Lausanne (SUI).

And Coates and Bach will asked about it now, repeatedly. The bidding and organizing process of an Olympic Games is often described as a marathon; Coates has essentially grabbed the starter’s pistol for 2032. What is yet to be determined is whether he actually started the race, or if he was only testing the timing system.

Rich Perelman
Editor

FOOTBALL: CONCACAF Gold Cup starts on Saturday, with Mexico favored for an 11th title

By
Rich Perelman
-

The 15th edition of the men’s championship of the North American, Central American and Caribbean region – the CONCACAF Gold Cup – starts Saturday with a new format and new hosts, but wide worries about the United States men’s team.

For the first time, the tournament has 16 teams (vs. 12) and will be played in three countries during the first round: Costa Rica (two games), Jamaica (two games) and the U.S. (the rest).

The teams are divided into four pools, with the top two in each group advancing to the quarterfinals beginning on 29 June. The pools (and FIFA World Rankings):

● Pool A: Mexico (18), Canada (78), Cuba (174), Martinique (not ranked)
● Pool B: Costa Rica (38), Haiti (100), Nicaragua (129), Bermuda (175-tie)
● Pool C: Honduras (61), Jamaica (56), El Salvador (71), Curacao (82)
● Pool D: United States (24), Panama (74), Trinidad & Tobago (93), Guyana (175-tie)

The first-round matches will be played in double-headers, with the opening matches in Pool B in San Jose (CRC) and the openers in Pool C in Kingston (JAM).

Mexico is the clear favorite and has won the CONCACAF title 10 times (including the pre-Gold Cup championship tournament), and the U.S. has won six Gold Cups, including two of the last three in 2013 and 2017. Canada has also won once, in 2000.

The U.S. is expected to be a contender, but has played so poorly in its last two friendlies – losses to Jamaica (1-0) and Venezuela (3-0) – that no one knows what to expect. Of the 23 players on the U.S. team, 13 have 10 or less appearances with the national team, but there are veterans such as Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, Omar Gonzalez and star midfielder Christian Pulisic on the roster.

In the 15 editions of the Gold Cup – which started in 1991 – the U.S. has failed to make the semifinals only once, in 2000. Mexico has missed thrice, in 2000-02-05.

The quarterfinals will be played on 29-30 June, the semis on 2-3 July and the final on 7 July in Chicago.

The TV broadcast schedule is here; Fox Sports and Univision have rights in the U.S. Look for match schedules, results and report here.

RUGBY Preview: New Zealand can clinch title, U.S. a Tokyo qualifier in final Womens Sevens Series tourney in France

By
Rich Perelman
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The team captains ahead of the World Rugby Women's Seven Series finale in Biarritz (FRA). (Photo: World Rugby)

The final leg of the 2018-19 World Rugby Sevens Series for women comes this weekend in Biarritz (FRA), with New Zealand’s Black Ferns trying to clinch their fifth series title in the seven years it has been played. The standings:

1. 92 New Zealand
2. 80 United States
3. 78 Canada
4. 74 Australia
5. 60 France
6. 47 England
7. 42 Russia
8. 40 Ireland

The top four finishers in the standings will qualify for the Tokyo Sevens tournament. Like the men’s team which finished second, the U.S. Eagles are flying higher than ever before. The best previous finish for the U.S. women was fourth in 2012-13, but they sit second now and are almost assured of finishing in the top four. Canada, sitting third, has finished as high as second once, in 2014-15. Scoring is 20-18-16-14-12 for the top five places.

The pools for Biarritz:

● Pool A: New Zealand, England, Russia, Scotland
● Pool B: Australia, Canada, Spain, Ireland
● Pool C: United States, France, Fiji, China

Pool play will start on Saturday at the Stade Aguilera, with the final pool matches and playoffs on Sunday.

The seasonal scoring title will also be decided, with Canada’s Ghislaine Landry leading the parade with 185 total points, followed by Tyla Nathan-Wong (NZL: 173) and Ireland’s Aimee-Leigh Murphy (155). The tries leader is Murphy (31), ahead of Bianca Farella (CAN: 28) and Michaela Blyde (NZL: 24).

Look for match results here.

CYCLING Preview: Final warm-up for the Tour de France is the 83rd Tour de Suisse, starting Saturday

By
Rich Perelman
-

The final race on the UCI World Tour schedule prior to the Tour de France in July is the annual Tour de Suisse, as usual an arduous climb through the Swiss Alps, punctuated by two time trials.

The nine-stage program begins Saturday:

15 June: Stage 1 (9.5 km time trial): Langnau im Emmental (flat)
16 June: Stage 2 (159.6 km): Langnau im Emmental to Langnau im Emmental (hilly)
17 June: Stage 3 (162,3 km): Flamatt to Murten (hilly)
18 June: Stage 4 (163.9 km): Murten to Arlesheim (hilly)
19 June: Stage 5 (177.0 km): Münchenstein to Einsiedeln (mountains)
20 June: Stage 6 (120.2 km): Einsiedeln to Flumserberg (mountain finish)
21 June: Stage 7 (216.6 km): Unterterzen to St. Gotthard (mountain finish)
22 June: Stage 8 (19.2 km time trial): Goms to Goms (flat)
23 June: Stage 9 (144.4 km): Goms (mountains)

The strong field includes five former medal winners:

● Rui Costa (POR) ~ Winner in 2012-13-14
● Roman Kreuziger (CZE) ~ Winner in 2008
● Simon Spilak (SLO) ~ Winner in 2017
● Mathias Frank (SUI) ~ Second in 2014
● Geraint Thomas (GBR) ~ Second in 2015

Costa’s three wins are the second-most all-time to the four by Pasquale Fornara (ITA) in 1952-54-57-58. Speaking of winners: even though he has never finished higher than 30th overall, Slovakian star sprinter Peter Sagan enters the race with a remarkable 16 stage wins in the Tour de Suisse.

