WATER POLO: U.S. finishes undefeated to win Women’s World Cup

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September 10, 2018

The 2018 FINA women’s Water Polo World Cup ended the way the last two did: with the United States on the top step of the podium.

The Americans finished an undefeated tournament with an 8-5 win over a previously-undefeated Russia in the final. The U.S. got out to a 5-2 lead in the first half and cruised home, with multiple goals from Margaret Steffens (3) and Jamie Neushul (2).

Said Steffens, named Most Valuable Player in the tournament, “We wanted to play Russia this whole time. We got mentally prepared for the battle. No matter of the score we had, we always kept on fighting and they never gave up. I love that about Russia. We had to play all our 11 players to be competitive.

“The gold medal game got very exciting. The ball was always moving, there was a lot of pressure, an the tempo of the game was high. a very good experience and a very good exposure for water polo.”

In all, the U.S. won six games by a combined score of 95-21 or an average of 16-4. After winning its group with a 3-0 record (61-6 goal margin), Adam Krikorian’s team defeated China (15-5), Spain (11-5) and the Russians to win its fourth overall title.

Australia won the bronze medal by 9-8 over Spain, the 12th medal for Oz in the 17 editions of this tournament.

The final standings:

1. United States
2. Russia
3. Australia
4. Spain
5. China
6. Canada
7. New Zealand
8. South Africa

Anna Espar (ESP) was the top scorer; the best goalkeeper was Asheligh Johnson (USA).

SHOOTING: Balance of power at ISSF Worlds

By

Rich Perelman

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September 10, 2018

The wealth is being spread pretty evenly at the ISSF World Championships in Changwon (KOR).

In comparison to prior Worlds, where one or two countries dominated, the nine individual Olympic events already decided have had winners from seven countries.

Only Korea and Russia have won two events: Jong-Oh Jin in the 10 m Air Pistol and Hana Im in the 10 m Air Rifle for Korea and Sergey Kamenskiy (10 m Air Rifle) and Yulia Karimova in the women’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions for Russia.

The U.S. won its first individual medal with a bronze from Michael McPhail in the men’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions. In addition, the American squad won a silver in the men’s Trap and a bronze in women’s Trap.

The 2018 championships continue through 15 September. It’s also the start of the Olympic qualification cycle for Tokyo as 60 quota places – generally the top four in each event – will be assigned for the 2020 Games. The remaining senior-level events and finals schedule:

∙ 10 September: Men’s 25 m Rapid Fire Pistol
∙ 11 September: Women’s Skeet
∙ 14 September: Men’s Skeet

The ISSF has exceptional coverage on its Web site here. Summaries so far:

ISSF World Championships
Changwon (KOR) ~ 31 August-15 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men

10 m Air Pistol: 1. Jong-Oh Jin (KOR), 241.5; 2. Artem Chernousov (24.15), 241.5 (Jin won shoot-off: 10.3-9.5); 3. Dae-Myung Lee (KOR), 220.6; 4. Pavlo Korostylov (UKR), 198.5; 5. Ruslan Lunev (AZE), 177.7; 6. Seung-Woo Han (KOR), 158.8; 7. Quoc Cuong Tran (VIE), 136.9; 8. Abhishek Verma (IND), 118.0.

Team 10 m Air Pistol: 1. Korea (Dae. Lee, Jin, S. Han), 1,747; 2. India (Verma, Mitharval, Rizvi), 1,738; 3. Russia (Chernousov, Koulakov, Gourianov), 1,736; 4. Vietnam, 1,731; 5. Serbia, 1,729; 6. Ukraine, 1,729; 7. China, 1,726; 8. Italy, 1,726. Also: 17. United States (Nick Mowrer, Jerson Herndon, James Hall), 1,710.

10 m Running Target/Final: 1. Jesper Nyberg (SWE), 6; 2. Maxi Stepanov (RUS), 3. Third: Vladislav Prianishnikov (RUS), 6; 4. Lukasz Czapla (CZE), 4.

Team 10 m Running Target: 1. Russia (Prianishnikov, Stepanov, Shchepotkin), 1,734; 2. DPR Korea, 1,722; 3. Sweden, 1,718; 4. Finland, 1,696; 5. Korea, 1,685; 6. Hungary, 1674; 7. China, 1,674; only entrants.

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Sergey Kamenskiy (RUS), 248.4; 2. Petar Gorsa (CRO), 247.5; 3. Miran Maricic (CRO), 227.3; 4. Zicheng Hui (CHN), 206.1; 5. Hoaran Yang (CHN), 185.7; 6. Deepak Kumar (IND), 164.1; 7. Mahyar Sedaghat (IRI), 143.0; 8. Taeyun Nam (KOR), 121.4.

Team 10 m Air Rifle: 1. China (Yang, Hui Yu), 1,887.4 (World Record; old, 1,886.5, China, 2014); 2. Russia (Kamenskiy, Maslennikov, Dryagin), 1,884.0; 3. Korea (Nam, Kim, Song), 1,878.5; 4. India, 1,878.4; 5. Croatia, 1,878.3; 6. Japan, 1,877.6; 7. Hungary, 1,876.6; 8. Iran, 1,875.9. Also: 17. United States (Bryant Wallizer, Dempster Christiansen, Lucas Kozeniesky), 1,866.0.

50 m Rifle/3 Positions: 1. Tomasz Bartnik (POL), 460.4; 2. Petar Gorsa (CRO), 457.4; 3. Michael McPhail (USA), 446.9; 4. Henrik Larsen (NOR), 437.0; 5. Haoran Yang (CHN), 427.4; 6. Zicheng Hui (CHN), 416.4; 7. Vitali Bubnovich (BLR), 401.4; 8. Dane Sampson (AUS), 401.0.

Team 50 m Rifle/3 Positions: 1. Russia (Louginets, Maslennikov, Kamenskiy), 3,535 (World Record; old, 3,529, China, 2013); 2. China (Yang, Hui, Yao), 3,532; 3. Belarus (Shcherbatsevich, Chareika, Bobnovich), 3,526; 4. France, 3,522; 5. Austria, 3,516; 6. Norway, 3,513; 7. United States (Matt Emmons, Michael McPhail, Lucas Kozeniesky), 3,511; 8. Ukraine, 3,510.

Trap: 1. Alberto Fernandez (ESP), 48 (equals World Record, Fernandez, 2017); 2. Erik Varga (SVK), 47; 3. Abdulrahman Al Faihan (KUW), 32; 4. James Willett (AUS), 28; 5. Mauro de Filippis (ITA), 23; 6. Walton Eller (USA), 17.

Team Trap: 1. Kuwait (Abdul Al Faihan, Talai Alrashidi, Khaled Almudhaf), 360; 2. United States (Walton Eller, Grayson Davey, Casey Wallace), 360; 3. Italy (De Filippis, Pellielo, Grazini), 360; 4. Russia, 359; 5. Croatia, 358; 6. Czech Republic, 357; 7. Portugal, 356; 8. Slovakia, 355.

Women

10 m Air Pistol: 1. Anna Korakaki (GRE), 241.1; 2. Zorana Arunovic (SRB), 239.8; 3. Bomi Kim (KOR), 218.8; 4. Qian Wang (CHN), 198.1; 5. Ranxin Jiang (CHN), 178.7; 6. Vitalina Batsarashkina (RUS), 157.2; 7. Klaudia Bres (POL), 136.9; 8. Minjung Kim (KOR), 116.5.

Team 10 m Air Pistol: 1. China (Jiang, Wang, Ji), 1,739 (World Record; new event); 2. Korea (Min. Kim, B. Kim, Kwak), 1,734; 3. Russia (Batsarashkina, Lomova, Medvedeva), 1,720; 4. India, 1,713; 5. France, 1,712; 6. Iran, 1,711; 7. Poland, 1,710; 8. Chinese Taipei, 1,708. Also: 14. United States (Sandra Uptagrafft, Lexi Lagan, Nathalia Granados), 1,700.

10 m Running Target/Final: 1. Olga Stepanova (RUS), 7; 2. Xue Yan Li (CHN), 5. Third: 3. Galina Avramenko (UKR), 6; 4. Ji Ye Ri (PRK), 3.

Team 10 m Running Target: 1. China (Li, Su, Huang), 1,673 (World Record; new event); 2. DPR Korea, 1,672; 3. Russia, 1,668; 4. Ukraine, 1,659; 5. Korea, 1,613; only entrants.

25 m Pistol: 1. Olena Kostevych (UKR), 37; 2. Batsarashkina (RUS), 37 (Kostevych won shoot-out, 4-4-3 to 4-4-2); 3. Doreen Vennekamp (GER), 31; 4. Chia Chen Tien (TPE), 26; 5. Monika Karsch (GER), 18; 6. Jungeun Lee (KOR), 16; 7. Aldana Said Almubarak (QAT), 11; 8. Xiu Hong Teh (SGP), 7.

Team 25 m Air Pistol: 1. China (Jiang, Lin, Yao), 1,746; 2. Korea (Lee, Kim, Kwak), 1,746; 3. Germany (Karsch, Vennekamp, Skeries), 1,744; 4. Poland, 1,741; 5. Bulgaria, 1,739; 6. India, 1,738; 7. Russia, 1,738; 8. France, 1,736. Also: 12. United States (Uptagrafft, Lagan, Brenda Silva), 1,726.

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Hana Im (KOR), 251.1; 2. Anjum Moudgil (IND), 248.4; 3. Eunhea Jung (KOR), 228.0; 4. Apurvi Chandela (INDZ0, 207.0; 5. Adele Tan (SGP), 184.3; 6. Ying-Shin Lin (TPE), 163.4; 7. Petra Zublasing (ITA), 142.9; 8. Isabella Straub (GER), 122.1.

Team 10 m Air Rifle: 1. Korea (Im, Jung, Keum), 1,886.2 (World Record; new event); 2. India (Moudgil, Chandela, Ghosh), 1,879.0; 3. Germany (Straub, Gschwandtner, Simon), 1,878.4; 4. Chinese Taipei, 1,878.2; 5. Mongolia, 1,877.3; 6. China, 1,876.5; 7. Russia, 1,875.6; 8. Romania, 1,873.5. Also: 16. United States (Sarah Beard, Minden Miles, Alison Weisz), 1,867.0.

50 m Rifle/3 Positions: 1. Yulia Karimova (RUS), 461.1; 2. Isabella Straub (GER), 459.5; 3. Snjezana Pejcic (CRO), 446.4; 4. Seonald McIntosh (GBR), 435.0; 5. Nina Christen (SUI), 424.4; 6. Xiangyan Wan (CHN), 414.3; 7. Jenny Stene (NOR), 404.7; 8. Franziska Peer (AUT), 400.9.

Team 50 m Rifle/3 Positions: 1. Germany (Straub, Beer, Orth), 3,521 (World Record; new event); 2. Denmark (Ibsen, Neilsen, Grundsoee), 3,518; 3. Russia (Kairmova, Khorosheva, Zykova), 3,511; 4. China, 3,510; 5. Norway, 3,503; 6. Korea, 3,501; 7. United States (Sarah Beard, Sagen Maddalena, Mackensie Martin), 3,493; 8. Austria, 3,491.

Trap: 1. Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova (SVK), 45; 2. Xiaojing Wang (CHN), 45 (Rehak Stefecekova won shoot-off, 3-2); 3. Silvana Stanco (ITA), 36; 4. Laetisha Scanlan (AUS), 30; 5. Chun Lin Yi (CHN), 25; 6. Beatriz Martinez (ESP), 19.

Team Trap: 1. Italy (Stanco, Rossi, Iezzi), 343 (World Record; new event); 2. Spain (Martinez, Galvez, Munoz), 342; 3. United States (Kayle Browning, Ashley Carroll, Aeriel Skinner), 339; 4. China, 338; 5. Chinese Taipei, 329; 6. Finland, 329; 7. Korea, 326; 8. India, 325.

Mixed

Team 10 m Air Pistol: 1. Vitalina Batsarashkina/Artem Chernousov (RUS), 488.1; 2. Qian Wang/Meng Yi Wang (CHN), 480.2; 3. Olena Kostevych/Oleh Omelchuk (UKR), 416.7; 4. Zorana Arunovic/Damir Mikec (SRB), 376.7; 5. Sonia Franquet/Pablo Carrera (ESP), 331.6.

Team 10 m Air Rifle: 1. Ruozhu Zhao/Haoran Yang (CHN), 500.9; 2. Mingyang Wu/Buhan Song (CHN), 500.6; 3. Anastasia Galashina/Vladimir Maslennikov (RUS), 434.2; 4. Laura-Georgeta Coman/Alin George Moldoveanu (ROU), 390.5; 5. Isabella Straub/Maximillian Dallinger (GER), 346.9.

Team Mixed Trap: 1. Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova/Erik Varga (SVK), 45; 2. Ekaterina Rabaya/Alexey Alipov (RUS), 40; 3. Kirsty Barr/Aaron Heading (GBR), 33; 4. Silvana Stanco/Mauro de Filippis (ITA), 28; 5. Jessica Rossi/Giovanni Pellielo (ITA), 22; 6. Safiye Sariturk/Oguzhan Tuzun (TUR), 18.

SWIMMING: Hosszu & Sjostrom win five each at Kazan World Cup

By

Rich Perelman

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September 10, 2018

tsx pix 81618 sjostrom sarah glasgow 2018 — Swedish swimming sprint superstar Sarah Sjostrom

OK, it’s on. The rule changes to the 30th edition of the FINA Swimming World Cup allow swimmers to compete in as many events as desired, but only the top three performances will count in the points standings for prizes.

Music to the ears of five-time winner Katinka Hosszu (HUN) and defending champion Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), who both had busy weekends at the Kazan Aquatic Palace (50 m pool) in Russia:

∙ Befitting her nickname as “The Iron Lady,” Hosszu competed in 10 individual events (!), winning the 400 m Freestyle, 200 m Backstroke, 200 m Butterfly, and the 200-400 m Medleys and finishing second in the 800 m Free and 50-100 Backs, third in the 200 m Free and eighth in the 50 m Fly plus swimming legs on both of the Mixed relays.

∙ Sjostrom was more selective, entering and winning the 50-100-200 m Frees and the 50-100 Flys for her five wins.

The FINA World Cup regulations do not cap the prize money at three events, so with $1,500-1,000-500-400-300-200 in individual events and $3,000-2,000-1,000 for relays, Hosszu won $11,500 to $7,500 for Sjostrom. But in the points standings, both received a maximum of 36 points for three wins, but Sjostrom got a bonus of 24 points for having the swim that earned the highest number of FINA points, her 23.83 World Cup record in the 50 m Free (Sjostrom had the top three point-scoring swims and four of the top six!). So, by our calculations, Sjostrom has a 60-36 points lead over Hosszu after one meet.

In the men’s events, both Russian Vladimir Morozov and Australian Mitch Larkin won three events:

∙ Morozov, the 2016 World Cup champion, took the 50-100 Frees and the 50 m Back and had the no. 2-ranked swim for his win in the 50 m Back in 24.43, for 54 points for the meet.

∙ Larkin won the 100-200 Backstrokes and the 200 m Medley for 36 points.

Only two U.S. swimmers competed, but Michael Andrew was everywhere, winning six medals, including a win in the 100 m Fly, seconds in the 50 m Free, 50-100 Backs and 50 m Fly, plus a third in the 50 m Breaststroke. That earned him 30 points and he got 12 bonus points for his third-ranked 24.49 in the 50 m Back, chasing Larkin home.

The other American in the meet was Blake Pieroni, the 2018 U.S. 100 m Free champ, who won the 200 m Free, was second to Morozov in the 100 m Free and fourth in the 50 m Free.

The World Cup circuit continues next week – 13-15 September – in Doha (QAT), the last of the World Cups in 50 m pools; the remaining five events will be in 25 m tanks. Summaries:

FINA World Cup no. 1
Kazan (RUS) ~ 7-9 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men

50 m Freestyle: 1. Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 21.49; 2. Michael Andrew (USA), 21.99; 3. Andrii Govonov (RUS), 22.03. Also: 4. Blake Pieroni (USA), 22.29.

100 m Free: 1. Morozov (RUS), 48.26; 2. Pieroni (USA), 48.30; 3. Pieter Timmers (BEL), 49.22.

200 m Free: 1. Pieroni (USA), 1:47.32; 2. Chad le Clos (RSA), 1:48.10; 3. Kyle Stolk (NED), 1:49.67.

