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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Winter Paralympic Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The U.S. vs. Italy sled hockey match at the Santaguilia Arena in Milan on Saturday drew a loud crowd of 8,992 fans, which was reported as a record for Para Ice Hockey at a major tournament. According to The Associated Press:
“That not only broke the previous Paralympic record of 8,462 fans for the gold medal match at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002, but also surpassed the attendance record of 8,600 spectators at the 2019 World Para Ice Hockey championship in the Czech Republic.”
The U.S. won by 14-1; coach David Hoff said:
“In sled hockey you don’t get this, with a packed house like this tonight and people out there, you know, the crowd, the cheering and everything like that. That’s cool for these guys too to play in that environment.”
● Athletics ● A close finish at the 2026 Los Angeles Marathon, where Kenyan Michael Kamau was leading by 30 seconds at the 20 km mark, then 1:14 by 25 km and 1:43 at 30 km.
Nathan Martin, a high school coach from Michigan and experienced marathoner, moved up to second by 35 km and was 1:54 behind. Martin chopped the lead down to 56 seconds by 40 km and kept coming as Kamau slowed. Then, a “fan” waving a Kenyan flag went onto the course in the final straight and Kamau moved away from his line to avoid her and lost time before correcting his path.
Martin kept coming and got to the line ahead of a diving Kamau in what was initially reported as a 2:11:16.50 to 2:11:16.68 finish. The official, posted results showed 2:11:16.5 to 2:11:16.9, with Kenyan Enyew Nigat third at 2:14:22.2.
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American stars Nick Christie and Lauren Harris won the USATF Half Marathon Race Walking World Team Trials at Celebration Pointe, Florida on Sunday (8th) by considerable margins in the selection event for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in April in Brazil.
Christie won the men’s race in 1:34:29, and set American Records en route for 5 km (17:26), 10 km (39:13) and 15 km (1:01:23). Second was Jordan Crawford in 1:39:49, with Jason Cherng claiming bronze in 1:40:38.
Harris won in 1:44:03, best ever by an American and in position to be recognized as an American Record. She also set en route records at 5 km (19:07), 10 km (42:32) and 15 km (1:06:46), lowering the three existing marks by Maria Michta-Coffey from 2014 to 2016.
Izabelle Trefts, the NAIA indoor 3,000 m winner, was second in 1:52:13, with bronze medalist Katie Burnett finishing in 1:52:23.
● Baseball ● Playoff qualifiers in the World Baseball Classic have been determined for Groups C and D, while Groups A and B are yet to be decided.
Japan is 3-0 in Group C and was the first to advance and South Korea, following a 7-2 win over Australia on Monday, will also advance. In Group D, the Dominican Republic is now 3-0 after a 10-1 win over Israel and will advance. Venezuela, now 2-0, will also advance.
The playoff rounds begin on 13 March (Friday).
● Figure Skating ● “We left it all on the ice in Milan. Our season feels complete with those four performances where we delivered our best.”
That’s U.S. Ice Dance star Evan Bates, speaking for himself and partner Madison Chock, withdrawing from the upcoming ISU World Championships in Prague (CZE) from 24-29 March.
“While we have decided not to compete at the World Championships, we hold dear the incredible memories from winning the last three years. Those achievements have meant so much to us. We couldn’t be more appreciate of all the love and support.”
Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, fourth at the 2026 U.S. Championships, will make replace them and will compete in their third Worlds.
● Football ● Iraq has a 31 March date in Monterrey (MEX) to play for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup against the winner of a Suriname vs. Bolivia play-in game, but with the turmoil in neighboring Iran, it’s impossible for the Iraqi team to even be together to prepare.
Iraqi coach Graham Arnold (AUS) is asking FIFA to postpone the match until the first week of June. That way, if Iran withdraws due to the attacks against it by Israel and the U.S., Iraq would be in position to be named to replace it. Then, the UAE would be the next Asian confederation team in line to play the winner of Bolivia-Suriname. Said Arnold:
“In my opinion, if FIFA were to delay the game it gives us time to prepare properly. In my opinion, it also gives FIFA more time to decide what Iran is going to do.“
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As for the Iranian women’s football team, in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup, is embroiled in controversy as they were silent during the national anthem for their opening match vs. South Korea on 2 March, opening up the possibility of punishment on their return.