There are plenty of other contenders, but much attention will be focused on the return of Colombian star Egon Bernal, who last raced in March, but suffered a broken collarbone in training and has been out since.

Italian star Elia Viviani, already a winner on the World Tour this season, is entered, as is Rio Olympic champion Greg van Avermaet (BEL) and sprinters Matteo Trentin (ITA), Niklas Arndt (GER), John Degenkolb (GER) and many other quality riders. A strong showing in the Tour de Suisse is always looked at as a preview of what might happen in the Tour de France.

In that regard, Britain’s reigning Tour de France champ Geraint Thomas will be watched closely. He did not finish the Tirreno-Adriatico in March, was 40th in the Itzulia Basque Country race in April and third in the Tour de Romandie in May. He and Bernal – who are on the same team, Ineos – will not have four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome with them for the Tour de France as he suffered a severe crash – with multiple fractures, and requiring surgery – prior to the fourth stage of the ongoing Criterium du Dauphine in France.

There have been Tour de Suisse and Tour de France doublers, but the last to win both in the same year as Lance Armstrong (USA) in 2001 and he was later disqualified for doping. Prior to him, Belgian legend Eddy Merckx was the last, way back in 1974.

Look for results here.

ATHLETICS: World lead for Coleman, McLaughlin runs down Muhammad in 400 m hurdles in Oslo Diamond League

By
Rich Perelman
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Did I just win the Bislett Games? Yes you did, Sydney McLaughlin (Photo: IAAF)

There was a buzz about this year’s Bislett Games, in front of a sold-out crowd at Oslo’s famed Bislett Stadium … and it was American teen Sydney McLaughlin whizzing down the final straightaway in the 400 m hurdles.

This was the much-anticipated showdown between the 19-year-old McLaughlin, the world leader from 2018, and Rio Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad, who had dominated the event this season and had the world lead at 53.61.

Muhammad looked great from the start, running away from the gun and well ahead by halfway. She had the lead after the 10th hurdle as well, but McLaughlin was closing like a rocket and ran Muhammad down in the final 5 m, winning in 54.16 to 54.35 for Muhammad.

Said McLaughlin afterwards, “I didn’t get out well, I hit the first hurdle with my knee but recovered well by fighting back. I’ve got to work on my first half of the race, the second half is always my strongest.

“It was a really great field and exciting to be a part of. It wasn’t the cleanest race for me but I came back strong and that shows me where I am fitness-wise. It was a sloppy race but I pulled through.”

Muhammad was disappointed. “It was not my day, I lost and did not run under 54 seconds. I was not surprised by Sydney, I felt her for the whole race. In my previous races I did not run well the first half of the race, today I tried, but it did not work like I wanted.”

A few minutes later, co-world 100 m leader Christian Coleman raced against a field he should beat easily … and did. He got out well, then accelerated away from the pack and won going away in a new world-leading time of 9.85, 0.01 faster than he and Noah Lyles ran in Shanghai.

“I’m pretty excited about it, it was a good run and a pretty good time,” said Coleman. “Now I’ll look back at the video and critique it. It wasn’t ideal conditions but the crowd made it exciting and I came out for the victory. I executed better than in the last race. I’m just focusing on myself and to peak at the right time.”

Those were only some of the highlights on a great day of track & field:

● Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski ran down the field in the final 80 m to take the Oslo “Deam Mile” in 3:52.34, a world-leading time. The U.S. finished 4-5 with Johnny Gregorek (3:52.94) and Clayton Murphy (3:52.97) both running well.

● Norway’s Karsten Warholm got the home crowd into a frenzy with a brilliant 47.33 national record victory in the 400 m hurdles, moving him to no. 2 on the world list for 2019.

● American Sam Kendricks was the only one to clear 5.91 m (19-4 3/4) in the pole vault, finishing ahead of Poland’s Piotr Lisek, American Cole Walsh and Swede Mondo Duplantis, all at 5.81 (19-0 3/4). For Walsh, that was a lifetime best!

● In the women’s Steeple, world-record holder Beatrice Chepkoech held the lead and looked like a winner until her shadow, fellow Kenyan Norah Jeruto exploded off the final hurdle and took an upset win, 9:03.71-9:04.30. American Emma Coburn ran well in her season debut in the event, finishing fourth in 9:08.42, the no. 10 performance in U.S. history.

● The women’s 100 m hurdles started badly when Rio Olympic champ Brianna McNeal was disqualified for a false start. Off the gun, Christina Clemons of the U.S. got stronger and stronger as the race progressed and won by 1.69-12.74 over fellow American Sharika Nelvis.

● American Keturah Orji was on her first European trip and it looked for a while that the 2016 Olympic fourth-placer was going to pull a big upset in Oslo. But Olympic gold medalist Caterine Ibarguen (COL) took the lead in the fifth round at 14.79 m (48-6 1/4), and Orji had to settle for a very good second at 14.53 m (47-8).