400 m Free: 1. Iaroslav Potapov (RUS), 3:54.78; 2. Yuhang Wu (CHN), 3:55.13; 3. Daniel Dudas (HUN), 3:55.38.

1,500 m Free: 1. Potapov (RUS), 15:27.92; 2. Ilia Druzhinin (RUS), 15:34.53; 3. Dudas (HUN), 15:36.37.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Morozov (RUS), 24.43; 2. Andrew (USA), 24.49; 3. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 25.35.

100 m Back: 1. Larkin (AUS), 53.99; 2. Andrew (USA), 54.36; 3. Morozov (RUS), 55.08.

200 m Back: 1. Larkin (AUS), 1:57.23; 2. Dmitrii Maltcev (RUS), 2:00.78; 3. Maxim Tretyakov (RUS), 2:02.47.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Felipe Lima (BRA), 26.90; 2. Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 27.24; 3. Andrew (USA), 27.30.

100 m Breast: 1. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 59.53; 2. Lima (BRA), 59.73; 3. Arno Kamminga (NED), 59.99.

200 m Breast: 1. Chupkov (RUS), 2:07.59; 2. Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 2:09.75; 3. Mikhail Dorinov (RUS), 2:09.86.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Andrii Govorov (RUS), 22.87; 2. Andrew (USA), 23.19; 3. Morozov (RUS), 23.38.

100 m Fly: 1. Andrew (USA), 51.96; 2. Le Clos (RSA), 52.00; 3. Egor Kuimov (RUS), 52.00.

200 m Fly: 1. Le Clos (RSA), 1:56.58; 2. Daniil Pakhomov (RUS), 1:56.90; 3. David Verraszto (HUN), 1:59.03.

200 m Medley: 1. Larkin (AUS), 1:59.47; 2. Verraszto (HUN), 2:01.40; 3. Nikolay Solokov (RUS), 2:03.33.

400 m Medley: 1. Verraszto (HUN), 4:20.68; 2. Eduard Valiakhmetov (RUS), 4:24.57; 3. Nikolay Sokolov (RUS), 4:25.00.

Women

50 m Freestyle: 1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 23.83; 2. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24.55; 3. Femke Heemskerk (NED), 24.64.

100 m Free: 1. Sjostrom (SWE), 52.99; 2. Heemskerk (NED), 53.63; 3. Kromowidjojo (NED), 53.71.

200 m Free: 1. Sjostrom (SWE), 1:55.98; 2. Heemskerk (NED), 1:56.89; 3. Hosszu (HUN), 2:00.27.

400 m Free: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:12.09; 2. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN), 4:14.70; 3. Chanzhen Zhou (CHN), 4:16.11.

800 m Free: 1. Chanzhen Zhou (CHN), 8:35.03; 2. Hosszu (HUN), 8:46.48; 3. Jakabos (HUN), 8:59.53.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Kira Toussaint (NED), 28.18; 2. Hosszu (HUN), 28.37; 3. Mariia Kameneva (RUS), 28.38.

100 m Back: 1. Toussaint (NED), 59.80; 2. Hosszu (HUN), 1:00.77; 3. Tatiana Salcutan (MDA), 1:01.66.

200 m Back: 1. Hosszu (HUN), 2:10.13; 2. Irina Prikhodko (RUS), 2:11.00; 3. Salctuan (MDA), 2:11.42.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 30.92; 2. Natalia Ivaneeva (RUS), 31.33; 3. Agne Seleikaite (LTU), 31.54.

100 m Breast: 1. Efimova (RUS), 1:05.94; 2. Simonova (RUS), 1:07.56; 3. Daria Chikunova (RUS), 1:07.68.

200 m Breast: 1. Simonova (RUS), 2:23.86; 2. Chikunova (RUS), 2:25.29; 3. Agne Seleikaite (LTU), 2:34.34.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Sjostrom (SWE), 25.39; 2. Kromowidjojo (NED), 26.09; 3. Kimberly Buys (BEL), 26.11. Also: 8. Hosszu (HUN), 27.95.

100 m Fly: 1. Sjostrom (SWE), 57.42; 2. Buys (BEL), 58.33; 3. Alexandra Touretski (SUI), 59.17.

200 m Fly: 1. Hosszu (HUN), 2:08.93; 2. Jakabos (HUN), 2:09.13; 3. Lada Bragina (RUS), 2:18.88.

200 m Medley: 1. Hosszu (HUN), 2:12.71; 2. Jakabos (HUN), 2:14.81; 3. Sishi Zhang (CHN), 2:14.87.

400 m Medley: 1. Hosszu (HUN), 4:37.82; 2. Jakabos (HUN), 4:47.93; 3. Irina Krivonogova (RUS), 4:51.73.

Mixed

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. Netherlands (Stolk, Puts, Heemskerk, Kromowidjojo), 3:27.42; 2. Russia, 3:30.94; 3. Hungary, 3:26.21.

4×100 m Medley: 1. Netherlands (Toussaint, Kamminga, Goosen, Heemskerk), 3:46.10; 2. Russia, 3:47.77; 3. Hungary, 3:57.88.

Pilz and Schubert fast enough to win World titles

By

Rich Perelman

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September 10, 2018

Sport climbing is supposed to be about climbing, right? Well, sometimes it’s about speed.

Both the Men’s and Women’s Lead titles were won by which of two athletes got to the end first, as Jakob Schubert (AUT) and Adam Ondra (CZE) both cleared 36+ holds in the men’s event and Jessica Pilz (AUT) and Janja Garnbret (SLO) both climbed to the top of wall at the IFSC World Championships in Innsbruck (AUT).

In the end, the loud crowd in attendance was rewarded with two Austrian wins. For Schubert, it’s his second title after 2012 and he kept Ondra from winning his third straight title. Ondra defeated Schubert for the 2016 world title.

Pilz, who rocketed to the top of the climbing world – pun intended – this year, kept Garnbret from repeating as Lead champion and won her first title. Former champ Jain Kim (KOR) finished third to claim her fifth medal finish in the last six World Championships.

The Worlds continue through 15 September. Summaries so far:

IFSC World Championships
Innsbruck (AUT) ~ 6-16 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men

Lead: 1. Jakob Schubert (AUT), 36+; 2. Adam Ondra (CZE), 36+; 3. Alexander Megos (GER), 33.5; 4. Meichi Natasaki (JPN), 31+; 5. Domen Skofic (SLO), 29+; 6. tie, Jakub Konecny (CZE) and Tomoaki Takata (JPN), 29+; 8. Sascha Lehmann (SUI), 23; 9. Marcello Bombardi (ITA), 20+; 10. Kai Harada (JPN), 16+.

Women

Lead: 1. Jessica Pilz (AUT), Top; 2. Janja Garnbret (SLO), Top; 3. Jain Kim (KOR), 34+; 4. Mai Kotake (JPN), 33+; 5. Ashima Shiraishi (USA), 32; 6. Anak Verhoeven (BEL), 31+; 7. Mia Krampl (SLO), 31+; 8. tie, Akiyo Noguchi (JPN) and Hannah Schubert (AUT), 31+; 10. Laura Rogora (ITA), 24+.

MODERN PENTATHLON: Old friends reunite for men’s Relay World title

By

Rich Perelman

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September 10, 2018

The UIPM World Championships are being held in a unique, all-in-one, “pentathon stadium” in which all of the events – fencing, swimming, riding and the Laser Run – can be competed in and an event concluded in about five hours.

It’s a new concept that the UIPM will help preserve and grow the sport, which is quadrennially on the cutting edge of being eliminated from the Olympic Games. But this new facility, in Mexico City (MEX), is being used for the 2018 Worlds … and is so far a success.

The first events were the men’s and women’s team relays. The men’s duo of Alexandre Henrard and Valentin Belaud are hardly strangers: they won the World Junior Championships in this event in 2013. Trailing Jan Kuf and Martin Vlach (CZE) going into the Laser Run, but Belaud took the lead on the final lap to win the race and the title, adding to his individual World Championship from 2016.

The women’s relay also saw a come-from-behind finish as Anastasiya Prokopenko and Iryna Prasiantsova (BLR) started eight seconds back of Korea’s Soo Jin Yang and Juhye Choi, but ended up winning the event in 12:01.94 and taking the gold medal.

The Worlds continue with the individual event finals on the 12th and 13th; summaries so far:

UIPM World Championships
Mexico City (MEX) ~ 6-13 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men/Team Relay: 1. Alexandre Henrard/Valentin Belaud (FRA), 1,518; 2. Jan Kuf/Martin Vlach (CZE), 1,513; 3. Todor Mihalev/Yavor Peshleevski (BUL), 1,482; 4. Yaraslau Radziuk/Ilya Palazkov (BLR), 1,475; 5. Yu Zhang/Shuai Luo (CHN), 1,470; 6. Oleg Naumov/Egor Puchkarevskiy (RUS), 1,462; 7. Dmytro Baliuk/Dmytro Kirpulyanskyy (UKR), 1,459; 8. Pavel Ilyashenko/Vladislav Michshenko (KAZ), 1,452.

Women/Team Relay: 1. Anastasiya Prokopenko/Iryna Prasiantsova (BLR), 1,381; 2. Ronja Steinborn/Annika Schleu (GER), 1,364; 3. Sofia Cabrera/Sophia Hernandez (GUA), 1,353; 4. Yufei Bian/Xiaonan Zhang (CHN), 1,338; 5. Blanka Guzi/Michelle Gulyas (HUN), 1,322; 6. Soo Jin Yang/Juhye Choi (KOR), 1,317; 7. Pamela Zapata/Ayelen Zapata (ARG), 1,288; 8. Karol Gonzalez/ Catherine Mayran Oliver (MEX), 1,276. Also: 10. Naomi Ross/Sam Achtenberg (USA), 1,212.

Mixed/Team Relay: 1. Rebecca Langrehr/Fabrian Liebig (GER), 1,452; 2. Michelle Gulyas/Gergo Bruckmann (HUN), 1,427; 3. Emma Riff/Alexandre Henrard (FRA), 1.416; 4. Elena Potapenko/Pavel Ilyashenko (KAZ), 1,411; 5. Elishka Pribylova/Ondrej Polivka (CZE), 1.402; 6. Mingyu Zhang/Shuhuan Li (CHN), 1,399; 7. Anna Buriak/Oleg Naumov (RUS), 1,387; 8. Sergio Flores, Melissa Mireles (MEX), 1,380. Also: 13. Naomi Ross/Seamus Millett (USA), 1,311.

FREESTYLE SKI & SNOWBOARD: Corning scores World Cup win for a birthday present!

By

Rich Perelman

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September 10, 2018

tsx pix 2019-122 corning, chris 750 — World Snowboard Championships gold medalist Chris Corning (USA)

“I couldn’t ask for a better birthday. I haven’t done the quad since the Olympics and I’ve had a bad taste in my mouth since (finishing fourth there). I’ve been thinking about doing it and when I landed my first trick today I knew I had two chances to go for it.”

That was American Chris Corning, celebrating his 19th birthday in Cardrona (NZL) with a win in the FIS Snowboard World Cup – in September – in the Audi New Zealand Winter Games. It was his seventh World Cup medal and his fifth win overall, and his second in Big Air competitions.

Corning stood second to Japan’s World Junior Champion Takeru Itsuka after round one, but launched into a backside, quad-corked 1800 melon grab to earn a sensational 98.00 points – one of the highest scores ever – on his second try to essentially end the discussion about the gold medal.

In the Freestyle Big Air events, Swiss Andri Ragettli, the reigning World Cup champion, won the men’s event in a tight duel with Canada’s Evan McEachran, and countrywoman Elena Gaskell won her first World Cup medal by taking the women’s title. American Caroline Claire won her first Big Air medal in a World Cup and her fifth career World Cup medal.

Both the FreeSki and Snowboard athletes are off now until early November as far as World Cup competitions goes, when the season starts in earnest in Modena (ITA). Summaries:

FIS Freestyle World Cup
Cardrona (NZL) ~ 7 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men’s Big Air: 1. Andri Ragettli (SUI), 182.00; 2. Evan McEachran (CAN), 180.40; 3. Finn Bilous (NZL), 180.20; 4. Birk Ruud (NOR), 178.60; 5. James Woods (GBR), 176.40.

Women’s Big Air: 1. Elena Gaskell (CAN), 170.40; 2. Caroline Claire (USA), 147.80; 3. Yuki Tsubota (CAN), 146.00.

FIS Snowboard World Cup
Cardrona (NZL) ~ 8 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men’s Big Air: 1. Chris Corning (USA), 190.80; 2. Takeru Otsuka (JPN), 178.40; 3. Mons Roisland (NOR), 175.40; 4. Kyle Mack (USA), 166.00; 5. Clemens Millauer (AUT), 163.80.

Women’s Big Air: 1. Reira Iwabuchi (JPN), 174.40; 2. Miyabi Onitsuka (JPN), 169.40; 3. Klaudia Medlova (SVK), 118.40.

FOOTBALL: U.S. falls to Brazil, 2-0, in friendly

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

It was just a friendly match, played before 32,489 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, but Brazil brought 13 members of its 2018 World Cup quarterfinalist team to face a young American squad.

The result was a completely expected, 2-0 win for the visitors that extended Brazil’s lead in the all-time series to 18-1-0.

But the game was hardly the lopsided beating that some expected, especially with the U.S. fielding a team that averaged just 23 years old.

Nevertheless, both goals came in the first half, with Roberto Firmino scoring in the 11th minute off a cross by Douglas Costa to the back post that Firmino touched in for a 1-0 lead. Neymar scored on a penalty kick in the 43rd minute after Fabinho went down between two U.S. defenders in the box.

Brazil had 12 shots in the game and four on goal; the U.S. had 11 and two and nearly scored in the 72nd minute on a Wil Trapp shot that was touched aside by Brazilian keeper Alisson.

A learning experience, as interim coach Dave Sarachan continued with players who can help the U.S. move toward the 2022 World Cup and beyond.

The classes continue for the U.S. men’s team against Mexico on Tuesday (11th) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee (8:30 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN and Univision).

CYCLING: Stunning upset win by U.S.’s Courtney in XCO Worlds

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

American Kate Courtney, 23, entered the 2018 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships as an emerging contenders for world honors in the Cross Country Olympic (XCO) class. She ranked ninth in the Mountain Bike World Cup standings and had finished in the top 10 in all six races, with a high of sixth.

But at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Lenzerheide (SUI), she found herself chasing 2016 World Champion Annika Langvad (DEN) for the lead on the fourth lap. By the end of that circuit, she had the lead and with excellent riding over the remaining difficult, technical sections, forged a lead that even Langvad could not overcome and won by 47 seconds!

“It’s an absolute incredible feeling to win,” said Courtney afterwards. “I don’t know if it’s really sunk in yet. I was so focused on executing my race plan, and to look up at the finish and realize that I was first was an incredible feeling. I just focused on riding the cleanest lines I could, and I knew that was my opportunity.”

Langvad finished second and Canada’s Emily Batty was third for the second time in the past three years. It was the first medal for an American woman in this race since Lea Davison’s silver in 2016, but the first win since Alison Dunlap won back in 2001!

The men’s race had so such upset, as Swiss star Nino Schurter continued his complete domination of this discipline with his seventh world title and his fourth straight win. He finished 11 seconds ahead of Gerhard Kerschbaumer (ITA), who really emerged on this year’s circuit, with Mathieu van der Poel (NED) third.

The women’s Downhill saw another dynasty continue, as Britain’s Rachel Atherton came all the way back from last year’s injuries to win her fifth world title, ahead of teammate Tahnee Seagrave (GBR) and France’s Myriam Nicole, who won a medal in her third consecutive World Championships. Switzerland’s Loic Bruni repeated his World Championships win from 2017 and now has three world titles in the past four years.

The Worlds was a big success in Lenzerheide, with 20,000 spectators for the final day and more than 65,000 for the five days of the event. Summaries:

UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
Lenzerheide (SUI) ~ 5-9 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men/Cross Country (33.6 km): 1. Nino Schurter (SUI), 1:29:21; 2. Gerhard Kerschbaumer (ITA), 1:29:32; 3. Mathieu van der Poel (NED), 1:30:35; 4. Henrique Avancini (BRA), 1:31:14; 5. Florian Vogel (SUI), 1:31:15; 6. Mathias Flueckiger (SUI), 1:31:21; 7. Titouan Carod (FRA), 1:31:37; 8. Jordan Sarrou (FRA), 1:31:59; 9. Daniele Braidot (ITA), 1:32:06; 10. Thomas Litscher (SUI), 1:32:25. Also in the top 50: 15. Howard Grotts (USA), 1:33:45; … 46. Lukas Vrouwenvelder (USA), 1:37:08; 47. Keegan Swenson (USA), 1:37:09.

