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GYMNASTICS Preview: Five World Champs medalists in American Cup in Greensboro

By
Rich Perelman
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Japan's five-time World Championships gold medalist Kenzo Shirai

The top U.S. artistic gymnastics meet of the year – the American Cup – is on for Saturday at the Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum, and will also serve as an FIG All-Around World Cup.

The fields are strong, with multiple World Championships medalists:

Men:
● Bart Deurloo (NED) ~ 2017 Worlds Horizontal Bar bronze
● James Hall (GBR) ~ All-Around 8th at 2018 World Championships
● Yue Ma (CHN) ~ 2014 Youth Olympic Games Rings & Vault silvers
● Sam Mikulak (USA) ~ 2014 American Cup champ; 2018 Worlds High Bar bronze
● Yul Moldauer (USA) ~ Two-time defending American Cup Champion
● Kenzo Shirai (JPN) ~ Five-time Worlds gold medalist: 2017 All-Around bronze; 2013-15-17 Floor golds; 2017 Vault gold; 2018 Floor silver and Vault bronze

Women:
● Ellie Black (CAN) ~ 2017 Worlds All-Around silver
● Yufei Lu (CHN) ~ 2018 Chinese Nationals All-Around bronze
● Kim Bui (GER) ~ 2018 German Championships All-Around silver
● Mai Murakami (JPN) ~ 2018 Worlds All-Around silver; 2017 Worlds Floor gold
● Sanna Veerman (NED) ~ 2016 Dutch Championships All-Around Champion
● Grace McCallum (USA) ~ All-Around 4th at 2018 U.S. Nationals
● Leanne Wong (USA) ~ 2018 U.S. Junior All-Around Champion

The American Cup is part of a three-meet series which includes the Nastia Liukin Cup on Friday for junior women, and the Elite Team Cup on Sunday, an event for junior men.

NBC’s Olympic Channel has coverage starting at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, transitioning to NBC at 1 p.m. Eastern, Look for results here.

LANE ONE: The strange case of rowing, Los Angeles and the 1932, 2012, 2016 and 2028 Olympic Games

By
Rich Perelman
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The J.H. Davies Bridge in Long Beach, California, bisecting the Long Beach Marine Stadium (Photo: Rick Warren via Flickr)

The International Olympic Committee has trumpeted the benefits of its Agenda 2020 reform program, one of the first initiatives undertaken by then-new IOC President Thomas Bach in December 2014.

Its concepts significantly changed the bidding process for the Olympic Games and Winter Games, in part by emphasizing the use of “existing facilities and the use of temporary and demountable venues.”

That has had an important impact on the way bids for Games have been constructed, including the award of the 2028 Games to Los Angeles, where no new sports venues need to be built.

Or rebuilt. But will that change?

The international federation for rowing – the Federation Internationale des Societes d’Aviron (FISA) – reported that in its FISA Council meeting a couple of weeks ago in Lausanne (SUI):

“The Council was presented with a proposal to study an alternative venue for the LA2028 Olympic Games. The bid proposal was to stage this regatta at Lake Perris, a reservoir on the east of Los Angeles which would require a satellite Olympic Village.

“LA2028 proposed that an existing venue in Long Beach, California be considered. The Long Beach Marine Stadium was the Rowing venue for the 1932 Olympic Games and would allow the athletes to stay in the main Olympic Village at UCLA. The Council agreed to proceed with more detailed studies on the tide impacts on fairness and the possible reduction of the race distance.”

This is a fascinating turn of events, and one which is quite familiar to those who have followed the odyssey of Los Angeles’s bids for the Olympic Games since the revolutionary Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad in 1984.

I was privileged to be the author of the Los Angeles bid for the 2012 Olympic Games and the technical director (and part author) of the bid for the 2016 Games. We lost both times in the domestic round, as the United States Olympic Committee picked New York and then Chicago, both of which lost at the international level.

Our venue for rowing and canoeing for both bids was, in fact, the Long Beach Marine Stadium. It had the benefit of being within the greater Los Angeles area and not as isolated as Lake Casitas – north of Los Angeles in Ventura County – was in 1984. Although adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, it was inside the Long Beach breakwater and tidal activity was within tolerable limits for morning competitions.

But there was a big problem: the J.H. Davies Bridge.

Built in 1955 (Long Beach structure no. 53C0209), it bisects the Marine Stadium, with two massive pillars in the water that create three lanes for rowing, but eliminates the clear span of the channel that was used in 1932.

It’s not a problem for recreational rowers, and canoeing and rowing training has continued unimpeded. But for an Olympic Games, requiring a 2,000 m course and 6-8 lanes, the Marine Stadium was impossible to use, as the available course length between the end of the stadium and the bridge was only 1,700 m.

Or was it? In the 2012 and 2016 contexts – with the U.S. bids created in 2001 and 2007, prior to Agenda 2020 – if we were going to use the Marine Stadium, we had to do something about the bridge.

An engineering study was undertaken to see what the possibilities and costs were to remove the pylons and re-create the 1932 rowing channel. The study came back with:

● The pylons could be removed and the bridge re-engineered, either as a Tied Arch Bridge (estimated at $22.6 million), a Cable-Stayed Bridge ($28.0 million) or a Segmental Concrete Bridge ($24.4 million). The work would take about 15 months.

● The result would be a clear, deep channel of 300-320 feet wide (91.5-97.5 m) with a total available length of about 2,400 m, fine for a full-size rowing course for the Games. The total width of the channel would be about 375 feet, but not all of it could be used for rowing because of the shallow depth at the sides.

● The length of the channel and space available on part of both shores (at that time) would allow for about 25,000 temporary seats for spectators and many more to be standing.

The cost of fixing the bridge would be paid entirely by the Los Angeles organizing committee. That was – in the pre-Agenda 2020 days – the cost of advancing the bid to avoid being rejected because of an insufficient venue for rowing.

For 2028, the Los Angeles bidders identified Lake Perris, a huge, artificial lake completed in 1973 and a favorite for recreation in Riverside County. The lake is 72 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the Moreno Valley area and would require the use of a satellite Olympic Village to get the rowers to and from the facility in reasonable time.

Now the FISA will get into the same details we did years ago, with the same issues concerning the Davies Bridge across Second Street and the possible short course.

But the discussion, in light of Agenda 2020, will be fascinating (but mostly private). The LA28 folks will certainly not be excited about fronting $30 million or more to refit the bridge; the City of Long Beach is not going to pay for it, and such an expenditure – even from private funds – would be locally ridiculed as wasteful for a week or so of Olympic rowing (Paralympic rowing is generally over 1,000 m, not the Olympic 2,000 m distance). That would put the IOC on the side of not spending millions to fix the bridge.

But history may come to the rescue. While today’s races are all over 2,000 m, it wasn’t always so:

● In Paris in 1900, the course was 1,750 m, in St. Louis in 1904, 3,218 m; in London in 1908, the course was 2,414 m. The 2,000 m course was standardized in Stockholm for 1912.

● Women’s races were 1,000 m from their introduction in 1976 through 1984, then switched to 2,000 m for 1988 in Seoul (KOR).

Even the racing format was different in the past, primarily using match races instead of qualifications to a final with four to six (or more) boats in a single race.

Our original concept for 2012 was to re-create the clear span of the 1932 Marine Stadium to establish not only an Olympic course, but also to install a small, permanent boathouse and create a permanent rowing and canoeing training center. If FISA and the LA28 folks can come to an agreement on how to handle the bridge, a permanent training facility in Long Beach would be a worthy legacy of the 1932 and 2028 Olympic Games.

Rich Perelman
Editor

(Updated: The originally-listed length for the London 1908 course was 2,412 m, but was corrected to 2,414 m per the advice of Olympic historian Dr. Bill Mallon.)

CYCLING Preview: European season starts with Omloop Het Niewsblad Elite in Belgium

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympic road race champion Greg van Avermaet (BEL)

The UCI World Tour has been contested in Australia and the UAE Tour is still going on, but the real cycling season is about to start in the Belgian town of Ghent for the 74th edition of the Omloop Het Niewsblad Elite race.

Started back in 1945, it was originally known as the Omloop van Flanderen or “Circuit of Flanders.” This will be the third year that the race will be part of the UCI World Tour.

As the first of the “Cobbled Classics,” it has drawn a strong field, including six former champions and six more former medalists:

● Greg van Avermaet (BEL) ~ Winner in 2016 and 2017
● Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) ~ Winner in 2012; third in 2017 and 2018
● Philippe Gilbert (BEL) ~ Winner in 2006 and 2008
● Ian Stannard (GBR) ~ Winner in 2014 and 2015
● Michael Valgren (DEN) ~ Defending Champion
● Sebastien Langeveld (NED) ~ Winner in 2011

● Niki Terpstra (NED) ~ Second in 2015
● Stijn Vandenbergh (BEL) ~ Second in 2013
● Lukasz Wisniowski (POL) ~ Second in 2018
● Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) ~ Third in 2014
● Kevyn Ista (BEL) ~ Second in 2009

The record for individual wins in this race is three, with van Avermaet, Vanmarcke, Gilbert and Stannard all trying to reach that level. It’s been done three times, by Ernest Sterckx (BEL: 1952-53-56), Joseph Bruyere (BEL: 1974-75-80) and Peter van Petegem (BEL: 1997-98-2002).

The race is 200 km, with multiple hills, but with climbs of not more than 100 m, and finishes in Ninove. Look for results here.

SNOWBOARD Preview: SnowCross season leads on the line in Spain

By
Rich Perelman
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Snowboard Cross Olympic and World Champion Lindsey Jacobellis (USA)

The FIS Snowboard Cross season has just five events in it this season, with the fourth coming this weekend at Baqueria/Beret in Spain and everything still to be decided.

The standings:

● Men:
1. 1,650 Martin Noerl (GER)
2. 1,278 Emanuel Perathoner (ITA)
3. 1,135 Omar Visintin (ITA)
4. 1,100 Jake Vedder (USA)
5. 1,072 Cameron Bolton (AUS)

● Women:
1. 2,800 Lindsey Jacobellis (USA)
2. 2,400 Eva Samkova (CZE)
3. 1,600 Michela Moioli (ITA)
4. 1,450 Charlotte Bankes (GBR)
5. 1,200 Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA)

Noerl, Perathoner and Bolton have won the three prior events and only Noerl (1-0-1) has more than one medal. World Champion Mick Dierdorff of the U.S. and Worlds bronze medalist Perathoner must be considered as well. Austria’s Alessandro Hammerle, the World Cup runner-up last season, won at La Molina (ESP) last year and should contend as well.

With such a low score for the seasonal leader – 1,650 by Noerl – anyone could step in and take the seasonal title.

The women’s competition has more structure, thanks to two wins and a second from six-time World Champion Jacobellis, who is entered, along with the rest of the top-five seasonal scorers. She did not make the SnowCross final in the World Championships, but won the Mixed Team event with Dierdorff.

Samkova won the world title, followed by Bankes and Moioli and won at La Molina in Spain last year. Jacobellis has won the World Cup title twice, but not since 2008-09; Samkova won last year and Moioli won in 2016-17.

Look for results here.

FREESTYLE SKIING Preview: Aerials and Dual Moguls titles on the line this weekend

By
Rich Perelman
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U.S. Freestyle Moguls star Jaelin Kauf

A lot has been decided already, but the seasonal World Cup titles in Aerials and in Dual Moguls will be determined this weekend in two different venues:

● Aerials at Shimao Lotus Mountain

The World Cup Aerials season is a short one, comprising just five events this season, with three complete and the remaining two on Saturday and Sunday at Shimao Lotus Mountain (CHN). In the men’s division, there are four contenders left:

1. 236 Maxim Burov (RUS) ~ Defending World Cup Champion
2. 220 Stanislav Nikitin (RUS)
3. 186 Xindi Wang (CHN)
4. 144 Anton Kushner (BLR)
5. 105 Ilia Burov (RUS)

Burov has won twice, Wang has been second twice and Nikitin has been third twice and won once. Zongyang Jia (CHN) won both events at Secret Garden last year, but Burov won the seasonal title. Burov also won the recent World Championship in Aerials, ahead of Ukraine’s Oleksandr Abramenko.

Xu has been the women’s favorite all along and is trying to win her third straight World Cup seasonal title:

1. 260 Mengtao Xu (CHN) ~ Two-time defending champion
2. 176 Shao Qi (CHN)
3. 159 Sicun Xu (CHN)
4. 130 Laura Peel (AUS)
5. 128 Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya (BLR)

Ramanouskaya won the 2019 World Championship in Aerials, with Xu third and Russian Liubov Nikitina second, but Xu will be hard to beat at home. She was second in both competitions at Secret Garden last year and that would be more than enough to give her another Crystal Globe.

Look for results here.

● Moguls and Dual Moguls at Shymbulak

The men’s Moguls seasonal trophy has been clinched – for the seventh time in a row – by Canadian great Mikael Kingsbury, but the Dual Moguls division is up for grabs. The current standings:

1. 200 Mikaela Kingsbury (CAN)
2. 130 Ikuma Horishima (JPN)
3. 120 Benjamin Cavet (FRA)
4. 112 Oskar Olofsson (SWE)
5. 95 Matt Graham (AUS)

Kingsbury has won each of the first two events and Cavet was third twice. At the recent World Championships, Kingsbury won the gold against Bradley Wilson of the U.S. in the final.

The women’s Moguls situation is similar. France’s Perrine Laffont has clinched the seasonal Moguls title, but the Dual Moguls is undecided; standings:

1. 180 Jaelin Kauf (USA)
1. 180 Perrine Laffont (FRA)
3. 110 Yulia Galysheva (KAZ)
4. 105 Jakara Anthony (AUS)
5. 76 Hinako Tomitaka (JPN)

Kauf and Laffont have placed 1-2 and 2-1 in the two events so far; Laffont beat Kauf in the final of the World Championships Dual Moguls, with Tess Johnson of the U.S. earning the bronze medal.

Skiing at home, look for Galysheva to get a boost from the crowd. Look for results here.

ALPINE SKIING Preview: Speed skiers weekend in Norway and Russia … maybe

By
Rich Perelman
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Two-time World Cup Super-G champ Tina Weirather (LIE).

The men’s Alpine World Cup lost two speed races in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) in early February due to rough weather and had hoped to make up one race in Kvitfjell (NOR) this weekend, but Mother Nature had other ideas.

Heavy snowfall canceled the re-scheduled Downhill planned for Friday, so now a single Downhill is planned for Saturday and a Super-G for Sunday … weather permitting. The seasonal standings:

● Downhill (6 of 8 races):
1. 420 Beat Feuz (SUI) ~ Defending Champion
2. 320 Dominik Paris (ITA)
3. 260 Christof Innerhofer (ITA)
4. 249 Vincent Kreichmayr (AUT)
5. 228 Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR)

● Super-G (5 of 7 races)
1. 236 Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT)
2. 233 Matthias Mayer (AUT)
3. 230 Dominik Paris (ITA)
4. 227 Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR) ~ 2015-16 World Cup Champion
5. 219 Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR) ~ Retired after the World Championships

Feuz was second in both races at Kvitfjell last season, which were won by Thomas Dressen (GER – Downhill) and Kjetil Jansrud (NOR – Super-G).

NBC has coverage of Saturday’s Downhill on the NBC Olympic Channel at 4 a.m. Eastern time, and of Sunday’s Super-G at 5 p.m. Eastern, also on the NBC Olympic Channel. Look for results here.

The women’s World Cup is in Rosa Khutor (RUS) for a Downhill and Super-G as well. The standings:

● Downhill (7 of 9 races):
1. 444 Nicole Schmidhofer (AUT)
2. 354 Ramona Siebenhofer (AUT)
3. 343 Ilka Stuhec (SLO) ~ 2016-17 World Cup Champion
4. 340 Stephanie Venier (AUT)
5. 278 Kira Weidle (GER)

● Super-G (5 of 7 races):
1. 300 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA)
2. 268 Tina Weirather (LIE) ~ Two-time Defending Champion
3. 253 Nicole Schmidhofer (AUT)
4. 247 Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR)
5. 178 Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) ~ 2015-16 World Cup Champion

Shiffrin isn’t competing this week, but will return for next week’s racing in the Czech Republic. Look out for Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic Downhill winner and the silver medalist in the World Championships Super-G earlier in the month. Swiss Corinne Suter was also great at the Worlds, winning a Downhill silver and a Super-G bronze.

The overall World Cup leaders, Marcel Hirscher (AUT) and Shiffrin might be able to clinch their seasonal titles next week.

NBC has coverage on the NBC Olympic Channel of the Downhill on Saturday at 4 a.m. Eastern time, and the Super-G on Sunday at 2:30 a.m. Eastern. Look for results here.

RUGBY Preview: Las Vegas hosts men’s Sevens Series with U.S. tied for first

By
Rich Perelman
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U.S. rugby scoring star Madison Hughes

An banner season for the USA Eagles reaches a critical point this weekend at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the fifth stop of the 10-leg World Rugby Sevens Series.

Winners of the Sevens Series tournament in Las Vegas last year – its first in the Las Vegas stop that began in 2004 – the U.S. could take the lead in the seasonal standings with a victory this weekend, after four straight runner-up finishes. The standings:

1. 76 Fiji
2. 76 United States
3. 72 Fiji
4. 57 South Africa
5. 55 England

The U.S. has been amazing, having never been higher than fifth place in the seasonal standings since the men’s Sevens Series began back in the 1999-2000 season. The Eagles were fifth in 2016-17 and sixth in 2014-15, 2015-16 and last season.

A top-four finish in the seasonal standings this time will qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, so a lot is on the line. The pools for Las Vegas:

● Pool A: New Zealand, Spain, Canada, Samoa
● Pool B: United States, France, Argentina, Kenya
● Pool C: England, South Africa, Japan, Chile
● Pool D: Fiji, Australia, Wales, Scotland

The four tournaments held so far have been won by New Zealand (twice) and Fiji (twice) and the U.S. really hasn’t been close. But the U.S. did win in Las Vegas last year, its first tournament title since May of 2015.

As the season reaches halfway in Las Vegas, New Zealand’s Andrew Knewstubb continues as the scoring leader with 146 points, with Madison Hughes of the U.S. second at 132 and John Porch (AUS) third at 115. Two other U.S. players are in the top 10, with Stephen Tomasin seventh (99) and Carlin Isles tenth (90).

Look for results and standings here.

SHOOTING: Huge field in New Delhi World Cup produces four world records; two wins for Major

By
Rich Perelman
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Hungary's shooting star Veronika Major

Although it will be remembered mostly for the controversy over an non-admission of two Pakistani shooters, the first ISSF World Cup of 2019 also produced four world records and three wins each for host India and Hungary.

The world records:

● Men’s 10 m Air Pistol: India’s 16-year-old Chaudhary Saurabh, the 2018 Youth Olympic Games champ, compiled a score of 245.0, eclipsing the 243.6 score from Ukraine’s Oleh Omelchuk from 2018.

● Women’s 25 m Pistol: Hungary’s Veronika Major hit 40 targets out of 50 to break Greece’s Anna Korakaki’s mark of 39, set in winning the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

● Women’s 10 m Air Rifle: Apurvi Chandela (IND) shot 252.9 and broke the 252.4 total by China’s Ruozhu Zhao from 2018. Zhao finished second.

● Mixed 10 m Air Rifle: Ruozhu Zhao and Yukun Liu (CHN) shot 503.6, breaking the 502.0 total by China’s Hong Xu and Keduo Chen in 2018.

Saurabh and Manu Bhaker teamed up to win the 10 m Air Pistol for India’s third victory, and Major was the only double winner, in the 10 m Air Pistol and 25 m Pistol. Istvan Peni won Hungary’s third gold, in the 50 m Rifle/3 Positions.

China won the most medals, with 10, but managed only the one gold, in the Mixed 10 m Air Rifle.

A huge entry total of 898 competed in the World Cup, but it was the two who didn’t that unfortunately made most of the news. Summaries:

ISSF World Cup
New Delhi (IND) ~ 20-28 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

10 m Air Pistol: 1. Chaudhary Saurabh (IND), 245.0 (World Record; old, 243.6, Oleh Omelchuk (UKR), 2018); 2. Damir Mikec (SRB), 239.3; 3. Wei Pang (CHN), 215.2.

25m Rapid-Fire Pistol: 1. Christian Reitz (GER), 35; 2. Junmin Lin (CHN), 31; 3. Junhong Kim (KOR), 22.

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Sergey Kamenskoiy (RUS), 249.4; 2. Yukun Liu (CHN), 247.0; 3. Zicheng Hui (CHN), 225.9.

50 m Rifle/3 Positions: 1. Istvan Peni (HUN), 459.1; 2. Sergey Kaminskiy (RUS), 459.0; 3. Marco Di Nicolo (ITA), 444.5.

Women

10 m Air Pistol:1. Veronika Major (HUN), 245.1; 2. Chia Ying Wu (TPE), 238.4; 3. Bomi Kim (KOR), 218.3.

25 m Pistol: 1. Major (HUN), 40 (World Record; old, 39, Anna Korikaki (GRE), 2016); 2. Jingjing Zhang (CHN), 33; 3. Haniyeh Rostamiyan (IRI), 30.

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Apurvi Chandela (IND), 252.9 (World Record; old, 252.4, Ruozhu Zhao (CHN), 2018); 2. Ruozhu Zhao (CHN), 251.8; 3. Hong Xu (CHN), 230.4.

50 m Rifle/3 Positions: 1. Nina Christen (SUI), 457.1; 2. Mengyao Shi (CHN), 456.6; 3. Yelizaveta Korol (KAZ), 445.7.

Mixed

10 m Air Pistol: 1. Manu Bhaker/Chaudhary Saurabh (IND), 483.4; 2. Ranxin Jiang/Bowen Zhang (CHN), 477.7; 3. Min-Jung Kim/Dae-Hun Park (KOR), 418.8.

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Ruozhu Zhao/Yukun Liu (CHN), 503.6 (World Record; old, 502.0, Hong Xu/Keduo Chen (CHN), 2018); 2. Laura-Georgeta Coman/Alin George Moldoveanu (ROU), 496.2; 3. Ji-Hyeon Keum/Byong-Gil Choo (KOR), 433.4.

GLOBETROTTING by Phil Hersh: In Russian Figure Skating Federation’s no-win game to pick worlds team, Tuktamysheva the loser

By
Phil Hersh
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Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (center) won 2018 Skate Canada, with compatriot Evgenia Medvedeva (right) third and Mako Yamashita (left) of Japan second. (Photo: ISU)

The Russian Figure Skating Federation’s selection Wednesday of its women’s team for next month’s World Championships was sure to cause controversy, given four strong candidates for three places.

And it did, as Elizaveta Tuktamysheva was left off the team in favor of Alina Zagitova, Sofia Samodurova and Evgenia Medvedeva.

The controversy was centered on the pick of Medvedeva over Tuktamysheva.  The federation said on its web site that a vote of its 27-member coaching council had 19 votes for Medvedeva, 7 for Tuktamysheva and 1 abstention.

