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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games 2004: Athens ● A request for proposal has been issued by the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund for the repair of the iconic roof of the Olympic Stadium and the adjacent velodrome.
Both designed by Spanish starchitect Santiago Calatrava, reports of continuing failures of the stadium roof led to support from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Fund, which will pay for the project, with an expected cost of more than €78 million (€1 = $1.03 U.S.).
The job is complicated by the requirements that the roof repairs do not shut down the facilities and allow events to continue, and to be completed within 14 months. Bids are due in mid-February.
The roof was declared unsafe in 2023 due to rust, and removing it was considered, but it will now be restored.
● Anti-Doping ● Following the decision of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy to withhold its 2024 dues contribution of $3.625 million, former WADA Vice President Linda Helleland, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, asked the Minister of Culture Lubna Jaffrey to do the same in 2025.
Norway paid NOK 2.2 million in dues to WADA in 2024, (~$191,708 U.S.); Helleland was a WADA Vice President from 2016-19.
● Russia ● Doping continues to be an issue in Russia as the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) reported 102 doping violations in 2024 (these are violations, not the same as sanctions).
This is an improvement on the number from 2022 (135) and 2023 (150). Among the positives, steroids, diuretics and meldonium were the largest contributors. RUSADA collected 11,070 samples in 2024, up from 11,091 in 2023 and 11,1053 in 2022.
Although not an exact comparison, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency posted 35 sanctions in 2024, and 40 in 2023.
● Alpine Skiing ● Triple Olympic medalist Federica Brignone (ITA) won her third race of the season at the FIS women’s World Cup in St. Anton (SUI), this time in the Downhill on Saturday, the 30th career World Cup gold, but first-ever Downhill gold!
She started 14th and took the lead at 1:16.08, and no one could get close. Czech star Ester Ledecka, the surprise 2018 Olympic Super-G winner, started 27th and came in second at 1:16.26, but was passed by Swiss Malorie Blanc, 21, who won her first World Cup medal in 1:16.15 for the silver.
American Lindsey Vonn, 40, competing in her first Downhill since 2019, finished a very creditable sixth (1:16.66), starting from the 32nd position. It’s her best finish in a Downhill since March of 2018. Fellow American Lauren Macuga continued her solid season in ninth (1:16.87).
Sunday’s Super-G was even better, as Macuga, 22, starting 17th, roared through the course and took the lead at 1:17.51, replacing Stephanie Venier (AUT: 1:18.19), who took the lead as the no. 15 starter. And no one got close.
Italy’s Brignone, who started seventh, took third at 1:18.43 and Vonn, starting 31st, finished fourth in 1:18.75.
It’s the first-ever World Cup medal and win for Macuga, who scored her first top-10 finish last season at Zauchensee (AUT) and was fourth this season in the Beaver Creek Downhill on 14 December. Now, she’s a World Cup winner.
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At the FIS men’s World Cup in Abelboden (SUI), France’s Olympic Slalom champ Clement Noel got his third win of the season – all in his specialty – moving from third to first on the second run with a combined time of 1:51.53. He had to sweat out the two skiers who were faster on the first run, but leader Manuel Feller (AUT) failed to finish and Linus Strasser (GER) faded to 23rd and finish fourth overall. It’s Noel’s 13th career World Cup win.
Defending World Cup champion Marco Odermatt (SUI) won his third World Cup Giant Slalom in a row on Sunday, winning by 0.02 seconds over countryman Loic Meillard (2:27.75). River Radamus was the top American in 10th (2:29.93). After 17 of 38 events this season, Odermatt now has a 730-574 lead on Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen, trying for a fourth consecutive seasonal title.
● Athletics ● The men’s and women’s races at the USATF Cross Country Championships in Lubbock, Texas were both won decisively, with margins of nine and 23 seconds. Tokyo Steeple Olympian Benard Keter won the men’s 10 km race in 29:43, well ahead of Joseph Berriatuna (29:52) and Anthony Camerieri (29:59).