Iran lost all three of its group matches by 3-0, 4-0 and 2-0, with at least five players asking for asylum. U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social account on Monday:
“I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women’s Soccer Team. He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way. Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return. In any event, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job having to do with this rather delicate situation. God bless Australia!”
● Gymnastics ● At the USA Gymnastics Winter Classic in Springfield, Illinois, 2025 World Championships U.S. team member Trevor Harder scored a big win in the men’s Elite Trampoline final, scoring 60.900 to edge Elijah Vogel (59.810) and 2025 Worlds silver medalist Ruben Padilla (58.93).
The women’s Elite title went to Leah Garafolo (53.870), also a 2025 U.S. Worlds team member, just ahead of Clare Bretscher (53.610) and Ava DeHanes (52.470).
● Skateboard ● Japan dominated the delayed World Skate 2025 World Championships in Sao Paulo (BRA), with the finals alternately held in sunny conditions or heavy rain.
The men’s rain-impacted Park final saw Spain’s Egoitz Bijueska hit his fourth run and score 95.83 to win the men’s title, just ahead of Kalani Konig (BRA: 94.80). American Tom Schaar was third, scoring 90.51 on his second run. It’s Spain’s first Worlds medal!
Women’s Park had go be shortened to two runs due to the weather with Britain’s Sky Brown claiming her second Worlds gold, ahead of Mizuho Hasegawa (JPN) and American Minna Stress, who won her second Worlds bronze in three editions (scores not posted).
In the Men’s Street final, Japan’s Toa Sasaki had the best run in the field at 86.33 in round two and added the third-best trick score for a winning total of 174.10. That was just better than Angelo Caro (PER) at 173.32 and Sora Shirai (JPN: 170.45).
The women’s Street was a Japan sweep, with first-time Worlds medal winner Ibuki Matsumoto (156.59) winning, ahead of Nanami Onishi (146.36) and Olympic champ Coco Yoshizawa (145.02), with Brazil’s iconic, two-time Olympic Street medalist Rayssa Leal (143.54) in fourth.
● Sport Climbing ● At the USA Climbing National Team Trials in Portland, Oregon, the usual format of qualifying to a final was discarded in favor of three rounds for all, for a better evaluation.
In the men’s Boulder, Auggie Chi, Colin Duffy and Hugo Hoyer won the three rounds and all were selected on the national team of five. In Lead, Jesse Grupper won rounds 1 and 3 and was third in round two, won by Sergey Lakhno. Colin Duffy was second in all three rounds and all three were among five selected. The Speed winners were Ben Jennings, Noah Bratschi and Michael Hom and they all made the team of five.
The women’s Boulder round winners were Melina Costanza, Adriene Akiko Clark and Nekaia Sanders and they were named on the team of five. Ella Fisher won the first women’s Lead event, with Brooke Raboutou second, then Raboutou won the last two rounds with Fisher second and were among the five named. The Speed victors were Isis Rothfork for the first two rounds and Sophia Curcio in the third and both were on the five-member team.
● Speed Skating ● The International Skating Union introduced first-ever awards for speed skating at a ceremony following the ISU World Sprint and Allround Championships in Heerenveen (NED).
Awards were given for those with the most World Cup wins – Jordan Stolz (USA) for the men and Femke Kok (NED) for the women – plus the seven world-record setters during the season, which included the U.S. men’s Team Pursuit squad of Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson and Emery Lehman.
Individual awards for the Most Improved went to Canada’s Valerie Maltais and to Czech star Metrodej Jilek for Best Newcomer.
● Swimming ● SwimSwam.com reported on a change from World Aquatics, dropping the Mixed 4×100 m Freestyle relay from its World Aquatics Championships program, meaning the Worlds event line-up will be the same as for the Olympic Games.
The Mixed 4×1 Free has been held seven times at the Worlds, between 2015-25.
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