No selection criteria were given.  It is believed the result of last week’s Russian Cup Final, in which Medvedeva beat Tuktamysheva for first place by fewer than two points, was a significant factor.

Complicating the process were:

• The top three finishers at this season’s Russian Championships are all below the minimum age for senior international events.

• The top age-eligible finisher at nationals, fourth-place Stanislava Konstantinova, was a distant fourth at the Russian Cup Final and 19th at last year’s worlds.

• Samodurova, a first-year senior internationally, all but clinched her world spot by upsetting reigning Olympic champion Zagitova for the 2019 European title.

• Zagitova’s finishes all this season have been better than her skating, with the exception of nationals, where both were bad: after winning the short program, she was a dismal 12th in the free skate (two falls) and fifth overall.

• Tuktamysheva’s impressive season of return to medal podiums was compromised when she contracted pneumonia after winning a bronze medal at the Grand Prix Final, sidelining her from the nationals and keeping her from being selected (had she become healthy) for January’s European Championships.

• After leaving Russia last spring to train in Canada with Brian Orser, two-time world champion and reigning Olympic silver medalist Medvedeva has won mainly the affection of Russian fans.  She did not qualify for the Grand Prix Final and was seventh at nationals.

But Medvedeva was behind only the three juniors in the nationals free skate, and her much improved performances at the Russian Cup Final undoubtedly impressed voters in a “what-have-you-done-for-me-lately” manner.

Screen Shot 2019-02-27 at 4.49.50 PM.png

To give figure skating fans something to chew on, I have created a results chart using the world team selection criteria employed by U.S. Figure Skating, which ranks events in tiers.

Let me be clear, though: the USFS criteria have no bearing on Russia, nor am I suggesting they be used by Russia, even though a Russian source told me today that its selection criteria are generally similar to those of USFS.

And the USFS criteria still are too opaque to avoid controversy, as has been evident in selection of U.S. singles skaters for the last two Olympics.

The biggest problem is the events listed in each tier of the USFS designated criteria are not weighted relative to one another, nor is each tier given a weight relative to the others.  Last year, USFS officials cited head-to-head results, which were not listed in the criteria, as a factor when 2018 nationals silver medalist Ross Miner was left off the 2018 Olympic team.

So this chart is not meant to be conclusive in any way but rather to provide some numbers for discussion.

My feelings:

• There is little doubt Zagitova and Samodurova should be on the world team, based on their body of results relative to the others from this season’s Russian nationals, Europeans, Grand Prix Final and Grand Prix events.  That their positions were strong was emphasized by neither having to compete at the Russian Cup Final.

• Tuktamysheva’s absence from nationals means the major factors in arguing for her – and they are significant – are results from last fall’s Grand Prix events and final.  She beat Medvedeva at Skate Canada, their only head-to-head meeting until last week’s Russian Cup Final.

But Tuktamysheva’s poor results the previous three seasons may have been her undoing in the minds of some of those who voted.

Forget what role internal politics might have played.  The Russian Figure Skating Federation was in a no-win situation on this one, because neither woman made a slam dunk case for herself.

How would I have voted?  My inclination is toward Tuktamysheva.

The chart:

Screen Shot 2019-02-27 at 4.47.55 PM.png

BOBSLED & SKELETON Preview: World Champs this week in Whistler

By
Rich Perelman
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Germany's Olympic champion driver Francesco Friedrich (Photo: Sandro Halank via Wikipedia)

The climax of the 2018-19 ISBF season comes this week at the site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games at the sliding track in Whistler (CAN).

Coming one week after the final World Cup races in Calgary (CAN), the leading contenders for honors will certainly be the top World Cup finishers:

● Two-Man:
1. Francesco Friedrich (GER) ~ 2013-15-16-17 World Champion; 2018 Olympic gold
2. Oskars Kibermanis (LAT)
3. Nico Walther (GER)

Friedrich will be trying for his fifth title, which would tie him for second all-time with Christoph Langen (GER: 1993-95-96-2000-01), and two behind Italy’s Eugenio Monti, who won seven titles between 1957-66.

● Four-Man:
1. Francesco Friedrich (GER) ~ 2018 co-World Champion; 2016 silver; 2018 Olympic gold
2. Oskars Kibermanis (LAT)
3. Johannes Lochner (GER) ~ 2017 co-World Champion

● Two-Woman:
1. Mariama Jamanka (GER) ~ 2018 Olympic Champion
2. Stephanie Schneider (GER)
3. Elana Meyers Taylor (USA) ~ 2015 & 2017 World Champ; 2014-18 Olympic silver

● Men’s Skeleton:
1. Alexander Tretiakov (RUS) ~ 2013 World Champion; 2011-15-16 Worlds silvers
2. Sung-bin Yun (KOR) ~ 2018 Olympic Champion
3. Martins Dukurs (LAT) ~ 2011-12-15-16-17 World Champion

● Women’s Skeleton:
1. Elena Nikitina (RUS) ~ 2016 Worlds bronze medalist
2. Tina Hermann (GER) ~ 2016 World Champion
3. Mirela Rahneva (CAN)

Meyers Taylor is well familiar with this track, as she won a bronze medal in 2010 as a brakeman for Erin Pac.

The events will take place over a nine-day schedule:

● 1 March: Two-man races 1&2
● 2 March: Two-man races 3&4 + Two-woman races 1&2
● 3 March: Two-woman races 3&4 + Team Event

● 7 March: Men’s & Women’s Skeleton races 1&2
● 8 March: Four-man races 1&2 + Men’s & Women’s Skeleton races 3&4
● 9 March: Four-man races 3&4

Look for results here.

FENCING: No. 1-ranked Imboden leads U.S. entries at Cairo Foil World Cups

By
Rich Perelman
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American fencing star Race Imboden

The fourth Foil World Cup of the season will be held in Cairo (EGY) for both men and women, with individual competition on Friday and Saturday and a team event on Sunday. The third “Pharoahs Challenge” features strong fields, with the top-10-ranked men’s fencers and nine of the top 10 women:

Men (177 entries):
1. Race Imboden (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team silver medalist
2. Alessio Foconi (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion
3. Richard Kruse (GBR) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
4. Alexey Cheremisinov (RUS) ~ 2018 Worlds Team bronze medalist
5. Andrea Cassara (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team gold medalist
6. Daniele Garozzo (ITA) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion
7. Timur Safin (RUS) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
8. Ka Long Cheung (HKG)
9. Gerek Meinhardt (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team bronze medalist
10. Giorgio Avola (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team gold medalist

In addition, the U.S. has no. 12-ranked Alexander Massialas entered, the 2016 Olympic silver medal winner.

Women (141 entries):
1. Anna Deriglazova (RUS) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 World Champion
2. Alice Volpi (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion
3. Lee Kiefer (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds team gold medalist
4. Ines Boubakri (TUN) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze; 2018 Worlds bronze
5. Leonie Ebert (GER)
6. Ysaora Thibus (FRA) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
7. Arianna Errigo (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
8. Eleanor Harvey (CAN)
10. Camilla Mancini (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team silver medalist

The U.S. has 11th-ranked Nicole Ross entered as well.

Look for results here.

WRESTLING Preview: Burroughs and Snyder lead U.S. entries in the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov ranking tourney

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympic champion Kyle Snyder of the U.S. (at right; Photo: UWW)

The second United World Wrestling ranking tournament for men’s and women’s Freestyle comes this week with the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament in Ruse (BUL). USA Wrestling has sent a large squad of 18 men and 16 women for what promises to be an outstanding test.

According to the published entries, four Olympic champions will be on the mats in the men’s competitions:

● 74 kg: Jordan Burroughs (USA) ~ 2012 Olympic gold at 70 kg
● 86 kg: Hassan Yazdani (IRI) ~ 2016 Olympic gold at 74 kg
● 97 kg: Kyle Snyder (USA) ~ 2016 Olympic gold at 97 kg
● 125 kg: Taha Akgul (TUR) ~ 2016 Olympic gold at 125 kg

In addition, Georgia’s 125 kg World Champion from 2017 and 2018, Geno Petriashvili, will be in action.

The U.S. squad features four additional World Championships medal winners:

● 57 kg: Tom Gilman ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
● 61 kg: Joe Colon ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
● 70 kg: James Green ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
● 125 kg: Nick Gwiazdowski ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist

The women’s entries include three reigning World Champions:

● 57 kg: Ningning Rong (CHN) ~ 2018 World Champion
● 62 kg: Taybe Yusein (BUL) ~ 2018 World Champion
● 65 kg: Petra Olli (FIN) ~ 2018 World Champion

The USA Wrestling women’s squad features three Worlds medal winners:

● 53 kg: Sarah Hildebrandt ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
● 62 kg: Mallory Velte ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
● 68 kg: Tamyra Mensah-Stock ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist

In all, the tournament has nine men’s wrestlers ranked in the top three of the UWW World Rankings and 10 women. Look for the results link here.

AQUATICS Preview: FINA World Series in Diving and Artistic Swimming start this week

By
Rich Perelman
-

FINA is best known for swimming, of course, but it supports its other disciplines with seasonal series, including a World Series for Diving and for Artistic Swimming. Both will start this weekend.

● Diving World Series in Sagamihara

The Sagamihara Green Pool in Japan will be the site for the first of five Diving World Series competitions, from Friday through Sunday. This is the top-tier series for divers, and has been completely dominated by China.

In 2018, Chinese divers won all 10 events at the first two events, seven of eight they entered in the third event and seven of eight in the final event: that’s 34 out of 36. In 2017, it was 37 out of 40.

The entries for the first World Series shows some excellent fields, especially medal winners from the 2016 Rio Games and the 2017 World Championships:

Men’s 3m Springboard:
● Yuan Cao (CHN) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion
● Siyi Xie (CHN) ~ 2017 World Champion
● Patrick Hausding (GER) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze; 2017 Worlds silver
● Jack Laugher (GBR) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist

Men’s 10 m Platform:
● Aisen Chen (CHN) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 Worlds silver
● Jian Yang (CHN) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
● Tom Daley (GBR) ~ 2017 World Champion

Men’s 3 m Synchro:
● Daniel Goodfellow/Jack Laugher (GBR) ~ Laugher: 2016 Olympic Champion
● Yuan Cao/Siyi Xie (CHN) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalists
● Evgenii Kuznetsov/Nikita Shleikher (RUS) ~ Kuznetsov: 2017 World Champion
● Oleg Kolodiy/Olek Gorshkovozov (UKR) ~ Kolodiy: 2017 Worlds bronze

Men’s 10 m Synchro:
● Aisen Chen/Yuan Cao (CHN) ~ Chen: 2016 Olympic Champion
● Tom Daley/Matthew Lee (GBR) ~ Daley: 2016 Olympic bronzr
● Aleksandr Bondar/Viktor Minibaev (RUS) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalists

Women’s 3 m Springboard:
● Tingmao Shi (CHN) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 World Champion
● Han Wang (CHN) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
● Jennifer Abel (CAN) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist

Women’s 10 m Platform:
● Qian Ren (CHN) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
● Meaghan Benfeito (CAN) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist

Women’s 3 m Synchro:
● Tingmao Shi/Han Wang (CHN): Shi: 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 World Champion
● Maddison Keeney/Annabelle Smith (AUS) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalists
● Jennifer Abel/Melissa Citrini Beaulieu (CAN) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalists

Women’s 10 m Synchro:
● Pandelela Pamg/Nur Sabri (MAS) ~ Pamg: 2016 Olympic silver medalist
● Meaghan Benfeito/Caeli McKay (CAN) ~ Benfeito: 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
● Mi-Rae Kim/A. Rim Kim (PRK) ~ M-R Kim: 2017 Worlds silver medalist

Mixed 3 m Synchro:
● Tom Daley/Grace Reid (GBR) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalists
● Jennifer Abel/Francois Imbeau-Dulac (CAN) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalists

Mixed 10 m Synchro:
● Junjie Lian/Yajie Si (CHN) ~ Lian: 2017 World Champion
● Matty Lee/Lois Toulson (GBR) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalists
● Il-Myong Hyon/A. Rim Kim (PRK) ~ Hyon: 2017 Worlds bronze medalist

There are many other excellent divers entered, but the question is whether anyone can beat the Chinese.

Prize money in each event is $5,000-4,000-3,000 for each event ($120,000 for the meet). Look for results here.

● Artistic Swimming World Series in Paris

FINA’s Artistic Swimming World Series has been poorly attended by the top competitors, but the Paris stop has been one of the better attractions in the program. It’s the first of nine stops on this season’s tour, and the ninth French Open will be held from 1-3 March.

Some 23 national federations have entered, including powerhouses Spain and Ukraine.

Look for results here.

FOOTBALL: Japan’s late goal ties U.S., 2-2, in SheBelieves Cup opener

By
Rich Perelman
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Dangerous (left to right): U.S. strikers Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath and Megan Rapinoe

It was chilly at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania for the first two games of the SheBelieves Cup, and the U.S. women’s national team left feeling cold about a 2-2 tie with Japan.

The American squad controlled much of the game and had both possession and chances … but not the goals. Megan Rapinoe got the only goal of the first half in the 23rd minute, off a brilliant right-side run to the endline by Tobin Heath and a laser-like cross in front of the goal to Rapinoe’s right foot for the finish.

The U.S. continued to control the game in the second half, but Japan kept finding spaces to challenge U.S. keeper Alyssa Naeher. In the 67th minute, Yui Hasegawa’s pass left Emi Nakajima open for a quick shot from about 13 yards out for the equalizer.

The Americans showed renewed energy on the attack, especially once Christen Press entered the game for Mallory Pugh in the 75th minute. Press had an immediate chance to contribute and sent an expert cross from Japan’s endline toward the front of the goal and Alex Morgan was there to meet it and chest it in for her 99th international goal and a possible game-winner at 2-1.

But there were holes in the U.S. defense and after a five-minute delay to tend to an injured official, Japan’s Hasegawa run through the American backline and her pass from the left side found Yuki Momiki for the tying goal in the 91st minute.

The U.S. had further chances in stoppage time, but the game ended at 2-2 and earned both sides one point in the standings.

In the first game of the doubleheader, England defeated Brazil, 2-1, to take first place in the tournament with the U.S. The Brazilians took a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute thanks to a penalty from Andressa Alves da Silva, but the English tied it in the 49th minute on an Ellen White goal and won it on Beth Mead’s score in the 75th minute.

The remaining schedule:

● 02 March: Brazil vs. Japan and U.S. vs. England (Fox: 4:30 p.m.) at Nashville, Tennessee.

● 05 March: Japan vs. England and U.S. vs. Brazil (FS1: 8:00 p.m.) at Tampa, Florida.

Summary:

Scoring:
USA 1, JPN 0: 23′ Megan Rapinoe (USA)

USA 1, JPN 1: 67′ Emi Nakajima (JPN)
USA 2, JPN 1: 77′ Alex Morgan (USA)
USA 2, JPN 2: 90+1: Yuka Momiki (JPN)

THE BIG PICTURE: German Cartel Office relaxes IOC’s Rule 40 restrictions through 2026

By
Rich Perelman
-

A long administrative process that began in 2017 resulted in a decision issued Wednesday (27th) that “extended” the personal advertising activities of German athletes from that currently allowed by the National Olympic Committee of Germany, and by extension, by the International Olympic Committee.

The statement by the Bundeskartellamt was highlighted by its President, Andreas Mundt:

“We ensure that the advertising opportunities of German athletes and their sponsors during the Olympic Games, which the DOSB and IOC significantly restricted in the past, are extended.

“While athletes are the key figures of Olympic Games, they cannot benefit directly from the IOC’s high advertising revenue generated with official Olympic sponsors. However, as the games mark the height of their sporting careers, self-marketing during the games plays a very important role.

“Our decision grants German athletes more leeway when it comes to marketing themselves during the Olympic Games, for example as far as the use of certain ‘Olympic’ terms or their pictures taken in sports events, or social media activities are concerned. Sports associations pursuing economic activities are also subject to competition law.”

The actual decision was not released, but the statement noted several specifics:

● “[T]he authority’s preliminary assessment is that the restrictions of advertising opportunities arising from the current application of Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter are too far-reaching and thus constitute abusive conduct.”

● “The current DOSB guidelines on Rule 40 provided that exceptions had to be applied for three months before the event, the advertising campaign had to be ongoing already and could not contain any Olympic or Olympic-related terms.”

● New DOSB guidelines, which the IOC has agreed to regarding Germany only, expand the marketing opportunities to include:

(1) Advertising activities during the Games do not need to be cleared ahead of time.

(2) “[N]ew advertising activities will be admissible in future. The same applies to messages of greeting and congratulations.”

(3) Formerly banned terms will be able to be used, including “medal, gold, silver, bronze, winter or summer games.” The statement noted that “The catalogue of Olympic terminology which must not be used is now considerably smaller and, unlike before, conclusive.”

(4) Photography: “It is now permitted to use certain competition pictures and non-competition pictures taken during the Olympic Games. For example, pictures of competitions not showing any Olympic symbols may be used.”

(5) “Athletes are allowed to use social media more freely during the Olympic Games. Some content may be shared and combined with messages of greeting or thanks to the sponsor.”

The statement also changed the jurisdiction of disputes on these matters in Germany, allowing them to be filed in German civil courts, and eliminating the need to apply to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The worldwide impact of such measures is completely unclear, although more detail in the full decision from the Bundeskartelamt will be helpful.

The IOC released a statement noting that “With its decision, the (Bundescartellamt) recognized that there are legitimate reasons for restricting individual athletes’ advertising opportunities in order to ensure the ongoing organization of the Olympic Games. At the same time, any implementation of Rule 40 at the national level necessarily has to take all applicable laws and regulations as well as pertinent case law into account, in this instance, particular German case law.”

From the U.S. perspective, the issues are much more complex than the IOC restrictions or those adopted by the United States Olympic Committee. From a national perspective, the advertising restrictions on events like the NFL Super Bowl, MLB World Series or the Academy Awards could also be impacted, although these have nothing to do with the Olympic Games.

However, the USOC could relax its own guidelines in line with the German decision once the full text is published. The Bundeskartellamt statement noted that the full text will be published in a few weeks “following the elimination of business secrets from the document.”

THE BIG PICTURE: Doping arrests shock World Nordic Ski Championships in Austria

By
Rich Perelman
-

The excitement of the World Nordic Skiing Championships, and the amazing exploits of Norway’s Therese Johaug, were interrupted by the stunning announcements that five athletes had been arrested in morning raids on Wednesday (27th).

Reuters reported that nine people were arrested during the course of 16 raids carried out, including two athletes from Austria, two from Estonia and one from Kazakhstan. The Austrians arrested were identified as Max Hauke and Dominik Baldauf.

Both were members of the Austrian team that finished sixth in the Cross Country Team Sprint final; Baldauf was also 44th in the Freestyle Sprint.

The action was part of a coordinated attack on what police indicated was a doping ring run by a German doctor, who was also arrested on Wednesday.

The Austrian police statement noted (per a Google online translation):

“The [BundesKriminalamt] Office for Combating Organized Crime, succeeded in smashing an international doping network in cooperation with the Zollfahndungsamt Munich, Branch Lindau. In the morning hours of 27 February 2019, in a coordinated action in Seefeld and in Germany, a total of nine people were arrested and 16 house searches executed by orders of the Attorney General Munich I and the StA Innsbruck.

“In the course of several months of ongoing international investigations into the suspicion of commercial sports fraud and the use of illicit drugs and methods for doping purposes, a German-based criminal organization was around the sports physician Dr. Med. Mark. S. be explored.

“This Erfurt-based criminal group is strongly suspected of having been doping top athletes for years to increase their performance in domestic and international competitions, thereby gaining illegal revenues.”

The World Anti-Doping Agency released its own statement, adding “The raids were part of a wider police operation targeting criminals from a number of European countries, and WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations Department has been providing information and other assistance to the authorities in the course of their operation.

“This latest cooperation with Austrian law enforcement follows a WADA investigation into activities of the International Biathlon Union, which last year resulted in the initiation of a criminal investigation by police in Austria and Norway.”

The WADA statement ties together the ongoing probe into doping in biathlon and alleged bribes paid to the former IBU President, Anders Besseberg (NOR), and Secretary General Nicole Resch (GER). Those allegations involved cover-ups of Russian doping positives and are not directly related to the arrests in Seefeld.

NORDIC SKIING: Johaug continues unbeatable run at World Championships in Seefeld

By
Rich Perelman
-
Norwegian Cross Country superstar Therese Johaug wins again!

The amazing comeback story of Norway’s Therese Johaug continued at the Nordic World Championships in Seefeld (AUT) with her second win, this time in the 10 km Classical race.

The Nordic Worlds have been shaken by the arrests of five athletes relating to doping on the morning of 27 February (Wednesday), but the competition has continued, and Johaug has been the story.

For those who don’t remember, Johaug won a relay gold in 2010 and a silver (30 km Classical) and bronze (10 km Classical) and was ready to be one of the stars of the 2018 Games. But she was suspended for doping because she used a lip balm that had prohibited substances on it, and missed the Games.

She returned from her suspension this season and won seven distance races in a row in World Cup competition. At the Nordic Worlds, she has won her eighth and ninth career golds in the Skiathlon and, on Tuesday, the 10 km Classical.

She went right to the front in the 10 km race, and was in the lead at every checkpoint. She really wasn’t pressed, leading by for seconds after just 2.3 km and had a lead as big as almost eight seconds at 6.2 km. She cruised in with a 12.2-second win over Sweden’s Frida Karlsson – just 19 – and 35.6 seconds ahead of World Cup leader Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (NOR).

“I did not know how it went after I finished the race but I saw my name on top of the list,” said Johaug. “I felt really good for the last kilometers and I am really happy to win today. Before the season started I had the dream to win this competition.”

Johaug has two more events: the 4×5 km relay tomorrow – with Norway the prohibitive favorite – and then a real challenge, the 30 km Mass Start Freestyle on Saturday. If she were to win four golds, it would tie her for the second-most ever in a single Worlds; Russian Yelena Vyalbe won five at the 1997 Worlds in Trondheim (NOR).

In the men’s 15 km Classical, Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby, a three-time winner of the overall World Cup, got his first career World Championships gold with a satisfying, come-from-behind victory. As far back as eighth during the race, he slowly moved up and was second with 2.5 km to go. He finally assumed the lead on the final lap over Russia’s Alexander Bessmertnykh and won a tight duel by just 2.9 seconds at the finish.

Sundby said afterwards, “I did not think I was going to be this emotional in this kind of moment but it’s been a long time coming so today I have made it together with a fantastic waxing team and some really great team mates and just people that believed in me for finally getting this one.”

In Ski Jumping, Norway’s Maren Lundby – the World Cup leader and 2018 Olympic champ – won the women’s 109 m hill competition as expected.

