★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★
★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★
≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● To those who say that the Los Angeles City Council is not preparing for the 2028 Games, a Friday motion popped up to spend $5.282 million for “the repair of pedestrian facilities (sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks, etc.) for the LA28 Games.”
The motion would authorize “the Department of Public Works and/or the City Engineer, or designee, to utilize existing and future contracts as appropriate, including emergency pre-qualified on-call contracts, to accelerate repairs.”
This expenditure was included in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget “for proactive infrastructure repairs near 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues, fan zones, and key access routes,” and the City “has since conducted a comprehensive infrastructure inventory and assessment near Games venues that identifies sidewalk repairs and related infrastructure improvements needed to ensure corridor safety and accessibility.”
The motion was referred to the Ad Hoc Committee on the Olympic & Paralympic Games, and can be expected to move ahead since funding was already included in the City’s budget.
The spend is actually as much about liability avoidance as any beautification effort as the City has been repeatedly hit with lawsuits over crumbling infrastructure and pedestrian injuries.
● Figure Skating ● American Ilia Malinin rebounded spectacularly from his Olympic experience in Milan to dominate the men’s skating at the ISU World Championships in Prague (CZE) and on Sunday, the International Skating Union paid him a special honor:
“In recognition of his record-breaking feat to land seven quadruple jumps in a single program, the International Skating Union proudly presented the sport’s first-ever ‘Trailblazer on Ice’ Award to the athlete widely known as the ‘Quad God.’ The historic moment took place during the Exhibition Gala of the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026 in Prague.”
It was a surprise announcement and was presented by ISU President Jae-Youl Kim (KOR), along with a commemorative ring.
● Football ● The famous Estadio Azteca, now known as the Banorte Stadium, was opened for the Portugal-Mexico match on Saturday after undergoing renovations, and will host the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Sadly, the re-opening day also saw a death just prior to the start of the match, as an unidentified fan, possibly drunk, apparently tried to jump from the second level to the first level of seats, along the exterior of the stadium and fell to the parking area below.
Portugal and Mexico played to a 0-0 tie before 84,130.
● Ice Hockey ● Writing on his 73rd birthday, International Ice Hockey Federation President Luc Tardif (FRA) wrote that he will not seek a second term as federation President in October:
“With the IIHF in a strong and stable position, I feel it is the right time to pass the puck to a younger leader. After much deliberation, I have made the decision not to seek re-election as IIHF President, as I believe that it is time for a new leader to take the reins and continue to move our sport forward. I am taking the opportunity to announce this today as I want to ensure that our organization and future leaders prepare themselves for the road ahead.”
This will touch off a scramble, with the IIHF successfully re-integrating the NHL back into Olympic hockey, but dealing with the NHL on preserving the IIHF World Championships as the World Cup of Hockey gets re-started and the question of whether to re-admit Russian teams and on what terms.
≡ RESULTS ≡
● Artistic Swimming ● At the World Aquatics World Cup in Paris (FRA), Russian “neutrals” won the women’s Solo Technical (Vasilina Khandoshka) and both Duet events (Maya Doroskho and Elizaveta Minaeva in the Duet Tech, and Doroshko and Alekjsandra Shmidt in the Duet Free), and the Mixed Technical, with Alina Rumiantseva and Zakhar Trofimov. Russian “neutral” teams won the Tech Technical and Team Free.
Germany’s Klara Bleyer won the women’s Solo Free, while China’s Muye Guo won the men’s Technical and men’s Free. Italy’s Filippo Pelati and Lucrezia Ruggiero won the Mixed Free and Ukraine won the Team Acrobatic event.
● Athletics ● The TEN in San Juan Capistrano, California produced more strong races, including a win for Shelby Houlihan in the women’s race, in 30:50.10, the world leader this year. She was well ahead of Jessica McClain’s 31:15.49 in second.
The men’s 10 was a national record 26:58.58 for Germany’s Mohamed Abdilaahi, followed by a national record of 26:57.07 for Australia’s Ky Robinson and a third national record of 27:20.52 for Mike Foppen (NED).
¶
A trio of women’s world-leading marks at the USATF Winter Throws Championships in Tucson, Arizona, as discus star Valarie Sion (nee Allman) won her 30th straight discus final at 66.02 m (216-7), Rachel Richeson took the hammer at 76.86 m (252-2) and Madison Wiltrout got a javelin lifetime best at 61.29 m (201-1).
The men’s winners included Reggie Jagers in the discus at 65.83 m (215-11), Rudy Winkler in the hammer (80.60 m/264-5) and Marc Minnichello in the javelin, reaching 75.32 m (247-1).
¶
At the Continental Tour Gold Maurie Plant meet in Melbourne (AUS), 2025 World Indoor 60 m runner-up Lachlan Kennedy (AUS) scored wins in the 100 m (10.03) and 200 m (20.38), beating 18-year-old Gout Gout (20.43) in the process.