Men/Junior Cross Country (25.2 km): 1. Alexandre Balmer (SUI), 1:13:45; 2. Leon Kaiser (GER), 1:13:47; 3. Mathis Azzaro (FRA), 1:14:58; 4. Loris Rouiller (SUI), 1:15:07; 5. Moritz Schab (GER), 1:15:38. Also in the top 25: 13. Kevin Vermaerke (USA), 1:18:34.

Women/Cross Country (29.4 km): 1. Kate Courtney (USA), 1:34:55; 2. Annika Langvad (DEN), 1:35:42; 3. Emily Batty (CAN), 1:36:53; 4. Jolanda Neff (SUI), 1:37:08; 5. Maja Wloszcowska (POL), 1:38:10; 6. Haley Smith (CAN), 1:38:34; 7. Anne Tauber (NED), 1:39:03; 8. Elisabeth Brandau (GER), 1:39:15; 9. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (NOR), 1:39:24; 10. Irina Kalentyeva (RUYS), 1:39:42. Also in the top 50: 12. Erin Huck (USA), 1:40:00; … 24. Lea Davison (USA), 1:43:48

Women/Junior Cross Country (21.0 km): 1. Laura Stigger (AUT), 1:09:46; 2. Tereza Saskova (CZE), 1:12:49; 3. Harriet Harnden (GBR), 1:13:23; 4. Isaure Medde (FRA), 1:14:25; 5. Sofie Heby Pedersen (DEN), 1:14:50.

Men/Downhill: 1. Loic Bruni (SUI), 2:55.114; 2. Martin Maes (BEL), 2:55.327; 3. Danny Hart (GBR), 2:55.419; 4. Loris Vergier (FRA), 2:55.863; 5. Aaron Gwin (USA), 2:56.455; 6. Luca Shaw (USA), 2:57.308; 7. Laurie Greenland (GBR), 2:57.736; 8. Greg Minnaar (RSA), 2:57.788; 9. Troy Brosnan (AUS), 2:58.015; 10. Matt Walker (GBR), 2:58.508. Also in the top 50: 21. Dakotah Norton (GBR), 3:01.127; … 23. Charlie Harrison (USA), 3:01.230.

Men/Junior Downhill: 1. Kade Edwards (GBR), 3:03.225; 2. Kye A’Hern (AUS), 3:07.635; 3. Elliot Jamieson (CAN), 3:08.663; 4. Thibaut Daprela (FRA), 3:09.036; 5. Henry Kerr (GBR), 3:09.040. Also in the top 25: 25. Cole Suetos (USA), 3:17.762.

Women/Downhill: 1. Rachel Atherton (GBR), 3:15.738; 2. Tahnee Seagrave (GBR), 3:25.721; 3. Myriam Nicole (FRA), 3:26.414; 4. Marine Caribou (FRA), 3:31.701; 5. Tracey Hannah (AUS), 3:31.704; 6. Emilie Siegenthaler (SUI), 3:36.467; 7. Morgane Charre (FRA), 3:39.728; 8. Katy Curd (GBR), 3:40.854; 9. Nina Hoffmann (GER), 3:41.824; 10. Janine Hubscher (SUI), 3:44.869.

Women/Junior Downhill: 1. Valentina Hall (AUT), 3:29.726; 2. Anna Newkirk (USA), 3:50.607; 3. Mille Johnset (NOR), 3:56.420; 4. Nastasia Gimenez (FRA), 3:57.017; 5. Paula Zibasa (LAT), 4:00.988. Also in the top 25: 7. Samantha Soriano (USA), 4:09.714; … 9. Kaytlin Melvin (USA), 4:17.389.

CYCLING: Matthews takes both ends of Quebec doubleheader

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

The ninth annual men’s cycling doubleheader in Quebec (CAN) – the Grand Prix de Quebec in Quebec City and Grand Prix de Montreal – were all about Australia’s Michael Matthews, who won both races, becoming the second man to do so.

The two flat courses were tailor-made for sprinters and Matthews was the best – twice – in the mass rush for the finish line in both. In Quebec City, he consigned 2016 Olympic road race champ Greg van Avermaet (BEL) to his third straight silver medal in the race, and on Sunday, Matthews whipped past Italy’s Sonny Colbrelli just meters from the finish, with van Avermaet third.

Matthews’ fellow Australia, Simon Gerrans, was the only one to win both races in the same year – back in 2014 – and was in both races over the weekend.

Coming next (but after the Vuelta a Espana is concluded) is the UCI World Road Championships in Innsbruck (AUT) from 22-30 September. Summaries:

Grand Prix de Quebec
Quebec City (CAN) ~ 7 September 2018
(Full results here)

Final Standings (201.6 km): 1. Michael Mathews (AUS), 5:04:17; 2. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 5:04:17; 3. Jasper Stuyven (BEL), 5:04:17; 4. Timo Roosen (NED), 5:04:17; 5. Patrick Konrad (AUT), 5:04:17; 6. Zdenek Stybar (CZE), 5:04:17; 7. Arthur Vichot (FRA), 5:04:17; 8. Nathan Haas (AUS), 5:04:17; 9. Michael Valgren (DEN), 5:04:17; 10. Anthony Roux (FRA), 5:04:17. Also in the top 50: 24. Brandon McNulty (USA), 5:04:17; … 31. Nathan Brown (USA), 5:04:24.

Grand Prix de Montreal
Montreal (CAN) ~ 9 September 2018
(Full results here)

Final Standings (195.2 km): 1. Michael Matthews (AUS), 5:19:27; 2. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA), 5:19:27; 3. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 5:19:27; 4. Oliver Naesen (BEL), 5:19:27; 5. Timo Roosen (NED), 5:19:27; 6. Rio de Costa (POR), 5:19:27; 7. Diego Ulissi (ITA), 5:19:27; 8. Michael Valgren (DEN), 5:19:27; 9. Patrick Konrad (AUT), 5:9:27; 10. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR), 5:19:27. Also in the top 50: 16. Brandon McNulty (USA), 5:19:27; … 31. Nathan Brown (USA), 5:19:34.

CYCLING: Simon Yates now leads in Vuelta a Espana

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

The pre-race speculation about the 73rd La Vuelta a Espana centered around Britain’s Simon Yates, Spain’s Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana (COL) and along with Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez, those are the contenders – in order – heading into the final week of the race.

Yates took over with a powerful win in the difficult mountain stage 14 and the quartet held together during the brutal final climb up the Lagos de Covadonga on Sunday. So heading into Monday’s rest day and the Individual Time Trial on Tuesday, Yates is 26 seconds ahead of Valverde, 33 ahead of Quintana and 0:43 ahead of Lopez.

They appear to be the podium, as the final week has just one hilly stage, one mountain stage, the Individual Time Trial and three flat courses.

If Yates should win, it would be the fifth straight Grand Tour won by a British rider, after Chris Froome won three in a row (Tour de France-La Vuelta-Giro d’Italia) and Geraint Thomas won the 2018 Tour.

NBC has daily coverage of La Vuelta on either NBCSN or the NBC Olympic Channel, usually beginning at 9:30 or 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Summaries and stage notes:

UCI World Tour/La Vuelta a Espana
Spain ~ 25 August-16 September 2018
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (8.0 km Indiv. Time Trial): 1. Rohan Dennis (AUS), 9:39; 2. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL), 9:45; 3. Victor Campanaerts (BEL), 9:46; 4. Nelson Oliveira (POR), 9:56; 5. Dylan van Baarle (NED), 9:59. Also in the top 50: 15. Brent Bookwalter (USA), 10:02; … 21. Joey Rosskopf (USA), 10:07; … 24. Ben King (USA), 10:08.

Stage 2 (163.5 km): 1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), 4:13:01; 2. Kwiatkowski (POL), 4:13:01; 2. Laurens de Plus (BEL), 4:13:04; 4. Wilco Kelderman (NED), 4:13:04; 5. George Bennett (NZL), 4:13:04. Also in the top 50: 48. Ian Boswell (USA), 4:14:06.

Stage 3 (178.2 km): 1. Elia Viviani (ITA), 4:48:12; 2. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA), 4:48:12; 3. Peter Sagan (SVK), 4:48:12; 4. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA), 4:48:12; 5. Simone Consonni (ITA), 4:48:12.

Stage 4 (161.4 km): 1. King (USA), 4:33:12; 2. Nikita Stalnov (KAZ), 4:33:14; 3. Pierre Rolland (FRA), 4:33:25; 4. Luis Angel Mate (ESP), 4:33:20; 5. Ben Gastauer (LUX), 4:34:51. Also in the top 50: 27. Sepp Kuss (USA), 4:37:04.

Stage 5 (188.7 km): 1. Simon Clarke (AUS), 4:36:07; 2. Bauke Mollema (NED), 4:36:07; 3. Alessandro de Marchi (ITA), 4:36:07; 4. Davide Villella (ITA), 4:36:15; 5. Floris de Tier (BEL), 4:36:15. Also in the top 50: 16. Bookwalter (USA), 4:39:59; 17. Kuss (USA), 4:39:49; … 24. King (USA), 4:41:02.

Stage 6 (155.7 km): 1. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA), 3:58:35; 2. Danny van Poppel (NED), 3:58:35; 3. Elia Viviani (ITA), 3:58:35; 4. Consonni (ITA), 3:58:35; 5. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 3:58:35.

Stage 7 (185.7 km): 1. Tony Gallopin (FRA), 4:18:20; 2. Sagan (SVK), 4:18:25; 3. Valverde (ESP), 4:18:25; 4. Eduard Prades (ESP), 4:18:25; 5. Omar Fraile (ESP), 4:18:25. Also in the top 50: 10. Kuss (USA), 4:18:25; … 48. King (USA), 4:20:08.

Stage 8 (195.1 km): 1. Valverde (ESP), 4:35:54; 2. Sagan (SVK), 4:35:54; 3. Van Poppel (NED), 4:35:54; 4. Ion Izagirre (ESP), 4:35:54; 5. Nizzolo (ITA), 4:35:54. Also in the top 50: 47. King (USA), 4:35:54.

Stage 9 (200.8 km): 1. King (USA), 5:30:38; 2. Mollema (NED), 5:31:26; 3.Dylan Teuns (BEL), 5:33:16; 4. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL), 5:33:18; 5. Nairo Quintana (COL), 5:33:18. Also in the top 50: 20. Kuss (USA), 5:34:10.

Stage 10 (177.0 km): 1. Viviani (ITA), 4:08:08; 2. Sagan (SVK), 4:08:08; 3. Nizzolo (ITA), 4:08:08; 4. Nelson Andres Soto (COL), 4:08:08; 5. Marc Sarreau (FRA), 4:08:08. Also in the top 50: 27. Kiel Reiknen (USA), 4:08:08.

Stage 11 (207.8 km): 1. Di Marchi (ITA), 4:52:38; 2. Jhonatan Restrepo (COL), 4:53:06; 3. Franco Pellizotti (ITA), 4:52:37; 4. Nans Peters (FRA), 4:54:02; 5. Teuns (BEL), 4:54:23. Also in the top 50: 34. Kuss (USA), 4:55.21; 35. King (USA), 4:55:21.

Stage 12 (181.1 km): 1. Alexandre Geniez (FRA), 4:22:59; 2. Dylan van Baarle (NED), 4:22:59; 3. Mark Padun (UKR), 4:22:59; 4. Teuns (BEL), 4:22:59; 5. Campanaerts (BEL), 4:23:01. Also in the top 50: 40. Kuss (USA), 4:34:38.

Stage 13 (174.8 km): 1. Oscar Rodriguez (ESP), 4:17:05; 2. Rafal Majka (POL), 4:17:24; 3. Teuns (BEL), 4:17:35; 4. 4. Bjorg Lambrecht (BEL), 4:17:43; 5. Laurens de Plus (BEL), 4:17:48. Also in the top 50: 10. King (USA), 4:18:23; … 13. Rosskopf (USA), 4:18:44.

Stage 14 (171.0 km): 1. Simon Yates (GBR), 4:19:27; 2. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL), 4:19:29; 3. Valverde (ESP), 4:19:29; 4. Thibaut Pinot (FRA), 4:19:32; 5. Nairo Quintana (COL), 4:19:34.

Stage 15 (178.2 km): 1. Pinot (FRA), 5:01:49; 2. M.A. Lopez (COL), 5:01:17; 3. S. Yates (GBR), 5:01:19; 4. Valverde (ESP), 5:01:21; 5. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), 5:01:21.

Stage 16: 11 September Santillana del Mar to Torrelavega (Indiv. Time Trial: 32.0 km)
Stage 17: 12 September Getxo to Balcon de Bizkaia (157.0 km; hilly)
Stage 18: 13 September Ejea de los Caballeros to Lleida (186.1 km; flat)
Stage 19: 14 September Lleida to Andorra. Naturlandia (154.4 km; flat)
Stage 20: 15 September Escaldes-Engordany to Coll de la Gallina (97.3 km; mountains)
Stage 21: 16 September Alcorcon to Madrid (112.3 km; flat)

CANOE-KAYAK: Fox overcomes penalty for double seasonal titles

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

Australia’s Jessica Fox made the 2018 World Cup Slalom season all about her.

She started by winning both the C-1 and K-1 races in the first three World Cup of the season, an amazing feat considering that no one had won both in a single World Cup since she did it in 2013!

That put her in position to win both season titles and after a gold and silver medal in the fourth World Cup, she needed only modest finishes to collect both the C-1 and K-1 crowns. She had a tough time on Saturday, as she finished last in the K-1 after missing a gate and incurring a 50-second penalty … but even with Germany’s Ricarda Funk winning for the second straight week, Fox won the seasonal trophy in K-1 by a point.

Saturday’s stunning error didn’t influence her Sunday performance, as she returned to the top of the podium in the C-1 and won the seasonal title with ease, completing a perfect season of five wins in a row.

“It’s awesome, yesterday was the first time I’ve ever won the K-1 title, and to back it up today, it’s awesome to do the double,” Fox said. “It’s very rewarding. I’ve had a great season, I’m super happy with the way I’ve been paddling. But the season is not over yet, we’ve still got the World Championships, and that’s the most important one.”

Slovakia’s Alexander Slafkovsky won the men’s C-1 seasonal title; Czech Jiri Prskavec won the men’s K-1 World Cup title and Czechs Tereza Fiserova and Jakub Jane won the Mixed C-2 to win that seasonal title. Summaries:

ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Final
La Seu d’Urgell (ESP) ~ 7-9 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men/C-1: 1. Luca Bozic (SLO), 99.84 seconds; 2. Franz Anton (GER), 1:00.05; 3. Denis Gargaud-Chanut (FRA), 101.69.
Seasonal Standings: 1. Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK), 296; 2. Luca Bozic (SLO), 282; 3. Sideris Tasiadis (GER), 268.

Men/K-1: 1. Giovanni de Gennaro (ITA), 93.28; 2. Lucien Delfour (AUS), 93.87; 3. Jiri Prskavec (CZE), 95.62.
Seasonal Standings: 1. Jiri Prskavec (CZE), 304; 2. Mathieu Biazizzo (FRA), 242; 3. Vit Prindis (CZE) and Joseph Clarke (GBR), 222.

Women/C-1: 1. Jessica Fox (AUS), 111.14; 2. Mallory Franklin (GBR), 112.18; 3. Nadine Weratschnig (AUT), 114.72.
Seasonal Standings: 1. Jessica Fox (AUS), 360; 2. Mallory Franklin (GBR), 243; 3. Viktoria Wolffhardt (AUT), 242.

Women/K-1: Ricarda Funk (GER), 102.68; 2. Maialen Chourraut (ESP), 104.45; 3. Franklin (GBR), 105.34.
Seasonal Standings: 1. Jessica Fox (AUS), 3-3; 2. Ricarda Funk (GER), 302; 3. Corinna Kuhnle (AUT), 285.