The Nordic Worlds continued through the weekend. Summaries:

FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships
Seefeld (AUT) ~ 19 February-3 March 2019

CROSS COUNTRY
(Full results here)

Men

1.6 km Sprint Freestyle: 1. Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), 3:21.17; 2. Federico Pellegrino (ITA), +0.23; 3. Gleb Retivykh (RUS), +1.37; 4. Richard Jouve (FRA), +1.99; 5. Emil Iversen (NOR), +2.25; 6. Lucas Chanavat (FRA), +21.50.

Team Sprint Classical: 1. Emil Oversen/Johannes Klaebo (NOR), 18:49.86; 2. Gleb Retivykh/Alexander Bolshunov (RUS), 18:51.74; 3. Francesco de Fabiani/Federico Pellegrino (ITA), 18:53.89; 4. Oskar Svensson/Calle Halfvarsson (SWE), 18:54.59; 5. Richard Jouve/Lucas Chanavat (FRA), 18:58.99; 6. Max Hauke/Dominik Baldauf (AUT), 19:13.70; 7. Iivo Niskanen/Ristomatti Hakola (FIN), 9:17.38; 8. Simi Hamilton/Erik Bjornsen (USA), 19:18.42.

Skiathlon (15 km C + 15 km F): 1. Sjor Roethe (NOR), 1:10.21.8; 2. Alexander Bolshunov (RUS), 1:10:21.9; 3. Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR), 1:10:22.5; 4. Iivo Niskanen (FIN), 1:10:34.1; 5. Clement Parisse (FRA), 1:10.42.5; 6. Alex Harvey (CAN), 1:11:20.7; 7. Andrew Musgrave (GBR), 1:11:22.1; 8. Adrien Backscheider (FRA), 1:11:25.4.

15 km Classical: 1. Sundby (NOR), 38:22.6; 2. Alexander Bessmertnykh (RUS), 38:25.5; 3. Niskanen (FIN), 38:43.0; 4. Andrey Larkov (RUS), 38:45.4; 5. Didrik Toenseth (NOR), 38:46.9; 6. Dario Cologna (SUI), 38:55.0; 7. Roethe (NOR), 38:56.5; 8. Bolshunov (RUS), 39:21.1. Also in the top 25: 17. Erik Bjornsen (USA), 40:12.9.

Women

1.2 km Sprint Freestyle: 1. Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR), 2:32.35; 2. Stina Nilsson (SWE), +1.66; 3. Mari Eide (NOR), +2.84; 4. Jonna Sundling (SWE), +3.17; 5. Victoria Carl (GER), +5.71; 6. Maja Dahlqvist (SWE), +31.49.

Team Sprint Classical: 1. Stina Nilsson/Maja Dahlqvist (SWE), 15:14.93; 2. Katja Visnar/Anamarija Lampic (SLO), 15:15.30; 3. Ingvild Oestberg/Maiken Falla (NOR), 15:15.53; 4. Natalia Nepryaeva/Yulia Belorukova (RUS), 15:15.86; 5. Sadie Bjornsen/Jessica Diggins (USA), 15:17.72; 6. Victoria Carl/Sandra Ringwald (GER), 15:21.64; 7. Anne Kylloenen/Krista Parmakoski (FIN), 15:23.79; 8. Laurien van der Graaff/Nadine Faehndrich (SUI), 15:36.28.

Skiathlon (7.5 km C + 7.5 km F): 1. Therese Johaug (NOR), 36:54.5; 2. Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (NOR), 37:52.1; 3. Natalia Nepyraeva (RUS), 37:53.2; 4. Astrid Jacobsen (NOR), 37:56.5; 5. Frida Karlsson (SWE), 38:01.9; 6. Charlotte Kalla (SWE), 38:07.8; 7. Heidi Weng (NOR), 38:14.7; 8. Krista Parmakoski (FIN), 38:28.2. Also in the top 25: 19. Julia Kern (USA), 39:50.0; … 24. Rosie Frankowski (USA), 39:55.1.

10 km Classical: 1. Johaug (NOR), 27:02.1; 2. Karlsson (SWE), 27:14.3; 3. Oestbesg (NOR), 27:37.7; 4. Parmakoski (FIN), 27:39.1; 5. Nadine Faehndrich (SUI), 28:06.0; 6. Anastasia Sedova (RUS), 28:07.0; 7. Nepryaeva (RUS), 28:09.6; 8. Teresa Stadlober (AUT), 28:10.0. Also in the top 25: 23. S. Bjornsen (USA), 28>43.1; 24. Rosie Brennan (USA), 28:47.2; 25. Diggins (USA), 28:54.0.

NORDIC COMBINED
(Full results here)

Gundersen 130 m hill/10.0 km: 1. Eric Frenzel (GER), 23:43.0; 2. Jan Schmid (NOR), +4.3; 3. Franz-Josef Rehrl (AUT), +8.7; 4. Mario Seidl (AUT), +15.3; 5. Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), +20.9; 6. Akito Watabe (JPN), +22.0; 7. Fabian Riessle (GER), +22.3; 8. Antoine Gerard (FRA), +29.6.

Team Sprint 130 m hill/2×7.5 km: 1. Eric Frenzel/Fabian Riessle (GER), 28:29.5; 2. Jan Schmid/Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), +8.2; 3. Franz-Josef Rehrl/Bernhard Gruber (AUT), +9.2; 4. Yoshito Watabe/Akito Watabe (JPN), +56.4; 5. Aaron Kostner/Alessandro Pittin (ITA), +1:37.1; 6. Antoine Gerard/Maxime Laheurte (FRA), +1:44.6; 7. Ilkka Herola/Eero Hirvonen (FIN), +2:03.1; 8. Szczepan Kupczak/Pawel Slowiok (POL), +2:30.4. Also: 9. Taylor Fletcher/Ben Loomis (USA), +2:56.8.

SKI JUMPING
(Full results here)

Men’s 130 m hill: 1. Markus Eisenbichler (GER), 279.4; 2. Karl Geiger (GER), 267.3; 3. Killian Peier (SUI), 266.1; 4. Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN), 262.0; 5. Kamil Stoch (POL), 259.4; 6. Stefan Kraft (AUT), 256.1; 7. Johann Andre Forfang (NOR), 250.9; 8. Robert Johansson (NOR), 248.9.

Men’s Team 130 m hill: 1. Germany (Geiger, Freitag, Leyhe, Eisenbichler), 987.5; 2. Austria (Aschenwald, Hayboeck, Huber, Kraft), 930.9; 3. Japan (Sato, Ito, J. Kobayashi, R. Kobayashi), 920.2; 4. Poland, 909.1; 5. Norway, 900.2; 6. Slovenia, 858.7; 7. Switzerland, 837.0; 8. Czech Rep., 818.4.

Women’s 109 m hill: 1. Maren Lundby (NOR), 259.6; 2. Katharina Althaus (GER), 259.1; 3. Daniela Iraschko-Stolz (AUT), 247.6; 4. Juliane Seyfarth (GER), 244.4; 5. Eva Pinkelnig (AUT), 241.8; 6. Sara Takanashi (JPN), 236.7; 7. Nika Kriznar, (SLO), 236.1; 8. Ursa Bogataj (SLO), 231.7.

Women’s Team 109 m hill: 1. Germany (Seyfarth, Straub, Vogt, Althaus), 898.9; 2. Austria (Pinkelnig, Seifriedsberger, Hoelzl, Iraschko-Stolz), 880.3; 3. Norway (Stroem, Braaten, Opseth, Lundby), 876.9; 4. Slovenia, 828.1; 5. Russia, 820.3; 6. Japan, 806.1; 7. France, 718.1; 8. Italy, 690.5. Also: 10. United States (Logan Sankey, Nina Lussi, Tara Geraghty-Moats, Nita Englund), 291.6.

MODERN PENTATHLON Preview: First World Cup of 2019 getting ready in Cairo

By
Rich Perelman
-

The 2019 Modern Pentathlon season starts in earnest starts in Cairo this week with the first of four World Cups that can lead to an Olympic qualifying place in Tokyo for 2020. It’s a long way from here to there, but most of the top-10 ranked pentathletes in the UIPM World Rankings are entered:

● Men:
2. Valentin Prades (FRA) ~ 2018 World Champs silver medalist
3. Arthur Lanigan-O’Keefe (IRL)
4. Pavlo Tymoshchenko (UKR) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist
5. Ilya Palazkov (BLR)
6. Valentin Belaud (FRA) ~ 2016 World Champion
7. Patrick Dogue (GER)
10. Joe Choong (GBR)

● Women:
1. Anastasiya Prokopenko (BLR) ~ 2018 World Champion
2. Sarolta Kovacs (HUN) ~ 2016 World Champion
4. Uliana Batashova (RUS)
6. Natalya Coyle (IRL)
7. Gulnaz Gubaydullina (RUS) ~ 2017 World Champion
8. Annika Schleu (GER) ~ 2018 World Champs silver medalist
10. Elodie Clouvel (FRA) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist

Qualifying begins on Wednesday, with the women’s final on Friday, the men’s on Saturday and the Mixed Relay on Sunday. Look for results here.

LANE ONE: The U.S. can thank Jeff Van Gundy for being in the 2019 FIBA World Cup

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. coach Jeff Van Gundy during the Argentina-USA game on Monday (Photo: FIBA)

One of the stranger periods in the history of U.S. national-team basketball concluded on Monday night in Greensboro, North Carolina, with the American men’s team formally qualifying for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

The U.S. won a meaningless – but exciting – game against Argentina on a last-second shot by guard Reggie Hearn for an 84-83 victory, coming back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

As clutch as Hearn’s shot was, the real star was U.S. coach Jeff Van Gundy.

Now 57, Van Gundy hadn’t coached at all since his four-year stint with the Houston Rockets from 2003-07. He had been with ESPN since then, but was asked to head the effort to qualify the U.S. team for the World Cup (FIBA’s new name for its world championship tournament).

Could he handle it?

The challenge was real. The FIBA rules did not allow NBA players to compete in the qualifying competition, which stretched from November 2017 through last Monday night. There were six different game “windows,” with two games per window, in November 2017, February, June, September, and December of 2018, and in February 2019.

Van Gundy never had the same team to work with for more than two games at a time. There were six different “teams” which ultimately included 54 different players, all from the G League or free agents:

● One player – Hearn (Stockton Kings) – was on the team for five of the six windows.

● Two players – guards Travis Trice (Austin Spurs) and Xavier Mumford (Wisconsin Herd) – were part of three windows.

● Nine players were on the team for two windows.

● 42 players were on the team for just one window (maximum two games).

And Van Gundy was able to put together teams which won five of six first-round games, losing only to Mexico in Mexico City in June 2018, and five of six in the second round, losing only to Argentina, 80-63, in La Rioja, on 29 November last year.

Van Gundy’s teams averaged 86.2 points a game, gave up only 67.8 and were second-best in per-game rebounding with 44.1.

This is outstanding coaching, and was publicly noticed by the man who will coach the U.S. team – with NBA players – in the FIBA World Cup in China, Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs.

He told the New York Post prior to the final game against Argentina just how good he thought Van Gundy’s effort was:

“He’s better than most of us as a coach. I think most people know that, but that’s not always what gets you hired. Circumstances, and those sorts of things, and personal situations, and timing has to be right and all that, but he’s certainly somebody who would make a [NBA] franchise better than they are now.”

“He was remarkable, spectacular, off the charts, what he did to qualify USA for the world championships. He put together about five different teams, of mostly different players every time, and had a short amount of time to get ready. If they didn’t do well, the U.S. doesn’t go, and he deserves a lot of credit for doing that. I’m very grateful to him for what he did.”

Van Gundy was asked after the Argentina win what he learned from the player carousel and from the qualifying tournament experience:

“I think the biggest takeaway is my respect for the G League players. The grit, the perseverance, the commitment they have to their career.

“There is such economic disparity from being the last player in the NBA to some of the best players in the G League that you have to have a mental fortitude about yourself, and it wasn’t enough for us to win and qualify. Equally important to us was that they enjoyed their experience, that they would want to do it again, and most importantly that it helps their career.

“I think exposure to this level of competition, a lot of them haven’t played in this high-level or high-intensity game that meant so much since college, so we just wanted to be good for that. So many of our guys have gone on to play in the NBA. Not because of what we did, but because [USA Basketball Men’s National Team Director] Sean Ford picked the right guys.

“When Sean and Gregg Popovich approached me about it back in June 2017, I was an absolute novice when it came to FIBA basketball. Learning day by day about how good the teams are, how hard they play, just how rough FIBA is: like that’s 90’s playoff basketball in the NBA.

“Hand-to-hand combat, fist down your throat, elbow in your chest on every possession. You have to get used to it, and you have to embrace the differences. I found it fascinating the level of coaching and playing all around the world has improved, and I thought I started to get a better handle the more I did it about just what it took to win in FIBA basketball.”

Van Gundy deserves a lot of credit himself for being able to juggle his own broadcasting duties with being able to coach the American squad into the World Cup. He won’t be there in China; the U.S. staff will include Popovich, Steve Kerr (Golden State), Nate McMillan (Indiana) and Villanova coach Jay Wright.

The team will be an NBA All-Star squad, as usual, and heavily favored to win its third straight world title, which will also qualify it for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The draw will take place on 16 March and the U.S. will find out where and when it will play its first-round games.

But none of this would be possible without Van Gundy’s leadership and acumen in bringing a group of unheralded players together to get the U.S. into the tournament. He’s quite a good broadcaster, but in case anyone has forgotten, he’s also quite a coach.

Rich Perelman
Editor

FOOTBALL Preview: U.S. women open SheBelieves Cup vs. Japan on Wednesday

By
Rich Perelman
-
Another Alex Morgan goal for the U.S.!

After getting clubbed by France and squeezing by Spain on its two-game European tour in January, the U.S. women’s national team returns to the field for the SheBelieves Cup against more quality opposition ahead of the 2019 Women’s World Cup in June.

The no. 1-ranked Americans will face Japan (ranked 8), England (4) and Brazil (10) over a week’s period; the schedule:

● 27 February: England vs. Brazil and U.S. vs. Japan (FS1: 7:00 p.m.) at Chester, Pennsylvania.

● 02 March: Brazil vs. Japan and U.S. vs. England (Fox: 4:30 p.m.) at Nashville, Tennessee.

● 05 March: Japan vs. England and U.S. vs. Brazil (FS1: 8:00 p.m.) at Tampa, Florida.

All four of these teams will be in the Women’s World Cup in France. The U.S. has a 28-1-7 record vs. Japan all-time, and won 4-2 (2018) and 2-0 (2017) in their last two meetings, both in the Tournament of Nations.

Against England, the U.S. won, 1-0, last year and lost, 1-0, in 2017.

Against Brazil, the U.S. won, 4-1, last season and memorably came back from a 3-1 deficit in 2017 to win, 4-3, in the Tournament of Nations.

U.S. coach Jill Ellis has her full complement of players on the roster for this tournament and it will be interesting to see if the U.S. offense – so potent at the end of 2018 and so sluggish in its first two games this season – can do more.

Look for results here.

CYCLING Preview: 116th World Track Championships set in Poland

By
Rich Perelman
-

One of the oldest competitions in Olympic sport is the World Track Cycling Championships, which was first contested way back in 1893. Some 450 athletes from 49 countries are expected to compete in the 2019 edition in the Polish city of Pruszkow, also host of the event in 2009.

There are 20 events on the program, split evenly among men and women, starting on Wednesday and running through Sunday. The top performers in the 2018-19 World Cup figure to be among the favorites:

Men

● Sprint:
1. Matthew Glaetzer (AUS)
2. Mateusz Rudyk (POL)
3. Jeffrey Hoogland (NED)

● Team Sprint:
1. Netherlands
2. Poland
3. France

● 1,000 m Time Trial:
1. Joachim Eilers (GER)
2. Quentin Lafargue (FRA)
3. Theo Bos (NED)

● Individual Pursuit:
(no World Cup races)

● Team Pursuit:
1. Italy
2. Denmark
3. Great Britain

● Keirin:
1. Matthijs Buchli (NED)
2. Hugo Barrette (CAN)
3. Theo Bos (NED)

● Points Race:
1. Moritz Malcharek (GER)
2. Mark Stewart (GBR)
3. Christos Valikakis (GRE)

● Scratch Race:
1. Vitaliy Hryniv (UKR)
2. Stefan Matzner (AUT)
3. Christos Volikakis (GRE)

● Omnium:
1. Christos Volikakis (GRE)
2. Benjamin Thomas (FRA)
3. Raman Tsishkou (BLR)

● Madison:
1. Denmark
2. Italy
3. Great Britain

Women:

● Sprint:
1. Olena Starikova (UKR)
2. Wai Sze Lee (HKG)
3. Stephanie Morton (AUS)

● Team Sprint:
1. Germany
2. Ukraine
3. Poland

● 500 m Time Trial:
1. Olena Starikova (UKR)
2. Miriam Welte (GER)
3. Daria Shmeleva (RUS)

● Individual Pursuit:
(no World Cup races)

● Team Pursuit:
1. Italy
2. Great Britain
3. New Zealand

● Keirin:
1. Wai Sze Lee (HKG)
2. Stephanie Morton (AUS)
3. Laurine van Riessen (NED)

● Points Race:
1. Maria Guilia Confalonieri (ITA)
2. Hanna Solovey (UKR)
3. Charlotte Becker (GER)

● Scratch Race:
1. Martina Fidanza (ITA)
2. Lisa Kullmer (GER)
3. Aleksandra Goncharova (RUS)

● Omnium:
1. Kirsten Wild (NED)
2. Allison Beveridge (CAN)
3. Lotte Kopecky (BEL)

● Madison:
1. Great Britain
2. Italy
3. Russia

The U.S. won four medals at the 2018 Track Worlds, with Chloe Dygert winning the Pursuit, with Kelly Catlin third; Jennifer Valente won a silver in the Points Race and the team of Valente, Dygert, Catlin and Kim Geist won the Team Pursuit for the third straight time. Dygert, Catlin and Valente have been on all three of those teams, with Geist part of the last two.

NBC has the Track Cycling Worlds as part of its NBC Sports Gold pay-to-view program. Look for results here.

CURLING Preview: U.S. to select World Mixed Doubles team at Mixed Doubles Nationals

By
Rich Perelman
-

The Granite Curling Club in Seattle, Washington will be the decision site for the 2019 USA Curling National Mixed Doubles Championships, with the winner to represent the U.S. at the World Championships.

Twelve teams will compete in two pools of six, with the top three advancing to the playoffs. Round-robin play will begin on Wednesday (27th) and continue through Friday; the playoffs will be on Saturday and Sunday (2-3).

The last three U.S. Mixed Doubles National Champions, and four former champs in all are entered:

● 2018: Sarah Anderson and Korey Dropkin (also in 2015)
● 2017: Matt and Becca Hamilton
● 2016: Tabitha Peterson and Joe Polo (Worlds bronze medalists)
● 2013: Maureen and Pete Stolt

In addition, a lot of familiar names will be participating, including 2018 Olympic gold medalist John Shuster (with Cory Christensen), U.S. Olympic Trials winner Nina Roth (with Kroy Nernberger) and U.S. National Champion Jamie Sinclair (with Sean Beighton).

Look for results here.

SHOOTING Preview: U.S. international team slots at stake in Shotgun Spring Selection in Tucson

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. Trap star Kayle Browning

Who will represent the U.S. in the upcoming Pan American Games, World Cups and World Championships will be decided – mostly – by the Shotgun Spring Selection matches at the Tucson Trap and Skeet Club in Arizona in 10 days of events starting on Thursday. The schedule:

● Trap: 28 February through 3 March
● Mixed Trap: 4 March
● Skeet: 6-9 March

Barring injury, or procedural issues, the two finishers in Tucson will earn spots on the U.S. Pan American Games team, which compete in Lima (PER) later this summer. The top three will qualify to represent the U.S. at the Shotgun World Championships in Italy in July.

Among the stars expected to compete in the Trap events:

Men:
● Caleb Lindsey ~ 2018 U.S. National Champion
● Roe Reynolds ~ 2018 U.S. Nationals silver medalist
● Brian Burrows ~ 2018 U.S. Nationals bronze medalist
● Glenn Eller ~ 2018 Championship of the Americas bronze medalist

Women:
● Kayle Browning ~ 2018 Championship of the Americas gold medalist
● Ashley Carroll ~ 2018 Championship of the Americas bronze medalist
● Aeriel Skinner ~ 2018 U.S. National Champion
● Emma Williams ~ 2018 U.S. Nationals silver medalist
● Corey Cogdell-Unrein ~ Two-time Olympic bronze medalist

The Skeet entries will be released next week.

Look for results here.

BADMINTON Preview: Japan seeded to sweep the German Open!

By
Rich Perelman
-

The BWF World Tour is in Muelheim an der Ruhr (GER) for the $150,000 German Open, with an excellent field. The top seeds:

● Men’s Singles:
1. Kento Momota (JPN)
2. Tien Chen Chou (TPE)
3. Kenta Nishimoto (JPN)

● Men’s Doubles:
1. Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda (JPN)
2. Hiroyuki Endo/Yuta Watanabe (JPN)
3. Chengkai Han/Haodong Zhou (CHN)

● Women’s Singles:
1. Nozomi Okuhara (JPN)
2. Akane Yamaguchi (JPN)
3. Ratchanok Intanon (THA)

● Women’s Doubles:
1. Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota (JPN)
2. Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (JPN)
3. Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagihara (JPN)

● Mixed Doubles:
1. Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino (JPN)
2. Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA)
3. Peng Soon Chan/Liu Ying Goh (MAS)

Rather amazingly, all of the top seeds are from Japan. All five defending champions are back from 2018: Singles winners Chou and Yamaguchi,Japan’s Takuto Inoue and Yuki Kaneko in the men’s Doubles. women’s Doubles champs Fukushima and Hirota, and Mixed Doubles victors Soon Huat Goh and Shevon Jemie Lai (MAS).

Look for results here.

THE BIG PICTURE: Nassar abuse survivors have until 29 April to file claims vs. USA Gymnastics

By
Rich Perelman
-

The wheels of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court are now spinning on the USA Gymnastics filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection, with the posting of an order opening a two-month time period for sexual-abuse claims to be filed against USA Gymnastics.

The order states that “on February 25, 2019, the Court entered an order (the “Bar Date Order”) establishing certain claims bar dates in the Debtor’s chapter 11 case. By the Bar Date Order, the Court established April 29, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. (prevailing Eastern Time), as the date by which Sexual Abuse Claims must be filed the (“Sexual Abuse Claims Bar Date”).

“The Bar Date Order requires that Survivors holding pre-petition claims arising from sexual abuse for which they believe the Debtor may be liable must file proofs of claim with Omni Management Group, the Court-appointed claims and noticing agent in this case (the “Claims Agent”), so that their proofs of claim are received by the Claims Agent on or before the Sexual Abuse Claims Bar Date.”

The California-based Omni Management Group has set up a separate Web site to process the claims, but the clock is now ticking. And the Court’s order is very specific about the stakes for those abused:

ANY SURVIVOR THAT IS REQUIRED BUT FAILS, TO SUBMIT A PROOF OF CLAIM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BAR DATE ORDER ON OR BEFORE THE SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIMS BAR DATE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED, ESTOPPED, AND ENJOINED FROM ASSERTING SUCH SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIM AGAINST THE DEBTOR, AND THE DEBTOR AND ITS PROPERTY WILL BE FOREVER DISCHARGED FROM ANY AND ALL INDEBTEDNESS OR LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO OR ARISING FROM THAT SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIM.

