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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Athletics ● Italian high jump star Gianmarco Tamberi, the Tokyo 2020 co-Olympic champion, said in a RAI television interview:
“I played basketball until I was 17, if I had continued I would have been less proud but happier, because it’s not so nice to jump a bar. I had to make that choice but I don’t love what I do.”
He explained further (computer translation from the original Italian):
“In 2009, I found myself at the crossroads of whether to continue my journey as a basketball player, the sport I loved with all my heart, or choose the high jump, the discipline I was probably born for.
“As you can imagine, if I had only followed the emotional part I would not be here today talking and looking at what has been done in this long journey. In that case, the rational part prevailed and objectively putting together the information I had on my possible athletic path, made me lean towards a more logical choice towards the high jump and I was only 17 years old. If I had not started there I would not have arrived here today.”
Tamberi competed at the London 2012 Games in the qualifying round, missed Rio 2016 due to injury, shared the gold with Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) in Tokyo and was sick in Paris, but managed to finish 11th in the final. As for 2028, it’s a possibility, but he will be 36.
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In a closely-watched decision, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) announced Tuesday that it will continue its sponsorship agreement with Puma.
It was reported that adidas had offered the federation close to JMD 6 billion (about $38.1 million U.S.) in total over eight years, but the Puma agreement was said to be worth considerably more.
● Cycling ● The 2025 NATO World Forum will be held in The Hague (NED) from 24-26 June, but training and preparations for it will impact the availability of police to help control the spring cycling season. According to the Dutch cycling federation:
“The impact of the NATO summit on the 2025 cycling calendar is disastrous. From Jan. 1, 2025 to Aug. 31, 2025, there will be no capacity available for motorcycle police to supervise cycling races.”
Federation chief Maurice Leeser told The Associated Press:
“It is bitter and disappointing to have to conclude that the two-day NATO summit results in an absence of motorcycle officers at cycling races for a period of no less than eight months, which is almost the entire cycling season.”
● Gymnastics ● The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) posted a list of the 10 best-remembered moments in men’s artistic gymnastics in 2024. Number one:
“A Men’s Team final (rotation) for the ages. Three Horizontal Bar routines were all that stood between the People’s Republic of China and Paris 2024 Olympic team gold, but nobody informed the Japanese. In a stunning reversal of fortune, mistakes from the Chinese wiped out its [sic] three-point lead, leaving an ecstatic, disbelieving Japanese team holding gold. All was not lost for China, of course: They still won silver, and Liu Yang (Still Rings) and Zou Jingyuan (Parallel Bars) added golds in apparatus finals.”
U.S. Pommel Horse star Stephen Nedoroscik’s clutch routine to clinch the men’s Olympic Team bronze medal came in at no. 5.
● Skating ● The International Skating Union announced an amendment – approved by the ISU Council – to allow suspensions by another organization to be recognized by the ISU. So:
“Subsequent to this decision, as regards the case of the Skater Ivan Desyatov (USA) who has been temporarily suspended for alleged sexual misconduct by U.S. Safe Sport on October 18, 2024 pending disciplinary decision by the competent authority, and the case of the Skater Nicolaj Soerensen (CAN) who has been suspended for sexual maltreatment for a minimum of six years by Canada’s Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner on October 4, 2024, while recognizing the presumption of innocence, considering the seriousness of the alleged offences the ISU Council has decided to expand the suspensions, considered as interim, to all ISU activities and Competitions sanctioned by the ISU. The Council also recommends that all ISU Members expand the suspensions to all activities and events under their control.”
● Tennis ● Five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek (POL) accepted a one-month suspension from the International Tennis Integrity Agency after she failed an out-of-competition test for trimetazidine on 12 August:
“The ITIA accepted that the positive test was caused by the contamination of a regulated non-prescription medication (melatonin), manufactured and sold in Poland that the player had been taking for jet lag and sleep issues, and that the violation was therefore not intentional. This followed interviews with the player and their entourage, investigations, and analysis from two WADA-accredited laboratories.
“In relation to the Player’s level of fault, as the contaminated product was a regulated non-prescription medication in the player’s country of origin and purchase and considering all the circumstances of its use (and other contaminated product cases under the World Anti-Doping Code), the player’s level of fault was considered to be at the lowest end of the range for ‘No Significant Fault or Negligence’.”
Swiatek was provisionally suspended from 12 September to 4 October 2024 and will forfeit her prize money from the Cincinnati Open, the tournament following her test, and has eight days remaining in her 30-day ban, to 4 December.
● Water Polo ● The U.S. women won the Pan American Championship in Ibague (COL) on Monday (25th) by 18-5 over Argentina, which also qualified the Americans for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
Emily Ausmus, Charlotte Raisin, and Anna Pearson led the scoring with three goals each and keeper Amanda Longan registered 12 saves. It was 13-2 at halftime.
The U.S. finished 6-0 in the tournament and outscored their opponents by 130-24!
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