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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● MedPage Today reported that “About 10% of athletes who competed in the triathlon or open water swimming events developed gastroenteritis, compared with about 1% to 3% of athletes in the same events in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.”
The information came from Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, the chief medical officer for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, who said it was obtained from data collected by the International Olympic Committee during the Paris Games. Finnoff noted that comparisons to past Games were harder because the Paris swim was in fresh water and the 2016 and 2020 swims were in salt water venues.
In some cases, a virus was detected, which was not related to E. Coli levels in the Seine, the main indicator which was used to determine whether the river was safe enough for competition.
● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● Another Russian national federation head has projected that Russian teams will not be able to compete at the 2028 Olympic Games.
Irina Viner, the President of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, said at a youth exchange event in Moscow:
“Los Angeles is not a city from the country that will give us the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games; we have not performed in the USA once before.”
Viner is not quite right with the history.
Russia did not send any athletes to the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, the USSR sent none to Los Angeles in 1932 and the Soviets boycotted the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Russia did send 390 athletes to the Atlanta 1996 Games, winning 63 medals (26-21-16).
Russian teams also participated at the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley (now Palisades Tahoe), and 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid and the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
● Athletics ● The Athletissima meet in Lausanne had some spectacular performances, and some of the athletes had a chance to chat afterwards. It’s a pretty good race when the top three in the headlining men’s 1,500 m were all pleased:
● Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR: winner): “It´s been almost two weeks since Paris so there was plenty of time to recover. For me a lot of it has been mental, including going home, taking some easy days and then getting back to work.
“Tonight´s race gave me good answers and I´m looking forward to building on this for my next race on Sunday [in Poland] and the rest of the season.”
● Cole Hocker (USA: second): “3.29.85 [is] my second best ever, so I can´t complain.
“Considering the overwhelming past two weeks, it was a solid race. Physically I felt comfortable, but mentally, it´s a new challenge being announced as Olympic Champion. I felt the pressure but I´m excited about how things are shaping up. I was ready for whatever pace the race demanded, and I executed well.
“With another two weeks of practice ahead, I´m focused on getting my mental game right. The post-Olympic storm wasn’t as tough as people say.”
● Hobbs Kessler (USA: third): “The event was awesome, I´m super happy to be here. The race went smoothly but I just need a little more training to stay with the leaders. I’m planning to race a few more times this season then focusing on getting stronger for next year.”
Kenya’s Olympic men’s 800 m champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who won the 800 m in 1:41.11 and moved to equal-second on the all-time list, was more than pleased:
“I´m so happy to have run that crazy time here in Lausanne. Improving my PB once again setting the world lead today in Lausanne, is very good. I really loved the crowd here at Athletissima and I hope for the best for my next race in Silesia.”
That’s on Sunday and he will again face 2023 World Champion Marco Arop of Canada:
“I feel pretty good tonight, especially after the Olympics. My fitness is holding up, so I´m excited for the next few races. Next up is Silesia on Sunday, then 1,000 m in Zagreb, and hopefully the Diamond League [final].
“Lausanne is simply incredible, the atmosphere and crowd is amazing. It´s been three years since I was here, and I hope to be back again next year.”
One of the happiest winners was two-time women’s World shot champ Chase Jackson of the U.S., who didn’t qualify for the Olympic final in Paris:
“I´m super glad to have done my season best and now I´m super focused on Brussels [Diamond League final]. I didn’t take any time off after the last event; I just went straight back to training.
“My goal is to win another world title and keep pushing myself. I know I can go further, much further, so I´m working hard on my technique to really excel in the World Cup. Wonderful to be in Lausanne tonight, such an amazing stadium and ambience!”
Perhaps the most determined winner was Greece’s Olympic men’s long jump champion Miltiadis Tentoglou, who won the event on his last effort of 8.06 m (26-5 1/2):
“I feel really well because I had a streak, for over two years now, where I´ve never jumped less than 8 meters in any competition, and I don´t want to lose that streak at this point.
“As for how far I can go next year, I don´t know exactly, but I´ll try some new things, maybe take on some difficult challenges, and see what happens. Another year, another chance.”
● Cycling ● Stage 6 of the 79th Vuelta a Espana was a startling, fabulous win for Australian Ben O’Connor, who attacked with about 28 km left on the 185.5 km quadruple climb and uphill-finishing route to Yunquera.
No one could follow, and O’Connor, 28, won in 4:28:12, a full 4:33 ahead of Marco Frigo (ITA) and 5:12 up on four riders, led by German Florian Lipowitz in third place. With his rout of the field, O’Connor became the race leader, suddenly 4:51 ahead of three-time winner Primoz Roglic (SLO), and 4:59 ahead of Portugal’s Joao Almeida (POR).
O’Connor win was his first at the Vuelta a Espana and gives him career stage wins in all three of the Grand Tours; he won at the Giro d’Italia in 2020 and at the Tour de France in 2021.
Friday’s seventh stage has one climb in the final third and then a descent, likely ending in a mass sprint, unless Roglic decides to get some time back right away.
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