Carrie Ellwood won the women’s title by 23 seconds in 34:22, with Cailie Logue second (34:45) and Katie Camarena third (35:13). Both races had very small fields: 27 for the men and 12 for the women.
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Sweden’s 2022 Worlds bronze medalist Perseus Karlstrom dominated the USATF 35 km Walk Championships in Santee, California, winning in 2:27:19 – his third-fastest ever – well ahead of Mexico’s Ever Palma (2:37:46). Third was Tokyo Olympian Nick Christie (2:45:31), the 2025 U.S. champion, ahead of Jordan Crawford (2:46:20).
Mexico took the top places in the women’s race, with Valeria Ortuno the winner at 2:51:33 and Nadia Gonzalez (3:02:49) second. The U.S. winner was Katie Burnett at 3:05:10, beating Rio Olympian Miranda Melville (3:05:20) and two-time Olympian Maria Michta-Coffey (3:09:57).
● Badminton ● The top seeds took the Singles titles at the BWF World Tour Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur, with China’s Yu Qui Shi defeating Anders Antonsen (DEN), 21-8, 21-15, in the men’s final and Se Young An (KOR) sweeping aide second-seed Zhi Yi Wang (CHN), 21-7, 21-7.
Korea got a second win in the men’s Doubles, with Won Ho Kim and Seung Jae Seo taking down China’s Bo Yang Chen and Yi Liu, 19-21, 21-12, 21-12. Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto (JPN) won the women’s Doubles over Yi Fan Jia and Shu Xian Zhang (CHN), 17-21, 21-15, 21-15, and Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supisara Paewsampran (THA) won the Mixed Doubles, 21-13, 19-21, 21-18 over Yan Zhe Feng and Dong Ping Huang (CHN).
● Biathlon ● France dominated the IBU World Cup in Oberhof (GER), winning three of the four individual races!
Paula Botet won her first World Cup medal in the women’s 7.5 km Sprint, winning in 22:52.0 (0 penalties), over Maren Kirkeeide (NOR: 23:23.9/1). Then four-time Worlds medalist Lou Jeanmonnot won the 10 km Pursuit in 31:14.9 (1), for her third win of the season! Kirkeeide was second again (31:33.0/2) and Beijing 2022 silver winner Elvira Oeberg (SWE: 31:41.1/1) was third.
France’s double Beijing 2022 gold medalist Quentin Fillon Maillet got the third win, taking the 10 km Sprint in 23:36.2 (0) to lead a French sweep, with Fabien Claude (23:51.1/0) second and Emilien Jacquelin (23:59.3/1) in third. It was the 17th career World Cup gold for Fillon Maillet.
Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid took the men’s 12.5 km Pursuit, leading a Norse sweep, in 33:25.5 (2), just ahead of Tarjei Boe (33:30.7/1) and young brother Johannes Thingnes Boe (33:45.2/3).
Finland (Tero Seppala and Suvi Minkkinen) won the Single Mixed Relay over Fillon Maillet and Potet, 39:17.1 (5) to 39:22.9 (8). Sweden out-dueled France to win the Mixed Relay, 1:04:24.1 to 1:04:36.8.
● Bobsled & Skeleton ● German sledders continued dominating the IBSF World Cup in St. Moritz (SUI), as double Olympic champ Francesco Friedrich and Beijing 2022 runner-up Johannes Lochner tied for the Two-Man gold, both at 2:12.21; Lochner made up 0.05 on the second run to get the tie. Adam Ammour made it a sweep for Germany in third (2:12.28); Frank Del Duca and Carsten Vissering finished eighth in 2:13.50.
In the Four-Man on Sunday, Lochner’s sled was in the lead after the first run, but Friedrich had the best second run and won, 2:09.13 to 2:09.36. Del Duca was 16th (2:11.60).
The Germans swept the Two-Woman race, with 2023 World Champion Kim Kalicki (and Leonie Fiebig) winning in 2:16.85, ahead of Olympic champs Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi (2:16.90) and Lisa Buckwitz and Neele Schuten (2:17.27). The U.S. went 4-5 with Elana Meyers Taylor and Sadie McMullen (2:17.84) and Kaillie Armbruster Humphries and Jasmine Jones (2:17.87).