The meet had six world-leading marks:

● Men/100 m: 9.85, Christian Coleman (USA)
● Men/Mile: 3:52.34, Marcin Lewandowski (POL)
● Men/3000 m: 7:32.17, Selemon Barega (ETH)
● Women/3,000 m Steeple: 9:03.71, Norah Jeruto (KEN)
● Women/High Jump: 2.01 m (6-7), Mariya Lasitskene (RUS)
● Women/Triple Jump: 14.79 m (48-6 1/4), Caterine Ibarguen (COL)

The Diamond League continues this weekend, with the Meeting Mohammad VI in Rabat (MAR) on Sunday (16th). Summaries from Oslo:

IAAF Diamond League/Bislett Games
Oslo (NOR) ~ 13 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men

100 m (wind: +0.9 m/s): 1. Christian Coleman (USA), 9.85; 2. Zhenye Xie (CHN), 10.01; 3. Michael Rodgers (USA), 10.04.

800 m (non-Diamond League): 1. Ryan Sanchez (PUR), 1:46.34; 2. Cornelius Tuwei (KEN), 1:46.52; 3. Michal Rozmys (POL), 1:46.71.

Mile: 1. Marcin Lewandowski (POL), 3:52.34; 2. Vincent Kibet (KEN), 3:52.38; 3. Ayanleh Souleiman (DJI), 3:52.66. Also: 4. John Gregorek (USA), 3:52. 94; 5. Clayton Murphy (USA), 3:52.97.

3,000 m: 1. Selemon Barega (ETH), 7:32.17; 2. Joshua Cheptegei (UGA), 7:33.26; 3. Nicholas Kemeli (KEN), 7:34.85. Also: 7. Drew Hunter (USA), 7:39.85; 8. Ben True (USA), 7:40.49.

400 m hurdles: 1. Karsten Warholm (NOR), 47.33; 2. Thomas Barr (IRL), 49.11; 3. Kyron McMaster (IVB), 49.12. Also: 4. David Kendziera (USA), 49.27; … 7. T.J. Holmes (USA), 50.60.

Pole Vault: 1. Sam Kendricks (USA), 5.91 m (19-4 3/4); 2. Piotr Lisek (POL), 5.81 m (19-0 3/4); 3. Cole Walsh (USA), 5.81 m (19-0 3/4). Also: 4. Mondo Duplantis (SWE), 5.81 m (19-03/4).

Javelin: 1. Johannes Vetter (GER), 85.27 m (279-9); 2. Magnus Kirt (EST), 84.74 m (278-0); 3. Chao-Tsun Cheng (TPE), 84.30 m (276-7).

Women

200 m (-0.7 m/s): 1. Dafne Schippers (NED), 22.56; 2. Crystal Emanuel (CAN), 22.89; 3. Jenna Prandini (USA), 23.10. Also: 4. Gabby Thomas (USA), 23.11; … 6. Kyra Jefferson (USA), 23.23.

800 m (non-Diamond League): 1. Halimah Nakaayi (UGA), 2:01.93; 2. Selina Buchel (SUI), 2:02.32; 3. Diribe Welteji (ETH), 2:02.85.

3,000 m Steeple: 1. Norah Jeruto (KEN), 9:03.71; 2. Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN), 9:04.30; 3. Hyvin Kiyeng (KEN), 9:07.56;. Also: 4. Emma Coburn (USA), 9:08.42; … 13. Mel Lawrence (USA), 9:29.81.

100 m hurdles (+1.1): 1. Christina Clemons (USA), 12.69; 2. Sharika Nelvis (USA), 12.74; 3. Elvira Herman (BLR), 12.84.

400 m hurdles: 1. Sydney McLaughlin (USA), 54.16; 2. Dalilah Muhammad (USA), 54.35; 3. Shamier Little (USA), 54.92. Also: 4. Kori Carter (USA), 54.67.

High Jump: 1. Mariya Lasitskene (RUS), 2.01 m (6-7); 2. Erika Kinsey (SWE), 1.96 m (6-5); 3. Mirela Demireva (BUL), 1.94 m (6-4 1/4).

Triple Jump: 1. Caterine Ibarguen (COL), 14.79 m (48-6 1/4); 2. Keturah Orji (USA), 14.53 m (47-8); 3. Shanieka Ricketts (JAM), 14.41 m (47-3 1/2). Also: 9. Tori Franklin (USA), 13.68 m (44-10 3/4).

Shot Put: 1. Lijiao Gong (CHN), 19.51 m (64-0 1/4); 2. Chase Ealey (USA), 19.20 m (63-0); 3. Fanny Roos (SWE), 18.75 m (61-6 1/4); Also: 7. Jessica Ramsey (USA), 18.39 m (60-4); 8. Michelle Carter (USA), 18.28 m (59-11 3/4); … 10. Maggie Ewen (USA), 17.30 m (56-9 1/4).

Javelin (non-Diamond League): 1. Kathryn Mitchell (AUS), 56.07 m (183-11); 2. Ane Dahlen (NOR), 52.79 m (173-2); 3. Maria Jensen (NOR), 51.27 m (168-2).

SWIMMING Panorama: World-leading 52.12 for Cate Campbell in Australian 100 m Free Trials

By
Rich Perelman
-
Australia's superstar sprinter Cate Campbell

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom dominated the sprint events at the FINA Champions Swim Series, but she did lose one race, the 50 m Free in Guangzhou, to Australia’s Cate Campbell.

Campbell wants to keep it that way, screaming to a 52.12 world-leading win on the fifth night of the Australian World Championships Swim Trials in Brisbane (AUS).