American star Jacory Patterson took the world lead in the 400 m at 44.41 and Australia’s 19-year-old Cam Myers won the 1,500 m in a world-leading 3:30.42. Home favorite Claudia Hollingsworth took the women’s 1,500 m in 4:01.30, beating World Indoor 1,500 m winner Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR: 4:01.52).
World Champion Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) won the women’s high jump at 1.95 m (6-4 3/4) and Paris Olympic champ Nina Kennedy (AUS: won the vault at 4.72 m (15-5 3/4) over U.S. stars Hana Moll (4.56 m/14-11 1/2) and Amanda Moll (4.36 m/14-3 1/2).
¶
Pretty interesting women’s 800 m at the Clyde Hart Classic in Waco, Texas, with Makenna Herbst winning in 2:04.22, ahead of the supposedly-retired 2016 Olympic 400 hurdles champ Dalilah Muhammad, in a lifetime best of 2:04.51, ahead of 400 m star Alexis Holmes (2:05.64).
It was reportedly the first 800 for Muhammad in 11 years!
● Cycling ● Danish star Jonas Vingegaard took control on the difficult fifth stage of the 105th Volta a Catalunya in Spain and raced to his second big victory in a month after winning Paris-Nice in mid-March.
Vingegaard won the five-climb fifth stage of 153.1 km with a steep uphill finish and took the race lead, then won the four-climb, 158.2 km sixth stage and created a 1:22 lead over France’s Lenny Martinez. That’s how they finished as Sunday’s final stage into Barcelona was the usual sprint finish (Australia’s Brady Gilmore won), with the first 34 riders given the same time.
Vingegaard’s final time was 25:56:36, with Martinez 1:22 back and German Florian Lipowitz third at +1:30. Matthew Riccitello was the top American, in ninth (+5:25).
¶
Friday’s 68th E3 Saxo Classic in and around Harelbeke, Belgium was a second win of the season for Dutch star and two-time defending champion Mathieu van der Poel, who attacked with 42 km left on the 208.8 km course and won in 4:45:15, three seconds up on Per Strand Hagenes (NOR) and Florian Vermeersch (BEL). American Magnus Sheffield was 12th.
¶
The 88th edition of the famed In Flanders Field (nee Gent-Wevelgem) in Belgium was held Sunday, with a spirited breakaway by 2024 runner-up van der Poel and Belgium’s 2021 champion Wout van Aert about 36 km from the end of the 240.8 km ride to Wevelgem, but they were caught with about 1,000 m to go.
Instead, it was Belgium’s Jasper Philipsen, an Alpecin-Premier Tech teammate of van der Poel, who won the final, mass sprint in 5:08:03, ahead of Tobias Andresen (DEN) and 2023 winner Christophe Laporte (FRA). Van Aert was 30th and ver der Poel, 35th.
The women’s race of 135.2 km belonged for the third straight year to Dutch star Lorena Wiebes, who won the final sprint over Fleur Moors (BEL) and Karlijn Swinkels (NED) in 3:31:21.
¶
At the USA Cycling BMX National Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Payton Ridenour repeated as the women’s winner, over 2024 runner-up Carly Kane and 2024 bronzer Lexis Colby. The men’s winner was 2024 champion Kamren Larsen, beating Drew Polk and Rayne Lankford.
At the USA Cycling nationals in BMX Freestyle in South Jordan, Utah, veteran stars took both events, with 2018 World Champion Justin Dowell winning the men’s title over Marcus Christopher and six-time World Champion Hannah Roberts winning the women’s gold, ahead of Angie Marino.
● Fencing ● American William Morrill, 19, took the FIE men’s Sabre World Cup in Budapest (HUN) for his first World Cup victory, getting past Matteo Neri (ITA) by 15-13 in the championship final. France defeated Romania, 45-34, to take the team gold. The U.S. was fourth (Daryl Homer, Antonio Heathcock, Colin Heathcock, Grant Williams), losing to Korea in the bronze-medal match by 45-26.
The FIE women’s Sabre World Cup in Tashkent (UZB) was won by Russian “neutral” Alina Mikhailova, who defeated Bulgarian Yoana Ilieva in the final, 15-6. The Russian “neutral” team won the team title over the U.S. (Maia Chamberlain, Lola Possick, Aleksandra Strzalkowski, Siobhan Sullivan), 45-32.
¶
At the FIE Epee World Cup in Astana (KAZ), Ukraine’s 2018 Worlds bronze winner Roman Svichkar won the men’s final over Kazakhstan’s Ruslan Kurbanov, 15-12, and 2022 World Champion Sera Song (KOR) took the women’s final by 15-11 over Estonia’s Katrina Lehis, the Tokyo Olympic bronze winner.
