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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Council of Asia ● Although a formality since he ran unopposed, India’s Raja Randhir Singh was elected to a full term as President of the Olympic Council of Asia at the 44th OCA General Assembly in New Delhi (IND).
Now 77 and a five-time Olympian in shooting, he had served as the interim head of the organization since 2021, and received 44 votes, with one abstention, from the 45 members. An International Olympic Committee member from 2001-14, he is now an Honorary Member.
The OCA announcement noted that “The post of President, five Vice Presidents for the five zones and five Executive Board members were all uncontested.”
Singh is the third President of the OCA, founded in 1982. Both prior Presidents were from Kuwait: Sheikh Fahad Al-Sabah, who helped found the organization and was killed on the first day of the Iraqi invasion in 1990, and his son, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah, from 1991-2021, when he resigned after Swiss forgery conviction.
● Athletics ● Triple Olympic champion Ryan Crouser of the U.S. got a seasonal best of 22.93 m (75-2 3/4) to win the Ivan Ivancic Memorial in Zagreb (CRO) on Saturday, a day ahead of the Boris Hanzekovic Memorial on Sunday.
Crouser reached 22.90 m (75-1 3/4) – his winning distance in Paris – in the fourth round and then his winning throw in the fifth. Behind were three more over 22 m: American Payton Otterdahl at 22.46 m (73-8 1/4), his best ever outdoors, then Olympic bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell (JAM) with a national record of 22.31 m (73-2 1/2) and European champion Leonardo Fabbri (ITA) at 22.24 m (72-11 3/4).
On Sunday, American Courtney Lindsey continued his hot sprinting with a 9.97 to 10.02 win over Ferdinand Omanyala (KEN), and Olympic teammate Erriyon Knighton won the 200 m in 19.93 over Joseph Fahnbulleh (LBA: 20.08) and Lindsey (20.13).
Canada’s World 800 m champ Marco Arop claimed the world lead in the men’s 1,000 m at 2:13.13, with Jonah Koech of the U.S. second in a lifetime best of 2:15.15, the no. 2 performance in American history. Isaac Kimeli (BEL) won the 2,000 m in 4:54.29, with Americans Cooper Teare (4:55.42) and Johnathan Reniewicki (4:55.54) finishing 2-3 with lifetime bests and moving to nos. 5-6 on the all-time U.S. list.
Kenya’s Leonard Bett won the Steeple in 8:06.33, with Duncan Hamilton of the U.S. fifth in a lifetime best of 8:13.76 and Joey Berriatua eighth in a PR 8:2082.
Japan’s Rachid Muratake beat Olympic silver winner Daniel Roberts of the U.S. in the 110 m hurdles, 13.14 to 13.18. Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis beat Olympic silver winner Sam Kendricks (USA) in the men’s vault, 5.88 m (19-3 1/2) to 5.78 m (18-11 1/2).
Gina Bass Bittaye (GHA) won the women’s 100 m in 11.13, with American Jenna Prandini third (11.30). In the women’s 800, Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir won with a meet record of 1:57.00, and American Sage Hurta-Klecker got a lifetime best of 1:57.53 in fourth.
Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent won the women’s 100 m hurdles in 12.55, with Keni Harrison of the U.S. third (12.76) and Tonea Marshall fourth (12.79). Olympic bronze medalist Jasmine Moore won the long jump at 6.71 m (22-0 1/4) and Olympic champ Valarie Allman won the discus at 67.83 m (222-6).
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In New York, the annual Fifth Avenue Mile had two runaway winners, as Olympic 1,500 m silver medalist Josh Kerr (GBR) defended his 2023 title and set a race record of 3:44.3 to win by more than four seconds over Josh Hoey of the U.S. (3:48.9).
Kerr was right at the front at the halfway point, then accelerated, losing everyone except 2023 World Road Mile champ Hobbs Kessler of the U.S., then was essentially alone in the final quarter, smashing Sydney Maree‘s long-standing race record of 3:47.52 from 1981!
Kessler fell back and Hoey was second, with Amon Kemboi (KEN: 3:49.3) in third and Vincent Ciattei fourth (USA: 3:50.6). Kessler was ninth in 3:52.1.
The women’s race was something of an upset, as American 5,000-10,000 m Olympian Karissa Schweizer dominated, breaking away from Kenyans Dorcus Ewoi and Susan Ejore in the final 200 m to equal the race record of 4:14.8.
Ewoi and Ejore went 2-3 in 4:17.3 and 4:18.3 with Britain’s Melissa Courtney-Bryant in fourth at 4:19.9.
Race Results Weekly reported there were total 8,087 finishers among all the Fifth Avenue races, the best since the pre-pandemic days of 2019.
● Football ● The U.S. men’s National Team suffered a disheartening loss, 2-1, to Canada in Kansas City on Saturday, showing little offensive initiative and losing to the Canadians on U.S. soil for the first time since 1957, ending a 23-match unbeaten streak.