“I am really pleased that I held my nerve and swam my own race,” Campbell said afterwards.

“Traditionally I usually like to be out quickest and then just hold on but I have been really working on cruising on the way out and using all the training that I have been doing – cause I have been doing a lot of it – to help me get home.

“It is a tenth off my personal best so I am really pleased with that and I will now go back and do a ten day training block and then taper again for worlds, that worked really well in the lead up to Pan Pacs so we are hoping to emulate that again.”

Here’s how good the race was: her 52.12 is the no. 6 performance in history – she has three of the six, to Sjostrom’s two – and behind her came:

2. Emma McKeon, 52.41, passing Sjostrom for no. 2 on the 2019 world list and now the no. 6 performer in history;

3. Bronte Campbell at 52.84, no. 4 on the 2019 world list, and

4. Shayna Jack at 53.18, no. 5 on the 2019 world list and equal-20th all-time.

In the understatement of the day, Campbell added, “To have three girls to go under the 53 second barrier and Shayna go 53.1, we are going to be a tough relay team to beat and it is really exciting to be a part of it.”

Australia won the women’s 4×100 m Free in Rio in 2016 with McKeon, Brittany Elmslie, Bronte and Cate Campbell in a world-record 3:30.65, with the U.S. well behind at 3:31.89.

In the men’s 200 m Backstroke, Mitch Larkin ran away from the field in 1:55.03, winning by 2.63 seconds and moving to no. 2 on the world list for 2019. It was his third win of the Trials after taking the 100 m Back and 200 m Medley.

The Australian Trials continue through Friday; the live timing site is here.

HEARD AFTER HALFTIME: Still more London doping, Gabe Grunewald passes and Sha’Carri Richardson goes pro

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 announced yet another doping re-test positive on Wednesday, disqualifying Canoe Sprint C-1 silver medalist Jevgeniy Shuklin of Lithuania.

The re-testing process resulted in “a positive test for the prohibited substances Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (oral turinabol).” The new silver medalist will be Russia’s Ivan Shytl and the new bronze winner will be Spain’s Alfonso Benavides.

The IOC’s tally sheet now shows 67 positives in London – nine during the Games and 58 from the re-testing – second only to the 72 from Beijing 2008 (7+65). And the re-testing goes on.

● Athletics ● Sad news that former Minnesota 1,500 m All-American and 2014 USATF Indoor 3,000 m champion Gabe Grunewald passed away on Tuesday (11th) after a 10-year battle against cancer.

Grunewald was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma in 2009 and had multiple surgeries to try and arrest the disease, but finally succumbed at age 32.

On the track, she was fourth in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials at 1,500 m and 12th in the 2016 Trials final. Off the track, she was an inspiration for everyone fighting a disease and made the #BraveLikeGabe hashtag a universal call for hope. Sports Illustrated’s Tim Layden posted a moving story on Grunewald here. She is survived by her husband Justin.

● Athletics ● To the surprise of almost no one, LSU frosh Sha’Carri Richardson – the NCAA 100 m champ in a stunning 10.75 – announced that she was turning professional after one year of collegiate competition. She noted on Twitter that “after talking to family and praying for guidance with this decision, I would like to announce that I have decided to pursue my life long dream and become a professional athlete.”

She’ll be a hot commodity for endorsements, not only because of her speed, but also style. Since her NCAA run to stardom, she has been posting multiple photos of Florence Griffith Joyner, including:

https://twitter.com/itskerrii/status/1138463301044776960

It’s worth remembering that FloJo finished her senior year at UCLA in 1983, then won the Olympic silver medal in the 200 m in 1984 and didn’t break into superstardom until 1988.

For Richardson, who one year ago had just graduated from Dallas Carter High School, the future is now.

● Athletics ● If this seems like a busy time on and off the track, it is. More world-leading marks came in smaller meets in the last few days:

In Rehlingen (GER), home favorite Andreas Hofmann took the javelin lead at 89.65 m (294-1) while Ukraine’s Iryna Herashchenko cleared 1.99 m (6-6 1/4) for the women’s high jump lead.

In a closely-watched 2,000 m race in Montreuil (FRA) on Tuesday, South Africa’s Caster Semenya won the 2,000 m in 5:38.19, best of the year. While not a world leader, Christian Taylor of the U.S. showed he is warming up, winning the triple jump at 17.41 m (57-1 1/2).

On Wednesday, Poland’s Wojciech Nowicki, the 2018 world leader in the hammer, reached 80.26 m (263-4) at the Irena Szewinska Memorial in Bydgoszcz (POL), to take the world lead for 2019.

There was also an excellent IAAF World Challenge meet – the Paavo Nurmi Games – in Turku (FIN) on Tuesday, headlined by Mike Rodgers edging World Champion Justin Gatlin in the 100 m final, 10.00-10.01 (wind: +1/3 m/s). American Christina Clemons jumped to no. 4 on the world list with a 12.58 win in her heat in the 100 m hurdles; she won the final in 12.85. Shot putter Chase Ealey of the U.S. got out to 19.38 m (63-7) to win the shot put.

More coming in Oslo on Thursday, no doubt!

● Football ● Commenting on the U.S. women’s 13-0 rout of Thailand, long-time international sports observer Rene Henry noted:

“All of the critics of the USA team for scoring should put their energy to getting FIFA to have a mercy rule like softball. With a certain lead, let there be as many substitutions as the coach wants. Also remember FIFA counts scoring differential as part of the championship.”