MOREOVER, SUCH SURVIVOR WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM (A) VOTING ON ANY CHAPTER 11 PLAN FILED IN THIS CHAPTER 11 CASE ON ACCOUNT OF SUCH SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIM, AND (B) PARTICIPATING IN ANY DISTRIBUTION IN THIS CHAPTER 11 CASE ON ACCOUNT OF SUCH SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIM.

The filing of a claim is not simple. There is a three-page claim form to be filled out with general information about the claim, including a specific dollar amount requested as damages claimed. Then there is a highly-detailed, eight-page questionnaire asking if the claimant has been “sexually abused by Larry Nassar?,” how many times, where, what was done and whether anyone else was involved.

The claims for damages are addressed through questions about whether the claimant has had medical expenses or mental health expenses related to the abuse, whether the claimant has filed a lawsuit or received a settlement.

These responses are confidential unless the claimant allows them to be public.

A claim can also be made for non-sexual abuse, referred as a “general claim” but with the same due date in April.

This is the start of a long process of validating the many filings from survivors and then determining what funds are available to USA Gymnastics to pay – remember, the federation is already suing seven of its insurers for coverage – and then splitting up whatever is available among the claimants.

Whatever the result, you may rest assured that whatever funds are distributed will be assailed as insufficient. But the process will also bring some clarity to who was abused by Nassar and others that USA Gymnastics had control over, and getting to the truth is always a good outcome.

ATHLETICS Panorama: Five Russians appeal doping verdicts, while USATF Board continues Lananna’s suspension

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Court of Arbitration for Sport

The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed 12 Russian doping positives in an announcement on 1 February, for offenses mostly during the 2012-14 period. Five of the 12 have filed appeals to the Court’s Appeals Arbitration Division:

● Lyukman Adams ~ Triple Jump: 2014 World Indoor Champion
● Ivan Ukhov ~ High Jump: 2012 Olympic Champion

● Yekaterina Galitskaya ~ 100 m Hurdles: 2012 Olympic semifinalist
● Yulia Kondakova. ~ 100 m Hurdles: 2012 Olympic semifinalist
● Svetlana Shkolina ~ High Jump: 2012 Olympic bronze medalist & 2013 World Champion

If the positives are confirmed for Ukhov and Shkolina, Americans Erik Kynard (possible gold) and Brigetta Barrett (possible silver) would move up in the 2012 Olympic results and Barrett would become the 2013 World Champion.

The Associated Press reported that no other appeals are expected from the other seven, including 2012 Olympic and 2013 World Hammer champ Tatyana Lysenko.

Reuters reported that the USA Track & Field Board of Directors voted to maintain the suspension of elected USATF President Vin Lananna.

Technically on “temporary administrative leave,” Lananna was suspended after being interviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice a year ago as part of its ongoing probe of sports corruption.

Interim USATF President Michael Conley provided a statement to Reuters: “Based on what was heard (over the weekend) and in light of the recent grievances filed, the board was overwhelming in favor of tabling the issue. The board feels it remains prudent to follow the dispute resolution process prescribed by USATF bylaws.”

Lananna has filed a grievance with the Board, protesting his suspension. Attorney David Greifinger, one of those representing Lananna, told Gene Cherry of Reuters, “The idea that Vin is unable to serve because he was interviewed by Department of Justice attorneys over a year ago is absurd. It is an affront to the membership that elected him.”

Reader Bob Hersh pointed out that the fourth-place finish by Maria Michta-Coffey in the women’s 3,000 m Walk at the USATF Indoor Nationals – after nine straight national titles in the event – had another aspect to it.

She’s five months pregnant.

Michta-Coffey and her husband, Joe Coffey, are expecting their first child in June.

Michta-Coffey was sixth at the Millrose Games in the Mile Walk, but managed fourth over the longer distance last weekend at the Nationals.

And while her streak of nine straight national titles was broken, she also has 42 other national titles to remember.

On and inside the track, it was a busy weekend outside of the USATF Nationals in Staten Island, especially with U.S. collegiate conference meets and a great vaulting competition in France:

Men:
● At the Big 12 champs in Lubbock, Texas, Texas Tech junior Divine Oduduru (NGR) won the 60 m and 200 m in 6.52 and a world-leading 20.08, moving him to no. 3 all-time.

● At the American Conference meet in Birmingham, Alabama, Houston’s Kahmari Montgomery – the U.S. outdoor 400 m champ – ran a world-leading 45.04, moving him to no. 12 on the all-time indoor list.

● At the Boston University Last-Chance meet, Kenyan Edward Cheserek ran a world-leading 13:08.05 for the 5,000 m; that’s no. 20 on the all-time world list.

● In the Southeastern Conference Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, LSU frosh Mondo Duplantis (SWE) climbed over a world-leading 5.92 m (19-5), also a new collegiate indoor record. He tried 6.01 m (19-8 1/2), but missed three times.

● Two days later, a great vault meet in Clermont-Ferrand (FRA) saw both Piotr Lisek (POL) and Sam Kendricks of the U.S. clear 5.93 m (19-5 1/2) for another world leader, with Lisek winning on misses. Both tried and failed to clear 6.03 m (19-9 1/4).

Women:
● Ohio State sophomore Anavia Battle won the Big 10 200 meters in a world-leading 22.80, at the University of Michigan’s indoor track at Ann Arbor.

And while not a world leader, the top new star from this indoor season has been North Dakota State’s Payton Otterdahl and he set a collegiate record of 21.81 m (71-6 3/4) at the Summit League Championships in Brookings, South Dakota. That mark places him no. 10 on the all-time U.S. combined list. He broke the old mark of 21.73 m (71-3 1/2) held by two putters who became World and Olympic champs: Ryan Whiting of Arizona State (2008) and Ryan Crouser of Texas (2016).

CYCLING: UCI World Tour resumes with seven-day UAE Tour

By
Rich Perelman
-

On hiatus since the first two events in Australia, the UCI World Tour has resumed with the fifth edition of the seven-stage UAE Tour.

The first two stages were fairly flat, but the next four stages include two uphill finishes and two hilly routes, all between 179-205 km, before the final stage in Dubai.

Two of the prior four event winners are riding this year, as well as four other prior medalists:

● Rui Costa (POR) ~ Winner in 2017
● Alejandro Valverde (ESP) ~ Winner in 2018
● Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) ~ Silver medalist in 2017
● Wilco Keldermann (NED) ~ Silver medalist in 2018
● Tom Dumoulin (NED) ~ Bronze medalist in 2017
● Diego Ulissi (ITA) ~ Bronze medalist in 2016

Stage 1 was a Team Time Trial won by Team Jumbo-Visma, with Primoz Roglic in front. The second stage, a flat sprinter’s race, was won by Colombia’s star sprinter, Fernando Gaviria, in a final drive that edged Italy’s Elia Viviani and Caleb Ewan (AUS), the 1-2 finisher at the Great Ocean Road Race in late January. .

The stages get tougher from here; summaries so far:

UCI World Tour/UAE Tour
United Arab Emirates ~ 24 February-2 March 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (16 km Team Time Trial): 1. Team Jumbo-Visma (NED), 16:49; 2. Team Subweb (GER), 16:56; 3. Bahrain Merida (BRN), 16:58; 4. Team Sky (GBR), 17:03; 5. Movistar Team (ESP), 17:07.

Stage 2 (184 km): 1. Fernando Gaviria (COL), 4:36:32; 2. Elia Viviani (ITA), 4:36:32; 3. Caleb Ewan (AUS), 4:36:32; 4. Kristoffer Halvorsen (NOR), 4:36:32; 5. Erik Baska (SVK), 4:36:32. Also in the top 50: 39. Joey Rosskopf (USA), 4:36:32.

Stage 3 (179 km): UAE University to Jebel Hafeet (uphill finish)
Stage 4 (205 km): Palm Jumeirah to Hatta Dam (hilly)
Stage 5 (181 km): Flag Island to Khor Fakkan (hilly)
Stage 6 (180 km): Ajman to Jebel Jais (uphill finish)
Stage 7 (145 km): Dubai Safari Park to City Walk (flat)

BASKETBALL: Hearn’s last-second jumper wins Americas Group E for U.S. over Argentina

By
Rich Perelman
-
Michael Frazier led the U.S. with 23 points vs. Argentina (Photo: FIBA)

The final game of the long qualifying period for the 2019 FIBA World Cup was a thriller against Argentina, and a Reggie Hearn jumper with 0:01 left gave the United States an 84-83 victory.

The win left the U.S. atop Group E with a 10-2 record, a game – and a point – better than the Argentines, as both have qualified for the World Cup beginning 31 August.

The Jeff van Gundy-coached U.S. squad started well, with a 22-14 lead after the first quarter and a 42-35 halftime lead. But the third quarter was a problem.

Argentina came out hot and closed the gap quickly, taking the lead at 50-49 with 5:38 to play in the quarter. The U.S. went scoreless for 3:01 and Argentina’s 8-0 run made the score 54-49 with 3:54 to play in the third, and the visitors carried a 65-59 lead into the fourth quarter.

The final quarter was touch-and-go throughout. A three-pointer by Argentine guard Nicolas Brussino extended the lead to 68-59, but the U.S. went on a 13-4 win to knot the game at 72 with 4:37 left.

Argentina rebuilt the lead to 81-75 with 1:52 left and 83-77 with 1:19 to go. But guard Michael Frazier made two free throws, the Argentines suffered a shot-clock violation and then guard Travis Trice made a three-pointer to draw the U.S. to 83-82 with 39 seconds to play.

After a time-out, Argentina’s Lucio Redivo missed a jumper with 18 seconds left and the ball went out of bounds. U.S. point guard Josh Adams missed a jumper with four seconds left, but the ball went out of bounds again, off the Argentines.

Argentina called time with one second to play. Trice inbounded the ball to Hearn, already under pressure along the right baseline, but he fell back and swished a 20-footer for the victory.

Frazier led the U.S. with 23 points, guard Charles Cooke had 10 and guard Xavier Munford had nine. Hearn won the game, but had a total of just four points. Redivo led Argentina with 18 from the guard spot, followed by forward Facundo Pinero with 16.

At the end of it all, the U.S. finished atop Group E with a 10-2 record, to 9-3 for Argentina. Puerto Rico also qualified out of the group, finishing third at 8-4.

Said Van Gundy afterwards, “Well, the game was a high-level, intense game. I have so much respect for Argentina. Their program, their depth of quality players and they just play great basketball. It was very fitting that Reggie, who has participated in the most qualifying games for us, was the one to hit the shot. I was very happy for him.

“What I respect about our guys most is that both teams were qualified, both teams could have just gone through the motions and both teams fought with every ounce that they had. I just hope they take that type of passion and intensity back to where they are in the G League.”

The entire U.S. team was made up of G League players and free agents and Van Gundy had to create a new team for each of the six two-game series that made up the qualifying round. NBA players were not allowed to play for any team in the qualifiers, but will be available for the World Cup, where the American squad will be coached by Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs.

STAT PACK: Results for the week of 18-24 February 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 20 events in 15 sports:

● Alpine Skiing
● Athletics
● Badminton
● Bobsled & Skeleton
● Curling
● Fencing
● Freestyle Skiing
● Gymnastics
● Judo
● Luge
● Nordic Skiing
● Shooting
● Snowboard
● Speed Skating

plus our calendar of upcoming events through 24 March. Click below for the PDF:

[wpdm_package id=11226 template=”link-template-button-popup.php”]

WRESTLING: Lorincz thrills home crowd with 87 kg win; U.S.’s Hancock wins at 97 kg in Hungarian Grand Prix

By
Rich Perelman
-
G'Angelo Hancock (USA) grappling with Fatih Baskoy (TUR) in Gyor. (Photo via USA Wrestling)

The international governing body of wrestling, known as United World Wrestling, has created new structure in the sport over the past few years by designating specific tournaments for its world rankings, and drawing more interest to those events.

One of those was the Hungarian Grand Prix in Gyor, a tournament only for Greco-Roman wrestling. The home fans were cheering 2018 Worlds silver medalist Tomas Lorincz, competing at 87 kg and who won the event with a 6-0 whitewash of Algeria’s Bachir Sid Azara.

The U.S. received a terrific performance from G’Angelo Hancock at 97 kg, who win his division with a tight, 3-3 win on criteria against Turkey’s Fatih Baskoy. Hancock was actually down, 3-1 in the third period, but scored a late takedown, and as the last one to score points, was declared the winner.

Hancock’s win was only the third ever by an American Greco wrestler in a Ranking Series event.

Hungary won the team title with 91 points, ahead of Iran (86) and Ukraine (83). Summaries:

UWW Ranking Tournament/Hungarian Grand Prix
(Greco-Roman only)
Gyor (HUN) ~ 23-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

55 kg: 1. Ilkhom Bakhromov (UZB); 2. Reza Kheirollah Khedri (IRI); 3. Javokhir Mirakhmedov (UZB). Round-robin; no medal matches.

60 kg: 1. Seunghak Kim (KOR); 2. Firuz Tukhtaev (UZB); 3. Ivan Lizatovic (CRO) and Shirzad Ali Beheshtitala (IRI). Third: Lizatovic d. Di Hu (CHN), 6-0; Beheshtitala d. Liguo Cao (CHN), 8-1. Final: Kim d. Tukhtaev, due to injury default.

63 kg: 1. Shinobu Ota (JPN); 2. Erbatu Tuo (CHN); 3. Meysam Karamali Dalkhani (IRI) and Sailike Walihan (CHN). Third: Daljhani d. Stig-Andre Berge (NOR), 5-2; Walihan d. Travis Rice (USA), 9-0. Final: Ota d. Tuo, 6-0.

67 kg: 1. Hansu Ryu (KOR); 2. Ruslan Kudrynets (UKR); 3. Tsuchika Shimoyamada (JPN) and Mate Nemes (SRB). Third: Shimoyamada pinned Shogo Takahashi (JPN); Nemes d. Soslan Daurov (BLR), 4-1. Final: Ryu d. Kudryets, 8-1.

72 kg: Shmagi Bolkvadze (GEO); 2. Sachino Davitaia (GEO); 3. Selcuk Can (TUR) and Martin Toth (HUN). Third: Can d. Michael Felix Widmayer (GER), 4-2; Toth d. Istvan Kozak (HUN), 4-1. Final: Bolkvadze d. Davitaia, due to injury default.

77 kg: 1. Viktor Nemes (SRB) 2. Dmytro Pyshkov (UKR); 3. Volodymyr Yakovliev (UKR) and Hyeonwoo Kim (KOR). Third: Yakovliev d. Pavel Liakh (BLR), 4-1; Kim d. Laszlo Szabo (HUN), 3-3 (criteria). Final: Nemes d. Pyshkov, 2-1.

82 kg: 1. Gela Bolkvadze (GEO); 2. Rajbek Bisultanov (DEN); 3. Yaroslav Filchakov (UKR) and Burhan Akbudak (TUR). Third: Filchakov d. Jamal Yadollah Esmaeilikhatoonabad (IRI), 3-1; Akbudak d. Jalgasbay Berdimuratov (UZB), 7-6. Final: Bolkvadze d. Bisultanov, 7-1.

87 kg: 1. Viktor Lorincz (HUN); 2. Bachir Sid Azara (ALG); 3. Radzik Kuliyeu (BLR) and Erik Szilvassy (HUN). Third: Kuliyeu d. Fabio Parisi (ITA), 3-2; Szilvassy d. Mikalai Stadub (BLR), 6-3. Final: Lorincz d. Azara, 6-0.

97 kg: 1. G’Angelo Hancock (USA); 2. Fatih Baskoy (TUR), 3-3; 3. Nikoloz Kakhelashvili (ITA) and Alimujiang (CHN). Third: Kakhelashvili d. Pontus Johan Lund (SWE), tech. fall (10-0 ); Alimujiang d. Hassan Ali Aryanezhad (IRI), 6-3. Final: Hancock d. Baskoy, 3-3 (criteria).

130 kg: 1. Heiki Nabi (EST); 2. Georgi Chugoshvili (BLR); 3. Marko Koscevic (CRO) and Balint Lam (HUN). Third: Koscevic d. Ciurariu (ROU), 2-1; Lam d. Mykola Kuchmii (UKR), 1-1 (criteria). Final: Nabi d. Chugohvili, 2-0.

SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Monday, 25 February 2019

By
Rich Perelman
-

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: There was a lot of attention paid to the Paris 2024 request to add four sports to its program, including Breakdancing. But a secondary aspect of its announcement about sports programming in 2024 was actually much more important, and could very well be the true legacy of the 2024 Games into the future: public participation in companion events to the marathon, open water swimming, the road race in cycling, even 3-on-3 basketball!

THE BIG PICTURE

Friday: The International Boxing Association confirmed that one of the most important changes in its rules has been adopted: the addition of a new, post-bout, video-review system to review – and potentially reverse – bad judging decisions. This is long overdue.

ALPINE SKIING

Sunday: The men’s World Cup racing in Bansko (BUL) looked like the World Championships all over again as Alexis Pinturault (FRA) won the Combined and Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen won the Giant Slalom. But Austrian star Marcel Hirscher was second in both and locked up the seasonal title in the Giant Slalom (again).

Italy’s Sofia Goggia won her first World Cup race of the season in the women’s Downhill at Crans-Montana (SUI), while teammate Federica Brignone won the Combined.

ATHLETICS

Saturday: The USA Track & Field National Indoor Championships was held in Staten Island, New York and produced a lot of excitement, including a major upset in the women’s mile as Colleen Quigley held off two-time defending champion Shelby Houlihan. Plus the no. 10 throw in indoor history for Ryan Crouser to win the men’s shot put, and a fourth indoor title in a row for Vashti Cunningham in the women’s high jump.

Sunday: Fabulous finish to the USATF Indoor Nationals, with a world indoor best in the men’s 600 m by Donavan Brazier, two American Records – Brazier and 16-year-old Athing Mu in the women’s 600 m – plus eight world-leading marks and successful defenses by seven returning champions. Houlihan got serious in the two-mile and won her third straight U.S. title in the event.

BADMINTON

Sunday: The BWF World Tour Spain Masters in Barcelona had a Danish flair, with all-Denmark finals in the men’s and women’s Singles; veterans Viktor Axelsen and Mia Blichfeldt were the winners. Korean duos dominated the Doubles, winning the women’s and Mixed Doubles and claiming a silver in the men’s final.

BASKETBALL

Saturday: The U.S. men’s national team will play Argentina in Greensboro, North Carolina on Monday evening for the Group E title in the Americas Qualifiers for the FIBA World Cup later this year. This became possible when Argentina lost to Puerto Rico in San Juan and the U.S. pummeled Panama in Greensboro. Both teams now have 9-2 records and have qualified for the World Cup, but Jeff van Gundy’s team is going for the group crown.

BOBSLED & SKELETON

Sunday: Germany’s Francesco Friedrich completed a perfect season – 8 for 8 – in the two-man sled at the final World Cup races, in Calgary (CAN). He also piloted the season champs in the four-man and teammate Mariama Jamanka won the women’s title. A great performance by American driver Elana Meyers Taylor brought to U.S. a seasonal bronze medal, with medals in seven straight races!

FENCING

Sunday: The first Sabre Grand Prix of the season was held in Cairo (EGY) and veterans stars Sang-Uk Oh (KOR) and Russia’s Sofya Velikaya walked away with the top honors.

FREESTYLE SKIING

Sunday: A busy weekend, with sweeps everywhere! In Tazawako (JPN), Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury and France’s Perrine Laffont won both the Moguls and Dual Moguls events, while in Sunny Valley (RUS), the Ski Cross events were swept by Bastien Midol (FRA) and Fanny Smith (SUI).

GYMNASTICS

Sunday: The first FIG Artistic World Cup of the season was held in Melbourne (AUS), with Chinese entries claiming four wins in the 10 events. Four World Championships medal winners won four of the six men’s events, including a tie in the High Bar by World Champion Epke Zonderland (NED) with Japan’s Hidetaka Miyachi.

JUDO

Sunday: A huge field at the Dusseldorf Grand Slam saw another dominating performance by Japan, with 14 total medals and nine wins. The highlight match was a Japanese loss, as reigning +78 kg World Champion Sarah Asahina lost in the final moments against 2012 Olympic champ Idalys Ortiz of Cuba.

LUGE

Sunday: Russia dominated the final World Cup of the season in Sochi (RUS). Semen Pavlichenko and Roman Repilov went 1-2 in both men’s races and Pavlichenko won his first seasonal World Cup title. Germans won the other honors: Natalie Geisenberger took her seventh seasonal title in a row, and Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken won the Doubles title.

NORDIC SKIING

Sunday: Astonishing performance by Norway’s undefeated – maybe unbeatable – Therese Johaug at the FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships in Austria. Returning from a doping suspension due to a bad lip balm, she won all seven of her races on the World Cup circuit and now a ninth career World Championships gold medal … by almost a minute! Wow!

Germany’s veteran star Eric Frenzel pulled off an upset win in the Nordic Combined, as did fellow German Markus Eisenbichler in the first individual ski jumping event.

SHOOTING

Sunday: Although the controversy over not allowing Pakistani shooters into India overshadowed the start of the ISSF World Cup, the competition has been fierce, with three world records in the first four events. India’s Chaudhary Saurabh (men’s 10 m Air Pistol) and Apurvi Chandela (women’s 10 m Air Rifle), plus Veronika Major (HUN: 25 m Pistol) all set new world marks, and won quota places for their countries for Tokyo 2020.

SNOWBOARD

Sunday: The Parallel Giant Slalom and Parallel Slalom events in China produced two veterans winners in Tim Mastnak (SLO) and Ramona Hofmeister (GER) in the Giant Slalom, but two newcomers won the Parallel Slaloms: Daniele Bagozza (ITA) and Nalying Gong (CHN).

SPEED SKATING

Sunday: Close competition at the ISU World Sprint Championships in the Netherlands, with Russia’s Pavel Kulizhnikov and Japan’s Nao Kodaira – both past winners – taking the titles again. American Brittany Bowe was excellent and finished third overall in the women’s division.

UPCOMING

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

● Athletics: The first World Marathon Major of 2019: the Tokyo Marathon.

● Football: The U.S. women’s national team hosts the SheBelieves Cup.

● Nordic Skiing: More of the Nordic World Championships and Therese Johaug!

And many more events this week: we’re following 27 competitions around the world.

SPEED SKATING: Kulizhnikov and Kodaira win World Sprint titles … again

By
Rich Perelman
-
Japan's Olympic champion Nao Kodaira

The World Sprint Championships took place in the heart of speed skating country, the Netherlands and veteran stars were the winners after two days of dueling at 500 m and 1,000 m.