The first half was especially deflating, as Canada out-shot the U.S. by 11-1 and had a 1-0 lead on a 17th-minute goal from midfielder Jacob Shaffelburg, who scored from the left side off a lateral pass from striker Jonathan David in the middle of the box.
Canada took a 2-0 lead 13 minutes into the second half, with David following a loose ball after a failed clearance, setting up striker Cyle Larrin, whose shot was blocked. The ball bounced over to David, who finished with a right-footer from the center of the box past U.S. keeper Patrick Schulte.
The U.S. finally scored in the 66th, as substitute striker Aidan Morris pivoted toward the goal inside the box and the ball came free, with midfielder Luca de la Torre lining the loose ball into the net to cut the deficit to 2-1.
But that was it. The U.S. had 58% possession in the game but just eight shots against 17 for Canada in Mikey Varas’ first game as interim coach for the Americans. The U.S. will play New Zealand in Cincinnati on Tuesday.
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At the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup in Colombia, the American women’s team crushed Paraguay, 7-0, in their final group-stage game and finished second in Group C, moving on to the playoffs.
Colombia, Brazil, Spain and North Korea all finished 3-0 in their groups and Germany won Group D at 2-1. Japan and Austria are yet to play in Group E on Sunday, both at 2-0.
As for the playoffs, the U.S. is set to face Mexico on the 11th in Bogota, with the winner to play the victor in the Germany vs. Argentina match, on the 15th.
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Brazilian star striker Vinicius Junior, who plays for Real Madrid in Spain, and has been the target of continuing racist abuse, said that the racism actions of a minority must be reduced, or consideration should be given to removing Spain as a tri-host of the FIFA World Cup in 2030.
“Until 2030, we have a lot of room to evolve. I hope that Spain can evolve, and understand how serious it is to insult someone because of the color of their skin.
“If by 2030 things don’t improve, I think we have to move the [World Cup] location, because if a player doesn’t feel comfortable and safe playing in a country where they can suffer racism, it’s a bit difficult.”
His comments were immediately attacked as calling the entire country as racist, but he explained:
“There are a lot of people in Spain, the majority, that aren’t racist. It’s a small group that ends up affecting the image of a country that’s good to live in. I love playing for Real Madrid. I love Spain, having the best conditions to live here with my family.
“We hope things can evolve more. They’ve already evolved, but they can evolve a lot more. For 2030, racist incidents and racism can, and should, decrease.”
● Sport Climbing ● Olympic champions showed their stuff at the IFSC Lead World Cup in Koper (SLO), winning both the men’s and women’s events.
Naturally, Slovenia’s two-time Olympic Combined champion Janja Garnbret was the star attraction. She led the qualifying, semifinal and won the final at 46+, ahead of Paris 2024 Combined bronze winner Jessica Pilz (40+). American Anne Sanders was third (39+).
Britain’s Olympic Combined winner, Toby Roberts, was a clear winner of the men’s final at 40, with Japanese Olympic silver winner Sorato Anraku at 35 (he’s still 17!) and France’s Sam Avezou at 31+.
● Surfing ● The fourth edition of the World Surf League finals concluded Saturday at Lower Tresles in San Clemente, California, a possible LA28 venue location, with Americans John John Florence and Caitlin Simmers winning the seasonal titles.
Florence competes for Hawaii, which for the WSL is a separate entity from the U.S., and won his third WSL seasonal title, defeating Brazil’s 2019 WSL champion (and Tokyo Olympic champ) Italo Ferreira, 2-0 (15.50 to 15.33; 18.13 to 16.30).
The women had an all-American final, with defending champion – and Paris Olympic champ – Caroline Marks facing 18-year-old Caitlin Simmers. This was tighter, with Simmers winning 2-1: 16.87 to 17.43, then 18.37 to 14.17 and 15.16 to 7.17 in the decider.
● Swimming ● As had been expected, USA Swimming announced Friday:
“Lindsay Mintenko, Managing Director of the National Team at USA Swimming, the national governing body for the sport of swimming in the United States, today announced resignation from her position effective September 20, 2024.”
Mintenko, 47, was a two-time Olympic relay gold medalist in the women’s 4×200 m Freestyle, in 2000 and 2004. She joined USA Swimming in 2006 and was named Managing Director of the national team in 2017.
She replaced Frank Busch, a highly-successful coach at Arizona, who was the National Team Director from 2011-17. Mintenko’s role at USA Swimming was seen differently from Busch, not only as to title, but because she was not a long-term head coach at the collegiate or club level.
Two coaching groups sent letters to the USA Swimming Board in August, complaining about the organization’s leadership, worries about membership totals and a perceived drop in performance at Paris 2024 via-a-vis Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
A search is underway for a success; it will be a shock if an experienced coach is not selected.
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