These are actual suggestions to address the continued U.S. scoring, even into stoppage time. The question of celebrations is another matter.

● At the BuZZer ● Some good news for the City of Calgary on the referendum that rejected the city’s idea to bid on the 2026 Olympic Winter Games: the effort came in under budget.

The Calgary Herald reported that “Having budgeted $14.637 million for an Olympic Games bid, the city said it spent a total of $6,994,566.

“The city set aside $9.5 million as a contribution toward bid development costs, with another $3.337 million to fund the work of the city secretariat in 2018 and $1.8 million to fund the work of the secretariat in 2019.”

City Council member Evan Woolley even thought there were some legacy benefits to the project. “[T]he money that we spent, while it might seem frivolous and unnecessary, a lot of that work was detailed engineering reports of our infrastructure, getting a better knowledge and understanding of sport in the city, and a whole bunch of other things. To say that we didn’t get any value of the dollars that we invested is not true.”

ATHLETICS Preview: Coleman vs. Gatlin and Muhammad vs. McLaughlin highlight sold-out Bislett Games

By
Rich Perelman
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Oslo's Bislett Stadium will be full for Thursday's Bislett Games!

You knew track & field was in trouble a couple of years ago when the stands were hardly filled at the Bislett Games in Oslo (NOR), one of the showpiece events in the sport.

So last Friday’s announcement was welcome news:

“For the first time in our 54-year history there is no tickets left for spectators, one week prior to Oslo Bislett Games, meeting director Steinar Hoen announced today.

“- Which means that 14,200 spectators will fill the stadium next Thursday.

“- This is primarily thanks to the super generation of Norwegian Athletes such as the Ingebrigtsen brothers and Karsten Warholm, as well as the fantastic starting lists that we have published today, he continues.

“- For us as an organizer it is extra motivating to see such a response from the audience at Bislett Stadium , and for the athletes nothing is better than full stands and the atmosphere we know it generates, he says.”

The meet will be held in the newer Bislett Stadium, built in 2005 on the same site as the old facility, which was demolished in 2004. And it should be a great one, with terrific match-ups in almost every event:

● Men/100 m: We’ll get to see what kind of shape Christian Coleman is in. After his world-leading 9.86 in Shanghai where he lost in a photo finish to Noah Lyles, he’s been training and waiting. He says he is healthy and focused on the USATF Championships. So what will be do against World Champion Justin Gatlin (USA), Michael Rodgers (USA), Reece Prescod (GBR) and others? Rodgers just beat Gatlin, 10.00-10.01 at the Nurmi Games in Finland on Tuesday; was that a one-off or the start of a trend?

● Men/Mile: If we’re in Oslo, the question has to be, how many Ingebrigtsens are running? In this race, there will be Filip (3:53.23 lifetime best ‘17) and Jakob (3:52.28 ‘18), and they will likely be chasing Vincent Kibet (KEN: 3:33.21 1,500 m this season), Bethwell Birgen (KEN: 3:33.12 1,500 m this season), Ethiopia’s Aman Wote (3:48.60 mile best ‘14) and Ayanleh Souleiman (DJI: 3:47.32 ‘14). Americans Clayton Murphy (3:51.99 ‘17) and Johnny Gregorek (3:54.53 ‘18, but 3:49.98 indoors ‘19) could be surprises here.

● Men/400 m hurdles: A chance for Norwegian fans to cheer World Champion Karsten Warholm, who will be challenged by Kyron McMaster (IVB: 47.54 ‘18), Ireland’s Thomas Barr (47.97 ‘16) and Americans David Kendzeira (48.99 this season) and T.J. Holmes (49.25). Warholm has run 47.85 this season, but is eyeing another national record; he currently owns it at 47.64.

● Men/Pole Vault: Last week, the NCAA Championships in Austin, this week the Bislett Games in Oslo. Former LSU vaulter Mondo Duplantis is now a professional and is the world leader at 6.00 m (19-8 1/2). He’ll be facing the usual suspects: World Champion Sam Kendricks (5.91 m/19-4 3/4 in 2019) and Polish stars Piotr Lisek (2017 Worlds silver) and 2011 World Champion Pawel Wojciechowski. By the way, Kendricks leads Duplantis, 10-1, in their all-time meetings.

● Men/Javelin: Estonia’s Magnus Kirt was the world leader at 89.33 m (293-1) until last Sunday when German Andreas Hofmann took over at 89.65 m (294-1). World champ Johannes Vetter (GER) and Olympic gold medalist Thomas Rohler (GER) are also in, as is emerging star – and Asian Champion – Chao-Tsun Cheng (TPE). Wow!

● Women/200 m: World Champion Dafne Schippers (NED) is looking to stay healthy and for some faster times. She won’t have to deal with any Caribbean sprinters in Oslo, but Americans Jenna Prandini (22.53 this season), Gabby Thomas (22.78) and Kyra Jefferson (23.00) will give her an argument.

● Women/3,000 m Steeple: The field is too big – as usual – with 17 runners, but they include world-record holder Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN: 8:44.32 ‘18) and World Champion Emma Coburn of the U.S. The latter will be looking – once again – to break 8:00 and regain the American Record and she should have familiar company from Kenyans Hyvin Kiyeng (9:00.01 lifetime best, in 2016), Celliphone Chespol (8:58.78 ‘17) and Norah Jeruto (8:59.62 ‘18).