Mixed/C-2: 1. Tereza Fiserova/Jakub Jane (CZE), 122.05; 2. Yves Prigent/Margaux Henry (FRA), 124.68; 3. Veronika Vojtova/Jas Masek (CZE), 126.06.
Seasonal Standings: 1. Fiserova/Jane (CZE), 335; 2. Prigent/Henry (FRA), 293; 3. Vojtova/Masek (CZE), 288.

ATHLETICS: Simpson claims seventh Fifth Avenue Mile title

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

No doubt about it: Jenny Simpson is the Queen of the Fifth Avenue Mile.

She used her tactical smarts once again to outfox a talented field and make the run from 80th Street to 60th Street in Manhattan in 4:18.8 to win her seventh Fifth Avenue Mile – and sixth in a row – over American Colleen Quigley by about a second.

The course was cool and rainy, but Simpson managed. “It’s kind of slick,” she told NBC after the race, “so I wanted to play into that apprehension and take it out hard and say, if you want to run this race, you’ve got to come with me. We’re going to risk it all, life and limb. Colleen was a really formidable opponent today. I saved a little for her.”

In the men’s race, defending champ (and three-time winner) Nick Willis (NZL) almost won a fourth title, but was beaten to the line by Britain’s Jake Wightman. Even with the tough conditions, the event was a historic success, with a record 7,704 total finishers in the many divisions. Summaries:

Fifth Avenue Mile
New York, New York (USA) ~ 9 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Jake Wightman (GBR), 3:53.5; 2. Nick Willis (NZL), 3:54; 3. Neil Gourley (GBR), 3:56; 4. Eric Avila (USA), 3:56; 5. Sam McEntee (AUS), 3:56.

Women: 1. Jenny Simpson (USA), 4:18.8; 2. Colleen Quigley (USA), 4:20; 3. Melissa Courtney (GBR), 4:21; 4. Emma Coburn (USA), 4:21; 5. Alexa Efraimson (USA), 4:21.

ATHLETICS: Americas wins 18 of 37 events and Continental Cup title

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

With a World Indoor Championships in March and the Commonwealth Games in April, this has been a long season for the world’s top track & field athletes and it showed at the IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava (CZE) over the weekend.

The winning marks were generally good, but the odd format of the meet detracted from the competition and made the event even more of a circus than a normal track meet! But there were plenty of highlights:

∙ There was one world-leading mark from the meet, the 8:27.50 in the 3,000 m by Dutch star Sifan Hassan. Remember, the 3,000 m and Steeples had the “devil-take-the-hindmost” format where the last-placed runner after three laps was shown a red card and had to leave the track, so there was some pressure on the pace in these races.

∙ In the sprints, American Noah Lyles came on at the end as usual to edge China’s Bigntian Su, 10.01-10.03, and Bahrain’s Abdalelah Haroun ran 44.72 to win the 400 m and set himself up next year’s showdowns with Michael Norman of the U.S. and Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas.

∙ In the elimination distance races, Paul Chelimo of the U.S. won the men’s 3,000 m (7:57.13) and Conseslus Kiptuto (KEN) won the Steeple in 8:22.55. It’s a nice win for Chelimo, whose tactical brilliance has brought him medals, but few victories. Maybe this will change in 2019.

∙ Sergey Shubenkov (RUS) won the 110 m Hurdles to secure his place as the best in the world for 2018 and Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba completed one of the greatest seasons of all time in the 400 m Hurdles, winning in 47.37. Samba finished his season with nine wins (in finals) and nine marks under 48 seconds, tying the seasonal record of Danny Harris (USA) in 1990 and Kevin Young (USA) in 1992.

∙ In the field events, Sam Kendricks won the vault at 5.85 m (19-2 1/2) and Christian Taylor won the triple jump at 17.59 m (57-8 1/2). Brazil’s Darlan Romani surprised New Zealand world leader Tom Walsh in the shot put at 21.89 m (71-10); American Ryan Crouser had the second-best mark at 21.63 m (70-11 3/4), but the goofy advancement rules of one per continent left him in fifth place!

∙ The women’s sprints confirmed the quality of Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) in the 100 m (11.15) and Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH: 22.16) and that anyone other than Miller-Uibo is going to have a hard time beating Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) in the 400 m. She won easily in 49.32, won 10 of her 11 races this season – losing only to Miller-Uibo – and ran under 50 seconds seven times, all at age 20.

∙ Who knows how the protest against the IAAF’s new rules against hydroandrogenism will come out, but South Africa’s Caster Semenya demonstrated again her prowess by running a national-record 49.62 for second in the 400 m, then came back on Sunday to win the 800 m from the front in 1:54.77, the eighth-fastest performance in history. She now owns of three of the top eight times ever.

∙ The women’s 1,500 m was slow, with Kenya’s Winny Chebet out-dueling American Shelby Houlihan, but Hassan was strong in the 3,000 m, but wasn’t enchanted with the elimination format. “I do not like the new format because we are not in high school anymore,” she said afterwards. Kenya’s world-record holder Beatrice Chepkoech kept up her hot running with a 9:07.92 win in the Steeple. She was very much aware of the elimination format.

“Yesterday when I saw the elimination run, I thought I had to run in front in order not to be in the eliminations. I was tired I must say after the season, but I did not want to set a slow pace and then speed up every lap to escape the elimination. I knew what was going on behind me because I was watching it on the screen.”

American Courtney Frerichs also stayed out of trouble for second in 9:15.22.

∙ In the field events, Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen became the first to win both the long jump and triple jump in the World Cup/Continental Cup. After a convincing win in the triple jump on Saturday (14.76 m/48-5 1/4), she came back with a national record 6.93 m (22-9) to win the long jump on Sunday.

The most glaring oddity of the shoot-out format of this event came in the discus, where Sandra Perkovic (CRO) threw 68.44 m (224-6) in the first round, easily the best of the day and qualifying her for the fourth round. She again led with 65.57 m (215-1) and moved to the fifth and final round again Cuba’s Yaime Perez. She then Perkovic fouled and Perez had a fair throw at 65.30 m (214-3) that made her the winner! According to the IAAF report on the event, Perkovic will get the $30,000 first prize for having the longest throw, but nowhere in the event regulations does it say that!

American DeAnna Price threw in only two meets during the summer, but was in good form in Ostrava, leading after three rounds, getting the best throw in round four and then winning the title in round five at 75.46 m (247-7) to beat Anita Wlodarczyk (POL: 73.45 m/240-11). Next on her schedules is her 13 October wedding to her coach, James Lambert!

There was a lot of interest in the team format from the athletes, but the continental team formula needs a lot of work to be useful in the future. The prize money was $30,000-15,000-10,000-7,000-5,000-3,000-2,000-1,000 for individual events and $30,000-20,000-10,000-8,000 for relays. Summaries:

IAAF Continental Cup
Ostrava (CZE) ~ 8-9 September 2018
(Full results here)

Team Scores: 1. Americas, 262; 2. Europe, 233; 3. Asia-Pacific, 188; 4. Africa, 142.

Men

100 m (wind 0.0 m/s): 1. Noah Lyles (USA), 10.01; 2. Bingtian Su (CHN), 10.03; 3. Akani Simbine (RSA), 10.11; 4. Jak Ali Harvey (TUR), 10.19; 5. Arthur Cisse (CIV), 10.23.

200 m (-1.67): 1. Alonso Edward (PAN), 20.19; 2. Ramil Guliyev (TUR), 20.28; 3. Alex Quinonez (ECU), 20.36; 4. Yuki Koike (JPN), 20.57; 5. Churandy Martina (NED), 20.68.

400 m: 1. Abdalelah Haroun (BRN), 44.72; 2. Boboloki Thebe (BOT), 45.10; 3. Nathan Strother (USA), 45.28; 4. Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR), 45.72; 5. Muhammed Yahiya (IND), 45.72.

800 m: 1. Emmanuel Korir (KEN), 1:46.50; 2. Clayton Murphy (USA), 1:46.77; 3. Nijel Amos (BOT), 1:46.77; 4. Andreas Kramer (SWE), 1:47.03; 5. Michal Rozmys (POL), 1:47.05.

1,500 m: 1. Elijah Manangoi (KEN), 3:40.00; 2. Marcin Lewandowski (POL), 3:40.42; 3. Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR), 3:40.80; 4. Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (CAN), 3:40.90; 5. Ryan Gregson (AUS), 3:40.91. Also: 7. Drew Hunter (USA), 3:43.95.

3,000 m: 1. Paul Chelimo (USA), 7:57.13; 2. Mohammed Ahmed (CAN), 7:57.99; 3. Henrik Ingebrigtsen (NOR), 7:58.85; 4. Stewart McSweyn (AUS), 8:02.01.

3,000 m Steeple: 1. Conseslus Kipruto (KEN), 8:22.55; 2. Matthew Hughes (CAN), 8:29.70; 3. Yohanes Chiappinelli (ITA), 8:32.89; 4. Fernando Carro (ESP), 8:33.76.

110 m Hurdles (+0.9): 1. Sergey Shubenkov (RUS), 13.03; 2. Ronald Levy (JAM), 13.12; 3. Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (FRA), 13.31; 4. Antonio Alkana (RSA), 13.36; 5. Devon Allen (USA), 13.57.

400 m Hurdles: 1. Anderrahman Samba (QAT), 47.37; 2. Annsert Whyte (JAM), 48.46; 3. Karsten Warholm (NOR), 48.56; 4. Yasmani Copello (TUR), 48.65; 5. Andelmalik Lahoulou (ALG), 49.12.

4×100 m: 1. Americas (Rodgers/USA, Lyles /USA, Blake/JAM, Tracey/JAM), 38.05; 2. Europe, 38.96; 3. Asia-Pacific, 39.55.

High Jump: 1. Donald Thomas (BAH), 2.30 m (7-6 1/2); 2. Brandon Starc (AUS), 2.30 m (7-6 1/2); 3. Maksim Nedasekau (BLR), 2.27 m (7-5 1/4); 4. Majd Eddin Ghazal (SYR), 2.24 m (7-4 1/4); 5. Ilya Ivanyuk (RUS), 2.24 m (7-4 1/4). Also: 6. Bryan McBride (USA), 2.20 m (7-2 1/2).

Pole Vault: 1. Sam Kendricks (USA), 5.85 m (19-2 1/4); 2. Renaud Lavillenie (FRA), 5.80 m (19-0 1/4); 3. Shaen Barber (CAN), 5.65 m (18-6 1/2); 4. Timor Mogunov (RUS), 5.65 m (18-6 1/2); 5. Stephen Clough (AUS), 5.10 m (16-8 3/4).

Long Jump: 1. Ruswahl Saamai (RSA), 8.16 m (26-9 1/4); 2. Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE), 8.00 m (26-3); 3. Jeff Henderson (USA), 7.98 m (26-2 1/4); 4. Henry Frayne (AUS), 7.96 m (26-1 1/2); 5. Jianan Wang (CHN), 7.95 m (26-1).

Triple Jump: 1. Christian Taylor (USA), 17.59 m (57-8 1/2); 2. Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR), 17.02 m (55-10 1/4); 3. Arpinder Singh (IND), 16.59 m (54-5 1/4); 4. Nelson Evora (POR), 16.58 m (54-4 3/4); 5. Cristian Napoles (CUB), 17.07 m (56-0).

Shot Put: 1. Darlan Romani (BRA), 21.89 m (71-10); 2. Tom Walsh (NZL), 21.43 m (70-3 3/4); 3. Michal Haratyk (POL), 21.36 m (70-1); 4. Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (NGR), 20.82 m (68-3 3/4); 5. Ryan Crouser (USA), 21.63 m (70-11 3/4).

Discus: 1. Fedrick Dacres (JAM), 67.97 m (223-0); 2. Matthew Denny (AUS), 63.99 m (209-11); 3. Andrius Gudzius (LTU), 66.95 m (219-8); 4. Victor Hogan (RSA), 63.49 m (208-3); 5. Daniel Stahl (SWE), 64.94 m (213-1). Also: 6. Reggie Jagers (USA), 63.49 m (208-3).

Hammer: 1. Dilshod Nazarov (TJK), 77.34 m (253-9); 2. Mostafa ElGamel (EGY), 74.22 m (253-4); 3. Bence Halasz (HUN), 74.80 m (245-5); 4. Diego del Real (MEX), 75.86 m (248-11); 5. Ashraf Elseify (QAT), 74.08 m (243-0). Also: Sean Donnelly (USA), no mark.

Javelin: 1. Thomas Rohler (GER), 87.07 m (285-8); 2. Chao-Tsun Cheng (TPE), 83.28 m (273-3); 3. Anderson Peters (GRN), 80.86 m (265-3); 4. Julius Yego (KEN), 78.41 m (257-3); 5. Jakub Vadlejch (CZE), 84.76 m (278-1).

Women

100 m (-0.4): 1. Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV), 11.14; 2. Dina Asher-Smith (GBR), 11.16; 3. Jenna Prandini (USA), 11.21; 4. Dafne Schippers (NED), 11.23; 5. Angela Tenorio (ECU), 11.44.

200 m (+0.1): 1. Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH), 22.16; 2. Schippers (NED), 22.28; 3. Ta Lou (CIV), 22.61; 4. Shericka Jackson (JAM), 22.62; 5. Edidiong Odiong (BRN), 22.62.

400 m: 1. Salwa Eid Naser (BRN), 49.32; 2. Caster Semenya (RSA), 49.62; 3. Stephenie Ann McPherson (JAM), 50.82; 4. Lisanne De Witte (NED), 51.51; 5. Shakima Wimbley (USA), 51.59.

800 m: 1. Semenya (RSA), 1:54.77; 2. Ajee Wilson (USA), 1:57.16; 3. Natoya Goule (JAM), 1:57.36; 4. Nataliia Pryshchepa (UKR), 1:59.58; 5. Angela Petty (NZL), 2:01.26.

1,500 m: 1. Winny Chebet (KEN), 4:16.01; 2. Shelby Houlihan (USA), 4:16.36; 3. Rababe Arafi (MAR), 4:17.19; 4. P. Unnikrishnan Chitra (IND), 4:18.45; 5. Linden Hall (AUS), 4:18.82.

3,000 m: 1. Sifan Hassan (NED), 8:27.50; 2. Senbere Teferi (ETH), 8:32.49; 3. Hellen Obiri (KEN), 8:36.20; 4. Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER), 8:38.04. Eliminated: Lauren Paquette (USA).

3,000 m Steeple: 1. Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN), 9:07.92; 2. Courtney Frerichs (USA), 9:15.22; 3. Winfred Yavi (BRN), 9:17.86; 4. Anna Emilie Moller (DEN), 9:42.57.

100 m Hurdles (-0.1); 1. Danielle Williams (JAM), 12.49; 2. Keni Harrison (USA), 12.52; 3. Pamela Dutkiewicz (GER), 12.82; 4. Elvira Herman (BLR), 12.91; 5. Tobi Amusan (NGR), 12.96.

400 m Hurdles: 1. Janieve Russell (JAM), 53.62; 2. Shamier Little (USA), 53.86; 3. Anna Yaroshchuk-Ryzhykova (UKR), 54.47; 4. Meghan Beesley (GBR), 55.58; 5. Aminat Yusuf Jamal (BRN), 55.65.

4×100 m: 1. Americas (Tenorio/ECU, Miller-Uibo/BAH), Prandini/USA, Rosa/BRA), 42.11; 2. Europe, 42.55; 3. Asia-Pacific, 42.93.

High Jump: 1. Mariya Lasitskene (RUS), 2.00 m (6-6 3/4); 2. Svetlana Radzivil (UZB), 1.95 m (6-4 3/4); 3. Levern Spencer (LCA), 1.93 m (6-4); 4. Marie-Laurence Jungfleisch (GER), 1.91 m (6-3 1/4); 5. Nicola McDermott (AUS), 1.87 m (6-1 1/2). Also: 6. Inika McPherson (USA), 1.82 m (5-11 1/2).

Pole Vault: 1. Anzhelika Sidorova (RUS), 4.85 m (15-11); 2. Katerina Stefanidi (GRE), 4.85 m (15-11); 3. Sandi Morris (USA), 4.85 m (15-11); 4. Yarisley Silva (CUB), 4.55 m (14-11); 5. Lisa Campbell (AUS), 4.00 m (13-1 1/2).