France won the men’s team final over Italy (45-44) and South Korea won the women’s team title over the U.S. (Hadley Husisian, Charlene Liu, Catherine Nixon, Tierna Oxenreider) by 45-34.
● Figure Skating ● As expected, Olympic gold medalists Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) dominated the Ice Dance at the ISU World Championships in Prague (CZE), winning by more than 19 points.
Already the leaders following the Rhythm Dance, the French duo won the Free Dance at 138.07, way ahead of Olivia Smart and Tim Dieck (ESP) at 125.31, then Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (CAN: 125.07) and Americans Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik (lifetime best 124.99).
That gave Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron a total of 230.81, the no. 2 score ever and for Cizeron, his fifth Worlds gold (first with Fournier Beaudry). Gilles and Poirier remained in second place and won their third straights Worlds silver! They now have five medals (0-3-2) in the last six editions.
Zingas and Kolesnik won the bronze by placing fourth in both segments and getting a lifetime best score of 209.20, just ahead of Britain’s 2025 bronze winners, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson (208.98). The U.S. duo’s first Worlds medal extends the American medal streak in this event to 11 straight Worlds.
● Football ● The U.S. men faced world no. 9 Belgium in a friendly in Atlanta, Georgia in a strong test of preparation for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The Americans were on offense early and had some excellent chances, but no scores.
In the 39th, defender Antonee Robinson struck a magnificent corner that sailed over most of the Belgian defense and came to midfielder Weston McKennie, whose right-footed strike sent the ball to the far side of the net for a stunning 1-0 lead.
Unfazed, Belgium rallied with a brilliant equalizer in the 45th, as a rocket from forward Jeremy Doku was saved by U.S. keeper Matt Turner, but rebounded out beyond the box. Defender Zeno Debast then sent a right-footed laser through two defenders and into the far corner of the goal, too fast for Turner to react. It was 1-1 and the half ended with Belgium in 59% possession and a 13-8 shots edge.
After a couple of good U.S. chances to open the second half, a block on Doku went to midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers, who pushed the ball back to midfielder Amadou Onana, who hit a blast from the top of the box that skipped past Turner for a 2-1 lead in the 53rd. Quickly afterwards, Belgium was on the attack again and Turner saved a Doku blast and then a header by defender Thomas Meuiner was swatted. But defender Tim Weah was called for a hand ball and striker Charles de Ketelaere converted the penalty for a 3-1 lead in the 59th.
The Belgians took complete control in the 68th, on a brilliant strike from sub striker Dodi Lukebakio, who dribbled from the right side into the middle of the box and delivered a line-drive left-footed score to the top of the net for a 4-1 lead. Lukebakio scored again from the middle of the box in the 82nd for the 5-1 lead.
U.S. sub forward Ricardo Pepi stole a clearing pass in the Belgian box in the 87th and the ball rolled to sub striker Patrick Agyemang, who slammed it home for the 5-2 final. The U.S. actually ended with 51.5% of possession, but Belgium had 21 shots to 12 for the U.S.
The Americans are back at it on Tuesday against no. 5 Portugal, also in Atlanta. The Portuguese, without Cristiano Ronaldo, played in Mexico City Saturday to a 0-0 draw.
● Freestyle Skiing ● The FIS World Cup in Silvaplana (SUI) saw the conclusion of the Slopestyle and Halfpipe seasons, with Olympic champ Birk Ruud (NOR) getting his second win of the season in the men’s Slopestyle, and winning with 83.52 points over Estonian teen star Henry Sildaru (79.41) and American Mac Forehand (78.47). Ruud won the seasonal title at 280, with Sildaru second at 220 and Forehand at 184.
Swiss Sarah Hoefflin, the 2018 Olympic gold medalist, took the women’s Slopestyle win with 80.07, ahead of Kirsty Muir (GBR: 75.54), but Muir was the seasonal winner with 280 points, to 211 for Elena Gaskill (CAN) and 210 for Lara Wolf (AUT).
Sunday’s Halfpipe saw New Zealand’s Luke Harrold get his first win of the season (93.25) over Olympic runner-up Sildaru – age 19 – at 88.00 and Finn Jon Sallinen (85.25). New Zealand’s Finley Melville Ives, the 2025 World Champion, won the seasonal title over American Hunter Hess, 280 to 265.
Olympic women’s bronzer Zoe Atkin (GBR) won the women’s finale at 86.75, beating Mischa Thomas (NZL: 80.75); Atkin also won the seasonal title with 360 points to 290 for 16-year-old Indra Brown (AUS).
● Ski Jumping ● The FIS World Cup was in Planica (SLO) for jumping off of the giant, 240 m ski-flying hill, with another good week for the Prevc family.