● Women/400 m Hurdles: This is the match-up everyone has been waiting for. Rio Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad is the world leader at 53.61 and Sydney McLaughlin was the 2018 world leader at 52.75. Muhammad has dominated the Diamond League, winning in Doha and Rome and McLaughlin has run the event once (54.14 ~ no. 2 in 2019) in a low-key meet in May. Reigning World Champion Kori Carter (USA) and 2015 Worlds silver winner Shamier Little (USA) are ready to bounce if either fails, but this should be a highlight.

● Women/High Jump: Russia’s Mariya Lasitskene isn’t even the world outdoor leader, as Ukraine’s Iryna Herashchenko rose to the top of the list at 1.99 m (6-6 1/4) in Rehlingen (GER) on 9 June. So the reigning World Champion will be looking to take over the top spot, but will also be challenged by Herashchenko’s teammate, 2017 Worlds silver medalist Yuliya Levchenko and Bulgaria’s Mirela Demireva.

● Women/Triple Jump: The world leader is Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts at 14.76 m (48-5 1/4) from way back in February, but that should fall on Thursday. Olympic champ Caterine Ibarguen (COL) leads the field, but will have company from Ricketts, Ukraine’s 2011 World Champion, Olha Saladukha (14.99/49-2 1/4 ‘12) and the American pair of Keturah Orji – in her European debut – and American Record holder Tori Franklin (14.84 m/48-8 1/4 ‘18).

● Women/Shot Put: American Chase Ealey has been the revelation of the early season, getting out to 19.67 m (64-6 1/2) and scoring a win over 2017 World Champion Lijiao Gong of China at the Shanghai Diamond League meet. Gong struck back a few days later in Nanjing and took the world lead at 19.84 m (65-1 1/4) and now they meet again. Can anyone challenge, or are these the gold and silver medalists in Doha? The best bet is Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd, out to a lifetime best 19.48 m (63-11) this season.

NBCSN has coverage from Oslo on Thursday, beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Look for the live results here.

TABLE TENNIS Preview: Best in the world lined up in Hokkaido for the Japan Open

By
Rich Perelman
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China's top-ranked Zhendong Fan.

One of the prestige tournaments on the ITTF World Tour is the Japan Open and this year’s edition – the 31st – at the Hokkaido Sports Center has attracted the top seven in the men’s world rankings and the top 16 women. The top seeds:

● Men/Singles:
1. Zhendong Fan (CHN: 1)
2. Gaoyuan Lin (CHN: 2)
3. Xin Xu (CHN: 3)

● Men/Doubles:
1. Cheng-Ting Liao/Yun-Ju Lin (TPE)
2. Siu Hang Lam/Chun Ting Wong (HKG)
3. Jingkun Liang/Gaoyuan Lin (CHN)

● Women/Singles:
1. Ning Ding (CHN: 1)
2. Meng Chen (CHN: 2)
3. Manyu Wang (CHN: 3)

● Women/Doubles:
1. Yingsha Sun/Manyu Wang (CHN)
2. Hoi Kem Doo/Wai Yam Minnie Soo (HKG)
3. Ho Ching Lee/Wing Nam Ng (HKG)

● Mixed Doubles:
1. Sangsu Lee/Jihee Jeon (KOR)
2. Chun Ting Wong/Hoi Kem Doo (HKG)
3. Kwan Kit Ho/Ho-Ching Lee (HKG)

In the men’s Singles, defending champion Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) is seeded fourth and 2017 winner Long Ma (CHN) is seeded fifth. Top-seed Fan won this tournament in 2016 and Xu was the winner in 2015.

Among the women, defending champ Mima Ito (JPN), is seeded seventh; 2017 winner Shiwen Liu (CHN) is seeded fourth and second-seed Chen won in 2015.

Look for results here.

CANOE-KAYAK Preview: Opening Slalom World Cup returns to London’s Olympic venue

By
Rich Perelman
-
Australia's Slalom star Jessica Fox

The Canoe Slalom course at Lee Valley near London, site of the 2012 Olympic competition, welcomes back the first World Cup of the 2019 season this weekend, with competition from Thursday through Saturday.

The fields are tremendous, with multiple 2012 medalists competing, along with most of the Olympic medal winners from Rio:

Men:
● Sideris Tasiadis (GER) ~ 2012 Olympic C-1 silver
● Michal Martikan (SVK) ~ 2012 Olympic C-1 bronze; 2017 Worlds C-1 bronze
● David Florence (GBR) ~ 2015 C-1 World Champion
● Hannes Aigner (GER) ~ 2012 Olympic K-1 bronze; 2018 World Champion
● Joe Clarke (GBR) ~ 2016 K-1 Olympic gold medalist
● Peter Kauzer (SLO) ~ 2016 Olympic K-1 silver; 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
● Jiri Prskevic (CZE) ~ 2016 Olympic K-1 bronze; 2018 Worlds silver medalist
● Pavel Eigel (RUS) ~ 2018 World Championships K-1 bronze medalist
● Vit Prindis (CZE) ~ 2017 World Championships silver medalist
● Denis Gargaud Chanut (FRA) ~ 2016 Olympic C-1 gold medalist
● Vavrinec Hradilek (CZE) ~ 2012 Olympic K-1 silver medalist
● Matej Benus (CZE) ~ 2016 Olympic C-1 silver medalist
● Franz Anton (GER) ~ 2018 C-1 World Champion
● Ryan Westley (GBR) ~ 2018 C-1 Worlds silver medalist
● Benjamin Savsek (SLO) ~ 2017 C-1 World Champion
● Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK) ~ 2017 C-1 Worlds silver medalist