The women’s Monobob was canceled due to warm weather conditions and will be held on 24 January instead, also at St. Moritz.
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In Skeleton, Britain’s 2023 World Champion Matt Weston got his second straight win and took the overall lead with one race to go in 2:14.61, ahead of Olympic champ Christopher Grotheer (2:15.15). Austin Florian of the U.S. was fifth in 2:15.95.
Three-time European champ Janine Flock got a second straight win in the women’s racing and took the seasonal lead, in 2:18.65, ahead of Kim Meylemans (BEL: 2:18.83) and Brazil’s Nicole Rocha Silveira (2:18.92). Americans Kelly Curtis and Mystique Ro finished 7-9 in 2:19.80 and 2:19.87.
In the Mixed Team race, Jacqueline Pfeifer and Axel Jungk (GER) won in 2:23.91, just ahead of the American pair of Ro and Florian (2:24.04).
● Fencing ● Italy’s 2018 World Champion, Alessio Foconi claimed his sixth career FIE men’s Foil World Cup gold in Paris (FRA) on Saturday, defeating 2016 Olympic silver winner Alexander Massialas in the final, 15-10.
Massialas had won eight out of nine World Cup finals coming, but Foconi was too strong. For the American, it was his 18th career World Cup medal.
Italy won the team title, 45-44 against Japan, with the U.S. (Chase Emmer, Nick Itkin, Massialas, Gerek Meinhardt) getting one of the bronze medals.
A new American star arrived at the FIE women’s Foil World Cup in Hong Kong, as 15-year-old Jaelyn Liu – the 2023 U.S. National Junior Champion – won the women’s title, defeating Martina Sinigalia (ITA) in the final by 15-12. Liu got by Italy’s 2014 Worlds runner-up Martina Batini in the semis and won her first international medal! Liu moved from 93rd to 6th in the FIE standings with the win.
Italy won the team event over the U.S. (Delphine Devore, Lee Keifer, Lauren Scruggs, Maia Weintraub), 45-27.
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At the FIE Sabre Grand Prix in Tunis (TUN), Korea’s Sangwon Park took the men’s title with a 15-12 win over France’s Sebastien Patrice. It’s the first career Grand Prix gold for Park, 24.
The women’s gold went to Japan’s two-time World Champion, Misaki Emura, a 15-13 winner over Michela Battiston of Italy.
● Freestyle Skiing ● New Zealand’s 20-year-old Luca Harrington won his second FIS World Cup Big Air in a row in Krieschberg (AUT), scoring 187.75 to edge home favorite and 2021 World Junior champ Matej Svancer (178.75) and Leo Landroe (NOR: 178.50).
Italy’s 17-year-old Flora Tabanelli got her first career World Cup gold in the women’s competition, winning with 175.50, ahead of Finn Anni Karava (173.50), who won her first World Cup medal at age 24. Tabanelli is also the only skier to medal in all four Big Air events this season!
● Ice Hockey ● For the 14th time in 17 editions, the IIHF Women’s U-18 World Championship in Vantaa (FIN) came down to the U.S. and Canada in the final, with the Canadians posting a 3-0 victory for their eighth title in this tournament.
The team were scoreless in the first period, then Calleigh Tiller got a power-play goal at 8:06 of the second period, followed by a second at 9:03 of the third by Dorothy Copetti. The U.S. could not score and the Canadians got an empty-netter from Stryker Zablocki at 18:23 of the final period. Marilou Grenier turned away 14 shots in goal for Canada, who had 29 shots against Morgan Stickney.
The U.S. edged Sweden, 2-1, in their semi, while Canada sailed by the Czech Republic, 4-2. The Czechs took the bronze, 2-1, in the third-place match.
In the 14 finals with the U.S. and Canada in this tournament, each has won seven.