Among the men, it was Russia’s Pavel Kulizhnikov who won his third career Sprint title, after previously winning in 2015 and 2016. Interestingly, he only won one race, but placed consistently: third and first in the 500 m, and third and second in the 1,000 m.

Japan’s Tatsuya Shinhama was the runner-up, and at 22, is worth watching for the future. He won the first 500 m race and was second in the Sunday race. He fell back to fifth in both of the 1,000 m races, and ended up just 0.415 seconds from the gold medal. Dutch star Kjeld Nuis, who has won silver-bronze-silver in the past three World Sprint Champs, was third again.

The women’s competition was expected to be between Japan’s Nao Kodaira, Austria’s Vanessa Herzog and American Brittany Bowe, and it largely was. Kodaira, the Olympic champ at 500 m, was outstanding in her specialty, winning both of the short races, with Herzog second on Saturday and Bowe second on Sunday.

In the 1,000 m races, Bowe won on Saturday, but it was Miho Takagi (JPN) who came alive on Sunday, with a good fourth in the 500 m and then a win in the 1,000 m over Bowe.

Kodaira was good enough in the 1,000 m races – fourth and third – to win the title, her second in the past three years. Takagi’s performance on Sunday allowed her to pass Bowe by 0.13 seconds to claim the silver and Bowe took third, her fourth World Sprint medal (2-1-1) in the past five years. Summaries:

ISU Sprint Championships
Heerenveen (NED) ~ 23-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

500 m I: 1. Tatsuya Shinhama (JPN), 34.66; 2. Kai Verbij (NED), 34.72; 3. tie, Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS) and Havard Holmefjord Lorentzen (NOR), 34.74; 5. tie, Viktor Mushtakov (RUS) and Ruslan Murashov (RUS), 34.75; 7. tie, Hein Otterspeer (NED) and Nico Ihle (GER), 34.92. Also: 26. Joey Mantia (USA), 36.06.

500 m II: 1. Kulizhnikov (RUS), 34.31; 2. Shinhama (JPN), 34.45; 3. Verbij (NED), 34.74; 4. Murashov (RUS), 34.77; 5. Artur Nogal (POL), 34.78; 6. Lorentzen (NOR), 34.91; 7. tie, Laurent Dubreuil (CAN), Mushtakov (RUS) and Kjeld Nuis (NED), 35.05.

1,000 m I: 1. Nuis (NED), 1:07.96; 2. Masaya Yamada (JPN), 1:08.03; 3. Kulizhnikov (RUS), 1:08.06; 4. Lorentzen (NOR), 1:08.19; 5. Shinhama (JPN), 1:08.57; 6. Otterspeer (NED), 1:08.67; 7. tie, Ihle (GER) and Joel Dufter (GER), 1:08.79. Also: 16. Mantia (USA), 1:10.15.

1,000 m II: 1. Nuis (NED), 1:07.80; 2. Kulizhnikov (RUS), 1:08.62; 3. Lorentzen (NOR), 1:08.73; 4. Ihle (GER), 1:08.76; 5. Shinhama (JPN), 1:08.82; 6. Verbij (NED), 1:08.85; 7. Masaya Yamada (JPN), 1:09.00; 8. Otterspeer (NED), 1:09.05.

Final Standings: 1. Kulizhnikov (RUS), 137.390; 2. Shinhama (JPN), 137.805; 3. Nuis (NED), 137.860; 4. Lorentzen (NOR), 138.110; 5. Verbij (NED), 138.490; 6. Yamada (JPN), 138.755; 7. Ihle (GER), 138.835; 8. Otterspeer (NED), 138.920.

Women

500 m I: 1. Nao Kodaira (JPN), 37,.27; 2. Vanessa Herzog (AUT), 37.31; 3. Angelina Golikova (RUS), 37.49; 4. Miho Takagi (JPN), 37.62; 5. Brittany Bowe (USA), 37.89; 6. Olga Fatkulina (RUS), 37.99; 7. Daria Kachanova (RUS), 38.00; 8. Yekaterina Aydova (KAZ), 38.04. Also: 15. Kimi Goetz (USA), 38.49; … 24. Brianna Bocox (USA), 39.47.

500 m II: 1. Kodaira (JPN), 37.41; 2. Bowe (USA), 37.67; 3. Golikova (RUS), 37.71; 4. Takagi (JPN), 37.74; 5. Herzog (AUT), 37.81; 6. Fatkulina (RUS), 37.90; 7. Aydova (KAZ), 37.94; 8. Maki Tsuji (JPN), 38.00. Also: 16. Goetz (USA), 38.81; … 23. Bocox (USA), 39.67.

1,000 m I: 1. Bowe (USA), 1:14.60; 2. Takagi (JPN), 1:14.82; 3. Kachanova (RUS), 1:14.94; 4. Kodaira (JPN), 1:15.01; 5. Sanneke de Neeling (NED), 1:15.08; 6. Jutta Leerdam (NED), 1:15.31; 7. Aydova (KAZ), 1:15.36; 8. Herzog (AUT), 1:15.78. Also: 19. Goetz (USA), 1:17.14; … 23. Bocox (USA), 1:18.37.

1,000 m II: 1. Takagi (JPN), 1:14.56; 2. Bowe (USA), 1:14.64; 3. Kodaira (JPN), 1:14.96; 4. Leerdam (NED), 1:15.03; 5. Aydova (KAZ), 1:15.04; 6. Sanneke de Neeling (NED), 1:15.28; 7. Kachanova (RUS), 1:15.33; 8. Fatkulina (RUS), 1:15.62. Also: 16. Goetz (USA), 1:16.85; … 22. Bocox (USA), 1:19.24.

Final Standings: 1. Kodaira (JPN), 149.665; 2. Takagi (JPN), 150.050; 3. Bowe (USA), 150.180; 4. Herzog (AUT), 151.045; 5. Aydova (KAZ), 151.180; 6. de Neeling (NED), 151.520; 7. Kachanova (RUS), 151.525; 8. Golikova (RUS), 151.575. Also: 17. Goetz (USA), 154.295; … 22. Bocox (USA), 157.945.

LANE ONE: The Paris 2024 legacy will be about athletes, but not Olympians

By
Rich Perelman
-

The Paris 2024 organizing committee created plenty of headlines last week with its announcement that it would ask the International Olympic Committee to approve four “added” sports to the Games: Skateboarding, Sport Climbing, Surfing and Breakdancing.

The latter drew most of the attention and the Paris 2024 folks created a gaudy, 29-page press kit (here) to explain the request and the appeal of the sports. But the brochure also emphasized what could be the most important element to be introduced at the 2024 Games.

Mass participation events.

The Olympic Games have always been about contests between the finest athletes in the world. For the first time, Paris is proposing a not-yet-defined program of events in which the public can take part, on the same course and under (almost) the same conditions as the Olympic participants.

The obvious first choice is the marathon, where the medal race will be held in the morning and then a public race – over the same course – can be held later in the day. This makes perfect sense and is more or less the same model as used for the World Marathon Majors races, although the separation of the start times for Olympic runners and the public will be much longer.

Paris 2024 did not mention other events, but suggested there will be others. There are many candidates, including, but not limited to:

● Archery: Tournament on the Olympic range
● Athletics: Walking races, on the Olympic course
● Basketball: 3-on-3 tournament, with some games at the Olympic site
● Cycling: Road Race, on the Olympic course
● Swimming: Open Water race, on the Olympic course

Each of these sports is already popular in France, and only the basketball event requires a team instead of individuals.

While there are events in these and all other sports on the Olympic program available during the year, the idea of having them take place at the Olympic sites and in the Olympic period – either just before or during the Games – is a leap forward.

The Games have traditionally been a pure spectator experience for those who are not members of a national Olympic team. Including an opportunity for participation in an event during the Games at the relevant venue changes the nature of the event into one which invites everyone to share in the fitness and community part of the Olympic Movement, instead of simply cheering.

Because of the heavy use of hotels and other accommodations during the Games, such events are not likely to draw visitors not already coming. So these will focus attention more on local residents, for whom the Games could be simply a transient experience.

The London 2012 organizers sold the concept of having the Games, in part, on using the event to increase sports participation (and community health). A 2015 study showed that there was an increase in physical activity in England after the Games were awarded to London in 2005. It peaked in 2012 (of course), but has been receding – slowly – ever since.

So the possibilities are there, and the British program of activity has not been tied to the 2012 Games as a legacy effort. Paris offers the possibility to do that, and is an opportunity to incorporate fitness activities as a legacy program in every city which hosts a Games going forward.

It’s easy to conceive of a tie-in between worldwide fitness travel and Olympic cities, where visitors can participate in sporting activities at Olympic sites of past Games. There is an organization called the World Union of Olympic Cities, headquartered in Lausanne, which could be the coordination point for an annual calendar of special events of this type.

Sound far-fetched? Consider the comments of Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) President Gian-Franco Kasper (SUI) in his controversial interview with the Swiss Tages Anzeiger newspaper in early February; asked if the federation could make more money with a stronger marketing campaign, he replied, “We are first and foremost an advertising agency for winter tourism.”

The Paris folks will have plenty of challenges ahead of them, and trying to add in public events on top of the Olympic competitions will generate headaches that they will sometimes with they didn’t have. But the mass participation concept is a new and worthwhile extension of the Olympic ideal and can have obvious tie-ins with any major event, such as a regional or world championship. The IAAF is already experimenting with this for its events as well.

And the concept of “extending” the reach of a Games to influence future participation has been shown to work on the youth level, especially by the still-vibrant and widely-underappreciated LA84 Foundation, a continuing legacy of the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

This could well be the true legacy of the Paris 2024 Games, including the continuing, future use of its symbols and design scheme (alert for the IOC and Paris 2024 licensing staffs). It will be worthwhile for future organizers and bidders to consider this aspect of the Games quite closely and incorporate it into their own planning. Tres bien, Paris!

Further to our story on the added sports requested by Paris 2024, the organizing committee’s press kit included more details on the request:

● Breakdancing: 32 athletes ~ 2 events (men and women)
● Skateboarding: 96 athletes ~ 4 events (Street and Park for men and women)
● Sport Climbing: 72 athletes ~ 4 events (Speed and Combined for men and women)
● Surfing: 48 athletes ~ 2 events (Shortboard for men and women)

The total is 248 athletes across 12 events, more than had been suspected based on the 2020 event totals, but still far less than the 447 athletes expected for the five sports added for Tokyo. And it is worth noting that the Paris 2024 presentation stated that these 248 athlete spots “will form part of the maximum number of 10,500 set out in the Olympic Charter.” So other sports will have to be reduced to make room for the new events!

The changes in Sport Climbing, to break the Speed event away from a combined event for Bouldering and Lead, will quell some of the unhappiness from athletes in that sport who do not favor the three-discipline combined event slated for Tokyo.

Naturally, the Paris 2024 requests are only the start of the process. The IOC Executive Board will consider the requests at its March meeting in Lausanne, then the IOC Session will vote on adding these sports in June. The final line-up of sports and events for the 2024 Games is scheduled to be approved in December of 2020.

Rich Perelman
Editor

SNOWBOARD: Bagozza and Gong are first-time winners in Secret Garden

By
Rich Perelman
-
German Snowboard star Ramona Hofmeister

We’re late in the game in the Snowboard World Cup season for 2018-19, but surprises still come up, such as two first-time winners in the Parallel Slalom in Secret Garden in China.

In the Parallel Giant Slalom, the winners were Slovenia’s Tim Mastnak – his second victory this season – and Germany’s Ramona Hofmeister, who won her second straight World Cup event.

But in the Parallel Slalom, no one could foresee that the winners were Italy’s Daniele Bagozza and China’s Nalying Gong. For Bagozza, this was his third career World Cup medal and his first win, and for Gong, 20, it was her first World Cup medal!

The next Parallel event comes on 9 March in Scuol (SUI); summaries from Secret Garden:

FIS Snowboard World Cup
Secret Garden (CHN) ~ 23-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Tim Mastnak (SLO); 2. Andrey Sobolev (RUS); Small Final: 3. Stefan Baumeister (GER); 4. Oskar Kwiatkowski (POL).

Men’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Daniele Bagozza (ITA); 2. Dmitry Loginov (RUS); Small Final: Roland Fischnaller (ITA); 4. Xuan Zhang (CHN).

Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Ramona Hofmeister (GER); 2. Ester Ledecka (CZE); Small Final: 3. Selina Joerg (GER); 4. Aleksandra Krol (POL).

Women’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Nalying Gong (CHN); 2. Julie Zogg (SUI); Small Final: 3. Selina Joerg (GER); 4. Patrizia Kummer (SUI).

SHOOTING: Three world records in first four events at ISSF World Cup in New Delhi

By
Rich Perelman
-
India's 16-year-old world-record setter Chaudhary Saurabh,

The ISSF World Cup in New Delhi was overshadowed at its start by the refusal of the Indian government to issue a visa for two Pakistani shooters in the men’s 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol, but once the events started, the records started falling.

In fact, of the first four events held, three resulted in new world marks:

● Men’s 10 m Air Pistol: A popular victory for India, from 16-year-old Chaudhary Saurabh, who won the 2018 Youth Olympic Games competition in Argentina last October. Saurabh compiled a score of 245.0, eclipsing the 243.6 score from Ukraine’s Oleh Omelchuk from 2018.

● Women’s 25 m Pistol: Hungary’s Veronika Major, 21, hit 40 targets out of 50 to break Greece’s Anna Korakaki’s mark of 39 in winning the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

● Women’s 10 m Air Rifle: Another Indian victory, this time by Apurvi Chandela, whose 252.9 total broke the 252.4 total by China’s Ruozhu Zhao from 2018. Zhao finished second.

The top two finishers in each event are rewarded with a quota spot for the 2020 Tokyo Games, except for the men’s 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol, which is not eligible for Olympic qualification due to the visa crisis.

The competition continues through Wednesday. Summaries:

ISSF World Cup
New Delhi (IND) ~ 20-28 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

10 m Air Pistol: 1. Chaudhary Saurabh (IND), 245.0 (World Record; old, 243.6, Oleh Omelchuk (UKR), 2018); 2. Damir Mikec (SRB), 239.3; 3. Wei Pang (CHN), 215.2.

50 m Rifle/3 Positions: 1. Istvan Peni (HUN), 459.1; 2. Sergey Kaminskiy (RUS), 459.0; 3. Marco Di Nicolo (ITA), 444.5.

Women

25 m Pistol: 1. Veronika Major (HUN), 40 (World Record; old, 39, Anna Korikaki (GRE), 2016); 2. Jingjing Zhang (CHN), 33; 3. Haniyeh Rostamiyan (IRI), 30.

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Apurvi Chandela (IND), 252.9 (World Record; old, 252.4, Ruozhu Zhao (CHN), 2018); 2. Ruozhu Zhao (CHN), 251.8; 3. Hong Xu (CHN), 230.4.

NORDIC SKIING: Amazing Johaug routs the field for eighth Worlds gold in Nordic Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
-
Norway's Olympic and World Champion cross country skiing star Therese Johaug.

The FIS Nordic World Championshuips in Seefeld (AUT) will continue for another week, but the amazing comeback story of Therese Johaug has to be the highlight of the event already.

Norway’s Johaug, now 30, one of the most decorated cross-country skiers in history, had won seven World Championships golds through the 2015 Worlds, but then suffered a doping suspension because of a loaded lip balm (true story).

She had to sit out competition through the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, but became eligible again for this season. She won all seven of her World Cup starts, and came into the Nordic Worlds as one of the favorites in the distance races.

How did she do?

She won her first race, the 15 km Skiathlon – half Classical, half Freestyle – over teammate Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg, who is the overall World Cup leader, by almost a minute: 36:54.5 to 37:52.1!

She has the 10 km Classical coming on Tuesday and the 30 km Freestyle next Saturday, which could give her 10 gold medals in World Championships competition and 14 total medals. She could join four others who have won 10 Worlds golds in Cross Country: Marit Bjoergen (NOR: 18), Yelena Valbe (RUS: 14), Petter Nothug (NOR: 13) and Larisa Lazutina (RUS: 11).

Remarkable? No, this is amazing.

The other Cross Country events have held to form, with Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) winning the men’s Sprint and Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR) just edging Swede Stina Nilsson for the women’s Sprint victory.

In Nordic Combined, Germany’s Eric Frenzel – who won five World Cup seasonal titles in a row, but appeared to have his best days behind him – rallied to win his sixth and seventh career Worlds golds with victories in the Individual event and the Team Sprint (with Fabian Riessle).

In Ski Jumping, Germany’s Markus Eisenbichler, who had won five medals on the World Cup tour this season – but no wins – came through in the men’s 130 m hill event to lead an upset 1-2 finish with Karl Geiger. The two then teamed with Richard Freitag and Stephan Leyhe to win the Team Event on Sunday to maintain the German sweep so far.

Summaries:

FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships
Seefeld (AUT) ~ 19 February-3 March 2019

CROSS COUNTRY
(Full results here)

Men

1.6 km Sprint Freestyle: 1. Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), 3:21.17; 2. Federico Pellegrino (ITA), +0.23; 3. Gleb Retivykh (RUS), +1.37; 4. Richard Jouve (FRA), +1.99; 5. Emil Iversen (NOR), +2.25; 6. Lucas Chanavat (FRA), +21.50.

Team Sprint Classical: 1. Emil Oversen/Johannes Klaebo (NOR), 18:49.86; 2. Gleb Retivykh/Alexander Bolshunov (RUS), 18:51.74; 3. Francesco de Fabiani/Federico Pellegrino (ITA), 18:53.89; 4. Oskar Svensson/Calle Halfvarsson (SWE), 18:54.59; 5. Richard Jouve/Lucas Chanavat (FRA), 18:58.99; 6. Max Hauke/Dominik Baldauf (AUT), 19:13.70; 7. Iivo Niskanen/Ristomatti Hakola (FIN), 9:17.38; 8. Simi Hamilton/Erik Bjornsen (USA), 19:18.42.

Skiathlon (15 km C + 15 km F): 1. Sjor Roethe (NOR), 1:10.21.8; 2. Alexander Bolshunov (RUS), 1:10:21.9; 3. Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR), 1:10:22.5; 4. Iivo Niskanen (FIN), 1:10:34.1; 5. Clement Parisse (FRA), 1:10.42.5; 6. Alex Harvey (CAN), 1:11:20.7; 7. Andrew Musgrave (GBR), 1:11:22.1; 8. Adrien Backscheider (FRA), 1:11:25.4.

Women

1.2 km Sprint Freestyle: 1. Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR), 2:32.35; 2. Stina Nilsson (SWE), +1.66; 3. Mari Eide (NOR), +2.84; 4. Jonna Sundling (SWE), +3.17; 5. Victoria Carl (GER), +5.71; 6. Maja Dahlqvist (SWE), +31.49.

Team Sprint Classical: 1. Stina Nilsson/Maja Dahlqvist (SWE), 15:14.93; 2. Katja Visnar/Anamarija Lampic (SLO), 15:15.30; 3. Ingvild Oestberg/Maiken Falla (NOR), 15:15.53; 4. Natalia Nepryaeva/Yulia Belorukova (RUS), 15:15.86; 5. Sadie Bjornsen/Jessica Diggins (USA), 15:17.72; 6. Victoria Carl/Sandra Ringwald (GER), 15:21.64; 7. Anne Kylloenen/Krista Parmakoski (FIN), 15:23.79; 8. Laurien van der Graaff/Nadine Faendrich (SUI), 15:36.28.

Skiathlon (7.5 km C + 7.5 km F): 1. Therese Johaug (NOR), 36:54.5; 2. Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (NOR), 37:52.1; 3. Natalia Nepyraeva (RUS), 37:53.2; 4. Astrid Jacobsen (NOR), 37:56.5; 5. Frida Karlsson (SWE), 38:01.9; 6. Charlotte Kalla (SWE), 38:07.8; 7. Heidi Weng (NOR), 38:14.7; 8. Krista Parmakoski (FIN), 38:28.2. Also in the top 25: 19. Julia Kern (USA), 39:50.0; … 24. Rosie Frankowski (USA), 39:55.1.

NORDIC COMBINED
(Full results here)

Gundersen 130 m hill/10.0 km: 1. Eric Frenzel (GER), 23:43.0; 2. Jan Schmid (NOR), +4.3; 3. Franz-Josef Rehrl (AUT), +8.7; 4. Mario Seidl (AUT), +15.3; 5. Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), +20.9; 6. Akito Watabe (JPN), +22.0; 7. Fabian Riessle (GER), +22.3; 8. Antoine Gerard (FRA), +29.6.

Team Sprint 130 m hill/2×7.5 km: 1. Eric Frenzel/Fabian Riessle (GER), 28:29.5; 2. Jan Schmid/Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), +8.2; 3. Franz-Josef Rehrl/Bernhard Gruber (AUT), +9.2; 4. Yoshito Watabe/Akito Watabe (JPN), +56.4; 5. Aaron Kostner/Alessandro Pittin (ITA), +1:37.1; 6. Antoine Gerard/Maxime Laheurte (FRA), +1:44.6; 7. Ilkka Herola/Eero Hirvonen (FIN), +2:03.1; 8. Szczepan Kupczak/Pawel Slowiok (POL), +2:30.4. Also: 9. Taylor Fletcher/Ben Loomis (USA), +2:56.8.

SKI JUMPING
(Full results here)

Men’s 130 m hill: 1. Markus Eisenbichler (GER), 279.4; 2. Karl Geiger (GER), 267.3; 3. Killian Peier (SUI), 266.1; 4. Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN), 262.0; 5. Kamil Stoch (POL), 259.4; 6. Stefan Kraft (AUT), 256.1; 7. Johann Andre Forfang (NOR), 250.9; 8. Robert Johansson (NOR), 248.9.

Men’s Team 130 m hill: 1. Germany (Geiger, Freitag, Leyhe, Eisenbichler), 987.5; 2. Austria (Aschenwald, Hayboeck, Huber, Kraft), 930.9; 3. Japan (Sato, Ito, J. Kobayashi, R. Kobayashi), 920.2; 4. Poland, 909.1; 5. Norway, 900.2; 6. Slovenia, 858.7; 7. Switzerland, 837.0; 8. Czech Rep., 818.4.

FREESTYLE SKI: Kingsbury & Laffont sweep Moguls; Midol and Smith sweep Ski Cross World Cups

By
Rich Perelman
-
Swiss Freestyle Ski Cross star Fanny Smith

The brooms were out in both Japan and Russia as four athletes each swept two events in the FIS World Cups in Moguls and Ski Cross.

In the Moguls events in Takawazo (JPN), superstar Mikael Kingsbury (CAN) won both the Moguls and Dual Moguls, defeating Ikuma Horishima (JPN) in the Dual Moguls final. American Bradley Wilson won a bronze in the standard Moguls event, his first World Cup medal of the season.

Said Wilson, “Today was ultimate, the conditions were insane. When we showed up the course was a little firm and then it just got warm and it was soft and slushy, the sun was out, it was awesome. I had a blast, it was good!”