Women:
● Jessica Fox (AUS) ~ 2018 World C-1 Champion; 2012 Olympic K-1 silver; ‘16 K-1 bronze
● Maialen Chourraut (FRA) ~ 2016 Olympic K-1 gold; 2012 Olympic K-1 bronze
● Luka Jones (NZL) ~ 2016 Olympic K-1 silver medalist
● Mallory Franklin (GBR) ~ 2017 C-1 World Champion; 2018 Worlds C-1 silver
● Ana Satila (BRA) ~ 2017 Worlds C-1 bronze medalist
● Tereza Fiserova (CZE) ~ 2017 Worlds C-1 silver; 2018 Worlds C-1 bronze

Australia’s Fox won all five races in the women’s C-1 World Cup last season and won both the C-1 and K-1 races in the first three World Cups! She’ll be trying to extend her streak into 2019.

Look for results here.

SWIMMING Panorama: World leaders for Chalmers and Larkin in Aussie Worlds Trials

By
Rich Perelman
-
Rio Olympic 100 m Free champ Kyle Chalmers (AUS)

More hot swimming from Brisbane at the Australian World Championships Trials with two new world-leading marks:

● Men/100 m Freestyle

Rio Olympic champ Kyle Chalmers blistered the field with a win in 47.35, taking the world lead away from Russia’s Vladislav Grinev (47.48). Chalmers had been second at 47.48 from the Australian Nationals back in April.

● Men/200 m Medley

Sensational swimming from 2015 World 100-200 m Backstroke champ Mitch Larkin, who is now a medal favorite in the 200 m Medley, winning by more than three seconds in Australian-record time of 1:55.72. That’s not only the world’s fastest time this season – it was Duncan Scott (GBR) at 1:56.65 – but moves Larkin to no. 8 on the all-time list!

Not to be overlooked with an excellent swim from teen distance star Ariarne Titmus, who won the 800 m Free in 8:18.23, moving up to no. 4 on the world list for 2019. Katie Ledecky of the U.S. remains the leader at 8:10.70.

The Australian Trials continue through Friday; the live timing site is here.

At the second Mare Nostrum meeting in France, Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu won the women’s 400 m Medley in 4:33.77, the third-fastest time in the world in 2019, behind her own world leader of 4:32.87 and Yui Ohashi (JPN) and her 4:33.02 in April. American Madisyn Cox scored another lifetime best in second at 4:37.23, moving to no. 7 on the world list for 2019.

The U.S. got wins in the 100 m Back from Michael Andrew (54.11) and Phoebe Bacon (59.92).

The series moves on to its third and final stop in Barcelona (ESP) on the weekend.

LANE ONE: The NCAA is on the way to creating a new 1%: collegiate stars who can get paid before they turn pro

By
Rich Perelman
-

After losing some rounds in court battles that did not deliver any clear decisions, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has formed “a working group to examine issues highlighted in recently proposed federal and state legislation related to student-athlete name, image and likeness.”

What does that mean?

U.S. District Court judge Claudia Wilken ruled in 2014 allowed NCAA athletes to receive income for their name and likeness, but the holding was overturned (background here). A 2018 commission report to the NCAA about abuses in college basketball brought up the same issue; chair Condoleeza Rice said, “”For the life of me, I don’t understand the difference between Olympic [medal bonus] payments and participation in Dancing With the Stars, which are allowed, and what can’t be allowed.”

Earlier this year, Wilken decided another case the same way, leading to an Aspen Institute symposium on how collegiate athletes might be paid. Some of the ideas included:

(1) The Olympic model, based on the current Olympic movement which abandoned amateurism. The model allows for outside income from other entities, including commercials, speaking appearances and autographs.

(2) Direct pay for performance without restriction by the NCAA would allow students to secure agent representation and negotiate payment or benefits in excess of the cost of attendance.

(3) Scholarships equaling and not exceeding cost-of-attendance only, which is the current model.

The NCAA is appealing Wilken’s 2019 ruling, so there is more to be considered if and when the appeal is heard. The association is also dead-set against idea (2) above, to have direct, pay-for-play contracts; Ohio State’s Gene Smith stated “the group’s work will not result in paying students as employees. That structure is contrary to the NCAA’s educational mission and will not be a part of this discussion.”

There is a very good case to be made against paying athletes salaries to play college sports, and the current system – at the largest schools – already provides scholarship athletes with the “full cost of attendance,” which includes some money above that for tuition, books, room and board.

So we’re left with personal appearances, personal endorsements, autographs, sponsorships and the like. The Oregon football analysis site FishDuck.com considered the possibilities:

● Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert – and his offensive line – filming a commercial for a nearby casino;

● An endorsement such as “Hi, we’re the University of Colorado ski team and we don’t ski on any boards not made by K2.“

And so on. What will that look like?

If it’s going to look like the Olympic model, then college athletes had better be ready to be disappointed. Because the “Olympic model” makes a very few people winners and there are a lot of non-winners, i.e., those who get essentially nothing.

How many Olympic athletes are sponsored or supported in a meaningful-enough way to make a real living at their sport? Not too many. There are a few who make millions and they are the well-known stars like Usain Bolt – and not many others – who can drive attention, and hopefully, sales of products or services.

But stars like Bolt are once in a generation, if that. How many college athletes can drive such interest? And for how long?

What you will get is a few stars at a few schools who will get most of the attention and most of the money. There may be some money available for others for local promotions, but many of these will be one-off programs or personal appearances or local commercials.