Both Domen (men) and Nika (women) have clinched their seasonal titles and Domen the first men’s event on Friday at 471.4 points, ahead of Ren Nikaido (JPN: 451.3) and Daniel Tschofenig (AUT: 443.5). In Sunday’s finale, Beijing 2022 gold medalist Marius Lindvik took the win at 459.5, just ahead of Domen Prevc (453.9) and Johann Andre Forfang (NOR: 441.3).
Domen finished with 2,143 points to 1,194 for Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN) and 1,159 for Tschofenig.
The women jumped on Saturday, and with a crowd of 30,000 cheering her on, Nika delivered another win, her record 18th of the season, to score 405.3, over Olympic silver winner Eirin Kvandal (NOR: 388.1) and 361.7 for Nozomi Maruyama (JPN). Overall, Nika amassed 2,676 points to 1,870 for Maruyama and 1,628 for double Olympic champ Anna Stroem (NOR).
● Ski Mountaineering ● The very busy ISMF World Cup in Puy-St. Vincent (FRA) also included a Youth World Championships, but in the senior events, Swiss star Remi Bonnet took the Individual Race in 1:26:17.9, almost a minute ahead of William bon Mardion (FRA: 1:27:14.8), and won the Vertical Race in 20:43.8 over Anselme Damevin (FRA: 21:10.7).
Olympic bronze winner Thibault Anselmet (FRA: 3:09.2) took the Sprint over Thomas Bussard (SUI: 3:15.2).
The women’s Individual race was a big win for multi-time World Champion Axelle Gachet Mollaret (FRA: 1:15:53.9), winning over Alba De Silvesto (ITA: 1:18:29.0), and then taking the Vertical Race in 24:23.0, beating teammate Emily Harrop (24:50.7) and De Silvestro (25:29.6).
In the Sprint, Harrop (3:37.9), the Olympic runner-up, led a French 1-2 ahead of Margot Ravinel (FRA: 3:45.7).
● Snowboard ● The FIS World Cup in Silvaplana (SUI) featured the close of the Slopestyle and Halfpipe seasons, with Japan’s Olympic champ Yuto Totsuka winning for the third time in the last four Halfpipe events at 94.00, ahead of Val Guseli (AUS: 91.00) and Chase Blackwell of the U.S. (88.75). Totsuka won the seasonal Halfpipe Crystal Globe with 460 points to 430 for Guseli.
The women’s Halfpipe went to American two-time Worlds medalist Maddie Mastro, for her first medal of the season (85.00) with teammate Maddy Schaffrick second (78.25). Korea’s Ga-on Choi, the Olympic winner, was the seasonal champ with 300 points, to 296 for Japan’s Rise Kudo.
The men’s Slopestyle event was cancelled, so Olympic winner Yuming Su (CHN) took the seasonal title at 140 points to go with his Big Air title. American Judd Henkes (139) was just a point behind.
The women’s Slopestyle final was also cancelled due to high winds, so 16-year-old American Lily Dhawornvej won the seasonal title with 169 points to 160 for Japan’s Olympic bronze winner Kokomo Murase.
● Swimming ● Texas won its second straight NCAA men’s title in Atlanta, Georgia, scoring 445 1/2 points to 416 for Florida and 351 for Indiana.
Canadian Josh Liendo, the 2024 Olympic 100 m Fly runner-up, was the big individual winner. Swimming for Florida, he won the 50-yard Free, 100-yard Free and 100-yard Fly, plus legs on four medal-winning relay teams.
There were multiple double winners, including Maximus Williamson (Virginia) in the 200-yard Free and 200-yard Medley; Hungary’s Olympic Back champ Hubert Kos (Texas) in the 100-yard and 200-yard Back events, and 100-200-yard Breast winner Yamato Okadome (JPN-Cal).
Tunisian distance stars Ahmed Hafnoui (Tokyo 2020 400 m Free gold) and Ahmed Janouadi (2025 World 800-1,500 m golds) – swimming for Florida – both won, in the 500-yard Free and 1,000-yard Free, respectively.
¶
The big stars of the 2025 World Championships were in strong form at the World Athletics Open Water World Cup opener in Somabay (EGY), with German Florian Wellbrock winning the men’s 10 km in 1:50:59.5. touching cleaning ahead of 2025 Worlds Sprint runner-up David Betlehem (HUN: 1:51:04.1) and Domenico Acerenza (ITA: 1:51:05.6).
World Champion Moesha Johnson (AUS) was all alone in the women’s 10 km in 1:58:26.1, with Italy’s Worlds runner-up Ginerva Taddeucci a distant second in 1:59:14.7. Germany, with Wellbrock on anchor, won the Mixed 4×1,500 m relay in 1:09:24.6 over Hungary (1:09:26.9).
¶
★ Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.
For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!