Long Jump: 1. Caterine Ibarguen (COL), 6.93 m (22-9); 2. Brooke Stratton (AUS), 6.71 m (22-0 1/4); 3. Malaika Mihambo (GER), 6.86 m (22-6 1/4); 4. Ese Brume (NGR), 6.61 m (21-8 1/4); 5. Shara Proctor (GBR), 6.63 m (21-9).

Triple Jump: 1. Ibarguen (COL), 14.76 m (48-5 1/4); 2. Olga Rypakova (KAZ), 14.26 m (46-9 1/2); 3. Paraskevi Papachristou (GRE), 14.22 m (46-8); 4. Zinzi Chabangu (RSA), 12.89 m (42-3 1/2); 5. Tori Franklin (USA), 14.27 m (46-10).

Shot Put: 1. Lijiao Gong (CHN), 19.63 m (64-5); 2. Raven Saunders (USA), 19.74 m (64-9 1/4); 3. Christina Schwanitz (GER), 19.73 m (64-8 3/4); 4. Ischke Senekal (RSA), 17.10 m (56-1 1/4); 5. Paulina Guba (POL), 18.94 m (62-1 3/4).

Discus: 1. Yaime Perez (CUB), 65.30 m (214-3); 2. Sandra Perkovic (CRO), 68.44 m (224-6); 3. Yang Chen (CHN), 63.34 (207-10); 4. Chioma Onyekwere (NGR), 56.68 m (185-11); 5. Dani Stevens (AUS), 62.74 m (205-10).

Hammer: 1. DeAnna Price (USA), 75.46 m (247-7); 2. Anita Wlodarczyk (POL), 73.45 m (240-11); 3. Na Luo (CHN), 67.39 m (221-1); 4. Temi Ogunrinde (NGR), 59.15 m (194-0); 5. Alexandra Ravernier (FRA), 70.45 m (231-1).

Javelin: 1. Huihui Liu (CHN), 63.88 m (209-7); 2. Christin Hussong (GER), 62.96 m (206-7); 3. Kara Winger (USA), 60.38 m (198-1); 4. Jo-Ane van Dyk (RSA), 52.69 m (172-10); 5. Laila Domingos (BRA), 60.07 m (197-1).

Mixed

4×400 m: 1. Americas (Christian Taylor/USA. Luguelin Santos/DON, Stephenie Ann McPherson/JAM), Shaunae Miller-Uibo /BAH), 3:13.01; 2. Africa, 3:16.19; 3. Asia-Pacific, 3:18.55; Europe, disqualified.

ARCHERY: Pearce’s win leads five U.S. medals in World Field

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

It’s true that the World Field Championships do not carry the same importance as the World Target Championships, but many of the world’s top archers don’t care and enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere.

Paige Pearce of the U.S. really enjoyed it as she won the women’s Compound Division, meaning the 23-year-old has now won World Championships at the Youth (U-18), Junior (U-21) and senior levels! “I was really nervous before I was heading into the match but as soon as I drew back I kinda just got this wave of calm and thought, okay I can do this,” said Pearce.

She led a strong U.S. team at the World Fields at Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA), which included bronze medals from Brady Ellison in the men’s Recurve division, Steve Anderson in the men’s Compound Division, a silver from Fawn Girard in women’s Barebow and a silver in the men’s combined team event.

Japan’s Wataru Oonuki won his first international title in the men’s Recurve division and German Lisa Uhruh repeated in the women’s Recurve class. In Compound, Dutch shooter Mike Schloesser became the second man in history to complete the career Triple Crown, – the world titles in indoor, outdoor and Field Archery – with a win in Cortina (only Sweden’s Morgan Lundin had done it previously).

The Barebow division has a touch of romance, as the engaged Swedish couple of Erik Jonsson and Linda Bjorklund both won!

The women’s combined team event was finally won by Germany after a protest. Italy was initially declared the winner, but it was found that the third set of targets (out of four) were mis-marked and removed from the scoring. That left Gemany the winner and Italy with the silver. Said World Archery Secretary General, Tom Dielen, “This is a regrettable situation in any competition, let alone the final of a world championships, and not a comfortable result for either team. It will now be taken forward with the field and judge committees within World Archery to prevent such a situation occurring again.” Unfortunately, these things happen. Summaries:

World Field Archery Championships
Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA) ~ 4-9 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men

Recurve: 1. Wataru Oonuki (JPN); 2. Massimailiano Mandia (ITA); 3. Brady Ellison (USA); 4. Jean-Charles Valladont (FRA). Semis: Oonuki d. Valladont, 60-58; Mandia d. Ellison, 65-64. Third: Ellison d. Valladont, 58-58 (4-1 shoot-off); Final: Oonuki d. Mandia, 58-47.

Compound: 1. Mike Schloesser (NED); 2. Nico Wiener (AUT); 3. Steve Anderson (USA); 4. Domagoj Buden (CRO). Semis: Wiener d. Anderson, 69-66; Schloesser d. Buden, 67-65. Third: Anderson d. Buden, 66-63. Final: Schloesser d. Wiener, 63-61.

Barebow: 1. Erik Jonsson (SWE); 2. David Garcia Fernandez (ESP); 3. Fredrik Lundmark (SWE); 4. David Jackson (FRA). Semis: Garcia Fernandez d. Jackson, 59-47; Jonsson d. Lundmark, 56-53. Third: Lundmark d. Jackson, 51-45; Final: Jonsson d. Garcia Fernandez, 51-43.

Combined Team: Germany (Florian Kahllund, Jens Asbach, Michael Meyer); 2. United States (Brady Ellison, Steve Anderson, John Demmer III); 3. Italy (Marco Morello, Giuseppe Seimandi, Alessandro Giannini); 4. Austria (Heribert Dornhofer, Nico Wiener, Franz Haberler). Semis: U.S. d. Italy, 65-62; Germany d. Austria, 62-54. Third: Italy d. Austria, 53-52. Final: Germany d. U.S., 49-47.

Women

Recurve: 1. Lisa Uhruh (GER); 2. Naomi Folkard (GBR); 3. Nami Fukusawa (JPN); 4. Jessica Tomasi (ITA). Semis: Unruh d. Fukusawa, 56-55; Folkard d. Tomasi, 59-52. Third: Fukusawa d. Tomasi, 50-47; Final: Unruh d. Folkard, 54-40.

Compound: 1. Paige Pearce (USA); 2. Toja Ellison (SLO); 3. Carolin Landesfeind (GER); 4. Irene Franchini (ITA). Semis: Ellison d. Landesfeind, 61-58; Pearce d. Franchini, 61-60. Third: Landesfeind d. Franchini, 58-55; Final: Pearce d. Ellison, 64-59.

Barebow: 1. Lina Bjorklund (SWE); 2. Fawn Girard (USA); 3. Cinzia Noziglia (ITA); 4. Christine Gauthe (FRA). Semis: 1. Girard d. Noziglia, 55-52; Bjorklund d. Gauthe, 55-51. Third: Noziglia d. Gauthe, 48-34; Final: Bjorklund d. Girard, 43-43 (5-2 shoot-off).

Combined Team: 1. Germany (Lisa Unruh, Carolin Landesfeind, Martina Boscher); 2. Italy (Jessica Tomasi, Irene Franchini, Cinzia Noziglia); 3. Slovenia (Ana Umer, Toja Ellison, Tina Gutman); 4. Great Britain (Bryony Pitman, Hope Greenwood, Jessica Nilsson). Semis: Italy d. Slovenia, 61-56; Germany d. Great Britain, 45-44. Third: Slovenia d. Great Britain, 57-51. Final: Germany d. Italy, 32-29.

THE BIG PICTURE: Senegal’s selection for Youth Olympic Games part of an emphasis on Africa

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

“Africa is the home of many successful and prominent Olympic athletes. Africa is a continent of youth. That is why we want to take the Youth Olympic Games 2022 to Africa and to Senegal.

“They have offered a project based on a strong vision for youth and sport. There are many opportunities, and we will endeavor to deliver together, as part of a strong partnership, visionary, responsible and inspiring Youth Games.”

That was International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach announcing the IOC Executive Board’s decision to endorse Senegal above Botswana, Nigeria and Tunisia for the 2022 Youth Olympic Games.

The decision will be rubber-stamped at IOC Session at Buenos Aires (ARG) in October, just prior to the start of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

This is another step in a worldwide movement to take large events to Africa, which had the FIFA World Cup in South Africa in 2010, but not much else. Look for this movement to continue, because where the IOC and FIFA are, others are sure to follow.

The IAAF World Championships in 2025 is the next target. The president of the Confederation of African Athletics since 2003, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum (CAM) says “We are talking with Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco; those countries have the facilities.”

Kalkaba noted there were no prior African bids for the IAAF Worlds “because we are facing many other social problems – health, education, building roads or railways – political leaders are sometimes afraid of spending a lot of money on hosting an event.

“But I think many now realize that [staging the championships] could put the nation on the world map in terms of publicity and promote tourism so there is a benefit from hosting the event.” Be careful what you wish for …

LANE ONE: Decision day coming this week for Calgary (and the IOC) for 2026

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 10, 2018

The Calgary City Council could end the city’s bid for the Olympic Winter Games in 2026 on Monday or Tuesday after a detailed projection of the costs of the event is presented by the Yes Calgary 2026 group.

The city has been going back and forth about whether to bid for the Games and the Council scheduled a potential “off-ramp” vote for Monday, but with the public presentation of the budget specifics, the actual vote could be pushed off for a day.

If the Council votes to continue, then the decision of whether to go forward with the bid will rest with the citizens of Calgary, who will vote in a referendum on the bid on 13 November of this year.

Recognizing the prerogative of voters as the ultimate decision makers, the Calgary Herald reported that the Yes Calgary 2026 folks believe the Council will allow the bid to go forward; one staffer estimated the vote at 11-4.

But, as is usually the case, the financial projections have been leaked and appeared in local media last week. In Canadian dollars, the Yes Calgary 2026 projections for the Winter Games and Winter Paralympic Games will cost C$5.8 billion, to be covered in two parts:

∙ C$2.5 billion (43%) raised by the organizing committee, including the roughly $1 billion (U.S.) in cash, goods and services from the International Olympic Committee, and

∙ C$3.3 billion (57%) from “federal, provincial and municipal” govenments, which includes the City of Calgary.

The costs for physical infrastructure improvements would provide “a new field house, a replacement arena for the [Stampede Corral Arena], upgrades to existing facilities, an endowment fund to support the legacy of the Games and affordable housing for thousands of residents.”

Half of the governmental support would be expected to come from the national government, about a third from the Province of Alberta and the remainder – perhaps C$500 million – from the city. There is no formal agreement to this funding program, but if the estimate for the city was right, a C$500 million expenditure is within the city’s grasp. The annual city budget in Calgary is C$3.5 billion and the city’s 2014-18 capital program budget is C$5.8 billion, funded principally by debt and reserves. Calgary is home to 1.3 million people; it hardly resembles its “Cowtown” nickname any more.

So the city can afford it, but the No Calgary Olympics group is lobbying the Council to drop the bid now and not wait for the referendum. A CBC story quoted No spokeswoman Erin Waite as saying “I’m frustrated with the structure of an IOC bid process that we are in this position to be absolutely panicked and to be concerned that we’re not even going to have cost information and understand what a bid looks like before having to vote on it.”

If quoted correctly, Waite has no idea what she’s talking about. The IOC’s process has been known for a long time and doesn’t really get going until January of 2019 with the candidature file is due. And there’s little doubt that the IOC will be somewhat flexible given the 13 November referendum.

The Yes Calgary 2026 folks have been holding rallies in the city to underscore support for the bid; the same CBC story noted that “Bobsledder Christina Smith competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics and said singing in the choir during the 1988 Olympics was what lit her spark to compete.

“‘Because of that moment, it ignited such a drive to become an Olympian,’ she said.” Is that the best reason for having the Games? Let’s hope not.

Getting financial help from the IOC to help underwrite the cost of some new facilities in nice, but how much does it cost to get the help? According to the leaked financial projections, it will take C$3.3 billion – plus security costs in the hundreds of millions – to make the Games work financially. Is that worth it?

The “no” folks can just say the cost doesn’t justify the benefits. The promoters need to dig deeper to bring forward an understanding of the opportunity that a Games brings to an area.

Having worked on 20 multi-day, multi-venue events, my view is that the benefits of a new stadium or arena or housing can usually be had for less money than that required by having an Olympic Games. But it is politically much more difficult. Once the Games are scheduled, every politician and city department head will propose new concepts to be completed ‘in time” for the Olympics.

That’s the very paradigm of waste. The “Yes” folks have realized this and are smartly downplaying mega-projects that could be attached to the bid as unnecessary and silly.

But the unparalleled opportunity that an Olympic Games brings is attention. What can Calgary – which last hosted the Winter Games back in 1988 – do with the focus that will be on it for a minimum of two years from 2024-26 and even earlier from some quarters. Promote new business sectors? Expand the city’s charitable outreach? Attract new investment by showcasing the quality of its labor force? This is the reason to have a Games, as leverage for a better future, for the competing athletes and for the host city. But is Calgary’s vision equal to the opportunity? That’s the debate they should be having.

Rich Perelman
Editor

CYCLING: Herrada takes charge in Vuelta a Espana

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

Spain’s Jesus Herrada broke open the 73rd La Vuelta a Espana on Thursday, staying with the front group on the hilly, 181.1 km course, while the race leaders finished way back and dropped in the standings.

The 2013 and 2017 Spanish national road race champ, Herrada, 28, suddenly moved from 22nd place into the red leader’s jersey by finishing with a group of nine riders who crossed the finish line some two-and-a-half minutes behind French winner Alexandre Geniez (4:22:59).

In the meantime, the race leaders for more than a week were watching each other several minutes back and Britain’s Simon Yates, Spain’s Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana (COL) – the top three after Thursday’s stage – found themselves in 2nd-3rd-4th place, down 3:22, 3:23 and 3:24 to Herrada!

But the drama is only beginning as the next three stages (13-14-15) are all major climbing routes before next Monday’s rest day. The final week has just one hilly stage, one mountain stage, an Individual Time Trial and three flat courses, so the weekend’s riding and the time trial on Tuesday could decide the final outcome.

Home fans are looking for the first Spanish winner of La Vuelta since 2014; behind Herrada and in contention are Valverde (third) and Ion Izagirre (fifth). If Yates should come back to win, it would be the fifth straight Grand Tour won by a British rider, after Chris Froome won three in a row (Tour de France-La Vuelta-Giro d’Italia) and Geraint Thomas won the 2018 Tour.

NBC has daily coverage of La Vuelta on either NBCSN or the NBC Olympic Channel, usually beginning at 9:30 or 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Summaries and stage notes:

UCI World Tour/La Vuelta a Espana
Spain ~ 25 August-16 September 2018
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (8.0 km Indiv. Time Trial): 1. Rohan Dennis (AUS), 9:39; 2. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL), 9:45; 3. Victor Campanaerts (BEL), 9:46; 4. Nelson Oliveira (POR), 9:56; 5. Dylan van Baarle (NED), 9:59. Also in the top 50: 15. Brent Bookwalter (USA), 10:02; … 21. Joey Rosskopf (USA), 10:07; … 24. Ben King (USA), 10:08.

Stage 2 (163.5 km): 1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), 4:13:01; 2. Kwiatkowski (POL), 4:13:01; 2. Laurens de Plus (BEL), 4:13:04; 4. Wilco Kelderman (NED), 4:13:04; 5. George Bennett (NZL), 4:13:04. Also in the top 50: 48. Ian Boswell (USA), 4:14:06.

Stage 3 (178.2 km): 1. Elia Viviani (ITA), 4:48:12; 2. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA), 4:48:12; 3. Peter Sagan (SVK), 4:48:12; 4. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA), 4:48:12; 5. Simone Consonni (ITA), 4:48:12.

Stage 4 (161.4 km): 1. King (USA), 4:33:12; 2. Nikita Stalnov (KAZ), 4:33:14; 3. Pierre Rolland (FRA), 4:33:25; 4. Luis Angel Mate (ESP), 4:33:20; 5. Ben Gastauer (LUX), 4:34:51. Also in the top 50: 27. Sepp Kuss (USA), 4:37:04.

Stage 5 (188.7 km): 1. Simon Clarke (AUS), 4:36:07; 2. Bauke Mollema (NED), 4:36:07; 3. Alessandro de Marchi (ITA), 4:36:07; 4. Davide Villella (ITA), 4:36:15; 5. Floris de Tier (BEL), 4:36:15. Also in the top 50: 16. Bookwalter (USA), 4:39:59; 17. Kuss (USA), 4:39:49; … 24. King (USA), 4:41:02.