Kingsbury has wrapped up the seasonal title in Moguls for the eighth season in a row, with one event remaining. However, in Dual Moguls, Kingsbury leads Horishima, 200-130, with one event still to come.

The women’s situation is similar, with France’s Perrine Laffont winning both events in Takawazo and clinching the Moguls title with 600 points to 485 for Jakara Anthony (AUS) with one event left. But in the Dual Moguls, American Jaelin Kauf was second this weekend and the two are tied at 180 with one more event remaining.

“I’m really happy to land on the podium this week,” said Kauf. “Yesterday I had my best result I’ve had in singles here in Japan [fifth], so I was really happy with that. I definitely wanted to improve in duals today. Unfortunately, I kind of got caught up in a mogul in the finals run, but still really happy to land on the podium.”

In Sunny Valley (RUS), France’s Bastien Midol and Swiss Fanny Smith won both events. That cinched the seasonal victory for Midol, his first. Smith has almost sewed up the seasonal title as well, but has a 763-675 lead over Sweden’s Sandra Naeslund with one event to go. Barring a disaster, she will win her first seasonal World Cup as well. Summaries:

FIS Freestyle World Cup
Minsk (BLR) ~ 23 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Aerials: 1. Maxim Burov (RUS), 120.36; 2. Anton Kushner (BLR), 118.10; 3. Stanislav Nikitin (RUS), 99.12; 4. Justin Schoenefeld (USA), 87.07; 5. Jiaxu Sun (CHN), 86.67. Also: 6. Jonathan Lillis (USA), 75.56.

Women’s Aerials: 1. Mengtao Xu (CHN), 87.77; 2. Sicun Xu (CHN), 80.33; 3. Qi Shao (CHN), 80.04; 4. Ashley Caldwell (USA), 72.26; 5. Megan Nick (USA), 71.34. Also: 6. Winter Vinecki (USA), 69.89.

FIS Freestyle World Cup
Takawazo (JPN) ~ 23-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Moguls: 1. Mikael Kingsbury (CAN), 86.70; 2. Philippe Marquis (CAN), 83.67; 3. Bradley Wilson (USA), 80.47; 4. Daichi Hara (JPN), 79.24; 5. Walter Wallberg (SWE), 79.08.

Men’s Dual Moguls/ Big Final: 1. Kingsbury (CAN); 2. Ikuma Horishima (JPN); Small Final: 3. Benjamin Cavet (FRA); 4. Matt Graham (AUS).

Women’s Moguls: 1. Perrine Laffont (FRA), 82.97; 2. Jakara Anthony (AUS), 79.87; 3. Yulia Galysheva (KAZ), 76.92; 4. Justine Dufour-Lapointe (CAN), 76.70; 5. Jaelin Kauf (USA), 75.82. Also: 6. Tess Johnson (USA), 75.00.

Women’s Dual Moguls/ Big Final: 1. Laffont (FRA); 2. Kauf (USA); Small Final: 3. Anthony (AUS); 4. Galysheva (KAZ).

FIS Freestyle World Cup
Sunny Valley (RUS) ~ 21-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Ski Cross I/ Big Final: 1. Bastien Midol (FRA); 2. Filip Flisar (SLO); 3. Jean Frederic Chapuis (FRA); 4. Alex Fiva (SUI).

Men’s Ski Cross II/ Big Final: 1. Midol (FRA); 2. Fiva (SUI); 3. Brady Leman (CAN); 4. Florian Wilmsmann (GER).

Women’s Ski Cross I/ Big Final: 1. Fanny Smith (SUI); 2. Sandra Naeslund (SWE); 3. Andrea Limbacher (AUT); 4. Marielle Thompson (CAN),

Women’s Ski Cross II/ Big Final: 1. Smith (SUI); 2. Sanna Luedi (SUI); 3. Alizee Baron (FRA); 4. India Sherret (CAN).

FENCING: Veterans Oh and Velikaya take Sabre Grand Prix titles in Cairo

By
Rich Perelman
-
Russian Sabre star Sofya Velikaya (Photo: Marie-Lan Nguyen via Wikipedia Commons)

The first Sabre Grand Prix of the season took place in Cairo (EGY), with veterans taking the top honors: Sang-Uk Oh and Sofya Velikaya.

Korea’s Oh, still just 22, won a Grand Prix event for the third year in a row (2017-18-19) and moved up to no. 4 in the FIE World Rankings. He earned his title over the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Champion, Hungary’s Aron Szilagyi, with a 15-10 finals win.

With the silver medal, Szilagyi moved up to no. 2 in the world rankings. American Eli Dershwitz lost in the quarterfinals, but remains no. 1.

Twice World Champion Velikaya (RUS) is now 33 and added to her glittering career with her 23rd Grand Prix medal (!) and her sixth win (6-7-10). She defeated a newcomer, Korean Sooyeon Choi, in the final, 15-12. It was Choi’s first career medal at a worldwide international competition. Summaries:

FIE Sabre Grand Prix
Cairo (EGY) ~ 22-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Sang-Uk Oh (KOR); 2. Aron Szilagyi (HUN); 3. Sandro Bazadze (GEO) and Junho Kim (KOR). Semis: Szilagyi d. Bazadze, 15-5; Oh d. Kim, 15-5. Final: Oh d. Szilagyi, 15-10

Women: 1. Sofya Velikaya (RUS); 2. Sooyeon Choi (KOR); 3. Cecilia Berder (FRA) and Olga Kharlan (UKR). Semis: Velikaya d. Berder, 15-14; Choi d. Kharlan, 15-14. Final: Velikaya d. Choi, 15-12.

GYMNASTICS: China takes four titles in season-opening Artistic World Cup

By
Rich Perelman
-
Dutch Olympic and World Horizontal Bar Champion Epke Zonderland

Chinese gymnasts topped the podium four times at the FIG Artistic World Cup in Melbourne (AUS), but four World Championships medal winners collected wins as well.

China’s Yang Liu led a 1-2 finish in the Rings, with Hao You second, and then You won the Parallel Bars with an impressive 15,066 score. Yilin Fan also led a 1-2 in the women’s Uneven Bars over Jiaqi Lyu, and Shiting Zhao won on Beam.

Four World Championships medalists won the other four men’s events: 2018 Floor bronze medalists Carlos Yulo (PHI) won on Floor, and Chih Kai Lee (TPE) won on Pommel Horse. A two-time Worlds silver medalist on vault, Ukraine’s Igor Radivilov, won the Vault, and reigning World Champion Epke Zonderland (NED) tied for the win on High Bar with Japan’s Hidetaka Miyachi. Summaries:

FIG Artistic World Cup
Melbourne (AUS) ~ 23-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Floor: 1. Carlos Yulo (PHI), 14.566; 2. Hibiki Arayashiki (JPN), 14.500; 3. tie, Rayderley Zapata (ESP) and Dominick Cunningham (GBR), 14.500.

Pommel Horse: 1. Chih Kai Lee (TPE), 15.266; 2. Hao Weng (CHN), 15.233; 3. Tomomasa Hasegawa (JPN), 14.666.

Rings: 1. Yang Liu (CHN), 15.166; 2. Hao You (CHN), 15.133; 3. Arthur Zanetti (BRA), 14.966.

Vault: 1. Igor Radivilov (UKR), 14.949; 2. Loris Frasca (FRA), 14.900; 3. Cunningham (GBR), 14.749.

Parallel Bars: 1. Hao You (CHN), 15.066; 2. Ahmet Onder (TUR), 14.633; 3. Ferhat Arican (TUR), 14.366.

High Bar: 1. tie, Hidetaka Miyachi (JPN) and Epke Zonderland (NED), 14.733; 3. Chenglong Zhang (CHN), 14.333.

Women

Vault: 1. Seojeong Yeo (KOR), 14.266; 2. Oksana Chusovitina (UZB), 14.200; 3. Linmin Yu (CHN), 14.083.

Uneven Bars: 1. Yilin Fan (CHN), 14.833; 2. Jiaqi Lyu (CHN), 14.366; 3. Georgia-Rose Brown (AUS), 13.366.

Beam: 1. Shiting Zhao (CHN), 13.566; 2. Emma Nedov (AUS), 13.500; 3. Mana Oguchi (JPN), 13.066.

Floor: 1. Vanessa Ferrari (ITA), 13.600; 2. Paula Mejias (PUR), 12.533; 3. Zhao (CHN), 12.266.

JUDO: Japan dominates the Dusseldorf Grand Slam with nine wins and 14 medals

By
Rich Perelman
-
Two champions: Japan's Sarah Asahina (l) vs. Cuba's Idalys Ortiz (Photo: IJF)

The Grand Slams are the top tournaments of the season on the International Judo Federation’s World Tour, and whenever they show up, so does the first-line team from Japan. The result is domination.

So it was with the Dusseldorf Grand Slam, in which Japan won nine classes out of 14 and collected a total of 14 medals!

Japanese judokas won six of the eight men’s classes, including an all-Japan final in the 73 kg class, won by Shohei Ono over countryman Masashi Ebinuwa. Japan’s women entries won three classes of the eight, but one of the most-anticipated matches did not result in a Japanese victory.

Reigning World Champion Sarah Asahina and Cuba’s 2012 Olympic gold medalist (and twice World Champion) Idalys Ortiz squared off in the final of the women’s +78 kg division. The match was tight throughout, but Asahina was penalized for passivity in the final minute to hand the title to Ortiz. This will certainly not be the last time they meet.

Behind the Japanese in the medal standings came Russia (6: 0-4-2) and Brazil (5: 1-1-3). Summaries:

IJF World Tour/Dusseldorf Grand Slam
Dusseldorf (GER) ~ 22-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

-60 kg: 1. Ryuju Nagayama (JPN); 2. Robert Mshvidobadze (RUS); 3. Lukhumi Chkhvimiani (GEO) and Tornike Tsjanadoea (NED).

-66 kg: 1. Joshiro Maruyama (JPN); 2. Limhwan Kim (KOR); 3. Baskhuu Yondonperenlei (MGL) and Yakub Shmailov (RUS).

-73 kg: 1. Shohei Ono (JPN); 2. Masashi Ebinuwa (JPN), 3. Lasha Shavdatuashvili (GEO) and Rustam Orujov (AZE).

-81 kg: 1. Sotaro Fujiwara (JPN); 2. Aslan Lappinagov (RUS); 3. Matthias Casse (BEL) and Dominic Ressel (GER).

-90 kg: 1. Mammadali Mehdiyev (AZE); 2. Sanshiro Murao (JPN); 3. Mikhail Igolnikov (RUS) and Jesper Smink (NED).

-100 kg: 1. Kentaro Iida (JPN); 2. Guham Cho (KOR); 3. Laurin Boehler (AUT) and Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE).

+100 kg: 1. Hisayoshi Harasawa (JPN); 2. Inal Tasoev (RUS); 3. Duurenbayar Ulziibayar (MGL) and Stephan Hegyi (AUT).

Women

-48 kg: 1. Funa Tonaki (JPN); 2. Yujeong Kang (KOR); 3. Catarina Costa (POR) and Nathalia Brigida (BRA).

-52 kg: 1. Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 2. Sosorbaram Lkhagvasuren (MGL); 3. Odette Giuffrida (ITA) and Crishima Maeda (JPN).

-57 kg: 1. Tsukasa Yoshida (JPN); 2. Rafaela Silva (BRA); 3. Sarah Leonie Cysique (FRA) and Sumiya Dorjsuren (MGL).

-63 kg: 1. Miku Tashiro (JPN); 2. Daria Davydova (RUS); 3. Masako Doi (JPN) and Andreja Leski (SLO).

-70 kg: 1. Sally Conway (GBR); 2. Muriam Butkereit (GER); 3. Maria Bernabeu (ESP) and Ellen Sanatana (BRA).

-78 kg: 1. Matra Aguiar (BRA); 2. Anna Maria Wagner (GER); 3. Bernadette Graf (AUT) and Klara Apotekar (SLO).

+78 kg: 1. Idalys Ortiz (CUB); 2. Sarah Asahina (JPN); 3. Maria Suelen Altheman (BRA) and Iryna Kindzerska (AZE).

LUGE: Pavlichenko sweeps to men’s seasonal title, along with Geisenberger and Eggert and Benecken

By
Rich Perelman
-
Germany's Natalie Geisenberger (Photo: Wikipedia)

The final FIL World Cup of the 2018-19 season was a bonanza for Russian sliders, as they went 1-2 in the men’s Singles, won the men’s Doubles and collected a women’s Singles silver.

The closest seasonal race coming into Sochi (RUS) was the men’s Singles, where four athletes had a chance to win. Instead, the local favorites dominated the event, with Semen Pavlichenko and Roman Repilov going 1-2 in both the standard race and the Sprint.

That placed the two Russians at the top of the final season standings, with Pavlichenko winning his first World Cup title with 788 points, followed by Repilov (the 2017 winner) at 718 and Germany’s defending champ, Felix Loch at 685.

The men’s Doubles title was already safely won – barring disaster – by two-time defending champions, Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken (GER). But it was Aleksandr Denisov and Vladislav Antonov who won the races in Sochi – their only win of the season – with Eggert and Benecken second. Eggert and Benecken won the seasonal title with 1,050 points to 817 for runners-up Thomas Steu and Lorenz Koller (AUT).

German Natalie Geisenberger won her seventh World Cup title in a row easily, piling up 1,052 points to 793 for teammate Julia Taubitz, who finished second. American Summer Britcher, despite finishing ninth and eighth in the two races over the weekend, hung on for third, equaling her best-ever seasonal World Cup placement.

Germany won the Team Relay seasonal title with 525 points to 455 for Russia and 410 for Latvia. Summaries:

FIL World Cup
Sochi (RUS) ~ 23-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Singles: 1. Semen Pavlichenko (RUS); 2. Roman Repilov (RUS), 1:44.301; 3. Dominik Fischnaller (ITA), 1:44.327; 4. Maksim Aravin (RUS), 1:44.441; 5. Aleksandr Stepichev (RUS), 1:44.459. Also: 14. Tucker West (USA), 1:45.116; … 16. Jonathan Gustafson (USA), 1:45.251.

Men’s Singles Sprint: 1. Pavlichenko (RUS), 35.566; 2. Repilov (RUS), 35.584; 3. Aravin (RUS), 35.615; 4. Felix Loch (GER), 35.621; 5. Fischnaller (ITA), 35.672. Also: 14. West (USA), 36.001.

Men’s Singles Final Standings: 1. Pavlichenko (RUS), 788; 2. Repilov (RUS), 718; 3. Loch (GER), 685; 4. Johannes Ludwig (GER), 666; 5. Fischnaller (ITA), 623. Also in the top 25: 16. West (USA), 315; … 18. Chris Mazdzer (USA), 270; 19. Gustafson (USA), 261.

Men’s Doubles: 1. Aleksandr Denisev/Vladislav Antonov (RUS), 1:39.814; 2. Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken (GER), 1:39.867; 3. Vsevolod Kashkin/Konstantin Korshunov (RUS), 1:40.007; 4. Vladislav Yuzhakov/Iurii Prokhorov (RUS), 1:40.010; 5. Andris Sics/Juris Sucs (LAT), 1:40.048.

Men’s Doubles Sprint: 1. Denisev/Antonov (RUS), 31.450; 2. A. Sics/J. Sics (LAT), 31.461; 3. Eggert/Benecken (GER), 31.524; 4. Kashkin/Korshunov (RUS), 31.530; 5. Thomas Steu/Lorenz Koller (AUT), 31.542.

Men’s Doubles Final Standings: 1. Eggert/Benecken (GER), 1,050; 2. Steu/Koller (AUT), 817; 3. Wendl/Arlt (GER), 790; 4. A. Sics/J. Sics (LAT), 731; 5. Yuzhakov/Prokhorov (RUS), 562. Also: 8. Chris Mazdzer/Jayson Terdiman (USA), 459.

Women’s Singles: 1. Natalie Giesenberger (GER), 1:40.374; 2. Viktoriia Demchenko (RUS), 1:40.527; 3. Dajana Eitberger (GER), 1:40.703; 4. Kendija Aparjode (LAT), 1:40.717; 5. Julia Taubitz (GER), 1:40.777. Also: 9. Summer Britcher (USA), 1:41.030.

Women’s Singles Sprint: 1. Demchenko (RUS), 31.505; 2. Eitberger (GER), 31.609; 3. Geisenberger (GER), 31.642; 4. Aparjode (LAT), 31.696; 5. Ulla Zime (LAT), 31.748. Also: 8. Britcher (USA), 31.906.

Women’s Final Standings: 1. Geisenberger (GER), 1,052; 2. Taubitz (GER), 793; 3. Britcher (USA), 637; 4. Eitberger (GER), 631; 5. Tatyana Ivanova (RUS), 592. Also in the top 26: 15. Emily Sweeney (USA), 320; … 20. Brittany Arndt (USA), 217; … 26. Raychel Germaine (USA), 103.

Team Relay: 1. Russia (Demchenko, Pavlichenko, Denisev/Antonov), 2:45.272; 2. Germany, 2:45.344; 3. Latvia, 2:45.399; 4. Italy, 2:46.098; 5. Austria, 2:47.136.

BOBSLED & SKELETON: Friedrich finishes perfect two-man season, wins four-man title in Calgary

By
Rich Perelman
-
Elana Meyers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs racing to a win in St. Moritz (SUI). (Photo: IBSF/Viesturs Lacis)

It has literally been a perfect season for Germany’s Francesco Friedrich, the Olympic champ in the two-man and four-man sleds. With Thorsten Margis, he won again in the two-man sled in the final World Cup race in Calgary (CAN) and completed an eight wins-in-eight races season to win his second World Cup title in the past three seasons.

In the four-man, he won again and led a Germany sweep in Calgary, ahead of Nico Walther and Johannes Lochner. Friedrich won his first four-man title, winning five of the eight races on the season.

In both events, he finished ahead of perhaps the next great driver, Latvia’s Oskar Kibermanis.

In the women’s two, German Mariama Jamanka won again to clinch the seasonal title, winning four of the eight races. She finished ahead of teammate Stephanie Schneider, who had two wins during the season, and American Elana Meyers Taylor.

Meyers Taylor, riding with Lauren Gibbs in Calgary, nearly fell out of the World Cup altogether after being disqualified in the first stop of the season in Innsbruck. But the Olympic silver medalist showed her class and grit, winning medals in all seven remaining races, going 3-3-2-3-1-1-2. If she had not been disqualified in Innsbruck, she would have finished second on the season, just 42 points behind Jamanka.

In the Skeleton events, Korea’s Olympic winner Sungbin Yun won on Sunday, but still finished second on the season to Russia’s Alexander Tretiakov, 1,704-1,680. Russia’s Elena Nikitina, the season-long leader, finished only fourth and fifth in Calgary, but still won with 1,663 points to 1,597 for Germany’s Tina Hermann.

The World Championships will be held next week, in Whistler (CAN). Summaries:

IBSF World Cup
Calgary (CAN) ~ 23-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s 2: 1. Francesco Friedrich/Thorsten Margis (GER), 1:50.84; 2. Justin Kripps/Ryan Sommer (CAN), 1:50.93; 3. Johannes Lochner/Christopher Weber (GER), 1:51.07; 4. Yunjong Won/Youngwoo Seo (KOR), 1:51.20; 5. Nico Walther/Paul Krenz (GER), 1:51.28. Also: 12. Justin Olsen/Chris Kinney (USA), 1:51.89; … 17. Geoffrey Gadbois/Adrian Adams (USA), 1:52.43; 18. Hunter Church/Kristopher Horn (USA), 1:52.46.

Men’s 2 Final Standings: 1. Friedrich (GER), 1,800; 2. O. Kibermanis (LAT), 1,564; 3. Walther (GER), 1,232; 4. Dominik Dvorak (CZE), 1,152; 5. Yunjong Won (KOR), 1,140. Also in the top 25: 14. Codie Bascue (USA), 808; 15. Olsen (USA), 762.

Men’s 4: 1. Germany (Francesco Friedrich), 1:47.63; 2. Germany (Nico Walther), 1:47.82; 3. Germany (Johannes Lochner), 1:47.84; 4. Latvia (Oskars Kibermanis), 1:47.88; 5. Canada (Justin Kripps), 1:48.10. Also: 17. United States (Geoffrey Gadbois), 1:48.93; 18. United States (Hunter Church), 1:48.94.

Men’s 4 Final Standings: 1. Friedrich (GER), 1.727; 2. O. Kibermanis (LAT), 1,616; 3. Lochner (GER), 1,605; 4. Walther (GER), 1,531; 5. Maxim Andrianov (RUS), 1,496. Also in the top 25: 16. Bascue (USA), 580; … 19. Olsen (USA), 506; … 25. Church (USA), 240.

Women’s 2: 1. Mariama Jamanka/Annika Drazek (GER), 1:53.62; 2. Elana Meyers Taylor/Lauren Gibbs (USA), 1:53.94; 3. Stephanie Schneider/Ann-Christin Strack (GER), 1:54.05; 4. Katrin Beirel/Jennifer Onasanya (AUT), 1:54.62; 5. Brittany Reinbolt/Jessica Davis (USA), 1:55.04. Also: 8. Nicole Vogt/Nicole Brungardt (USA), 1:55.40.

Women’s 2 Final Standings: 1. Jamanka (GER), 1,712; 2. Schneider (GER), 1,596; 3. Meyers Taylor (USA), 1,470; 4. Nadezhda Sergeeva (RUS), 1,386; 5. Anna Koehler (GER), 1,304. Also in the top 25: 6. Reinbolt (USA), 1,240; … 15. Vogt (USA), 296.

Men’s Skeleton I: 1. Alexander Tretiakov (RUS), 1:51.35; 2. Sungbin Yun (KOR), 1:51.48; 3. Martins Dukurs (LAT), 1:51.51; 4. Tomass Dukurs (LAT), 1:52.02; 5. Nikita Tregubov (RUS), 1:52.38. Also: 11. Austin Florian (USA), 1:52.95; … 14. Greg West (USA), 1:53.60

Men’s Skeleton II: 1. Yun (KOR), 1:52.70; 2. Tretiakov (RUS), 1:52.76; 3. T. Dukurs (LAT), 1:53.21; 4. M. Dukurs (LAT), 1:53.24; 5. Marcus Wyatt (GBR), 1:53.39. Also: 13. Florian, 1:53.98; … 18. West (USA), 1:54.60.

Men’s Skeleton Final Standings: 1. Tretiakov (RUS), 1,704; 2. Yun (KOR), 1.680; 3. M. Dukurs (LAT), 1,533; 4. Tregubov (RUS), 1,505; 5. Axel Jungk (GER), 1,458. Also in the  top 25: 13. West (USA), 800; 14. Kyle Brown (USA), 776; 15. Florian (USA), 762.

Women’s Skeleton I: 1. Mirela Rahneva (CAN), 1:54.52; 2. Tina Hermann (GER), 1:54.98; 3. Elisabeth Maier (CAN), 1:55.20; 4. Elena Niktina (RUS), 1:55.28; 5. Jane Channell (CAN), 1:55.45. Also: 8. Kendall Wesenberg (USA), 1:55.81; … 16. Savannah Graybill (USA), 1:57.15.