Should this be allowed? It makes perfect sense to do so, and referenced to an individual’s right of publicity – owning your own likeness – is the right thing to do legally.

But let’s not expect this to change the lives of the vast majority – as in 99% – of college athletes. What these reforms will do is create a 1% class who are “compensated” for their celebrity thanks to being covered by local and national news media – especially ESPN and a few online sites – and whose status will recede if they do not continue their success at the professional level.

And these folks will get to the professional level faster and faster because of the ability to market themselves. From just this past weekend’s NCAA Track & Field Championships, hurdle stars Grant Holloway (Florida) and Daniel Roberts (Kentucky) declared that they would become professionals immediately, skipping their senior seasons. LSU’s Mondo Duplantis just finished his freshman season, but posted on his Twitter account that he was turning pro and has reached an agreement to be sponsored by Puma.

There is a school of thought that if allowed to have personal sponsors and own their likeness, collegiate athletes would stay in school longer. That’s not the case with Olympic athletes, whose goal is to eliminate every possible distraction – like school and work – in order to chase the Games and medals.

The superstars can write their own ticket. Allyson Felix skipped collegiate track, but adidas paid for her to attend USC, which she did (she’s now sponsored by Nike). Other stars-in-the-making need college programs to assure coaching, medical support and some structure in their lives after high school. The rest are thrilled to get a scholarship and a free education.

The NCAA is moving in the right direction in reforming its rules to allow greater earning abilities for collegiate athletes in the name and likeness areas. But let’s be clear that such measures will not solve many more problems than they will create.

And in fact, some of the losers in this process will be actual Olympic athletes, whose own earning opportunities will be eliminated in favor of collegiate athletes in higher-profile sports such as basketball and football.

The NCAA’s rules should be loosened. But let’s not kid ourselves into thinking that this is anything more than – for the most part – helping those who were going to get rich anyway get rich sooner.

Rich Perelman
Editor

SWIMMING Panorama: Strong marks at Australian Trials and Mare Nostrum in France

By
Rich Perelman
-
Australian swimming star Emma McKeon.

With the FINA World Championships coming quickly, swimmers are ramping up to top form, both at the Australian World Championships Trials and at the second of the three legs of the Mare Nostrum series, this time in France:

● Australian World Championships Trials

More outstanding freestyle swimming in Brisbane as the women’s 200 m Free final was a battle between world leader Ariarne Ttitmus (1:54.20) and veteran star Emma McKeon. This time it was McKeon who came out on top, clocking 1:54.55 for the no. 2 spot on the world list for 2019, with Titmus second in 1:55.09, still faster than anyone else this year!

In the women’s 1,500 m Free, Madeleine Gough stopped the lock in 15:56.39 for no. 3 on the year list, with Kiah Melverton close behind (and no. 4) at 15:56.46. American Katie Ledecky continues as the world leader at 15:45.59.

Mitch Larkin posted an excellent 52.38 mark to win the men’s 100 m Back, no. 2 in the world this year and just 0.11 behind Jiayu Xu’s 52.27 from the Chinese Nationals back in May.

The World Trials continue through Friday; the live timing site is here.

● Mare Nostrum/Canet-et-Roussillon

The second of the three legs of the Mare Nostrum series is on Tuesday and Wednesday in France, with some excellent marks on the opening day.

In the men’s 50 m Back, American Michael Andrew won in a speedy 24.53, moving him to no. 3 for 2019.

Top-five marks also came in the 100 m Breast, where British stars Adam Peaty (58.78) and James Wilby (58.99) went 1-2. Both have been faster, but absent their earlier performances, both marks would be in the top five on the world list.

Same for Japan’s Daiya Seto, who won the 400 m Medley in the second-fastest time of the year in 4:09.62. Only he is faster with an earlier 4:09.25.

Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu similar won the women’s 200 m Medley in 2:08.57; only she has been faster this year, at 2:08.50 in the FINA Champions Swim Series.

The Canet-et-Roussillon leg finished on Wednesday; the live timing site is here.

You don’t always have to qualify for the World Championships, as FINA showed by inviting Brazilian star Nicholas Santos to swim in Gwangju (KOR) in July.

Currently the world leader in the 50 m Fly, Santos – swimming brilliantly at age 39 – was left off the Brazilian team for the Worlds as it is concentrating on swimmers competing in Olympic events. The 50 m Free is contested at the Olympic Games, but not the other 50 m events in Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly. Santos was the silver medalist in the 50 m Fly at the last two World Championships (2015 and 2017).

Swimming World Magazine reported that FINA’s invitation came from Executive Director Cornel Marculescu (ROU) and includes payment for his travel to Korea.

FINA has confirmed the prize money distributed at the FINA Champions Swim Series, with 18 swimmers listed as money winners. There were a dozen who earned $50,000 or more:

1. $148,000 Sarah Sjostrom (SWE)
2. $124,500 Katinka Hosszu (HUN)
3. $106,000 Michael Andrew (USA)
4. $61,500 Vladimir Morozov (RUS)
5. $61,000 Danas Rapsys (LTU)
6. $60,500 Yuliya Efimova (RUS)
7. $57,000 Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED)
8. $53,500 Molly Hannis (USA)
9. $53,000 Kelsi Dahlia (USA)
10. $52,000 Anton Chupkov (RUS)
11. $51,000 Pernille Blume (DEN)
12. $50,000 Chad Le Clos (RSA)

The complete list of money winners is here.

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