Stage 6 (155.7 km): 1. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA), 3:58:35; 2. Danny van Poppel (NED), 3:58:35; 3. Elia Viviani (ITA), 3:58:35; 4. Simone Consonni (ITA), 3:58:35; 5. Matteo Trentin (ITA), 3:58:35.

Stage 7 (185.7 km): 1. Tony Gallopin (FRA), 4:18:20; 2. Sagan (SVK), 4:18:25; 3. Valverde (ESP), 4:18:25; 4. Eduard Prades (ESP), 4:18:25; 5. Omar Fraile (ESP), 4:18:25. Also in the top 50: 10. Kuss (USA), 4:18:25; … 48. King (USA), 4:20:08.

Stage 8 (195.1 km): 1. Valverde (ESP), 4:35:54; 2. Sagan (SVK), 4:35:54; 3. Van Poppel (NED), 4:35:54; 4. Ion Izagirre (ESP), 4:35:54; 5. Nizzolo (ITA), 4:35:54. Also in the top 50: 47. King (USA), 4:35:54.

Stage 9 (200.8 km): 1. King (USA), 5:30:38; 2. Mollema (NED), 5:31:26; 3.Dylan Teuns (BEL), 5:33:16; 4. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL), 5:33:18; 5. Nairo Quintana (COL), 5:33:18. Also in the top 50: 20. Kuss (USA), 5:34:10.

Stage 10 (177.0 km): 1. Viviani (ITA), 4:08:08; 2. Sagan (SVK), 4:08:08; 3. Nizzolo (ITA), 4:08:08; 4. Nelson Andres Soto (COL), 4:08:08; 5. Marc Sarreau (FRA), 4:08:08. Also in the top 50: 27. Kiel Reiknen (USA), 4:08:08.

Stage 11 (207.8 km): 1. Alessandro Di Marchi (ITA), 4:52:38; 2. Jhonatan Restrepo (COL), 4:53:06; 3. Franco Pellizotti (ITA), 4:52:37; 4. Nans Peters (FRA), 4:54:02; 5. Teuns (BEL), 4:54:23. Also in the top 50: 34. Kuss (USA), 4:55.21; 35. King (USA), 4:55:21.

Stage 12 (181.1 km): 1. Alexandre Geniez (FRA), 4:22:59; 2. Dylan van Baarle (NED), 4:22:59; 3. Mark Padun (UKR), 4:22:59; 4. Teuns (BEL), 4:22:59; 5. Campanaerts (BEL), 4:23:01. Also in the top 50: 40. Kuss (USA), 4:34:38.

Stage 13: 07 September Candas. Carreño to Valle de Sabero (174.8 km; mountains)
Stage 14: 08 September Cistierna to Les Praeres (171.0 km); mountains
Stage 15: 09 September Ribera de Arriba to Lagos de Covadonga (178.2 km; mountains)

10 September Rest day

Stage 16: 11 September Santillana del Mar to Torrelavega (Indiv. Time Trial: 32.0 km)
Stage 17: 12 September Getxo to Balcon de Bizkaia (157.0 km; hilly)
Stage 18: 13 September Ejea de los Caballeros to Lleida (186.1 km; flat)
Stage 19: 14 September Lleida to Andorra. Naturlandia (154.4 km; flat)
Stage 20: 15 September Escaldes-Engordany to Coll de la Gallina (97.3 km; mountains)
Stage 21: 16 September Alcorcon to Madrid (112.3 km; flat)

VOLLEYBALL Preview: World Champs begin in Italy and Bulgaria

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

For the first time, the FIVB men’s World Volleyball Championships will be hosted by more than one country, beginning on Sunday (9th) and continuing all the way through to 30 September. The teams and sites (with the current world rankings):

∙ Group A:
Argentina (7), Belgium (15), Dom. Rep. (38), Italy (4), Japan (12), Slovenia (23)
(Rome & Florence/ITA)

∙ Group B:
Brazil (1), Canada (6), China (20), Egypt (13), France (9), Netherlands (25)
(Bari/ITA)

∙ Group C:
Australia (16), Cameroon (30), Russia (4), Serbia (11), Tunisia (24), U.S. (2)
(Ruse/BUL)

∙ Group D:
Bulgaria (14), Cuba (16), Finland (18), Iran (8), Poland (3), Puerto Rico (29)
(Varna/BUL)

The opening round-robin will continue through the 18th of September. The second-round matches (21-23) will be played in Milan and Bologna (ITA) and Sofia and Varna (BUL). The final round (26-30) will be played in Turin (ITA).

The top four teams in each opening-round pool will advance to the second round for more round-robin play in four pools. The four pool winners and the two best second-place teams will advance to the final round-robin of two, three-team pools, with the winners meeting for the gold medal and the two runner-ups for the bronze medal.

Who’s the favorite?

Russia won the FIVB men’s Nations League (which replaced the old World League) for the first time in 2018, defeating France in the final in straight sets. The United States swept Brazil, 3-0, to win the bronze medal. So, on the betting line – and there is one – Russia is the favorite at +290, with Italy second at +425, the United States at +550, France at +600 and Brazil at +650. The biggest longshot is Egypt, at +115,000!

Poland is the defending champion from 2014, winning in front of a delirious home crowd over Brazil in the final, with Germany defeating France for the bronze medal. It was the fourth straight World Championships final for Brazil, which had won the prior three Worlds in 2002-06-10.

All-time, the USSR owns six titles, followed by Brazil and Italy with three each, then the Czech Republic and Poland with two wins each. The U.S. has won once, in 1986 and won a bronze medal in 1994 for its only medals.

Look for match results here.

SWIMMING Preview: FINA World Cup starts in Kazan

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

The 30th edition of the FINA Swimming World Cup starts up at the site of the 2015 World Championships in Kazan (RUS), the first of seven meets over the next two months:

Cluster I:
∙ 07–09 September: (50 m) Kazan (RUS)
∙ 13-15 September: (50 m) Doha (QAT)

Cluster II:
∙ 28-30 September: (25 m) Eindhoven (NED)
∙ 04-06 October: (25 m) Budapest (HUN)

Cluster III:
∙ 02-04 November: (25 m) Beijing (CHN)
∙ 09-11 November: (25 m) Tokyo (JPN)
∙ 15-17 November: (25 m) Singapore (SGP)

There are three levels of prize money: $1,500-1,000-500-400-300-200 in individual events, then big bonuses of $50,000-35,000-30,000-20,000-10,000-5,000-4,000-3,000 for each cluster and finally a $150,000-10,000-50,000 bonus for the overall standings.

The series has been dominated in recent years by South Africa’s Chad le Clos and Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu. In the men’s overall standings, le Clos won in 2011-13-14-17, with teammate Cameron van der Burgh winning in 2015 (also in 2008-09) and Russian Vladimir Morozov won in 2016.

Hosszu overwhelmed the opposition by entering nearly every event in every meet in 2012-13-14-15-16, but the rules were changed last year to limit a swimmer to three events per meet. Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom came forward and performed brilliantly, winning the series over Hosszu and setting four world records during the series in the 50 m Free (1), 100 m Free (2) and 200 m Free (1) along the way.

Hosszu complained loudly – and correctly – about the rule changes aimed essentially at her. So for 2018, the rules were changed again to allow a swimmer to compete in as many events as desired, but only the top three results would count in the points standings.

Le Clos, Sjostrom and Hosszu are all confirmed for Kazan. The top U.S. entry will be Michael Andrew, the quadruple U.S. champion in 2018 in the 50 m Free, 50 and 100 m Breaststroke and 50 m Fly.

At a Kazan news conference to promote the event, Le Clos put the series in perspective: “This World Cup represents an opportunity to improve and work on the smaller things to be ready for the major events.” All too true, but fans of swimming should hope for more from this concept, which has so much unrealized potential.

Look for results here.

SAILING Preview: New World Cup series starts in Enoshima Bay

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

Didn’t we just have the quadrennial World Sailing Championships in Denmark?

Yes, just three weeks ago, but it’s already time to start the 2018-19 World Cup series in Japan’s Enoshima Bay, with competition starting Sunday (9th) and continuing through 16 September for the 10 Olympic classes. The events and the 2018 World Champions:

Men:
∙ RS:X:
1. Dorian van Rijsselberghe (NED)
2. Kiran Badloe (NED)

∙ 470:
1. Kevin Peponnet/Jeremie Mion (FRA)
2. Tetsuya Isozaki/Akira Takayanagi (JPN)

∙ 49er:
1. Sime Fantela/Mihovil Fantela (CRO)
2. Mathieu Frei/Noe Delpech (FRA)

∙ Finn:
1. Zsombor Berecz (HUN)
2. Max Salminen (SWE)

∙ Laser:
1. Pavlos Kontides (CYP)
2. Matthew Weam (AUS)

Women:
∙ RS:X:
1. Lilian de Geus (NED)
2. Charline Picon (FRA)

∙ 470:
1. Ai Kondo Yoshida/Miho Yoshioka (JPN)
2. Silvia Mas Depares/Patricia Cantero Reina (ESP)

∙ 49er FX:
1. Annemiek Bekkering/Annette Duetz (NED)
2. Tanja Frank/Lorena Abicht (AUT)

∙ Laser Rad.:
1. Emma Plasschaert (BEL)
2. Marit Bouwmeester (NED)

Mixed:
∙ Nacra 17:
1. Ruggero Tita/Caterina Marianna Banti (ITA)
2. Nathan Outteridge/Haylee Outteridge (AUS)

The RS:X, 49er/49erFX and Nacra 17 classes have 13 races scheduled; the Laser/Laser Radial, Finn and 470 classes have 11 races scheduled. This is another test event in advance of the 2020 Tokyo Games.

There are four rounds in the World Cup Series, starting this week, and followed by Miami (USA) from 27 January-3 February 2019; a regatta somewhere in Europe next April or May and a World Cup Series final in Marseille (FRA) next June.

Look for results here.

ROWING Preview: Manson in focus at FISA Worlds in Bulgaria

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

The climax of the world rowing season will be the FISA World Championships in Plovdiv (BUL), starting on Sunday and running all next week, with finals in 14-15-16 September.

A lot of attention will be attached to New Zealand’s star sculler, Robert Manson, who has the world’s best time for the event and will be the favorite against 2017 World Champion, Ondrej Synek. Switzerland’s Jeannine Gmelin returns as the women’s World Champion and has been strong in the FISA World Cups earlier in the year. The defending champions in the open-weight classes from 2017:

Men:
∙ Single Sculls:
1. Ondrej Synek (CZE)
2. Angel Fournier (CUB)

∙ Double Sculls:
1. John Storey/Chris Harris (NZL)
2. Miroslaw Zietarski/Mateusz Biskup (POL)

∙ Quadruple Sculls:
1. Lithuania
2. Great Britain

∙ Pairs:
1. Matteo Lodo/Giuseppe Vicino (ITA)
2. Martin Sinkovic/Valent Sinkovic (CRO)

∙ Fours:
1. Australia
2. Italy

∙ Pairs+Cox:
1. Hungary
2. Australia

∙ Eights:
1. Germany
2. United States

Women:
∙ Single Sculls:
1. Jeannine Gmelin (SUI)
2. Victoria Thornley (GBR)

∙ Double Sculls:
1. Brooke Donoghue/Olivia Loe (NZL)
2. Meghan O’Leary/Ellen Tomek (USA)

∙ Quadruple Sculls:
1. Netherlands
2. Poland

∙ Pairs:
1. Grace Pendergast/Kerri Gowler (NZL)
2. Megan Kalmoe/Tracy Eisser (USA)

∙ Fours:
1. Australia
2. Poland

∙ Eights:
1. Romania
2. Canada

With the preliminaries and semifinals being staged throughout the week, the medal favorites will become more obvious. Look for results here.

CYCLING Preview: World Tour’s Quebec doubleheader starts Friday

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

The UCI World Tour makes its appearance in Quebec (CAN) for two races, the ninth Grand Prix de Quebec in Quebec City and Grand Prix de Montreal on Sunday:

∙ Grand Prix de Quebec:
The course is 201.6 km, with 16 laps of a 12.6 km loop in the city center and a total climb of 186 m per loop. The returning medalists:

○ Simon Gerrans (AUS) ~ Winner in 2012-14
○ Greg van Avermaet (BEL) ~ Runner-up in 2016-17
○ Michael Matthews (AUS) ~ Runner-up in 2015
○ Arthur Vichot (FRA) ~ Runner-up in 2013
○ Edvard Boasson Hagen (NOR) ~ Runner-up in 2010
○ Rui Costa (POR) ~ Bronze medalist in 2012
○ Anthony Roux (FRA) ~ Bronze medalist in 2016
○ Alexander Kristoff (NOR) ~ Bronze medalist in 2015

This race has been dominated by Slovakian star Peter Sagan in each of the last two years, but he’s off at the Vuelta a Espana this year. Look for results here.

∙ Grand Prix de Montreal:
Centered on Mount Royal, the course is 195.2 km, with 16 laps of a 12.2 km loop that features a significant climb up the Cote Camillien-Houde that is repeated 16 times! There are five returning race champions in the field for 2018:

○ Greg van Avermaet (BEL) ~ Winner in 2016
○ Rui Costa (POR) ~ Winner in 2011
○ Diego Ulissi (ITA) ~ Winner in 2017
○ Simon Gerrans (AUS) ~ Winner in 2014
○ Tim Wellens (BEL) ~ Winner in 2015
○ Tom-Jelte Slagter (NED) ~ Bronze medalist in 2017

Look for results here.

There are other capable riders in both fields, notably Slovenia’s Binck Bank Tour winner, Matej Mohoric, and Simon Spilak, South Africa’s Daryl Impey, Belgium’s Oliver Naesen, Italy’s Sonny Colbrelli, Denmark’s Jakob Fuglsang and sprint star John Degenkolb (GER).

In the background of these races is the upcoming UCI World Road Championships in Innsbruck (AUT) from 22-30 September. Are some of the riders training through these races, or looking to win?

ATHLETICS Preview: Willis & Simpson back to defend Fifth Avenue Mile titles

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

The annual Fifth Avenue Mile comes Sunday, running from 80th Street to 60th Street in Manhattan and with defending champs Nick Willis (NZL) and Jenny Simpson (USA) both returning.

This race started in 1981 and for many U.S. athletes, is a fun way to end the season. Willis, a two-time Olympic medalist in the 1,00 m (2008-16) and 2011 Wold 1,500 m Champion Simpson have been among the most successful entrants ever; Willis has won three times in 2008-15-17 and Simpson has won five in a row and six of the last seven in 2011-13-14-15-16-17.

In the men’s race, Willis will face 2016 Olympic 1,500 m gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz (3:53.61 this year) and a host of quality miles, including Americans Lopez Lomong (3:523.86 this year on the track), Ben Blankenship (3:54.88), Johnny Gregorek (3:54.53) and Craig Engels (3:55.12) and Chris O’Hare (3:55.53) from Great Britain.

Simpson, whose tactical brilliance has been the key to her wins in this race, ranks no. 4 in the world this season at 4:17.30 fo the mile. She will be challenged by Britain’s Laura Weightman (4:20.49 this year on the track), Marta Pen Freitas (POR: 4:22.45 to win at ISTAF last week), Americans Alexa Efraimson (4:24.82) and Shannon Osika (4:25.27) and steeplechase stars Emma Coburn (4:31.08 this year) and Colleen Quigley (4:24.88i in 2017).

NBC will have live coverage of the elite races beginning at noon Eastern time on Sunday. Look for results here.

ATHLETICS Preview: Good match-ups at IAAF’s outdated Continental Cup

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

There was enormous excitement in 1977 when the then-International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) created its first “championship”-type competition, the World Cup, held in Dusseldorf (GER).

It paved the way for the first World Championships in 1983, but once that event took place, the World Cup, with its continental teams, the U.S. and a couple of other national teams from Europe, lost relevancy.

It was changed to the Continental Cup in 2008 and held under a new format in 2010, slotted into the “off year” between World Championships. It features four teams – Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe – with two entries each.

Yawn. Even the IAAF knows there’s no place for this meet now, so it introduced several format changes that make the event more “unique” and to be taken less seriously:

∙ Team scoring is 8-6-4-2 in each event, based on the combined point total (from 8 for first down to 1 for eighth) of the two athletes from each continent in each individual event.