Women’s Skeleton II: 1. Hermann (GER), 1:57.39; 2. Rahneva (CAN), 1:57.52; 3. Laura Deas (GBR), 1:57.68; 4. Maier (CAN), 1:57.74; 5. Nikitina (RUS), 1:57.95. Also: 9. Wesenberg (USA), 1:58.21; … 14. Graybill (USA), 1:58.88.

Women’s Skeleton Final Standings: 1. Nikitina (RUS), 1,663; 2. Hermann (GER), 1,597; 3. Rahneva (CAN), 1,396; 4. Sophia Griebel (GER), 1,360; 5. Jacquelline Loelling (GER), 1,244. Also in the top 25: 6. Wesenberg (USA), 1,200; … 15. Graybill (USA), 850.

BASKETBALL Preview: U.S. will play for Group E title on Monday in Greensboro

By
Rich Perelman
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The U.S. and Argentina have already qualified for the 2019 FIBA World Cup, but because of Argentina’s 87-86 loss to Puerto Rico in San Juan (PUR) on Friday, the U.S. and Argentina will decide the winner of Group E in the final game of the Americas qualifiers.

That will come on Monday in Greensboro, North Carolina at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Both teams have identical 9-2 records and 20 points overall.

In Friday game in Greensboro, the U.S. defeated Panama, 111-80, breaking the game open in the second half with a 27-18 third quarter and then 31-18 in the final quarter. Cameron Reynolds led the U.S. with 26 points off the bench; Travis Trice had 14, Michael Frazier II had 11 and Chinanu Onuaku had 10. While the U.S. and Panama both had similar shooting percentages – 49.4 to 48.3 – the Americans got 81 tries from the field to only 58 for the visitors.

Look for game results here.

BADMINTON: Denmark and Korea tops at Spain Masters in Barcelona

By
Rich Perelman
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Danish star Viktor Axelsen (Photo: BWF)

The singles finals were all Denmark and Korean teams nearly swept the doubles matches in the finals of the Spain Masters tournament in Barcelona.

Both of the singles matches featured Dane vs. Dane action, with Viktor Axelsen defeating Anders Antonsen, 21-14, 21-11 in the men’s final. The women’s title match had Mia Blitchfeldt handling teammate Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt, 21-14, 21-14.

Korean teams won the women’s and Mixed Doubles events, but lost in the finals of the men’s Doubles; Seung Jae Seo won two medals, winning in the Mixed final, but losing in the men’s final. Summaries:

BWF World Tour/Spain Masters
Barcelona (ESP) ~ 19-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Singles: 1. Viktor Axelsen (DEN); 2. Anders Antonsen (DEN); 3. Pengbo Ren (CHN) and Junpeng Zhao (CHN). Semis: Axelsen d. Ren, 21-9, 17-21, 5-4 (retired); Antonsen d. Zhao, 21-7, 9-21, 21-17. Final: Axelsen d. Antonsen, 21-14, 21-11.

Men’s Doubles: 1. Yang Lee/Chi-Lin Wang (TPE); 2. Won Ho Kim/Seung Jae Seo (KOR); 3. Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen (DEN) and Ching Yao Lu/Po Han Yang (TPE). Semis: Lee/Wang d. Boe/Morgensen, 21-16, 26-24; Kim/Seo d. Lu/Yang, 21-8, 18-21, 22-20. Final: Lee/Wang d. Kim/Seo, 21-8, 23-21.

Women’s Singles: 1. Mia Blichfeldt (DEN); 2. Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt (DEN); 3. Yue Han (CHN) and Yanyan Cai (CHN). Semis: Kjaersfeldt d. Han, 18-21, 21-5, 22-20; Blichfeldt d. Cai, 21-16, 13-21, 21-13. Final: Blichfeldt d. Kjaersfeldt, 21-14, 21-14.

Women’s Doubles: 1. So Yeong Kim/Hee Yong Kong (KOR); 2. Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida (JPN); 3. Gabriela Stoeva/Stefani Stoeva (BUL) and Ha Na Baek/Hye Rin Kim (KOR). Semis: Kim/Kong d. Stoeva/Stoeva, 21-19, 18-21, 21-17; Matsuyama/Shida d. Baek/Kim, 21-13, 24-22. Final: Kim/Kong d. Matsuyama/Shida, 23-21, 15-21, 21-17.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Seung Jae Seo/YuJung Chae (KOR); 2. Chi-Lin Wang/Chi Ya Cheng (TPE); 3. Marcus Ellis/Lauren Smith (ENG) and SolGyu Choi/So Yeong Kim (KOR). Semis: Seo/Chae d. Ellis/Smith, 14-21, 21-3, 21-19; Wang/Cheng d. Choi/Kim, 21-18, 21-14. Final: Seo/Chae d. Wang/Cheng, 21-8, 23-21.

ATHLETICS: Brazier sets 600 m world record; Mu gets 600 m American Record at USATF Indoors

By
Rich Perelman
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American middle-distance star Donavan Brazier

In a magical 12-minute span inside the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, New York, what makes indoor track so great was on display with two record performances at the USATF National Indoor Championships.

The women’s 600 m final was a showdown between a 16-year-old high school junior from Trenton Central in New Jersey, Athing Mu, and three-time NCAA 800 m champ Raevyn Rogers. Surely, Rogers – who has run 1:57.69 for 800 m – would handle the teenager, but Mu went to the front from the gun and had the lead through the first two laps. At the bell, Mu had a stride’s lead over Rogers, but when the veteran kicked in the afterburners, Mu was equal to the challenge, maintained her poise and finished in 1:23.57, not just a world leader, but the second-fastest time ever run and a new American Record.

She missed the world best – the distance isn’t recognized for world records – by 0.13, as Russian Olga Kotlyarova ran 1:23.44 back in 2004. Naturally, it’s also a national high school record and Mu still has a year to go at Trenton Central! Rogers was second, in 1:24.88, which became the no. 4 performance in history.

Mu told NBCSN’s Lewis Johnson afterwards, “I’m just blown away right now. I just had to say strong during the race. The sky is literally the limit; I honestly just don’t know what I can do any more.” That’s why she bears watching in the future.

The men’s 600 m final followed immediately and after an impressive qualifying race, in 1:15.64 – the no. 19 mark in history – Donavan Brazier was in the hunt for a world-best performance.

He ran a measured race: third after a lap, second after two and then he took off at the bell, running the final lap in 26.62 to clock 1:15.64 and eclipse the world best of 1:14.79 by Kenya’s Michael Saruni in 2018.

Brazier said afterwards that he knew that the record was a possibility, but “I was just trying to win today. We went out a little fast and I was able to hang on.” He was very encouraged for the future, noting “I got into this shape after about six weeks of training.” He will have a lot more time to get ready for the outdoor season.

Brazier time also erased Casimir Loxsom’s American Record of 1:14.91 from 2017. Runner-up Sam Ellison’s 1:15.97 moved to him no. 7 all-time, with the no. 8 performance.

There were other excellent performances:

● Ajee Wilson won her fifth national indoor title at 800 m/1,000 m with a commanding victory in the 1,000 m, finishing with the no. 2 performance in U.S. history in 2:34.71, a new world leader. She controlled the race from the front and held off Hannah Green (2:35.40 – fourth performance all-time U.S.) and Ce’Aira Brown (2:35.62 – fifth performance all-time U.S.) on the final straightaway.

● After losing the mile on Saturday, Shelby Houlihan won her third straight 3,000 m/two-mile national title at 9:31.38, a new world leader. She told Lewis Johnson of Saturday’s loss, “It stung a bit; I didn’t want to lose [today]. I was running scared the whole time.”

● Sharika Nelvis won the 60 m Hurdles with a charge over the final hurdle, passing Evonne Britton with a world-leader of 7.85, with Britton at 7.86.

Nelvis was one of seven defending champions to win a national title again in 2019:

● Men’s 600 m: Donavan Brazier (800 m in 2018)
● Men’s 3000 m Walk: Nick Christie
● Women’s 1,000 m: Ajee Wilson (800 m in 2018)
● Women’s Two Mile: Shelby Houlihan (3,000 m in 2018)
● Women’s 60 m Hurdles: Sharika Nelvis
● Women’s High Jump: Vashti Cunningham
● Women’s Pole Vault: Katie Nageotte

It’s worth noting the women’s 3,000 m walk win by Miranda Melville, breaking Maria Michta-Coffey’s streak of nine national indoor titles in a row. Michta-Coffey finished fourth.

There were a total of eight world-leading marks at the meet:

● Men’s 600 m: 1:13.77 Donavan Brazier (world best)
● Men’s Two Mile: 8:25.29, Drew Hunter
● Men’s Weight: 24.12 m (79-1 3/4), Daniel Haugh

● Women’s 300 m: 35.95, Brittany Brown
● Women’s 600 m: 1:23.57, Athing Mu
● Women’s 1,000 m: 2:34.71, Ajee Wilson
● Women’s Two Mile: 9:31.38, Shelby Houlihan
● Women’s 60 m Hurdles: 7.85, Sharika Nelvis

Prize money was $6,000-4,000-2,500-1,500-1,000 for the top five places. Summaries:

USATF National Indoor Championships
New York, New York (USA) ~ 22-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

60 m: 1. Demek Kemp, 6.55; 2. Cordero Gray, 6.59; 3. Sean McLean, 6.63; 4. Dangelo Cherry, 6.66; 5. John Teeters, 6.67; 6. Javelin Guidry, 6.72; 7. Quentin Butler, 6.72; 8. Wayne Sherbahn, 6.78.

300 m-Race I: 1. Dontavius Wright, 32.81; 2. Brycen Spratling, 33.59. Race II: 1. Manteo Mitchell, 33.54 (second overall); 2. John Lundy, 33.69; 3. Jason Crow, 34.01; 4. Cole Lambourne, 34.06.

600 m: 1. Donavan Brazier, 1:13.77 (World Best; old, 1:14.79, Michael Saruni (KEN), 2018; American Record; old, 1:14.91, Casimir Loxsom, 2017); 2. Sam Ellison, 1:15.20; 3. Kameron Jones, 1:15.32; 4. Chris Giesting, 1:15.67; 5. Erik Sowinski, 1:16.24; 6. Kalmon Stokes, 1:17.42.

1,000 m: 1. Clayton Murphy, 2:20.36; 2. Abraham Alvarado, 2:21.08; 3. Brannon Kidder, 2:21.23; 4. Rob Napolitano, 2:21.47; 5. Dylan Capwell, 2:21.55; 6. Brandon Lasater, 2:21.59; 7. Jesse Garn, 2:21.66; 8. David Timlin, 2:22.43.

Mile: 1. Craig Engels, 3:59.69; 2. Henry Wynne, 4:00.20; 3. John Gregorek, 4:00.26; 4. Sam Prakel, 4:01.76; 5. Mike Marsella, 4:02.03; 6. David Ribich, 4:03.08; 7. Benjamin Malone, 4:03.60; 8. Josh Thompson, 4:05.39.

Two Mile: 1. Andrew Hunter, 8:25.29 (race 1-1); 2. Eric Avila, 8:32.41 (race 2-1); 3. Tripp Hurt, 8:32.72 (2-2); 4. Dillon Maggard, 8:33.28 (2-3); 5. Sean McGorty, 8:33.41 (2-4); 6. Brian Barraza, 8:33.99 (2-5); 7. Jacob Thomsen, 8:34.64 (2-6); 8. Travis Mahoney, 8:35.33 (2-7).

60 m Hurdles: 1. Devon Allen, 7.60; 2. Aaron Mallett, 7.64; 3. Joshua Thompson, 7.69; 4. Brendan Ames, 7.71; 5. Ryan Billian, 7.89; 6. Tremayne Banks, 7.94; 7. Casimir Tawiah, 7.99; 8. Wayne Newman, 8.03.

3,000 m Walk: 1. Nick Christie, 11:35.34; 2. Emmanuel Corvera, 11:49.25; 3. John Cody Risch, 11:57.26; 4. Anthony Peters, 12:18.80; 5. Richard Luettchau, 13:18.49; only finishers.

High Jump: 1. Jeron Robinson, 2.24 m (7-4 1/4); 2. Avion Jones, 2.21 m (7-3); 3. Kristopher Kornegay-Gober, 2.18 m (7-1 3/4); 4. JaCorian Duffield, 2.18 m (7-1 3/4); 5. Noah VanderVeen, 2.18 m (7-1 3/4); 6. Bradley Atkins, 2.13 m (6-11 3/4); 7. Trey Culver, 2.13 m (6-11 3/4); 8. Jalen Ramsey, 2.08 m (6-9 3/4).

Pole Vault: 1. Andrew Irwin, 5.80 m (19-0 1/4); 2. Scott Houston, 5.61 m (18-4 3/4); 3. Max Babits, 5.51 m (18-4 3/4); 4. Austin Miller, 5.41 m (17-9); 5. tie, Dylan Bell, Kyle Pater and Cole Walsh, 5.41 m (17-9); 8. Garrett Starkey, 5.41 m (17-9).

Long Jump: 1. Jordan Downs. 7.73 m (25-4 1/2); 2. Malik Moffett, 7.69 m (25-2 3/4); 3. Josh Colley, 7.53 m (24-8 1/2); 4. Will Williams, 7.45 m (24-5 1/2); 5. Kenneth Glenn, 7.44 m (24-5); 6. Charles Brown, 7.21 m (23-8); 7. Roderick Townsend, 7.20 m (23-7 1/2); 8. Corey Muggler, 7.18 m (23-6 3/4).

Triple Jump: 1. Donald Scott, 16.85 m (55-3 1/2); 2. Chris Carter, 16.66 m (54-8); 3. KeAndre Bates, 16.38 m (53-9); 4. Barden Adams, 15.91 m (52-2 1/2); 5. Tony Carodine, 15.90 m (52-2); 6. Darrel Jones, 15.52 m (50-11); 7. Michael Tiller, 14.84 m (48-8 1/4); 8. Idiato Jeremiah, 14.82 m (48-7 1/2).

Shot Put: 1. Ryan Crouser, 22.22 m (72-10 3/4); 2. Joe Kovacs, 21.40 m (70-2 1/2); 3. Josh Awotunde, 20.63 m (67-8 1/4); 4. Curtis Jensen, 20.03 m (65-8 3/4); 5. William Pless, 20.00 m (65-7 1/2); 6. Alex Renner, 19.07 m (62-6 3/4); 7. Lucas Warning, 18.85 m (61-10 1/4); 8. Coy Blair, 18.78 m (61-7 1/2).

Weight: 1. Daniel Haugh, 24.12 m (79-1 3/4); 2. Conor McCullough, 23.98 m (78-8 1/4); 3. Alex Young, 23.67 m (77-8); 4. Sean Donnelly, 23.38 m (76-8 1/2); 5. Daniel Roberts, 23.19 m (76-1); 6. Grant Cartwright, 23.12 m (75-10 1/4); 7. Colin Dunbar, 22.95 m (75-3 1/2); 8. Michael Shanahan, 22.57 m (74-0 3/4).

Heptathlon: 1. Tim Ehrhardt, 5,868; 2. Solomon Simmons, 5,766; 3. Jack Flood, 5,701; 4. Teddy Frid, 5,671; 5. Alex Bloom, 5,631; 6. Curtis Beach, 5,467; 7. Samuel Black, 5,404; 8. Phillip Bailey, 5,352.

Women

60 m: 1. Shanie Collins, 7.16; 2. Kate Hall, 7.23; 3. Sharika Nelvis, 7.32; 4. Quanesha Burks, 7.34; 5. Candace Hill, 7.43; 6. Breana Norman, 7.46; 7. Rachel McCoy, 7.55; 8. Melanise Chapman, 7.57.

300 m-Race I: 1. Brittany Brown, 35.95; 2. Gabby Thomas, 35.98; 3. Kayla Davis, 37.46. Race II: 4. Faith Dismuke, 38.28; 5. Asha Ruth, 38.46; 6. Rachel McCoy, 38.80.

600 m: 1. Athing Mu, 1:23.57 (American Record; old, 1:23.59, Alysia Montano, 2013); 2. Raevyn Rogers, 1:24.88; 3. Olivia Baker, 1:26.93; 4. Madeline Kopp, 1:27.09; 5. Georganne Moline, 1:27.59; 6. Kendra Chambers, 1:27.60.

1,000 m: 1. Ajee Wilson, 2:34.71 (no. 2 performance all-time U.S.); 2. Hanna Green, 2:35.40; 3. Ce’Aira Brown, 2:35.62; 4. Laura Roesler, 2:36.60; 5. Hannah Fields, 2:38.60; 6. Allie Wilson, 2:41.76; 7. Baylee Mires, 2:42.79; 8. Megan Malasarte, 2:43.72.

Mile: 1. Colleen Quigley, 4:29.47; 2. Shelby Houlihan, 4:29.92; 3. Cory McGee, 4:30.14; 4. Shannon Osika,4:31.05; 5. Nikki Hiltz, 4:32.40; 6. Elinor Purrier, 4:32.69; 7. Eleanor Fulton, 4:33.47 (Race 2-1.); 8. Grace Barnett, 4:33.63 (Race 2-2).

Two Mile: 1. Shelby Houlihan, 9:31.38; 2. Katie Mackey, 9:33.70; 3. Elinor Purrier, 9:34.65; 4. Emily Lipari, 9:41.12; 5. Katrina Coogan, 9:45.11; 6. Marie Lawrence, 9:46.11; 7. Eleanor Fulton, 9:48.98; 8. Grace Barnett, 9:50.17.

60 m Hurdles: 1. Sharika Nelvis, 7.85; 2. Evonne Britton, 7.86; 3. Amber Hughes, 8.06; 4. Sasha Wallace, 8.15; 5. Kyra Atkins, 8.15; 6. Jade Barber, 8.20; 7. Monisha Lewis, 8.21; 8. Tawnie Moore, 8.42.

3,000 m Walk: 1. Miranda Melville, 12:57.58; 2. Katie Burnett, 13:14.09; 3. Kayla Shapiro, 14:11.84; 4. Maria Michta-Coffey, 14:18.82; 5. Chelsea Conway, 14:26.74; 6. Katherine Miale, 14:34.72; only finishers.

High Jump: 1. Vashti Cunningham, 1.96 m (6-5); 2. Ty Butts, 1.88 m (6-2); 3. Amina Smith, 1.88 m (6-2); 4. Jelena Rowe, 1.83 m (6-0); 5. Inika McPherson, 1.83 m (6-0); 6. Michelle Spires, 1.78 m (5-10); 7. Melanie Winters, 1.73 m (5-8); 8. Juanita Webster-Freeman, 1.73 m (5-8).

Pole Vault: 1. Katie Nageotte, 4.81 m (15-9 1/4); 2. Annie Rhodes, 4.56 m (14-11 1/2); 3. Kristen Leland, 4.56 m (14-11 1/2); 4. tie, Katherine Pitman and Kortney Ross, 4.36 m (14-3 1/2); 6. Lakan Taylor, 4.36 m (14-3 1/2); 7. tie, Kristen Brown and Megan Zimlich, 4.36 m (14-3 1/2).

Long Jump: 1. Kate Hall, 6.51 m (21-4 1/4); 2. Quanesha Burks, 6.39 m (20-11 3/4); 3. Kenyattia Hackworth, 6.39 m (20-11 3/4); 4. Kendell Williams, 6.33 m (20-9 1/4); 5. Jessie Gaines, 6.27 m (20-7); 6. Tristine Johnson, 6.13 m (20-1 3/4); 7. Melanie Winters, 6.02 m (19-9); 8. Erica Graham, 5.65 m (18-6 1/2).

Triple Jump: 1. Keturah Orji, 14.55 m (47-9); 2. Tori Franklin, 14.45 m (47-5); 3. Lynnika Pitts, 13.66 m (44-9 3/4); 4. Imani Oliver, 13.45 m (44-1 1/2); 5. Tiffany Flynn, 13.41 m (44-0); 6. Viershane Latham, 12.86 m (42-2 1/4); 7. Alexa Wandy, 12.53 m (41-1 1/2); 8. Jean Udo, 11.75 m (38-6 3/4).

Shot Put: 1. Chase Ealey, 18.62 m (61-1 1/4); 2. Maggie Ewen, 18.45 m (60-6 1/2); 3. Jessica Ramsey, 18.37 m (60-3 1/4); 4. Daniella Hill, 18.17 m (59-7 1/2); 5. Rachel Fatherly, 17.95 m (58-10 3/4); 6. Monique Riddick, 17.76 m (58-3 1/4); 7. Jessica Woodard, 17.67 m (57-11 3/4); 8. Janeah Stewart, 17.54 m (57-6 1/2).

Weight: 1. Janeah Stewart, 24.80 m (81-4 1/2); 2. Deanna Price, 24.52 m (80-5 1/2); 3. Kaitlyn Long, 23.19 m (76-1); 4. Annette Echikunwoke, 22.97 m (75-4 1/2); 5. Jeneva Stevens, 22.89 m 975-1 1/4); 6. Brooke Andersen, 22.25 m (73-0); 7. Michaela Dendinger, 21.10 (69-2 3/4); 8. Christina Macdonald, 18.49 m (60-8).

Pentathlon: 1. Kendell Williams, 4,496; 2. Emilyn Dearman, 4,356; 3. Anna Hall, 4,302; 4. Juanita Webster-Freeman, 4,255; 5. Annie Kunz, 4,243; 6. Riley Cooks, 4,106; 7. Kendall Gustafson, 4,101; 8. Shaina Burns, 4,085.

ALPINE SKIING: Pinturault and Kristoffersen repeat Worlds wins in Bansko

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

The men’s World Cup in Bansko (BUL) had a familiar look from the recent World Championships as both of the winners had earned gold medals in Are (SWE).

France’s Alexis Pinturault won the Combined and Henrik Kristoffersen took the Giant Slalom, while the planned Super-G race on Saturday was snowed out.

Pinturault was third in the Super-G in the first half of the Combined, when skied with sixth-fastest in the Slalom, which was enough to hold off the hard-charging Marcel Hirscher (AUT). The Austrian ace was just 20th in the Super-G, but zoomed through the Slalom with the fastest time of the day, but still ended up 0.68 of the Frenchman.

Pinturault won his 22nd World Cup race and eight in the Combined, and he took the seasonal Crystal Globe for the Combined, his third win in the discipline in the last four years.

In the Giant Slalom, Hirscher was looking for another win, but also to clinch the seasonal title in the discipline. He had the fastest first run in the field, but was not as smooth on the second run, an ended up with only the 12th-fastest second run and wound up second overall. Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen won the race, with the second-best first run and fourth-best second run, edging Hirscher by 0.04!

However, Hirscher’s second-place finish wrapped up his victory in the seasonal race. With 620 points to 402 for Kristoffersen with two races left. It’s Hirscher’s sixth seasonal win in the Giant Slalom and he now has 19 overall and discipline wins, one short of the record of 20 held by American Lindsey Vonn. Hirscher can equal her with the overall World Cup title, in which he has a commanding 1,408-918 lead over Kristoffersen with nine races left.