● Luge ● Reigning World Champion Max Langenhan (GER) got his second win of the season in the FIL World Cup in Altenberg (GER), taking the men’s title by 1:48.210 to 1:48.440 over countryman and two-time Olympic champ Felix Loch. Jonny Gustafson was the top American, in 13th (1:49.804).
Olympic relay bronze medalists Martins Bots and Roberts Plume (LAT) got the gold in the men’s Doubles for their second win this season, edging three-time Olympic winners Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (GER), 1:23.900 to 1:24.023. Americans Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa finished sixth in 1:24.405.
Worlds bronze medalist Madeleine Egle (AUT) took the women’s Singles, winning both runs and finishing at 1:45.642, ahead of Beijing 2022 runner-up Anna Berreiter (GER: 1:45.792) and Merle Fraebel (GER: 1:45.905). Ashley Farquharson was the top American, in sixth (1:46.108).
The women’s Doubles was the fourth straight win for Austrians Selina Egle and Lara Kipp, finishing in 1:25.077, just beating two-time World Champions Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal (GER: 1:25.474) and Americans Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby (1:25.633). It was the third medal of the season for the Americans; teammates Maya Chan and Sophia Gordon, were eighth (1:26.309).
● Ski Mountaineering ● At the second ISMF World Cup of the season, in Shahdag (AZE), French star Emily Harrop got her 18th career World Cup gold in the women’s Sprint 2:28.2, beating Marianne Fatton (SUI: 3:02.5) and Celia Perillat-Pessey (FRA: 3:08.3).
France’s five-time World Champion Axelle Gachet-Mollaret won the Vertical Race in a rout in 22:08.0, ahead of Johanna Hiemer (AUT: 23:00.6) and Harrop (23:10.5).
The 2019 World Champion, Arno Lietha, led a Swiss 1-2 in the men’s Sprint, winning in 2:27.7, barely ahead of teammate Robin Bussard (2:28.5).
Four-time World Champion Remi Bonnet (SUI) won the men’s Vertical Race in 18:09.2, a half-minute ahead of Christof Hochenwarter (AUT: 18:39.2).
The Individual race will be held on Monday.
● Snowboard ● The home fans were happy at the FIS World Cup Big Air in Krieschberg (AUT), as Austria’s two-time Olympic champion Anna Gasser took her 13th World Cup win over Japan’s Reira Iwabuchi, 167,75 to 157.75. British teen star Mia Brookes – 17 – won the bronze at 148.00.
China’s Wenlong Yang got his first career World Cup win in the men’s final at 182.50, just ahead of Japan’s 19-year-old Taiga Hasegawa (180.25) and Kira Kimura (20: 168.75).
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Italy’s Maurizio Bormolini, 30, took his sixth career FIS World Cup win and his second of the season in the Parallel Giant Slalom in Scuol (SUI), out-dueling Austrian Dominik Burgstaller in the final. Burgstaller, 23, won his first career World Cup medal!
● Tennis ● The appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency of the “No Fault or Negligence” ruling given to Italian star Jannik Sinner will be heard on 16 April in Lausanne. The Independent Tennis Integrity Agency ruled in August that the two low-level positives for the steroid Clostebol at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California came from an over-the-counter spray purchased in Italy and applied by his physiotherapist to heal a small wound.
Where the ITIA excused the two positives at Indian Wells, WADA is asking for a suspension of 1-2 years.
The case, and Polish star Iga Swiatek’s one-month suspension for an August positive for trimetazidine – again from an over-the-counter product – have riled the tennis world with questions of whether the doping process is being taken seriously enough in the sport.
● Water Polo ● Defending champion Spain won the World Aquatics men’s World Cup in Bucharest (ROU), taking the final from four-time winner Hungary, 15-9.
Spain, second in its group, won its play-in game, 14-9, over Serbia, then beat Croatia (15-14) and Montenegro (15-8) to reach the final. The Hungarians won Group A, then beat Georgia, 21-10, in the quarters and Greece, 20-10, in the semis.
The U.S. lost to Montenegro in the quarters by 15-8 and eventually finished seventh.
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