∙ There are captains of each continental team and they will choose one “Joker” for each day’s men’s and women’s events. If the team wins the event (by combined points) in which the Joker participates, that team receives double points (+8).

∙ The 3,000 m and 3,000 m Steeple will include the “Devil Take the Hindmost” format. Everyone runs the first 1,400 m, but then the last competitor is eliminated at the end of each lap, leaving only four runners on the final lap. Too bad the IAAF hasn’t imported the Berlino mascot to escort the eliminated runners off the track, maybe driving an electric car to pick them up just past the finish line?

∙ The high jump and pole vault will be held under normal conditions. The rest of the field events will use a “knock-out” format. All eight jumpers receive three jumps and then the only the best from each team will continue to the fourth round. At the end of the fourth round, only the two best marks in that round will continue to round five and the third and fourth placers in round four will be placed 3-4 in the final standings.

The top two competitors in round four will compete in round five and their placement in that round will determine who wins and is second. No round six!

∙ There are 4x100m relays for men and women (mixed nationalities) and a Mixed 4×400 m at the end of the program.

Although this all smacks of having fun and making some money, but there are some tantalizing match-ups in most of the events:

∙ Men’s 100 m: Nice field, with Noah Lyles (USA: 9.88 in 2018) teaming with Yohan Blake (JAM: 9.94) against Bingtian Su (CHN: 9.91) and Akani Simbine (RSA: 9.93).

∙ Men’s 400 m: European champ Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR: 44.63) takes on Qatar’s Asian Games winner Abdalelah Haroun (QAT: 44.07) and Botswana’s Baboloki Thebe (44.59).

∙ Men’s 800 m: World leader Emmanuel Korir (KEN: 1:42.05) is in, along with Nijel Amos (BOT: 1:42.14) and American Clayton Murphy (1:43.12 this year).

∙ Men’s 1,500 m: World Champion Elijah Manangoi (KEN: 3:29.64) faces Norway’s 17-year-old European champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:31.18). American Andrew Hunter (3:35.90) leads the Americas team in this event.

∙ Men’s 3,000 m: American Paul Chelimo is in the field, running against European 5,000 m silver winner Henrik Ingebrigtsen and Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew, no. 9 on the 5,000 world list at 13:01.09.

∙ Men’s 3,000 m Steeple: This will actually be one of the best events in the meet, with Olympic champ Conseslus Kipruto (KEN: 8:08.40) running against world leader Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR: 7:58.15) and American Record holder Evan Jager (8:01.02)!

∙ Men’s 110 m Hurdles: The IAAF is allowing Russian Sergey Shubenkov to run here – that’s a mistake; he’s a “neutral” athlete and should not be part of any continental team – but he’s the world leader (12.92) and will face European champ Pascal Martinot-Largarde (FRA: 13.17), Commonwealth champ Ronald Levy (JAM: 13.13) and American Devon Allen (13.23).

∙ Men’s 400 m Hurdles: Another great field, with Qatar’s Asian Games champ Abderrahman Samba (46.98) back on the track against World Champion Karsten Warholm (47.64) and Kyron McMaster (IVB: 47.54) and Turkey’s 2017 Worlds silver winner Yasmani Copello (47.81)!

∙ Men’s Pole Vault: Most of the usual suspects are here: 2012 Olympic champ Renaud Lavillenie (FRA), World Champion Sam Kendricks of the U.S., 2015 World Champion Shawn Barber (CAN) and Russia’s hot Timor Morgunov, who cleared 6.00 (19-8 1/2) for second at the European Championships. Same complaint as for Shubenkov: how can a “neutral” athlete compete for a continental team?

∙ Men’s Triple Jump: Olympic and World Champion Christian Taylor of the U.S. is in – 17.81 m (58-5 1/4) – and no one else is close. With no pressure and a nice payday for a win, could this be the meet where he does something crazy?

∙ Men’s Shot Put: Nos. 1-2-4-5-6 on the world list are in, led by Tom Walsh (NZL: 22.67 m/74-4 1/2), with Ryan Crouser (USA: 22.53 m/73-11), European champ Michal Haratyk (POL: 22.08 m/72-5 1/4), Brazil’s Darlan Romani (21.95 m/72-0 1/4) and Czech Tomas Stanek (21.87 m/71-9). Nice.

∙ Men’s Discus: Top three on the world list are entered, starting with Daniel Stahl (SWE: 69.72 m/228-9), Jamaica’s Fedrick Dacres (69.67 m/228-7) and Andrius Gudzius (LTU: 69.59 m/228-3).

∙ Women’s 100 m: Terrific showdown between world leaders Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV: 10.85) and Euro champ Dina Asher-Smith (GBR), plus Jenna Prandini of the U.S. (10.96) and Dutch star Dafne Schippers (10.99).

∙ Women’s 200 m: Ta Lou (22.34) and World Champion Schippers (22.14) face the best 200 and 400 m runner on the planet in Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH: 22.06) and Commonwealth Games runner-up Shericka Jackson (JAM: 22.05).

∙ Women’s 400 m: Interesting clash between Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser (49.08) and South African 800 m star Caster Semenya (50.06), plus American Shakima Wimbley (49.52) and Jamaica’s Stephenie Ann McPherson (50.31).

∙ Women’s 800 m: The 400 m final is on Saturday and the 800 is on Sunday, so Semenya is in again (1:54.25) and will be chased by familiar faces including Francine Niyonsaba (BDI: 1:55.86), Ajee Wilson of the U.S. (1:56.45) and Jamaica’s Natoya Goule (1:56.15).

∙ Women’s 1,500 m: Shelby Houlihan of the U.S. is the fastest in the field (3:57.34) and this figures to be a tactical race, with only Rababe Arafi (MAR: 3:59.15), Kenya’s Winny Chebet (4:00.60) and Australia’s Linden Hall (4:00.66) to challenge. How will Houlihan handle being the hunted instead of the hunter?

∙ Women’s 3,000 m: This devil-take-the-hindmost has the nos. 1-2-4 runners at 5,000 m this season: Kenya’s Hellen Obiri (14:21.75), Dutch star Sifan Hassan (14:22.34) and Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi (14:23.33). Will the elimination format keep the pace honest?

∙ Women’s 3,000 m Steeple: The new world-record holder, Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech (8:44.32) is in and doesn’t seem to care if there is a pacesetter or not. So American Record-setter Courtney Frerichs (9:00.85) is likely to try and hold on as best she can for as long as she can, chasing the 9:00 barrier.

∙ Women’s 100 m Hurdles: World Record holder Keni Harrison (12.36) is the class of the field, but could be beaten by Jamaica’s Danielle Williams (12.48) if she’s already thinking about how to spend the $30,000 first prize. Surprise European champ Elvira Herman (BLR: 12.64) should not be a factor, but will gave Euro runner-up Pam Dutkiewicz (GER: 12.67) again.

∙ Women’s 400 m Hurdles: Shamier Little’s season has had more ups and downs than the mountain stages of the Tour de France. She won the U.S. title, but has also failed spectacularly. Here’s another chance to claim a title. She (53.32) and Jamaica’s Janieve Russell (53.46) are the only ones in the field to run under 54 seconds this season.

∙ Women’s High Jump: How can an athlete who is not supposed to be representing a nation be allowed to represent a continent? But Russian “neutral” Mariya Lasitskene (world leader: 2.04/6-8 1/4) will compete and win. The only question is whether she will smile at any time of the day or night.

∙ Women’s Pole Vault: The cash is assembled, including Olympic and World Champion Katerina Stefanidi (GRE: 4.87 m’15-11 3/4), World Indoor Champion Sandi Morris (USA; 4.95 m/16-2 3/4), Commonwealth Games runner-up Eliza McCartney (NZL: 4.94 m/16-2 1/2) and “neutral” Anzhelika Sidorova (RUS: 4.85 m/15-11).

∙ Women’s Long Jump/Triple Jump: Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen will be going for a World Cup/Continental Cup first: winning both horizontal jumps! She’s the clear favorite in the TJ (where she is Olympic champ), but ranks only fifth in the long jump field, notably behind world leader and European champ Malaika Mihambo (GER: 6.99 m/22-11 1/4).

∙ Women’s Discus: This is one of the few events that Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic has not won, so she’ll be paying attention, especially with the shoot-out format in place. She’s the world leader (of course) at 71.38 m (234-2).

The complete entry list is here. The lane assignments were pre-drawn by team and you can see them here.

The venue is the 15,000-seat Mestsky Stadium, built in 1961 and site of the annual “Golden Spike” meet in Ostrava. Prize money is fairly substantial at $30,000-15,000-10,000-7,000-5,000-3,000-2,000-1,000 for individual events and $30,000-20,000-10,000-8,000 for relays.

Each athlete on the winning team will also receive a personal crystal baton as a trophy; how many of those will show up on eBay?

The meet runs from 2:30-6 p.m. local time on Saturday and Sunday, which is 8:30 a.m.-noon Eastern time. It’s not clear if NBC is televising the meet – it doesn’t shown on their listings – but check the NBC Olympic Channel. Because NBC has the rights to this meet, the live stream is not available to U.S. viewers.

The IAAF has blanket coverage of the event on its Web site here; look for results here.

THE BIG PICTURE: Israel allowed to compete in IJF events in UAE

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

What appears to be a welcome breakthrough in Middle Eastern sports relations was announced by the International Judo Federation this week under the heading of “Israelis welcome to the Abu Dhabi Judo Grand Slam.”

Last July, the IJF suspended the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in the United Arab Emirates and the Tunis Grand Prix in Tunisia for its refusal to allow Israeli athletes to either compete at all (by refusing entry visas for its athletes) or to compete in their national uniforms and have their flag raised or national anthem played during victory ceremonies.

The IJF required that both countries provide a “governmental guarantee is given to ensure free and equal participation of all nations at the said events.”

The Emirates finally came through on 2 September, as the IJF posted a statement noting that the “UAE Judo Federation confirmed in an official letter sent to the IJF that all nations participating in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam will have the possibility to do so in equal conditions.

“The historic decision will thus allow all nations to display their national insignia and national anthem, including Israel. …

“Consequently, the International Judo Federation is hereby re-instating the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam to the IJF calendar. … The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2018 will take place from 27-29 October.”

After preventing Israeli junior taekwondo athletes from competing last May, Tunisia’s bid for the 2022 Youth Olympic Games was frozen by the IOC. That bid was reinstated after the Tunisian government sent a letter guaranteeing that Israeli athletes would be able to compete in the country without restrictions in the future.

The IJF’s calendar for 2019 shows that the Tunis Grand Prix will be held from 18-20 January.

OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES 2018: Korea’s Gangwon Province pops the IOC’s cost-containment balloon

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

The English-language version of the Korea newspaper, the Chosun Ilbo, started the story this way:

“Gangwon Province is mired in massive debts after hosting the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang earlier this year.

“The mountainous province with a population of 1.5 million had to host the biggest Winter Olympics so far, and six months on conflict with locals and unpaid wages continue to plague the local government, while the astronomically expensive venues sit empty.”

The 29 August article by Sung-won Jeong, went on to note in detail the financial crisis caused by the PyeongChang Winter Games held last February and continuing today:

∙ The venues for speed skating, ice hockey and the sliding sports – bobsleigh, luge and skeleton – are a “bottomless pit of maintenance costs” which are estimated to run 20.3 billion Korean Won through 2022 (about $18.1 million U.S.). The provincial government is asking for three-quarters of the total to be paid by the national government, which is not interested.

∙ The Jeongseon skiing center, built in a forest, is now a tug-of-war between environmentalists who wants it dismantled and the forest reinstated, and local skiing interests who see the potential for continued use as a ski resort.

∙ There are multiple unpaid contractors, with an 8 billion Won construction bill (~ $7.1 million U.S.) already being discussed with the Korean Fair Trade Mediation Agency.

∙ Not in the story, but also problematic is the 35,000-seat stadium constructed for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Winter Games and Winter Paralympic Games – for a reported $100 million U.S. – which was always scheduled for demolition after the Games after being used for a total of four events.

The governor of the Gangwon Province, Moon-soon Choi, told the Chosun Ilbo, “Most of the Olympic legacies have either been demolished or are gathering dust, causing a tremendous amount of disappointment for local residents. We need urgent financial support from the government.”

This is a big problem for PyeongChang, for the Gangwon Province and for Korea. But it is an even bigger – and ill-timed – problem for the International Olympic Committee.

In July, the IOC’s Executive Director for the Olympic Games, Christophe Dubi (SUI) told the Inside the Games Web site that the PyeongChang Games ran a financial surplus, which will be detailed in September “down to the last penny. What we know is these Games are financially profitable and that is a great thing.”

What’s worse is that the IOC could stick to this story and be technically correct.

Dubi’s surplus claim refers only to the PyeongChang organizing committee – known as POCOG – and not to the Games as a whole. Reports prior to the Games put the total cost of the event at $13 billion U.S., mostly paid for by various levels of Korean governments … and not the organizing committee. So POCOG could run a surplus and the Games could have a huge and continuing deficit.

This couldn’t come at a worse time for the IOC, which is facing an imminent decision in Calgary (CAN) about whether that city will bid for the 2026 Winter Games. The City Council will meet on 10 September to consider ending the bid, and if still alive, there will be a referendum on 13 November.

The 2026 field could also include Stockholm (SWE), a three-city joint bid from Italy and Erzurum (TUR), but the Swedish government support is not yet assured and the Italian effort is far from coordinated at present. Sapporo (JPN) is interested, but would prefer to bid for 2030.

Moreover, the financial problems in Korea mark the fourth straight Games with major cost issues, as 2012 (London), 2014 (Sochi Winter) and 2016 (Rio) all had massive cost overruns. The next Games in Tokyo in 2020 also has massive cost issues and the 2022 Winter Games will be in Beijing, which spent a reported $40 billion-plus on the 2008 Olympic Games.

So far from showcasing the financial changes that the IOC has insisted have come from its Agenda 2020 and “The New Norm,” the reinforced narrative is that the Olympic Games is an exercise in financial madness.

Just last month, IOC chief Thomas Bach told CNN Money Switzerland that “you can see that organizing the Olympic Games is a feasible investment. And in PyeongChang 2018, you will hear in the near future that there the budget will again make a profit.”

Thanks to the news from Korea, the Olympic naysayers will have a field day.

The IOC now is in a position it has never faced before. It must, in public statements and through its highly-visible Coordination Commission meetings in candidate and host cities, to campaign against and insist that new facilities NOT be built for the Olympic and Winter Games.

In effect, the IOC must turn around a well-known sports-marketing tagline to, “Don’t Do It.”

Rich Perelman
Editor

OLYMPIC GAMES: Anniversary of the Munich Massacre

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

This week is also the 46th anniversary of the worst day in the history of the modern Olympic Movement, when Palestinian terrorists kidnapped, abducted and then murdered 11 members of the Israeli delegation at the Munich Games on 5 September.

Many athletes felt that the remainder of the Games – the incident took place on the 11th day of the Games – should be canceled, but during a 10 a.m. memorial service held on the 6th, International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage (USA) said:

“We have only the strength of a great ideal. I am sure the public will agree that we cannot allow a handful of terrorists to destroy this nucleus of international cooperation and goodwill we have in the Olympic movement.

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

“We declare today a day of mourning and will continue all the events one day later than scheduled.”

The competition resumed later on that day, beginning at 4:30 p.m., the same time that events were stopped the day before when the hostage-taking became known.

WATER POLO: U.S. outscores Group B, 61-6, in Women’s World Cup

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

The quadrennial FINA women’s Water Polo World Cup has completed the group stage in Surgut (RUS), with seven teams trying to unseat the two-time defending champions from the United States. It hasn’t worked so far; the groups and records:

∙ Group A:
1. Russia (3-0); 2. Spain (1-1-1); 3. Australia (1-1-1), 4. China (0-3).

∙ Group B:
1. United States (3-0), 2. Canada (2-1), 3. New Zealand (1-2); 4. South Africa (0-3).

The U.S. has simply overwhelmed its opponents, defeating New Zealand, 18-2; South Africa by 26-1 and Canada by 17-3, for a 61-6 total over three games. Russia defeated Spain (13-9), Australia (14-8) and China (19-11).