In the women’s World Cup races in Crans-Montana (SUI), Italy’s Sofia Goggia won the Downhill for her first victory since the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, but there was plenty of confusion along the way.

Sweden’s Joana Haehlin ended up second for her first career World Cup medal, but the timing and scoreboard system malfunctioned and didn’t show the run time for several athletes.

Swiss Timing released a statement that noted that “The problem was due to connection issues between the infrastructure installed on the finish line and the timekeeping room. Consequently, the electronic timekeeping did not stop the finish time automatically for some of the competitors. …

“Despite the fact that the results were not displayed accurately in the finish area or on television, a manual backup timing system was used for the athletes that were affected as per FIS rules.”

The timing issues got fixed for Sunday’s Combined, won by Italy’s Federica Brignone, who also won the seasonal title as this was the only Combined held this season!

American Mikaela Shiffrin is taking a rest and said she will skip the speed races in Russia next week and return for the Giant Slalom and Slalom – where she leads in the World Cup standings – at Spindleruv Mlyn (CZE) on 8-9 March. Summaries:

FIS Alpine World Cup
Bansko (BUL) ~ 22-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Combined: 1. Alexis Pinturault (FRA), 1:55.55 (3rd in Super-G + 6th in Slalom); 2. Marcel Hirscher (AUT), 1:56.23 (20+1); 3. Stefan Hadalin (1:56.24 (8+6); 4. Riccardo Tonetti (ITA), 1:56.66 (5+11); 5. Trevor Philp (CAN), 1:56/70 (27+1). Also in the top 25: 13. Ted Ligety (USA), 1:57.99 (28+9); … 17. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:58.27 (7+22); … 25. Bryce Bennett (USA), 1:59.67 (26+23).

Men’s Super-G: canceled due to heavy snow.

Men’s Giant Slalom: 1. Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR), 2:26.87; 2. Hirscher (AUT), 2:26.91; 3. Thomas Fanara (FRA), 2:27.26; 4. Pinturault (FRA), 2:27.36; 5. Zan Kranjec (SLO), 2:27.53. Also in the top 25: 9. Tommy Ford (USA), 2:28.76; … 16. Cochran-Siegle (USA), 2:29.61.

FIS Alpine World Cup
Crans-Montana (SUI) ~ 23-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Women’s Downhill: 1. Sofia Goggia (ITA), 1:29.77; 2. Joana Haehlin (SUI), 1:30.13; 3. Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:30.22; 4. Nicole Schmidhofer (AUT), 1:30.29; 5. Corinne Suter (AUT), 1:30.36. Also in the top 25: 19. Alice Merryweather (USA), 1:31.94.

Women’s Combined: 1. Federica Brignone (ITA), 2:15.20 (1st in Downhill + 8th in Slalom); 2. Roni Remme (CAN), 2:15.28 (6+1); 3. Wendy Holdener (SUI), 2:16.24 (11+4); 4. Rahel Kopp (SUI), 2:16.74 (17+5); 5. Patrizia Dorsch (GER), 2:17.01 (21+3).

ATHLETICS: Quigley outlasts Houlihan for upset win and first national title

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. Indoor Mile champ Colleen Quigley

American distance ace Shelby Houlihan had a lot going for her coming into the USATF National Indoor Championships at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Center in Staten Island, New York on Saturday.

She had won the 1,500 m/mile and 3,000 m/two-mile at the last two U.S. Indoors and had just come off of a U.S. Cross Country title earlier in the month. But she hadn’t run on a track since last September, so no one knew exactly what to expect.

Colleen Quigley, on the other hand, had run brilliantly in her one indoor race, a 4:22.86 second place at the Millrose Games.

Quigley said she felt good coming into the race and took charge with about 600 m to go on the 200 m banked track. With two laps to go, Quigley had the initiative, just only by a strike ahead of Nikki Hiltz and Houlihan had positioned herself well for her patented kick at the end.

But at the bell, Quigley was still in front , with Houlihan a half-second behind. But instead of a Houlihan pass, Quigley extended her lead down the final backstraight and charged home for her first national title in 4:29.7 to 4:29.92 for Houlihan. It was the first loss in a national championship final for Houlihan since 2016.

That was the competitive highlight of the second of three days at the U.S. Indoors, with three world-leading marks set:

● Men’s Two Mile: 8:25.29, Drew Hunter
● Men’s Weight: 24.12 m (79-1 3/4), Daniel Haugh
● Women’s 300 m: 35.95, Brittany Brown

Two of the 2018 winners defended their titles:

● Men’s 3000 m Walk: Nick Christie
● Women’s High Jump: Vashti Cunningham

Cunningham’s win was especially significant, as it was her fourth in a row – at age 21! – and tied Eleanor Montgomery (1966-69) and Jean Shiley (1929-32) as the only women to take four indoor high jump titles in a row.

Embed from Getty Images

Rio shot put champ Ryan Crouser, already the world leader at 22.33 m (73-3 1/4), won his first U.S. Indoor title at 22.22 m (72-10 3/4), the 10th-longest throw of all time indoors.

The men’s two mile was a stunner, as Drew Hunter, 21, had no qualifying mark and was placed in the slower of the two heats. He won by more than 13 seconds at 8:25.29, the world leader, and then watched the “A” final, where the pace was slow and Eric Avila won in 8:32.41, making Hunter the national champ … by more than seven seconds!

A new U.S. indoor high school record was set by Athing Mu of Trenton Central (New Jersey) HS in the heats of the women’s 600 m at 1:26.23, which turned out to be the fastest time in the field.

Prize money is $6,000-4,000-2,500-1,500-1,000 for the top five places. The meet continues tomorrow; NBCSN has coverage from 4-6 p.m. Eastern time. Summaries through Saturday:

USATF National Indoor Championships
New York, New York (USA) ~ 22-24 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

300 m-Race I: 1. Dontavius Wright, 32.81; 2. Brycen Spratling, 33.59. Race II: 1. Manteo Mitchell, 33.54 (second overall); 2. John Lundy, 33.69; 3. Jason Crow, 34.01; 4. Cole Lambourne, 34.06.

Two Mile: 1. Andrew Hunter, 8:25.29 (race 1-1); 2. Eric Avila, 8:32.41 (race 2-1); 3. Tripp Hurt, 8:32.72 (2-2); 4. Dillon Maggard, 8:33.28 (2-3); 5. Sean McGorty, 8:33.41 (2-4); 6. Brian Barraza, 8:33.99 (2-5); 7. Jacob Thomsen, 8:34.64 (2-6); 8. Travis Mahoney, 8:35.33 (2-7).

3,000 m Walk: 1. Nick Christie, 11:35.34; 2. Emmanuel Corvera, 11:49.25; 3. John Cody Risch, 11:57.26; 4. Anthony Peters, 12:18.80; 5. Richard Luettchau, 13:18.49; only finishers.

High Jump: 1. Jeron Robinson, 2.24 m (7-4 1/4); 2. Avion Jones, 2.21 m (7-3); 3. Kristopher Kornegay-Gober, 2.18 m (7-1 3/4); 4. JaCorian Duffield, 2.18 m (7-1 3/4); 5. Noah VanderVeen, 2.18 m (7-1 3/4); 6. Bradley Atkins, 2.13 m (6-11 3/4); 7. Trey Culver, 2.13 m (6-11 3/4); 8. Jalen Ramsey, 2.08 m (6-9 3/4).

Pole Vault: 1. Andrew Irwin, 5.80 m (19-0 1/4); 2. Scott Houston, 5.61 m (18-4 3/4); 3. Max Babits, 5.51 m (18-4 3/4); 4. Austin Miller, 5.41 m (17-9); 5. tie, Dylan Bell, Kyle Pater and Cole Walsh, 5.41 m (17-9); 8. Garrett Starkey, 5.41 m (17-9).

Long Jump: 1. Jordan Downs. 7.73 m (25-4 1/2); 2. Malik Moffett, 7.69 m (25-2 3/4); 3. Josh Colley, 7.53 m (24-8 1/2); 4. Will Williams, 7.45 m (24-5 1/2); 5. Kenneth Glenn, 7.44 m (24-5); 6. Charles Brown, 7.21 m (23-8); 7. Roderick Townsend, 7.20 m (23-7 1/2); 8. Corey Muggler, 7.18 m (23-6 3/4).

Shot Put: 1. Ryan Crouser, 22.22 m (72-10 3/4); 2. Joe Kovacs, 21.40 m (70-2 1/2); 3. Josh Awotunde, 20.63 m (67-8 1/4); 4. Curtis Jensen, 20.03 m (65-8 3/4); 5. William Pless, 20.00 m (65-7 1/2); 6. Alex Renner, 19.07 m (62-6 3/4); 7. Lucas Warning, 18.85 m (61-10 1/4); 8. Coy Blair, 18.78 m (61-7 1/2).

Weight: 1. Daniel Haugh, 24.12 m (79-1 3/4); 2. Conor McCullough, 23.98 m (78-8 1/4); 3. Alex Young, 23.67 m (77-8); 4. Sean Donnelly, 23.38 m (76-8 1/2); 5. Daniel Roberts, 23.19 m (76-1); 6. Grant Cartwright, 23.12 m (75-10 1/4); 7. Colin Dunbar, 22.95 m (75-3 1/2); 8. Michael Shanahan, 22.57 m (74-0 3/4).

Heptathlon: 1. Tim Ehrhardt, 5,868; 2. Solomon Simmons, 5,766; 3. Jack Flood, 5,701; 4. Teddy Frid, 5,671; 5. Alex Bloom, 5,631; 6. Curtis Beach, 5,467; 7. Samuel Black, 5,404; 8. Phillip Bailey, 5,352.

Women

300 m-Race I: 1. Brittany Brown, 35.95; 2. Gabby Thomas, 35.98; 3. Kayla Davis, 37.46. Race II: 4. Faith Dismuke, 38.28; 5. Asha Ruth, 38.46; 6. Rachel McCoy, 38.80.

Mile: 1. Colleen Quigley, 4:29.47; 2. Shelby Houlihan, 4:29.92; 3. Cory McGee, 4:30.14; 4. Shannon Osika,4:31.05; 5. Nikki Hiltz, 4:32.40; 6. Elinor Purrier, 4:32.69; 7. Eleanor Fulton, 4:33.47 (Race 2-1.); 8. Grace Barnett, 4:33.63 (Race 2-2).

High Jump: 1. Vashti Cunningham, 1.96 m (6-5); 2. Ty Butts, 1.88 m (6-2); 3. Amina Smith, 1.88 m (6-2); 4. Jelena Rowe, 1.83 m (6-0); 5. Inika McPherson, 1.83 m (6-0); 6. Michelle Spires, 1.78 m (5-10); 7. Melanie Winters, 1.73 m (5-8); 8. Juanita Webster-Freeman, 1.73 m (5-8).

Long Jump: 1. Kate Hall, 6.51 m (21-4 1/4); 2. Quanesha Burks, 6.39 m (20-11 3/4); 3. Kenyattia Hackworth, 6.39 m (20-11 3/4); 4. Kendell Williams, 6.33 m (20-9 1/4); 5. Jessie Gaines, 6.27 m (20-7); 6. Tristine Johnson, 6.13 m (20-1 3/4); 7. Melanie Winters, 6.02 m (19-9); 8. Erica Graham, 5.65 m (18-6 1/2).

Weight: 1. Janeah Stewart, 24.80 m (81-4 1/2); 2. Deanna Price, 24.52 m (80-5 1/2); 3. Kaitlyn Long, 23.19 m (76-1); 4. Annette Echikunwoke, 22.97 m (75-4 1/2); 5. Jeneva Stevens, 22.89 m 975-1 1/4); 6. Brooke Andersen, 22.25 m (73-0); 7. Michaela Dendinger, 21.10 (69-2 3/4); 8. Christina Macdonald, 18.49 m (60-8).

Pentathlon: 1. Kendell Williams, 4,496; 2. Emilyn Dearman, 4,356; 3. Anna Hall, 4,302; 4. Juanita Webster-Freeman, 4,255; 5. Annie Kunz, 4,243; 6. Riley Cooks, 4,106; 7. Kendall Gustafson, 4,101; 8. Shaina Burns, 4,085.

SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Friday, 22 January 2019

By
Rich Perelman
-

Welcome to The Sports Examiner SPEED READ, a 100 mph (44.7 m/s) review of what happened over the last 96 hours in Olympic sport:

LANE ONE

Wednesday: It’s worth taking time out to appreciate the greatness of American skiing ace Mikaela Shiffrin. She’s not only the finest women’s skier in the world, but at just 23, is in a position to set standards that could last for decades!

Friday: Sports and politics aren’t supposed to mix, but they do and are mixing badly. But even with continuous issues with countries refusing to allow athletes to compete from nations it doesn’t like – the latest is India’s refusal to allow Pakistani shooters to compete in the ISSF World Cup – the IOC’s backbone appears to be stiffening. This is a good development, and the International Paralympic Committee should get credit too.

THE BIG PICTURE

Tuesday: USA Gymnastics hired another chief executive, this time from the NBA, with a strong background in gymnastics – as a competitor – and already has experience working with a U.S. National Governing Body. Li Li Leung comes to USAG from a global sponsorships position with the NBA: excellent credentials to get the federation moving forward.

Thursday: The Paris 2024 organizers announced that they will ask the IOC to approve four added sports for its Games: Skateboarding, Sport Climbing, Surfing and Breakdancing. There are good reasons to add these sports, and to turn away sports like Baseball/Softball, Karate and others.

Friday: The International Boxing Association (AIBA) passed several noteworthy rule changes in its Executive Board meeting in Turkey, especially the introduction of a procedure to challenge bad judging decisions right after a bout is completed. But the federation is also still whining about its suspension by the IOC, by asking why the qualification procedure for Tokyo 2020 is not yet complete.

ALPINE SKIING

Monday: A record-tying 14th win in this World Cup season for American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, in the City Event in Stockholm (SWE).

ATHLETICS

Wednesday: Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen upset new 1,500 m world-record setter SamuelTefera (ETH) in the 1,500 m in the Dusseldorf World Indoor Tour meet. Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) laimed a world-leading time of 7.02 in the women’s 60 m, beating prior world leader Ewa Swoboda (POL).

Thursday: Preview of the USATF National Indoor Championships start Friday, and are back in New York – Staten Island this time – for the first time since 2002. The fields include five 2019 world indoor leaders and 10 defending champions, including double defender (1,500/3,000 m) Shelby Houlihan.

PREVIEWS

● Alpine Skiing: World Cup resumes in Bansko (men) and Crans-Montana (women)
● Badminton: Spanish Masters in Barcelona
● Basketball: Final qualifying matches in the Americas sector
● Bobsled & Skeleton: Final World Cup of the season in Calgary
● Fencing: First Sabre Grand Prix of the season, in Cairo
● Freestyle: World Cups in Aerials (Minsk), Ski Cross (Sunny Valley), Moguls (Tazawako)
● Gymnastics: First Artistic World Cup in Melbourne
● Judo: Grand Slam in Dusseldorf
● Luge: Final World Cup of the season in Sochi
● Nordic Skiing: World Championships are underway in Seefeld
● Shooting: First ISSF World Cup of the season, in New Delhi
● Snowboard: Parallel World Cup season titles on the line in Secret Garden
● Speed Skating: World Sprint Championships in Heerenveen

UPCOMING

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

● Cycling: UCI World Track Championships in Pruszkow, Poland

● Football: U.S. women in the She Believes Cup vs. Japan and England

● Nordic Skiing: World Championships in Cross Country, Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping

We’ll have coverage of a busy week, with 26 events on the international calendar!

THE BIG PICTURE: Boxing federation implements judging challenge rule

By
Rich Perelman
-

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) completed two days of Executive Committee meetings in Istanbul (TUR), with a significant modification to its competition format that recognizes the continuing frustration with refereeing and judging at its championship events.

AIBA’s statement noted that “the new protest bout rule was passed with unanimous support, this new rule featuring a video review scheme will introduce the right of a national federation to make a protest onsite at the competition should they believe that a judging decision was made incorrectly. Similar rules have been adapted by other sport organisations, such as the International Tennis Federation.”

The specifics of the rule weren’t disclosed, but having a way to reverse obvious bad decisions is a positive move forward, and completes a project that surfaced last September during the Asian Games in Indonesia. Two North Korean boxing coaches refused to leave the ring after a controversial decision went against their fighter, just the latest protest against bad judging.

During that event, AIBA executive director Tom Virgets (USA) said in an interview, “AIBA has a responsibility to ensure fair play and we’re going to make sure that happens. We’re going to have a protest committee in place because even in the best of times there will be [controversial] decisions, officials get tired, it’s like any other sport that is subjective.”

“No protest is [currently] permitted and the decisions of the referee in a bout are final. Years ago we had a right to protest. [AIBA] felt it was being abused. They removed it from the rules. I think we swung the pendulum too far. We should have just corrected the process to get rid of the abuses, instead we did away with the protests. I think that increased the problems, because it increased the frustration by not having any avenue to see if a perceived wrong could be corrected.”

“Now the AIBA executive committee has voted to have a protest allowed and right now we are investigating different tools to use in order to have an appropriate process. The technical rules committee is working on that and in the very near future we are going to see this rule implemented across all out competitions.”

AIBA also approved allowing hijabs to be work by boxers for religious reasons and formed an Athlete’s Committee, but both of these needed to be done to stay in the good graces of the IOC in advance of its Executive Committee meeting in March, when AIBA’s status will be reviewed again.

However, AIBA’s summary of the Executive Committee meeting included more whining about not having an agreed-on schedule for Olympic qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Games. The summary quoted Vice President Franco Falcinelli (ITA): “Is it really in the best interest of our athletes or the so-called protection for our boxers and our sport to wait until the end of June for them to know their participation to the Olympic Games? […] why put boxing’s presence in the Olympic Games in strong doubts for so long?”

This is silly and will not help AIBA with the IOC. Even a glance at the qualification process for the 2016 Rio Games showed that the qualifying events primarily included the men’s World Championships in the year before the Rio Games, the 2016 women’s World Championships and six qualifying tournaments held between March and July, 2016.

There is plenty of time. The 2019 World Championships will be held in Russia, from 7-21 September for the men (in Yekaterinburg) and 3-13 October for the women (in Ulan Ude).

LANE ONE: Think politics and sports don’t mix? They mix, but pretty badly right now

By
Rich Perelman
-

During his 20-year term as the head of the International Olympic Committee, Avery Brundage often insisted that “sports and politics don’t mix.”

He found out, to his horror and that of the entire world, that they do mix and can mix very badly, as Palestinian terrorists murdered 11 members of the Israeli Olympic delegation at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, just as his term was ending.

They have been mixing and mixing and mixing ever since. Boycotts in 1976, 1980 and 1984, an incredibly delicate situation to avoid another in 1988 in Korea and then a period of relative calm.

But we are back to the bad old days in multiple ways:

● After a car bombing in India by a Pakistan-based militant group that killed more than 40 people, India promised retaliation and, as part of its reaction, refused to issue entry visas for two Pakistani shooters for the Int’l Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup starting in New Delhi.

The ISSF and the organizing committee tried to resolve the issue and couldn’t do it in time, so the International Olympic Committee withdrew recognition for the 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol event for Olympic qualification. It was the only event that the two Paktistani shooters were entered.

The IOC issued a statement, noting in part, “As a result, the IOC Executive Board also decided to suspend all discussions with the Indian NOC and government regarding the potential applications for hosting future sports and Olympic-related events in India, until clear written guarantees are obtained from the Indian government to ensure the entry of all participants in such events in full compliance with the rules of the Olympic Charter – and to recommend that the IFs neither award to nor hold sports events in India until the +above-mentioned guarantees are obtained.”

● The two Koreas continue to work together in the sports area, with plans being made for joint teams in a few sports for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and a joint Korean bid for Seoul and Pyongyang for 2032.

The IOC was all smiles on this one, praising the continued cooperation between the two countries, and adding “Even though the candidature process for 2032 has not yet started, the IOC welcomes this initiative and is prepared to assist the two Koreas to further develop this project. In this regard, the IOC stands ready to place its expertise at their disposal, and would welcome a visit to the IOC by a joint working group to explore the possibilities.”

But the highly-respected GamesBids.com site noted the obvious: “North Korea would have to address several formidable obstacles that would prevent the embattled nation from even being considered to host Olympic events. Issues with human rights and trade sanctions top the exhaustive list, and on Thursday the World Anti-Doping Agency declared North Korea’s lab non-compliant – a violation that could come with additional sanctions preventing its athletes from participating in the Olympics.”

● The political agendas of multiple continue to cause issues for athletes, especially from Israel and Kosovo.

Spain of all places refused to allow Kosovo karatekas to compete in the World Championships in Madrid last November. IOC Deputy Director Pere Miro said “If the Spanish Government are not [able] to guarantee the access not only to Kosovo but to every athlete to compete, we should warn all international federations that, until this is solved, they should not hold international competitions there.”

Israel has had this problem for decades, but are getting some help from International Federations like the International Judo Federation. It pulled tournaments from Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates because of its discriminatory policies against Israel, and then went ahead and awarded Israel a Grand Prix tournament of its own. The UAE backed down and allowed Israeli athletes to compete like all others at the reinstated Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last November.

● The Ukraine has hardly forgotten the annexation of the Crimea region by Russia in 2014. It will not field a team for the Winter World University Games in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, taking place from 2-12 March.

Interestingly, the head of the federation for university sport (FISU), led by a Russian professor, said there would be no penalty imposed on the Ukrainian federation.

There is a lot of speculation already about the selection of the 2032 Olympic host city, with Los Angeles already set for 2028. The vote on 2032 won’t come until 2025, so it’s mostly a waste of time. But the bidders are already lining up and in addition to familiar sites like Australia, Germany, maybe Argentina and even Russia, there are also political problem children like North Korea, now India, also Indonesia, and China.

Politics and sports are forever going to be together and the real question is how the IOC – as the leader of the international sports world, a role it knows it owns – is dealing with it. They set the standard and many others, especially the International Federations, follow.

And it appears the IOC’s position is hardening. Miro’s comments concerning Spain mentioned possibly “warning” federations not to hold events in offending countries. Thursday’s IOC statement about India was definitive: no discussions about future IOC events and “recommend that the IFs neither award to nor hold sports events in India” until it guarantees entry for everyone.

There are plenty of folks who don’t like the IOC, or any governing body, for their own reasons, whether real or imagined. But IOC chief Thomas Bach likes to talk about the organization as “values based” and the political arena is a perfect venue to demonstrate this.

The IOC isn’t a country, does not issue visas and has no army, navy or air force. But the popularity of the Olympic Games and the worldwide impact of sports allow the IOC to have considerable influence in making countries behave … if they want to take part.

And almost everyone wants to take part. So this is the IOC’s chance to set the rules and enforce them, not only against countries, but also the international federations. Maybe it can show that while politics and sports are all part of the same mix, maybe sports can be a time to put politics aside.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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