The playoffs start Friday with quarterfinal play:

∙ Spain vs. New Zealand
∙ Russia vs. South Africa

∙ Australia vs. Canada
∙ United States vs. China

The winners in each game will meet in the semis on Saturday and the semi winners will vie for the championship on Sunday.

This event debuted back in 1979 and the U.S. has won three times (1979-2010-2014) in the 16 prior editions. The traditional power has been the Netherlands, with eight wins, but not involved in 2018. Australia has also won three times, in 1984-1995-2006.

The U.S. beat Australia in the 2010 and 2014 finals; China won bronze in 2010 and Spain in 2018.

Look for results here.

SHOOTING: Former champs forge golden comebacks at ISSF Worlds

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 7, 2018

It wasn’t easy, but two champions from prior ISSF World Championships found a way to win again in Changwon (KOR).

The home crowd at the Changwon International Shooting Centre – a full house – went wild for the defending men’s 10 m Air Pistol champion, Jong-Oh Jin (KOR) as he mounted a comeback from 6.2 points down to get into a shoot-off with Artem Chernousov (RUS). He ended the suspense with a 10.3-9.5 win to take his second world title.

Jin trailed, 185.3-179.1 with six shots left, but rang up six brilliant shots in a row: 9.8, 10.0, 10.5, 10.4, 10.3 and 10.4 to tie the match. Not bad for the four-time Olympic gold medalist, who won the Free Pistol in 2008-12-16 and the Air Pistol in London in 2012.

Slovakia’s Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova returned to the top of the World Championships podium again with a shoot-out win in the women’s Trap competition. She won in 2010, finished 13th in 2014 and in between won Olympic silver medals in 2008 and 2012.

This time, she had to out-shoot Xiaojing Wang (CHN), who led with 24 hits in her first 25 targets to 22 for Rehak Stefecekova. But the former champ got closer and closer, scoring 16 targets in a row to draw even after 40 shots. Both hit eight of the final 10 targets to go to the shoot-off and Slovakian hit three targets in a row and Wang missed her third shot to decide the outcome.

“The goal of the day was to achieve an Olympic quota place [in the top four]. And I made it. I am so happy that’s in my pocket! Everybody know that I struggle in finals, sometimes. It can be great or it can be really bad. Today it has been great, probably my best final ever.

“It was open until the end, it was really thrilling.”

The U.S. has won two team medals in the senior division, with a silver in the men’s Trap with Walton Eller, Grayson Davey and Casey Wallace and a team bronze in women’s Trap, with Kayle Browning, Ashley Carroll and Aeriel Skinner hitting 339 clays.

The 2018 championships continue through 15 September. It’s also the start of the Olympic qualification cycle for Tokyo as 60 quota places – generally the top four in each event – will be assigned for the 2020 Games. The remaining senior-level events and finals schedule:

∙ 7 September:
Men’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions
Mixed Team Trap

∙ 8 September:
Women’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions
Women’s 25 m Pistol

∙ 9 September:
Women’s 10 m Running Target
Men’s 10 m Running Target

∙ 10 September:
Men’s 25 m Rapid Fire Pistol

∙ 11 September:
Women’s Skeet

∙ 14 September:
Men’s Skeet

The ISSF has exceptional coverage on its Web site here. Summaries so far:

ISSF World Championships
Changwon (KOR) ~ 31 August-15 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men

10 m Air Pistol: 1. Jong-Oh Jin (KOR), 241.5; 2. Artem Chernousov (24.15), 241.5 (Jin won shoot-off: 10.3-9.5); 3. Dae-Myung Lee (KOR), 220.6; 4. Pavlo Korostylov (UKR), 198.5; 5. Ruslan Lunev (AZE), 177.7; 6. Seung-Woo Han (KOR), 158.8; 7. Quoc Cuong Tran (VIE), 136.9; 8. Abhishek Verma (IND), 118.0.

Team 10 m Air Pistol: 1. Korea (Dae. Lee, Jin, S. Han), 1,747; 2. India (Verma, Mitharval, Rizvi), 1,738; 3. Russia (Chernousov, Koulakov, Gourianov), 1,736; 4. Vietnam, 1,731; 5. Serbia, 1,729; 6. Ukraine, 1,729; 7. China, 1,726; 8. Italy, 1,726. Also: 17. United States (Nick Mowrer, Jerson Herndon, James Hall), 1,710.

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Sergey Kamenskiy (RUS), 248.4; 2. Petar Gorsa (CRO), 247.5; 3. Miran Maricic (CRO), 227.3; 4. Zicheng Hui (CHN), 206.1; 5. Hoaran Yang (CHN), 185.7; 6. Deepak Kumar (IND), 164.1; 7. Mahyar Sedaghat (IRI), 143.0; 8. Taeyun Nam (KOR), 121.4.

Team 10 m Air Rifle: 1. China (Yang, Hui Yu), 1,887.4 (World Record; old, 1,886.5, China, 2014); 2. Russia (Kamenskiy, Maslennikov, Dryagin), 1,884.0; 3. Korea (Nam, Kim, Song), 1,878.5; 4. India, 1,878.4; 5. Croatia, 1,878.3; 6. Japan, 1,877.6; 7. Hungary, 1,876.6; 8. Iran, 1,875.9. Also: 17. United States (Bryant Wallizer, Dempster Christiansen, Lucas Kozeniesky), 1,866.0.

Trap: 1. Alberto Fernandez (ESP), 48 (equals World Record, Fernandez, 2017); 2. Erik Varga (SVK), 47; 3. Abdulrahman Al Faihan (KUW), 32; 4. James Willett (AUS), 28; 5. Mauro de Filippis (ITA), 23; 6. Walton Eller (USA), 17.

Team Trap: 1. Kuwait (Abdul Al Faihan, Talai Alrashidi, Khaled Almudhaf), 360; 2. United States (Walton Eller, Grayson Davey, Casey Wallace), 360; 3. Italy (De Filippis, Pellielo, Grazini), 360; 4. Russia, 359; 5. Croatia, 358; 6. Czech Republic, 357; 7. Portugal, 356; 8. Slovakia, 355.

Women

10 m Air Pistol: 1. Anna Korakaki (GRE), 241.1; 2. Zorana Arunovic (SRB), 239.8; 3. Bomi Kim (KOR), 218.8; 4. Qian Wang (CHN), 198.1; 5. Ranxin Jiang (CHN), 178.7; 6. Vitalina Batsarashkina (RUS), 157.2; 7. Klaudia Bres (POL), 136.9; 8. Minjung Kim (KOR), 116.5.

Team 10 m Air Pistol: 1. China (Jiang, Wang, Ji), 1,739 (World Record; new event); 2. Korea (Min. Kim, B. Kim, Kwak), 1,734; 3. Russia (Batsarashkina, Lomova, Medvedeva), 1,720; 4. India, 1,713; 5. France, 1,712; 6. Iran, 1,711; 7. Poland, 1,710; 8. Chinese Taipei, 1,708. Also: 14. United States (Sandra Uptagrafft, Lexi Lagan, Nathalia Granados), 1,700.

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Hana Im (KOR), 251.1; 2. Anjum Moudgil (IND), 248.4; 3. Eunhea Jung (KOR), 228.0; 4. Apurvi Chandela (INDZ0, 207.0; 5. Adele Tan (SGP), 184.3; 6. Ying-Shin Lin (TPE), 163.4; 7. Petra Zublasing (ITA), 142.9; 8. Isabella Straub (GER), 122.1.

Team 10 m Air Rifle: 1. Korea (Im, Jung, Keum), 1,886.2 (World Record; new event); 2. India (Moudgil, Chandela, Ghosh), 1,879.0; 3. Germany (Straub, Gschwandtner, Simon), 1,878.4; 4. Chinese Taipei, 1,878.2; 5. Mongolia, 1,877.3; 6. China, 1,876.5; 7. Russia, 1,875.6; 8. Romania, 1,873.5. Also: 16. United States (Sarah Beard, Minden Miles, Alison Weisz), 1,867.0.

Trap: 1. Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova (SVK), 45; 2. Xiaojing Wang (CHN), 45 (Rehak Stefecekova won shoot-off, 3-2); 3. Silvana Stanco (ITA), 36; 4. Laetisha Scanlan (AUS), 30; 5. Chun Lin Yi (CHN), 25; 6. Beatriz Martinez (ESP), 19.

Team Trap: 1. Italy (Stanco, Rossi, Iezzi), 343 (World Record; new event); 2. Spain (Martinez, Galvez, Munoz), 342; 3. United States (Kayle Browning, Ashley Carroll, Aeriel Skinner), 339; 4. China, 338; 5. Chinese Taipei, 329; 6. Finland, 329; 7. Korea, 326; 8. India, 325.

Mixed

Team 10 m Air Pistol: 1. Vitalina Batsarashkina/Artem Chernousov (RUS), 488.1; 2. Qian Wang/Meng Yi Wang (CHN), 480.2; 3. Olena Kostevych/Oleh Omelchuk (UKR), 416.7; 4. Zorana Arunovic/Damir Mikec (SRB), 376.7; 5. Sonia Franquet/Pablo Carrera (ESP), 331.6.

Team 10 m Air Rifle: 1. Ruozhu Zhao/Haoran Yang (CHN), 500.9; 2. Mingyang Wu/Buhan Song (CHN), 500.6; 3. Anastasia Galashina/Vladimir Maslennikov (RUS), 434.2; 4. Laura-Georgeta Coman/Alin George Moldoveanu (ROU), 390.5; 5. Isabella Straub/Maximillian Dallinger (GER), 346.9.

SHOOTING: Spain’s Fernandez equals own world record to win Trap Worlds

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 5, 2018

A battle of two World Champions ended with the world record being equaled in the men’s Trap competition at the ISSF World Championships in Changwon (KOR).

After the first four rounds of the elimination-style finals, it was the 2010 World Champion, Spain’s Alberto Fernandez, facing the 2014 World Champion, Slovakia’s Erik Varga. Fernandez hit 39 of his first 40 targets and Varga was just two behind at 37.

Varga hit all 10 of his final-round targets, but Fernandez didn’t open the door beyond missing one target and finished with 48/50, equaling his world record from the 2017 World Cup Final in New Delhi.

The other events already decided have been spread among several countries. Russian Sergey Kamenskiy, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist, won the men’s 10 m Air Rifle on his final shot, saying afterwards, “I am still shaking.”

Greece’s Anna Korakaki continued her brilliant shooting in the women’s 10 m Air Pistol event, winning the world title and moving up after a bronze in Rio in 2016 in the same event. She won the Olympic title in the 25 m Pistol event.

Korea’s Hana Im, 17, won the women’s 10 m Air Rifle in front of the home crowd in her first ISSF Worlds.

The 2018 championships continue through 15 September. It’s also the start of the Olympic qualification cycle for Tokyo as 60 quota places – generally the top four in each event – will be assigned for the 2020 Games. The remaining senior-level events and finals schedule:

∙ 6 September:

Men’s 10 m Air Pistol
Women’s Trap

∙ 7 September:

Men’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions
Mixed Team Trap

∙ 8 September:

Women’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions
Women’s 25 m Pistol

∙ 9 September:

Women’s 10 m Running Target
Men’s 10 m Running Target

∙ 10 September: Men’s 25 m Rapid Fire Pistol

∙ 11 September: Women’s Skeet

∙ 14 September: Men’s Skeet

The ISSF has exceptional coverage on its Web site here. Summaries so far:

ISSF World Championships
Changwon (KOR) ~ 31 August-15 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Sergey Kamenskiy (RUS), 248.4; 2. Petar Gorsa (CRO), 247.5; 3. Miran Maricic (CRO), 227.3; 4. Zicheng Hui (CHN), 206.1; 5. Hoaran Yang (CHN), 185.7; 6. Deepak Kumar (IND), 164.1; 7. Mahyar Sedaghat (IRI), 143.0; 8. Taeyun Nam (KOR), 121.4.

Trap: 1. Alberto Fernandez (ESP), 48 (equals World Record, Fernandez, 2017); 2. Erik Varga (SVK), 47; 3. Abdulrahman Al Faihan (KUW), 32; 4. James Willett (AUS), 28; 5. Mauro de Filippis (ITA), 23; 6. Walton Eller (USA), 17.

Women

10 m Air Pistol: 1. Anna Korakaki (GRE), 241.1; 2. Zorana Arunovic (SRB), 239.8; 3. Bomi Kim (KOR), 218.8; 4. Qian Wang (CHN), 198.1; 5. Ranxin Jiang (CHN), 178.7; 6. Vitalina Batsarashkina (RUS), 157.2; 7. Klaudia Bres (POL), 136.9; 8. Minjung Kim (KOR), 116.5.

10 m Air Rifle: 1. Hana Im (KOR), 251.1; 2. Anjum Moudgil (IND), 248.4; 3. Eunhea Jung (KOR), 228.0; 4. Apurvi Chandela (INDZ0, 207.0; 5. Adele Tan (SGP), 184.3; 6. Ying-Shin Lin (TPE), 163.4; 7. Petra Zublasing (ITA), 142.9; 8. Isabella Straub (GER), 122.1.

Mixed

Team 10 m Air Pistol: 1. Vitalina Batsarashkina/Artem Chernousov (RUS), 488.1; 2. Qian Wang/Meng Yi Wang (CHN), 480.2; 3. Olena Kostevych/Oleh Omelchuk (UKR), 416.7; 4. Zorana Arunovic/Damir Mikec (SRB), 376.7; 5. Sonia Franquet/Pablo Carrera (ESP), 331.6.

Team 10 m Air Rifle: 1. Ruozhu Zhao/Haoran Yang (CHN), 500.9; 2. Mingyang Wu/Buhan Song (CHN), 500.6; 3. Anastasia Galashina/Vladimir Maslennikov (RUS), 434.2; 4. Laura-Georgeta Coman/Alin George Moldoveanu (ROU), 390.5; 5. Isabella Straub/Maximillian Dallinger (GER), 346.9.

FOOTBALL: Heath brilliant for U.S. women in 4-0 win vs. Chile

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 5, 2018

It wasn’t easy at the start, but the no. 1-ranked United States women’s national team finally solved the Chilean defense and cruised to a 4-0 win at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, California on Tuesday night.

Two goals within five minutes settled the issue, the first starting with a penalty shot by Alex Morgan that was saved by Chilean keeper Christiane Endler, but the rebound came back to the front of goal, where it was kneed in by Mallory Pugh for a 1-0 U.S. lead in the 34th minute. It was a takedown of Pugh in the box that drew the penalty.

Another U.S. push in the 38th minute ended with a rocket from the foot of Tobin Health that found the underside of the crossbar and extended the American lead to 2-0 and the game was decided.

Health was outstanding as a playmaker throughout, and right after halftime, her free kick sailed toward the right corner of the Chilean goal, where it was headed in by Carli Lloyd for her 101st career goal and a 3-0 advantage.

Lloyd scored again in stoppage time (90+3), driving the ball down the right side of the field, darting to the left and then to the right to open space for a right-footed shot that ran diagonally into the left side of goal for the 4-0 final.

With the sweep of the two games against Chile, the American women are 11-0-2 in 2018 and have a 21-match unbeaten streak (18-0-3), going back to mid-2017. The U.S. has outscored its opponents by 65-17 during those matches.

With the friendlies out of the way, the U.S. women will next open the World Cup-qualifying CONCACAF Championships against Mexico on 4 October in Cary, North Carolina.

CYCLING: Viviani claims second stage win in Vuelta a Espana

By

Rich Perelman

-

September 5, 2018

After the first rest day of the La Vuelta a Espana, the racing resumed with a fairly flat stage on Tuesday, perfect for the sprinters.

And once again, it was Italy’s Elia Viviani who got to the line first, once again outleaning Slovakia’s Peter Sagan, who finished second for the third time in the last four stages!

Under cycling’s “in-the-area” rules on timing, the top 117 riders in Tuesday’s stage all for the same time, so the overall standings did not change. Britain’s Simon Yates has a one-second edge over Spain’s Alejandro Valverde, then 14 seconds over Nairo Quintana (COL), 16 seconds over Emanuel Buchmann (GER) and 17 seconds ahead of Ion Izagirre (ESP). The first 10 riders are within a minute of the lead.

The rest of the week features two hilly stages and three serious mountain stages (13-14-15) before another rest day on 10 September.

NBC’s Olympic Channel has daily coverage of La Vuelta, usually beginning at 9:30 or 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Summaries and stage notes: